Every day our bodies and minds are subjected to stress, poor food, pollutants and many other problems. These myriad influences can wear down our natural defenses and cause frustration, tension, and even physical illness. The 38 Bach Flower Remedies are a safe and natural solution to the challenges of life in the 21st century.

The Bach Flower Remedies contain the subtle vibrational essences or life force energy of flowers and trees. The remedies purify and balance the internal energy system, making our mind peaceful and relaxed, reducing existing health problems and even preventing future problems from manifesting. The Bach Flower Remedies are a safe, very simple and gentle form of alternative healing. They cannot harm they only heal. In fact, they can even be given to children, animals, and plants.

This comprehensive guide to the Bach Flower Remedies includes:

• Concise descriptions of the 38 Bach Flower Remedies
• A full explanation of how the remedies work to heal the body and mind
• Instructions for diagnosing imbalances and deciding which of the remedies is appropriate
• Directions for preparing your own remedies
• Case studies from people describing the powerful effects of the remedies on their lives

Are you often left feeling overwhelmed by too much pressure and responsibility? The Elm remedy encourages clear thinking and boosts inner strength. Are you trapped in a cycle of repetitive or destructive behavior? Chestnut Bud will help you learn from your experiences and control negative or repetitive behavior. Have you suffered an extreme shock or trauma, such as surgery or a serious illness? The combination Rescue Remedy will soothe your mind and emotions while stimulating physical regeneration.

Bach Flower Remedies for Beginners is a comprehensive guide to the use of these powerful natural remedies. Whether you're just starting to explore the world of alternative healing or you're experienced practitioner, this book is a valuable healing resource.

Extract from the book

Dr. Bach wanted to keep his new system of medicine as simple as possible so that anyone could use it with confidence. He did not leave any detailed instructions or complicated texts that would have to be studied before being able to use the remedies. The only text he wrote specifically about the remedies and how to use them is ‘The Twelve Healers and Other Remedies’. It is a small and easy-to-read booklet giving accurate but brief explanations of the thirty-eight remedies, when they should be used, and how to use them. It is invaluable to anyone wishing to make the most of the Bach remedies.

Dr. Bach destroyed many of his earlier notes and papers on the remedies, because it was his intention that people would only need brief, accurate details on how and when to use them. He did not want to complicate or confuse matters with theoretical or academic explanations.

Whatever mental, emotional, or physical condition we want to treat, all we have to do is identify those states of mind we, or the person we are helping, are experiencing and choose the appropriate remedies accordingly. We do not need to have knowledge of anatomy or physiology or be able to diagnose physical or mental illness, because we are not treating ourselves or others in this way. We only need to be able to recognize states of mind and simply ask others how they are feeling.

Of course, if we are treating others on a regular basis, we need to be sure that they are seeing a medical doctor if they have any serious conditions. We should never try to replace conventional treatments. The Bach remedies will work in harmony with any conventional therapy and will not cause adverse side effects. They are gentle healing agents without the possibility of overdose, addiction, or adverse effects from misdiagnosis. They are pure and natural remedies that contain little or none of the physical plant or tree, only the plants healing life force energy held within the water and a little alcohol for preservation.

If we are diagnosing for ourselves or others, and we have some knowledge of the remedies, it is a simple task to choose the appropriate ones for use.

Steps for Prescribing
1. Conduct an interview to identify the states of mind that are present, i.e., anger, fear, indecision, anxiety, etc.
2. List all the remedies that are relevant to these states of mind. Determine the patient’s type remedy.
3. Put them in order of severity or importance, keeping the list to within ten. This helps identify which remedies are most likely to be successful.
4. Choose the remedies we want to try from this list, usually 2-4 or up to a maximum of 7.

Remember, we are not treating a physical illness, so if someone has a strained ligament, for example, we should not choose Vervain because it is for people who tend to overexert themselves. Instead we need to establish what sort of person he or she is. What is the character and disposition of the person? How does he or she think and feel, about themselves, others and the world around them? For example, is the person dominant and controlling? Does he or she get angry easily? Is the person shy, or constantly distracted or dreamy? We need to have a good knowledge of the remedies to spot these mental traits, then we will begin to diagnose accurately and quickly.

There is no easy way to learn the remedies. Everyone has a different way of remembering things. One good way is to set a goal of remembering two or three remedies a day. Then within two or three weeks we will have a basic knowledge of all the remedies. Try to remember the key words at first (shown at the beginning of each remedy in chapter 8).

When we have this basic knowledge we can begin to learn more about the remedies by using them as much as possible. The real key to success is developing the skill to recognize the relevant and predominant states of mind that someone is naturally disposed to or that accompany a particular illness.

