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Positive qualities: Healing warmth and receptivity, especially
in the use of the spoken word and in dialogue with others.
Patterns of imbalance: Using cutting or sharp words, argumentative,
lack of receptivity in communication with others.
The Calendula flower imparts a warm, golden light of healing for
those souls who must learn to use "the Word" as a truly
creative spiritual force. The Word (or Logos) is the source of all
creation, ever renewing itself through the womb of Nature. Thus
Calendula is also known as "Mary's Gold;" for the golden
sun-radiance of the Word must be birthed through the receptive feminine
matrix. In every human communication there is always this masculine
and feminine polarity, of that which is spoken and that which is
heard, or received. Calendula flower essence helps those whose innate
creative potential to use the spoken word often deteriorates into
argument and misunderstanding. It is especially indicated for personal
relationship work, and for all healing and teaching work when the
art of communication must be intensively developed as a soul force.
Calendula gives great forces of warmth and benign compassion to
the human soul, especially helping to balance the active and receptive
modes of communication. Flower Essence Repertory, Part III. Flower
Essence Qualities and Portraits - Patricia Kaminski and Richard
Katz.
Such are the expressive qualities of one of our most well known
homeopathic remedies, and maybe they are suggestive of how powerful
and deep acting this remedy could be. There is creativity, birth,
language, receptivity, communication, spiritual forces and benign
compassion - all contained within the healing properties of this
remedy.
Calendula was first used as a deobstruent - to relieve the obstruction,
to unblock, to let the free passage of expression flow forth - not
just of speech but for the birthing of all ideas. As Homeopaths
we all know what can happen when these acts of creativity are suppressed
or thwarted, when our natural inclinations are deviated into dis-ease.
It becomes the first instance of pathology.
My interest in Calendula is many fold - apart from the wide and
varied physical applications it is the lack of real depth in the
mental and emotional symptoms which are presented in the Materia
Medicas; the link this remedy has with Cancer and the fact that
it has only been partially proved, which really stir my imaginations.
There are many reasons why substances have been chosen for provings
and much has to do with how that substance has been used historically.
Plenty of scope here for Calendula then.
The ancients considered Calendula to be a deobstruent remedy, exerting
a great influence on the circulation and strengthening the heart.
It has long been used an an antiseptic, stimulant and diaphoretic.
Dioscorides recommended it for Cancer, and Fuchsius prescribed the
juice for toothache. Gerarde described its virtues for inflammations
of the eyes. According to Westring Calendula was formerly in much
request as a medicine and was used more especially in carcinoma
and scirrhus with great effect in the third stage particularly in
diminishing the pain and rendering the pus less corroding. It was
also used in chlorosis, hysteria, epilepsy, jaundice and some kinds
of dropsy. Many found it of great efficacy as a lotion to fresh
wounds, inducing union by the first intention. Zorn considered it
of great service in throwing out the eruption of measles and small-pox,
and as an application to stop the bleeding of haemorrhoids. It was
a favourite of Boerhaave who employed it in uterine diseases and
also diseases of the kidney and liver. Also used for obstinate vomiting,
cardialgia, diseases of the glands, compound fractures, amputations,
suppurating abscesses, and violent pains of the uterus.
In its more 'modern' usage it has been efficient in gangrene, fractures,
sprains, herpetic eruptions, eczema, nasal catarrh, blisters on
tongue, syphilitic ozaena, gonorrhea, non-specific urethritis, uterine
subinvolution, engorgement of uterine walls, uterine hypertrophy,
suppressed menses, menorrhagia, chronic cervicitis, warts on the
cervix, swelling of the breasts without pain, gout of the spine,
spina bifida, one sided paralysis, coma, concussion, swollen glands,
toothache, haemorrhages, septicemia, injuries to the eyes, diplopia,
insect stings (antidote to Apis), open wounds, burns and life threatening
injuries involving the skin, tendons, cellular tissues and muscles
- healing without leaving any scars. "Calendula is the greatest
non-poisonous germicide, antiseptic, reliever of pain and healer
of wounds that has ever been brought into use". Dr. W. M.
Gregory in Eclectic Medical Journal.
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