Homeopathy I - Lycopodium:

Question 1

Lycopodium Names

Answer 1

Names: Lycopodium clavatum, Stag’s horn club moss.
The impotent manager

Question 2

Background

Answer 2

Slow-growing creepers.
* Likes moist habitats.
* Weakness structurally, but an enormous ‘tenacity for survival’.
* Hard capsule of spores has an inner weakness, consider the Doctrine of Signatures.
(Doctrine of signatures = when physical characteristics of plants reflect their therapeutic value.)

Question 3

Mental picture:

Answer 3

• Very intelligent, knows how things work. But holds back due to extreme lack of confidence.
• Does not take risks, cautious, aversion to trying new things / taking on responsibility.
• Anxious about speaking in public but are often good at it.
• Compensatory haughtiness and can be rather dictatorial and tyrannical, especially at home.
• Spouts meaningless views and ideas, pompous —‘full of hot air’. Physically also tends to be full of hot air —flatulence / bloating.

Question 4

General picture:

Answer 4

• Often have large heads and protruding bellies.
• Physically tend to be smaller in stature.
• Children are thin-limbed with protruding belly.
• Dislike exertion, physical activity.
• Prefer mental stimulation.
• Men are prone to male pattern baldness.
• Complaints tend to be right-sided or move from right to left.
• > warm drinks, sweets, motion, open air; < 4–8 pm.

Question 5

Indications

Answer 5

(If they fit the symptom picture):
* A common constitutional childhood remedy: colic, constipation, cough.
* Abdominal bloating after eating.
* Easy satiety (difficulty breastfeeding).
* Weak digestion, clients will often report a history of digestive issues.
* Digestion is easily affected by emotions i.e., what someone is feeling emotionally will be expressed physically as digestive symptoms e.g., bloating, constipation, abdominal discomfort.
* Nightmares, waking with anxiety.

Question 6

Colic

Answer 6

Example of administration, acute prescribing:
If food related, lycopodium 30C repeated 3 x daily until symptoms subside.

Question 7

Case study:

Answer 7

• 4-month-old baby girl, who suffered from severe colic and had difficulty falling asleep. Her abdomen was very swollen with lots of flatulence and bowel motions only every second day. She was very small for her age and had difficulty breastfeeding.
• Prescribed lycopodium 30C given 3 x daily, and in two days the baby passed a large bowel motion and since then has had no more bloating, empties bowels once daily and feeds better.