I’ve recently started using the remedy Hornbeam for the emotion of regret, and I have to say that it has been amazing.

It has neutralized some of the most painful regrets of my past.  Let me share a personal story.

A Memory That Haunted Me

Years ago, I was supporting my father from afar as he battled Red Skin Syndrome and several other serious health conditions. Despite multiple surgeries and a heart condition, he was doing relatively well—until he had a stroke. I flew from Florida to Hawaii to be with him in the hospital, knowing that he was on life support and the end was near.

When I arrived, I had remedies in mind, and I’d even reached out to colleagues for support.  But I didn’t give him anything. 

When he heard my voice, he reached out to me. He knew I was there. But I didn’t give him Arnica--which might have helped with the stroke--or Arsenicum, or Aconite, or even something for his anxiety or itching.  I knew what could have helped, but I gave him no remedies.

Why?  I didn't because I was worried about how family members would react.  That moment haunted me for years. The memory of my dad reaching for me and my doing nothing would trigger a painful, sickening feeling in my chest and stomach. I wasn't troubled because I didn't save him; I didn’t think the remedies would have changed the outcome. My regret was about not helping him feel more at peace in his final hours. This is something homeopathy is amazing for!

Then Came Hornbeam

A few months ago, I was working with a client carrying some heavy emotional burdens, including deep regrets. We had been making great progress overall, but her regrets remained untouched. While looking for a remedy for her, I came across Hornbeam in Colin Griffith’s New Materia Medica. And there it was:

"Sense of deep regret and remorse. Endless feeling that ‘I could have done it better or differently’; that one will be judged according to the irreversible and negative actions of the past."

It clicked.  I gave it to my client, and she responded quickly.  Her regret began to soften, and her overall emotional state began to shift for the better.

So I Took It, Too

Inspired by her results, I took Hornbeam myself—for the regret I carried about my father, and also for some of those all-too-familiar parenting moments--the times I lost my temper, said something I wish I hadn’t, or simply could have done better.

The change was incredible. I no longer get that sick feeling when I think about my dad’s passing. I don’t spin out during those parenting flashbacks.  I feel more calm, more compassion, and much less pain surrounding the past.

A Missing Piece

We have many remedies that help with emotional distress, but I’ve often felt that regret wasn’t fully addressed by the polycrests I typically use. Hornbeam has now become a regular recommendation in my practice, and I’m excited to keep exploring it.

This is just one application of the remedy, but it’s been so powerful that I had to share.

Curious about potency and dosing?

That’s something I share more about inside Sheena’s Secret Circle, my private membership space for deeper guidance.  Some things are best kept in a private forum.