Bach Essences to support New Year resolutions and other goals

Bach Essences to support New Year resolutions and other goals 

Our resolve is firm, we proudly write down our long list of resolutions for the coming year. Day 1 goes well; on day 2 we go back to work and get sucked into the Hamster wheel that is life, and before we know it, our well-intentioned list is just that: a list in a notebook without action, without shape, and never realised.

Writing things down, building a vision board, writing our goals in a prominent and visible-every-day place all helps, but sometimes the sway of other people or even the voice in our head (telling us that we can’t do such-and-such) is so strong that it’s all too easy to give up and stay within the familiar.

Bach Flower Essences are wonderful for helping us to fulfil our dreams. Here is just a small selection of essences which may help you as you try to make changes in the months ahead.

** Wild Oat - this is actually for when we don’t know what we want to do. We might know that we want a change but have no idea what. This essence is known as the “Compass” and helps to give us direction in our life, often towards a more fulfilling career or relationship, but definitely along the path on which we are meant to be travelling.         

** Walnut – this is known as the “Link-Breaker”. It is for when we know what we want to do (unlike Wild Oat). This is particularly useful for when we want to break old habits as it helps us to stay true to ourselves and protect us from outside influences during times of change.  Maybe we have decided to eat more healthily or to give up smoking? Sadly when we make a change ourselves for the better, it isn’t always well received by family and friends. Often it highlights things which they know they should do themselves but would rather not look at, and where you would hope for encouragement, instead you can get quite the opposite, and it’s all too easy then to fall back into old habits. Walnut can help you stick to your guns.

** Centaury is a good one to take if we find it difficult to say “No” to others, maybe because we want to be liked or don’t want to offend, or maybe out of duty. It helps us to stand up for ourselves and our needs. Suppose we are trying to lose weight and some kindly friend tries to persuade us to have their homemade chocolate cake. We’ve done so well so far and don’t want to ruin all the hard work, but we are being pulled into what our friend wants. Centaury helps us get in touch with what we want, helps us express it and gives us the strength to be our own person, and if not eating the cake serves our purpose, then we can refuse nicely but firmly!!   

** Larch. Often when we suffer with poor self-confidence or self-esteem, we don’t attempt anything new as we expect failure. Larch gives us the confidence in our ability and also to try new things, but if we don’t do so well or perhaps don’t pick things up as quickly as we’d hope, rather than get despondent, we take it in our stride and see it as a valuable experience. After all there is no such thing as failure when we have tried our best.  

** Gentian is a good one if we are easily discouraged. Perhaps we are trying to lose weight, but over the weekend we had a wedding to attend and our good intentions went out of the window. Perhaps in our new exercise regime we strained a muscle which means we have to rest for a week. Rather than give up, we can be encouraged to try again.  

** Clematis is for grounding our dreams. If we are prone to daydreaming about what we will do in the coming year, but nothing comes to fruition, it may be because we are not getting down to the nitty-gritty of actually doing anything!! Dreaming of being a size 10 sadly doesn’t make it so. We need to make changes to our diet and lifestyle!! Enter Clematis, which puts our feet firmly on planet Earth, and helps us to do something to achieve our dreams. 

** Vervain is for when (very un-Clematis-like) we go at something like a bull in a china shop. We breathe, eat, and sleep whatever our new-found passion is, to the exclusion of other things. Vervain helps us to relax and take things at a sensible pace.

** Rock Water is a useful one when we are being too hard on ourselves.  Similar to Vervain, but in this case we have taken things to extremes, and with it removed the fun out of life. We find ourselves meditating for 3 hours at a time and pass by opportunities to go out with friends because of it; or perhaps getting up an hour or two earlier each morning to fit in a “cannot be missed” run, in all weathers, and end up sleep-deprived. Rock Water helps to soften us and our approach to life. We can embrace change without making life a misery!!       

Would you like to learn more? Tune into my "Introduction to Bach Flower Essences" Webinar on  19th February. To register - go to my 2014 Calendar page.      

Here’s to a HAPPY, HEALTHY, FULFILLING and VIBRANT New Year 

Bach Flower Essences for Christmas

Bach Flower Essences for Christmas JJ

‘Tis the season to be jolly, but for those of you who had a rush of blood to the head earlier in the year when you offered to host Christmas for the whole family, it can sometimes feel more like the season to be irritable, overwhelmed and worried. Even if you aren’t playing host, the sheer craziness of shopping in crowds, travelling at peak times and being with your nearest and dearest for a concentrated few days can find you swearing to book a long-distance flight this time next year. And then, there are some of you who maybe find the festive time difficult. Perhaps a loved one is no longer with you, perhaps you feel depressed or are even fearful of being on your own.

