Daniel had been attending an adaptive swim class for over a year. Each week, four autistic boys are taught by two wonderful instructors. Watching the boys’ progress was been exciting. Daniel, who was already a decent swimmer when he joined the class (but was overwhelmed by larger group classes) advanced to learning the butterfly stroke. One of the other boys, who just the previous year refused to put his head underwater, was swimming on his own. All of them enjoyed the hour of swimming, floating, playing water basketball, and jumping.

One day, we entered the athletic club with only one minute to spare, so I encouraged Daniel to hurry. He became so upset that it took me 30 minutes to help him calm down. This is very unusual for him. During the class, two of the other boys were also acting in ways we do not usually see.

As we drove to class, I had noticed that the moon was very large and round. A quick check confirmed that the full moon is only a few hours away.

Do the lunar cycles affect your child?

Homeopathy 102

One of the tenets of homeopathy is individualization. When I am asked, “Is there a really a homeopathic remedy for my child having more tantrums during the full moon?” I reply that there are at least 51 possible remedies that incorporate this symptom. There is also one particular remedy that is the perfect match for each individual.

The way homeopaths learn what a homeopathic medicine will cure is through the use of experiments called drug provings.  Healthy individuals take the remedy being tested until a reaction to the substance is achieved. Subjects report all symptoms that occur while the remedy is being proved.

The information obtained from proving is compiled into materia medicas (encyclopedias of drug effects) and repertories (books which list symptoms and the substances that have been found to cause and/or cure them).

Homeopathic Remedies and Lunar Phases

My repertory lists remedies for aggravations during the full moon, the new moon, the waxing moon, and the waning moon. Even if each of the four boys in the swimming class experiences an aggravation of symptoms with the arrival of the full moon, each will probably need a different remedy.

Remedies Indicated for Individuals Whose Symptoms are Worse Around the Time of the Full Moon

1.       Argentum Nitricum

a.       A remedy for anxious children with anxiety in crowded rooms and fear of heights

b.      Desire sugar

c.       Anxiety about time and space

2.       Calcarea Carbonica

a.       For fearful children (fear dogs and/or dark and/or illness)

b.      Often slow learning to walk and talk

c.       Crave eggs, sugar and milk products

3.       Lycopodium

a.       Do you joke that your child was a king or queen in a previous life? Children who need this remedy seem to want to recover power lost but lack self-confidence.

b.      Intelligent and stubborn

c.       Read more about the Lycopodium picture in these posts:

4.       Phosphorus

a.       Children who blaze brightly, then burn out

b.      Crave salt and are very thirsty

c.       Subject to nosebleeds

5.       Pulsatilla

a.       Clingy children, very attached to mother

b.      Absence of thirst

c.       Frequent colds, ear infections, asthma

6.       Silica

a.       Thin children who lack grit

b.      Very smart, but shy and try not to stand out

c.       Lack self-confidence

Remedies Indicated for Individuals Whose Symptoms are Worse Around the Time of the New Moon

1.       Arsenicum Album

a.       Very restless and anxious children with intense obsessions

b.      Tend to have burning pains that are relieved by heat

c.       Fear death and being left alone

2.       Nux Vomica

a.       Irritable

b.      Hypersensitive to noise and light.  These children do not like music.

c.       Very fussy and want every detail in place

3.       Phosphorus

a.       See above.  Affected during full and new moon.

4.       Pulsatilla

a.       See above.  Affected during full and new moon.

5.       Rhus-tox

a.       Sick during teething

b.      Subject to sprains and strains of joints

6.       Sulphur

a.       Subject to skin diseases such as eczema

b.      Tendency to smell bad, possibly like rotten eggs

c.       May look sloppy and love to have fun

Gaining Insights

These very brief descriptions of some aspects of the remedies are provided as an illustration. They are not sufficient for self-prescribing. I hope that they give you a peek at the range of action and healing potential of homeopathic remedies.

A remedy is prescribed on the whole picture of the individual, including physical, mental, and emotional symptoms. If your child’s symptoms are aggravated with the full or new moon, this provides the homeopath a clue to finding a remedy that will be helpful in improving overall health and balance.

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Homeopathy was an important part of my parenting/mothering and self-discovery journey. Read all about it in Swan Mothers: Discovering Our True Selves by Parenting Uniquely Magnificent Children.