Naja tripudians Anhang 2
[Rajan Sankaran]
Naja (prepared from the venom of the Indian cobra)
has qualities common to other snake remedies – loquacity, wandering, attractive
talk, malice, venom, jealousy, the feeling
of two wills, etc. Its unique feature however is its feeling of duty
consciousness. In my observation, Naja people have a
certain quality of nobility about them, of morality, of
responsibility. Often this feeling is in conflict with the feeling of
having suffered wrong and neglect, with intense feelings of malice and impulse
to neglect or harm the
offending person. This emotional state is reflected in the following
dream that one of the provers had. The prover, a woman, dreamt that she was staying as a paying
guest
in the house of an old woman. Once, around midnight, the latter asked
the prover to vacate her room immediately, without
giving her any reason or explanation.
In fact she started to pick up the prover’s
belongings and throw them down the stairs, almost pushing her out in the middle
of the night. In doing so, she tumbled down the
flight of stairs and broke her leg. She was shouting for help. The prover was then in a conflict between her duty and responsibility
as a doctor which prompted her to go to
the aid of her landlady, and her impulse to neglect her and make her
suffer for the wrong that she had done to her. She woke up from this dream,
feeling
this “split” in her mind.
The cobra in India is both revered and respected as a God, as well as
feared and killed as a poisonous snake. I have found that Naja
people often threaten to strike, but
don’t do it unless provoked to the extreme. This is rather like the
behaviour of a cobra who raises its hood when approached, but doesn’t do
anything if only passed by without
being disturbed.
Another feature that I have seen in Naja
people is a brooding and suicidal state, a feeling as if everything had been
done wrong and could not be rectified. This could happen
in many situations, where there is a split between the feeling of duty
and the feeling of having suffered wrong. An example of such a situation could
be that of a daughter-in-law and a tyrannical mother-in-law, or even of a woman
whose husband is having an extra marital affair. In both situations the feeling
is often one of being neglected and wronged, with much anger and malice, but at
the same time she may feel dutiful and responsible, and there is a constant
conflict about this. This can eventually lead her into
a depressive state with suicidal thoughts and impulses.
Among the symptoms found repeatedly in the provers
and patients are:
Dreams of snakes, especially
of black snakes, with raised hoods (unaccompanied by fear).
In life, an intense fear of or
fascination with snakes. They often refer to snakes as if talking of humans.
Dreams, of being pursued
Dreams, of flying in order to
escape
Symptoms are often left-sided.
Often chilly and cannot
tolerate cold air or draught.
The feeling of suffocation from tight clothes is similar to Lachesis and to other snake remedies.
The physical appearance of the
face can often be like a cobra hood. The glasses that are worn may sometimes
resemble the spectacle mark of the cobra.
In one or two patients, I have noted a tendency to play with fire.
Also one may find an intense
spiritual orientation in Naja patients.
Clairvoyance.
Often Naja
patients have affections of the heart valves.
Rubrics:
Delusion, troubles, broods
over imaginary
Delusion, injured, is being,
head
Delusion, injured, is being,
surroundings, by his
Delusion, neglected, he is
Delusion, superhuman control,
is under
Delusion, has suffered wrong
Sadness, wrong way, as if
having done everything, in a
Sadness, suicidal disposition,
with
Suicidal disposition, axe,
with an
Will: two wills, feels as if
he had
Will, loss of
Wrong, everything seems
Phatak:
Complaints, brood over
imaginary
[Lectures on Homeopathic Materia Medica - James Tyler Kent]
Many characteristics run through these remedies, each remedy having its
own peculiar sphere. Taken together the family presents a wide range of
curative action.
Mure (Brazil): the snake family presented curative
powers for the healing of the nations.
In the mineral kingdom, man may find his remedy when sick, so in the
vegetable and animal kingdom. It is possible that the product of the serpent
may be everything
needed for the healing of man. Extend this to the whole animal kingdom
and it is probably so.
There seems to be everything existing in one kingdom that exists in
another. The lowest is the mineral, the next the vegetable, and last the animal
kingdom.
If we had a perfect knowledge of any one kingdom, we could probably
cover the entire scope of curative possibilities. But we have only a knowledge
of a few
remedies in each kingdom.
Another idea has been advanced that in any particular region, the
vegetable kingdom provides all that is necessary for curing in that region. If
we were acquainted
with all the vegetable growths, how much we would know in comparison
with what we do know!
It is highly probable that there is a throwing off from the sick human
race of something that is absorbed by the plants, The evils that are thrown off
by man may be
absorbed by the vegetable kingdom. Plants will correspond to men in the
region in which they grow, if there is anything in this.
In 2000 years there might be a necessity for some kind of a check upon
the growth of plants. The absorption of these evils may cause them to vary in
species, and
if they continue to grow and each to absorb the evils from the human
race, they will continue to differ. This favors
evolution and explains it in a sense.
It is important to compare the symptoms of Naja
with those of the other snakes. Disturbed by closeness of the collar, <
after sleep.
There are exhaustion and trembling (muscles). Its direction is somewhat
like Lach., from left to right (ovarian pains/diphtheria/joint
affections go from left to right).
Mmuch sneezing, with running of water from the nose;
inability to lie down at night; dryness of the air passages of the nose, hay
fever. The patient has suffocative
attacks in August.
