What Does the Wind Flower Have to do With Crying Easily, and Feeling Lonely?

I remember when I was a little girl in kindergarten, we would go out to the playground and play until it was time to go home. What a great way to end our day. One particular day, my mom picked me up from school. From the playground I saw my mom drive up and I started to cry. I cried and cried until the teacher let me go over to her. It was the first week of kindergarten and I guess I missed my mom when I was in school. As long as I was busy and distracted in school, I didn’t think about it. What I know now through studying Homeopathy, is that back then I needed the homeopathic remedy Pulsatilla (Puls). Although I was a very healthy child while growing up, I can now see looking back through my life from a little girl on through adulthood times when I could have used Puls. It wasn’t for an illness (i.e., earaches, colds); my brothers and I rarely got sick, but for the emotional aspect of Pulsatilla. I remember that I was a child who cried very easily, whether playing a game or when I was frustrated with homework. I would get so upset if I didn’t understand my homework that I would breakdown and cry.

Pulsatilla Nigricans (Puls) is a flower and one of the top 10 most commonly used homeopathic remedies (Polycrest) for mental, emotional and physical symptoms.

Doctrine of Signatures

All plants have what is called the “Doctrine of Signatures.” These are hints that a plant has that resemble a condition or part of the body that it can heal. The Doctrine of Signatures for Pulsatilla is the way the plant moves. One of Puls’s common names is the Wind Flower and the flower changes directions with the wind, which is exactly one of the characteristics of Puls: changeable moods and symptoms. Pulsatilla plants grow in clusters and “Pulsatilla people” love to be around people. The Flower is open wide to the world revealing the stamen and pistil showing the open affection that Puls is towards others.

Pulsatilla is Suitable for Someone that is Very Sensitive

Puls people are very healthy, loving and have a genuine affection and real love for others. They tend to be very emotional and feel things deeply, but are not aggressive. They are the ones that love to give everyone hugs and kisses. They love to be touched, even just putting your hand on their shoulder. When you hug or touch them, they feel loved by others.

Conversely, other Puls emotional feelings are: feeling lonely, sad, abandoned, or not being included. They cry very easily, which can be quickly be changed into laughter.

Anyone who has had children will be able to relate to the following examples.

Example #1: You take your child to their first day of daycare or preschool and they start crying, clinging to you saying “don’t leave me mommy.” And of course, the parent feels they are abandoning their child and they too will be in a Puls emotional state; as they are crying walking back to the car. If Puls is not given at this time, the child can move into another homeopathic remedy Natrum Muriaticum were they now shut down their feelings. Read more about Natrum Muriaticum.

Example #2 Empty Nest Syndrome: When we drop our child off at college and we feel sad they are leaving us. Especially, when the parent is feeling sad, missing their son or daughter while they are in college. The parent may now feel that they lost their identity or purpose in life, with the children in college.

Example #3: Your toddler is pushing the buttons on the TV. You tell your him in a gentle voice not to touch the buttons. And he starts crying. In the next minute you are able to distract him with a toy and now he is laughing and smiling again.

Example #4: A woman is in her 4th month of pregnancy. She and her husband have not been not getting along. The husband decides he’s leaving the woman and moves out. The woman is now feeling sad, abandoned, and all alone with baby on the way. The woman’s feelings of sadness and abandonment are also transferred onto the baby in the womb. How do you know this? The baby displays abandonment feelings after birth. He cries every time the mother puts the baby down to sleep, until the mother picks him back up again. He’s so clingy that the mother has to clean the house with him on her hip or wears a baby carrier all day long; just so he doesn’t cry when put down.

Example #5: Every night when the child goes to bed, she wants her mom or dad to tuck the blankets in all around her. A little while later, the child comes out to the living room asking for a drink of water. She is stalling going to bed. Why? They feel lonely and abandoned in the dark bedroom. The parent gets them a drink of water. The child talks the parent into lying down with them and reading a book to them.

