This is a complex topic and cannot be addressed on this website in great detail.  In order to understand the differences between flower essences and other forms of alternative therapies, it's important to understand that flower essences are liquid remedies typically made using water, sunlight, and fresh flower blossoms.  They are infusions of the fresh blossoms in water, and, after the making of the essence is completed (usually in several hours), the blossoms are removed.  What remains is the mother essence or mother tincture, typically preserved with brandy, from which 2-7 drops are used to make a one-ounce stock bottle.  Dosage bottles are further dilutions.  Commonly, 2-7 drops of the stock essence are used to make a dosage bottle.  Flower essences are energetic remedies and contain only the energy of the flower and no actual plant constituent.  Please keep this basic information in mind as you read about the following alternative therapies.  Also remember that the generalities given below may not apply in some cases, such as specific plants and flowers which may tend to work on levels not generally common for a particular healing modality (such as flower essences which commonly affect physical issues, essential oils and herbs which tend to impact the mind and emotions primarily, etc.).

Flower Essences compared to Herbs:  Herbs are made from many parts of the plant by a number of methods.  They generally work more with the body and then impact mental/emotional levels, whereas flower essences generally work more with the energy field and mental/emotional levels and then impact the body.  Another way to state this is to say that herbs work primarily with the lower tones of a plant, while flower essences eliminate the lower tones and work on a higher level.  One may powerfully combine herbs and flower essences in order to address multidimensional levels of a problem.  For example, chamomile tea will help a stomach ache at the physical level, and chamomile flower essence will address the emotions which may be causing or contributing to the stomach ache (the chamomile is the first photo shown on this page). 

Flower Essences compared to Aromatherapy (essential oils):  Essential oils, which are used in aromatherapy, are extracts from various parts of a plant, and they have a scent.  They are extremely powerful, and most essential oils must be diluted before using on the body or they may be dangerous.  Flower essences have no scent, are gentle, and are water infusions of the flower.  Essential oils are generally used for physical conditions (they are 95% effective for infections) and secondarily for conditions related to the psyche, nerves, and hormones, where they have been found to have a 75% success rate.  By contrast, flower essences have been used traditionally for emotional conditions with secondary effects on the physical body (however, this approach is changing with some of the newer essences; click to read about physical uses of flower essences).  Essential oils and flower essences combine well in sprays and creams for topical application. 

The science of aromatherapy, as we know it today, had its beginnings within the established medical community in France between the 1930's and the 1970's.  Essential oils in their pure, unadulterated form (which are rare in the commercial marketplace) represent a very potent form of phytomedicine and may be used to address a vast array of physical problems (see Medical Aromatherapy and Advanced Aromatherapy by Kurt Schnaubelt, Ph.D.).  Those who consider aromatherapy an "airy-fairy New Age fad" (as I've heard some call it) are completely misinformed about the knowledge of chemistry which undergirds medical aromatherapy and about the scientific validity of carefully created (not mass-produced for volume), high-quality, and botanically accurate essential oils applied in a knowledgeable manner based on research and experience. 

Flower Essences compared to Homeopathy:  Flower essences are closest to homeopathy.  Both are vibrational remedies, although different preparation methods are used; both use diluted substances and both are holistic in orientation.  However, there are many differences.  Homeopathy is a complex science of healing with a strong orientation toward alleviation of bodily suffering (taking away disease) which is symptom-oriented in its prescribing methodology.  It is not uncommon for high potencies of homeopathic remedies to be used in the treatment of emotional issues, and this can result in aggravations or the creation of new symptoms (called "proving" a remedy).  Homeopathic remedies at high potencies are very powerful and should not be used by the inexperienced.  They may be used most safely under the direction of an experienced practitioner, while lower potencies are safer for use at home.  Flower essences, by contrast, are not potentized as are homeopathic remedies.  They work on a deep level and address mental and emotional issues at what would approximate a very low homeopathic potency, and they are therefore very safe. 

Flower essences help us to develop latent, dormant gifts and potential that we have so that we can use them.  They strengthen the positive qualities present within a person.  Flower essences are used more commonly for mental and emotional issues, for people who want to make a life change, or for feeling "stuck" (flower essences help put one in touch with the higher self or true self so that an opening or pathway may emerge).  Flower essences help people find their purpose, their creativity, and their essential identity, and they help people move toward self-actualization.  The English homeopath Ian Watson, an internationally-known lecturer and author and co-founder/course director of the Lakeland College in England, states that he began exploring flower essences because of the limitations he experienced in using homeopathy with his clients.  He found that clients kept returning, seeking homeopathic remedies to help them reach what they desired, but in many cases the homeopathic remedies were not able to help them move beyond certain points.  When he began using flower essences in his practice, he was able to help many of his clients make the changes and achieve the forward movement that they desired.  He also found flower essences helpful when clients had to deal with cathartic effects produced by a homeopathic remedy (flower essences may be used concurrent with homeopathic remedies, although some very conservative homeopaths would be opposed to this).  As a result of his clinical experience, Watson now uses flower essences extensively in his practice and has produced an excellent set of tapes entitled Flower Essences for Homeopaths. 