Chest is in a state of congestion; emptiness of the left side of the
chest; low pulse or intermittent pulse. With all the complaints of the chest
there is inability to lie
on the left side. L. arm numb.
Dyspnoea; if he goes to sleep, he wakes up suffocating, gasping, choking
or he starts. from sleep “As if from a dream”. In most complaints there is
inability to lie
on the left side.
Dry, hacking cough with sweating in the palms of the hands (cardiac
cases are cough with every little exertion). It is not catarrhal state, nor is
it tubercular.
The heart beats slowly and will not be urged to work, and a cough comes
on from exertion. Cactus also has a cardiac cough.
Limbs cold and blue and the head hot. The head symptoms < in a warm
room; the head feels warm, fevered, yet the feet and limbs do not become warm.
Copious sweating of the hands and feet causing the gloves and shoes to
rot out; but the sweat is not offensive.
Sense of fullness and puffiness of the hands and feet, showing a slow
circulation in the veins which we might expect.
We might naturally expect that this patient would be intense and
excitable, which is the case. There is a suicidal tendency.
The headaches are nondescript; of a congestive character all over the
head (occiput). Headaches + quick and nervous pulse.
Profound sleep all around (with stertorous
breathing).
Wakes with a headache every morning (wears off with exertion). The other
complains are < exertion. The mind symptoms < exertion of the mind.
Symptoms in connection with hay fever. The rawness in the throat and
larynx; dreadful aching in the throat ext. to the larynx swallowing does not
relieve.
Lach.: more a lump in the throat/grasping of the
throat with a sense of choking.
Severe attacks of bronchitis. There is rawness between the larynx and
trachea, < after coughing. (cardiac) asthma. The breathing is so bad that he
cannot lie down.
Useful in chronic nervous palpitation (after exertion of any kind).
Chronic nervous palpitation with inability to speak on account of choking.
A continued, dull, aching pain through the back between the shoulders +
cardiac affections.
Sometimes there is little beside this sensation of heat, of aching, to
indicate the remedy; he is so tired in that spot that be wants to lie down or
lean backwards to test
his back.
The palpitation is < lying on the left side, < walking.
This is the most useful of all the remedies we have in a cardiac state
with very, few symptoms. It is true that this region is particularly singled
out to produce its symptoms.
[Amati Holle]
Gift der Brillenschlange Indische Schlange, Familie der Kobra, die ihre Opfer erwürgt. Nervengift macht Taubheit und Lähmung.
Neurotoxine. Cardiotoxine, ausgeprägte Wirkung auf das Herz erklärt, und wirkt hämolytisch. Nag heißt im Sanskrit auch "der Weise". Gesamter *Von Ellen Böning,
Folge von: Vernachlässigung, sozialer Abstieg, zerrüttete Partnerschaft. Verrat aus der nächsten Umgebung *.
GG: Zwiespalt, die Pflicht vernachlässigt zu haben und selbst vernachlässigt zu sein. Pflichterfüllung ohne Hingabe.
Schwanken zwischen Lust und Pflicht.
Können schüchtern erscheinen, wie eine Schlange im Körbchen. Gehemmt, können sich nicht entschließen. Zurückhaltend.
Sie leidet unter den Extremen zwischen Anpassung und Rebellion.
Verweigerung, Dreiecksbeziehungen. Auflösung festgefahrener Normen. (Moral als möglichen Machtmissbrauch entlarven)
Glaubt sich als Opfer der Schlechtigkeit anderer, fühlt sich daher zur Verteidigung, Aggression berechtigt. Misstrauen, Eifersucht (Verfolgungswahn) basiert auf dem
Gefühl, Unrecht schlucken zu müssen. Projektion.* Beschuldigt die anderen dessen, was sie selber gerne täte.
Angst: Pflicht zu versäumen, beschuldigt Familie, Partner dies zu tun. Sex. Verlangen ohne Erektion, denkt alles falsch zu machen, Verfolgungswahn.
Träume von Sexualität ohne Erotik, gerufen werden,
Körperliche Symptome: linksseitige Beschwerden,
Endokarditis, Herzklappenfehler, Angina pectoris mit Ausstrahlung zum Hals und Arm, Zusammenschnürungsgefühle, Herzschmerz, Herzschwäche (Atemnot mit Herzrasen), Herzklopfen mit Beklemmungsgefühl,
Nach Herzinfakt: Schmerz zieht links bis zum Arm, oder Ohr oder Rücken. (Cactus). Retrosternale Schmerz nach Postinfarkt.
Schwankender Blutdruck, Schweiß der Handflächen, Kollaps, erhöhter Puls, Wallungen von oben nach unten,
Kopfschmerz, Eierstockszysten.
< gehend. Gefühl, als ob Gewicht auf dem Herz laste.
Verlangt Wärme. (Lach. nicht).
Enge am Hals unverträglich
<: in Halsenge/feuchtes Wetter/in der Frühe/nachts/l. Seitelage (Herzklopfen).
