Bach Flower Remedies
This is a complete alphabetical guide to the Bach flower remedies.Agrimony (Torture)
To soothe all those tormented in body or mind and bring them peace. The restless, the worried, the anxious, the tortured. Those who can find no peace of mind, no rest. There is such a vast army of these sufferers who so often hide their torment under smiles and joviality. They are often the cheeriest of people, and frequently humorists. A great number of these seek refuge in alcohol or even drugs as stimulants to help them to keep going. They will do anything rather than depress others with their trials. Even in severe illness they will jest and make light of their trials. They are brave people and Agrimony will help them so much.
Negative state: worry hidden by a carefree mask, apparently jovial but suffering
Positive state: steadfast peace
Aspen (Fearful)
For psychological fears of unknown origin, vague unreasoning and inexplicable, sudden apprehension, fear of unseen power or force, fear of sleep for what sleep may bring, fear of dreams, association with death and religion, usually kept secret. Symptoms may include headaches, eyestrain, haunted look, sweating, trembling, gooseflesh, sudden faintness, sleep walking/talking, tired and nervy.
Negative state: vague, unknown, haunting apprehension and premonitions
Positive state: trusting the unknown
Beech (Critical)
Those who are critical, dissatisfied, intolerant, irritable, always finding fault, seeing only the negative side of things. Annoyed by small matters - the oddities and mannerisms and idiosyncrasies of others. Demand exactness, order and discipline. Arrogant people who complain of others, petty anger, sound in judgement but sour, cynical, unsympathetic.
Negative state: intolerant, critical, fussy
Positive state: seeing more good in the world
Centaury (Weak)
To give strength. The weakness after illness: pale, languid, tired, no energy, limp, exhausted. Drained of vitality. Those who desire peace at any price. Even in illness they may be too willing to help others and get tired and worn-out by their efforts. The mind is often alert, but the body weak, too weak to make much effort. Meek, submissive and imposed upon because of their good natures.
Negative state: kind, quiet, gentle, anxious to serve, weak, dominated
Positive state: an active and positive worker
Cerato (Selfdistrusting)
People who are too easily influenced. For those who have no confidence in themselves, depend too much upon the advice of others and listen first to one and then to another. Their own lack of self-esteem makes them admire and trust too much any who hold strong views; they can easily be led into difficulties on this account. In illness they are quite sure one thing will cure them until they hear of another, and they rush from one trial to the next according to the latest advice. They will do almost anything good or bad for them if the argument is forcible enough. They do not trust their own good judgement. Instead of having their own wishes and desires they will so often quote what others have advised or thought. The ideas and opinions of others are too important to them and this robs them of their own personality. They will always have some excuse for all they do.
Negative state: distrust of self and intuition, easily led and misguided
Positive state: confidently seek individuality
Cherry Plum (Out of control)
For desperation, fear of insanity, loss of control, an uncontrollable impulse, nervous breakdown, suicidal, obsessive fear, delusions. Symptoms usually build up over a period of time: pallor, staring eyes, agitation, sometimes nervous talk or obsessive questioning; imminent, mild insanity.
Negative state: for the thought of losing control, of doing dreaded things
Positive state: calmness and sanity
Chestnut Bud (Repeating mistakes)
Those who fail to learn by experience and go on repeating the same mistakes again and again. They may be impatient and always thinking ahead and so fail to see what is happening, failing to base their actions upon past experience. They may be careless, clumsy, slow in learning, inattentive and as children even apparently unrestrained by learning.
Negative state: failing to learn from life, repeating mistakes, lack of observation
Positive state: learning from experience
Chicory (Self-pitying)
When ill, these people worry over others, children, friends, relatives; are anxious that they are too warm, too cold, not happy, not enjoying themselves. Constantly asking them how they are and what they would like. Over-anxious in efforts to please them. Many questions as to their wishes and requirements. This state brings no peace and strains the patient. Sometimes the patients feel sorry for themselves; feel that they have done nothing to deserve to be ill; they are ill-used and neglected, that others are not caring for them. Often they have a good colour when ill; the people whose looks do not pity them
Negative state: demanding, self-pity, self-love, possessive, hurt and tearful
Positive state: love and care that gives freely to others
Clematis (Indifferent)
To combat all sleepy, drowsy, listless states. When the patient loses interest. Makes no effort to get well. Seems indifferent as to what happens: has no enthusiasm about anything. Only half hear what is said to them. These people are often dreamy, far-away, apathetic, live in their thoughts; maybe thinking too much of someone they have lost, or dream of ambitions they do not strive to realise. They seem contented, being not fully awake, and happy in their dreams of ideals. They are generally quiet and gentle, but they do not find enough joy in life itself; do not live enough in the present. Ordinary fainting may be of this type and in unconscious cases it is sufficient to moisten the lips with the remedy.
