Esoteric Remedies Self-Healing Workbook
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Transcript of Esoteric Remedies Self-Healing Workbook
ESOTERIC REMEDIES
SELF-HEALING WORKBOOK
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© 2014 Esoteric Remedies Pte Ltd No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise with the prior permission of the copyright owner. Request for permission should be addressed to Esoteric Remedies Pte Ltd, 14 Robinson Road, Far East Finance Building, #08-1A, Singapore 048545. Email:[email protected] The publisher makes no representation or warranties to the contents of this book. The contents within this book is purely for informational purposes only and a qualified medical practitioner should be consulted before taking any remedies or applying any of the techniques demonstrated in this workbook.
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Contents Contents ......................................................................................................... 3
Welcome letter from Esoteric Remedies ........................................................ 7
How to use this workbook .......................................................................... 8
Why you should make self-healing a priority .............................................. 8
Feel balanced and in tune once again ......................................................... 9
Introduction .................................................................................................. 10
CHAPTER ONE: Introducing Bach Flower Remedies – the original flower
essence ......................................................................................................... 12
Who was Dr Edward Bach? ....................................................................... 12
What are Bach Flower Remedies?............................................................. 13
How are Bach Flower Remedies made? .................................................... 15
How do Bach Flower Remedies work? ...................................................... 15
Do Bach’s Flower Remedies really work? .................................................. 17
How are flower essences and remedies being used today? ...................... 18
CHAPTER TWO: The 38 Bach Flower Remedies ............................................. 19
The Single and Composite Remedies ........................................................ 19
Remedies for Fear ..................................................................................... 21
Aspen .................................................................................................... 22
Mimulus ................................................................................................ 23
Cherry Plum .......................................................................................... 24
Red Chestnut......................................................................................... 25
Rock Rose .............................................................................................. 26
Remedies for Uncertainty ......................................................................... 27
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Cerato ................................................................................................... 28
Sceleranthus ......................................................................................... 29
Gentian ................................................................................................. 30
Gorse .................................................................................................... 31
Hornbeam ............................................................................................. 32
Wild Oat ................................................................................................ 33
Remedies for the Lack of Interest in Present Circumstances ..................... 34
Clematis ................................................................................................ 35
Honeysuckle .......................................................................................... 36
Wild Rose .............................................................................................. 37
Olive ...................................................................................................... 38
White Chestnut ..................................................................................... 39
Mustard ................................................................................................ 40
Chestnut Bud ........................................................................................ 41
Remedies for Loneliness ........................................................................... 42
Water Violet .......................................................................................... 43
Impatiens .............................................................................................. 44
Heather ................................................................................................. 45
Remedies for Oversensitivity .................................................................... 46
Agrimony .............................................................................................. 47
Centaury ............................................................................................... 48
Walnut .................................................................................................. 49
Holly ...................................................................................................... 50
Remedies for Despondency & Despair ...................................................... 51
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Larch ..................................................................................................... 52
Pine ....................................................................................................... 53
Elm ........................................................................................................ 54
Sweet Chestnut ..................................................................................... 55
Star of Bethlehem ................................................................................. 56
Willow ................................................................................................... 57
Oak ........................................................................................................ 58
Crab Apple ............................................................................................ 59
Remedies for Overanxiety for Others’ Welfare ......................................... 60
Chicory .................................................................................................. 61
Vervain .................................................................................................. 62
Vine ....................................................................................................... 63
Beech .................................................................................................... 64
Rockwater ............................................................................................. 65
How to Take the Remedies ........................................................................... 66
Bach Flower Remedies and Essential Oils ..................................................... 71
Health Secrets Dr Bach Would Like to Share with You .................................. 73
#1 Preconceptions and beliefs can alter the state of your health ............. 73
#2 You know yourself best ........................................................................ 73
#3 You are not just a product of your genes ............................................. 74
#4 Quality relationships are essential for good health .............................. 75
#5 Finding your true vocation could lengthen your life ............................. 76
#6 Being happy is the best way to protect your health ............................. 77
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#7 To attain optimal health, you have to live a life aligned with your inner
voice and your values. ............................................................................... 78
Exercise #1 .................................................................................................... 80
Bach Flower Remedies Questionnaire: Finding the Right Remedies for Me
.................................................................................................................. 80
Exercise #2 .................................................................................................... 85
Life Assessment ........................................................................................ 85
Preconceptions and beliefs ................................................................... 85
Inner voice ............................................................................................ 86
Relationships ......................................................................................... 86
Work/Life Vocation ............................................................................... 86
Finances ................................................................................................ 87
Environment ......................................................................................... 87
State of mind ........................................................................................ 87
Physical health ...................................................................................... 88
Exercise #3 .................................................................................................... 89
My personal formula ................................................................................. 89
Exercise #4 .................................................................................................... 90
Simple meditation ..................................................................................... 90
Bach Flower Remedy Affirmations ........................................................ 91
Exercise #6 .................................................................................................... 96
My Enlightenment Journal ........................................................................ 96
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Welcome letter from Esoteric Remedies Congratulations! You are about to embark on an illuminating journey of
self-discovery!
Flower essences are an established form of complementary medicine that is
rapidly gaining support from the scientific community.
Our workbook will teach you how you can incorporate flower essences into
your own health and wellness regime to achieve a more fulfilling, balanced
life.
Dr Bach, a notable Harley Street physician and homeopath, created this
simple method of holistic healing during the early part of the 20th century
after becoming dissatisfied with the way mainstream medicine diagnosed
and treated patients.
Over the last 80 years, Dr Bach’s remedies have proven their efficacy time
and again in helping people jumpstart their inner self-healing mechanism,
alleviating physiological symptoms, while calming the mind and lifting the
spirit.
As part of this workbook, we have included vital information in regards to
Bach Flower Remedies including how it is made and how it actually works in
addition to powerful insights that could radically improve your total health
and wellbeing.
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How to use this workbook
Read the explanations/descriptions of Bach Flower Remedies carefully
and preferably in conjunction with The Bach Flower Remedies Step by
Step - A Complete Guide to Selecting and Using the Remedies written
by Judy Howard.
Learn to use the health secrets in conjunction with Bach Flower
Remedies to live a healthier and fulfilled life.
Fill out the questionnaires to determine your current emotional state
and to assess if there are areas in your life that are hurting your health.
Write your own custom Bach formulation and manifesto for better
health.
Fill out the enclosed journal to track your transformation journey.
Why you should make self-healing a priority It may sound completely radical to you, but scientific research has uncovered
that simply caring for your body through conventional means such as
exercising or eating a nutritious diet – might just be one part of a complex
mind-body equation. Indeed, more and more scientific studies are showing
that the secret to great health could well start with the mind – a notion that
Dr Bach deeply believed in.
Taking care of your mind is so critical for your complete wellbeing. Indeed,
any beliefs, emotions and feelings you permit to permeate your mind - be it
consciously or unconsciously - has been scientifically proven to significantly
affect or even alter every living cell in your body.
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Feel balanced and in tune once again This self-healing workbook aims to help you in your quest to feel good about yourself physically, mentally and spiritually. We want to impart the healing philosophies of Dr Bach so that you too can activate your self-healing abilities, which only function properly when your thoughts, beliefs, and feelings are in a positive, balanced state. We hope that the resources in this workbook will help you improve your health by equipping you with the critical tools to cultivate more happiness, resilience and inner peace in your life.
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Introduction If you are suffering from emotional turmoil, lack a sense of purpose or are keen to learn how you can improve your physical health as well as your mental wellbeing, you have come to the right place. This workbook about Bach Flower Remedies and self-healing is definitely
for you if:
You are frustrated and exhausted.
You feel anger or resentment burning inside you.
You no longer have any strength to go on.
You carry anxieties or fears you keep hidden from the world.
You find it hard to let go of the past.
You need to stop making the same mistakes repeatedly especially when it comes to relationships.
You believe in the mind-body connection and will do anything it takes to heal your mind and inner self in order to attain better health and wellbeing.
You are open-minded and are willing to try new ways to make you feel whole and vital.
You are highly aware that your body is out of sync with your emotions and soul purpose. Your intuition is telling you that something needs to change and you are finally taking action by listening to your inner voice.
You need to reenergise and reignite your passion or zest for life.
“It is not the disease that is of importance, it is the patient,
the way he or she is affected, which is our true guide to
healing.”
Dr Edward Bach
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CHAPTER ONE: Introducing Bach Flower Remedies –
the original flower essence Many of you who might be reading this workbook might have never even
heard of Bach Flower Remedies before. Or perhaps, you might have even
taken one of Dr Bach’s remedies in the past, but you have never really
understood how it works or even know how it is made.
In this chapter, we will explore the origins of Bach Flower Remedies and
provide a definitive explanation of why and how flower essences work.
Who was Dr Edward Bach? Dr Edward Bach introduced the concept of flower essences to the world in
the 1920s, continuing his work right up to his death in 1936. A respected
Harley Street consultant and bacteriologist, he turned his back on
conventional medicine to become a trailblazer in the realm of alternative
healing. Feeling disgruntled with the orthodox approach to treating patients
he learnt at medical school, he turned firstly to homeopathy, believing that
as its founding father Samuel Hahnemann did that the “patient is the most
important factor in his healing”.
He cultivated a considerable reputation in this field – the vaccines known as
Bach’s seven nosodes that he isolated still play a crucial role in homeopathy
today. However, he remained dissatisfied and finally decided to strike out on
his own to develop his own unique natural system of healing. Dr Bach began
working feverishly on developing and refining this system in the late 1920s,
declaring it finished just over a year before he passed away. His seminal work
on flower healing is described in full in his booklet The Twelve Healers and
Other Remedies.
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What are Bach Flower Remedies? Flower essences or remedies can be described as the energy imprint or life
force of wild flowers preserved in pure water. Each flower transmits its own
unique energy pattern or essence.
During the initial stages of his mission to find an alternative method of
healing after he abandoned orthodox medicine, Dr Bach discovered that
flowers embody positive internal forces to counteract negative emotional
states.
Flower essences prepared by the Bach method can be used therapeutically
to channel that healing force to users. In fact, Bach Flower Remedies are
actually a form of energy or vibrational medicine, which includes other types
of established complementary therapies, such as homoeopathy,
acupuncture, Reiki, Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).
Have you used any of these types of energy medicine before? How did it
make you feel?
“Energy medicine is the future of all medicine. We’re
beginning now to understand things that we know in our
hearts are true but we could never measure. As we get
better at understanding how little we know about the
body, we begin to realise that the next big frontier in
medicine is energy medicine. It’s not the mechanistic part
of the joints moving. It’s not the chemistry our our body –
its understanding for the first time how energy influences
how we feel.”
Dr Mehmet Oz, on the Oprah Winfrey Show, 2006
Does Dr Oz’s quote resonate with your beliefs? How have you
incorporated energy or vibrational medicine in your life?
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Ongoing scientific research supports Dr Bach’s idea that water takes on and
maintains the energy imprint of what is placed in it. Dr Masuru Emoto in
Japan, and Dr Lee H Lorenzen based at the University of California in
Berkeley, took water samples from various sources – pure springs, polluted
lakes and even tap water – and froze it. They then examined their resulting
snowflake patterns. Interestingly, those from pure sources were symmetrical
and beautiful, but those from polluted origins were deformed. Further
experiments highlighted that even music and words could radically alter
snowflake patterns.
Bach flower remedies are often mistaken for essential oils. However, unlike
essential oils, flower essences contain no scent or perfume and they are safe
to be ingested as they contain no plant or flower matter. They should not
also be confused with herbal tinctures. Herbal tinctures are concentrated
extracts of different plant parts and are commonly used to treat physical
symptoms. As a matter of fact, many modern medicines are synthetic
versions of these plant extracts.
Flower essences, on the other hand, while they may also stimulate the
body’s self-healing mechanism to ease any physical symptoms, are used
mainly to address emotional, mental and spiritual imbalances.
They work gently and have no recorded side effects, but are powerful
enough to cause major shifts in emotions and mood. Dr Bach was adamant
that no poisonous or exotic flowers and plants were used to create the
remedies – he wanted a gentle and subtle system of healing.
The effects of taking flower essences can be immediate - change often occurs
within a few days, and the longest it will take for you to notice a difference is
a couple of weeks.
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Sometimes, patients complain of feeling worse before they actually get
better. This is a natural part of the healing process when using Bach flower
therapy. It is actually a welcome side effect as it shows that the essences are
working to detoxify and purge the mind and body of negative emotions.
How are Bach Flower Remedies made? Two methods are used to transmit the internal energy of flowers into spring
water – the Sun and the Boiling method.
In the Sun Method, which is unique to flower therapy, wild flowers that come
into bloom during the late spring and summer are picked in the morning and
placed in still spring water. They are then left to stand in full sunshine for
three hours until the water becomes energised. The flower heads are then
discarded, and an equal amount of brandy is added to the potenised or
energised water. This solution is then added to brandy or vegetable
glycerine (in a 1:5 ratio) to make the actual bottled remedies or essences you
see on shelves. This method is used for 20 types of Bach’s Flower Remedies.
The remaining 18 flower remedies are prepared using the Boiling Method. In
this instance, twigs and leaves are collected in the morning and are boiled in
spring water before being siphoned into bottles.
