Rather, picking fresh flowers, still wet with dew, and placing them in a clear glass bowl of spring water during the early-morning hours prepares flower essences.  The bowl of flowers is left in bright sunlight for a period of several hours.

During this time, a unique process supposedly takes place.  Purportedly, the energy of sunlight appears to transfer a certain aspect of the flower – the very pattern of its life-force energy – directly into the water. 

Unlike homeopathy, which hinges upon succussion and dilution to imprint water with the vibrational pattern of different substances from nature, flower-essence preparation theoretically depends upon the energy of sunlight to imprint water with the healing vibrational properties of flowers.

With certain select flowers, an alternate method of preparation is used, whereby the flowers, including leaves and twigs, are placed in a saucepan with two pints of spring water, which is then brought to a boil.  Next, the liquid is decanted and filtered through three pieces of filter paper. 

In both the sunlight and boiling methods, brandy is added to the water in a one-to-one ratio.  The sun-drenched (or boiled) liqueur is often referred to as the “mother tincture.”

Making the "mother tincture."