By Charles Wansbrough
In a recent interview with Massimo Mangialavori , he makes the point that the clinical experience of a cured case is always more important that the proving as a primary source of information. Clinical confirmation of a proving acts as a mediator for clarity, since a dramatic change in a patient will tend to confirm and highlight those symptoms that made that change possible and act as the best source of information. Today the acceleration in the development of homeopathy with the introduction of new provings necessitates an increasing subtlety on the part of the homeopathic prescriber to glean with clarity the differences and similarities between different remedies. Nevertheless, the speculation on new and very recent provings tends to fall into the category of supposition until a number of prescribers either clearly understand the remedy or feel inspired to expand their horizons.
Two provings were done on this remedy; the first, ‘a meditative proving’, carried out in August 1993 and published a few years later in Prometheus No 6, was not generally well received by Classical homeopaths, as it was deemed far too speculative and imprecise to give substance to any prescription. The second proving of this tree can be downloaded from Misha Norland’s proving website which publishes recent provings done by his school.(http://www.homeopathyschool.com). This proving was carried out in November 1998 by Penny Stirling and members of her homœopathic study group. She points out in her discussion on the website that in folklore ‘to "wear the willow" once meant to grieve. It was a custom for rejected lovers to wear willow in their hats to attract new love to themselves and to protect them from jealous thoughts about their lost love.’
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Patient Female. Greek. DOB: 15/7/48
1st Appointment: 4/11/99
‘I have many problems. I have got an ulcer and a problem with my bowels which gets worse when I get stressed. I have to take tablets all the time. Sometimes I get panic attacks and feel a pain around my chest. And I have hot flushes for the past 8 years now.’
‘My stomach ulcer has been around for over a year, anything I eat causes burning, after eating and sometimes before. It takes place about half an hour after a meal. I sometimes feel sick and bloated after eating as well.’
‘A lot of food hurts me. I can’t remember now. Sometimes bread, sometimes even lamp chops, green peppers, red peppers, anything like that. Tomatoes. Sometimes I eat them and I am all right.’
‘It usually occurs when I am stressed, I do a stressful job and I have no time to relax. The stress causes me to be constipated and I have to take laxatives quite often for this problem. If I do not go, I feel sick and bloated and so I take laxatives most evenings.’
‘Why do you feel so stressed?’
‘I am a dress maker. So I am sitting down all the time in the chair. I have to work hard. My life is stressful because I lost my family. My brothers and sisters, they all died of cancer. I have two brothers and a sister. One died 30 years ago, the other died 7 or 8 years ago. And my sister died 3 years ago.
I was very close to them (crying).’
‘The older one was living in Greece, the other had a family here and my sister was in Germany. Within 6 months I lost my mum and my sister.’
‘My father died when I was 4 years old. He died of cancer. My grandmother died of cancer. My older brother died of brain haemorrhage. The brother living here died of throat cancer. My sister had a tumour in the brain. My mother died of cancer. I am now the only member of my family left alive.
I am often in a tearful state about my family and feel bereft.’
(Her friend who had accompanied her commented: ‘when she gets very upset over her family she moans "why have I been left alone? Why am I the only person left here?"’)
‘Do you feel somehow abandoned?’
‘I feel angry that they have been taken away, I feel it is not fair. I get very bitter over the fact that they have been taken away, they were all quite young and yet I am the youngest one and I feel why me?’ Why should it happen to me?’
‘You see my father died when I was four years old and my mother had 4 children and we had to survive in Greece without any government help. No house, nothing. It was very hard. That is why we became close. Then you work all your life to make something and in the end of the day there is nothing there…’
‘When I was four my life completely changed. I had to go to another house to survive because my mum had to start work and then go to other people’s houses because I have to stay there because my mum has to work. So I grew up in different people’s houses because my mum has to work.’
‘So other people took care of you?’
‘Yes. When I went home I used to say to my mum "Don’t go to work, stay at home" but we had to eat.
My mother was a very warm woman. She was a very good mother. My mum lived with me all her years until she died. I looked after her when she was old until she died. We were a very close family and always looked after each other.’
‘Does your job create much stress?’
‘My job is always worries. Problems, financial problems. Me and my husband do the work together and there is a lot of pressure to produce work. The clothes business is notorious for going up and down
and sometimes there is no work’.
‘Are you a perfectionist? Are you quite precise in the way you do things?’
Her friend commented: ‘She is. Yes she wants the garment to be completely perfect before she can pass it. She insists on that all the time.’
