"All we have to do is to find what is wrong with our nature and to take the herb which corresponds to this"
- Dr Edward Bach, 1933
Edward Bach studied medicine first in Birmingham and later at the University College Hospital, London, where he was House Surgeon. He also worked in private practice, having a set of consulting rooms in Harley Street. As a bacteriologist and pathologist he undertook original research into vaccines in his own research laboratory.
In 1917 Dr Bach was working on the wards tending to soldiers returned injured from France. One day he collapsed and was rushed into an operating theatre suffering from a severe haemmorhage. His colleagues operated to remove a tumour, but the prognosis was poor. When he came round they told Bach that he had only three months left to live.
As soon as he could get out of bed, Bach returned to his laboratory. He intended to advance his work as far as he could in the short time that remained. But as the weeks went by he began to get stronger. The three months came and went and found him in better health than ever. He was convinced that his sense of purpose was what saved him: he still had work to do.
Homoeopathic research
His research into vaccines was going well, but despite this Dr Bach felt dissatisfied with the way doctors were expected to concentrate on diseases and ignore the whole person. He aspired to a more holistic approach to medicine. Perhaps this explains why, not being a homoeopath, he took the offer of a post at the Royal London Homoeopathic Hospital.
Once there he soon noticed the parallels between his work on vaccines and the principles of homoeopathy. He adapted his vaccines to produce a series of seven homoeopathic nosodes. This work and its subsequent publication brought him some fame in homoeopathic circles. People began to refer to him as 'the second Hahnemann'.
The flower remedies
Up to now Bach had been working with bacteria, but he wanted to find remedies that would be purer and less reliant on the products of disease. He began collecting plants and in particular flowers - the most highly-developed part of a plant - in the hope of replacing the nosodes with a series of gentler remedies.
By 1930 he was so enthused by the direction his work was taking that he gave up his lucrative Harley Street practice and left London, determined to devote the rest of his life to the new system of medicine that he was sure could be found in nature. He took with him as his assistant a radiographer called Nora Weeks.
Just as he had abandoned his home, office and work, Dr Bach began to abandon the scientific method and its reliance on laboratories and reductionism. He fell back instead on his natural gifts as a healer, and more and more allowed his intuition to guide him to the right plants.
Over years of trial and error, which involved preparing and testing thousands of plants, he found one by one the remedies he wanted. Each was aimed at a particular mental state or emotion. He found that when he treated the personalities and feelings of his patients their unhappiness and physical distress would be alleviated naturally as the healing potential in their bodies was unblocked and allowed to work once more.
His life followed a seasonal pattern from 1930 to 1934: the spring and summer spent looking for and preparing the remedies; the winter giving help and advice to all who came looking for them. Most winters were spent in the coastal town of Cromer. Here he met and became friends with a local builder and healer, Victor Bullen.
The Bach Centre
In 1934 Dr Bach and Nora Weeks moved to a house called Mount Vernon in the Oxfordshire village of Brighwell-cum-Sotwell. In the lanes and fields he found the remaining remedies that he needed to complete the series. By now his body and mind were so in tune with his work that he would suffer the emotional state that he needed to cure and try plants and flowers until he found the one that would help him. In this way, through great personal suffering and sacrifice, he completed his life's work.
A year after announcing that his search for remedies was complete, Dr Bach passed away peacefully on the evening of November 27th, 1936. He was only 50 years old, but he had outlived his doctors' prognosis by nearly 20 years. He left behind him several lifetime's experience and effort, and a system of medicine that is used all over the world.
He left his work in the hands of his friends and colleagues Nora Weeks and Victor Bullen, with instructions that they should carry on his work and stay true to the essential simplicity of what he had done. In a letter to Victor dated 26th October 1936, a month before his death, he wrote:
People like ourselves who have tasted the glory of self-sacrifice, the glory of helping our brothers, once we have been given a jewel of such magnitude, nothing can deviate us from our path of love and duty to displaying its lustre, pure and unadorned to the people of the world.
Which are the type remedies?
In his earliest writings on flower remedies Dr Bach theorised that there were a set number of fundamental types of people. The actual number varied, but from 1932 to 1935 he mainly referred to the first twelve remedies – the twelve healers – as the “primary types of personalities”, and associated each with particular failings and qualities.
During this same period, however, he found other remedies that had type-like characteristics. In 1933, for example, he found remedies for “types of people [… whose] abnormal state is regarded by themselves and others as part of their character” - what we might call “false types”.
Later, in 1935, he referred to the final 19 remedies as developing our “inner great self” - so here too there was something fundamental about the action of at least some of these remedies, something that went deeper than simply treating a mood.
In the year following his discovery of the final remedy, Dr Bach looked at the best way to group the remedies together. At first he tried to keep to the idea that the first twelve were fundamental – but in the end he abandoned this in favour of a simpler approach to classification, using seven headings: remedies for fear, remedies for uncertainty, and so on.
He gave equal importance to all the remedies in the final system. Aside from the asterisks in The Twelve Healers and Other Remedies (which were added by the publishers, not by Dr Bach) there isn't any way to tell the first twelve from the others.
In some of his remedy descriptions – including descriptions of many later remedies – he included personality traits. Of the first twelve remedies, he described Rock Rose as a crisis remedy that could apply to anybody – a classic mood remedy.
There is no fixed list of type remedies in the final system, and the "type remedies" are simply those that could be interpreted as defining a characteristic rather than a passing mood.
