HEALTH / BACH FLOWERS The fast-paced tempo of modern life has eroded many of the traditional support systems used by our ancestors for aid in a crisis. Individuals are often left feeling powerless in such highly stressful situations as divorce, generation-gap issues, losing one's job, and the death of a loved one. In Bach Flowers for Crisis Care, Mechthild Scheffer examines 50 common life crises and how the 38 individual Bach Flower Remedies plus Rescue Remedy can be used to turn these situations into opportunities for growth. Bach Flowers create a therapeutic connection between the material and the spiritual domains of life, helping us access the Inner Guidance needed to navigate through a crisis. Each of the 38 Flower Remedies supports a different aspect of the psychic potential of human nature: Gentian, the Belief Flower, promotes optimism; Holly, the Heart-Opening Flower, promotes an understanding of others; Honeysuckle, the Past Flower, helps us move forward without holding on to the past; White Chestnut, the Thought Flower, promotes clear thinking. Each Flower offers its own spiritual orientation and guidance as well as healing for the body. In addition to discussing the strengths and benefits of each Bach Flower, the author shows you how to combine the individual Flower Remedies to create personalized Flower combinations that specifically address your current condition--transforming a crisis into a real opportunity for growth. MECHTHILD SCHEFFER has been active in the field of Bach Flower Therapy since 1978. She introduced Bach's work into German-speaking countries in 1981 with her first book and has represented the English Bach Centre in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. She is the founder of the Institutes for Bach Flower Therapy Research and Education in Hamburg, Vienna, and Zurich and is the author of many of the most authoritative books on the subject, including The Encyclopedia of Bach Flower Therapy. She lives in Hamburg, Germany.

Introduction The Amazing Effectiveness of Bach Flowers for Crisis Care How to Use This Book Part 1 Crisis Situations and Bach Flower Reactions: 50 Sample Cases Family and Children 1. My baby wants to be breast-fed all night long. I can’t stand it anymore! 2. My daughter won’t eat. 3. My child always wants to be the center of attention. Nobody wants to invite us over anymore. 4. My daughter (age 4) is in kindergarten. The separation is difficult for both of us. 5. Since my divorce, I have made sure my child (age 6) has everything he could possibly need. Am I neglecting myself? 6. Switching schools: yes or no? 7. As a single mother, I’m totally overextended. 8. My son (age 14) does nothing but sit at the computer. 9. Am I a good enough mother for my blended family? 10. My family is taking advantage of me. 11. Lena (age 14): No one understands me or my world. 12. Judith (age 37): I no longer understand my fourteen-year-old daughter’s world. 13. My son (age 19) doesn’t want to live at home anymore. 14. I have become unexpectedly pregnant in the middle of college. What should I do? Partnerships and Relationships 15. I always fall in love with the wrong man. 16. It’s difficult for me to commit myself to a relationship. 17. Does my husband belong to his extended family, or to me? 18. My husband wants more sex than I do. 19. I have too low a priority in our relationship. 20. Should I confess my infidelity? 21. I can’t stand being in a long-distance relationship anymore. 22. I found out that my husband cheated on me. 23. My husband always accuses me of wasting money. 24. My husband is like an overgrown kid. 25. Should I take my husband back? 26. My wife has suddenly filed for divorce. Why? 27. We’ve gotten tired of each other, but I’m scared of the separation. 28. Thirty-something and single: When I don’t have anything going on over the weekend, I feel emotionally lost. 29. My friend sees me as nothing but a psychic dumping ground. 30. I’ve moved my bedridden mother in with me. Career and Professional Life 31. Help, I’m in the wrong job! 32. I’m scared of public speaking. 33. I always take on more responsibilities than I can comfortably handle. 34. I’ve suddenly been promoted to management, but I’m not equal to the role. 35. I feel as if I’m being attacked. 36. I feel burned out. 37. I’ve lost my job, and I have massive fear and anxiety. Aging 38. I’m upset about getting older. 39. I’m having trouble adjusting to my husband’s retirement. 40. Now that I’m retired, I feel useless and frustrated. 41. I feel exploited in my role as a grandmother. 42. The idea of having to move into a senior home makes me panic. Other Crises 43. My nineteen-year-old son died suddenly. 44. Since my accident, I can’t sleep anymore. 45. As a foreigner, I keep going back and forth on whether I should stay in the United States. 46. I’m upset that I’m so disorganized. 47. Help, I can’t control my weight! 48. My horse broke his leg. Do I have to have him put to sleep? 49. I have to give away my beloved dog. I can’t bear it. 50. My dog rules this house. Part 2 The Practical Application of Bach Flower Therapy The Reaction Clusters Elements for Individual Bach Flower Combinations according to Mechthild Scheffer Selecting Your Personalized Bach Flower Crisis Combination Determining When Rescue Remedy Is Needed as a First Step Reaction Cluster Pool Questionnaire How to Prepare Bach Flower Combinations The Bach Flower Remedies Dosage and Application Number of Flowers, and How to Combine Them Basic Principles of Flower Selection Duration of Therapy Initial Reactions The Empowering Statements The 38 Individual Bach Flower Remedies, Plus Rescue Remedy 1. Agrimony: The Honesty Flower 2. Aspen: The Psychic Flower 3. Beech: The Tolerance Flower 4. Centaury: The Service Flower 5. Cerato: The Intuition Flower 6. Cherry Plum: The Openness Flower 7. Chestnut Bud: The Learning Flower 8. Chicory: The Relationship Flower 9. Clematis: The Reality Flower 10. Crab Apple: The Cleansing Flower 11. Elm: The Responsibility Flower 12. Gentian: The Belief Flower 13. Gorse: The Hope Flower 14. Heather: The Identity Flower 15. Holly: The Heart-Opening Flower 16. Honeysuckle: The Past Flower 17. Hornbeam: The Vitality Flower 18. Impatiens: The Time Flower 19. Larch: The Self-confidence Flower 20. Mimulus: The Courage Flower 21. Mustard: The Light Flower 22. Oak: The Endurance Flower 23. Olive: The Regeneration Flower 24. Pine: The Self-acceptance Flower 25. Red Chestnut: The Cutting-free Flower 26. Rock Rose: The Liberation Flower 27. Rock Water: The Flexibility Flower 28. Scleranthus: The Balance Flower 29. Star of Bethlehem: The Comfort Flower 30. Sweet Chestnut: The Salvation Flower 31. Vervain: The Enthusiasm Flower 32. Vine: The Authority Flower 33. Walnut: The Manifestation Flower 34. Water Violet: The Communication Flower 35. White Chestnut: The Thought Flower 36. Wild Oat: The Vocational Calling Flower 37. Wild Rose: The Zest for Life Flower 38. Willow: The Destiny Flower 39. Rescue Remedy: The Emergency Remedy A Note for Practitioners About the Author