Bach Flower Remedies

Dr. Edward Bach, MB, BS, DPH

Dr. Bach studied medicine at Birmingham University and completed his training at University College Hospital in London where he qualified as a physician in 1912. During 1913, Dr. Bach held medical and surgical positions at various London hospitals. He became interested in immunology and worked as Assistant Bacteriologist at London's University College Hospital.

Dr. Bach had always been interested in the needs of his patients as individual people and believed that there must be a safer and more natural way of treating the cause of disease. Using the theory 'treat the patient, not the disease', he began to prepare his vaccines homeopathically. His observations of patients led Dr. Bach to the conclusion that certain types of people reacted in the same way to different illnesses and treatments. He developed this insight into a theory of types, dividing people into seven groups. From then on he sought to prescribe according to his patients' reactions to their illnesses themselves.

Although the treatment itself was still for the physical complaint, he knew that this work would not be complete until he found a treatment for those negative moods and emotions that were responsible for the breakdown in health in the first place. Health comes when we regain harmony between our physical and spiritual selves, leaving the body free to begin its own natural healing process. If emotional equilibrium can be maintained the mind and body will remain in a state of health.

In 1935, Dr. Bach announced his work was complete and turned his attention to spreading the news of his discoveries to as many people as possible.

The Bach Flower Remedies

The Bach Flower Remedies are 38 homeopathically prepared plant and flower based essences. Each Remedy covers a different state of mind or personality type. Helping you to manage the emotional demands of everyday life. Each Remedy treats a specific emotion, helping to restore balance and overcome negative feelings which, if allowed to continue, can lead to physical illness.

Dr. Bach also created an emergency combination which he called Rescue Remedy. It contains five Bach Remedies: Impatiens, Star of Bethlehem, Cherry Plum, Rock Rose and Clematis. When faced with a sudden bad news, a family upset, the aftermath of an accident or a stressful event — such as taking an exam, visiting the dentist or giving a presentation - Rescue Remedy will help you face the situation in a better frame of mind and reduce your fear or nervousness. It is an excellent remedy whenever you feel uptight or duly bothered, and can usually restore balance. 

Production of the Bach Flower Remedies

The production of the Bach Flower Remedies is handled in two ways: Using the "sun method," the flowers are picked on a warm summer day in full sunshine. The flowers are put in a glass bowl with fresh spring water. The bowl is placed in the sun for two to four hours. Afterward the flowers are removed from the solution, and an equal portion of alcohol is added for preservation (Bach used brandy). The derived solution is stored in a stock bottle. During treatment, the remedy is usually diluted with water.

Since not all flowers, shrubs, bushes, and trees bloom at a time of year with plenty of sunshine, a second method for the preparation of remedies is necessary, the so-called cooking method. The flowers and buds are picked according to the sun method and boiled down. The extract is filtered several times and mixed again with the same portion of alcohol as a preservative.

Selecting the Bach Flower Remedies

Recognizing exactly how you are feeling is very important when it comes to choosing the most appropriate Remedy for you. Firstly, try to pinpoint exactly how you are feeling at the moment. Secondly, match that mood or feeling with the appropriate Remedy. It can be difficult to admit to ourselves some of our negative emotions, few of us want to be seen as jealous, or over protective, for example. But once you have admitted how you feel, you are half way toward treating that emotion.

You can select up to six or seven different Remedies in this way. Don't worry too much if you make a wrong selection, because if a Remedy is not needed it will not do anything. Experience has shown, however, that too many Remedies taken at one time are not as effective as a few well-chosen ones. This means that there is no point mixing all 38 together to zap everything at once! A Bach Flower Practitioner can assist your selection of remedies.

The Bach Flower Remedies

• Agrimony; Putting on a cheerful face to hide problems

• Aspen; Fears and worries of unknown origin, nervous and anxious

• Beech; Critical and intolerant of others

• Centaury; Difficulty in saying no, anxious to please

• Cerato; Doubtful of own ability to judge situations

• Cherry Plum; Fear of losing control and of irrational thoughts and/or impulses

• Chestnut Bud; Failure to learn from experience, repeating the same mistakes

• Chicory; Over-protective, possessive, selfish

• Clematis; Day-dreaming, lack of interest in present

• Crab Apple; Poor self-image, feelings of shame, sense of uncleanliness

• Elm; Overwhelmed or burdened by responsibility

• Gentian; Easily discouraged, hesitant, despondent

• Gorse; Hopelessness and despair, pessimism

• Heather; Self-absorbed, dislike of being alone, excessively talkative

• Holly; Feelings of extreme jealousy, bitter, envious, suspicious

• Honeysuckle; Living in the past, feeling homesick

• Hornbeam; Monday morning feeling, emotional exhaustion

• Impatiens; Impatient, irritable

• Larch; Lack of self-confidence, feeling of inferiority without envy

• Mimulus; Fear of known things, shyness

• Mustard; Deep gloom for no apparent reason

• Oak; Exhausted but struggles on

• Olive; Emotional burnout

• Pine; Self-reproach, guilt

• Red Chestnut; Overanxious or over-concerned for others

• Rock Rose; Terror, sudden alarm, nightmares

• Rock Water; For those who are overly strict with themselves

• Scleranthus; Indecisive, unable to decide between two options

• Star of Bethlehem; After-effects of fright, grief or shock

• Sweet Chestnut; At the limits of endurance, deep despair, bleak outlook

• Vervain; Over-enthusiastic, argumentative with fixed principles and ideas

• Vine; Strong-willed with a tendency to be domineering or inflexible

• Walnut; Facing major life changes, needing protection from the influences of others

• Water Violet; Prefer to be alone, proud

• White Chestnut; Unwanted thoughts, preoccupation’s and worries

• Wild Oat; Uncertainty as to the correct path in life, dissatisfied with current lifestyle, can't decide which path to follow

• Wild Rose; Resigned, apathetic, making little effort to improve situations

• Willow; Resentment, feelings of self-pity

Taking the Bach Flower Remedies

For the treatment of a short-term mood or problem the easiest way is to put two drops of each selected Remedy in a glass of water and sip as required, but at least four times a day, until relief is obtained. If using Rescue Remedy, put in four drops instead of two.

For the treatment of more chronic problems you should make up a treatment bottle, as this is more economical and will make the precious stock remedies go a bit further. Simply get a bottle with a dropper in the lid (try the local pharmacy), and then add two drops of each selected Remedy (four drops of Rescue Remedy) to the bottle. Top this up with still mineral water and from this bottle take four drops four times a day.