Naja naja (Cobra) Elapidae
Have such a critical image of themselves
No Anger during the day - often need ot
quarrel, fight, argue in dreams
There is an external enemy who changed him in some way - after his
operation something was changed
Dislikes competition
(Naja and other Elapidae)
feel they are not strong enough to win a declared open competition
So they find other “snakey” ways of winning
More subtle to reach their goal
Often have very demanding parents
Seduction: By striving to be perfect
Betrayal: anyone who criticizes them, anyone who does not recognize them
or appreciate their performance
Usually the people close by (at home, the spouse, at the office)
Aggr on the Weekend
A snake with more neurological effects
(not as much bleeding in Elapidea family)
Left-sided
Night time aggravation, sleep into (often), or faced in the morning
Problems starts in the stomach (often)
Heart; Valve heart problems
Valvular lesions, even advanced cases may
palliate
Loud cardiac murmurs, cardiomegaly, endocarditis
Angina with radiation of pain to the throat, neck, to the left arm and
hand
Sharp stitching pains in heart
Violent palpitations, worse from slight exertion, worse lying on left,
talking
Pulse rapid or markedly slowed (Dig)
Suffocation, Constriction (throat stuff quite well –es)
Constriction of throat, intolerant to collars
Asthma, worse as night, Cardiac asthma
Suffocating feeling as night, wakes up gasping, worse lying on left side
Sinus
Often develop symptoms of PARALYSIS
Stiffness in the NECK
Boy Naja – Case
Dad wanted him to do sports
By time puberty – his love was music
Jazz, sax
Tried to give up sports – dad forced him to stay in it
He did basketball –
He did all things to make miserable at home
When new baby came – would be friends like dad wanted
On father’s day – wouldn’t do anything say anything on father’s day
At very end of day – right before lights out said happy fathers day
Something to get even – like 13-14 y.o.
After treatment – he gave up basketball –
The kid also stopped pulling passive aggressive things to dad
Went on to college in music
Split between feeling dominated and controlled vs. being higher (better
than)
A low and high kind of spilt
Dwelling on imaginary troubles (char of naja)
Even more victimized than other remedies
Things are out of their control because of other people
It’s a snake that has been tamed, It’s under man’s control
Comes out of box and dances for the man
The feeling of being victimized
Eyes are very significant in this snake
Her boyfriend has abandoned her
Says her eyes get stuck
Someone else’s fault
Very reactive to slights *
The boyfriend wanting to watch football game w/buddies – feels horribly
slighted
CC: shove a knife in, cut it out
Emotional detachment
Lack of compassion
Conflict – I have a resp with my daughter –
Yet the impulses to smoke
That kind of conflict inside her
I don’t want to smoke, but I do smoke
I don’t want to talk about the dark side, I want to stay positive
Self-reproach
Knives are strong in Naja
DD.: Naja
• a little like Carc, both state when there is
domination
• can be mom and dad’s puppet
• In Carc feeling if emptiness don’t know who
they are
• When door is open – where am I who will I be
• I’m being suppressed, I do know who I am but can’t express it, if door
is open – will sit inside and complain
• Tell you things they will do to trip mother-in-law up (mother-in-law
is dominating them, mother used to dominate them)
• often in cultures (India) where suppressed
• They would not be that active
• You see the victim
• Can really feel under the thumb of the master
• Feels most oppressed
• I’m so controlled I can’t do anything about it
• The struggle to get out from under control of this person
Key: Manipulation around relationships
Afraid to be open, because then they get the upper hand and use that
against me to manipulate me
Doesn’t want to be hurt again
Not drug: because she’s alert and highly reactive
She can’t stand boyfriend going off w/friends, having fun w/o her
She needs stimulation to stay awake in class
Has to be doing more than one thing at a time
My eyes get stuck and just stare (SRP)
Definitely: animal kingdom
Because all about her in relationships
Lots of anger
Go back and work! Pick a snake
Naja: very like Staph, how dare you treat me that
way, I’m noble that way, how could you treat me that way (Joshi)
Duality of thought
Delusion he has suffered wrong
Delusion of injustice
Has neglected duty
He has been victimized
Someone has been mean to him, has been vindictive, malicious, attacked
from back
I will strike back - with same intensity (Lachesis)
Should I take revenge or not
The split – to take revenge or not take revenge – to remain noble
Constantly still hurt that someone has done this injustice
It’s not: I have all these negative qualities…etc.
But: if I take revenge – I will be the same as this guy who actually
hurt me
CONFLICT only related to REVENGE
HE did this to me – should I get back at him
I have all these bad qualities in me – but I prefer not to show them
(San)
Dream in proving
Conflict between DUTY and MALICE
Woman throws her out in middle of night, but then falls and needs help,
conflict, wants to do her ill, but duty to heal people
[George Vothoulkas]
Dämmerungs- und nachtaktive Schlange, lebt in Erdlöchern (Rubrik: Furcht vor Regen).
Wie alle Schlangen ist auch die Brillenschlange taub.
Naja naja ist keine aggressive Schlange. Man muss sie auffällig lange reizen, bis sie zubeißt, ganz im Gegensatz zum Lachesis muta, der leicht reizbar ist und sich entschieden verteidigt. Dies machen sich die Schlangenbeschwörer zu Nutze, indem diese mit wiegenden Bewegungen versuchen, der Schlange keine Möglichkeit zum Beißen zu geben.
