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Coherent Breathing and Flowering Currant

 

Coherent breathing is a technique taught around the world by Drs. Richard Brown, MD and  Patricia Gerbarg, MD through their foundation: https://www.breath-body-mind.com/.  Coherent breathing gently reduces stress, calms the mind, promotes restful sleep and helps to build resilience in the midst of crisis and challenge such as we are facing now in Israel and from rising anti-Semitism worldwide, r"l.  Last week over 100 people attended.

Free Crisis Relief and Stress Resilience Program

November and December 

Tuesdays and Thursdays from 21:00 – 21:45 Israel Time | 2:00 – 2:45 pm EST 

To Register for TOMORROW'S TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 7TH CLASS:

https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwsfuygqj8uGdDMy94jhx1g-03qz0VfTQhf

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Flowering Currant

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One supportive flower essence that came to mind is the mood lifting lovely pink petaled Flowering Currant (Ribes sanguineum) which I use from Harebell Flower Remedies. 

In addition to being an accomplished physician, researcher and homeopath of note, Dr. Bach was also a knowledgeable botanist and herbalist.  In searching for his remedies of the field that would make up his idea for a new system of treating disease, Dr. Bach employed Paracelsus’ Doctrine of Signatures that identifies a flower or tree's particular benefits through careful observation of its "signature" such as where and how it grows, its colors, shape and posture among other signs.  

Dr. Bach also paid attention to the thoughts and feelings each plant evoked within him and soon discerned that a plant’s hidden message or its essence was an echo of human life - an understanding made long before by Chazal who said,  “there is not a single blade of grass growing here on Earth which does not have a heavenly force Above telling it, Grow!  For every sprout and leaf says something meaningful, every stone whispers some hidden message in the silence, every creation sings its song of praise for the Creator.

 

Lise Wolff, an herbalist has said, “Just as the plant works out its experience, we take in the flower remedy and let it echo through our bodies, showing us how to respond to our own similar challenges.”

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The Flowering Currant’s ruby-rich color and relaxed dangling posture show an affinity with our lungs and breathing. Blossoming in early March through April, it is one of Spring's first flowers to emerge as frozen Winter melts away.  Warming to the heart and expanding to the lungs, the essence of Flowering Currant supports the stress-relieving practice of coherent breathing and helps to release the tension held in our arms, chest and shoulders, whatever the cause. 

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I took a few drops Flowering Currant flower essence today before practicing the breathing exercise and found it made it easier for me to breathe in.  While this flower essence doesn’t seem to be currently available in Israel – a few drops of Rescue Remedy – which we are giving out in Yerushalayim and Tzfat – will render a similar relaxing effect in the meantime!

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Check out this nice little post about Flowering Currant on Gather Victoria.