How to Heal Your Pet With Flower Essences

Using flower essences on your pet works much the same way as it does with humans. It works on the mental and emotional level rather than the physical. For instance, perhaps you have gotten you dog from a shelter and in it's previous life it may have been treated badly causing a negative behavior. This behavior can be changed by altering the pet's mindset, breaking through the way he believes humans will treat him. And so, the behavior is changed. This is not an instant cure as giving your pet a pill and he is all better tomorrow. This is a gentler, slower form of healing. I have seen results within the thirty day period of administering the flower essence.

Dr. Edward Bach first discovered the use of certain parts of the flower in the use of healing in 1930. By first healing the feelings behind the disease, Dr. Bach found the body could go on to heal itself. As with humans, animals can benefit from flower essences. Our pets have emotions just as we do. They grieve for a lost pal, they feel jealous when a new baby comes into the home or when a new pet is introduced. The negative emotions they feel are similar to our out of balance feelings. It's true, we can't exactly ask our pets how they are feeling, but because we are close to them, we can make a judgment from their actions.

Below are a few of the flower essences recommended for animals.

Aspen: Used when an animal seems agitated for no apparent reason. The outcome should show the pet has a sense of security.

Beech: When a pet shows intolerance towards other people, animals or situations, Beech should make them more at ease.

Cherry Plumb: With a loss of self control, perhaps violently scratching, Cherry Plumb should bring that control back.

Chestnut Bud: Repeated negative behavior patterns can be helped with Chestnut Bud to allow the animal to learn from it's experiences.

Chicory: Possessive and territorial behavior can be changed with the use of Chicory and bring about more self-assuredness.

Clematis: Animals that tend to sleep all of the time with little interest in the present world, Clematis enables the pet to develop a lively interest.

Crabapple: Excessive grooming, pets with rashes will become more relaxed.

Elm: Overwhelmed by responsibility, abandoning their young can be helped to cope and restore it's confidence.

Heather: Constant barking can be helped to lose it's need to be the center of attention.

Holly: Jealousy of other animals or people - hissing, snapping or barking, Holy helps the animal become more compassionate and willing to share.

Honeysuckle: Can deal with homesickness, when a pet has lost it's home, companion or is boarded during a family vacation.

Mimulus: Used for fears such as afraid of lightening. The animal may be prone to shaking and shivering.

Olive: Can restore strength in an animal that is exhausted or fatigued.

Rock Rose: Should be used when a pet is panic stricken and runs away and cowers. Rock Rose will restore him to calmness.

Star of Bethlehem: Animals that have been abused or are suffering from shock and trauma will benefit from this flower.

Vervain: An animal that is high strung can be calmed from vervain.

Wild Roses: Will create a lively interest in life with a pet that seems disinterested and enthusiastic.

For those with further interest in using the Bach Flower Essences with humans and/or animals, the Dr. Edward Bach Foundation offers a practitioner training program. You must complete the first two levels of human training before taking the animal program. The flower essence classes can be found in several countries, including the U.S. However, the animal classes are only offered in the UK, currently. www.bachcentre.com