Proving of Python regia

by Brigitte Klotzsch [copyright by the author]

 

 

1. Introduction

A number of venomous snakes have played an important part in the homeopathic materia medica, but until now there has never been a remedy made from an exclusively strangulating snake. I think it is really important to give you a picture of this remedy along with the provings and rubrics. Within this picture are included my own experiences as well as clinical detail. This will then give you a real flavour of the remedy, a hook on which to hang the detail. Poems and fairy tales also add to the remedy picture.

 

2. How I obtained original sample:

Getting hold of the original sample was an adventure in itself. At first I was determined to get one drop of blood from an Albino Boa. A visiting circus in my area (Refrath, Germany) was exhibiting one of these slung across the neck of a beautiful woman. The owner of this snake was incredibly suspicious of me and wouldn’t even speak to me when he heard of my bloodthirsty request. And anyway, he said, snakes have got such deep veins that you would never be able to access them. Added to which you would have to tear the mucus membrane to access a drop of blood (mouth or anus) and you couldn’t possibly do this, for goodness’ snake, because the gigantic snake is as sensitive as a baby and its mucus membranes would immediately react with a fungal infection and then he would have to buy expensive medicines to treat it.

So that was no good.

Six months later I had the opportunity to meet a reptile connoisseur who kept these animals at his home. I became interested in the smaller constrictor snake, the Python.

Herr Ermert knows his reptiles but is currently only keeping Tarantulas and Pythons at home and first of all he was sceptical and reserved about the idea of homeopathy but he was open-minded enough to let me attempt to get blood from his snake.

I have to admit that I am not keen on injections. However, I got hold of a set of insulin instruments in order to prick the Python and remove a drop of blood.

I was considerably agitated when the time came to try out this procedure between the under-side scales of the Python. Herr Ermert held the animal meanwhile. The snake seemed not to feel a thing. It didn’t even flinch as I inserted the needle. I had to have several attempts and each time the snake did not react. It was as if it had anaesthetised itself. I didn’t manage to get a single drop of blood, not even the first signs of any but I only wanted some blood. Everything seemed withheld.

Then we got a razor blade and I felt as if I were being terribly mercenary about the whole thing. First I had pricked the animal which had not defended itself at all and now I was about to cut its skin between its under-side scales and through its connective tissue. Again there was no reaction and again there was no blood. It was incredible. The cut was gaping in front of us, without a trace of blood, almost as if the Python had withheld everything in order to concentrate on its own anaesthesia.

I didn’t know what to do now. I felt like a mutilator and,deep down, gave up, bothered by deep doubts about why I even wanted the blood of the Python. I could do something else instead.

Herr Ermert stuck up for me and became really fascinated when I decided to use a leech to try to obtain blood. This seemed a brilliant opportunity to both of us.

So we arranged another meeting and this time I brought two leeches from the chemist’s. The Python hadn’t eaten anything for months by now, ever since it had been caught in Nigeria. Before applying the leech I was overcome with doubt. Supposing the snake bled to death, because the hirudin of the leech prevents clotting of the blood. The snake wasn’t that big. Herr Ermert encouraged me and so I began.

The Python still had some ticks between the side scales so why not try a leech there?

The first leech climbed like a world champion and again the animal didn’t react. But the leech didn’t feed. We set the second more lively leech to work and he quickly found a spot on the side which he bit. I let him suck for half an hour. It seemed to me that his activity was ever decreasing. He became ever more sluggish and not really any fatter.

So I removed him with alcohol and put him into a petrie dish with the first leech. And what happened? A minimal amount of blood trickled from the snake’s abdomen which I collected immediately with a glass tubule and added to a prepared 10 ml bottle with 96% alcohol and it had already begun to coagulate. But it was sufficient. It was sufficient to make a wonderful remedy, a remedy which has been neglected by homeopaths for decades and which should now come to light.

I sent the sample to Helios Pharmacy in England.

They potentised the remedy and one can buy Python remedy there.

By the way, a short time later the leech with snake’s blood died. Its innards were full of coagulated blood.

