In flower therapy, Elm is used for those who feel oppressed by too many responsibilities and think they cannot complete their task. These people never back down when there is an emergency, they do not let themselves be frightened by fatigue, but end up asking too much of themselves. In an excessive daily effort, the individual who needs Elm ends up being overwhelmed by commitments, and only then does he realize that he has assumed a burden or tasks that go beyond his strength.
He is attacked, then, by the fear of not being up to par and by a momentary depressive state, due to the fact that he has not followed the rhythms of his body and has not listened to his needs. He held on as long as he could until he gave up. As a result the individual goes through a moment of fatigue, exhaustion, feels submerged, crushed by responsibilities, while the fear of not being able to move forward gradually attacks him.
Elm's personality: Ulmus procera
Edward Bach, the father of flower therapy, used the Theory of Signatures to identify the plants to be associated with altered moods, until then used to connect the organs to be treated to the plants able to heal those organs, through the form of plant or its functions. Bach went further. He related the personality of the plant and its behavior in nature with the characters of men and their ways of behaving, at the base of the alteration of emotional states, on which his flower remedies act.
The scientific name of the English elm ( Ulmus) exactly reproduces the ancient Latin name of this plant to which the most suggestive symbologies were attributed: it was often called " support of the plant that gives the liquor of life", that is the vine. Belonging to the Ulmaceae family, it is a large tree, originating from Europe, Asia and North America, depending on the different species. In our country there are mainly rural and mountain species.
The elm can reach up to 30 meters in height and its crown, which appears in an oval or conical shape, reaches up to 10 meters in width. Its bark is gray and has a smooth surface with regard to young specimens. Over time, its shade tends to dark brown and the bark highlights several relevant cracks. The leaves are usually oval, toothed, rough, crossed by many and elegant ribs, of a vivid green color; some varieties have reddish, yellow or white speckles or greyish reflections. The flowers are insignificant. The fruits called "samare" are wrapped in light silky wraps similar to a heart-shaped fan, golden in color. The branches are fragile, and its strength only apparent . The sparrows do not lean on it for a long time, because with their weight the branches of the elm fall sharply, frightening them, and then rising again. What happens even after a rain, when its leaves remain heavy with water. In fact, even if apparently it gives the impression of being a very strong tree, it does not bear overloads.
The plant is therefore presented with an imposing structure and a certain elegance, and is used both as an isolated specimen and accompanied by other trees. Its hair, large and elegant, is one of the distinctive signs of its beauty. However, despite its majesty it is very sensitive to pollution and acid rain, and thus reveals a kind of intrinsic delicacy . It shows a remarkable shooting ability even if it has been severely pruned. Because of the "graphiosi" the elm has had very serious problems for the continuation of the species. This disease has in fact exterminated numerous specimens in various regions of Europe and America. Even the English elm, a very important and widespread figure in the frame of the landscape of Great Britain, has been almost exterminated by this lethal evil.
The personality of Elm in man
Among Bach flowers, Elm is used to treat those who feel crushed by the weight of responsibilities, dejected by the sense of inadequacy and suffering from fatigue due to a load of excessive commitments . Its characteristic is to raise the threshold of endurance of fatigue, bringing a rapid increase in energy, a longer working capacity and greater concentration .
These people are always ready to face the impossible. They take on many responsibilities, committing their energies to others. They feel indispensable and always want to be at their maximum potential, because they value themselves for what they do and not for what they are. Elm reduces anxiety, helps to recover lost energy and teaches to be more forgiving with oneself, accepting one's limits . It brings self-confidence back and the desire to do returns. One feels up to his task and carries it forward to the end with moderation and balance . In moments of depression and self-depreciation, this Bach flower acts as a soothing and energizing balm.
