Flower Remedy Essence Therapy

When a friend is sick, recovering from surgery or grieving the loss of a loved one, our first response is to send flowers. Whether because of their vibrant colors or their lovely fragrances, flowers seem to have a therapeutic effect when we’re fighting illness, fatigue or flagging spirits.

But for some alternative practitioners, flower power goes way beyond stimulating the senses. For anyone who practices flower remedy/essence therapy, a system of natural medicine that uses remedies distilled from blooming plants and trees, flowers are nature’s gentle tools for treating and preventing disease.

Healing with flowers isn’t a new idea. Early societies, from those in ancient Egypt and Rome to many Native American tribes, used flowering plants for medicinal purposes.

The modern tradition of healing with flowers began with Edward Bach, an English physician. In the early 1930s, Dr. Bach discovered that many of his patients displayed various emotional and psychological difficulties before the onset of physical disease. (He also noted that those same responses, such as fear, anger, jealousy and anxiety, would complicate physical disorders, making them more difficult to treat.) Concerned about the side effects of drugs, Dr. Bach searched in nature for a solution to the problem of emotional healing, eventually discovering 38 flowering plants and trees that alleviated a wide range of emotional and psychological difficulties. Today, these 38 “flower remedies” are used worldwide.

“The main reason for the failure of modern medicine is that it is dealing with results and not causes,” Dr. Bach wrote in 1931. True healing, he believed, involves treating the cause of the suffering—emotional and mental imbalances.

For Dr. Bach, who died in 1936, finding the right remedy to correct a particular emotional or mental imbalance was a combination of intuition and clinical research. For several days before discovering a new remedy, Dr. Bach would often experience the emotional symptoms the remedy was to treat. By placing different flower petals in his hand or on his tongue and observing their effects, Dr. Bach believed he could tell which flower would be most able to stabilize a particular emotional or physical state.

Choosing the Essences

For modern men and women accustomed to Western medicine’s emphasis on symptoms, the idea that emotions such as grief and jealousy could lead to acne, heartburn or worse takes some getting used to.

“Many people are uncomfortable with the idea that their attitudes and emotions create health problems, because it makes them feel as if their illnesses were their fault,” says Lynda Hamner, M.D., an Ayurvedic practitioner in Leavenworth, Washington, who uses the 38 flower remedies. But she believes these attitudes are changing. “Now that studies have shown the connection between emotional stress and heart disease, people are beginning to recognize and respect the link between body and mind.”

Flower remedies are not directly used to treat physical conditions, says herbalist Leslie J. Kaslof, author of The Traditional Flower Remedies of Dr. Edward Bach, but “physicians note that when emotional and psychological stress are stabilized, functional and other disorders, which have strong emotional and psychological components as their underlying causes, often resolve themselves or can be treated more easily.”

“It’s not enough to recognize your physical symptoms; you have to get to know yourself on a deeper level,” says Patricia Kaminski, co-director of the Flower Essence Society, a Nevada City, California, organization that studies and promotes the therapeutic use of flower remedies/essences.

How Do They Work?

Though the exact way in which the flower remedies/essences work is not yet understood, some researchers think the substances stimulate the brain to release neurochemicals that alter emotions such as fear, anger and anxiety. The result, they say, is a strengthening of the body’s innate ability to heal itself.

As Kaslof points out, it’s a theory that is as difficult to prove as it is to refute. “It may be some years before science is capable of measuring the kinds of subtle changes we’re talking about,” he says.

Flower remedy/essence therapy has developed an enthusiastic following, first in Europe and more recently in North America. The Flower Essence Society is in touch with more than 30,000 professionals and laypeople worldwide who use flower remedies/essences as a healing modality. They include naturopathic and holistic doctors who use the remedies/essences along with herbs, nutritional therapy and homeopathy, medical doctors and dentists who use them in tandem with conventional treatment and individuals interested in preventive medicine for themselves and their families.

Besides the 38 Bach remedies, some practitioners also use the essences of flower species native to California, many of them traditional Native American cures. These essences are distilled in a manner similar to the one Dr. Bach used and, like the Bach flowers, are prescribed according to the mental and emotional state of the patient.