How do Bach Flower Remedies work? As mentioned earlier, Bach Flower Remedies are a form of energy medicine,
which work subtly to imbue our physical, spiritual and emotional selves with
the positive energy of certain types of flowers and plants.
Exponents of energy or vibrational medicine believe that the metaphysical or
spiritual body of human beings is made up of seven energy centres or
chakras, which are interconnected with the physical body through various
arteries, veins and nerves. They are the openings for life giving energy to flow
into and out of our spiritual selves. Their function is to vitalise the physical
body and to bring about the development of our self-awareness, and
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ultimately, self-actualisation. If they become blocked due to emotional
turmoil, stress or conflict, it will eventually cause a physical problem in the
area where the chakra usually supplies energy to.
What this actually means is that a disrupted energy flow through a particular
chakra weakens the physical part of the body it corresponds to, making it
more susceptible to external attacks from allergens, viruses and bacteria etc.
For example, a blockage in the throat chakra simply because you are afraid of
voicing your opinions could produce chronic tonsillitis. This does not imply
that factors such as poor nutrition, genetics or environmental toxins do not
cause illness, but often the root of physical problems or ailments starts with
deficiencies in the chakra.
Together, the seven layers of energy emitted by the chakras meld to form
the luminous energy field called an aura. This is perceived by some as a halo
of light. The colours and density of a person’s aura reflects their vitality and
state of health.
Flower essences are believed to work on your aura, which is linked to your
physical body and mind. They operate by first penetrating the aura, where
they work on both the emotional (mind) and spiritual level. Then, because
your aura and solid body are one, they go on to affect you physically, helping
your body to regain its vibrant healthy blueprint.
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The theory for vibrational medicine can also be explained by quantum
physics. Many consider this to be the frontier where science and spirituality
meet, and it rationalises why this type of therapy works.
Quantum law states that all matter vibrates, each at their individual
frequency and rate, and that it is this vibrational frequency that determines
the physical form the matter takes.
" The action of these remedies is to raise our vibrations and
open up our channels for the reception of the Spiritual Self;
to flood our natures with the particular virtue we need, and
wash out from us the fault that is causing the harm.......”
Dr Edward Bach
Emotional upheaval often causes a lot of disruption to our internal
vibrational rates. Logically, the correct level of frequency can be restored by
exposing them to the right or healthy rates. Flower essences are a
storehouse of positive vibrations and hence they can be used to kickstart the
body’s internal self-healing mechanisms to combat specific emotional
problems.
Do Bach’s Flower Remedies really work? There have been a number of scientific trials to determine the efficacy of
Bach’s flower remedies.
Research carried out by the Italian paediatrician Dr S Calzolari, published in
1999 after studying 417 children over three years, concluded that Bach
Flower Remedies were highly effective in helping them to deal with
emotional difficulties. Another trial, conducted by Drs D’Auria and Pezza, also
suggested that flower essences are supportive, especially to control the
psychological aspects of pain.
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Jeffery Cram, a former research and clinical psychologist with the Sierra
Health Institute in Nevada City, California, completed a double-blind placebo
study of Dr Bach's emergency formula in 1999. Subjects were placed in an
induced stress situation - a mental arithmetic exercise. In the test group of 24
subjects, those using the flower remedy were found to have a significantly
reduced level of reactivity, as measured by muscular activity (EMG) at spinal
locations corresponding to the heart and throat chakras.
How are flower essences and remedies being used today? The effect of flower essences – be it Bach or other systems - on emotions
may be subtle, but they can act powerfully to deal with a whole spectrum of
physical ailments.
Hospitals and clinics worldwide are just beginning to accept the role flower
essences can play alongside conventional medicine in helping patients on
their path to recovery.
Within the US, both the Texas Cancer Care Center in Fort Worth and the
Baylor Medical Center in Dallas have developed cancer support programmes
that utilise the American Petit Fleur range to relieve the nausea, anxiety and
stress caused by chemotherapy.
Swiss medical charity Green Cross used Australian Bush Electro Essence with
spirulina extract in Belarus to treat child victims exposed to extreme
radiation levels by the tragic Chernobyl disaster. The study, conducted over
2003-04, showed a 43% reduction of radiation levels after a course of only
two weeks of Electro essence in comparison with a control group which
showed a 3.5% reduction.
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CHAPTER TWO: The 38 Bach Flower Remedies In this segment, we will be examining Dr Bach’s 38 single remedies in detail.
Study the descriptions and illustrations carefully in order to pick the best
combination that matches your current mood, emotional state and
personality. You will soon realise that some descriptions actually depict you
or someone you know.
The Single and Composite Remedies Dr Bach discovered a total of 38 single flower remedies which he divided into
seven groups:
For fear
For uncertainty
Insufficient interest in present circumstances
Loneliness
Oversensitivity to influences and ideas
Despondency or despair
Overcare for the welfare of others
However, his most infamous creation was the composite remedy he named
Rescue Remedy™, which Esoteric Remedies has branded as Emergency Elixir.
Dr Bach’s Rescue Remedy™ is a great aid to use in an emergency, and it has
been used countless times around the world in times of crisis by thousands
who can attest to its effectiveness. Indeed, some people rely on it exclusively
all the time, although this is a common mistake. There is no underlying risk in
taking the composite remedy regularly. However, if you use it all the time,
this suggests that you need to use the single remedies to deal with the root
cause of your constant crises and outbursts.
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It is made up of five flower essences - Clematis, Rock Rose, Star of
Bethlehem, Impatiens and Cherry Plum (see detailed descriptions). Esoteric
Remedies’ Emergency Elixir is made using the exact same ingredients.
It can be applied on simple wounds and bruises to kickstart the body’s
internal self-healing abilities.
However, one must always seek medical attention if the injuries are serious.
Nonetheless, this remedy will dispel the mental anguish that often
accompanies accidents.
Alternatively, it can be taken before an important meeting or exam or
whenever you need extra comfort or reassurance.
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Remedies for Fear
Fear can strike anyone at any time. We’ve all felt
fear sometime in our lives to varying degrees. It
might be something as concrete as the fear of the
consequences an illness brings or the fear of losing a
job. In the same vein, it can also be fear rooted in
the unknown, often described as a distinct feeling of
unease, for which there is no logical explanation or
reason.
Dr Bach developed five remedies to deal with fear:
Aspen is administered for fears that are vague and
which cannot be explained. Mimulus on the other
hand, is used in order to quell everyday fears –
specifically fears that can be clearly identified and
named. Cherry Plum is for individuals who are
frightened that their mind is giving way to irrational
or destructive thoughts. It is often given to children
prone to temper tantrums. Red Chestnut is
recommended to those who worry incessantly about
the welfare of others. Rock Rose is best used when
extreme terror strikes – the type that leaves you
quaking and shivering.
CASE HISTORY
It was a beautiful, sunny day
and Bryan had just kissed his
wife goodbye, and was off to
a job he really enjoyed.
Suddenly, for no apparent
reason, an intense feeling of
dread swept over him;
something terrible was about
to happen!
Aspen is the best remedy to
ease his motiveless fear and
feelings of dark foreboding.
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Aspen
Aspen is the remedy you take if you are suffering from
what Dr Bach described as “vague, unknown fears” or
fears based on irrational thoughts. These are what
modern psychologists term as “free-floating
anxieties”, which can vary in intensity from simple
worry to outright panic.
Often, sufferers complain of a feeling of dread,
insomnia, nightmares, sweating, nervous tics and
trembling. In extreme cases, the problem becomes a
vicious cycle, from which it seems impossible to
escape.
Dr Bach acknowledged the severity of this state. He
once wrote that physical fears “are nothing compared
to an unknown mental fear which comes over you like
a cloud........”
Once you fall into the negative Aspen state, almost
every situation becomes a potential pitfall. It seems as
though you possess an internal radar or alarm that
detects possible dangers, even though there is
nothing apparent to be frightened of.
In addition, once you’ve surrendered to this type of
fear, you will become reluctant to share your
problem, since you cannot find any logical reason for
your fears, half expecting to be told that it is all in
your mind or a figment of your overactive
imagination. Naturally, this makes you feel worse.
WHAT THE REMEDY
SHOULD ACHIEVE
Aspen will subdue your
baseless feelings of fear,
anxiety and apprehension.
It will also help you gain
more confidence and self-
awareness, providing you
with a strong foothold in
reality.
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Mimulus
Everyone certainly carries some sort of specific worry
or fear that they would like to overcome. It could be
something as simple as a fear of snakes, or something
more severe, like agoraphobia - the fear of open
spaces - which cruelly restricts movement and social
interaction outside the home.
In such instances, Mimulus is the right remedy as
opposed to Aspen, which works best to calm fears that
easily identifiable.
Mimulus helps you to quell your concrete fears and
puts your life back on track, so that you can take a step
back from what has been haunting you, and see it for
what is really is.
In other words, it helps you to put your fears into
perspective, while instilling confidence and providing
much-needed reassurance.
WHAT THE REMEDY
SHOULD ACHIEVE
Mimulus will give you the
courage to confront and
deal with any worries or
anxieties, helping you to
face the world with
renewed confidence.
Simultaneously, it will help
you to be become more
empathetic and
understanding of others,
particularly those with
similar problems or issues.
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Cherry Plum
Cherry Plum provides a helping hand to those on the
verge of losing self-control. It should be taken if you
feel as if there’s a real danger that you could harm
others or yourself. It is therefore most appropriately
administered to those who feel they are close to a
mental breakdown. In his booklet The Twelve Healers
Dr Bach explained that Cherry Plum should be taken if
a person fears “doing fearful and dreaded things, not
wished and known wrong, yet there comes the
thought and impulse to do them”.
When you are in a negative Cherry Plum state, you
can feel destructive forces welling up inside you,
inciting you to injure yourself and even others. In
some instances, this internal battle against your
conscience or will can push you into a deep
depression, from where there seems no way out. You
then start to struggle spiritually and mentally, the fear
becoming so intense that you get to a point these
potent forces seem to be gaining power over your
whole being.
The remedy first works by diffusing the emotional
turmoil that occurs. Subsequently, it helps you
address all the negative emotions that your fears
represent. It will give you the opportunity to
acknowledge your feelings, and to help you move on.
WHAT THE REMEDY
SHOULD ACHIEVE
Cherry Plum taps into your
inner reserves of peace and
tranquillity, letting them
bubble to the surface. This
helps to reduce the mental
anguish that characterises
this state.
In turn, this will enable you
to exert more control over
your urges and feelings, and
prevent sudden outbursts.
25
Red Chestnut
This remedy will help you overcome a very distinct
type of fear in which rather than worrying about
yourself, you have become preoccupied about the
welfare or wellbeing of others.
Even though these fears can be perceived as being
somewhat altruistic in nature, they should still be
confronted. Otherwise, if these fears are left to
simmer and grow, they may become a burden not
only to you, but also on the people you are projecting
your fears and worries onto.
Red Chestnut is therefore the ideal remedy for those
who are constantly anxious about others, and who do
not seem in the least bit concerned about
themselves.
Such feelings are clearly understandable. It is only
natural to feel apprehensive if the children leave
home for the first time, or if your partner travels
often for business and you’ve lost contact.
However, it is less natural when these fears get out of
hand so that you repeatedly focus on the dark side,
thinking that disaster will inevitably befall your
nearest and dearest.
WHAT THE REMEDY
SHOULD ACHIEVE
Red Chestnut will re-ignite
your ability to radiate
positive rather than
negative thoughts and
feelings to the people
around you.
It will also help you to keep
calm when an emergency
involving your loved ones
strikes, enabling you to
cope with the situation
mentally and physically.
26
Rock Rose
At times, fear reaches such a pitch that it
incapacitates your mind, rendering you completely
incapable of confronting it.
By taking Rock Rose, you will reawaken your
personal will, so that you can tackle what is
terrorising you.
Rock Rose is one of the main ingredients in the
emergency composite remedy. Indeed, Dr Bach
advised taking it “in all cases of urgency or danger”.
You might feel that you are being attacked, with no
prospect of relief once you are in a negative Rock
Rose state. It will seem as if everything that is
unfolding before you is going in the opposite
direction you want it to. You may have a sick,
unnerving feeling in your heart or stomach, which
seems impossible to get rid of.
Fortunately, on most occasions, the problems that
give rise to Rock Rose fears are only temporary.
This is especially true when it comes to people
suffering from nightmares, where the advice is to
give them sips of the remedy until their fear
subsides.
Dr Bach also recommended using the remedy if the
condition becomes “so serious as to cause intense
fear to those around you”.
WHAT THE REMEDY SHOULD
ACHIEVE
Rock Rose is primarily used for
emergencies and it acts quickly
to bring relief.
It frees you from fears that
occur suddenly and
unexpectedly when confronted
with a terse or scary situation,
helping to restore your resolve
and courage.
27
Remedies for Uncertainty
Uncertainty and indecision affects everyone from
time to time. Dr Bach himself experienced confusion
during his quest for the right flowers for his
remedies. Gradually, he discovered six remedies to
deal with uncertainty, each with their own distinct
properties:
Cerato aids in times of doubt, when someone begins
to question the validity of their decision and
convictions, owing to a lack of self-confidence.
Sceleranthus, in contrast, is the remedy for those
who can’t even make their mind up to begin with.
Gentian is given to relieve the despondency that
occurs after a setback, and when one needs the
confidence to try again. If this disappointment is left
unchecked, it will eventually turn into deep remorse.
