Spiritual Journey – Niccolum metallicum (Nickel, Ni, Nicc)

Dr Mirjana Živanov

The person oscillates between an experience of FREEDOM, which emerges through speech and expression, and a feeling of IMPRISONMENT, which arises in moments of inner anguish.

Niccolum – Code: FREE – IMPRISONED

At the core of the Niccolum state lies a profound inner sense of IMPRISONMENT. The mental space feels constricted, enclosed in a circular movement of thoughts from which the person cannot find an exit. Speech becomes an attempt at LIBERATION—often continuous, penetrating, without pause, like a nocturnal call that breaks the silence.

Outwardly, the person may appear dominant or imposing, yet in essence they speak from their own inner cage. In their presence, others may at times feel “imprisoned” as well, without space to express themselves—as if they have briefly entered the same mental field of tension and closure.

The truth that Niccolum speaks does not come as advice nor as a process meant to guide; it simply brings to light what has already existed and matured. The pain that follows is more the result of the loss of illusion than of the spoken words themselves, yet within this unveiling lies the possibility of LIBERATION.

Niccolum, therefore, does not bring an ending—it breaks through the wall of IMPRISONMENT by clearly revealing to others what can no longer remain hidden.

By temperament, the person is lively, talkative, and highly intelligent, with pronounced mental alertness and reactivity. Sensitive, yet at the same time active and dynamic.

Meteoric Iron – The First “Nickel Steel” in History

Before humans learned to smelt ore (before ~1200 BCE), they usediron that had fallen from the sky.

This iron always contained:• 5–20% nickel• traces of cobalt.

In other words,the oldest metal objects we call “iron” were actually a natural Fe–Ni alloy.

The most famous example:• the dagger of Pharaoh Tutankhamun (14th century BCE),now confirmed by analysis to be meteoritic iron rich in nickel.

The Egyptians called it:“metal from the sky.”

Nickel contributed:• greater resistance to corrosion• a distinctive luster• higher toughness than pure iron.

Early Forging – Nickel as the “Hidden Ingredient”

When classical iron metallurgy began, people no longer knew how to add nickel intentionally.However, some ores naturally contained it, so certain steels accidentally included traces of nickel.

This occurred especially in:• Anatolia• Iran• Central Asia (ores associated with ultramafic rocks).

Blacksmiths did not know of the element itself,but they noticed:“this iron behaves differently.”

Damascus and the “Unusual” Steels

In the famous wootz / Damascus steel (India → Middle East):• nickel was not a primary component,• yet analyses of some samples revealed small quantities of nickel originating from the ore.

It contributed to:• carbide stability• blade durability• a finer microstructure.

Thus, it was not the secret of Damascus,but at times a “silent ally.”

Intentional Addition of Nickel Appears Only in the 19th Century

Only with the development of chemistry did people understand what nickel does,and began to add it deliberately.

Nickel steels became essential for:• armor (Krupp steels)• 19th-century sabers• later — stainless steel.

This already belongs to the modern era.

An Interesting Symbolic Line

Historically speaking:

1. Humanity’s first iron came from space and contained nickel.

2. People used it without knowing why it was special.

3. Later, they “lost” this ingredient when they turned to terrestrial ores.

4. Science eventually rediscovered nickel — as if forgotten knowledge had returned.

This forms an almost archetypal pattern:heavenly metal → forgetting → renewed recognition.

Nickel has one of the most fascinating stories among metals, because its history lies precisely at the intersection of mythology, alchemy, and modern technology.And almost symbolically — for a long time it was a metal that “deceived” humanity, much like the Niccolum Code we describe: it speaks the truth, yet what follows is a feeling of darkness.

Mythological Origin of the Name — “Devil’s Copper”

In the Middle Ages, German miners came across an ore that looked like copper — reddish, promising.

But…

when they tried to smelt it, they did not obtain copper.

Instead, a poisonous gas (arsenic) was released from the ore,and all their effort was in vain.

The miners believed they had been deceived by a mountain spirit.

They called the ore:

Kupfernickel

(Nickel = a malicious spirit, a trickster, a little devil)

Literally: “Devil’s copper.”

The metal therefore received the name Nickel —a metal that looks like something valuable, yet does not yield what it promises.

It is one of the rare chemical elements named after a mythological being associated with deception.

The miners believed they had been deceived by a mountain spirit — and that is how nickel got its name.

The Alchemical Mystery — The Metal That “Does Not Belong”

Alchemists spent centuries trying to understand this metal.It was neither:

• copper• iron• silver

It did not behave “according to the rules.”

They called it:

a metal between worlds.

In alchemical symbolism, it represented:

a material that takes away hope in transformation,that which interrupts the process,a “false path to gold.”

Interestingly, this symbolism corresponds precisely to our observation:

a truth that does not bring consolation, but a break.

A false path to gold: a substance that halts the process of transmutation.

Scientific Discovery — Only in the 18th Century Did Humans “Understand” It

It was not until 1751 that the Swedish chemist Axel Cronstedt succeeded in isolating a new element.He proved that:

the miners had not been deceived,it was not copper,it was an entirely new metal.

Thus, the “spirit from the mountain” found its place in the periodic table.

Cosmic Origin — Nickel Comes from Exploding Stars

Modern astrophysics has revealed something astonishing:

Nickel is formed in supernovae.

When a star explodes:

• radioactive Nickel-56 is created• its decay actually generates the light of the supernova.

In other words:

without nickel — there would be no light from a dying star.

This is almost a paradox:

a metal that, in human experience, carries darkness,in the cosmos becomes the source of luminous explosion.

