PROJECT

SOS NATUREZA MARINHA

Support project for
Salve Maracaípe NGO volunteers

MARIA LETÍCIA DURÃO

ROSALINA MENEZES
SHIGUEMI MATSUMYA
TEREZA MACHADO GUIMARÃES

2019
STUDY AND RESEARCH GROUP IN FLORAL THERAPY
TERRA BRASILIS/Recife
1. PRESENTATION
Terra Brasilis is an organization formed by floral therapists based in the
city of Recife, state of Pernambuco, Brazil. Founded in 1996, this group has
been working through teaching, studies, research and social actions in addition
to the floral therapeutic practice of its members.
Terra Brasilis social actions are carried out by the free initiative of the group's
therapists and, in general, involves the voluntary offer of support with floral
therapy to any community or social group that is undergoing a crisis situation.

2. JUSTIFICATION
Maracaípe beach is located in the municipality of Ipojuca, state of
Pernambuco, in the Brazilian Northeast region. It is next to Porto de Galinhas
beach, an internationally known tourist destination, in an area of great natural
beauty and rich marine biodiversity.
Due to the intense tourist activity, a good part of the resident community lives
from activities linked to the sea and the beach, either through fishing or tourism.

In the first days of September 2019, the first records of the presence of
oil on the beaches of the Brazilian Northeast began to appear without great
repercussion in the media. However, after a month, the state of Pernambuco
found itself the target of an unprecedented ecological disaster: the great spill of
toxic oil had reached this region, causing large dark spots to appear on the
beaches, damaging the great barrier reefs, affecting the lives of important
marine animals and causing a great mobilization in the population dependent on
sea products for their subsistence. The fact caused great social impact due to
the lack of investigation and governmental commitment, in addition to a
complete lack of knowledge about the origins of the great ecological disaster
that was being announced.
Such an attitude mobilized people from the most varied social strata, who
organized themselves in groups in order to clean the beaches and the marine
animals that were within their reach, especially the turtles.

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It was a great task since, without knowledge about the origin, oil stains began to
appear in an intense and unexpected way, on several beaches in the Northeast
region.
The members of the graduate program in health, environment and work
at UFBA (Universidade Federal da Bahia) also published a note that warned of
the risks of contamination by crude oil on 10.24.19. The group even asked the
government to declare State of Emergency in Public Health to try to contain the
damage caused by oil spills. There was a feeling of emergency in our region, in
each of us, and in our souls as floral therapists.
We felt called to deliver our skills as citizens, contacting people, groups
and organizations that were directly and emotionally suffering the destructive
effects caused by the environmental accident. This would be the prerequisite for
defining our performance.
At this moment, a group of young people who called themselves “Salve
Maracaípe”, and who already acted informally as environmental activists, met to
carry out the task of protecting the beaches, cleaning and reporting through
competent bodies: television, radio and newspapers.
In view of the dimension of the environmental disaster and sensitized by
the struggle and lack of support from the competent bodies, the Terra Brasilis
Florals Studies group decided to voluntarily offer the participants of “Salve
Maracaípe” a presence that meant support, encouragement and balance given
the task that these young activists were carrying out. For this project, four
therapists were involved: Maria Leticia Durão, Rosalina Menezes, Shiguemi
Matsumya and Tereza Guimarães

ABOUT “SALVE MARACAÍPE”

“Salve Maracaípe” is a free movement of young environmentalists,
founded in 2008 from the impact of the news of business pressure for the
construction of a resort in an area of coconut trees on the beach of Maracaípe.
At the time this group was successful and, until today, they have managed to
prevent this degradation. It is a group formed by young people, mostly aged
between 20 and 35 years old, living both in Ipojuca, a city an hour from Recife,
and in the Metropolitan Region of Recife.

