Several varieties of oak are found in many places across the northern hemisphere, for instance the Pedunculate Oak or the English Oak (botanical name Q. robur) as well as the Sessile Oak or Durmast Oak (botanical name Q. petraea). Generally, all varieties of oak have the same appearance, while the Sessile Oak has a tendency to grow taller having an additional thin branchless trunk. The significant difference among the different varieties of oak is seen in their leaves and flowers.
Dr. Edward Bach opted for the English Oak for preparing the Oak remedy. This oak variety bears leaves that have very little or no stalk at all. The female flowers (also acorns later on) of the English Oak appear on stalks or peduncles that are about 20 mm to 30 mm in length. On the contrary, the Sessile Oak bears stalked leaves, while the female flowers are without stalks (sessile). The female flowers of both these varieties of oak are akin to little, red hued buds. The male flowers of these oak varieties are basically catkins that dangle in the form of knotted strings measuring 25 mm to 45 mm in length from the branch terminals. Usually, the female flowers emerge during the growth in the new season and are positioned at the terminals of the twigs. Since it is hard to pick the Sessile Oak flowers that appear at a height, the stalked English Oak flower is used to prepare the flower essence remedy Oak.
The oak trees are in bloom during the period between late April and May. The flowers emerge along with the new leaves when they have an ochre hue prior to turning into dark green.
The flower essence remedy Oak is prepared employing the sun method. To prepare this Bach Flower Remedy you need to select a place close to an oak wood having an open southern aspect and collect only the red hued female flowers from several different trees - as many as you can. It is important to collect the flowers with their entire stalk and then float them on water in a bowl. While the flowers should cover the surface of the water, the bowl needs to be positioned such that it receives maximum sunlight.
A Bach Flower Remedy, Oak is specially meant to cure conditions of stoic diligence and tenacity of willpower even when confronted with adversity.
People who belong to the Oak type possess tremendously strong disposition. Such people are never persuasive or insisting, but instead they are very trustworthy. Even when they are faced with a crisis situation, Oak personalities maintain their calm and at all times appear to know what is best to be done in such circumstances. Personally, such people take delight in their freedom and loathe being debilitated or falling ill, since any such thing gets in the way of their wish to continue with their life. Hence, such people will keep on struggling, in spite of their distress or tenderness, and may perhaps get worn out. When it comes to recuperating, Oak people are genuine fighters. They do not surrender very easily, but uphold an optimistic attitude - something that is certainly of immense help to such people when they are passing through a period of recovery, as long as these people remain tolerant and permit their body an occasion to restore to health.
When an individual is enduring the Oak state, his or her mind is determined to persist with the duties in their life, even if they might be lacking sufficient strength and energy. Alternately there possibly will be endless dissatisfaction or would be short of rewards in spite of their best efforts. Even in such circumstance, the Oak personality will not surrender easily, but make a determination to carry on the struggle with immense will power and the eternally replenished anticipation.
When enduring the Oak state of the mind, the sufferer may develop what may be called 'tunnel vision' or a restricted field of vision, always concentrated on completing the task at hand and also preserving the commitments of his or her life. They do not willingly engage in any leisurely activities or allow any diversion in their routine activities, since the Oak person is philosophically focussed on particular goals that they are determined to achieve. At the same time, such people endeavours to preserve their potency and determination. When in the Oak state, people are likely to experience internal fatigue as well as an absence of inspiration, which may come to the surface recurrently, but still they succeed in winning the battle repeatedly. Simultaneously, they receive fresh inducement, while other people would have possibly yielded long back. The typical attributes of the Oak mentality includes self-control or willpower, a propensity to work too hard, earnestness of intention as well as faithfulness.
It is likely that emotions would be staved off when one is enduring the Oak state of the mind. This is primarily owing to the fact that when an individual is in this state, he or she makes a great effort to preserve their duties as well as allegiance. However, when they are engaged in emotions, it is believed to be equally upsetting to the schedule and determination, particularly provided they are associated with dissuasion, decadence, self-interest or yearning for enjoyment and relaxation. Absence of form of indulgence of the self result in the characteristic Oak indifference, since the individual rules him or her very strongly. While contentment as well as individual pride acquired from self-discipline exists, fundamental emotional as well as physical requirements are not fulfilled. As a result of this, the Oak person may experience hopelessness and depression from holding back the emotions and desires, particularly when there is any further absence of advancement or unsuccessful in achieving pleasing rewards in the individual's work.
However, time and again, other people may gain from such strong willpower of the Oak person, since the individual belonging to the Oak type always works with sincerity and allegiance, resolved never to disappointment anyone. In turn, this also provides fresh inducements to the industrious person who gets rewarded, albeit momentarily, in providing this kind of trustworthiness. Nevertheless, there are occasions when work-oriented allegiance, which is characteristic in the Oak state of the mind, intimidates to take priority over family responsibilities as well as cautious balancing is needed.
It needs to be noted that the flower essence remedy Oak is beneficial for people who require assistance in reinstating attributes, such as power and patience. People who require Oak most have a propensity to fight back on suffering all things much long after the time when other people would have actually surrendered. They also possess tremendous power as well as bravery and, akin to the impressive Oak tree itself, frequently offer refuge and sustenance for other people. Nevertheless, this is through immense cost to the Oak personality and this may result in to a feeling of hopelessness regarding being unexpectedly and totally absent in the power to continue. Such people frequently experience immense fatigue. When taken for a brief period, the Bach Flower Remedy, Oak will facilitate in reinstating power and courage to help them to continue with their life. When taken for a prolonged period, this flower essence remedy will assist the Oak person to discover fresh balance with a view to enable them to learn to protect some vigour as well as reserves for them.
The Oak state of the mind may occur to animals as well. In fact, animals belonging to the Oak type possess the same power of character and they also demonstrate remarkable toughness and opposition when they are ailing. When such animals are persuaded to take rest, they always attempt to resist and over and over again try to get up and walk around, irrespective of the extent of their weakness. Generally, animals belonging to the Oak type do not complain, but may exhibit indications of despair or fatigue. Similar to their human counterparts, Oak animals are more often than not unruffled and balanced instead of being highly strung. This particular attribute of Oak animals helps one to distinguish them from Impatiens, the Vine and Vervain, who, despite possessing strong characters, display them in various manners.
