The 38 Remedies

An in-depth look at the 38 Bach Flower Remedies and how they can be used in complementary healing

DR BACH

Dr Bach was a qualified physician who was interested in his patients more than their diseases.

He observed them closely and throughout a very lucrative career at The Royal Homeopathic Hospital and Harley Street Clinic he realised that people reacted differently to the same illnesses and this affected their symptoms and subsequent recovery.

He began to realise that there was a connection between mind, body and soul and from his great love of nature and through his experience with homeopathic medicine he set out to find a complete natural system of healing.

THE 38 REMEDIES

The Bach Flower Remedies cannot treat the physical - they treat the emotional reactions of the individual.

SIMPLICITY AND SELF HELP

These are Dr Bach's key words. He wanted everyone to be able to prescribe for themselves as a preventative measure. If used correctly, they are extremely effective.

Practitioners are trained not just to prescribe but to "teach" patients during consultations so that once they start to progress they can go on and do it for themselves.

WHAT CAN AND CAN NOT BE TREATED

They should be used alongside complementary and orthodox medicine.

DR BACH'S PHILOSOPHY

Is based upon the theory that health depends upon us being in harmony with our soul. Disease, he said is entirely the result of a conflict between our spiritual and mental selves. It is due to some basic error in our constitution.

Health and happiness results from being in harmony with our own nature and doing the work for which we are suited.

The purpose of the remedies is to fight against illness by addressing, eg depression, which impedes physical healing.

WHY DID HE DR BACH DIE SO YOUNG

Dr Bach believed that his "purpose in life" was to find these natural healers and when that job was done his life was over.

He believed that the job was complete because he was satisfied that there are no other emotional states of mind and he had found a remedy for each one.

Disease and disasters come and go but the way we deal with those situations - our basic instincts, human nature never changes.

PRIMARY CAUSES OF DISEASE

Each of these defects, if persisted will produce a conflict which will be reflected in the body. So looking at the type of illness can guide you to the root cause.

PRIDE is a lack of recognition of the small part we play in the universe - a loss of sense of proportion. Refusing to bend. Arrogance and rigidity will produce stiffness in the body.

CRUELTY Again, a denial of the interdependence upon universe. We are just one small note in the whole orchestra. Pain is the result - the patient learns the lesson not to inflict it on others through personal suffering.

HATE Is the opposite of love. It is contrary to the "bigger picture". The Penalties are loneliness, violent uncontrollable tempers and mental breakdown

SELF LOVE Denial of the universe. Hysteria and neurosis result.

IGNORANCE Lack of wisdom brings its own difficulties - persistence in refusing to see the truth, short-sightedness, shortness of vision and difficulty in hearing.

INSTABILITY Indecision and weakness of purpose. Personality not listening to intuition. Affects balance, movement and co-ordination.

GREED and domination of others is a desire for power and will render suffers a slave to their own body

MIND, BODY AND SPIRIT

We are not just physical bodies - we also have our intellect and our emotions. Good health relies upon a balance between all 3 aspects of body, mind and spirit in the same way that the organs in the body are interdependent.

HOW DO THEY WORK

The flower remedies work on emotional aspects.

They treat the cause not the signs and symptoms. They "evict" negative states of mind.

NO MIRACLE CURE - A GRADUAL IMPROVEMENT

Sometimes you won't recognise the changes that are taking place. Over a period of time though, you or those close to you will notice that you are gradually getting better.

They can however, bring immediate relief when "conditions" are intense / chronic.

PERFECT BALANCE

If something tips the balance we need to look at what that "something" might be and, more importantly, the individual's reactions.

Small problems have a tendency to snowball and end up out of all proportion over a period of time and we all have our own ways of dealing with them.

SEE - SAW

Redundancy could tip you off balance

May start off feeling sorry for yourself - over time may sink deeper into despair - perhaps even resentment.

You start losing sleep and eventually physical / mental problems may develop or you may turn to counselling, drugs or other forms of treatment.

PLACEBOS

The remedies have proved themselves not to be placebos - they are extremely effective when used on the comatosed, children, plants and plants

PERSONALITY TYPES

What Dr Bach discovered over many years of careful study and research was that people react emotionally to the same situations in different ways and infact divides them into 7 distinct personality groups.

