Edward Bach

Flower essence therapy is the art of
healing with flowers, and Dr. Edward
Bach is considered to be the father of
this practice. He was a pioneer in
understanding the connection between
the emotional self and physical health,
and believed in healing physical and
mental ailments through oils extracted
from flowers.

The diseased more valuable
than the disease

Dr. Bach (1886–1936) was a British bacteriologist and pathologist, working on vaccines and homeopathic remedies. He operated a successful practice, but was increasingly dissatisfied with orthodox medicine—more so because of its concentration on the disease rather than on the person suffering the disease. He observed the close connection between a person’s disease and some form of stress or trauma in the person’s life. A woman suffering from acute asthma, for instance, was extremely concerned about her son who had moved away from her and lost touch. However, when he reappeared in her life, she recovered almost instantly.

Emotional healing

One fine day, Edward Bach quit his practice and decided to devote his studies to a system of curing that was more nature based and less science based. He wandered the countryside, tasting dewdrops on the petals of wildflowers, and found that he experienced great emotional healing this way.