I was walking from my car to my home. My head was down. My eyes were watching where I was going. Suddenly, I felt fear. I almost stepped on a small snake. I hate snakes. Especially when I don't know they are there.

My memory recognized a snake. I stopped. I looked closely. The two pieces of twisted straw looked very much like a small snake. At first glance, it really did look like a snake.

Then I realized that in order for me to think the two pieces of straw was a snake, I had to be able to remember what a snake looked like. The picture in my mind was so strong that my body almost went into panic.

You know. That feeling you get in your stomach when, while driving, someone cuts in front of you and in a milisecond your foot is on the break. You know the feeling, the feeling of fear. The fear I felt was very real. And there was no snake. Only two small, twisted pieces of straw.

Our memory trigger visions for our imagination. Then our imagination makes it real. So real, in fact, that our body doesn't know the difference between what is real and what is not. When it manufactures fear, our involuntary responses go into action. You feel a rush. You are not in control anymore. Whatever it is, you so south. . . you check out and it takes over.

Fear is a powerful thing. And we make it up! Fear is false evidence appearing real. Fear doesn't come from out there. It comes from us. . . from within. Often it is involuntary, as in the case of the twisted straws. Sometimes it is voluntary. Sometimes we would rather make up something that keeps fear in place than to boldly step forward, with the first step firmly smashing our fear.

Why do we do this? Often it is to avoid the responsibility of doing what we know must be done. Sometimes it is because we are so afraid, the fear immobilizes us. It freezes us in our tracks.

Think about it. Be honest with yourself. Look back and remember a time when your life was being controlled by fear and when you finally got the courage to do the thing that you feared, the thing wasn't like you imagined it at all. Guess what? It is seldom ever is as bad as we make it up to be.

When you do the thing you fear to do the most, the death of fear is certain.

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Thoughtful quotes about education and learning.

Words of Wisdom

"Education is too important to be left solely to the educators." (Frances Keppel)

"The purpose of education is to replace an empty mind with an open one." (author unknown)

"We should be careful to get out of an experience only the wisdom that is in it - and stop there; lest we be like the cat that sits down on a hot stove lid. She will never sit down on a hot stove lid again- and that is well; but also she will never sit down on a cold one anymore." (Mark Twain)

"Everything is practice." (Pele)

next:Enlightenment and Self Discovery

Let's explore the thought that no one can cause anyone pain unless the person who the hurt is focused upon chooses to feel pain. We are not talking about burying your hurt or suppressing your feelings. To do so would be extremely unhealthy.

There are two points to be made. One, no one can hurt you and, number two, you can choose to feel hurt. It is only and always your choice.

If you feel hurt, then experience the pain for a moment, then get on with what's next.                  

No one can hurt you. You can look at this from several points of view. One view says, "Na na na na na, You can't hurt me!" or in other words, "I am so angry at you, I could spit and I don't want you to know that it hurts!" Or, number two, you could say, "Feeling hurt is an individual decision. It's a choice. I choose to be in control of my feelings."

No one can hurt you means, no matter what you do or what you say, I will interpret it however I choose, and will allow myself to feel pain for as long as I thinks it serves me, then I will get on with my life.

I may choose to feel hurt and I am clear that you are not the one who is inflicting the pain. . . I am. This is by far the more mature way to handle the hurt - to be with the hurt. This new thought is, in the beginning, difficult for some to understand. Some reject the idea totally. This is a mistake. To acknowledge this truth and to live your life by it can open up new opportunities for you to contribute to others.

No one can hurt you does not mean that when someone says or does something that is hurtful, you will not feel pain. It simply means that you have accepted that your responsibility in the matter is to choose to feel pain or not to feel pain.

Let's be honest. When someone says or does something hurtful we most often choose to feel hurt. It doesn't have to be that way. And it is okay to express how you feel. It is not healthy to stay stuck with the hurt.

Choosing to feel hurt; to dwell on the pain; to go to the extreme of inviting guests to your "pity party" is an unhealthy attitude. In other words, telling everyone you meet about your hurt only prolongs the agony. It will forever keep you stuck.

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No one can hurt you only means you can't hurt me. Only I can choose to feel the pain. When someone says something that I interpret as hurtful and I feel hurt, it does not mean that they hurt me. It only means that when they said what they said, I heard what I heard. Notice the emphasis is on "I."

