Flowers are not only beautiful; they also have a pronounced emotional function when involved in any of the human senses. According to behavioral research conducted at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, flowers provide us with a simple way to improve emotional health. The presence of flowers triggers happy emotions, heightens feelings of life satisfaction, and affects social behavior in a positive manner far beyond what we might generally think possible.

The Rutgers team of researchers explored the link between flowers and life satisfaction in a 10-month study of participants’ behavioral and emotional responses to receiving flowers. The results show that flowers are a natural and healthful moderator of moods for the following reasons:

1. Flowers have an immediate impact on happiness. All study participants expressed “true” or “excited” smiles upon receiving flowers, demonstrating extraordinary delight and gratitude. This reaction was universal, occurring in all age groups.
2. Flowers have a long-term positive effect on moods. Specifically, study participants reported feeling less depressed, anxious, and agitated after receiving flowers, and demonstrated a higher sense of enjoyment and life satisfaction.
3. Flowers make intimate connections. The presence of flowers led to increased contact with family and friends.

In the 1930’s Dr. Bach began studying the emotional output of flowers, as he believed illness to be the result of “a contradiction between the purposes of the soul and the personality’s point of view.” This internal war, according to Bach, leads to negative moods and energy blocking, which causes a lack of “harmony,” thus leading to physical diseases. 

From this belief Bach flower remedies were formulated. He believed that early morning sunlight passing through dew-drops on flower petals transferred the healing power of the flower onto the water. He started collecting and preserving the drops in brandy, creating the mother tincture, which was later used for dilution much like homeopathic preparations. Today the process does not differ much from the original. In place of dew collection, the flowers are steeped in spring water, allowing for larger batches to be produced. This method followed Bach’s belief system in that it is simple and involves the four elements: “The earth to nurture the plant, the air from which it feeds, the sun or fire to enable it to impart its power, and water to collect and be enriched with its healing.”

Bach’s flower remedies are divided into 7 batch groups based on emotional set points such as fear, uncertainty, loss of interest, loneliness, over-sensitivity, despair, and over-care. Within these seven groups are 38 individual remedies, prescribed based on self examination and completion of Bach’s emotional questionnaire. Among these remedies is the highly popular “Rescue Remedy” which has been proven safe and effective and is the most widely used Bach product for anyone suffering anxiety, fear or a sense of being overwhelmed.

The Bach remedies are produced with the idea that a “positive energy” can redirect or neutralize “negative energy.” Much like being in the presence of flowers, ingesting their essence increases the therapeutic benefits.

“Disease is in essence the result of conflict between the Soul and Mind and will never be eradicated except by spiritual and mental effort.”- Dr.Edward Bach.