Floral Absolutes: Aromatic Healing for the Physical, Emotional, and Energy Body

by Candice Covington, Elizabeth Ashley (Foreword by)

Overview

A guide to working with and experiencing plant absolutes

• Provides profiles for dozens of absolutes, exploring their physical and emotional healing properties as well as myths, poems, and stories that evoke the experience of plant absolutes

• Explains the author’s unique system for working with absolutes centered on viewing the body as made of story and emotions

• Shares recipes for making absolute blends for specific conditions and teaches how to create blends to express specific feelings

One of the most concentrated forms of fragrance, cherished in natural perfumery and aromatherapy, floral absolutes offer important healing effects for the body, yet their greatest strength lies in their effects on the emotions and spirit. Created through a gentle heatless extraction process that coaxes the aromatic signature from delicate plant materials, absolutes convey the synergistic story of the plant through its scent.

In this book, aromatherapist Candice Covington provides profiles for more than 25 absolutes, from aglaia to violet leaf, exploring their presiding influences and key energies. She includes stories, poems, and experiences that convey the subtle qualities of each absolute directly to the subconscious—giving you a deeper, intuitive understanding of how to use each plant and its absolute. She also examines the subtle and physical gifts of dozens of essential oils, more than 50 fixed oils, and 30 other natural ingredients that can be used as bases for absolute and oil blends.

Using her unique treatment system centered on viewing the body as made up of story and emotions, she explains why you would apply certain oils/blends to specific parts of the body. She also shares 85 recipes for making blends for specific conditions and teaches how to intuitively create blends to reawaken us to ourselves and reconnect us to the greater story of Nature.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781644117385
Publisher:	Inner Traditions/Bear & Company
Publication date:	09/23/2025
Pages:	384
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.20(d)

About the Author

Candice Covington is a certified aromatherapist, massage therapist, healing arts master, and energy worker. A former aromatherapist for the Chopra Center, she is the founder of Divine Archetypes, an essential oil and flower essence company, and the author of Essential Oils in Spiritual Practice. She lives on a farmette in Oregon City, Oregon.

Read an Excerpt

Brown Boronia (Boronia megastigma)
Presiding influence: the embodied self
Key energies: tangible body, having a combative relationship with your body, what makes you unique, loving being embodied, your personal relationship with food, cellular knowledge, tapping into the energies of whole foods, the Annamaya kosha (food body), human incarnation, exploring the world with your five senses, your environment as a sensual paradise, the art of making mistakes, the seed of the Self, the five elements, the kapha dosha (the dosha responsible for the stability, lubrication, substance, and support of our physical body), remembering, evolutionary impulse.

This fragrant plant has bell-shaped flowers that are enclosed and point earthward. The flowers are bright yellow inside, while the exterior is a handsome reddish-brown color. In general, bell-shaped flowers explore the concept of embodiment.

Brown boronia offers a fascinating gift: she helps you understand what it means to be embodied and the opportunities this entails. It’s tempting to regard the physical body as something we have to transcend, and some people even have a combative relationship with their body such as hating how they look or not valuing the specific gifts they were born with. This flower helps you develop a curiosity about what your specific gift set is, what makes you unique, and what makes you love being in your body.

I frequently teach on vibrational nutrition, about food as our ultimate ally. And no matter how clearly I advertise the course material—food as a means to access the deep self—on average about half of the participants are seeking a means to conquer their body and remake it into the image they have decided on instead of seeking what is stored inside.

Whole food, when treated in a mindful manner, allows us to access the full spectrum of who we are. Brown boronia helps you tap into this innate knowledge and work with the food body—the first layer, or Annamaya kosha—of who you are. This flower’s vibration attunes you to the subtle fields of whole foods so you can begin the work of unlocking and accessing the deep self, thereby gaining access to the timeless truths stored in your body.

The Annamaya kosha, or food sheath, consists of flesh, blood, muscles, bones, and internal organs. It is the outermost layer, the tangible physical body, which is nourished and maintained by the food we eat. Maya means “veil,” implying something that is obscured from view. Kosha means “sheath,” referring to the layers that make up your being. The body is the vehicle that houses the five elements, a storehouse that holds the energetic imprints of everything we are aware of and not consciously aware of. This includes our senses and our means of understanding and interpreting our body and the world around us. Without a body to house our consciousness we could not execute the profound evolutionary push of existence. All wisdom traditions teach that obtaining a human incarnation is auspicious and rare, as it allows us to learn in an entirely unique way.