Nickel in Biology — Hidden, Yet Essential

For a long time, nickel was thought to have no role in life.Today we know:

• it is present in enzymes of bacteria and plants• it enables the breakdown of urea• it participates in survival processes of micro-life.

Again:

it is not a “primary” metal of life,yet without it some forms of life cannot function.

Nickel Today — A Metal of Modern Civilization

Today nickel is essential for:

• stainless steel (resistance)• electric-vehicle batteries• space technology• protective alloys.

It provides:

endurance,stability,longevity.

The metal once considered “false” has become a foundation of the modern world.

If we follow the continuity of meaning:

Era	Experience of Nickel
Middle Ages	Deception, disappointment
Alchemy	False transformation
Science	Misunderstood matter
Cosmos	Light born from a dying star
Technology	Stability and durability

It is almost a journey:

dark truth → understanding → new function.

From the light of a supernova to the quiet power of a battery — nickel remains a carrier of released energy and movement.

What Science Says About Nickel (Ni)

Nickel (Ni) is a transition metal of great resistance and persistence, capable of maintaining its structure and functionality even under prolonged stress.For this reason, in both nature and technology it is associated with stability, durability, and the ability to adapt without disintegration.

Basic Physical and Chemical Properties

• Chemical symbol: Ni• Atomic number: 28• Group: Transition metals (d-block)• Color and appearance: A silvery-white metal with a slight golden tone; hard yet malleable.• Magnetism: One of the few metals that is ferromagnetic at room temperature (like iron and cobalt).• Resistance: Highly resistant to corrosion and oxidation — it does not “rust” easily, forming a protective surface layer.• Stability: Chemically persistent, yet capable of forming numerous alloys and bonds.

From a scientific perspective, nickel combines endurance, elasticity, and adaptability without loss of structural integrity.

Occurrence in Nature and Geological Context

• Most commonly found in ores such as pentlandite and lateritic deposits.• Present in meteorites, where it almost always occurs together with iron.• A significant portion of Earth’s core is believed to consist of an iron-nickel alloy.

This means nickel is an element of depth — connected with the inner structure of the planet and the cosmic origin of matter.

Industrial and Functional Role

• A key component of stainless steel — providing strength and resistance.• Used in superalloys for turbines, aerospace industry, and extreme environments.• Important in electroplating (protective metal coatings).• Plays a major role in modern batteries (Li-ion technology).

Functionally, nickel enables durability under stress and performance in demanding conditions.

The Scientific “Theme” of Nickel

If its properties are translated from purely material terms into a dynamic description:

• Resistance without rigidity — strong, yet not brittle.• Protection through adaptation — forms a protective layer instead of breaking down.• Inner structural strength — linked to the core, to depth, to stability from within.• Movement and function under pressure — used where other metals fail.• Connection with cosmic matter — present in meteorites (matter “between spaces”).

Clinical Illustration of the Code

The following example demonstrates the archetypal dynamics of the Niccolum Code: TRAPPED – FREE, through the experience of truth being revealed.

The process leading to the end of a romantic relationship was already underway, but the collective silence created a sense of tension and concealed imprisonment. At that moment, the figure of the Messenger appears — the person who speaks what everyone knows, yet no one wishes to say.

This example shows that Niccolum does not create the event; it reveals an already existing fracture in reality. The pain does not arise from the information itself, but from the loss of illusion.

Clinical Dialogue

Patient:“I told a friend: ‘I have to tell you something. Everyone knows it. No one wants to tell you. But I have to say it: your boyfriend is cheating on you.’”

Dr:“Why do you feel the need to be the one who says it?”

Patient:“Because I cannot stand that everyone knows except her. They pretend not to know, but they do. It feels like it suffocates me (Nicc). As if it TRAPS me (Nicc).”

Observation:Speech is continuous. There are no pauses. The tone is penetrating but not aggressive — more like inner tension seeking release.

Dr:“Do you feel relief when you say it?”

Patient:“I have to say it. I cannot remain silent. (Nicc)”

Reflection

The process of betrayal was already in motion. The relationship had already been damaged.The patient was not the cause of the ending — she was the messenger of revelation.

After the truth was spoken, sadness followed in her friend — not because of the messenger, but because of the death of illusion.

At that moment, the dynamic of the Code becomes clear:

FREE – TRAPPED

The patient spoke the truth because she felt inwardly TRAPPED (Nicc) within the collective silence. The truth was her attempt at LIBERATION (Nicc).

Niccolum does not bring the end — it breaks through the wall of imprisonment.

Dr: “What is FREEDOM (Nicc) for you?” (Matrix potentiation)

Patient: “To have no limitations (Nicc) imposed by other people!”

Dr: “What would be the opposite of feeling FREE (Nicc)?” (Matrix fishing)

Patient: “TRAPPED (Nicc)! When a person has no limitation (Nicc) of movement (Nicc), behavior (Nicc), thinking (Nicc), that is FREEDOM (Nicc).”

Dr: “And what do you do when you are TRAPPED (Nicc)?” (Matrix potentiation)

Patient: “I FIGHT (Sulph). I feel that someone restrains me (Nicc), oppression (Nicc), and cuts off my wings (Nicc). There is also ANGER (Caust), but it turns into STRUGGLE (Sulph).”

When the truth is spoken, the relationship does not die — the illusion dies.And behind the illusion, freedom begins.

In Niccolum, truth reveals but does not bring light.After the truth is spoken, relief does not follow — but darkness.

There is no capacity to receive consolation, nor to restore balance through relationship with another person.

