Bach Flower Therapy is a holistic method created by English physician Edward Bach. This therapy utilizes a system of 38 flowers that have the ability to harmonize a person's mental state and promote their well-being. Bach's philosophy of health and disease is based on the idea that each person is a unique individual and an integral part of the whole. Harmony is a manifestation of health, while disharmony leads to negative mental states and later manifests as physical illness.
Bach Flower Therapy focuses on restoring balance and harmony to the soul. The system of 38 flowers represents various mental concepts and energetic potentials that aid in harmonization. According to Bach, there are two main causes of illness. The first cause is detachment from one's own soul and a focus solely on the material world. The second cause is a violation of the principle of unity, such as imposing one's own will on others.
In Bach Flower Therapy, emphasis is placed on diagnosing mental states and moods, rather than solely focusing on physical symptoms. However, only a therapist who has clarity in their own soul and understanding of the therapy's principles can make an accurate diagnosis. Bach Flower Therapy offers the opportunity to explore and transform negative mental states in order to restore harmony and promote personal growth. It is a holistic approach to health care that emphasizes the wholeness of the individual and their inner equilibrium.
What are Bach flower essences specifically?
Bach flower essences, also known as Bach flower remedies, represent a simple yet effective system that helps restore harmony to our emotions and overall being. They are essences prepared from non-toxic plants and trees that grow freely in nature. This system includes 38 different essences and also the Rescue Remedy, which is a combination of five Bach flower essences.
The philosophy behind Bach flower essences is simplicity, wholeness, and self-healing. Dr. Bach believed that physical illness is a result of emotional imbalance. He dedicated his entire life to searching for a simple and safe healing system that he was convinced existed. Eventually, he discovered it. He left his lucrative medical practice and orthodox medicine, devoting his final years to healing his patients using his essences. However, it is important to emphasize that Bach flower essences do not replace medical care but can support and accelerate the healing process by influencing our psyche.
Bach flower essences act on negative emotions such as fear, exhaustion, lack of self-confidence, pride, enthusiasm leading to fanaticism, and others. These essences help us harmonize our feelings and bring us into the present moment, where we are capable of objectively looking at ourselves and our situation and making decisions without emotional influence. Gradually, they enable us to uncover hidden layers that we have created for survival in this world and help us discover our true essence, purpose, and meaning in life. They give us the courage to embark on our own path and fulfill our dreams and desires.
Bach flower essences are a unique tool for supporting our emotional and mental well-being, allowing us to find inner balance and live a fulfilling and authentic life.
Who was Edward Bach?
Edward Bach was a British physician and homeopath. He was born on September 24, 1886, in Moseley, near Birmingham, England. From an early age, he had a deep love for nature and showed sensitivity towards the suffering of both humans and animals. In school, he decided to become a healer and believed in the discovery of a simple and safe method of healing that could be used by anyone, not just doctors. As a result, he chose to study medicine and first graduated from the University of Birmingham, followed by University College Hospital in London in 1912.
During his medical practice, Bach worked in various positions in London hospitals, including University College Hospital and the National Temperance Hospital. He also opened his own consulting room on the renowned Harley Street. Bach became increasingly disillusioned with the results of orthodox medicine because he felt that doctors were not concerned enough with the patient as a whole and their nature, which he believed to be the key to illness and healing. While working as a bacteriologist at University College Hospital, he discovered seven groups of intestinal bacteria, which he prepared as vaccines and used to treat patients with "incurable" diseases.
In 1917, Edward Bach fell ill with cancer and reached a critical state. He was given a prognosis of only three months to live. Surprisingly, he recovered and returned to work with even greater enthusiasm. During his medical career, he became increasingly interested in homeopathy and studied the works of Samuel Hahnemann, the founder of this therapeutic method. He was fascinated by the relationship between chronic illness and the intestinal flora and homeopathically adjusted his vaccines, which are now known as the Seven Bach Nosodes.
Edward Bach was a significant figure in the field of alternative medicine, and his work with Bach flower essences has become an internationally recognized method for supporting emotional and mental health.
