Flower remedies are vibrational substances pioneered by Dr. Edward Bach in the 1800’s and are very successful with animals. They are prepared from the blossoms of different flowers with unique properties and vital energies expressed in the flowering plant. They are not just an herbal extract, which holds the chemical properties of a plant, but rather, the blossoms have captured the alchemical essence of the entire plant at the time of flowering.
Flower essences promote the balance and well-being of a variety of different emotional and spiritual conditions. The emphasis is on identifying the underlying issues and transitions and then correlating that “portrait” with an essence which embodies the same qualities and processes. Flower essence therapy is a dialogue between the soul of nature and the soul of the animal or human.
People can easily describe what they are feeling or experiencing internally but with animals, emotional or soul imbalances are frequently expressed through behaviour. A dog or cat may bite, growl, whine, cry, hide, run away from home, sleep, get hyperactive, act skittish or tremble with fear. Horses might express increased anxiety, become depressed, kick or bite more, be unwilling to participate in exercise, grieve, or dominate other horses.
It is important therefore to distinguish what is normal and instinctive as opposed to what is excessive behaviour or unusual actions. Thus, to select the appropriate flower essences we must know what the animal is trying to express and what the underlying emotions are. And many times those emotions belong to the owner or pet parent. Domestic pets are strongly influenced by their people to the point where, in many cases, it is very beneficial for the animal and their person to take the same remedies.
We stock over 138 flower essences but here are some of the more common ones that are of frequent benefit.
Aspen – Fear of the unknown, trembling, nightmares, easily startled or frightened.
Hidden fears, anxiety and apprehension.
Bleeding Heart – Grief and pain from a broken heart. Loss of friends or family. Emotional dependence or neediness. Herd separation or separation anxiety. Over-attachment to owner – moping or whining.
Borage – Heavy heart or discouragement from difficult circumstances or depression.
Chamomile – Easily upset, relationship problems, emotional tension in the solar plexus. Moody and irritable. Mood swings.
Cherry Plum – Fear of losing control, mental and emotional breakdown; desperate or destructive impulses such as chewing, running away, biting. Acute tension and rigidity.
Chestnut Bud – Good training remedy. Failure to learn, poor observation, repeating the same mistakes. Learning from life’s lessons.
Chicory – Self-centred or selfish. Emotionally demanding. Getting negative attention through negative behaviour.
Cosmos – Lack of focus, over-excited barking or whinnying, easily overwhelmed.
Dill – Overwhelmed by excess stimulation or activities. Hypersensitive to the environment and external world.
Five Flower Remedy – First aid remedy for panic, disorientation, acute trauma or pain. Loss of consciousness or shock. Pre or post-surgery.
Holly – Jealousy; fighting for attention. Envy, suspicion and anger. “Sibling” rivalry.
Represents universal love.
Impatiens – Impatient, irritation and hyperactivity. Pain due to tension and resistance in the body. Nervous and high-strung.
Larch – Lack of confidence. Self-doubt and poor self-esteem. Difficulty communicating.
Lavender – Spiritually sensitive with highly refined awareness. Easily over-stimulated from mental or spiritual forces. Nervous, high-strung and “wired”.
Mariposa Lily – Alienated, abandoned by or taken from mother. Good for rescue animals in a new home. Helps with surrogate mother situations.
Mimulus – Known fears of everyday life – e.g. thunder, strangers, loud noises. Shyness or hiding from people.
Olive – Mental, emotional, or physical exhaustion from long-term stress due to fear, illness or other long struggle.
Penstemon – Inner strength during illness, trauma or other adverse circumstances.
Pink Yarrow – People and animals who “sponge” or mirror emotions from other animals or people. Lack of emotional boundaries; dysfunctional merging with other.
Poison Oak – Fear of intimate contact or bonding with other animals or people. Over protective of personal boundaries and territory. Hostile, distant or aggressive.
Quaking Grass – Helps people or animals adjust and live together in a group. Good for introducing a new dog or cat to the household or horse to the herd.
Red Clover – Susceptible to mass hysteria and anxiety as caused by the whole group or pack. Easily influenced by other animals or people.
Snapdragon – Verbal aggression, biting and snarling. Tension around the jaw. Aggressive tendencies.
Star of Bethlehem – Ailments from past abuse, injury, shock or trauma. Needs healing and comfort.
Tiger Lily – Overly aggressive, competitive, hostile attitude. Uncooperative. Excess “yang”.
Vervain – Overenthusiastic, striving for perfection. Nervous exhaustion from trying too hard.
Vine – Domineering behaviour. Tyrannical “pack-leader”. Forcing one’s will on another. Needs to be in control.
Walnut – Transition and change. Use before and after moving locations. Letting go of past experiences.
Wild Rose – Giving up on life, broken spirit, joyless and indifferent. Apathetic.
Willow – Resentful and angry. Holds grudges, feels bitter, or inflexible. Attached to negative emotions.
Yarrow – Over -vulnerable to others and the environment. Easily depleted. Overly absorbent of negative energies or psychic toxicity.
Directions:
- People – 4 drops – twice daily
- Horses – 4 drops – twice daily
- Pets – 2-3 drops – twice daily.
All: Administer drops directly into a clean mouth or add to a little bit of clean water and drop 5-10 drops into a clean mouth with a medicine dropper or syringe. Drops may also be added to a small amount of drinking water. Drops can also be dabbed onto the pads of the paws, behind the ears or on the forehead, and then lightly rubbed in.
Marijke van de Water, B.Sc., DHMS
Medical Intuitive & Healer
Author & Educator
Retreat Facilitator
Marijke is an empath and gifted healer who has worked with people and animals around the world. It is her calling to help everyone – people and animals – deepen their connection to their Infinite Wisdom and Higher Selves.