Page 9 - Spring 12

Periodic Table Analysis and the Lanthanides By Geoff Johnson, UK
The lanthanide metals are known as the rare earths. They are essential to 21st century life, being integral components of computers, mobile phones and much of modern technology. Their rarity means that posses- sion of them gives power. China has most, currently providing 97% of world needs. Extraction is to ‘drill holes in a mountain and pour a solution of ammonium carbonate through it... you wouldn’t want to drink what we throw away’ (CEO Global Rare Earth). Extraction solutions may also include hydrochloric and sulfuric acid. Environmental damage and abuse of indigenous people is as society routinely condones. The fight for lan- thanide possession will lead to trade war if not worse. The smallest and most powerful magnets are made from them.
They are the elements of our age, and homeopathically they treat the diseases modern man suffers from. Scholten uses them for autoimmune disease to the point where if the disease is autoimmune, a lanthanide will usually be given.
The lanthanides are part of the gold series, which in the periodic table is found in the sixth row (or series). All the elements in the sixth row have 5 filled stable electron shells, each further out than the previous shell, rather like planetary orbits around our sun. Then new electrons are found in a sixth shell – hence the sixth row. Cesium has one electron in its out- ermost sixth electron shell, and barium has two. It is these outer elec- trons, which largely determine the chemical properties of the elements. For example in the third row sodium reacts so quickly with chlorine because sodium gives its one outer electron to chlorine, which has seven outer electrons, to form the much more stable sodium chloride, where both elements now have 8 outer electrons. To have 8 outer electrons is to be stable and complete, as is the case with the noble gases.
Our entire physical world is a manifestation of how elements share, donate or receive electrons. Everything in our world revolves around the structure of the periodic table. All life resides within its simple pattern.
So back to the lanthanides; the first one is lanthanum, coming after barium, in the third column of row 6. Lanthanum and the next 14 ele-
ments ‘hide’ their successive additional electrons down in the fourth row – the iron series. This has important implications in homeopathy. All the lanthanides behave like lanthanum in this respect, and hence they all have column three characteristics. All column 3 remedies search for a way forward, but doubt what to do. They investigate and want to discover, but hesitate and change their minds. All lanthanides share this searching quality.
This ‘electron hiding’ continues across the gold series, each succes- sive element having its additional electrons hidden in the fourth row, until we arrive at hafnium, where the gold series as we know it continues. Look at a periodic table and you will see this is the case. Because all the lan- thanides do this, they are hard to tell apart chemically, and consequently were among the last elements to be discovered.
So from lanthanum to lutetium we have 15 elements, all in the gold series, with hidden electrons. This explains the lanthanides.
The issues of all members of the gold series are power and respon- sibility. They are the high achievers, our dominant patients. Look at tung- sten, platina, aurum and mercury and you will see this to be true. The lanthanides have the same issues, being also in the gold series, but as the electrons are hidden, so is the power. Lanthanide themes include hid- den strength, the power behind the throne, and wisdom without domina- tion. They all also have within them the scanning, searching quality of column three elements. They are seekers of truth. The two levels of elec- trons give an ability to look at themselves – self-reflection.
Lanthanide patients know themselves, and have the power to remain themselves, hence autonomy or self-rule is central. They will not give up their identity for any reason, and identity is seen through opinions and belief. The key word for lanthanides is “self”, and from this word the whole picture can be derived; self-knowledge; self-realisation; self- determination; self-control.
The drive for autonomy is not only for themselves – they want others to be free. They don’t want to dominate others, just as they don’t want to Continued on page 78