This Adobe Acrobat .pdf file contains all chapters from the book that deal withinformation on series, groups, stages and concepts. In other words all that does notdeal with one remedy only, and therefore could not be included in the keynote-filefor use in the MacRepertory program, or included in the ReferenceWorksLibrary.This file is complementary to the information found in the keynote-file and withinthe ReferenceWorks Library.All chapters that deal with the individual remedies are included in the JanScholtens Homeopathy and the Elements keynote-file for use with theMacRepertory program , while in the ReferenceWorks Library all the cases fromthe book have been included also.

1996, J.C. Scholten, Utrecht.All rights reserved. No parts of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted ortranslated into any language in any form or by any means without writtenpermission of the publisher.

Homoeopathy and the Elements

Jan Scholten

Title: Homoeopathy and the ElementsWriter: Jan Scholten, M.D.ISBN 90-74817-05-XTranslation: Marriette HonigReview: Roger SavageTranslated from: Homeopathie en de Elementen

Jan ScholtenCoverdesign: Ton DavitsLay-out: Ton DavitsForeword: Fernand Debats

Roger SavageIllustrations: Starset

Loes van HeerdtRuud van Middelaar

PrinterDrukkerij Haasbeek BVAlphen aan den RijnThe Netherlands

Publisher: Stichting AlonnissosServaasbolwerk 13

3512 NK UtrechtThe NetherlandsTelephone: 0031302340211Fax: 0031302340211E-mail: alonnissos@tip.nl

1996, J.C. Scholten, Utrecht.All rights reserved. No parts of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted ortranslated into any language in any form or by any means without writtenpermission of the publisher.

I dedicate this book to humanity

Word of thanks

While I was writing these words of thanks I realised how many people hadcontributed to the creation of this book. For their contribution to my personaldevelopment I would like to thank my parents, family and friends.As far as my homoeopathic development is concerned I would like to thank theSHO, George Vithoulkas, Alphons Geukens, Rajan Sankaran and Jayesh Shah. And ofcourse I shouldnt forget the old masters like Hahnemann, Kent, Hering and manyothers. Arie Vrijlandt, the Nestor of homoeopathy in Holland, also deserves a specialmention. He has done much work on the periodic system and made his ownconstruction in the form of a pyramid. As a homage to his labours I have include hisgraph in the chapter Tables and graphs.Many thanks to my colleagues at the Homeopathisch Artsencentrum Utrecht: MariaDavits, Anton Kramer, Alex Leupen, Rienk Stuut and Willem Woutman. All the ideasin this book have been developed during our many interactions and discussions.They provided many of the cases and also gave much valued feedback on theoriginal manuscript. I also want to thank the other people who previewed this bookand gave their comments: Kees Dam, Fernand Debats, Henk Hommersom, FransKusse and Rob Peters. Thanks to Fernand Debats and to Roger Savage for writing theforeword.There are many other homoeopaths who have contributed to this book, directly orindirectly. Jeremy Sherr with his provings of Hydrogen, Neon, Germanium andPlutonium nitricum. Kees Dam and Yvonne Lassauw with their proving of Selenium,Ruthenium, Cadmium, Tantalum and Aurum sulphuricum. Vera Kopsky and HuibWijtenberg who contributed to the proving of Ruthenium. Huib Wijtenbergextended the pictures of Ruthenium and Iridium with some of his cases. FrancoisWeber did a proving of Natrum fluoratum. Sonja Obbink contributed several casesof Natrum bromatum and Kali bromatum. I would also like to thank thehomoeopaths in my study group for their much valued ideas: Anje Bruch, ArnoldDeckers, Leo van Gelder, Andries Keizer, Pieter Kuiper, Frans Maan, Ghio Meijer,Maja Miedema, Frans Kusse, Marguerite Pelt, Rob Peters, Riek Taekema, Co vanTwillert, Anne Wirtz and Maarten Wouters. I also want to thank the otherhomoeopaths who have shared their inspiration with me in the past few years: KeesBaas, Jean Pierre Jansen, Flip Steenhouwer, Alize Timmerman, Harry van der Zee andmany others.Thanks to Ton Davits for the final design, to Loes van Heerdt and Ruud vanMiddelaar of Starset for the graphs, to Marenske Reitsma for the secretarial work andto Maria Davits for her moral support. Thanks to Mariette Honig for the englishtranslation and to Roger Savage for his revision.Finally I would like to thank the homoeopathic firms Dolisos, Homeoden and VSMfor the preparation of the remedies. Special thanks to VSM and MartjeCouwenhoven who did everything they could to potentise the new remedies. And ofcourse I want to thank my patients. Without them this book would never have beenwritten. They kept on trying to answer my (sometimes impossible) questions. Their

feelings, thoughts and expressions form the real core of this book.Silent thanks to all that has inspired me, like the music of Ali Farka Toure, Ry Cooder,Enya, Kitaro, Bach, Ravel, Simba Wanyika, Yousou Ndour, Ravi Shankar, Keith Jarret,Jimi Hendrix; and to nature, the water and the spirit.

Foreword

Finding the right remedy is the greatest challenge of homoeopathic medicine. Itseems that I am stating the obvious. But this isnt altogether true. The greatestchallenge is to admit that you havent yet found the remedy you are looking for.One of the greatest eye openers ever was the reverse similiars law presen-ted to meby Jan Scholten one day: an unknown picture needs an unknown remedy. A brillianthint and food for thought for all of us who are involved in homoeopathy, for theanxious seeker who is looking for that one remedy that will cure his problempatients, as well as for the complacent ruminator who thinks he has seen it all bynow.

A point of discussion that we frequently encounter is whether homoeopathy is an artor a science. This discussion all depends on the theoretical question whetherheuristics belong to the domain of science, or whether it should be seen as so calledpre scientific procedures. Heuristic is the methodology of searching. In order to findsomething new you have to try and find out where to look for it and this is in turnrelated to your problem solving urges. In other words, if you accept everything thatcomes your way without question and if you accept that the way things are is justfine, then you will never feel the need to look at other horizons. But when yourecognise the problem of the status quo, you will go and search for missing links andboundaries that can be shifted.

This book is all about the periodic system. The best introduction to the new ideaspresented in this book is to suggest the following exercise. Take a large sheet ofpaper and draw a grid of 18 vertical columns and 7 horizontal lines and thenproceed to fill in the elements in the usual way, starting with Hydrogen, Helium,Lithium etc.Next take the most extensive Materia Medica you can find and make a note of themost important rubrics of each element in its appropriate compartment. When youhave done that stand back and take a look. You will notice that most of the spacesare empty. Now ask yourself this question: Why are there so many empty spaces,while others are filled up with polychrests like Ferrum metallicum, Phosphorus,Sulphur or Aurum metallicum? Are you beginning to get a sense of the problem?You have just asked yourself a very heuristic question. The only step that liesbetween a question and an answer is ACTION!That is precisely what Jan Scholten did and the result is this book: a Materia Medicaof the periodic system. The book that is in front of you right now will enable you tostart filling in those empty compartments.

But this isnt all. Having the manuscript of Homoeopathy and the Elements lying onmy desk has not only increased the amount of information on Materia Medica at mydisposal, it has also brought about some major landslides in several other essentialaspects of the homoeopathic methodology, especially the case-taking and theinterpretation of the effects according to Herings law, which says that a lasting curecan only take place if the most deeply disturbed level in the hierarchy of symptomsis cured first.

However, the strategy of perhaps having to search beyond the comfortable zone ofwell known polychrests brings certain problems in its wake. You may lose theconnection between the Materia Medica and the effects the remedy is having on thepatient. It may no longer be possible to relate some of the changes that areoccurring in the patient to the well known characteristics of the remedy, simplybecause you dont know the characteristics as well as you know the keynotes of themore common remedies. When Sulphur, Pulsatilla or Medorrhinum no longer sticktheir feet out of bed at night after the first prescription, or when the Calcareacarbonica child doesnt have a sweaty head anymore, while his sore throats are alsogetting much better, you know that these are all symptoms of the remedy. Many ofus came across this problem for the first time when Vithoulkas shared one of hisfamous eye openers with us: You never find a polychrest without keynotes. In myfirst year of practice I once prescribed Arnica to a patient who had bruised her elbowafter a fall in the bath. I was most surprised by her reaction afterwards: I feel adifferent person, which meant that the remedy had had a deep and lasting effect onthis lady who turned out to be a constitutional Arnica patient. These surprisingincidents of deep constitutional changes after the administration of an acute remedyform the link between keynote prescribing and classical constitutional prescribing.Many recent additions to the repertory are due to similar surprise results. But inorder to recognise the remedies in the empty spaces in the periodic table we cannotrely on keynotes, as there arent any (yet). Instead we have to rely on the methodthat Jan used to discover them, the group analysis method, which we are beginningto become familiar with since his previous book Homoeopathy and Minerals.

