Flower power
There are a total of 38 negative states of mind, all of which can be helped by the use of Bach Flower Remedies
There are 38 basic negative states of mind all of which, at one stage or another, we all experience, affecting us more than we realise. Holistic therapies are based on the belief that mental wellbeing can determine the physical one, an outlook taken on board by Edward Bach, a Harley Street doctor in the 1930s who knew that a healthy mind equals a healthy body. He went on to develop the Bach Flower Remedies, which millions of people around the world now swear by.
Do you ever feel shy or anxious? Down in the dumps and don’t know why? Do you keep putting things off, feeling tired at the thought of starting work? These are just some of the questions that help Bach Flower Remedy consultants, such as Nicosia-based Barbara Jones, identify the problem areas in people’s lives. “When we feel fulfilled, happy and positive, we tend to enjoy better health but usually things happen, throwing us off course and we need a little help to stay in balance. The Bach Flower Remedies can help you manage the emotional demands of everyday life by identifying the emotions and finding the equivalent plant or flower.”
Dr Edward Bach (1886-1936) was a British physician who believed that illness resulted from disharmony between body and mind and that symptoms of an illness are the external expression of negative emotional states. Bach, who was also a well-known bacteriologist, homeopath and researcher, decided that despite the success of his work with orthodox medicine, felt dissatisfied with the way doctors were expected to concentrate on diseases and ignore the people who were suffering from them. Although he was inspired by his work with homeopathy he wanted to find remedies that were purer and less reliant on the products of disease. He left London and settled down in the Oxfordshire countryside, where he created a centre for his work.
One by one he found the remedies he was looking for, each aimed at a particular mental state or emotion. His life followed a seasonal pattern: spring and summer were spent looking for and preparing the remedies; the winter spent giving help and advice to all who came looking for them. “He found that when he treated the personalities and feelings of his patients their unhappiness and physical distress would be alleviated as the natural healing potential in their bodies was unblocked and allowed to work once more,” says Barbara.
Bach Flower Remedies comprise specially prepared plant infusions to balance physical and emotional disturbances. The actual production of the remedies is handled in two ways: using the ‘sun method’, flowers are picked on a warm summer day in full sunshine. They are then placed in a glass bowl with fresh water, taken from a spring close to the location of the flower and left for two to four hours in the sun. “According to Dr. Bach, the sun transfers the vibration of the flowers into the medium of the water, which in this way becomes energetically infused,” explains Barbara. The flowers are then removed from the water and an equal proportion of alcohol is added for preservation. “Dr Bach originally used 40 per cent pure brandy but now a specific type of top-quality brandy is diluted in the mixture instead.”
The second method is the ‘cooking method’. “Because not all flowers, shrubs, bushes and trees bloom at a time of year with plenty of sunshine, this approach is considered necessary,” says Barbara. With this method, flowers and buds are picked according to the ‘sun method’ and boiled down. The extract is filtered several times and then mixed with an equal proportion of alcohol as a preservative.
The cottage where Dr Bach worked on his remedies is now known as the Bach Centre. This is where he trained his friends and colleagues trusting them to carry his work forward and today, under the careful supervision of Judy Ramsell Howard, the Bach Centre’s current custodian, a small team of dedicated people pick and prepare the flowers by hand. In many cases, the remedy-makers collect the flowers from locations first used by Dr Bach himself. Bach Flower remedies are sold in over 65 countries.
So, whether it’s an impending exam, in which case you would need larch, or a relationship split, in which case you would need honeysuckle, willow and walnut, there is a Bach remedy for everyone. Once you’ve had your consultation and the consultant has pinpointed the ingredients needed for your personalised Bach remedy, you can then either proceed to use drops on the tongue or rubbed onto the lips or diluted in a small glass of water.
To get a consultation and your personalised Bach Flower Remedy call Barbara at 99-335984 or visit www.barbarajonestherapies.com or www.effectivelearning-cy.com. Training courses are also available in September
BACH FACTS
– Bach Flower Remedies are completely safe and natural and can be used by the whole family. They can even be used to help plants and animals.
– 38 Bach remedies are more than enough to deal with every personality on earth because millions of permutations and combinations of selective Bach essences along with their corresponding doses are feasible to deal with every personality.
– The term ‘Flower Essence’ may conjure up thoughts of sweet fragrances but flower essences actually have no scent at all and should not be confused with aromatherapy or essential oils. Flower essences contain the life-force energy released from flowers in the peak of their bloom.
– Dr Bach created an emergency combination containing five Bach Flower Remedies. It includes Impatiens for mental stress and tension, Star of Bethlehem for shock, Cherry Plum for desperation and loss of control, Rock Rose for terror and panic and Clematis for fainting and loss of consciousness. The Rescue Remedy can be used to help you cope with immediate everyday situations such as going to the dentist, an interview, a wedding and even in times of crisis and trauma such as bereavement, a relationship breakdown or redundancy.