‘Yes, and my husband is the opposite. That is where we clash in work. I want something to be done properly and he rushes things. If I start to fix something I can’t leave it until it is perfect. I have very high standards and try to have everything perfect though at times I am so tired that it slips, you see I have to get up at 4 o’clock in the morning sometimes’
‘Do you worry about things?’
‘I have been a worrier since a young child. My mum she was like that. When my brother went to Canada she used to wake us up and say we have no letters, we have nothing – we don’t know what is going on. I would say mum what can we do, he is not here, he is far away. Mum would make us worry about things.’
‘So little things constantly worry you?’
‘Everything, everything. For example, they phoned me from the university the other day and my son was not in the class. As soon as I put the phone down I felt something here (pointing to the chest) and I couldn’t breathe. A panic attack and had to lie down and slowly start to take a deep breath. When I get like that I can’t breathe. I lose my voice and get palpitations and feel panic.’
‘Did you think that something bad might have happened to him?’
‘No, not something bad. He can look after himself’.
Her friend interjected: ‘She wants him to be absolutely perfect, the way she is. In other words, she is working hard to give him the best qualifications and everything else. In return he is a boy and he doesn’t please his mother and she becomes very upset.’
‘You tend to be someone who takes on enormous responsibility?’
‘I have two men in my house. They are lazy and don’t work. I do the ironing, I fix the house, I fix anything that is broken in the house. Like my mother trying to survive in this situation.’
‘After my sister died it doesn’t bother me to go out anymore. I like to be home and have a rest in my house. I don’t like to go to people’s houses. I have no energy to go out. My husband has told me many times to go out but I don’t want to.’
‘How is your sleep?’
‘Very bad, I keep waking. Last night I don’t know when I got to sleep. I keep waking and turning.
Always turning and changing place.’
Do your feet get hot in bed?
‘Just when I get hot flushes’.
‘Do you ever dream or have nightmares or have any ones that recur?’
‘I dream a lot. Before my sister died I saw my mum three times in the same dream. She was dying and sort of moving. I saw this dream three times. And then my sister died.’
‘So you sometimes have clairvoyant dreams then?’
‘No, not all that much. But I believe all my bad dreams come true. For example, I saw once my husband he got his driving licence taken away. He said the next morning that he had to go some machinist to pick up some work and I said don’t go today because you are going to have some trouble. He said it’s only round the corner. I said don’t go today, please. And he went out and he came back 2 hours later with the police because they caught him without a licence. I have also seen my sister in my dreams, I have seen my brothers – I have seen everyone.’
‘And do you perspire a lot in bed?’
‘I can sweat any time night or day. I can have hot flushes, not a lot, but mainly on my face which goes all red. I also feel the cold and prefer the sunshine and get depressed in cloudy grey weather.’
‘And do you ever get arthritic pains?’
‘Everywhere but especially in the neck. My hands are also affected, if I do any pressing and I pick up stitches by hand (I have to take them up one by one) then they get numb. The worst one is the left hand.’
‘What would you say your main fears are?’
‘I want my son to be healthy. I don’t want him to be sick. I want my husband to be healthy. I can’t bear to see anyone else die. I don’t like heights. I don’t like aeroplanes.’
‘What would you liked to have been if circumstances had been different?’
‘I would have liked to have been a scientist. In the morning when I go out it is clear and I see the stars. And I say this is my star. Because the stars are very bright in the morning. And when I am driving I watch the stars. I am fascinated with these sorts of things. On the telly when they talk about the planets and everything always I watch it because I like this.’
‘When did you start work?’
‘When I left Greece I went to Germany to live with my sister. I found a job there and stayed there for 3 years. I was 18.I found it easy to adapt but I found it hard when I got the job and people told me off because I was embarrassed to answer back. I cried all the time. I am not a rude person. I like to please people.’
Her friend interjected: ‘She is very strong willed but also very sensitive to the needs of others.’
‘So if someone attacks you or criticises do you feel deeply hurt?’
‘I end up in tears and never answer back, I rarely lose my temper , I don’t say anything to upset people. If something bad happens to me I feel about it, I go to bed with it and I wake up with this and I say why is this happening? It takes me a long time for it to go away from my head. It is always there. I say why, why, why me?’
‘And do you like being alone?’
‘Sometimes I like to be. When I come home I want to be alone. After that it doesn’t matter. We often have people dropping in, we have guests coming to stay. My nephew and his wife come and stay. I always have visitors.’
‘Are you better when you are moving around and generally busy?’
‘Yes. I hate that job. I have never like sitting down jobs. When I was younger I would never sit down in a chair. I would walk everywhere in Greece.’
‘When I come home I feel more tired. But at the weekend I have energy to do my housework.’
