Remedies

Flower Essences and Other Essences

You choose an essence by what you feel, not by what hurts: a flower for each mood. Here are the 38 Bach flowers in their seven groups, how to make up your bottle, flowers of other lands, and the essences that are not flowers: those of a stone, the Moon, the sea or a place.

Choosing your Bach flowers

To recognize what you feel today and pick the flowers that go with it.

You need: Paper and a pencil
Time: Twenty minutes

Sit down with the paper and ask yourself how you have been feeling these days, not how you have always been.
Write down each feeling in your own words: “afraid of the exam,” “can't make up my mind,” “angry at my brother.”
Look in the table to see which group each one belongs to.
In that group's table, find the flower that names it best.
If something in your body worries you, choose by how it makes you feel, and take the worry itself to your doctor.
Cross out any flower that answers to something already over.
Keep six or seven at most: too many at once get in each other's way.
Make up your dropper bottle with the ones you chose.
Write down the date. When the bottle runs out, in two or three weeks, ask yourself again how you feel and choose again.

Group	What you feel	Flowers
Fear	Panic, fears with a name or without one, fear for the people you love	5
Uncertainty	Doubt, indecision, discouragement, not knowing which way to go	6
Little interest in the present	Your head somewhere else, apathy, exhaustion, sadness for no reason	7
Loneliness	A reserve that cuts you off, impatience, a need for company	3
Oversensitivity to influences and ideas	Other people, changes or your own jealousy affect you too much	4
Despondency or despair	Low confidence, guilt, overwhelm, anguish, resentment	8
Too much concern for others	Wanting to look after, convince, command or correct others, and yourself	5

Care: The flowers go with a mood; for a health problem or a sadness that won't lift, see a professional.

Bach flowers for fear

To find the flower that goes with the fear you feel today.

You need: Paper and a pencil
Time: Ten minutes

Read the “When you feel” column slowly and mark the lines where you recognize yourself today.
If you see yourself in two flowers that are alike, ask yourself exactly what you feel and keep the closer one.
Ask yourself what you are afraid of: something with a name, something without one, yourself, or something happening to someone else.
Read in the third column the quality that goes with each flower you marked, and say out loud the one you need most.
Write down the flowers you chose for your dropper bottle.

Flower	When you feel	What goes with it
Rock Rose	Terrified or panicked, frozen by a scare	Courage and presence of mind
Mimulus	Afraid of something you can name: speaking in public, dogs, losing your job; shy, too	Quiet courage for everyday things
Cherry Plum	Afraid of losing control and doing something you don't want to do	Calm and trust in yourself
Aspen	A vague fear with no cause you can name; a sense that something bad is coming	Trust in the face of the unknown
Red Chestnut	Too afraid of what might happen to the people you love	Caring calmly, and trusting

Care: A fear that keeps you from living your life also calls for a professional's help.

Bach flowers for uncertainty

To find the flower that goes with your doubt, your indecision or your discouragement.

You need: Paper and a pencil
Time: Ten minutes

Read the “When you feel” column slowly and mark the lines where you recognize yourself today.
If you see yourself in two flowers that are alike, ask yourself exactly what you feel and keep the closer one.
Read in the third column the quality that goes with each flower you marked, and say out loud the one you need most.
Write down the flowers you chose for your dropper bottle.

Flower	When you feel	What goes with it
Cerato	Unsure of your own judgment; you ask everyone for their opinion	Trust in your intuition
Scleranthus	Unable to choose between two paths; you swing from one to the other	Decision and balance
Gentian	Discouraged after a setback	Heart to try again
Gorse	Hopeless; you believe nothing will help anymore	Hope
Hornbeam	Tired just thinking about what you have to do	The will to start the day
Wild Oat	Eager to do something with your life, without knowing which way to go	Clarity about your path

Care: The drops are preserved in brandy: during pregnancy and with children, check with a professional first.

Bach flowers for little interest in the present

To find the flower that goes with you back to today.

You need: Paper and a pencil
Time: Ten minutes

Read the “When you feel” column slowly and mark the lines where you recognize yourself today.
If you see yourself in two flowers that are alike, ask yourself exactly what you feel and keep the closer one.
Read in the third column the quality that goes with each flower you marked, and say out loud the one you need most.
Write down the flowers you chose for your dropper bottle.

