African Tree Essences

Platbos is a magical forest at the foot of Africa. Ancient and mysterious, it has special significance for all the world's people. Many thousands of years ago, after a devastating ice age laid waste much of the Earth, our collective ancestors recovered and regrouped in this region. This is the story of my personal experience of a remarkable forest and the healing potential its trees have safeguarded for us, its children at this critical juncture of the Earth's unfolding.

Africa's Southernmost Forest

Gnarled and wizened by the elements, the trees of Platbos comprise a strange and eccentric community, their tree tops draped in wispy old-man's-beard, their trunks thick and squat and baobab-like. In winter, epiphytic ferns and mosses spring to life. In summer the earth is parched and sandy and the trees must quench their thirst on the early morning mists that bathe them.

The forest's existence, on so an unlikely fire- and wind-swept landscape, is a botanical mystery. The ancient roots of Platbos Forest date back millions of years to when much of southern Africa was clad in forest finery. Platbos withstood the gradual heating up of the Earth over the millennia. Most of the primal forests perished and the hardy, fire-dependant fynbos that characterizes the Cape Floral Kingdom, took their place. A survivor of these changes, Platbos is a remnant forest, a living memory from a time long past.

Mother Africa

Platbos grows in the heart of an archeological treasure-chest. This area was home to a tiny group of survivors of a devastating ice age who lived in a series of caves that hold the secrets of our cultural and spiritual beginnings. Blombos cave has revealed the earliest evidence of human art ever found - an engraved ochre tablet and shell necklaces dating back some 70 000 years. At another cave, Klipgat, within walking distance of Platbos, stone artifacts and human remains were discovered, estimated to be over 120 000 years old.

These findings suggest that all modern day people trace their ancestry back to African roots, and that it was here, at the very foot of Africa, that our consciousness was birthed. A number of the world's top experts now assert that there is enough evidence to declare that the cultural modernity of human beings originated along this South African coastline.

From Africa came the spark that led to rational thought, art, philosophy and spirituality. And in the midst of this primordial home of modern humans, grew a forest sheltering an abundance of wild life and honey bees, whose trees held medicine in their leaves, bark and flowers.

Platbos, recalling the time when all of the Earth's children were one Sisterhood, one Brotherhood, is still alive today.

The Call of the Forest

Five years ago a chain of synchronistic events brought our family to Platbos. We became the guardians of the forest, and made our home beneath its canopy.

Walking alone in the golden light and earthy smells of the forest was a source of comfort in those early days of adjusting to our new life. Soon I realized that I was anything but alone. Over and above the birdsong and soft rustle of the trees, I sensed another presence - like a fleeting light in the shadows. It was vital and electric; yet evasive. Each time I turned to capture it, it was gone.

In time, I realized that the forest was calling me to work urgently on a deeper level with the trees. I felt an almost palpable undercurrent of expectancy and whilst I had no idea of what form this healing would take, I understood that in time the forest would reveal this to me. What I was "hearing" was the creative life force of the forest. The pagan god Pan is the European manifestation of this creative life force. The Khoisan of southern Africa - the most ancient people, the direct descendants of our common ancestors - held an unequaled knowledge and soulful understanding of Nature and her healing energies.

During my journey, I have learnt that old growth forests have exceptionally strong and stable energy fields as they have occupied the same place for hundreds of years. No doubt Platbos' great antiquity is the reason why the auras of the trees here are three times larger than normal. As the true alchemists of life, trees integrate what is above with what is below, transforming the elements - sun, earth, water and air - into life-sustaining matter. Channels of radiant light, trees provide not only for our material needs, they also support our spiritual well-being.

A heightened sensitivity - known as clairscentience - is what enables me to feel, within my being, the energetic nuances of other life forms. By attuning to the tree energies in this way, I have learnt to discern the healing properties of the trees; making vibrational essences from the tree flowers was the most natural way to harness their healing powers.

The African Tree Essences

There are thirteen tree species that comprise Platbos Forest. Thirteen is a magical number of transformation, change and renewal. The African Tree Essences, made from the tree flowers at Platbos, work profoundly, healing ancient wounds - passed down through the generations - and locked within the body's cellular memory and energy field. When these old blockages are released, the new energies can enter, unobstructed. Bram Zaalberg of Bloesem Remedies, Netherlands says of the African Tree Essences: "I have never seen such a fast and direct influence on past lifetime issues."

