The 38 Remedies
Dr. Edward Bach found the 38 Flower remedies over a period of almost 20 years. They can be mixed and matched together to handle over 2 million states of mind.
He divided them into seven groups – and they are presented in that way on this page. Remeber, this is only a quick reference guide. The remedies are simple to learn and understand, but by no means are they simplistic in nature. Their uses go deep, and it takes years of experience to truly begin to comprehend the amazing legacy that Dr. Bach has left for us.
The Bach Centre UK, is committed to spreading this precious Knowledge and has created three levels of certification. I currently teach Level 1 and will soon be teaching Level 2. Click to check the schedule for training with me.
Use and Dosage
Fill a 30 ml bottle with clean water. Add 2 drops of each selected remedy (4 drops if one of the remedies selected is Rescue Remedy, and we consider Resuce Remedy to be just one remedy even though there are five flowers in it). This is your treatment bottle.
From the Treatment bottle, add 4 drops to about half a glass of water and slowly drink it.
This is to be done 4 times a day – once in the morning, last thing at night and two more times in between. There are no restriction on when to take your remedy. You may have more doses if required, sometimes a day can turn our to be quite challenging.
I hope the remedies become your friends as they have become mine – and you can help yourself, your family and friends and the community around you with their gentle healing power.
Despondency & Despair
Crab Apple
Malus Pumila
Indication
Self-disgust, feelings of being unclean and tainted towards yourself or your immediate environment, obsessive compulsive need for cleanliness
Effect
Brings acceptance towards yourself and your surroundings, so you can relax and enjoy life
Elm
Ulmus Procera
Indication
Though normally calm and confident, you feel overwhelmed by some situation, feelings of being pushed to a tearful meltdown
Effect
Regain equilibrium and restores confidence
Larch
Larix Decidua
Indication
Fragile confidence, the doubts in yourself stop you from even trying to do something because you are so sure you will fail
Effect
Break away from your self-limiting beliefs and be able to grab the opportunities that life offers
Oak
Quercus Robur
Indication
Burnout, workaholic to the core, struggling on and on despite odds to the point of collapse
Effect
Allows you to rest and take care of yourself, so you can do whatever it is you are doing with even more energy and vigour
Pine
Pinus Sylvestris
Indication
Self-blame and guilt with no justifiable reason
Effect
Releases the guilt, reconnects you to your self and you feel the inherent joy that is there within all of us
Star of Bethlehem
Ornithogalum Umbellatum
Indication
Echoes of shock and traumatic experiences of the past that continue to run your life in the present
Effect
Releases and heals shock and even deep seated trauma, making you feel light and cheerful
Sweet Chestnut
Castenea Sativa
Indication
Acute painful anguish that we feel when things in life go desperately wrong, we call upon a Higher Power for help and release
Effect
Helps you find healing and peace and restores optimism and faith in the future
Willow
Salix Vitellina
Indication
Self-pity, poor me, bitterness, it’s someone else’s fault, refusal to take responsibility for what’s going on in your own life, blaming others
Effect
Grants the ability to forgive and forget, nurture a positive perspective and see the good in the world
Fear
Aspen
Populus Tremula
Indication
Vague and unknown fears, can have nightmares that wake them up and then they cannot fall asleep
Effect
Inner peace and confidence to explore opportunities
Cherry Plum
Prunus Cerasifera
Indication
Fear of losing control, sense of paranoia, a feeling that you will snap, suicidal thoughts, thoughts of doing something terrible and drastic to yourself or others
Effect
Think calmly and become rational
Mimulus
Mimulus Guttatus
Indication
Known fears, fear that you can name, also to overcome shyness and timidity
Effect
Helps you find your inner courage and creates quiet confidence
Red Chestnut
Aesculus Carnea
Indication
Irrational fear that something bad will happen to loved ones
Effect
Feelings of positivity and security and ability to relax out of this anxiety
Rock Rose
Heliantbemum Nummularium
Indication
Extreme fear or terror, panic attacks, almost paralyzed with fear, difficulty breathing because of the fear
Effect
Gently resolves feelings of fear, brings back control, you can breathe deeply and easily and feel alright
Insufficient Interest in the Present
Clematis
Clematic Vitlba
Indication
Day-dreamer, switch off from conversation, bump into things, glazed look in the eyes
Effect
Grounds you and helps propel you into action and bring your dreams and wishes into reality
Chestnut Bud
Aesculus Hippocastanum
Indication
Refusal to learn from mistakes and past experiences of self or others
Effect
Allows you to reflect and integrate learnings from the past to develop insights and wisdom
