Fear of thunder/lightning/rain - Bach Flower essences

[Rosemary C Hyde PhD]

Interesting observation on Bach flower remedies. Obviously they must work
for some people? I've never had good results with them either for myself or
for others. For myself, in fact, they tend to bring emotional
aggravations -- I have paradoxical reactions to them-- whatever I'm trying
to treat gets worse. I'd be curious to know what others' experiences have
been, and what anyone has found as indications that they might work in
certain circumstances? I've been reading Bodler-Richardson's book on
integrating them with homeopathic treatment, in an effort to become better
informed about these remedies, which Bach apparently developed as an
alternative to bowel nosodes.

Rosemary

[Irene de Villiers]

Rosemary C Hyde PhD wrote:

I spent some years doing nothing else but Bach consulting, from a vet
clinic - and often the owners wanted some off the books Bach as well:-)

As with homeopathy, you have to match the remedy to the situation and
mix the custom group of remedies chosen, suitably.
I like to use 4 or 5 best-chosen ones together as Bach remedies are
synergistic if well chosen, (like Rescue Remedy for example which has 5
working synergistically) or even up to 6 remedies.
It's important to know the principles with these remedies (as in any
health care system) and as a practitioner I've had a very high success
rate - using them mostly in animals and sometimes in people.

I always include a personality remedy - it's relevant to help the remedy
to align with that individual - and a positive one to suggest the
direction to go. It's not helpful IMO to include all the negatives
alone....how will the system know what to do if you only say what not to
do. And without the personality remedy, how will the mix align with the
individual?

It's also relevant that as in homeopathy, we find sensitive individuals,
and a FEW of the BAch remedies are known to be reactive (for sensitive
people). So if a reactive remedy is included, one should watch for an
aggravation and handle it with Rescue Remedy immediately (also
preferably include Rescue Remedy in the mix) and/or by dosing more
dilute and less often. The reaction is usually by way of getting rid of
retained "toxic" emotions, such as anger, or whatever from past
situations - so should not be disallowed, but managed, as it is curative
to release these pent up emotions.
Sounds like you fit into the category of being sensitive to BAch
remedies and need more careful remedy choice to ensure the "negative" is
not overwhelming (in dose, concentration or numbers of included remedy),
and the "positive" is there to assist in your custom mix - including
your personality remedy to help it work with *your* system.
I can't think when they did not help at least 80% of the problem, and
usually all of it. Agrimony cases often need longer to work than some
clients are prepared to allow for....they bottle things in and either
let go slowly over time or don't let go and hold out till they suddenly
let go - or they "explode" at the first dose. Holly cases can also
"explode" in sensitive types.
Other potentially reactive Bach remedies:
Centaury, Cherry Plum, Crab Apple, Impatiens, Mustard, Water Violet, Willow.
Stopping the dosing of a chosen mix too soon has been a detriment
to success sometimes. Average time to respond is two weeks dosed at 3 or
4 "triggers" per day in a non-sensitive type. But it can be one day or 2
months.
So I consider they work well when used well. If your first choice of
mix is inappropriate, you need to go back to the drawing board and find
the more matched set based on results (or lack of them) from the first
mix. A few cases are so complex (but only a few) that they need two
rounds - a first set remedy mix for most obvious issues, and another for
the rest.

Someone said the following - I did not see it originally (my email is
often hard-bounced lately - yahoo must have new IPs they are using)
I found that a bit misleading... Star of Bethlehem is not a terror and
shock remedy - it's a comfort remedy. So you could use it *after* terror
and shock to provide comfort. To prevent or handle panic-fear you'd use
rock rose, or one of the fear-related remedies (mimulus or aspen).
No, mimulus handles known fears, like fear of the dentist, fear of
thunder, etc.
Aspen is for fear with unknown cause - like being afraid of what you
might find around the corner, or fear of what might happen to you or be
done to you.
Perhaps because they are not indicated for the reasons you gave:-)
Or perhaps you had no personality remedy or perhaps you had no positive
replacement emotion remedy.

Let's assume a nervous type individual (so personality remedy Impatiens)
has terror and shock from some nonspecific fear issue that caused some
kind of physical problem.
I'd use:
Rock Rose for the terror.
Impatiens as personality remedy
Aspen for fear of non-specific or unknown things.
Cherry Plum to regain physical control.
Larch to build confidence (to replace fear with confidence).
Rescue Remedy to overcome trauma, to double up on several relevant
remedies and to temper any aggravation from Impatiens or Cherry Plum.

It's impossible to do a proper remedy mix suggestion without knowing
details of the case - as in homeopathy - one wants to get at the cause -
whatever triggers the terror etc.
But maybe this gives some idea of my approach.
Rescue remedy is a great help in immediate trauma - as when a bird hits
a window or a vacuum cleaner gives a cat a fright or one sees a nasty
road accident - but if there is something that triggers the trauma, it
will not be enough alone as it will not remove the trigger. So RR is
great for an unexpected fright and even to help stop a heart attack or
stroke in progress - but not great to remove some deep background
pathology that was the ultimate cause of the problem.

Namaste,
IRene
--
Irene de Villiers, B.Sc AASCA MCSSA D.I.Hom/D.Vet.Hom.
P.O. Box 4703 Spokane WA 99220.
www.angelfire.com/fl/furryboots/clickhere.html (Veterinary Homeopath.)
"Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt one doing it."

[Vera Resnick]

I've worked with the remedies as well. I've learned to give reduced dosing during the first week as I find there is intensification of emotion at the beginning, but reducing the dose seems to prevent that. I have found them helpful and give them occasionally (not together with homeopathic remedies).
Vera

[Rosemary C Hyde PhD]

Hi, Vera -- By reduced dosing you mean fewer doses, or...? Thanks. Rosemary

[ELM]

I've had excellent luck with these. One case in particular man with
PTS after Iraq. Said Rescue Remedy was a "life saver" and 100 times
better than the Xanax and other meds they prescribed him. He was cured
with Aur Mur Nat and then Ars.

I had great luck with Elm when my husband was transferred and I stayed
behind for a year by myself taking care of our three kids (including
new baby) while I tried to sell our house! Thought I would lose it!
The Elm really helped me get through it all.

I can't go to the dentist without Rescue Remedy.
Truly,
Erica

--- In minutus@yahoogroups.com, "Rosemary C Hyde PhD"
wrote:
I'd be curious to know what others' experiences have
in