Lepomis gibbosus: the Great Lakes proving of Pumpkinseed sunfish

The pumpkinseed sunfish is a freshwater fish native to northeastern North America, from New Brunswick to South Carolina and is the most widely distributed and abundant sunfish in New York. It has been introduced elsewhere in North America, in particular the Great Lakes region as well as throughout much of Europe where it is considered an invasive species. It was introduced to Europe mainly by aquarists who considered the pumpkinseed an ornamental fish due to their beautiful coloring. 

Natural History:

These fish reproduce rapidly and are low on the food chain. They eat a variety of insects, including mosquito larvae, along with small mollusks and crustaceans. They also feed on smaller fish and are cannibalistic, feeding on smaller pumpkinseeds. In the shallow areas of which they are typical, the fish exploit the entire water column from the bottom to surface. In turn, they provide food for birds and mammals (including humans). The Pumpkinseed sunfish has adapted in many ways to its surroundings. The pattern on its skin allows it to be camouflaged within vegetation and resemble the sunlight patterns that reflect on the ponds, lakes and river beds. This clever fish has also developed a specific method of protection. Along the dorsal fin, there are ten to eleven spines, and three on the anal fin. All of these are very sharp which help against predators.

Proving:

The sunfish used in this proving was caught from a freshwater pond in Montour Falls, New York, USA. Parts used in the trituration were fin, scale, skin, flesh and blood. The proving began on June 27, 2010 in Buffalo, NY USA. There were 5 provers of whom 3 were female, 2 male, all white, age range 21- 55 years with one person supervising.

During the trituration part of the proving, the group was very giddy, laughing and joking. Even though provers expressed some violent tendencies and intolerance of each other, as the trituration continued, the group laughed and was light-hearted about it. One prover punched another impulsively and both broke out in laughter. The conversations and drawings were of stabbing, punching, fish with large teeth, an octopus destroying a submarine, fights, and battles, but the general mood around it was light.  Though the provers seemed intolerant of each other at times, everyone had “sunny” dispositions.

The proving also reflects a strong dynamic of connection and disconnection within the group of provers. There was a strong desire to be connected to a group and work as a group, and, conversely a feeling of being disconnected or left out. This theme was borne out in the full two weeks of the proving and especially in the dreams. During the trituration one prover had the sensation of being in another room separated from the rest. The feeling of being disconnected because of distortions in hearing and an inability to communicate well or understand what others were saying was quite pronounced. During the following 14 days of the proving the most pronounced physical symptoms were headache, vertigo and nausea.

Sally Williams has successfully prescribed this remedy for an Alzheimer’s case where the client had a very “sunny” and kind disposition. Everyone around her would remark on what a sweet and lovely person she was. However, her daughter related that her mother had been extremely cruel to her and her siblings during their childhoods. Her mother had high expectations and would “punish them with a belt with a smile on her face.”

Louis Klein teaches that cannibalistic fish may very well be good remedies for Alzheimer’s and other disorders of the brain. Fish are well known as “brain food” due to a high content of omega-3 oils, but that is not the only reason for this association. Cannibalism is quite prevalent among fish and the connection between prion diseases and cannibalism is well known (e.g. kuru-kuru, mad cow and chronic wasting disease). Some researchers also postulate a connection between prion diseases and other kinds of brain pathology such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson's because of the similarities in brain protein malformation. In this particular remedy, the mental symptoms of Alzheimer’s and similar brain disorders are present, in particular the difficulties in memory, concentration, speaking, and comprehending language. The remedy's unique quality is - hidden cruelty masked by a “sunny” disposition.

Mental/Emotional Themes:

- Intolerance
- Accepting/Relaxed/Blasé
- Language, comprehension difficulty
- Group connection/separation
- Spacey/tired/unmotivated

Physicals:

- Headache and Vertigo
- Stomach/ Indigestion, nausea
- Extremities, numbness, tingling, burning, pain
- Sleep disturbed

To read the entire proving and proving protocol please visit www.greatlakesprovings.com

The remedy is available From Helios pharmacy; www.helios.co.uk

Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Pumpkinseed Sunfish; H.Krisp