Bach Flower Remedies: A User-Friendly Guide

By C. M. Barrett

An introduction to the Bach Flower Remedies and vibrational healing

Complete descriptions of all Bach Flower Remedies. Each chapter on a Remedy includes an opening fictional illustration of a Bach personality in action, a full description of the Remedy, and supplemental measures for working with the issues related to the Remedy.

The Remedies are organized into sections such as Fear, Depression, Domination. Each section concludes with a two- or three-part assignment that contains multiple-choice questions and suggestions for the reader to consider (with potential for journal writing).

How to choose Bach Flower Remedies for yourself

How to choose Bach Flower Remedies for others

How to Get the Most Out of Bach Flower Remedies, including comments about meditation, dream work, affirmations, and other useful tools

Quick Picks: A list of several statements for each Bach Flower Remedy that represent the qualities of those who need the given Remedy.

• Language: English
• Publisher: C. M. Barrett
• Release date: Oct 28, 2015
• ISBN: 9781310950322

C. M. Barrett

On my mother's side of the family, I come from a line of storytellers. My grandmother's stories ranged from my grandfather's arrest for draft resistance in England during World War I, the uncertainty of life during the Troubles in Ireland, to the day she decided to leave her marriage (but didn't). My mother's stories described a rural childhood that to a child of a suburb of little boxes seemed idyllic. Both of them encouraged me to read and provided me with books to feed a growing habit. When I was seven or eight, I discovered mythology, and the gods and goddesses in those tales were as real to me as the dragons and cats in my own stories are now. Thanks to my early training in fantasy, I like to hang out with dragons. Accepting the bizarre directions my imagination takes has allowed me to conjure up Zen cats, cougars, gossip-vending hawks, and other critters. Currently I live in upstate New York on a wooded piece of land not unlike some of the terrain in Big Dragons Don't Cry. Since 2000 I've belonged to the online writers' group, Artistic License, subtitled Shameless Blameless Hussies. They've read all my books, but don't blame them if you find errors, because they're shameless. I also paint, and the art on my book cover is one of my watercolors.

Book preview

About This Course

Since 1990, when I began my counseling practice, I've read many books about Bach Flower Remedies. I've learned something from every book I've read on the subject, and I appreciate the dedication of their authors.

For a long time, I was satisfied with the information and ideas I got from the books available, even though I occasionally entertained the idea that I could make a contribution in the form of a book. Instead, I focused on counseling, writing articles about Bach Flower Remedies for my web site, Beyond the Rainbow, and on developing email courses that included information about essences.

Around 1998, I began to write for Vibration magazine, an online journal devoted to essences. Until I encountered Vibration, the books and articles I'd read about flower essences had been serious in tone, sometimes VERY serious. My own approach to spirituality has always been more light-hearted. Flower essences are wonderful for lifting the spirits, and they're even more effective when accompanied by a dose of laughter. Would it be possible, I wondered, to write a book about Bach Flower Remedies that had humorous elements?

While I contemplated that idea, my online writing group asked me to plan a class introducing the Bach Flower Remedies as source material for character development. They received the class with enthusiasm and immediately began to successfully develop characters based on different personality types. Maybe, I thought, the process could be reversed. A fictional portrait of a character embodying the qualities of a particular Remedy could bring the Remedy types to life.

Finally, I discovered that I enjoyed writing about essences in ways that made the often-subtle differences clear to readers and students.

When I put it all together, I realized I could write a reader-friendly book that would view the Bach Flower Remedies from a unique perspective that employed fictional techniques and humor and which clearly explained the differences between Remedies.

As I began writing, I realized a fourth aspect was needed. In this book, I've given particular emphasis to supplementary techniques such as meditation, dream work, affirmations, and other methods. These can greatly enhance the effects of the Remedies.

I initially developed this material as a course that students from all over the world have taken. They range from those who wanted to increase their understanding for personal use of the Remedies to medical doctors, acupuncturists, animal behaviorists, and naturopaths. Their feedback has helped me to further refine the material.

Because I wanted to make the material even more widely available, I have turned it into this book.

THE ORGANIZATION OF THIS BOOK

The introductory material places the Bach Flower Remedy system in the context of energy and vibrational healing. This section includes exercises that will help you to experience the vibrational power of your emotions.

I also describe Dr. Bach's philosophy of wellness and theories of personality. For information on other aspects of his life, I recommend The Medical Discoveries of Dr. Edward Bach, Physician, by Nora Weeks, his close associate.

The main body of the book is devoted to detailed descriptions of the individual Remedies, within a number of broad categories. Each category section begins with distinctions between the Remedies within it.

Each individual Remedy section starts with a fictional portrait, followed by a more general description, and ends with a list of supplementary techniques.

