The Bach Flower Remedies

The Bach Flower remedies are a number of Homoeopathic type remedies discovered by Dr Edward Bach in the 1930’s, that address our fundamental negative states of mind. These negative states of mind if left untreated, he believed, would in time result in physical disease.

Having discovered a second group of nineteen remedies Dr Bach knew that he had the complete set of remedies but at that point had no experience of using them on patients. He and his associates had ideas on the significance of the two groups of nineteen, that they might be paired and the possible link with astrology, but in his eagerness to prove their efficacy set about using them on his patients.

It would not have been long before he must have realised that his cancer had returned which would have told him that his prescribing methodology was wrong, the purpose of the remedies being to treat  disease. This left him with a dilemma as regards prescribing instructions with the result that all we have is the instruction to take remedies to address any mood that might trouble us. If the remedies have the ability to treat disease, the past seventy five years must surely convince the most optimistic adherent of his instructions that we need to understand more about how they work.

The Bach industry has been somewhat reticent in trying to advance Dr Bach’s work with leading players continuing to die of disease, the industry having a touch of "the emperor’s clothes" about it. For those of us who believe in Dr Bach’s work it would appear time to take stock of the remedies and the understandings regarding their application.

If there is any substance in Dr Bach’s work then connections should be seen with the more effective healing arts. Ayurveda and Homoeopathy are both well established and have mental symptomology that correlates with that of the Bach remedies, the only difference being that Ayurveda and Homoeopathy divide humanity into three groups and Bach divided his remedies into seven. Using Ayurvedic and Homoeopathic principles the Bach remedies can be divided into three groups which also serve to explain the significance of the two groups of nineteen remedies. This significance also shows how we need to use the remedies.

The first nineteen, as Dr Bach understood correctly, represented our personality types; how we conduct our lives and react to situations. The second group of nineteen represent our life difficulties; the first and second nineteen groups are paired. So to correctly select remedies we need to ask ourselves two questions, “what recurring problems do I have in my life” and “how do I react to them”. The significance of the three groups then comes into play as these questions need to be asked within the three groups. If the three groups are not balanced both Ayurveda and Homoeopathy understand that imbalance will result in disease.

Looking at the Bach remedies in this way we begin to realise that we are not simply looking at remedies that treat our everyday states of mind; the states of mind govern our lives completely from everything we think, say and experience. Yes they are fundamental states of mind and you can prescribe them for moods according to how you react to a situation, but this is a temporary fix and will have no long term health benefit.

A word of advice from Dr Bach, never one to stop trying to perfect his ideas:

To eradicate ignorance, again let us not be afraid of experience, but with mind awake and with eyes and ears wide open take in every particle of knowledge which may be obtained. At the same time we must keep flexible in thought, lest preconceived ideas and former convictions rob us of the opportunity of gaining fresh and wider knowledge. We should be ever ready to expand the mind and to disregard any idea, however firmly rooted, if under wider experience a greater truth shows itself.   

 If you are not happy with the results you  are experiencing with the Bach remedies and would like more information on the ideas outlined above please get in touch. You will be forwarded information on the arrangement of the remedies into three groups and assistance in choosing your remedies.