Bach Flower Database

Botany: Calluna vulgaris
Preparation: Sun Method
Represents: Self-Identification

Heather corresponds to our ability to be completely self-aware but still considerate and concerned for others. Positive heather personalities make excellent therapists and social workers because they are such considerate, patient listeners.

They can also become valuable advocates for others. It's not at all uncommon to find a positive heather soul volunteering in a nursing home or offering educational training for the homeless.

In the negative state, however, these people become almost unbelievably self-focused. Every conversation is about them and their many struggles. If the soul tends to be something of an introvert already, the focus is deepened and internalized. Negative heather introverts give the impression that they are not fully "engaged" with other--because the aren't. All their thought energy is expended in their trying to solve their problem-of-the-moment.

Negative extroverted heathers are especially annoying to those around them. While introverts withdraw, extroverts in the negative heather state will spill their entire life's story to anyone and everyone who will express even a fleeting interest in them. The simple, polite greeting of "How are you?" becomes an excuse for the introverted negative heather to monopolize huge block to time. These are the people who talk to much, stay too long, stand too close and seem completely oblivious to others' polite attempts to disengage.

Imagine a young woman who, standing in line at the bank, proceeds to describe her entire childhood to the people standing just behind her. Most of her sentences begin with the word "I" and every trouble, illness and tragedy was "just horrible". No matter how tragic someone else's life has been, our young woman's life has been worse.

When the line finally moves and the young woman leaves the bank, others may turn to one another and agree that "She sure loves to talk," or "Well, that wore me out, how about you?" They don't realize that our young woman is emotionally starving. And, unfortunately, our young woman can't accept that her aggressive conversation style immediately puts others on their guard and makes normal interaction almost impossible. This is what a negative heather state does.

The Positive Heather State

In the positive heather state, we trust that we will have (or can get) everything we need for emotional growth. We know that we are loved. The positive heather state is also marked by a sense of peace, which translates to a feeling of empathy and patience for others.