iWheel of Wellbeing iWheel of Wellbeing & Essences iUsing Essences Safely and Wisely      iEssences of The Four Seasons iThe Golden Rule in Essence Therapy iEssences and the Cycles of Life     essences and the cycle of life Nature at any given time is in a constant state of flux. Change, growth, and decay are part of a constant cycle of birth, death and resurrection. Day and night, the phases of the moon, and the seasons of the year are ongoing reminders that nature is never static. There are longer cycles such as ice ages and geologic ages. In the temperate climates we have spring, summer, autumn and winter. In the tropics, there are seasons of wet and dry. And in some tropical parts of the world, some scientists believe that there may be anything up to 14 seasons. Yet there is a commonalty to them all. That is, there is a phase of formation, moving to a climax, followed by a phase of deterioration. Yet in the phase of deterioration is a preparation of the new cycle of life. These cycles are also ever present in our own human experience. Just in the physical realm alone, each breath is a cycle, our eating, digestion and elimination, are all essential to life. There are cycles of relationship, career, hobbies and interests. Then there is the larger macro cycle of the economic boom and bust scenario in the financial world and various other cycles on other levels of existence. The key to living a successful life is to recognize that these cycles exist, to move with them rather than against them, and to use them to maximize our peace and happiness. However as we move through life, we often fail to recognise that these cycles exist and resist the new phase and opportunity of our unfolding experience. This often leads to unnecessary suffering. The key to using essences successfully in our lives is to realise that at any given point we are at a different phase in the cycle. It is here that we look to nature for the clues and wisdom of what is best to use for each period of any given cycle. For example a seed essence will be very useful to get us up and going when we feel that life has become a little stagnant. However a seed essence would not necessarily be of benefit, when we need to let go of a destructive relationship. In fact, it may interrupt or stop the natural flow of the cycle. It is here that say a falling leaf essence would be more appropriate as it helps us release and let go, move forward but also lays the foundations of future fertile soil in the relationship area where a seed could be successfully planted. We find ourselves time and again drawn to the analogy of nature in its four seasons in choosing essence families most appropriate to the need presenting. It is also important to acknowledge that using one particular essence family exclusively will hold us in one particular phase of the cycle. This inhibits our natural progression through the cycle rather than facilitating our movement forward. It could actually hold us back from the opportunities and the potential that life offers.