Honeysuckle
Lonicera Caprifolium
Indication
Prefers to live in the past, either glorifying it or regretting it
Effect
Brings you into sparkling Present Moment, the here and now, so you can move forward
Olive
Olea Europaca
Indication
Physical and mental exhaustion
Effect
Grants the ability to rest, sleep and rejuvenate, you feel reenergised and deeply rested
Mustard
Sinapis Arvensis
Indication
Sudden dark cloud of depression which comes and goes without any reason, feelings of heaviness, cannot be hidden
Effect
Brings lightness to your heart and mind
White Chestnut
Aesculus Hippocastanum
Indication
Too many thoughts, mental merry-go-round, incessant mind chatter
Effect
Serenity in the mind, the chatter subsides – great remedy to take when the mental chatter doesn’t allow you to meditate
Wild Rose
Rosa Canina
Indication
Dead to life, feelings of extreme inertia, apathy
Effect
Rediscover the pleasure of simply being alive
Loneliness
Heather
Calluna Vulgaris
Indication
Self-obsessed, only talking about what’s not alright in your life to anyone and everyone you can, to the point that people start to avoid you
Effect
Feelings of love and empathy which translate into you listening to others, instead of exhausting them with what’s wrong with you
Impatiens
Impatiens Glandulifera
Indication
You know you can do things faster and have no patience for others who seem to be taking their own sweet time, utter impatience with anyone you feel is slow
Effect
Restores patience in you, so you can slow down and calm down from the frenetic pace you set for yourself and others
Water Violet
Hottonia Palustris
Indication
A quiet, gentle person who appears to be proud and aloof, they prefer solitude and are naturally self-reliant – A comfortable introvert
Effect
Allows you to ask for help, be more comfortable in a crowd and be less socially awkward
Overcare for Other’s Welfare
Beech
Fagus Sylvatica
Indication
critical, intolerant, arrogant, fault finder, always right
Effect
Develops tolerance, find compassion for yourself and others
Chicory
Cichorium Intybus
Indication
Loves attention, feels terrible if not acknowledged, “After all I have done for you…” can resort to emotional blackmail, keeps score and expects others to return favours
Effect
Sense of self-worth, so you don’t depend on others to fulfill you emotionally, you give unconditionally
Rock Water
Aqua Petra
Indication
Self-imposed high standards and utter dogmatism about your own work and life, you want to set a good example to others and may even compromise on the quality of your life to do just that
Effect
Allows you to experience the joy that life has on offer by being more flexible in thought and action
Vervain
Verbena Officinalis
Indication
Over-enthusiastic about an idea, wants people to see their point and becomes offended if they don’t, evangelist, can be indignant about an issue and loves to fight for a cause, zealot
Effect
Broadminded, more tolerant and patient, you will have a more accepting energy and people will naturally want to be with you and work with you
Vine
Vitis Vinifera
Indication
Domineering, “my way or the highway” attitude, bossy and arrogant, you tend to bully and intimidate people in the guise of wanting to inspire them, defensive and annoyed by any criticism
Effect
Brings wisdom, helps you inspire people through hope and love rather than fear
Over-Sensitive to Influence & Ideas
Agrimony
Agrimony Eupatoria
Indication
Using humour and liveliness to mask inner turmoil, likes to party, make a joke of illness and can have minor vices and addictions, anything to run away from the feelings inside
Effect
Helps you address the suppressed feelings and reconcile with them, so you can experience the peace you so desperately yearn for
Centaury
Centaurium Umbellatum
Indication
Inability to say no, weak and willing slave, subservient, wants to please others
Effect
Ability to gently, yet firmly say no, so you can be discerning about choosing to help others
Holly
Ilex Aquifolium
Indication
Intense feelings of Anger, Jealousy, Hatred or Revenge, feelings of hostility
Effect
Heals and soothes your heart and mind, kindling generosity and magnanimity
Walnut
Juglans Regia
Indication
Feelings of vulnerability when there is some sort of a change in life – external or internal, you may get swayed from your chosen path by others opinions and ideas during this time of change, inability to let go and move on
Effect
Link Breaker, shields and protects you from pressures of the environment
Uncertainty
Cerato
Ceratostigma Willmottianum
Indication
Continuously asking others for their opinions and ideas and usually getting mislead when you actually know what it is you need to do
Effect
A sense of trust about your own intuition, so you can act with certainty
Gentian
Gentiana Amarella
Indication
Dejection because of failure, doubt in one’s ability to succeed
Effect
Restores faith and confidence in self to be the best you can be
Gorse
Ulex Eurapaeus
Indication
Feelings of being helpless and hopeless about a situation, of “giving up” because you feel “Oh, what’s the use?!”
