Bach Flower Of The Month: Walnut (The Remedy Of Change & Transition)

I have been utilizing the Bach Flower Remedies since the late 1990’s when I began working with a practitioner to help in my healing of Fibromyalgia and emotional pain.  I had been on a near decade long  journey in healing through Fibromyalgia.  With little help from conventional medicine, I began an exploratory journey into alternative and holistic treatments.  After making many changes including diet, supplements, exercise as well as spiritual practices such as yoga and meditation, I found tremendous relief from my symptoms.  I would say by the point I came to work with Bach Flowers I was about 70% symptom free.

I had some life events happen around that time that really raised my awareness of the need to address the emotional body as part of the healing process.  I had done therapy at that point, but hadn’t really addressed emotional healing in an energetic or integrated way.  The Bach Flowers really opened the door to a whole new understanding of emotions and their role in healing; and, also offered me a foundation to do some deeper emotional healing work.

After one year of treatment focused on emotional healing, which included ongoing work with the Bach Flower remedies, emotional release work and some deep inner child work, I found myself symptom free of Fibromyalgia for the first time in over a decade.  I had already been working in the field of holistic healing doing bodywork, energy work and teaching meditation.  This experience really expanded my understanding of dis-ease and the effects that emotions play in how we experience health and well-being.

I share this because this month’s remedy is one that I feel was highly beneficial in my own healing process. It continues to be one that I use personally and is one of the most frequently used remedies in my work with clients.  It supports both adjusting to existing life changes as well as moving out of old patterns, feelings and beliefs, which are keeping us from creating the changes we desire.  Although all flower essences assist with change, I consider Walnut to be the official remedy of change and transition.

Dr. Bach shared the following words about the Walnut remedy:

“For those who have definite ideals and ambitions in life and are fulfilling them, but on rare occasion are temped to be led astray from their own ideas, aim, and work by the enthusiasm, convictions, or strong opinions of others.  This remedy gives constancy and protections from outside influences.

Walnut is the remedy of advancing stages, teething, puberty, change of life.  For the big decisions made during life, such as change of religion, change of occupation, change of country.  The Remedy for those who have decided to take a great step forward in life, to break old conventions, to leave old limits and restrictions and start on a new way.  This often brings with it physical suffering because of slight regrets, heart-breakings, at the severance of old ties, old associations and old thoughts.  A great spell-breaker, both of things of the past commonly called heredity, and circumstances of the present.”

Just as the shell of the walnut is very hard and protects it’s softer center, the Walnut essence helps to strengthen and stabilize our energy field so that we are more able to hold our center and engage in the world with clarity, focus and intention.  In a sense, Walnut offers a shielding quality that helps us in holding center, maintaining our choices and flowing with changes that are occurring both inwardly and outwardly.

Walnut has many benefits that support our ability to move through change and transitions.  Some of the benefits include:

• Provides a shielding quality that supports creating & maintaining our boundaries and borders
• Helps protects us from the effects of outside influences
• Eases emotional and energetic sensitivity
• Helps to adapt to periods of change and transition including life changes and development phases
• Helps to let go of or break old patterns, limiting beliefs and core issues which no longer serve us
• Aids in resolving dysfunction stemming from family of origin
• Helps acclimate to new ways of being, such as new phases of life, work, family, etc.
• Supports spiritual transformation and growth
• Protects from the influence of suppressive energies or parasitic infestations (including physical, mental, emotional & spiritual)
• Supports finding and holding our center and connecting more fully to our soul purpose

Here are some questions to see if Walnut may be beneficial for you at this time:

• Do you find it difficult to adjust to change and transition?
• Are you feeling disoriented, out of balance or having difficulty adjusting to change?
• Are you currently experiencing changes in life or environment such as work, school, moving, etc?
• Are developmental changes a factor such as puberty, menopause, aging, etc?
• Do you feel drained by other people?  Are you aware that you take on other people’s energy or emotions?
• Are you overly sensitive to ideas and influences of others?
• Are you moving through a time of spiritual growth and transformation?
• Are you committed to breaking old patterns or let go of beliefs, which no longer serve you?
• Are you actively working on healing dysfunctional family or ancestral patterns?

Working with the Walnut remedy can greatly help to ease periods of change and transition, whether we initiate them through personal work or are going through a period of life change that arises on it’s own.  Whether you choose to work with Walnut or not, I hope you will take some time to explore current transitions in your life or consider changes you might like to make.

• Do you need to change your self-care based on recent transitions?
• Do you need to take time to connect with nature?
• Do you need to spend more time going within?
• Is it time to find new tools to support transformation and healing in your life?
• Do you have a clear sense of your soul purpose at this time?
• What choices you are making or would you like to be making to engage in the world in a more intentional way?

Walnut reminds us that one of the ways that we can move more easily through change is to be present with it in a conscious and loving way; and, that by returning to our center, again and again, we are able to allow our deeper essence to emerge.

I’d love to hear your experiences with Walnut or any thoughts and reflections that arise as you explore change and transition in your life at this time.

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For additional information on the Bach Flower Remedies and Dr. Edward Bach, visit http://www.bachcentre.com.

If you are interested in a Bach Flower Remedy Consultation & Treatment, I offer these sessions in Annapolis, MD, by phone or by Skype.  I have found the Bach Flower Remedies to be one of the most beneficial transformational and healing tools that I utilize both personally and in my holistic healing practice.   I have worked with the Bach Flowers for over 15 years and I am a Bach Flower Registered Practitioner through the Bach Centre, home of Dr. Edward Bach.  Please feel free to visit my website or contact me if you would like to explore how the Bach Flower Remedies and an Integrative Transformational Approach may benefit your own process of transformation and healing.  (www.bethterrence.com)

Also, you might like to explore the following posts on the Bach Flower Remedies:

The Bach Flower Remedies: A Tool For Transformation

Visionary Voices: Dr. Edward Bach

Bach Flower Remedies For 2012 Transitions: Walnut

Bach Flower Of The Month: Agrimony

Bach Flower Of The Month: Pine

Bach Flower Of The Month: Rockwater