Overview

"There is no true healing unless there is a change in outlook, peace of mind and inner happiness" - Dr Edward Bach, 1934.

Edward Bach, medical doctor, bacteriologist, and homeopathic physician, dedicated his life to discovering a system of healing which would go beyond the diagnosis and treatment of physical symptoms to address the emotional and mental roots of disease. He came to realize that when people were treated on the basis of distinctive personality characteristics, rather than according to their disease, true healing could occur.

History

Plants are fundamental to life on earth. They have been used since the beginning of time to provide both nourishment and shelter. They are essential to the survival of human life on the planet even at the simplest level of converting carbon dioxide to oxygen so that we can breathe.

All over the world flowers are part of major celebrations and cultural and religious rituals. All cultures and civilizations have used plants in some form or another for healing purposes. Herbal tinctures have been extracted from roots and flowers, and these herbal remedies became the forerunners of modern Western drug therapy.

Flower Essence Therapy was brought to the attention of the Western world in the 1920s by Edward Bach, a British physician and homeopath. When he began his search for a holistic medicine he was convinced of two things:

• The human body had the innate ability to heal itself, so he was looking for something which would activate this natural process
• Medicine should, above all, "do no harm", which of course is part of the Hippocratic Oath which all physicians swear when they become doctors

Bach's 38 flower remedies have circulated the globe since then, and his methodology both for making the essence and for collecting research data has been duplicated by many other Flower Essence producers around the world.

Benefits

Dr. Edward Bach intended the use of the 38 remedies to be straightforward and simple enough for all to understand. They are designed to treat the patient's state of mind rather than physical problems.

Dr. Bach tells us "The work of healing has been done and published and given freely so that people like yourselves can help yourselves either in illness or to keep well and strong. It requires no science, only a little knowledge and sympathy and understanding of human nature, which is usual with almost all of us".

Simplicity was his key word and, with this firmly uppermost in his mind, he linked his remedies to various states of mind and outlook.

Procedure

Ayurvedic Medicine, Chinese Medicine, Kinesiology, Dowsing and Energy Field Readings can all be used effectively to select an essence. So can Astrology, Tarot Card Readings and consulting the I Ching. These are all frameworks for attuning with the client and keys to unlocking the doorway to the problem. The most effective remedy will be drawn like a magnet to the area of disharmony and gently guide the whole person back to balance.

Bach Flowers and other essences are prepared under special conditions from flowers. Each one is specifically devised to treat a different feeling or stimulate change in areas of negative belief which are inhibiting personal progress. Totally safe, the remedies can deal with all of the emotions which stop us feeling good about ourselves, including fear, loneliness, uncertainty, anger and despair. These negative emotions ultimately cause physical complaints, and the remedies can therefore also be used to maintain good health as well as treating the underlying causal problem behind an illness.

Source of information: A Winning Attitude | 'Energy Medicine - Healing from the Kingdoms of Nature' by Sabina Pettitt