Watson states that he typically uses flower essences for mental and emotional issues but uses herbs, homeopathy, and supplements if a client is suffering from a physical pathology.  However, he has found in his experience as a practitioner that some clients don't improve with these modalities but instead do improve when flower essences are used.  He has also found cases where clients do not respond to flower essences for mental and emotional issues but do respond to homeopathic remedies.  His experience again confirms what I mentioned earlier:  there are no absolute rules in the realm of vibrational medicine, and, while one may state generalities, the response of each individual is unique. 

Homeopathy is based on the Law of Similars ("like cures like," i.e., a diluted and potentized substance is used to cure in an ill person the state which the substance causes in a healthy person).   Dr. Bach, the originator of flower essences, was a homeopath who was exploring a new approach to healing.  Instead, he emphasized flooding the patient's being with the uplifting virtues which flowers impart.  Flower essences are not based on the Law of Similars.  It is extremely rare for a flower essence to be researched in the same way that homeopathic remedies are researched:  by a classic homeopathic proving.  During this process, healthy individuals take the homeopathic remedy and carefully write down the symptoms that are "artificially produced" in them temporarily by the remedy.  When the symptoms that the remedy produces in healthy individuals are known, the remedy may be given as a cure to ill persons suffering from those same symptoms.  This is the the basis of the Law of Similars:  when two similars "meet," they annihilate each other.  The body's own healing capabilities are set in motion, and self-healing begins.  Since "more of the same" is being given to an ill individual in the form of a medicine "similar" to the client's illness, there may be a temporary escalation of symptoms (called a therapeutic "aggravation"), before the symptoms subside. 

As a general rule flower essences, compared to homeopathic remedies, are not known to produce new symptoms or an "artificial disease" in a healthy person.  I know of no such cases.  However, there are thousands of flower essences being produced today (I cannot speak for all of them), and each individual's sensitivity is unique.  It is possible, on the other hand, that in some cases flower essences may be working according to the Law of Similars.  At times during flower essence therapy, there may be a temporary escalation of symptoms before healing occurs.  On the emotional plane, this may take the form of past experiences or unconscious material being brought to consciousness so that it may be acknowledged and worked through before it is released.  On the other hand, often flower essences uplift and calm the individual without eliciting any cathartic emotions.  The effect of each essence is determined by the individual's response to that particular flower; flower essences do not affect everyone in the same way.  If some flower essences are working according to the Law of Similars, we only surmise it as a hypothesis based on what we can observe in the experiences of clients.  Since flower essence research is very rarely conducted via a classical homeopathic proving, it is impossible to know with certainty if the Law of Similars is operative or not. 

Some individuals and homeopaths tend to "lump" flower essences and homeopathic preparations together, which I believe is inaccurate.  For example, the Bach flower essences have now been "potentized" and may be bought in various homeopathic potencies.  These are not true flower essences; they are homeopathic "hybrids."  Because they are similar in so many ways, the interface of homeopathic medicine and flower essence therapy is a complex topic.  At this point in time, when we are still struggling with our current technology to understand just how both of these energetic healing systems work, there are many blurrings of boundaries which we will hopefully be able to clarify in the future as our technology becomes more sensitive and our understanding deepens. 

Flower Essences compared to Allopathic Medicine:  Allopathic medicine is based on drug therapy which has chemical effects upon the bodily systems, and it may have side-effects.  It has its place, but it is, metaphorically speaking, at the opposite end of the healing spectrum from vibrational medicine.  Those who are taking drugs to deal with psychological issues, such anti-depressant or anti-anxiety medications, may experience a suppression of symptoms.  Flower essences do not dampen symptoms.  They provide support while bringing to consciousness what must be seen and addressed in order for balance and health to be re-established.  One may use flower essences while using any form of drug therapy, but drugs which dull consciousness may impede the benefit of flower essence therapy to some degree.  Some people, with professional help, have been able to reduce or eliminate their use of drugs by following a health-enhancing lifestyle which includes flower essence therapy. 

Those desiring additional information on this topic may see The Complete Book of Flower Essences by Rhonda Pallasdowney (New World Library, 2002, Chapter 2). 

First photo:  Chamomile calms barking dogs as well as moody and irritable people (courtesy of FES). 

Second photo:  Dandelion is helpful for stress, tension, conflict and manifestations of these in the physical body (courtesy of Steve Johnson, Alaskan Flower Essence Project).

Third photo:  Paw paw helps us in times of overwhelm and indecision (courtesy of Ian White, Australian Bush Flower Essences).

Fourth photo:  Forsythia helps one break addictions and negative habits (© Pacific Essences®).

Fifth photo:  Glass hyacinth facilitates rebirth after profound trauma and upheaval (courtesy of FES).

Sixth photo:  Isopogon is helpful for memory problems and an inability to learn from past experience (courtesy of Ian White, Australian Bush Flower Essences).

Seventh photo:  Hawthorn is an aid to the aggressive, "type A personality" (courtesy of FES). 

Eighth and ninth photos:  The Joshua tree flower (both shown) helps one to become free from unconscious damaging patterns emanating from one's genetic heritage (courtesy of FES).