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The Essence Guide
Oversensitive to others

Walnut

Protection during change, and against other people's opinions of your choices

Green walnuts and leaves on a walnut tree, Juglans regia
Juglans regia · Photograph: Böhringer Friedrich / Wikimedia Commons

Try Walnut

Sold as a 20ml stock bottle, which lasts most people a few months.

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Bach’s number
33 of 38
Prepared by
Boiling method

What it feels like

You have made the decision. You are moving city, leaving the job, ending the relationship, going back to study at thirty-four. You know it is right, and then your mother makes a face, or a colleague says are you sure, and suddenly you are wobbling over something you were certain about at breakfast. Big changes bring this out, and so do the ones nobody chose, like a new baby, a bereavement, or a body that is changing whether you like it or not. Old ties and old habits pull backwards, and other people's doubts turn out to be surprisingly heavy.

Signs you might need it

  • You are going through a major change, chosen or not
  • You are sure of a decision until someone questions it
  • Old habits or old relationships keep pulling you backwards
  • You are unusually affected by other people's moods right now
  • You are starting something new and feel wobbly about it
  • You are trying to break a habit and keep slipping

What it helps with

You stay on your own course. Traditionally described as a link breaker, it is associated with getting through a transition without being pulled back by old habits or talked out of it by other people.

Not to be confused with

Centaury, which cannot say no at all. Walnut has decided and is being knocked off course afterwards. Honeysuckle is the pull back into the past itself, while Walnut helps with the moving forward.

For those who have definite ideals and ambitions in life, but on rare occasions are tempted to be led away from their own ideas by the enthusiasm, convictions or strong opinions of others. The remedy gives constancy and protection from outside influences.
Dr Edward Bach, The Twelve Healers, 1936

The plant

The walnut tree has a long reputation for standing apart from what surrounds it, since little will grow beneath its canopy. That old idea of a tree that holds its own ground is exactly the picture Bach used for this remedy.

How to take it

The usual way is two drops from the stock bottle into a small glass of water, sipped through the day. If you are mixing several remedies, put two drops of each into a 30ml bottle of spring water and take four drops from that, four times a day.

There is no need to time it around meals, and you can take it as often as you like. Most people give it two weeks before deciding whether it is doing anything. The full guide to taking them covers mixing bottles, timing, and the alcohol question.

Often mixed up with Walnut

Often taken alongside

Blends that include Walnut

Combinations mixed for a situation rather than for a person. Each one is shown with the reason Walnut is in it.

Common questions

These are about Walnut. The questions about the remedies in general, alcohol, children, timing, live in the FAQ.

What is Walnut used for?

Change of every kind. House moves, new jobs, starting or leaving school, divorce, becoming a parent, retirement, and menopause are the situations it comes up for most often. It is also the usual choice when you are trying to break a habit.

Is Walnut good for quitting smoking?

Many people find it helps. Walnut is the traditional choice for breaking an old link, which is exactly what stopping asks of you. Use it alongside anything else that is helping, like nicotine replacement or a stop smoking service.

What is the difference between Walnut and Centaury?

Centaury cannot refuse a request. Walnut has already decided and gets destabilized by other people's reactions to the decision. During a big change with disapproving relatives, both fit.

How long should I take Walnut for?

Most people take it across the length of the change itself, so a few weeks for a house move and several months for something bigger. There is no need to keep going once the new situation feels normal.

Not sure Walnut is the one?

Choosing works by recognizing yourself in a description, so if this one only half fits, it is worth seeing what else comes up. The quiz narrows all 38 in about a minute, and the oversensitive to others group holds the nearest neighbors.

Where to buy Walnut

Bach remedies are widely stocked. If you are buying online, check the bottle says Walnut and comes in the standard 20ml stock size.

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We earn a small commission if you buy through this link, at no extra cost to you. How this works