TYPE REMEDIES

We each have a character / personality type, ie AGRIMONY, VINE, WATER VIOLET - sometimes people don't know who they are - their true personality may have been hidden for a long time. Dictatorial parents / schooling - possessive partner - aggressive boss etc.

Look at the positive and negative aspects of the TYPE - do the see saw test.

Taking the remedies will not change your personality / character - they will bring you into balance and a peaceful state of mind.

ADVANTAGES COMPARED WITH ORTHODOX MEDICINE

-Completely safe to be used in pregnancy, children and the frail

-Non toxic - prepared homoeopathically

-No side effects - healing reactions only

-Non habit forming

-Can not overdose - (prepared in brandy)

-Do not interfere with other medications - particularly chemotherapy and such like - supports patients through trauma.

MOOD REMEDIES

We have fluctuating states of mind HORNBEAM, CLEMATIS, HOLLY

Sometimes there is a mixture.

REMEDIES SHOULD BE PRESCRIBED ACCORDING TO THE PERSONALITY, EMOTIONAL OUTLOOK AND MOOD OF THE INDIVIDUAL.

Two people who have been told they have a life threatening disease, or who lose a close friend or family member through death or separation will go through a whole gamete of emotions but both will more than likely react in totally different ways.

POSITIVE OUTLOOK

The Bristol Cancer Care Group have extensive evidence that a positive mental attitude can extend life by upwards of 5 years.

THE PHYSICAL BODY IS A COMPLEX MACHINE

It has been designed to heal itself given the right ingredients and circumstances -

EMOTIONS play a major role and can have a positive and negative effect on those healing powers.

FROM EMOTIONAL TO PHYSICAL

FEAR is an emotion. Butterflies in the stomach before a driving test or interview is the physical effect - nothing wrong with that - harmless in the short term. It is the result of an adrenaline rush which is necessary to see you through the crisis - however, if this is prolonged in situations of financial worry etc butterflies turn into knots or feeling sick - eventually this may lead to stomach ulcers, IBS etc.

Dr Bach said that treating the worry and the fear may prevent the ulcer.

POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE STATES

AGRIMONY types hide their worries behind a brave face. They can be the life and soul of the party and rarely talk about themselves - they agree with everyone.

They feel very uncomfortable around disharmony, unrest and violence - they insist on peace at any price.

These are not necessarily all negative states but if they never feel able to express their true feelings, it may leave them with overwhelming inner turmoil and so taking the remedy would help them to face their torment and bring a return to genuine happiness.

SIDE EFFECTS / REACTIONS

There are no side effects to taking the remedies however it is possible to have a reaction.

Suppressing emotions is like sitting on the lid of a closed box.

Taking the remedies will open the lid and therefore negative reactions, physical and emotional may be expressed.

The body will only release what is being suppressed.

WEAK SPOTS

If you are not on top of things - out of balance - everyone has "weak" spots and these will be the first to react.

Everyone's emotional problems manifest themselves in different physical symptoms and vice versa.

There is nothing wrong with emotions - it is the problems they create which are wrong.

INSECURITIES CAN LEAD TO:

LACK OF CONFIDENCE -- LARCH (don't believe in themselves)

OVERWHELMED -- ELM (lose faith in themselves)

UNCERTAINTY -- CERATO (questioning - don't know what to do), SCLERANTHUS (need reassurance), WILD OAT (at a cross-roads)

FEAR -- MIMULUS (Fear in general), ASPEN (on a knife edge), RED CHESTNUT (over anxious about others)

INSECURITY (as a result of rejection - child or adult)

- WORTHLESSNESS -- PINE (blaming themselves), CRAB APPLE (don't like themselves), CERATO (question their existence)

- RESENTMENT -- PINE (blame everyone else), CRAB APPLE (simmering/ festering), CERANO (grudges, hate, envy)

- SENSE OF LOSS -- STAR OF BETHLEHEM (complete void in life - grieving for the relationship which has ended)

- POSSESIVE -- CHICORY (won't let go, clingy, possesive, stifling), HEATHER (need company all the time)

