If patience was the only qualification for sainthood my mum would have been canonized years ago. I on the other hand can’t bear to wait a nanosecond longer than I deem I need to. Mum is a chronic worrier, and I’ve learned this trait in some areas of my life. We could both do with a little more confidence and be a bit braver, and would benefit from turning off some of the nagging doubts and thoughts that trip us up.

So, Bach sent us some products to try out. Larch for confidence and balanced self esteem; Mimulus for the courage to face trials and difficulties with perspective; and White Chestnut for tranquillity and a release from those repetitive thoughts.

They certainly smell nice, but do they work? On either mum or me? A 2009 systematic literature review found that the use of Flower Remedies didn’t cause harm, which is hardly a resounding ‘yes.’ This 2012 study suggests that they may help reduce anxiety, whilst Bach have a lot of research supporting the use of the essences on their website.

The way the essences are meant to work is through energy. In the 1920s and 1930s, a British doctor and bacteriologist called Edward Bach developed a set of 38 flower remedies, one for each emotion. The flower remedies are highly diluted extracts from the flowers of wild plants, and are said to work by transmitting a vibrational energy through the memory of water. You can read Bach’s 1936 fascimile here, and there’s a lot of detail about the energy process here.

I’m not sure about the energy flow, but that doesn’t mean that they don’t help. I think a lot of the benefit is in the ritual. Taking the time to use a few drops shows that I care about myself. Deep breaths to inhale the scent automatically calm the parasympathetic nervous system, helping me focus and feel at ease. Bach believed that illness occurs when the mind and body aren’t in tune with each other. Our emotions strongly influence our health. That, I completely agree with. The more care we take of our emotions, the better our overall wellbeing. Bach’s tagline is ‘balance your emotions, fulfil your potential.’ When our emotions are off kilter it’s very difficult to be the brilliant people that we are. Anything that helps us to get there might be worth a shot.

I was lucky enough to receive trial samples from Bach. Head to their website for more.

The Mass in B minor evolved over many years in various sections, some of which Bach himself directed, but it was only put together as the complete Mass during the 100 years after his death. Despite this, it weaves together into a challenging composition, overwhelmingly complex and architecturally expansive. Consisting of 27 sections, it’s not only the backstory that is enigmatic: there is plenty to explore throughout the piece. This performance, conducted by Richard Cooke, was softer, less spacious, yet still with flashes of triumph.  Vibrant choruses of majesty and solemn antique plainchant both added pleasing variation to the evocative, lingering, slow vocal and instrumental lines, rousing the packed out audience. Particular appreciation has to to counter tenor David Allsopp whose voice was whole and emotive, carrying through the arches of the building in a towering fashion.

We’ll never know exactly how Bach wanted his piece to be performed, but as the mist of Halloween hovered outside, the majesty of the music reigned supreme in here, and the festival finished with grace and grandeur.