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 Throughout its history, the group has dedicated itself to acting as
environmental educators, without any institutional or political ties in their action
initiatives. They move according to the availability of their members and the
demands that are emerging in northeastern Brazil.
Some members are trained professionals, others students; some are
permanent members, others are not. At the moment, they are coordinated by
03 professionals, 02 fishermen and an environmental manager, PhD student in
Bio-oceanography.
The group's main focus is in the municipality of Ipojuca, which involves
the southern coast beaches, from Maracaípe, an ecosystem in the sea and
mangrove peninsula, Porto de Galinhas beach, Merepe and Muro Alto beach, in
a little more than 11 km.
In addition to direct action, as was the case with oil spills or in the case of
fires in nature, they act both directly to minimize damage, as well as to raise
awareness for the construction of environmental public policies.

3. PROJECT DEVELOPMENT

During the visit of two of our therapists to the Porto de Galinhas region,
they made contact with a member of the “Salve Maracaípe” NGO. The intention
of this meeting was, first of all, listening to know and understanding the context
of the reality experienced by these young environmentalists.
At that time, the focus of their work was to help people and marine life to
survive the environmental disaster. We focused our listening on the main
personal difficulties, mental, emotional afflictions and prevailing states of mind
of the great challenge of carrying out this mission.
In the next moment of this meeting, we presented the Floral Therapy and
made available our volunteer work of therapeutic support to the group. The
young woman, a member of the “Salve Maracaípe” group was very interested
and promptly offered to invite and gather her colleagues so that our first aid
action could be made possible.

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STAGE 1 – Project structuring
A mobilization was made in order to provide the necessary means for the
creation of a support group for the team of activists. We decided to use the
essences of the Pacific Vibrational Essences, due to the presence of the kit of
sea essences and their specificities, that is, to support the damage done to
marine beings and the sea, only the very energy of the essences made on the
basis of water from the sea, as well as the vital force of marine nature itself,
would be significant to support our work.
We contacted Pacific Essences producer Dr. Sabina Pettitt, who lovingly
and kindly authorized the delivery of the essences requested by the Terra
Brasilis group through its representation in Brazil, to Essências Florais.
15 bottles of Balancer, Sea Lettuce, Dolphin, Pink Seaweed and Surfgrass were
ordered.
Then, we received the donation of 15 bags to pack the essences,
produced by floral therapist and member of Terra Brasilis, Carmita Miranda.
We then left for the appointment with the group of activists and had the
first meeting scheduled for 12/2/2019, in the Centro Logos salon (therapeutic
space in the city of Recife), where Terra Brasilis meetings take place.

About the chosen essences:

The vibrational essences of the Pacific Essences constitute an innovative
project, dating from the 80s, through its researchers Dr. Sabina Pettitt and her
husband and collaborator Michael Pettitt. From a spontaneous finding in order
to help a friend who had skin cancer that was not responsive to the therapies of
the time, sea essences emerged as a new kit to compose the sets of vibrational
essences previously included in the Pacific Essences system.
1) Balancer: a formula composed of three essences, with recognized
performance on the chakras and meridians of the human vibrational field. This
performance showed high effectiveness in severe levels of stress, physical,
mental and emotional exhaustion due to shocks or losses.
2) Sea Lettuce: vibrational essence from the seaweed Ulva lactuca, its
action on the solar plexus chakra and the small intestine and stomach

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meridians favor the elimination of toxins from the dark aspects of the personality
and stored in the psychic field.
3) Dolphin: vibrational essence prepared with sea water from the dolphin
habitat, it carries within it all the vital energy of freedom, communication and the
holistic state of presence in the here and now.
4) Pink Seaweed: vibrational essence made from coral Coralina
vancourveriensis, its aspect resembles cardiac vascularization. In fact, it acts on
the meridian called Protector of the Heart and its action is to maintain balance,
confidence and grounding in the great processes of change in life.
5) Surfgrass: vibrational essence made from the Phyllospadix scouleri
seaweed. Its warm emerald color points to its performance on the heart chakra.
It has an intense ability to balance the opposing tensions between the dictates
of the soul and the desires of the personality, impressing courage, decision,
confidence and initiative. It acts on the kidney meridian, keeping the vital
essence stored there protected.