How remedies are made
Two methods are used to make remedies. Most of the more delicate flowers are prepared using the sun method. This involves floating the flower heads in pure water for three hours, in direct sunlight.
Woodier plants, and those that bloom when the sun is weak, are generally prepared by the boiling method - i.e. boiling the flowering parts of the plant for half an hour in pure water.
In both cases once heat has transferred the energy in the flowers to the water, the energised water is mixed with an equal quantity of brandy.
This mix is the mother tincture.
Mother tincture is further diluted into brandy (at a ratio of two drops of mother tincture to 30 ml of brandy) to make the stock bottles that you see in the shops
How to take the remedies
You can take the remedies in several ways, and the instructions here are designed to be easy to remember. Taking larger doses at one time doesn't have a stronger effect; but if you are going through a crisis you can take more frequent doses to get you through it.
The 'glass of water' method
For short-term moods and problems put two drops of each selected remedy in a glass of water. Sip as often as required until relief is obtained. If using the pre-mixed emergency formula, add four drops to the glass instead of two.
You can use this method for longer-term problems as well. Just sip from the glass throughout the day, at least four times a day - and keep the glass in the 'fridge or make up a fresh glass each day.
Personal mixes
For more chronic problems we recommend making up a personal mix of remedies in a dropper bottle, as it is cheaper and will make your precious stock remedies go further. Simply:
Get an empty 30ml bottle with a dropper in the lid (try the local pharmacy)
Add to the bottle two drops of each selected remedy (and/or four drops of the pre-mixed emergency formula)
Top the bottle up with still (i.e. not fizzy) mineral water
From this bottle take four drops, at least four times a day
Personal mixes will last two or three weeks if you keep them cool - in the fridge, for example. If that isn't possible - maybe you live somewhere warm or will be carrying the bottle around in your pocket - add a teaspoon of brandy to the bottle before topping up with water. This will help keep the water from going off. If you don't want to use brandy, use cider vinegar or glycerine instead.
Direct on the tongue
You can also take remedies 'neat', without diluting them. This is the most expensive way to take remedies and tastes strongly of brandy (unless you are using a stock remedy bottled in glycerine etc.), so is not recommended - but it is just as effective.
To make it easy to remember, you take the same number of drops when taking a neat stock remedy as you do when you are adding remedies to a personal mix or a glass of water: two drops, direct on the tongue.
If you are taking the the pre-mixed emergency formula the dosage is four drops, again direct on the tongue.
In either case, repeat as necessary - at least four times a day for long-term use.
Dr Bach's crisis formula
The traditional crisis remedy
...is the most famous of the remedies, but in fact is not 'a remedy' at all. Instead it's a blend of five different remedies:
Rock Rose
Impatiens
Cherry Plum
Star of Bethlehem
Clematis
This mix was created by Dr Bach to deal with emergencies and crises - the moments when there is no time to make a proper individual selection of remedies. It can be used to help us get through any stressful moments, from last-minute exam nerves to the aftermath of an accident.
The best-known make of the crisis formula is sold under the brand name Rescue Remedy - but every remedy maker has its own version of this formula.
The crisis formula is designed to help deal with immediate problems. If you are working through an underlying problem - or if you need rescuing every day - you will find a longer-term solution by selecting a personal blend of remedies.
The cream version
...of the crisis formula contains the same five remedies as the liquid, with the addition of Crab Apple, the cleansing remedy. This formula dates from the early 1960s and was put together by Dr Bach's assistant, Nora Weeks.
The cream is also an emergency combination, and a convenient way of applying the crisis formula externally to bumps and bruises of all kinds.
Most remedy makers produce a version of the cream. Again, the best known brand is sold under the name Rescue.
Other premixed formulas
Some remedy manufacturers offer premixed combinations that claim to treat specific problems such as sleeplessness, tiredness, exam stress and even weight and relationship issues.
Be wary of these products. The traditional crisis formula has shown over time that it contains something helpful for almost any emergency. The same isn't true of situation- and symptom-specific mixes. They tend to be ineffective because they are not chosen for the individual.
For example, insomnia may be caused by many remedy states, including those associated with Vervain, Aspen, Mimulus, Agrimony and Red Chestnut. Yet the most popular of the premixed blends against sleeplessness contains none of these remedies.
The only effective way to deal with specific non-emergency situations is to make a personal selection.
Selecting remedies
Dr Bach wanted his system to be easy to use. Anyone can select and take remedies without professional advice. You don't need special techniques or mystical abilities. Here's what to do.
Physical problems
Suppose you are suffering from asthma. There is no Bach remedy for asthma, since this is a physical complaint. So the first step is to forget about the physical problem. Instead of concentrating on the asthma, think about how you feel emotionally, and about the sort of person you are.
Similarly, when it comes to selecting Bach remedies you should ignore any physical symptoms. They are not relevant to which Bach remedies you need.
The remedies work on a emotional level. If you need help with a physical problem you should consult a qualified medical advisor in addition to taking Bach remedies.
Your current feelings
Start by thinking about the way you feel at the moment. Perhaps your son is about to start school and quite without cause you are frightened that he will be bullied? - Red Chestnut is the remedy for the fear that something bad will happen to loved ones. Perhaps you have been working too hard and are exhausted? - this would indicate the need for Olive.
Consult the list of remedies - there are only 38 - and see which ones best match your current feelings.
