The Crab Apple Bach Flower Remedy

Dr. Bach referred to this essence as the cleansing remedy, working both on body and mind. It is associated with feelings of impurity, dissatisfaction with physical appearance, self-rejection, self-disapproval, shame, and also with repetitive behaviours - as the repetition is felt as needed in order for something to be clean, pure, or “right”. This essence was later added to the topical cream version of the Rescue Remedy.

The sense of impurity may be physical, emotional, or mental. Individuals in the Crab Apple state often fixate on flaws - real or imagined nd may develop obsessive behaviours related to cleanliness, order, or appearance. It addresses the struggle between the desire for perfection and the reality of human imperfection.

Crab Apple helps purify thoughts, restore perspective, and promote self-acceptance. It supports the release of mental images and beliefs that cause discomfort, allowing a healthier relationship with the body and the self.

Key Aspects of a Negative or Blocked Crab Apple State

In the blocked Crab Apple state, the individual becomes overly critical of themselves and focused on what they perceive as unacceptable or unclean. This may include:

  • Feelings of impurity: A persistent sense of being "dirty" or "tainted," which can be physical (obsession with germs, skin blemishes, or sweat) or emotional (feeling "shameful" due to a past act).

  • Obsessive-compulsive behaviours: Fixation on trivial details, such as excessive hand-washing, constant tidying, or an inability to rest if things are not "perfectly" aligned.

  • Poor body image: Feeling ugly or ashamed when looking in the mirror. Small flaws - like a single pimple or a minor physical ailment - become so magnified that they overshadow everything else.

  • Loss of perspective: Focusing so intensely on a minor detail that the person loses sight of the "big picture" of their life and health.

The Positive Potential or Healthy/Balanced State

The remedy acts as a mental and physical purifier, restoring a sense of proportion and dignity. The positive state includes:

  • Self-acceptance: Learning to love one’s body and mind, including the "imperfections" that make us human.

  • Restored perspective: The ability to see things in their true size, no longer allowing a minor flaw to ruin one's day or self-esteem.

  • Inner purity: A feeling of being "wholesome" and worthy, leading to the release of compulsive cleaning rituals.

  • Detoxification: Often used as a support for physical healing or skin conditions, it helps "extract" the mental poison of self-disgust.

Plant Signature and Nature Reflections

The Crab Apple tree perfectly illustrates the tension between beauty and blemish:

The crab apple tree often produces fruit that is blemished, bitter, or irregular, reflecting themes of imperfection and self-judgment. Yet, when cut horizontally, the apple reveals a near-perfect five-pointed star at its core - symbolizing inner perfection beneath outer flaws.

Its white blossoms represent purity and cleansing, reinforcing its role as a purifier of both mind and body. The fruit’s ability to remain intact through winter symbolizes wholeness and resilience, mirroring the remedy’s ability to help individuals regain perspective and accept themselves as complete, despite perceived imperfections.

Note: Due to its cleansing properties, Crab Apple is the only individual floral remedy added to the cream version of the "Rescue" formula to assist with skin irritation and external healing.

Dr. Edward Bach’s description

This is the remedy of cleansing. For those who feel as if they had something not quite clean about themselves. Often it is something of apparently little importance: in others, there may be a more serious disease which is almost disregarded compared to the one thing on which they concentrate. In both types, they are anxious to be free from the one particular thing which is greatest in their minds and which seems so essential to them that it should be cured. They become despondent if treatment fails. Being a cleanser, this remedy purifies wounds if the patient has reason to believe that some poison has entered which must be drawn out.

– The Twelve Healers and Other Remedies