We hear things the way they are to us based upon our past. If we think someone can hurt us . . . we are right! And we choose to feel pain. If, on the other hand, we believe that no one can hurt us. . . we are right! And we may or may not choose to feel pain. Feeling hurt by someone's deeds or unkind words is only always a matter of individual choice.

You can't get my goat if you don't know where it's tied up!

next: Forgiveness

There are plenty of anecdotal reports on the effectiveness of Bach flower remedies for psychological and emotional conditions like anxiety and depression, but the scientific evidence is scant.

Before engaging in any complementary medical technique, you should be aware that many of these techniques have not been evaluated in scientific studies. Often, only limited information is available about their safety and effectiveness. Each state and each discipline has its own rules about whether practitioners are required to be professionally licensed. If you plan to visit a practitioner, it is recommended that you choose one who is licensed by a recognized national organization and who abides by the organization's standards. It is always best to speak with your primary health care provider before starting any new therapeutic technique.

• Background
• Theory
• Evidence
• Unproven Uses
• Potential Dangers
• Summary
• Resources

Background

Dr. Edward Bach (1886 - 1936) was a British physician who believed that illness is the effect of disharmony between body and mind and that symptoms of an illness are the external expression of negative emotional states. The term flower remedies refers to a set of preparations developed by Dr. Bach. Flower essences are also products derived from Dr. Bach's work.

Dr. Bach asserted that harmful emotions are the main cause of disease, and he classified various emotions into seven principal categories. These categories were then divided further into 38 negative feelings, each of which was associated with a particular therapeutic plant. He also developed a compound of five flowers called Rescue Remedy to be used in emergency situations for trauma.

Bach flower remedies are usually consumed as alcohol-based preparations, but they are also available as creams. Australian bush remedies, Alaskan flower remedies and treatments made from Brazilian rain forest plants are believed by some to be therapeutically similar to Bach flower remedies.

Theory

Bach flower remedies comprise a therapeutic system that uses specially prepared plant infusions to balance physical and emotional disturbances. It is believed that every Bach flower remedy is related to an area on the surface of the body. Negative moods change energetic structure in these places, which may be accompanied by pain and disturbing sensations. A flower diagnosis may be obtained by pinpointing the appropriate area on the body map.

The production of Bach flower remedies is handled in two ways: Using the "sun method," flowers are picked on a warm summer day in full sunshine. The flowers are placed in a glass bowl with fresh water, preferably taken from a spring close to the location of the flower. The bowl is then placed in the sun for two to four hours. According to Dr. Bach, the sun transfers the vibration of the flowers into the medium of the water, which in this way becomes energetically infused. The flowers are then removed from the water, and an equal portion of alcohol is added for preservation (Bach originally used brandy). This solution is stored in a stock bottle. During treatment, the remedy is usually diluted with water and is consumed as an alcohol-based preparation, although it may also be available as a cream.

The second method of preparation is the "cooking method." Because not all flowers, shrubs, bushes and trees bloom at a time of year with plenty of sunshine, this approach is considered necessary. In the cooking method, flowers and buds are picked according to the sun method and boiled down. The extract is filtered several times and then mixed with an equal portion of alcohol as a preservative.

There are numerous anecdotes about successful treatment with Bach flower remedies, although published scientific research is limited.

Evidence

Scientists have studied Bach flower remedies for the following health problem:

Anxiety
A small number of studies report the effects of Bach flower remedies to be similar to those of placebo for the treatment of anxiety. These studies have not been well designed, and additional research is necessary before a firm conclusion can be drawn.

Unproven Uses

Bach flower remedies have been suggested for many other uses, based on tradition or on scientific theories. However, these uses have not been thoroughly studied in humans, and there is limited scientific evidence about safety or effectiveness. Some of these suggested uses are for conditions that are potentially life-threatening. Consult with a health care provider before using Bach flower remedies for any use.

Potential Dangers

Many Bach flower remedies contain alcohol, which may cause nausea and vomiting if taken with metronidazole (Flagyl) or disulfiram (Antabuse). Alcohol may also cause drowsiness. Driving or operating heavy machinery may be inadvisable if using Bach therapies with high alcohol concentrations. Alcohol intake should be limited in pregnant or breast-feeding women.

People allergic to certain plants or flowers may be sensitive to Bach flower remedies, although only a small amount of the plant may exist in the solution. Treatment with Bach remedies should not delay consultation with a health care provider for a potentially severe illness.

