Botanical name: Centaurium umbellatum Hort.
Family: Gentianaceae
Mind / Emotions
Willing to serve at the expense of one’s own interests.In tune with the wishes of others, even willing to serve a dictatorial person.Motivated by a finely tuned conscience and easily aroused guilt to continually uphold service; motivated by the joy of service.Becomes exploited by uncaring people.
Attempts to repress angry feelings or feelings of being treated unfairly.Loses personal direction, undermines personal potential by binding to one-sided serving situation and paying tribute to the demands of others.Serving commitment may act as a “way out” for a person with a lack of ambition or direction in life, or with fearfulness toward the challenges of life. Depressive, subdued tendency from having neglected own calling in life or own point of view, as the Centaury person may serve or cater against own convictions. Mental weariness, lack of personal force; repeated experiences of disappointment; dependent personality disorder.
- MIND – PROSTRATION of mind
- MIND – WILL – weakness of
Physical
Psychosomatic diseases develop in response to the suppression of personal needs and potentials.
Physical exhaustion and weariness; “burn-out syndrome”; complaints from overexertion. In some cases, lack of a robust appearance; the vital powers seem subdued.In some cases, anemia. Possible liver disturbances from suppressed vitality and lack of consideration of personal needs. (Centaurea umbellatum finds herbal use in the treatment of liver congestion; the root or the leaves are utilized.)
- Hyperthyroidism
- Hyperkinetic heart syndrome .
- Paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia
- Hypertension .
- Hyperventilation syndrome
- Chronic cough or ‘protest cough’ .
- Ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease
- Insulin-dependent diabetes
- Liver and gallbladder disturbance
- Soft tissue rheumatism and rheumatoid arthritis
Compare
Oak: Unceasing loyalty and commitment to duty despite adverse circumstances and depletion of strength.
Elm: Overwhelmed with tasks, discouraged and subdued, yet may continue to serve from a sense of duty.
Cerato: Easily impressed with personality of others; may become dependent on and influenced by others, while undermining own identity.
Wild Oat: Follows meaningless path from lack of knowledge of and failing actualization of own potentials; restlessly urged toward finding fulfillment and purpose.
Red Chestnut: Worries overly and fears for others; tuned in to the needs of others.
Homoeopathic Medicine and Centuary
Staphisagria (Delphinium staphisagria): Attempts to be gentle; seeks the good opinion of others; may serve in unfair situation and feel exploited and yet may continue to serve; outbursts of anger when pressures become too great; tachycardia; cough from suppressed anger; connective tissue disease.
Causticum: Overenthusiasm in regard to social or political causes; sympathy for others in need; may overextend in willingness to serve and may become disillusioned; may feel treated unfairly; hypertrophy of the heart (hyperkinetic heart syndrome); colitis; rheumatism, arthritis.
Phosphorus: Sympathetic, exuberant, helpful nature; impressionability; may be overly influenced by forceful personality and lose inner balance and purpose; may sustain relationship for the sake of company, is anxious when alone; suppression of hostility; tachycardia; hypertension; cirrhosis, hepatitis; diabetes; arthritis, connective tissue disease; nervous weakness; fragility.
Aloe socotrina: Based on author’s case observation, this remedy appears to be indicated in suppression of grief and anger due to having surrendered one’s power or having given up one’s rightful claim, with continued inclination to serve; great weariness after prolonged overexertion, especially mental overexertion; congested liver, hepatitis; colitis, inflammatory bowel disease.
Natrum carbonicum: Gentle and selfless; seeks peace, yet develops resentment against certain persons after having overextended in service and kindness; irritable bowel syndrome; rheumatism; aggravation from mental and physical exertion and from heat of summer; anemia; emaciation (lack of proper assimilation).