Python has coagulating power as part of its remedy picture. I noticed this when I cut my finger while laying mosaic tiles and didn’t have any plasters to hand. I had a vial of Python 200c on the table. I put the vial in my hand and observed how my blood coagulated within seconds. The bloody wound crusted over.

 

3. How I conducted the proving

I gave Python 30c to 6 male and female provers. They didn’t know the remedy. They took it daily in the morning until they had no further symptoms. They filled in a protocol and discussed it with me. One prover was a male medical student (23 years), two were female pharmacists (30 and 31 years) and three were female homeopaths (33-43 years).

In order to get more information on the remedy`s symptoms I made a sort of meditative proving in the following way: I gave each a vial of 200C to hold against their thymus gland. They lay down with their eyes closed and began to speak of any reactions which I closely observed and recorded. This usually takes, in my experience, between 20 to 30 minutes. Then they would give the remedy back to me and we would talk about it again. As well as having physical reactions certain people went into a trance-like state which revealed pictures or sequential images. This allowed deep insights into the remedy.

I conducted 32 proving in the manner described above. Some provers also decided to take the remedy home with them, place it under their pillows and make notes about their dreams.

The provers were: pupils (16-18 years old), biology-students (20-25 years old), homeopathy students and teachers (20-48 years), science teachers (40-50 years), housewives (40-42 years), an editor of a daily newspaper (51 years) and a female nurse (39 years).

For this type of proving a deep knowledge of homeopathy is not necessary and so anybody who is interested can do it. By the way: many of the provers get a glimpse into the power of homeopathic remedies.

 

4. Python Biology

Movment

The Python regia belongs to the Boidae as do the other giant snakes. All these Boidae have rudimentary legs. So they are closer to their evolutional origin than the venomous snakes. Serpents developed in evolution from tetrapod to snake-like animals.

The missing of extremities enables them to have flowing movements of which no other earth bound animal is capable. It is a wave- like smooth movement with an astonishing ease. There are even swimming or flying snakes!

Characterising the Royal Python

She is 1.25 m long, brighter on the under-side with big scales and darker spotts on the upper side. Two dark long features are connected like the rungs of a ladder. In spite of being quite small, she has a very muscular body. Her head has a triangular shape and is distinguishable from the rest of the body.

Senses

Their vision and hearing senses are not very well developed. Instead of this they have special organs: the Jacob’s Pit for smelling. Even with her mouth closed, she can put her tongue outside and bring the smell to the Jacob’s Pit.With these special organs for infrared she gets a mental picture of her prey.

With their senses of touch they are thigmotactic . This means, they search for strong structures for example rocks or trees in order to lean against them. They have a desire to press themselves against solid things, for example, into a small hole. They need this contact. They need a narrow and hidden place to withdraw to.

Living space

The Python lives in equatorial Africa. She prefers temperatures between 24° and 36° with a humidity of 60-95%. She lives at the border of dry and humid savannah. There she is able to get warm or a good view from a tree or rock. And she has many opportunities to hide.

When there is a dangerous situation for the Python she rolls together like a ball. That is why the German call her "Ball Python" and the English call her "the shamed snake".

Predator/prey relationship

Like all the other snakes the Python swallows her prey (rodents) as a whole without doing it any harm or hurting it. They make their throat slimy with special mucous glands. They swallow the prey with its head first. The joints of the jaw can loosen in order to be able to swallow a prey which is bigger than her head . The maxillae are moveable independent of one another and the teeth are directed towards the throat, so the prey can be easily drawn into the throat.

Snakes have developed different strategies in order to protect themselves from the repelling prey. The venomous ones poison their prey and swallow then. The strangulating snakes suffocate their prey with their immense muscular force. They strangle until the mouse lies loose and lax in the spiral body sling of the snake.

In African savannahs the python`s lurking place is a branch of a tree. The front of her body hangs down. As quick as lightning she slings around the prey’s body and strangulates it in the air. The prey is mostly surprised and offers no resistance.

The sling which envelops the rodent helps the Python to defend herself against the unwilling prey.

Brehm describes the death of the prey as follows:

"The heavy pressure of the muscles causes the prey`s eyes to pop out of their sockets and their hind legs twist about. The prey quickly faints and her heart ceases to beat. It dies."