Sufferers would then need Gorse.
Hornbeam helps if the obstacles ahead seem
insurmountable. Finally, Wild Oat is administered
when you require that extra push to finally take
those tentative baby steps to radically transform
your life.
CASE HISTORY
Janet was feeling down after
having failed her driving test
for the second time. Her
instructor told her she should
try again, and that it was
probably nerves that was
holding her back.
On the day of her next
driving lesson, Janet
cancelled the lesson. It felt
like too much work.
Gentian is the very first
remedy Janet should take to
deal with her
disappointment.
Subsequently, Hornbeam
should be given to revive her
determination to drive.
28
Cerato
If you are a Cerato type, you suffer from the
inability to trust yourself, and you constantly seek
advice from others even after having made a
decision. Over time, you might get on their nerves
owing to your demands and incessant questioning.
Taking Cerato not only gives you the ability to plan a
cause of action, but more significantly, it will enable
you to cultivate the self-confidence you sorely lack.
It will give you the courage to stand up for your
convictions and to put them into action.
Without the remedy, it is highly probable that you
will continue to mistrust your judgement. Instead of
heeding your intuition, you might begin to rely
heavily on external advice to make your mind up for
you.
Equally, it could mean all the information and
knowledge you derive from others might not be put
to good use, since if you are deep in the Cerato
state, you are also incapable of being guided.
WHAT THE REMEDY SHOULD
ACHIEVE
Cerato will make you more
confident, so that you begin to
learn to trust your judgement
and intuition, and are able to
stand up and justify your own
decisions.
29
Sceleranthus
Dr Bach described Sceleranthus as the best
remedy for “those who find it difficult to decide
what they want and to make their up their minds
about what they would like. They try first one
thing, and then another. They feel they want two
or three things at the same time, but cannot
decide which”.
A classic sign of the Sceleranthus personality is the
constant changing of minds. Other key
characteristic of Sceleranthus people are their
rapid mood swings – they might be bright and
cheerful one day, and depressed the next. They
also have a tendency to jump from one topic to
another. Over a long period of time, this indecision
could cause people to withdraw into themselves,
as they do not want to be perceived as being
unable to handle their emotions.
In addition to helping you make a firm decision,
Sceleranthus will also relief you of the physical
symptoms associated with indecision. For instance,
a temperature that swings wildly up and down,
with no obvious pattern or rashes that come and
go for no underlying medical reason.
WHAT THE REMEDY SHOULD
ACHIEVE
Scleranthus encourages
decisiveness, enabling you to
wrestle with uncertainty, and
to make judgments in a calm
and concise manner.
As a result of taking it, you
should see both your powers of
concentration and
determination increase, and
consequently, you will become
mentally more agile and
flexible as a result, being able
to adapt to situations more
quickly.
30
Gentian
If you are prone to feelings of doubt and
despondency at most obstacles in life, however
minor, Gentian is the right remedy for you. Those in
the Gentian state often have low morale, as they
are assailed by doubts that break their inner
reserves down. Other classic signs that denote a
need for Gentian include a lack of drive to carry on.
Unlike Mustard, the problems triggering the
depression stem from a known, rather than
unknown, cause.
Gentian is normally administered after a setback or
a failure occurs. It helps you to see these
occurrences for what they really are – challenges
that can be overcome with a little effort.
In most cases, the feelings that arise after a setback
or disappointment are temporary. However,
sometimes things can be compounded by external
forces beyond your control, and self-doubt and
heavy-heartedness grows so deeply and sharply,
you fall into the despair of the Gorse state.
To prevent this from happening, prompt treatment
with Gentian is necessary.
WHAT THE REMEDY SHOULD
ACHIEVE
Scleranthus encourages
decisiveness, enabling you to
wrestle with uncertainty, and
to make judgments in a calm
and concise manner.
As a result of taking it, you
should see both your powers of
concentration and
determination increase, and
consequently, you will become
mentally more agile and
flexible as a result, being able
to adapt to situations more
quickly.
WHAT THE REMEDY SHOULD
ACHIEVE
Gentian will help you to
remain or become optimistic,
so that you will not be
adversely influenced by what
has occurred in the past.
By enhancing your self-
confidence, it empowers you
with the belief that all
obstacles and setbacks can be
conquered, and that ultimately,
you will be successful in
whatever you choose to do.
31
Gorse
Bach practitioners often describe Gorse as a state
that often occurs if the Gentian emotion is allowed
to get out of hand.
People in the Gorse state have come to the end of
the road in their minds, having given up all hope
and convinced themselves that their problems can
never be resolved.
Although they can be persuaded to try a different
path or to undergo another treatment, they are
sure that nothing will help them ease or resolve the
situation in which they find themselves.
According to Dr Bach the Gorse remedy is given to
individuals who have lost the drive to pick
themselves up to try again. They look, as he put it,
as though “they needed more sunshine in their
lives to drive away the clouds”.
Dr Bach’s quote succinctly sums up what Gorse
provides. It renews hope and plants the belief that
all is not lost. It also dispels the dark cloud of
apathy that often looms over sufferers, while
unleashing the strength and courage inside.
The problems that triggered the despair will not
disappear, but you will be in a far better state to
cope and to deal with any consequences that might
arise.
WHAT THE REMEDY SHOULD
ACHIEVE
Gentian will help you to
remain or become optimistic,
so that you will not be
adversely influenced by what
has occurred in the past.
By enhancing your self-
confidence, it empowers you
with the belief that all
obstacles and setbacks can be
conquered, and that ultimately,
you will be successful in
whatever you choose to do.
WHAT THE REMEDY SHOULD
ACHIEVE
Scleranthus encourages
decisiveness, enabling you to
wrestle with uncertainty, and
to make judgments in a calm
and concise manner.
As a result of taking it, you
should see both your powers of
concentration and
determination increase, and
consequently, you will become
mentally more agile and
flexible as a result, being able
to adapt to situations more
quickly.
WHAT THE REMEDY SHOULD
ACHIEVE
Gorse restores belief, filling you
with the desire to regain
emotional fulfilment as well as
inner peace.
By lifting you out of your
gloom, it will give you a new
sense of self-awareness and
self-respect, sharpening your
sense who you are, and what
you can accomplish if you focus
on your goals.
32
Hornbeam
When you feel tired at the mere thought of how
much work you have to do to overcome a problem,
this is the right moment to use Hornbeam.
Often referred to as the “Monday morning feeling
remedy”, Hornbeam essentially gives you the
strength – both mentally and physically – to bear
any burden life throws at you.
When you suffer from this type of fatigue, even
routine everyday tasks seems just too much too
handle. But when you get down to it, you actually
achieve a lot. This remedy will also help you if you
believe that some part of your mind or body needs
to be strengthened or reinforced before you can
fulfil your tasks or obligations.
Often, the Hornbeam state is short-lived. But if
Hornbeam weariness is allowed to linger,
everything you do will become a tiresome duty.
Thus, if you are in a negative Hornbeam state, this
remedy acts as a tonic, helping you to inject some
zest back into your life. Both your personal life and
work will become enjoyable and pleasurable again
as you regain your energy and enthusiasm.
WHAT THE REMEDY SHOULD
ACHIEVE
Hornbeam stimulates the
mind, ensuring that you have a
calm, cool head on your
shoulders.
By boosting your confidence
and inner strength, it will help
you to tackle and master any
task that lies ahead, even if at
first glance, they seem
insurmountable or difficult to
handle.
33
Wild Oat
Wild Oat is the remedy that can be used to help
you find your true vocation or purpose in life.
Typically, Wild Oat people are blessed with
multiple talents, and life is perpetually offering
them opportunities to shine, but because they lack
the real inner certainty that will allow them to
make a final, definitive choice, they are prone to
pursuing false trails.
Ultimately, when these prove to be unsatisfactory
or unfulfilling, they may abandon or tear down
everything they have built or invested in. They
hope that by starting from a clean slate, they will
end up with something much more satisfying.
People needing this remedy might also feel that life
is passing them by.
If you take Wild Oat, you will gradually feel yourself
growing clearer and more certain in mind, body
and spirit.
Little by little, you will be able to envision what you
really want and start to act purposefully and
intuitively, instead of randomly on impulse. You
will be able to recognise your potential as well as
your ambitions and not allow yourself to be
steered off-course.
WHAT THE REMEDY SHOULD
ACHIEVE
Wild Oat will improve your
capacity to identify, plan and
achieve your aspirations and
ambitions.
You will get to know yourself
better, enabling you to map
out a definitive purpose in life.
34
Remedies for the Lack of Interest in
Present Circumstances We have all probably, at some time in our lives or
other, looked back on the past with remorse or
regret. Or perhaps, we’ve lets our minds wander,
instead of paying full attention to the present.
Dr Bach devised seven remedies to help people
prone to living in their dreams or in the past to
face up to reality.
Someone needing Clematis would often appear
‘spaced out’, avoiding problems and
unpleasantness by withdrawing into a world of
their own. For people who believe that their
happiness lies in their past, Dr Bach administered
Honeysuckle. Wild Rose is used primarily to help
to bring encouragement to those who feel that
life has passed them by, and yet they continue to
resist change. Olive on the other hand, helps to
restore strength to those who have suffered great
physical or emotional trauma. White Chestnut
will silence repetitive, distracting thoughts, ideas
and arguments. If you find yourself suddenly
feeling down for no apparent reason, Mustard
can help lift the gloom just as quickly as it
descended on you. Chestnut Bud helps you learn
life’s lessons, so that you are less inclined to
repeat them.
CASE HISTORY
Susan hates her job. Every
lunch time she wanders across
the street from her office to
the park, where she sits on a
bench to daydream. Her mind
is filled with wild ideas of
fortune and fame. However,
she does not do anything to
make her dreams a reality.
She should take Clematis to
draw her back to the present,
so that she can devise a
concrete plan of action, instead
of dreaming her life away.
35
Clematis
Clematis people are often highly artistic, and
they thus have a deep need for an outlet for
their creativity. They are often perceived as
dreamy and ungrounded, their minds filled with
vague thoughts of future happiness.
Indeed, they spend so much time taking refuge
in their dreams that they do not find any real joy
in day to day living. Clematis personalities lack
interest in the ‘here and now’, which in the
extreme, can manifest as sleepiness,
absentmindedness and inattention. Others
often describe Clematis people as eccentric. The
fictional character Walter Mitty is a prime
example of a Clematis personality.
By taking Clematis, you will be filled with the
positive creative energy you are now lacking.
Your inner drive and sense of purpose will
become more focussed in the present.
Clematis, a key ingredient in Dr Bach’s Rescue
Remedy™, can also help in cases of fainting or
dizziness. In such circumstances, the best way to
administer the remedy is to place a few drops
on the lips of the sufferer.
WHAT THE REMEDY SHOULD
ACHIEVE
Wild Oat will improve your
capacity to identify, plan and
achieve your aspirations and
ambitions.
You will get to know yourself
better, enabling you to map
out a definitive purpose in life.
WHAT THE REMEDY SHOULD
ACHIEVE
Clematis people are often
highly creative, and show a real
penchant for the arts. The
remedy encourages their
innate talent to blossom.
At the same time, it enables
you to take an interest of what
is happening around you. It
helps you to sit up and pay
attention to situations, so that
you can learn and grow from
them, instead of appearing
aloof and self-absorbed.
Ultimately, you will master
your own thoughts, instead of
being controlled by them. You
can then enjoy life to the full.
WHAT THE REMEDY SHOULD
ACHIEVE
Clematis people are often highly
creative. The remedy encourages
their innate talents to blossom.
At the same time, it enables you to
take an interest of what is
happening around you. It helps you
to sit up and pay attention to
situations, so that you can learn
and grow from them, instead of
appearing aloof and self-absorbed.
Ultimately, you will master your
own thoughts, instead of being
controlled by them. You can then
enjoy life to the full.
36
Honeysuckle
Unlike Clematis people who often dream about
the future, those in the Honeysuckle state often
delve in the past, often reminiscing about
happier times.
Dr Bach stated that Honeysuckle should be used
to “remove the regrets and sorrows of the past,
to counteract all influences, all wishes and
desires of the past and to bring us back to the
present”.
People in the Honeysuckle state refuse to see or
accept anything new. Another classic giveaway is
their tendency to pepper conversations with
phrases like “I used to...” and “When I was
still....”.
Honeysuckle therefore helps you if you have
become obsessively nostalgic. By taking it, you
will preserve your links to the past and keep your
memories alive, but you will no longer cling to
them as a shield against the realities of the
present, or the possibilities of the future. In
short, your past will no longer hold you prisoner.
WHAT THE REMEDY SHOULD
ACHIEVE
By taking Honeysuckle, you will
start living in the present
instead of the past.
You will gain the ability to learn
from your past experiences, but
will no longer cling to them
obsessively.
37
Wild Rose
If you have resigned yourself to illness, find the
work you do unfulfilling, and perceive life as
monotonous and flat, Wild Rose can help you.
When these feelings are allowed to persist, you
will start believing that you will just have to put up
with everything life throws at you, rather than
taking positive steps to alter it. You find that you
have become indifferent and apathetic, taking
things as they are instead of making a life for
yourself.
No one can change your life except you, and by
taking Wild Rose, you will start to unravel yourself
from your self-imposed apathy.
