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LILIALES
SPECTRUM OF HOMEOPATHY
Deborah Collins
¦ Crocus sativus
74
Matridonal remedy:
With her lack of boundaries, a lack of
filter, one could think of the matridonal remedy Vernix caseosa,
where all the impressions of the outside world intrude, as
though one has no skin at all. But in this case, the sensitivity is
something that she seeks and craves – she opens herself com-
pletely to the outer world, taking in every possible sensation
in order not to be excluded, not to be alone. She loses herself
in a sea of sensations without which she would feel that she
did not exist at all.
Great resonance:
It could be tempting to give her a great vari-
ety of remedies made from all the things she resonates with – a
bird remedy, an orchid, a butterfly etc. She can go so deeply
into the sensation of all that she encounters that one could
easily become lost. Yet it is exactly this ability to unite herself
with things that attract her that points to the Liliaceae, where
we find the desire to be in contact as a compensation for the
feeling of being out of contact, alone, and excluded.
Silicium series:
In Jan Scholten’s plant theory, the Lilies corre-
spond to the Silicium series, where one is developing relation-
ships. This relates to the teenage years, a time when she felt
most lost. Although she is engaged in helping others through
social services, one senses that this is more focused on making
herself wanted and included than an unconditional desire to
help. She tries to overcome the lack of warmth she felt from her
mother by being ‘mother’ to everyone, meanwhile losing track
of herself. In Scholten’s Plant theory, we find the Lilianae in the
plant code 630, and subsequently the Liliidae in 633: the two
threes correspond to row 3 of the Silicium series.
Code of Crocus sativus 633.51.01:
The order of the Aspara-
gales has the number 633.50 – 5 is the Phase, which in this case
corresponds to Nitrogen or Phosphorus. We see many phase 5
qualities – her exuberance, her love of life, her compulsive reach-
ing out to others, sometimes transgressing their boundaries. The
subphase, corresponding to the plant family, is 1, the Iridaceae.
Subphase 1 indicates that there is a strong need to belong to
the group, but with the feeling that one is still on the outside,
doing one’s best to be part of the group but never managing
to be included. The plant itself is indicated by the last number,
in this case also a 1, corresponding to the first stage of the
periodic table. This relates to the way in which one approaches
things, one’s behaviour. Both the subphase and the stage are
1, like Lithium, indicative of a very impulsive personality with a
lack of boundaries. We see the mood swings, from excessive and
expressive to severe melancholy, with no sense of middle ground.
‘All or nothing’ applies to both (sub)phase 1 and stage 1. At
stage 1 of the Iridaceae we find Crocus sativus, well known for
its severe mood swings, from exultant joy to deep melancholy.
The code number of Crocus sativus is thus 633.51.05.
MATERIA MEDICA FOR CROCUS SATIVUS
•
Vacillating; happy and affectionate, then angry
•
Mood changeable, sudden changes from hilarity to melancholy
•
Mania, pleasant, sings and laughs, feels the devil in her.
Wild, irritable, screaming, cursing, vivacious, expressive, ex-
cited, theatrical, hysterical, < before menses
•
Anger with violence followed by repentance. (They cannot
afford to lose the friendship and affection of their surround-
ings.)
•
Desire attention
•
Desire to make contact with people, talk a lot, kissing
everyone
•
Impressionable, sympathetic, < misery of others
This remedy corresponds to a childlike state, all emotions and
no boundaries, with a rapid vacillation of moods that tends to
destabilise the person.
Prescription:
Crocus sativus 200C, initially once a week, later
once a month
FOLLOW-UPS
The effect is immediate – even on holding a bottle of the rem-
edy she says that she feels much calmer than before, present
in her body. For someone with such a strong desire to please
we can take this with a grain of salt, but in the course of time
the changes become obvious.
PATIENT’S FEEDBACK
Boundaries:
“I had some days of nausea after the remedy, and
severe tiredness, but that is gone now. My menses were very
intense at first, with a lot of blood, as though it was a purging.
Now it is normal, and I don’t have the usual intensification of
moods before the periods that I used to have. I work well now,
and I can drive the car again, no more anxiety. I am much better
organised. My sleep is much better. I used to just lie in bed and
listen to the birds, absorbed in their song. Now I sleep! I can
sense my body and its needs better – if I am tired I rest instead
of pushing on endlessly. That feeling of intense urgency is going,
I am more patient.”
Self-worth:
“Despite all the turmoil around me I feel calm
now – otherwise I would be completely swept away by the
circumstances” (concerning a legal battle). “I was always in the
victim role, ‘Help me!’ I am starting to feel autonomous. I have
less need to call out for help. I can simply accept the things
that happen without getting in a panic. I was always on the
lookout for ways to be accepted, always looking to be loved,
to be included, looking for a sort of family to make me feel at
home, but now I am finding that in myself. I have less need
to be hugged and caressed, and less need to please people all
the time. It is much easier with my friends and with my partner
now. In the past I was shy, despite my extravert appearance,
always afraid that I might say something to displease someone,
feeling that everything was my fault if something went wrong,
but I am starting to speak up. This is the first time that I feel
a real peace inside myself. Before, peace was just a nice word
that you read in books.”