Bach Flower Remedies

Flower Remedies

The best known of the Flower Remedies was invented by Dr Edward Bach during the first half of the twentieth century. Dr Bach was born in England in 1886 and dedicated his life to medicine, firstly through his work as a qualified doctor at University College Hospital in London, and later in his development of Flower Remedies in the form that they are used today.

Dr Bach believed that at the root of illness lies a negative state of mind, for example stress or lack of self-esteem. In the 1900’s when Dr Bach was practising, the population’s anxieties may have had its roots in fear of war or childhood disease, whereas now we are more likely to be afraid of terrorist threats. But whatever the cause, the fact remains that feelings of negativity – in all their forms – are thought to be one of the most significant contributors to modern day illness. Much absenteeism from work is due to stress; the incidence of mental illness is increasing, and it is universally agreed that anxiety exacerbates conditions as diverse as heart disease, ulcers and asthma.

With a background in conventional medicine, Dr Bach was a thinker far ahead of his time who strove to understand bacteriology and homeopathy as well as experimenting with treatments derived from plants and flowers. His fundamental desire was to help his patients overcome the type of problems that everyone encounters during the course of their lives, through coping with and eliminating negative emotions. These may be caused from situations as wide-ranging as bereavement, trauma, guilt or uncertainty, but no matter what the fundamental problem Dr Bach believed the mental state to be intrinsically linked to the individual’s physical well-being. As in the ancient medicines practised by the Chinese, Dr Bach considered life to be a balance of physical and mental factors that need to work in harmony if an individual is to be fit, well and happy.

Through careful research and study Dr Bach was able to identify 38 negative states of mind and, after experimentation with hundreds of different flowers, barks and trees, he developed a treatment for each. A full list of these states of mind and the appropriate Flower Remedies can be obtained by downloading a copy of Baldwin’s Bach Flower Information Pack.

Dr Bach picked flowers, twigs, leaves and pieces of bark, and derived essences from them by steeping or boiling in spring water before preserving in brandy. Today the method of manufacture remains basically the same. Bach’s Flower Remedies are available singly as drops for adding to drinking water whilst the Rescue Remedy is produced as a liquid, cream or spray. The normal dosage is two drops of the chosen Remedy in a small drink, which is slowly sipped. Alternatively, two drops can be put straight onto the tongue.

Dr Bach found that seldom does a person suffer from just one negative state of mind, and consequently he experimented with combining up to seven different Remedies. The well known Rescue Remedy, which is a pre-mixed combination of drops, is suitable for everyday ‘nerves’ such as those commonly experienced before a job interview, or for use in times of trauma or crisis.

The recommended method of using Flower Remedies requires the individual to identify what is most troubling to them in the present and administer the appropriate treatment: for example, a fear of flying would be treated with Mimulus, whilst an underlying negativity – perhaps a more general anxiety experienced in everyday situations – would respond to Aspen.

Australian Bush Flower Essences

A recent introduction, the Australian Bush Flower Essences are proving to be extremely popular, perhaps because they are prescribed for conditions very pertinent to life in the 21st century, such as stress, exam nerves, attention deficit disorder and jet-lag.

Discovered by Australian herbalist, Ian White, there are 64 Essences for everyday problems. White’s descendants were herbalists and he was taught how to use herbs, plants and flowers by his grand-mother. He claims that these Essences are fast and effective because they use the unique energy pattern of the plant material to restore balance to the individual, prevent illness and enable a person to reach their full potential.

A higher dosage rate is prescribed for the Australian Bush Flower Essences than that recommended by Dr Bach for his Remedies. For general use, seven drops should be taken both morning and night, but for acute problems this can be increased and the Essences used as required. Baldwins stock a wide range of Essences in drops, mist sprays and creams. White claims that improvements should be seen within as little as two weeks, but also states that over a longer term a heightened awareness and a lowered state of negativity will bring enhanced happiness, balance and healing.

Both Bach Flower Remedies and Australian Bush Flower Essences are considered safe for children and babies, and can even be used on animals. They are suitable for use in conjunction with conventional medical treatments or to complement other alternative therapies. As treatment progresses and one negative state of mind is eased, it may be necessary to examine underlying causes of emotional distress and change to a different Remedy or add a new Remedy to your dosage as well as continuing with your original drops.

It has been difficult to prove the effectiveness of Flower Remedies, simply because there has been no real medical or scientific research into the subject. Yet there are many advocates who claim that they have experienced a distinct improvement in their state of mind and a reduction in feelings of negativity after taking the drops for a number of months. As the search for ‘natural’ ways to heal the body and mind continues, the Flower Remedies look set to retain their popularity and relevance in today’s society.

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