True Healing Is Layered—Peel the Onion

Sometimes, people stop taking Bach Flower Remedies too early—right before the real breakthrough.

You may have heard the term “onion peeling” in Bach circles—or perhaps you saw my reel about it. But what does it truly mean? And how can you use this approach in your own healing journey, or while helping someone else navigate theirs?

In this blog, let’s walk through the onion peeling method, layer by layer.

What Is the Onion Peeling Method?

The onion peeling method is a way of understanding how our emotions heal gradually, in layers. Just like peeling an onion, where you remove one layer at a time to reach the centre, emotional healing often works in stages. We don’t always reach the root cause in the first go. Instead, we begin with the emotion that is most visible or intense right now—the one sitting on the top.

Bach Flower Remedies help ease this outermost emotion. And once that layer softens, a deeper or long-standing emotion begins to surface. That, too, can be addressed using remedies—and the cycle continues until the person feels more whole and balanced from within. In short, each layer gently reveals the next. Healing unfolds gradually, building self-awareness along the way.


How Do You Know What Is on the Top of Your Onion?

This is often the first step—and it is important to keep it simple.

The “top layer” is simply what you are feeling right now. It could be anything. The key is to stay present and notice the strongest feeling or emotion bothering you today.

To help identify this top layer, ask yourself a few gentle questions:

  • What am I feeling most strongly right now?
  • Which feeling is looping in my head?
  • If I had to name this feeling in one word, what would it be?
  • Is this feeling directed at someone else—or at myself?

Don’t worry about getting it perfectly right. The goal isn’t accuracy—it is honesty.

Don’t Try to Overanalyse – Keep It Simple

Watch What Feelings Begin to Unfold

Once you have started taking your remedies, move into gentle observation.

You don’t need to track every change obsessively. Just notice—what is different?

Often, the first emotion will begin to soften. Maybe you are less reactive. Maybe your mind is quieter. Maybe you feel lighter or more open.

This is a good sign. It means that layer is healing.

Then… something new may arise:

  • A fresh emotion that nudges your awareness
  • A memory that resurfaces
  • A shift in mood or clarity
  • Or the realisation of a deeper pattern

This is your next layer.


Adjust Your Remedies to Address the New Layer

When this new emotion becomes clearer, it may be time to adjust your remedy mix.

Important: You don’t need to overhaul the entire mix. Sometimes, just adding or switching one remedy is enough.

Let’s say you started with: Holly – for feeling of hatred and Willow – for feeling resentment

These remedies help. The hatred and resentment subside. But now, you feel ashamed for how you reacted. You start blaming yourself.

That’s the next layer.

You could now add: Pine – for self-blame

A few days later, you realise you have been avoiding assertiveness your entire life. You are always trying to please others or always asking for their opinion.

You may add: Centaury – for people-pleasing and Cerato – for lack of trust in your own decisions

Each mix reflects your current state. Keep adjusting gently as new emotions surface. Let the remedies meet you where you are.


A Simple Example: An Emotional Conflict with a Loved One

Imagine you have done something thoughtful for a family member—maybe you cooked their favourite meal or arranged something special for them. But instead of appreciation, they respond coldly… or barely notice.

Layer 1: Need for Recognition and Self-Criticism

You begin feeling:

  • “They could have at least acknowledged it.”
  • “Is there something wrong with me?”

You’re feeling unloved and also self-conscious.

Start with: Chicory – for the unmet emotional need, the desire to be appreciated and Crab Apple – for the sense that something about you or your effort wasn’t good enough

You feel seen by the remedies. The tightness eases. But soon, another emotion arises…

Layer 2: Guilt and People-Pleasing

Now comes the inner questioning:

  • “It is my fault, I shouldn’t have done it just to be acknowledged.”
  • “I keep doing things for people and always try to please them.”

You start blaming yourself and realise that you are a people-pleaser.

Add: Pine – for guilt and Centaury – for realising you often do things to please people even at your own cost

You begin to understand your emotional pattern more clearly. And then…

Layer 3: Fear of Rejection or Emotional Disconnection

As the guilt softens, a deeper fear surfaces:

  • “I am scared that if I stop doing things for them, I will be alone.”

You are now in the next layer.

Here, you introduce: Mimulus – for the fear of being left out

This could be the real layer—fear of being left alone. And when you start healing like this, one layer at a time, you create lasting healing.


Common Mistakes to Avoid When Using the Onion Peeling Method

Many people unintentionally slow their progress or feel stuck simply because of these avoidable patterns:

  1. Looking for Instant Fixes

Bach remedies work gently. If you’re expecting a dramatic overnight shift, you might overlook the subtle but meaningful progress happening underneath.

  1. Trying to Solve Everything at Once

You don’t need to tackle every emotion right away. Start with what feels strongest right now. Let the deeper issues surface over time.

  1. Getting Caught in Overthinking

You don’t need to analyse every emotion to understand it. Trust your current feeling—it’s the doorway to what’s next.

  1. Forgetting to Reflect

Sometimes we forget to pause and ask: “What’s changed?” Without reflection, you might miss the signs that a new layer is ready to be addressed.


Final Thoughts

The onion peeling method isn’t just a technique—it is a mindset. It invites patience, softness, and attention to the present. If your remedies seem to “stop working,” it might just mean a new emotional layer is arriving.

Don’t stop. Don’t judge.
Just stay with it—one feeling, one remedy, one shift at a time.