Flower Essences for Animals & People
How to Use Flower Essences for Animals
Why and How Do They Work with Animals?
Photo by Toni Crossen
My biggest attraction to flower essences is that they address the root cause of issues rather than merely mask the symptoms. They do not work as quickly as drugs, but they also do not create harmful side effects. If animals are given drugs for behavioral problems, the intensity of their behavior—especially the degree of its unacceptability to humans—may decrease. However, drugs will not do anything to help us determine the cause of a behavior problem, nor will they heal a behavior problem. They will simply suppress symptoms of a problem. Flower essences, especially when used in conjunction with telepathic communication, support the healing of the root cause or core issue of problems.
Since 1989 I have witnessed their unique, therapeutic power assist the healing journeys of thousands of animal clients. They can support animals through many issues such as behavioral problems, health issues, separation anxiety, grief, dying, adjustment to family and home changes, and healing from emotional stress, trauma, and abuse. Flower essences work most effectively when matched carefully and specifically to the problem at hand.
Photo by Kath Quinn of Happy Dogs Play
The Dog Who Went From "Ballistic" to "Just a bit sad"
Using Flower Essences and Animal Communication
Before His Person's Trip
A client I worked with described her dog as "going ballistic" every year when she went away on an annual vacation with a friend. He would try to escape from their home (and at times succeeded), he would keep her spouse up all night whining, he hardly ate any food and had no interest in playing or taking walks. During one of the woman's trips, her husband got sedatives for the dog from their vet to calm him because of his extreme agitation, anxiety and depression while his wife was away. The sedative kept the dog quiet and physically still, but it also made the him somewhat drowsy and mentally "out of it" during most of the day. Perhaps most significantly, it didn't solve the underlying problem.
My client wanted an alternative to drugs for this severe separation anxiety. First, we talked with her dog to let him know why his person was going away, for how long, that she would come back and when, and that his Daddy would take care of him in her absence. He was very, very relieved to finally know what was going on when his person went away and that she would always come home, because he said he was always terrified that she wouldn't return. He had been in three foster homes before my client adopted him and he said that each transition broke his heart, and that he believed they "left him" and "sent him to new places" because he wasn't good enough. A great deal of that sense of unworthiness had healed thanks to the tremendous love and bond he experiences with my client. However, the remaining "trigger" for him was when she left home. He was so scared she would not return. In our discussion, he said that even though he now had a much better understanding of why she had to go away sometimes, he said it still made him sad knowing she was leaving again soon, and he believed he might still be pretty anxious and upset when she left.
For the sadness I recommended Bleeding Heart, which brings a sense of security to loved ones who are apart by naturally helping them focus on the ongoing emotional and spiritual connection that still exists even when physically separated. This essence also helps reduce the fear of separation and any emotional co-dependence.
For the depression I recommended Wild Rose, which restores the vital forces of the soul when there is resignation, lack of hope, apathy, depression or despair which depletes one's vitality or will to live and helps us regain joy and connection to earthly life.
For the anxiety and agitation I recommended Five Flower Formula (contains the exact same essences that are in Rescue Remedy), which brings calmness and stability to high stress situations. Because Bleeding Heart, Wild Rose and Five Flower Formula are in the Animal Relief Formula, only one bottle was needed.
My client gave her dog the essences for a few days before her trip and her husband continued to do so for the duration of her stay away from home. Later, they happily reported that the dog seemed slightly sad during her absence, but not depressed, not agitated, did not try to escape, ate well, did not whine and seemed to fully enjoy playing and taking walks.
This story is an example of how effective it can be to combine animal communication with flower essences in resolving problems. The telepathic communication provided the dog reassurance that his person would always come back, and helped his person understand the specific reasons for his distress. The flower essences took over from there, helping the dog better accept the woman's absence and to feel more calm and enjoy life despite her absence.
It was the combination of animal communication and the flower essences that resolved the problem. For both animals and people, insights can help us better understand our issues, and even more so when they can be discussed with an empathic, caring listener. This often brings tremendous relief and healing to a problem. However, insights and loving discussion and support don't always fully heal our issues.