The section on fine-tuning compares Bach Flower Remedies in seventeen categories. Within each category, I've created imaginary characters in dialogue to bring Remedy differences to life.

Getting the Most Out of Bach Flower Remedies describes a variety of methods that can ease the journey of rebalancing.

The final section describes how to choose Remedies for yourself and others. It also includes Quick Picks, a list with several major characteristics for each Remedy. You may wish to use this guide as your initial reference. By scanning its contents, you can get a feel for each Remedy and choose the ones you'd like to learn more about. This section also gives detailed information on making your personal mixture.

HOW TO WORK WITH THIS BOOK

Don't work. Play. Learning about Bach Flower Remedies is really learning about yourself and other people. It can provide both enlightenment and entertainment.

Some Suggested Approaches

Some people will want to read the whole book to get an overview and then go back to digest it more slowly. Others will prefer to take it section by section, doing the assignments as they go along. Either approach is fine.

When you do focus in on the sections, I suggest that you take your time with each, getting really clear on the differences between the Remedies within a section and doing the assignments before going on to the next section. I recommend spending at least a week on each section. Don't rush. If you're not having fun, don't do it.

About the Assignments

Each assignment has three elements: a multiple-choice section, a descriptive section, and suggested ways to work with the material in each chapter. I propose the most likely and most logical answer for each question.

If you don't understand why I chose the answer I did, go back to that section and read it. If the distinctions, for example, between Holly and Willow are unclear to you, think about people you know who may fit into either category. Read the Quick Picks for each Remedy.

In addition to the assignments, I suggest looking over the Supplementary Measures for each Remedy. If any of the suggestions call to you, you might want to employ them. I especially recommend this if you're taking the featured Remedy.

ONGOING PROJECTS

In addition to the specific assignments for each section, I suggest that you deepen your learning through some other methods.

Observation

You can make your study more entertaining by observing people whenever you have the opportunity. Later on, I describe how Dr. Bach enlivened a dull dinner party by identifying different personality types. You can do the same.

If you're traveling, discreetly look at the other passengers. Notice the woman scolding her children, the man sitting straight as a ramrod, and the passenger with complaints. Think of the Remedy for each one.

When you’re reading a book or watching television or a movie, again assign Remedies to the characters.

At a party or meeting, study people and think of appropriate Remedies for them.

Meditation, Dream Recall, Journal Keeping

The section entitled Getting the Most from Bach Flower Remedies lists a number of methods that can deepen your experience of the Remedies—and your life. I recommend slowly beginning to incorporate them into your daily activities.

Don't overload yourself. You may not want to meditate every day. You may not remember your dreams every morning. Do what you can without feeling overwhelmed. (And if you do feel overwhelmed, take Elm.)

YOUR PERSONAL USE OF BACH FLOWER REMEDIES

WHILE READING THIS BOOK

People read this book with a wide variety of experiences. Many may be taking Bach Flower Remedies at the onset, and there's no need to stop.

Some may not be taking any Remedies; some may have never taken any. I think that taking Bach Flower Remedies while studying them deepens the learning and experiencing of them. I have three suggestions for doing so.

One is to go through the Quick Picks section, noting those Remedies that sound most suitable, then narrowing down the choice to one. Don't worry if you haven't chosen the perfect Remedy. During the time span of the course, you will have the opportunity to take more.

Another is to take Larch. In my consulting and teaching experience, I have found few people who couldn't benefit from this Remedy. In summary, it's for self-esteem, for the feeling that one can do what one needs or wants to do. Simply on the basis that we can all feel better about ourselves, it's worth taking.

Larch, however, has a more subtle energy. In many modern societies, we have the ethic that one must earn happiness by working hard, perhaps suffering and sacrificing, and generally having a bad journey to a good end. Larch helps us to realize our inherent worthiness and helps us to become more receptive to the expectation of happiness. Taking it will especially help those who believe that learning is hard work.

A third choice is the one by which I learned Bach Flower Remedies in my certification course. I was required to buy a complete set of Remedies and take one at a time for two days.

If you choose to do this, here's the method I recommend.

You don't have to stop taking whatever Remedies may be in your current mixture. Simply wait two hours after one of your standard dosages to take the teaching Remedy.

Relate the teaching Remedy to the section you're studying. For example, if you're reading the section on Clematis and Honeysuckle, take Clematis once each day for two consecutive days; then take Honeysuckle for two days.

You may want to take the Remedy before reading the section about it. Another option is to take it before meditating. In either case, be aware of your thoughts, feelings, and sensations. If you're keeping a journal, write about any responses to the Remedy.

You may have some surprising discoveries. I never thought about taking Red Chestnut (for being overly concerned about others), but during the two days I was taking it as a teaching Remedy, I discovered concern for a person I'd previously disliked. This helped me realize that beneath my negative emotions, I cared about him. The discovery helped me to release the dislike.