Summary

Bach flower remedies, and other systems of botanical treatments derived from Bach's work, have been recommended for many psychological and emotional conditions. There are numerous anecdotes about successful treatment with Bach flower remedies, although effectiveness and safety have not been thoroughly investigated scientifically.

The information in this monograph was prepared by the professional staff at Natural Standard, based on thorough systematic review of scientific evidence. The material was reviewed by the Faculty of the Harvard Medical School with final editing approved by Natural Standard.

Resources

1. Natural Standard: An organization that produces scientifically based reviews of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) topics
2. National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM): A division of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services dedicated to research

Selected Scientific Studies: Bach Flower Remedies

Natural Standard reviewed more than 40 articles to prepare the professional monograph from which this version was created.

Some of the more recent studies are listed below:

1. Alex D, Bach TJ, Chye ML. Expression of Brassica juncea 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl CoA synthase is developmentally regulated and stress-responsive. Plant J 2000;Jun, 22(5):415-426.
2. Armstrong N, Ernst E. A randomised, double-blind, placebo controlled trial of Bach flower remedy. Perfusion 1999;11:440-446.
3. Armstrong NC, Ernst E. A randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled trial of a Bach flower remedy. Complement Ther Nurs Midwifery 2001;7(4):215-221.
4. Barnes J. Complementary therapies: other therapies. Pharmaceut J 1998;260:1124-1127
5. Cate P. An ABC of alternative medicine: Bach flower remedies. Health Visit 1986;Sep, 59(9):276-277.
6. Downey RP. Healing with flower essences. Beginnings 2002;Jul-Aug, 22(4):11-12.
7. Ernst E. Bach flower therapy: what is the value of a water-brandy mixture? [Article in German]. MMW Fortschr Med 2000;Nov 2, 142(44):36.
8. Ernst E. E. Ernst's rejoiner to P. Mittman and D. Ullman on the Bach flower remedy study. Altern Health Pract 2001;6(3):247-248.
9. Ernst E. "Flower remedies": a systematic review of the clinical evidence. Wien Klin Wochenschr 2002;Dec 30, 114(23-24):963-966.
10. Fisher R. With Bach flower remedies life can take on deeper meaning. Beginnings 1993;Mar, 13(3):1, 4.
11. Long L, Huntley A, Ernst E. Which complementary and alternative therapies benefit which conditions? A survey of the opinions of 223 professional organizations. Complement Ther Med 2001;Sep, 9(3):178-185.
12. Mantle F. Bach flower remedies. Complement Ther Nurs Midwifery 1997;Oct, 3(5):142-144.
13. Rolli E. Dialog: physician and nurse on the topic of Bach flower therapy: interview by Wolfgang Fuchs [Article in German]. Osterr Krankenpflegez 1999;Feb, 52(2):16.
14. Szterenfeld C. Country watch: Brazil. AIDS STD Health Promot Exch 1995;(4):8-9.
15. Walach H, Rilling C, Engelke U. Efficacy of Bach-flower remedies in test anxiety: a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial with partial crossover. J Anxiety Disorder 2001;15(4):359-366.

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1. We admitted we were powerless over nothing—that we could manage our lives perfectly and those of anyone else who would allow us to.
2. Came to believe there was no power greater than ourselves and the rest of the world was insane.
3. Made a decision to have our loved ones and friends turn their wills and lives over to our care, even though they couldn't understand us at all.
4. Made a searching and fearless moral and immoral inventory of everyone we knew.
5. Admitted to the whole world at large the exact nature of everyone else's wrongs.
6. Were entirely ready to make others straighten up and do right.
7. Demanded others to either shape up or ship out.
8. Made a list of all persons who had harmed us, and became willing to go to any lengths to get even with them all.
9. Got direct revenge on such people wherever possible, except when to do so would cost us our own lives or at the very least a jail sentence.
10. Continued to take personal inventory of others and when they were wrong, promptly and repeatedly told them about it.
11. Sought through bitching and nagging to improve our relations with others as we couldn't understand them, asking only that they knuckle under and DO IT MY WAY.
12. Having had a complete physical, emotional and spiritual breakdown as a result of THESE STEPS, we tried to blame it on others and to get sympathy and pity in all our affairs.

Author Unknown

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