A few days ago I had a question from one of the members of my Facebook Bach Group about how to take the Bach Flower Remedies, and as it is such a good question I thought I’d share the answer with you.
But before I run through the most effective way of taking the remedies, I’d like to tell you about two Free Bach Flower Guides. Click the image to order your guides.
Now, back to taking the remedies..
Part of the confusion surround how to effectively take these powerful remedies is because there are 4 different ways to take them and they all work!
The remedies are going to work, no matter how you take them (so long as you chosen a matching remedy).
1) Drops on your tongue
You can up 2 drops on your tongue straight from a Stock Bottle (the small 10ml bottles are Stock Bottles) or you can put 4 drops on your tongue straight from a treatment bottle. More on the treatment bottle later.
2) Put the remedies into water
Edward Bach liked to put his remedies in water. Water will carry the memory of whatever has been in it. So when we put the remedies into a glass of water, it turns the whole glass into your remedy.
Sipping the water frequently is the most effective way of using the remedies to bring about a healing.
The remedies are preserved in brandy and so to give a child or an animal remedies straight from the bottle, the strong taste of brandy will be a shock. It’s kinder to put the remedies into water, juice or tea to disguise the taste of brandy.
3) The Treatment Bottle
If you’re dealing with a long term problem, perhaps unravelling something situations from childhood, then using a treatment bottle is the most effective way of taking the remedies.
A Treatment Bottle is usually a 30ml brown bottle, with a dropper, which is sometimes available from high street chemists. Treatment bottles will be available from your Bach Flower Essence/Remedy manufacture.
4) From the Treatment Bottle to a glass of water
The 4th way to take the remedies, is to make yourself a Treatment Bottle, and then put 4 drops from the Treatment Bottle into a small glass of water, and sip it frequently throughout the day.
The key is that the intensity of your emotions indicates the frequency of dose. For example, if you’re extremely anxious, then you’ll need your remedies about every 15 minutes fo a couple of hours.
So – Intensity of emotions indicates frequency. Frequency is more important than ‘number of drops’.
Personal Mix
Edward Bach understood that we are all individuals and we each see our world through our own unique lens. Therefore, the beauty of his simple method of healing is that you can select the remedies that you feel suit you best: that are the closest match to your feelings, and mix together your own personal mixture – that suits only you.
Making and using a treatment bottle
Fill a 30ml (or perhaps you have a 20ml, if you’ve bough your remedies in pharmacy on the high street or in a suoermarket. Fill the bottle to the shoulder with mineral or filtered water
Next add 2 drops of every chosen remedy, including Rescue Remedy (Bach advocating using no more than 6) into your Treatment bottle, so I always stick to that.
Remember to put a label on the bottle, with the date and the remedies you’ve chosen. You’ll be referring to this when you come to make up the next bottle.
Now you take 4 drops from your treatment bottle – at least 4 times a day.
a) You can take it straight onto your tongue.
b) Or you can do as I do (I found this is the most effective way of taking the remedies) and put your 4 drops into a small glass of water, and sip it frequently throughout the day.
A Treatment bottle will normally last you about 3 1/2 to 4 weeks.
There is no need to add additonal brandy or apple cider vinegar to a Treatment Bottle. The water will be OK for that short a time.
However, if the bottle is going to have to last much longer, then I would suggest you perserve the water by adding half a teaspoon of brandy, or cider vinegar.
Making up a treatment bottle and putting 4 drops in a glass of water that you’ll sip throughout the day (and can last you all day) is, in my opinion, the most effective way of getting steady results, and also the most economical way of using the remedies.
If you’ll like to be able to help yourself and your family to live emotionally balances lives, I have Bach Flower Remedy On-Line Course which will help you do just that.
Over to you…
As always, I love to hear from you, so please leave your thoughts and comments in the Comment box below.
Thank you.
If you add Rescue Remedy to the mixing bottle, does that count as 1, or 5 remedies?, since there’s 5 different remedies in RR
Hello Barbara.
Ah yes. This is a tricky question and one that is often asked.
Rescue Remedy counts as 1 remedy. So you can use Rescue adn 5 others. Hope this is helpful. love Rose
Thank you. Yes! Very helpful. My mother told me yesterday that I have to accept the fact that she’s dying and to leave her be! It’s all a little overwhelming.