Negative state: dreamers, drowsy, absent-minded
Positive state: brings down to earth
Crab Apple (Feeling unclean)
The remedy for cleansing. For those who feel in some way unclean, contaminated, often minor ailment which assumes great importance in the mind of sufferer causing despondency and self-disgust. Applicable to physical or psychological condition, wherever there is something repellant to the self, the remedy restores a sense of proportion. Symptoms may include skin ailments, poison in the body or a wound, unwholesome habits.
Negative state: feeling unclean, self-disgust, small things out of proportion
Positive state: the cleansing remedy
Elm (Overwhelmed)
For those who are very capable and often carry great responsibility but occasionally feel unable to face the magnitude of their tasks. Thus they are sometimes overwhelmed, falter and momentarily lose confidence. It is as if they have temporarily lost their connection and this causes them great discomfort and distress.
Negative state: capable people, with responsibility, who falter, temporarily overwhelmed
Positive state: the strength to perform duty
Gentian (Discontented)
For those who are faltering or are despondent. Look on the dark side and are pessimistic. In convalescence when they think they have come to a standstill; really doing well but tend to be discouraged and doubt that they are making progress. This is for those who feel as if the difficulties before them are too big to be overcome and temporarily lose heart. In this state they only want a little encouragement which this remedy will give them and they will do well.
Negative state: discouragement, doubt, despondency
Positive state: take heart and have faith
Gorse (Hopelessness)
Gorse is for those who have suffered much and whose courage, as it were, has failed; who have lost the heart to try any more. They say they have been told that nothing can be done, that they are past all medical help, and even if they do start treatment they say that they have been ill for so many months or years as the case may be, that they will not expect improvement for a long time. People who need Gorse are generally sallow and rather darkish in complexion, often with dark lines beneath the eyes. They look as though they needed more sunshine in their lives to drive away the clouds.
Negative state: no hope, accepting the difficulty, pointless to try
Positive state: the sunshine of renewed hope
Heather (Loneliness)
The characteristic of the Heather people is that they worry over the troubles of others, not the big things of life, but the affairs of everyday. They try all means in their power to persuade or even compel others to do what they think right. Their diseases are often not very severe until towards old age, but they may suffer a considerable amount of inconvenience and interference with their daily life for years at a time through minor maladies. They are inclined also to be a little afraid for themselves if they get even slight trouble. They like people to be dependent upon them, and they take pleasure in feeling that they are being of use and help to any in difficulty. Heather people are often well-built and of high colour, full-blooded, strong in body and full of energy and activity, and are unsparing of themselves in exertions for others.
Negative state: longing for company, talkative, overconcern with self
Positive state: tranquillity and kinship with all life
Holly (Anger)
For any kind of strongly negative state: anger, jealousy, bitterness, rage, envy, suspicion, revenge, hatred, violence, bad temper, contempt, vexation, selfishness, frustration - all states antipathetic to love.
Negative state: jealousy, envy, revenge, anger, suspicion
Positive state: the conquest of all will be through love
Honeysuckle (Living in the past)
For nostalgia, homesickness, those who live much in the past, past loves, happiness, regrets, success or failures, those who live on their memories, desiring to escape the present in a romanticised view of the past
Negative state: living in memories
Positive state: involved in present
Hornbeam (Weary)
For a temporary state of mental/physical tiredness when a lack of energy causes loss of interest, weariness and inability to cope with mundane affairs. Good for convalescents who feel unable to return to work though perfectly fit. Symptoms are predominant fatigue, lassitude, inclination to lie in bed in mornings, feel they cannot face the burden of the day.
Negative state: feels weary and thinks can’t cope
Positive state: Strengthens and supports
Impatiens (Impatient)
At all times when there is impatience. Impatient with themselves, wanting to hurry things, wanting to do things quickly, wanting to get well at once, to be out and about again. Impatient with others, irritable over little things, difficult to keep their temper. Cannot wait. This state is common and often a good sign during convalescence, and the restfulness this remedy brings hastens recovery. There is often impatience in severe pain and so Impatiens is of great value at those times to relieve the pain and calm the patient.