The group analysis method cannot be applied from bits and pieces of superficialinformation, hence we are forced to go on questioning until we have found themost deeply disturbed level in our patient. Anybody who starts to use this book willsoon discover that it will add an extra dimension to his diagnostic techniques: a wellknown picture gets a well known remedy, a peculiar picture gets a peculiar remedy,and a picture that is not fully understood will unfortunately, but inevitably, get thewrong remedy.Whenever we are willing to go deeper and deeper until we have reached totalunderstanding of and empathy with the patients problem, we will be able to find aremedy that has the scope to bring about a real change in that patient.Clarke has stated simply that an Aurum case with Sulphur characteristics would mostprobably need Aurum sulphuricum, and that a mixed case of Calcarea carbonica andSulphur was most likely a case of Hepar sulphuricum. But the group analysis goesmuch further than adding up the quantities: it is not a case of simply adding up50% Aurum + 50% Sulphuricum = Aurum sulphuricum, it is a combination of tworemedies based on the quality of their characteristic symptoms.Cuprum muriaticum is no longer a Cuprum keynote in a woman with Natrummuriaticum characteristics, it is a woman who has a very spastic or cramped view ofmotherhood. And when the remedy works, it will not only dissolve the cough that isameliorated by a sip of cold water, it will also enable the woman to experience newdimensions in motherhood. And the man with stomach pains who has the nightlysalivation of Mercurius, coupled to the restless feet of Zincum, is indeed in themiddle of a crisis in his artistic development which fits the Cadmium picture:powerless to maintain his creativity. And once again the criterion by which we can

call this man cured is not the fact that his salivation might disappear, which couldhave been dealt with equally well by a dose of Mercurius, nor is it the fact that hisfeet dont twitch anymore, which could also have been solved by a dose of Zincum.It is only when the creative crisis is solved deep inside that we know we have chosenthe correct remedy, a remedy from the creative Silver series, which is situated in theperiodic table in between Zincum in the task orientated Ferrum series andMercurius in the power orientated Gold series. The focus of the diagnosis is aimedat the past history of the patient: do I recognise why the patient acts the way hedoes and why he makes those particular choices? The follow up is also focused onthe same existential level: is the remedy helping the patient to lead a more fulfillinglife?

By creating concepts and terms that describe the quality of the patients life and theway he copes with lifes questions Jan shows a modern, spiritual approach that isbased on a real understanding of and respect for each other in the individualexpressions of our true selves.I am absolutely convinced that many a therapeutic relationship will benefit fromwhat this book has to offer.

Fernand Debats, january 1996.

Foreword by Roger Savage

To many of us there can seem little doubt that Jan Scholten has brought aboutalmost a revelution in homoeopathic thinking and awareness. The suggestion ofexploring the periodic table of the elements as a valuable source of homoeopathicremedies which had so far been only incompletely opened up probably originatedwith Jeremy Sherr, and was taken up with enthusiasm by Rajan Sankaran. Then webegan to hear of a homoeopath in Holland who was concentrating his investigationsin this area, came to know more about one Jan Scholten, and started asking him togive talks to explain the significance and pattern of his researches into minerals. InEngland his initial talk was only brief, but all copies of the newly-publishedHomoeopathy and Minerals were very quickly sold out. Slowly and gradually we gotused to the idea of building up remedy pictures from certain core concepts relatingto a single element or one of its compounds, and felt that we too, in our small way,were managing to be pioneers in the healing art of homoeopathy. The pharmaciesin England, too, were beginning to get the idea, and started to order in thesestrange new remedies or even make them up themselves. We, and they, thought wehad arrived at a new level of understanding and practice.

But Jan remained well ahead of us, and by dint of careful observation, deepreflection and not a few flashes of intuitive insight was arriving at a vastly enhancedvision of the mineral remedies. One or two work in progress lectures began to giveus a clue to what was coming. His own introductory and explanatory comments tothis second book will slowly but surely bring home to us that in this present volumewe have been offered truly a quantum leap in homoeopathic Materia Medica: Janhas enriched the remedy pictures and expanded our understanding in severaldimensions. He has, quite simply, led us from thinking we know an isolated few ofthe mineral remedies to showing us the plan of the entire periodic table, so that wecan see how minerals relate to each other laterally as well as vertically and how thevarious compound salts enhance or modify the picture of the single element. Notonly do we have theory, we also have a large number of clinical cases and quite afew quoted provings. These should go some way to answerinf those critics of Janswork who say that it is based on speculation and that in his cases he changes theremedy too frequently. His remedy pictures are drawn from his own experience andthat of his colleagues, but he had made clear to us that his experience is stillgrowing and some of the conclusions are having to be modified as time goes by.

It seems scarcely an exaggeration to claim that we are priviliged to have thisopportunity to participate in a piece of front-rank pioneering research, and use hisremedy pictures and other insights and advice offered in the course of the book asthe basis of our own further research. The more I have studied this book the more Ihave come to admire the thoroughness of his attention to detail and the depth andbreadth of his vision of the totality of the periodic table -or spiral- of the elements. Iam sure he would like nothing better than to find he has stimulated a lively debateamong thinking homoeopaths as well as offering us more insights into the nature ofthe creation and of humankind.

Roger Savage - Cambridge - September 1996

0.0 Introduction

This book is about the elements in the periodic system and how we can use them inhomoeopathy. So far we are only using a fraction of these elements and the aim ofthis book is to explain how we could apply the remainder of these elements. It is thestory of the opening of a whole new world, the world of the periodic system, whichhad always brought up lots of questions in my mind: why were there so fewremedies that we really knew well, remedies like Aurum or Argentum nitricum forinstance? What about Hafnium or Krypton or any of the others? They were like whitepatches on a map of the known world. Several of the ideas in this book need to bedeveloped further. We need provings of many of the remedies to confirm andextend the pictures that we deduced through group analysis. We also need curedcases to confirm our pictures and to make them come alive, to colour them in so tospeak. But most of the ideas had reached a stage of development where I feltjustified to publish them. Many of the ideas have been tried and tested in the casesthat I treated, together with my colleagues in the Homeopathisch ArtsencentrumUtrecht. The reader is invited to start using them and I welcome further suggestions,comments and feedback.

The group analysis methodThe method used in this book is a continuation of the group analysis method, asdescribed in Homoeopathy and Minerals (Scholten (1993). For a description of thismethod see the chapter Group analysis.

How to use this bookThe amount of information and the number of remedies described in this book isformidable. There is a danger that the reader may lose the red thread runningthrough the whole. By reading the introductory chapters very carefully, several timesif necessary, you will find that the structure of the book becomes more clear and thedevelopment of the themes of the remedies more easy to grasp.This book is not meant to be read from front to back in one sitting, like an ordinarynovel, but rather to be used as a Materia Medica to consult from time to time whenyou meet one of these cases in practice.One way of learning how to use this book is by taking one of your own successfulcases of one of the more well known elements and comparing this to the pictures asdescribed in this book. By looking at the themes of that series and that stage you willbegin to get a clearer picture of these themes. When you find one of the elements ina rubric that is very strong in the case you are investigating, it would be a good ideato read up on that element in the relevant chapter in this book. It may be that anelement comes up very strongly in a case but doesnt quite fit the overall picture. Orit seemed like the right remedy but it didnt do very much. In those case one of theneighbours in the periodic system might be more appropriate. For instance: Aurumseemed to be the right remedy but only brought a slight amelioration. On furtherinvesti-gation using the group analysis Osmium might be better indicated. Osmiumis also in the Gold series, but it is situated at stage 8, whereas Aurum is stage 11.All this gets a little more complicated once we start to take the different

