Walnut
Protection during change, and against other people's opinions of your choices
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.
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.
- The grief blendFor the transition itself, a life slowly reshaping around an absence.
- The new baby blendFor the change itself. A whole identity is being refitted around a very small person.
- The children's blendFor change. A new school, a new baby in the house, a move, a term that starts differently.
- The big changes blendThe link breaker, and the spine of the blend. For holding your own shape through the transition, and for the old ties that keep pulling backwards.
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 giving up smoking?
It is a popular choice for it, on the basis that it is associated with breaking old links. It is not a stop smoking treatment, so it works best alongside the things that genuinely help, 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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