If you do have a physical problem, consider how it makes you feel emotionally. Do you feel frustrated, annoyed, resentful, discouraged, resigned about the condition? Are you always thinking it about it? Does it make you feel anxious?
As before, look through the list of remedies and find those that best match how you feel.
Your personality
You could also think about your basic personality - the sort of person you are underneath everything else.
Perhaps you are someone who tends to be quiet, shy and timid, and doesn't like meeting new new people? - This might indicate that you are a Mimulus type. (...is the remedy for known fears. Whenever you are frightened or anxious about something, and you can say what that 'something' is, then Mimulus is the remedy to take.
Mimulus fears are those of every day: fear of public speaking, of the dark, of aggressive dogs, of illness and pain. Phobias can also be Mimulus fears if the cause of the fear - whether spiders, birds or open spaces - can be named. Rock Rose might be preferred where the phobia causes real terror. Where the fear is vague and there is general anxiety and apprehension without a specific named cause, there Aspen might be a better choice.
Mimulus is used as a type or personality remedy for those of us who tend generally to be nervous, timid and shy. We might blush easily or stammer, and will usually avoid social occasions and any event where we will be in the limelight.
Mimulus brings out the quiet courage and strength that lies hidden in all of us, so that we can face the everyday trials of life without fear.
Dr Bach's description
Fear of worldly things, illness, pain, accidents, poverty, of dark, of being alone, of misfortune. The fears of everyday life. These people quietly and secretly bear their dread, they do not freely speak of it to others.
On the other hand, maybe you recognise yourself as a Vervain person, (...people are perfectionists with a keen sense of justice. They are blessed with extreme mental energy that they willingly throw into the causes they believe in.
The Vervain enthusiasm can be infectious, and they feel a strong need to persuade others to their own point of view. But at an extreme they are in danger of becoming fanatics, unable to listen to alternative points of view, and they may put themselves under a great deal of stress because they find it so hard to switch off and relax.
When we are in this state the remedy helps us regain our balance so that body and mind and be restored. It encourages the wisdom to enjoy life and the passage of time instead of always feeling the need to be active.
Dr Bach's description
Those with fixed principles and ideas, which they are confident are right, and which they very rarely change. They have a great wish to convert all around them to their own views of life. They are strong of will and have much courage when they are convinced of those things that they wish to teach. In illness they struggle on long after many would have given up their duties.
That would be a Water Violet personality.
Don't worry if you can't find a personality remedy right away, though. The important thing is to select remedies for your current emotions.
Narrowing the choice
You can select up to six or seven different remedies in this way. Don't worry if you make a wrong selection, because if a remedy is not needed it won't do anything - it certainly won't make things worse.
Experience has shown, however, that too many remedies taken at one time tends to lessen the effect. This means that there is no point mixing all 38 to zap everything at once!
If you find you have more than seven or eight remedies in your mix, you are probably including some that are not needed. Leave out any that relate to feelings that are in the past, and any that aren't really needed because another remedy is more accurate.
For example, if you have several fear remedies in your mix - such as Mimulus, Aspen, Rock Rose - it may be better to concentrate on the remedy that most accurately represents the quality of your anxiety.
Each of the 38 remedies discovered by Dr Bach is directed at a particular characteristic or emotional state. To select the remedies you need, think about the sort of person you are and the way you are feeling.
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 - 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 - quiet self-reliance leading to isolation
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
Agrimony
...is the remedy for people who keep their troubles hidden under a mask of pleasure and happiness. The sad clown masking inner hurt by being the life and soul of the party is an Agrimony archetype. Friends are often the last to know that anything is wrong in the Agrimony person's life.
Sometimes Agrimony people turn to drink or drugs to help them stay 'happy'. They tend not to like being alone: the mask slips when there is no company. They seek out friends, parties and bright lights. Only at night when they are alone with their thoughts will the mental torture they have repressed come back to haunt them.
Agrimony helps us come to terms with the darker side of our lives and personalities, so that we can become more rounded human beings. We won't lose our sense of humour or our ability to get through the day, but will find that laughing at our troubles dispels them rather than hides them. As a mood remedy, Agrimony helps anyone who is trying not to face a trouble and using jokes and false smiles to avoid a painful reality.
Dr Bach's description
The jovial, cheerful, humorous people who love peace and are distressed by argument or quarrel, to avoid which they will agree to give up much. Though generally they have troubles and are tormented and restless and worried in mind or in body, they hide their cares behind their humour and jesting and are considered very good friends to know. They often take alcohol or drugs in excess, to stimulate themselves and help themselves bear their trials with cheerfulness.
Aspen
...is the remedy for any fear whose cause can't be named. At one end of the spectrum the Aspen fear may be no more than a sense of foreboding, an uneasy anxiety that something unpleasant or frightening is going to happen. At the other it can be a real terror, with physical symptoms such as the hair standing on end.
Sometimes people think of Aspen as a night-time fear, related to dreams and night terrors. Aspen would certainly be the right remedy if you were lying awake in the dark scared of something but not knowing what it was. But in fact Dr Bach said that fear of the dark is a Mimulus fear, since the cause (the dark) can be named. And nameless Aspen fears are just as likely to occur in full sunlight as on a dark night.
Dr Bach's description
Vague unknown fears, for which there can be given no explanation, no reason. Yet the patient may be terrified of something terrible going to happen, he knows not what. These vague unexplainable fears may haunt by night or day. Sufferers often are afraid to tell their trouble to others.
Beech
...was described by Dr Bach as the remedy for people who 'feel the need to see more good and beauty in all that surrounds them.'
