English: Sodium.
Natrium metallicum cannot be potentised yet in a normal way. It immediately reacts with both water and sugar as soon as it comes into contact with them.
Most of what we know about
Natrium has been focused on the aspect of denial and depression. But since there are always two sides to a coin there has to be another side to this remedy. So what is it? The first thing that comes to mind is ‘optimism’, but this proved to be too simple. We have to look deeper, and see what is behind the general term ‘depression’. Then we find that this is really based on a denial of relationships. The term ‘feeling alone’ also indicates that this is probably the core of the problem. And it is further confirmed by the central role that relationships play in this whole series. Which leads us to the other side of the coin in
Natrium, i.e. ‘desperately searching for a relationship’. And this aspect fits with our observations in practice.
Theoretically we would also expect
Natrium to have something to do with the theme ‘father’, as
Chlorum, at the other end of the series, is known to be strongly related to motherhood. Although the theme of fatherhood has not been confirmed in
Natrium (yet), we could imagine it to be there, judging from symptoms like ‘impulsive’ and ‘starting a relationship on an impulse and immediately withdrawing again’.
SignatureThe name sodium is derived from soda, an age-old and well known cleaning agent.
The chemical formula of soda is NaHCO3, or Sodium bicarbonate. The Greek called it ‘nitron’ and the Arabs called it ‘natron’.
Natrium itself was discovered in 1807. The metal is usually stored in petroleum because it oxidises too quickly when it is exposed to air. When it comes into contact with water it oxidises even more quickly, the resulting oxygen bubbles keeping it afloat.