Bach Flower Essences can help us all with our wobbly emotions in the run up to and over the Christmas period.  Simple to take, they give us a helping hand, whilst gently rebalancing us emotionally.  There are 38 remedies (plus the famous rescue remedy) in total. I have jotted down just a few prime candidates to help you through December.

If, on reading this, you fancy a “cocktail” made up for you, send me an email / ring me with your list (I recommend having at most 5 essences at a time). I charge £5 for a bottle of your combination essences plus £3 postage.

 

Beech – overly critical and feeling irritated and annoyed by the way other people do things. Perhaps Great Aunt Mabel has a particularly grating voice that gets to you, or your ever-so-helpful cousin is just not washing up the “right” way.  Relax with a spot of Beech.   

Centaury – the inability to say “no” to others. Helps us to stand firm in who we are and what we want. So when you are exhausted and really need some time to yourself you can say “NO” nicely and assertively to the neighbour who invites you round for the cuppa and mince pie that you don’t really want!!  

Cherry Plum – you feel like you are losing your mind and may do or say something you’ll regret. A good one when you feel close to blowing your top!! The Bach Flower that counts to 10 and takes a deep breath for you …….. 

Elm – you have bitten off more than you can chew, and no, this is not for when you cram that extra roast potato into your mouth!! We are talking overwhelm from too many responsibilities.  Your usual capable self suddenly loses confidence and feels inadequate and unable to cope. Elm helps to put things back into perspective, and maybe, just maybe, you don’t actually have to do everything on your list after all!! (Do, Ditch or Delegate!)

Holly is for envy, hatred, spite and jealousy. Old family feuds and perceived hurts can sometimes come to the surface when we are all under the same roof. Holly helps to open up our natural loving nature.    

Honeysuckle – for those of you who have lost a loved one and wish him/her back with you, or for those suffering with home sickness. It helps us live in the present and make the most of opportunities presented to us.  Perhaps an invite from a friendly neighbour could open new doors (literally and figuratively)?      

Impatiens – as the name suggests, this is for impatience. When people and things are not moving fast enough for you!! The children are getting under your feet in the kitchen, the queues in the supermarket are a mile long, the traffic hasn’t moved for the last half hour ……… it helps us appreciate that things happen when they happen, and no amount of frustration on your part can hurry them along!!

Larch – for those of you who are lacking in self-confidence. Maybe you’ve been landed with tackling the Christmas Dinner for the very first time, and don’t feel up to the task. Larch helps give your confidence a boost so that you feel that you can try new things, without expecting failure, and even if you do burn the carrots, you can put it down to experience without feeling despondent.   

Mimulus – for everyday fears of things we can name and also for those of us who are naturally shy and feel uncomfortable in social situations, perhaps getting tongue-tied or going bright pink when someone speaks to us. It gives us a quiet courage to face our fears.  

Olive – for exhaustion. You’ve overdone everything and now feel drained beyond tired. I like to take this throughout a stressful period to prevent getting into this state. 

Pine - you feel guilty and responsible for everything and everybody and find “sorry” on your lips far too often. You feel guilty that your aunt doesn’t like her present, or that lunch is going to be 10 minutes late and even apologise for the weather!! Pine stops us from taking on everyone else’s stuff and feeling that we are to blame for all that goes wrong. (And even when we do something wrong, it’s done and dusted, and there really is no point in feeling guilty for it for evermore!)   

Scleranthus – decisions, decisions, decisions! Which colour socks to get Uncle Sam, which party invite to accept for New Year’s Eve? If you find yourself toing and froing between this and that, Scleranthus helps you make a firm decision that you are happy with.   

Vervain – you have planned the perfect Christmas, you feel driven and bubbling with enthusiasm, always on the go, with not a moment to sit down, but now cannot relax and unwind. Vervain helps you to switch off and relax mentally and physically.       

White Chestnut – for gramophone-record style worry; going over and over the same things. The long to-do list, what presents to buy, “should I have”, “what if” etc.  Your head feels crammed with stale old thoughts, so it’s not only difficult to concentrate during the day, but also nigh on impossible to drift off into sleep for a bit of mental peace and quiet! It helps to de-clutter our brains so that thoughts can start to flow in and out rather than take up permanent residence!! 

