Nothing is more emblematic of the desert than the cactus and having just moved to the high desert of Northern New Mexico, it seems only fitting to discuss the homeopathic significance of Cactaceae family of plants. Of course, there are many types of cacti, about 1750 species, only a handful of which - some 7 or 8 - are used in homeopathy.
Of these the best known, to homeopaths at least, and mostly commonly prescribed is the Cactus Grandiflorus, the Nightblooming Cereus. Others include Anhalonium lewinii (Peyote), Carnegia giganta (Saguaro), Cereus Bonplandii (Harrisa bonplandi, Queen of the Night), Cereus Serpentinus (Snake Cactus) and Opuntia vulgaris (Prickly Pear, known in Mexico as 'Nopal'). No doubt, contemporary homeopaths have conducted experiments (or provings in homeopathic jargon) on other varieties, but the above-mentioned are included in the standard materia medica.
A relatively simple case of a cactus prescription was for a woman in her mid-70's, we'll call Linda, who I had worked with for nearly twenty years. She had a history of heart issues such as atrial fibrillation and arrhythmias that had responded well to prior treatment. Soft spoken, reserved and quite sensitive to external stimuli, Linda was also a long time 'seeker' engaged in various spiritual and psychological practices.
On this particular occasion several years ago, she contacted us because of chest pains that began a month earlier after a cold. She thought part of the problem was that she was doing too much and was feeling physically quite tired though emotionally in 'an excellent place'. Linda was, at the time, quite involved with a breathwork practice that had created a great sense of openness in her body "My emotions aren't always good for my heart - whether too happy, frustrated or irritable."
Asked to describe what she actually felt in her chest more specifically, Linda said it was a sense of heaviness or pressure, like someone is gripping my heart very hard. Interestingly, she commented that perhaps the problem was that "I've gotten too expanded".
A single dose of Cactus grandiflorus ameliorated the symptoms quite promptly. After a month they were still much better, but Linda felt that her heart was still feeling somewhat erratic. The heaviness would return on strong exertion. At that point, she was given Cactus Grandiflorus on a daily basis in a LM potency. Follow-up over the next year indicated that this ongoing treatment stabilized her heart to the point where she felt quite asymptomatic.
Cactus grandiflorus is useful in angina, arrhythmias, hypertrophy, myocardial infarctions and many other heart pathologies. The key to prescribing it most often is a sense of constriction, which can be quite painful. This is expressed by the well-known keynote symptom: "constriction in the chest as from an iron band" or similarly, "the heart feels clutched and release alternately by a iron hand."
The sense of constriction can be felt in other areas such as the throat, bladder, rectum and vagina. The constriction is associated with irregular circulation, congestion and pulsations. Redness of the face, severe pulsating headaches, and heavy bleeding from various orifices can also be part of the symptomatology.
The well-known Indian homeopath, Rajan Sankaran extrapolates the clutched and release sensation of this remedy as the basic sensation for all the cactus remedies. On one side, there is the sense of being contracted, constricted, shrunken and on the other is the feeling of expansion, released and limitlessness.
This can be felt on a purely physical level, but also, especially in constitutional cases, the patient will describe it their experience of life or the world in these terms. For example, they may describe being trapped, squeezed, oppressed or constrained in relationships, families, jobs, society or any other situation. And, on the other hand, seek out locations, activities and relationships that allow them to feel expanded, unlimited and infinite.
Another aspect of this dynamic that the Israeli homeopath Michal Yakir articulates is that the expansion-constriction dynamic gives rise to a sensitivity toward feeling oppressed or otherwise pressured from the outside. This can make Cactus patients quite obstinate and contrary, rejecting any external influences, be they the demands or even mere suggestions of an authority or parental figure.
In this regard, one can think of Cactus as a remedy not only for the most severe heart pathologies but also for that strong-willed 3 year old who is hell bent on establishing a sense of independence. This is an excellent illustration of the remarkable scope and flexibility of homeopathic medicine!
Julian Jonas, CCH is a homeopath in Santa Fe, New Mexico specializing in the constitutional homeopathic treatment for chronic and acute conditions. He can be reached at the Center or Homeopathy of Northern New Mexico: www.centerforhomeopathy.com, homeopathnm@gmail.com, 505-557-6470.