Indecisive? Try Scleranthus

Indecisive? Try Scleranthus

We all have indecisive moments when we would benefit from Scleranthus, but the classic person in need has what is referred to as a “grasshopper mind.”

by Linda M. Crider — 

Dr. Edward Bach understood the variety of reasons some people were unable to make clear, valid decisions. He included a few remedies for indecisiveness, such as Cerato, Wild Oat and Scleranthus in his 38 flower essence healing system.

Cerato benefits those who cannot make a decision without getting advice from other people, while Wild Oat helps during life’s crossroads. The essence of Scleranthus is a bit different. Bach intended it for when one vacillates between two (or more) objects, options or possibilities.

On the surface, it may seem that Scleranthus is called for in rather mundane circumstances, such as deciding which shoes to wear or what you want to prepare for dinner. However, this remedy, like so many of the others, can be used for issues that go much deeper.

Mechthild Scheffer calls Scleranthus the “balance flower,” as the need for it often stems from an inner conflict. She describes this as “a balance that is constantly in motion, swinging from one extreme to the other.” This can manifest as simply the need to take a few drops of Scleranthus during a shopping trip, or it can surface in more extreme ways, as in the manic-depressive symptoms of bipolar disorder.

Interestingly enough, those in need of this remedy are often unaware or in denial about it, so they are not likely to discuss their dilemmas with others.

We all have indecisive moments when we would benefit from Scleranthus, but the classic person in need has what is referred to as a “grasshopper mind.” You can recognize this type when someone has a difficult time keeping up in conversations, as this person’s train of thought travels in erratic ways.

Due to this emotional imbalance, these individuals often suffer from mood swings, as well as rapid changes of opinion. This can eventually manifest physically as fluctuating body temperature and a kind of motion sickness that causes Scleranthus types to be unhappy traveling companions.

Parents will find that a few doses of this remedy can help their indecisive little ones make up their minds about things trivial, as well as important. Animals can also exhibit the need for this flower essence. If you have ever watched your dog or cat restlessly moving around before selecting the most comfortable spot to settle into, then you are witnessing Scleranthus behavior. It also may be used for a houseplant or garden crop that cannot seem to decide whether or not it wants to thrive.

Like a few of the other remedies in Bach’s system, Scleranthus can help you find the inner direction necessary to make decisions but, more specifically, ones that involve selecting what is meant for your highest and greatest good.

Stefan Ball puts it nicely when he says that “Scleranthus helps us hear again the small voice of right feeling so we can get back into balance to choose calmly and with certainty among the many ways open to us.”

Linda M. 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. bloomingvibrations.com or 602-774-2382.

Reprinted from AzNetNews, Volume 34, Number 5, October/November 2015.