“Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something and that this thing must be attained.” - Marie Curie
As we move into the new year, it is often a time we set goals, intentions, and resolutions. Perhaps more so than any other time of year! Whether we do so formally or informally, there is often a sense of beginning anew or recommitting to our choices, wellness practices or projects we wish to create. One of the challenges in our capacity to actualize our intentions is lacking self-confidence in our ability to bring things to fruition, especially if we have not had the success we had hoped in the past.
I was excited this past week to be invited to participate in a Bach Flower Remedy Challenge with one of my mentors, Rose Todd, of the Bach Flower School. It felt fitting that Larch be the first remedy challenge of the year. A Bach Flower Remedy Challenge invites you to take one single remedy for 7 days to reflect on your experience, and journal on your noticing’s during that time. This is a wonderful way to explore the remedies. Unfortunately, I had come down with COVID just prior to beginning so have been not quite on point with the timeline, so I am playing a bit of catch up now.
It’s been quite a while since I have written a Bach Flower of the Month post or really been very active here on the Heart of Awakening Blog. That is something I am hoping to shift in 2022. And using Larch this week has definitely helped me have the confidence to jump back in! It feels fitting that I begin with a post on Bach Flower Remedies, which is one of my most beloved healing methods both personally and professionally. This series will shift from Bach Flower of the Month to a new umbrella, “Bach Flower Wisdom”. I also have a book project that will be emerging under that name in the future. So you can look forward to more regular posts on this topic!
For those who are just dropping in and are new to the Bach Flower Remedies, I suggest reading the following posts:
The Bach Flower Remedies: A Tool for Transformation
Visionary Voices: Dr. Edward Bach
Before we delve into Larch itself, I just like to note a few things about the Bach Flower Remedies overall:
- The Bach Flower Remedy System of healing includes 38 flower essences that were developed by visionary physician, Dr. Edward Bach.
- The remedies provide a powerful support for any type of transition including developmental, seasonal or any life changes.
- By focus on and addressing our individual emotional states and personality traits, the Bach Flower Remedies offer a powerful tool for balance and well-being, no matter what you are experiencing. With the repertoire of 38 remedies, there are over a million possible combinations, so they are an incredibly person-centered healing modality that can be used by anyone.
- One of the major benefits the remedies, that is essential while going through any transformational process as well as simply living in our current chaotic times, is the overall balancing and strengthening qualities the remedies offer. The vibrational nature of these essences helps to fortify and nourish our individual energetic system so that we can flow more smoothly through life, stay true to our choices and step forward on our soul path.
In his book, The Twelve Healers and Other Remedies, Dr. Bach describes the remedy Larch as follows:
“For those who do not consider themselves as good or capable as those around them, who expect failure, who feel they will never be a success, and so do not venture or make a strong enough attempt to succeed.”
Here are some questions to explore to see if the Larch remedy may be beneficial for you at this time:
- Are you lacking in self-confidence or low self-esteem?
- Do you expect failure or feel anxious that you don’t have what it takes?
- Do you tend to procrastinate due to lack of confidence?
- Do you have a feeling you have nothing to offer?
- In your lack of confidence, do you tend to compare yourself to others? Feeling not as good or capable, or inferior to those around you?
- Are you overly sensitive to criticism or self-conscious due to feeling not good enough?
- Do you put the brakes on or stop short on projects just prior to completion?
- Are you paralyzed by limiting beliefs about yourself?
Larch has many benefits that can help to ease our feelings of low self-esteem, lack of confidence and any tendencies to compare ourselves to others. These include:
- A strong sense of confidence and self-assurance
- An ability to assess situations and tackle things realistically
- Perseverance when faced with setbacks or challenges
- No longer needing to compare oneself to others
- An ability to be decisive and resist negative programming
- Dissolving self-limiting beliefs as one comes to believe in oneself strongly
- Taking action with a more relaxed view and approach
- Embodying “I can” rather than “I can’t”
- Greater trust in one’s higher self and soul purpose
Affirmations:
- I can do it!
- I release all limiting beliefs and feelings of inferiority.
- I fully embody my value and worth.
- I am calm, centered, and capable.
Over the years, I have used Larch personally to build greater confidence and transmute limiting beliefs about myself. The tendency toward lack of confidence and comparing to self to others particularly in evaluating success is one I have struggled with; and Larch has been a big help! The remedies can be used as a long-term remedy or more situationally depending on the person and situation. I have seen tremendous benefits in working with clients over the last 25 years for some specific things.
For example, this past Spring, I was struggling to bring my capstone paper to completion for graduate school. I remembered many years ago, early in my practice, treating a client who had dropped out of graduate school just before completing their thesis paper. They had tried and tried to complete it. After a short time on Larch, they were back on track and completed the project in a couple of months, where previously they had been stuck for a few years. Thanks to Larch, I was able to stay on track and complete my capstone project on time to graduate this past June. I’ve now got a master of science degree in Restorative Practices!
Some of the things that Larch can support include:
- Confidence in public speaking
- Completing things or staying on track – e.g. project, exam or thesis
- Presentations at work and school
- Needing to speak up or advocate for oneself in work or family settings
- Improving confidence in all areas of life – work, school, relationships
- Taking action with greater calm and ease
In exploring the Bach Flower Remedies, we look at emotional states and personality traits as the indicator for which remedies are most needed. However, it is important to acknowledge that these essences are a part of nature, and help us to connect to the greater whole, and our sense of soul purpose. As Larch brings us confidence and clarity, we become better able to access our inner wisdom and trust the guidance of our higher self. This then becomes cyclical in nature – as we follow our soul’s guidance, we are naturally more confident, too. Larch offers us a win-win!
I invite you to try the Larch 7-Day Challenge whenever you feel to explore this remedy of confidence, or simply use it as needed to support self-confidence, and to take ownership of your intrinsic value and worth.
As always, feel free to share your experiences, reflections and questions in the comments below. And stay tuned for more Bach Flower Wisdom posts coming soon!
I have found the Bach Flower Remedies to be one of the most beneficial transformational and healing tools that I utilize both personally and in my holistic healing practice for over 25 years. I am a Bach Flower Registered Practitioner (BFRP) through the Bach Centre, founded by Dr. Edward Bach and have had many wonderful Bach Flower mentors and teachers including Dr. Eric Love, Nancy Buono, and Rose Todd.
Bach Flower Consultations & Treatments are a part of Integrative Shamanic Healing Sessions and Programs. They are available via Zoom or Skype as well as in person in Annapolis, MD. Additionally, I offer a 3 Session Bach Flower Remedy program, which includes an educational component so you can learn how to work with the remedies. To learn more or schedule a session, connect with me.