‘Do you like dancing?’
‘I like dancing but I don’t go now. There is no feeling for dancing now though I used to dance quite a lot before.’
Salix fragilis 30c BD for 3 days
2nd Appointment – 22/12/99
‘Did anything happen after the remedy?’
‘I noticed that I feel much much better’.
‘In what way did you feel better?’
‘I used to have this pain here in my chest and it is gone. I don’t have this pain anymore.’
‘Have you felt slightly lighter, less burdened?’
‘Yes, my anxiety about everything has considerably reduced. I would say I am about 80 percent better.’
‘What about your stomach, your digestion?’
‘I don’t have any problem with my stomach now and I am not constipated though I am taking fibre, psyllium husks daily.’
‘So after the remedy you noticed you were not so anxious or emotionally tense?’
‘Yes, I do not feel so much pressure or worry at work anymore. I feel much happier now and far stronger as though I can cope with everything now.’
‘Sometimes I get annoyed. My son came home last week and he went out. He doesn’t phone me. I don’t have this anxiety in my chest that I used to have but I was worried sick because he left at night and he called me the night of the next day. And I was really upset because I don’t know what has happened. But I don’t have this anxiety in my chest anymore.’
‘What about the arthritic pains in the neck?’
‘That is still there but has reduced about 40 percent.’
Her husband was with her at the second appointment.
‘Have you noticed the change in your wife?’
‘I have noticed an enormous change in her. Because before you used to talk to her and she would start crying. She would say this is not black it is white. It would have to be her own way. But now you can argue with her. She use to worry about everybody else’s problems before, now she has become much calm and more mellow’.
‘What about your sleep?’
‘It is still not good but I have more energy since the remedy so it is not so important. And I am still getting some hot flushes.’
Rx: Salix fragilis 200c BD for 3 days
ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION
The case was interesting because one can see aspects of a number of different polychrests. One felt an enormous burden of grief and despair in the patient, having lost most of her family through cancer and one would consider Carcinosin as an obvious remedy in view of her suppressed and sensitive nature, her pleasure in dancing and her fastidious need to keep everything tidy and pleasant. One could also consider Sepia, with those elements of exhaustion and profound despair together with her irritability towards her husband and son and her amelioration from being busy. Aurum might also be a potentially good prescription, with the ongoing despair, the need to shine and show her best side and her obsessive need to be perfect and produce high quality clothes which always left the factory with no blemishes. Natrum muriaticum was another obvious choice with the amount of grief she has sustained over the years, though she was not particularly closed as an individual.
Each of the above remedies was tried with the bioliminal technology and each remedy failed to produce any clarity. Having spent nearly over two hours with patient, we decided to try Salix Fragilis, a remedy associated with grief but one which we had never used before. To our surprise the patient’s photograph went virtually clear when holding this remedy and so we decided to try it with our patient.
What remains interesting was the depth to which the remedy acted. At the follow-up appointment it was evident that there had been a dramatic improvement in our patient’s well being and the terrible burden of grief and bitterness which she been carrying for years had been completely lifted off her. Although new remedies are difficult to prescribe with any confidence, there is no doubt that in this case the bioliminal technology was of inestimable value and quite clearly demonstrated that all the normal polychrests may not have acted with such a profound efficacy as Salix fragilis (though I suspect the patient may need Carcinosin at a later stage). The aspect that needed most repair was that profound feelings of grief and ‘unfairness’, with the pains and constrictions around the chest area though it did seem also to have some effect on her arthritis in general.
Below is a summary of the meditative proving of Salix fragilis, which I honestly think captures the essence of this remedy rather elegantly. It encapsulates with surprising clarity the main points that can be found in the above case.
3rd Appointment – 12/2/00
The patient came for the first time alone to this appointment (previously she had come with a close friend and then her husband). The reason for this is that she wanted to talk about some things which she had not been able to disclose with others present. She asked that we not video her during this
appointment. It emerged that the troubles with her son were far more extensive than she had intimated before. He is taking drugs and had spent all his grant money on drugs. This had distressed the patient very much. She and her husband have given him one more chance – his last chance – to get his life in order. Last month she found herself not able to breathe properly because of her anxiety about her son. The distress around her son is also tied up with another issue. She adopted her son because she was unable to have her own children. She said that she would be happy if not for her problems with her son. She grieves that because her family are all dead she has no-one to talk to about her problems. She feels she cannot talk to her husband.
Aside from these problems, the patient has lost a stone in weight over the past 2 months. She has had no more problems with her stomach or bowels and just a few twitches of pain in her neck. Most of her physical symptoms have now disappeared Sleep is good unless she feels upset over her son. She says that her sex drive is almost non-existent because she is just too tired.
