"Astrologers, those who have studied the stars, and herbalists, those who have studied the plants, have ever been seeking those remedies which will help us to keep our health and joy." -Edward Bach
Through the ages, priests and priestesses, medicine men and women, herbal alchemists, botanists, and holy people from all walks of life have sought a clearer understanding of the natural world around them. They have listened reverently to the voice of Nature, approaching Her as one would approach a beloved consort. In turn, through Her trees, flowers, seeds, leaves, fruits, and berries, She has offered the knowledge of healing and sustainability, revealing Herself fully only to those who will listen with heart and soul.
Our medicines of today have evolved from the study of herbology, botany, and biology. The healing properties of herbs have been identified and classified through the centuries by studying their growth cycles, colors, shapes, sizes, textures and aromas, as well as their natural habitat and the various ways they move. Homeopathy is yet another way in which plants are employed as healers. We learn through homeopathy that like cures like and nature overcomes nature.
Human beings are readily cured, soothed, and enlightened by the medicinal magic of plants; the more we are in tune with the vibratory soul of nature, the more She will impart Her gifts. Pioneering work in these fields has brought to our attention the healing properties of very high, vibrational healing modalities. The word vibration has become synonymous with energy, for we now understand, with the help of modern physics, that our bodies are nothing other than fields of vibrating energy.
One of the great names in the field of vibrational healing is Edward Bach, the founding father of Bach Flower remedies which he brought to the attention of the medical establishment in 1930s' England. Dr. Bach was a sensitive and contemplative man who dedicated his life to humanity, tirelessly seeking ways to alleviate human suffering and bring joy to the human spirit. A medical doctor who was also steeped in the world of homeopathy, Dr. Bach began to case study the healing effects of flower essences which he had discovered while collecting dew drops from plants at dawn. Theorizing that such drops contained the energy pattern or signature of the plant from which it was derived, he further supposed that when ingested by human beings, the essence of the flower would match the vibrational patterns stored within the genetic coding of the human body.
We are fortunate that Edward Bach was such an astute observer of the plant kingdom, and that his theories have stood the test of time and experience. His thirty-eight flower remedies have aided humanity for over sixty years, and his pioneering efforts have paved the way for other, like-minded individuals to engage in similar efforts, creating new varieties of flower essences.
The process by which a flower creates its own essence is nothing less than alchemical, for each of the four elements, earth, air, fire and water, plays a vital role in the transmutation: earth sustains the seed and roots system; air offers oxygen and wind helping to fertilize the plant; fire, in the form of sunlight, brings light and growth, drawing the plant toward the heavens; and, finally, water feeds the plant, expanding its properties in order that it may produce the juice or dew, the essence of the plant.
Since it is not feasible to generate enough flower essences for the entire human population of the planet by collecting dew from the plants, a more efficient, though no less alchemical, process has been developed. The system involves placing flower blossoms in a clear glass bowl of pure water which is then set in the sun for a certain prescribed period of time so that the healing properties of the flower can be transferred from the flower to the water. Once the pattern of the flower is transferred to the water, this pure essence, known as the "mother stock," is carefully collected in vials and preserved with alcohol or vinegar. Seven drops of this formula can then be added to a one-ounce dropper bottle containing one-teaspoon brandy or vinegar and spring water, in equal parts. This remedy is taken under the tongue four times a day. Subsequently, the essential quality of the flower pattern penetrates into the various bodies of energy that constitute the human experience, i.e., mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual.
Each individual has a unique pattern and energy field. Edward Bach noted, for example, that an illness was not curable by the same means for each individual. Some people would heal and others would not, even though the same application or treatment was used.
Bach committed himself to the task of healing the whole person, not just the illness. He, therefore, sought to identify the character, complexity and inherited genetics of each person. In his extensive case study work with flower essences Bach observed the different ways in which people responded to illness. He noted blocks and obstacles that serve as barriers to wellness, such as fear, loss of hope, despair, exhaustion, etc., as well as pinpointing the positive traits of a person that could be emphasized and reinvigorated. The flowers proved to be gentle, non-threatening, subtle, yet, extraordinarily potent and helpful.
Beautiful forms and designs are seen in each individual water droplet, for example, the rose has its own design, as does the daisy, etc. A repetition of the same design for each flower species offers us empirical evidence that the plant signature held within the healing properties of each flower is unique and specific in its purpose.
The flower is the crowning jewel of the plant, or, in a sense, the angel of nature. Revealing the colors of the rainbow, the flowers offer beauty and radiance to nature, and, when ingested as an essence, contribute to the transformational journey of the human soul. The flower is the highest vibration of the plant; its delicate purity unfurls the scent, color, and form of its perfection. A flower remedy, or tincture, is one of the most sensitized forms of healing made available to us.
Edward Bach's greatest hope was to restore humankind to its original essence.Marred by traumatic childhood experiences involving unresolved grief, loss of faith, fear, anger and heartache, the soul treasures of hope, courage, self-love and confidence, which are our birthright, are often lost sight of. Bach offered his understanding of the healing properties of flower essences as a way to restore such treasures to the forefront of human life. The essences work gently. They penetrate to the core of an individual's experience, illness, weakness, etc, and, like homeopathy, heal the cause of the suffering or illness, not merely the symptoms.
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