Tobacco: Finally, I’m done with it !

15 June 2005, by Lydie Alves
Translated by Alison Marie Anderson
Read the original in French

Read Part 1 here.

On Monday, April 25 I decided to put into practice what I learned in a previous experience. I am now smoking more or less 3 packs of cigarettes a day. I take my water bottle and add the following FES essences:

• 6 drops of Yarrow Environmental Solution: for the chemical products in cigarettes
• 6 drops of Yarrow: for completing the protection on the mental level
• 6 drops of Chamomile: to appease, for overall calming, and especially for missing the nicotine
• 6 drops of Nicotiana: which is an essence specifically indicated for tobacco problems

Rather than feeling you have to drink the whole bottle, drink according to your thirst. it’s possible on certain days that you will prepare a second bottle; there are no hard rules.

But yes—there is one important rule, though: to take care of yourself, don’t rush your body and above all, don’t allow guilt to slip in; that serves only to frustrate the process. Quitting does not have to be a battle, where suffering and feelings of scarcity merge to the point where only the very strong willed can handle it. This gives cigarettes too much importance, and suddenly nourishes once again the energy that holds us prisoners.

When quitting, there are two things that must be shed:

• The dependence on the substances of nicotine and chemical products
• The energetic link, or égrégore, that ties us to consuming cigarettes. This energy demands nurturing. It does not let us simply go and quit. It is this energy we must contend with mentally; it’s this that has us believe that smoking one more cigarette will not change anything, or that we can quit whenever we really want to, or that we are not really dependent or that it’s simply something we casually enjoy…

What is an “égrégore”? In this case it is a sort of physical energy released by all tobacco smokers. We find égrégores within a lot of ‘cultures’: chess players, religions, etc. You must notice sometimes, a change in attitude or manner of thinking when you return to certain groups or associations—what you sense is the power of that égrégore.

We may notice a quality or a difference there in the beginning. Later we don’t give it a thought; we simply align ourselves with the others. It’s is not a matter of debate on the subject here; to understand more just do some research online. At a very concrete, practical level, it is a mental fight with thoughts that will continually attempt to short-circuit your definitive decision to quit.

Well, let us come back to our experience!

WEEK 1

At the end of the first week I am at 5-6 cigarettes a day. I don’t miss the nicotine itself—it’s more the “gesture” or habit of smoking. The cigarette doesn’t really taste good, it’s simply because I am a little stubborn that I continue to smoke.

During the first days I had new tension in my jaw, quickly appeased with Dandelion (FES) flower essence, a few drops massaged in, and 20 minutes later…nothing more.

I noticed also that when I smoke, I have problems with my solar plexus; my upper stomach stretches and has a disagreeable bloating sensation. There also a massage with Dandelion allows it to appease. I think that it’s a reaction from the Yarrow Environmental Solution—it cleans the body, detoxifying it. Also during this time I add the stress of work into the mix, while smoking…it’s all perhaps something else, but my intuition tells me that Yarrow Environmental Solution complains about my lack of seriousness!

During times when I am not smoking, I have neither a desire nor need for nicotine; in fact I am calm, and the idea to compensate by eating doesn’t come to me, even in spirit. I don’t have the impression of being in a period of withdrawal. I think that I could have been able to stop smoking after 2-4 days, but I slipped back because I wanted to know how it could be done with those of us very hard-headed smokers.

WEEK 2

On the second of May (one week after the beginning of the experience), I made the decision to stop. During this second week, I had my water bottle with flower essences with me at all times. From the moment of the decision to quit, these essences may, if you prefer, be added to the bottle: Cherry Plum and Mountain Pennyroyal. I already had them, so I added them in my bottle.

Cherry Plum	Mt. Pennyroyal

I have come to the point of smoking 2-3 cigarettes the entire week, but I was happy to note that this didn’t really disrupt my withdrawal. Do note, however, that this sensation doesn’t necessarily make you need or want to smoke 2-3 times a day—but, if we are not careful, this old link could reconnect and then it will be necessary to start all over again!

I gained, nonetheless, four pounds, which I lost 10 days later.

WEEK 3

At the end of the second week, I had no desire to drink as much water. I decided instead of the water bottle, to continue but with a 1 oz. flower essence bottle, including 3-4 drops of each essence, to take directly 4-5 times a day.

CONCLUSION

  Nearly two months without smoking, my weight remains the same.

This is a method very easy to follow: no irritations, nor really any strong sense of deprivation.

Being with people who smoke after the withdrawal does not pose problems.

You can have an evening with smokers who are friends, without the smoke disturbing you. You can also permit yourself to smoke one or two, but not more, without jeopardizing the withdrawal or being drawn to smoke the next day. In short, there’s no longer that desire or urge to run to the corner store to buy a pack.

During the second week, rarely but sometimes, I had a striving sense of deprivation. I wanted to know exactly which essence to take, undiluted, to “fix” me, to help at that very moment. After some muscle testing & using my pendulum, I was astonished that it was the Yarrow Environmental Solution! So that confirms my reflection on the fact that we are more deprived and dependent because of the chemical products than by the nicotine itself. I would like to know, for those who want to try the same experience, if they could test, and see what essence for them was “the one” to take undiluted, immediately in the case of those little crises that come.

The lack of tobacco tired me a little; I was lacking in vitality. Despite the negative effects, the cigarette brings a fire to the organism, and sometimes can help to maintain a certain energetic balance. So it’s necessary to wait a while, as the body draws this element elsewhere. Personally I was surprised to find myself eating spicy dishes with peppers & chili. But despite all, I had a period of “leading myself with exhaustion.” I settled that by putting a drop of the essential oil of Daucus Carota* (Queen Anne's Lace) in the area of the second chakra** twice per day.

It would be good that those who follow this method come to understand and share their experience. Each individual is unique, and responds differently. With others sharing their experience, it will be possible thus to have together a heap of counsel and solutions for those just starting out, and more quickly refine the use of flower essences at this time.

To give your testimony it is as simple as clicking on “Respond to this Article” (“Réagir à cet article”). After review, the webmaster of the site will publish your response with regard to the article.

NOTES:

*This essential oil is grounding and brings vitality.

Editor's Note: Please see Calix: International Journal of Flower Essence Therapy for full coverage of the topic on smoking cessation in an article entitled “Soul on Fire: Healing Tobacco Addiction with Flower Essence Therapy” by Patricia Kaminski. Issues addressed in the article include:

Seeing Inside: The Soul as Bridge to the Body
Tobacco Addiction: Four Fundamental Flowers
The Nicotine Nexus: Body-Mind Beliefs
Social Smoke Screen: Cutting Ties that Bind
Nixing Nicotine: Detox Strategies
The Need for Nicotine: Deeper Soul Issues

Click here to order Calix.