People in a Beech state are intolerant of difference. They lack compassion and understanding of the circumstances and paths that other people are given, and fail to see that they too are working towards perfection in their own ways.
Sometimes Beech intolerance is manifested as outbursts of irritability: the remedy helps to encourage tolerance and understanding, and as this happens so the irritability also fades.
Dr Bach's description
For those who feel the need to see more good and beauty in all that surrounds them. And, although much appears to be wrong, to have the ability to see the good growing within. So as to be able to be more tolerant, lenient and understanding of the different way each individual and all things are working to their own final perfection.
Centaury
...is for people who find it difficult to say 'no' to others. Centauries are kind, gentle souls and like to help. But sometimes other more ruthless people take advantage of this, and instead of being a willing servant the Centaury person ends up the slave of another's wishes.
The Centaury remedy doesn't harden us or make us callous. Instead it supports the development of courage and self-determination. We are better able to draw a line and make space where we can be ourselves, free of the desires and commands of others.
Dr Bach's description
Kind, quiet, gentle people who are over-anxious to serve others. They overtax their strength in their endeavours. Their wish so grows upon them that they become more servants than willing helpers. Their good nature leads them to do more than their own share of work, and in so doing they may neglect their own particular mission in life.
Cerato
...is the remedy for people who lack faith in their judgement. Faced with the need to make a choice they can come to a decision without too much trouble - something which differentiates them sharply from people in a Scleranthus state.
Problems come after the decision is made. Doubts creep in and they are no longer sure if what they have decided is right. They go around asking for the opinions and advice of others, and end up confused or doing something that they know in their hearts is not right.
Cerato helps us have more faith in our judgement so that we can listen to our inner voice and trust our intuition.
Dr Bach's description
Those who have not sufficient confidence in themselves to make their own decisions. They constantly seek advice from others, and are often misguided.
Cherry Plum
...is one of the remedies that Dr Bach grouped together under the heading Fear. The Cherry Plum fear is very specific: it is the fear that one is going to lose control of oneself and do something dreadful, such as injuring others or harming oneself. Fears of going mad and of acting irrationally are Cherry Plum states.
Cherry Plum is also the remedy for a loss of control that has already taken place, because of the frantic fear and dread associated with such situations. Think of the fear a small child feels in the grip of a screaming, irrational tantrum: this too is a Cherry Plum state.
Cherry Plum is one of the ingredients in Dr Bach's original crisis formula, which he put together for emergency use.
Dr Bach's description
Fear of the mind being over-strained, of reason giving way, of doing fearful and dreaded things, not wished and known wrong, yet there comes the thought and impulse to do them.
Chestnut Bud
...is for people who fail to learn the lessons of life. They may repeat the same mistakes over and over, such as taking a succession of identical jobs and being surprised to find each one unfulfilling. They may also see others making a mistake and fail to apply the lesson to their own lives. They go right ahead and make the same mistake themselves.
It's good to move on and leave the past behind, but in a Chestnut Bud state we are almost too ready to do this. We give so little thought to the past that we fail to learn and are doomed to repeat our failures. Chestnut Bud helps us learn and move on to genuinely new experiences.
Dr Bach's description
For those who do not take full advantage of observation and experience, and who take a longer time than others to learn the lessons of daily life. Whereas one experience would be enough for some, such people find it necessary to have more, sometimes several, before the lesson is learnt. Therefore, to their regret, they find themselves having to make the same error on different occasions when once would have been enough, or observation of others could have spared them even that one fault.
Chicory
...people are full of love and care for their families and friends. But they expect to receive love and attention in return, with interest, and feel slighted and unnecessarily hurt if they don't get all they expect. Their great love can lead them to hold onto their loved ones and try to keep them dependent and close to hand. This may stifle the development of other personalities, or simply drive people away.
When we fall into this state the remedy helps bring out the positive side of Chicory: love given unconditionally and in freedom.
Dr Bach's description
Those who are very mindful of the needs of others; they tend to be over-full of care for children, relatives, friends, always finding something that should be put right. They are continually correcting what they consider wrong, and enjoy doing so. They desire that those for whom they care should be near them.
Clematis
...is for people whose minds drift away from the present into fantasies of the future, or into alternative versions of the present. Often they dream of future success, creative endeavour and achievement. The danger is that they are not sufficiently anchored in reality to make their dreams happen.
The remedy helps bring us back to earth and back to ourselves so that we can act to build a better life, instead of living in daydreams.
Sometimes people confuse the Clematis state with Honeysuckle, but the two are quite different. In the Honeysuckle state we live in nostalgic fantasies of the past or relive old regrets; as Clematis people our thoughts drift away to imagined futures.
Clematis is one of the ingredients in Dr Bach's original crisis formula, where it is used to help the fuzzy, faint, light-headed feelings that may come in emergencies.
Dr Bach's description
Those who are dreamy, drowsy, not fully awake, no great interest in life. Quiet people, not really happy in their present circumstances, living more in the future than in the present; living in hopes of happier times, when their ideals may come true. In illness some make little or no effort to get well, and in certain cases may even look forward to death, in the hope of better times; or maybe, meeting again some beloved one whom they have lost.
Crab Apple
...is known as the cleansing remedy, and as such is the added 'sixth ingredient' in the cream version of Dr Bach's original crisis formula. Its main use is to help people who dislike some aspect of their appearance or personality, or feel that they have something unclean or poisonous about them.
