the Bach Flower Remedy:
Centaury

Centaury: Remedy from the set of the Twelve Healers

About this music

Realised as a song – lyrics by Harriet Edwards.

Performed several times in realisation for voice, flute, sax, piano bass and drums

Up tempo highly syncopated jazz feel, 4/4 time.

Lyrics for Centaury

Lyrics by Harriet Edwards. Show lyrics

About Centaury, the Bach Flower Remedy

Once a common meadowland flower, but these days more likely to be seen beside a woodland ride or neglected road where farming and traffic do not intrude. Does not grow in rich soils and valuable pastures. Centaury is a small plant which for most of the year is easily overlooked if not invisible among the general throng of flowers.

Centaury people, therefore, may be seen as good-natured but unassertive. Bach spoke of them as ‘doormats’, lying there passively while the other children run in noisily. They do not respond and interact with the world around them in the way that others do.

Are you one of those people whom everybody uses, because in the kindness of your heart you do not like to refuse them anything: do you just give in for the sake of peace rather than do what you know is right, because you do not wish to struggle: whose motive is good, but who are being passively used instead of actively choosing your own work.

Those who are weak, place and have no strength, just feeble and tired, will be much helped by Centaury. Centaury are the doormats. They seem to lack all power of individuality or the ability to resist being used by everyone. They put up no struggle whatever to gain their freedom.

Centaury souls have learned this lesson: that the development of their soul qualities comes not through giving way to others but through the assertion of their own will. The action of the will is not simply selfishness but the willing act of service.

The clusters open only in fine weather and before twelve o’clock after which time they gradually close; and one who was previously unacquainted with the plant, would suppose that it as yet had but unexpanded buds.

These unexpanding petals give the appearance that the flower is just about to become, but hesitating, uncertain. When the flowers do open fully, the brilliance is wonderful. The soft, pink, five petalled flowers shine brightly at your feet. The idea that is spoken by the Centaury flowers is simple: It’s OK to be me!

This account of this Bach Flower Remedy is based on the book Bach Flower Remedies : Form and Function by Julian Barnard.

For full information see HealingHerbs.co.uk→.

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