Homeopathic remedies derived from plants and flowers intended to treat the emotions. The 38 Bach flower remedies are thought to work by balancing the emotions and helping people to feel better about themselves and their lives. Developed by British doctor Edward Bach in the 1930s, the Bach flower remedies reflect their inventor’s belief that physical illness stems from an unhealthy mental state. Each remedy is designed to address a particular disturbing mood or attitude — the remedy for doubt or discouragement, for example, is gentian.
Homeopathic technique developed in the 1930s by Dr. Edward Bach (pronounced batch) to treat specific emotional ailments or ‘imbalances.” Bach, a British bacteriologist and physician, became disillusioned with the side effects of drug therapy and turned to homeopathy, a type of healing using natural substances and minuscule amounts of illness-causing substances. Bach sought a remedy for emotional imbalance, which he believed caused physical illness. A combination of serependipitous observation of animals licking dew from flowers and subsequent research led him to develop 38 flower remedies very mild flower infusions created by floating flowers in water and exposing them to sunlight which, he asserted, used plants’ energies to bring balance to human ones. He believed that it is not so much the biochemical makeup of the flowers that effects cures it is their psychic energy.
Bach’s remedies are used alone or in combination to alleviate certain kinds of fear, anxiety, loneliness, and other kinds of emotions that lead to stress, illness, and pain. They are used to treat both humans and animals. Since Bach, several others have developed additional flower essences that are used in emotional and physical healing; these became particularly popular in the 1970s and continue to be used today by those who believe in homeopathic remedies.