Natural forests were our home before and after we fanned out from Africa to repopulate all the four corners of the world. Across cultures and continents, the mythologies of ancient civilizations have at their core a Tree of Life: trees were and always will be integral to our physical and spiritual wellbeing.

Platbos Forest safeguards a sacred truth: - it is held within its leaves, flowers and fruit; it is enclosed within its age-old roots that hold the earth: we, children of the world, are of one family, born of the forests. Each of us a golden thread and together we weave an exquisite tapestry that makes up the Golden Whole.

Testimonials from International Flower Essence Therapists, Producers & Complementary Healers

Patricia Meyer, FES Certified Flower Essence Therapist & Teacher, America
www.patsgarden.com

"Meeting Melissa Krige at the end of 2009, and exploring her magical ancient forest in fine mists that day, opened my heart to its special treasures. Melissa´s labor of love in bringing forth these unique thirteen African Tree Essences from a place of all our origins is a veritable gift to the world of essences and to healing. They provide an important piece of the puzzle, and have become a valuable addition to my essence repertoire. America is still reverberating from the shock of 9/11 and the ensuing wars, and I am finding that the Cherry Wood and Spike Thorn are coming forward frequently to be used in my work. Blessings to you, dear Melissa."

Don Dennis, the Director of IFER, Argyll, UK
www.healingorchids.com/africantreeessences.html

"We at IFER are delighted to have encountered the wonderful Platbos African Tree Essences, and to now be offering them to our customers. The International Flower Essence Repertoire was formed in 1995, and we carry 17 different ranges of essences from around the world. These days we very rarely add to our repertoire: a prospective range has to be of exceptional quality for us to make the commitment to a further line. Melissa's work with the Platbos forest, and the making of these essences, is inspiring and impressive. And our customers are already eagerly awaiting our first shipment, as word has got out of what is coming... Well done Melissa!"

Braam Zaalberg , Bloesem Remedies Nederland
www.bloesem-remedies.com

"The African Tree Essences work almost directly on old / past lifetimes. We have already had some deep healing / transformational results with them. Probably the great antiquity of the forest makes it easy to connect with those old and ancient traumas. In most cases, the traumas came up from old feelings of being thrown out of the group, as well as old traumas of abuse and wars. I have never seen such a fast and direct influence on past lifetime issues. Please give my blessings to the Deva´s of the trees and say thank you to them from me."

Helga Coetzee, Body Talk Practitioner, Baardskeerdersbos, South Africa

"In my Bodytalk practice I use African Tree Essences with great results. After a Bodytalk session I always consult whether any other modalities are a priority and the African Tree Essences often come up. Knowing my patient and what she is dealing with through her session, should make it easy to pick what I think she needs most at the time, but instead I choose by consulting the patient´s innate wisdom. Without fail, the patients totally identify with the need according to the Essence description given.

I find that my patients get a great sense of grounding during extreme cases of trauma and emotional stress from various causes. I am fascinated by the results of African Tree Essences and recommend it with confidence."

Nicole Harrison, Shiatsu Practitioner, Cape Town, South Africa
www.shiatsuworks.com

"I'd been looking for a long time for energetic remedies that represented my African heritage. Having tried many flower remedies, I was eager to try our pure indigenous tree energy! I found that after just three days of using the White Stinkwood, that I started to channel strong healing energies in my work which allowed me to stay centered and channel for longer. My shifts started happening more quickly and so many opportunities opened up to expand my experiences. I struggled to believe that it was the essences as the transformation was so radical, so I tested the Wild Peach on my cat´s bedding and found that she shifted dramatically from a victim state to calm stillness, after being rescued from a shelter. VERY impressed! Many thanks to you Melissa!"

Jomien Rabie, Practitioner of Energetic Space Clearing and InnerSpace Alignment
Contact: arienus@vodamail.co.za | tel: 028 482 1987

"The African Tree Essences are valuable in my treatments as well as in my energetic space clearing work. Sea Guarri is especially effective for grounding excess energy in a home and I use Spike Thorn to engender flow of energy in stagnant situations. I use all the essences in my work, but these two are very special. Thanks for sharing the magic of Platbos Forest with us, Melissa."

Melissa: I extend my heartfelt thanks to Jomien Rabie for her mentorship and support - Jomien has played such a special role in the conception and birthing of the African Tree Essences. The suggestions for the use of the African Tree Essences in energetic space clearing are hers. Thank you Jomien!