Bekannt sind Fotos von Kobras, auf denen sie, aufgerichtet zur Drohstellung (ca. 1/3 der Körperlänge), den Nacken spreizt, der eine schwarzweiße Brillenzeichnung aufweist. Überhaupt ist die indische Kobra eine Schlange, die recht häufig die aufrechte Haltung bevorzugt (Massimo Mangialavori: „Die meisten Naja-Patienten wollen nicht liegen“). Eine andere Kobra, die bis über 5 Meter lange Königskobra, kann sich über einen Meter hoch aufrichten, um so in dieser Haltung einen Angriff auszuführen.
Während der Paarungszeit leben Kobras paarweise. Die Paarung, die fünf Stunden bis angeblich tagelang dauern kann, erfolgt aufgerichtet. Nach der Ablage von 12 bis 20 Eiern in einen hohlen Baum bewacht das Weibchen das Gelege.
Wie auch Elaps verfügt Naja über zwei starre Giftzähne zur Injektion des Giftes. (Die Röhrenzähne von Lachesis und Crotalus horridus dagegen sind wegklappbar.)
Naja verfügt über ein äußerst stark neurotoxisch wirkendes Gift, dessen Wirkung sich besonders auf den Nervus vagus manifestiert (=> Atemlähmung bei vollem Bewusstsein). Des Weiteren sind Kardiotoxine enthalten (=> mannigfaltige Herzbeschwerden). Die Giftwirkung ist eine der schnellsten und tödlichsten aller bekannten Schlangengifte (P.C. Majumdar M.D. in ’Medical Advance’). Ein Gramm Gift kann angeblich 150 Menschen töten.
Erste Bisszeichen sind eine dunkel purpurne Verfärbung der Bissstelle mit brennenden Schmerzen. Nach einer durchschnittlichen Latenzzeit von einer Stunde kommt es
zu einer schnell verlaufenden allgemeinen Verschlimmerung mit Kontrollverlust über Gliedmaßen, Sprechvermögen und allmählich nachlassender Atmung.
Einige Quellen berichten über ein die ganze Zeit vorhandenes Bewusstsein, andere erwähnen Benommenheit bis Verwirrung mit anschließendem Bewusstseinsverlust.
Die hämolytischen und septischen Wirkungen dagegen sind verhältnismäßig gering ausgeprägt.
Menschen, die Naja benötigen, fühlen sich schnell von ihrem Partner und der Umgebung verletzt, kritisiert, schlecht behandelt und vernachlässigt. In der Kindheit
der Betroffenen waren nicht selten dominierende und autoritäre Eltern prägend.
[Roger Morrison]
Die Wesenszüge sind vollkommen anders als die von Lachesis. Naja hat nicht die Intensität, die Hassgefühle und die Aggressivität von Lachesis, Persönlichkeit ist eher weich wie Pulsatilla.
[Gerhard Ruster]
In mehreren Fällen wurde anfangs Aur-met. anstatt Naja verordnet aufgrund folgender Gemeinsamkeiten: hohes Pflichtbewusstsein, düstere Stimmung, Perspektivlosigkeit.
[Mike Keszler]
Typische Aussagen sind: „Was habe ich alles falsch gemacht?“, „Ich habe alles zerstört“.
[Dragana Blagojevic]
The Symbolism Of Naja Tripudians
– Indian Cobra (In The Light Of Jung, Alchemy, Indian Mythology And Cosmology)
“We fear our serpent,” he said, ”as we also fear the numinosum
– so we run from it…
All we have to give the world and God is ourselves as we are. But this
is the hardest of all tasks.”
(Carl Jung, J.E.T; Page 178.)
Through the famous ancient story “The Churning of the Ocean of Milk”
with Vasuki cobra (Naja) in
the central role, we will recognize the essence of Naja’s
homeopathic remedy, not only through many individual symptoms, but as a
profound process that is symbolically ‘written in the source’ of the Indian
cobra (Naja), revealing its immense healing power
through application of Naja as a homeopathic remedy.
CHAPTER I
The Churning Of The Ocean Of Milk
The Indian cobra is highly valued in Indian mythology and culture. The
Hindu god Shiva is often depicted with a cobra called Vasuki,
coiled around his neck, symbolizing his mastery over “maya”
or the world of illusion. God Shiva is
known as the “destroyer and the transformer” within the Trimurti,
the Hindu trinity that also includes Brahma and Vishnu.
In Hinduism, there is a famous legend “The Churning of the Ocean of
Milk” (also called Samudra Manthan
in Hindi) which explains the origin of “amrita” or the nectar of immortality.
Legend of the Churning of the Ocean of Milk is one of the greatest
stories in the never-ending struggle between the demigods (devas)
and the demons (asuras).
According to the legend, during the great flood, many divine treasures
were lost, including the nectar of immortality. God Vishnu advised demigods to
unite with demons in the churning of the Ocean of Milk in order to recover the
nectar. Churning of the Ocean of Milk was a complex process.
Mount Mandara was torn out from the holy Mount
Meru (Mt Meru – the world
axis, Heaven/ Earth, Macro/Microcosm), to be used as a churning stick.
Vasuki cobra took a crucial part in the
story. Both the gods on one side and devils on the other, tied up cobra to Mt Mandara and used Vasuki as a
churning rope in order to extract the nectar from the ocean of milk. Cobra was
in the center of the struggle.
