Alternative Healing Modality: Bach Flower Remedies
Filed Under Alternative Therapies, Bach Flowers, Case Studies, Practitioners | 2 Comments
Todays spotlight is on the Bach Flower Remedies, a set of 38 essences that can help with all sorts of emotional issues in both people and animals.
We have been using Rescue Remedy, a 5-flower “emergency” essence blend, for years now and it really does work. We use it for ourselves in times of stress, our dog (when going to the vet, groomer, etc.) and our house plants. Our home is not a place where plants naturally thrive, but I’ve found that adding Rescue Remedy to the water makes them not only survive, but also grow really fast.
| What Are The Bach Flower Remedies? |
The Bach flower essences were discovered in the 1920-30s by Dr. Edward Bach, a British physician who after suddenly collapsing in 1917 (due to a tumor which was removed) was told he had three months to live. At that time, he was doing research on vaccines, and as soon as he was able to get out of bed, he went back to his lab to get as much work done as possible before his time was up.
In spite of the poor prognosis, he survived the three months and kept getting better. Dr. Bach was convinced that this was because of his strong desire to keep working and finding answers. He wasn’t ready to stop just yet, and that determination was what saved him.
Dr. Bach was becoming increasingly unhappy with the way doctors were zeroing in at specific diseases while ignoring the patient as a whole. He became more and more interested in holistic medicine and when he was offered a position at the Royal London Homoeopathic Hospital, he jumped at the chance. There, he continued his work on vaccines, and developed seven homeopathic versions (”nosodes”).
He also started to collect plants and flowers in an effort to develop natural remedies that were gentler than the nosodes. This work was going so well that in 1930, he left London and moved to the countryside to devote all his time to this research. Over the next 5 years, through trial and error, he discovered 38 flower remedies, each connected to a state of mind or emotion. He found that since the body is a direct reflection of the mind, treating the negative mental and emotional patterns of his patients allowed their bodies to heal naturally. He also discovered that if you can treat these negative emotions early on, it can prevent them from manifesting themselves as physical illnesses.
In 1934, Dr. Bach moved to Mount Vernon, a house in Brighwell-cum-Sotwell in Oxfordshire, England. In 1935, he announced that his work was complete and a year later, he passed away. Today, Mount Vernon is home to The Bach Centre; the world hub of education and information about the Bach flower remedies.
| Meet Caroline Thomas |
The Bach flower case study comes from Caroline Thomas, who lives and works in Chelmsford, England. Caroline is the owner of Animal Magic and practices a variety of complementary therapies such as Crystal Healing, Reiki, Alaskan Essences etc. She is a Reiki Master, Bach Flower Practitioner, soon-to-be Animal PsychAromatica practitioner, and a founding member of SARA (the Shelter Animal Reiki Association).
Caroline is a long-time volunteer at Remus Memorial Horse Sanctuary, a horse and farm animal sanctuary in Ingatestone, England, where she also teaches classes and workshops in Bach flowers and Crystal healing for animals.
I asked Caroline how she got into alternative/complementary healing, and she told me:
“I sort of found Bach Flowers by chance. I suppose my journey with Complimentary Therapies started about five years ago. I work as a Pharmacy Technician in a very busy pharmacy. We often had people asking us about homeopathy, herbs and Bach Flowers. None of us had a clue really!
One day I just felt that I wanted to know more about homeopathy. It was a sudden urge as I felt very disillusioned by Conventional Medicine. So I decided to go on a course. On the first evening I just felt that this was what I was meant to do. I have to say that ever since that moment I have been constantly, on courses and reading, broadening my horizon.
I have always loved animals, so when I qualified as an Animal Bach Flower Practitioner I wanted to give something back. My union with Remus has been the biggest catalyst in my life; all of my spare time is spent making up Aromatherapy oils and Flower Remedies for the rescued animals and of course offering/sending Reiki.”
To learn more about Caroline and the therapies she practices, visit her website Animal Magic.
Case Study: Treating Apollo With Bach Flower Remedies
Apollo is a grey thoroughbred mare who came to Remus Horse Sanctuary in 2007. A few months before arriving, she had suffered from an accident which involved a Farrier’s tripod. While she was being shoed, the tripod had gone into her face, causing one of her eyes to hang out. Obviously, her eye sight since then has not been good. She was also an obsessive weaver.
Weaving is the name given to the repetitive side to side rocking of the head, shoulders and sometimes the whole body that you see some horses do, and it is thought that approximately one in every twenty thoroughbreds is a stereotypical weaver. What is of more concern is that weaving signals that the weaver is currently suffering or has underwent some sort of mental discomfort.
When I first met Apollo she had been weaving so much she had rubbed the front of her neck raw! Also, about 6 months earlier, she had an incident with another horse where she was badly injured. During this time she had to be stabled for a long time, and she clearly hated being confined. I felt that the incident with the tripod, which had taken place in a stable, would have only intensified her anxiety and could have been the start of her weaving.
I have been treating Apollo for about a year and a half, using different combinations of Bach Flowers essences depending on her state of mind. These have included remedies such as Crab apple, Honeysuckle, Star of Bethlehem, White Chestnut and at one point Sweet Chestnut.