Example #6 – A child comes into the parent’s bedroom in the middle of night with this pity look on their face. Asking “Can I come into your bed?” When the parent says “ok” their whole face lights up and they jump into their bed. The child wants to climb into the parent’s bed because they woke up in a dark room feeling all alone. Sometimes they will wake up scared from a bad dream and want to be close and comforted by the parent(s).

Pulsatilla Works Great for Pets Too:

Example #7: You just brought home a 9 week old puppy. And he’s whining and whining all night long in the crate. He’s missing his mom, siblings or feeling sad, abandoned that he’s all alone in the crate.

Example #8: Your neighbor tells you that as soon as you leave the house, your dog starts whining throughout the day until your car pulls up to the house.

Are you now starting to see the Puls emotional picture?

Pulsatilla Loves Attention

Puls is jealous, however it comes out as needing attention.

Example #9: The child is crying in the kitchen because her mom will not allow her to have a snack just before dinner. While she sobbing with her hands over her face, she is also looking between her fingers to see if anyone is looking at her. Yes, she does want that treat, but what she really wants, is for someone to hug her and say “it’s okay, honey.” It’s all about getting the attention.

Example #10: 10 year old Tyler is upset because he being sent up to his room for hitting his brother. “Daddy,” Tyler says, “why do I have to have a time out in my room? Ryan was picking on me too?” The father tells the child, “because you were the one who started it and I told you to knock it off.” But that’s not fair, Ryan doesn’t have to go in his room, replies Tyler. “Tyler, I spoke to Ryan about him pushing you off him. You were the one hitting, that is why you are going to your room now for a time out, says the father.

In this example Tyler would keep going on and on with the conversation, just to get his dad’s attention. As long as his dad is engaged in the conversation with him, Tyler has all of the focus on him. You may say that Tyler is just stalling from going up to his room. Yes, you are correct. However, what he really wants is the attention he is getting from his dad. Sometimes people will do something just to get the attention of someone else. We call that “love taps.”

Most People Are Familiar with Using Pulsatilla for Physical Symptoms

The physical symptoms start off with some sort of an emotional shock (i.e. sadness, loneliness, abandonment, feeling left out) that causes a health condition or physical symptoms (i.e. cold, fever). This is what’s called Etiology (never well since). The physical symptoms come on from something else happening (e.g., abandonment causes an earache).

Emotional Shock that Can Cause Health Conditions:

• The child moves away, changes schools
• Best friend moves away
• Parent went on a business trip
• Parents separate
• Grandparent, parent or pet passes away
• Husband goes off in military

Ever since the emotional shock the Puls symptoms start off with crying very easily, clingy, changeable moods. If Puls is not given after experiencing some sort of separation, abandonment or sadness then out comes a cold, fever, earache, sleeping problems, etc.

Example #11: The child is crying and pulling on his mother’s clothes wanting her to pick him up while she is making breakfast. His nose is running profusely with yellow mucus. She offers him a drink which he refuses. During breakfast he is constantly sneezing. The father left 2 days ago for a business trip.

This is a classic Puls case. The child’s nose is running profusely yellow mucus and he’s sneezing all morning long. He refuses a drink. He’s crying and clinging to his mom. The father left a couple of days ago for a work. Puls symptoms are worse in the morning and evening. During the day they are hardly exhibiting symptoms. They are not thirsty and can go all day without drinking anything. Puls has profuse runny bland clear, white, yellow or green discharge out of any opening (eyes, nose, vaginally). They are sneezing in the morning and evening time. They feel better with open air or with moving air and they stuff up in a closed room, especially at night. The child more than likely has gotten the cold because his father went on a business trip and is missing him; feeling sad.

Example #12: Puls is a big earache remedy. The pain in the ear feels better when you fan the ear with your hand, causing a breeze effect. They are whiny, clingy and melts in your arms to be comforted and wanting sympathy. The earache can come on from the typical Puls emotional shocks.

Insomnia – Example #13: Not able to sleep because they are lonely or depressed that they are not with someone or that they recently broke up with their mate. Can also have problems sleeping because they ate too late at night, trying to comfort the loneliness.

