Understanding
Bach Flowers
A complementary healing system for pets and humans.
How can Bach Flower
Remedies help you?
Bach Flower Remedies (BFR) are flower essences preserved in brandy. With only 2-4 drops BFR in natural mineral water, there is no side affects, no over dozing, and it complements allopathic and other alternate healing modalities.
Dr. Edward Bach believed that physical symptoms emanate from emotional issues. By alleviating the underlying negative emotions, the physical symptoms also improve.
Agrimony
Agrimony is for those who conceal their true emotions behind a cheerful exterior. These people are probably are the life of the party. The cheerfulness masks their sadness.
In animals, we would use this for highly sensitive animals, high-strung or hyper-active beings.
Humans: Mask their true emotions Animals: Anxiety
Aspen
Humans: Vague unknown fears Animals: Noises, other presence
Aspen is used where people feel a sense of apprehension or dread but are unable to quite put a finger on why they are feeling this way. What we often call unknown fears that lead to a feeling foreboding or anxiety.
In animals, we would use for those who are sensitive to noise and any presence.
Beech is used for people who are overly critical of others, looking for perfection in other people. It helps them become more understanding and compassionate towards others.
In animals, we use it when animals reject other animals or humans. Animals who maybe intolerant of others.
Humans: Intolerant, Critical
Animals: Irritable, Rejection
Beech
Centaury
Humans: Humans who can’t say no
Animals: Weak, Submissive
Centaury is ideal for quiet, gentle people who cannot say no to others. They will bend over backwards to help others, sacrificing their work, well-being or happiness.
We use it in case of new animals in a shelter or for separation anxiety. Or pets who whine when the human is at work.
Cerato helps people who constantly seeks advise from others. It helps them confidently take their own decisions.
In animals, we use it to help build the confidence and sense of security in animals. Especially good help animals through training and preparing for shows and competitions.
Humans: Cannot take decisions
Animals: Under-confident
Cerato
Cherry Plum
Humans: Fear of mind giving away
Animals: Lack of control, Hysteria
This is one of the remedies used in Rescue Remedy. It is to address acute issues such as desperation, fear of mind snapping, of losing control of actions e.g. post-natal depression
In animals, we use it to calm down obsessive, aggressive or hysterical animals.
This is one of the remedies used in Rescue Remedy or the Crisis Formula. It is to address acute issues such as desperation, fear of mind snapping, of losing control of actions e.g. post-natal depression
In animals, we use it to calm down obsessive, aggressive or hysterical animals.
Humans: Failure to learn from mistakes
Animals: Learning process
Chestnut Bud
Chicory
Humans: Selfishly possessive
Animals: Possessiveness
These are gentle and loving people and like taking care of their family and friends. But as caregivers, they feel the need to correct others constantly and will try their best to make sure everyone is around them. This makes them selfishly possessive.
This is used in animals that are excessively territorial or protective of their owners.
People who live in the future rather than the present. They look forward to happier times, and do not show interest in the present.
In animals, it is very helpful during learning periods, Clematis is essential for behavioural issues, or animals in chronic stress.
Humans: Day dreaming
Animals: Inattentive, Lethargic
Clematis
Crab Apple
Humans: Cleansing
Animals: Cleansing
For people who believe there is something not quite clean about them exhibited in the form of self-loathing. Excellent for healing wounds, getting rid of poisons etc.
In animals, Crab Apple is very effective clearing out infections, healing wounds, and getting rid of parasites.
People who are stressed out under the burden or work or feel they cannot accomplish something. Ideal to help them through a high-pressure time such as examinations for students.
In animals, it’s best used with animals under stress, e.g. new in a shelter, moving from one house to another. Also used when an animal is in pain and may respond with aggressiveness.
Humans: Over-whelmed
Animals: Pain, Over-whelmed
Elm
Gentian
Humans: Despondent
Animals: Discouraged
People who are easily disheartened by small setbacks in life.
Sensitive animals who stop eating even though there may not be anything physically wrong with them.
People who believe that there is no future, that they will not get better or their situation will not improve. They will try various things suggested by others, but with the belief that it will not work.
Like Gentian, this is the remedy used when animals stop eating but no other symptoms present in tests or during a vet evaluation. This remedy works very well with depressed animals, e.g. those who have been abandoned or have suddenly arrived at a shelter.
