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     using essences safely and wisely Essences are powerful. They catalyse change on many levels. We use essences safely when we use them wisely. Taking essences can become counterproductive or unduly stressful if we ignore simple, commonsense principles. Hypersensitivity A minority of the population, perhaps in the range of one to five per cent, show varying degrees of hypersensitivity to essences. For these sensitive ones, a typical dose such as seven drops twice daily orally produces too much change too quickly. This can produce overwhelm, confusion and mental, emotional and/or physical intensity. Usually, persons hypersensitive to essences are also very sensitive to other things, such as drugs, chemicals, foods, noises, pollens, and other environmental stimuli. This is an important clue. If you are hypersensitive, it is generally best to start with a very low dosage, such as one drop daily. Sometimes, that is enough! If not, try gradually increasing the dose. One thing we have found is that hypersensitivity responses are greatly reduced if the essences are applied to the wrist, rather than taken orally. This is one reason why our range of Quality essences for the general public are applied to the wrist. Overwhelm Even if you are not hypersensitive, it is possible to feel overwhelmed by change and intensity at some phase of the essence's action. This is especially so if you have not supported yourself adequately through the process of change. Please consider the following questions: *Have you had enough sleep or rest? *Have you exercised regularly? A good walk often relieves the intensity resulting from an essence's action by clearing old energy and allowing integration of change. *Have you had a shower/bath/swim so as to benefit from the water element? *Do you need to talk to a friend or contact the prescribing practitioner or another therapist? If intense symptoms persist, it is often a good idea to stop taking the essence for a few days to a week, or to reduce the dosage significantly (for example, by three-quarters or 75%). After all, we want to move through change with ease! See The Wheel of Wellbeing.