I’m going to take a 1/2 glad of iced tea and put RR, walnut, red chestnut, Willow, (because my brothers AREN’T helping!), and the Oak as you suggested. Is that ok?
I’ll deal with the guilt and overwhelming later.
Again, thank you and Blessed Be.
Hello Barara. Good to hear from you. But I’m sorry to hear about your mother.
What a shock for you. You defintely need Star of Bethlehem for shock and sadness.
But now you know your mother is ready to ‘pass on’, you can help her in the best way you can and help here where she needs help,
But from what you’ve now said, I would recommend you change your remedies.
Still take Rescue Remedy’ Walnut; Red Chestnut and Willow. You don’t need Oak. You need Elm (for being overwhlemed by the responsibility of looking after your mother, and Pine for your feelings of guilt.
You can take them all together.
I recommend you put all 6 remedies into a glass of water, and sip that water during the day. Thi glass can last you all day. This is your remedy water, not for your thirst or your iced tea,
These remedies should help you a lot. Take care.
Love Rose
Also! I finished the 1/2 glad of tea! Is that enough? Would it be dangerous to make another batch for tonight? It’s 345 in the afternoon here.
Hi Barbara. You can’t overdose with the remedies and they have no side effects.
I’ve sent you another message – I suggested you take out Oak and put in Elm and add Pine.
And I’ve also suggested that you put all remedies into a glass of water and sip frequently throughout the day and evening.
That one glass should last you all day. The glass is for your remedies and not your thrist.
I’m sure you’ll feel better soon.
Love Rose
To my surprise I didn’t HAVE Pine! I added Larch for confidence in myself and I feel a ton better.
I took RR, Walnut, Elm, Oak, Red Chestnut, and Larch.
Again, if the remedies work, do I stop them or continue as preventative? Thank you so very much. I can’t wait to get your book!!
Hello Barbara. Soemtimes the remedies we have are the best remedies for us.
Larch is the most amazing remedy so I’m glad the remedies helped you feel better.
The remedies always work when we take them for the emotions we’re feeling, right Now – in this present moment.
Theyr do not work if you take them as a preventative. You only take them when you don’t like how you feel.
I’m in the north of England at the moment and its bitterly cold, with snow and ice, so I probably wont be able to get your book into the post for a day or two. I’ll let you when I’ve posted it. Take care. Love Rose
PS., Can I suggest you get some Pine as soon as you ca.=n. It’s a brilliant remedy and goes really well with Larch,
I’ve ordered the Pine, and it’s due tomorrow. I wish I could get it sooner but for some reason must of the stores that used to carry Bach, now ONLY carry the rescue remedy. Very frustrating!
So it’ll be here tomorrow….. For my 61st birthday! Big yay
Believe me, I understand about the weather. Please don’t feel the need to rush out to mail it.
Here’s to staying cozy!
Hello Barbara. I beleive that everything happens in the right way at the right time. So, perhaps you need more Rescue Remedy at the moment. You’ll see, it’ll arrive ‘just in time’.
And have a happy birthday! Love Rose
For some reason the chat didn’t have field for the email! I tried to match yesterday the actual way I was feeling and since I’m all over the place in doubt and acceptance of her (now) being bed bound and her resistance to a physical therapist…. She’s coming in a few days…. I’m feeling again, overwhelmed and a little trapped. I made a mix of Elm, Walnut, white chestnut and gentian. Since you know these remedies inside out, does that sound like a good mixture? Should I add Rescue? I’m SO grateful to you.
Hello Barbara. Thank you for leaving Comment on the blog.
I think you’ve chosen good remedies, and I think that adding Rescue to your mix will do you a lot of good.
I’m sure you’ll feel better soon. Love Rose.
Do you stop taking a particular remedy after it helps?
Hello Barbara. Take the remedies as long as you don’t like how you feel.
Take the remedies for the feelings you have Now – in this moment.
You’ll find that when you start to feel better, you’ll ‘forget’ to take them – and when you begin to slip back into your unwanted feelings, ypu’ll remember again. It’s a simple as that.
Take care. Love Rose
Hi. Thank you for your post. I am always confused on the dosage bottle of 4 drops 4 times a day. Does that mean 16 drops throughout the day or drink from the 4 drop water at least four times a day?