Using the Remedies/Essences

Part II of this book recommends flower remedies/essences to treat over 40 conditions. The remedies/essences are available in some health food stores or may be ordered directly from the manufacturer (refer to the resource list on page 635). Sold in a highly concentrated form, they can be given in one-fourth of a glass of water and sipped at intervals—first thing in the morning, before meals and at bedtime—or diluted in a separate dosage bottle before using. Because only a few drops of the remedy or essence are needed, a 10.5-milliliter bottle (retail price: approximately $8 to $9) can last three to six months depending on use, according to Kaslof.

In cases where there seems to be more than one emotional issue at the root of a physical problem, two or more flower remedies/essences can be combined in one-fourth of a glass of water and sipped at intervals or diluted in a single dosage bottle. Experts advise using two to four drops of each remedy/essence.

But don’t overdo it. Mixing several remedies/essences—say, six or more—may be confusing, because it’s impossible to tell which substance is having an effect.

“In general, up to six remedies can be used in combinations,” says Kaslof. “However, when more are indicated, I often suggest reducing the number by having people deal with the most pressing emotional issues first and using one remedy at a time whenever possible.”

What to Expect

For those accustomed to the quick action of prescription drugs and over-the-counter medicines, using flower remedies/essences takes patience. Kaslof estimates that most people see results in 1 to 12 weeks, depending on each person’s sensitivity and type of emotional difficulty. He also cautions that for those conditions or symptoms requiring medical attention, or if symptoms persist, a qualified health professional should be consulted.

“The remedies aren’t quick fixes,” he emphasizes. “For example, if you have trouble sleeping one night, a sleeping pill can put you out in a matter of minutes—but there’s no guarantee that you won’t have the same problem again the next night. If you take the right flower remedy when indicated, you’re addressing the underlying cause of your problem. It may take a few weeks, but your chances for a long-term solution are much better.”

The action of the remedy/essence is quite subtle. “You might not be sure the remedy is working until you discover one day that your attitude toward and relationship to prior difficulties have changed,” says Kaslof.

This gentle action makes flower remedies/essences ideal for home use. Unlike many pharmaceutical drugs, the flower remedies/essences aren’t habit forming; they can be taken for as long as needed, until the individual feels his emotional issues have been resolved. The flower remedies/essences have a self-diminishing effect. As the individual moves closer to resolving conflicts, the need for and the effectiveness of the remedy/essence diminish.

Dr. Bach’s Stress-Relieving Formula

In addition to the 38 remedies and the North American essences, many flower therapists use the emergency stress relief formula, a blend of five remedies developed by Dr. Bach for use in everyday stress and emergency situations. Legend has it that Dr. Bach discovered the formula while treating a shipwrecked sailor, who had washed up on the beach near his laboratory in Cromer, England. After being treated with a blend of three remedies—Rockrose, Clematis and Impatiens—the sailor regained consciousness and later recovered.

The modern version of this formula, which also contains the remedies Cherry Plum and Star-of-Bethlehem, has been used for everything from stage fright to insect bites, from temper tantrums to labor pains. Marketed under brand names such as Calming Essence, Rescue Remedy and Five-Flower Formula, this blend is said to have a calming, balancing effect on people and even on animals in distress.

“The formula is not a substitute for medical attention. In emergencies and other circumstances requiring medical attention, one should seek the help of a qualified health professional,” says Kaslof. “The remedy can be of great assistance in stabilizing emotional stress in a crisis, which may help ease physical symptoms.” Practitioners use the formula to help treat conditions as acute as an angina attack or as benign as Monday morning lethargy.

The emergency formula can be particularly helpful for patients grieving over a divorce or the death of a loved one, according to Eve Campanelli, Ph.D., a holistic family practitioner in Beverly Hills, California. And Cin cinnati dentist William Westendorf, D.D.S., has used it for the past ten years to soothe tense, fearful patients. “People experience a lot of anxiety when they go to see the dentist,” says Dr. Westendorf. “I use the formula in conjunction with the usual anesthesia, and my patients—especially the children—are noticeably more relaxed.”

The emergency formula may be used as often as needed in a crisis situation; some of Dr. Campanelli’s patients use it every half-hour. It is taken directly from the bottle by placing four drops under the tongue. Some manufacturers also produce it in cream form, to be applied topically to injuries including, but not limited to, sprains, muscle aches, minor burns and cuts, bruises, insect bites and even tension headaches.