Bach Flower Therapy: List of Essences and Application
Bach Flower Therapy: Overview of the Essences, Application and Intake
Bach flower therapy was developed in the 1930s by the British physician Edward Bach. For every disharmonious state of mind he found a flower essence, through whose intake the imbalance can be rebalanced. For a treatment according to Bach flower therapy, one therefore selects from the following 38 original Bach flowers 2-5 Bach flowers that best describe the current condition. The individual Bach flowers can be ordered through pharmacies or the internet and then taken – we explain the precise application below the list of essences.
1. Agrimony (Agrimony) One tries to hide tormenting thoughts and inner restlessness behind a facade of cheerfulness and carefreeness
2. Aspen (Aspen) One has inexplicable and vague anxieties, premonitions, fear of impending disaster
3. Beech (Beech) One reacts overcritically and intolerantly, can muster little compassion and empathy
4. Centaury (Centaury) One cannot say “no”, weakness of one’s own will, overreaction to the wishes of others
5. Cerato (Cerato) One is insecure, has too little trust in one’s own opinion and judgment
6. Cherry Plum (Cherry Plum) It is difficult to let go inwardly, one fears mental impulsive actions, uncontrolled temper outbursts
7. Chestnut Bud (Chestnut Bud) One keeps making the same mistakes because one does not really process one’s experiences and does not learn enough from them
8. Chicory (Chicory) Possessive personality attitude with which one interferes consciously or unconsciously everywhere
9. Clematis (Clematis) One is mentally absent, shows little attention to what is happening around one
10. Crab Apple (Crab Apple) One feels internally and externally soiled, impure and infected, nitpicker
11. Elm (Elm) One has the temporary feeling of not being equal to one’s task or responsibility
12. Gentian (Gentian) One reacts skeptically, doubting, pessimistic, easily discouraged
13. Gorse (Gorse) One is without hope, has resigned, “It no longer serves any purpose” feeling
14. Heather (Heather) One is self-centered, completely preoccupied with oneself, needs a lot of audience, “the needy toddler”
15. Holly (Holly) One reacts emotionally irritated, jealousy, mistrust, feelings of hatred and envy
16. Honeysuckle (Honeysuckle) One refuses consciously or unconsciously to process certain events of one’s past
17. Hornbeam (Hornbeam) “Monday morning feeling”, one believes one would be too weak to cope with daily duties, but manages it anyway
18. Impatiens (Impatiens) One reacts impatiently and easily irritated, shows excessive reactions
19. Larch (Larch) One has inferiority complexes, expectations of failures due to lack of self-confidence
20. Mimulus (Mimulus) One is shy, fearful, has many small anxieties
21. Mustard (Mustard) Deep sadness, periods of melancholy come and go suddenly without recognizable cause
22. Oak (Oak) One feels like a beaten and exhausted fighter who nevertheless continues bravely and never gives up
23. Olive (Olive) One feels physically and mentally exhausted and drained, “everything is too much”.
24. Pine (Scots Pine) One reproaches oneself, has feelings of guilt.
25. Red Chestnut (Red Chestnut) One worries more about the well-being of other people than about one’s own. Excessive inner connection with a close person.
26. Rock Rose (Yellow Rock Rose) One reacts with inner panic and is overwhelmed by a feeling of terror.
27. Rock Water (Water from Healing Springs) One is hard on oneself, holds strict or rigid views, suppresses vital needs such as eating, sleeping, movement.
28. Scleranthus (Annual Knawel) One is indecisive, erratic, inwardly unbalanced; opinion and mood change from one moment to the next.
29. Star of Bethlehem (Star of Bethlehem) One has not yet processed a mental or physical shock, “the comforter of the soul”.
30. Sweet Chestnut (Sweet Chestnut) One believes the limit of what a human being can endure has now been reached, inner hopelessness.
31. Vervain (Vervain) In the eagerness to champion a good cause, one overtaxes one’s strength and reacts in a missionary to fanatical manner.
32. Vine (Grape Vine) One is determined to impose one’s will, has problems with power and authority.
33. Walnut (Walnut) In a phase of inner new beginning or a drastic change in life circumstances, one becomes unsettled and wavers.
34. Water Violet (Water Violet) One withdraws inwardly, isolated feeling of superiority.
35. White Chestnut (White Chestnut) Certain thoughts circle incessantly in the head; one cannot get rid of them, inner self-talk and dialogues.
36. Wild Oat (Wild Oat) One scatters oneself, has unclear goals, is inwardly dissatisfied because one cannot find one’s life task.
37. Wild Rose (Wild Rose) One feels apathetic, indifferent, inner capitulation.
38. Willow (Yellow Willow) One feels helplessly at the mercy of circumstances, is embittered and sees oneself as a “victim of fate”.
39. Rescue: First-Aid Drops (Cherry Plum, Clematis, Impatiens, Rock Rose, Star of Bethlehem) One has been thrown off balance by fright and shocking experiences. One is in inner tension because something exciting is imminent.
How do you take the Bach flowers?
Place 1 to 2 drops of the required essence from the small stock bottle into half a glass of water. Sip slowly over a period of up to 15 minutes and hold in the mouth for a few seconds. If no water is available, place 1 drop from the stock bottle on the palm of the hand and take with the tongue. Repeat as needed until the acute condition subsides. Or: If the selected 2–5 Bach flowers have been mixed together in a stock bottle, add 5 drops to half a glass of water.
The following dosage instruction from Dr. Bach has been handed down (from Edward Bach “The Twelve Healers and Other Remedies”, Heyne Verlag):
Dr. Bach recommends mixing 2–3 drops from the stock remedy in a medicine bottle with water, shaking well and administering the remedy teaspoon-wise in the required dose. In emergencies every quarter of an hour, in severe cases hourly and in normal cases 3–4 times daily.
Sources and further information: bach-blueten-therapie.de bachblueten-apotheke.com
English Version: bachflower.com/bach-flower-remedy-questionnaire