Bach Flowers Therapy

Indications for Bach Flowers

2007-06-14T03:38:00.000-07:00

Bach Flower Remedies

Bach Flower Therapy is named after Dr. Edward Bach, whose research led to its development in England in the 1930's. It is a form of energy medicine which offers an alternative to psychotropic medication in the treatment of daily stress, mild to moderate mood concerns, fears and anxieties and other emotional issues. Its purpose is to restore emotional harmony.

A Bach Flower "Remedy" consists of water that has been patterned with the energetic vibrations of one of 38 different flowers. The Remedy is added to a cup of water (or other beverage) 4 times a day.
Bach Flowers can be taken safely by infants, pregnant or nursing women as well as the elderly.

Some examples can serve to illustrate how Bach flower remedies are often of great help:
(1) Suppose a mother is being counseled regularly by a therapist for anger management, because she rages against her young children. Successful counselling may take weeks or months (depending on the reasons for the outbursts). Until she learns to control her angry outbursts, her children continue to suffer. Bach Flower remedies may help the woman to feel calmer right away and she might have more patience, more self-control and less rage. Her family life might therefore be more stable and happy, while she learns parenting skills and anger-management strategies.
(2) Suppose there has been a tragedy in a family where the children have suddenly lost both their parents in a car accident. Bach flower remedies can help the children cope with the loss with less panic attacks and to come to terms with their loss and carry on with their lives under the altered circumstances, in a better manner.

There are important differences between Bach Flowers and traditional medical therapy. Bach Flowers are not medicinal.
They can be taken along with any food, herb, health product or medicine without causing any interaction. Bach Flowers treat the unhealthy emotional tendency, meaning that when the disturbing emotion has subsided, therapy with Bach flowers is stopped.

The following is a list of Bach Flowers and their uses, in general. Often however, better results will accrue if they are taken after consultation with an experienced Bach Flower Therapist, rather than if just taken hurriedly off a shelf in a department store, on a ‘hunch’.

Agrimony - for those who hide worries behind a brave face
Aspen - for apprehension for no known reasons
Beech - for those who are critical and intolerant of others
Centaury - for those who are weak-willed, exploited or imposed upon
Cerato - for those who doubt their own judgement, seeking confirmation of others
Cherry Plum - for uncontrolled, irrational thoughts
Chestnut Bud - for those who refuse to learn by experience and continually repeat the same mistakes
Chicory - for those who are over possessive and ‘clinging’
Clematis - for those who are inattentive, dreamy, absent-minded, for escapism
Crab Apple - for self-disgust/detestation - for those who are ashamed of ailments
Elm - for those who are overwhelmed by inadequacy and responsibility
Gentian- for despondency, for those easily discouraged, lack faith
Gorse - for pessimism, defeatism, 'oh what's the use!'
Heather - for those who are talkative, (obsessed with own troubles and experiences)
Holly - for hatred, envy, jealousy, suspicion
Honeysuckle - for those living in the past - nostalgic - for home-sickness
Hornbeam - for 'Monday morning' feeling - procrastination
Impatiens - for impatience and irritability
Larch - for lack of self-confidence, feeling of inferiority, fear of failure
Mimulus - for fear of known things, shyness, timidity
Mustard - for 'dark cloud' that descends, making one sad and low for no known reason
Oak - for those who are normally strong/courageous, but no longer able to
struggle bravely against illness or adversity
Olive - for those who are fatigued, drained of energy
Pine - for guilt complex - those who blame themselves even for mistakes of
others and are always apologizing
Red Chestnut - for those obsessed by care and concern for others
Rock Rose - for those who are suddenly alarmed, scared, panicky
Rock Water - for those who are rigid-minded, self-denying
Scleranthus - for uncertainty/ indecision/ vacillation - for fluctuating moods
Star of Bethlehem - for all the effects of serious news, of fright following an
accident, death, etc
Sweet Chestnut - for utter dejection, bleak outlook, are at the limit of endurance
Vervain - argumentative, over-enthusiatic
Vine - domineering, wanting to control others
Walnut - are in need to get over with an experience / incident
Water violet - proud and excessively aloof from people
White Chestnut - preoccupied with worries or obsession
Wild Oat - undecided about life and unsatisfied with present state
Wild Rose - apathetic and resigned to fate
Willow - miserable about self and resent, cannot forgive
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dr. Jayashree Joshi, MD
Email: herbaltradition@yahoo.com