combinations into account. Then it could prove to be a case of Aurum muriaticum,rather than Aurum metallicum. Taking Arsenicum album as an example we have tomake sure that we not only look at the Arsenicum neighbours but also at theOxygen neighbours, because Arsenicum album is really Arsenicum oxide.It is very important to get a basic understanding of the themes and the conceptsbelonging to various series and stages. As far as the series are concerned this isnttoo much of a problem. It is relatively easy to differentiate between the themes ofleadership and royalty of the Gold series and the themes of task and routine of theFerrum series. In the chapter The seven series you will find a full explanation ofthese themes.The difference between the various stages is more difficult to perceive.This is a problem the reader will almost certainly come up against and it issomething that I am still struggling with myself. The stages are phases in adevelopment, going from start to success to decline, and every stage has a differenttheme, corresponding to a particular phase in this progress. But the theme of theremedy itself is also at a particular stage of development. At first the particularproblem belonging to this theme can be solved, or compensated; later on this is nolonger possible. Here we might see both sides of the same coin, the duality that ispart of every remedy. And these different expressions of one theme may look verysimilar to the development of a theme within a given series. This confusion isprobably the reason that the idea of the stages had never been discovered inhomoeopathy. Let me give an example to explain what I mean. In the Titanium casein this book there was a tremendous fear of failure, so much so that the woman inquestion had to give up her job. We might interpret this as the loss [Stage 15] or theend [Stage 17] of her work. But she fails right at the moment that she officially[Stage 4] starts [Stage 4] her job.It is important to listen carefully to the words a patient uses frequently. Anotherexample will illustrate this point. A female manager [Silver series] is being opposedby her boss. The director is transferring all her colleagues to another section in orderto undermine her department [decay, Stage 12]. She puts on some soldiers combatgear [actor, Silver series] to make e declaration of war. We may see this kind ofbehaviour as a challenge, in which case it could indicate Stage 6, but she herselfdoesnt see it as a challenge, she feels that he is taking away from her [decay, Stage12] everything she has worked for all these years and which she deserves to beallowed to keep. She also doesnt use the word challenge, she uses the wordpowerless [Stage 12]. Stage 12 of the Silver series is Cadmium. We also run the riskof staring ourselves blind at the concept of the stages, without gaining a real insightinto the stage itself. Studying the stages as part of a continuous cycle will bringabout a greater understanding of the concepts and why certain expressions used bya patient point to a particular stage. Another example: Stage 5, the stage ofpreparation, tends to get stuck in always preparing but never getting down to thereal task in hand. The next stage, Stage 6, can no longer afford to postpone, theyhave to get into action, with all the risks attached. Hence the expression: have toprove what I am worth, must take up the challenge, forced to get into action.It is very important to carry on asking questions until you can identify the stagesomeone is at. Words like fear of failure or unsure of myself may indicate anystage: it isnt until we delve a little deeper that the patient will tell us how he dealswith these fears or insecurities. It is often necessary to offer several examples ofpossible reaction patterns before the patient understands what information is

important to us. We might ask: Do you give up easily on those occasions, or will thispush you to carry on, or are you inclined not even to start when that happens?Questions on how they deal with criticism and compliments can also bring up muchuseful information. It is important to start to learn to think in themes, in order to getthe most out of this book. Individual symptoms gain a new meaning by their placewithin the theme. The themes also allow us to predict new symptoms. One exampleis the the feeling of being surrounded by enemies belonging to Mercurius. In theanalysis of Mercurius being the king [Gold series] who is attacked from all sides[Stage 12] this symptom is obviously appropriate. But looking at the themes of theGold series and Stage 12 we might find new variations on this same rubric, forinstance aversion to revolutionaries. Further references to the use of these variationscan be found in chapter The seven series and The eighteen stages, as well as inCase-taking and Language.

An example of developmentAn example of the methods presented in this book might clarify a lot of points.A manager had several minor complaints: spots on his chin, grinding of the teeth,athletes foot, hair loss along the margin of the forehead and redness and pain in thepenis. He wanted to become managing director and he had been planning thevarious steps of his career from a very early age onwards. At the age of 35 he hadcome quite a way on his road to the top in one of the ministries. Osmium seemed tobe the indicated remedy but when it was repeated the complaints came back.Further analysis was obviously called for. The theme of the Gold series was obvious:management and career. This was confirmed by the nature of his complaints: hairloss and trouble in the genital area. He hadnt reached the top yet, so he wassomewhere in between Stage 1 and Stage 10. He wasnt almost at the top either, aswe might expect to see in Stage 9. We had already tried Osmium, Stage 8. He hadstarted his career in management without any hesitation or doubt, so he wasbeyond Stage 4, the beginning. He had also passed the stage of preparation andwondering whether he should start or not, Stage 5. So we are down to a choicebetween Stage 6 and Stage 7. Stage 6 didnt seem to fit all that well: it has a certainhardness that is needed to to take on the challenge. He hadnt said anything aboutit being a challenge. That leaves only Stage 7, Rhenium, the stage of practising andtrying things out. But he hadnt told me anything about practising, learning,feedback or co-operation. So I had to find out more about his work and the way hedeals with it. He said he needs to be structured in what he does: he wants to have anoverview of what he does and how it works. When his boss becomes angry he holdshimself in and doesnt answer back. Can he stand and be assertive? He is in twominds about it [Stage 5?], he doesnt want to fail, so he is quite careful. In complexor stressful situations he becomes uncertain. He feels that he isnt good enough andthat he will be rejected. How about criticism? He sees it as an opportunity toimprove his performance [Stage 7]. People think he is quite modest. How aboutcompliments? He finds them very stimulating but does want to feel that he hasdeserved them. He also sees compliments as a way to stimulate other people,because people would rather get a compliment than a critical remark, complimentsunite people [Stage 7], criticism chases them away. He likes to have a grip on thesituation. When it gets too complex he tends to observe and try to reason it out. Heis still capable of learning [Stage 7 ] and improving. After taking Rhenium he

gradually starts to feel better and calmer. He no longer feels the need to treadcarefully all the time, because he has finished some important work to everyonessatisfaction. His complaints are disappearing, he doesnt grind his teeth anymoreand the redness and pain in his penis have gone. Going back to the Materia Medicawe can now broaden the general picture of Rhenium. The concept of overviewturns out to be an important aspect of this remedy. This patient wanted to have ageneral overview of what was happening. Overview means seeing [Gold series]things together [Stage 7] in the overall structure [Gold series]. The other side of thisis an aversion to complex and confused situations. So we can add to the picture ofRhenium the symptom: overview,

themes of the vertical columns. The group analysis and The blank remedy willdescribe the techniques that I used. After that it will be the turn of the individualelements, in the order in which they appear in the periodic table. Combinations ofelements will be discussed after the cation, the positive ion, of that particularcombination. For instance, Lithium phosphoricum will be discussed after Lithium,Natrum lacticum after Natrum etc. The chapters are numbered after the series andstages: for instance, Ferrum, the eighth element in the fourth series, is discussed inchapter 4.8. All elements will be discussed except the Lanthanides and some of theelements of the 7th series. Combination remedies will be described wherever therewas a successful case to illustrate the remedy, and then only those remedies arementioned that have not already been shown in Homoeopathy and Minerals. Oneexception is Natrum Fluoratum, because we received a proving of this remedy andthe general picture has been much expanded since the previous book.After the chapters on the various remedies there will be a few more chaptersdevoted to a further explanation of the prescribing techniques. These consist of Theepilogue, Case-taking, Language, Source of remedy pictures, Frequency ofremedies, Expressions of the remedies and Alternating remedies. In Tenpropositions I will add ten homoeopathic ground rules. Finally there will be seve-ralpages of Notations, Literature, Periodic system, Tables and Graphs and theIndex.

Layout of the chaptersThe chapters on Materia Medica are divided into different headings.Introduction: In this section the general development of the remedy through-outhomoeopathic history will be described. There will be references to specific literatureon the subject where relevant. It is assumed that all readers are familiar with themore general homoeopathic literature and no special men-tion will be made of thesebooks. Sources of information: Allen, Clarke, Boeri-cke, Hahnemann, Morrison,Phatak, Zandvoort.Signature: here you will find information on the origin of the name, the propertiesand the different uses of the remedy.Concepts: in the case of the elements these will consist of a combination of themesbelonging to the stages and the series; in the case of combination reme-dies thesewill consist of the combined themes of the individual components.Group analysis: a few lines combining the concepts into various catchphrases.These phrases in themselves are often enough to start practising with.Picture: the next part is a general unfolding of the remedy picture in the form of astory, based on the group analysis, Materia Medica, cases and provings whererelevant. This picture is subdivided into: Expressions, Generals, Complaints and DD.This latter section is not so much meant to be read word for word, but can be usedas a reference or checklist when you are working with it.Expressions: under this heading you will find the most important mental /emotionalsymptoms, often in the form of mind rubrics. It will also contain information fromMateria Medica, cases and provings.Generals: contains the general symptoms of the remedy.Complaints: this is a summing up of the complaints that taken from Materia Medica,as well as those that are deduced from the group analysis. In cases of the lesserknown remedies it would be wise to use this information with caution. Of the well

known remedies I have only mentioned the most characteristic symptoms. A fulldescription can be found in the general homoeopathic litera-ture. I have notmentioned the source of every bit of information within the text itself, otherwise thisbook would become unreadable. Once again I would like to refer to The sevenseries, The eighteen stages, the Materia Medica, provings, cases and theBibliography as a source of further information. Symptoms that I used myself as achecklist or as confirmation have been printed in bold type.DD: The last part of the general picture is a differential diagnostic with other, similarremedies.Case: the general picture will be illustrated with a case, where possible.Unfortunately there were a few elements that have not yet been prescribed.Occasionally a remedy picture will be followed by a short case only. The reason isthat the remedy didnt cover the complete case and only worked on a particularaspect or layer. But there are several instances where such a remedy was verysuccessful in treating a specific layer. I have purposely left out cases on remedies likeNiccolum and Chromium, because they have already been presented inHomoeopathy and Minerals.There are also several short cases that only mention the essential pieces ofinformation on which the prescription was based. This has been done to show howwe can work and play with the group analysis. It makes the material a bit morelively.Proving: finally you will find some information on provings of a few of the remedies.