We all have a type remedy. A type remedy is one, two, or sometime three remedies that make up the core or major traits of someone’s personality. For example, it is easy to spot someone who is always impatient, quick in thought and action, and doesn’t suffer fools gladly. This person’s type remedy is Impatiens. People who are dreamy, as if in a world of their own, and tend to sleep a lot are classic Clematis types. It is interesting to begin spotting these traits in ourselves and others. We can learn a lot about human nature in this way, and we can do this kind of study anywhere, anytime, and no one has to know that we are practicing our diagnostic techniques!

Generally speaking, when we are prescribing a Bach remedy we should try to identify the type remedy and then add other remedies that are relevant for the short-term or easily changeable states of mind. For example, someone might be a Water Violet type proud, aloof, quiet, a loner, intelligent, and artistic but during illness he or she may have constant worries that go around and around in his or her head. This would then indicate White Chestnut. The solution is to use both remedies together, the White Chestnut being a more temporary remedy.
When choosing the final number of remedies, we should keep the number to within six or seven. Although often just one or two remedies are needed. Using too many remedies at once can confuse the picture, and we will not know which remedies are working and which are unnecessary. We need to use our own judgment and intuition, then with experience we will become skilled and accomplished healers.

Another good way of beginning our journey with the Bach remedies is to briefly read through the remedy descriptions and make a note of those that are relevant to our own personality and those of our friends and family. Then we should buy those remedies and use them on ourselves and others. We might need a good friend to help us spot our own type remedy, someone who knows us well and is not afraid to be honest with us! Often we think we know ourselves well, but we can miss the traits that our subconscious selfish mind does not want us to see/change. We are very good at spotting our good qualities but not so good at spotting our weaknesses. If we try this exercise with a good friend who is also interested in the remedies, we can learn a lot about ourselves and the remedies while having fun, too.

If we are thinking of prescribing for others on a regular basis, it is a good idea to treat ourselves and those closest to us for a few months first and get to know the remedies well before going further.

The key to successfully prescribing for others is simply learning to listen well. Let the other person guide the interview. Try not to be too intrusive; people are an open book if we know how to read them. Don’t try too hard to pry them open. If they are shy and find it difficult to talk (Mimulus), or are obviously putting a brave face on things (Agrimony), these are immediate remedy indicators. If they talk too much about their own problems (Heather) this is also a big give-away. When we get to know the remedies well these personality traits will gradually become more obvious, and we will be able to spot them often within minutes of meeting someone.
It doesn’t matter if we get the diagnosis wrong on the first or second attempts. All the Bach remedies have remarkable healing qualities, and even the wrong remedy can have good results.

Sometimes in the pressure of an interview or therapy session we may not be able to think clearly enough to prescribe accurately. The best remedy may come to us later on when we are more relaxed and have had time to think about the interview. This is not a problem; simply include this remedy next time. If necessary, to be more relaxed and clear in thought during an interview, take the appropriate remedies beforehand, such as Mimulus for nervousness and Clematis for clearer thinking.

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Reviews:

When I first acquired my Bach Flower Remedies there was not much available literature. How I would have valued this book. From chapter one describing the life of Edward Bach, Vennells takes us through the story of how Dr. Bach developed these flower essences which have transformed many lives and which have been a major contributor to modem alternative health care. Vennells does a fine job of explaining how the flower remedies work in such a manner that the beginner readily grasps the concepts and so that the skeptic might have some of his doubts allayed as well. This is a terrific book, thorough and easy to read. Highly recommended.

Hermits Lantern Jan 2001

There have been a number of introductory books about Edward Bach but this is one of the best. Written by a practitioner who is also a Buddhist, the author is deeply sympathetic to the spiritual outlook of his subject and conveys his story with great understanding. The practical section of the book is clearly set out with no frills. For those unfamiliar with Bach and his philosophy I strongly recommend his own short I book ‘Heal Thyself’.

Independent Review March 2001

Bach Flower Remedies for Beginners is an excellent guide to introduce the beginner to the healing properties and treatments of the Bach Flower essences. You will be introduced to an in depth study of the thirty-eight flower essences and their uses in alternative healing. You will be taught how to prepare and prescribe the remedies and given information on how to become a licensed practitioner. These revolutionary remedies are completely safe and can be used on adults, children, animals and plants. They work on all levels and are essential to correcting imbalances in the physical, mental and emotional and spiritual bodies. This is an excellent book to guide you towards reaching total health.

Independent Review February 2001