As soon as the mouse is dead, the Python loosens her grasp and draws back at a hidden and calm place to swallow it.

She digests bones and tissue with her strong stomach juice. She becomes bloated and flatulent.

Starving artist

It is quite difficult to convince a captured Python to eat. She might be very sensitive about her capture and her loss of freedom. She can starve for months. She can refuse food for 22-24 months and after this she may die. Forced eating is not very successful. Often she chokes on the prey again.

Poikilothermic (adaptable blood temperature)

Snakes are poikilothermic , which means they cannot regulate their blood temperature . They adapt it to the outer conditions. They do not hibernate but rest in the appropriate shelter to minimise cold. They favour regions with climates that suit them.

Brood caring

At copulation time the male snakes do combat dances. They erect one third of their body length and try to press the rival away from themselves.

The female lays her eggs into a hollow ,winding her body around them so she can protect and give the brood a suitable temperature.

Diseases of captured Pythons:

Ektoparasites, endoparasites, pneumonia,wounds heal slowly, abscesses and cysts, gastritis and gastro-enteritis.

Casting off the skin

Young snakes cast off their skin ten times a year whereas an older one does it three times a year. It starts with a dead look of their skin, the eyes look milky. Her eyelids are overgrown and transparent. In that time she doesn’t eat, is aggressive and withdraws. The process begins at the head and the lips. The skin peels back and then strips off totally.

She is active at dawn.

 

5. Python myth

Concerning Greek mythology

The oracle of Delphi belonged in the beginning to the Earth Gaia, a female god. An earth dragon, the Python was also female and guarded the oracle.

With revengeful feelings Apollo killed the Python and became the master of the oracle. As he felt guilty towards Gaia he decided to let a female priest do the prophesying. Her name was Pythia. She was inspired by the earth’s forces and by Apollo.

Apollo also founded the pythic games: this meant muse and sport competitions. First all every eight years, later every four years.

Melissa Assilem writes in her book ‘Women ripening through menopause’: "At Delphi (which means womb), the main oracle for the ancient Greeks, pythons were kept. They were said to coil around the omphalos, or the navel of the mother. These were womb serpents, who whispered the secrets of the goddess.

By the way, the oracle at Delphi proclaimed: That which makes sick shall heal."

 

In conclusion, the essence of Python is for me :

LOSING ONE’S OWN IDENTITY BEING SUCKED IN BY THE OTHER GENDER

THAT MEANS FOR WOMEN: they feel sucked in by the father ( Little Red Riding Hood).

I want to formulate it positively: RELEASE OF WHAT HAS BEEN CONFINED OR CUT OFF.

That means for women: Python enables them to accept their own gender.

I recommend following remedies: kreosotum, china, arnica, aconitum, portia fimbriata(or another spider), aur mur.

The antidote to Python might be heroin.

 

 

6. Results of the proving

Because of the quantity of information received I am not reproducing each protocol here. Instead I have compiled individual symptomatology in a condensed list, indicating the number of provers who had the same symptoms where appropriate. In cases where the remedy affected existing clinical conditions I have indicated it as curative.

SRP Symptoms are indicated*.

 

HEAD

Heat

in head 7

as if a wave of 2

as if he has a temperature 3

Itching

of head 2

of right side of occiput 1

pain head with pain in neck 4

from cheekbone to temple 1

from fontanelle to left side of

face,to left cheekbone, to

left lower jaw 1

pressing in head 8

above nose 3

on forehead 2

from behind the forehead pushing

outwards 1

above eyebrows 2

against top of skull 4

against occiput 2

against temples 2

pulling on temples 1

pulsating scalp 1

numbness:

right cheekbone

heat and cold: Tip of the nose icy

cold 2

acne in face 3

 

EARS

noises

roaring in ears 2

tinnitus shifts from right to left1

roaring in right ear 1

pain

pressing , ears of 2

pulsating ,ears in 1

cramping, left ear in 1

itching

left ear 1

 

TEETH AND JAW

Pressure

on teeth, clenched tight 3

determined mouth set relaxes

release of locked jaw during panic attack 2

(curative)

taste and salivation

tongue, mouth, thick, as if furred 1

mucous membranes taste bitter, like a

battery 1

mouth dry, alternates with salivation 1

intense salivation 3

has reduced saliva in times of conflict 1

 

