The 38 Bach Flower Remedies, Grouped by Emotion

If you have come across Bach Flower Remedies before, it was probably through Rescue Remedy, the well-known blend of five remedies marketed for acute stress and emergencies. That blend is the tip of a much larger system.

There are 38 remedies in total. Each one corresponds to a specific emotional pattern, not to a diagnosis, and Dr Edward Bach organised them into seven groups. Below is the full list, grouped the way he originally arranged them.

A note before you read on. This is an overview, not a prescription. In my sessions I do not choose your remedy for you. I use the ABC method I was trained in by Ainsworths of London, where you select your own remedy intuitively and my role is to explain the story the plants are telling.

1. For fear

How we express fear and anxiety.

Remedy	Emotional state
Rock Rose	Terror, panic, extreme fear
Mimulus	Fear of known things, such as illness, public speaking or darkness
Cherry Plum	Fear of losing control
Aspen	Vague, unknown fears and apprehension
Red Chestnut	Excessive worry for others

2. For uncertainty

How we cope when we lose trust in our own judgement, and for a lack of confidence in decisions or direction.

Remedy	Emotional state
Cerato	Doubting your own judgement
Scleranthus	Indecision, inner imbalance
Gentian	Discouragement after a setback
Gorse	Hopelessness, despair
Hornbeam	Mental fatigue, procrastination
Wild Oat	Unclear life direction, dissatisfaction

3. For insufficient interest in present circumstances

Not being in the moment. For disengagement and escapism.

Remedy	Emotional state
Clematis	Dreaminess, lack of focus
Honeysuckle	Living in the past
Wild Rose	Apathy, resignation
Olive	Physical and mental exhaustion
White Chestnut	Repetitive, unwanted thoughts
Mustard	Deep sadness with no known cause
Chestnut Bud	Difficulty learning from experience

4. For loneliness

The impact of separation, and whether that separation is welcomed, feared or demanded. For how we relate to other people.

Remedy	Emotional state
Water Violet	Distant, reserved, proud
Impatiens	Impatience, irritability
Heather	Excessive need to talk about oneself

5. For those over-sensitive to influences and ideas

How we express or suppress what we feel. For emotional vulnerability and being easily influenced.

Remedy	Emotional state
Agrimony	Hiding inner turmoil behind cheerfulness
Centaury	People-pleasing, weak boundaries
Walnut	Difficulty with change or outside influence
Holly	Jealousy, hatred, anger

6. For despondency or despair

How the ego is affected by life's choices and experiences. For deep emotional struggle.

Remedy	Emotional state
Larch	Lack of confidence, expecting failure
Pine	Guilt, self-blame
Elm	Overwhelmed by responsibility, mental overload
Oak	Overwork, never giving up
Willow	Resentment, bitterness
Star of Bethlehem	Shock, trauma, grief
Sweet Chestnut	Extreme mental anguish
Crab Apple	Feelings of impurity or self-disgust

7. For over-care for the welfare of others

How we use our free will in relation to ourselves and other people. For excessive concern or control.

Remedy	Emotional state
Chicory	Possessive, conditional love
Vervain	Over-enthusiasm, tension
Vine	Dominating, inflexible
Beech	Criticism, intolerance
Rock Water	Self-denial, rigid self-control

Why the groupings matter to me

When I first sat with these seven themes, something clicked. Fear, uncertainty, loneliness, despair, over-control. These are not random categories. To my eye they map closely onto the chakras, the energy centres Reiki works with.

That connection is one of the main reasons I use Reiki and Bach Flowers together rather than separately. Two systems, developed in different countries by people who never met, describing what looks to me like similar emotional territory.

Reading the list is not the same as choosing

You may already be scanning the list and recognising yourself in three or four of them. Most people do. That is normal, and it is also exactly why I do not recommend picking your own remedy from a page like this one.

The ABC method uses your intuition to make the selection, and then the sequence of what you have chosen tells a story with a beginning, a middle and where you are now. I explain what the plants are saying. What that story means for you personally is yours to work out, and I will not know it. You never have to tell me what you have been through.

If you would like to try the process properly, a Bach Flower consultation is included in the full Bach-Reiki package, and you can always start with a free fifteen-minute chat.

This content is intended for educational and supportive purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Individuals with diagnosed medical conditions should consult a healthcare professional before taking supplements or making significant dietary or lifestyle changes. The support I offer is not intended as a promise of cure or specific outcome nor is it intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or illness. Each person's healing journey is unique, and results may vary. Healing You sessions offer complementary support and are not a replacement for medical care.