Flower	When you feel	What goes with it
Clematis	Lost in daydreams about the future, paying no attention to what is in front of you	Presence; your feet on the ground
Honeysuckle	Living in the past, homesick for what used to be	Interest in today
Wild Rose	Resigned and apathetic; you let everything go by without trying to change it	Zest and interest in life
Olive	Worn out after a long effort of body or mind	Rest and renewed strength
White Chestnut	Full of thoughts that go around in circles and arguments inside your head	A quiet mind
Mustard	A deep sadness that comes for no reason and leaves on its own	Steady serenity and joy
Chestnut Bud	Stuck repeating the same mistakes without learning from them	Learning from experience

Care: A sadness or a tiredness that lasts for weeks calls for a visit to a professional.

Bach flowers for loneliness

To find the flower that goes with your way of being with others and without them.

You need: Paper and a pencil
Time: Ten minutes

Read the “When you feel” column slowly and mark the lines where you recognize yourself today.
If you see yourself in two flowers that are alike, ask yourself exactly what you feel and keep the closer one.
Read in the third column the quality that goes with each flower you marked, and say out loud the one you need most.
Write down the flowers you chose for your dropper bottle.

Flower	When you feel	What goes with it
Water Violet	Reserved and calm, but cut off behind your own distance	Closeness without losing your calm
Impatiens	Impatient and irritated with anyone slower than you; you would rather do it alone	Patience
Heather	In need of talking about yourself to anyone at all; you can't stand being alone	Knowing how to listen

Care: The drops are preserved in brandy: if you avoid alcohol, use them in a spray bottle.

Bach flowers for oversensitivity to influences and ideas

To find the flower that goes with you when other people or changes affect you too much.

You need: Paper and a pencil
Time: Ten minutes

Read the “When you feel” column slowly and mark the lines where you recognize yourself today.
If you see yourself in two flowers that are alike, ask yourself exactly what you feel and keep the closer one.
Read in the third column the quality that goes with each flower you marked, and say out loud the one you need most.
Write down the flowers you chose for your dropper bottle.

Flower	When you feel	What goes with it
Agrimony	A sorrow you hide behind a cheerful face	Peace to talk about what is going on with you
Centaury	Unable to say no; you wear yourself out trying to please	Boundaries; serving without losing yourself
Walnut	Shaken by a change, or pulled off your path by other people's opinions	Steadiness, and protection from outside influence
Holly	Envious, jealous, bitter or suspicious	Generosity and openness toward others

Care: If you take medication, ask your doctor first: the drops contain alcohol.

Bach flowers for despondency or despair

To find the flower that goes with your discouragement, your guilt or your anguish.

You need: Paper and a pencil
Time: Ten minutes

Read the “When you feel” column slowly and mark the lines where you recognize yourself today.
If you see yourself in two flowers that are alike, ask yourself exactly what you feel and keep the closer one.
Read in the third column the quality that goes with each flower you marked, and say out loud the one you need most.
Write down the flowers you chose for your dropper bottle.

Flower	When you feel	What goes with it
Larch	Less capable than everyone else; you don't try because you expect to fail	Confidence to give it a try
Pine	Guilty; you blame yourself for what you did, what you didn't, and even what others did	Forgiving yourself and carrying only what is yours
Elm	Suddenly overwhelmed by your responsibilities, though you can usually handle them	Trust in your own ability
Sweet Chestnut	In extreme anguish, at the limit of what you can bear	A light when there seems to be no way out
Star of Bethlehem	Under the weight of a blow: bad news, a loss, a fright, recent or old	Comfort
Willow	Resentful and bitter; you feel life has been unfair to you	Good spirits, and taking charge of your life
Oak	Strong and dependable, but still pushing on past exhaustion	Strength that knows how to rest
Crab Apple	Unhappy with something about your looks or the way you are; a feeling of not being clean	Accepting yourself

Care: If the despair is deep or you think about hurting yourself, get professional help today.

Bach flowers for too much concern for others

To find the flower that goes with you in caring without holding on, convincing or imposing.

You need: Paper and a pencil
Time: Ten minutes

Read the “When you feel” column slowly and mark the lines where you recognize yourself today.
If you see yourself in two flowers that are alike, ask yourself exactly what you feel and keep the closer one.
Keep in mind that Rock Water is not a flower: it is spring water.
Read in the third column the quality that goes with each flower you marked, and say out loud the one you need most.
Write down the flowers you chose for your dropper bottle.