Pulsatilla is a Major Hormonal Remedy

Puls has changeable moods. They can swing from happy to sad or irritated. As mentioned, before they weep very easily. These changes can be from one mood to another in minutes or over the course of the day. When the hormones are involved whether it be from PMS, menstrual, pregnancy and even menopause the Puls emotions may be a little more intense.

Menstrual – Puls is if menstruation stops from the feet getting in cold water. An example of this would be swimming in cold water and then menstrual bleeding stopping (suppressed). Taking a dose of Puls will bring start the menstrual cycle again.

Pregnancy – Puls is big remedy for morning sickness with a headache, vomiting, nausea. They crave something, but don’t know what they want. They are looking in the frig and can’t decide on what to eat (indecisive). Starts crying when someone says something to them. They feel that no one loves them or that they will be raising the baby alone, with no help.

Breech – A breech baby (baby’s head up by mother’s rib cage) is in this position because of the mother’s feeling sad, lonely or feels safe in the womb. Just prior to going into labor she has gotten attached to being pregnant and wants to hold onto the baby in the womb. Or remember example #4 where the husband left the woman during her 4th month of pregnancy. And talked about the baby taking on the mother sadness and feeling lonely? This case scenario would be good chance that the baby will be breech prior to labor. I have helped several clients with Puls when the baby is breech. Puls will literally turn the baby around and ready for delivery (head first). In fact, long ago, that is what convinced me that homeopathy works, when my daughter was breech and the homeopathic remedy turned her around and we had a healthy vaginal delivery.

False labor – This a case when the baby can’t decide whether to delivery or not. So, what happens is the baby’s head bobs up and down. The mother makes a trip to the hospital only to be sent home because the baby’s head is not engaged in the pelvis, hence false labor. After Puls is given, I always tell mothers to make sure their bags are packed because they will be delivering the baby within the next 24 hours.

Menopause – Will have the typical Puls emotions (cries easily, sadness, etc.). Puls will also address hot flashes. They will say “I need fresh air or turn off the heat” and will be opening up windows.

Acute or Chronic Vaginitis – With a yellow, green discharge that may be thick and acrid. Vaginitis may also have itchiness. Or vaginitis with discharge and no other symptoms (lack of symptoms).

Pulsatilla Eats for Comfort

Puls craves sweets, pastries, rich creamy and greasy/fatty foods. They love butter (i.e. toddler sticks finger in butter and eats it), ice cream, creamy dressing, mac and cheese, cheesecake, french fries or any other greasy food. Someone that is feeling sad, lonely, not included, or even depressed is eating to comfort these emotions. What happens is they are eating when not really hungry or over eating and then they are feeling nauseous and may have a headache. Puls people are not thirsty, they can go all day without drinking anything.

Example #14: One evening after going out for dinner, you don’t feel well. You’re feeling nauseous and feel like you’re going to vomit after eating a big plate of Chicken Alfredo. You decide to hang out by the toilet bowl just in case you do vomit. Puls feels better with moving air (fanning face with hand). After taking 1-2 doses of Puls your nausea will start to improve.

Example #15: A woman, has just broken up with her partner and is feeling sad, lonely and depressed. She is home on a Friday night eating a container of ice cream. She is feeling sad sorry for herself (pity party) and lonely or feeling deprived of something. After eating the ice cream, she feels guilty and will probably feel sick to her stomach.

Pulsatilla is Bulimia Nervosa Remedy – The woman in example #15 may lead into a cycle of binging and vomiting because her emotional state of sadness, feeling lonely. Or from continuously over eating to comfort herself she starts to gain weight and becomes Bulimia Nervosa. The good news is Puls can address both the eating for comfort and for the Bulimia Nervosa.

Desires Consolation and Company

Puls people (school age through adulthood) are very sociable and have many friends. Everyone loves a Puls person, they are a lot of fun and very loving. Someone that needs Puls is very loving (hugging/kissing), because they have this need to be loved, needed, and to get attention from others. In order to get this attention or feeling of love, they will go out of their way pleasing others to make this happen.