Flower essences often help us make the journey from insight to having the courage to apply what we've learned in real life and to more full healing. Flower essences pick up where talking about problems and logic leaves off. For our animals, they gently drive and support the continuation of the healing of issues that may have been uncovered, clarified and discussed during conversations with them.
A Partial List of Flower Essences Recommended for Animals
Compiled by Teresa Wagner, M.S.
All essences in this list available from FES (www.fesflowers.com) except where otherwise indicated.
Flower Essences for Illness, End-of-Life, Caregiver Stress and Healing Grief
ASSERTIVENESS:
- Sunflower:
- Helps animals who are not very assertive learn to "stand up for themselves" when necessary and appropriate.
AGGRESSION:
- Monkshood:
- Helps both male and female animals balance excess male energy with gentleness. Especially indicated when an animal expresses their male energy in overbearing, "macho" ways which intimidates others.
- Quaking Grass:
- Extremely useful in both preventing and reducing conflicts among animals living in a group. It helps animals stand back, see, and accept each animals' role and purpose in the family (or herd), bringing more harmony to the group. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED to prevent possible conflicts and jealousy when introducing a new animal the family. Quaking Grass will not necessarily create best friends or affectionate relationships, but at the least it helps prevent and reduce unacceptable hostile or aggressive behavior.
- Snapdragon:
- Snapdragon types tend to have a strong physical presence, are highly energetic, with powerful wills and libidos, and often experience extreme tension in the jaw and mouth. This essence can help animals reduce inappropriate chewing, biting and aggression, or misdirected libidos (especially in animal who are not spayed, neutered or gelded).
- Tiger Lily:
- Helps animals who tend to be overly competitive, aggressive or hostile to transform that energy into being more cooperative and inclusive of others' needs.
- Vine:
- Helps animals who are inappropriate or extreme in their dominance, tyrannical, or who have a compulsive need to be in control to learn tolerance for the needs of others, to acquire humility, and to understand that true leadership is not the ability to demand obedience from others.
ANXIETY, TENSION AND UPSET:
- Chamomile:
- Helps animals who are emotionally upset, nervous or tense (often accompanied by stomach distress such as gas or vomiting) to feel calm, serene and more emotionally balanced
- Lavender:
- Helps animals who are mentally and physically "wound up", and who may stay up nights, because they absorb more energy than they can process through the body. Lavender types may get headaches, have vision problems, or have neck and shoulder tension. Lavender helps sedate and soothe them, teaching them to moderate and regulate their energy.
- Red Clover
- : Brings calm and steadiness to animals experiencing anxiety, panic or hysteria, especially when animals are in a group and easily effected by each other's emotions. Examples: anxious animals in a vet waiting room, panicked animals in a natural disaster, animals in animal shelters, each feeding off each other's emotions.
CLINGY, DEMANDING, NEEDY:
- Chicory:
- Helps animals who are "clingy," demanding, needy, or getting attention through negative behavior to re-balance their energies and direct their need for love in more appropriate ways.
DEATH AND DYING:
- Angelica:
- Helps an animal surrender to death, to know when is no longer appropriate to fight death or hang on, to allow the soul to experience a conscious, joyous transition.
- Angel's Trumpet:
- Helps an animal feel the protection and guidance from spiritual beings at the threshold of death.
DEPRESSION:
- Borage:
- Helps lift depression and discouragement, making the heart feel buoyant again, capable of optimism. It inspires upliftment and encouragement during difficult times such as grief.
- Elm:
- Helps animals who may despair about their ability to fulfill their own or their humans' expectations. This essence is often indicated when a very special animal in the family passes on, and the surviving animal wonders "will I be enough in their absence?" Elm helps us know we are enough, giving us the faith and confidence to fulfill our life roles, purposes and tasks.