How the Bach Flower Remedies Work:

Treating the Whole Human

Although more physicians are beginning to understand the connection between the mind, emotions, and physical illness, they don't commonly consider the patient's personality and dominant emotions in determining treatment.

Dean Ornish, M.D., a pioneer in developing an approach to heart disease that includes meditation and group therapy, speaks of an incident that occurred while he was an intern making rounds. The resident said, Dean, this is a fifty-three-year-old man who had a heart attack three days ago. He's depressed and he wants to talk to someone, but we don't have time . . . . Just go in his room, listen to his heart and lungs, and get out!

The following year, when Ornish was a resident, a prominent cardiologist said to him, You're taking care of my patient, Mr. Smith. He's scheduled for bypass surgery later today, and he's so worried he's bouncing off the walls. I send patients in for bypass surgery every day, so I don't understand why he's so worried—it's no big deal to me. Dr. Dean Ornish's Program for Reversing Heart Disease, p. 27-28)

As a medical student, Edward Bach studied the emotions and personalities of his patients, observing their effects on the progress of healing. Fear could slow the healing process, and depressed patients showed little will to get better. Impatient ones might slow down the rate of recovery by refusing to rest and relax. After countless observations, he concluded that one's personality both strongly influenced the course of disease and determined the kind of treatment most likely to succeed.

His study of homeopathic principles confirmed his deepening belief that true healing required treating the patient, not the disease. His diagnostic ability became so keen that he could identify the homeopathic remedy someone needed in the time it took the patient to walk from his office door to his desk.

THE DINNER PARTY

Skilled as he had become, he felt there was much more to learn about the nature of disease and personality. He was in the midst of exploring these questions when he attended a large dinner party.

Bored with the conversation, he watched the people around him, studying them closely. He began to notice distinct personality types. Inspired by this discovery, he became even more attentive, watching physical movements, facial expressions, and listening, when he could, to people's voices. He realized that some of them, although biologically unrelated, displayed such similar behavior that they seemed like family members.

By the end of the party, he'd begun to identify personality groups. As his ideas developed, he studied his patients even more closely, noting every aspect of their behavior.

INTO THE WOODS

Bach concluded that mental/emotional states caused all illness and that curing these states created health on all levels. Now he focused his attention on discovering a method to foster mental/emotional well-being.

His intuitive sense told him he would find his answer in the flowers of the countryside. This sense led him to leave London for rural Wales.

Here he discovered a way to extract the energetic essences of flowers. He immersed them into pure water at their peak of flowering and let them sit in the sunlight long enough for the water to absorb this energy. The potentized water became the basis for the Bach Flower Remedies.

FLEETING MOMENTS

Bach noted that, although many mental traits seemed to be a permanent part of an individual's personality, people's emotions could also change rapidly, especially in the course of illness. A patient might initially be fearful about the disease, then depressed, then impatient to be out of bed. Each mood had to be treated with a particular remedy.

People who lived stable, unchanging lives might appear to have relatively fixed personality traits. Those who experienced frequent changes could have much more dramatic mood fluctuations. Bach realized that each time he saw a patient, he needed to discard all opinions and view her as an entirely new person. This perspective allowed him to diagnose her condition without prejudice and to choose the correct remedy for her current condition.

Through continuous observation and constant refinement, he identified thirty-eight basic mental states and discovered the remedy to treat each.

HOW THEY WORK

Although the concept of energy blockage is a general one, Bach's experience was that such blockages were particularized. One person might be blocked from expressing unconditional love by feelings and thoughts of anger, another by resentment.

One individual might have his ability to make appropriate decisions limited by the feeling he had to ask others. Another might always feel there were too many choices available for him to make a decision.

The theory behind the use of the Bach Flower Essences is that each of the flowers embodies a particular energy frequency. When an individual resists the expression of that particular energy (i.e., patience, calmness, enthusiasm), she is out of touch with that aspect of her fundamental nature.

Jane, for example, resists being genuinely nurturing and expressing selfless love and compassion. As a parent, she interfered with and manipulated her children's lives to the best of her ability. She became sullen when she didn't get her way. She wanted her children to visit often, and when one of her sons contemplated moving across the country, Jane bombarded him with arguments against the move.

She came to realize one day that, instead of drawing her children closer to her, she was driving them away. When she got the nerve to ask one of them why he no longer called or visited, he answered, I feel stifled by you. I can't live my own life unless I stay away.

This statement shocked Jane into a desire to change. She decided to take the Bach Flower Remedy Chicory, which embodies the essence of unconditional love and an emotional freedom that allows others to follow their own paths. It acted as a catalyst to dissolve her resistance to expressing these qualities by flooding her being with the subtle energies of unreserved love.