STAGE 2 – Preparation of the formulas

Due to issues of importing products, it was necessary to adapt the
quantity of essences requested, the way of preparing the essences and the
administration initially proposed by the therapists to the use of florals. It was
necessary to make a unique composition that had the longest durability. For
this, 4 drops of each of the other essences (Dolphin, Sea lettuce, Pink seaweed
and Surfgrass) were added to each Balancer unit. Therefore, each member
would receive a glass of Balancer, enriched with 4 drops of each of the
aforementioned essences and a glass bottle of 350 ml mineral water (in ph 6.4
initially), which they should fill every day and add, daily, 4 drops and consume in
two doses, half a bottle in the morning and the other half in the evening. This
procedure should be repeated daily for 20 days. After this period, we would
have another meeting of the group.
We set up a plan that foresaw a total of five face-to-face meetings with
the group, lasting 2 hours each, where we could talk to follow the performance
of the essences and listen to the members of “Salve Maracaípe”. These
meetings would have an interval of 21 days between them, until finalization of
the proposal.

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 The contact for arrangements for meetings between Terra Brasilis and
“Salve Maracaípe” would always be made between one of the therapists at
Terra Brasilis and an activist from the group, the first who was contacted.

STAGE 3 – First meeting with the group

On the afternoon of 12/2/2019, we received the activists in the hall of the
Centro Logos (therapeutic space where the headquarters of the Terra Brasilis
group also operates, located in the city of Recife), where we presented the
project's objective, clarifying the meaning of therapeutic support offered with
Floral Therapy and knowledge about the pattern of performance of the floral
essences that they would be using.
Authorization was also requested to complete the DASS-
21 (Depression/Anxiety/Stress) questionnaire to monitor the performance and
effectiveness of the essences used. This questionnaire, completed in the first
meeting, would also be repeated in the third and last meeting with the group.
Of a total of 15 participants, 09 attended. The main theme exposed by the
“Salve Maracaípe” group was the post-traumatic stress and the situation of
physical and emotional exhaustion that the group had been facing, both in the
physical effort to help remove oil from the beaches and in relation to the
emotional issues arising from political confrontation and internal conflict over the
time and effort devoted to this work. Because, if on the one hand, they were
free from the domination of political parties and financial institutions, on the
other hand they lived with a strong and clear personal conflict between
dedicating themselves to the call of the soul of environmental activists and the
construction of a professional life that would guarantee them the economic
condition of survival.
It was a very special meeting moment and the group was very receptive
to the Terra Brasilis group proposal, through their therapists.
We explained how to use the essences and water bottles and distributed
the material with all written instructions, in addition to making ourselves
available for any doubts that might arise in the following days.
The next meeting was scheduled for 12/23/2019.

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Data obtained from the DASS-21 questionnaire at the first meeting:
Filling out the questionnaire in this first meeting showed, statistically, a
group that had been facing the environmental disaster with an average level of
anxiety, facing difficulties to calm down, feeling often restless and very
sensitized.
In the individual reports, the meaning of being grouped around a cause is
highlighted, which merits the feeling of belonging and sharing of affections.

STAGE 4 – Sequence and completion of the project

The second meeting with the group, scheduled for 12/23/2019, was
postponed due to the Christmas festivities at the request of the group.
At the third meeting, scheduled for 01/03/2020, the participants did not
show up, nor contacted us. A contact was made with the group representative
who justified the vacation period, in addition to a dispersion factor in the group,
since the justification for the oil spill was no longer happening.
No other meetings could be scheduled. The participants dispersed and, as
much as we offered alternatives for contact to monitor the action, they were
silent until the moment of closing. After several contacts, and faced with the
impossibility of grouping them again, we asked to complete a conclusive
questionnaire of the work carried out.

