Author:
Jan Scholten
Book:
Homeopathy and the Elements
Type:
Remedy
Chapter:
4.1
4.1 Kalium
Kali metallicum has not been potentised yet, because, just like Natrium, it reacts immediately with both water and sugar. This rather violent aspect of Kalium, as we shall see below, is not very well known, possibly because so far we have only studied the various Kali salts, not the metal itself.
The themes of Kali are not essentially different from the ones described in ‘Homeopathy and Minerals’, although the optimistic aspect was perhaps a little over-emphasised, while its depressive tendencies are in fact just as strong as in the Natriums. This depressive tendency could be partly explained by the pressures of our present day society, where work and duty are more valued than making personal contact: ’don’t talk, just do’.
Kali was also considered to be a closed remedy. But here we can also discern some different nuances. In the final stages they are definitely closed, but in the beginning stages they only appear closed. The fact that their answers are not very forthcoming is not because they are closed, but because to them things are just the way they are. It is all purely a matter of fact and they are not used to thinking deeply about their thoughts and feelings.
While I was teaching in India I discovered that they consider the central themes of Kali to be ‘the family’, ‘fear of disease’ and ‘alone’. The theme of duty had not been so obvious. But in India the duty towards the family is considered to be the most important duty and is rather taken for granted. Furthermore the themes of ‘fear of disease’ and ‘alone’ have been derived from Kali carbonicum and we now know that they are both very strong Carbonicum symptoms. Similarly the irritability towards the family in Kalium carbonicum can be seen as a form of falling back on the family, where the family element is also a Carbonicum symptom. They have outgrown their family and relations and have started work, but when things go wrong at work they can always fall back on the family. The irritability towards the family is more a secondary symptom, a reaction to the problems they are experiencing while finding a place in the larger community, the village.
Signature
The word Kali is derived from the Arabic ‘kaly’, meaning ash. Another name for Kali is Potassium, from pot-ash, the remains of burned vegetable matter.
This ash contains large amounts of Kalium. It was discovered in 1807.
It is the 7th most common element on earth and it is slightly radioactive. Kali is used in the manufacture of glass that is difficult to melt. In many products that contain Kali its presence is not actually determinant for the properties of the product. For instance, in gunpowder (Kali nitrate) the effect of the substance is largely due to the properties of nitrate rather than Kalium.
It is also a component in artificial fertilisers.
Kali is found mainly inside the cells, whereas Natrium is not.
The presence of these two elements on opposite sides of the cell membrane plays a role in the conduction of nerve impulses.
Concepts
Stage 1 Iron series
Initiative Duty Work Task
Instinctive Spontaneous Craftsman Official
Simple Ability Perfectionism
Stubborn Useful Practical
Not thought through Control Exam
Naive Observed Criticised
Not quite mature Failure Guilt Crime
Destruction Persecuted Tried
Adult
Village
Analysis
Simply doing your work.
Simply doing your duty: a matter of principle.
Fulfilling your task without thinking.
Impulsively carrying out your orders.
Only doing what lies within your duties.
Simply maintaining order.
Impulses lead to failure.
Naively following your own routines: rigid.
Naively carrying out your task.
Alternating between working and not working.
Routinely doing your task without thinking.
Picture of Kali metallicum
Essence: simply doing your work and your duty.
Simply doing your work
Their duty mainly consists of carrying out their task. They are very conscientious and take on their task in a rather naive sort of way. They work hard and are very capable, the builders of society. They are practical and pragmatic and work at a steady pace: not really workaholics, more steady plodders.
Doing your duty without thinking: a matter of principle.
These are people with strong principles. They have fixed rules and they like to stick to them. They are reliable, stable, self assured, serious and responsible: in short, you can depend on them, ‘he is a man of his word’.
Carrying out the task on their own
They are people you shouldn’t interfere with. They take on a certain task and get on with it, they will decide for themselves how to go about it. They prefer to work alone and stoically follow their own routines. They don’t want their family or friends to interfere. They have left the family stage (Silicium) behind and they will turn against them if they are disturbed.
Simply maintaining order: control
In order to be able to live according to their principles they have to keep every single part of their life under control, particularly their emotions. They prefer a routine based existence and dislike new and unexpected events. The artistic and playful side hardly gets a look in. They may appear materialistic, but it is more a down to earth type of pragmatism than plain selfishness.
Naively following routines: rigidity
After a while the principles and the control may start to take over and they are no longer able to reflect on their own actions. All that matters is that the job gets done. They don’t want to discuss their principles with others either, they gradually get more and more closed, dogmatic, moralistic and conservative. And although they are sensitive to criticism, they tend to brush it aside because nobody seems to understand that they simply have to carry out their task.
Impulses lead to failure
Their impulsive optimism can lead to great successes, but it can also lead to failure. They stick to their chosen plan and if this happens to be not very carefully thought through it inevitably leads to failure.
Expressions
Fears: failure, criticism, opposition, observed, anticipation, alone, felt in stomach.
Dreams: futile efforts, paralysis.
Mood: gloomy, tired, apathetic, < exertion and exhaustion.
Aggression: irritable towards their family.
Profession: grocer, civil servant, manager, policeman, judge, clerk, translator, bookkeeper, accountant.
Generals
Build: slightly overweight, robust, stout.
Weather: cold, < cold (2), < damp, < draught (3).
Time: < 3 am. (3)
Desires: sweet.
Aversion: meat, eating.
Food: < eating.
Menses: profuse; frequent or late: < menses.
Sleep: sleepless < 3 am.
Physical: < coitus, < touch, exertion, motion, > sitting bent forward, << tickling (2!).
Complaints
Stitching pains (3), sometimes sharp, drawing.
Discharges profuse, yellow to yellow/green.
Cancer. Weakness, anaemia (3). Paralysis.
Oedema, ankles, eyelids medial upper (3!).
Colds, sinusitis.
Asthma sitting and < lying down.
Pneumonia with stitching pains in pleura.
Heart affections, sudden stoppage, palpitations, high B.P., low B.P., arteriosclerosis, anaemia.
Stomach affections, stomach pains, ulcers. Fear felt in stomach.
Diabetes.
Kidney affections, copious urine.
Profuse, creamy yellow leucorrhoea.
Back pains with sciatica, < pressure, < lying on painful side, < menses.
Hip complaints.
Skin: eczema, pustules.
DD Iron series, Stage 1.
DD Argon: doesn’t have to do anything, has no duties.
DD Natrium: are slightly more closed and depressed, but this in itself is not a distinguishing feature between the two. The essential difference appears to be more related to the problem area in their life: in Kali it is has to do with tasks and work, in Natrium it has to do with relationships.