Bach Flower Remedy Facts and Pictures

Facts about the conditions bach flower remedies are used for, pictures, history, preparation, dosage, who can take them and storage of the Bach flower essences.

Bach Flower therapy can help depression, grief, loss, nervousness, self esteem, despair, fear, uncertainty, sensitivity and loneliness.

The Bach Flower Remedies are 38 plant and flower based remedies which are beneficial in meeting the demands in everyday life. Each remedy aids a specific emotion, but they can be taken individually or a combination of remedies can be used.

Research supports the view that emotional and physical health are linked. Bach Flower Remedies help you take control of the way you feel to get more out of life.

Dr Bach studied medicine at Birmingham University, completed his
training at University College Hospital in London and qualified as a
physician in 1912.

Dr. Bach became very interested in immunology working at University College Hospital as an assistant Bacteriologist. He discovered that certain intestinal bacteria were closely connected with chronic disease and its cure and developed a group of seven vaccines from these bacteria. His methods were
published in medical journals and recorded by the Royal Society of Medicine.

Although he continued his research at laboratories in Harley Street until 1919, Dr Bach had always been more interested in the individual needs of his patients as people believing a safer and more natural way of treating the cause of disease should be available.

Whilst working as a pathologist and bacteriologist at the London Homoeopathic Hospital he read 'The Organon', written by Samuel Hahnemann (the father of homoeopathy). Using the
theory 'treat the patient, not the disease', he began preparing
vaccines homeopathically. The result was the group of seven oral vaccines or nosodes, which became known as the Seven Bach Nosodes.

Dr Bach reached the conclusion that certain types of people reacted similarly to different illnesses and treatments. He developed a theory of types, dividing people into seven groups, each corresponding to one of the seven nosodes. He found that by prescribing according to his patients' reactions to their illnesses themselves, the diagnoses were more effective than those based on clinical examination.

The treatment, however, was still for the physical complaint, but he knew his work would not be complete until he found a treatment for the negative moods and emotions that were responsible for the breakdown in health in the first place.

It was the search for these new, simpler and more natural medicines that took Dr Bach out into the countryside. In Wales he found Impatiens and Mimulus growing wild. He returned to London, prepared the remedies and prescribed them according to the personality of his patients, with immediate and remarkable results.

By the 1930's, he had identified 38 basic negative states of mind and created a plant or flower based remedy for each one. It is the total and absolute focus on the mental state alone, which makes Dr Bach's approach to health so exceptional.

Bach Flower Remedies are completely safe and natural and can be used by all the family, even the family pet, because of their gentle action.

Plants that have suffered the trauma of transplanting respond well to a few drops of Rescue Remedy in their water, before and after the process.

Recognizing exactly how you feel is the key to selecting the appropriate Bach Flower Remedy for you. Match the exact mood you are in with the suitable remedy.

Dr. Bach devised seven general emotional groups under which he categorized 38 individual flower remedies, each of which relates to a specific emotional state, as per the following tables:

Bach Flower Remedy Try .......	USE If you.....
Agrimony	Put on a cheerful face to hide problems; if you have mental worry or torture; attempt to forget mental torture through drugs and alcohol
Aspen	Have unexplained fears and worries; have vague fears of unknown origin (often irrational); are nervous and anxious
Beech	Are critical and intolerant of others; desire to change others; have a judgmental attitude
Centaury	Have difficulty in saying no and are anxious to please; have weakness of will; are easily influenced and exploited - 'the doormat'
Cerato	Doubt your own ability to judge situations; distrust self; constantly seek advice
Cherry Plum	Fear losing control of your behavior, of the mind giving way; have thoughts of suicide
Chestnut Bud	Fail to learn from experience, repeating the same mistakes; are impatient to move ahead
Chicory	Are overly possessive and expect others to conform to your values; are full of indulgent self-love; are full of self-pity
Clematis	Daydream and generally have a lack of interest in the present; are inattentive; are unconscious; have an out-of-the-body feeling
Crab Apple	Have a poor self-image and are ashamed or embarrassed by unpleasant physical symptoms, characteristics or features; feel mentally or emotionally unclean or unacceptable; feel self- condemnation; are congested; are over-fixated on trivia - 'the great cleanser'
Elm	Are overwhelmed or burdened by responsibility; have temporary feelings of inadequacy - "I can't let them down"
Gentian	Are easily discouraged, hesitant and despondent; lack faith; are full of doubt and pessimism; are depressed from a known cause; are weak following an illness
Gorse	Feel hopelessness and despair and are pessimistic; are depressed from illness of a long-term duration - "I give up"
Heather	Feel self-absorbed; dislike being alone, and talk incessantly about self - "What about me"
Holly	Have feelings of extreme jealousy, envy and suspicion; have feelings of revenge
Honeysuckle	Absorbed in memories of the past; feel homesick or nostalgic
Hornbeam	Get the 'Monday morning' feeling, doubting your ability to face the day's work; lack strength - "I don't think I can cope"
Impatiens	Are impatient and easily irritated; have extreme mental tension; are unable to co-operate
Larch	Lack self-confidence and feel inferior; will not try because you expect to fail
Mimulus	Have a fear rooted in known causes, e.g. spiders, flying, death, etc.; are shy and timid
Mustard	Experience unexplained deep gloom and/or melancholy
Oak	Are driven by a strong sense of duty and struggle on even though exhausted; suffer the effects of the limitations of illness; despair but never give up
Olive	Feel exhausted in body and mind
Pine	Feel full of guilt and blame yourself for other people's mistakes; have feelings of self-doubt and reproach
Red Chestnut	Are over-anxious or over- concerned for others
Rescue Remedy	Are in a demanding or stressful situation
Rock Rose	Experience terror; are frozen in fear and feel helpless
Rock Water	Are inflexible, setting yourself very high standards; desire to be an example to others; are in self-denial; are repressed; are a martyr
Scleranthus	Suffer from indecision; are hesitant; feel an imbalance
Star of Bethlehem	Have experienced shock, grief or a fright
Sweet Chestnut	Are at the limits of endurance and in deep despair; have extreme mental anguish; have reached the limits of endurance (not suicidal)
Vervain	Are over-enthusiastic, argumentative with fixed principles and ideas; desire to persuade others; are incensed by injustices
Vine	Are strong-willed with a tendency to be domineering or inflexible; are too ruthless
Walnut	Fear major life changes and are in need of protection from the influences of others; the 'Link Breaker'
Water Violet	Prefer to be alone or are proud and aloof; feel others do not understand you
White Chestnut	Have unwanted thoughts, preoccupations and worries; have mental arguments - "I can't get it out of my mind"
Wild Oat	Are uncertain of the correct path in life, dissatisfied with your current lifestyle and cannot decide which path to follow
Wild Rose	Make little effort to improve situations; are resigned to whatever happens; are apathetic; do not care about anything
Willow	Are bitter, resentful and have feelings of self-pity - 'poor me'; blame others for your mistakes; are unable to forgive

