About Dr. Edward Bach

Bach Flower Remedies were developed by Dr. Edward Bach (1886 - 1936), a Harley Street Clinic physician and prominent bacteriologist, homeopath, and researcher. Dr. Bach believed that state of mind plays a vital role in maintaining health and recovering from illness.

Dr. Bach identified 38 basic negative states of mind, and created a corresponding plant- or flower-based remedy for each one. He sought a safe, simple, and pure method of healing his patients that would take into consideration their individual mental and emotional makeup. He found that certain flower essences stimulated self-healing in his patients by clearing the negative emotional factors that affected their state of health.

Dr. Bach did not use the scientific method to determine the acclaimed healing properties of his concoctions. Instead, Bach he to have psychically or intuitively discovered the healing effects of 38 wild plants. His discoveries were arrived at by inspiration. While on a walk, he had an inspiration that dewdrops on a plant heated by the sun would absorb healing properties from the plant. He believed that all he needed to do was hold a flower or taste a petal, and he could intuitively grasp its healing powers. From these intuitions, he went on to prepare essences using pure water and plants. Dr. Bach believed that these wildflowers possess a soul or spiritual energy with an affinity to the human soul that is transferable to water. Devotees drink a homeopathic concoction of flower essence, mineral water, and brandy in order to cause the flower’s soul to harmonize with their own soul's energy.
Rather than recognizing the role of germ theory of disease, defective organs and / or tissue, and other known and demonstrable sources of disease, Dr. Bach considered illness the result of "a contradiction between the purposes of the soul and the personality's point of view." This internal war, according to Dr. Bach, leads to negative moods and energy blockage, which cause a lack of harmony, leading to physically manifested “dis-ease”.

Dr. Bach advertised his remedies in two daily newspapers, but since his practices did not follow scientific protocol, and his methods were not understood, the General Medical Council condemned his advertising. For example, in his treatise Heal Thyself he wrote:
"Disease will never be cured or eradicated by present materialistic methods, for the simple reason that disease in its origin is not material . . . Disease is in essence the result of conflict between the Soul and Mind and will never be eradicated except by spiritual and mental effort."

In 1934, Dr. Bach moved to Mount Vernon in Brightwell-cum-Sotwell, Oxfordshire, where he opened the Dr Edward Bach Centre. The Bach Centre served as Dr. Bach’s the home and working place during the latter years of his life. It was there that he conducted research into the 38 flower remedies that still bear his name. In 1993, Nelson Company acquired Bach Centre.