Goldenrod flower essence (made by FES) is helpful for those who are easily influenced by groups or one's family, subject to peer pressure or social expectations, and/or unable to be true to one's core self.  It helps these people develop individuality so that they may interact with groups without giving up their own inner integrity.  It's good for adolescents who are sorting out who they are in peer groups, and it helps in working through being different from others.  I came across a wonderful goldenrod story while reading the chapter on flower essences in Radical  Healing by Rudolph Ballentine, M.D. (Three Rivers Press, 1999, pp. 113-114).  The story is paraphrased below and not quoted in full due to copyright restrictions.

Dr. Ballentine's middle son, Galen, was seven or eight at the time of this story.  Within the family dynamics at that time, the older son was the leader, the younger son was the baby, and Galen, a rather quiet and patient middle child, was for the most part ignored.  In an attempt to gain attention of some sort, even negative, Galen began "playing the fool" by doing things that seemed stupid to his brothers, eliciting such responses from them as, "Oh, you're such a dope.  Go away!"  He became the "family goof."  Dr. Ballentine was very dismayed over the situation and unable to bring about any change in the dynamics through family discussion. 

Galen loved to spend time in the fields and woods near his home and Dr. Ballentine had taught him a little about the wild plants which grew in the vicinity. About this time, Galen began to bring branches of goldenrod to his father asking, "Can you make a remedy from this?"  This happened on several occasions. 

Dr. Ballentine had used the Bach flower essences for decades at the time of this story, but he had only recently begun to explore the FES essences, from California.  One afternoon he was studying the FES essences and came across a description of the goldenrod essence:  "For those who create barriers to social contact through repulsive behavior, or who have a need for negative attention.  Promotes positive individuation."

Dr. Ballentine states, "I probably sat a long time with that book in my lap, staring off into the distance.  My mind was having a hard time 'wrapping itself around' what had happened.  I slowly came to realize that there was a level of awareness and communication here to which I'd been totally oblivious.  And as I watched the flower essence work its magic, my son steadily outgrowing his problem, it became obvious that this sphere of non-ordinary reality could hold immense potential for the advancement of healing work."

The FES web site, which contains a wealth of information on flower essence therapy, has a radio interview with Dr. Ballentine. Click here to access it (single goldenrod photo above provided courtesy of FES).
 
 

Before and after attending the FES practitioner training in summer, 2002, I spent a few weeks hiking in northern and central California.  I had two "flower experiences" which were very meaningful to me.  Below is my journal entry of an experience with the Blazing Star. 

Black Point, Mono Lake (near Yosemite):  I think this was the highest highlight so far.  It was a rainy day and I felt blah and bored with the hikes I had taken (into Saddlebag Lake, which was extremely harsh, rocky, desolate, and under stormy skies), and then trying to go into the canyon right next-door but the trail was not marked (of course!  what else is new???), and so I missed it.  I came home very tired and took a much-needed nap.  Around 5:30 I headed out for Black Point on Mono Lake (what remains of what was once an inland sea here), which was a drive of about 7 miles.  I had to drive a long way down a dirt road and was so thankful it was raining (even hailing at one point!) so I wasn't enclosed in a cloud of dust.  When I arrived at a beautiful desolate spot near the large cinder protrusion which is located out in the lake, the rain had just stopped, but it looked threatening all around me.  Lightning was visible in one spot and rain in many other spots (I could see it flowing down).  The hike, with no trail (just picking one's way through sagebrush growing in cinders) involved climbing the gentle slope of a volcano that erupted 13,000 years ago.  It was so beautiful at the base, the air so clean from the storm and the scent of sagebrush so enticing, that I wanted very badly to climb the old volcano.  So I prayed the whole way up to Jesus and also talked to the plants, minerals, and the elements, asking for protection from the storm and lightning.  I was completely alone, and it was an absolutely gorgeous hike in every way.  The views of the lake were spectacular, but I could also see the mountains all around.  There was a certain eerie and desolate--yet not at all frightening--quality to the whole experience because of the menacing clouds.  It was also very cool and invigorating because of the air and scents from the plants. 

