The basic themes of the Asteraceae can be found in those of the Lanthanides and Carbon.

Asteraceae have a strong drive for individuality, independence and living their own lives. They have a strong aversion to being interfered with. They want to do things on their own, going their own way. They prefer to say that things are going well rather than being interrupted or intruded upon. This is exemplified by the symptom known for Arnica when he says he is well and sends the doctor away. Even when they are sick, they do not want to be hassled by doctors or others. They hate operations, vaccinations, medications, and any other intervention. It is an expression of wanting to go their own way, a theme of the Lanthanides, combined with that of their body, which relates to the Carbon theme. The bodily theme is similarly expressed by ailments from traumas. They want to keep their integrity, also in their body. Any blow, beating, accident, or hemorrhages in any form is an intrusion of their boundaries, a violation of their integrity. A basic expression of the remedy is a feeling of vulnerability.

Psychologically, they want to become integrated. They have a desire to become one person instead of a complex of different personalities that act differently in different situations. It is a drive for individuation. It makes it difficult for them to project problems onto others. They want to take responsibility for their own lives, taking their life in their own hands. They have a feeling that they are not strong enough to keep other influences out of their system. They express that as a lack of resistance. Often, it is also a physical problem; they do not have enough resistance against infections, especially viral infections with high fever. The typical disease for Asteraceae is the classic influenza, with high fever, cold shivering, dull mind, and muscle and bone pains. Typically, they do not have a fear of death at all during these fevers. They are very ill, far away most of the time, they want to be left alone, and they have an aversion to food and sometimes, even drinks. But they do not fear death; they almost feel pleased if they would die. This comes from a kind of natural spiritual confidence, a trust in nature or God.

Asteraceae are the most developed plants, in my opinion. They have a strong need for individuality and autonomy. They want to feel like a human being, not a child, wife, husband, worker or whomever. They want to make the world a better place where everyone can be healthy, happy, and in the light. They want to make the world sunny, but in order to be able to do that, they have to become free themselves and find out what their purpose in life is. They need to know what they have come to do in this world.

Autonomy:
It is important for them to live their own lives, to follow their own path in life. They want to be autonomous and independent. They have an aversion to being influenced, dominated, held back, limited, and made dependent or blocked in any way. They want to do things for themselves, also heal themselves when sick. Others telling them what to do is very harmful. They hate doctors and treatments that take them over. They have a strong need for integrity. They want to be themselves and be uninfluenced by strangers, but they fear they will not have enough resistance. A lack of resistance is a typical expression for them.

Skin/Wounds:
Intrusions in all forms are felt as detrimental. Typical is the fear that their bodily integrity will become violated. They have accidents, wounds, bruises, ecchymosis; any intrusion into their bodily field can be very detrimental. Integrity must be defended. They have to protect their boundaries against attacks of enemies. They feel vulnerable, insecure, and threatened. Their defense can go so far that they even consider touch or being watched as an attack. They have a strong desire to have enough resistance.

Integration:
They want to integrate parts of their personality; like the integration of many small flowers into one big flower. Jung calls this individuation. They try not to be a victim of their different personalities, but to be one. They hate the hypocrisy of saying something on one occasion and then something else on another.

Individualization:
They want to be individuals. They want to feel like a human being. They do not want to be cast in a particular role: child, wife, husband, worker or whomever. They feel more human than man or woman, are more androgynous. They want to find their purpose in life. During high fevers, they often realize their life purpose and become more independent, stronger, and adult. High fevers somehow ‘burn’ the personality into the child.

Self-worth:
They have a need for a strong personality. They want to be strong, self-reliant with enough resistance to be able to cope with the world, all threats. They can be ambitious. They hate humiliation, belittling. They have a need for a safe family, a strong father supporting them to develop their self-worth and individuality.

Mind:
Central emotion: vulnerable; lack of resistance
Androgyny
Absent-minded, confused, can't think clearly, < fever
As children, they don’t feel like children, but more like small adults
Hypersensitive: sounds, music; light, sun; pain, health; intrusions of others, blows, trauma
Desire: freedom, independence, autonomy
Desire: resistance; protection from parents
Aversion: hierarchy, hypocrisy, being domineered, put in a frame or box, controlled, forbidden
Aversion: doctors, injections, medication, operations, vaccinations, wounds, hurt
Aggression, anger, fight, bossy, tyrannical; kicking, screaming, beating, biting, stamping their feet, slamming doors
Obstinate, stubborn, self-willed, conceitedTimid, shy, closed, pacifism
Sadness, despondency, weeping
Ailments from being belittled, criticized, humiliated, treated as a child
Fears: being hurt, criticized, ruined, threat, invaded; operations, injections, doctors; accidents, blows, wounds, smacked; touch; dark, alone; big scary animals, witches, monsters, vampires, ghosts; death of parents; strangers

General:
Sensation: sore, bruised, beaten; wounded, beaten, broken
Weather: -> sun; <- grey weather
Aversion: liver; intestines; food, < fever
Physical: < < < vaccinations; < dentition

Body:
Fever, high more than 39-40 C/102-104 F, cold shivering, alternating with heat and sweating, bruised everywhere, dull, inability to think, sick, only lying, averse food
General: bleeding, hemorrhage, nosebleed, haematemesis, menorrhagia; inflammation, swelling, edema, heat
Infection: virus; influenza, flu, measles, rubella; bacteria, microbes; fungi, yeast; parasites; worms; insects
Head: pain aching, full, pressing, forehead, < bending forward, < stooping; sinusitis frontal; encephalopathy, < liver failure
Eyes: watering, red, itching, tears
Nose: hay fever; running nose, < grasses; sneezing
Mouth: pains, teeth, < dentition
Stomach: nausea, vomiting
Abdomen: spleen problems; liver complaints
Rectum: diarrhea
Urinary: cystitis
Female: infertility; menorrhagia, metrorrhagia; miscarriages; parturition problems, bleeding
Limbs: bones broken; muscle pain, bone pain; fibromyalgia
Skin: wounds, injuries, bruises, beaten; warts, mollusca

Photos: Wikimedia Commons
Asteraceae poster; Alvesgaspar, Tony Wills
1. Yellow chamonile; 2. Garland chrysanthenum; 3. Coleostephus myconis; 4. Marguerite; 5. Sow thistle; 6. Chicory; 7. Treasure flower; 8. Galactites; 9. Field marigold; 10. Ox-eyed daisy; 11. Common hawkweed; 12. Cape daisy