Flower essences are liquid extracts, usually administered in an oral form, which can be used to address issues of emotional well-being and mind/body health. They are made from a sun infusion of usually wildflowers or garden blossoms in a bowl of pure water; then further diluted and potentized (a process of dilution and vigorous shaking of the essence)– usually preserved with brandy or some other form of alcohol. The flowers are selected at their peak stage of growth. The blossoms are cut without a stem and allowed to fall into a glass bowl that has been nearly filled with pure water. Once several blossoms are in the water, the bowl is placed in sunlight and allowed to absorb the vital energy of the flowers. After several hours, the water is strained, creating the flower essence. No external heat is used and the flowers are not crushed or cut in the pieces. Most flower essences have no taste or color. Many companies take into account the surrounding environmental and meteorological conditions in the manufacture of the essences.
Originally, essences were developed by Dr. Edward Bach, a bacteriologist
and homeopathic physician in England. During the years from 1930-1936,
he created 38 difference essences that address various mental or emotional
states bringing about improvement in the overall health state. Since
that time, flower essence research has been continued and many companies
have produced additional essences beyond the original Bach essences that
have demonstrated the effectiveness of this particular modality.
HOW DOES FLOWER ESSENCE THERAPY WORK?
Flower essences are vibrational in nature; working through the energy patterns of the chosen flower or combination of flowers. One of the ways I have seen it explained is to compare an essence to a particularly moving piece of music1 – the light and sound waves create feelings within our soul, bringing about a sense of peace and calm or a change to a more positive state of well-being. As an example, a cat that is hostile or aggressive towards another animal might benefit from the use of Tiger Lily. A Tiger Lily kitty would have a competitive nature and hostile attitudes, but after treatment with the essence, would slowly evolve into a more amicable feline member of the family focused more on a sense of harmony. A cat suffering from a serious illness might benefit from Borage, which will instill in them a sense of courage and optimism about life, rather than feeling depressed.
ARE THEY SIMILAR TO OTHER ALTERNATIVE THERAPIES?
Although flower essences are often mentioned in the same general sense as homeopathy, herbal remedies or essential oils, there are distinct differences between essences and these other alternative modalities. Homeopathic remedies were developed through provings, essences are not; homeopathic remedies have been made from a variety of different substances, essences are made only from the blossoms of flowers or plants; homeopathic remedies are made from a tincture or alcohol extraction of the plant, essences are infused in water using the blossom. As for herbal remedies, flower essences do share the philosophy in common with them that an effort is made to work synergistically (together, jointly) with the healing process. As with homeopathic remedies, though, herbal preparations are made from many different parts of a plant, but essences focus on the blossoms. Herbal remedies are often used to resolve physical problems; essences focus on the emotional/spiritual aspects. Flower essences differ from essential oils in that they don’t work directly through the senses or physical body, but rather through vibrational fields.
Think about what may have occurred in your cat’s life over time, as this can impact the current state of their emotions or perceptions. Observe how they react to different situations or when they’re not feeling well. By doing this, you can determine what negative state of health in their mind/body connection you’d like to turn into a more positive state of mind. Is your cat an individualist or a “team” player, does he/she get discouraged easily or have a pretty positive attitude in general, are they fearful of new situations or do they just go along easily with whatever may come their way? I have a book that I use that gives descriptive information about the different essences and the types of people or situations that you might encounter that could benefit from the use of that particular essence (Flower Essence Repertory by Patricia Kaminski and Richard Katz). They’ve also included a short section on animals.
WHAT ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF FLOWER ESSENCES THAT COULD BE BENEFICIAL IN CERTAIN SITUATIONS?
Because many are familiar with the English (Bach) essences, I will primarily focus on some of the other remedies produced in other parts of the world.
Mariposa Lily – if you have a new mom that is having trouble bonding with her kitties, you may want to consider this. It brings out the maternal instinct and the nurturing aspects in a cat. Maybe you have a new, younger animal in the home and the other feline members of your household are not taking too well to the introduction of this new creature. Try Mariposa Lily to help them learn to care about the new critter. Mariposa Lily could be combined with Quaking Grass, which is mentioned next.
Quaking Grass – this can help animals that need to live together in a group get along better and adjust to each other’s presence. If the existing cats have a rather large ego, this could help them consider they may need to establish a sense of give and take in their relationships.
Red Clover – Does your cat go ballistic when it senses it’s going to the vet or for treatment of some sort? Have you and your feline family been caught in an emergency circumstance such as a flood, fire or tornado? Red Clover can help calm them down a bit and not be so upset about the situation.
Five Flower Formula or Rescue Remedy – Different companies have differing essences that they use. This is usually a combination of 5 or 6 different essences used in situations of crisis, extreme stress or when you find there’s been an accident and something is needed to keep the cat calm until medical attention can be provided.
Pink Yarrow – Does your cat seem to sense your every emotion and feel your pain when you are hurting? If you have emotional baggage, is your cat feeling it also? Give some pink yarrow to the cat and consider taking some yourself – it will help both of you feel sympathetic but keep you from being a sponge for each other’s issues.
Bleeding Heart – This might be helpful for cats that have been rescued or miss a companion - be it human or animal. It will help them break emotional ties and learn to cope more effectively with the sense of loss, abandonment, or their new sense of freedom from past issues.
Scleranthus – If you have a cat that is suffering from some type of neurological imbalance or hormonal imbalance, you may want to give this a try. I have heard of this being used for cats having trouble with seizures and it’s quite beneficial. Also, since motion sickness is sometimes related to imbalances within the inner ear, scleranthus would be useful for this.
Crab Apple – As a cleansing remedy, crab apple can help cats who groom excessively or have unhealthy coats (as this is often tied in to an inner disease state), wounds or dermatitis. It might create in kitties a new sense of feeling better about themselves and not so overly concerned with imperfection.
HOW WOULD I PREPARE AN ESSENCE OR ESSENCES TO GIVE TO MY CAT?
In order to prepare an essence to give to your cat, most people make up a dosage bottle. This is done by taking a one-ounce glass dropper bottle, put 2-4 drops of essence from the stock (original) bottle in there, then add spring or filtered water to fill it nearly full. A dosage bottle made in this manner will last about a week in the refrigerator, but if you want it to keep longer, a very small amount (maybe 25%) of vodka, brandy or vinegar could be added. I usually just make up a fresh bottle when needed using just filtered water and the essence. You can then put 3-6 drops in the mouth near the gums, put it on the paw pads or the backs of their ears. If this absolutely won’t work with your cat, some do put it in their food or water. If you do use this method of administration, remember that the energy of the essence might dissipate after a period of time and be less effective. Try to avoid actually touching the dropper tip to the cat’s mouth - if that happens, rinse off the tip in very hot water or vodka. When deciding how many essences to use in your dosage bottle, it’s generally recommended that you not use more than six. By limiting the number, it’s easier to see what is most effective and doesn’t create confusion within the whole picture of trying to help the negative soul state.
The period of time you may need to use a certain essence or essences will depend on the situation. A general recommendation for a more deep seated emotional problem might be to dose 3-4 times per day for a period from 2-4 weeks, then re-assess the situation. If using an essence or essences in an emergency or acute situation, you may only need to dose a few times. Don’t worry if you should happen to use more than you intended, as flower essences are quite safe. Always try to approach the situation with the mind set that you will see/experience a positive change in the situation/problem.
BIBLIOGRAPHY AND ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR INFORMATION:
BOOKS:
http://www.petsynergy.com/flower.html
Endnotes:
1. Kaminsky, Patricia and Katz, Richard, Flower Essence Repertory,
Flower Essence Society, 1994, pg. 3