2017 0129 05 Dr Edward Bach: Healing by Herbs for use in Every Home
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Secondly. They are only 38 in number, which means that it is easier to find the right herb to give, than when there are very many.
Thirdly. The method of choosing which remedies to give is simple enough for most people to understand.
Fourthly. The cures which have been obtained have been so wonderful, that they have passed all expectations of even those who use this method, as well as the patients who have received the benefit.
These herbs have succeeded again and again where all other treatment, which has been tried, has failed. And now, having given you some idea of how ancient and renowned is the great art of healing the suffering by means of herbs, let us pass on to the main reason of this evening's address.
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Public Lecture
IN THE
MASONIC HALL, WALLINGFORD,
ON
Thursday, Sept. 2·4th
AT 8 P.M.,
Healing by Herbs
For use in every Home,
BY
Dr. EDWA RD BACH
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From the earliest
times in history, we find that herbs have been used as healing remedies,
and as far back as records go, man has had the faith that in
the herbs of the meadow and
valley and hillside lay the power to cure his illnesses. Hundreds of years before Christ,
the ancient Indians
and Arabians and other races were experts in the use of Nature's gifts; also the early Egyptians, and later the Greeks and Romans, and in a lesser
degree right on up till our time.
Now, it is not likely that for thousands
of years, great nations of different
creeds and colours
should have continuously believed in, and persistently studied and used the Herbs of Nature as cures,
unless behind it all there was a great truth. In olden days, not only the physicians of the countries
used and taught the
use of herbs, but the people
themselves had great knowledge of their virtue, and were able to care for themselves in many cases of disorders.
During history
there have been times, when disease was successfully dealt with by practically herbs alone; at other times the great and natural
art of healing has largely been forgotten: this is one of those times. But such is the power of Nature's
way, that it is certain to return to us. The herbs spoken of in this lecture, although
but
recently discovered,
are already being used
widely in very many parts of the world.
It is certain that at those times when the right herbs were known and used, wonderful healing results must have been general, and the people of those ages must
have had very great
faith in them: unless this were so, the fame, the faith, the belief of cure placed in herbs, would not have survived the rise
and fall of empires, and been continuously in the minds of people
for hundreds and thousands of years.
Healing
with the clean, pure, beautiful agents of Nature is surely the one method of all which appeals to most of us, and deep down in our inner self, surely there is something about it that rings true indeed: something
which tells us - this is Nature's
way and is right.
To Nature we look confidently for all the needs to keep us alive - air, light, food, drink, and so on: it is
not likely that in this great scheme which provides
all, the healing
of our illnesses and distress
should be forgotten.
So we see that Herbal treatment goes back to the very earliest times known to man; that it has continued all these centuries both in use and in fame, and at many times in history has been the chief and almost the only method of healing.
The system
being spoken of this evening
has great advantages over others.
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| Dr Edward Bach [1886-1936] |
Firstly.
All the remedies are made from beautiful flowers, plants and trees of Nature: none of them are poisonous
nor can do any harm, no matter how much was taken.
Secondly. They are only 38 in number, which means that it is easier to find the right herb to give, than when there are very many.
Thirdly. The method of choosing which remedies to give is simple enough for most people to understand.
Fourthly. The cures which have been obtained have been so wonderful, that they have passed all expectations of even those who use this method, as well as the patients who have received the benefit.
These herbs have succeeded again and again where all other treatment, which has been tried, has failed. And now, having given you some idea of how ancient and renowned is the great art of healing the suffering by means of herbs, let us pass on to the main reason of this evening's address.
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The main objects of this evening's lecture are two: Firstly: to describe to you a new method of herbal healing. Secondly:to reduce as much as possible any fear that any of you may have of disease.
Although
it is but some seven years ago since the first of a series of the 38 herbs, which are the subject of this address,
was discovered, yet in that short time these herbs have been proved to have the most wonderful power of healing. This proof has been found not only in this country,
not only in countries
on the Continent, but in lands as far distant
as India, America,
New Zealand, Australia and so on.
It is impossible to tell you of the very great number
of people who have had benefit and cures,
because they are scattered almost world-wide: but this we know, that hundreds
and thousands of sufferers
have received help which they had not thought was possible, and beyond any hope which had been left in them.
The important points of treatment
with these herbs are:
1] that the remedies are all made from beautiful
plants and trees of Nature, and that none of them are hurtful nor can they do any harm.
2] that without a knowledge of medicine their
use
can be understood so easily that they can be used in the household.
Think a moment what this means. There are amongst us in almost every town or village some who have to a lesser or greater degree the desire to be able to help in illness;
to be able to relieve the suffering and heal the sick, but from circumstances have been prevented from becoming doctors or nurses, and have not felt that they were able to carry out their desire or mission.
These herbs place in their hands
the
power to heal amongst
their own families, friends and all around
them. In addition
to their occupation, they are enabled in their spare time to do a very great amount of good, as many are so doing today; and there are some who have even given up their work to devote all their time to this form of healing.
It means to those who always had an ideal, a dream of relieving
the suffering, that it has
been made possible
for them, whether
it be but their own household
or on a wider scale.
Again to impress
upon you that there is no need of scientific knowledge necessary when treating with these herbs: not even the name of the illness
or disease is required.
It is not the disease
that matters: it is the patient. It is not what the patient has. It is not the disease,
so-called, that really is the important
thing to treat; because the same disease may cause different results in different people.
If the effects
were always the same in all people, it would be easy to know what the name of the disease was: but this is not so; and this is the reason why often in medical science it is so difficult
to give a name to the particular complaint from which a patient
is suffering.
It is not the disease
that is of importance. It
is the patient; the way in which he or she is affected
which is our true guide to healing. In ordinary every day life, everyone of us has a character
of our own. This is made up of our likes, our dislikes, our ideas, thoughts, wishes, ambitions, the way we treat others,
and so on.