Experience of Another Patient

“After a close friend told me the truth about my relationship, the idea was that I would stay with her, that we would go out together, that I would feel better. Outwardly, everything was organized as support.

But the inner state was completely different — there was no relief at all.I could not sleep.I could not stay.In that closeness there was no consolation, only a feeling of darkness and TRAPPEDNESS (Nicc).In the end, without sleep, I went home on the first morning bus.”

In Niccolum, truth does not heal the relationship.Truth interrupts.

It does not bring light — but the experience of inner darkness in which the other person can no longer help.

When Niccolum speaks the truth, the space remains without warmth, without consolation, without movement. The person receiving that truth may feel everything has been stripped bare — yet in that bareness there is no strength to continue.

Hope does not arise.It is as if the light goes out and only the fact remains.

In Contrast: Lotus

Lotus always carries movement toward light.

Even when it speaks of pain, loss, or truth, Lotus opens a space in which hope appears.In Lotus there is a gentle unfolding, a breath, a possibility to continue.

Truth is not an ending — it is a transition.There is always a seed of light leading forward.

Niccolum reveals.Lotus restores.

Niccolum — truth without radiance.Lotus — truth that radiates and leads.

In Niccolum, truth must be spoken.It is said directly, stripped bare, without delay — and even when correct, it may leave the other person in darkness, without warmth and without movement.

Niccolum states the truth.

By contrast, Lotus will never speak truth in a way that wounds.Lotus does not reveal abruptly.It allows truth to ripen in silence, in time, within the other person’s inner process.

Lotus does not say, “Here is the truth.”Lotus creates the space for one to recognize it oneself.

Therefore, with Lotus come light, hope, and movement forward.Truth in Lotus does not fall like a cut — it opens like a flower.

Niccolum says.Lotus allows it to happen.

Precisely in this capacity to say what can no longer remain unspoken lies the strength of Niccolum.It offers no consolation, but it brings clarity.It does not lead gradually — it cuts the moment in which truth has already matured.

This quality corresponds to the symbolism of Hexagram 21 of the Yi Jing, called Shi He — “Biting Through.”

When an obstacle can no longer be analyzed or bypassed, it must be removed through decisive action, just as diseased tissue must be excised to preserve what is healthy. Niccolum acts precisely in that moment: not as a process of gradual soothing, but as a clear incision that interrupts what has already become unsustainable, thereby allowing order to be restored.

Footnote:Hexagram 21 (Shi He, “Biting Through”) in the classical Chinese text Yi Jing describes a situation requiring decisive action to remove an obstruction that disrupts harmony. Traditional commentaries associate it with discernment, revelation, and the necessary act of cutting through in order to re-establish proper structure.

Niccolum and the Fate of Giordano Bruno — A Historical Image

The fate of Giordano Bruno may be understood as a historical archetype of the Niccolum state.

At the moment when the Inquisition informed him that he would remain imprisoned until he renounced his teachings, the process was cut short. There was no longer any possibility of dialogue, development, or transformation. The truth had already been spoken — and it could not be withdrawn.

What followed were eight years of confinement: not as a dramatic struggle, but as a prolonged state of immobility, endurance, and inner steadfastness.Outwardly — imprisonment. Inwardly — a structure that does not yield.

Connection with the Symbolism of Nickel

In mining and alchemical tradition, nickel (Kupfernickel) signified the “false metal” that interrupts the expected transmutation.

It does not lead to gold — it stops the process.

The same dynamic appears here:

• there is no transformation → there is interruption,• there is no movement → there is duration,• there is no consolation → there is clarity,• there is no negotiation → there is structure.

Parallel with Hexagram 21 – Shi He (“Biting Through”)

Hexagram 21 in the Yi Jing describes the moment when an obstacle can no longer be analyzed or softened — it must be decisively cut through in order to restore order.

This is not an act of liberation, but an act of discernment that inevitably carries consequence.

Bruno’s fate represents precisely such a cut in the history of thought:the spoken truth did not bring freedom, but prolonged confinement.

In the symbolic language of the Materia Medica:

Niccolum does not transform.It cuts the moment.And then remains — to bear the consequence of that cut.

Niccolum opens a space in which illusion can no longer be sustained — and only from such bareness can real change begin.

Niccolum does not soothe.It CLARIFIES (Lotus)!

Its role is therefore not to guide through a process (Lotus), but to mark the point after which return to the former state is no longer possible (Nicc).

The Moment of the Cut

The truth has been spoken. The light is not yet an experience — it is only a possibility glimpsed in the distance.

Themes of the Remedy

Theme of Travel

In the Niccolum individual, travel is not merely movement through space, but a way of establishing inner balance. A change of place brings a sense of relief, expansion, and a temporary exit from the experience of ENTRAPMENT. Being on the road, in transit, between the point of departure and the point of arrival, corresponds to their fundamental dynamic — a state of “in-between,” where they feel most alive and MOST FREE. Returning to the same place is often experienced as a narrowing of space and a re-entry into a framework that restricts movement. Therefore, for Niccolum, travel is not an escape, but a natural need to continually shift boundaries, both physical and internal.

“I really love to travel! (Nicc) Even as a child I remember feeling sad when returning home from excursions (Nicc). I always feel sadness when I go back to where I started (Nicc).”

Patient:“It doesn’t matter to me what I wear, whether it is branded clothing or not. It can even be torn, someone could take it… Travel is far more important to me. What I experience cannot be taken away from me. (Nicc, Ign).”

Dr:“Which journey left the strongest impression on you?”

Patient:“I’ve been to Iceland, Japan, Peru, but Zanzibar (Nicc) impressed me the most! The nature, the animals… Turtles, elephants… What happiness and FREEDOM (Nicc) that was!”