Sometimes in a Crab Apple state we disregard genuine problems and concentrate obsessively on one thing that we have fixed on - sometimes a quite minor aspect of the whole. We might take Crab Apple to cleanse obsessive, repetitive behaviour such as hand-washing, re-checking that appliances are unplugged, and so on.
Dr Bach's description
This is the remedy of cleansing. For those who feel as if they had something not quite clean about themselves. Often it is something of apparently little importance: in others there may be more serious disease which is almost disregarded compared to the one thing on which they concentrate. In both types they are anxious to be free from the one particular thing which is greatest in their minds and which seems so essential to them that it should be cured. They become despondent if treatment fails. Being a cleanser, this remedy purifies wounds if the patient has reason to believe that some poison has entered which must be drawn out.
Elm
...is the remedy for people suffering a temporary loss of confidence due to the overwhelming amount of responsibility they have taken on. Genuine Elm types are people who are successful and carrying out work they believe in, but at times the burden brings them down and they feel will not be able to cope.
The remedy helps to dispel these feelings so that we can resume our lives without thought of failure.
The Elm state can be usefully contrasted with that of Larch. People in the former take up challenges willingly and only occasionally doubt their abilities; it's the scale of a task, rather than the difficulty of doing something well, that causes the crisis. Larch people are convinced they are going to fail right from the start, and so tend not to try in the first place.
Dr Bach's description
Those who are doing good work, are following the calling of their life and who hope to do something of importance, and this often for the benefit of humanity. At times there may be periods of depression when they feel that the task they have undertaken is too difficult, and not within the power of a human being.
Gentian
...is for that relatively mild downheartedness we sometimes feel when things go wrong. We miss a bus; fail an exam; miss out on an opportunity: it knocks us back. Often the feeling lifts by itself, but the remedy can be used to lift it sooner so that we are able to make things go right instead of just hoping they will.
Gentian is often confused with Gorse, which is also a remedy for feeling down when things go wrong. The difference is largely one of degree. People in a Gorse state have decided to give up. They refuse to be encouraged, and even if they seek a solution they will do so grudgingly, assuring everyone that there is no use trying. People in a Gentian state are less pessimistic and more prepared to try again.
Dr Bach's description
Those who are easily discouraged. They may be progressing well in illness, or in the affairs of their daily life, but any small delay or hindrance to progress causes doubt and soon disheartens them.
Gorse
...is the remedy for people who have given up belief and hope. Gorse represents a stronger kind of downheartedness than the Gentian state, because Gorse people wilfully refuse to be encouraged, so certain are they that their case is hopeless. If ill, they may think themselves incurable, and that nothing can be done.
Nevertheless, Dr Bach classified Gorse as a remedy for uncertainty, and not as a remedy for despair alongside Sweet Chestnut. This demonstrates that the main problem with Gorse people is a loss of faith: if we can be persuaded to see things in a different light there is usually a way forward. This is what the Gorse remedy helps to achieve.
Dr Bach's description
Very great hopelessness, they have given up belief that more can be done for them. Under persuasion or to please others they may try different treatments, at the same time assuring those around that there is so little hope of relief.
Heather
...is for people who are obsessed with themselves but do not like to be alone. Dr Bach called them 'buttonholers' because they latch onto people, all the time talking at exhaustive length about their problems, great and small, until people begin actively to avoid them. Thus the thing Heather people fear - loneliness - is brought about because of their behaviour.
The remedy helps us see our own concerns in the context of other people's. Having suffered ourselves from the need to talk, we become good listeners. As a result people seek us out for our compassion rather than avoiding us because of our self-centredness.
Dr Bach's description
Those who are always seeking the companionship of anyone who may be available, as they find it necessary to discuss their own affairs with others, no matter whom it may be. They are very unhappy if they have to be alone for any length of time.
Holly
...is often thought of as the remedy for anger - but this isn't necessarily the case. In the Bach system anger is a secondary emotion and we need to look more closely at the cause. Anger based on impatience needs another remedy, for example, as do those angers based on feelings of personal unfairness or impersonal injustice, or where there is a simple loss of control.
Holly is actually the remedy for very negative, aggressive feelings directed at others - feelings such as hatred, suspicion, envy, spite. The basic problem is an absence of love, and the remedy works to encourage our generosity of spirit and an openness towards others.
Dr Bach's description
For those who sometimes are attacked by thoughts of such kind as jealousy, envy, revenge, suspicion. For the different forms of vexation. Within themselves they may suffer much, often when there is no real cause for their unhappiness.
Honeysuckle
...is for people who live in the past instead of the present. They feel that their best days are behind them and that there is little to look forward to, and as a consequence they prefer to dwell on past happinesses (or past misfortunes). In a more minor key, homesickness and nostalgia are also Honeysuckle states.
The remedy helps us to learn from and recall the past without needing to relive it, so that we can progress into the present and take joy from today and tomorrow.
Dr Bach's description
Those who live much in the past, perhaps a time of great happiness, or memories of a lost friend, or ambitions which have not come true. They do not expect further happiness such as they have had.
Hornbeam
...is used against feelings of exhaustion and tiredness that come before an effort has been made.
The person in this state feels weary when he looks forward at the demands of the day. It's easier to stay in bed or put off making a start, or find other things to do - but if an effort can be made to get started the weariness will fade, a sign that unlike the Olive state this tiredness is wholly 'in the mind' and can't be traced to actual events in the real world.