The development of ideasDuring the time that I was developing my ideas it felt as if I was going through thedifferent stages of the Silver series, the series of creativity and science. Around thetime of Christmas and New year 93/94 I suddenly got the idea about adevelopment in stages. It seemed so beautiful, so strange and wonderful. It was thefirst stage, the stage of enthusiasm, Rubidium in this case because it was a scientificidea, so we should take the first remedy in the Silver series. After the first month ofenthusiasm doubt started to creep in. Could it really be that simple? What wouldother homoeopaths think of it? Isnt it all a bit preposterous? This was the secondstage, the stage of Strontium. In March and April I started to experiment, puttingout a few remedies like Yttrium, Zirconium, Niobium and Tantalum, to see whatwould happen. It was the investigating stage of Yttrium. In May and June I got thefirst positive results back from patients and I decided that the idea was worthpursuing. It was the stage of official announcement and a definite start, the stage ofZirconium. Between July and September I worked the ideas out further and tried tofind suitable concepts to describe the various stages. It was the Niobium stage ofpreparation and wondering how on earth I was going to put all this into some sortof order. In the autumn of 94 I started to apply the system in a methodical way. If itwas a good idea it should work all the way through! This was the Molybdenumstage of the ultimate trial. Between January and April of the following year I was busyrefining the concepts and shaping the ideas into a more definite form. Theory andpractice started to meet each other somewhere along the line most of the time,even if it was a little tentative at times. It was the Technetium stage of refining andsmoothing out the rough edges. In June, July and August the real task began:putting it all on paper. The burden of the enormous amount of paperwork that had

to be sorted through was a heavy one. It was the Ruthenium stage, the stage ofperseverance. Between September 95 and January 96 the final details needed to befilled in, and everything had to be checked and corrected where necessary. This wasthe Rhodium stage, the stage just before the top. And now, with the publication ofthe book in January 96, the curtain has been raised and the floodlights are on: it isthe stage of Palladium.And at the same time a new cycle has started, a cycle in which the ideas of this bookwill be explored, tried out and tested on a larger scale, and so on.

0.1 The spiral

The periodic system consists of horizontal rows and vertical columns. We could seethe columns as different stages in a continuous process of development. The rows orseries can be seen as the different levels at which the development around a specifictheme takes place. For instance, the fourth row or series, starting with Kali, is calledthe Ferrum series and the general theme of development is around work. Kali simplystarts his work without thinking about it too much, Niccolum is at the top of hisdevelopment and Bromium, the last element in the series, feels that he has to let goof his work. We can find a similar development taking place in every single series.If we take the periodic system and bend the ends round in such a way that the lastelement of every series joins up with the first element of the next series, we will endup with a spiral. Every series represents one circle within the spiral. This way each ofthe seven series becomes an episode in a larger whole of consecutive phases.

Each circle represents one series, or one row (period) in the periodic system. Andeach series has a specific theme, as described in the chapter The seven series.Each circle contains the elements belonging to that series. The elements eachrepresent a particular stage in the development of the theme of that series. Goinground the circle once we go through the rise and the fall of that particular theme.The description of the different stages can be found in the chapter The eighteenstages. The spiral as a whole represents an expansion, the expansion ofconsciousness. Together with the expansion of consciousness we have an expansionof the overall picture. In the second circle, that of the Carbon series, theconsciousness is restricted to the area of the physical body. This consciousness slowlyexpands to include the family, the village, the county and eventually, in the Goldseries, the country and the whole world.In the same way we see that the expansion of the spiral corresponds to increa-singage. The innermost spiral, the Hydrogen series, corresponds to the unborn child,which gradually winds its way towards the outermost spiral, the Uranium series, theseries of old age.

0.2 The seven series

In this book I will use the word series to describe the horizontal rows in the periodicsystem. Every series has its own theme, its own area of problems. The word seriesalso indicates that there is a progressive line of development from one series to thenext.For practical reasons I have named each series after its most characteristic element.You will be familiar with the term Ferrum series from my previous book, but here Ihave used it in a broader context, representing all the elements of the 4th row of theperiodic system, i.e. from Kali to Krypton.The rows below Ferrum have been called Silver series and Gold series, after theirmost well known elements. The second series is called Carbon series, and the thirdSilica series.To give you an impression of the correlation between the series I have written a briefsummary below. A more extensive description will be given at the start of eachchapter.

Table 1: the seven series

Series Theme Age Area Sense Tissue

Hydrogen Being Foetus Spaceless Smell ?Carbon I Child Body Touch ? SkinSilicium Other Teenager House ConnectivetissueFerrum Work Adult Village Muscle BloodSilver Ideas Middle age Town Speech NervesGold Leadership Ripe Country Vision BoneUranium Magus Old age Universe Intuition Bone marrow

1. The Hydrogen series: Hydrogen to Helium

Being IncarnatingTo be or not to be in this world. The theme could be described as whether or notto incarnate in this world. The fact that this series only has two elements is quitesymbolic of its general theme: there are only two possibilities, to be or not to be.

Unity SymbiosisThey experience and have a great desire for unity. This is expressed in a deep lovefor every living being on this earth, they feel totally at one with everything.Hydrogen experiences the world as a whole, there is no division between self andother in the same way that a foetus doesnt feel this division. But later on this senseof unity is gradually lost and they begin to feel that they are separate from the restof the world. It is as if their world has collapsed and they have ended up in hell.Their paradise has changed into a world of good and evil, of me and you. They feelas if they cant bridge this chasm of separation anymore and it makes them feel lostand lonely.

Conception UnbornIn the development of life this series corresponds with conception and the period ofthe unborn child.

2. The Carbon series: Lithium to Neon

I IndividualityThis level represents the development as an individual and questions such as whoam?.

Value MeaningThis is immediately followed by the question what am I worth?, what is the valueof the world?, what is the meaning of life?.

ChildThe age that corresponds to this phase of development is that of the toddler. Atoddler learns to distinguish between different things and one of the most importantdistinctions is the one between I and the other person.

BodyIn this phase the area that is being (dis)covered is only small, i.e. the body.

3. The Silicium series: Natrum to Argon

Family and relationsThis is the level of relationships, first within the family, then gradually including otherpeople later on.

TeenagerThis is the age of the teenager. The teenager finds out about his position in relationto others, learning to define his own space and to respect that of others.

Home Neighbourhood FriendsThe area increases to include their own house and the immediate neighbourhood,the environment where the child learns to relate to people outside the family. Thisincludes his school where he starts to make friends with other children.

4. The Ferrum series: Kali to Krypton

Task Trade Abilities ProfessionThis is the level where abilities start to be developed. They have to learn to fulfilcertain tasks. In order to do this they have to be schooled by another person, eithera master or a teacher, a school or the parents themselves. Eventually they learn tocarry out this task by themselves.

Youth AdulthoodThis is the phase of becoming an adult. In our society this includes the years ofpuberty. This is when they learn a certain trade at school.

VillageThis is the area of the village or the tribe, as it used to be in the olden days. Theindividual gets to know the whole group and starts to determine his own positionwithin this group. This position is linked to a trade he has learned, for instance beinga baker or a carpenter. The area is still small enough for everybody to knoweverybody else, the way it happens in a village. Research has shown that it is possibleto know about 2000 people personally, and this is the average population of avillage.

5. The Silver series: Rubidium to Xenon

Ideas ArtThe theme that belongs to this level is Art. But there are many other themes linkedto this series that might at first sight have little to do with art: advising other people,mysticism, being a spokesman. The central theme is the passing on of ideas andimages. This can be done through paintings and sculptures, through poetry, theatre,music, through speeches or through channelled information from other spheres.

Middle ageThis level is usually developed in middle age. But the theme can be present at anyage, often even in childhood.

Region County ProvinceThe area is that of the province. The governor of the county is a representative of theking, ruling over a small area. A large town is usually the centre of such an area. Itshould be noted that we have now reached a level where it is no longer possible toknow everybody. This is reflected in the case of the artist who is greeted in the streetby many people he has never even seen before.

Voice HearingSpeech and hearing are two specific physical themes that belongs to the Silverseries. We use speech to get our ideas across to others, we use our ears to receivethe ideas.