There are several myths concerning fallen angels that became jealous of humanity’s aspect of free will, which provides opportunities to learn through mistakes and the ability to experience the world through the senses. The ability to taste food, kiss your beloved, bask in the sun, pet a dog, and smell flowers make this life a sensual paradise. This flower helps you to not shut down when you make a “mistake” but rather revel in it as a chance to learn something new. This flower opens you up to drinking in Earth’s delights and bask in being alive and experiencing the marvels all around you.

This brings me to the idea of matter as a mediating factor. The physical body acts like a gatekeeper to deeper states of awareness; navigating this can be puzzling. One of the most remarkable aspects of our human design is the act of learning something, then taking it further to true understanding and finally to wisdom in action. The truth of all times and realms is held within our cellular memory. This memory holds the entirety of creation and is held in stasis within the Self. The implication is that it is a dormant potential not yet realized. The question then becomes: How does one harvest this vast knowledge? Let us explore.

We live in juxtaposition. On the one hand we are bound by the material rules of the world. To quote an old pop song lyric, “We are living in a material world, and I am a material girl.” We are indeed impacted and formed by the cultures, traditions, families, finances, and inherited physical forms we are born into. We bend to the seasons, compulsions, illnesses, and how much energy we have. We are influenced by vast emotional ranges, cultural conditioning, vacillating thoughts, and a will that feels impotent. We strive for security, thirst for spirituality, and need purpose. These factors are all impacted by our physical bodies, which sometimes feel unchangeable.

On the other hand, our cognitive memory stored within our flesh can be understood as a learning system involving the storage of patterns and data, and it provides access to our vibratory field. According to the Vedas, the memory of all our lives—our own and that of all other organisms—is remembered by the human embryo at the moment it leaves its watery domain in the womb and begins to emerge into the open world. After this passage we gradually lose this understanding. The Vedas teach us how to regain access to our dormant memories. A few starting points involve using the plant kingdom (including absolutes, essential oils, herbs, and fixed or carrier oils), whole foods, yoga, meditation, prayer, and being present and fully feeling what is actually occurring in your life. This flower helps you know what tool to use at any given moment.

At a base level, everything that exists in the material world is formed from the five elements: earth, air, fire, water, and ether/space. This includes the plant kingdom. Although many have forgotten the fundamental understanding of how this works, brown boronia helps us remember. The five elements arise from vibration. These elements are what create the feeling of existing. What we call the inherent self is just a label describing emanations of form that help us interpret the self and the environment. For example, what we refer to as earth does not mean just “soil” but is to also be understood as a combination of light and vibrational patterns that have collated to act like a specific set of behaviors. So we experience the element of earth as the earth around us, but at the same time it is a set of behaviors that arise internally with us.

To realize we are born with inherent knowledge of the elements is to remember from the beginning to the present. When we consciously start to work with the elements within and all around us, we start down the path of remembrance. And as we deepen our relationship with our inner elements, we can comprehend and work with our deepest underpinnings.

The Bhagavad Gita tells us, “My prakriti [material nature] is of eightfold composition: earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intellect, and ego (see entry on narcissus in this chapter for more detailed information on ego). You must understand that behind this, and distinct from it, is the principle of consciousness that is present in all beings and is the source of life. It sustains the universe. Take a minute to sit with this declaration. You are composed of all of the elements, each offering an evolutionary impulse to help you learn specific lessons. You are born with all the tools you need to explore the emanations of form, mind, intellect, and ego. But behind all of this is the ultimate consciousness from which all expressions of form, both subtle and solid, are birthed. Do keep in mind that your body is the means to reach and grow toward the one unified source of life.

The food body consists of earth and water (the kapha dosha in ayurveda), while the cognitive memory is carried in the impulse of everything that has existed through the passage of billions of years, from the beginning of time and space. Food (the plant kingdom), which includes all of the substances in this book, are one of our most tangible forms connecting us to this universal consciousness. Yet paradoxically it is the very density of our physical form that prevents easy access to the subtle and pervasive truths around us! In releasing consciousness from matter using our refined senses, we must see the body as densely packed energy and subtle information, and the five elements as the keys to accessing this information.

