CALM ME DOWN - By Michael Stoker


This April saw the dreaded arrival of my final undergraduate university exams. After four years of studying, the pressure had duly built up. I, like most people under circumstances such as these, was feeling extremely stressed. Struggling to get a good nights sleep and channel my abundant yet unfocussed brainpower, I decided to ask Marion Leigh (who, coincidentally, happens to be my dear mother) if she could prescribe me a flower essence to help. I took Calm Me Down for just over a month, starting four weeks before my exams and continuing to take it throughout them.


Coming from a science background having studied psychology, before I explain my findings I feel I must first clarify something. I cannot compare this experience to an alternate occasion equivalent in every way except where I did not undergo flower essences. I cannot use past exams, as I took Calm Me Down during these times too and the pressure was not as high. This means I am unable to say how my experience differs to what would have occurred had I not taken the essences; I can only profess what did happen whilst taking flower essences.


The main thing that changed between the first and second week of taking flower essences was that I started sleeping better. As I lay in bed at night, I began to think less about work and more about the meaningless yet relaxing nonsense that usually carries one off to the land of nod. This meant I fell asleep quicker and had substantially longer sleeps. This development could be what led to higher levels of focus as I entered the third week. My ability to concentrate and get through the days revision material was at its best at this stage, and I began feeling more positive about things. In the week leading up to and throughout the exams I experienced increased levels of stress once more. My ability to sleep at night was still relatively good, and I was able to have successful 15-minute “cat naps” during the day – where I woke up feeling surprisingly refreshed. I managed to stay calm when sitting the individual exams, and I’m glad to say that panic never overcame me.


That was my experience of Calm Me Down during a time of unprecedented unease and anxiety. If/when I am faced with demanding situations like these in the future, I will most likely take the essence again as I believe it focussed my thoughts and helped me chill out at bedtime. I hope this account offers some sort of benefit for others in a similar position, or for those intrigued in Calm Me Down.


(The above photo of Michael with with his nephew, was taken when Gavin was just three days old).


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