Example #16: Every time there is a party they always ask if they can bring their specialty dish because everyone loves their potato salad, Mississippi mud pie etc. This makes them feel loved and needed; making everyone happy at the party. In their minds they are contributing to the party, but deep down they feel the love from those that come up to them telling them how fantastic their potato salad or Mississippi mud pie is.

They fear being alone and will do anything, even stay in an abusive relationship so they will not be alone. They cry easily, seek consolidation, they become very dependent on others. They get into relationships for love and affection to take away the empty feeling inside. This dependency also applies to children. They are very dependent on their mother and father. Later on, they can become dependent on their friends and will do what it takes to be included.

Example #17: Someone that lives alone, their significant other has passed away, or have been living alone on their own for a while. Will join clubs, have lunch/dinner plans, anything so they will not be alone, even go to Starbucks and chat with the customers.

Example #18: The woman is in an abusive relationship (emotional and or physical). She will stay in the abuse relationship just to be in a relationship and not be alone. I have also seen cases where the woman will start looking around for someone else to love before they leave the abusive relationship as they say “have someone waiting in the wings.” When you give them Puls they will become stronger and able to leave the abusive relationship without having someone “waiting in the wings” for them to fall back on.

Example #19: Your teenager comes home school crying and runs to their room. She calls or texts one of her friends and all of the tears go away. You go into her room to see what is going on and she’s on her cell phone all happy.

Easily Consoled, Better from Consolation means physical symptoms go away. They have headache they’re crying and in comes fresh air or you give them a hug and it is all right; they feel better and the headache is gone. The baby is not feeling well and wants to breastfeed or the bottle fed to comfort them.

Indecisive, Changeable Moods and Symptoms

Someone in a Puls mental emotional state is very indecisive; they can’t make up their minds. They go from one thing to another and they just can’t decide what they want. You ask them what would you like for breakfast and they say “eggs,” as you are getting the eggs out of the refrigerator, they say “no” I want pancakes. They would rather have someone else decide for them. They can also be at a restaurant looking at a menu and can’t decide what to order or even what to wear that day or to an event.

Puls has changeable (wandering) symptoms or pain; which means the symptoms or pain move around from day to day.

Example #20: One-day they will have pain in right knee, the next day pain is in right ankle, and then the third day pain in left hip and so on.

Example #21: They can have sharp pain and later on that day have a dull or the next day the pain is pulsating.
I have used Puls for changeable (wandering) pains for health conditions such as: Lyme’s disease, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Respiratory, etc.

Changeable Moods – They can be happy and then irritable or go from stubborn to happy. Just in example #3 – goes from crying to laughing and smiling.

What Makes the Symptoms Better or Worse (Modalities)?

Every homeopathic remedy has what is called Modalities, what makes the pain or symptom better or worse; without taking some sort of a medication.

Puls Symptoms or Pain are Better: In open moving air, during the day, from eating (though can feel worse) cold food and drinks, and cold applications.

Puls Symptoms are Worse: AM and PM, stuffy rooms, twilight, sunset. Feels worse from eating what they crave (butter, rich foods, etc.), getting feet wet and cold wet weather.

Other Health Conditions Pulsatilla Can Address:

• Conjunctivitis, Sties
• Hay fever
• Sinus
• Respiratory
• GI Symptoms
• Measles, mumps chicken pox
• Bedwetting
• Hemorrhoids
• Fibroids
• Venous stasis
• Varicose veins

Homeopathic Potencies Commonly Used

• Acute symptoms – 30c or 200c
• Chronic symptoms – 6c or LM’s

From all of the examples given for Pulsatilla, you can now see why it is considered to be one of the top 10 Homeopathic remedies. After giving Puls for any of these examples, the physical symptoms and emotional feelings will begin to improve within 24 hours. While many of the scenarios are so common no one thinks much about them; it is so much better to address them with homeopathy and strengthen the person’s constitution. Homeopathy is a holistic approach always moving towards stronger health and life.