NOSE

coryza

blocked nose clears 2 (curative)

sneezing and runny nose improve 1

(curative)

allergy in nasal region, also

often in eye region, sinusitis

goes 2

sinusitis 4

left 1

right 1

pain

burning

scratchy throat 3

swelling

right cheek of, as if a lump, jaw joint 1

 

EYES

Movement

visible twitching of eyelids, as if in REM

sleep 6

twitching of eyelids just sensation of, left 2

rolling of eyes 3

sensations as if eyes are turned

downwards 2

restless eyelids 4

inflammation

itching of eyes, sometimes left,

sometimes right 7

eyes water for no reason 3

eyes puffy in morning 2, left 1

eyes stuck together with pus, mornings 4,

left 1

vision

field of vision increased 4

dim vision at dusk 3

one eye

inner visualisations only with left eye 1

*-sensation as if right eye is hollow

and eyeball is lost 1

one eye

right lower lid feels swollen (not

visible)1

sensation of

pressure on eyes 1

desire

she doesn’t want to open eyes

in morning 1

numbness

around eyes 1

 

DIZZINESS/ VERTIGO

Vertigo

dizziness/vertigo 9

nausea a lot of the time

spinning around 3

objects seen spinning in all

directions 1

faints when she hangs up

curtains 1

dizzy, everything goes black 1

moving

sensation of to-ing and fro-ing 1

waves of nausea, from right to

left 1

waves from nausea, from stomach to head 2

chilliness sweeps over from top to bottom 3

heat sweeps over from bottom to top 3

cold

ice-cold feet 2

 

NAPE OF NECK; NECK; THROAT; SHOULDERS

heat

in neck and neck region 4

nape of neck hot 1

pain

neck , radiate to shoulders 2

cramping

neck, in, unpleasant 2

cramp begins in trapezium muscle,

moves across collar bone to

cervical vertebral- column 1

pressing

throat , in 3

constriction

sensation of lump in throat 1

as if about to retch 1

sensation of constriction when

swallowing 1

as if throat compressed 1

loosening of phlegm 3

she feels more relaxed in bronchial region

(asthma sufferer) (curative ) 1

she feels fine when she breathes out,

breathes easy, deeper than usual (curative)1

stiffness

*weight down on shoulders, sensation

of a yoke on shoulder 2

could not raise arm above shoulder height 1

lay on shoulder, could change position, hurt so

much the next morning that she couldn’t move1

stiff shoulder 1

tenseness in shoulder area 1

pain

shoulder ,in 3

stabbing

left shoulder, moves into

heart and improves 2

pressing

in shoulders and arms 2,

sensation

as if shoulders pulled out of sockets 1

 

STOMACH AND BOWELS

pain

heartburn in oesophagus 5-

pressing

stomach,on, 5

radiates to heart 1

sensation of

heat in stomach 2

stomach feels bigger 2

foreign bodies in stomach (stitches, stones,

lurching from side to side) 4

eructation and flatulence

wants to vomit to feel better 1

sensation of retching 4, as in bulimia, retching

without effort

eructations 3

retching and vomiting in car 1

audible gurgling of stomach 10

gurgling of abdomen,wind working its way out 1

nausea 10-

abdomen swollen usually flat 1

appetite

diminished, voracious appetite gone 3 (in obesity

curative) 3

loses weight 3 (curative)

weight gain 3

 

INTESTINES and ABDOMEN

stool

diarrhoea 5

diarrhoea watery, yellow-green, total

debility 2

digestion incomplete; lettuce visible in stool 1

pressure in anus, hard motion at night, like

sheep-droppings 1

flatulence

violent movement of bowels 12

abdominal pains like bloating, followed by

cramps like a clenched fist, pulling sensation 2

heat

in abdomen 2

haemorrhoids 2

 

ARMS

heat

warmth in left lower arm 2

numbness and twitching

vibration and itching in the arms 4

hands and arms numb, as if paralysed 5

twitching in the right upper arm 2

twitching in the left arm 2

sensation

as if right arm were longer than the left one 1

 

