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Elm – Form and Function

The outline and structure of the tree is significant: while Ulmus procera is upright, like a column, U. glabra is more fan-shaped in form. So, while the flowers look the same, the quality of the remedy state makes Bach’s Elm (U. procera) the choice because of the strength of the ‘I’ form. This clear, upright gesture shows self-determination and will: the Elm state concerns those people who are strongly motivated by their soul purpose and know what they are doing in the world. Yet this species has come to a point in its evolution where it can only propagate itself by suckering, sending roots through the earth like blind moles…. A person in the Elm state (and not for this reason alone) suffers as though blind, unable to see a future. The seed represents the future in every species and here that future is beyond reach. To make this point more clearly we can look again at Impatiens with its certainty and headlong rush to achieve its aim. Impatiens seeds are 99% viable. Then consider Cerato whose seeds fail almost entirely and whose soul lesson concerns a deep uncertainty about what future to take. Elm, in this particular respect, is like Cerato: suddenly uncertain….

Another aspect of the Elm’s gesture is shown in the problems that the trees encounter with Dutch Elm Disease. This was first identified in 1919, arrived in Britain in 1927 and first peaked in 1935, the same year that Bach chose the remedy. As is generally known, the disease is caused by a fungus, which is spread by a small flying beetle. In the 1970’s a new strain of this fungus appeared, far more virulent than the first and this progressively destroyed all the remaining mature Ulmus procera in the country. True, a few hybrids or closely related species survived and the disease has not attacked Wych Elm (U. glabra) to the same extent. By 1990 we had to conclude that the English Elm was finished. But not so. While the disease continues there are many trees that have grown again, from the roots of course and now we do have 30 year-old elms flowering once more.