The result has been that her weaving has improved by 75%. Her neck has healed, and she is noticeably calmer in the stable. Stereotypical behaviour is very difficult to treat; I think the learning point from this case study is not to give up!
To learn more about the Bach Flower Essences, check out these books. I have them all and they are excellent resources. The Encyclopedia of Bach Flower Therapy is a particularly good source if you would like to really delve into each essence.
Alternative Healing Modality: Reiki
Filed Under Alternative Therapies, Case Studies, Reiki | 5 Comments
As I mentioned in my post on Friday, I’m starting a new series here at AMG, “Spotlight On”, where we learn more about a specific healing modality in each post and also get to meet a pracitioner and read one of their case studies. I’m very excited about this series; it’s fascinating to read all the stories, and I’m sure you will enjoy them as much as I have.
First out is Reiki. I had never heard of until I was a student at Bancroft and we had a class exploring energy healing techniques. I remember having a very interesting experience while practicing it on one of my teachers – I wasn’t even touching her, but something in her leg that had been bothering her all of a sudden twitched, and my arm did too at the same time. I always assumed that you had to have a special gift in order to do any kind of energy healing, but anybody can learn how to use Reiki.
| What is Reiki? |
Reiki is a Japanese holistic energy healing system that is gentle and noninvasive but still has the power to heal the body, mind and spirit. It is administered by laying on hands or healing from a distance (you don’t have to have physical contact with the person/animal you are treating) and is based on the idea that an unseen life force energy (”ki”) flows through us and is what causes us to be alive. If one’s ki is low, then we are more likely to get sick or feel stress.
The name Reiki, pronounced ”Ray-key”, comes from the Japanese words ”rei” meaning spirit, and ”ki” meaning energy. It is usually translated as ”universal life energy.”
When using Reiki to heal, the practitioner simply sets an intention to facilitate the healing process and allows Reiki to flow in whatever amount the client wishes to receive and for whatever he or she needs most. The energy “knows” where to go; you don’t even have to be aware of what the problem is exactly in the person/animal you’re treating. You are just a conduit for the energy.
It is ideal for use with animals because with Reiki, since effectiveness is not dependent upon physical contact, the animal controls the treatment, accepting Reiki in the ways that are most comfortable for them, either hands-on or from a distance, or a combination of both.
Reiki is easy for anyone to learn and use, and can’t do any harm, even when used by the most novice practitioner. It always goes to the deepest source of the problem and always supports a path towards balance and harmony.
To become a practitioner, you go through training sessions with a Reiki Master where you get attuned. There are 3 levels: Level 1 is the basics, Level 2 is advanced (where you also learn certain symbols) and Level 3 is the Master level (you can take a teacher training at this level after which you are able to teach Reiki to others).
| Meet Kathleen Prasad |
Today’s case study comes from Kathleen Prasad, world-renowned animal Reiki teacher, founder 
and director of Animal Reiki Source, and President of the Shelter Animal Reiki Association. She teaches animal Reiki courses and workshops in the San Francisco area, and also holds teleclasses on a regular basis. Kathleen is truly a leader in her field, and I am greatly honored that she agreed to be part of this series.
While Kathleen was teaching in the San Francisco public schools in the 90s, she designed curriculum and community projects for her students in animal kindness, encouraging volunteer work in animal shelters. In 1998 she learned Reiki and began volunteering Reiki with local shelter animals. Inspired by her volunteer experiences, Kathleen decided to dedicate her teaching career to Animal Reiki full time in 2002.
Since then, she has co-authored the books The Animal Reiki Handbook and Animal Reiki: Using Energy to Heal the Animals in Your Life and written many articles on animals and Reiki for publications such as The Journal of the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association, Animal Fair, The Whole Dog Journal, Dog Fancy, Animal Wellness Magazine, Equine Wellness Magazine and Natural Horse Talk Magazine. In 2007, Kathleen authored The Animal Reiki Practitioner Code of Ethics – the first code of ethics for the profession – which has been published in professional Reiki publications and adopted by practitioners around the world. Her second book, Tails from the Source: The Animal Reiki Source Newsletter Collection, Volume I, was published in March 2008. She has also been featured on several radio shows as well as her local news.
She has taught Reiki to the staff of organizations such as The East Bay SPCA, The Humane Society of Silicon Valley, BrightHaven Healing Arts Center for Animals, Guide Dogs for the Blind, and The Elephant Sanctuary. Her students come from all walks of life and from all over the world. In October of 2008, Kathleen was invited to teach a seminar on Animal Reiki at the 33rd Annual Conference of the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association.
In May of 2008, Kathleen co-founded the non-profit Shelter Animal Reiki Association (SARA). SARA aims to boost adoption rates in shelters nationwide by reducing stress and supporting healing in homeless animals. The mission will be achieved via a standardized rollout of animal Reiki programs in shelters worldwide and the creation of an unprecedented global information resource for practitioners and facilities that assist animals in need.
