Arnica is fairly well known in alternative medicine, being available as a flower essence, homeopathic remedy, and in herbal form. In homeopathic form, it is the standard remedy for bruises, strains, sprains and contusions. Herbal preparations of the plant have now become standard among herbalists for the same conditions.

It presents an essence or virtue which is easily understood, validating the correspondence between spiritual qualities, mental and emotional states, and physical organs and symptoms. At the same time, it illustrates the doctrine of signatures and other elements of folk-medicine. Therefore, let us take a short excursion into the inner nature and properties of this interesting plant.

The Arnicas are native to alpine slopes in mountainous regions around the world. Arnica montana was introduced into European folk-medicine by shepherds who pastured their sheep in the mountains. They noticed that when sheep fell and bruised themselves, they nibbled on the leaves of this plant, hence it is called "Fallkraut" in German. Arnica grows in just such places--rocky slopes and mountains--where people (and animals) are most likely to fall and bruise themselves.

Arnica montana was picked up by the allopathic (i.e. traditional) physicians in the seventeenth century. It was extensively used in external lesions, such as are caused by a blow, a fall, or a contusion. The homeopath, Teste, writing of the physicians of this era, says, "Arnica is undoubtedly one of those drugs, the therapeutic properties of which have been most justly valued by allopathic physicians." Then he wonders how they came by their knowledge. "I confess that I feel disposed to view them in light of the maxim of Jamblichus: Medicine is the daughter of dreams." (Footnote: Teste, The Homeopathic Materia Medica, 1854, pp.68-71.)

When I first started to work with Arnica an image popped into my mind which perfectly sums up the essence of this plant. "A young boy, perched on a high rock, tries to decide whether it will be too far to jump, or not." This picture expresses the need for the ego to unfold through challenges, but also the susceptibility to egoic bruises. Such challenges are more especially a part of childhood--perhaps even boyhood. At the same time it captures the tendency to physical over-exertion, strain, sprains and bruises.

The principle of egoic bruising was evident in a thirty-seven year old woman who volunteered to work on a charitable project one weekend with people she esteemed. Unfortunately, they were abusive when they weren't ignoring her. She finally threw a kitchen knife into a cutting board and left, but she felt disappointed and emotionally drained.

Five days later she came down with a high fever. Her head was hot, hands cold. Her daughter commented that she fell asleep in mid-sentence. These are characteristic symptoms of Arnica in homeopathic literature. Arnica 30x, a few doses, cured the fever in thirty-six hours. She recovered from the emotional setback.

"Medicine is the daughter of dreams." This is as true today as it was in the shamanistic and classical periods of long ago. There is an intelligence in nature, which can reduce thousands of symptoms and scores of conditions to a single image.

The Editors note: Closely allied to the homeopathic and herbal uses, here is The Flower Essence Repertory (FES's) description of the flower remedy Arnica: "Arnica helps to heal deep-seated shock or trauma which may become locked into the body and prevent full healing recovery. Especially during accidents or violent experiences, the Higher Self or soul dissociates itself from the body and may never properly re-enter certain parts of the body despite seeming recovery. This remedy can be especially helpful for unlocking many puzzling or psychosomatic illnesses which do not respond to obvious treatment." (p.285)

Deva Essences' description agrees, and its literature suggests Arnica essence "after all physical, mental or emotional traumas. " Korte Phi eEssences also suggests its use to help reconnect the body to the Higher-Self after anesthesia.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Matthew Wood is a seasoned herbalist, homeopath, and essence practitioner who has written several books and teaches seminars around the United States. His first book, Seven Herbs, was an in-depth summary of seven flower remedies he had made, which the The Flower Essence Society offers as a kit by the same name.

Matt's 1997 release, The Book of Herbal Wisdom: Using Plants as Medicine, is 580 pages of in-depth studies of plants along with their herbal and homeopathic uses similar to the arnica portrait. He owns Sunnydale Herb Farm in Minnetrista, MN, and is available for telephone consultation. To arrange an appointment or for more information about his seminars, contact him by e-mail.

CREDITS: The photo of Arnica montana used in this border was taken by Thomas Schoepke, who was at some point on the faculty at Texas A and M, but is no longer listed there. If anyone knows of his whereabouts, please let us know so we can contact him. The mountain goat illustration is from Art Today.