Bach Flower Remedies

Dar' Shem and Reiki workers should be familiar with the Flower Remedies of Dr. Bach because they are designed to work directly with the energy bodies of the client. They are produced according to homeopathic principles and therefore act on the chakra system. But like homeopathic remedies they are diluted until only the energy signature of the plant remains. In this way both homeopathic and Flower Remedies avoid the problems of side effects.

Since conventional medical practitioners often cannot even conceive of energy fields and their importance they sneer at homeopathic remedies because they sometimes don't contain even a molecule of the original substance from which the essence was made. But energy workers can understand these matters of essence, as do the medical intuitives who are coming into prominence.

The effects of such remedies are often based on subtle energies that conventional medicine does not have in its current curricula. For an example from Dr. Mary Hardy, the eminent homeopathic physician and researcher; when a child has a fever, the auric field is full of hydrogen. A psychic might perceive this as a red aura. If the psychic transmits the color blue into the aura there is an effect as if oxygen is fused with the hydrogen, forming the energy equivalent of water. The patient emits large amounts of water as perspiration in the 'real' world, and the fever is broken.

The Bach Flower Remedies are due to the work of Dr. Bach who studied medicine at Birmingham University in England and finished his internship at the University College Hospital in London. That was just before the First World War.

He held posts in medicine and surgery in London for some years and then became interested in immunology. He obtained a position as Assistant Bacteriologist at the University College Hospital in London and did seminal work there. He was the physician who discovered a connection between specific bacteria in the gut, and chronic illnesses. He developed a set of seven vaccines from his discoveries and with them achieved some remarkable medical cures. His vaccines were recognized, and used by the general medical practitioners.

He continued his research in laboratories in Harley Street, the most prestigious address for physicians in the British Isles, and then shortly after the War was over took the post of Bacteriologist and Pathologist at the London Homeopathic Hospital.

Homeopathy was an accepted modality of medicine in Europe; the Royal Family have had homeopathic physicians since the days of Queen Victoria. The AMA was founded in the USA in 1846 to get back the business that the allopaths had been losing to the homeopaths, and their relentless persecution of every modality but their own is history. See the article on 'Homeopathy, the Royal Choice' for a detailed history of homeopathy and its different fortunes here and abroad.

But it explains why such medical advances as Flower Remedies could not be made here. Every modality based on energy work was ruthlessly suppressed in this country by the medical associations.

Back to Bach. At the Homeopathic Hospital he read for the first time the book 'Organon' by the founder of homeopathy, Dr. Samuel Hahnemann. He realized the sanity of the principle of homeopathic medicine, 'Treat the patient, not the disease.' and remade his famous Seven Bach Vaccines as homeopathic remedies. These became the seven oral vaccines or nosodes now known as Seven Bach Nosodes.

Looking at medicine from this new perspective Bach realized that certain types of persons, certain character types seemed to react in the same way to different diseases and treatments. He used his seven nosodes as a filing system, and found that he could indeed fit people into seven categories that seemed to correspond to the different nosodes.

From that point on he always prescribed according to the way his patients were responding to the illness, and found that his treatments were more effective than if they were based merely on a clinical examination.

His success made him determined to find a way to counter the negative moods and emotions that he considered were the basis for the health problem in the first place. He incorporated into his medical philosophy an idea that the Theosophists made popular, that life is a learning process, and that everything that happens contains lessons to enable us to achieve greater self awareness, IF we take notice of them.

From this basic premise he concluded that if the physical and spiritual areas of life are in harmony then the body can take care of itself since its own healing powers meet with no obstruction. In other words, if an emotional equilibrium can be achieved and maintained, then the mind and body will stay healthy. Bach assumed that mental problems, though manifesting differently, had the same cause as physical problems, and the same remedy.

He roamed around the Mount Vernon area of England, and in different parts of Wales looking for clues among the wild flowers of the countryside. His highly developed sensitivities led him to his first two plant essences, which he made from Impatiens and Mimulus. He gave the first to his patients whom he discovered were frustrated and aggravated by people who slowed them down, and who were always imbued with a sense of urgency to get things done fast. He gave the second to people who seemed paralyzed by some fear or other that made them incapable of action, or who were extremely shy and withdrawn and afraid of their own shadow, so to speak. The results were immediate and amazing, and made firm his conviction that patients could be treated according to their emotional state, and the diseases based on those states would disappear.

So he researched further and discovered a total of 38 single flower essences that he made up according to homeopathic principles. Further work left him convinced that the 38 covered all bases and no more were needed except a combination for first aid work, which he called Rescue Remedy.

People do not have to be ill before they can benefit from these Essences. Whenever any negative emotional state arises these remedies can be used to forestall the possible physical manifestation associated with the state.

Everybody knows how depressed people are more likely to become infected than others. Widen the concept to include the minor emotional states that could lead to depression and the value of Bach's work is obvious.

Your health food store, or metaphysical store will carry Bach Flower Remedies, and will usually have a brochure with the famous questionnaire that you can give yourself to see which areas in your life could be addressed by the Remedies.

Here for the benefit of our energy workers is a very simplified set of attributes from the Mount Vernon Centre in England where Bach's international work is now based.