Dr:“Wasn’t it too far?”

Patient:“Not at all. Ten hours by plane. And maybe Zanzibar meant so much because it was during the coronavirus period. You leave this ENTRAPMENT (Nicc) and land in that FREEDOM (Nicc). There, masks were worn only on the plane! Ha, ha… We went by jeep through nature. Fantastic. The Indian Ocean… With my daughters — complete FREEDOM (Nicc).”

“My husband never wants walking tours when we travel, but I want everything! (Nicc)”“Since I stopped working, when I return from a trip I no longer have to compensate for lost time — I simply feel FREE (Nicc).”

Theme of Grief

In Niccolum individuals, grief is not expressed suddenly or dramatically; rather, it takes the form of a long-lasting inner pressure and retention. It is not released through an immediate reaction, but remains “trapped” in the body and consciousness, returning in waves through memories, images, and the sense that the event cannot be changed. The experience of loss is often accompanied by inner rigidity and the absence of spontaneous crying, as if the emotion cannot find its way outward but remains enclosed in the space between acceptance and the impossibility of letting go.

In this prolonged retention of pain, one recognizes the essential dynamic of Niccolum — a state of “in-between,” where the person remains bound to the experience, seeking an exit that does not occur through catharsis, but through gradual confrontation with irreversibility.

“Two very close family members died suddenly (Nicc), and I bore it very heavily — it was extremely painful. Painful grief (Nicc).”

Dr:“Where do you feel that pain?”

“In my chest. As if something presses on me, and as the days pass, fragments return — images and regret that I cannot change it. (Nicc).”

They grieve intensely and for a long time for the father.

Patient:“When my father died, I was traveling, of course… He also loved to travel, like me (Nicc). Everything happened suddenly and unexpectedly, because he was vital. He didn’t feel well, called the emergency service himself, and they took him to Kamenica. They placed one stent, then another, but he didn’t FIGHT THROUGH (Sulph, Nicc); he didn’t succeed — he lost the battle (Nicc, Sulph). My husband could hardly tell me because he was afraid to say it. At that moment it was TERRIBLE (Stram). I couldn’t cry at all (Nicc, Ign). Only when I embraced my daughters did the tears begin… I remember — the image comes back (Nicc) — that oppressive (Nicc) little room where we were staying, like an attic (Nicc).”

“I couldn’t cry (Nicc, Ign); the pain was too great!”

Another Patient:“I endured my father’s death extremely hard. At that time, I was in high school. For weeks I wore his jacket; it brought me a certain relief and a sense of closeness (Nicc).”

Witness (a friend):“The atmosphere surrounding her father’s death was very dark and heavy. She wore his personal belongings for a long time, which I found hard to understand. She showed no aversion to it — on the contrary, it seemed she needed it.”

Interpretation:Such behavior indicates a state of inner entrapment, where the person remains bound to the event of loss through physical contact with the belongings of the deceased. The object becomes a bridge that does not lead to the resolution of grief but prolongs the stay in a “dark space” between letting go and the inability to move forward — corresponding to the Code FREE – ENTRAPPED, characteristic of Niccolum.

“But now, after your remedy, when they told me that my cousin was seriously ill, I was immediately able to cry!”

Before the remedy, the emotion was “trapped” — the event existed on a mental level but without the possibility of expression through feeling. This is a state of inner rigidity, in which awareness of the situation exists, yet there is no flow of affect. After the appropriate remedy, the connection between experience and emotional response is re-established. Tears then do not appear as weakness, but as a sign that the blockage has released and the vital reaction has been reactivated. Crying marks the return of the organism’s capacity to respond, process, and release what had previously been held back.

Theme of Orderliness

In Niccolum individuals, the need for order does not arise solely from a striving for neatness, but also from the desire for the space to feel pleasant — “to feel good in it.” Tidying, arranging, and constantly bringing the environment into balance serve as a way to reduce inner tension and create an atmosphere in which one can dwell more easily. When the outer space is organized and harmonious, a sense emerges that the inner state is also temporarily stabilized. This activity is not experienced as effort, but as a spontaneous action that restores a feeling of safety and functionality, thereby re-establishing the experience of a “free” space within the Code FREE – ENTRAPPED.

The person is very orderly.She constantly arranges things; everything must be in its proper place.

Patient:“I am always tidying something, but it isn’t difficult for me. I get up easily and do it all. (Nicc) For example, we go to bed at night, and if the curtain isn’t hanging properly — I will get up without effort to fix it and return to bed, while my husband says: ‘What’s wrong with you? Leave it — I wouldn’t get up for that!’Or, the children tease me and say: ‘Mom, no guests are coming! Are guests coming today?’Even when traveling, I am constantly arranging something. But it doesn’t feel hard or tiring to me.”

“When everything is perfectly in order, it feels as if everything is all right. (Nicc, Carc).”

Theme of Speech

In Niccolum, speech does not arise spontaneously as a need to share, but as an attempt to interrupt an inner silence that has become almost tangible. The patient does not speak because there is something to say, but because the open space cannot be endured. Words then do not serve communication, but rather fill a void — as if speech is meant to set in motion what has come to a standstill.

At the first follow-up, as soon as she entered, the patient said:

“Shall I start talking?”“Wait, slowly — not everything is ready yet.”“Well, I don’t know… there is silence (Nicc).”“Let’s fill the silence (Nicc).”

