This guide summarises the principal emotional picture traditionally associated with each remedy currently listed in the United Remedies Guna Bach Flower collection. It is designed as an accessible reference for customers and practitioners.
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How to choose a Bach Flower remedy
Begin with the emotions that are strongest now. Ask what the person is feeling, what they fear, how they react under pressure and whether the emotional state is temporary or part of a longer-standing personality pattern. More than one flower may be selected when several clear emotional themes are present.
The descriptions below refer to traditional Bach Flower use. They are not medical diagnoses and the remedies are not a substitute for appropriate medical or psychological care.
The Guna Bach Flower remedies
Guna Bach Flowers – Agrimony
Key emotional picture: Hides inner distress behind a cheerful or carefree appearance.
Traditionally considered when:
- Keeps worries and emotional pain private
- Uses humour, activity or distraction to avoid difficult feelings
- Dislikes arguments and may give in to preserve peace
Positive emotional direction: Greater emotional honesty, inner calm and the ability to face difficulties openly.
Guna Bach Flowers – Aspen
Key emotional picture: Fear or apprehension without a clear or identifiable cause.
Traditionally considered when:
- A vague sense that something bad may happen
- Unexplained nervousness or dread
- Night fears, unease or heightened sensitivity
Positive emotional direction: Calm confidence, reassurance and trust.
Guna Bach Flowers – Beech
Key emotional picture: Intolerance, criticism and irritation with the faults of others.
Traditionally considered when:
- Quick to notice mistakes or shortcomings
- Becomes impatient with habits or behaviour that seem inefficient
- May expect very high standards from others
Positive emotional direction: Tolerance, understanding and the ability to see good alongside imperfection.
Guna Bach Flowers – Centaury
Key emotional picture: Difficulty saying no and a tendency to put other people’s wishes first.
Traditionally considered when:
- Easily persuaded or dominated
- Over-helpful, even when exhausted
- Weak personal boundaries and fear of disappointing others
Positive emotional direction: Healthy assertiveness, stronger boundaries and willing service without self-neglect.
Guna Bach Flowers – Cerato
Key emotional picture: Lack of confidence in one’s own judgement.
Traditionally considered when:
- Repeatedly asks others what to do
- Changes direction after receiving outside opinions
- Often knows the answer internally but mistrusts it
Positive emotional direction: Trust in intuition and confidence in personal decisions.
Guna Bach Flowers – Cherry Plum
Key emotional picture: Fear of losing emotional or mental control.
Traditionally considered when:
- Feels close to snapping, shouting or acting impulsively
- Intense inner pressure or desperation
- Fear of doing something regrettable
Positive emotional direction: Composure, courage and calm self-control.
Guna Bach Flowers – Chestnut Bud
Key emotional picture: Repeating the same patterns or mistakes without learning from experience.
Traditionally considered when:
- Returns to the same unsuitable situations
- Acts quickly without reflecting on past outcomes
- Finds it difficult to recognise recurring patterns
Positive emotional direction: Awareness, reflection and the ability to learn from experience.
Guna Bach Flowers – Chicory
Key emotional picture: Possessive, demanding or controlling love.
Traditionally considered when:
- Needs appreciation and reassurance
- May become hurt when affection is not returned as expected
- Overprotective or inclined to organise other people’s lives
Positive emotional direction: Warm, generous and unconditional care without control.
Guna Bach Flowers – Clematis
Key emotional picture: Dreaminess, mental absence and lack of engagement with the present.
Traditionally considered when:
- Escapes into imagination or future plans
- Appears inattentive, sleepy or absent-minded
- Finds everyday reality uninteresting
Positive emotional direction: Grounded attention, creativity and active participation in the present.
Guna Bach Flowers – Crab Apple
Key emotional picture: Feelings of impurity, shame or excessive concern about imperfections.
Traditionally considered when:
- Feels unclean or uncomfortable in the body
- Fixates on small faults or blemishes
- May be preoccupied with tidiness, contamination or self-disgust
Positive emotional direction: Self-acceptance, proportion and a healthier relationship with personal imperfections.
Guna Bach Flowers – Elm
Key emotional picture: Temporary overwhelm in normally capable and responsible people.
Traditionally considered when:
- Feels burdened by duties
- Loses confidence when demands become excessive
- Believes the task is greater than personal ability
Positive emotional direction: Restored confidence, perspective and the ability to manage responsibilities calmly.
Guna Bach Flowers – Gentian
Key emotional picture: Discouragement after a setback.
Traditionally considered when:
- Loses heart when progress is slow
- Becomes doubtful or pessimistic after disappointment
- Needs encouragement to continue
Positive emotional direction: Perseverance, optimism and confidence that difficulties can be overcome.
Guna Bach Flowers – Gorse
Key emotional picture: Hopelessness and loss of faith that improvement is possible.
