Sara Truitt, Certified Herbalist
Apathy is a state of being indifferent, disconnected, and resigned to what is. There is no passion, no opinion, and no emotion. It is a large obstacle blocking us from making positive changes in our personal health. When we become apathetic we stop engaging. We sort of give up because there is an underlying belief that nothing will change, and life is just the way it is. Apathy can be the result of feeling defeated, hopeless, and overwhelmed. It carefully creeps in on the coattails of depression, anxiety, and fatigue.
Wild Rose is a flower essence that specifically addresses the apathetic state. Empirical evidence has shown that Wild Rose can help bring enthusiasm back to a person. It can encourage one to embrace life and overcome indifference.
Dr. Bach described Wild Rose as being beneficial for “Those who without apparently sufficient reason become resigned to all that happens, and just glide through life, take it as it is, without any effort to improve things and find some joy. They have surrendered to the struggle of life without complaint”
Being apathetic doesn’t just happen randomly, there is usually a reason, but by the time a person has reached full-blown indifference it is sometimes hard to know what that reason was. If we can help pull a person out of indifference they can begin to heal the emotional patterns that got them there in the first place.
I look at Wild Rose as kind of a jumpstart and long-term companion to the healing process. It engages a person to take initiative and see new possibilities. It encourages vitality to flow and revives the internal devotion to life. This is important not only for the individual, but for the health of a community.
How do you know if Wild Rose is right for you? Below is a list of questions to ask yourself. If you answer yes to two or more questions then Wild Rose may be of great benefit.
- Do you believe that change is impossible?
- Do you believe you are fated to an unhappy home life, a stressful relationship, or an unsatisfactory job?
- Do you often feel a lack of motivation?
- Does your life seem joyless and hopeless?
- Have you given up all efforts to make changes?
- Do you speak in a quiet, monotone voice?
- Do you find yourself saying “it doesn’t matter anyhow?”
- Are you resigned to the idea that life just is what it is and there is no point in trying?
By reversing the apathetic state we engage with our life and with the community around us. When we feel the motivation to take action, great change will happen in our inner and outer worlds. Jane Goodall said, “The greatest danger to our future is apathy.” I believe this to be true for the individual, and the state of the world. It is time to take a dose of Wild Rose and participate in life again!
Sources:
Scheffer, Mechthild. The Encyclopedia of Bach Flower Therapy. Healing Arts Press, 2001. Print.
www.bachcentre.com
