Bach Flower Essences

Edward Bach, a medical doctor, bacteriologist, and homoeopath, discovered the Essences in the late 1920s and early 1930s. His intention was to develop a method of healing which would treat the emotional and spiritual imbalances which lead to physical disease. He discovered the essences for this method of treatment in certain wildflowers.

His method of relating particular flowers to a mental or emotional condition was intuitive. Although trained in the rational methods of science and medicine, he now began to manifest a deep sensitivity. When he was looking for a flower to heal a particular negative state, for example, jealousy, he would suffer that condition. He would feel jealousy, and associated emotions - rage, hatred - often related physical complaints (perhaps a tension headache or upset stomach) until he found the flower which he intuitively knew would heal the condition.

How are the Bach flower essences prepared?

There are two methods. Twenty of the essences are prepared by the potentization method. Flowers are picked at the peak of their blossoming and put in glass containers holding distilled water for about three hours. The flowers are then discarded, and the water preserved in brandy. This is the "mother tincture" from which the Bach flower essences are prepared.

In the boiling method (used mostly for those essences which come from trees) twigs bearing flowers or catkins are boiled for about an hour; then the water is left to cool, after which the twigs are discarded, and the water preserved in brandy.

How do flower essences work?

The theory behind the use of the Bach flower essences is each of the flowers embodies a particular soul energy (or energy frequency). When an individual resists that quality an energy blockage forms so that s/he is out of touch with that aspect of his/her fundamental nature.

In Dr. Bach's own words:

The action of these Essences 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.

Modern physics has known for nearly a century that matter and consciousness are intertwined. We expect that during this century medical science will develop ways of studying the impact of consciousness on health, and we will learn more about the ways in which flower essences work. Until then, practitioner case studies and reports will remain the primary source of knowledge about how flower essences work.

How do I use flower essences?

They can be used straight from the 'stock bottle' (as bought), or it can be diluted, along with other remedies into a 'treatment bottle'. A treatment bottle is generally a 30ml blue or brown glass dropper bottle.

If using straight from the 10ml stock bottle, the standard dosage is 2 drops, four times daily placed directly under the tongue. Or mix 4 drops in a glass of water. The reason for the higher dose in water is if some of the remedy is left in the glass you are still sure to get the full dose.

If mixing several remedies into a 30ml 'treatment bottle', take 2 drops from each essence selected, top up with still mineral water, and a teaspoon of brandy as a preservative. (If it's important to you to avoid brandy, you can use apple cider vinegar or vegetable glycerin as a preservative instead.)

There are many other ways of using flower remedies, such as in water sprays, in a cream base, in baths, or topically on the skin.

Can I place the remedy drops in very hot or even boiling water, without destroying their healing properties, as I would prefer taking the remedies without the alcohol?

Yes, you can put the drops into boiling water, tea, etc. and this should evaporate the alcohol. Certainly it won't affect the potency of the remedies. This is a method we sometimes recommend to people who for one reason or another dislike the alcohol content.

I have heard that the remedies work faster if you don't dilute them. Is this true?

There is no difference in potency or speed of effect between taking the four drops from a treatment bottle and taking neat stock remedy. The brandy in the stock bottle will however taste stronger and this psychologically may give the impression that the essences are stronger. This isn't the case.

I know that it is correct to put a maximum of six remedies in the same bottle, but what if someone needs more than six remedies? Is it right to put the extra remedies in another bottle and take them alternately?

In fact it's quite usual to give six or seven remedies together at the same time, and this is the maximum we suggest people work with. Dr Bach is known to have given nine remedies together on two occasions, but remember he was seeing thousands of people over a period of many years.

It's quite common for people to feel they need many more than this number - 12, 15, 20 remedies or more. The answer to this is not to make up two treatment bottles with say, six remedies in each, but instead to get the number of remedies down to six or seven. The way to do this is to think about how you feel now and treat that. So if your twelve remedies include five that are really for things you felt yesterday or last week or ten years ago, then those are the ones you can leave out at this stage. Treat the main feelings you have now, and when the remedies have dealt with these you can then move on to the issues that were in the background.

Is it always better to select as few remedies as possible?

The normal guideline is to try to use no more than six or seven at a time, since experience has shown that more than this number is hardly ever necessary if a little thought goes into the selection process. Taking more remedies than are actually needed means that the focus is lost, and the ones that are necessary will not work as well or quickly as they might otherwise have done.

However, it is not true that three remedies are always better than four, or that the ideal treatment is a single remedy: if six (or eight, or even nine) remedies really are necessary, that is how many you should take.

Does Five Flower Rescue Formula count as one essence or five?

It counts as one.

Are there any combinations of remedies that should never be used?

No. Even the remedies that might appear to be direct opposites (Vervain and Wild Rose, for example, or Vine and Centaury) may occasionally be needed at once by the same person. It all depends on the personality and current emotional states of the person being treated.

Why not mix all the remedies together and have a single mix for every problem?

This was an idea suggested in Dr. Bach's day, and he did in fact try this but found that it simply didn't work. The simplest and most direct path was the one he recommended - in other words, selection of a few remedies according to the personality and emotional state.

Can the flower essences be used for physical diseases or complaints?