Flower	When you feel	What goes with it
Chicory	Full of affection, but possessive; you expect attention in return for what you give	Love given freely
Vervain	Full of an enthusiasm that never rests; you need to win everyone over	Calm, and an ear for other opinions
Vine	Sure you know what is best; you tend to give orders and impose	Leading without imposing
Beech	Intolerant and critical of the way other people are	Tolerance; seeing the good
Rock Water	Very hard on yourself; you deny yourself rest and pleasure to keep your own rules	Flexibility and kindness toward yourself

Care: Choose flowers for yourself; offer them to another adult only if they want them.

Making up your bottle

To mix the flowers you chose in a personal bottle for two or three weeks.

You need: A clean 30 ml (1 oz) glass dropper bottle · The flowers you chose, each in its own little bottle · Still mineral water · A teaspoon of brandy, cider vinegar or vegetable glycerin, if you won't keep it in the refrigerator
Time: Ten minutes

Put two drops of each flower you chose into the bottle.
If you include the five-flower combination already mixed, add four drops of it.
If you won't keep it in the refrigerator, add the teaspoon of brandy, cider vinegar or glycerin.
Fill the bottle with still mineral water and close it.
Write the flowers and the date on a label.
Take four drops at least four times a day, the first when you wake up and the last before you go to sleep.
Keep it somewhere cool: it lasts two or three weeks.
When it runs out, go back to the tables and choose again by how you feel.

Care: The drops are preserved in brandy: if you avoid alcohol, look for the ones made with glycerin, or use the flowers without taking them.

A glass with your flowers

To go along with a passing mood without making up a bottle.

You need: A glass of water · The flowers you chose, each in its own little bottle
When: A rough patch with a date on it: tomorrow's nerves, today's anger.

Put two drops of each flower you chose into the glass.
Take a sip.
Take another sip whenever you need to, until the mood shifts.
If there is water left, keep the glass in the refrigerator and finish it the next day.

Care: During pregnancy and with children, check with a professional first: the drops contain brandy.

The five-flower combination

To go along with a moment of fright, nerves or crisis.

You need: The five flowers in the table, each in its own little bottle, or one little bottle with them already mixed · A glass of water
When: Before an exam or an appointment that makes you nervous; after a scare, bad news or an argument.

Put two drops of each of the five flowers into the glass of water, or four drops if they come already mixed.
Take a sip and breathe deeply three times.
Take another sip every few minutes until you are calm.
If you have no water on hand, put four drops of the mix on your tongue.
When the moment has passed, set it aside: for what lasts weeks, choose your flowers and make up your bottle.

Flower	What it goes with in the mix
Star of Bethlehem	The shock of what just happened
Rock Rose	Panic
Impatiens	Agitation and hurry
Cherry Plum	The fear of losing control
Clematis	The feeling of being far away, as if absent

Care: It is for a hard moment, not for every day; in an emergency, first call someone who can help you.

Your flowers without taking them

To keep your flowers with you in the bath, on your pulse points or in the air of your room.

You need: The flowers you chose, or your bottle already made up · Depending on the way: a bathtub or a bucket, or a spray bottle with filtered water

Choose your flowers as always, by what you feel today.
Pick a way to use them from the table.
Before you begin, name under your breath the mood you are choosing them for.
Add the drops as the table says.
Repeat when you wake up and before you go to sleep, for a few days.
Change the water in the spray bottle every week.

Way	How
In the bathwater	Two drops of each flower in a full tub, or in a bucket of warm water that you pour over yourself at the end of your shower.
On your pulse points	One drop from your bottle on each wrist, on your temples or behind your ears. Rub gently.
In a spray bottle	Two drops of each flower in a spray bottle of filtered water. Mist the room, your pillow or the air around you, with your eyes closed.

Care: Don't put them on broken skin or near your eyes: they contain brandy.

Making an essence by the sun method

To keep a flower's presence in water for your altar or for misting your home.

