Dr. Edward Bach (1886-1936) was a medical doctor, bacteriologist, and homeopath who believed that successful healing required the treatment of the person, not just the disease. He became very aware that negative emotions could have a major impact on one’s physical health. Being a lover of nature, Dr. Bach looked to the great outdoors for his answers, and ultimately “found” 38 remedies mostly derived from plants. Dr. Bach developed the diluted flower essences following his homeopathic background, which to this day are still being created, sold, and used to help negative emotions.
The Basis of Healing Flowers
A Bach remedy is based on energetics and vibrations. Herbalists believe that the flower’s energetic vibrations are transferred to the water used to create the flower essence, and then is transferred to us when we consume it.
The energetic and vibrational properties of the flower are then believed to resonate with some of our own energy and vibrational patterns (those that may be out of balance), bringing harmony through their communication. Many people who use the Bach flower essences feel that their emotions are helped, which definitely has a positive impact on their health.
The Bach Remedies
Below is the list of the 38 individual Bach remedies
- Agrimony – mental torture behind a cheerful face
- Aspen – fear of unknown things
- Beech – intolerance
- Centaury – the inability to say ‘no
- Cerato – lack of trust in one’s own decisions
- Cherry Plum – fear of the mind giving way
- Chestnut Bud – failure to learn from mistakes
- Chicory – selfish, possessive love
- Clematis – dreaming of the future without working in the present
- Crab Apple – the cleansing remedy, also for not liking something about ourselves
- Elm – overwhelmed by responsibility
- Gentian – discouragement after a setback
- Gorse – hopelessness and despair
- Heather – talkative self-concern and being self-centered
- Holly – hatred, envy, and jealousy
- Honeysuckle – living in the past
- Hornbeam – tiredness at the thought of doing something
- Impatiens – impatience
- Larch – lack of confidence
- Mimulus – fear of known things
- Mustard – deep gloom for no reason
- Oak – the plodder who keeps going past the point of exhaustion
- Olive – exhaustion following mental or physical effort
- Pine – guilt
- Red Chestnut – over-concern for the welfare of loved ones
- Rock Rose – terror and fright
- Rock Water – self-denial, rigidity, and self-repression
- Scleranthus – inability to choose between alternatives
- Star of Bethlehem – shock
- Sweet Chestnut – extreme mental anguish, when everything has been tried and there is no light left
- Vervain – over-enthusiasm
- Vine – dominance and inflexibility
- Walnut – protection from change and unwanted influences
- Water Violet – quiet self-reliance leading to isolation
- White Chestnut – unwanted thoughts and mental arguments
- Wild Oat – uncertainty over one’s direction in life
- Wild Rose – drifting, resignation, apathy
- Willow – self-pity and resentment
Bach also offers a combined formula called Rescue Remedy. it is a combination that is designed for emergency use and includes the following individual remedies: Impatiens, Star of Bethlehem, Cherry Plum, Rock Rose, Clematis
How to Make and Use a Flower Essence
While flower essences are readily available for purchase, you may want to try to make your own, it’s rather easy.
Sunlight and water lead to the extraction of subtle, yet powerful, vibrational properties from flowers. To make a solar water infusion you need a clean glass bowl,(reserved only for making flower infusions), spring water, and a dry sunny day.
Only flowers safe for human consumption should be used for making essences. Pour the spring water into the bowl. Pick some dry, undamaged flowers, and scatter across the surface of the water. Leave to infuse in the sunlight for three to four hours. Make sure the bowl is in a spot where no shadows can pass over it, and no other plant matter can fall into the bowl.
This is the Mother Essence. To store the Mother, first, remove the flower parts from the water, ideally with a leaf from the plant the flowers came from. When the water is cleared, pour the mother essence into clean dark bottles, filling each bottle halfway with the essence, then topping it off with brandy to preserve it, and to anchor the flower’s energetic vibrations in the water. Note: Apple cider vinegar or food-grade glycerin can be used in lieu of the brandy.
Label the bottle as the Mother Essence, note what plant it is, when it was made, where it was made, and the ingredients. This will keep for 6 years. Note: Vinegar or glycerin will only keep for one year, and must be refrigerated.
You don’t take your dose from the Mother Essence. Instead, between two to 10 drops from the Mother should be put into a dark glass bottle with a dropper, and topped of with a mixture of half spring water and half brandy. (or apple cider vinegar or food-grade glycerin) This is your final flower essence, and it has the same shelf life as the Mother Essence preparation.
To dose, put two to four drops on the tongue, or dilute in a cup of water and drink, up to four times a day.
I hope you find the Bach Flower Remedies as fascinating as I do!
Nature provides us beautiful ways to keep us healthy and happy.
Wishing you good vibrations,
Peace,
L