Agrimony	Mental torture behind a cheerful face
Aspen	Fear of unknown things
Beech	Intolerance
Centaury	The inability to say 'no'
Cerato	Lack of trust in one's own decisions
Cherry Plum	Fear of the mind giving way
Chestnut Bud	Failure to learn from mistakes
Chicory	Selfish, possessive love
Clematis	Dreaming of the future without working in the present
Crab Apple	The cleansing remedy, also for self-hatred
Elm	Overwhelmed by responsibility
Gentian	Discouragement after a setback
Gorse	Hopelessness and despair
Heather	Self-centredness and self-concern
Holly	Hatred, envy and jealousy
Honeysuckle	Living in the past
Hornbeam	Procrastination, tiredness at the thought of doing something
Impatiens	Impatience
Larch	Lack of confidence
Mimulus	Fear of known things
Mustard	Deep gloom for no reason
Oak	The plodder who keeps going past the point of exhaustion
Olive	Exhaustion following mental or physical effort
Pine	Guilt
Red Chestnut	Over-concern for the welfare of loved ones
Rock Rose	Terror and fright
Rock Water	Self-denial, rigidity and self-repression
Scleranthus	Inability to choose between alternatives
Star of Bethlehem	Shock
Sweet Chestnut	Extreme mental anguish, when everything has been tried and there is no light left
Vervain	Over-enthusiasm
Vine	Dominance and inflexibility
Walnut	Protection from change and unwanted influences
Water Violet	Pride and aloofness
White Chestnut	Unwanted thoughts and mental arguments
Wild Oat	Uncertainty over one's direction in life
Wild Rose	Drifting, resignation, apathy
Willow	Self-pity and resentment

There is also the combination remedy called Rescue Remedy as mentioned before.

Books

Twelve Healers and Other Remedies by Edward Bach - descriptions of the 38 remedies in his own works.

The Bach Flower Remedies Step by Step by Judy Howard - an excellent all-round practical guide to the use of the remedies, now republished in a bright new format.

The Bach Remedies Workbook by Stefan Ball - this illustrated Workbook combines games, quizzes and exercises into a complete 'teach yourself' course in using the remedies, and also introduces the basics of Dr Bach's philosophy of healing.

Principles of Bach Flower Remedies by Stefan Ball - an introductory guide including real-life case studies and a guide to selecting and using the remedies.

Questions and Answers: The Bach Flower Remedies by John Ramsell – practical answers to questions about all aspects of the Bach therapy, from how to pronounce the name 'Bach' to the Bach Centre's approach to conducting consultations.

Illustrated Handbook of the Bach Flower Remedies by Philip M Chancellor - a compilation of in-depth descriptions of each remedy with case histories adapted from Nora Weeks's originals, and illustrated with coloured prints of the flowers.

Bach Flower Remedies for Women by Judy Howard - a thorough, practical and sympathetic book about how the remedies can help during the potentially turbulent milestones of life - menstrual cycle, pregnancy, infertility, dieting, screening, menopause, ageing, bereavement, sexual difficulties etc, by addressing the emotional aspects of these problems.

Bach Flower Remedies for Men by Stefan Ball - a book which covers many aspects of the male experience: bullying, love and sex, work, redundancy, fatherhood, smoking, and the emotional issues associated with a range of health problems from acne to heart disease.

Growing Up with Bach Flower Remedies by Judy Howard - a comprehensive book about how the remedies can help children and adolescents – difficult behaviour, sleeping, feeding, going to school, family relationships, shyness, puberty, taking exams etc.

Bach Flower Remedies for Animals by Stefan Ball and Judy Howard – this illustrated book draws on insights from animal behaviourists and vets to produce the most authoritative guide to using the remedies for animals yet produced. Includes many real-life case studies.

The Bach Flower Gardener by Stefan Ball - NEW from September 1999, this book is a survey of the way people use the remedies to help their plants. It includes precise dosage instructions and help with selecting which remedies to use.

The Medical Discoveries of Edward Bach by Nora Weeks - biography of Dr Bach's medical career and the story of the discovery of the remedies.

Heal Thyself by Edward Bach - Dr Bach's philosophy of life and thoughts on the nature of disease and health.

The Original Writings of Edward Bach compiled by John Ramsell and Judy Howard - a journey through Dr Bach's life in his own words, much of it reproduced from the original manuscripts and printed editions, with illustrations and photographs.

The Story of Mount Vernon by Judy Howard - a tribute to the work of the Bach Centre since Dr Bach lived there, illustrated with full colour photographs.

The Dictionary of the Bach Flower Remedies by Tom Hyne-Jones – showing the positive and negative aspects of each remedy.

Bach Flower Remedies Repertory by FJ Wheeler - suggested remedies to consider for various different moods and emotions. With substantial additions for this new edition.

An Introduction to the Benefits of the Bach Flower Remedies by Jane Evans - a useful introduction for those new to the therapy.

The Bach Flower Remedies: Illustrations and Preparations - for those interested in the botanical aspects of the plants used.

The British English spellings are there because the books come from England.

It is possible of course to use an American Center, rather than a British Centre to find out about the Remedies and to get books, CD's and Tapes.

Here is a little bit of history of how a major US company came about. In 1860, a young pharmacist and student of Samuel Hahnemann, Ernst Louis Ambrecht, came to London and opened a homeopathic pharmacy in Ryder Street where he could put in to practice the principles learned from his teacher. The pharmacy soon outgrew its original premises and in 1890 it was moved to Duke Street where it still remains today supplying homeopathic medicines to customers all over the world. Ernst's son Nelson, who changed the name of the company to A. Nelson and Co., succeeded him.

As its reputation has grown so has the demand for its products. As Europe's oldest and the UK's largest manufacturer of homeopathic medicines, Nelsons now produces the most comprehensive range in Britain from its specialised manufacturing laboratories in Wimbledon.

In this country you would look for:

Nelson Bach USA Ltd.

The address is:

Wilmington Technology Park,
100 Research Drive,
Wilmington, MA 01887
Tel. 508-988-3833

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