Without it, you will continue to bounce along as
you are, taking life as it comes, lacking the drive
and ambition to change anything.
With the remedy’s help, your situation can be
dramatically transformed. Taking it will suppress
your lack of interest and your willingness to
accept your lot in life.
Your enthusiasm for life will return, and you will
enjoy a profound sense of emotional and spiritual
freedom as you open up to opportunities and
possibilities.
WHAT THE REMEDY SHOULD
ACHIEVE
Taking Wild Rose will help you
regain your joie de vivre or zest
for life.
It will erase your feelings of
indifference and resignation, and
your willingness to let things
remain as they are.
38
Olive
When your emotional and spiritual energy is low
and fatigue begins to set in, Olive will help revive
them.
This remedy is one of the most frequently used
of the 38. It is often taken when there is a need
to restore balance and tranquillity to a tired,
troubled mind and to strengthen an exhausted
body.
Bach practitioners often advise taking Olive to
help you recover after a debilitating illness. This
remedy can also help when you find yourself so
busy that you have little time left for rest and
relaxation. If this is your situation, you will
become increasingly run down, until you reach a
point where you no longer have any inner
reserves to draw upon.
Olive will help you to regain your strength and
energy. You will feel transformed, and more than
capable of dealing with the stresses and strains
of life.
WHAT THE REMEDY SHOULD
ACHIEVE
Taking Olive will enable you to
restore your vitality and strength.
This makes it easier to cope even
with extreme pressures and
demands.
39
White Chestnut
White Chestnut, another popular remedy, is used
to silence agonising and worrying repetitive
thoughts.
In the negative White Chestnut state, you will feel
trapped by your own negative emotions, and you
will no longer be able to think rationally or
logically. Arguments and dialogue may play in
your head constantly, with no chance of any clear-
cut resolution. Sufferers often fail to hear what is
being said to them, even if they are being
addressed directly, as their senses are blocked by
mental chatter.
Besides these psychological signs, you may
experience physical symptoms too. You may find
it difficult to fall and stay asleep at night, or you
may wake up early in the morning, plagued by
repetitive thoughts. This mental overactivity can
lead to depression and fatigue, as well as a dip in
concentration.
By taking White Chestnut, you will be taking your
first steps to restabilising rational patterns of
thought. You can then begin to clear your
overcluttered mind, creating boundaries and
priorities in the process. Eventually, you will reach
a point when you will be at peace with yourself
and with the world around you.
WHAT THE REMEDY SHOULD
ACHIEVE
White Chestnut will calm you
down, by allowing your mind to
take an objective view of
situations.
It will stop you from being
distracted by your thoughts,
restore your ability to focus, and
enable you to enjoy a renewed
peace of mind.
40
Mustard
If dark moods descend upon you without any
prior warning or for no apparent cause – you are
in a negative Mustard state.
This phenomenon is not only deeply distressing
for you, but it can affect your friends and family
as well, who might well start to feel down as well
due to the depth of your affliction.
Sufferers from Mustard depression can be driven
to the brink of utmost despair, unable to think or
do anything to diminish their anguish. Everything
seems hopeless, and simply not worth bothering
about. Life becomes intolerable and you might
not even have the ability to wear a false mask of
cheeriness, covering things up as you might in an
Agrimony state. You may feel completely cut off
from the world, and feel very alone in your
sufferings, with no light at the end of the tunnel in
sight.
Unlike other states such as Gentian and Gorse
which can often be traced to a specific incident or
situation, the Mustard state always strikes out of
the blue.
The Mustard remedy starts to help by dispelling
the gloom suffocating you. In the long term, it will
help you to develop inner stability and
tranquillity.
WHAT THE REMEDY SHOULD
ACHIEVE
Mustard will help you to find
tranquillity, by stabilising your
moods and feelings. It will also
foster an inner calm that cannot
be broken easily.
41
Chestnut Bud
The Chestnut Bud remedy will aid you, if you
find it hard to learn from experience or your past
mistakes, especially when it comes to
relationships. This complete failure to learn from
the past may derive from a real unconscious lack
of insight.
The remedy gives you the ability to absorb the
consequences of your actions more clearly, so
that you can grow from them.
Chestnut Bud is extremely useful when we find
ourselves in situations when our progress is
halted, when there is a need to process a
situation and to evolve from them to make the
most of our lives.
WHAT THE REMEDY SHOULD
ACHIEVE
Chestnut Bud will empower you
with the ability to analyse and
learn from past events, actions
and behaviours.
It will help you take a step back
and assess things from a different
angle, as well as to view your
experiences and those of others
impartially.
42
Remedies for Loneliness
Dr Bach developed and integrated three distinct
definitions of loneliness into his system of
healing.
Water Violet people are quite happy to be left
alone. They are solitary, self-reliant creatures,
often appearing aloof, proud and distant. They
would most certainly never dream of bombarding
others with their problems. People with an
Impatiens nature also tend to be loners.
Although highly capable and quick-witted, they
can come across as being impatient and irritable
with others, since they are not very good at
empathising. Heather people in contrast, as Dr
Bach explained are “always seeking
companionship of anyone who may be available,
as they find it necessary to discuss their affairs
with others, no matter whom it may be.....”. They
need to be constantly surrounded by others to
feel good about themselves. People in a negative
Heather state will talk about themselves for
hours, but they hardly listen to what others say.
CASE HISTORY
David has the flu. He wraps
himself in layers of clothing,
ingests various vitamins and flu
medicines before getting on the
phone to tell friends and family
how awful he feels.
Heather should be given to halt
the self-centeredness.
43
Water Violet
Would you describe yourself as aloof and
reserved with a tendency to withdraw into
yourself? If you have answered yes to all three,
then you are definitely a Water Violet person.
Water Violet individuals are, as outlined by Dr
Bach, “tranquil, sympathetic, wise, practical
counsellors, who have poise and dignity and pass
gracefully through life”. They tend to keep to
themselves, and even though they are often
willing to dispense advice, they try not to
influence others.
In the negative Water Violet state, it is all too
easy for you to withdraw from social situations as
you prefer your own company. Others may then
perceive you as remote and unapproachable.
Consequently, many will find it difficult to build
relationships with you. Despite your self-
sufficiency, you might begin to feel lonely should
the state persist.
The Water Violet remedy give you the courage to
tear down the barriers you have built around
you, enabling you to relate better to others and
for others to get to know you better.
WHAT THE REMEDY SHOULD
ACHIEVE
Chestnut Bud will empower you
with the ability to analyse and
learn from past events, actions
and behaviours.
It will help you take a step back
and assess things from a different
angle, as well as to view your
experiences and those of others
impartially.
WHAT THE REMEDY SHOULD
ACHIEVE
Water Violet will help you to feel
comfortable with yourself.
It will help you to open up to
others, so that they see your true
nature as an independent-
minded, unflappable and calm
individual.
44
Impatiens
Impatiens is a mood remedy, and one of the five
flowers used in Dr Bach’s composite Rescue
Remedy™. It should be used, as instructed by Dr
Bach, “at all times when there is impatience”.
People in the negative Impatiens state are
relatively easy to spot. First and foremost, they
tend to be quite extroverted, and are often loud
and brusque. If they do not reveal themselves
verbally, they will frequently do so through their
body language – shaking their legs, drumming
their fingers nervously, or constantly looking at
their watch - especially when someone else is
talking to them.
Generally, Impatiens people are quick to jump to
conclusions and tend to react to situations
impulsively. Moreover, they risk pushing
themselves too hard. When this occurs, they can
exhaust themselves mentally and physically if they
do not take time out to rest and relax.
The remedy is a great calmer, and makes you
more patient and tolerant, particularly when it
comes to dealing with others. It will also help you
slow down, rather than to expect everything to
happen instantly.
WHAT THE REMEDY SHOULD
ACHIEVE
Impatiens will help you retain
your flexible and fast-thinking
mind, but the remedy will make
you more sensitive so that you
become more tactful.
You will also develop patience
and the ability to understand the
opinions and needs of others.
45
Heather
Have you ever been cornered by at a party by
someone who insists on talking about himself,
and does not seem to have listened to a single
word you said? Then you have definitely
encountered someone deep in the negative
Heather state.
Heather people always come across as being
self-obsessed. They seem to believe that the
whole world revolves around themselves and
their personal problems. Indeed, they can go on
talking about their troubles for hours and hours
without pausing for breath. At the extreme,
even strangers can become the target of their
whinging.
All too often, Heather people eventually find
themselves being left deliberately alone, as
word has spread that they are a complete bore
or chatterbox, making others go all out to avoid
them.
Essentially, Heather personalities need to learn
to give as well as take. The remedy will help
improve your listening skills and help you
empathise with others, by removing the self-
absorption that has come to characterise you.
WHAT THE REMEDY SHOULD
ACHIEVE
Heather will stop you from
chatting incessantly about
yourself.
Instead, you will regain the ability
to take a real interest in others
and what is going on in the world
around you. You will also become
less afraid of being alone.
46
Remedies for Oversensitivity When Dr Bach coined the term “oversensitivity”
he was referring to individuals who have the
tendency to be hypersensitive to external
influences and ideas.
He discovered four separate remedies to
alleviate the varying aspects of the problem.
Agrimony is recommended if you are enduring
intense emotional suffering, but are putting on a
brave front. Conversely, if you are being
overwhelmed by negative feelings and thoughts
about other people that are so severe that they
start to manifest as jealousy, anger, hate,
suspicion and a desire for revenge, the Holly
remedy will help to dispel such malevolent
emotions. Centaury should be taken by those
who find it difficult or even impossible to stand
up for themselves. It is a state of meekness and
submissiveness which in the extreme, can lead to
losing your sense of identity. Finally, Walnut will
help you get back on track if you are susceptible
to outside influences. It also makes coming to
terms with change and its associated
consequences easier. It is used, for instance,
when switching careers, or if you are facing a
major life milestone, like the birth of a new child.
CASE HISTORY
Alicia did not like to burden
anyone else with her problems.
She always had a cheerful smile
for everyone, and seemed
carefree.
However, one day, she had a
nervous breakdown, as she found
it harder and harder to contain
her emotional turmoil within.
She later revealed to a close
friend that she and her husband
were on the verge of a divorce
due to his adultery.
She was then given Agrimony to
help her though her emotional
upheaval, so she could deal with
the acrimonious divorce
proceedings in a calm manner
and communicate more freely
with family and friends to ask for
support.
47
Agrimony
People in need of Agrimony often have two faces
– one public and the other private. Behind closed
doors, they are troubled and tortured by fears
and anxieties, which they try not only to conceal
from others and even themselves. Their problems
are often rooted in illness, relationships, finance
and difficulties at work.
In a negative Agrimony state, although you
appear carefree, underneath you are finding it
increasingly difficult to cope and are suffering
immensely in secret. Your torment is strangling
you emotionally and spiritually. However, rather
than confronting these troubles head on, you
rather bury your head in the sand.
Ironically, as your negative feelings intensify, you
will take more steps to keep up outward
appearances. Indeed, even in the most hurtful
situations, you will use humour to deflect your
unhappiness. There’s a danger here that you
might begin to take your problems too lightly,
and will be tempted not to take any action to
resolve them. On top of this, you have to keep
yourself busy to stop yourself from thinking.
Taking the Agrimony remedy will help you come
to terms with your negative feelings, and you will
gain the inner strength to finally confront them.
WHAT THE REMEDY SHOULD
ACHIEVE
Agrimony helps you to find an
inner calm within yourself, which
will in turn, improve your ability
to deal with problems more
effectively. You will no longer
hide or run away from them.
It will also help you communicate
more openly with others, so that
you can ask for comfort and
support.
48
Centaury
Even though they might be highly capable,
Centaury people sometimes fail to reach their
full potential. This is because of their meekness,
docility and their innate need to please others,
which makes them ripe for domination. So rather
than building their own destiny, they are
constantly manipulated or steered by stronger
personalities on paths that might not be right for
them.
The physical consequence of being in a negative
Centaury state is that you might start to feel
extremely fatigued, having done too much in a
desire to be as helpful as possible.
Simultaneously, because of your inability to
stand up for yourself and your best interests, you
are probably dissatisfied with your own life.
Indeed, you might be on the wrong path
altogether, since you find it almost impossible to
say ‘no’.
This remedy will give you the strength to draw
boundaries and to assert your needs and your
individuality. You will soon realise that it is
possible to combine living your own life with
being helpful to others, rather than devoting all
your energies to them.
WHAT THE REMEDY SHOULD
ACHIEVE
Centaury will help you assert
yourself when you need to and to
know when to give in to others
and when not to.
It will give you the will and clarity
to set priorities and boundaries,
helping you to preserve your
individuality.
You will come to realise that it is
you and you alone who are
responsible for what happens in
your life.
49
Walnut
Walnut is the remedy as Dr Bach explains “for
those who have decided to take a great step
forward in life, to break old conventions, to
leave old limits and restrictions, and start on a
new way”. It is often administered during
periods of major life changes such as moving
house, retirement or losing a partner.
By helping you to take a step back from factors
like outside influences and past preconceptions,
the Walnut remedy will help you approach
change positively. In short, it will help you if you
find it difficult to break from the past.
It can also be taken when you face harsh
criticism from others, which causes your faith in
your beliefs and convictions to waver.