STAY IN CONTROL with BACH FLOWERS

2007-04-28T21:45:00.000-07:00

Bach Flower essences help us face and overcome adversities in our daily lives. Nature has bestowed upon these flowers a hidden energy with great potential to protect us from our negative emotions and individual hurts.
They are simple remedies which help us tackle the serious issues in our lives and to help us deal with our problems confidently and effectively.
All you have to do is just take a drop or two of these essences every day, for some weeks.
There are absolutely no side-effects.
------------------------------------------------------------

SOME CHILDHOOD PROBLEMS WHICH
CAN BE EASILY RESOLVED WITH BACH FLOWERS
TEETHING
Walnut may be used to help the child through this time of transition. Impatiens when the child is obviously becoming irritable and fussy over delays in your response to their needs, as well as the desire to move past this stage of their development. The stress-relieving formula can be used by rubbing it directly onto the gums. When using, one or two drops can be diluted in a teaspoon of water, this may then be rubbed on the gums directly, or dripped onto a frozen stalk of celery or carrot and given to the baby to chew on.

TEMPER TANTRUMS
Cherry Plum, for the loss of temper. Impatiens, for the child's obvious impatience with delays in having their needs met. Vine, when the child's tantrums seem more like an exercise of power used to get their own way.

SIBLING RIVALRY
Holly, for the jealous, vengeful child. These emotions may also accompany temper tantrums, and mean or aggressive behavior toward other siblings; Beech, when there is a tendency for the child to be hypercritical or judgmental of other siblings' behavior. Willow, when the child feels that he/she is getting less attention than deserved, or is not as favored as his siblings. This can often lead to resentment and bitterness.

FEAR
Mimulus, when the child shows fear of a known things, for example, fear of the dark, fear of animals, being alone, storms etc; Aspen, for unknown fear, something which frightens the child and which he or she cannot identify. Rock Rose, for nightmares or when a child becomes terrified or hysterical.

TIMID, SHY, 'CLINGING' CHILDREN
Mimulus, when the child is fearful of a known thing and clings for protection; Larch when the child displays a lack of self-confidence, and does not venture forward; Centaury, when the child is easily bossed around and exploited by other children, especially when there is a need to serve and be accepted; Chicory, when the child is over-possessive of mother, pets, or toys; tending to 'cling' to their possessions.

The DROWSY, APATHETIC CHILD
Clematis, when there is a tendency to daydream and space out; Hornbeam, when the child seems to 'drag around,' fatigued and tired; Wild Rose, when the child seems indifferent and apathetic toward circumstances and things.

The CHILD who BULLIES:
Holly, when the child displays jealousy, hatred and meanness, indicating a need to develop more love and caring for others; Beech, when the child is over-critical and judgmental toward others; Vine, when taken to the extreme, this child is bossy and dominating, demanding others to adhere to his/her wishes; Vervain, when taken to the extreme, this child can become oppressive to others by always needing to be right. They can be self-righteous, argumentative, and over-bearing with their opinions and personal beliefs.

The CHILD who gets BULLIED:
Centaury, when the child is easily influenced and dominated by stronger personalities, constantly doing things to serve others, often at the expense of their own wants and needs; Larch, lacking self-confidence the child may be unsure of himself, seeking approval from those he looks up to. This may eventually lead to some form of their being bullied or exploited; Agrimony, distressed by arguments and quarreling, this child will defer to the wishes of others to avoid confrontations, and though they may be troubled and tormented they hide behind a facade of cheerfulness and it is usually difficult to have them admit anything is wrong; Mimulus, fearful of most things, this child is easily open to harassment from stronger and less sensitive children and adults.

The CHILD who is EASILY DISCOURAGED:
Gentian, even when small annoyances or hindrances block their path, this child can become discouraged and self-doubtful. Water Violet, for children who seem aloof and need to be alone; Pine, for those children who are unnecessarily hard on themselves, guilty at not having done better in their school work or in relation to other circumstances.Water Violet, for children who seem aloof and need to be alone; Pine, for those children who are unnecessarily hard on themselves, guilty at not having done better in their school work or in relation to other circumstances.

Dr. Jayashree Joshi,
M.D

E mail : herbaltradition@yahoo.com