After 1928, Dr. Edward Bach began to intensely focus on developing his new therapy based on flower essences. During his travels and observations of people, he noticed that each person responds to their illness and life situations in a specific way. He further developed this idea and formulated the theory of types, which became the foundation of his work. In 1928, he discovered the first two essences – Impatiens and Mimulus. He started preparing these essences homeopathically and successfully used them in the treatment of his patients. Over time, he added more essences and laid the groundwork for Bach flower essences.
During his travels, he met Nora Weeks, who became his assistant and invaluable support. Together, they explored and collected more essences - Nora subsequently played an important role in raising awareness of Bach flower essences worldwide. In 1930, Dr. Bach discovered the sun method of essence preparation, which became an important part of his work.
By 1932, Dr. Bach had 12 essences and wrote a book called "The Twelve Healers." Later, he added the "Four Helpers" and continued to search for more essences. In the spring of 1934, Dr. Bach decided to find a home in the Thames Valley – Mount Vernon, which became their residence. Dr. Bach devoted himself to the arrangement of the garden, furniture making, and the search for additional essences. In 1936, he completed the final version of his book "The Twelve Healers and Other Remedies." Dr. Edward Bach passed away on November 27, 1936, in his home at Mount Vernon. His work and discoveries in the field of flower essences brought a simple and safe method of healing to the world, which is still utilized today.
The individual essences and their properties
There is a set of 38 essences known as Bach flower essences, which have the following properties:
• Clematis – dreamer, living in their own world, detached from present thoughts
• White Chestnut – constant, unwanted thoughts that persistently haunt a person, mental speculations
• Beech – lack of tolerance, criticism of others
• Holly – hatred, jealousy, envy, suspicion
• Chicory – selfish control, excessive care for loved ones, manipulation through love
• Red Chestnut – excessive worries and concerns for others
• Rock Rose – panic, terror
• Mustard – unexplainable depression that feels like a dark cloud
• Oak – exhaustion but refusing to give up
• Hornbeam – mental fatigue, feeling of Monday morning, procrastination
• Gorse – loss of hope, resignation, pessimism
• Gentian – discouragement, loss of courage and depression when faced with failures
• Scleranthus – uncertainty, indecisiveness, fluctuating moods
• Sweet Chestnut – utter despair and hopelessness
• Elm – feeling overwhelmed by responsibilities
• Mimulus – fear of everyday things, shyness, timidity
• Larch – lack of self-confidence, expecting failure
• Impatiens – irritability, nervousness
• Olive – complete exhaustion
• Wild Rose – apathy, resignation
• Crab Apple – self-disgust, obsession with details, cleansing essence
• Chestnut Bud – inability to learn from past mistakes
• Cerato – doubts about one's own decision-making, seeking validation from others
• Agrimony – masking troubles with cheerfulness, suppressing worries and anxieties
• Pine – feelings of guilt for one's own mistakes and the mistakes of others
• Heather – preoccupation with one's own problems and experiences
• Cherry Plum – fear of losing control of one's mind, uncontrollable thoughts
• Star of Bethlehem – shock, consequences of traumatic events
• Vervain – excessive enthusiasm, fanatic conviction
• Wild Oat – uncertainty about life direction
• Aspen – fear of the unknown, premonitions
• Vine – dominance, tyranny, typically good leadership
• Walnut – adaptation to change, breaking ties with the past, sensitivity
• Rock Water – perfectionism, self-denial, mental rigidity
• Centaury – submissiveness, inability to say no
• Honeysuckle – living in the past, nostalgia
• Water Violet – pride, distance, preferring solitude
• Willow – resentment, bitterness, feeling like a victim of fate
• Rescue Remedy – for crisis situations
• Rescue Cream – for treating skin injuries and traumas
Conclusion
Bach flower essences are a set of 38 essences with various characteristics that are used for emotional balance and mental well-being support. Each essence targets a specific emotional state or behavioral pattern and helps individuals find balance and harmony. Using these essences can bring significant positive changes in emotional state and approach to life. Bach flower essences are widely recognized as a method that supports personal development and overall well-being. Are you interested in this topic? Would you like to try this herbal miracle? In Holos, Dr. Milan Hrabánek uses Bach flower therapy in his therapeutic practice. You can also purchase the Rescue Remedy, a combination of Bach essences that can be used as first aid in any stressful situation, directly at Holos or in our online shop.
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