Asters For End-Of-Life Care
Asters are a common and widespread flower belonging to the Asteraceae or daisy family. The name comes from the Greek, meaning star. Asters are said to originate in China, Japan or Greece but appear in nearly every country. Aster colors range from white, pink and light blue to darker red and purple.
The fact that they appear at the end of the growing season when many flowers have passed give us a clue about their association with death and dying. Some other associations of asters with death include:
- The myth of the Greek King Aegeus tells that when he committed suicide, believing his son to be dead, asters grew up around him.
- Many European cultures have used the aster as a funeral flower.
- In France, asters were placed on the graves of dead soldiers as a prayer to end wars.
The aster is also a symbol of love, faith, wisdom and valor. These are qualities needed to face the immensity of the experience of death.
A close look at the herbal application of the aster relegates it to many symptoms that appear in the elderly. It is used for rheumatism, relaxes the lungs and nerves and as an antispasmodic, relieves bowel spasms.
The flower essence from asters helps us through the fears and tangles that surround death and dying. They are guides and helpers bringing us into states of acceptance, clarity and courage. Issues such as shock, fear, and helplessness are eased. There is a general release of anger, pride, and selfishness as the soul begins its journey out of the earth plane.
Because of our cultural fear and avoidance of facing death, we struggle to relate to the sacredness of the passage from this life to the next. The aster essences form a sacred circle around death, offering a means to face, accept and enter the process with a clarity and ease that only comes from a deep spiritual support.
There are 8 aster essences, each offering a gift of a type of support for specific aspects of the dying process. One of the 8 (the Aster Blend) is a combination to be used for close friends and family members who are companions and witnesses to the dying process.
Several of those who have used the asters for the transitioning of a loved one have remarked on the peace and clarity it brings to both the person who is dying and to friends and family members who witness the process.
The words of a student who used the essences for the passage of her mother:
“My mother was at first reluctant to take the essences. Eventually, she agreed and then began to ask for specific essences in the set. She seemed to know them intimately. At a certain point, she began to ‘leave’ and then come back and report what she saw, who she spoke with and what she now knew about death and dying. All of us were amazed to see the transformation in her. The essences truly made this experience one of joy and clarity.”
The essences should be managed by someone who can select and apply the proper essence for the loved one. This set is especially useful for hospice workers and those who are called on to personally assist in the transition process.
If you have questions about the aster essences, please leave a comment here or reach out to us through our Contact page. If you’d like to read more about the effects of each aster in the collection, follow this link.
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David Dalton
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