At the top, I found fissures 20-50 feet deep which were formed around the time of the eruption.  The storm moved on past, but cloud formations stayed, and the lighting was fascinating.  I wrote in the comment book at the trailhead:  "mystical, magical and mysterious."  I loved every quiet minute of it.  I thought about how I loved Mono Lake with its weird tufa formations (limestone formed from bubbling springs below) and volcanic features more than what I had seen of Yosemite so far.  Then, as I was driving away at dusk, as if that experience alone were not enough, I spotted a Blazing Star (flower) just at the base of the volcano (full plant photo provided courtesy of FES).  There were several plants, but there was only one blossom perfectly opened on one plant (so I would have had to have seen that one in order to identify it), and it was facing me as I drove out!  I have been taking Blazing Star on and off since late last fall.  It is known for combining solar and lunar qualities--the sunflower qualities of individuation with feminine qualities associated with blooming at night and its milky sap--and for growing in very harsh conditions.  It is a gorgeous flower, and I had been looking for one (I later found out this was a GIANT Blazing Star)!  Here, at the end of this amazing experience, was my Blazing Star growing in the stark cinders!  As if this were still not enough, as I drove home down the dirt road in the middle of nowhere, the sunset was like none I had ever seen before because of the bright orange piercing the clouds over the mountains and the soft pink over the lake.  What an evening!  I could never have created such a lovely experience if I had planned it! 

During my hiking trip in northern and central California, after the FES practitioner training, I had one other flower experience that really made an impression on me (apart from the daily delight of discovering and being able to identify so many flowers on my hikes). 

My husband was supposed to call me at 7:15 one night, or, if that did not work out for him, then at 10:30.  Well, he did not call until 11:00.  Between 10:30 and 11:00 I was feeling rather upset, anxious, distressed (I didn't know if he would call at all, and I could not reach him).  I found myself spontaneously (it just happened--no thought involved) imagining being curled up within a white lily and with the virgin Mary.  I love Mary and often spend time with her in my imagination, but this was a first for me to spontaneously be so close to a flower.  It was actually the flower that was most powerful (I found it very comforting), and Mary was less prominent.  I thought I must really be connecting with flowers!  I was with them every day, observing them, identifying them, just sitting with them, and then I had this spontaneous experience.  This alone made an impact on me. . .

Well, the next morning I was driving early down the same road I had driven down for three previous mornings, and there, practically sticking out in front of the car on the road, was a Shasta Lily!  I had never seen it there before.  It looked just like the flower I had been with in my imagination the night before!  Of course I stopped, spent a little time with it, photographed it, and said good-bye.  It made my day! 

(The Shasta Lily helps men and women to integrate the strength of the masculine with the grace and beauty of the feminine.  Photos provided courtesy of FES).
 

During the Living Essences training in Arizona, while on a field trip with the group, by the roadside I spotted a flower which immediately struck me.  I asked to stop the car and found out that this striking flower was the prickly poppy.  I was very drawn to it but did not see it again after this one, brief encounter.

After the training was over, I drove into Sycamore Canyon looking for beautiful, orange globe mallow, which was very prolific in the area, in order to make an essence.  Quite unexpectedly and with great joy I happened upon a prickly poppy not far off the nearly-deserted dirt road!  I ended up making an essence with this prickly poppy but I was unable to identify precisely which species it was.

Eileen Naumann, a homeopath and flower essence therapy practitioner, lived near this area of Arizona and had graciously agreed to meet with me while I was there.  Our appointment time had been set for midday on the day when I discovered the prickly poppy.  As it turned out, I decanted the prickly poppy essence just before driving to our meeting place.  Since I was not able to identify the species of this prickly poppy, and since Eileen lived in the area, I took along one of the blossoms to show her. 

I carried the blossom, still in the essence bowl, into the restaurant where we were to meet and she immediately saw it.  In an instant she put before me a gift she had brought for me of her 35-page prickly poppy essence study!  How's that for a synchronicity?!