Aluminum is a very light and easy transformable metal, associated with the planet Neptune and the sign Pisces. In astrology Neptune has to do with fading away, dissolving, excarnation, anonymity. This excarnation can work out in a positive way (mysticism, visions, psychic abilities, spirituality, dreams, ecstasy, inspiration) but it can also bring about confusion, intoxication, poisoning, decadence, delusion, addiction, degeneration, deformation and decay: the material world looses its solidity and stability. Pisces 'rules' the feet.
Keeping the above in mind we can understand that the image of the homoeopatic Alumina is about slowly moving away from the daily reality and from the reliability of the mind and body. These people are no longer on firm ground.
The most striking characteristic is the enormous slowness of mind. Alumina's think very slowly, they need a lot of time to come to a decision and to actually perform things. They can only do one thing at a time. Working under pressure blocks them. Although they know that they are slow, they still have the feeling that time passes too slowly, an hour seems half a day.
Their nervous system is affected. Physically it leads to great weakness that will first be noticed in the legs (numbness of the feet, unstable walking, and problems with the coordination and later on paralysis of the legs). Mentally it results in irresolution and the inability to give words to their thoughts. They feel confused and there is vagueness of the mind. " What was real to them, now seems unreal. When he says something he has the feeling that someone else says this, when he sees something it is like someone else sees it, it is the sense of dissolving into somebody else and only than being able to see." So Alumina suffers from a great loss of identity. Apparently their soul leaves their body; it is as if they live in two worlds. These people have a very bad memory; they forget words and names, even their own name. Still they try very hard to memorize things.
Alumina-people have great difficulty keeping hold on their own lives. This results in irritation, somberness, grief and desperation about their ailments and possible recovery. They fear they are becoming insane. Alumina's can be suicidal, especially at sight of a knife or blood.
Another important characteristic in this image is the great dryness, resulting from a bad circulation and partly paralyzed nerves: a dry and itching skin, dry mucous membranes, the tongue seems to be glued to the palate, little urination and serious constipation.
This remedy is of importance in diseases like Alzheimer, Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson, numbness and paralysis, after a stroke. Alumina's feel better in the evening and outdoors, and they feel worse in the morning, in a warm room and by eating potatoes and salt. They feel a preference for dry food and indigestible things, like chalk and charcoal.