Dr Bach's description
For those who feel that they have not sufficient strength, mentally or physically, to carry the burden of life placed upon them; the affairs of every day seem too much for them to accomplish, though they generally succeed in fulfilling their task. For those who believe that some part, of mind or body, needs to be strengthened before they can easily fulfil their work.
Impatiens
...is, as its name suggests, the remedy for impatience and the frustration and irritability that often go with it. Anyone can get into this state of mind, but there are also genuine Impatiens types, who live life at a rush and hate being held back by more methodical people. To avoid this irritation they prefer to work alone: the Impatiens boss is the one who sends staff home early so she can get the job finished quicker.
The remedy helps us be less hasty and more relaxed with others. It is also an ingredient in Dr Bach's original crisis formula, where it helps calm agitated thoughts and feelings.
Dr Bach's description
Those who are quick in thought and action and who wish all things to be done without hesitation or delay. When ill they are anxious for a hasty recovery. They find it very difficult to be patient with people who are slow, as they consider it wrong and a waste of time, and they will endeavour to make such people quicker in all ways. They often prefer to work and think alone, so that they can do everything at their own speed.
Larch
...is the remedy for people who feel that they are not as competent as others. They lack confidence in their ability to do things well, assume they will fail, and often don't bother to try.
We can contrast this with people in an Elm state, where it is a willingness to take on too much that causes a crisis.
The remedy helps us to move ahead regardless of thoughts of success and failure. More prepared to take risks and get involved, we get more out of living.
Dr Bach's description
For those who do not consider themselves as good or capable as those around them, who expect failure, who feel that they will never be a success, and so do not venture or make a strong enough attempt to succeed.
Mimulus
...is the remedy for known fears. Whenever you are frightened or anxious about something, and you can say what that 'something' is, then Mimulus is the remedy to take.
Mimulus fears are those of every day: fear of public speaking, of the dark, of aggressive dogs, of illness and pain. Phobias can also be Mimulus fears if the cause of the fear - whether spiders, birds or open spaces - can be named. Rock Rose might be preferred where the phobia causes real terror. Where the fear is vague and there is general anxiety and apprehension without a specific named cause, there Aspen might be a better choice.
Mimulus is used as a type or personality remedy for those of us who tend generally to be nervous, timid and shy. We might blush easily or stammer, and will usually avoid social occasions and any event where we will be in the limelight.
Mimulus brings out the quiet courage and strength that lies hidden in all of us, so that we can face the everyday trials of life without fear.
Dr Bach's description
Fear of worldly things, illness, pain, accidents, poverty, of dark, of being alone, of misfortune. The fears of everyday life. These people quietly and secretly bear their dread, they do not freely speak of it to others.
Mustard
...is the remedy for deep gloom and depression that descends for no apparent reason out of a clear blue sky.
People in this state often list all the reasons they have to feel happy and contented, but still everything looks black and hopeless to them.
The remedy helps to dispel the clouds so that we can once again appreciate the joy and peace in our lives.
Dr Bach's description
Those who are liable to times of gloom, or even despair, as though a cold dark cloud overshadowed them and hid the light and the joy of life. It may not be possible to give any reason or explanation for such attacks. Under these conditions it is almost impossible to appear happy or cheerful.
Oak
...is the remedy for strong, steady people who never give up under adversity. They plough on with determination, and never consider resting until they are past the point of exhaustion.
Oaks often have many people relying on them, and their sense of duty is strong. They may feel frustrated and unhappy if illness or exhaustion mean they are forced to do less than they wanted.
So much is positive about the Oak person, but the negative side is the stubborn refusal to rest or sit back when the need for rest is obvious. The remedy is used to help us remain strong in adversity, while at the same time we learn it is better sometimes to let go rather than crack under the strain.
Dr Bach's description
For those who are struggling and fighting strongly to get well, or in connection with the affairs of their daily life. They will go on trying one thing after another, though their case may seem hopeless. They will fight on. They are discontented with themselves if illness interferes with their duties or helping others. They are brave people, fighting against great difficulties, without loss of hope or effort.
Olive
...is the remedy for tiredness and exhaustion after an effort of some kind, such as hard physical or mental labour, or the long struggle against illness.
Olive can be usefully contrasted with Hornbeam, which is the remedy for tiredness felt before an effort has been made.
The remedy gives us what we need to restore our strength and the faith we need to continue an effort. We may feel energised; or we may at last be able to rest properly.
Dr Bach's description
Those who have suffered much mentally or physically and are so exhausted and weary that they feel they have no more strength to make any effort. Daily life is hard work for them, without pleasure.
Pine
...helps when we blame ourselves for things done or undone.
In a Pine state we may feel guilty even when events outside our control have caused a problem, or we may assume responsibility for mistakes made by others. We suffer needlessly.
We sometimes feel so guilty in a Pine state that we end up saying 'sorry' all the time.
The positive aspect of Pine is seen when we acknowledge our faults without dwelling on them, and put right where we can the things we did wrong. But at the same time we know when we are blameless or have done our best, and are content.
Dr Bach's description
For those who blame themselves. Even when successful they think that they could have done better, and are never content with their efforts or the results. They are hard-working and suffer much from the faults they attach to themselves. Sometimes if there is any mistake it is due to another, but they will claim responsibility even for that.
Red Chestnut
...is for people who feel fear for the well-being of others: the husband afraid when his wife goes out alone after dark; the mother fretting over what may happen to her child at school.
