Nux vomica- The Big Boss

(This article is a part of Interview Series with Dr. Mati Fuller about the Core Issues of Different Medicines)

Dr. Singh: Hello Mati! How are you?

Dr. Mati: Hi!, I am fine. So what are we going to discuss today?

Dr. Singh: Today we are going to discuss the BIG BOSS of our Materia medica- Nux vomica.
Dr. Mati: So what do our readers want to know about Nux?

Dr. Singh: Can we describe the personality of Nux as THE BIG BOSS. Why does he always have to be the boss and not a subordinate?

Dr. Mati: Nux likes being in a position of power because he hates being told what to do by people who are less competent than himself. This explains why Nux has a tendency to think that the world is full of idiots. In his opinion, they are, because he can usually do better if he is in charge. The only thing he doesn’t like about being in this position is to have to be in charge of others. In Nux’s perception, they are still idiots, remember. It is better to order idiots around, than to be ordered around by idiots, but if it were up to Nux, he would rather work alone.
Nux is not a team worker, simply because working with others increases the risk factor. If dangerous assignments have to be completed, and Nux relies on someone who doesn’t have the same ability to assess risk and be cautiously courageous, he can’t determine accurately how the assignment will turn out. So, he prefers to rely only on himself. However, if he has to rely on others, he becomes extremely bossy and controlling. He does this to ensure that the others understand EXACTLY what he wants them to do, so they won’t become an added risk factor.

Dr. Singh: Nux vom is cautious; how is his consciousness different from other remedies?
Dr. Mati: Nux has a curious combination of traits — on one hand he is cautious, and on the other hand, he is courageous. If we observe a Nux, he may look reckless to an outside observer, but he isn’t really reckless at all. What may look like recklessness is actually carefully calculated boldness. One Nux explained it like this: You cautiously calculate how reckless you can afford to be without putting yourself in unreasonable danger. Nux doesn’t mind taking risks, but he always keeps his chances of survival in mind, and tries to keep the odds in his favor at all times.
It is this unusual combination of traits that makes him such an excellent leader, conqueror or big boss. His mind is quick, so he can instantly assess a situation and see what needs to be done. Then he calculates the risk and cautiously decides if it is worth doing, or if his plan needs modification. Therefore, in a war situation, you can always count on Nux to get the job done while keeping his men as safe as possible. This is extremely responsible behavior, and not actually reckless at all. Yes, he is willing to take risks, but it is always carefully calculated risk. Risk without cautiousness is simply stupidity, and Nux is not stupid! Because he is so accurate in his assessments of difficult tasks, he normally succeeds with whatever the task is, and sooner or later, he finds himself in a position of power.

Dr. Singh: He is proud, selfish thinks of himself as king. How is his superiority different from Platina?

Dr. Mati: Well, it is not really that he thinks himself as king. He KNOWS that he is the best one for the job that needs to be done. His ability to assess a situation is better than anybody elses. Not only can he assess the risks, but he does it lightening fast as well, and without any input from anyone else. Nobody else can really compete with Nux in this regard, he simply is the best at what he does, and he knows it. So his "kingliness" is basically a consequence of his natural traits. And, yes, it may be selfish to think that he always knows best, but it is also true most of the time. So his perception is not based on delusions, it is actually based on his personal experience.
In this way, he is totally different from Platina. Platina’s pride and selfishness is caused by sexual suppression. Platina’s sexual desire is so extreme that she doesn’t know how to handle it. In this society, that level of sexual desire is so unacceptable that Platina tries to hide it by keeping it to herself the best she can. What she really needs is to learn tantra, which is a way of transforming sexual energy into higher consciousness, but if she doesn’t know this, she will simply try to suppress it instead.
When sex is suppressed, it turns into anger, so if she succeeds in suppressing her sexuality, she’ll become angry and irritable at first. However, anger and irritability are not really appreciated qualities, either, so she will try her best to suppress her anger, too. Suppressed anger becomes pride, it is as simple as that. She has controlled all her undesirable darkness, and naturally, she becomes proud and haughty. Therefore, the pride and haughtiness you see in Platina is actually a sign of her mental decay caused by the suppression of her basic nature. Eventually, she becomes delusional, believing she is royalty and wanting respect and recognition for her greatness.

When comparing the proudness of Nux and Platina, it becomes evident that their feelings of pride are completely different from each other. We can look up pride in any repertory and find both remedies listed, but unless you know what is behind the pride, the information is useless when it comes to differentiating between the remedies. This is why the normal homeopathic approach of WHAT is not helpful, unless we also know WHY someone feels a certain way. If someone tells us WHAT is happening, it is our tasks as homeopaths to then dig out the WHY.
If you don’t, you simply don’t have the bigger picture. A similimum should always cover the bigger picture, and knowing WHY is therefore essential.

Dr. Singh: In fastidiousness Nux is considered a top grade remedy. Where does he demarcate from Arsenicum?

Dr. Mati: Firstly we have to look at why they are fastidious. Nux needs everything to be in order because if an emergency should arise, he may have to act quickly. He may not have time to start looking for things, and wondering where he put his knife, or whatever. His memory is often photographic, because all of this is part of his survival strategy. He likes to always be prepared for anything unexpected, and being fastidious is part of his preparation. This is also why they teach fastidiousness in the army — guns have to be cleaned, everybody has to know exactly what to do, since fumbling, hesitation or forgetfulness can cause someone their lives. If everything is perfect, the risk is reduced. Again we see the combination of cautiousness and courage — it is all about reducing risk, and still getting the job done.
The fastidiousness of Arsencium is very different. In the original story, Arsenicum was betrayed by someone he trusted. Therefore he is always anxious, and his main focus is on finding ways to reduce his own anxiety. If everything is in order, and Arsenicum is in complete control, he is able to feel more at ease. But his fastidiousness is still different than the fastidiousness of Nux. In Nux, it has to do with being prepared for unexpected events, and in Arsenicum, it has to do with calming his fears.