For example, I fill up a water bottle for my son at school and I put four drops in it and he drinks throughout the day. Is that enough or do I need to add three more sets of 4 drops to finish the daily dose?
Hello LeeAnn. Thank you for your post. The best way to take the remedies is confusing.
Let’s start with – the rule of thumb: take 2 drops from the Stock Bottle (this is the bottle you buy over the counter, or on line). If you make up a treatment bottle, you take 2 drops of each chosen remedy from the Stock Bottle, and then take 4 drops from the treatment bottle at least 4 times a day.
It’s not a matter of giving 16 drops a day. Because the remedies are ‘energy’ – the 2 drops into a Treatment Bottle and the 4 drops in a Treatment Bottle ‘potenize’ all the water, turning all the water into ‘remedy’.
Although the instructions are take 4 drops from the Treatment Bottle 4 times a day.
Again, the rule of thumb is that the more intense the emotions, the greater frquency of remedies.
So if you’re in a panic, or in shock with grief, you make need to take a dose of the remedies every 5 or 10 minutes.
I find the most efficient way of taking the remedies is to make up a Treatment Bottle, and then put 4 drops into a 250ml drink – and sip frequently until you feel better.
So, now lets look at your son’s water bottle. Use the same ratio of 4 drops to approx 250ml water. So, if the water bottle is about 500mls, I would use 10 drops (or so) to potentize that much water.
I know the doseage is tricky – so I hope I’ve been helpful. If its not helpful, and you have other questions, please get back to me.
I do hope the Remedies are helping your darling son. Rose.
I confused with remedy ..are they best under the tongue or on the tongue..I’m using white chestnut at the moment from the bottle and also putting 2 drops in water to sip during the day
Hello Pauline. Thank you for your question.
As there are different ways of taking the remedies, the best way to take them can be confusing.
If you’re taking 2 drops of the remedy straight from the Stock Bottle (the bottle you buy from the manufacture) whether you it on or under your tongue, it really doesn’t matter.
Putting 2 drops into a small glass of water, and sipping it frequently, is a very effective way of taking the remedy. But if you’re doing this, you don’t need to take the remedies straight from the Stock Bottle too.
Have you read the blog about Taking the Remedies?
If not – here is the link….
https://thebachflowerschool.com/bach-flowers/how-to-take-bach-flowers-remedies/
I hope this helps. Warm wishes Rose
Hello Rose
What if I choose only one remedy to use in a treatment bottle, how many drops of the chosen remedy should I put in the treatment bottle along with the mineral or filtered water?
How many drops from the bottle should I then put in my glass of water to drink throughout the day and how often?
Love your web site and all the information.
Thanks
Angie
Hello Angie. You always take 2 drops from th Stock Bottle (the bottle you buy), wnere its for 6 or 1 remedy.
And you always take 4 drops from the Treatment Bottle at least 4 times a day.
However, the more intense the feelings, the more freuquent the remedy is needed. So if your feels are intese, you might need the remedies every 15 minutes or so, until your emotions begin to settle, and then you reduce the dosage.
I hope this is helpful.
Thank you for your writing Warm wishes Rose
To prepare a treatment bottle, how much water and preservative (please specify the name) are required for 2 drops of the stock remedy?
Hello Sharmila. thank you for getting in touch.
A Treatment Bottle is usually 30ml (1oz if you live in America) – with a dropper.
You fill the Treatment Bottle to the shoulder with mineral or filtered water. Then add 2 drops of every chosen remedy – up to 6 remedies.
A Treatment Bottle should last about 4 weeks only. After 4 weeks, you’ll see some changes, so you’ll need to change the remedies and make a new Treatment Bottle.
If there are no changes, then you definitely need to re-think the remedies, and make up a new Treatment Bottle.
Therefore you do not need to add any additional preservative.
However, if you’re living in a very hot country, you may need to add some brandy.
I would suggest you add 1/2 teaspoon of brandy, during the summer, to preserve the water.
I hope this is helpful. Warm wishes Rose
Thanks you soo much Rose, so can we add multiple ( not more that six )flower drops from stock in one treatment bottle?
Hello Sharmila. Yes. You can mix up to 6 remedies together in the same Treatment Bottle.
I hope this helps. Rose.