The demons were pulling its tail while the demigods were pulling cobra’s
head causing the mountain to rotate, which in turn churned the Ocean of Milk.
However, instead of nectar, from the ocean came the poison known as Halahala (Sanskrit: ’Black Mass’ or ’Time puzzle’).
The Ocean of Milk is, according to one interpretation, symbol of the
Milky Way, as one of the brightest galaxies (Greek: galaxias
kyklos – the “milk circle”).
According to other interpretations, the Ocean of Milk symbolizes the
Mind or human consciousness.
Both explanation bring us to the third, which connect previous two: “The
All is Mind – Universe is mental” (Principle of Mentalism,
Kybalion)
Further, Principle of Correspondence teaches: “That which is below is
like that which is above and that which is above is like that which is below to
do the miracles of one only thing” (From Isaac Newton’s translation of the
Emerald Tablet, c. 1680.).
The aphorism metaphorically explains how the Microcosm, or the physical
and spiritual world in which we live, is reflected in the Macrocosm and vice
versa, so various interpretations of the Hindu legend Churning of the Ocean of
Milk are expression of an universal concept which is found across many
religions and spiritual traditions.
“Churning the Mind of Naja“
Naja is known as the most spiritual snake. People
who need Naja as homeopathic remedy are very noble
and gentle with high sense of duty and responsibility. On the other side, they
are feel wronged and neglected by those they have a duty towards. These polarites often create an intense revengeful feeling that
they want to harm the person who hurt them. Translated into homeopathic
rubrics:
Mind, duty, neglected
Mind, neglected, that he is
Mind, wrong, everything seems
High sense of duty and revengeful feeling results in antagonism between
their higher (human) and lower (animal) nature. There are two wills in two
directions (symbolically, like dragging of Vasuki
cobra: “one towards the gods and the other towards the demons“).
Mind, Delusions, superhuman,
control; is under superhuman
Mind, Will, contradiction of
Mind, Will, two, feels as if
he had two wills
Placed in the centre of the moral struggle, causes Naja
to brood over troubles that are more imagined than real which often results in
paralysed and suicidal feeling.
Mind, Brooding, troubles,
imaginary
Mind, Delusions, wrong,
suffered wrong; he has
Mind, Suicidal disposition,
axe, with an (1/1) (Wants to split head in two! – symbol of severe inner
conflict)
As mentioned above, in the Story of the Churning of the Ocean of Milk,
the gods and demons were coiled Vasuki cobra (Naja) around the mountain. They are playing a sort of
tug-of-war with the cobra, as their divine rope by screwing and drawing up her
body. Interestingly, Naja as homeopathic remedy has
very specific sensations:
“Sensation as if heart and
ovary were drawn up together; a sense of contraction or drawing together
between the organs, as if heart was screwed together“ (Hering)
“Neuralgia of left ovary;
seems to be drawn to heart. Organs seem to be drawn together“ (by William Boericke; Homeopathic Materia medica)
The main theme in the homeopathic remedy Naja
is the internal struggle between nobility and vengefulness, between the BRIGHT
and DARK SIDE of PERSONALITY.
If the Ocean of Milk symbolizes the mind or human consciousness, then
Churning of the Ocean may symbolize the deep healing process that happens in
the mind in order to achieve the “nectar of immortality.”
But that process requires opposites which are not in conflict, i.e.
INTEGRATION BOTH POSITIVE (LIGHT side) and NEGATIVE (DARK side) aspects of the
personality (symbolically, from the Hindu story: ‘union of gods and demons’).
G. Jung called that process
the Individuation. According to Jung, the individuation is a path of
accomplishing of the individual wholeness or the realization of the Self. In Jungian
psychology, the Self is an archetype that represents the UNIFIED
unconsciousness and consciousness of an INDIVIDUAL.
“As a totality, the Self is a coincidentia oppositorum or unity of opposites, it is therefore bright
and dark and yet neither”.
(C.G.Jung)
Jung often found inspiration in alchemy. The process of individuation is
similar to the Great Work in Alchemy (Latin: Magnum opus). The Magnum opus
represents the steps of individual and spiritual transmutation in order to
create the Philosopher’s stone or elixir of immortality. The Philosopher’s
stone is an alchemical term that is equivalent to the archetype of the Self.
But there is a long journey to be take. The individuation process can’t
be time limited. According to Jung, the unconscious cannot be completely
assimilated because it’s infinite in its manifestation. (‘Ouroboros
archetype’)
PATH OF THE INDIVIDUATION
(“From Deadly poison to the Elixir of Life” )
By Jung, there are three main steps of the Individuation process which
represent stages of personal development.
Step One: Meeting the Shadow Self (“Night sea journey”)
“How can I be substantial if I do not cast a shadow? I must have a dark
side also if I am to be whole.” (C.G.Jung)
‘Dark side’ or What to heal?
The first part in that universal process of reaching the wholeness is
meeting with our ”poison” or the dark side within. Initially, that could lead
person into depressed, melancholic or deeply restless state, as many negative
emotions and thoughts come to the surface.
Jung called this part of the individuation – the Shadow (“the thing a
person has no wish to be”) or the Night Sea journey. In Jung’s psychology, the
Shadow represents the negative (dark) side of the ego.
