Flower Essences

The Bach Flower Remedies are based on the idea that ailments of the body come about as a result of negative emotional states, and that the energy of certain plants can restore inner balance and stimulate the body’s own capacity to heal itself. They are often used to treat psychological problems or physical problems which have been aggravated by anxiety or stress,  or in cases of mental shock after traumatic events (physical or emotional).

The idea was developed by Dr Edward Bach, who was a doctor, a bacteriologist and a homeopath. Though a man of science he also worked very much with his instincts. When feeling stressed he found himself attracted to particular flowers which responded to certain moods. In 1930 he gave up a lucrative practice in London’s Harley Street to move to the Oxfordshire countryside to explore the relationship between different emotional states and countryside plants and flowers.

He classified the range of human moods into seven main categories (Fear, Loneliness, Lack of Interest in Present Circumstances, Despondency or Despair, Uncertainty, Over-sensitivity to Influences and Ideas, Over-care for the Welfare others). And he subdivided those into 38 negative feelings, each one associated with a particular plant.

Bach developed a method for preparing an infusion of the ‘essence’ of each plant: the flower heads were placed on the surface of pure spring water and left to infuse in direct sunlight for three hour  (or by boiling the woody twigs for 30 minutes). The resulting essence was kept in brandy to preserve it.  Essentially the process remains the same today; the same flowers are collected for the same locations, prepared in the same way, and sold in 10ml or 20ml marked with Bach’s original signature, to show their authenticity.

Best known is the compound of five plants, which together are called Rescue Remedy (made from Cherry plum, Clematis, Impatiens, Rock Rose and Star of Bethlehem. Many people keep some Rescue Remedy in their First Aid kits to alleviate shock after a fall, accident, sudden injury. It also comes in cream form for burns, bites, cuts or grazes.

Recent research into the links between emotions and the immune system supports the view that emotional and physical health are linked. Bach Flower Remedies claim to bridge that connection and restore harmony to mind and body.

Dr Bach primarily developed his remedies for self-help, so that people should be able to assess their own emotional state and select an appropriate remedy accordingly. That facility still exists because wherever the essences are sold, it is possible to view a glossary of the essences together with the associated emotional state and the condition it can relieve.

Practitioners in other fields, such as homeopaths, naturopaths, reflexologists and aromatherapists, may well prescribe Bach Flower Remedies as part of their treatment. Though many lay people, so to speak, prescribe for themselves according to their mood, or emotional need.

The method for taking Bach Flower Remedies is simple. They are sold in a concentrated form which needs to be diluted: a few drops taken in water, or rubbed on the lips (some even say it can be put behind the ears), or dropped directly on to the tongue. A standard dose is four drops, taken four times a day until the problem subsides. In case of severe symptoms, it can be taken every few minutes.

It is possible to take 6-7 different remedies to deal with a variety of symptoms or emotional states.

To decide which remedy to take, you can assess your own emotional state, or some Bach Remedy therapists using a method of ‘dowsing’, by suspending a pendulum over the remedies themselves or over a special circle chart, produced by the Bach Centre, which defines the remedies.

Bach Flower Remedies do not aim to treat physical conditions directly, instead each flower essence is targeted at an emotional imbalance. Dr Bach believed that when there was a particular physical symptom, it was related to a particular emotional condition, and one or more of the Essences were needed to alleviate that condition.

This is a generalised chart of the seven emotional states which Dr Bach categorised and the 38 sub-divisions, together with the Bach Flower Remedy associated with it.

Although there is no proven scientific evidence of the efficacy of flower remedies, many people swear by them. For instance, the world-famous compound, Rescue Remedy, made of five Bach Flower Remedies:

Rose for terror, Impatiens for impatience, Clematis for lack of interest in current matters, Star of Bethlehem for the after-effects of shock, Cherry Plum, for fear of the mind giving up. Together these powerful five provide a rapid tranquilising and calming done effect for many challenges of everyday life.

Actors and celebrities who have used the Rescue Remedy to conquer stage fright, and models have used it before stepping out on the cat walk or photographer’s camera. And in daily life, Rescue Remedy can steady the nerves before an exam or a driving test, wedding-day nerves, going to the dentist, conquering redundancy or dealing with bereavement.