Rescue Remedy – a general remedy for anxiety, the effects of an argument, maybe an accident in the kitchen, or when you are generally just not feeling “at one”.  Impatiens and Cherry Plum are both included in this combination so it’s good when you feel you might just lose it with those around you!!! 

   

Bach Flower Essence - Wild Rose

Bach Flower Essence - Wild Rose - helping fuel a sense of purpose in life 

 

I’ve had several frustrating moments whilst driving when I’ve seen a beautiful Wild Rose bush by the side of the road, and as much as I’d like to screech to a halt, pop out and take some photos, I’m not sure my fellow motorists would be too amused.

Thankfully, whilst walking around Denbies, Dorking, back in July, I came across some Wild Roses. Yay!!! One happy me.

It’s a very pretty and delicate looking flower with five pale pink or white heart-shaped petals. Its curved thorns resembling a dog’s canine tooth, give it its Latin name “Rosa Canina”.

My excitement at finding it (I’m on a quest to photograph all the Bach Flowers) clearly showed I wasn’t actually in need of the essence that day!! Wild Rose Essence is indicated where there is a general apathy in life. There is almost an emotional numbness; a lack of emotional expression, not just of joy and happiness, but also of those emotions which can arise when things aren’t going too well either - such as frustration or depression. It’s a bit of a flat-liner with no ups or downs. We are simply existing, and not embracing life.

In negative Wild Rose state we tend to be resigned to how life is. We aren’t proactive or reactive!  Uncomplainingly we just go through the motions of life, doing nothing to improve our situation. Maybe we are ill or in an unrewarding job. Maybe life has got a little boring, doing the same old day-in and day–out. Negative Wild Rose does nothing to get better or find a more suitable job, or even seek out life’s simple pleasures. “That’s life” is a good motto for him.  

Wild Rose Essence helps fuel a sense of purpose in life, however young or old we are. We feel a desire to make the most out of life. It’s definitely a “living in the now” essence, helping us to see life almost through a child’s eyes, curious and enthusiastic about the world about us. We don’t have to be doing something wildly exciting to enjoy life, we can just appreciate life’s pleasures, however small……. Like finding Wild Rose bushes on our doorstep!!!        

Grounding our dreams in 2013

NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS

Bach Flower - Clematis  helps us root our dreams and goals in reality

Yes, I know I have written about Clematis relatively recently, but seeing it adorn the fences of the nearby railway the other weekend, it made me think about New Year’s resolutions and how some of them often remain as pipe-dreams only.

So Clematis is making its second appearance in my blog!!  

The airy-fairy dreaminess of Clematis becomes all too apparent in the winter months, when it blankets the otherwise bare and quite dull hedgerows!! With its grey wispy appearance it looks rather ghost-like, reminding us that those in a negative Clematis state are hardly present. They maybe physically present, standing there before us, but their thoughts are usually far away, dreaming of the future, of a better life.

As we approach the end of 2012 and the beginning of a new year ahead, it is common to make resolutions. We may dream of being a gorgeous, slimmer version of ourselves, or of making a great success of our new business venture but these will remain as pipe dreams if all we do is take a Clematis approach to the future.

Dreams ARE important. Visualising ourselves as our future selves can motivate us towards achieving our goals, but we need also to ground ourselves and actually DO something. We need to live in the now, and put in some effort, whilst at the same time holding that dream. 

If we wish to lose unwanted pounds we need to get off our bottoms and exercise, as well as taking a good hard look at what we eat and making changes. If we dream of a successful business, we may need to put in hours of training, networking and advertising.

The bottom line is that we cannot hope to write a masterpiece if we do not put pen to paper!!

The Bach Flower Essence of Clematis helps to root us in reality and gives us a firm foundation on which to grow our dreams into a reality.   

4 Bach Flower Essences for Christmas

I consider my set of BACH FLOWER ESSENCES as 39 friends on hand to calm me when I feel out of balance emotionally. Four worth considering at Christmas are:

* Vervain - where we are enthusiastically trying to produce the perfect Christmas and finding ourselves unable to relax. This essence helps us to do just that - relax and enjoy, without doing things to death and striving for perfection! 

* Impatiens - when we feel tense, irritable and impatient, perhaps because the children are playing up or others aren’t doing things as quickly as we’d like. We find it hard to cope with the frustrating Christmas queues and delays!!  This essence helps to bring patience and the realisation that everything happens in its own time.

* Elm - where you have so much on your plate (and I’m not talking too much turkey here), and you feel overwhelmed by it all. This essence helps to put our “list” into perspective and renews our confidence in being able to do what needs to be done.