She had 2 dreams which she recalled.
The first was about her deceased older brother who says: "Where is Maria?" and then she goes to cuddle him but he then says to her "no, don’t cuddle me."
In the second dream her deceased sister was in the dream and she said that she had been given the sack.
Analysis:
It was clear to us that the Salix fragilis had done its job, it had removed most of the original physical symptomatology she first arrived with. Although the patient was still feeling distressed about issues in her life and feeling to a certain extent abandoned by her deceased brothers and sister, she was not in the same state as we found her at the first consultation when she was literally bowed down by all the grief. We still found her lighter in herself. There was a sense of co-dependency in our patient – an unwillingness to let go of her relatives which could be interpreted from the recent dreams she had. The grief she exhibited was more mechanical we felt – as if she were in a pattern of suffering that she was constantly stimulating. We felt that she needed a remedy to help her to separate herself and to define herself as an individual entity and to stop her focussing her energies on the other.
At this point we considered testing her with Carcinosin even though this remedy had produced a very
poor quality photograph at the first session. The nature of Cancer is that the cells start to replicate
rapidly and to lose their definition as to their identity and purpose, thus producing a tumour. In some ways this mirrors the state of co-dependency where the person has no clear boundary between themselves and the other and they are unable to live as a separate entity. We used Carcinosin with good results in another case of ours where a woman had a severely co-dependent relationship with her own father. After the remedy she started to perceive herself as somewhat separate from his needs and wants and she began to define herself more clearly.
We tested our patient with Carcinosin and the photograph was crystal clear thus validating our hypothesis.
Rx: Carcinosin 200 BD for 3 days
The case continues, but the state of Salix fragilis with its own unique flavour had clearly acted and shifted the patient to another state of greater clarity and insights into her condition.
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Summary of meditative proving of Salix fragilis (CRACK WILLOW)2
CHEST
Physically uncomfortable and a bit breathless. Squashed in the chest area. I feel weary and tired of this constriction in my chest. I had a feeling of air hunger and difficulty breathing
HEART
A big heart remedy. There is a lot of angina, constriction of heart, constrictions in the throat with inability to express emotions - suppression leading to heart problems. This remedy has great ability to release the grief within your heart. When this is clear you will see more clearly. It is indeed a heart remedy with oedema, cardiac asthma, scoliosis, rickets and arthritis. Major heart remedy link with Aurum. All types of heart problems and fluttering of the heart, fibrillation, from broken heart. Agony of shoulders. Carrying the world on your shoulders. A major heart remedy. One for angina, constriction of heart, constriction of arteries. Great deal of pain associated with the heart. A major remedy for all heart problems. Where the lungs are involved it is directly due to the heart failing and not a lung problem as such. Anxiety affecting the heart area.
SPINE
For people who have cervical, dorsal and spine problems where there is fusion of vertebrae.
A twisting that can manifest physically in the spine and particularly the joints of the hands and also images of a bent old lady and man. Ankylosing Spondilitis when it bends the spine. A feeling of carrying a burden on the right shoulder and twisting to the left and bowing to the weight of it.
MENTALS
This tree grows by water but not like Oak which grows as straight as it can reaching upward and downward into the earth. This is a tree which spreads back towards the earth and its roots spread sidewards as well as downwards, always seeking water. Its new growth wants to seek the light the whole time so it goes upwards but the older it grows the less hopeful of light it becomes so it bends back towards the earth.
The strength of Willow is not like the strength of Oak. It twists, spreads easily and falls and fails. It does not get sustenance. There is lots of pain. It has a stifling quality about it. A sort of maliciousness, its roots spreading out to trip you up but they do not mean to do it. ‘I do not get it but I do not want you to get it either'. Great greyness. As if they are turned inwards, They do not find inside what it is they are seeking. Bitterness in the mouth. It grows near water and yet it is dry and brittle.
There is something about this remedy that is very refined. It is very gentle almost ethereal. It is for people who are very sensitive to the point where they find it difficult to live in this world. It brings consciousness of spirit into the body. The nervous system is very sensitive. People who can not take a great deal of pressure or who find the pressure intolerable. Those who have had nervous breakdowns as a result. It is for those who feel and who feel very intensely. It is part of the sensitivity of feeling types of people. Those who are able to feel love intensely and to transfer love. Compassion and consideration for others. Remedy for healers.