ELBOW

pain

in right elbow 5

pressing

in elbows 4

sensation of

crawling in right elbow 3

a stone lying on the right elbow 2

heaviness in the elbow 3

 

Hands

heat and cold

feeling, in 12

coldness 4

hands feel as if in a freezer 1

pulsation

slowly crawling or pulsating 9

right/left senses pulsation of heart in hand 2

sensation of electrical impulses in right

hand, of little finger and thumb 2

numbness

without feeling 5

right 1

numb feeling in fingers 2

stiff fingers 2

tips of fingers affected 1

right hand feels open and exposed, as if

without muscles, as if blood is

flowing out 2

* hands as if in gloves which are too tight 1

pain

in finger joints when moving, especially in

index finger and little finger 1

swelling

left hand swells up 2

bleeding

finger injured by cut: bleeding stopped 2

(curative)

deep wound in right thigh: bleeding stopped

at once (curative) 1

chronic nose bleed stopped 2 (curative)

nails

fingernails suddenly soft and break 2

 

LUNGS

pressure

pressure on sternum or lungs 6

as if a gigantic stone on chest 1

hard to get breath, as if stone pressing

downwards, body has to fight to breath 1

*feels as if corsetted when taking deep breath

asthma brought on by exposure to allergens

and bronchial asthma better 2 (curative)

breathlessness better when climbing stairs 1

(curative)

suffocative feelings 2

heart

senses piercing of heart 2

heart rhythm problem 2

heart needs space 2

throat

dry cough 4

irritation in throat when in uncomfortable

situations 1

desire

for fresh air, need to be able to breathe 2

 

BACK

heat and cold

coldness 3

waves of chilliness from left to right

rhythmically or just one sided 2

warmth from back to loin 2

pain

in spine 2 improves on awakening 1

pain in small of back extends to hips R, L. 2

trapezium muscle hurts 1

lumbago 1

 

PELVIS

feeling

pulling downwards 3

pelvis wonderfully soft and warm, as if

enveloped and cradled 1

pain

in hips 2

hip pain better 1 (curative)

pressing

on pelvis 2

burning

in abdomen L 1

prickling

like needles in pelvis 1

itching

in pelvis 1

 

MENSTRUATION

flow

very heavy menses, as if pouring out 5

rhythm

menstruation painful 4

menstruation reappears after menopause and

decline of strength 1

menses one week too early 5

leucorrhoea,

white discharge 4

lump, clear, sticky jelly 4

*sensation as if uterus were turned inside-out

and she were losing all her blood 5

orgasm

failure to reach orgasm 3

orgasm absent 6

pelvis and genitalia as if stimulated, as if life is

entering, great strength, MS patient (curative)1

 

LEGS

numbness and twitching

feel heavy 5

sensation of numbness 3

right leg as if anaesthetised 1

prickling 5

legs feel shaky 1

right leg is lame 2

twitching of legs 5

heat/cold

warmth in legs 3

coldness 3, upper thigh, lower leg

as if the right leg is lower than the left 1

as if legs are stiff 1

 

KNEES

heavy 2

twitching 3

pain

in right knee 2 (M)

pain in knee, R, L. 3

 

FEET

sensation of

feeling of heaviness in big toe and foot 3

pulling, as if someone is pulling at toes, feels

right foot is being pulled 3

heat and cold

feel cold 5

numbness and prickling

prickling 5

prickling right, right outer foot 1

lameness 4

prickling 5

*ankle as if chained 1

doesn’t want to move her feet but thinks she

could do 2

 pain pressing

pressure on instep, like cramp 1

stinging pain in left instep2

faint cramp in right foot 2

pain , tearing

painful toe joints better in arthritis 3

(curative)

inflammation

insect bite on left foot almost as abscess, takes

long time to heal 1

 