Alchemists named this stage – nigredo
(blackness) and in the story of the Churning of the Ocean of Milk it is the Halahal poison (Black mass).
As legend says, Shiva drank the poison to save the World. Goddess Parvati caught hold of Shiva’s neck to avoid the poison
from entering his body and so it remained in his throat making it blue
coloured.
Neither swallowed nor spit out, the poison remained stuck forever in his
throat, neither going up into his mind nor going down into his stomach. But
Shiva managed to purify the poison and liberated the world from a deadly
danger.
(Therefore, Shiva is often depicted with a blue throat and called ‘Nilakanta’).
Naja’s venom mainly contains a powerful
post synaptic neurotoxin and cardiotoxin which acts
on the synaptic gaps of the nerves, paralyzing muscles, and in severe bites
leading to respiratory failure or cardiac arrest. One of the main symptoms of Naja is sensation of swelling or choking in the throat,
difficulty in swallowing and breathing.
Similar to its source, homeopathic remedy Naja
has many symptoms which symbolically resemble to the “poison” (dark side) which
is blocked inside the throat. For example:
Grasping at throat, with sense
of choking and lividity of face” (livid – dark blue).
Aggravation at night; patient
awakens grasping; surface blue
Blue color is also connected with the Throat
Chakra (hind.)
Step Two: Anima/Animus
(“Purification of poison”)
In Hindu tradition, The Vishuddhi Chakra (Visha = impurity, poison Shuddhi
= purification) is located in the vicinity of the larynx and therefore is also
known as the Throat Chakra.
It is the center of the physical and spiritual
purification where the “nectar of immortality” (amrita) drips down from the
sixth chakra (Bindu chakra) and split in two: a pure
form and a poison.
If throat chakra is blocked, negative thoughts and emotions (“poison“)
are block inside. Person is very shy and frustrated, there is a strong feeling
of grief and guilt with great fear of speaking out.
Shyness, secretiveness, anxious feeling are very strong characteristics
of Naja’s personality:
“Slow loquacity, can speak in low
voice – you’re forced to pay full attention to understand them Inability to
speak, with choking, nervous, chronic palpitation.“ (Dr Henry Clarke)
In alchemy, after nigredo (blackness) stage,
the next is a purification in albedo (whiteness) –
the washing away of impurities. In this process, the subject is divided into
two opposing principles to be later coagulated to form a unity of opposites.
Jung equated the albedo with unconscious contrasexual soul images: the anima in men and animus in
women. According to Jung’s philosophy, anima is the feminine principle in the
unconscious part of the personality of the man, and animus is the masculine
principle in the unconscious part of the personality of the woman. This is the
stage where is realized insight into the projections of the Shadow
(communication between the waking consciousness and the collective
unconscious).
The goddess Parvati, (one of the many forms of
Shakti), is enlivening feminine force in Hindu
mythology, the feminine energy of the Universe. Shakti
embodies the active feminine energy of Shiva so Shakti
may symbolizes spiritual equivalent of the Jungian anima.
When the feminine energy is suppressed, the same symptoms as in blockage
of the fifth chakra occur: extreme coldness, grief, depression, low mental
energy. Emotions are blocked or express itself explosively in an outburst of
rage or tears. There are mood swings.
Naja is very susceptible to cold and important part
of the Naja’s personality is gentleness and mildness
(DD Pulsatilla) with very marked mood swings.
Translated into rubrics:
Mind, Mood, alternating
Mind, Mirth, hilarity,
liveliness
Mind, Weeping, emotion, after
slight
Also, one of the main causation in this remedy is grief:
Mind, Sadness, mental
depression
Mind, Ailments from grief
Mind, Brooding, suicidal
disposition with (1/1)
Left side – Divine Mother
Naja remedy has aggravation on the left side. Left side
is also symbol for feminine energy. The feminine channel (known as Ida Nadi) governs the
left side of the body, which in turn activates the right (visual, intuitive and
creative) side of the brain.
The masculine channel (known as Pingala Nadi) governs the right side of the body and activates the
left (logical) side of the brain.
“Severe pains in left temple, cardiac and ovarian regions. Pains about
heart extending to nape of neck, left shoulder and arm, with anxiety and fear
of death. Symptoms < at night; on walking; by lying on left side… throbbing
in left orbital region; crampy pains in left ovary.
The left side is predominantly affected. Aggravation lying on side, on left
side. Great amelioration of pain and breathing by lying on right side.“ (Dr Henry
Clarke)
Symbolically, the left side is the Divine Mother, goddess Parvati or the “feminine” energy, and the right side
represents Shiva, the “masculine” consciousness.
As said before, Jung used the term anima to describe the inner feminine
side of men and animus to describe the masculine side of women. In order to
reach the state of an internal wholeness, one must incorporate an opposing
archetype (internal Anima or Animus). In Alchemy, this step is termed as rubedo.
Step Three: The Self (‘Unity of Opposites’)
“The alchemical operation consisted essentially in separating the prima materia, the so-called chaos, into the active principle,
the soul, and the passive principle, the body, which were then reunited in
personified form in the coniunctio or ‘chymical marriage’… the ritual cohabitation of Sol and
Luna”.
