Did you know that Dr Edward Bach was the first to make astrological correlations to the flower remedies, and he felt they represented the Moon sign? Dr. Bach made the interesting discovery -- one hardly surprising to astrologers -- that all of humanity could be divided into twelve groups. This discovery came to him suddenly one evening during a banquet, in what sounds reminiscent of a Uranian flash of inspiration.

According to Bach's biographer and devoted assistant, Nora Weeks, he had attended this dinner unwillingly and was feeling rather bored. To pass the time, watched the people around him, when he had a sudden realization that the whole of humanity consisted of a number of definite groups of types. He then spent the remainder of the evening fully absorbed in observing and categorising everyone. (Weeks, Nora; The Medical Discoveries of Edward Bach, Physician. CW Daniel Co, Essex, 1973, p 39.)

The Twelve Healers, Dr. Bach's list of the most crucial of his remedies, correspond to twelve types of personality, each possessing a quality to develop and a primary fault or negative emotional/mental tendency to overcome. He described the twelve types as the "twelve great lessons of life" and believed that each of us is concentrating on one of these lessons in particular.

Bach wrote that "each herb corresponds with one of the qualities, and its purpose is to strengthen that quality, so that the personality may rise above the fault that is the particular stumbling block." (Barnard, Julian, ed; Collected Writings of Edward Bach, Bach Educational Programme, Hereford, UK, 1987, p 100.)

Bach outlined the positive and negative qualities of the Twelve Healers as follows:

Twelve Healers.....Negative Tendency.......Positive Quality
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Chicory............Possessiveness......Selfless love
Mimulus...........Fear/anxiety..........Courage
Agrimony..........Restlessness.........Inner peace
Scleranthus.......Indecision.............Steadfastness
Clematis...........Indifference..........Gentleness
Centaury...........Weakness/servility....Strength
Gentian............Doubt.............Understanding
Vervain.............Over-enthusiasm...Tolerance
Cerato.............Self-distrust......Wisdom/intuition
Impatiens............Impatience............Patience
Rock Rose...........Despair/terror.......Self-transcendence
Water Violet........Aloofness.......Joy/sharing

In a 1933 article on the "Twelve Healers" Bach revealed that the twelve primary types of personality "are indicated to us by the MOON according to which sign of the Zodiac she is in at birth". According to Bach, a study of this would reveal: 1. the type of personality 2. one's object and work in life and 3. the remedy which will assist one in that work. (Article cited in Barnard, pp. 77-78)

Bach firmly believed that the secret of life is to be true to our personality (or Moon sign), and that what diverts us from this purpose is interference from outside sources. He wrote that "our personality we learn from the position of the moon at birth; our dangers of interference from the planets".

To astrologers he gave the warning that they "too much emphasise the planets, for, if we can hold our personality, be true unto ourselves, we need fear no planetary or outside influence." So while the Moon sign is the *key* to our personality, and how we can be true to it, the corresponding remedy can assist us to *maintain* that personality.

Astrologically, the Moon relates to instinctual responses, habit patterns, emotional makeup and the past. We can understand why Bach linked the Moon signs to the Twelve Healers, which embody the great 'lesson' of life. It is in overcoming the instinctual and therefore entrenched negative emotional tendency of our Moon sign that we experience the challenge of our life, or indeed its major lesson.

Unfortunately, Bach did not outline which of the Twelve Healers correlated with which Moon sign. In a letter to the Naturopathic Journal in 1933 he expressed his desire to remain cautious about astrology and not to be associated with anything dogmatic. Interestingly, he did say that his work on the remedies would "assist vastly in the purification and understanding of astrology". (Barnard, p.16)

It is now up to others to continue where Bach left off. The following are my own suggestions for possible Moon sign correlations with the Twelve Healers. You might like to explore these further, or come up with your own.

Aries - Impatiens
Taurus - Gentian
Gemini - Cerato
Cancer - Chicory
Leo - Vervain
Virgo - Centaury
Libra - Scleranthus
Scorpio - Rock Rose
Sagittarius - Agrimony
Capricorn - Mimulus
Aquarius - Water Violet
Pisces - Clematis

In my experience, the simple key to healing with flower essences is to first identify the emotional issues, which an analysis of the Moon's sign and aspects can illuminate. The first step involves identifying the feelings. This immediately implies that we are contacting and owning our feelings, and through this process of articulation and self-awareness alone, much healing can occur. It takes courage to face our feelings, and this is exactly what flower essence healing is all about - it's about facing ourselves.

About the Author: Candy Hillenbrand is an award winning F.A.A. certified astrologer and flower essence practitioner. For the rest of her articles in Vibration Magazine and info about how to contact her, see her Frequent Contributor Page.