Effect
Feel rays of sunshine and hope, as you rediscover confidence within yourself
Hornbeam
Carpinus Betulus
Indication
You feel tired at the very thought of starting something, procrastination, the “Monday Morning Blues”
Effect
Restores vitality into your thinking so you get propelled into action
Scleranthus
Scleranthus Annuus
Indication
Brain Freeze when faced with choices
Effect
Take decisive action, become balanced and committed
Wild Oat
Bromus Ramosus
Indication
Frustration because you feel “this is not what I was born to do”, even if you are successful in life, but you have no idea what it is that you should be doing
Effect
Gives you a clearer sense of purpose, possibly develops your intuition so that you can finally “know” what it is that you need to be doing
Combination Remedies
Rescue Remedy
Panchapushpam, Crisis Mix, 5 Flower Remedy
Indication & Description
A combination of 5 flowers together formulated by Dr. Bach himself and used in any sort of Emergency situation – from minor things going awry to stuff that could be really challenging – Clematis to ground you, Impatiens to calm you and slow you down, Cherry Plum to make you feel you are in control of whatever is going on, Rock Rose to deal with fear, and Star of Bethlehem to negate any shock or trauma that may have happened.
This is the best known, and most beloved of all the remedies and a go to for millions of people the world over. Some companies call it the Crisis Mix and the 5 Flower Remedy.
In the Bach Flower kit we make in India, we call it Panchapushpam – Pancha, meaning five and Pushpam meaning Flower.
Effect
Helps you tide over the difficult situation, brings unexpected strength to cope, negates the trauma of the event
This almost magical remedy must be there in every household of the world.
Rescue Cream
Crab Apple + 5 Flowers of Rescue Remedy in a Cream Base
Indication & Description
Rescue Cream is made of the 5 flowers of the Rescue Remedy, along with Crab Apple in a cream base, to be applied topically.
Crab Apple helps alleviate the feelings of being tainted, or being sullied and hastens healing for the skin.
This formulation was created by Nora Weeks – who was Dr. Bach’s assistant and successor and who worked tirelessly to bring his work to the world at large.
Effect
This is used for minor cuts, abrasions, stings, etc and provides quick relief – I like to make this with extra virgin coconut oil and a few pieces of edible camphor. Remember that this cream is to be gently applied onto the skin and not rubbed in.
For creating beautiful skin, add in 2-5 drops of Kumkumadi Oil – however the cream with the Kumkumadi Oil shouldn’t be used on damaged skin.
PS You can use the discount code BND10 to get a 10% discount on the Shankara website should you wish to purchase the Kumkumadi Oil (or any other beauty product) from them.
Acknowledgements
Some of the photos of the Bach Flowers above were clicked by Nicola Hanefeld A few others were clicked by me when I was in London and the rest are from various other online resources.
To write about the indications and effects for each flower, I referred to the Bach Centre UK website, the book 12 Healers by Dr. Edward Bach, Emotional Wisdom by Lynn Macwhinnie and Bach Flower Therapy – Theory and Practice by Mechthild Scheffer – all are fantastic resources to read more about the Bach Flowers.