Get a confidence boost with Larch

 Get a confidence boost with Larch

Taking Larch will help those with inferiority complexes develop their latent talents by allowing them to recognize their own abilities.

by Linda Crider — 

While completing his 38 flower remedy healing system in the early 1930s, Dr. Edward Bach became increasingly convinced that all physical health issues begin as emotional imbalances. He advised anyone interested in the healing arts to “take no notice of the disease, [but] think only of the outlook on life of the one in distress.” A negative outlook can stem from feelings of inferiority and, for this remedy, he recommended the essence of Larch.

Interestingly enough, the delicately structured larch tree is the only conifer in the plant world that drops its leaves in the winter. Perhaps this quality is what drew the intuitive Bach to this particular tree, since those in need of this remedy suffer from a loss of confidence. In his words, they “feel like they will never be a success.”

This is not to say that they lack abilities, but they perceive themselves as falling short in comparison to others. They are self-conscious and consistently avoid situations where they might attempt to excel at something. To their way of thinking, they should not even bother trying since they will never measure up and are bound to fail.

This lack of self-esteem is often rooted in childhood when the individual was compared with others, perhaps to an older sibling or relative who consistently outdid him, no matter how hard he tried to compete. Otherwise well-meaning parents or caregivers unwittingly instilled the belief that the child was second rate, thus creating a cycle where failure eventually became a self-fulfilling prophecy and the expected norm. This attitude causes these individuals to hold back and miss out on growth opportunities and life experiences.

Such individuals may require long-term treatment with Larch, but this remedy may be used in more acute situations as well. For example, it is the remedy to suggest to athletes who doubt their performance during tournaments, to business professionals concerned about their ability to deliver an effective presentation, or to students who suffer from test anxiety due to a lack of confidence.

A dose of Larch can help children or teens who are unsure of themselves at the start of a new school year or those having trouble with classwork. Show animals may benefit from regular doses of this flower essence before a competition. It can also help animals that have been rescued to regain confidence, and it can be used to instill growth energy in plants that fail to thrive.

Taking Larch will help those with inferiority complexes develop their latent talents by allowing them to recognize their own abilities. As is the case with other flower remedies in this healing system, results are usually subtle.

Rather than becoming overconfident, these individuals are better able to assess themselves more realistically. As a result, they are less hesitant to take chances and do so with reasonable expectations, rather than in anticipation of automatic failure.

Linda Crider, BFRP, has been a promoter and educator of botanical healing practices for 15 years. She specializes in flower essence therapy and is a Bach Foundation registered practitioner and founder of Blooming Vibrations, LLC. 602-774-2382 or bloomingvibrations.com.

Reprinted from AzNetNews, Volume 33, Number 1, February/March 2014.