Here is Kathleen’s case study, in her own words:
Case Study – Reiki For Feral Catst
One of the wonderful things about Reiki is that it can be given from a distance. Thus, it works well with any animal, whether tame, wild, or somewhere in between, as is sometimes the case when treating rescues. In addition, when the Reiki treatment is approached in a way that gives the animal choice, in my experience animals almost always choose to receive the healing that Reiki can offer.
The following anecdote illustrates the importance of being willing to treat animals from a distance, meditatively and respectfully “offering” rather than physically and actively “giving” Reiki. As you will see in the below story, cats are especially sensitive to Reiki energy and will greatly benefit from this approach. And in incorporating this philosophy with all animals, animal Reiki practitioners, too, will find wonderful benefits: a greater openness from the animals and thus greater successes in their treatments.
I placed the chair about ten feet from the cage. Inside, two feral kittens, one gray and one black, stared at me, terrified. The black one stood in front of the gray, clearly protecting her little brother. They had been rescued the previous day from a hillside just off the freeway. My friend Janet, who feeds several feral colonies throughout San Francisco and also frequently rescues and gives aid to these kitties, had taken the two kittens into her home until the SPCA could evaluate their adoption potential. Thus far, Janet had been scratched and bitten, and had to wear gloves when reaching into the cage to feed or clean. The other members of her cat family were also very interested in the new arrivals, sitting near the window where the cage was located.
One of these cats, Honeydew, had been previously rescued and adopted by Janet from the same colony. Still quite feral, she had hidden herself in another room when I arrived. Before I began the Reiki treatment, I asked permission from the kittens, mentally introducing myself to them and letting them know I would offer them some healing, but that they need only take what they were comfortable with. I visualized myself several feet away from them and not breaching this space. I let them know that I would definitely not be approaching or touching them at any time during my visit. In addition, I avoided eye contact, so as not to push any kind of physical connection with them. I closed my eyes, rested my hands on my lap, and began to offer Reiki. As I began the treatment, I sent thoughts of peace and tranquility to them. It was obvious that they were tremendously fearful and stressed, and I knew Reiki would help them relax. I also visualized Janet and let them know she was a safe, good person. They were in a good place where they would have food and shelter. I sent Reiki to their future situations for their highest good.
Although I didn’t open my eyes for nearly a half an hour, I felt the energy flow strongly to the kittens and knew they were accepting the treatment. At the end of the treatment, when I began to feel the energy dissipate and my mind return from the deep meditation I had entered, I opened my eyes. The two kittens had moved to the front of the cage, closest to me, and fallen fast asleep. In addition, Janet’s cat Honeydew had come out of her place of hiding and was curiously watching me from just a few feet away. As I met eyes with her, she held my gaze quizzically for a long moment, then looked at the kittens, and then back to me. Then she disappeared as silently as she had come. It was as if she was telling me, “I felt the energy too. Thank you for helping them.” Janet had been quietly watching Honeydew’s visit from the next room. She smiled wide-eyed at me, amazed at her cat’s uncharacteristic behavior.
In just one treatment, the kittens showed good improvement. As early as the next day, Janet was able to reach into the cage and hold and pet the gray kitten. The black one was still fearful, but refrained from attacking her hands. Soon, with continued distant Reiki and patient work from cat socializers, the kittens learned to trust people. Within a few months, “Cody” and “Millie” were adopted into good homes.
New Series: “Spotlight On” Alternative Therapies
Filed Under Alternative Therapies | 1 Comment
In the next few days, I am going to be starting a new series of posts here at AMG, and I am really excited about this one. As I’ve been researching schools etc. I have come across tons of different alternative/complementary healing modalities; many that I didn’t even know existed. I was curious to learn more about each, and the experiences that all these different practitioners have had with each modality.
So I decided to start a series where I “spotlight” a specific therapy in each post, accompanied by a case study from a practitioner. We will also get to know each practitioner a little bit, and learn about their practice.
I think this will be a great resource for everyone. Those of you who are practitioners will get a chance to learn from others’ experiences and maybe even find a new therapy you want to try.
Pet owners, hopefully this series helps you figure out which therapy(ies) that are right for your pet, or you may find a new modality that your pet can benefit from. Always check with your vet before booking any appointments though.
Each post will have 3 sections: First, a description of the “spotlighted” therapy, then a piece on the featured practitioner, and last the case study, in the practitioner’s own words.
I have started to contact a few practitioners to see if they were interested in participating in this, and the response has been tremendous. I have really been overwhelmed by the kindness and generosity of everyone I have communicated with. All have been more than willing to share their stories and experiences, and I quickly realized that I will have way more than one case study/therapy to share. I will be posting them all, one at a time, so keep checking back.
If you are a practitioner or pet owner with a case study or story to share, please contact me. I’d love to post them.
Here is a small sampling of the therapies we will hear about:
- Massage
- Reiki
- Acupressure
- Hydrotherapy
- Bach Flowers
- Acupuncture
- Crystal Healing
- Craniosacral
- Chiropractic
- Aromatherapy
- Color Therapy
- Dowsing
- Naturopathy
the list goes on… As I mentioned above, I will start this series in the next few days, so stay tuned! 