Red Chestnut fears are natural, normal concerns magnified to the point where they have a negative effect on the people who are the object of concern, undermining their confidence and self-belief.
When we are in this state the remedy helps us send out calm, unworried thoughts to our loved ones, so that instead of making everyone anxious we are rocks on whom others lean.
Dr Bach's description
For those who find it difficult not to be anxious for other people. Often they have ceased to worry about themselves, but for those of whom they are fond they may suffer much, frequently anticipating that some unfortunate thing may happen to them.
Rock Rose
...is the remedy against terror, and as such is an important ingredient in Dr Bach's traditional crisis combination.
The Rock Rose state may start out as a more everyday Mimulus or Red Chestnut state, but it is further along the path from these, being a panicky, terror struck fear that makes conscious thought and decision next to impossible.
The remedy provides calm and courage. We are able to forget fear as our courage is renewed.
Dr Bach's description
The rescue remedy. The remedy of emergency for cases where there even appears no hope. In accident or sudden illness, or when the patient is very frightened or terrified or if the condition is serious enough to cause great fear to those around. If the patient is not conscious the lips may be moistened with the remedy. Other remedies in addition may also be required, as, for example, if there is unconsciousness, which is a deep, sleepy state, Clematis; if there is torture, Agrimony, and so on.
Rock Water
...is the remedy for people who take self-repression and self-denial to extremes.
People in this state seek to perfect themselves in some way. They set themselves rules and targets and are strict and harsh with themselves when they feel they are falling short.
If they seek to influence others it is by example only. They tend not to criticise out loud, as a Beech person would, nor do they persuade (Vervain) or command (Vine).
The Rock Water remedy doesn't stop us from having high ideals or from trying to meet them. It simply allows us to unbend. We are kinder to ourselves and not so dismissive of life's softer pleasures.
Dr Bach's description
Those who are very strict in their way of living; they deny themselves many of the joys and pleasures of life because they consider it might interfere with their work. They are hard masters to themselves. They wish to be well and strong and active, and will do anything which they believe will keep them so. They hope to be examples which will appeal to others who may then follow their ideas and be better as a result.
Scleranthus
...helps when we find it difficult to make up our minds. Sometimes there are two options, sometimes more.
Scleranthus uncertainty affects both small and not-so-small decisions. 'Should I marry Joe or Peter?' and 'should I buy a red notebook or a blue one?' may both be Scleranthus states.
But we should consider Wild Oat instead if indecisiveness is to do with our deeper ambitions for our lives: 'I want to do something worthwhile - will marriage and a family bring me fulfilment?'
Sometimes Scleranthus indecisiveness manifests itself in other ways. Some people who suffer mood swings and motion sickness turn out to be suffering from Scleranthus indecision. But neither symptom by itself is a Scleranthus indication - the emotional state is always key.
Taking the remedy helps us know what we want. We reconnect with our intuition and are able to choose simply and decisively.
Dr Bach's description
Those who suffer much from being unable to decide between two things, first one seeming right then the other. They are usually quiet people, and bear their difficulty alone, as they are not inclined to discuss it with others.
Star of Bethlehem
...is one of the remedies in the traditional crisis formula. It is the remedy for the after-effects of shock, such as is caused by unexpected bad news or any unexpected and unwelcome event.
It can be used just as well for the effects of a shock received many years ago, even very early in childhood.
This is also the remedy for that sense of emptiness and loss that sometimes occurs when a loved one dies or moves away. Star of Bethlehem is a comforting remedy to take in such circumstances.
Dr Bach's description
For those in great distress under conditions which for a time produce great unhappiness. The shock of serious news, the loss of some one dear, the fright following an accident, and such like. For those who for a time refuse to be consoled this remedy brings comfort.
Sweet Chestnut
...is the remedy for people who have reached the limits of endurance. They have explored all avenues and see no way out of their difficulties. They feel there is nothing left for them but annihilation and emptiness.
Whereas people in a Gorse state decide to give up when there are possible solutions untried, the person in a Sweet Chestnut state is genuinely at the end of the line: theirs is appalling, final despair.
In this extreme state, the remedy helps us remain masters of our lives, and renews our hope and strength. Sometimes a way ahead may open even when we expect it least.
Dr Bach's description
For those moments which happen to some people when the anguish is so great as to seem to be unbearable. When the mind or body feels as if it had borne to the uttermost limit of its endurance, and that now it must give way. When it seems there is nothing but destruction and annihilation left to face.
Vervain
...people are perfectionists with a keen sense of justice. They are blessed with extreme mental energy that they willingly throw into the causes they believe in.
The Vervain enthusiasm can be infectious, and they feel a strong need to persuade others to their own point of view. But at an extreme they are in danger of becoming fanatics, unable to listen to alternative points of view, and they may put themselves under a great deal of stress because they find it so hard to switch off and relax.
When we are in this state the remedy helps us regain our balance so that body and mind and be restored. It encourages the wisdom to enjoy life and the passage of time instead of always feeling the need to be active.
Dr Bach's description
Those with fixed principles and ideas, which they are confident are right, and which they very rarely change. They have a great wish to convert all around them to their own views of life. They are strong of will and have much courage when they are convinced of those things that they wish to teach. In illness they struggle on long after many would have given up their duties.
Vine
...is for people who know their own minds and think they know what is best for others. They are strong and enjoy the exercise of power, but in their negative states this can lead them to dominate others by force alone.
