Sweet Chestnut

Positive Qualities: Deep courage and faith which comes from knowing and trusting the spiritual world

Patterns of Imbalance: Strong despair and anguish; experiencing the “dark night of the soul”

Definition: Sweet Chestnut heals the deepest form of soul anguish and despair — that which is often referred to as the “dark night of the soul.” The conditions which require Sweet Chestnut are extreme, and the individual is often in the most negative and acute form of suffering; however, this remedy is the harbinger of great spiritual transformation. The one who needs Sweet Chestnut is tested literally to the breaking point of endurance. Although the cause of such pain is based on a deeply personal situation, there is nevertheless a profound existential quality related to this state, for the soul feels utterly alone in its suffering. Sweet Chestnut is often indicated in drug addiction or suicide therapy, when the individual feels that he or she has hit “rock bottom.” It can be indicated for many other extreme conditions, such as the death of a loved one or realization that one has a life-threatening illness. Through these forms of intense suffering, the Self surrenders to a Higher Power and is able to be reborn. It is precisely in this way that transformational healing is possible, for when the soul is stretched to its limits it also becomes transcendent. Sweet Chestnut helps the soul surrender and open to a new spiritual identity.