* Olive for when you are simply exhausted mentally and physically from over doing things in the run up before the big day. This essence brings us a sense of peace and renewed strength but also gives us insight into how we overdid things to begin with to get so exhausted. 

Do any of these speak to you? These are just 4 of my “friends”.  There are many more to choose from.

For a more general helping hand - there is always * Rescue Remedy which can be used for major and minor traumas - anxiety before an event, the after effects of an argument or perhaps an accident in the home. It helps to restore calm, diffuse shock and trigger the body’s self-healing into action. NOTE: if you experience a medical emergency, this can be used whilst waiting for (but not instead of) medical help - a few drops on the tongue or pulse points.    

Clematis - The Reality Flower

CLEMATIS -  The Reality Flower; Bringing us back down to earth 

I often hear amusing stories of children, when asked where say bananas come from, answer “supermarkets”, obviously not knowing the natural source!!  We have all become so divorced from nature, that it is easy to lose sight of what our ancestors would have considered common knowledge (although let’s face it - some of them might never have seen an actual banana -  but you get the idea!!)

For years I used Bach Flower remedies and simply thought of them as essences in bottles, without giving a thought to the actual flowers used to make them. This all changed when I started studying the essences in earnest and now I enjoy going on an adventure in the wilds (!!) of Surrey, trying to spot as many as possible.

Seeing the actual flowers, where and how they grow, can often give us clues as to their wonderful qualities. A good example of this is when we look at CLEMATIS.  This weekend, in between all the excitement of Olympic cycling in Dorking, I came across lots of Clematis when out walking with friends.

Clematis is a late bloomer, appearing on the scene in July and August. It is a creeper with no means of supporting itself, so uses trees, hedges and fences to support it as it climbs its way up towards the sky and light. The profusion of its exquisite creamy-white tufted flowers can give its host the appearance of having a cloth of lace draped over it. In Winter, when everything else is bare, Clematis, aptly nicknamed “Old Man’s Beard”, resembles fluffy balls of grey cotton wool, giving hedges an out-of-world appearance.

When in a Clematis-state, a person has no interest whatsoever in the here and now. “In cloud cuckoo land”; “Off with the fairies”; “In La-La land” are all apt descriptions for such people. Ordinary life holds no interest; reality is too mundane and dull and the day to day BBN (boring but necessary) tasks are not for them!  They wish to escape into their fantasy world, perhaps thinking about a place where they would love to live, or a dream job, but in reality they do no ground work to change their current circumstances to achieve these!  Often those in Clematis state are very drowsy, using sleep as an escape.

Clematis Essence can help ground us and bring us back to the present.  It helps us concentrate and have a realistic perspective on life. This doesn’t mean that it stops our dreaming and creativity. Instead it can help to channel it into something concrete. Often with Clematis type people, artistic gifts can go wasted. The essence can help such creative creatures translate their visions into for example a painting or poem.

Clematis is one of the five essences used to make up Rescue Remedy and is included to alleviate the out-of-body feeling which often precedes fainting or loss of consciousness.  

In all situations, whether in a day-to-day dreamy state or in an actual emergency, Clematis Essence can help bring us back to earth.  

Agrimony - The Honesty Flower

AGRIMONY - The Honesty Flower

Where might you see a collection of church steeples in Dorking, Surrey? Answer - at the foot of Box Hill along the River Mole. I’m not talking grand Victorian edifices but instead the delicate stems of the Agrimony flower, given its nickname “church steeple” because of its long pointed stem covered in bright yellow flowers, not too dissimilar to the ornaments on an actual church spire.

Agrimony is another of the flowers used to make Bach essences. The five-petalled flowers also bring to mind mini satellite dishes, poised waiting to receive outside signals.  

By August, the petals have disappeared and all that remains are conical fruits which eagerly stick to passing objects, like Velcro, using them as vehicles for seed dispersal.   

The typical “Agrimony type” person, just like the plant, is externally focused, and will eagerly seek out the company of others. Troubled by mental anguish, he will do anything to avoid his own company, instead preferring to play the “life and soul” of any party. Whether he uses the company of others, or addictive substances such as alcohol, drugs or overeating, the name of the game is escape - escape from his own emotions.  Like the clown at the circus, his public mask hides secret worries. 

Highly sensitive, the Agrimony type also hates any form of conflict and will do anything to keep the peace, often sacrificing his own needs and wishes to do so.   