SLEEP

modalities

general amelioration in the evening, worse in the

morning 2

amelioration in the afternoon, 5 p.m. 1

falling asleep

falls asleep late 3

falls asleep quickly 2 (curative)

hard to fall asleep 4

thinks she will die if she sleeps (MS patient) 1

wakes up

wakes between 2.45 – 3.00am or 1.00 am – 2.30

am 5

wakes up earlier than usual in the morning 3

wakes up later than usual in the morning

unhappy about this 3

energy

has much more energy (was exhausted before)4

has much energy for work 2

totally exhausted 4, from work 1, from disease 1

from pain 1

lots of energy even though hasn’t eaten much 1

suddenly full of energy 2

suddenly fidgety 1

abundant energy 7

sensation of

feels as if pinned down by bed covers 1

 

DELUSIONS

happen

something bad will happen after something

good 2

something bad happens as she takes the

remedy 4

she will get high by taking the

remedy (takes drugs) 1

with anxiety

woman will force men to have sex 1

she will get lost and not arrive somewhere on

time 2

life is passing him by 1

*she is transfixed under the bedclothes 3

she has a sling round her neck and her throat is

compressed 3

* she is being sucked in by a whirlpool ( vortex)3

*he is under a bell-jar 3

partnership

daughter/ mother will destroy her 2

is controlled by the partner 5

she is being controlled by another 3

his wife has abandoned him 4

partnership is a prison 7

her child is more valuable than she herself is 3

 

FEARS

to hurt other people 5

to be hurt by others 4

to show negative emotions 3

of syringes, of injection 7

of sharp objects ,for example knives 4

of snakes 3

* of vortex (being drowned into it) 2

of losing partner or parents 3

of marriage 2

of living/ life 2

of death e.g. by heart-attack, stroke 2

of bleeding to death during menstruation 3

of losing too much blood 2

of heights (cable car, glass elevators, bridges) 3

panic attacks in dark 2

of water, washing hair 2

of catastrophe 2

that eye is separated from the head 2

of starving 3

of suffocation 3

to take too much medication 5

of being devoured 7

 

MENTALS

mood

laid back 5

enthusiastic 10

things which usually burden or bother her no

longer do 1 (curative)

mood sinks 3

feelings more intensive, both negative and

positive 1

everything he doesn’t like surfaced (self-

sacrifice) 2

sacrifice

mothers exist only for their children 1

sociable 4

depression

sad without reason 5

deeply depressed 7

lies down in her bed, stares at the walls and is

unable to work, feels guilty for that 1

feels alone and forsaken, her family doesn’t

support her 4

realises her husband is dependent on her, thinks

he clings to her 6

doesn’t want to be touched by husband 3

mentions he is tied to his wife because she can`t

be left alone at night 2

depression

feels she carries the burden of everything 3

suicidal but won’t act because of children 2

doesn’t want to be an old man who sits and

stares at the ceiling and who wants to be ill 1

emotional withdrawal 8

always busy, cleaning up all the time,

completes outstanding tasks 6

can’t concentrate when studying 3

hysteria

suppressed hysteria 8

bashful

bashful 12

ashamed of being poor 4

ashamed of being crazy 3

ashamed of being so fat 6

clairvoyant

foresees negative events 4

healing qualities (hands-on or

cerebral) 5

nocebo person in respect of the remedies: that

means, she doesn’t trust any medication

and expects aggravations. This results in many

proving symptoms being noticed in

addition to curative action 4

selfworth

wants recognition by authorities 3

 

FORGETFULNESS

forgets to give things back 2

arrives late for her appointment 4

unreliable 3

forgets names 2

confuses words: "Python" for "Boa", "in" for

"out" 3

says: "I have a heart in my cramp" instead of

"I have a cramp in my heart" 1

 

Laughter

for no reason 4

in embarrassing situations 10

laughter is infectious 3

derisory laughter 3

laughing until the eyes water 2

 

SENSATIONS AS IF

fixation and flowing

as if hovering in the air 3

experiences everything as if she were under a

blanket 3

as if rooted to the spot 1

as if she were a snake 2

as if the body had a life of its own 2

as if he were a drop, when lying down 3

as if her arms and legs were paralysed

right and left side

as if her left side extended and her right side

contracted 4

* as if there were a dividing line between the left

and right sides of the body 3

as if one leg were getting longer than the other 3

as if the right side of the body were paralysed 4

as if his arm were a tree- trunk 1

*as if his foot were made of cement and his calf of

wood 1

as if the left ear were in the world and the right

ear were not 2

as if his left hand is a well 1

teeth

as if the teeth were dissolving 2

as if the teeth were becoming loose and were

being pulled downwards 2

old /young

as if he were an old man 1

as if she were a young girl 1

sensation

pleasant feeling as if she

were entering lukewarm water 2

As if information had to be drawn

out from the patient’s nose 2

 