Now this character
is not of the body, it is of the mind; and the mind is the most delicate
and sensitive part of ourselves. So can we wonder that the mind with its various moods will be the first to show the symptoms
of disease; and being so sensitive, will be a much better guide to us in illness than depending on the body. Changes
in our minds will guide us clearly to the remedy we need; when the body may show little
alteration.
Now let us turn our attention to some of the different
ways in which one particular complaint can affect an individual. We all know the same illness
may take us quite differently: if Tommy gets measles,
he may be irritable
- Sissy may be quiet and drowsy - Johnny wants to be petted - little Peter may be all nerves and fearful - Bobbie wants to be left alone,
and so on.
Now, if the disease has such different
effects, it is certain it is no use treating the disease alone; it is better to treat Tommy, Sissy, and Johnny and Peter and Bobbie and get them each well, and 'goodbye' the measles.
What it is important
to impress upon you, is that it is not the measles
which gives the guide to the cure, but it
is the way the little one is affected: and the mood of the little one is the most sensitive guide as to know what that particular patient needs.
And just as moods guide us to the treatment
in illness, so also they may warn us ahead of a complaint
approaching and enable us to stop the attack.
Little
Tommy comes
home from
school unusually
tired, or drowsy, or irritable, or wanting to be fussed, or perhaps left alone and so on. He is 'not quite himself' as we say. Kind neighbours come in and say, 'Tommy is sickening
for something, you will have to wait'. But why wait: if Tommy
is treated then according
to his mood,
he may very
soon again be turned from ‘not quite himself'
into 'quite himself',
when whatever illness was threatened will not occur.
And so with any of us: before almost all complaints there is usually a time of not being quite fit or a bit run down: that is the time to treat our condition, get fit and stop things going further. Prevention is better than cure, and these remedies help us in a wonderful way to get well, and to protect ourselves from attack of things unpleasant.
So much for the earliest
stages of disease.
Now let us think about those who have been ill for some time, or even a long time. There is again every reason to be hopeful of benefit,
either improvement or recovery.
Never let anyone give up hope of getting well: such wonderful improvements and such marvellous recoveries have happened
with the use of these herbs, even in those in which it was considered hopeless that anything could be done; that to despair is no longer necessary.
Chronic
invalids have been restored to a life of usefulness, attended with a return of much happiness
and a better and brighter outlook
on life in general. Do not let
anyone be frightened at the
name given to any
disease; after all, what is in a name: and there is no disease of itself which is incurable. This can be asserted, because those suffering from those types of complaints whose names are most dreaded and feared have become well. If some patients have done this, so can others. It takes less time occasionally to cure a so-called
terrible illness in some, than one considered less severe
in others. It depends
more on the individual than the illness.
Now, it is just the same principle
of treatment in long illness as when it is slight and short or only even threatened. Because in a complaint which has been going on for some time we still have our characters;
our wishes, hopes, ideas,
likes, dislikes and so on.
So again all that is required is to take notice how a patient is being affected
by the illness; if there is depression, hopelessness of getting well, fear of becoming
worse, irritability, wanting companionship, desire to be quiet and alone, and so on; and to choose the remedy
or remedies suitable for the different moods.
And it is wonderful
here again, that just as in threatened illness, if we can get a patient back from being 'not quite themselves', the disease
will not happen; so in cases which have been going on for a long time, as the various moods, depression, fear etc., disappear, so the patients
are better in themselves, more like their real selves,
and with this the disease,
no matter what it may be, goes also.
There is yet another class of people,
quite different: those who are not really ill in the ordinary sense of the word; yet are always having
something wrong with them; perhaps not serious,
yet quite enough to make life a trial and a burden
at times, and who would be grateful indeed
to be rid of their complaints. Mostly they have tried many things to be free of their trouble,
but have not been able to find a
cure. Amongst such are those who have frequent
headaches; others are subject to severe colds each year; some suffer from catarrh, or rheumatics, or indigestion, or eye-strain, or asthma, or slight
heart- trouble, sleeplessness, and so on, whatever
it may be.
And what a joy it is to be able to give such people
relief. when often they had expected
they would have to bear their infirmity all their life; and especially to those who had dreaded that their symptoms might get worse with age. Such cases can be cured and very often benefit
begins soon after treatment has started.
And lastly, one more class: people who are quite well, strong and healthy, and yet have their difficulties. Such people who find their work or play made more difficult from things like: over-anxiety to do right, or too enthusiastic, and strain
and tire themselves: or those who fear failure,
imagining themselves not as
clever as other people: or those unable
to make up their minds as to what they want: those who are afraid something will happen to those dear to them, who always
fear the worst, even without any reason: those who are too active and restless
and never seem at peace: those who are too sensitive
and shy and nervous, and so on. All such things, though they may not be called illnesses, cause unhappiness and worry: yet all these can
be put right and an added joy comes into life.
So we see how great is the power of the right herbs to heal; not only to keep us strong and protect
us from disease, not only to stop an illness when it is threatened, not only to relieve
and cure us when we may be in distress
and ill, but even to bring peace and happiness
and joy to our minds when there is apparently nothing wrong with our health.
Once again, let it be made quite certain
that, whether it is being run down, or not quite oneself;
Whether trying to prevent a disease; whether it is a short illness
or a long, the principle is the same - treat the patient; treat the patient according to the mood, according to the character, the individuality, and you can not go wrong.
Think once again the joy this brings,
to any one who wants to be able to do something for those who are ill, to be able to help even those where medical
science can do
no more; it gives
to them the power to be healers amongst their fellows. Yet again, think what a different outlook this brings into our lives;
the loss of fear, and the increase of hope.