In the following chapter, I describe this concept in more detail.

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. They are able, like beautiful music or any glorious uplifting thing that gives us inspiration, to raise our very natures, and bring us nearer to our souls and by that very act to bring us peace and relieve our sufferings. They cure, not by attacking the disease, but by flooding our bodies with the beautiful vibrations of our Higher Nature, in the presence of which disease melts away as snow in the sunshine.

Vibrational Healing:

What Are the Bach Flower Remedies?

I first encountered the Bach Flower Remedies through a page of short descriptions in a holistic catalog. As I read through the list, I thought I needed them all. Totally frustrated, I decided that either I was in much worse shape than I'd thought or something was wrong with this system.

A few years later, someone told me about Rescue Remedy. I bought a bottle and took it on a vacation to England, where I stayed in a hotel in Glastonbury that had been a monastery, founded in the 1400s. The place seemed haunted, and I found myself agitated and anxious. I remembered the bottle I'd packed, took a few drops, and began to feel better. I took Rescue Remedy every night before going to sleep and experienced an ease I didn't usually feel when I was away from home.

ENERGY MEDICINE

By then, I was starting to learn about alternative healing systems. I was especially interested in acupuncture, tai chi, Reiki, and other systems whose approaches to wellness were radically different from traditional Western systems.

Many Eastern healing systems are based on the idea that all life is maintained in health and wholeness by a universal and ever-replenishing energy source. Negative thoughts and emotions create a blockage of this energy flow that leads to emotional—and sometimes physical—imbalances. When such blockages are released, universal energy not only restores our physical and emotional balance but also guides us to be true to our essential natures as joyful, free beings.

When we make choices that are true to our natures, we feel good. When we make choices that are untrue to our natures, we feel badly. The more we make the second kind of choice, the more we become disconnected from the intuitive voice of guidance.

How This Works

To experience the vibrations of energy, you need to be aware of how you feel. Vibrations are the building blocks of sensation and feeling. They are the ripple of pleasure you feel when you eat a piece of ripe fruit bursting with juice, the sensation of beautiful music flowing through you, and your shiver of excitement as you anticipate the realization of something for which you've longed.

These positive feelings are always guiding you. Like a spiritual compass, they tell you whether what you're thinking and feeling is life giving or life draining.

As a writer and teacher, I believe that it's far more effective to show how something works than to tell how. I've designed a series of imaginary scenarios to help you experience what I've been describing.

To do these, choose a time and place where you won't be disturbed. Sit in a comfortable chair and allow yourself to relax. One effective way to do this is to imagine that earth energy is coming up through your feet and flowing through you. Deliberately stretch and relax.

As you go through these exercises, be aware of bodily sensations. Pay special attention to your breathing, sensations along the backbone, and on the skin.

1. You're walking peacefully along a trail in the woods when you suddenly hear a rattling sound and see a snake poised to strike.

How does that feel?

2. You are driving at night. It's raining, and you're being very careful, especially because of the poor visibility. You see headlights coming toward you. You honk your horn, but the car keeps on coming straight at you.

How does that feel?

3. You're happily in love. It makes you feel glad just to think of your beloved. To your surprise, you see this person coming towards you, smiling, with arms outstretched, ready for a hug.

How does that feel?

4. Think of a baby animal you love (kitten, puppy, rabbit, lamb, calf, or human). You're holding this small animal, stroking it, feeling the soft texture of its fur or skin, looking into its beautiful, innocent eyes, and enjoying the relaxation of its body.

How does that feel?

The first two scenes may have caused a feeling of tension and tightness. Had they been real-life situations, you might have felt your heartbeat quicken, your muscles grow stiff. Breathing may have been difficult. You might have had a general feeling of constriction, a weird and unpleasant tingling, as if energy were trapped.

In the second two scenes, you probably felt a sensation of relaxation, possibly a shiver of energy up the backbone and throughout the body. The sight of a lover would make some people's hearts quicken, and one might feel a rush of energy, a feeling of aliveness and happiness. Close contact with a baby animal would be more likely to induce calmness, affection, and pleasurable sensory stimulation.

HABITUAL PATTERNS

Some patterns of vibrational response become practiced. A person who is often or easily frightened tends to constantly constrict energy pathways. His breathing may be shallow, which contributes to both physical and vibrational stagnation and blockages.

Someone who's often depressed may have become deadened to sensation. His energy is literally sluggish.

Here are a few more exercises, intended to illustrate the effect of practiced body sensations.

1. Think about someone you can't forgive. Remember the thing (episode, action) that made you feel unforgiving.

How does that feel?

2. Imagine that your boss has just told you he doesn't think you deserve a raise.

How does that feel?

3. Imagine that you've just learned you won an all-expenses