Dr Edward Bach - 38 Remedies - 7 emotional Groups

7 Groups

The Bach Flower Essences are separated into 7 emotional groups. The groups makes it easier for us to prescribe for ourselves by letting us separate the Bach Flower Remedies into the main categories of emotions, such as fear, despair, loneliness, over-sensitivity, etc.

When we feel one of these emotions we can get more precise by asking ourselves questions. For instance, if we feel fear, we can ask, 'What kind of fear?' Is it vague fear you can't explain (aspen), fear with a known cause such as spiders, illness or being alone (mimulus), fear for others (red chestnut) or absolute terror or fright (rock rose)?`

The Flower Remedies discovered by Dr Bach are so simple to use that no knowledge is necessary apart from the simple method described above. If you accidentally choose the wrong remedy, it will do no harm.

Fear
Uncertainty
Insufficient interest in present circumstances
Loneliness
Despondency or Despair
Over-care for welfare of others
Over-sensitivity to influences and ideas

Fear

Aspen: You don't know the reason or cause of this fear, though it can haunt you day or night. You're not sure what it is you're afraid of, or why.

Cherry Plum: Helps you when you feel that your mind is being over-strained. You feel you are going to explode or do irrational things.

Mimulus: This flower remedy is for fear of known things: spiders, dogs, public speaking, loss of a job or a partner, being alone, etc. Mimulus is also for fear of sharing your fear with others, or of shyness.

Red Chestnut: This remedy is for people who are afraid that terrible things might happen to their loved ones and who can't stop worrying about them.

Rock Rose: Dr Bach made this remedy part of his Rescue Remedy (also called Five Flower Formula) and it's for terror or such fright that you feel frozen and unable to move or think clearly.

Uncertainty

Cerato: This flower remedy is for people who have difficulty making decisions and trusting their own judgement. Easily led by others.

Gentian: Helps those who are easily discouraged and depressed, even when problems are relatively small.

Gorse: Helps you when you feel great hopelessness, and have given up belief that more can be done. 'What's the point?'

Hornbeam: For those who feel weary and believe they can't cope. For that Monday-morning feeling and procrastination.

Scleranthus: Difficulty choosing between two options, e.g. yellow or blue jumper, Chinese food or Italian? Difficulty with everyday choices.

Wild Oat: Helps you when you are at a crossroad in life and are uncertain as to which direction to choose.

Insufficient interest in present circumstances

Clematis: Helps those who are dreamy and absent-minded and have difficulty concentrating. Thoughts are more in the future than in the present.

Honeysuckle: Helps you let go of past experience or events. Your thoughts are in the past rather than the present.

Mustard: For times when gloom descends for no apparent reason. It feels like a dark cloud that prevents normal happiness and cheerfulness.

Olive: For those who are fatigued, exhausted and totally drained mentally and physically. Olive helps you regain energy, vitality and interest in life.

White Chestnut: Helps you when your mind is cluttered with persistent unwanted thoughts; for preoccupation with a worry or mental turmoil.

Chestnut Bud: Helps those who fail to learn from life and make the same mistakes over and over again.

Wild Rose: For those who feel resigned to their circumstances, apathy; no point to life. Wild Rose will help you take a lively interest in life, work and the world in general.

Loneliness

Water Violet: For those who can be reserved and withdrawn and are more comfortable in their own company. Water Violet helps you get closer relationships with other people.

Heather: Helps those who feel unhappy being on their own for any length of time and always seek companionship of others. Heather people talk a lot about themselves to anyone who will listen.

Impatiens: For those who are easily irritable, impatient and tense with other people when they are slower than you. You generally prefer to work alone at your own speed.

Despondency or despair

Elm: For those who are normally capable, but temporarily overwhelmed with responsibility or feelings of inadequacy. You may feel depressed and exhausted and may loose self-esteem.

Larch: You lack confidence and the will to succeed. You expect failure. Larch helps you to regain self-esteem and confidence in yourself.

Sweet Chestnut: Helps you when you feel the anguish is so great that you can't bear it any longer. You are at the end of your ability to endure, and can see no way out.

Oak: Normally you are strong, hard-working and a high achiever who works hard and keeps going. Oak will help when your inner strength wanes and you no longer have the ability to struggle against adversity.

Willow: For those who feel resentful, bitter and feel life is unfair to them. Willow will help those who feel sorry for themselves.

Star of Bethlehem: This flower remedy helps when you experience shock or grief or after hearing bad news. It's one of the remedies contained in Rescue Remedy (Five Flower Formula).

Pine: Helps you when you feel guilt and self-reproach, even for the mistakes of others. For those who are overly self-critical and apologetic.

Crab Apple: This is the essence of cleansing. It helps when you feel unclean in some way and are disgusted with yourself. You may believe that you're ugly although others find you very attractive.

Over-care for welfare of others

Chicory: Helps you to be less critical, opinionated and argumentative. You always find something about others that you believe should be put right.

Vervain: For those who try hard to convert all around them to their point of view. Vervain helps you be less insistent, willful or over-enthusiastic.

Beech: For those who are critical and intolerant of others. Beech flower essence helps you accept people as they are.

Vine: This flower essence helps you be less dominating and be more respectful of others people's views and ideas. You no longer try to persuade other people to do things your way.

Rock Water: For rigid-minded, self-denying people. This flower remedy helps those who expect too much from themselves.

Over-sensitivity to influences and ideas

Agrimony: For those who hide worries behind a brave face. Agrimony people can hide their true feelings behind humour, and often take alcohol to excess, or drugs. This flower remedy helps you to communicate your real feelings and worries.

Centaury: Centaury people are kind, quiet, gentle, but weak-willed. They're easily dominated or exploited. This flower remedy helps you attend to your own needs as well.

Holly: Helps you when you suffer from thoughts such as jealousy, envy, revenge and/or suspicion.

Walnut: This flower remedy assists in adjustment to change, e.g. bereavement, divorce, new job, new surroundings. It helps you move forward and make necessary changes in order to be happy, and gives protection from outside influences.