Two methods of preparation are used in making the Mother Tinctures for the Bach Flower Remedies:

Sun Method: Dr Bach used this method for twenty of the remedies (from flowers which bloom in summer*)

Boiling Method: The remaining eighteen remedies were prepared using this method from trees and bushes and plants (from flowers that bloom early in the year)

Step 1: Mother tinctures are prepared from plant material and
natural spring water by using the sun or boiling method (following Dr Bach's precise instructions)

Step 2: The mother tincture is made up of the energized spring
water [as per Step 1] mixed with an equal quantity of brandy (acts as a preservative)

Step 3: Two drops of mother tincture are added to 30ml of brandy to make the stock bottle

Dr Bach created an emergency combination containing five Bach Flower Remedies - Impatiens (for mental stress and tension), Star of Bethlehem (for shock), Cherry Plum (for desperation and loss of control), Rock Rose (for terror and panic) and Clematis (for fainting or loss of consciousness, either real or threatened). Rescue Remedy can be used to help you cope with immediate everyday situations, such as going to the dentist, interviews, making a complaint or wedding day nerves. It can also help in times of crisis or trauma such as bereavement, a relationship breakdown or redundancy.

Rescue Cream is a general skin salve to soothe and restore. Cream is applied externally and moisturizes rough, dry skin to restore it to its natural good condition.

To make up a combination, use 2 drops of each desired flower essence to one ounce of water; for Rescue Remedy use 4 drops per ounce of water. You can add up to 20% alcohol (usually brandy or vodka) as a preservative as desired, but some animals dislike the taste. (You can use flower remedies straight from the stock bottle, but they taste terrible!) You may use up to 6 essences in combination, with Rescue Remedy counting as one essence. In general, use the fewest essences possible.

The remedy can be given by mouth, which is the most effective method. Only a few drops (4-8) are necessary, and need not be swallowed, but only must contact the mucous membranes (gums, tongue, lips). Be careful not to contaminate the dropper by touching it to the animal (if this occurs, rinse the dropper in very hot water before returning it to the bottle). You can also add a dropper-full to the water dish, or a few drops on wet food (there is no effect of dilution).

You can add a dropper-full to a spray bottle filled with spring water, and use it to spray a room, carrier, car, around litter boxes or plants, or other problem areas. You can even put a few drops in your hand and pat the animal on the head and around the ears with it--the head is very sensitive to energy and will absorb the flower essences in this way. In the case of chewing or excessive licking or hot spots, you might want to try applying the remedy directly to the problem spot (if it isn't too raw, otherwise the remedy will sting); the animal will then consume it when it next licks that area.

Just a few drops (about 4-8) at a time are sufficient. For serious or acute conditions the remedy can be given as often as needed, even every few minutes. For most behavioral problems, we recommend 3-4 times a day for 2-4 weeks. If the response to the remedy is adequate by that time, you can begin to wean off by decreasing the frequency of administration. You may need to add a dropper-full to drinking water or give once a day long-term for some problems.

The Bach Flower remedies are nontoxic and will not adversely affect any other animals in the household. It is fine to put the remedy in a common water dish. In some cases we may even want to treat multiple animals in this way. The Bach Flowers work through a principle of resonance; if the animal needs the remedy, the remedy will act. If the particular remedy is not correct, there will simply be no effect.

Should more than 5 remedies be indicated, or should a case not respond to treatment, it is advisable to 'clear the picture' by using one of the following remedies: Star of Bethlehem where confusion can be traced to shock or trauma of whatever duration, Wild Oat where anxiety or withdrawal are predominant or Holly for those of an active or intense disposition.

Several of the Bach Flower Remedies are valuable for those who sap energy from their companions:

Other remedies are useful for those who themselves lose energy when in the company of others:

Only the Bach TM Signature guarantees that you receive the original Bach Flower Remedies, prepared as they have been since Dr. Bach's time.