(’Mysterium Coniunctionis’
by Carl Gustav Jung)
Rubedo is manifesting by the “marriage of
the Red man and the White woman“, Sol and Luna. Sol is one of the symbol for
Shiva, Luna for Shakti. When this Shiva/Shakti
energy is united, this integrated energy then can reside in the heart chakra.
It is the unity of opposites that results in individual wholeness.
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(Image: Vishnu presiding at the wedding of Shiva and
Parvati, author: Richard Mortel)
In Naja homeopathic remedy, effects of grief
and “swallowing of the poison“ are especially reflecting on the heart (Naja’s venom contains a powerful cardiotoxin):
“As if heart was screwed
together as though a hot iron had been run into it.“ (Dr C. Herring)
There is prone to cardiac conditions such as serious heart diseases and
there is great affinity for the heart valve.
Chest, Heart; complaints of
the, valves, children; in (1/1)
Again, like on mental level, symptoms are moving from exciting feeling
(palpitations, high arterial pressure and tachycardia) to weakness, bradycardia, law arterial pressure and paralysis. There are
palpitations from the least exertion, with inability to speak.
Chest, Heart, palpitation
Chest, Weakness, heart; about
the heart; sensation of weakness
Chest, Heart, paralysis
“Dragging and anxiety at precordia, occurring
in great grief; also smarting pains in back from same cause. Congestive
headache dependent upon organic disease of heart. Waking with dull pain in head,
attended by fluttering of heart.” (Dr C. Herring)
The pulse is irregular in force and rhythm (from rapid to hardly percetible). Patient is so weak that he can not speak a
single word, with cold extremities.
“Audible beating of heart. Pulse rapid, and full, 120, some beats
tolerably full and strong, afterwards 32, irregular in rhythm and force, some
of the beats full and bounding. Pulse slow and irregular in rhythm and force,
weak and thready, scarcely perceptible. Action only
recognized by pushing hand up behind sternum, then felt only a faint thrill
resembling the cardiac thrill felt in the same way on a newborn infant.”
(‘A dictionary of practical Materia Medica’ by Dr John Henry Clarke)
‘Unity in the Heart’
In Hinduism, the hexagram symbol is known as Shatkon
(Shat = six, Kona = corner/angle). It represents the unity of Shiva (Male) and Shakti (Female). Shiva is marked by symbol “ᐱ”,
(symbolic representation of male organ) and Shakti is
marked by symbol “ᐯ”, (the female womb symbol). Also, the Shatkona is the combination of the element of fire (Shiva),
and the element of water (Shakti).
Together, they represent the unity of male and female in one being. This
is also the symbol of the Sixth chakra (Heart chakra). Crucial part of the
healing process in Naja is the integration of energy
into the heart chakra.
In an archetypal schema, rubedo (redness)
represents the Self archetype, and it is the culmination of the previous
stages, the merging of ego and Self.
“The Self manifests itself in “wholeness,” a point in which a person
discovers their true nature. Another interpretation phrased it as
“reunification” which entail the reunion of body, soul, and spirit, leading to
a diminished inner conflict.“
(Williams, Ruth; C. G. Jung: The Basics)
It is the final stage, but infinite in its manifestation, as the Ouroboros.
CHAPTER II
Churning The Ocean Of Milk/“Cosmic Ocean“
Back to the Beginning: OUROBOROS
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The Ouroboros symbol represents a snake or a
dragon, eating its own tail or two dragons or serpents biting the other’s
tails. (Greek: oura – tail; boros
– eat, be devoured).
The beginning is the end and the end is the beginning (an eternal
process). It is the symbol of the circular nature in the Magnum Opus (how is
broken down, purified and revived). As written before, deep process of the
self-realization as well as the holistic healing have similar stages.
The aim is universal: ‘Know thyself (and thou shalt
know all the mysteries of the gods and the Universe)’.
Ocean of Milk – Milky Way (“Cosmic Ocean”)
“I saw that everything, all paths I had been following, all steps I had
taken, were leading back to a single point – namely, to the mid-point…” (C. G.
Jung. Memories, Dreams, Reflections)
In mythology, the Ouroboros is also a symbol
for the Milky Way (circular galaxy). Myth refers to a ‘Serpent of Light’ (Milky
Way) which when viewed at the galactic central point (near Sagittarius), ‘eats
its own tale’.
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(Image Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech)
Scientific evidence shows that in the galactic center
of the Milky Way is a supermassive black hole.
As said at the beginning, the Ocean of Milk from the Hindu legend is
also, a symbol of the Milky Way as well as the Mind (human consciousness.)
The galactic center is the rotational center of the Milky Way and similar, Mt. Meru from the hindu legend is
also considered to be the center of all the physical
and metaphysical and spiritual universes (an axis mundi).
Further, galactic center or Mt Meru is also analog to the Self
archetype as the final stage in the individuation process or ‘a point in which
a person discovers their true nature’ (‘know thyself’).
‘Time puzzle’
Another interpretation of the Churning of the ocean of Milk denotes that
not only Shiva drunk poison (Sanskrit: ‘Black mass, Time puzzle’) to save the
World, but also the Vasuki cobra. Shiva was impressed
by this and hence accepted Vasuki around his neck.