6. The Gold series: Caesium to Radon

Power leadershipPower is the central theme of this level. It is all about leadership and power overother people. And leadership goes hand in hand with a feeling of responsibility forthose people.

Ripe ageThis is the phase of maturity, the age at which people traditionally used to, and stilldo, come into a position of power.

Country WorldThe area has now been extended to include the whole country or even the wholeworld. The vision of a king has to be much broader than that of a baker: a king hasto be able to see his whole country in order to plan his strategies.

EyesThe eyes are associated with the Gold series. They are one of the main problemareas of the remedies in this series.

7. The Uranium series: Francium to Plutonium

MagicThese are the magicians, the people who know how to reach their goal through thepower of intention and the power of thought. They are the shamans, the prophetswho guide the evolution of mankind from behind the scenes, people like Merlin andRasputin.

Invisible powerThey work with invisible forces. They work quietly in the background, unseen bymost people. They know how to manifest the hidden knowledge and power deepwithin the subconscious mind.

Old age.This is the time of very old age.

World UniverseThere are no limits to the area on which they focus their powers. They work with thewhole world and the whole universe. The themes that go with it are those of thesuper nations, the USA, Russia, China, India, the EEC, and specifically the UnitedNations.

IntuitionThis series focuses on the intuition. These people are often clairvoyant, orclairaudient or they simply know what is going on.

0.3 The eighteen stages

The eighteen stages are stages in a cycle. Each cycle consists of the beginning of aproject, the successful accomplishment of this project and then its eventual declineand final breakdown. It describes the rise, the success and the fall of anyundertaking, project, business or kingdom.The stages could be seen as separate moments fixed in time in this overall process.They describe the continuingprocess as if it consisted of different steps that can belifted out separately.The stages are the same for each series, so they can be applied to all of them. Wejust need to bear in mind that the first few series have fewer stages, it is as if theyhave skipped a few. Further down the line we get progressively more stages, as ifthere is more differentiation between each stage of development in the later series.For further information on this I would like to refer to the chapter Further commentson the stages.I have given each stage a number instead of a name. It is easier to work withnumbers than to remember 18 different names in the right sequence. Later on Iadded some names to describe the main characteristics of that stage.

1 Beginning: Hydrogen Lithium Natrum Kali Rubidiumand Caesium

Initiative ImpulsiveThese are people who take the initiative to start something. They feel they just haveto make a start somewhere. Their ideas are often highly original. It is often theamateur who starts up something totally new, who acts spontaneously on animpulse.

Instinctive SpontaneousThe actions of this first stage are often quite instinctive and spontaneous.

SimpleThey are simple in the way they approach their work. They do what they have to doin a straightforward and simple manner. They dont think about it too much. Theyhave no doubts or hesitations, they just get on with it. They may seem a bitprimitive or naive but this is because they concentrate only on what they are doingand they dont get distracted by a thousand and one other things.

Lonely AloneThey like to be alone, to go their own way. They dont exchange their ideas withothers very much because they know already what they want to do and how to doit. So they can give the impression of being very closed. This lack of communicationcan make them feel lonely, altough they often long for a relationship. They tend tochoose a relationship with one person only. That is more than enough for them tocope with, as anything else would be too confusing.

Single minded StubbornThey do everything by themselves, in their own way. They carry out their plans witha singleminded dedication that may seem very stubborn. But this is the way it worksbest for them, they go at their own pace, steady but sure.

One sided ThoughtlessThey dont really think before they start, they simply start and see what happens.They have made a choice and thats what theyll do. They dont allow themselves tobe distracted by anything that isnt relevant to their task. They are totally fixed onwhat they want. They dont want to know about the other side of things. They wearblinkers and can only look straight ahead. Things are the way things are and thatsit. They may appear closed because the only subject they ever talk about is whatthey want to achieve. But they are not really closed, it is just that there is nothingelse to say as far as they are concerned.

NaiveBecause they never pause to think about what they are doing they may seem verynaive. They go their own way, childlike and innocent, not bothered by other people.

Fool SimpletonIn the extreme this may lead to foolish and careless behaviour. The problem startswhen their way of doing things doesnt work anymore. They dont have the abilityto reconsider their plans, so they carry on regardless, rather irrationally. They oftenget pitiful looks, as if they are not quite 100%.

InThe prefix that is associated with this stage is in-. This often indicates a beginning:to introduce, to initiate, to induce, to incarnate, impulsive.

SymptomsThey are often very optimistic and jolly people, going through life quite happilywithout cares or worries about day to day problems. In the extreme this could turninto mania. When they get the feeling that all their actions come to nothing they getdepressed, they become gloomy and give up. They are unable to see what otheroptions are open to them. The optimistic and pessimistic moods might alternate in atype of manic-depressive behaviour.

SignatureThere is a constant exchange between Natrum and Kali when impulses [Stage 1] areconducted along the nerves. We also know that the presence of Lithium andRubidium affects this process.

DDDD Hydrogen: Hydrogen has a special place in the periodic system. Its theme seemsto fit Stage 1 but it also has characteristics that belong to Stage 10 and Stage 17.One could say that it is the only element that embraces all stages from beginning toflowering to decay.

2. Finding a space: Beryllium Magnesium CalcareaStrontium and Baryta

ObservingThey are sensitive to being looked at and quickly feel criticised. This is the stagewhere they enter into a relationship with another person. They are aware that thereare other people around, whereas the people in stage 1 act as if they were alone. InStage 2 the people feel as if other people are constantly looking at them and sayingthings about them. Each level, i.e. each series, experiences this feeling of beinglooked at in a different way. Beryllium looks at himself as if he is not himself,Magnesium feels as if he is not worth having a relationship with, Calcarea feels as ifhe cannot manage his task, Strontium feels as if he cannot create any form of art,and Baryta feels as if he should be king but cant do it. There is also a difference inwho they think is looking at them: Beryllium is looking at himself, Magnesium feelsobserved by his family, Calcarea by neighbours and people from his village, who seehim as being confused, Strontium feels the public looking at him and Baryta feelsthe whole world looking at him.

EvaluatingThey feel the need to find out the value of things. They compare their own actionsto other peoples to find out whether their own way of doing things is good or bad.They have to compare themselves to others because they dont have their own innerframe of reference yet.

CriticisingThere is a danger that the negative side takes over, and that they only see thenegative sides in themselves and others. Or they feel judged by others in a negativeway and they will take this on as being the truth. They are extremely sensitive to anycomments or forms of criticism. Other people only have to look at them or think ofthem and they will take it as a form of criticism. They easily feel judged, humiliatedor hurt.

Unsure Shy TimidThe theme is that of uncertainty. They feel so unsure of themselves that they dontdare to say or do anything. They are passive in the sense that they are convincedthat there is no possibility for active participation. They can only undergo thejudgment and reactions of other people. The physical expression of this passiveattitude is often a certain weakness, puffiness and flaccidity of the body. Theircharacter shows the same weak and phlegmatic traits. They are modest and like tokeep themselves in the background. They appear docile and easy going, even weakand cowardly. They darent develop their potential, so their talent remains hidden.

Finding a space Joining the communityThe root of this problem is their belief that they dont deserve to have their ownspace. They feel they dont qualify for their own space until they have done a gooddeed to deserve it. They have to work hard to find their own place. In relationships itis very important for them to know their own and their partners boundaries, the

beginning and the end of their own space. They find it difficult to occupy their ownspace. They quickly feel left out when they cant make contact with someone else.Or they feel left out because they darent show themselves to the outside world.Adapting Giving inBecause they dont have their own inner frame of reference they are inclined to takeon other peoples opinions. They adapt their behaviour to fit in with the generalopinions and rules of others. In this sense they give the impression of being veryweak minded.

Passive ObservingThey soon become passive, just letting things all happen around them. They givetheir power away and dont even realise that they probably have just as much tooffer as anyone else. Other people are more outgoing and pretend that they know itall, whilst they have the feeling that they know nothing and therefore dont have theright to conveytheir opinions.

Protecting Covering upThey have the tendency to protect themselves and not to show who they are. Thatway they wont get criticised. This reaction reminds us of the oyster who hides in hisshell as soon as there is a hint of danger. They need protection and their defence ispassive: they hide behind a shield.In our practice we can recognise this defensive reaction in the body language, thetypes of gestures or the general behaviour of a patient. We see the child hidingbehind its mother or behind a chair, the Barytas show this quite clearly, or they turntheir head away from you and snuggle up to their mother. Later on these gesturesbecome a bit more subtle, such as holding on to mothers hand, keeping a handbefore their mouth, or crossing their arms in front of their chest.