WHAT THE REMEDY SHOULD
ACHIEVE
When you experience major
changes to your circumstances or
lifestyle, or there is a change of
environment, Walnut will
encourage you to stick with your
decisions once they are made,
and to stand up for yourself once
you have made a decision.
It will boost your confidence in
yourself, easing the time spent in
the transition phase.
50
Holly
Bach practitioners around the world consider
Holly to be the most important of all Dr Bach’s
remedies since it is the antidote for hatred.
Holly, as Dr Bach described “protects us from
everything that is not Universal love. Holly opens
up the heart and unites us with Divine Love”.
The remedy counteracts negative feelings towards
others – anger, hate, envy, resentment, desire for
revenge and other imagined wrongs. In the
negative Holly state, these feelings emerge as
spiteful, nasty or even violent behaviour towards
others.
By taking the Holly remedy, such emotions will
dissipate quickly, opening up your heart to show
love for others instead.
WHAT THE REMEDY SHOULD
ACHIEVE
Agrimony helps you to find an
inner calm within yourself, which
will in turn, improve your ability
to deal with problems more
effectively. You will no longer
hide or run away from them.
It will also help you communicate
more openly with others, so that
you can ask for comfort and
support.
WHAT THE REMEDY SHOULD
ACHIEVE
Holly gifts you with the ability to
be generous and to express your
love for others.
It helps you to rise above your
negative emotions of anger,
hatred and jealously.
51
Remedies for Despondency & Despair This is the biggest of the seven classification
groups of emotional states developed by Dr
Bach. It contains eight remedies in all, and this
group is considered to be the foundation of his
holistic healing system.
Larch is the remedy to take if you lack
confidence in yourself and your abilities. Pine is
required if you blame yourself for everything
that goes wrong, regardless of whether it was
your fault or not. Elm is administered to high
achievers who suddenly feel that they can no
longer cope with the demands placed on them.
Feeling completely overwhelmed by your
responsibilities, your self-confidence begins to
plummet. Sweet Chestnut is for times when you
fall into utter despair. Take it when you are so
aggrieved and heartbroken, you see no way out
of the darkness. Star Of Bethlehem is the
remedy for shock and its after-effects. Willow on
the other hand, will help if you are wallowing in
self-pity. In contrast, Oak people are highly
positive individuals, but sometimes they push
themselves so hard that they burn out. In which
case, the remedy helps them to recharge their
batteries. Crab Apple is also called the “cleansing
remedy”. Dr Bach stated that the remedy “helps
us to get rid of anything we do not like either in
our minds or bodies.”
CASE HISTORY
Belinda feels that she can no
longer deal with the demands of
her business. Normally, she
faces challenges head on, but is
now starting to feel weary and
she is struggling, as her list of ‘to
dos’ increases.
Despite being on the verge of a
burn out, she pushes on, juggling
all the things she has to do as
she does not want to let her
customers down. At the same
time, she lost confidence in her
own capabilities, and begins to
doubt herself.
Elm is recommended for Belinda
to see her problems in
perspective, and to help her get
back on track.
52
Larch
Once you are deep in a negative Larch state, you
will see yourself as a complete failure.
Self-doubt sets in, and you appear completely
insecure and lacking in confidence.
Simultaneously, you have convinced yourself
that there is a long list of things you cannot
handle, and your answer to problems is to
simply avoid confronting or doing anything
about them. Sometimes, this lack of self-
confidence is rooted in childhood.
The negative Larch state might appear
repeatedly throughout your life, often when you
are under stress. That is why Bach practitioners
recommend it for suppressing pre-examination
jitters as well as supporting individuals
undergoing a job interview.
Rather than expecting failure, the remedy will
transform your outlook, helping you to recognise
the opportunities that lie before you. It also
removes the fear of failure by boosting your self-
confidence, which in turn imbues you with the
ability to take the initiative to resolve problems,
instead of standing on the sidelines as events
unfold. Consequently, you will be able to get
more out of life, learning how to grasp
opportunities and to learn from them, instead of
letting them pass you by.
WHAT THE REMEDY SHOULD
ACHIEVE
Holly gifts you with the ability to
be generous and to express your
love for others.
It helps you to rise above your
negative emotions of anger,
hatred and jealously.
WHAT THE REMEDY SHOULD
ACHIEVE
Larch will boost your confidence
in yourself as well as your
capabilities, giving you the ability
to overcome failure and to
celebrate success.
It will also ignite your desire to try
new things, or tasks that you are
normally uncomfortable with.
53
Pine
Pine people are continuously beset by guilt and
remorse. They blame themselves for anything
and everything, even for situations beyond their
control. They often say “Sorry”, even if they
have done nothing wrong. They apologise
immediately when anything goes wrong, even if
the fault lies elsewhere.
When you are in this sort of emotional black
hole you are probably never really satisfied with
what you achieve. Nor are you getting any
pleasure in life, as you are bogged down by guilt,
forever playing the willing martyr.
What you are doing is unconsciously
undermining your self-esteem, undervaluing
yourself so much so that you fail to acknowledge
or celebrate your achievements.
With the help of the Pine Remedy, things will
change for the better. It opens your eyes to the
fact that there are natural limits to blame and
responsibility. Though you will still be able to
acknowledge mistakes, it will now only be ones
you are truly responsible for. You will no longer
fashion a rod for your own back, and you will be
able to communicate more openly with others,
as you no longer have guilt or regret gnawing at
you.
WHAT THE REMEDY SHOULD
ACHIEVE
Holly gifts you with the ability to
be generous and to express your
love for others.
It helps you to rise above your
negative emotions of anger,
hatred and jealously.
WHAT THE REMEDY SHOULD
ACHIEVE
Pine will help you to realise that
you should only apologise for
mistakes that you are truly
responsible for.
It relieves you of unwarranted
guilt, so that you can feel more
satisfied and at ease with yourself
and your actions.
54
Elm
People with Elm personalities are usually high
achievers. They are often perceived to be
capable and efficient. Almost invariably, they are
responsible for others who are wholly dependent
on them. However, problems start to arise when
they take on too many commitments, tasks or
responsibilities. These pile up to such a degree
that they start to buckle under the strain.
This crisis escalates to a point when Elm people
feel they can no longer satisfy all demands made
on them, including those that are self-imposed.
They are pulled in all directions, and may lapse
into a state of dejection or despondency.
Taking the remedy will help to boost your
flagging spirit, renew your confidence, and
ultimately, help you to carry on. It counters the
perception that you have taken on more than
you can chew. You will rapidly recover your inner
strength to keep going as well as your self-belief,
both of which are integral to your success.
WHAT THE REMEDY SHOULD
ACHIEVE
Larch will boost confidence in
yourself and your capabilities,
giving you the ability to overcome
failure and to celebrate success.
It will also ignite your desire to try
new things, or tasks that you are
normally uncomfortable with.
WHAT THE REMEDY SHOULD
ACHIEVE
Holly gifts you with the ability to
be generous and to express your
love for others.
It helps you to rise above your
negative emotions of anger,
hatred and jealously.
WHAT THE REMEDY SHOULD
ACHIEVE
Elm will relight your self-
confidence and give you the
ability to assess problems
objectively and rationally.
You will now be able to carry your
tasks and responsibilities calmly
without flinching from them, as
you are sure that there is always
someone willing to lend a helping
hand if needed. You don’t have to
carry your burdens alone.
55
Sweet Chestnut
Dr Bach wrote in The Twelve Healers and Other
Remedies that Sweet Chestnut is for “the
appalling mental despair when it seems the very
soul itself is suffering self-destruction. It is the
hopeless despair of those who feel they have
reached the limit of their endurance”.
In the negative Sweet Chestnut state, you will
have reached a point where you have become so
battle weary that you simply cannot take any
more. Even the people closest to you cannot
help; there is simply no way out of the doom and
gloom. In extremes, you may even begin to think
that you will eventually go insane, or suffer a
major mental breakdown.
The remedy will help you to overcome your
feelings of despair and wretchedness. It will also
give you renewed hope, that despite how
anguished you are feeling now, this will soon
pass, and that better times lie ahead.
WHAT THE REMEDY SHOULD
ACHIEVE
Holly gifts you with the ability to
be generous and to express your
love for others.
It helps you to rise above your
negative emotions of anger,
hatred and jealously.
WHAT THE REMEDY SHOULD
ACHIEVE
Sweet Chestnut helps when your
whole world has turned black,
and when you feel there is no
way out of your predicament.
It ignites a belief that you will find
light at the end of the tunnel, and
your faith in hope in yourself and
the world will be restored.
56
Star of Bethlehem
Star of Bethlehem is one of the five remedies in
Dr Bach’s Rescue Remedy™ formula. Its primary
function is to neutralise shock, and its
subsequent reverberations through the physical,
emotional and spiritual domains.
Described by Dr Bach as the “comforter and
soother of all pain and sorrows,” it is the remedy
of first choice to aid you in traumatic moments,
such as when you are confronted with bad news
or bereavement.
Star of Bethlehem is can also be used to help you
vent your feelings and frustrations that you’ve
bottled up for extended periods of time. It
releases all these pent-up emotions, reliving any
pressure, and helping to kickstart the healing
process.
Sometimes, the effects of shock do not show
immediately. Instead, they are repressed, and do
not manifest for weeks, months and even years
after the original incident has long been
forgotten. In such instances, the shock may
appear as physical or emotional ailments with no
obvious cause.
WHAT THE REMEDY SHOULD
ACHIEVE
Holly gifts you with the ability to
be generous and to express your
love for others.
It helps you to rise above your
negative emotions of anger,
hatred and jealously.
WHAT THE REMEDY SHOULD
ACHIEVE
Star of Bethlehem helps to
alleviate the trauma of shock –
either sudden or delayed – that
could have short or long-term
consequences on your physical
and emotional self.
It helps you to get back on your
feet in times of great distress.
57
Willow
People in the negative Willow state are full of
self-pity. They can’t see any good in anything, but
one thing they are unreservedly sure of is the fact
that nothing is their fault.
Whatever the situation, they are sure to be the
first to put a damper on things, and they thus
become labelled as the proverbial wet blanket.
Once you are in this state, you will feel
victimised, unjustly treated by life and filled with
resentment. Moody, morose and touchy, you
resent others good fortune and intentions, and
although you expect a lot from the people
around you, you are not prepared to give
anything back.
You are branded as ungrateful and selfish, for
though you might readily accept help and advice,
you rarely express any gratitude. In the long run,
your behaviour will alienate others. Isolation only
makes matters worse, since it causes you to be
more resentful, and you withdraw into your shell
more and more.
The Willow remedy will help you to realise that it
is only you and you alone who are responsible for
the state of mind you are in. You will then find it
possible to be generous to other people, rather
than resenting them for their efforts.
WHAT THE REMEDY SHOULD
ACHIEVE
Holly gifts you with the ability to
be generous and to express your
love for others.
It helps you to rise above your
negative emotions of anger,
hatred and jealously.
WHAT THE REMEDY SHOULD
ACHIEVE
Taking Willow will help you feel
less bitter about your lot in life.
Instead, you will find yourself
becoming more optimistic, with
much to appreciate in your life.
58
Oak
Oak people are strong in body, mind and spirit.
They are bold fighters who never give up hope
whatever the depth of the problems. They are
reliable, patient and highly dependable.
When things get too much, and all their energy
reserves are drawn, they prefer to struggle along
quietly. Indeed, they will try to hide the fact that
they are feeling tired from those around them,
because they will not let anything disrupt them
from their goals. However, if the pressures
continue to mount unabated, they might begin to
crack under the strain, despite their immense
willpower and devotion to duty.
If you are veering close to this point, you need to
take immediate action. There comes a definite
point when it is counterproductive to keep
soldiering on, given that it causes intense physical
and mental anguish. You are suffering within
yourself, and if left unchecked, this will only
worsen considerably over time.
This is when the Oak remedy can help. It will
allow you to become more flexible in your
approach. As well as helping you to recover your
lost vitality, it will rekindle your zest for life. You
will become aware of the fact that there are
limits to your endurance, and that you must do
what you can to unwind.
WHAT THE REMEDY SHOULD
ACHIEVE
Holly gifts you with the ability to
be generous and to express your
love for others.
It helps you to rise above your
negative emotions of anger,
hatred and jealously.
WHAT THE REMEDY SHOULD
ACHIEVE
Oak will renew your strength to
overcome all of life’s obstacles.
You will be able to set boundaries
to your efforts, and allow yourself
time to rest and recover, avoiding
complete burn out.
59
Crab Apple
Recognised by Bach practitioners as the
“cleansing remedy”, Crab Apple should be taken
if you feel physically contaminated for instance
from illness, pollution or from simply touching
something dirty. This self-hate or self-loathing
can also be triggered by your own bad habits
such as smoking, which despite all your efforts,
you find impossible to break.
It is also administered to those who possess
negative behavioural patterns - such as being
deliberately rude and unkind to others.
Crab Apple helps you to regain control of our
thoughts, giving you the wisdom to see things
from a wider perspective, rather than dwelling
on the details.
It can be taken as drops as you do normally as
with all Bach remedies. Alternatively, you could
put a few drops into a lotion and apply it to your
skin, if there are physical symptoms. You could
also try to add around six to seven drops to a
bath.
WHAT THE REMEDY SHOULD
ACHIEVE
Holly gifts you with the ability to
be generous and to express your
love for others.
