Would You Rather Sleep Than Play?

If you've fallen into a chronic state of thinking sleep is better than anything else you might think of doing, you're probably an Olive personality in a negative state.

This can occur after a long illness - when you've used every bit of your physical energy just to get well. It can also happen if you've spent weeks or months caring for a loved one who was ill - or if you have simply been pushing yourself too hard, working too many hours, eating an unbalanced diet, or losing sleep for any reason.

The negative Olive state occurs when you shut off communication with your higher self and fail to heed the warning signs that you're pushing yourself too hard.

Fortunately the Bach Flower Essence Olive can help you regain that lost energy. By putting you back in balance and helping you reconnect with your higher self, Olive acts as a restorative to both your mental and physical self.

Interestingly, while most of the Bach Flower Essences work to bring you back in balance after an event, Olive can help prevent exhaustion. If you know you're going to be facing a long and stressful ordeal, take it ahead of time to stay balanced and full of energy.

To learn more about Olive and the 37 other Bach Flower Essences, visit our Bach Flower Reference Guide at it's new address: bachflower.org

Or, if you'd like to take our questionnaire to see which of the Bach Flower Essences are right for you, visit us at Feel Bach!

Do Springtime Thunderstorms Cause Your Dog to Panic?

Lady was a big Shepherd-looking dog of unknown origin. She came into our lives when she invaded a friend’s house during a thunderstorm. She didn’t know them, but knew she intended to get in somewhere, so she went through the screen door.

She was OK during a storm as long as she could get into the house and under something. But one day we weren’t home when the storm hit. We returned to find every screen on every door and window shredded. Poor Lady!

Why do dogs do this?

Some are simply afraid of noise and want to get away from it and hide. Others seem to be affected by the static electricity in the air. These dogs instinctively want to “ground” themselves by seeking shelter in a bathtub or on a ceramic floor. Our dog Harry always hid behind the toilet during a storm. No attempts to comfort him were successful – while he was a dog who usually liked to cuddle, all he wanted during a storm was to be behind the toilet.

Change in barometric pressure can also affect dogs – these are the ones who try to get to “low ground” so they’ll try to hide in the basement.

The dogs who rule our house these days don’t seem affected by storms or by noise in general, but if they were, I’d be sure to have a bottle of “Thunderstorms” handy.

I only wish I’d had it when Lady and Harry were alive, because I know it would have eased their suffering.

Thunderstorms is specially formulated for this kind of fear and panic, but if a storm arrives before you have a bottle on hand, do give your dog a dose of Feel5ive.

Feel5ive is for use with all kinds of stress and anxiety - so if you're upset because the dog is upset, give yourself a dose as well!

April 16 is National Stress Awareness Day

Are you one of the thousands of citizens who are muddling through every day stressed almost to the breaking point?

Today the news alone is enough to cause stress, even if we didn't have things popping up in our personal lives to add to the pressure.

Recognizing that you're in that state is the first step. Doing something about it comes next, and it IS important. Stress can take the joy out of life from an emotional standpoint, and it can harm your physical health as well.

So try these steps:
* Turn off the T.V. Unless there's something you can DO about radiation leaks in Japan, a missing child in a city 500 miles from you, or a plane crash, just don't listen. Focusing on the bad news will give you more stress.

* Get some exercise. If nothing else, go for a walk.

* Meditate, or do deep-breathing exercises. You'd be amazed how much better you'll feel if you simply take a deep breath, sigh, and look up.

* Spend some quiet time with people you care about. Just making time to connect with those you love can help you de-stress.

* Put a bottle of Feel5ive in your pocket, and use it any time you start to feel tense.

Dr. Bach's original formula will help you get through all of life's stressful moments. From a confrontation with your boss to a dentist appointment, you'll face it more easily with the help of Feel5ive ahead of time. And if the stressful event has already happened, Feel5ive will help you get over it.

Remember, Feel5ive is safe for everyone from your infant to your elderly grand-parent - and even your dog or cat! It can be safely used even by those taking prescription medications, so don't hesitate to use its calming powers.

Is Your True Strength Hidden?

...You may be a Water Violet personality.

"Delicate but upright" is the description given to the water violet, and it fits those with a Water Violent personality.

Why should it surprise us that the power of Bach Flower Essences should reflect the strengths of the flowers from which they are derived?

The water violet's true strength lies hidden beneath the surface of the water in the form of leaves that lend strength and stability.

Translated to human behavior, the Water Violet personality exhibits strength and dignified superiority - choosing their own way without fanfare, and without outside influence.

These are the individuals who are calm in crisis - who can take charge with grace and dignity, and soothe others. Water Violets are decidedly not given to emotional outbursts, whether in negative or positive situation.

Because they are strong, people turn to them for help and advice, and too much of that can put the Water Violet personality into the negative state. This is when they begin to believe in their own superiority and "specialness" - and it causes them to withdraw even further.

But, since we humans do need each other, withdrawal creates a strain, which can lead to tension in the body, and illness.

Fortunately, the negative state is often short lived. The Water Violet person will come back into a positive state with Bach Flower Remedies treatment and a bit of rest.

To read more about Water Violent and other Bach Flower Essences, come to Flower Bach, and to take the questionnaire and see which Bach Flower Remedies would be most helpful to you, visit Feel Bach!