Negative state: irritated by constraints, quick, tense, impatient
Positive state: gentle and forgiving
Larch (Unconfident)
For those who lack confidence in themselves, they expect failure and feel they will never succeed and so do not try hard enough, they are hesitant and procrastinate, succumb easily and feel inferior. Their sense of failure makes them despondent though in fact they are perfectly capable if they could persevere. Symptoms may include general depression and this is often associated with impotence.
Negative state: expect failure, lack confidence and will to succeed
Positive state: self-confident, try anything
Mimulus (Fearful)
To combat all fear. Fear of disease, of accidents, of unknown things. Fear of people, of relatives, of strangers, of crowds, of noise, of talking or of being questioned, of being alone. Fear of damp, of cold, of heat, of the dark. Fear of complications in illness, or of being incurable.
Negative state: fright of specific, known things animals, heights, pain etc, nervous, shy people
Positive state: bravery
Mustard (Gloom)
For depression that comes for no apparent reason from an unknown cause, gloom, deep sadness, melancholy, usually serious people who feel that they suffer periodic affliction from a malefic star. Depression is intense and cannot be alleviated until it lifts as unexpectedly as it came. All joy and peace is driven out of life for the duration.
Negative state: gloom suddenly clouds us, for no apparent reason
Positive state: clarity
Oak (Endurance)
Oak is for the type of people who, although they feel hopeless of any cure, still struggle and are irritated that they are ill. These people have physical diseases which tend to go on for years and, although they feel quite hopeless about themselves, they still go on trying and struggling. The illnesses of this type are where much balance is lost, mental and physical. Mental, such as severe nervous breakdowns, or such types of insanity which can be described as completely unbalanced (where there is great loss of control); and the same in the bodily state, where the patient loses control over parts of the body or its functions.
Negative state: persevering, despite difficulties, strong, patient, never giving in
Positive state: admitting to limitation
Olive (Exhaustion)
For those who are pale, worn-out and exhausted, perhaps after much worry, illness, grief, or some long struggle. In every way they are very tired and feel as if they had no more strength to fight on, and at times hardly know how to keep going. They may depend very much upon others for help. In some, the skin is very dry and may be wrinkled.
Negative state: exhausted, no more strength, need physical and mental renewal
Positive state: rested and supported
Pine (Selfblame)
For self-reproach, guilt, those who blame themselves, self-condemnation, often assuming responsibility for a situation that is not their fault. They are discontented and critical of themselves, over-conscientious, apologetic and over-humble. The constant effort they make to improve themselves may lead to tiredness and depression. Helps to alleviate any feelings of guilt.
Negative state: self-critical, self-reproach, assuming blame, apologetic
Positive state: relieves a sense of guilt
Red Chestnut (Imagining the worst)
For those who find it difficult not to be anxious for other people, anticipate trouble, imagine the worst, worry over other’s troubles, over-concern for problems of the world, fear that a small complaint of another will become a serious problem, project anxiety.
Negative state: worry for others, anticipating misfortune, projecting worry
Positive state: trusting to life
Rock Rose (Terrified)
This is the rescue remedy. In cases of urgency and danger. Whenever things are desperate. In all cases of danger of life. When the patient is terrified or in a panic. In cases when all hope is lost. When there is danger to the mind, of threatened suicide or insanity, or nervous breakdown, fear of death or hopeless depression.
Negative state: feeling alarmed, intensely scared, horror, dread
Positive state: the courage to face an emergency
Rock Water (Idealism)
These people are people of ideals. They have very strong opinions about religion or politics, or reform. Well-meaning enough and wishing to see the world different and better, they tend to confine their efforts of help to criticism instead of example. They allow their minds and largely their lives to be ruled by their theories. Any failure to make others follow their ideas brings them much unhappiness. They want to plan the world according to their own outlook, instead of quietly and gently doing a little in the Great Plan.
Negative state: self-denial, stricture, rigidity. purist
Positive state: broad outlook, understanding
Scleranthus (Full of indecision)
Those who are unable to make up their minds as to what they want, first one thing seems right and then another. Their wishes, like their bodily symptoms, seem to come and go. If they have temperatures these swing up and down. They are undetermined and unable to decide quickly or definitely, and their decisions quickly change. Uncertainty of bodily actions, giddiness, shaking, jerky uncontrolled movements, unsteady walking. Their moods change quickly, first cheery then depressed. Their conversation may rapidly jump from one subject to another.
