FLOWER RXS HOME

AGRIMONY
ASPEN
BEECH
CENTAURY
CERATO
CHERRY PLUM
CHESTNUT BUD
CHICORY
CLEMATIS
CRAB APPLE
ELM
GENTIAN
GORSE
HEATHER
HOLLY
HONEYSUCKLE
HORNBEAM
IMPATIENS
LARCH
MIMULUS
MUSTARD
OAK
OLIVE
PINE
RED CHESTNUT
RESCUE REMEDY
ROCK ROSE
ROCK WATER
SCLERANTHUS
STAROF BETHLEHEM
SWEET CHESTNUT
VERVAIN
VINE
WALNUT
WATER VIOLET
WHITE CHESTNUT
WILD OAT
WILD ROSE
WILLOW

Together with the remedies of Rock Water, Vine, Vervain, and Chicory, this remedy belongs to Bach's group of Overcare for Welfare of Others. These five remedies deal with attitudes of control and overcare toward others. Specifically, Beech treats the tendency to criticism and intolerance.
In the Beech state, the mind raises itself above others with the self-appointed right to assume critical judgment on another person's expression of life. It is a state of arrogance, an attempt to impress upon others one's own standards of assessment considered special or perfect. Fault-finding, criticism, and intolerance are predominant traits.

Judging others creates superiority, and those criticized are held low, condescended against. Oftentimes, one actually does not want them to measure up to one's own perfect style so that one may continue to consider oneself as special. To keep the critical opinion against another, even though the other might have changed, is considered a state of "cognitive dissonance" which is the psychological term for this phenomenon. The mind does not want others to move up in standard, and it gives more personal satisfaction to keep them in their place. Dissonant impressions are rejected, and a "double-bind" is created for the criticized person who may try to measure up to the other's standards and finds a no-win situation.
The Beech attitude may also be less condescending, more nagging and dissatisfied.
The mind is narrowed in perception, tolerance, and judgment, although one believes oneself to have the right attitude and capacity for assessment. This results in self-deception.
In the treatment of persecutory delusions or paranoid personality disorders, Beech lessens the tendency to overly criticize others and fit them into a specific image with threatening features (cf. Holly, Willow).
Although the Beech state may seem arrogant or exasperating, there is often an underlying sadness, a personal loss of a more perfect reality that is mourned. To have personal perfect standards and finding reality wanting implies a loss, a sense of being let down. This may not be in regard to "cognitive dissonance," since the other's lack gives satisfaction, but in regard to life's essentials, including loved ones. For example, the perfect husband was never found or has died; the present one is criticized, with a tinge of buried sadness.

In many cases, if grief was not allowed to be fully experienced or worked through, if there was denial, shock, or lack of understanding, there may develop a Beech state. The event or person is criticized or rejected instead of mourned. A Beech block surrounds the heart, sheltering the heart from unbearable or inexplicable sadness.

To open the mind to the realization that there is present and potential beauty in people and surroundings. To give tolerance and loving acceptance. To get in touch with hidden sadness and experiences of loss that have not been released or dealt with.