Jackie’s voice was full of laughter over the telephone. What a change from the worried tone only three weeks ago! “Oscar is doing great! His fear seems to be gone. He’s not scared of people so much now, or even of the vacuum cleaner” she reported with a chuckle. “Thank you so much for helping us.”

Oscar is a rescued cat who came from a background of many challenges and abuse. Even after two years of loving care from Jackie, he was still too fearful to walk into the middle of a room and instead slunk around hugging the walls. He hid from visitors and was terrified when Jackie vacuumed. What magic potion made the difference for Oscar? Not magic, but the wonders of nature in the form of Bach Flower Remedies®.

 38 Essences from England

Dr. Edward Bach was a distinguished medical doctor with credentials ranging from pathologist to surgeon to homeopath – and many more. He lived from 1886 to 1936 in England and the Remedies are the culmination of his life’s work.

A set of Bach Flower Remedies is a collection of 38 energy essences made from the flowers of wild plants and trees (and one is from pure, healing waters). Dr. Bach believed that negative emotions and mental states are at the root of all illness, and he spent a lifetime searching for a gentle, safe and non-toxic way to balance emotions which would in turn bring us harmony at all levels – physical, mental and spiritual.

Dr. Bach eventually treated all his patients exclusively with his Remedies and recorded exceptional results. Although developed for people, the Remedies work well for animals too, and Dr. Bach used them with his own animal friends.

Dr. Bach wanted his system to be simple enough that anyone could use it with confidence. The 38 Remedies are easy to select and use, and their effectiveness has been documented for over almost 80 years. They are globally recognized  and the only original Bach composite remedy – Rescue Remedy® – is the best-selling natural stress reliever in the world.

Significant Changes

When kitten Flash joined our family, seven-year old Aleysha had difficulty accepting her. Whenever little Flash approached and invited her to play, Aleysha ran away.

After some trial and error, I gave Aleysha Willow, the remedy for resentment. Later that same day, Flash and Aleysha were playing tag and chased each other joyfully up and down their scratching posts. The speed of her turnaround was amazing.

Not every case shifts as quickly. Gregory is a 5-year-old rescued Beagle who had never been around people very much. He wasn’t afraid, he just couldn’t be bothered! He liked to be on his own. Gregory’s person Faith felt that Gregory was missing out on so much love and affection.

I chose Water Violet for Gregory and he took a dilution of four drops four times daily on a treat for about three months. Slowly but surely, he came around – at first just watching Faith, and then the big shift happened – he started seeking Faith out during the day for companionship. Water Violet had done its job very well!

Mary-Ellen, a young lady of 13, was starting to hate school. There was so much pressure on her from so many directions: from teachers, girlfriends, boys, not to mention TV and social media. She felt pulled here and there like a leaf in the wind and didn’t trust her own common sense any more. May-Ellen’s mom was very concerned when she called me. Could the Remedies help?

“Absolutely”, I said. I put Mary-Ellen on a blend of three Remedies, the most important being Walnut. Walnut protects us in times of change, and it protects us from the influence of others which can pull us off our path.

She noticed a difference within about two days as she started to feel sense of calm even when being bombarded from all sides. Mary-Ellen found it easier to stand her ground and to defend her beliefs and her sense of right and wrong. And Mary-Ellen started to like school again.

Specific Emotions

Each of the 38 Remedies provides a positive energy which cancels out a negative emotion or mental state. Here are a few more examples:

* Chicory is for those who are possessive and territorial, perhaps clingy and wanting attention. Its result is self-assurance.

* Mimulus provides courage to sensitive souls who suffer from specific fears like fear of strangers, heights and so on.

* Star of Bethlehem is the great healer and is always appropriate for people and animals having a background of abuse, neglect, rescue or shelter situations. It soothes the after-effects of shock, trauma and grief.

Rescue Remedy

The best known of the Bach family, Rescue Remedy is a blend of five remedies which relieves stress of any intensity. Rescue Remedy is always appropriate when stressed because of travel, finances, vet visits, thunderstorms, and any other situation upsetting to your family or your animal friend.

Oscar the cat had been given a mixture of Mimulus and Star of Bethlehem to help him overcome his fear of humans and heal his past trauma.

Dr. Bach’s Flower Remedies are a true gift to animals and their people everywhere. Be sure to add the Bach Flower Remedies to your list of New Year’s resolutions!

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Learn more:  Bach Flower Remedies for People and Pets Classes (via telephone and on-line) beginning January 14th.  Classes are recorded for download and replay. Click here for more.