The Healing Properties of Bach Flower Remedies

Bach Flower Remedies are a therapeutic method of treating physical illness by addressing the emotional and spiritual ailments that may lie at the root of the sickness. Within the world of Complementary Medicine, Bach Flower Remedies are relatively new additions. Developed by Homeopath Dr. Edward Bach in the 1930’s, Bach Flower Therapy uses dilutions of flower essences formed by 38 original recipes to treat a variety of ailments.

Bach Flower Remedies have strong healing properties for emotional and physical ailments.

Dr. Bach discovered certain resonances in flowers that he believed would be useful in balancing the emotional and spiritual conditions of his clients thus healing their physical ailments. As this form of treatment replaces negative emotions with positive ones, the treatments truly do capture the essence of holistic therapy, treating body, mind and soul.

How Does It Work?

These 38 plant and flower based remedies were all created to address a specific emotion. As such, these recipes assist persons in controlling the emotional requirements of daily life which has become increasingly stressful and demanding. For example Mimulus is used to reduce fear and anxiety, empowering you to face fearful situations with courage

By motivating the body’s self healing qualities, Bach Flower remedies allow you to take control of your emotional, spiritual and physical condition, feel better about yourself and get more out of life.

The remedies, that are usually admitted orally, can be used alone or in collaboration with each other.

Who offers such a treatment?

A Naturopath or qualified Bach Flower Therapist would conduct a consultation and then advise you on the most suitable remedy or remedies for your situation.

What does it treat and who can take it?

Dr. Bach categorised seven negative categories of emotions. These are fearfulness, uncertainty, lack of interest in present circumstances, loneliness, over-sensitivity, despondence and despair, and over-concern for the welfare of others.

By addressing these emotions, Bach Flower Remedies treat a multiplicity of disorders such as anxiety, sleep disorders, attention deficit disorder, ADHD, and the effects of trauma among other ailments.

There are over 38 original Bach Flower Remedies.

Bach Flower Remedies are safe and can be taken by anyone without side effects, overdosing or addiction. They are also safe to use in conjunction with conventional medicine. It is believed that there is no harm done in choosing the wrong one as the remedy will cancel out itself should the need arise.

How are they created?

The flower remedies and essences used in Bach Flower Therapy are liquid dilutions. There are two ways of creating these remedies. Firstly by boiling the potent portions of the plants in spring water or secondly by placing the flowers onto the surface of the spring water, allowing the natural sunlight to release the essences into the water. After either of these methods, the water is preserved in a brandy solution.

What will they do for you?

Balance – Bach Remedy will improve your quality of life by bringing your emotional and spiritual selves into a state of balance stimulating a positive position of physical health and wellbeing. This has constructive implications for all areas of your life, creating a healthier, more courageous and connected you, empowering you to take a more proactive role in receiving all that life has to offer.

Written by The Merkaba team and originally published in Barbados’ Better Health for March – A magazine of the Nation Publishing Company.

Alternative or Complementary Medicine: What’s the Difference?

Is Alternative and Complementary Medicine the same thing? Are they completely different

Are they two sides of the same mountain?

ways of practicing medicine? These are valid questions considering that these two terms are often tossed around interchangeably, which could cause confusion.

Complementary and Alternative Medicine are usually grouped together under the term CAM. They both use therapies that were around for centuries before modern (conventional) medicine. Some of these therapies are considered “folk” and were passed down through generations.

However, some practitioners disagree with the use of the term CAM to represent both Complementary and Alternative Medicine due to two fundamental differences between their approaches.

1.      Relationship to “Conventional Medicine”

Complementary Medicine is often practiced in addition to conventional medicine. Complementary practitioners for the most part do not adopt a “them and us” attitude with respect to conventional medicine. For example, a complementary therapist may integrate reflexology into a patient’s conventional treatment for chronic pain.

Alternative medicine, on the other hand, is mostly practiced instead of conventional medicine. Alternative practitioners may suggest that there is no need to use conventional medicine in addition to their methods. For instance, they may advise that their homeopathic remedies are sufficient to heal someone with chronic asthma in place of the usual inhalers prescribed by doctors.

2.      The Right to Choose

Alternative practitioners are often criticised for denying their patients access to other methods of treatment that may be appropriate for their ailments. Some might argue that the Alternative practitioner’s insistence of using only their methods denies their patients the right to choose for themselves the treatment that they find the best for their situation.

The Complementary therapists will suggests Alternative therapies for health care that support conventional medicine. Therefore, each individual has the right to make an informed choice on their own health care, whether it is complementary or conventional medicines and even a mixture of both therapies based on the provision of fair and balanced information.

These two fundamental divergences in approaches may seem to set Complementary against Alternative therapies and vice versa, however, they are really two sides of the same mountain. Therefore, with the correct information each of us can be confident in choosing either of these routes or both once we are clear on their differences.

Orthodox Medicine & Complementary Medicine: No Need for Conflict

For decades there has been an undertone of antagonism between the Orthodox and Complementary medicine camps. Both groups of practitioners argue that the other

There is room for both traditional and complementary medicine in our lives.

set is either pushing harmful treatments on its patients or encouraging clients to be irresponsible with their health and well-being.

However, both camps should make room for the patient to make an intelligent choice by providing fair and balanced information about the benefits as well as the drawbacks of their respective medicines and therapies.

Consider this controversial concept …

There is room for both Orthodox and Complementary medicine in an individual’s life.

Purpose

Complementary medicine is preventative in nature, seeking to diminish our chances of developing life threatening illnesses by practicing healthy living and eating. Orthodox medicine, on the other hand, is on the curative portion of the curve providing cures or treatments after a patient is diagnosed with a disease.

Approach

Complementary medicine treats the root of the illness, linking the body, mind and soul’s connection to the disease, whereas orthodox medicine has a symptomatic approach. For example, the orthodox approach would treat the sneeze i.e. the symptom of the cold rather than the root cause which could have been triggered by a depressed immune system.

Orientation

The body, a system of extraordinary intelligence, can heal itself naturally. Any supplements or treatments should be natural and restorative to encourage and support such healing. This is the orientation of complementary medicine when treating illnesses. However, one needs to be wise and consult a physician who can examine, diagnose and inform you of the orthodox drugs or surgical options that are available. In this way, you can make a responsible decision about your approach to your own healing once informed about all options.

Focus

With a customised focus, such as the one adopted by complementary medicine, each patient can be assured that the treatment is personally suited to them. We may have the same scientifically named ailment, but its root cause and effects on us are different. Orthodox medicine may however, prescribe the identical medicine, treatment or surgery based on the same ailment suffered by a mass group of people.

Use of complementary medicine does not eliminate the role of orthodox medicine.

The Merkaba believes you can intelligently and responsibly incorporate orthodox and complementary medicine in your life. You could choose the orthodox route, decide to follow a completely complementary direction or to combine the two. One could take the medication provided by your physician, and a complementary medicine once that ailment has been cured, to flush the liver of the drug and restore the body’s natural cultures.

With this in mind, there is no need for conflict between orthodox and complementary medicines, since each of us is able to make an intelligent decision about our lives and health from an informed standpoint.