Sometimes there is a direct relationship between a particular illness and a flower essence. For example, a person who is mentally rigid and unbending may develop an arthritic condition, but you would need the choose the remedy or remedies according to the mental condition, not the physical.

Flower essences do not work bio-chemically like aspirin does for a headache, but they can affect our experience of our bodies. For example, essences which help release emotional stress may result in less physical tension.

Flower essences can help people who suffer from physical illness by addressing the emotional responses to the illness, and by working with the underlying conflicts and tensions that may have contributed to the onset of the illness. However, flower essences are not cures for any specific illness, and are chosen on the basis of mental and emotional issues, rather than specific physical complaints.

What if my condition is really serious?

If you have a serious mental or emotional condition, or a known physical medical problem, you should seek the care or advice of a qualified health practitioner. Many health practitioners now include the flower essences in their health practice, or work with other practitioners who do.

What happens if I take the wrong flower essence?

Nothing. If you choose a remedy you don't need, it will have no effect because there's no blockage for it to dissolve. Because the Bach flower essences are completely harmless you will feel no effect.

What if I don't notice any difference?

You may have chosen the wrong essence, or you may not be taking it often enough. You may also be strongly resistant to the change which the essence facilitates.

I'm taking some flower essences and I feel worse. Should I stop taking them, or continue?

The Bach flower remedies do not cause side-effects or aggravations, but it may be that the remedies are stirring up repressed feelings that need to be cleansed before complete healing can be achieved. If you feel this is the case then you can look to see if there is a need for any other remedies instead of or as well as the ones you are currently taking.

Where things are getting worse in spite of the remedies this may mean one of two things. Either the remedies have not yet had time to work (two or more months or even years of regular dosage may be needed to deal with deep-rooted problems) or the selection was wrong.

In any case, the remedies will not themselves cause any symptoms or problems that are not already in you and are entirely beneficial in their effects. This means that there is no need to stop taking the remedies, and even if the wrong ones are being taken this only means that they will not improve things - they will never make them worse.

How long before I can expect to notice changes, and how long does a bottle last?

A 30ml treatment bottle (one ounce) is generally used at the rate of four drops, four times daily, and lasts about one month. This is a typical cycle for emotional change, and it is recommended that you use an essence for at least this period of time to fully experience its impact. The remedies often have a subtle beginning, which gradually becomes more obvious. However, a month is only a general suggestion; many people use flower essences for longer or shorter periods of time than this, with good results. As essence or combination should be discontinued when you feel you have completely absorbed or consciously recognized the benefits which were intended from it.

When do I stop taking the remedies?

When the problem that is being treated has gone. There is no need to continue taking them in case it comes back and of course no need to wean oneself off the remedies gradually, as you have to do with some pharmaceutical drugs like steroids and anti-depressants.

If I take a Bach flower remedy for a while, does it mean I will never need it again?

Not necessarily. Sometimes the process of dissolving a blockage is gradual, or comes in stages. You may clear it up to whatever degree you're willing to incorporate into your life. Then at some point in your life you may be ready to make deeper changes. It's often referred to as the onion-peel effect - you release one or more layers at a time.

Are the Bach flower remedies safe for children and infants?

Yes. They tend to work more easily with children and infants as they haven't had the years for blockages to become entrenched.

Can I give Bach flower remedies to my pets?

Absolutely. Pets suffer the same emotions as humans: fear of fireworks, anxiety about being in a car, aggression or timidity with another animal, anxiety in the vet's waiting room, etc. The drops can be placed in the drinking water. If another pet drinks from the same water no harm will be done.

Do plants benefit from flower essences?

Yes. A bush heavy with green-fly, for instance, would benefit from Crab Apple, whereas a plant which has to be moved to another part of the garden would be helped by Star of Bethlehem, for shock.

I would like my partner to benefit from the essences, but he doesn't believe in them and won't take them. Can I put it in his coffee without him knowing?

If it's the right remedy it will still work, as it does with infants, pets and plants. Whether it's the right thing to do remains for each individual to decide, according to circumstances.

Is it safe to take the Bach flower remedies if you are a recovering alcoholic?

If the remedies are mixed into treatment bottles and taken four drops at a time in the approved way the amount of alcohol taken in is actually very small. Nevertheless, taking even a minute quantity of alcohol may have a psychological impact on someone who has decided to give up completely.

If the remedies are dropped into a hot drink most of the alcohol will evaporate, and it is of course possible to administer the remedies externally by rubbing them on the pulse points. But if you are still uncomfortable about taking the flower remedies, it's probably best that you don't.

What is the likelihood of reactions and rashes, e.g. to Star of Bethlehem or Crab Apple, and how are they caused?

The Bach flower remedies work by flooding out negative feelings and emotions. Sometimes the emotions that are dealt with have been repressed for some time and in order to clear them they have to be cleansed from the system. On very rare occasions this can take the form of a rash, or unexpected feelings may be stirred up. Where such things do occur they can be disregarded and there is no reason to stop taking the remedies.

Is the effectiveness of Bach flower remedies affected if they are stored near aromatherapy oils?

No. The brandy used to preserve the remedies may be affected and may taste a little strange, but the actions of the remedies are not affected in any way.