4. FINAL CONSIDERATIONS

In view of the aforementioned, the non-continuity of the project caused great

concern in the group of researchers. More significant presence and involvement
was expected by the “Salve Maracaípe” group, considering their participation
and excitement in the first meeting.

The analysis of the DASS-21 questionnaire showed a group emotionally

involved with the environmental proposal, but it evidenced the fragility of young
people conflicted between their individual objectives and their insertion in the
“Salve Maracaípe” group, where the mobilization of their fighting capacity and
social purpose was provocative and passionate.

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The group of researchers sought to observe in the literature other projects that
had the same emergency characteristics as those presented by the “Salve
Maracaípe” group. In all, a punctual and unique intervention by the therapists
was perceived.

It was revealed that therapeutic action in situations of environmental

catastrophe requires emergency support. This means that the scenarios tend to
change quickly, and the traumatic situation experienced must be shifted from its
stationery and shock-like condition, to one where the subjects involved find
immediate and progressive solutions to their suffering.

It was understood that the only meeting held with the people from “Salve
Maracaípe” on 12/2/2019 by the Terra Brasilis group, allowed them to listen to
each other outside the emergency environment. Listen to themselves and their
needs, having as a catalyst for recognizing their real difficulties the pattern of
floral essences experienced in visualization and listening, and which would
compose their floral formula. They had the opportunity to identify possible
conflicts between the reality experienced and the dictates of their soul.

The subsequent follow-up by the “Salve Maracaípe” group carried out by

researchers from the Terra Brasilis group via social media allowed us to
observe that the group assumed a more professional posture at the public level,
leaving the eventual gathering profile.

The questionnaire sent to the “Salve Maracaípe” group as a conclusive

proposal of Terra Brasilis' research work, demonstrated an irregular use of the
floral by the members of “Salve Maracaípe”, justified by them due to the little
practicality in the administration of use.

However, we concluded that the therapeutic performance was conducted,

despite the formal absence of data. The only meeting held brought the group
together in a different context from the environmental struggle they were used
to, migrating to a consistent emotional support.

Aware as floral therapists of the therapeutic value of the visualization and

knowledge of the pattern of operation of floral essences, we realize that this
exposure of essences by images has opened an inner space for self-recognition

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in young environmentalists; during the meeting some were clear in their
demands for life, there freely exposed to the group. Some were moved and
surprised by the quality worked by floral essences and in line with their
individual demands.

The preparation of the use bottle during the meeting presented the possibility of
self-care and brought the group closer to the existence of the integrative
resource of floral essences.

Taking a kit of floral, mineral water of good quality and packaged in a glass
bottle, delicately packaged in a fabric bag coated with aluminized protection,
transformed the experience of facing political neglect into a loving welcome.

Therefore, we conclude that the role of the floral therapist in emergency support
is not limited to the identification and administration of floral essences to those
in demand, but involves a diversity of actions and attitudes that together with
the presence of a floral bottle make up the therapeutic support scenario.

The pattern of the Balancer, Dolphin, Pink Seaweed, Sea Lettuce and Surfgrass
floral essences presented in PowerPoint with images representative of their
habitat had the strength to reverberate the virtues of balance, lightness,
anchoring, resilience and courage in the soul of the members of the “Salve
Maracaípe” group, sensitizing and provoking emotion in some of the members.

Therefore, considering the uniqueness of this experience in addition to the

proposed objective and the responses of the target group of our work, the
research provided a deep learning for the researchers involved regarding the
expectations created in the face of a pre-built script and the events that would
follow by default.

The human soul absorbs its needs and changes accordingly to its own
uniqueness and it is up to those who are supporting the path of each being to
accept and understand that the individual path will always be covered, however
incomprehensible their signals may seem to us.

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Study Group-Research and Social Actions-Terra Brasilis

Representation in this work:

Maria Leticia Durão
Rosalina Menezes
Shiguemi Matsumya
Tereza Guimarães
Recife, November 2020

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