Honeysuckle (Latin name Lonicera caprifolium) is a trailing climber that grows perennially and wraps hedges as well as small trees. Generally, honeysuckle grows to a maximum length of 6 meters. The leaves of this plant are smoothed and they appear in opposite pairs, while the flower buds emerge at the terminal of the stem in bunches of enlarged red color tubes that break open to expose the stamens and style. The internal color of this tubular flower is white and it changes to yellow when the pollination of the flower is completed. There is some amount of difference in the leaves of two species of this genus - L. caprifolium and L. periclymenum. In fact, the leaves of the species L. caprifolium, which Dr. Edward Bach opted for, are perfoliate wherein the base of the leaf encloses the stem completely and do not have any stalk (only on the upper part of the stems). In the instance of L. periclymenum, the flowers are also of the pink assortment and, hence, it is important to examine the leaves of these plants watchfully before choosing the right one for preparing this flower essence remedy. On the other hand, Fly honeysuckle (botanical name Lonicera xylosteum) bears yellow hued flowers that appear in pairs and are relatively small. The leaves of this species are pointed.
Honeysuckle is in bloom during the period between June and August.
A Bach Flower Remedy, Honeysuckle is prepared employing the boiling method. To prepare the flower essence remedy you need to collect the flowering heads of the plant along with a small number of leaves. Choose such flowers that are mainly red and white in color and devoid of an excessive number of withering yellow petals.
The flower essence remedy Honeysuckle is particularly effective for treating unnecessary yearning for the joys experienced in the past.
Honeysuckle is especially meant for individuals who do not have the ability to concentrate in their present, but, in its place, think about the joyful reminiscences they experienced at some point of time in their life. This is primarily owing to the fact that they consider that their life would never be as good once more and, hence, they indulge in their past and allow those thoughts to dominate.
Individuals, who are enduring the Honeysuckle state of mind, allow their mentality to overly dwell on their memories of yore. In such a state the perspective of the sufferers turn over to their previous experiences, rather than directing the complete concentration on the current instant. Generally, the mind of such individuals looks for those joyful, content moments of the earlier periods and reruns the pictures and emotions time after time. It seems that these people obtain sustenance from such thoughts and viewpoints.
For such individuals, memories as well as wistfulness hold more allure compared to the dull present. Actually, people who are in the Honeysuckle state of the mind dejectedly think that joys of the earlier times will never occur again in their present or future and, therefore, the individual clutches it.
In the instance of mental ailment, at what time emotional visualizations from the earlier times hang on to the individual time after time, or when an individual experiences dreams, hallucinations or even voices of the loved ones who have been lost in response to unanswered shock or acute grief (compare the Star of Bethlehem), therapy with Honeysuckle will facilitate in alleviating the problems.
In the Honey suckle state, grief is the main emotion, still it is shaded with the sweet hurting of treasuring that the individual has lost something in life, of yearning to revive the earlier joy, even if it is only in the individual's reminiscences. In addition, people in this condition also suffer from despair and submission vis-à-vis the existing as well as the future possibilities for contentment and, at the same time, there is conviction that there is nothing which has the ability to return the joys that has been lost. Very often, such feelings are founded on truths, like in the old age when it is not possible to replace the losses or failures in the present life. For instance, the children have departed; the health of the individual is failing and the partner too may be on the verge of death. In such situations, therapy with Honeysuckle will facilitate in alleviating the grief as well as diverts the vision to the joys left in the current moment.
The flower essence remedy Honeysuckle may be administered in several dissimilar circumstances of life, at any time when a lost favoured condition calls from the past and redirects from totally looking at the present. Nostalgia, a vanished love, and also the loss of beauty or status in life may result in the Honeysuckle state of the mind.
Honeysuckle is also beneficial for individuals who do not have the ability to release or forget their past in any manner. People who require this flower essence remedy most are those who are frequently fastened into their past, which were happier periods, which they are convinced cannot return again. Such thoughts make these individuals have a feeling of wistfulness, repentance or sorrow. In effect, Honeysuckle is a wonderful flower essence remedy for any individual who might by facing difficulty with demise, nostalgia, divorce or any type of unaccepted change. Therapy with Honeysuckle facilitates in solving such thorny emotions and brings together approval of the past as well as anticipation for the future. Several flower essence remedies like Star of Bethlehem, Honeysuckle and Walnut are often employed in combination and this is especially important support for any person who is trying to come to terms with any kind of loss.
As mentioned earlier, Honeysuckle is a Bach Flower Remedy that enables an individual to exist in the present, instead of the past.
The negative Honeysuckle state of the mind holds an individual back to his/ her past and makes them reluctant to recognize the alterations in his or her current life. In addition, people who are in this state of the mind are actually convinced that there would be nothing better in their life and, hence, do not have any expectation from their future.
The negative Honeysuckle state usually takes an individual in two forms and they are discussed briefly below.
In the first form, the individual actually opposes the alterations and declines to acknowledge changes that occur by means of continuous incursion of life. In case any change takes place, he/ she wants to decide on the manner as well as the time when the change will occur. In addition to this, the individual might not be pleased with the consequences.
For example, a couple who has shifted to a new city or any new part of their town itself is likely to endlessly talk about their previous neighbourhood and even decline to welcome or accept the new locality and its people. Therefore, it often turns out to be unworkable for them to make new friends in the new locality or be accepted into the new neighbourhood.
Many of us have often seen people who decline to acknowledge the changes that have taken place over time and they keep on dressing as well as acting like they had done in their youth. This kind of thing usually occurs to people who are engaged in the film/ movie industry, especially people whose careers depended on their attractiveness. In addition, the Honeysuckle state of the mind may also be found in individuals who have lost their spouse, but decline to concede their possessions or move into a new relationship, although several years might have passed since the demise of their beloved.
In fact, this type of people believe that their past life has been better compared to the existing one and they would like to frantically cling to their past. Such people are unable to gain knowledge from their experiences during the past and can neither assimilate those experiences into their present life. There is one more form of negative Honeysuckle state that is obvious when an individual is apologetic regarding his/ her past and is not able to release such feelings. Such people rerun or continue to rue over their lost opportunities as well as errors.
When the Honeysuckle state occurs in elderly people, which is quite common, it is comprehensible. Such elderly people are of the conviction that they are not experiencing anything new and, hence, they revive or remember the happier days that have bygone. It may be noted here that the flower essence remedy Honeysuckle may also be employed to fight against repentance/ lamentation which sets in people who are growing old and therapy with Honeysuckle helps to alleviate this kind of regret. In addition, using this Bach Flower Remedy may also lead to a more young appearance, especially in the skin and also in the behaviour of the individual.
On many occasions, the Honeysuckle state of the mind may even be a momentary phase, like children, who have gone to school or any camp, may often feel homesick. A Bach Flower Remedy, Honeysuckle has the aptitude to alleviate this kind of nervousness and enable the child to attain absolute enjoyment from his/ her latest experiences.
When any individual is in the positive Honeysuckle state, he or she is capable of connecting to their past and learn from the experiences they had then. In such cases, people cling to good memories and release any repentance or apologetic feelings over the inferior people. It may be noted that writers who generally revive the past for our pleasure are said to be existing in a positive Honeysuckle state of the mind.
Animals may also be in the Honeysuckle state and they may require this Bach Flower Remedy for similar reasons as humans do. Precisely speaking, animals are known to be in the Honeysuckle state once they begin to yearn for what has gone by. One may consider using Honeysuckle if they find animals displaying indications of suffering, such as being withdrawn, losing its appetite and others. An animal may also be in Honeysuckle state when it has been separated from someone or some place which is familiar to it and which it also has faith on.