Support HardeningApart from their need for security we also see that these people have a great desirefor support: either receiving or giving support. Calcarea is the main component ofbones, the most supportive structure in our body. The need for support may turninto a gradually increasing rigidity. They build these structures to give them supportin life, but if the structures become too rigid it can cause a stagnation in theirdevelopment. The hardening of the shield prevents any further development, as inthe case of the tortoise who has not changed for millions of years.

TwoThis is the stage where the number two comes in: they have become conscious of aduality. It is no longer a case of one person doing something, we now have a secondperson who is observing what the first one is doing.

DDDD Stage 1: there is no reflection in stage one and they dont feel people looking atthem yet.DD Being looked at: The stages that follow can also have a feeling of being watched,but there it is no longer the main part of the whole problem. In those stages thepredominant feeling becomes more focused on what they could or should be doing

to get things right.Stage 2 has a passive attitude that makes them feel that people are always looking atthem and it doesnt even occur to them that they could be doing something aboutit themselves.DD Doubt, passive, coward: Stage 3, 4 and 5 may also have a tendency tocowardice, without the courage to persevere.DD Stage 6 and hiding: Both stages have the theme of hiding. But there is no realaction in Stage 2, they are simply reluctant to show themselves. In Stage 6 there isdefinitely a lot of action, but they dont want to show what they are doing in casethey fail.

SignatureCalcarea and Strontium are elements that can turn into bone and chalk, hence theword calcifying which implies hardening.

SymptomsPhysical: > lying on abdomen.

3. Comparing: Boron Aluminium Scandium Yttrium andLanthanum

Investigating Discovering ScanningThis is the stage of investigation. These people start to look beyond themselves andbegin to investigate other possibilities and ways of doing things. They want to findtheir own potential and how they can develop this. They are like the scouts in thearmy: they go out to investigate, they scan the area to get an idea of the generalsituation, but they dont intend to engage in any fighting.

Discerning ComparingThey like to compare the different possibilities to see what suits them best. Theylearn to discern between different factors in order to make the right choice. Look atall things and keep the best.

TryingThey are at the stage where they try all sorts of things. They want to get a taste ofeverything to see if they can use it. This is all very tentative, like sticking a toe in thewater to test the temperature.

UnderestimatingThey underestimate their own potential, they dont have real faith in their abilitiesyet. This causes them to hesitate a lot. One day they think this is best, and they nextthey think that is better. Theyre always changing their mind. This seeminglyimpulsive behaviour stems from an inner urge that they have to do something.

Doubt HesitationBecause they feel so weak and inexperienced they soon succumb to doubt. Theywould like to try something but they dont dare. They never have the courage tostart something real, they cant make up their mind what to do. They have to dosomething to prove themselves, but they dont know what and how. They dont feelsafe enough to make a real choice.

Changeable UnstableWhen they finally do try something they are so nervous that it often goes wrong. Sothey will look for something else, another project, another path. They go from onething to the next without ever sticking to one thing and persevering with it. Theirown changeability can make them feel very confused, they get caught up in theirown doubts and wont know what to do anymore.

DiscouragedAs soon as something goes wrong they retreat into their shell. The slightestopposition or misfortune can bring them into a state of uncertainty and confusion.And then they will give up, feeling it is better to give up straight away because theywont succeed anyway. They often feel they are being attacked and they dont havethe courage to stick up for themselves. They are easily intimidated and discouraged.Unofficial Uncommitted

If they get stuck in this stage they will never commit themselves to anything. Theycannot make a real commitment because deep down they feel that they might notbe able to do it, so they have to keep their options open and allow for an escaperoute. Nothing official, no ties.

UnderThe prefix un- or under is often seen in this stage. They are under age, unofficial,under the mark, too small to participate in the real thing.

ThreeWe also see the number three as a significant number in this stage. The electriccharge of the ions in this stage is three. The act of comparison is only possible whenthere are three people present, i.e. the observer and two others. The eternaltriangle is also a theme in this stage. We also see the root in words such as try, trialand trifle.

DDDD Stage 2: is more passive, as they feel they are being looked at but they wontundertake anything to avoid the criticism. In stage 3 there is some action: the actionis one of investigation, of trying out different possibilities. It is like the differencebetween the oyster and the lobster. The oyster remains in his shell, whilst the lobsterinvestigates his environment, only to retreat inside his shell again at the slightest hintof danger.DD: Stage 5 also has many doubts, but their main concern is whether they will carryon with their project or not. However, they have already chosen their particularproject. People in stage 3 dont even know what they want yet. It is the differencebetween alternating and changing.

4. Establishing: Titanium Zirconium Hafnium

EstablishingIn this stage they are really starting something. It is the stage of the establishment ofa certain project, a certain task. They are just about to cross the threshold, to openthe door, to cross the bridge. They have made the decision to have a go atsomething. The terms associated with this stage are grounding, empowering,founding, forging, establishing.

Official FoundationThe official start of the project is made known to the public, like an officialstatement. It is the stage where the enterprise receives public and officialacknowledgement. People enter the organisation. In the olden days it would be thestage of an initiation. Characteristic of this stage is that things often go wrong themoment someone has officially started his chosen task or project. They can becomevery unsure of themselves, get panicky or have a nervous breakdown just before thestart of the job, or the wedding, or the journey etc.

AmazingWhen they have finally started a project they are amazed that it is actuallyhappening, and that there is nobody who is stopping them or saying that they mustdo it differently. And they are even doing it right! It is much easier than theythought. They might not be able to see all the implications yet, but at least itsworking. They are really surprised: is this all there is to it? But the future is stillveiled in a kind of mist.

Uncertain IndecisiveBut what will they find at the other side? Should they go on? Isnt it a bit toodangerous to enter into foreign territory? They start to get unsure, thinking theywont be able to handle it. They cant foresee what is going to happen and how itwill look in the future. There might be some problems just around the corner thatwill prove to be too much. They can make mountains out of molehills until they aresure that they wont be able to cope. That makes them very indecisive. They knowwhat they want but they dont dare to go there all by themselves. They cant rely ontheir talents because they dont know them well enough; they have never been putto the test yet.

HalfThis dilemma may keep them stuck in the initial stage of a project. They dont reallyabandon it, but they dont persevere either. They are always stuck in the beginningof something, always on the point of choosing. They only do things by halves, theydont go the whole way. We could imagine the situation of someone getting into aboa: one foot is already on board and the other foot is still on land. He wants to starthis journey, but he is torn in two. He has to make a choice. You cant have your cakeand eat it.

Expressions

Dreams: threshold, porch, bridge, key.Causes: starting a job, marriage, journey.

ComplaintsAbductors, inguinal ligaments.

DDDD Stage 3: has not started anything officially yet, he is still looking around withoutobligation. In stage 4 a definite choice has been made, there is a real commitment.DD Stage 2: is also unsure of himself but he hasnt made a choice yet. He hasnteven got the notion that he could do something about this whole situation himself.

5. Preparing: Vanadium Niobium Tantalum

PreparationsThey have a great desire to prepare things thoroughly. This thorough preparation isnecessary so that they get an insight into all possible future developments. That waythey can have an answer ready for any future situation that may arise.

Front guardThey are the front runners, the ones who show what is to come. They are the onesthat get the ball to the front so it can be kicked into the goal.

Proposal DoubtThey make all the plans and put forward all the proposals. They have made a startbut they doubt whether they are really capable enough. They have only just started.Isnt it all a bit too much for them, are they really up to it? Will they make it? Theyreally want to succeed. They try to get the knack of the game but they often fail atthis stage. This is natural because of their lack of experience.There is still some doubt about their own abilities and it makes them a bit indecisive.They often wonder: What on earth have I started? They consider all sorts of optionsbut dont really have much faith in any of them. So they remain skeptical andsuspicious towards any plans or suggestions. They lack confidence in themselves ortheir environment.

Temporary PostponingThey are forever preparing without coming to any definite decisions. Their plans arealways temporary, they are never good enough, there is always something thatneeds to be improved. They postpone their plans and the delay often leads tocancellation. They hum and ha and even when they do start something the chancesare that they will quit somewhere along the line.

AvoidingThey prefer to avoid the real confrontation, because they have too many doubtsabout their abilities. They have never put their talents to the test and their hesitationprevents them from ever putting them to the test. They never get further than a trialrun.

UnrealisticThey tend to ask far too much of themselves. Their expectations are impossible to tolive up to, even for an experienced person. With these kinds of expectations theproject is doomed to fail even before it starts. They know this deep inside and that iswhy they see their task as a great mountain looming up in front of them. They arenot being realistic about their own talents or about the situation itself. The task iseither too ambitious for their limited capabilities, or they have overestimated theirtalent. It is very difficult for them to make a down to earth start and then see how farthey get.

Alternating

Their attitude alternates between two extremes: one moment they want to make astart and the next moment they want to give up. The balance goes up and downlike a yoyo.TantalisingThey feel very tortured by their inability to decide. They feel as if they will nevermake it, as if they will always fail.

