What are Bach Flower Remedies?
Drawn from the natural world, Bach Flower Remedies are a simple herbal treatment used to address emotional imbalances. There are 38 different flower remedies created by Dr Edward Bach, based on the principal that physical illness is a manifestation of inner disharmony.
100%-natural, each remedy is a tiny yet mighty tincture consisting of spring water infused with wild flower extract and brandy (or glycerine). Simply add a couple of drops of your chosen remedy to a glass of water and sip throughout the day.
It just so happens that a variety of these herbal heroes can be found in the grounds of Bonhams House.
Uses and Benefits of Bach Flower Remedies
Emotional Balance
- Helps reduce stress, anxiety, and fear.
- Encourages calmness and clarity.
Holistic Support
- Addresses emotional root causes of discomfort.
- Complements other therapies like meditation, yoga, or talk therapy.
Non-Invasive:
- Gentle and safe for most individuals, including children, the elderly, and even pets.
Support During Life Changes:
- Provides emotional support during transitions like loss, relationship changes, or job shifts.
Customisable:
- Multiple remedies can be combined to suit individual needs.
About Dr Edward Bach
Picture this. It’s 1920s London and a successful Harley Street physician and bacteriologist named Dr Edward Bach is growing restless with orthodox medicine and its failure to address the cause, only the symptom, of a patient’s ailment.
Fuelled by the belief that there is a powerful and undeniable connection between a person’s emotional state and physical health, Bach walks away from his profitable Harley Street practice in search of a new, holistic system of healing. By 1932 he has discovered his first 12
flower remedies.
Which Bach Flower Remedy Do I Need?
Bach categorised the 38 remedies into groups.
The Twelve Healers.
These are the first 12 essences that Bach discovered and associated with personality types – a
common starting point when selecting remedies.
- 1. Agrimony – personality type: worry hidden by a carefree mask
- 2. Centaury – personality type: kind, anxious to serve
- 3. Cerato – personality type: distrust of self and intuition, easily led and misguided
- 4. Chicory – personality type: self-pity, self-love, demanding, hurt and tearful
- 5. Clematis – personality type: dreamer and the absent-minded
- 6. Gentian – personality type: discouragement and despondency
- 7. Impatiens – personality type: easily irritated by constraints, quick, tense and impatient
- 8. Mimulus – personality type: shy, nervous, fearful
- 9. Rock Rose – personality type: alarm, fear, horror, dread
- 10. Scleranthus – personality type: indecision
- 11. Vervain – personality type: wilful, opinionated and stressed
- 12. Water Violet – personality type: withdrawn, aloof, proud
Bach categorised the remaining essences into ‘Seven Helpers’ and the ‘Second Nineteen’.
These are paired with your corresponding ‘Healer’ essence to support further healing
The Seven Emotional Groups
Bach created an additional category system called the Seven Emotional Groups. The 38 essences can be grouped based on different emotional states, such as fear or loneliness. This helps people identify their emotional needs and the associated flower remedy. The groups
are:
1. Fear
2. Uncertainty
3. Insufficient interest in present circumstances
4. Loneliness
5. Over-sensitive to influence/ideas
6. Despondency or despair
7. Over-care for the welfare of others
What is the difference between homeopathy and Bach Flower Remedies?
Bach Flower Remedies and homeopathy share the philosophical principal of holistic healing: treating the individual rather than the mere symptom of disease or ailment. They both embrace the vibrational healing power of Mother Nature by diluting natural ingredients.
However, homeopathy is a much older practice and offers a wider, often more personalised, scope of treatments that focus on mental, emotional and physical conditions. It is based on the principal that “like cures like”. The dilution process is also more complex. Bach Flower Remedies focus on inner emotional harmony only, using the energetic healing of diluted flower essence.