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The daisy gets its name from ‘day’s eye’, opening when the sun rises and closing when the sun sets. Its common names reveal its association with innocence: baby’s pet, innocent, miss modesty, little star, open eye. Its Latin name is Bellis Perennis. Daisies have long been made into simple chains by children and used by young girls to play ‘he loves me- he loves me not’ pulling off the flower petals one by one. Medieval knights wore daisies as a symbol of their fidelity in courtly love. |
In herbal medicine the daisy has been used for aches, pains, bruises, wounds, lumps, swellings, boils and eye baths. As it has a diuretic action, the daisy has been used to eliminate toxins, helping clear up boils, acne, eruptions and arthritic symptoms. It is also a remedy favored for its use for tired gardeners, laborers and travelers. All of them are moving around, lifting and carrying things, perhaps over doing it. It is not widely used in modern herbalism but is an important remedy in homeopathy.
A signature of the daisy, noted in many texts, is that it is constantly being trodden down, but always bounces back, refusing to be defeated, indicating that it would be a good remedy for those who are tired by their labours, but who carry on in a good natured manner, just as the daisy springs back up from the lawn after a bicycle or heavy boot has crushed it down. Though many believe its name comes from the Latin ‘bellis’ meaning beauty, others think that the name comes from Latin ‘bellum’, meaning war. Daisies grew in battle fields and were used internally and externally as a wound remedy for injured soldiers. Both would seem to be true. The homeopathic remedy Belladonna (meaning beautiful woman), from the Solanacea family, is believed to be so named because it was used to dilate the pupils and render the eyes of courtly ladies more attractive and sparkling. However, the remedy Belladonna has many associations with war, featuring in the rubrics ‘Talks of war and battles’ and other war related themes. Perhaps they both have this duality. Bellis-perennis is the British Arnica, and is used in homeopathy as a deep wound healer, especially wounds to the breast and abdomen.
After childbirth and especially in cases of caesarian, hysterectomy, mastectomy, or any operation involving the breasts and abdominal organs, think of homeopathic Bellis perennis to speed recovery. Not only surgery, but blows to the breast and abdomen and wounds such as knife - or other wounds caused by sharp instruments - would indicate this remedy. In addition to the breast and abdomen, Bellis perennis is a homeopathic remedy for rheumatics, bone and tendon injuries, sprains, over exertion with painful muscles, varicose veins, back injuries from bending or lifting, and wounds in general, especially where there is a sense of stasis and congestion around the wound, or it is slow to heal. Bellis perennis is also used where tumors develop at the site of a blow or injury.
A ‘keynote symptom’ of Bellis perennis is aggravation from becoming wet, cold bath and becoming chilled when hot. This makes it an appropriate remedy for a hiker or gardener who, after a hard days exertion, is caught in the rain and begins to feel unwell; or someone who jumps into a cold swimming pool when overheated and feels unwell afterwards. It is also for those who feel ill after eating ice-cream or drinking iced water when their body is overheated. The Bellis perennis constitution likes to eat meat, vinegar and pickles. Two interesting mental symptoms are ”Cheerfulness when it thunders and lightnings“ (6 remedies), and ”Sadness, thunderstorm ameliorates“ (3 remedies). Other than that there are feelings of mental slowness, confusion, and dullness, fear and anxiety accompanying physical pains, and ailments from sexual excess or excessive masturbation.
The flower essence made from the daisy is given to clear and organize the mind and prevent mistakes being repeated by those who don't seem to be able to learn lessons from past experiences. This echoes the theme of repeated injuries which was seen in the signature and homeopathic use of the daisy.