- Sweet Chestnut:
- Heals the deepest form of soul anguish and despair, bringing deep courage and faith. This essence is indicated when depression is extreme and suffering is so acute animals feel near the breaking point of endurance.
EMERGENCY ESSENCES FOR ACUTE STRESS, CRISIS, TRAUMA:
It's a good idea to keep one of the following essences on hand at all times for instances of emotional or physical trauma. They bring calm and stability during crises, shock or high stress situations for animals. When animals are physically injured, the emergency essences formulas can stabilize their bodies until medical intervention is available, sometimes saving lives.
For help in the moment:
- Five Flower Formula (FES) :
-
This remedy has the exact same ingredients as Rescue Remedy--Cherry Plum, Clematis, Impatiens, Rock Rose, and Star of Bethlehem--but with a much eaiser to use dropper, a lower price, and a much higher vibration.
IT IS FREE OF XYLITOL, a sweetening ingredient found in some Rescue Remedy products that is poisonous to dogs.
-
This essence brings calmness and stability in any time of physical, emotional, mental or spiritual distress. During moments of fear, pain or panic, it brings us back to center, to knowing we will be OK. In a stressful or critical situation, taking a few drops can be soothing and stabilizing. This fourmula is well known for the support it provides in dire emergencies (there are many stories, for instance, of these essences stabilizing severely injured animals, helping them stay alive until medical intervention is available or begins to work). These emergency formulas are also useful for the less dramatic but still very uncomfortable stressful moments of life. It helps bring the body and mind back to calm.
For help in the moment AND on-going help after a traumatic event:
- The Animal Relief Formula (FES):
- This essence can be taken at the time a traumatic situation occurs to soften the debilitating effects of natural, very strong emotional responses. It can also be taken to help release the effects of past trauma. Sometimes, the pain of a past trauma in animals' lives can be re-triggered by another trauma occurring in the present. These essences help animals cope with and heal the emotional and physical symptoms of major transition or trauma, and can begin to heal the effects of past trauma. This formula includes many individual essences, including the five original essences of Rescue Remedy.
EMOTIONAL PROTECTION:
- Pink Yarrow:
- Especially helpful for animals who are very empathic to others (animals or humans), absorbing their negative emotions out of care. Helps them continue to feel or express compassion while maintaining boundaries of emotional protection for themselves (i.e. not taking in the emotions of others as their own).
- Red Chestnut:
- helps the animal who wants to mother/care for other animals or humans, so much so that they forget their own needs. Also excellent for rescue workers/volunteers who feel guilty when they "can't save them all", who may tend to overwork, overstrive, and ignore their own needs in the process of helping the animals, and feel they can't stop.
FEAR:
- Aspen:
- Helps treat fear and terror in animals, such as wild animals or feral cats temporarily captive for rehabilitation or treatment, bringing a greater sense of confidence and trust.
- Mimulus:
- Helps overcome nervousness or fear of particular things such as vet visits, horse trailers, thunderstorms, vacuum cleaners, etc.
FEELING UNLOVABLE, UNDESERVING OF LOVE:
- Mariposa Lily:
- I call this the Mother Love essence. All beings, human and animal, yearn for and deserve the experience of unconditional love. Ideally this comes from the biological mother or others who rear us when young. Because so many beings don't receive unconditional love during this time, we continue to seek it the rest of our lives. When opportunities to love and be loved do arise and we feel hesitant, undeserving, or scared, Mariposa Lily helps us open to love, love from external sources and love of ourselves. This essence is particularly helpful for new cat or dog (or other animals) mothers who don't seem to know how to mother, reject their babies, or seem unsure of what to do.
- Inmortal (Desert Alchemy):
- This is the ultimate "self love" essence. For the animal who never seems to feel they are good enough, smart enough, worthy enough, beautiful enough, deserving enough. . . for the animal who feels inadequate (perhaps in comparison to others), who may be depressed, feel shame, have low self esteem. . .this essence helps transform deep feelings of inadequacy into pure, unconditional love for oneself, at the root of one's being. A powerful healing essence to facilitate the self love we all need. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
GRIEF:
- Bleeding Heart:
- Helps an animal accept separation and the change in form of a relationship. It is very helpful for separation anxiety for short term separations (vacations, business trips, long work days) and permanent changes such as family structure changes or physical death.