Theme of Struggle

In Niccolum individuals, struggle is not directed toward external conflict but represents an inner impulse to emerge from the experience of limitation. It is a continual effort to re-establish a space of movement, choice, and personal autonomy. This fighting spirit is neither explosive nor short-lived; rather, it is enduring, persistent, and functional — more like sustained effort than confrontation. Through activity, engagement, and taking a stance, the person maintains the sense of not being closed in, but of actively participating in their own liberation, thereby continuously reactivating the dynamic of the Code FREE – ENTRAPPED.

Dr:“If you were ENTRAPPED (Nicc) in a cage, what would you do?” (Matrix potentiation)

Patient:“I would FIGHT (Sulph)! Fight for my opinion and persevere! Surely I know what is good for me!”

These individuals show a pronounced need to struggle — they are almost always fighting for something, against something, or to re-establish a sense of freedom from a state of entrapment. In this case, the patient states that another homeopath is “fighting for her,” further illustrating the theme of struggle as a central motif of her experience.

Example from Practice

In the Niccolum type, one often observes a long-lasting and persistent struggle for a specific function or goal within a community. For example, one individual of this type has for many years actively participated in a professional association: taking on organizational tasks, persistently advocating for the survival and functioning of the association (e.g., regarding premises, communication, and administration), and regularly maintaining the flow of information by sending notices and professional papers to members.

This continuous engagement is not experienced as a burden, but as a natural mode of action — a steady activity through which the sense of inner entrapment is overcome.

Interpretation

Organizing and constant activity represent a way of maintaining a sense of openness and avoiding the experience of closure, whereby the dynamic of the Code FREE – CLOSED manifests through sustained, almost tireless engagement.

Theme of Endurance

In Niccolum individuals, endurance does not manifest as effort or a struggle against weakness, but as a natural capacity for duration and adaptation. The organism and psyche display stability under changing conditions, as though external influences do not disturb the basic structure but are instead absorbed into it. Strenuous, prolonged, or demanding experiences are not perceived as burdens, but simply as states that are borne and continued. This kind of endurance is not demonstrative, but quiet and steady — the ability to go on without a sense of exhaustion, maintaining inner integrity despite environmental change.

From a scientific perspective, nickel combines endurance, elasticity, and the ability to adapt without losing structure.

One patient reports that she has always noticed how rarely she becomes ill compared to others who frequently complain of ailments. As an example, she describes a situation from her school years: during a walk they were suddenly caught in heavy rain. Everyone was soaked; many became ill afterward, while she experienced no consequences at all, even though she had neither a jacket nor an umbrella. This physical resilience reflects a general impression of endurance and good adaptation to external conditions.

Interestingly, she did not fall ill even after being completely drenched during the walk, while many others did. It is as if the organism does not react to external influences in the usual way. In this sense, a parallel may be drawn with a meteoric body arriving from a realm where rain and Earth’s atmospheric conditions do not exist — it does not respond to them because they do not belong to it, but retains its structure despite passing through a new environment.

Another patient says:

“On that trip we got up at half past five in the morning… Zanzibar is an island in Tanzania, so there is a lot of movement — ferries, travel… Physically it is really demanding. But not for me. For me, it was so beautiful!”

Theme of Work

For Niccolum individuals, work is not merely a professional obligation, but a way of maintaining inner dynamics and a sense of functionality. Activity brings relief, while inactivity may intensify feelings of tension or incompleteness. Therefore, work often continues beyond usual time frames — into evening or night hours, when external duties cease and the need arises to finish, arrange, or complete something. This constant engagement is not experienced as compulsion, but as a natural rhythm through which the person establishes a sense of order, control, and inner freedom.

“I am a workaholic! (Nicc) I worked in finance in our company, although that is not my profession. I stayed at work until late at night (Nicc).”

Patient:“When everyone goes to bed in the evening, I start scrubbing the bathroom! (Nicc). My husband used to get annoyed by that. But it is as if my biorhythm becomes active then!”

Dr:“Yes — you become RELEASED (Nicc) from the children; otherwise you have no time…” (Matrix potentiation)

Patient:“Yes! So that I wouldn’t miss anything! I would never leave unwashed dishes overnight. There is no ‘I’ll do it tomorrow.’ I cannot go to bed knowing there is chaos in the kitchen. My children say it’s a flaw, ha, ha… I fight to prove that it isn’t a flaw, ha, ha…”

“If the curtain is not fully drawn, I get up — it’s not difficult — I draw it and go back to bed.”“We have many cushions on the corner sofa. I coordinated the colors and everything. They get up and leave them like that. And that irritates me (Nicc)… It can be one o’clock at night — I arrange the cushions and leave. As soon as they move them, I arrange them again!”

Theme of Planning

In Niccolum individuals, planning represents a way of creating a sense of security and predictability. Thinking steps through in advance, gathering information, and clearly structuring the sequence of activities help maintain inner stability and avoid the feeling of being caught off guard or restricted. The plan does not serve rigid control, but rather facilitates movement — as if preparing a space in which one can act freely. This tendency recalls Arum maculatum, where planning serves to establish a clear framework for action and to reduce inner tension.

Patient:“I plan everything — even what I will wear and when!”

Patient:“I always inform myself very thoroughly.”

Theme of Fear / Apprehension

In Niccolum, the pre-code of Arsenicum is always present as an integral part of its inner structure. It is not a transient phase, but one of the axes of the Tetractys of Niccolum, giving the fundamental tone of concern for health, caution, and constant alertness. However, unlike the pure Arsenicum state, here fear does not develop into restless panic or an active search for reassurance; rather, it becomes “built into” a feeling of inner constriction and quiet apprehension. Concern exists, but without movement — like a tension that remains held.