You need: A plain glass bowl · Spring water or still mineral water · A plant in bloom from your garden or your flowerpot, one you know for certain and that is not toxic: rose, calendula, chamomile, lavender · A spray bottle or a small glass for the altar
When: A clear morning without a single cloud, before nine.
Time: Three hours of sun

Choose the plant: only one you recognize without any doubt and that is used in cooking or as a tea.
Fill the bowl with water and set it on the ground beside the plant, in full sun.
Hold a leaf of the same plant between your fingers and use it to pick a few flowers without touching them with your hand.
Let them fall onto the water until they cover the surface.
Say the words.
Leave the bowl in the sun for three hours, with no shadow falling on it.
Lift the flowers out with a twig or a leaf of the plant, without putting your fingers in the water.
Pour the water into the spray bottle or the small glass for the altar.
Give the flowers and any leftover water back to the earth, at the foot of the plant.
Use the water that same week, and make it again when you need it.

“Thank you, flower, for what you leave in this water. I take only what I need and give the rest back to you.”

Care: Don't drink it or put it on your skin, since it is only for the altar or the spray bottle, and never use a toxic plant or one you don't recognize.

Flower essences of other lands

To choose, among flowers of North America and Australia, the one that goes with what you feel.

You need: Paper and a pencil · The essence you chose, in its little bottle

Write what you feel today in one sentence.
Look for it in the “When you feel” column.
Choose one flower, or two at most.
Take it as the label on its bottle says, or put two drops in a spray bottle of water.
Write down the date, and ask yourself again how you feel after a few weeks.

Flower	When you feel	What goes with it
Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)	Thin-skinned: everything outside gets in and wears you out	Shelter and a strength of your own
Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla)	Upset and irritable; you can't let go of the day's tension	Serenity
Borage (Borago officinalis)	Heavy-hearted, with little spirit for what is hard	Courage and good cheer
Sunflower (Helianthus annuus)	Too small, or too big, in your own eyes	A fair regard for yourself
Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)	Tense from asking so much of yourself	Ease; doing without forcing
Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)	On edge, overstimulated	Calm
Waratah (Telopea speciosissima)	In a very dark hour, without the strength to respond	Courage to hold on and keep going
Bottlebrush (Callistemon)	Swamped by a big life change	Calm to leave things behind and move on

Care: They are preserved in brandy and go with a mood; for a health problem, see a professional.

A crystal essence by the indirect method

To keep a stone's presence in water for your altar or for misting a room.

You need: A stone you know by name · A small glass, dry · A larger glass bowl · Water · A spray bottle or a small glass for the altar
When: A sunny morning or a moonlit night.
Time: Four to twelve hours

Choose the stone from the table, or one you have and know.
Wash it and dry it.
Put it in the small glass, dry.
Set the glass in the center of the bowl.
Pour water into the bowl, around the glass, without letting a single drop in where the stone is.
Leave the bowl in the morning sun, or all night in the light of the Moon if the stone fades in the sun, as amethyst and rose quartz do.
Take out the glass with the stone.
Pour the water from the bowl into the spray bottle or the small glass for the altar.
Use it within three days, and give what is left to the soil of a potted plant.

Stone	Chosen when	What goes with it
Rose quartz	You need to be kinder to yourself or to someone else	Tenderness
Amethyst	Your mind won't stop	Calm
Citrine	You lack the spirit to begin	Joy and drive
Clear quartz	You can't see a matter clearly	Clarity

Care: Don't drink it or put it on your skin: many minerals are toxic, which is why the stone never touches the water.

An essence of the Moon, the sea or a place

To keep a moment or a place in water and bring it home.

You need: A wide-mouthed glass jar with a lid · Clean water, brought from home · A spray bottle or a small glass for the altar

Choose from the table what you want to keep.
Fill the jar with the water you brought.
Set it uncovered on the ground or on a rock, where no one will trip over it.
Stay close and quiet for a while; say under your breath what you came for.
Leave it for the time the table says.
Put the lid on and take the jar home, leaving nothing behind.
Pour the water into the spray bottle or the small glass for the altar.
Mist your room whenever you want to bring that moment back.
Use it that week, and give what is left to the soil of a potted plant.

Essence	How it is made	To go with
The full Moon	The jar spends the night under the full Moon, where its light falls on the water	Seeing clearly what was in shadow
The sea	The jar, filled with fresh water, spends an afternoon on the shore, away from the waves	Rhythm: what leaves and what arrives
Sunrise	The jar takes in the first hour of sun	A beginning
A place you love	The jar spends an afternoon where you grow still: a patio, an old tree, a hill	Rest; feeling at home

Care: Don't drink it: this water has been out in the open.

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