THE SEVEN DISTINCT GROUPS

(1) - FEAR -- MIMULUS (fear of Known things), RED CHESTNUT (Overconcern for others), CHERRY PLUM (Mind giving way), ROCK ROSE (Fears and worries of an unknown nature), ASPEN (Terror)

(2) - DESPONDENCY or DESPAIR -- LARCH (Lack of Confidence), OAK (Resilience), CRAB APPLE (Self-disgust, sense of uncleanness), STAR OF BETHLEHEM (Shock and sorrow), WILLOW (Resentment), ELM (Burdened with responsibility), PINE (Self-Reproach, Guilt), SWEET CHESTNUT (extreme mental anguish)

(3) - LONELINESS -- HEATHER (Self Obsessive), IMPATIENS (Impatient and irritable),, WATER VIOLET (Pride - Aloof)

(4) - INSUFFICIENT INTEREST IN PRESENT CIRCUMSTANCES -- OLIVE (Physical exhaustion), WHITE CHESTNUT (Worry - Mental Arguments), WILD ROSE (Apathy and Resignation), HONEYSUCKLE (Homesickness / Nostalgia), CHESTNUT BUD (Repetition of mistakes), CLEMATIS (Mental escapism to the future), MUSTARD (Unexplained deep gloom)

(5) - OVER-CARE FOR THE WELFARE OF OTHERS -- VINE (Domineering and inflexible), VERVAIN (Over-enthusiastic), BEECH (Intolerance), CHICORY (Possessive & Selfish), ROCK WATER (Mental Rigidity - Self denial)

(6) - OVER-SENSITIVITY TO INFLUENCES AND IDEAS -- HOLLY (Hatred, jealousy, suspicion), CENTAURY (Weak willed and subservient), AGRIMONY (Cheerful facade), WALNUT (Adjustment to changes)

(7) - UNCERTAINTY -- HORNBEAM (Procrastination), GORSE (Hopelessness), GENTIAN (Discouragement), SCLERANTHUS (Indecision), WILD OAT (Lack of direction in life), CERATO (Always seeking advice)

RESCUE REMEDY - Use in times of crisis - comforting and calming. -- STAR OF BETHLEHEM(After effects of shock), ROCK ROSE (Terror - panic), IMPATIENS (Patient can not relax - agitated), CHERRY PLUM (Loss of emotional control), CLEMATIS (Distant - bemused)

RESCUE CREAM - As above, with the addition of -- CRAB APPLE (for it's cleansing properties)

Although Dr Bach travelled the country to look for the remedies he discovered after moving into Mount Vernon 35 growing in the surrounding countryside. Rock Water was found in a stream opposite the house he first rented in Brightwell-cum-Sotwel. Vine and Olive are the only two that are cultivated - they originally came from abroad. Others are all wild plants.

TYPE REMEDIES

Agrimony -- They hide their worries behind a brave face. Sometimes the life and soul of the party - they rarely talk about themselves - they agree with everyone - they feel very uncomfortable around disharmony, unrest and violence - they insist on peace at any price.

Centaury -- Weak willed - timid, gullible, afraid to say "no" to more dominant people. If all the people in the world were Centauries - what a wonderful place we would live in. They are usually found in close relationships with Vine, Beech, Vervain or Chicory types because they are so malleable and easy going.

Chicory -- Need to be needed - take a CENTRAL ROLE - they hurt if they are not needed and they turn the hurt in on themselves unable to let loved ones have their own independence.

Clematis -- The client who never has a reaction, good or bad to your treatments. Nothing ever applies to them - they say "no" to all your questions. There is a blank space - they live in a different world - they are escapists - the absent minded Professor. Also for those who can't face reality and useful for those in a semi-comatose state

Honeysuckle -- Living in the past - can't shut it out. Homesickness. (This plant was already at Mount Vernon when Dr Bach moved in - the original plant is still used today for making Mother Tincture. It and Cherry Plum are made by the boiling method as the sun at the time of harvest is not warm enough.

Mimulus -- Shy and timid - it helps anxiety if the fear is known

Oak -- Just like the tree - "solid as a rock" types - thoroughly dependable - they never give up even when they are ill - consequently it can make them very ill. Whatever the problem they just get on with it - very brave and strong people.