“In the days before coming to see you, I was afraid (Nicc) and apprehensive (Nicc) about how this therapy would go…”

Theme of Movement

In Niccolum individuals, the need for movement is not merely physical activity, but a way of maintaining inner balance. Movement brings a sense of relief, while stopping may intensify the feeling of stagnation or limitation. Therefore, there is often a constant need for walking, traveling, or at least changing position and activity. Even everyday tidying is part of the same dynamic — the body moves in order to overcome the feeling of inner “entrapment” and to re-establish flow.

The patient reports that she walks long distances daily (up to about 20,000 steps), travels frequently, and describes the joy that arises already at the mere announcement of a journey:

“After my last visit with you, I decided to walk home (Nicc), and it felt wonderful. I really love walking (Nicc).”

“When I was little, I once had stomach poisoning. They were driving me to the emergency room, and I was already feeling better — just because I was on wheels! (Nicc) As soon as I hear that we are setting off somewhere — enormous joy!”

Pre-Code

1. Pre-Code — Arsenicum album

Code: BURDENED – RELIEVED

When a person becomes overburdened, the Pre-Code is activated, thereby opening the path toward the fundamental remedy Code ENTRAPPED – FREE. This means that after a phase of overload, the experience of entrapment soon follows.

A typical example is professional obligation: if the person assumes too many tasks and responsibilities, at first there is an effort to maintain control, but as the burden increases, a feeling arises that there is no way out — that one is “caught” in obligations. At that point, the Pre-Code BURDENED – RELIEVED transforms into the deeper experience ENTRAPPED – FREE, which represents the central dynamic of the state.

Both remedies share the theme of tidying and cleaning, but with different meanings.

In Arsenicum album, the need for order and cleanliness represents the very essence of the remedy — a striving for control, safety, and relief from inner anxiety through perfect order.

In Niccolum, tidying is not an end in itself, but an expression of inner tension; through movement and organization of space, the person attempts to reduce the feeling of being held back and to re-establish inner flow and freedom of movement.

“I knit, crochet, sew… My mother taught me everything. I used to sew from Burda patterns…”“I don’t want to look at my phone so that I wouldn’t become BURDENED (Ars) by seeing what time it is. Otherwise, I get nervously restless in bed (Ars), trying to force myself to sleep.”“In the days before coming to see you, I was afraid (Nicc) and apprehensive (Nicc) about this therapy, but I was not BURDENED (Ars) at all. I thought I would feel more burdened (Ars). An even better word than apprehensive (Nicc) would be BURDENED (Ars). In fact, I was CALM (state after integration).”

2. Pre-Code — Thuja occidentalis

Code: PLEASANT – UNPLEASANT

Within the case dynamics, before the clear manifestation of the Niccolum Code, a layer appears that belongs to Thuja occidentalis. This level represents a Pre-Code — a state in which the person still reacts through sensations of pleasantness or unpleasantness, attempting to preserve inner stability by avoiding what “does not agree.”

Unlike Niccolum, where entrapment is exposed and broken through, Thuja functions as a protective covering: when overwhelmed, the person withdraws, becomes sensitive to external impressions, and intensely registers what suits them and what does not. Reactions are often expressed through physical and emotional sensations of discomfort, saturation, or collapse, signaling that personal boundaries have been disturbed.

Thuja thus prepares the ground — it reveals where the sense of inner comfort has been disrupted, but it does not yet dismantle the structure. Only later, through Niccolum, does deeper confrontation and revelation occur.

In this sense, Thuja represents a phase-protective response of the organism — an attempt to preserve integrity before a stronger process of liberation emerges.

“I withdrew because the last two years at the company were very intense; I felt completely exhausted (Thuj) and it no longer FELT PLEASANT (Thuj).”“We have many cushions on the sofa. When they get up, they leave them like that. That irritates me (Nicc)… I do NOT feel COMFORTABLE (Thuj)!”Dr: “How do you feel then?”“It feels UNPLEASANT (Thuj)!”“Those breakdowns (Thuj) and deaths — painful grief (Nicc).”“After my last visit with you, I decided to walk home (Nicc), and it felt very PLEASANT (Thuj).”“After your remedy, there was a PLEASANT (Thuj) feeling in my head.”

3. Pre-Code — Phosphoricum acidum

Code: LOVE (LIKES) – HATRED (DISLIKES)

At the level of the Pre-Code, experience is not yet expressed through the theme of freedom and entrapment, but through an emotional axis of attraction and aversion:

• what I like — what I do not like,

• to whom I open — from what I withdraw,

• where I feel warmth — where inner extinguishing occurs.

As long as LOVE is present, the person moves, engages, connects, travels, explores — energy flows.

But when hurt, saturation, or loss of meaning occurs, this does not pass merely into indifference, but into a state of inner interruption — a quiet HATRED or deep rejection.

This HATRED in Phosphoricum acidum is not explosive, but withdrawing.It does not attack — it severs connection.

It is precisely this break that becomes the mechanism opening the way toward the principal Niccolum Code:

• When connection is severed → space closes.

• When relationship ceases → a sense of being cut off appears.

• When flow stops → the experience of ENTRAPMENT arises.

“It doesn’t matter to me what I wear, whether it is branded clothing. Even as a child I did NOT LIKE that! (Phos-ac) Travel is much more important to me (Nicc).”“I did NOT LIKE (Phos-ac) when everyone dressed the same. I LIKED (Phos-ac) fashion, but to add something of my own — especially not what doesn’t suit me!”Dr: “For everyone, what suits them is what is fashionable.”“I like it most when I buy something on sale (Phos-ac, Nicc).”“My husband does NOT LIKE (Phos-ac) traveling. Before, I pushed him to go; now I don’t…”“Those people in Zanzibar — how beautiful they are, their eyes, how content they are (Phos-ac) with what they have…”

Similar Remedies

1. Ignatia amara

Code: HELPLESSNESS – JOY

“I couldn’t cry at all (Nicc, Ign). Only when I embraced my daughters did the tears begin…”

Both remedies share a pronounced theme of grief after the death of a loved one, yet the manner in which this grief is experienced and expressed differs.

