“For those who do not take full advantage of observation and experience, and who take a longer time than others to learn the lessons of daily life. Whereas one experience would be enough for some, such people find it necessary to have more, sometimes several, before the lesson is learnt. Therefore, to their regret, they find themselves having to make the same error on different occasions when once would have been enough, or observation of others could have spared them even that one fault.”– Edward Bach, The Twelve Healers & Other Remedies, 1936

Indications

Spring is a natural time to reflect on the past and wonder how we might have done things differently if we had our time over again. That can be a positive thing if we learn from our mistakes and move forward with joy into summer. Others of us may feel perfectly happy with all that we have accomplished and look back with cherished memories and forward with excitement. Again, a positive approach.

But some of us feel less content and feel that life just seems to be going round in circles, or that we are going over the same old ground, despite repeated vows of “never again” and “next time things will be different.” Those of us in that state are people for whom Chestnut Bud was made. With Chestnut Bud’s help, things can be different next time, and what may have developed into a pattern of a lifetime, can change.

Generally, Chestnut Bud is for anyone who fails to learn from past mistakes. This may be due to lack of observation or indifference, to hurry or inattention, so these people are largely unaware that they are doing the same thing again and again. Or they may find themselves in the same situation – same type of job, lifestyle, relationship etc. – and wonder why they let it happen. They might say “these things just keep happening to me” as though they have played no active part in it.

Comparisons

Chestnut Bud people often seem oblivious of what is going on, so the need for this remedy may be confused with, for example, Clematis or Wild Rose or Honeysuckle or White Chestnut – all remedies that assist those who lack interest in the present and drift from one thing to another.

Clematis people tend to be unobservant because their thoughts are focused too much on what lies ahead. The present goes by unnoticed and does not register in the Clematis mind because it is unconcerned with now. Similarly, those in the Honeysuckle state lack interest in the present because they are preoccupied with reliving events of the past. Wild Rose people drift without enthusiasm or ambition. They don’t necessarily make the same mistakes, but if they did, they would probably pass them off with “oh well, that’s life”.

White Chestnut is for preoccupation with worries, the mind being full of mental chatter. And Impatiens people may be in too much of a hurry to take time to learn from what has happened in the past. They just leave it behind them without a second thought.

Whilst all these states – and others – may not, in themselves, necessarily suggest the Chestnut Bud remedy, they are all potential predisposing factors which may lead to the need for Chestnut Bud. Chestnut Bud is a remedy often overlooked, perhaps because it is a true “helper”. There may be people who seem naturally inclined towards repeated patterns of behaviour, and these people could be regarded as Chestnut Bud types, but usually this one is a remedy which helps all types when they are unable to learn from the lessons of life.