It helps you to rise above your
negative emotions of anger,
hatred and jealously.
WHAT THE REMEDY SHOULD
ACHIEVE
Crab Apple works by encouraging
you to love and appreciate all
your positive qualities – be it
physical or emotional – rather
than becoming obsessed with
negative ones.
It will help you to balance the
internal battle or disharmony
poisoning your mind.
60
Remedies for Overanxiety for Others’
Welfare This final group of emotional states identified by
Dr Bach contains five remedies, all of which deal
with various forms of egocentric or selfish
behaviours.
Chicory is the remedy you need if you have the
tendency to be overpossessive. People in this
negative state tend to be deeply selfish, and are
determined to have their own way. They are not
afraid to play the martyr; even shedding tears if
they feel others do not show sufficient gratitude
for their efforts. Vervain people hold strong
opinions and they like to impose their views on
others. Vine people are strong-willed, domineering
and ambitious individuals, who often like to take
charge. In their haste to reach their goals, they
often end up offending other people. They also
think they are right all the time. Beech people are
highly critical and they are quick to condemn
anything they do not accept or understand. Their
intolerance of others makes them irritable. Finally,
there is the Rockwater type. Generally, they do
not try to meddle in the lives of others. But, they
often impose high ideals upon themselves. In fact,
they can be their own harshest critics, as they try
to live up to the high standards they have set for
themselves.
CASE HISTORY
Heathcliff runs a successful small
business, and sees himself as a
tough boss and a ruthless
businessman.
He knows his own mind and
expects others to accede to him
and his actions. Anyone who does
not follow his instructions to the
latter will soon find themselves
out of a job.
Vine should be given to help
Heathcliff learn to lead without
bullying.
61
Chicory
On the surface, Chicory people may seem caring
and self-sacrificial, since they devote a large
proportion of their time and energy worrying
about others. In reality, they are overpossessive,
constantly trying to interfere in the lives of those
closest to them. At their most extreme, they are
emotional leeches, manipulating others subtly to
do their bidding. Chicory devotion is driven by self-
concern, rather than a genuine care for others.
Their conversations are often peppered with
words such as “duty” and “filial piety”. However,
what they are really implying that a debt has to be
repaid to them no matter what the personal cost.
They expect constant gratitude and praise, and if
this is not forthcoming, they become full of
remorse and self-pity and may even become
tearful in response to what they perceive as a lack
of appreciation. If you come under the influence of
a Chicory person, you will feel emotionally
drained, due to the demands they will make on
you. You will find it hard to break free from their
grasp, as they will probably try emotional
blackmail to keep you under their thumb.
The Chicory Remedy helps to transform selfishness
into selflessness. Those who take it will learn how
to give their love freely without expecting any
payback. As a result, they will feel far happier.
WHAT THE REMEDY SHOULD
ACHIEVE
Holly gifts you with the ability to
be generous and to express your
love for others.
It helps you to rise above your
negative emotions of anger,
hatred and jealously.
WHAT THE REMEDY SHOULD
ACHIEVE
Put an end to your selfish desires
by taking Chicory.
Instead, you will be able to
express love and devotion freely
without expecting anything in
return.
Consequently, you will feel more
secure and happier in yourself.
62
Vervain
As Dr Bach noted, Vervain people are often full of
“big ideals and ambitions for the good of
humanity”. They can also be described as
energetic perfectionists, and they like to speak up
against perceived injustices.
Although such enthusiasm can be infectious,
when carried to extremes, instead of using gentle
persuasion to try to get others to see your way,
you run the risk of becoming dogmatic, unable to
see beyond your particular point of view.
Getting things done the way exactly the way you
prescribe can become tiring if you become more
and more obsessive about it. Your stress levels
will escalate and you are in danger of becoming a
workaholic or fanatic, unable to accept
alternative arguments or opinions. When things
do not turn out as you expected, you may well
blow up into an explosive rage that is often
directed at the people around you.
The remedy will help you set limits to your
efforts, allowing you the opportunity to recharge
while opening up your mind to ideas and
viewpoints expressed by other people.
WHAT THE REMEDY SHOULD
ACHIEVE
Holly gifts you with the ability to
be generous and to express your
love for others.
It helps you to rise above your
negative emotions of anger,
hatred and jealously.
WHAT THE REMEDY SHOULD
ACHIEVE
Vervain increases the flexibility of
the mind, enabling you to see
problems or situations from the
perspective of others.
You will find yourself taking
others’ views into account,
instead of simply arguing your
own.
It will help you to draw
boundaries to the effort you are
making to achieve your idealistic
goals.
63
Vine
Vine people are natural born leaders. They are
highly capable and strong, and often possess
tremendous willpower. However, in the negative
Vine state, they believe themselves to be
infallible, sure that whatever they decide on, that
is the right course of action. In their eyes, they
cannot do any wrong. So, instead of trying to
justify their beliefs, they simply force it upon
others, disregarding alternative viewpoints and
opinions. Herein lies the seeds for dictatorship.
People in this emotional state never suffer from
uncertainty or doubt. They firmly believe that
they are sincerely helping others or doing them a
favour, when in reality, they are being tyrannical
and unsympathetic.
They will not compromise, so everyone is forced
to follow their orders. Naturally, they prefer
people who accede quietly to their requests. If
things are not done to their wishes or if they
sense opposition, they will resort to bullying.
Centaury people, who are submissive in nature,
tend to be Vine victims.
Taking the remedy will help Vine people use their
powers of leadership wisely. You will no longer
feel the need to dictate and dominate, and you
will have a newfound respect for the wishes and
rights of others.
WHAT THE REMEDY SHOULD
ACHIEVE
Holly gifts you with the ability to
be generous and to express your
love for others.
It helps you to rise above your
negative emotions of anger,
hatred and jealously.
WHAT THE REMEDY SHOULD
ACHIEVE
Vine will help you to leverage
your innate wisdom and natural
leadership qualities to inspire and
lead through example and
persuasion instead of brute force.
64
Beech
A Beech person often has high ethical and moral
standards, as well as a well developed sense of
right and wrong.
When you fall into a negative Beech state, you
become so convinced of your own integrity, that
instead of respecting the right of others to have
their own views and opinions, you become
intolerant of them. They, as outlined by Dr Bach,
“need to see more good and beauty in all that
surrounds them”.
Subsequently, your first instant reaction is to
criticise. Rather than looking at things in a positive
light, you take a negative, judgemental view and
are constantly on the lookout for others’
shortcomings. As a result, you come across as
close-minded and arrogant, and seem completely
incapable of putting yourself in other people’s
shoes.
The remedy will help you, as Dr Bach explained to
become “more tolerant, lenient and
understanding of the different ways each
individual and all things are working to their final
perfection”. You will come to embrace diversity,
and become more empathetic.
WHAT THE REMEDY SHOULD
ACHIEVE
Holly gifts you with the ability to
be generous and to express your
love for others.
It helps you to rise above your
negative emotions of anger,
hatred and jealously.
WHAT THE REMEDY SHOULD
ACHIEVE
Beech encourages you to see the
good in others. It heightens your
tolerance and understanding of
others.
It will open your heart and mind
to listen to other views and
opinions.
Subsequently, you will be able to
offer more constructive advice,
instead of spending your time
constantly criticising others for
their supposed faults and
shortcomings.
65
Rockwater
Rockwater is the odd one out among all the Bach
remedies since it is not derived from a plant.
Instead, it comes from fresh, unpolluted springs or
wells.
This remedy can help you if you find yourself
chained by your rather puritanical approach to life.
You find it impossible to compromise and you are
often hard on yourself, as you strive to meet your
high ideals and standards. As part of this quest for
perfection, you will deny yourself leisure and
pleasure.
In this negative state, you are liable to think that
all the demands that you make on yourself, which
might become more and more exaggerated over
time, will lead to self-enlightenment, and eventual
self-perfection. In reality, the pressure you are
piling upon yourself is actually causing you
emotional pain. You feel unhappy, stressed and
full of self-reproach.
The Rockwater remedy will help you to realise that
no one is perfect. It will give you the onus to start
reassessing the way you live your life.
WHAT THE REMEDY SHOULD
ACHIEVE
Holly gifts you with the ability to
be generous and to express your
love for others.
It helps you to rise above your
negative emotions of anger,
hatred and jealously.
WHAT THE REMEDY SHOULD
ACHIEVE
Rockwater helps you to break
free from your rigid beliefs.
It gives you the opportunity to
enjoy life and its experiences
while still upholding your original
high ideals.
66
How to Take the Remedies There are many ways to take Bach’s flower essences.
Traditionally, the remedies are taken orally.
For daily use, simply add about two drops to water for the single remedies
and four drops if taking the composite remedy, and sip at intervals. However,
the drops can also be taken directly on the tongue if desired.
Deep-seated or chronic problems which have been persisted for a long time
require a different approach. Add two drops per remedy to a 30ml dropper
bottle, top up with spring or mineral water and take four drops at least four
times a day.
Alternatively, you may apply the remedies externally on the lips, soles of feet
and temples. It is just as effective, and works extremely well on babies and
young children.
Some practitioners also recommend applying the single remedies to specific
accupuncture points for enhanced diffusion of the floral energies into the
aura. In this instance, simply put two to four drops per remedy into a 120ml
glass of water and dip a cotton ball or swab in it. Rub the ball or swab in a
large circular motion over the specific acupuncture points correlated to each
single remedy (illustrated on page 68-70), before resting for 20 to 45
minutes.
Don’t worry if you are unsure where the precise location of the site is.
Covering a large area around the indicated points will ensure the correct
application; the flower essences and its related acupoint are in vibrational
resonance with each other and will be drawn to each other naturally.
When you apply the flower essence to your body, remember that the
acupuncture points are paired on the left and right sides of your body. Apply
67
the flower essence to both accupoints on the left and right to ensure a
balanced treatment.
You can also create a remedy bath by adding six to seven drops of the
required flower essences each to a warm bath. This is akin to steeping
yourself in liquid energy. Relax, and soak for30 minutes, by which time you
would have absorbed all the positive energies transmitted by the remedies.
68
Aspen
Beech
Centaury
Cherry
Plum
Chestnut
Bud
Chicory
Clematis
Crab
Apple
Elm
Gentian
Mimulus
Gorse
Heather
Honeysuckle
Impatiens
Mustard
Olive
Pine
Red
Chestnut
Rock
Rose Rock
Water
Scleranthus
Star of
Bethlehem
Sweet
Chestnut
White
Chestnut
Walnut
Wild Oat
Wild Rose
Rose
Hornbeam Larch
Vervain Vine
Water Violet
Acupuncture Points for Bach Flower Remedies
69
Agrimony
Cerato
Holly
70
Oak
Willow
71
Bach Flower Remedies and Essential Oils Bach flower remedies work extremely well with essential oils, and they can
be combined to create a soothing treatment that will support you immensely
during the recovery process by bolstering positive vibrations, emotions and
thoughts.
The chart below provides an overview of essential oils that complement
specific Bach remedies.
Bach Flower Remedies Essential Oils
Agrimony Fennel/Neroli
Aspen Melissa/Rose/Vetiver
Beech Grapefruit/Peppermint
Centaury Black Pepper/ Pine/Melissa/Thyme
Cerato Bergamot/Clary Sage/Orange
Cherry Plum Lavender/Rose
Chestnut Bud Clary Sage/Juniper
Chicory Marjoram/Palmarosa
Clematis Peppermint
Crab Apple Frankincense/Lemon/Vetiver
Elm Orange
Gentian Cedarwood/Ginger
Gorse Juniper/Thyme
Heather Marjoram
Holly Jasmine
Honeysuckle Frankincense/Myrrh
Hornbeam Ginger/Juniper
Impatiens Bergamot/Lavender/Peppermint
Larch Laurel/Rosemary
Mimulus German Chamomile
Mustard Lemon/Thyme
Oak Clary Sage/Geranium/Vetiver
Olive Geranium/Jasmine/Sandalwood
Pine Pine
Red Chestnut Chamomile/Marjoram/Palmarosa
Rock Rose Sandalwood/Lavender
Rockwater Eucalyptus/Vetiver
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Bach Flower Remedies Essential Oils
Sceleranthus Bergamot/Clary Sage/Orange
Star of Bethlehem Lavender/Frankincense
Sweet Chestnut Jasmine/Neroli
Vervain Sandalwood/Vetiver
Vine Lavender
Walnut Benzoin/Cedarwood/Cypress/Juniper
Water Violet Geranium/Juniper
White Chestnut Clary Sage/Lemon
Wild Oat Cypress
Wild Rose Cardamom/Ginger
Willow Bergamot/Yarrow
To make up a treatment, mix two drops of Bach flower remedies with up to
10 drops in total of the recommended essential oils to a carrier such as
almond oil and massage directly into the skin.
Alternatively, add six to seven drops of flower remedies to a bath, alongside
up six drops in total of the related essential oils (i.e if three oils are
recommended, use two drops of each), and soak in for at least 30 minutes to
absorb the full therapeutic effects of these natural remedies.
Grapefruit, Lemon, Thyme, Peppermint and Eucalyptus oils should be used
with caution by those with sensitive skin. If you are pregnant, please avoid
using Black Pepper, Cedarwood, Clary Sage, Fennel, Juniper, Marjoram,
Myrrh, Peppermint, Rosemary and Thyme oils.