In Ignatia, grief is retained, “stuck” in the throat, with the sensation of a lump, suppressed sobbing, and strong inner control over emotion. Ignatia is generally of a stronger constitution.

In Niccolum, grief is felt more as a weight in the chest — carried physically rather than held back — accompanied by inner restlessness and a need for movement or speech, yet without real relief.

Thus, although they share the same thematic basis — loss and mourning — their dynamics of reaction to grief are different.

2. Morphinum

Code: GRIEF – EUPHORIA

The difference from Niccolum lies in the fact that Morphinum essentially expresses the polarity GRIEF – EUPHORIA, but in a more withdrawn and quiet manner. These individuals most often remain in the pole of grief; they speak little and seem to have difficulty expressing themselves, as if information must literally be “pulled out of their mouths with forceps.” When therapy is needed, communication is sparse and slowed.

In contrast, Niccolum is usually very nervous, talkative, and has no difficulty expressing itself.

Differentially observed:In Morphinum, there is an inner withdrawal and retention of feeling — grief seems to “numb” expression and create a state of emotional saturation and silence.In Niccolum, on the contrary, there is inner tension and unrest that push the person toward constant talking and outward discharge, yet without true relief.

3. Stannum metallicum

Code: FREE – ENTRAPPED

Both remedies share the same Code, but the path by which they reach it differs.

Stannum is louder in speech, with a more penetrating and clearer voice, whereas in Niccolum the voice tends to have less strength or capacity. Stannum often engages in professions where speech is important and constantly present (for example, a radio presenter), while Niccolum more frequently gravitates toward economic or administrative occupations, along with a marked desire for travel.

Constitutionally, Stannum is usually somewhat stronger, whereas Niccolum tends to be of slighter build.

Differentially observed:Both remedies display great endurance and the ability to function for long periods under strain, as if they possess the capacity to work in demanding, even “extraordinary,” conditions — symbolically reminiscent of working in space or undertaking cosmic travel, environments requiring stability, duration, and resilience.

In Stannum, one gains the impression that the feeling of confinement is overcome through intensified use of the voice — as if speech attempts to “break through” inner weakness and re-establish a sense of freedom.In Niccolum, by contrast, restlessness leads toward movement, change of place, and travel, but without a lasting sense of liberation.

Symbolically:

• Nickel → provides strength, resistance, structure (the body of the spacecraft).

• Tin → enables connection, communication, and system functionality (internal links).

4. Carcinosinum

Code: PERFECT (BEAUTIFUL) – DISGUSTING

There is a certain similarity with Carcinosinum, especially in the slighter build and the need for order and harmony in space. However, their inner dynamics differ.

Carcinosinum is more oriented toward beauty, aesthetics, and gentleness — often fair-skinned, with refined features and a pronounced need for harmony, flowers, and a pleasant environment. It appears softer, more polished, and calmer.

Niccolum, although also of smaller constitution, lacks this aesthetic softness; instead, there is nervousness, inner tension, and a functional relationship to space. Order and arrangement are not expressions of enjoyment of beauty, but a way to relieve inner unrest.

Differentially observed:Carcinosinum seeks harmony in order to maintain a sense of inner balance, whereas Niccolum introduces order to reduce inner tension.

“We have many cushions on the sofa. I coordinated the colors and everything (Carc). They get up and leave them like that. That irritates me (Carc, Nicc)… It can be one o’clock at night — I arrange the cushions and leave. As soon as they move them, I arrange them again! (Carc)”Dr: “How do you feel then?”“As if something is not right (Carc)!”“When everything is perfectly arranged (Carc), it feels as if everything is all right (Nicc, Carc).”“I dreamed something very BEAUTIFUL (Carc) after the remedy.”“I measured my blood pressure out of fear (Carc)…”

Remedies that Follow

Lycopodium clavatum, Causticum, Sulphur, Lotus

Occupations

A professional orientation toward economic and business-related work; engagement in administrative and organizational roles (administrative coordinator, executive/business assistant, office manager), which involve intensive communication, coordination, and a constant exchange of information and contacts.

Niccolum as a Karmic Remedy

• Elevated blood pressure

• Insomnia

• Poor dental quality

• Pulsation in the ear

• Gallbladder inflammation

Modalities

Better:

• Spring

• Music

• Movement

Worse:

• Autumn

• Silence

• Sitting

• Dreaming

Food Desires

Accepts a wide variety of foods but shows a marked inclination toward fish — especially freshwater species such as pike-perch, catfish, and carp, as well as sea fish, particularly mackerel and salmon, with a general affinity for seafood.

Food Aversions

A pronounced aversion to snails.No clear aversion to frog legs, but they are accepted without particular desire — more as something eaten “if necessary,” without enthusiasm.Dislikes fatty foods.

