Sweet Chestnut

Castanea sativa

"For those moments which happen to some people when the anguish is so great as to seem to be unbearable. When the mind or body feels as if it had borne to the utmost limit of its endurance, and that now it must give way. When it seems there is nothing but destruction and annihilation left to face."

—Edward Bach, The Twelve Healers

Sweet Chestnut is a state of deep depression, sadness, and hopeless despair, sometimes referred to as the “dark night of the soul.” The person feels that they are at their limit of endurance and there is no hope left. Often this follows deep grief and stress over difficult life circumstances. The person has a hard time seeing that there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Keywords: Deep, hopeless despair, seeing no way out, the "dark night of the soul"

Positive state: Rebirth, renewed sense of hope, trust, and participation in life