It is a remedy for people who are bowed down by pressures, pressures of their upbringing that makes them cowed from its damaging effects. This crushing of their spirits leads them to an empty selfishness, which means nothing exists beyond their own condition. It will help dissolve barriers of grief created by us and will help you to take the next step you thought you could not take and lift you up and out of despair. They suffer from tremendous hopelessness, anguish and dread of failure at times. Failure because the ego is not being fed and there does not seem to be anything to replace that. There is a sense of being stifled and grey and bowed down by pressures. It is also for people who have had too much mental strain, who have come to the end of their tether. They feel they can not take it any more. They feel they may snap. A major grief remedy alongside Natrum Muriaticum and Ignatia but there is also some aspects of Aurum in it. Though at the same time they can be very strong, determined and very calculating.
It has an external rigidity and an internal submissiveness. There is a connection between Natrum Muriaticum and Kali Carbonicum. And with the elements of stiffness and rigidity of the external, eg arthritis, inside the bowed spirit, the submissive spirit, though putting on a brave face like Natrum Muriaticum, inability to cry.
There is a feeling of a lack of confidence, keeping the lips closed and not letting things out. Blocking that centre of connection and yet all the time feeling it deeply within and turning it over and over in the mind until it creates a sore in the spirit. Fearful of being overcome by emotion so they are very busy and industrious in order not look inside. Circulation is poor. Often blueness around the mouth. There is a crumpled up sensation. There can be bitterness which will twist and turn them inward with deep resentment and a sense of nobody caring.
It is almost like it could be a sedative, very calming. Closely related to Ignatia and Natrum Muriaticum.
It is a good remedy for cancer because of its burdened and closed down state and is an excellent remedy for cancer but really before it enters the material realm. Once it enters the material realm you need to look for other remedies. If there is cancer in the aura or any of the chakras are closing down then give it together with Carcinosin.
Statements from some of the provers from Penny Stirling’s homeopathic group’s proving of Salix fragilis that were relevant to our cas.
I go to my writing group and read a short piece I have written. When I have finished, everyone falls silent. I realize the piece is very 'dark' - full of death and destruction. It seems to be the influence of the remedy upon me; feels like there is a shadow cast over.
Feeling depressed, restricted, stuck. Want change, focus.
Feelings of despair continued. Desperate need to get things
clarified with partner as to future plans and goals. Feeling trapped and burdened.
Partner appeared to be shutting off which made me feel more hopeless and desperate.
Continued to bring issues up instead of letting it be after one attempt, which
I would normally do. Desire to just go to bed and forget it all.
Feeling uptight and stressed because of amount of work I have got to do. I feel flooded with too much to do and I am having difficulty coping. I am really irritated with other people and want them to leave me alone. I feel that I have to escape and go for a run. I want time off to go on holiday.
Frustrated don't have enough money each month
yet working so hard. It's not fair!
Depressed and tearful all day. I have a mountain of things to do and too many things to focus on. Life is too complicated to pull all the pieces together. I just want to escape. No enthusiasm for anything. Don't want to go out in evening when my boyfriend comes round, not even to cinema. Weeping but only temporarily better for it. Depression soon returns.
There is the same sort of meaningless tension that I am feeling physically afflicting my soul which I can feel seated near my lungs.
I had stabbing pains in my ribs and lungs again, 'catching' when I breathed.
Heart palpitations.
Muscles on back of neck very tense.
Pain on top of left shoulder. Extends up into neck. Just left side.
The muscles in my neck and upper back were much more tense than usual. It was as if they were all knotted up. The muscles felt like they had put themselves into one solid mass. They had never been that bad before.
Very tired after work. Shoulder muscles aching.
Throbbing pain in left wrist to thumb (1 hour later in right as well). Left arm, especially elbow stiff.
Pain in the last section of each finger. A little tingly, a little numb but also painful.
Stiffness and aching pain in joints especially the elbows and wrists.
Hot flushes especially in the night. Very chilly one moment then hot all over, especially face, better for fresh air.
Feeling pressed down by a great force.
SUMMARY
It takes many years of clinical use before the narratives of new remedies are fully understood and for them to take their proper place in our material medica. I hope this particular case will at least demonstrate the advantages of using the bioliminal technology as a research tool to add some clinical insights to the plethora of new remedies now being proved worldwide. In the above case, some of the other remedies may have partially acted so obscuring the profound grief and burden that Salix Fragilis seems to carry as part of its signature. The two provings, with their different emphases on aspects of the personality, can be consolidated into a finer picture from the clinical knowledge obtained from this one clear case. I leave this on the web as a possible road map for the further use of this remedy.
References: 1 The Homoeopath Autumn 1999 No 75
2 Prometheus Unbound No 6