 As I sit to write this, my ever-present editor (at right) is on the job. She corrects my grammar and spelling, smoothing transitions between paragraphs. She shakes her head when I reach too far for a metaphor, and purrs in pleasure when I trim excess, strained verbiage. Occasionally, she slips just the right word or phrase into a sentence, saving me the struggle of rewriting later on.
Well, let's be frank: what she really does is nap for hours, occasionally stretching, rolling over and sighing in her deeply-relaxed little cat sleep. Often snoring on her back with her feet in the air, occasionally she wakes and throws little eye kisses at me. She is usually an agreeable work companion, though if I'm not paying attention to the clock around lunchtime, I get a scolding.
 Human and non-human species have formed a powerful partnership, interweaving their lives together for thousands of years. In more recent times, cats and dogs -- the latter in particular -- have become elevated in many households to full-fledged furry family. Where previously they worked to protect humans, their houses and possessions, now they have worked their way into our homes, workplaces, beds and hearts in ways they had not previously.
There is nothing like the love and acceptance these animals give us. We don't have to dress well, lose weight, be nice, get a better job, or keep up with the Jones': we only have to show up and they love us...warts and all. But something funny has happened: many of us have forgotten that pets are domesticated animals -- not short, hirsute, funny-looking humans. For many of us, they are filling the hollow parts of our lives where human relationships and endeavors may be often better suited. And we have come to expect behaviors and emotional ties to our pets that ought to be the province of our own species.
 Many of us have forgotten we humans are animals, too -- and particularly social ones with our own spiritual paths. We may be here to learn to love and accept all forms of life, but that includes the often-difficult work of creating and maintaining relationships with those of our own species. We also have to dig deep inside and find a way to create lives devoted to purpose and the expression of our gifts -- a deeply spiritual quest. But too often it seems far easier to turn to the more simple relationship we have with our pets than navigate the slings and arrows of our more-complex human destiny.
Many times, we have made our pets into our closest confidant, best friend, child substitute, and even the household boss. Rover and Kitty really can't live up to these challenges, and it stresses their physical and emotional health to try. And because their needs are different from ours, if not met, pets act out, misbehave, become destructive, and may consequently be abandoned, given away, neglected, or abused. When we find our pets acting in unacceptable ways, we may need to help them change, but we also need to look to ourselves to discover how we may have contributed to the situation. (For more on this interplay, see Essences for Difficult Relationships.)
 Being in a balanced relationship with all forms of life is an emotional and spiritual test. We cannot pass if we are not aware that proper relationships with our pets are part of that test.
For our own -- and our pets' -- health and well-being, we need to be careful to maintain these relationships in a healthy and appropriate way. Here are some essences to help.
B = Bach/Healing Herbs * D = Desert Alchemy * F = FES * M = Masters * Many = Multiple Makers * W = Whole Energy Essences
Emotional Neediness, Lack of Love: Almond (M, F), Bleeding Heart, Evening Primrose (Many), Chicory, Holly (B), Spurge, Letting Go, Receiving, Daisy, White Solistice Rose (W)
 Lonliness, Withdrawal, Boredom, Alienation: Heather, Water Violet, Wild Oat, Willow (B), Shooting Star (F), Russett Chrysanthemum Bud, Spurge, Capricorn FullMoon, Restedness(W), Tiger Lily (Many)
Appropriate Boundaries, Living in Harmony with Others: Making and Honoring Boundaries (D), Yarrow, Trillium, Malva (Many), Yellow Loosestrife (W)
Editors' Notes: For a fascinating, well-researched exploration of our changing emotional relationship with dogs, see The New Work of Dogs by Jon Katz.
Are you interested in a future online class about pets and essences? If so, click here and send us email...we will send you our future class schedule.
 ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Deborah Bier, M.Ed. is Co-Editor and a frequent contributor to Vibration Magazine, as well as the maker of Whole Energy Essences. For more information about her and for more of her articles, see here.
The World Wide Essence Society does not mean to imply any recommendation of nor give certification to any individuals or companies above. This article is provided purely for informational purposes. We ask consumers to make their own determination as to quality of the services and products offered above. This article is not meant to be advice, and the information is not meant to replace medical or psychological treatment.
  
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