"It's all my fault"- Pine, the remedy for guilt

Have you ever found yourself saying "I'm sorry" a million times in the day. When someone obviously runs into you on a busy street is your first reaction to say "Sorry"? Do the words, "Oops that was my fault", frequently come out of your mouth? If you've answered yes to those questions, you might find the Bach flower essence Pine, particularly helpful for you.

Pine is indicated when you feel full of guilt and self-reproach. When in a pine state you take the blame for anything and everything that goes wrong regardless of the role you did, or didn't, play in the drama. This sense of guilt is not necessarily based on any actual wrong doing.

The pine state is one that typically develops over time and is often linked to child/parent reactions. In his personal accounts, Dr. Bach seemed very familiar with the Pine state himself. His father owned a brass foundry and as the oldest son it was assumed he would take over the family business. He actually worked there very unhappily for three years rather than tell his father he wanted to be a doctor. In "Free Thyself", Dr. Bach wrote that many people suppress their desires and life purposes because of wishes of a parent and the guilt of not fulfilling parental desires.

Although the guilt may be rooted in family interactions, it is one of self-blame. Those who can benefit from Pine always think they could have done better and are never content with their efforts or results. They unrealistically attach faults to themselves and in that destroy the possibility of joyful living.

When sick, those in a Pine state apologize for being ill and they often feel they deserve their illness or pain as punishment for something they believe they have done.

Pine oil is used for coughs, bronchitis and as a disinfectant. Perhaps it is no conincidence that so many household cleaners contain pine because contamination is associated with guilt. When other family members become sick, the Pine person will be positive they are to blame.

In "Bach Flower Remedies, Form and Function", Julian Barnard explains Pine is a complex remedy that is not just about guilt and self-blame. He explains Pine can help reveal a personal life story that has been hidden or suppressed. He believes Pine can help untangle confused emotions and allow for a reassessment of self-worth.

Taking Pine can help you accept responsibility realistically, as well as reveal the patterns that might have got you there in the first place. When balanced, Pine people can accept and respect themselves as others do, without the exaggerated negative judgements that have become part of their life's pattern. In reassessing the past, you may be able to look at present circumstances more accurately.

So, if you felt special affection this past Christmas season to your Scotch Pine tree, guilt when you cut it down or put it up, and real angst when you removed it from the house- consider bringing some Pine to your life through the Bach Flower essence!