- Borage:
- Helps lift depression and discouragement, making the heart feel buoyant again, capable of optimism. It inspires upliftment and encouragement during difficult times such as grief.
HEALING TRAUMA AND ABUSE:
- The Animal Relief Formula (FES):
-
This essence can be taken at the time a traumatic situation occurs to soften the debilitating effects of natural, very strong emotional responses. It can also be taken to help release the effects of past trauma. Sometimes, the pain of a past trauma in animals' lives can be re-triggered by another trauma occurring in the present. These essences help animals cope with and heal the emotional and physical symptoms of major transition or trauma, and can begin to heal the effects of past trauma. This formula includes many individual essences, including the five original essences of Rescue Remedy.
HIGH STRUNG, NERVOUS, HYPERACTIVE:
- Impatiens:
- Helps nervous, high strung animals feel more tolerance, patience and calm, especially those who "can't wait" for something. It helps them become more accepting of the pace and timing of events and routines.
- Lavender:
- Helps animals who are mentally and physically "wound up", and who may stay up nights, because they absorb more energy than they can process through the body. Lavender types may get headaches, have vision problems, or have neck and shoulder tension. Lavender helps sedate and soothe them, teaching them to moderate and regulate their energy.
- Vervain:
- Helps "overly enthusiastic" animals (i.e. jumping dogs, barking dogs, cats who keep their people up all night) express their passion for life with a little less gusto.
HIGH STRESS (also see Emergency essences):
- Penstemon:
- This essence gives animals inner strength, courage and perseverance when circumstances are difficult, currently unchangeable or beyond their control.
HOUSE-BREAKING, TRAINING:
- Chestnut Bud:
- Helps animals effectively learn the behaviors expected by their people. Stimulates their emotional memory and ability to retain training and not to repeat mistakes. *****
- Cosmos:
- Encourages interspecies communication, helping us to be clear in our expectations and to sense and hear our animals' telepathically. Most helpful when taken by both humans and animals. *****
INCARNATION:
- Rosemary:
- Helps animals feel warm and complete in their bodies and more comfortable with their connection to the physical world when their incarnation has been weak or disturbed. Especially indicated when an animal seems not fully present or conscious in the body, seemingly forgetful, lacking ego forces or feeling insecure in the physical body.
JEALOUSY:
- Holly:
- Helps animals who feel jealous or envious realize in their hearts that there is no need to grasp for love, that love is an infinite source, that there is enough love for everyone. Often helpful for animals who have trouble sharing. *****
MOVES TO NEW HOMES:
- Walnut:
- This essence is extremely helpful before, during and after a physical move to a new home. Even when staying in the same family, moves to new homes, yards, etc. can be stressful and even traumatic for animals who have no control over choosing their environment. Walnut helps them let go of attachments to the old and embrace the new. Animals experience the same nervousness and anxiety about moves that humans do--and perhaps moreso since they usually have no control over when, where or why the move is happening. It gives them the strength to let go of what they knew from the past, to live with the chaos that is part of any physical move, and to adjust more quickly to the new home.
- Dill:
- Helps animals who become overwhelmed or overstimulated from an environment to assimilate their experience and feel harmony and peace rather confusion and upset. Can be very helpful for vet visits or travel, or whenever the environment changes and involves new and unknown smells, sights or sounds.
NEW ANIMAL IN FAMILY:
- Holly:
- Helps animals who feel jealous or envious realize in their hearts that there is no need to grasp for love, that love is an infinite source, that there is enough love for everyone.
