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Edward Bach (1886-1936) entered medical school in London in 1906 and practised conventional medicine from 1912 until 1919, when he joined the staff of the London Homeopathic Hospital as a pathologist and bacteriologist. Impressed with homeopathic medicine, he gradually began to use herbs and plants in place of intestinal bacteria in homeopathic remedies.

 
He also noted that his patients often exhibited particular personality types or temperaments, and began to prescribe based on those observations. 
 
At the age of 43 he left medical practice and moved to the English countryside, where over the course of the next six years he developed the 38 flower essences or remedies that we are familiar with today.  
 
Perhaps the most well known is his Rescue Remedy, an all purpose combination of Cherry Plum, Clematis, Impatiens, Rock Rose and Star of Bethlehem, for treating shock and emergency.
 
Dr Bach died at the age of 50 in 1936, and as testimony to his work, his flower essences are today available worldwide.
 
Dr Bach's philosophy about healing and life are set forth in Heal Thyself, in which he states that "The main reason for the failure of modern medical science is that it is dealing with results and not causes . . . Disease is in essence the result of conflict between Soul and Mind, and will never be eradicated except by spiritual and mental effort."
 
Without doubt, a visionary in the field of medicine, one can only imagine the inner conflict he experienced personally, between his formal medical training, and his developing belief that "The prevention and cure of disease can be found by discovering the wrong within ourselves, and eradicating this fault by the earnest development of the virtue which will destroy it; not by fighting the wrong, but by bringing in such a flood of its opposing virtue that it will be swept from our natures."
 
He left us with what he believed were the primary diseases in man's nature: pride, cruelty, hate, self-love, ignorance, instability and greed. Perhaps his motivation, understanding as he did the nature of man, was to create this "opposing virtue" as mentioned above, through his development of his flower remedies.
 
Dr Bach developed his 38 flower remedies from his understanding of homeopathy, but they differ from homeopathic medicine in that homeopathic medicines are prepared according to the Law of Similars, whereas Dr Bach's Flower Remedies are not.
 
In its simplest form, the Law of Similars proposes that what causes the symptoms of disorder in a well person will cure those symptoms of disorder in one who is not well.
 
Not formulated to this Law of Similars, Bach flower remedies will not cause adverse reactions.
 
In the course of his work Dr Bach identified 38 different flower remedies and the twelve emotional or psychological states that they affected. His remedies were primarily designed for use according to states of mind, based on the understanding that a negative mental condition may be the primary cause of illness, and which, if left untreated, will hinder recovery.
 
Dr Bach advocated their use as preventative; and was never concerned with why the flower remedies worked, just that they worked. 
 

Twelve Healers

Bach's philosophy was that humanity shared twelve grouped types, each with distinct traits of character, personality and temperament; recognizable by behaviour, attitude and expression, especially in times of illness.
 
Researching the moods from which each type suffers, he concluded that there were twelve states of mind.

• Fear
• Terror
• Mental torture or worry
• Indecision
• Indifference
• Doubt
• Over-concern
• Weakness
• Self-distrust
• Impatience
• Over-enthusiasm
• Pride

He chose twelve remedies that he felt corresponded to each of these states of mind and related each of the twelve to a sign of the zodiac, as he felt each sign had particular traits and weaknesses that could be overcome, those traits being virtually identical to those ascribed to the 'twelve healers.'
 
Those correspondences - state of mind; astrological sign; 'healer' - are listed below by Dr Bach's 12 states of mind:

 
It is from these 'twelve healers' and their astrological connections, that each unique maintenance remedy is developed, some remedies requiring up to seven of the twelve flower essences.
 
Generally as issues are cleared, new problems or concerns can surface, and consequently, specific flower remedies needed by a client will necessarily change over time.
 
The Maintenance Remedy however does not change, based solely as it is on birth data, designed for long term use to meet chronic, recurring conditions of personality, character and mood.
 
The determination of a particular remedy based on the interpretation of a natal or birth chart is quite involved, but unique in that the personal opinions and biases of the interpreter do not influence the outcome in any way. With an astrologically derived maintenance remedy, no fluctuation in interpretation can take place due to personality, character or mood; an individual's maintenance remedy is as unique to them as are their fingerprints!
 
As it is not a symptom based approach, a maintenance remedy can be taken by children. Truly a personal elixir, this unique maintenance remedy should not however be regarded as a wonder cure.
 
What it can do in a constructive sense, is to challenge those responses to the astrological energies of the natal chart, thereby promoting emotional and spiritual healing within.
 
Through the Maintenance Remedy, astrology and flower remedies combine to gently urge and inspire self-awareness and self-realization, possessing equal capacity to dispel negative conditions, encourage those constructive in nature, and protect against stressful natal aspects or harsh transits of the planets forming the basis of the remedy.
 
To leave you with the words of Dr. Bach, "Let not the simplicity of this method deter you from its use, for you will find the further your researches advance, the greater you will find the simplicity of all Creation."
 

Further Information

Insight Natural Health Ltd. will interpret your natal astrological chart and determine your unique maintenance remedy. If you wish to receive your remedy by mail, please post your date, time and location of birth, to Insight Natural Health Ltd. PO Box 3364, Bewdley, DY12 3YY, with a cheque or postal order to the value of £29.99 in the name INH Ltd. Should you wish to purchase via the internet, and receive your remedy by email, please contact Insight Natural Health via  info@inhltd.net   www.inhltd.net