Principles of Homeopathy, and an Introduction to other modalities using Homeopathic remedies.
Homeopathy is a form of medicine that has been around for over two hundred years and has a few fundamental principles.
Firstly, the Law of Similars- that like cures like, or the symptoms that a remedy can cause in a healthy person in high doses, can cure those same symptoms in one who is sick. As part of this our remedies are tested on healthy people, and information comes from toxicology reports and accidental poisonings or injuries.
Secondly, the totality – that we look at the patient as a a whole. This means physical symptoms (and all the symptoms not just the ones relating to the presenting complaint), mental emotional, spiritual and history including family history. This is also our strongest point- that we look at you as an individual, your physical symptoms, your feelings, behaviour and thoughts, and what has brought you to who you are as a person. You are not a number or another statistic, we see you, in your glory, your struggle, or wherever you are, and we have no judgement about this.
The third principle is the minimum dose – that we use the least potency, quantity and repetition in order to effect a change. As part of this potentisation is fundamental- the process of diluting and succussing a remedy. This removes the toxic effects of poisons and unleashes the healing effects without side effects. It makes it a safe option for vulnerable people, babies, pregnant women, elderly, those on medication, and of course can be used with animals and even plants. Potency is not the same as strength in a pharmaceutical drug – instead the higher the potency the more intense or deeper the effect. Again looking at individuals the potency is matched to the person, looking at not just their vitality, but any stresses in their life (what we call obstacles to cure and maintaining causes), and the condition itself.
Since Hahnemann’s time there have been numerous offshoots of Homeopathy, new theories, new applications and even new modalities. I wrote about tissue salts last year and the development of these – the remedies are prepared homeopathically (to a 6x potency), but they are used differently. (You can find the post here: https://www.homeopathbarbara.nz/schuesslers-biochemic-cell-salts/ )
Two other forms of medicine which utilise remedies prepared homeopathically and yet are fundamentally different, are Anthroposophical medicine and Homotoxicology. The companies with products you may be familiar with are Weleda for Anthroposophical medicine, and Heel or Reckeweg for Homotoxicological preparations.
More recently there has been increased use of Isopathic remedies – using the same substance that caused the disease to heal it – and this is sometimes called Homeopathic Detox Therapy. There is also the use of sarcodes- healthy tissue to support specific organs.
One of the beautiful things about Homeopathy is that there are so many ways of healing – while most of us were trained in a classical manner, our life experiences, interests, the people who see us mean we view things through different eyes.
For some this may be intensely frustrating – as Homeopathy is not the same, every practitioner is different. But I think it is one of the benefits as well – just as Homeopathy focuses on the individual, Homeopaths themselves are also individuals. It does mean you need to find a practitioner you click with, someone who you are comfortable with and are able to open up too. If you do not click with someone it does not mean they are a bad practitioner – they may get wonderful results for others, even for your friends and family, but if they are not the right person for you that is ok.
Check back tomorrow to learn more about Homotoxicology. The post about Anthroposophical medicine will come, if just will take more research on my part into the philosophy of Rudolf Steiner so I can do it justice.