- Quaking Grass:
- Extremely useful in both preventing and reducing conflicts among animals living in a group. It helps animals stand back, see, and accept each animals' role and purpose in the family (or herd), bringing more harmony to the group. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED to prevent possible conflicts and jealousy when introducing a new animal the family. Quaking Grass will not necessarily create best friends or affectionate relationships, but at the least it helps prevent and reduce unacceptable hostile or aggressive behavior.
- Willow
- : Helps animals release resentment which can accompany the arrival of a new animal. Brings forth the quality of resilience in response to challenges and problems. Helps an animal take responsibility for their life situation, to experience acceptance and forgiveness versus inflexibility and bitterness, or to overcome the belief that life is unfair or that one is a victim.
OVERWHELM:
- Dill:
- Helps animals who become overwhelmed or overstimulated from an environment to assimilate their experience and feel harmony and peace rather confusion and upset. Can be very helpful for vet visits or travel, whenever the environment changes and involves new and unknown smells, sights or sounds.
- Penstemon:
- This essence gives animals inner strength, courage and perseverance when circumstances are difficult, currently unchangeable or beyond their control. Especially helpful for shelter animals.
PANIC, HYSTERIA:
- The Animal Relief Formula (FES):
-
This essence can be taken at the time a traumatic situation occurs to soften the debilitating effects of natural, very strong emotional responses. It can also be taken to help release the effects of past trauma. Sometimes, the pain of a past trauma in animals' lives can be re-triggered by another trauma occurring in the present. These essences help animals cope with and heal the emotional and physical symptoms of major transition or trauma, and can begin to heal the effects of past trauma. This formula includes many individual essences, including the five original essences of Rescue Remedy.
PHYSICAL ILLNESS, INJURY, SURGERY AND TRAUMA:
I highly recommend keeping Arnica and Self Heal on hand in your medicine cabinet at all times for everything from minor injuries to major surgery. I recommend purchasing Magenta Medicine for any serious or life threatening illness, and the other essences listed as needed.
- Arnica:
- facilitates recovery from shock or trauma to the body. The soul often disassociates from the body during surgery or any physical trauma. Arnica guides the re-integration of the soul and body allowing more rapid, full and lasting recovery. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED before and after surgery or any physical illness, injury or trauma. Greatly accelerates physical recovery
- Celery:
- (Perelandra) restores balance of immune system during times when stressed and during long term viral or bacterial infections.
- Crab Apple:
- Helps detoxify and cleanse the body of impurities.
- Magenta Self Healer:
- This essence is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED for animals with acute or serious illness to compliment to other traditional or holistic medical treatment. It is especially helpful for the animal who tells us he or she "wants to live!" but isn't sure whether they can regain the physical strength and healing to match their will to live. Described as a "super self heal formula," Magenta Medicine brings strength, stability, the ability to transcend and transform suffering, the return of vitality and joy, and help for the soul to remember the karmic reasons for current suffering, and to remember it's deepest purpose and destiny
- Olive:
- brings relief, restoration and renewal from extreme physical symptoms of exhaustion, fatigue and weariness, connecting us with our inner source of energy. Extremely helpful for periods of recuperation.
- Self Heal:
- stimulates inner healing forces inherent in every being, bringing forth the full capabilities of the body to heal itself. Though Arnica and Self Heal should never be used in place of medications, they awaken the vitality and will to live, preparing the body to more fully accept external assistance. Self Heal accelerates the healing process on all levels. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED before and after surgery, and after any physical imbalance through full recovery.
- Tomato (Pelelandra):
- Cleansing. Assists the body in shattering and throwing off that which is causing infection or disease.
- Wild Rose:
- Helps animals who seem to have given up the will to live, whose vitality is depleted, and who are apathetic and lacking in hope to restore the vital forces of the soul. For animals with lingering illnesses it helps them regain interest in earthly life, connection to the physical body, and to embrace the sacred opportunity of physical incarnation.
- Zucchini (Perelandra):
- Helps restore physical strength during convalescence
REINCARNATION (for humans to take while waiting for a reincarnation reunion):
- Cosmos:
- Encourages interspecies communication, helping us to be clear in our expectations and to sense and hear our animals' telepathically; helps establish psychic bonds in one-on-one.