PreThe prefix belonging to this stage is pre as in preparations, everything thatprecedes the real action.

DDDD Stage 4: has also made a start with his plans, but he hasnt thought it throughyet. They start their task without much preparation.DD Stage 3: has doubts, but they are doubts about what he will do; they are alsochangeable but they will change all over the place, changing their plans tosomething completely different.Stage 5 has strong doubts whether he will or wont undertake his chosen task. Thechangeability is more an alternating state of mind between doing it or not doing it,an alternation between two poles.6. Proving: Chromium Molybdenum Tungsten

ChallengeThey finally take up the challenge. No more hesitation, they want to take the bull bythe horns. They love challenges and even go looking for them.

DaringThey are daredevils. They will put everything at risk if need be, but they would ratheraccept a challenge and fail than run away from it. So they will go for it and see whathappens.

ProvingThey have a great need to prove themselves, to show what they can do. If someonechallenges them they feel an even greater urge to do it. They have to convincethemselves and others that they can do it.

InitiationThis is the theme of the initiation, the firewalk. It is not just a trial exercise but thereal thing. They are being thrown into the deep end and it is up to them to provethat they can swim.

InevitableThey do suffer from anticipatory fears. They are afraid that the task is too much forthem. There is a part of them that would like to give up but they know that such anattitude wont get them anywhere. They simply have to start their project, it isinevitable. And they would rather go for this adventure and take the risk than staybehind and do nothing. They like challenges and adventures.

ForceThey are rather afraid of this initiation and would really like to to avoid the wholething. But they know that there is no way out, they have to go through it. They haveto force themselves to do it in order to overcome their fears. They either forcethemselves, authorising themselves to undertake the task, they manoeuvrethemselves into such a position that it looks as if others are forcing them to do it.

HidingBecause they havent proved what they are capable of doing yet, they dont like toshow themselves in public. They first want to know for themselves that they can doit, before they will show it to others. They dont want to talk about it, until they havepassed their test. On the other hand they like some witnesses to be there to confirmthat they have indeed passed the test.

DDDD Stage 5: is more inclined to get stuck in preparations and delaying tactics. Instage 6 it is no longer possible to delay things, the project has to be started.DD Stage 2 (hiding).

7. Practising: Manganum Technetium Rhenium

ExtendingThe theme is extending the knowledge that has been gained so far. The first hurdleshave been taken, they know they can do it in principle. But there is still a lot to bedone in the way of further development and further refinements. They like to extendtheir knowledge and their skills.

Training Extra skillsIn order to perform well they have to carry on their training, there is still a lot to belearned.

DoubtThis stage also suffers from doubt, although less strongly than in Stage 3 and 5. Thedoubt is not so much about what they should do or whether they should doanything at all, it is more about how they should tackle a particular task.

LearningThey enjoy learning new skills. They also like training other people, teaching themnew methods of doing things or new ways of thinking. They are good teachersbecause they have a lot of patience. They have created the space to develop extraskills and they like to share these with others. Their criticism is never harsh, it is onlymeant to show others a better way of doing things.

FeedbackIn order to refine and develop their knowledge they like to have feedback. They liketo have a teacher or guru who tells them whether they are doing it right or not.They are very keen on refining their methods of work and developing their potential.They dont mind criticism, as long as they can learn from it. But they hate negativecriticism, as to them that is pointless.

ComplimentsAnd of course they love positive feedback. They like to hear that they havesucceeded in learning something new. They like to receive compliments, but evenwhen you point out some mistakes to them they are glad that you did, because fromthat they can learn something too.

CooperationThe theme of training and developing skills makes them eager to cooperate withothers, either with a teacher or with other people who are in training. They like todo things together so everyone can learn from each other and support each other intheir development.

CoThe prefix co or con is found in this stage: cooperation, compliments, consulting,consolidation, confirmation.

DDDD Stage 6: still has to prove that they can do it, but they are much more unsure ofthemselves. Stage 7 has the feeling that they can definitely do their task; all theyneed is some more training and some extra skills.

8. Perseverance: Ferrum Ruthenium Osmium

PerseveranceThe theme here is perseverance: to brace yourself and carry on with your plans.Their life consists of getting on with it. And they will get there as long as they stickto their plans.

EnduranceThey feel that it is a tremendous effort to carry on. They have to move thatmountain of work. Fortunately they are very capable people with great powers ofendurance.

ForcefulThey have a tendency to force themselves and others. They dont have time for allthe niceties, there is work to be done. Once they have got it into their head thattheir plans should have priority they tend to get very pushy and obstreperous.

Heavy PressureThe task is big and the pressure weighs heavily on them. But they are up to it, theyknow how to handle such a work load.

OppositionThey hate opposition. Their task is heavy enough as it is without being opposed orcontradicted by others. They confront any difficulties with openness and courage.They are full of confidence, they have done their homework and they are not afraidof confrontation. They know what they want and are prepared to persevere with it.They dont shy away from a fight, in fact they welcome it if necessary.They might feel that circumstances are against them. The day to day happenings inhouse and family are often felt as added burdens instead of welcome breaks. Theyfeel that they have to devote themselves completely to their task in hand. Anythingelse in life is only a distraction.

Calculating PlanningThey are usually very good at summing up a situation. They work out what theyhave to do to realise their plans. Their calculations are precise and they see clearlywhat is important and what is not. They have to plan this way in order to getthrough the enormous amount of work. They may even become politicians toachieve their goals.

ConcentrationThey are very concentrated on their work, totally absorbed by it, as if that is theironly fulfilment in life.

Through On PerThey carry on, they break through opposition, persevere through adversity,persistence, pertinacy, they go on, work on, plough on, fight on etc.

SignatureThe metals of Stage 8 are the most pressure resistant of all the metals in eachindividual series, Osmium having the highest resistance of them all. These metalshardly give way under pressure, which is linked to the fact that they are very denseand heavy. Osmium is the heaviest metal, the most compact.

DDDD Stage 7: still has room for improvement and learning. In Stage 8 there is nomore time for learning, there is too much work to be done.DD Courage: This stage is the most courageous of them all: they can brave anydanger. We could call them the Heroes. But we also find courage in Stages 6 to 13.

9. Success is in sight: Cobaltum Rhodium Iridium

The final sprintThey are getting ready for the final test, it is the last run up to reach the summit. Thecrown is within reach now.

HarvestThe time of harvest has come. Success is in sight. The outside world can see this too.Years of preparations and hard work are about to be rewarded.

Final presentationThey are ready to present themselves to receive the award. They look forward tobeing the centre of attention in their success. They know the time has come becausethey have the capabilities and the experience to round this off successfully.

Finishing touchesAll they have to do now is to add some finishing touches to their project, the finaldetails to round it off. They have learned everything there was to learn, doneeverything that needed to be done, the only thing they havent got yet isrecognition. And they need recognition of the fact that they have succeeded. Theyneed a signature under the contract, a diploma to say they have passed the exam.

TestThey would like to put it to the test once more, to see if their are any minor faultsthat need to be corrected. It is like a final rehearsal or the proof reading of a book.

BlunderBut there is still a nagging doubt whether they will succeed. Will it all go well or willthere be some unforeseen circumstances that might result in failure? In spite of thefact that completion is now a mere formality, they are still afraid that something willgo wrong, that they might commit a terrible blunder, that all the work of all thoseyears will have been for nothing.

Not quiteIf they get stuck in this phase they never quite reach the summit. They nearly makeit and right at the end there is always something that goes wrong. So they alwaysjust miss the completion, the crowning. This can cause them to feel hurried, as ifthey quickly have to get through this last bit, then at least nothing can go wronganymore.They are always second, never quite win the first prize. They frequently usethe word really, as if they really deserve to get something, but never quite getthere.

Calling it offBecause of their fear of committing some blunder, they are inclined to call the wholething off at the last moment. They go through every single stage of setting things upand practising it and perfecting it and at the very end they call it off. After the finalrehearsal they cancel the official opening of the show, a day before the wedding

they call it off, an hour before their exams they decide not to turn up, just before theopening of their new business they decide not to go ahead with it.

UpThe mood of this stage is upwards, the last little push up to the top: climbing up,working up to, leading up to, hurrying up, doing up, polishing up.

DDDD Stage 8: has the feeling that they still have to get through an awful lot of work.In Stage 9 it is only a matter of adding the finishing touches.

10. Lord and master: Graphites Silica NiccolumPalladium Platina

Stage 10 could be seen as the middle of the cycle. As a centre point it is also themirror for the stages, where Stage 1 and 17 are mirror images of each other, so areStage 2 and 16 etc.

