Bach flower therapy: A journey of emotional healing and alignment

Source: The New Indian Express
Author: Sonu M Kothari

CHENNAI: British medical doctor, bacteriologist, and spiritual writer, Edward Bach once said, "All we have to do is preserve our personality to live our own life, be captain of our own ship, and all will be well." He is well known for developing the Bach remedy in 1930, an alternative medicine influenced by the traditions of classical homoeopathy. The homoeopath claimed that Bach flower remedies "treat personalities" as they comprise the flower's energy pattern and don't include any plant parts.

During the summer and spring of that year, Edward Bach collected 38 flower essences and grouped them into seven, curing one emotion each. "The emotions range from fear, anxiety, worries, sadness, confusion, and so on," explains Sita Rao, a Bach flower therapist. A few examples include "If the cause of your fear is specific, then Mimulus is prescribed. If the cause of the fear is unknown then Aspen comes to use. For panic attacks, Rock Rose works the best," she shares.

Flawless flower therapy

There are times when famous people, especially actors, are forced to live a double life portraying an all-happy life in front of the public but going through difficult times -- then Agrimony is suggested. This flower promotes openness, self-acceptance and inner joy. Narrating an instance, Sita says, "Whenever I buy a sapling from a nursery, I expect them to bloom the very next day, which cannot happen. I am over-enthusiastic for wanting it to grow and dissatisfied when the results do not meet my expectations."

In such situations, the plant is going through a phase of finding comfort during the change of atmosphere and care. Noting the mutual feelings Sita consumes Vervain (given for over enthusiasm) and Gentian (for encouragement). "I drop walnut pills or mother tincture in the water used to water the plants to help them acclamatise," says Sita, adding that Hornbean is for growth and Crab Apple for infections. She continues, "While treating the plant, my enthusiasm and dissatisfaction is treated because healing works two ways."

These flowers can be consumed as pills with or without water or interestingly in words. "Take a clean white sheet, draw two concentric circles. Write your worry or fears or confusions about anything in the centre. In the second circle, write the name of the relevant flower and put it under your pillow or on your work desk, the remedy works," she points out. This can be sprayed in our surroundings, healing the energy around us.

Bach flower remedies help individuals to reconnect with their higher potential. According to Sita, "everybody is born with equal potential but emotions like fear, worry, and others overtake us, cracking our energy and nature of being, eventually breaking into pieces." This is similar to the concept of Kintsugi (a Japanese technique to assemble broken parts by applying urushi lacquer, powdered or blended, with platinum, silver, or gold dust).