Written by Disha Ramanan
“The greatest gift that you can give others is to be happy and hopeful yourself, then you draw them up out of their despondency.” – EDWARD BACH
Holistic healing and alternative therapies have seen a meteoric rise in popularity in the last few years, as more and more people discover the healing power of nature. Rightly so, this openness towards natural medicine has seeped into the life of dogs and pet parents too. Bach Flower Remedies is one such holistic, safe and gentle system of natural healing, derived from wildflowers.
To understand what this system of healing is all about, we caught up with Nisha Jaggi, miracle-worker Bowen therapist and Level 2 certified Bach Flower Remedy expert.
Bach Flower Remedies – A Background
“Flower essences were first discovered by English physician and biologist Edward Bach,” begins Nisha. “He started to explore the healing properties of flowers. He studied the specific healing properties of each species to help balance emotional states in humans and animals. He identified 38 plants commonly found in the English countryside and eventually, formed a collection of remedies called Bach flower essences.”
How do Bach Flower Remedies Work for Animals?
Nisha explains, “The theory behind the essences is that they interact with the body on a cellular level, and vibrationally center animals, as well as humans, to help resolve emotional disharmony.”
So what are the range of emotional states covered by these remedies? “They cover fear of both the known and unknown, depression, uncertainty, loneliness, aggression, jealousy, adjusting to a new environment, amongst many other things,” says Nisha.
Can Bach Flower Remedies Be Used for Physical Remedies Too?
“As far as physical ailments go, the core reason for the physical symptoms needs to be understood to help heal them,” begins Nisha. “Emotions manifest into physical symptoms in a lot of animals. I have personally seen good success in dealing with allergies in dogs or females who are prone to pseudo pregnancy.”
By When Can We Start Seeing Positive Results, Once the Treatment Has Started?
Nisha puts forth an interesting point. “While there is no definite timeline to see the improvement or effect of the remedies, if the issue to be addressed is recent and a newly developed emotion, then the remedies’ effect is faster but if the issue is deep-rooted and has been established over a long period of time, then the healing will be long and gradual.”
At-Home Remedies and Safety
How safe are these remedies, we wonder, and can people at home safely medicate their own dogs? Nisha reassures us that the remedies are extremely safe. But there is a caveat to medicating at home. “A single remedy chosen by a layperson may not be a complete solution to the issue. Certified Bach flower practitioners are taught to evaluate different emotional situations and how to zero down on and apply the correct remedy accordingly. Also, some remedies overlap in the sense of being used for similar emotional situations, but overall, it may end up being an incorrect remedy.”
She continues, “There are no side effects to these remedies. The recommended dosage is 4 drops 4 times a day for best results. The only negative result could be having no result at all.”
We then asked Nisha about a popular one being sold online, the Rescue Remedy. She says, “Rescue Remedy is technically not an essence, it’s a mixture of five flower essences that Dr Bach thought worked together in situations of extreme shock, anxiety and other stressors. Rescue Remedy can be taken orally or applied on stings and bruises, as it’s available in the form of a cream.”
Bach Flower Remedies in Action
Interested to see the Remedies in action, we asked Nisha if she could give us an example of a dog where Bach Flower Remedies have worked their wonder. Nisha doesn’t disappoint!
“My own dog, Lucy, a four-year-old beagle was rescued from an environment where she was kept tied on a short leash – no love or affection whatsoever, no walks and even her food habits were a little abnormal,” she begins. “She would want spicy food; raw food would have to be fed to her in bits and pieces off the table. She came as an insecure dog, not able to settle in her new home despite all the attention and love she received. She was relieving herself inside the house at least 10 times a day. Her routine tests were clear, indicating that it was indeed a behavioural issue that had to be tackled. Other than working with a behaviourist for her, I started giving her Bach Flower Remedies to be more accepting of her new home and family, and retraining her mind to lessen her anxiety and to create new food habits.”
“The results have been quite remarkable. Lucy now accepts the fact that she is here to stay with us; she is happy and plays like any other young dog. She’s mischievous and less anxious. There are still some aspects in which she must be further mellowed down, which will eventually happen too. She also used to suffer from pseudo pregnancy twice a year. But in the last few months, the symptoms have not returned.”
Nisha Jaggi is an internationally certified Bowen Therapist, Animal & Human Reiki Practitioner and a Level 2 Bach Flower Practitioner. Nisha works on appointments, from DLF Phase II Gurgaon, and can be contacted on 9810039333. You can find her on Instagram and Facebook (@ReviveWithBowen).