Taking Bach Essence Agrimony can bring about a genuine inner peace and joyfulness. We can see our problems in the right light and perhaps laugh at our own worries, recognising their relative unimportance. We can also deal with both positive and negative situations and grow from them. And rather than shying away, we can deal with confrontation. Being open and honest means we can now discuss how we feel with others rather than pretending that everything is fine. 

In essence, we can be honest with ourselves and others - thanks to the Honesty Flower, Agrimony. 

Hornbeam - Nature's "Pick-me-up"

Hornbeam - Nature's "Pick-me-up" 

Each of the 39 Bach Flower Essences is what I call a “healing helper” and I regularly use them to help rebalance me emotionally. My focus today is on Hornbeam, mainly because it spoke to me directly at the beginning of last week, but also because its qualities relate to how a lot of people around me seem to be feeling right now. So, let’s take a look at what Hornbeam essence can offer us.     

I shall start off by telling you a little about why I felt the need for it, to illustrate its use.

For the past few weeks, I was having trouble with my right knee. I had cut out my regular and much loved dancing to be “sensible”, and over a busy fortnight, in preparation for various events I was running and participating in, I had been doing a lot of sitting on bottom, in front of the PC. I had intended going for a gentle walk each day, but inertia seemed to set in, encouraged by the soggy weather. So, in summary, I channelled most of my energy into mental activities, with little physical activity to balance it out. As a result I was left feeling mentally and a little physically weary, and although I had lots of projects that I wanted to get on with, I found that I just couldn’t be bothered!!  Enter Hornbeam ………….   

Hornbeam is indicated where we have that “Monday morning feeling”; where we feel weary at just the thought of the day ahead and fear we may not have the energy to meet its demands; where we feel the need for a stimulant such as coffee to kick start us; life perhaps is too routine and lacks variety so we feel jaded; fatigue is more mental than physical. It can be useful, as in the example above, where a student has been glued to his books in preparation for an exam but has failed to balance the mental exertion with physical activity and fresh air. It can also be useful when our heads are buzzing from too much TV. Our spiritual vitality has faded, we are in a mental rut, but amazingly this weariness disappears instantly when something out of the ordinary happens, or something challenging enough is presented!!   

A few drops in water, sipped throughout the day, can really help. The negative Hornbeam state can be temporary or more long lasting. If the latter, take at least 4 times a day for a week or two or until you feel more refreshed. It is also a good idea to support this with a break in routine, doing something out of the ordinary or a change of scenery, perhaps weaving in some daily physical activity. 

  

Gorse, glorious Gorse

Gorse,  Dorking  March 2012

Gorse, glorious Gorse - the flower of HOPE

Many moons ago I used to do a fair bit of driving up and down the M3 for work. It was a tedious journey, but made almost into a treat at certain times of year, when the miles of Gorse bush stretching along the road side came into blossom. Its glorious yellow colour gave me a sense of “everything is alright with the world” even when the skies were grey and a tiring day of work lay ahead.

Little did I know at the time that Gorse is one of the many flowers / trees used by Dr Edward Bach to make his wonderful flower essences. 

The Bach Flower essences were developed during the 1920s and 1930s in England by Dr Bach, a renowned physician and researcher, who became disillusioned with conventional treatments, and used his highly developed sense of intuition to tune into the healing properties of a variety of flowers and trees. Dr Bach believed that disease resulted from a conflict between our spiritual and mortal selves. We each have a spiritual purpose in life, and when we are out of synch with this, there is an imbalance, and illness can result.

This can come about by our moods and fears but also by the strong influence of other people. The idea of the essences is to release any disharmony, rebalance us emotionally and give us a sense of wellbeing. Dr Bach believed that it should be simple for everyone to use his essences; when someone was hungry, they would go to their garden and pick a lettuce; when they were afraid, they would take a dose of Mimulus (the essence indicated for known fears).

Bach Flower Essences are a form of vibrational medicine. The energy or vibration from the flowers gently enhances our own energy / vibrations, and helps us to release negative emotional states.

So how can Gorse help us?  Gorse is the Flower of Hope.  It can help rekindle the hope within us that our life situation, whatever that might be, can improve. 

We can all go through periods of hopelessness, when we feel like we have come to a dead end.  For those who are seriously ill, there may seem little hope of a cure or improvement; some are resigned to lifelong pain. For those out of work even after countless interviews, there may seem no hope of ever finding a job. Gorse essence can help restore hope and bring about a more positive outlook.

It is also useful as winter months drag on and we feel that that there is no hope of reprieve from the grey and the cold. Gorse brings a spot of sunshine into our lives and with it hope. And lo and behold, then comes spring and with it hopefully real sunshine!