Sue Stevens - Handcrafted Health

They are used to help balance the emotions and bring about a state of equilibrium in living organisms, and have been successfully used with people, animals, and even plants.

There are a total of 38 different Bach Flower Essences, 37 made from specific flowers and one made from the water of a spring believed to have healing properties. Each essence is used to treat a specific emotion or state of mind such as fear, anger, apathy, etc. These are all emotions that most people can readily identify in themselves and in other people, and with training can also identify in animals.

These emotional states and their corresponding essence are all described in The Twelve Healers and Other Remedies by Edward Bach, MB, BS, MRCS, LRCP, DPH. Dr. Bach's goal was to create a system of medicine that was simple enough that people who become familiar with the essences through his publications could identify their negative emotional state, select the corresponding essence and thus treat themselves.

The Bach Flower Essences are very safe. The only contra-indication is hypersensitivity to any of the ingredients. Since the botanical component is so dilute, a reaction is very unlikely. Grape alcohol is used as a preservative, so the essences may be unsuitable for those sensitive to alcohol.
Bach Flower Essences are not used to treat physical disease, but rather the emotional state of the patient. They can be used to help resolve fear and anxiety, anger, grief, and many other emotions.

This questionnaire can help you learn the different type of emotional imbalance that each Bach Flower Remedy addresses. You may want to read more about each of the Remedies in order to select the correct combination.

Agrimony

• I hide my feelings behind a faade of cheerfulness
• I dislike arguments and often give in to avoid conflict
• I turn to food, work, alcohol, drugs, etc. when down
  Aspen
• I feel anxious without knowing why
• I have a secret fear that something bad will happen
• I wake up feeling anxious
  Beech
• I get annoyed by the habits of others
• I focus on others' mistakes
• I am critical and intolerant
  Centaury
• I often neglect my own needs to please
• I find it difficult to say "no"
• I tend to be easily influenced
  Cerato
• I constantly second-guess myself
• I seek advice, mistrusting my own intuition
• I often change my mind out of confusion
  Cherry Plum
• I'm afraid I might lose control of myself
• I have sudden fits of rage
• I feel like I'm going crazy
  Chestnut Bud
• I make the same mistakes over and over
• I don't learn from my experience
• I keep repeating the same patterns
  Chicory
• I need to be needed and want my loved ones close
• I feel unloved and unappreciated by my family
• I easily feel slighted and hurt
  Clematis
• I often feel spacey and absent minded
• I find myself unable to concentrate for long
• I get drowsy and sleep more than necessary
  Crab Apple
• I am overly concerned with cleanliness
• I feel unclean or physically unattractive
• I tend to obsess over little things
  Elm
• I feel overwhelmed by my responsibilities
• I don't cope well under pressure
• I have temporarily lost my self-confidence
  Gentian
• I become discouraged with small setbacks
• I am easily disheartened when faced with difficulties
• I am often sceptical and pessimistic
  Gorse
• I feel hopeless, and can't see a way out
• I lack faith that things could get better in my life
• I I feel sullen and depressed
  Heather
• I am obsessed with my own troubles
• I dislike being alone and I like to talk
• I usually bring conversations back to myself
  Holly
• I am suspicious of others
• I feel discontented and unhappy
• I am full of jealousy, mistrust, or hate
  Honeysuckle
• I'm often homesick for the "way it was"
• I think more about the past than the present
• I often think about what might have been
  Hornbeam
• I often feel too tired to face the day ahead
• I feel mentally exhausted
• I tend to put things off
  Impatiens
• I find it hard to wait for things
• I am impatient and irritable
• I prefer to work alone
  Larch
• I lack self-confidence
• I feel inferior and often become discouraged
• I never expect anything but failure
  Mimulus
• I am afraid of things such as spiders, illness, etc.
• I am shy, overly sensitive, and modest
• I get nervous and embarrassed
  Mustard
• I get depressed without any reason
• I feel my moods swinging back and forth
• I get gloomy feelings that come and go
  Oak
• I tend to overwork and keep on in spite of exhaustion
• I have a strong sense of duty and never give up
• I neglect my own needs in order to complete a task
  Olive
• I feel completely exhausted, physically and/ or mentally
• I am totally drained of all energy with no reserves left
• I have just been through a long period of illness or stress
  Pine
• I feel unworthy and inferior
• I often feel guilty
• I blame myself for everything that goes wrong
  Red Chestnut
• I am overly concerned and worried about my loved ones
• I am distressed and disturbed by other people's problems
• I worry that harm may come to those I love
  Rock Rose
• I sometimes feel terror and panic
• I become helpless and frozen when afraid
• I suffer from nightmares
  Rock Water
• I set high standards for myself
• I am strict with my health, work &/or spiritual discipline
• I am very self-disciplined, always striving for perfection
  Scleranthus
• I find it difficult to make decisions
• I often change my opinions
• I have intense mood swings
  Star of Bethlehem
• I feel devastated due to a recent shock
• I am withdrawn due to traumatic events in my life
• I have never recovered from loss or fright
  Sweet Chestnut
• I feel extreme mental or emotional heartache
• I have reached the limits of my endurance
• I am in complete despair, all hope gone
  Vervain
• I get high-strung and very intense
• I try to convince others of my way of thinking
• I am sensitive to injustice, almost fanatical
  Vine
• I tend to take charge of projects, situations, etc.
• I consider myself a natural leader
• I am strong-willed, ambitious and often bossy
  Walnut
• I am experiencing change in my life--a move, new job, etc.
• I get drained by people or situations
• I want to be free to follow my own ambitions
  Water Violet
• I give the impression that I'm aloof
• I prefer to be alone when overwhelmed
• I often don't connect with people
  White Chestnut
• I am constantly thinking unwanted thoughts
• I relive unhappy events or arguments over and over again
• I am unable to sleep at times because I can't stop thinking
  Wild Oat
• I can't find my path in life
• I am drifting in life and lack direction
• I am ambitious but don't know what to do
  Wild Rose
• I am apathetic and resigned to whatever happens
• I have the attitude, "It doesn't matter anyhow"
• I feel no joy in life
  Willow
• I feel resentful and bitter
• I have difficulty forgiving and forgetting
• I think life is unfair and have a "Poor me attitude