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Health Secrets Dr Bach Would Like to Share with You
#1 Preconceptions and beliefs can alter the state of your
health Dr Edward Bach was a proponent of the mind-body connection. He firmly
believed that “when peace and harmony return to the mind, health and
strength will return to the body”.
The body is equipped with innate self-healing capabilities that have the
power to transform your health. Scientists are now seeing and recording
hard evidence that a positive belief, coupled with nurturing care, causes real,
physiological changes to the body. Negative beliefs are just as powerful,
influencing your conscious and subconscious mind in ways that impede your
body’s self-healing mechanisms.
Consequently, it is vital to ensure that you remain positive even in the most
trying of circumstances.
Dr Bach’s flower essences can help to bring clarity and light in times of doom
and gloom, when you are assaulted by inescapable, negative emotions that
are impacting your overall health and wellbeing. The essences will imbue you
with the strength and optimism to carry on, by putting you into a positive
mental state to cope with problems and challenges.
#2 You know yourself best You have to listen to your inner voice to create a new roadmap to total
wellbeing. Dr Bach listened intently to his, and used his instincts to create his
holistic healing system of flower remedies as we know them today.
What is your mind and body telling you about your health? What emotional
roadblocks are having an impact on my life? What must I do today to
improve my health?
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Be completely honest with yourself; write down your present feelings and
emotions and try to pin them down.
Use the questionnaires in the workbook - this will make it easier to pinpoint
which Bach remedies will work best on you to help you on your
transformation journey.
#3 You are not just a product of your genes You can’t change your DNA – but you can change how it behaves. Scientists
now believe that external factors – such as the environment, nutrition and
even past traumas, thoughts and beliefs – can alter the way DNA is
expressed. Numerous scientific studies now highlight how feelings, notions
and thoughts trigger stress or relaxation responses that could either harm or
heal the body.
Unfortunately, not all of us are programmed to think positively when it
comes to our health. Instead, from an early age, we are bombarded with
subconscious or conscious messages that sabotage our efforts to attain
optimal health and happiness. Beliefs such as “diabetes runs in the family”;
and “everyone in my family gets cancer” cause the mind to release stress
responses via hormones such as cortisol that may well make these negative
notions come true.
Dr Bach was determined to distance himself from the medical profession
who often assailed or programmed their patients with negative thoughts
such as “incurable” and “chronic” – which did little to help them reclaim their
failing health. He believed that genes play a part in determining someone’s
state of health, but they are not the whole story.
It is therefore vital to keep yourself in a prime state of emotional health.
Bach flower remedies can be utilised to keep your emotions in balance, so
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that the stress response is reduced, and this in turn, will help you reclaim and
maintain your overall health in the long term.
#4 Quality relationships are essential for good health As spiritual beings, we crave connections – and our physical bodies often
reflect the quality and depth of our relationships. Although Dr Bach worked
alone most of the time, he cultivated close, platonic relationships, that
provided him with much-needed support during his quest to find the right
remedies. It kept him going, despite his apparent emotional upheavals and
physical weaknesses.
We all need people in one way or the other, to feel supported, wanted and
emotionally whole. Loneliness can aggravate the stress response, which can
have a detrimental impact on health.
A study carried out by Harvard University among 2,761 men and women
aged 65 and over for a period of 13 years, uncovered that social activities
such as going to church, taking short trips with friends, playing cards and
games, cooking for others, and community work, actually extends lifespans.
Indeed, participants who did such activities were inclined to outlive their
reclusive peers by 2.5 years. They also found that the odds of experiencing
cognitive decline were approximately twice as great in those reporting no
social ties than in those who had frequent contact with relatives and friends,
attended religious services, or participated in regular social activities.
Scientists who conducted this study concluded that that social engagement
can have as much effect on prolonging life as fitness activities.
However, the reverse is also true – bad relationships can ruin your health. A
study conducted in Ancona, Italy and published in Psychosomatic Medicine in
2007 found that individuals who avoided creating close, secure relationships
showed signs of a weaker immune system than those who felt more secure
in their relationships.
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Bach flower remedies will help cultivate your self-awareness, giving you the
confidence to improve and nurture positive, loving relationships, as well as
the insight and courage to let go of bad ones.
#5 Finding your true vocation could lengthen your life In 1917, Dr Bach received a death sentence. Although he was just turned 30,
a medical emergency sent him into the operating room. He had fainted while
working, and was found to be hemorrhaging from a large tumour in his
spleen. He was diagnosed with cancer and told he had just a few months to
live. Instead of getting his affairs in order, Dr Bach began to devote all of his
time to research. Since he had little time left, he wanted to devote the
remainder of his life to create something meaningful.
Then something astonishing happened. Despite his illness, the young
physician grew stronger with each passing day. Bach then began to ponder
what was keeping him alive, and the only explanation that made sense was
that he simply wasn't ready to die, since he had a lot more work to do. This
was the point when he become disillusioned with conventional medicine,
and he began to explore homeopathy. Dr Bach lived for another twenty
years after his brush with cancer, dying only just over a year after his life’s
work - flower remedies - was complete.
From Dr Bach’s personal story, it is clear that finding one’s purpose or
vocation in life is an essential part to securing optimal health.
The average Singaporean gets only seven to 14 days of annual leave, and
many fail to use up their leave allowance! In fact, according to a 2013 survey
conducted by the Straits Times, some eight out of ten workers in Singapore
claimed that they had not used their full leave entitlement for the year.
Singaporeans work an average of 2,287 hours a year, one of the longest in
the world. Working long hours with little downtime leads to elevated stress
levels, weakening the body, as well as the mind.
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This is certainly telling, as it seems a lot of people living in Singapore today
are subjected to acute amounts of stress, which at its extreme, can be lethal.
So ask yourself – is my work damaging my health? What is my true vocation
in life?
Bach Flower Remedies can be employed to help you to cope with the
stresses and strains of the workplace. Olive, Elm and Oak are especially
useful, if you are feeling as if you are about to crack, and you need more
strength to go on. Wild Oat, on the other hand, will give you the clarity to
plan your own blueprint for health, happiness and success.
#6 Being happy is the best way to protect your health Depression, worry and anxiety not only poison your mind; they can damage
your body too. We know instinctively that happier people tend to live for
longer.
In fact, in a US study of happy and unhappy men conducted over 72 years,
among the subgroup of men diagnosed with depression by age 50, more
than 70% had died or were chronically ill by 63 years of age. Those who were
considered extremely satisfied with their lives had 1/10th the rate of severe
illness or early death compared to their unhappy counterparts. These
findings held up even after screening out other external factors such as
tobacco, obesity, alcohol and ancestral longevity.
Optimistic individuals also live longer. Dutch scientists found in a study of 941
men and women that people with a positive outlook enjoyed a 45% lower
risk of death during a nine-year follow-up period.
A positive, sunny disposition also wards off infections. A 2006 study explored
the link between emotions and viral infections of the respiratory tract.
Scientists evaluated the personality style of 193 healthy volunteers, and then
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gave each a common respiratory virus. Subjects who were optimists were
less likely to develop viral symptoms than their pessimistic peers.
Remedies such as Mustard, Willow, Gentian, Sweet Chestnut and Gorse, help
to lift the dark clouds that descend upon us from time to time. Use them
when you face mild despondency or disappointment. However, if you are
driven to deep anguish and despair, it is also best to seek out professional
counsellors who can also support you on your recovery journey.
#7 To attain optimal health, you have to live a life aligned
with your inner voice and your values. Are you being true to yourself? Or are you living a complete lie?
Dr Bach faced a conundrum when was confronted by the possibility that
conventional medicine did not have all the answers. However, after listening
to his intuition, he decided to remain true to himself and his beliefs, and
embarked on his mission to develop a holistic method of self-healing. Despite
his chronic illness, his work kept him going, and he remained optimistic and
healthy. Once his work was complete in 1936 though, he felt it was time to
let go, and he succumbed to his ailing health.
Unhappiness and dissatisfaction about your life can cause anxiety, remorse,
bitterness and resentment which, if not nipped in the bud, grows and affects
you emotionally and spiritually. Because of the close mind-body connection,
this might dampen your immune system, making you more susceptible to
disease. It is not always easy to confront the truth about how you feel about
yourself and your life.
But, if you do, you will be well on your way to improving your health for the
better.
What can I do now to live the life my inner voice is telling me to?
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So be brave and take your first steps today to radically change your life and
how you feel!
Use the Bach Flower Remedy and Life Assessment questionnaires as starting
points to identify areas in your life which you can change to nourish your
mind, body and spirit.
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Exercise #1
Bach Flower Remedies Questionnaire: Finding the Right
Remedies for Me With 38 flower remedies in the Bach system, you are probably wondering
how you can go about choosing the right ones for yourself or your loved
ones. It can be a daunting prospect for novices or people new to the Bach
flower remedy system.
Esoteric Remedies is here to help.
We have produced a questionnaire to help you pinpoint precisely what
remedies are right for you.
Start by assessing your reaction to an issue or situation where emotional
support is needed. Is there a clear pattern?
Then, look carefully at each question.
Try to pick remedies instinctively, based not only how you feel at this point in
time, but delve deeper – what is causing these emotions? Try to pinpoint the
root cause. Is there any particular person or incident that has triggered this
raft of emotions? How long have they persisted?
Take care of the superficial emotions first – those that have appeared
recently; before delving deeper to find the ones buried deep in your psyche.
Was there an incident in the past that has lead me to feeling this way now?
How has my childhood affected my emotional wellbeing today? Am I still
grieving in some way? Am I trying to forget something?
Then, decide which remedy describes you best as a person.
Choose up to seven remedies and remember, be honest with yourself!
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AGRIMONY ELM
Do you hide your worries behind a cheerful façade to conceal your pain?
Do you feel overwhelmed by your responsibilities?
Are you distressed by arguments and quarrels, often giving in to avoid conflict?
Do you feel it is too difficult to juggle all the tasks ahead of you when you were fine
before?
When you feel life’s pressures weighing you down, do you often turn to alcohol, drugs,
work, food etc to help you cope?
Do you become depressed and exhausted when faced with your everyday
commitments?
ASPEN GENTIAN
Do you feel apprehensive or anxious without knowing why?
Do you become discouraged or disappointed when things don’t go according to plan?
Do you feel that something bad may happen but you are not sure what?
Are you easily disheartened when faced with difficult situations?
Do you wake up with a sense of dread of what the day will bring?
Does your downtrodden attitude prevent you from making an effort to accomplish
something?
BEECH GORSE
Do the habits of others annoy you? Do you feel hopeless, as if there is no reason to try to improve things?
Do you find yourself being overly critical and intolerant, usually looking actively for or
pointing out others’ shortcomings or mistakes?
Do you lack faith that things could get better in your life and therefore make no effort to
improve your circumstances?
Do the incompetence and foolishness of others infuriate or irritate you?
Do you believe that nothing can be done to relieve your pain and suffering?
CENTAURY HEATHER
Do you often neglect your own needs in order to please others?
Do you find that others may avoid you because you seem to talk too much?
Do you find it difficult to say no or assert yourself to those who impose upon your
helpful nature?
Do you dislike being alone, and are always seeking the companionship of others?
Are you easily influenced by those more strong-willed or domineering than yourself?
Do your conversations always end up focusing on your interests or problems?
CERATO HOLLY
Do you constantly second-guess your own decisions and judgment?
Are you suspicious of others, feeling that people have ulterior motives or other
agendas?
Do you often seek advice from others, mistrusting your own inner voice?
Do you feel great anger and bitterness toward other people?
Do you change direction or decisions often, even after asking advice, because you feel
confused or unsure?
Are you full of jealousy, mistrust or hate?
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CHERRY PLUM HONEYSUCKLE
Are you afraid you might lose control of yourself mentally, emotionally or physically?
Do you find yourself living in the past, nostalgic and homesick, wanting things to be
as they were?
Do you fear that you may think or do something that you feel is wrong?
Are you unable to change present circumstances because you are always reminiscing about the past and hardly
thinking of the future?
Do you fear you may hurt yourself or others or become violent and explosive?
Do you often contemplate past regrets?
CHESTNUT BUD HORNBEAM
Do you find yourself making the same mistakes repeatedly such as choosing the
wrong type of partner or staying in a job you dislike?
Do you often feel too tired to face the day?
Do you fail to learn from mistakes or experience?
Do you feel overworked or bored with your life?
Do you wish you would not repeat the same patterns again and again?
Do you tend to procrastinate and put off some tasks while easily accomplishing those that
are more enjoyable?
CHICORY IMPATIENS
Do you need to be needed and want your loved ones in close proximity?
Do you feel a sense of urgency in everything you do, always rushing to get things done?
Do you feel unloved or unappreciated by your loved ones?
Are you impatient and irritable with others who seem to do things too slowly for you?
Are you possessive of those you care for, feeling you know what is best for them?
Do you prefer to work alone?
CLEMATIS LARCH
Do you often feel “spaced out” and absent minded?
Do you lack self-confidence?
Do you find yourself daydreaming, unable to focus for any length of time?
Do you feel inferior and are easily discouraged?
Are you drowsy and listless, sleeping more often than necessary?
Are you so sure that you will fail that you do not even attempt things?
CRAB APPLE MIMULUS
Are you obsessed with cleanliness or feel contaminated?