Dr. Singh: We often say that Nux takes the fight of other people. Why is it so? What is his key mantra which keeps him moving?

Dr. Mati: Now, here is when the core situation plays a part, where someone was in serious trouble and Nux was the only one who could save them. Through courage, cautiousness and brilliance, he was able to do what nobody else could, and he loved the glory and appreciation that came as a result. The truth is, he got so addicted to it that his life actually seems a little boring if he doesn’t have someone he can save. He gets bored easily, and he needs a lot of excitement to be happy. He is high strung by nature so his nervous system is always on edge. Therefore he can easily become oversensitive to every little noise, but he loves this kind of excitement, too. So, the more he risks, the more alive he feels.

Dr. Singh: You told that Nux can break rules quite easily while he expects others to follow the same. Is’nt he a hypocrite. What happens to his strong sense of justice?
Dr. Mati: Again, we have to understand where Nux is coming from. Rules are great, as a way of setting a general expectation level of what is best for everyone, but rules also have the disadvantage that they are fixed, and fixed ideas can be dangerous in certain situations. If Nux is in a situation where things are changing quickly, rules may have to change just as quickly. Again, it is a matter of survival, and what the situation in that moment requires. He still has a strong sense of justice, but sometimes, the goals justify the means. This is also why we think Nux acts like a king, since the rules only seem to apply to others and not to himself. Normally, a king would be the only one who could get away with something like that. This is why we tend to think of Nux as "the king"

Dr. Singh: Why is he easily affected by discords between relatives or friends?
Dr. Mati: Like I said earlier, Nux has a tendency to become oversensitive because he is so high strung. He is extremely sensitive to "bad energy" in the house because he wants his house to be a haven where he can relax, heal his wounds and recover from battle, so he doesn’t want a battle in his house as well. He needs to have somewhere he can relax and recover, and if there is discord between relatives and friends, it affects him deeply. He becomes irritable and puts up a fierce verbal fight, just to lay things to rest.

Dr. Singh: When stressed out he bursts out, is his outburst really fearful for those around?
Dr. Mati: The more stressed out and high strung he feels, the more intimidating his outbursts can be. His anger is not a natural state for Nux, it is basically a survival mechanism that will keep people away from him so he can get his much needed rest. Sooner or later, even Nux needs to rest, and if anyone gets in his way, they have to be "finished" quickly! A wife of any Nux will know what I am talking about! This is what gives Nux a seemingly selfish quality, because he isn’t concerned about hurting anyone’s feelings. But, remember, anything that has become a survival mechanism always goes beyond niceness! When it is a matter of life and death, you don’t have to be nice, and when Nux has exhausted himself, he has to rest, or he will die. So, leave him alone until he has rested, and you won’t have to experience his anger!

Dr. Singh: What are the fears and anxieties which so often surround a Nux patient. Nux is also a top remedy in Hypochondriasis. Why is he oversensitive about his health?
Dr. Mati: Again, we must think about risk. Nux’s whole life is about risk assessment and preparedness for battle. Well, if his health is failing, how can he be prepared for battle? He has to get well, quickly, or his anxiety and tension will increase to unbearable levels. Basically, Nux always has to be in a position where he can handle anything, and exhaustion and disease will seriously affect this strength. The weaker he gets, the more anxious he becomes.

Dr. Singh: What are the delusions which a Nux patient faces?

Dr. Mati: Nux has the delusion that he is going to be hurt or betrayed. In the core story, Nux won the battle, only to be stabbed in the back by someone he knew and trusted. This is another reason why Nux likes to work alone, because he basically knows that you can never totally trust anyone to be your friend. Things can change too easily, and Nux can only be in control if he is alone. Therefore, Nux always has a "lone wolf" quality because being alone makes him feel safer.

Dr. Singh: What can a Nux patient do for himself to relieve his tensions, worries and anxieties?

Dr. Mati: Actually the key lies in his own hands, he must learn to relax. He must slow down, and he must start taking care of his health. Naturally, Nux overdoes everything, he eats too much, he parties too much, and he works too much. He has to learn when to stop before he becomes so exhausted that he simply can’t recover, and this is not an easy task for a Nux to learn. He gets bored so easily, that before you know it, he jumps back to what he was doing and keeps going again. Patience is definitely not one of his virtues!

Dr. Singh: How can we sum up the bright and the dark sides of a Nux person?
Dr. Mati: To sum up the qualities of Nux:

The good stuff — incredible ability to assess any situation, to get the job done and keep his people safe, very loyal, strong sense of justice, likes to save people who needs his help, orderly, lightening fast, leadership abilities, more capable than anyone else.

The bad stuff — anger, irritability, dictatorial, doesn’t ask anyone else for their opinions, self centered, proud, oversensitive, judgmental, always knows best, arrogant, breaks all the rules, disobedient, but usually with good intentions.

Dr. Singh: Well! That was great stuff about Nux patient. I hope our readers must have greatly enjoyed this discussion about the mind and personality of Nux vomica.