- Forget-Me-Not:
- Can help us maintain and increase a feeling of connection to the spirit of our animal on the other side, and help us "recognize" them upon their return.
RESCUE ANIMALS: SHELTERING, FOSTER CARE, ADOPTION TO NEW FAMILY:
- The Animal Relief Formula (FES):
-
This essence can be taken at the time a traumatic situation occurs to soften the debilitating effects of natural, very strong emotional responses. It can also be taken to help release the effects of past trauma. Sometimes, the pain of a past trauma in animals' lives can be re-triggered by another trauma occurring in the present. These essences help animals cope with and heal the emotional and physical symptoms of major transition or trauma, and can begin to heal the effects of past trauma. This formula includes many individual essences, including the five original essences of Rescue Remedy.
SEPARATION ANXIETY:
- Bleeding Heart:
- Helps an animal accept separation and the change in form of a relationship. It is very helpful for separation anxiety for short term separations (vacations, business trips, long work days) and permanent changes such as family structure changes or physical death. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED whenever going on vacations, business trips and when a human or animal family member has died.
TRAVEL:
- Dill:
- Helps animals who become overwhelmed or overstimulated from an environment to assimilate their experience and feel harmony and peace rather confusion and upset. Can be very helpful for vet visits or travel, or whenever the environment changes and involves new and unknown smells, sights or sounds.
TRUST:
- Oregon Grape:
- This is very powerful essence to help animals who have been abused or abandoned to learn to trust new situations and new loving "owners." It is especially indicated for situations when an animal was previously abandoned, abused or neglected, having good reason not to trust, but is now in a loving, good environment/family. Oregon Grape is a vital support in helping an animal know it is safe to begin to trust again and to relax in their new circumstances. This essence is included in the Animal Rescue Formula.
VET VISITS, TRAILERING:
- Mimulus:
- Helps overcome nervousness or fear of particular things such as vet visits, thunderstorms or vacuum cleaners.
- Dill:
- Helps animals who become overwhelmed or overstimulated from an environment to assimilate their experience and feel harmony and peace rather confusion and upset. Can be very helpful for vet visits or travel, or whenever the environment changes and involves new and unknown smells, sights or sounds.
If trailering and vet visits are particularly traumatic:
- The Animal Relief Formula (FES):
-
This essence can be taken at the time a traumatic situation occurs to soften the debilitating effects of natural, very strong emotional responses. It can also be taken to help release the effects of past trauma. Sometimes, the pain of a past trauma in animals' lives can be re-triggered by another trauma occurring in the present. These essences help animals cope with and heal the emotional and physical symptoms of major transition or trauma, and can begin to heal the effects of past trauma. This formula includes many individual essences, including the five original essences of Rescue Remedy.
Feelings and Behaviors which are Harmonized by the Flower Essences in the Animal Relief Formula
|
Sense of abandonment, |
Bleeding Heart, Holly, |
|
Brokenhearted, grief, anguish |
Bleeding Heart |
|
Feel like don't belong |
Sweet Pea |
|
Depressed, seeming to give up |
Fireweed, Wild Rose |
|
Angry, aggressive, irritable |
Impatiens (in Five Flower Formula), Holly, Poison Oak |
|
Feel unworthy, unlovable |
Mariposa Lily |
|
Scared, overstimulation of noise, smell, sights, |
Five Flower Formula |
|
Distrust of:
|
Poison Oak, Oregon Grape, Arnica |
|
Feeling, and perhaps taking in, the anxiety, panic, fear of other animals in the facility |
Red Clover |
|
Traumatized from:
|
Arnica, Echinacea, Firewood, Mariposa Lily |
|
Spacey, not completely in body |
Clematis (in Five Flower Formula) |
|
Tired, exhausted, seeming to give up (physically or emotionally) |
Wild Rose |
|
Panicked, hysterical |
Five Flower Formula |
