Did you have a chance to think on the essence of Chamomile? This is the plant from my little flowerbed. Before reading any further, have another look. What can you see? Then I will tell you what you can’t see — and what I see!
What you might see is a very pretty plant in amongst the rocks. Kind of sweet and innocent…a plant you might want to caress and say a few kind words to in its leafy presence.
What I see are feathery leaves, dainty yellow faces in a frill of white petals, rocks, and dirt. What you can’t see? The ‘multitudes’ of crops of plants! Step six inches away from this pretty little contained patch of Chamomile and you witness the remarkable fertility of nature…from a few seeds to hundreds of plants…. everywhere and anywhere! Seeds cast by the wind to where you would never dream a seed could land and grow. Tenacious little plantlings who need little to thrive and are overwhelming in their numbers.
When I crush the leaves and flowers as I yank yet another fuzzy, green errant plant, they are soft and have a soothing smell. But the irritation grows as I pull each little teeny tiny plant, one after another, from between the teeniest, tiniest pebbles of my grass-free ‘lawn.’
Really? How could so many plants grow in so many weird places? So persistent, so demanding in the space they occupy.
“I am Chamomile…hear me roar. I will exist, I will thrive, and I will take over whatever you consider your well-kept, well-controlled space. You cannot ignore me. Whether you crush me, pull me, or step on me, you will know that I am here! You will have to deal with me. I will grow calmly and peacefully. I. Will. Grow.”
Well, Chamomile… I will continue to yank and pull you out from the places you do not belong, and on good days, I will be fine. Other days? I will be in awe at your will to survive in spite of my attempts to remove you. And on ‘bad’ days? I will be angry and annoyed that you have found your way into my oasis of peace and calm. The sun is hot, my back hurts, there’s dirt under my nails, and you just keep doing what you do…ignoring my need for calm and peace. How you demand my attention! You are a PAIN!
We Are Family
In some ways, this is the ‘story’ of Chamomile and the other members of this plant family, Compositae or Asteraceae. Chamomile is sibling to Arnica, the hardy mountain climber, Cina, the worm destroyer, Bellis perennis, the healer of deep wounds, Yarrow of the nosebleed fame, Taraxacum (Dandelion), the lion of weeds, and Echinacea, the great flu preventer.
All the members in this family have themes of injury by burning/punching/scalding/crushing, hurt by insult or shock, and a fear of being touched or approached. This ‘tough’ brood of siblings would far sooner say, “I am OK” when faced with adversity than let you know they are in pain. This family is also quick to take the beatings, to be strong, and to protect others from hurt. (These themes are from the work of Rajan Sankaran. You can find out more in his book, The Other Song.)
Chamomilla, the Unruly
Chamomilla (the homeopathic name for chamomile) is the one sibling in the family that will let you know they are in pain. They are exceedingly sensitive to pain and this is one of the reasons that Chamomilla is so effective for helping babies who have teething pains. Or adults, for that matter. These folks are in so much pain, they demand your attention and demand relief from their pains. But the pain is so intense that all efforts on your behalf to calm, pacify, and relieve may be met with a hit, a punch, or hurtful, cruel, ugly words. Anyone in this kind of pain is literally ‘beside himself or herself.’
When Behavior is a Symptom in Homeopathy
In homeopathy, we put some of the mental/emotional symptoms in what are called rubrics in a Mind Section of the repertory. These are simple statements of particular states of being. Here is a sample of some of the mind rubrics for Chamomilla:
Abusive, insulting.
Abusive, insulting: children insult parents.
Anger, irascibility: throws things away.
ANSWER, ANSWERING, ANSWERS: CIVIL, CANNOT GIVE.
ANSWER, ANSWERING, ANSWERS: SNAPPISHLY.
Beside oneself, being.
CARRIED: DESIRES TO BE: RELIEF, YET IT GIVES NO.
Morose, sulky, cross, fretful, ill-humor, peevish: children, in.
Obstinate, headstrong: children.
QUIETED, CANNOT BE: CARRIED, ONLY BY BEING.
ROCKING: DESIRES TO BE ROCKED.
Sensitive, oversensitive: pain, to.
SENSITIVE, OVERSENSITIVE: WIND, TO THE.
Striking: children, in.
WEEPING, TEARFUL MOOD: CHILDREN, IN: CARRIED AND HELD, WHEN: AMEL.
WEEPING, TEARFUL MOOD: CHILDREN, IN: THINGS: WANTED ARE REFUSED.
Sound like a teething child to you? Yep…that is why Chamomilla is so effective with teething pain.
But now you can start to consider how you could possibly use Chamomilla for an adult, as well. Like a child who is in a Chamomilla state, who is angry and hits and says rude things, this state could also be in an adult. They are in pain, whether emotional, mental or physical. And what a wonder Chamomilla is in supporting the ability of the body to heal…from whatever ailment: teething or ‘taking the beating’ for another or being in an accident where you just want relief from the pain that is causing you to do and say things you would never dream of in a pain-free state.
Chamomilla for Fever and Flu
Consider the flu in which a person might have a fever that makes them angry and strike out, demand to find relief. Their pain, their suffering, their anger is affecting everyone in the house. Then you realize, the anger comes on with the fever. Here is the rubric:
Anger, paroxysms brought on by.
This means that their anger is brought on by bouts of fever.
Dentition, during.
Doctors and medical websites will tell you that fever during teething does not happen. Ha! Just ask any mother or father of a teething baby who is in a Chamomilla state of pain!
SHUDDERING: HEAT, WITH.
Consider this fever symptom…there are only 16 homeopathic remedies that have this symptom. Say you have given your teething baby or your flu-ish teen or adult Belladonna for fever because it seems well indicated, and yet the Belladonna does nothing. Then you notice that along with their fever, they are shuddering. What to do? Remember Chamomilla, especially if they are in so much pain and striking out at you as the caregiver. They want to get better NOW!
Sweet and Unruly
So it is that plants as well as humans can be sweet when well and unruly when sick. And how amazing is it that homeopathy can take the pain of a Chamomilla state and help a baby, child, teen, or adult return to a state of sweetness and calm! Only Chamomilla in a Chamomilla state can heal…what Chamomile can create, it can cure. This is homeopathy.
Yours in health and healing,
Donna
