The flower system Dr. Bach discovered was linked to our response to life, or to the conditions we believe it has imposed on us. It's clear that Dr. Bach thought of all this in terms of the treatment and effect of flower essences in relation to people's emotions; however, when it comes to flower therapy, the explanation is equally valid when it comes to animals — these essences act on the different ways animals react and behaviorally express their emotions in response to the situations and experiences they generally face.
There are some things we should keep in mind regarding the differences between animals and people when it comes to the importance of certain flower essences.
Animals don't see the world the same way people do; for example, dogs' most developed sense is smell, and thanks to it they pick up on scents we don't even know exist; they're also visually detail-oriented, meaning they notice the smallest change in their environment — for example, a simple new shine in a place a dog visits regularly can make them act wary, even though we're not able to notice that shine is there. Considering that dogs don't perceive the world the same way people do, there are some very significant differences in the need to use certain essences in animals compared to people.
Scientists teach us that, as species evolve, they generate new brain layers that cover the earlier brain — that is, they layer on top of it; the new brain form doesn't replace the old one, so that, today, all species have three brains:
- The most primitive brain of all, called the reptilian brain or paleocerebrum, whose functions are limited to managing the most basic survival needs.
- The limbic system is the name given to the mid-brain. It contains the brain's amygdalae which, after much research, have been found to be responsible for processing and managing emotions.
- The cerebral cortex is the most modern part of the brain, called the neocortex; its main function relates to reasoning processes.
What's interesting is the mid-brain, because it's the one that manages the emotions that, as we all know, precede action. Knowing this, we realize dogs have a very rich emotional life but, obviously, their cerebral cortex isn't as developed as that of humans, so dogs are much more emotional than people. This has a decisive impact on how they react depending on the emotional state a given situation triggers in them.
Everything said in this example for dogs regarding emotions and behaviors is perfectly applicable to any other animal species; we should keep in mind the vibrational qualities of the essences regardless of the organism they'll be given to. Animals have particular ways of communicating. Not knowing how to identify these signals can be a problem — the owner may get frustrated and not respond in the best way. On the other hand, a pet that doesn't feel understood may cause problems at home or elsewhere; hence the importance of knowing how our pets express their emotions.
Knowing how our pets express their emotions is important for understanding them and building a much deeper bond than the one that already exists. Still, it's far more important to pay attention to our furry friend's actions in each situation, to learn to understand their way of communicating. Flower therapy is one more tool that can help balance their emotions if they're out of harmony.