1. FAGALES
The Order of the Fagales is a branch of the Eurosids 1, and includes four families:
Betulaceae
Fagaceae
Juglandaceae
Myricaceae
The Order of the Fagales
Still little is known about Fagales in homeopathy, because patients needing remedies from this Order are difficult to grasp. They are closed, self reliant, stable and generally calm. They seem to have no problems. The core of the case is not accessible. They are no-nonsense people, that work hard and take their responsibilities. They usually have high goals and are perfectionists in their work. They are censorious and fear critics. The high goals compensate a sense of worthlessness. But people needing Fagales will not talk about their weakness, their fear of failure, their shadow side. They are taciturn, stiff and immovable (torpor). They are not overwhelmed by emotions.
Their aura can be heavy, even dark.
In a way they resemble the Graphites patient: stable, self-evident values, a successful working life with some rigidity. In Graphites the other polarity is also known: unstability, not in control of the self, the prototype of the ‘tuning fork’. This polarity has not yet been observed in the Fagales.
The other differential diagnosis is Kalium carbonicum.
Potassium carbonate exists in all plants and was originally obtained from the ashes left after burning wood and vegetable structures. It is said that Hahnemann in his first proving used beech wood to obtain the remedy.
Nowadays Kalium carbonicum is made synthetically by our pharmacies, a procedure that was profane in the 19th century. The family-theme of Kalium carbonicum brought forward by A. Geukens could very well be a theme of the beech (see the part on Fagus here after).
The family theme, as well as the ancestor theme, seems to be a charasteristic of some Fagales, especially the beech, but cannot be identified in all trees. As said, it is difficult to come to the core of the case in the Fagales.
The Fagales can be placed in the Ferrum-series (starting with Kalium) and the the 10th stadium (headed by Graphites).
The target organs of the Fagales also remind us of Kalium carbonicum: stomach, sinuses (hay fever), muscles and joints are affected. Liver and spleen are also involved.
Up to now the prescription of a Fagales was often triggered by the relationship of the patient with trees: allergy for the pollen or a love of trees, as for example the patient who had studied forestry or the little boy, one year old, who embraced trees.
Differential diagnosis with Conifers:
The trees from the Fagales Order are less fragile, less empty and less religious than the Gymnospermae (conifers like Thuja and Sabina). The sense of duality, the theme of death, the sycosis and the memory impairment are also less present in Fagales.
The word Fagus comes from the sanskriet bhag (eating) or greek fagein. I hope you will enjoy digesting the information on the different Fagales described herafter.