Scleranthus -- Indecisive, hesitant - constant debate going on in their mind - never go shopping with Scleranthus. They will go in every shoe shop in town and end up not buying anything or will go back to the first shop and then whinge that they are not sure.

Vervain -- Over-enthusiastic - the sort you need on your Committee. Love to debate and will try and persuade you to join them. They will die for a cause - Joan of Arc, Edwina Currie, David Bellamy.

Vine -- Very aggressive - domineering - strong willed - bullies not interested in your view at all - don't do as I do, do as you are told (Margaret Thatcher). Bullies.

Water Violet -- Dignified pride, aloof. Can be very lonely because they choose to keep themselves to themselves - quite anti-social

MOOD REMEDIES

Aspen -- When you have a eerie sense of foreboding - apprehension and fear for no known reason

Cherry Plum -- Loss of control - when you think you are going mad - PMT (?) - suicidal. And/or any situation where you feel angry and trapped - traffic, work, relationship - when you feel you can't speak your mind - accidents / panic

Gentian -- Despondent - exam failure. First stage of despair- when the initial reaction is to give up.

Hornbeam -- When you make up in the morning and dread the thought of another day or job - that "Monday morning feeling" - you keep putting it off until tomorrow.

Olive -- At the end of a physically exhausting day when you feel "all squeezed out" - Olive and a relaxing bath in your favourite essential oil will have you back in control in no time.

Rock Rose -- Terror - nightmares - all kinds of traumas

Star of Bethlehem -- Shock - grief - accidents - can be successful even years after the event

White Chestnut -- Anxiety which goes round and round like a record - mental arguments - worries and unwanted thoughts - can't shut them out - especially at night. Also a HELPER remedy.

Willow -- "Weeping" - Resentment - poor me.

MIXTURE

Mimulus -- Fear/Shy TYPE & MOOD - some blush easily - others may be nervous/shy only in certain circumstances

Impatiens -- TYPE & MOOD - people who talk quickly - things done in a rush - impatient with people who are slow

SYMPTOMS THAT ARE SIMILAR

PINE (Guilt Complex - they take the blame for everything - apologises for everyone. If they bump into you in the street - they will apologise), CRAB APPLE (Guilt Complex - they feel unclean - disgusted with themselves)

CERATO (Lack confidence - do not trust their own judgement - always seeking advice and confirmation from others yet never taking it. Usually end up making the wrong decision.), LARCH (Lack confidence - they know they are capable but prefer to stand in the shadows and let others get on with it. "I'm not good enough to do that").

HOLLY (Hatred, jealousy - the difference is the heat. They are very verbal - have a boiling emotion. Will fly off the handle), WILLOW (They are resentful and bitter. Simmering and festering grudge. Women scorned !)

CHICORY (They are over full of love - need people round them - like to be the centre of attention and to be seen to be "doing good". But they are selfish and entirely self motivated. If they are hurt these are the ones you will hear saying "after all I did for them"), RED CHESTNUT (More genuine fear and concern for their loved ones. Fussy and over Mothering. Both think no-one can look after you better than them)

DIFFERENT STROKES FOR DIFFERENT FOLKS

THE SAME WORD THAT CAN MEAN SO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS

Depression

-Cause unknown -- Mustard

-Setback/disappointments -- Gentian

-Deep hopelessness -- Gorse

-Anguish/ utter depression -- Sweet Chestnut

-Self pity -- Willow

-Feeling hurt -- Chicory

-Disinterest -- Clematis

-Apathy -- Wild Rose

-Grief -- Star of Bethlehem

Failure

-Won't even try -- Larch

-Refusal to listen to intuition -- Cerato

-Too much responsibility -- Elm

- Confusion about which direction to take -- Wild Oat

Anger

-Hatred, jealousy -- Holly

-Injustice -- Vervain

-Slowness -- Impatiens

-Intolerance and Stupidity -- Beech

-Angry at themselves -- Crab Apple

-Can't say "no"- weak -- Centaury

-Not reaching their own high expectations -- Rock Water

-Demanding and forceful -- Vine

-Won't forgive and forget - poor me -- Willow

Temper

-Spiteful -- Holly

-Quick tempered -- Impatiens

-Violent -- Cherry Plum

Tuesday, 20 January 2004

© 2004 Bromley Health Management