The 38 Remedies
Here's a brief guide to Dr. Bach's 38 remedies, each tailored to address distinct emotional states or traits. To choose the remedies that suit you best, reflect on your personality and current emotional state. Keep scrolling to learn more about how to use these remedies effectively.
Agrimony
Mental torture behind a cheerful face
Centaury
The inability to say ‘no’
Chestnut Bud
Failure to learn from mistakes
Crab Apple
The cleansing remedy, also for not liking something about ourselves
Gorse
Hopelessness and despair
Honeysuckle
Living in the past
Larch
Lack of confidence
Oak
The plodder who keeps going past the point of exhaustion
Red Chestnut
Over-concern for the welfare of loved ones
Scleranthus
Inability to choose between alternatives
Vervain
Over-enthusiasm
Water Violet
Quiet self-reliance leading to isolation
Wild Rose
Drifting, resignation, apathy
Aspen
Fear of unknown things
Cerato
Lack of trust in one’s own decisions
Chicory
Selfish, possessive love
Elm
Overwhelmed by responsibility
Heather
Talkative self-concern and being self-centred
Hornbeam
Tiredness at the thought of doing something
Mimulus
Fear of known things
Olive
Exhaustion following mental or physical effort
Rock Rose
Terror and fright
Star of Bethlehem
Shock
Vine
Dominance and inflexibility
White Chestnut
Unwanted thoughts and mental arguments
Willow
Self-pity and resentment
Beech
Intolerance
Cherry Plum
Fear of the mind giving way
Clematis
Dreaming of the future without working in the present
Gentian
Discouragement after a setback
Holly
Hatred, envy and jealousy
Impatiens
Impatience
Mustard
Deep gloom for no reason
Pine
Guilt
Rock Water
Self-denial, rigidity and self-repression
Sweet Chestnut
Extreme mental anguish, when everything has been tried and there is no light left
Walnut
Protection from change and unwanted influences
Wild Oat
Uncertainty over one’s direction in life
How to take the remedies
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The ‘glass of water’ method
For short-term moods and problems put two drops of each selected remedy in a glass of water. Sip as often as required until relief is obtained. If using the pre-mixed emergency formula, add four drops to the glass instead of two.
You can use this method for longer-term problems as well. Just sip from the glass throughout the day, at least four times a day – and keep the glass in the fridge or make up a fresh glass each day.
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Personal mixes
For more chronic problems we recommend making up a personal mix of remedies in a dropper bottle. It works out cheaper and will make your precious stock remedies go further. Simply:
1)Get an empty 30 ml bottle with a dropper in the lid (try the local pharmacy)
2)Add to the bottle two drops of each selected remedy (and/or four drops of the pre-mixed emergency formula)
3)Top the bottle up with still (i.e. not fizzy) mineral water
4)From this bottle take four drops, at least four times a day
Personal mixes will last two or three weeks if you keep them cool – in the fridge, for example. If that isn’t possible – maybe you live somewhere warm or will be carrying the bottle around in your pocket – add a teaspoon of brandy to the bottle before topping up with water. This will help keep the water from going off. If you don’t want to use brandy, use cider vinegar or glycerine instead.
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Direct on the tongue
You can also take remedies ‘neat’, without diluting them. This is the most expensive way to take remedies and tastes strongly of brandy (unless you are using a stock remedy bottled in glycerine etc.), so is not recommended. But it is just as effective.
To make it easy to remember, you take the same number of drops when taking a neat stock remedy as you do when you are adding remedies to a personal mix or a glass of water: two drops, direct on the tongue.
If you are taking the pre-mixed emergency formula the dosage is four drops, again direct on the tongue.
In either case, repeat as necessary – at least four times a day for long-term use.
The Traditional Crisis Remedy
This blend, widely recognized as the most renowned remedy, is actually not a single remedy at all; rather, it comprises five distinct remedies: Rock Rose, Impatiens, Cherry Plum, Star of Bethlehem, and Clematis.
Dr. Bach formulated this combination to address emergencies and crises—those moments when there's no time for a proper individualized selection of remedies. It proves effective in helping individuals navigate stressful situations, ranging from last-minute exam jitters to the aftermath of accidents.
While the crisis formula is commonly associated with the well-known brand Rescue Remedy, every producer of remedies offers their own rendition of this formula.
Primarily designed to tackle immediate issues, the crisis formula may not suffice for addressing ongoing or underlying problems. For these cases, selecting a personalized blend of remedies offers a more sustainable solution.
The cream variant of the crisis formula contains the same five remedies found in the liquid version, supplemented with Crab Apple, known for its cleansing properties. This formula, devised by Dr. Bach's assistant Nora Weeks in the early 1960s, serves as another emergency aid and provides a convenient means of externally applying the crisis formula to various injuries.
Many remedy producers offer their own version of the cream, with Rescue being the most prominent brand once again.