Key Words

• Disbelief

• Anxiety / Oppression

• Suddenness

• Grief

• Regret

• Shock

• Memory – Forgetfulness

• Insomnia

• Attic / ceiling (low / narrow / too high — sense of spatial pressure)

• Apprehension

• Stubbornness

• Death

• Funeral

• Worry

• Illness

• Chimney

• Limitation

• Opinion (fixed)

• Movement – Restriction

• Anger

• Struggle

• “Clipped wings”

• Resilience

• Adaptation

• Structure

• Stability

• Elasticity

• Speech (difficult / interrupted)

• Suffocation

• Fear

• Sinking (Mag-m) — heaviness like a body of lead

• Prolonged direction / linear movement

• Sense of terror / inner threat

• Interruption

• Messenger

Symbols

The Scops Owl — Otus scops

Symbolically, the scops owl is a bird of twilight and night, active at the boundary between day and night, traditionally marked as a being “in-between.” Nickel, materially speaking, is an element found both in the Earth’s core and in meteorites — thus also situated between cosmic and terrestrial contexts.

At night, the scops owl calls with a long, repetitive sound that can last for hours, reminiscent of the Niccolum patient’s tendency toward prolonged speech and the need for verbal expression. The scops owl is also a small migratory owl that travels great distances, even to Africa, which can be compared with the pronounced desire for travel; one Niccolum patient described Zanzibar as the most beloved place she had ever visited.

From a naturalistic perspective, the scops owl (Otus scops) is a true migratory species: it nests in Europe and western Asia and spends the winter in sub-Saharan Africa, covering vast distances between two continents each year.

When asked how she feels when ENTRAPPED (Nicc), the patient replied:

“As if my wings had been cut off.”

She also describes late-night activity — going to bed only after everyone else has already fallen asleep, using nighttime hours to tidy the kitchen and apartment, while her husband complains that she wakes him every night when she finally comes to bed. This nocturnal wakefulness and constant activity further evoke the image of the scops owl as a bird that lives and acts precisely during the night hours.

Attic — Narrow, Small, High (Enclosed Vertical Space)

Such a space — narrow, high, and enclosed — may symbolically represent the experience of simultaneous constriction and aspiration “upward,” characteristic of the dynamic ENTRAPPED – FREE. Just as the scops owl chooses secluded, vertical shelters, the inner state is described as dwelling in a space that is limited, yet oriented toward an exit and movement.

Chimney

They often give the impression of being “soot-marked” — a darker, matte complexion and an overall appearance as if covered by a fine layer of ash. Soot is a product of combustion; it forms where there is constant activity, heat, and flow, yet without complete dispersion. For this reason, it is symbolically linked to the place of the chimney: a space through which something is continually passing, where movement and energy exist, but where traces of that process also remain. In Niccolum individuals, this may correspond to the impression of enduring inner activity and resilience, leaving an external “imprint” of persistence.

The scops owl is a bird that:

• arrives seasonally (it migrates and is therefore not permanently “bound” to one place),

• chooses elevated, isolated spots close to humans (roofs, chimneys, tall trees),

• stays only temporarily, like at a station between journeys,

• is active at night and calls from a single point, yet is not permanently attached to it,

• then continues its migration.

  
  

Thus, the image of being “between spaces, present yet unrooted” closely corresponds to the biology of this migratory bird — it is not a forest owl that permanently inhabits a hollow, but a species that arrives, lingers, and departs.

The scops owl often remains in sheltered, elevated places near human dwellings — at points that are simultaneously part of the space and yet set apart from it, on the boundary between the outer and inner worlds. From such a place it allows itself to remain an alert observer, between movement and stillness, between darkness and light, lingering precisely where it can be apart, and FREE.

A traveler temporarily halted, who will set out again.

Spacecraft

Nickel is used in modern space technologies precisely because of its endurance, stability, and ability to function under extreme conditions. This material property can be symbolically linked to the motif of movement through space and the need to continually overcome limitations.

Thus:

Superalloy → the capacity to “endure the journey.”

Spacecraft → a functional metaphor for movement through a demanding environment.

SPACECRAFT — Movement Through Space

This motif can visually represent the idea of enduring movement through extreme conditions — analogous to the role of nickel in materials that provide stability and functionality in a “non-terrestrial” environment.

Meteor — Connection with Cosmic Material

Nickel is a common component of meteorites and is therefore considered in science to be an element bearing an “extraterrestrial” origin — matter that comes from the space between worlds, between darkness and light.

A meteor is matter that:

ravels for a long time through the cosmos,

withstands extreme conditions,

undergoes sudden transformation when entering a new environment,

yet retains its internal structure.

A meteor represents a cosmic body that, during its long journey through space, preserves its inner structure. Many meteorites contain an iron–nickel alloy, further emphasizing qualities of persistence, endurance, and the capacity to adapt without losing essence — similar to the pattern observed in Niccolum patients.

METEOR (Ni) — Cosmic Origin of Matter

Supernova

What does a supernova actually look like in space?

When a star explodes:

a vast wave of incandescent matter expands outward,

temperatures reach millions of degrees,

different wavelengths are emitted: X-rays, UV, visible light, and radio waves,

clouds of gas are formed that can shine for years, even thousands of years.

Astronomers truly observe and record this with telescopes.

And where is nickel in all this?

In the first weeks of the explosion, Nickel-56 is formed.

Its decay:

powers the luminosity of the entire supernova.Without it, the explosion would quickly fade.

That is why astronomers say:

Nickel is the fuel of a supernova’s radiance.

Supernova — light born from disintegration.

Through the integration of the polarity TRAPPED – FREE, a new state of being emerges, experienced as expansion — EXPANSION.

With the reconciliation of the feelings of confinement and freedom, the inner tension of oscillating between opposites dissolves, giving rise to a new condition — a state of widening, EXPANSION, which represents the SPIRITUAL QUALITY, in which the individual no longer seeks an escape, as it becomes the space itself.