Humans: Hopelessness, Despair
Animals: Resignation, Hopelessness
Gorse
Heather
Humans: Need constant companionship
Animals: Attention-seeking
People who over-share and want to constantly talk about themselves. People who are avoided because they talk too much.
Animals that need constant attention of their owners. This is very common with dogs who bark constantly or display signs of separation anxiety.
When people remain in an unhappy or in an angry state because their thoughts are fixated on jealousy, envy, revenge, suspicion.
In animals, it is usually used to treat aggressive behaviour.
Humans: Jealousy, Envy, Insecure
Animals: Hyper-sensitive, Rage
Holly
Honeysuckle
Humans: Who live in the past
Animals: Melancholy, Regression
People who live in the past perhaps after the loss of a loved one, or remembers the better times. They start to believe that the best is behind them, and therefore, remain unhappy.
Animals who have lost an owner or a companion, or have been abandoned. It also helps with dogs (or other animals) who continue with their puppy behaviour into adulthood.
People who do not have the energy to get on with tasks. People who feel they are mentally and physically fatigued. Those who procrastinate on tasks, or who find difficult to get started in the morning.
Used to heal wounds or injury or for strokes, usually applied in a salve or cream.
Humans: Insufficient strength
Animals: Weakness, Lack of energy
Hornbeam
Impatiens
Humans: Impatience, Irritability, Angry
Animals: Restless, Nervous animals
People who are quick minded like to get things done quickly. They find it very difficult to be patient with people who are slower than them.
Animals who are restless and cannot settle in one spot, are looking and feeling uneasy. Animals kept in cramped spaces or new to shelter exhibit these.
People who do not feel as competent as those around them. They are usually shy and don’t trust their abilities.
In animals, it is usually used to help animals socialize without being afraid of other animals e.g. new puppies at a shelter or to help the be confident during the learning process.
Humans: Under-confident, Expect to fail
Animals: Under-confident
Larch
Mimulus
Humans: Fear of known things
Animals: Fear
Some people live their lives in fear of pain or illness, fear of the dark or heights or the sea. Some people are petrified of lizards or spiders or snakes. Mimulus helps reduces the stress of fears allowing people to face their fears.
Animals who have known fears e.g. getting into an elevator or loud noises like fire crackers or thunder.
Some people feel a wave of depression for no apparent reason. A sense of darkness and heaviness engulfs a person and they lose interest in the world around them.
In animals, we use Mustard in cases of abandonment or death of an owner or of another animal in their group.
Humans: Gloominess, Depression
Animals: Depression, Sadness
Mustard
Oak
Humans: Struggles on dutifully
Animals: No known applications
People who struggle on even though they may be exhausted. It leads to a sense of frustration and may even result in burnout. Workaholics or primary care givers come to mind.
There are no known applications but I think it would work well for working animals such as mules, horses that are worked too long and hard or animals that show obsessive behaviour, etc.
In a world full of daily stresses, one often finds our energy depleted. We feel like daily activities are a burden.
Olive revitalizes animals recovering from illnesses, malnutrition, mistreatment, post-operative care, etc.
Humans: Mental or physical exhaustion
Animals: Exhaustion
Olive
Pine
Humans: Guilty
Animals: No known applications
People who blames themselves for everything that goes wrong, especially if the situation was not in their control in the first place.
Animals – Not Applicable
When people worry without a real reason for the family e.g. a mother’s worry about the future of her child even if he is doing well in school. Or people who stay up at night worrying about their pets health, or a friend’s financial problem.
Sometimes used with females after a pseudo-pregnancy or for puppies being weaned off their mothers.
Humans: Over worry for family and friends
Animals: Over-attached
Red Chestnut
Rock Rose
Humans: Panic attack, Acute anxiety, Nightmares
Animals: Panic, Terror, Paralysis
it is the Bach flower remedy used to treat extreme panic, terror, and nightmares. It provides immediate relief when a major crisis, accident, or confrontation leaves a person feeling paralyzed by fear and unable to breathe.
It serves as an emergency remedy for injured, abandoned, or highly stressed animals. It calms terror-induced hyperventilation and helps restore movement in animals paralyzed by fright.
It targets rigid perfectionism and strict self-discipline in people, helping them avoid burnout and flow adaptively. It is the only Bach remedy made from spring water instead of flowers.