Do you have a fear of identifiable things, i.e. dentist, dogs, hospitals, the dark etc.?
Are you embarrassed and ashamed of yourself or feel physically unattractive?
Are you shy, overly sensitive and often afraid?
Do you tend to pick on small physical conditions such as pimples or marks?
Do you often worry about everyday situations?
MUSTARD VERVAIN
Do you feel suddenly depressed without knowing why?
Do you have so much energy and drive, that you’re sometimes tense and can’t fall asleep?
Do you feel your moods swinging back and forth?
Do you possess strong opinions and try to convince others of them?
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Do you feel deep gloom, which seems to quickly appear for no apparent reason and
then lifts just as suddenly?
Are you sensitive to injustice and dedicated to causes almost to the point that others think is
extreme? OAK VINE
Are you exhausted but feel the need to struggle on against all odds?
Do you tend to take charge of meetings, projects, situations, etc.?
Do you have a strong sense of duty, carrying on no matter what obstacles stand in your
way?
Do you consider yourself a natural leader?
Do you neglect your own needs in order to complete a task?
Are you strong-willed and ambitious but may appear aggressive and domineering to
others? OLIVE WALNUT
Do you feel utterly and completely exhausted, both physically and mentally?
Are you experiencing any change in your life—a move, new job, new baby, divorce, menopause, giving up an addiction etc?
Are you totally drained of all energy and find it difficult to carry on?
Do people or situations sometimes drain your energy?
Have you just been through a long period of illness, stress, or strain with no relief?
Do you need to make a break from strong attachments in your life that may be holding
you back? PINE WATER VIOLET
Do you set overly high standards for yourself, never satisfied with your achievements?
Do you appear aloof and arrogant to others?
Are you full of guilt and self-reproach? Do you have a tendency to be withdrawn and prefer to be alone when faced with too many
external distractions? Do you blame yourself for everything that
goes wrong, even if it is the fault of others? Do you bear your grief and sorrow without
talking to others?
RED CHESTNUT WHITE CHESTNUT
Do you often worry about your loved ones? Do you find your head full of persistent, unwanted thoughts that prevent
concentration? Are you distressed and disturbed by other
people’s problems? Do you relive unhappy events or arguments
over and over again?
Do you worry that harm may come to those you care for?
Are you unable to sleep at times because your mind seems to be cluttered with
repetitive mental arguments?
ROCK ROSE WILD OAT
Are you susceptible to feelings of terror and panic?
Do you find yourself unable to make major life decisions?
Do you become helpless and frozen in the face of your fear?
Do you feel ready for a change of direction, but are unsure of which way to go?
Do you suffer from recurring nightmares? Do you have ambition but feel that life is passing you by?
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ROCKWATER WILD ROSE
Do you set high personal standards and take pride in setting a good example for others?
Are you apathetic and resigned to whatever may happen in your life?
Are you overly concerned with diet, exercise, work and spiritual disciplines?
Do you have the attitude, “it doesn’t matter what do. I can’t change anything”?
Are you extremely disciplined in your approach to life, always striving for
perfection?
Do you lack the motivation to improve the quality of your life?
SCELERANTHUS WILLOW
Do you find it difficult to decide when faced with a choice of two possibilities?
Do you feel resentful and bitter?
Do you lack concentration, always fidgety and nervous?
Do you find it difficult to forgive and forget?
Do your moods change from one extreme to another: joy to sadness, optimism to
pessimism, laughing to crying?
Do you feel life is unfair?
STAR OF BETHLEHEM SWEET CHESTNUT
Have you suffered a recent shock in your life such as an accident, loss of a loved one,
terrible news, illness?
Do you suffer from extreme mental or emotional anguish?
Are you numbed or withdrawn because of traumatic events in your life?
Do you feel that you have reached the limits of what you could possibly endure?
Have you suffered a loss or grief from which you have never recovered?
Do you feel as though there is no light at the end of the tunnel?
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Exercise #2
Life Assessment Look at the series of questions presented in this exercise, and take your time
to reflect on each and every one of them. Answer them fully and honestly.
And if you need to take a break, or even stop altogether, feel free to do so.
Listen intently to your intuition and never doubt what it tells you. Try to be
kind and compassionate to yourself as you answer each question. By doing
this, it can relief any discomfort you may feel.
Keep focused on what’s great or positive in your life so you can draw on your
inner strength and courage to confront and change what is not working.
Jot down your answers on a separate sheet.
Once you are done, review all your answers carefully.
Compare them against the results of Exercise 1 – are there obvious links to
the type of remedies you have identified? Which emotional problems are
more deep-seated or chronic and which seem to be moods that will soon
pass? Do you need something else you did not realise before?
Write out your customised formula in Exercise #3.
Preconceptions and beliefs
What are my beliefs about myself?
What are my beliefs about the body’s self-healing capabilities?
Am I open to exploring the root cause of my ailments beyond the purely
physical? If not, why?
How has my childhood affected my health?
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Inner voice
Am I living a life that is true to myself and aligned with all I desire and value?
Do I make an effort to live an authentic life?
What does my inner voice want me to know?
Who would I be if I was no longer fearful or overwhelmed by worries or
anxieties?
How much do I love and accept myself?
Relationships
How do I feel about my romantic life?
Are there repetitive identifiable patterns in my relationships that continue to
appear in my life?
Is there someone I need to forgive or forget?
Do I feel loved by the people around me?
How much do I open up to others? Do I dare show others my vulnerability?
How often do I feel used in my relationships? Am I willing to stop playing the
doormat or martyr?
Do I feel worthy of love and affection?
What would I change about my love life if a genie granted me three wishes?
Are there toxic people in my life? How are they poisoning my mind?
Work/Life Vocation
Is my work or profession worthwhile? Do I feel like I am making a difference?
What is my inner voice telling me about my work?
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How does my mind and body feel while I am at work?
If fear was taken out of the equation, how would I change how I spend my
time?
Am I learning valuable things working even though I am not passionate about
what I do?
Am I doing too much to please others rather than doing things for myself?
Finances
What are my thoughts and feelings about my financial situation?
How do I define success, financial stability and abundance?
Environment
Am I residing in the place where my inner voice wants me to live?
Am I surrounded by beauty? Can I commune easily with nature?
How healthy is my environment?
State of mind
What make me happy and unhappy?
What would heal my mind?
Do I feel worthy of being happy?
How much time do I spend engaging in negative conservations such as
unkind gossip, criticising other people, finding fault with others or
complaining?
Do I express appreciation and gratitude regularly in my life?
Do I get caught up in what I lack rather than appreciating what I already
have?
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Physical health
What bad habits do I need to stop?
How are my energy levels?
Is there anything keeping me from sleeping?
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Exercise #3
My personal formula Write down your customised formula here.
Remember, Dr Bach advised taking only a maximum of seven remedies at
one time to maintain the efficacy of the treatment.
If you require more than seven, ask yourself which are the key issues that I
need to tackle first, and which are the ones I believe are closely linked to one
another?
For instance, you might need Mustard because you are feeling down all of a
sudden for no obvious reason, and you have a lot of mental chatter in your
head as you keep trying to pinpoint what is causing your gloom. Therefore in
this case, you will need White Chestnut too.
When you feel that a specific emotional issue has been resolved, stop taking
the appropriate essence, and replace it with another one that you have
identified, but have not taken before.
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Exercise #4
Simple meditation Once you have your own personalised formula, take it as instructed on page
64, keeping a journal on how you feel as the days go by. However, in addition
to taking the remedies, you might want to perform this simple meditation to
help release all the pent-up negative emotions festering inside you.
1. Find a quiet spot or space before starting this exercise. You must not
be interrupted.
2. Focus your mind and your heart to release negative feelings, thoughts
and emotions.
3. Take a deep breath. Breathe in slowly all the way to your belly.
4. Hold your breath for a few seconds and breathe out slowly through
your mouth.
5. As you exhale, let your body relax. Keep repeating steps 3 and 4 to
release all the tension in your body. Let tranquility wash over you.
6. Recite the affirmations (pages 90-94) for each remedy you are taking,
focusing on each word and reciting them slowly, as you breathe out.
7. Picture white light radiating inside you as your mind clears any
emotional baggage and debris. Let your emotions bubble to the
surface but do not react. Continue with steps 3 to 6 until all anxiety,
tension and negative emotions are released.
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Bach Flower Remedy Affirmations
Agrimony
I recognise, accept and assimilate my internal conflicts.
Aspen
I have within me the faith and the awareness that love and goodness dwell
behind all people and all things.
Beech
I combine my capacity for judgement with a sense of tolerance.
Centaury
I fortify myself in will and determination and build my identity as an
individual.
Cerato
I have faith in my sense of judgement and my intuition.
Cherry Plum
I resist all provocation and are attuned to keep my impulses in check.
Chestnut Bud
I observe and learn from life with a depth of insight and understanding.
Chicory
I give my love unselfishly.
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Clematis
I am fully present to myself and to what is happening around me.
Crab Apple
I purify myself in mind, body and spirit.
Elm
I have the strength to complete all my tasks and to fulfil all my
responsibilities.
Gentian
I cherish my faith in life, and I will overcome all obstacles.
Gorse
I rediscover hope and the will to go on in the toughest of times.
Heather
I know how to listen and to identify with others.
Holly
I open my heart to love, acceptance and compassion.
Honeysuckle
I comprehend my past, I detach myself from it and I live fully in my present.
Hornbeam
I face my days with new vitality and renewed interest.
Impatiens
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I calm my tensions and grow in patience and in understanding.
Larch
I have faith in my capacities and I act upon them.
Mimulus
I find the courage to combat and dispel all my fears.
Mustard
I disperse the clouds of sadness and recover my inner peace and serenity.
Oak
The flexibility within me balances the strength and sense of responsibility.
Olive
I feel rejuvenated and revitalised to take on whatever life throws at me.
Pine
I forgive myself and have the discernment to know what is truly my mistake
or fault.
Red Chestnut
I release all fears relating to others, discovering faith and optimism in myself.
Rock Rose
I confront every emergency with courage.
Rock Water
I transform my dogmatism into flexibility.
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Scleranthus
I have the clarity of mind to make my choice.
Star of Bethlehem
I dissolve every barrier to my energy and I recompose myself.
Sweet Chestnut
From the bottom of the abyss I find the light.
Vervain
I project and live my own ideas with moderation.
Vine
I put my power at the service of others.
Walnut
I liberate myself from influences which limit me, and advance without
uncertainty along the route.
Water Violet
I learn to share with humility and wisdom.
White Chestnut
In silence and tranquillity I recompose my thoughts.
Wild Oat
I identify my own path for fulfilling my destiny.
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Wild Rose
I rediscover my zest for for life.
Willow
I abandon bitterness, assuming responsibility for my actions.
Emergency Elixir
I control my fear. I can face any eventuality (emergencies).
I am resilient in every process of recovery and transformation (support).
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Exercise #6
My Enlightenment Journal Record your experiences using Bach Flower Remedies with our journal.
Start at the beginning of each week.
You need to take your formula consistently for at least two to three weeks in
order to observe and feel any discernible results.
WEEK ONE How do you feel overall?
Is there any emotional stress or physical tension?
When and where?
Describe your
emotions and moods.
What are your
sleeping patterns
like?
Describe any feelings of
fuzziness or heaviness.
Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6 Day 7
Describe your day in a few words. Write down any notable moods, feelings, thoughts, incidents, experiences, events etc
How many times have you used the remedies today? Write it down.
97
Try out the meditation exercise on page 90 to support you in the
transformation process.
We also recommend applying remedies directly to acupuncture points (see
pages 68-70) or combine Bach flower remedies with essential oils (page 71-
72) for a soothing body massage.
WEEK TWO How do you feel overall?
Is there any emotional stress or physical tension?
When and where?
Describe your
emotions and moods.
What are your
sleeping patterns
like?
Describe any feelings of
fuzziness or heaviness.
Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6 Day 7
Describe your day in a few words. Write down any notable moods, feelings, thoughts, incidents, experiences, events etc
How many times have you used the remedies today? Write it down.
98
As the weeks go by, reassess and revise your customised formula.
Have certain feelings faded away? Do you need to tackle anything else?
Remove and replace single remedies as you need them, until you find the
root cause of your emotional strain and imbalance.
WEEK THREE How do you feel overall?
Is there any emotional stress or physical tension?
When and where?
Describe your
emotions and moods.
What are your
sleeping patterns
like?
Describe any feelings of
fuzziness or heaviness.
Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6 Day 7
Describe your day in a few words. Write down any notable moods, feelings, thoughts, incidents, experiences, events etc
How many times have you used the remedies today? Write it down.
99
WEEK FOUR How do you feel overall?
Is there any emotional stress or physical tension?
When and where?
Describe your
emotions and moods.
What are your
sleeping patterns
like?
Describe any feelings of
fuzziness or heaviness.
Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6 Day 7
Describe your day in a few words. Write down any notable moods, feelings, thoughts, incidents, experiences, events etc
How many times have you used the remedies today? Write it down.
Give yourself a pat on your back! You have taken Bach Flower Remedies for a
month! Reflect on the changes in how you feel, your sleeping patterns and
your experiences since taking your personalised formula.
Which area of your life do you need to tackle next? What else can you do to
improve your state of mind?
Keep cultivating your self-awareness and emotional wellbeing at
www.esotericremedies.com