Table of Contents

Foreword by Elizabeth Ashley

Acknowledgments

Introduction
Meeting Nature in Story

PART 1
The Profiles
Energetic Signatures of Nature’s Gifts

1 Absolutes
Solvent-Extracted Concentrated Plant Extracts

2 Essential Oils
Steam-Distilled or Expressed Plant Extracts

3 Fixed Oils
The Carriers for Blending

4 Other Tantalizing Tidbits
Macerated Oils, Milk Baths, Plant Butters,
and Unrefined Salts

PART 2
The Body Ecstatic
Exploring the Body’s Energetic Patterns

5 Our Body as Expressed in the Elements
Earth, Water, Fire, Air, Ether

6 The Chakras
The Seven Centers of Spiritual Power

7 Symbolic Anatomy
The Body as Story

PART 3
The Blends
Recipes, Prompts, and Inspiration

8 Alchemical Creations
Blending Story, Art, and Sensations

9 Butter, Scrub, and Oil Recipes
Waking Up Archetypal Stories Within

Appendix Practices for Growth, Heart
Opening, and Deep Purification

Resources

Notes

Bibliography

Index

About the Author

Editorial Reviews

“In Floral Absolutes, Candice Covington has written something rare: a book that teaches not just about plants but about presence. Her work is an invitation to return to the wild, fragrant intimacy of being—a realm where scent becomes a story, and the story becomes healing.”— Gergely Hollódi, Aromatika magazine

“Candice Covington has crafted a lyrical and profound exploration of the plant world’s most concentrated and mysterious treasures—floral absolutes. Candice’s blend of myth, intuition, and vibrational plant wisdom is rare and timely. Her voice, like the absolutes she describes, is potent, evocative, and unforgettable.”— Dorene Petersen, founding president of the American College of Healthcare Sciences

“With deep knowledge, Candice doesn’t just describe floral absolutes—she introduces you to them. Each essence becomes a companion on a journey of emotional and energetic healing, turning the reading experience into an intimate, enchanted walk through a soul-lit garden.”— Jennifer Johnson, somatic intuitive advisor and the former senior director of Chopra Global Mind Bod

“Candice Covington has created a magical journey through the world of floral absolutes. Her descriptive and evocative language guides readers through a dreamscape filled with the wisdom and beauty of these extraordinary oils. This book teaches how to work with the subtle body, craft intentional blends, and infuse scent with story and art. A truly beautiful and inspiring read—a must for anyone passionate about aromatherapy.”— Ailynn Halvorson, clinical aromatherapist and author of The Tarot Apothecary

“Candice Covington invites you to indulge in a sensual, nature-aligned journey imbued with soul searching and imagination. Within this insightful tome, you will find the unusual alongside the ordinary.”— Heather Dawn Godfrey, PGCE, B.Sc. (Hon), author of Essential Oils for the Whole Body and Healing wit

“Floral Absolutes is a one-of-a-kind treasure for anyone drawn to the beauty and power of scent. Candice Covington goes far beyond the basics, unveiling the soul of each botanical through a stunning blend of science, myth, intuition, and practical wisdom. This book will quickly become your go-to guide for working with the radiance of floral absolutes.”— Anita Kalnay, registered Aromatherapist RA EOT and owner of Flying Colors Natural Perfumes

“Candice Covington writes with the heart of a mystic and the clarity of a gifted teacher. In Floral Absolutes, she offers an extraordinary perspective on plants—seeing them not merely as healing tools but as conscious storytellers and spiritual companions. This book invites a deeper relationship with the natural world.”— Amanda Ree, canine wellness practitioner and owner of Sama Dog

“More than just a treatise on essential oils or a collection of recipes, Floral Absolutes by Candice Covington is an encyclopedic journey into the mysteries of the plant world. Drawing on her profound understanding of floral energetics, Candice weaves together myth, art, story, ritual, and embodied wisdom to create an immersive guide for using scent to heal both body and soul.”— Leslie Zemenek, hand analyst, astrologer, and life purpose guide

“Floral Absolutes is a masterful exploration of floral oils, uniquely enriched by archetypal parallels that bring depth and dimension to Covington’s vast knowledge. Her understanding of each plant—alongside the benefits and techniques of working with these oils—is both informative and captivating.”— Melissa Carver, Ph.D., author of Who the Hell Told You That?

“With the grace of one who walks between worlds, Candice offers us more than a book—this is a soul-born offering, woven with presence and deep devotion. Each page shimmers with timeless wisdom, gently guiding us back to the knowing that lives in our bones. This book is a song to my soul—a gateway to remembrance, reverence, and a tender realignment with the Earth’s quiet magic.”— Kelie Micho, founder of Ruby Rose Sanctuary

“I’ve read many books and writings on plants, but this one truly stands out. The plants Candice includes—and the stories she shares—feel deeply intentional and refreshingly unique. Floral Absolutes is perfect.”— Christy Swenson, founder of Aloeswood Beauty

From the Publisher