Traditionally considered when:
- Feels that nothing will help
- May try something only to please others
- Has mentally given up
Positive emotional direction: Renewed hope and willingness to try again.
Guna Bach Flowers – Heather
Key emotional picture: Loneliness expressed through an intense need for attention or conversation.
Traditionally considered when:
- Talks mainly about personal problems
- Finds silence or being alone uncomfortable
- May cling to listeners and overlook their needs
Positive emotional direction: Mutual connection, empathy and the ability to listen as well as speak.
Guna Bach Flowers – Holly
Key emotional picture: Jealousy, envy, suspicion, anger or resentment.
Traditionally considered when:
- Feels threatened by other people’s happiness or success
- Finds it difficult to trust
- Experiences strong anger or emotional hostility
Positive emotional direction: Generosity, trust, forgiveness and an open heart.
Guna Bach Flowers – Honeysuckle
Key emotional picture: Living in memories of the past.
Traditionally considered when:
- Longs for earlier times, places or relationships
- Feels unable to move beyond regret or bereavement
- Compares the present unfavourably with the past
Positive emotional direction: Appreciation of memories while remaining engaged with present life.
Guna Bach Flowers – Hornbeam
Key emotional picture: Mental tiredness and difficulty beginning tasks.
Traditionally considered when:
- Feels weary at the thought of the day ahead
- Procrastinates despite being physically capable
- Often feels better once activity has begun
Positive emotional direction: Mental freshness, motivation and renewed interest in daily responsibilities.
Guna Bach Flowers – Impatiens
Key emotional picture: Impatience, irritability and dislike of delay.
Traditionally considered when:
- Works and speaks quickly
- Becomes frustrated with slower people
- Prefers to do things alone rather than wait
Positive emotional direction: Patience, relaxation and tolerance of other people’s pace.
Guna Bach Flowers – Larch
Key emotional picture: Lack of confidence and expectation of failure.
Traditionally considered when:
- Avoids opportunities through self-doubt
- Assumes others are more capable
- Does not try because failure seems inevitable
Positive emotional direction: Self-belief, courage and willingness to attempt new challenges.
Guna Bach Flowers – Mimulus
Key emotional picture: Fear of known or identifiable things.
Traditionally considered when:
- Fear of illness, pain, accidents, animals, public speaking or particular situations
- Shyness, timidity or nervousness
- Keeps everyday fears private
Positive emotional direction: Quiet courage and the confidence to face ordinary fears.
Guna Bach Flowers – Mustard
Key emotional picture: Sudden deep gloom without an obvious reason.
Traditionally considered when:
- A dark mood descends unexpectedly
- Sadness appears unrelated to circumstances
- The low mood may lift as suddenly as it arrived
Positive emotional direction: Inner stability, emotional lightness and serenity.
Guna Bach Flowers – Oak
Key emotional picture: Determined perseverance beyond the point of healthy endurance.
Traditionally considered when:
- Keeps working despite exhaustion or illness
- Feels duty-bound to carry on
- Rarely complains or allows rest
Positive emotional direction: Balanced strength, wise use of energy and permission to rest.
Guna Bach Flowers – Olive
Key emotional picture: Complete physical and mental exhaustion after prolonged effort.
Traditionally considered when:
- Feels utterly depleted
- Has no reserve for ordinary activities
- Needs deep rest and restoration
Positive emotional direction: Renewed vitality, strength and enjoyment of life.
Guna Bach Flowers – Pine
Key emotional picture: Guilt, self-blame and excessive responsibility.
Traditionally considered when:
- Apologises frequently
- Blames oneself even when not responsible
- Feels undeserving of pleasure or praise
Positive emotional direction: Self-forgiveness, proportion and acceptance of personal worth.
Guna Bach Flowers – Red Chestnut
Key emotional picture: Excessive fear and worry for other people.
Traditionally considered when:
- Imagines accidents or illness affecting loved ones
- Finds it difficult to separate personal calm from another person’s welfare
- May transmit anxiety while trying to protect
Positive emotional direction: Calm concern, trust and confidence in others’ resilience.
Guna Bach Flowers – Rock Water
Key emotional picture: Rigid self-discipline and inflexible personal standards.
Traditionally considered when:
- Denies pleasure or rest in pursuit of an ideal
- Is very strict with oneself
- Believes there is only one correct way to live or behave
Positive emotional direction: Flexibility, balance and the ability to enjoy life without abandoning principles.
Guna Bach Flowers – Scleranthus
Key emotional picture: Indecision between two alternatives.
Traditionally considered when:
- Moves repeatedly from one choice to another
- Experiences changing moods or opinions
- Keeps the uncertainty private rather than seeking advice
Positive emotional direction: Decisiveness, balance and inner certainty.