Tyrannical fathers and overbearing bosses are typical negative Vines, in that they expect absolute obedience from others and will not be overly concerned with winning hearts and minds as long as their orders are followed. In this respect Vine is very different fromVervain. Vervains attempt to convert others to their way of thinking; Vines are content with the simple imposition of discipline.
In their positive aspect Vine people make wise, gentle and loving guides who can inspire and lead others without resorting to force. When we fall into issuing orders the remedy is given to encourage us to show this positive side.
Dr Bach's description
Very capable people, certain of their own ability, confident of success. Being so assured, they think that it would be for the benefit of others if they could be persuaded to do things as they themselves do, or as they are certain is right. Even in illness they will direct their attendants. They may be of great value in emergency.
Walnut
...is the remedy to help protect us against outside influences in general, and against the effects of change in particular.
Walnut people are fulfilling their purpose in life but sometimes doubt their path when they hear the opinions, theories or beliefs of others. Unlike Ceratopeople, those in a Walnut state don't actively seek out the opinions of others. But opinions are offered anyway: they may be affected almost despite themselves.
As a remedy against the effects of change, Walnut is useful at all the transition points in life, from birth to teething to going to school to puberty to marriage to childbearing to retirement and beyond. It helps break links with the past so that we can move forward more easily.
Dr Bach's description
For those who have definite ideals and ambitions in life and are fulfilling them, but on rare occasions are tempted to be led away from their own ideas, aims and work by the enthusiasm, convictions or strong opinions of others. The remedy gives constancy and protection from outside influences.
Water Violet
...is the remedy for those talented, capable people whose independence and self-reliance can make them seem proud and disdainful.
True Water Violet people tend to be upright, quiet and dignified. They prefer their own company or that of a few close friends.
We need the remedy when our natural reserve has built a barrier between us and others, leaving us lonely and unable to make contact with those around. Water Violet helps bring us back into balance so that we can be more involved with humanity.
Dr Bach's description
For those who in health or illness like to be alone. Very quiet people, who move about without noise, speak little, and then gently. Very independent, capable and self-reliant. Almost free of the opinions of others. They are aloof, leave people alone and go their own way. Often clever and talented. Their peace and calmness is a blessing to those around them.
White Chestnut
...is the remedy for unwanted thoughts and mental arguments that intrude into the mind and stop us concentrating.
White Chestnut thoughts are often described as 'worrying' - but they are not necessarily anxious or fearful, more repetitive. They worry at us like a dog worries a bone. White Chestnut thoughts go nowhere. They circle round and round in the head like a looped recording.
The remedy helps us think straight. We can deal calmly and rationally with any underlying problems that might be causing the trouble.
Dr Bach's description
For those who cannot prevent thoughts, ideas, arguments which they do not desire from entering their minds. Usually at such times when the interest of the moment is not strong enough to keep the mind full. Thoughts which worry and will remain, or if for a time thrown out, will return. They seem to circle round and round and cause mental torture. The presence of such unpleasant thoughts drives out peace and interferes with being able to think only of the work or pleasure of the day.
Wild Oat
...is the remedy for people who feel they want to do something worthwhile with their lives but don't know which direction to go. They tend to drift from one thing to another without finding a true path. They become frustrated and downcast as a result.
We can compare the Wild Oat state with that of Scleranthus. In the latter the goal itself isn't in doubt, but we need to decide how to get there. For example, you might know that marriage is for you. But which partner to choose? - that would be a Scleranthus problem, one of choosing between a limited number of options.
In a Wild Oat state the goal itself is less defined. For example, you know you want a fulfilling life. But does that mean getting married or staying single? Finding a career? Changing religion? It's much more difficult in a Wild Oat state to define the options as our goal is not clear.
When we are in this state of frustrated and vague ambition, Wild Oat helps us find our true path. It puts us back in touch with our sense of purpose so that the way ahead seems clearer.
Dr Bach's description
Those who have ambitions to do something of prominence in life, who wish to have much experience, and to enjoy all that which is possible for them, to take life to the full. Their difficulty is to determine what occupation to follow; as although their ambitions are strong, they have no calling which appeals to them above all others. This may cause delay and dissatisfaction.
Wild Rose
...is for people who have accepted all that life throws at them and have given up the struggle for fulfilment.
In this state we resign ourselves to the way things are, to the extent where we don't complain or seem particularly unhappy. Instead we shrug our shoulders - there's no point trying to change things - and just drift along.
The remedy helps reawaken our interest in life. In a positive Wild Rose state we are happy-go-lucky. Instead of apathy we feel a sense of purpose that brings increased happiness and enjoyment.
Dr Bach's description
Those who without apparently sufficient reason become resigned to all that happens, and just glide through life, take it as it is, without any effort to improve things and find some joy. They have surrendered to the struggle of life without complaint.
Willow
...is for people who feel resentful and bitter about the way their lives have gone.
In a Willow state we begrudge others their success and happiness, and are reluctant to admit when our own lives go well. We prefer to grumble, and are prone to resentment and self-pity.
The remedy encourages the rebirth of optimism and faith. It helps us feel more generous towards others and more aware that negative thinking can attract the very ill-fortune of which we complain.
Dr Bach's description
For those who have suffered adversity or misfortune and find these difficult to accept, without complaint or resentment, as they judge life much by the success which it brings. They feel that they have not deserved so great a trial, that it was unjust, and they become embittered. They often take less interest and less activity in those things of life which they had previously enjoyed.
Guide to the remedies