ARENARIA English version

From a meditation proving during the SHO seminar November 1st 2003. 37 participants turned in their data

THEMES

1. Vulnerable and fragile Vulnerability is the word that was mentioned most often in the proving (10).

Words like fragile (6), frail (2), delicate (7), insecure, fine (2) and brittle (3) describe the same impression. There is a reference to the weak stem of the plant, unprotected by leaves.

Brittleness (3) is an aspect of this theme: fear to break (2), rapidly snapping (2).

2. Openness The theme that was mentioned second in row is narrowly connected to the first theme of not being protected and is: openness (8). Open eyes is a nice metaphor in this connection.

3. Sweet and small Words as sweet (3), young (3), innocent (2) and teenager refer to this theme. Modesty is mentioned four times as well as simple and refined. Cautious, humble, early youth, slender and slim all describe

the frail vulnerability.

4. Brave and clear Brave (2), high-spirited (2) and clear (2) are words that represent the opposite of sweet and small. And Arenaria can even be strong (see next theme).

5. Strong and rigid Solid (2), strong (2), perseverance (2), obstinate, sharp, pig-headed (2), self-confident and even angular, rigid and inflexible are the polarities of vulnerability and brittle.

6. Cheerful Skipping, laughing and especially cheerfulness (6) are mentioned. Fresh (2) and unpredictable are

words that arise as well as happy, playful, free and superficial.

7. Pure and light Purity (3), clean, grateful, radiant (3) and especially light (5) (glaring light, sunlight) are words that we do not encounter often in provings: Searching for light and warmth. Seemingly pure is the polarity of this radiant light.

8. Sweet and yielding Sweet (3), yielding (2) and friendly, nice, helpful, feminine, sensitive are terms that some provers

used.

9. Sexuality There seems to be a tender emerging sexuality: longing for, sex, puberty are words mentioned.

10. Fear Fear in general (3) and more specific fears for rudeness, storm, people, alone (parents dead) are noted. Not being afraid is mentioned once. And one prover feels a scream. The fear of being picked, oppressed or cut off are directly related to the plant.

11. Manifestation

I want to be there (3), to manifest myself. Here I am. I want to dare to be, to show myself (3). I want to have more body so I can be seenthis feeling seems to arise from the vulnerability (theme 1) and openness (theme 2).

Some provers want protection (2), a cover, others want their own place, more space or to take in more space. They want to stand firm in life and try to reach out. This process goes step by step.

12. Growing, upwards Not only manifestation is a theme, but also growing (4), going upwards (3), struggling out of a hostile situation. There is a need to stand out in modesty. And a need to achieve something (even though there

is a narrow basis), to be famous, a craving for tenderness and fame, a desire to shine in spite of being small, to show oneself. Words like ambition (3), stretching, lonely at the top, walk on tip-toes and being in the head and probably also lust for life illustrate this theme.

13. Expression and communication Other forms in which one can manifest oneself are: not to mince ones words, being clear and upfront, communication, searching for togetherness and building bridges.

14. Physical a) the joints (3): back, shoulder, knee, neck and elbow b) the sense organs in the head: ear, nose, mouth and eye c) chest and stomach

d) expression through throat, speech and tongue.

Resume

A sense of fragility and vulnerability emanates from the proving, a brittle plant that in spite of being simple and small is open and cheerful. Provers feel bravery and a certain strength and perseverance although they are sweet and yielding.

Radiant light and purity are characteristic for the plant, as well as an (emerging) sexuality. There is a strong need to manifest oneself, to show oneself and to come out. There is a need to grow and reach up and even a desire for fame and brilliance: an obvious ambition. Expression and

communication and building bridges are manifestation of this impulse.

ARENARIA

The plant and phytotherapeutic use Name: Arenaria rubra, Spergularia campestris, Lepigonum rubrum

English : Common sand spurrey, red-sandwort, spurrey-sandwort German: Roter Sprkling Spanish: Esparcilla encarnada

French: Spergulaire rouge, sabline rouge Italian : Spergularia comune Dutch: Rode schijnspurrie

Origin: Europe and Asia. Habitat: dry, sandy soil. Flowers all the summer. There are two marked varieties: the one growing inland has small flowers, thin leaves, short capsules, seeds rarely bordered.

The other, often called Spergularia Marina, is larger in every respect and has fleshy leaves. For medicinal purposes the one most used is found in Malta, Sicily and Algiers, growing in dry sandy soil from Quebec to Virginia.

Botanical: The Spergularia rubra is an inconspicuous annual weed, found both in the United States and Europe, in dry, sandy situations, more commonly near the coast, but not in brackish places. The

stems are many, and from the same root, matted, much branched, from 6 to 12 inches in length, and lying prostrate on the sand. The leaves are linear, fleshy, and about 1 inch long; they are opposite, and have, generally, smaller leaves clustered in their axils; they are surrounded, at the base, by 2 dry,

triangular, scale-like stipules. The flowers are small, numerous, axillary, and appear throughout the

summer; they are borne on slender peduncles, about 1/2 inch long, which are reflexed in fruit. The calyx has 5 scarious-edged sepals. The corolla has 5 rose-colored, entire petals, about the length of the sepals. The fruit is a dry, many-seeded pod, opening by 3 valves.

Description: An annual or biennial plant, glabrous or with a short viscid down in the upper parts; numerous stems branching from the base forming prostrate tufts 3 to 6 inches long; leaves narrow,

linear; very short conspicuous scarious stipules at the base. Flowers usually pink, sometimes white, but variable size; short pedicels in forked cymes, usually leafy at base. Flowering time: May to October. Petals shorter, rarely longer than the sepals. Seeds more or less flattened.

Medicinal Action and Uses: This plant was employed in Sicily and neighboring countries as a secret remedy, for many years, in the form of a tisane, and sold at exorbitant prices. It was long used in

bladder diseases. It contains a resinous, aromatic substance which presumably is its active principle. The medicinal action of the plant is due to the large proportion of alkalies and aromatic resins which it contains. Very valuable for calculus diseases and acute and chronic cystitis. A writer observes: "We

can understand that a plant so rich in constituent elements, in chloride of potassium and sodium, in alkalies, and in aromatic principles, must have a powerful action upon the animal economy. Combined with the albuminous juices of the vegetable, the chlorides must act otherwise than in the free state."

Chronic diuretic effect of the water extract of Spergularia purpurea in normal rats H. Jouada,b, M.A. Lacaille-Duboisb, M. Eddouksa

Journal of Ethnopharmacology Volume 75, Issue 2-3, pp. 219 - 223, May, 2001

Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine the chronic diuretic effect of the water extract of the whole plant of Spergularia purpurea (SP) at different doses (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg) in normal rats. Daily

oral administration of the water extract was tested for 4 weeks. Urinary water and electrolytes excretion were determined weekly. Oral administration of the water extract at different doses produced a significant and dose-dependent diuresis and increase in electrolytes excretion. The highest dose (400

mg/kg) of the water extract of SP enhanced urine output from 7.150.42 ml/24 h at the start to 23.010.75 ml/24 h after 4 weeks (p

potassium (P