Shiva wearing the deadly snake like an ornament signifies that he is
independent of time and death, i.e. controlling the time.
In the center of a black hole is a
gravitational singularity, a one-dimensional point which contains a huge mass
in an infinitely small space, where density and gravity become infinite and
space-time curves infinitely, and where the laws of physics as we know them
cease to operate.
Surviving the singularity leads to ‘INFINITE futures’, infinite
manifestation (Symbolically: Ouroborus or Self).
Interestingly, in 2010, it was announced that two large elliptical lobe structures
of energetic plasma, termed bubbles (which emit gamma and X-rays), extend about
25 thousand light years distant above and below the galactic center.
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Milky Way’s galactic center Ouroboros
(Image Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center)
Galactic center and center
of the Psyche
At the end of the legend, nectar of immortality finally emerged from the
Ocean of Milk. It was Amrita. (Sanskrit: amṛta,
means “immortality”. Amrut means ‘indestructible’.)
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It is analog to the Self (center
of the psyche).
“You are not IN the universe, you ARE the universe, an intrinsic part of
it. Ultimately you are not a person, but a focal point where the universe is
becoming conscious of itself. What an amazing miracle.” (Eckhart Tolle)
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(Image: The black hole named Cygnus X-1; Credits: NASA/CXC/M.Weiss)
Angkor Wat – “Milky Way” temple on Earth
Famous sacred temple in Cambodia, Angkor Wat,
is marked by five stone towers which are intended to mimic the five mountain
ranges of Mt. Meru (Shiva has five heads). Milky Way
is four-armed galaxy with its rotational center
(black hole) and Mount Meru is the sacred five peaked
mountain. Angkor Wat was built as a mandala for the whole Hindu civilization.
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(Image: The southern section of the east gallery of Angkor Wat adorns the ‘Churning of the Ocean of Milk.’
This carving depicts demons and gods, churning up the sea to extract
from it the elixir of immortality.)
Among the many astronomical alignments at Angkor Wat
there’s an alignment to the spring equinox, at which time the Sun rises over
the sacred central tower. (Towers are shaped like pine cones, symbolizing
enlightenment and pineal gland)
This is a balancing time in the year, when light and dark are equal.
This is also reflected in the Churning of the Ocean of Milk legend and unity
between the forces of light and darkness.
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“Darkness and Light are both of one nature, different only in seeming,
for each arose from the source of all.
Darkness is disorder, Light is order;
Darkness transmuted is Light of Light…“
(Hermes Trismegistus)
Buddha and naga (naja)
Mucalinda story
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Also, in Angkor Wat, there are numerous stone
sculptures present hooded multi-headed cobras as guardians of temples. Naga or
cobra Buddha statues are taken are very important religious and spiritual
object for many followers of Buddhism as it depicts the Buddha being protected
by the cobra, representing the faithful protection of the awakened one.
Cobra which is seen sheltering the Buddha while meditating is known as Mucalinda. Mucalinda uses its
flared hood to shield and protect the Buddha from the elements like rain and
storm after he attained enlightenment.
It is said that the four weeks after the Buddha began meditating under
the Bodhi tree, the heavens darkened for seven days,
a heavy rainfall started. The mighty king of the serpents, Mucalinda,
emerged from beneath the earth and protected the Buddha with his hood.
Interestingly, one of the main fears in Naja
homeopathic remedy is fear from rain:
“…Imagines she is in a terrible rainstorm, complains of being so cold,
and that the carriage has turned over and hurt her head…“
(Dr Constantine Hering; The Guiding Symptoms
of our Materia Medica)
CHAPTER III ‘Light Side Of Naja’
There is a deep symbolic meaning of the Churning of the Ocean of Milk
through the Naja as homeopathic remedy. Among other
insights, it gentle helps person to
deeply understand, accept and heal themselves from negative and
self-destructive tendencies.
As a homeopathic remedy, Naja takes person
through the path of ‘destroying ego’ in
order to get to the center of the Psyche (Self) or to
reach the ‘higher purpose’
of being.Shiva’s role is to destroy the
Universe in order to re-create it. As mentioned before, Shiva is often depicted
with a cobra called Vasuki, coiled around his
neck, symbolizing his mastery over “maya” or
the world-illusion.
Naja species is also known as the ’spectacled
cobra’, due to its special markings.
These marks are formed by two circular ocelli
connected to a curved line, resembling spectacles.
But there is another “eye“ of the naja, in its
hood. It is symbolically Naja’s “Philosopher’s stone“.
(’Pearls from the cobra’s hood are perfectly round, like fish pearls,
and they radiate a natural effulgence. By repeated washing, a snake pearl
becomes as lustrous as
a polished sword blade.’)
Overcoming Maya – Unity in the Heart
(Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince)
”And now here is my secret, a very simple secret: It is only with the
Heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.”
Through the spirit of Naja as a homeopathic
remedy, we learn not to let our fears and doubts (obstacles) get in the way of
our path, but to raise everything from within
to the Light of the consciousness, both nectar and poison.
Indian cobra, as the most spiritual snake, has inner Light which help us
’to See’.
Through the deep power of the homeopathic healing process, Naja teaches us how to remove our ’spectacles’ in order to
see through the Heart.
Vorwort/Suchen Zeichen/Abkürzungen Impressum