Summit CentreThis is the summit of the cycle, where everything has come to fruition. They havemade it, they have achieved what they wanted to, they have reached the top in theircareer, they are the first, the best.They are the centre of attention in all that happens. They like to be centred and theymake sure that everything remains centred around the main theme. They are fullyconcentrated on their task.

Success GlitterTheir success makes them shine and glitter. They have won, they have become first.They can be very exuberant in their happiness, almost ecstatic.

SureThey have made it and there is no doubt about their position now. They are securein the knowledge that they have overcome all odds, and that nobody can take thisaway from them. The situation is quite clear, not a cloud on the horizon.

Independent NobleThey are very independent, lord and master in their own territory. They know whatthey want and what they stand for. They depend only on their own judgment. Theyare not easily caught off balance, not easily touched. They are noble in theirbehaviour, they carry out their task with dignity, unperturbed by other people.

Self confident HaughtyThey are full of self confidence, they can even be quite domineering, wanting toforce their will on others. They feel far above the ordinary people because they standat the top. In the extreme this may lead to haughtiness.

BalanceBalance is their strong point: they like to balance all the components. They like allthe members of a group or a project to work in balance, to form a stable core. Theylike to achieve stability, they make sure that everything is arranged firmly andsecurely. They stand firmly on the ground and give their opinion fair and square.They are at the top of the cycle, they are the point of balance between thebeginning and the end of a cycle. In this respect they are a mirror to the stages oneither side. But the pivoting point also has another quality i.e. instability. Being atthe top they could easily flip over to one side or the other. All sorts of minor issuescan then bring them out of balance.

Fixed Rigid

Becoming too fixed in their ideas is the main danger at this stage. They have a greatsense of their own worth, they think they have made it in life and this may preventthem from going along with the changes of time. Their success may become theirdownfall because they tend to become fixed in their situation and cease to wonderwhether any adaptions or renewals might be appropriate. They stay fixed in theiropinion and like to stay fixed in their position, unyielding and rigid.This particular aspect of stage 10 is also emphasised by Sankaran in his book.

SelfThe word self is self evident in this stage: self confidence, self importance, selfsatisfied.

SignatureThe metals in this Stage are the most precious. Ruthenium, Rhodium, Palladium,Argentum, Osmium, Iridium, Platina, Aurum and Mercurius are usually all calledprecious metals. They dont react with other chemicals very easily and they appearin nature in their pure form. These metals shine and glitter. Diamonds also glitter, sodoes quartz.All elements in this stage are hard and unyielding. Diamond, which is a form ofCarbon, is the hardest material on earth. Platina is very difficult to bend too. Theelectric charge of the ions of these metals is +4, which can be seen as the reason fortheir stability. When they form a bond with other elements they share their electronsin equal proportions. Chains are also easily formed.

DDDD Stage 9: is still uncertain whether everything will turn out all right. In Stage 10success is assured, they dont have to do anything for it to happen, they just have tobe there.DD Self-confidence: Stage 10 is the most self confident, there is no doubt abouttheir abilities. We see this, to a lesser degree, in all precious metals, in stages8,9,11,12 and 13.

11. Preserving: Cuprum Argentum Aurum

Holding onThe theme is holding on to that which has been achieved. They have a great senseof responsibility, more than the other metals. They tend to be rather conservativeand rigid in their control, they dont discuss matters, they simply want to keepthings as they are. They want to hold on to the things they have achieved, and theyalso like to hold on to the methods by which they have been achieved.

MaintainingIt is quite an effort for them to maintain their position. It is as if they have taken overtheir position from someone else, as if they havent achieved it by themselves, but itis up to them to keep it going.

PreservingThey try to preserve what is there, to hold on to the stock that has been built upover the years. Or they might feel that it is up to them to stock up, like the Pharaohsin Egypt who had to stock up in the 7 years of abundance to provide for the 7 yearsof poverty.

ProtectingThey try to protect their own achievements, but they also feel protective towardsother people. Here we see their strong sense of responsibility coming out.

Possessions WealthBecause they have built up their possessions over the years they tend to be quitewealthy. This state of wealth creates a feeling of stability and peace.

Enjoyment PrivilegedThey are able really to enjoy what they have achieved. They look back withsatisfaction over the years of success. They know how to enjoy their success and toappreciate the good things it has brought them.

ExpansionThey can also have the feeling that they have to expand their success, not so muchin the sense of making it even bigger, but more in the sense of making everything apart of it. They like others to be a part of it, they like to share their wealth. Theydont suffer from feelings of suspicion or animosity towards others.

There is no particular prefix for this stage. The general sense is: ruling, guarding,maintaining, keeping, protecting.

Signature: electricity and heat conductorsThe elements that belong to this stage are the best conductors of both electricityand heat. Electricity and heat quickly spread throughout these metals. Copper, goldand silver have always been used as a means of payment: they are metals that keeptheir value.

DDDD Stage 10: has a feeling that everything is all right as it is. No effort is needed tohold on to the situation, everything happens by itself. But stage 11 has the feelingthat they have to exert themselves to maintain the present situation.DD Nitrogen and Phosphorus: In Nitrogen and Phosphorus we see a mixture of thefeelings of Stage 11 through to 15. They also have the theme of expansion. But theyare most similar to Stage 15.

12. Division: Zincum Cadmium Mercurius

Overshooting the markThese people also like to maintain what they have achieved, but they go too far intrying to hold on to it. They have all sorts of plans to keep things as they are andthere is no stopping them. They are very conservative in their outlook and as long aseverything is going according to the old plans and routines they feel fine. They willimmediately vote against change of any form or description. They dont really listento others, and if they do it is only to pick up ideas that they can later use in theirown schemes.It is like a farmer who has noticed that manure is good for his crops, so he thinksmore manure will be even better and lots and lots of manure will undoubtedly bethe best.

ExaggeratingThey have a tendency to exaggerate. They are so caught up in their own visions thatthey are unable to see anybody else's view of the situation. So they tend todramatise and get things totally out of proportion. They dream that the brakes oftheir vehicle are failing, an expression of the sense that they cant stop.

RepetitionThey like to repeat successful actions of the past. If things worked in the past theywill no doubt work in the future too. They fail to look deeper into the presentsituation to see if there have been any changes that require a different approach.They copy their actions of the past without thinking.

PollutionThis endless repetition can lead to a pollution of the environment. The copies keeppiling up, they have become useless. Or they get used and discarded in an endlesscycle of fruitless activity, where nobody bothers to look into the value of the wholeprocess, its cheap and easy, so just carry on.

Decline Decay DivisionThis is the stage where decay is just around the corner. People are picking holes intheir achievements, the business threatens to fall apart. They do what they can tosave the situation, but there is no getting away from the fact that everything isdisintegrating all around them.

EnemiesThey are beginning to meet opposition from other people who like to do thingsdifferently. Their power is being threatened. They will give the impression that theyare allowing others to have their say. But in reality this is no more than a falsepromise, because they keep on making the final decisions themselves, they dontgive their power away at all. This is the stage of suspicion: everybody could be theirenemy. They try and prevent this threat by sowing dissonance amongst theircompetitors: Divide and Rule. Manipulation, bribery and corruption are the onlymethods left to keep some sort of control over matters.

ReThe prefix of this stage is re-: they try to recapture, restore, repeat, remake, rebuild,recall.SignatureThe metals that belong to this stage are the most poisonous and the most polluting[Stage 12] of all the metals.

DDDD: Stage 11 doesnt really feel there is any threat from outside world, he only hasto take care of what he has built up. Stage 12 is the time where the outside worldstarts to pose a threat to his achievements. He is being attacked from all sides.

13. Withdrawal: Gallium Indium Thallium

Staying behindThey are lagging behind in the recent developments. They cant and wont keep upanymore. It is all going too fast. They would rather stay where they are and see whathappens, they dont feel like being involved anymore.

Out grownThey have grown out of the whole thing. The project has gone on, newdevelopments have taken place and they cant keep up anymore. They tried to keeppace with it but had to admit they couldnt. They may even have been a bit tooarrogant. It all went so well in the past that their success ran away with them andsuddenly it all came crashing down again.

NostalgiaThere is a feeling of nostalgia for the good old days, when everything was still goingwell, when they still had talent and they could manage everything.

Out of date StubbornBy now their methods are out of date. They were appropriate once, but the newsituation needs different skills. But they refuse to admit this; if it worked before, whyshouldnt it work now? They have a one track mind and keep repeating the sameold methods, like a gramophone record whose needle has got stuck. They aretreading the same worn out, hollow path, the path has etched itself deep into theground, the walls on either side obstruct their vision, so they cant see anything newand they cant get out either.So they are stubborn, thinking they know better than all those new people with theirfancy ideas. They are the ones who have tried and tested their own methods sothey know what is best. There is no