Modalities
> in a humid room 3

>in dark rooms

< in humid forests 1
craving for cold food 2
craving for fruits 3
craving for apples 4
craving for chocolate 3
aversion to milk 4
walking ameliorates 6

>being outdoors, being close to nature 5


 

7. Summary of the repertory

What follows is a short sketch of the remedy picture, gleaned both from the proving, and also clinically:

Head and eye-region:

Pressing headache, vision restricted, strabismus. The eye waters (often one eye); oedema of the lids. The eyes are purulent in the morning, and provers could not open them. (I took this to possibly symbolise a narrow or one-sided view of the world, which was certainly evident in some of the provers).

Shoulder and neck region:

Stiffness and pain in those parts, mostly one-sided (possibly expressing the idea of having to carry someone else’s burden on one’s shoulders).

Thermal regulation disturbed:

Spells of cold or heat. They have ice-cold hands or feet. This is like the adaptable blood temperature of the reptiles. They need warmth from an exterior source. (They literally depend on other people for their energy).

Fluid balance:

Oedema in face and feet.

Extremities:

Paralysis; the limbs are heavy and hard to move because of pains in the joints. ( This expresses an inability to act). Also, the provers experienced shooting pains in the knees (one-sided). Pressing pains, or an insensible feeling, in the knees and legs.

Heart and lungs:

Oppressed feeling. Panic attacks in the night, with a choking feeling in the throat. On taking a deep breath, she felt as if there were a corset round her chest. Fainting. (Might express the idea of loss of self).

Stomach:

Feeling as of stones in the stomach after eating. Belching, heartburn. Pressure on the stomach, which radiates to the heart region. (Symbolic of not wanting to "ingest" other peoples issues).

Mind:

Depression: feels others’ emotions and forgets or loses her own. A lonely feeling; feels betrayed by the family. They feel as if they are drowning in their suppressed desires. Other mental symptoms include memory problems: they forget essential things like their car key, their purse or the number of their account. There is a confusion: they come too late for their appointment; they mix up words like "hot" and "cold", or "on" and "off".

Also, there are many fears, such as:

-Fear of being strangled

-Of suffocation

-Of marriage

-Of losing too much blood

-Of whirlpools

-Of starving

-Of catastrophe

-of hurting others

(All of these fears express a general anxiety about "letting go". The deepest fear is that of not wanting to hurt others).

Sleep:

-Falls asleep late, and then wakes up at 1-3 o’clock in the night.

Female Sexuality:

-orgasm absent (again, this means there is a fear of letting go).

-Menstruation is painful and crampy. Much blood flows in dark red clots.

-A sensation as if the lining of the uterus is turned inside out (it is as if the woman has sacrificed all her motherly qualities).

Wounds:

-Bleeding stops very fast (clinical).


 

8. PYTHON DREAMS

DREAM 1 (female) In a sex hell

I left my house to go and get something. My husband came after me, all concerned. I ended up in a sex hell. All the people were pale and naked.

I watched them from a distance as if they were on TV. They were painted white. The woman had two rivulets of blood which ran down the front of the abdomen to the right and to the left. The woman screamed and he fucked her standing up and I got a close up as he entered her with his penis. She seemed to sort of hover in front of him. I wasn’t bothered much by it. I seemed to keep an emotional distance.

Afterwards I saw water, like a wide river................

DREAM 2 (female) catastrophe

I dreamt of farmers who had experienced a catastrophe. All the trees had fallen down and lay twisted on the ground. He was quite relaxed about it. Afterwards I met my brother and took him to the station.

DREAM 3 (female) don´t get somewhere in time

A female colleague offered me underwear but I went around the whole day in my dressing gown which I never normally do. Two unpleasant men sat next to me in my car and I couldn’t get rid of them. They just wouldn’t get out. One of them went to the back. There was a stone