For animals, it breaks stubborn habits, eases separation anxiety, and stops obsessive patterns like barking at doorbells. It helps pets accept change during training.
Humans: Perfectionists
Animals: Resistance to change
Rock Water
Scleranthus
Humans: Can't decide between two options
Animals: Instability
People who constantly make pros and cons list and still cannot decide. This indecisiveness can be an exhausting and stressful place to be.
Animals that display instability like car sickness, imbalance in walking, etc.
Sudden trauma such an accident, a fall down the stairs, a broken bone, surgery. It could have happened this minute or it could be a trauma from the past that leads to flashbacks or nightmares.
In animals, this cuts across all kinds of traumatic episodes from a road accident to fire crackers at Diwali, from abandoned dogs new at a shelter to coming out of anaesthesia after a surgery.
Humans: Trauma, bereavement
Animals: Traumatic shock
Star of Bethlehem
Sweet Chestnut
Humans: Unbearable anguish
Animals: Extreme anguish
Deep anguish caused by a distress. It could be an unexpected death in the family or loss of a job or end of marriage. It causes acute pain and despair.
In animals in deep despair that exhibit signs such as hyper ventilation, non-stop salivating, separation anxiety in extreme circumstances.
People who focus all their energy on a cause, to make the world a better place. People who will go to any lengths to support this cause. They have over enthusiastic and restless energy. With their strong opinions, they often drive away people.
Hyperactive animals that are hard to control during walks or when someone visits your house. They are obsessive, nervous and easily stressed. Vervain also used for dogs with separation anxiety.
Humans: Over-enthusiastic
Animals: Excessive manifestation
Vervain
Vine
Humans: Dominating, controlling
Animals: Dominant, Territorial
It helps naturally dominating people who demand total obedience from family, friends, and colleagues. It softens their overbearing nature, preventing severe emotional stress on those around them.
For animals, this remedy targets deeply territorial behavior and the urge to dominate human and animal companions. It reduces aggressive fighting and injuries, while helping territorial pets behave more gently around new puppies or kittens.
Water Violet
It;s an effective remedy to help through periods of major change in our life e.g. teething in children, menopause, marriage, divorce, change in job, new home or relocating to a new place.
In animals, we use it to help animals adapt in a shelter, or foster home. It also helps them adapt to new baby in the house, etc.
Humans: Protection from changes, Constancy
Animals: Adapting to changes
Walnut
Humans: Alone, aloof
Animals: Excessive isolation
People who are aloof, distant with an air of superiority. They withdraw within themselves, preferring to be alone, but this often leads to isolation.
In animals, who withdraw from humans and other animals, isolating themselves socially. For example, dogs that hide under a bed, or a cat that sits on a high shelf in the cupboard.
It targets a never-ending cycle of repetitive, unpleasant thoughts and internal arguments. It brings peace of mind when you constantly replay incidents and cannot let go of an issue.
For animals, this remedy addresses obsessive-compulsive disorders and repetitive behaviors. It calms dogs suffering from self-mutilation, fence running, or excessive licking, and helps cats prone to over-grooming and tail-chasing.
Humans: Repetitive thoughts
Animals: Obsessive behaviours
White Chestnut
Wild Oats
Humans: Looking for a sense of purpose in life
Animals: No known applications
Some people feel innately restless. They are bright and excel in what they do but they feel like their true calling and purpose are missing. Wild Oat helps us realize our purpose and gives us direction in life. Its an ideal remedy when we face multiple life choices and need help to make up our mind.
When we start talking to animals, we realize, they are never forget their purpose. They always know why they have come to this earth.
People who do as little as possible. They are easily bored and contribute towards family or may stay out of work for years. There is a sense of inertia and apathy, as if they are not engaged with life.
In animals, we use Wild Rose to help ill-treated animals come out of their shelf. Sometimes they withdraw to a point where they may not interact with humans and stop eating food and water.
Humans: Inertia, Apathy, Easily bored
Animals: Apathy
Wild Rose
Willow
Humans: Self-pity, bitterness, resentment
Animals: Resentful
It addresses a victim mindset in people who blame others, feel self-pity, and harbor deep bitterness. It relieves resentment felt toward family, friends, and colleagues, restoring a positive outlook on life.
In animals, resentment manifests as inappropriate defecation, destructive behavior, nipping, or aggression. Willow is typically combined with other remedies to break these negative behavioral patterns.