Self-Compassion Elixir
THE INNER CHAMPION. Self-Compassion Elixir is the go-to Bach flower supplement for quieting self-criticism, releasing stress and anger, inviting acceptance, and building resilience. (It’s like homeopathy, but for emotions.)
Biodynamic & organic brandy, spring water, flower essences: Agrimony (Agrimonia eupatoria), Crab Apple (Malus pumila), Willow (Salix vitellina), Pine (Pinus sylvestris), Oak (Quercus robur), Centaury (Centaurium umbellatum), Holly (Ilex aquifolium).
Brandy sourced in California; wildflowers sourced in France. Certified organic by CCOF.
Check in with how you’re feeling, then dilute 4 drops in a glass of water or take directly under the tongue, up to 4 times per day. Bonus points for following the self-compassion practice (below) at the same time.
If you want it to envelop you in your bath, too, add 8 drops to your bath water.
Take it for as long as it's useful; there's no set course or end date. It’s here for you when you need it.
Keep out of reach of children. If pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or under a physician's care, consult your healthcare provider before use.
HOW IT GIVES BACK:
5% of each sale supports climate organizations through 1% for the planet
WHY WE MADE IT
There’s no place like the world of beauty for self-criticism, whether we’re wondering why our faces aren't as poreless as the ones we see on Instagram or fighting with hair that refuses to sit just so. Even when you look fantastic on the outside, your emotions might lead you to a different conclusion on the inside.
Self-Compassion Elixir was designed to help your mind catch up to what your heart already knows, quieting self-criticism and other limiting beliefs. It’s our favorite tool for the practice of leaning into ease, peace, and empowerment (which can radiate—beautifully—on the outside, too).
Key Actives & Their Provenance
- Agrimony, to inspire the courage to view yourself with honesty
- Crab Apple, to help you see and accept yourself as you are
- Willow, to inspire you to take ownership of your life
- Pine, to ease feelings of guilt and make way for a sense of peace
- Oak, to prompt flexibility and enhance your ability to relax
- Centaury, to encourage you to establish healthy boundaries
- Holly, to help you restore a sense of balance within yourself so you can share and receive love.
Maintaining the tradition established by Dr. Bach, the essences are preserved with brandy. Ours is organic, biodynamic, and sourced in our home state of California. (Each serving of the Elixir contains less alcohol than you'll find in a slice of bread.)
Where we source our ingredients
Dara worked with her friend Gérard, whom we consider to be the world’s most skilled and thoughtful Bach flower practitioner, to develop and produce this blend—traveling with him deep into the French Alps, far from any GPS or cell signal, to watch his process firsthand. His insistence upon the highest quality flowers and the most uncompromising process reflects a level of rigor and exactitude that goes far beyond what most would imagine to be possible.
The brandy we use to preserve the flowers is organic, biodynamic, and made in our home state of California by a firecracker of a woman named Gena.
Learn more about how it all came together on Dara’s Substack.
HOW IT WORKS
Because they’re taken for specific emotional states, the efficacy of Bach flowers can be as much about the process of taking them as the it is about the contents of the bottle.
The process
Think of this blend as a tool to support a practice shown to be effective in multiple peer-reviewed studies: noticing how you feel, naming it, and taking a deliberate, kind action in response. Self-compassion is a practice, too; like any habit, repetition is what will help it become second nature.
The contents
The magic of this blend can be found in the way its seven essences are designed to work together:
- Agrimony & Crab Apple, to inspire the courage to face reality and the clarity to accept what you find
- Pine & Oak, to ease the guilt and self-judgment that keep so many of us stuck, making room for a sense of ease and flexibility
- Centaury & Willow, to support the boundaries and sense of ownership that turn self-acceptance into action
- Holly, to restore the balance required to give and receive love more freely, toward yourself and everyone around you
WHAT IT DOES
Over the course of a week or longer—while you take drops of Self-Compassion Elixir in glasses of water, place drops under the tongue, add drops to your bath water, or all of the above—its benefits will unfold in a beautiful way that might make you want to keep taking it forever. (You can take it as long as you wish.)
Self-Compassion Elixir is a comforting hug, sure…but it isn’t an invitation to go back to bed, pull the covers up, and opt out. It’s a gentle hand on the shoulder, turning you toward your next step with courage, ease, and self-respect.
The need for more self-compassion can come from many different places. This blend is designed to meet you wherever you are, whether you’re dealing with a harsh inner critic, a habit of comparison, or exhaustion from being hard on yourself for too long.
The Self-Compassion Practice
Use the Self-Compassion Elixir as a tool to remind you to practice these steps. First, think about what you're struggling with; can you physically feel that discomfort? Try to name it. Then, add your drops to your water, your bath, or under your tongue.
As you drink your drops or ease yourself into your bath, remind yourself that other people have experienced this, too. Putting your hands over your heart can help.
Finish by asking yourself, “What do I need to hear right now?” It might be:
- I can accept myself as I am.
- I can forgive myself.
- I am strong enough to take this on.
Say it to yourself as much as you need to, feeling it in your core.
Dara on substack
Self-Compassion Elixir: A Conversation with Gérard Wolf
How did we get here?
The Self-Compassion Elixir origin story
Behind the product-development scenes
