"Flower essence therapy works primarily as an energetic catalyst to bring changes in psychological patterns. The results of these changes may have physical manifestations as well, but these are mainly of a preventative nature."
SOURCE: Blossoms of Light by Yarrow Treefriend
HISTORY:
British physician Edward Bach is regarded as the "founder" or "discoverer". He left allopathic medicine in the 1930's and focused on flower essences. He spent his life exploring the use of flowers and plants as a means to promote emotional well-being. By 1936 he identified 38 flower essences, each one derived from a different wild flower, plant or tree, and each corresponding to a specific emotion.
Dr. Bach organized the 38 remedies into seven groups. The names have been modernised to help make it easier:
PREPARATION:
Flower essences are prepared either by placing fresh blooms in a bowl of purified water, and allowing the sun to extract the energetic essence into the water, or by boiling the plant material to extract the essence. This 'tincture' is then preserved in alcohol and packaged into dark sealed glass bottles.
A summary of the Bach Flower Essences - from my studies:
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 losing the mind
Chestnut Bud - failure to learn from mistakes
Chicory - selfish, possessive love
Clematis - dreaming of the future without working in the present
Crab Apple - self-hatred, the cleansing remedy
Elm - overwhelmed by responsibility
Gentian - discouragement after a setback
Gorse - hopelessness and despair
Heather - self-centred and self-concern
Holly - hatred, envy and jealousy
Honeysuckle - living in the past
Hornbeam - procrastination, tiredness
Impatiens - impatience
Larch - lack of self confidence
Mimulus - fear of known things
Mustard - deep gloom descending for no reason
Oak - keep on going, past the point of exhaustion
Olive - exhaustion following mental or physical effort
Pine - guilt
Red Chestnut - over-concern for the welfare of others
Rock Rose - terror or extreme fright
Rock Water - self-denial, rigidity and self-repression
Scleranthus - inability to choose between two alternatives
Star of Bethlehem - shock
Sweet Chestnut - extreme mental anguish
Vervain - over-enthusiasm
Vine - dominance and inflexibility
Walnut - protection from change or unwanted influences
Water Violet - pride and aloofness
White Chestnut - unwanted thoughts or mental arguments
Wild Oat - uncertainty over one’s direction in life
Wild Rose - drifting, resignation, apathy
Willow - self-pity or resentment
There are several "indigenous" flower essence ranges...
This website has a comprehensive EMOTIONS INDEX as well as
a section on key notes on each SINGLE ESSENCE as well as COMBINATIONS
Comments