Guna Bach Flowers – Star of Bethlehem
Key emotional picture: The emotional after-effects of shock, grief or trauma.
Traditionally considered when:
- Recent or long-standing distress following a shocking event
- Feels numb, stunned or unable to process what happened
- Needs comfort after loss or frightening news
Positive emotional direction: Comfort, emotional integration and relief from the lingering impact of shock.
Guna Bach Flowers – Sweet Chestnut
Key emotional picture: Extreme anguish and the feeling that one has reached the limit of endurance.
Traditionally considered when:
- Feels there is no way forward
- Experiences profound inner despair
- Feels abandoned or completely alone in suffering
Positive emotional direction: Hope, surrender and the discovery of inner strength at a point of crisis.
Guna Bach Flowers – Vervain
Key emotional picture: Over-enthusiasm, intensity and difficulty switching off.
Traditionally considered when:
- Feels compelled to persuade others
- Becomes tense through strong convictions
- Takes on too much because of passion or idealism
Positive emotional direction: Balanced enthusiasm, calm purpose and respect for other viewpoints.
Guna Bach Flowers – Vine
Key emotional picture: Dominance, control and inflexibility toward others.
Traditionally considered when:
- Expects instructions to be followed
- May be forceful, demanding or authoritarian
- Believes personal judgement is unquestionably correct
Positive emotional direction: Wise leadership, encouragement and respect for other people’s individuality.
Guna Bach Flowers – Walnut
Key emotional picture: Sensitivity during change and transition.
Traditionally considered when:
- Life changes such as moving, marriage, separation, new work or changing habits
- Feels influenced by other people’s views
- Needs support in breaking old ties or patterns
Positive emotional direction: Protection, adaptability and the freedom to follow one’s own path.
Guna Bach Flowers – Water Violet
Key emotional picture: Reserved independence and emotional distance.
Traditionally considered when:
- Prefers privacy and self-reliance
- May appear aloof or difficult to approach
- Finds it hard to ask for help or share feelings
Positive emotional direction: Warmth, connection and dignified openness without loss of independence.
Guna Bach Flowers – White Chestnut
Key emotional picture: Persistent unwanted thoughts and mental repetition.
Traditionally considered when:
- Replays conversations or worries
- Cannot switch off the mind
- Finds concentration or sleep disturbed by circular thinking
Positive emotional direction: Mental quiet, clarity and constructive thinking.
Guna Bach Flowers – Wild Oat
Key emotional picture: Uncertainty about life direction or purpose.
Traditionally considered when:
- Has ability and ambition but no clear path
- Moves between careers or interests without fulfilment
- Feels life is passing without a true sense of vocation
Positive emotional direction: Clarity of purpose and confidence in a meaningful direction.
Guna Bach Flowers – Wild Rose
Key emotional picture: Resignation, apathy and lack of interest in change.
Traditionally considered when:
- Accepts an unsatisfactory situation without protest
- Feels little motivation or enthusiasm
- Appears emotionally flat or indifferent
Positive emotional direction: Renewed interest, participation and enjoyment of life.
Guna Bach Flowers – Willow
Key emotional picture: Bitterness, resentment and a sense of unfairness.
Traditionally considered when:
- Feels victimised by circumstances
- Blames others or life for personal difficulties
- Finds it hard to forgive or move on
Positive emotional direction: Acceptance, personal responsibility and a more positive outlook.
Flower Power for personalised combinations
Guna Bach Flowers – Flower Power (For Mixing) is listed separately as the mixing product used when preparing a personalised combination of selected Guna Bach Flower remedies.
View Flower Power for Mixing →
A note about Rock Rose
Rock Rose is one of the traditional 38 Bach Flower remedies and is associated with acute terror, panic and extreme fright. At the time this guide was prepared, Rock Rose was not shown as a separate product in the current United Remedies Guna Bach Flower collection, so no purchase link has been included.
Frequently asked questions
Can more than one Bach Flower remedy be used together?
Within the traditional Bach Flower system, remedies may be combined when several clear emotional patterns are present. It is usually more useful to choose a small, focused group than to include remedies without a clear reason.
Should the remedy be chosen by a physical symptom?
The traditional method focuses principally on the person’s emotional response, temperament and current state rather than selecting solely by the name of a physical condition.
Can emotional states change during use?
Yes. As one emotional layer becomes less prominent, another may become clearer. The selection can therefore be reviewed and adjusted over time.
Where can I see the complete range?
Browse all Guna Bach Flower remedies available from United Remedies →
Important information: This article describes the traditional Bach Flower system for educational purposes. It does not provide a medical diagnosis or replace advice, assessment or treatment from a suitably qualified healthcare professional. Seek urgent professional help for severe distress, risk of harm or a medical emergency.