Negative state: cannot resolve two choices, indecision, alternating
Positive state: balance and determination
Star of Bethlehem (Needing comfort)
For shock, grief, distress, for those who need consolation and comfort, for bad news, an accident, a fright, a narrow escape, for delayed shock, to neutralize effects of any shock past or present, even the shock of birth.
Negative state: for consolation and comfort in grief, after a fright or sudden alarm
Positive state: harmony, balance
Sweet Chestnut (Desolation)
For a time of terrible anguish and despair when we are at uttermost limits of endurance, there appears to be no light or love left in the world, nothing but destruction and annihilation left to face, utter desolation, unable even to pray, the ‘dark night of the soul’.
Negative state: unendurable desolation
Positive state: a light shining in the darkness
Vervain (Intense)
The strong-willed. Those who are intense of mind, who tend to over-exert themselves mentally and physically. They refuse to be beaten and will carry on long after others would have given in. They go their own way. They have fixed ideas and are very certain that they know right. They may be obstinate in refusing treatment until compelled. They may be carried away by their enthusiasm and cause themselves much strain. In all things tend to be too serious and tense. Life is a very arduous thing for them. They have their own strong views and sometimes wish to bring others to their point of view and are intolerant of the opinions of others. They do not like to listen to advice. They are often people with big ideals and ambitions for the good of humanity.
Negative state: insistent, wilful, fervent, enthusiastic, stressed
Positive state: quiet and tranquillity
Vine (Dominance)
Those who are very particular. They are so sure that they know right, both for themselves and for others, how things should be done that it makes them critical and exacting. They wish for everything just in their own way, and give orders to those helping them. Even then they are difficult to satisfy.
Negative state: dominating, tyrant, bully, demands obedience
Positive state: loving leader and teacher, setting all at liberty
Walnut (Change)
For those who need protection from outside influences when the foundations of life are unsettled during a major change in life - teething, puberty, starting a new school/career/job, any fundamental alteration in mental, emotional or physical state. Helps to break with the old and establish pattern of the new. Guards against anything which interferes with the workings of normal life, protects those who are attacked by subtle forces. Known as the link breaker.
Negative state: protection from outside influences, for change and the stages of development
Positive state: the link breaker
Water Violet (Aloof)
These are very beautiful people in mind and often in body. They are gentle, quiet, very refined and cultured and yet are masters of their fate and lead their lives with a quiet determination and certainty. Like to be much alone. In illness they may be a little proud and aloof and if so this reacts upon them. Even so, they are very brave and try to fight alone and unaided and be of no anxiety or trouble to those around. They are brave souls indeed who seem to know their work in life and do it with a quiet certain will. They do not often form strong attachments even to those nearest them. They bear adversity and illness calmly, quietly and bravely without complaint.
Negative state: withdrawn, aloof, proud, self-reliant, quiet grief
Positive state: peaceful and calm, wise in service
White Chestnut (Mental congestion)
For a pattern of thoughts which constantly repeats and gives no rest to the mind, continual internal argument, worry and chatter, mental congestion. Thoughts circulate without resolution, going over and over the same conflict, preoccupation that obstructs clarity, a drama forever re-enacted in the mind and gives no rest. Symptoms may include tiredness, insomnia, confusion, depression, guilt feelings, repetition of a topic in conversation, lack of calmness, nervous worry, often causes headaches.
Negative state: unresolved, circling thoughts
Positive state: a calm, clear mind
Wild Oat (Directionless)
It is a remedy that may be needed by anyone, and in cases which do not respond to other herbs, or even when it seems difficult to decide which to give, try this for at least a week. If the patient does well, continue with it so long as they improve before changing to another remedy.
Negative state: lack of direction unfulfilled, drifting
Positive state: becoming definite and purposeful
Wild Rose (Apathy)
For resignation, apathy, surrender, failure to make effort, fatalism, just drift down hill, dullness, lack of interest, no spark or vitality, sense of monotony, expressionless drone to voice, weariness, a dull companion.
Negative state: lack of interest, resignation, no love or point in life
Positive state: spirit of joy and adventure
Willow (Resentment)
For those who suffer any small adversity with bitterness and resentment, they blame others and feel hard done by, they are self-centred, self-pitying, self-justifying, feel wronged, sulk and bear grudges, will feel slighted and constantly dissatisfied, lack humour. Symptoms may include constant frowning, grumbling, spread a gloom and negative feeling, a difficult patient since nothing pleases, reluctant to admit improvement.
Negative state: dissatisfied, bitter, resentful, life is unfair, unjust
Positive state: uncomplaining, acceptance
