homeopathy lesson one

Lesson one

WHAT'S HOMEOPATHY?


Homeopathy is a highly systematic method of powerfully stimulating the body's own
healing processes in order to cure illness. The word Homeopathy comes from two Greek words: Homoios which means similar, and Pathos which means suffering. The word Homeopathy means "to treat with something that produces an effect similar to the suffering". This law of similars "Similia Similibus Curentur", the concept of likes cure likes is the basic principle of homeopathy. It was first recorded by Hippocrates, who noticed that herbs given in a low dose tend to cure the same symptoms as they produce in a large poisoning dose.
In the early 1800's a German physician, Samuel Hahnemann, made a similar observation. He spent the next six years systematically testing the observation on himself and fellow physicians. He found that any substance experimentally produce a specific set of symptoms when given to a healthy person, can cure those symptoms when given to a sick person.
Homeopathic medicines (called "remedies") are specially prepared by pharmacists from natural substances, mostly plants and minerals. When a patient's symptoms are similar to those of a particular remedy, that remedy acts as a powerful stimulus to the body's healing mechanisms.
Throughout history, dis-ease has been viewed from two fundamentally different perspectives:
1. As a malfunction of specific components of the body, where symptoms are seen as a dis-ease itself.
2. As a result of a deeper disturbance or imbalance of the person as a whole, of which symptoms are simply the outward manifestation.

The first viewpoint is the basis underlying modern orthodox medicine. Whatever symptoms arise are counteracted by drugs, ( a decongestant for a runny nose, an analgesic for pain, etc.
Homeopathy is based on the second viewpoint. An imbalance in the vital force is considered to be the origin of illness. Symptoms, whether mental, emotional, or physical, are expressions of this imbalance.
In homeopathy, treatment is based on the totality and uniqueness of the person, not solely on the specific condition or dis-ease. The task of the homeopath is to match the total picture of symptoms and individualizing characteristics provided by the patient with a homeopathic remedy. The result is to stimulate the vital force to return it to balance and there-by ameliorating the symptoms. In short, homeopathy treats people not dis-eases.

Homeopathy as a System
The fundamental principles of Homeopathy are embodied in a system of doctrines, laws and rules of practice which were first formulated, named and systematically set forth by Hahnemann in his book the Organon of Medicine. By that Homeopathy was given a name, an individuality and a character which defines and identifies it for all time.
The practical administration of Homeopathy is committed to its personal representatives, whose success will be proportionate to their efficiency. Efficiency in Homeopathy implies and involves native ability, acquired technical proficiency and logical consistency in the application of its principles. The exercise of these qualifications requires Honesty, Courage, Fidelity, to a high ideal, and the right point of view.
Symptoms the Body Produces
All symptoms produced by the body or mind are produced by the body to evoke a response from the body in question to start a reaction in that body that will alter the body's chemistry to enable it to restore homeostasis within that body. If these symptoms are suppressed, by 1. Drug therapy or 2. by missed used Natural Medicine, two things happen
1. the body has lost its method of communication to the central nerves system that receives signals from all parts of the body, so it no longer will respond to the body's need of chimerical and hormonal adjustment there-by rendering the body helpless and unable to heal.
2. We as Homeopaths have lost our method of prescribing, because these symptoms produced by the body are the guide that leads us to the proper remedy. The symptoms are to us the body's method of telling us which remedy it needs to heal itself.
In Homeopathy, we use the symptoms to guide us to a remedy that most closely matches the symptoms produced by the body and mind. This remedy (called the simli) amplifies the signal to the brain (via the nerves system) to get the immune system started. If the immune system is responding to the symptoms produced by the body and mind without the help of a homeopathic remedy, giving a remedy that matches the symptoms, will bring about a faster healing and restore health.

How Homeopathy works
Homeopathy works- not by consumption, but by creating a neurological response caused by the stimulation of nerve endings by the homeopathic remedy, in the same way that any stimulation of the nevus system creates a neurological response.
This neurological response is the adjusting of the body chemistry in such a way as to straighten the body own response to dis-ease so the body can heal itself.
In order to achieve a response from the body, the homeopathic remedy has to touch nerve endings on some part of the body, this can be on the body surface, in the mouth, or by inhalation of the fumes of a homeopathic remedy specially prepared for inhalation.
The immune system is passive and requires the symptoms produced by the body and mind which are amplified by a homeopathic remedy to evoke a response. No symptoms = no response = no healing.
All symptoms produced by the body and mind guide the homeopath to the choice of the homeopathic remedy. If the symptoms are suppressed (by allopathic medicine) the homeopath has no guide to the homeopathic remedy which would ultimately cure.
Sensory Adaptability
As has been previously discussed, homeopathic remedies work by nerve stimulation which invokes a neuralgic response. The chosen homeopathic remedy is useful only as long as it invokes a neuro-responce by nerve stimulation. At any point in the treatment of a patient when a homeopathic remedy no longer invokes a response the homeopath must reevaluate the case and if the same homeopathic remedy is still indicated, the homeopath must change the potency of the homeopathic remedy to get further neuro-response to nerve stimulus. The reason that a homeopathic remedy that still matches the case no longer brings on the desired results is due to the body's ability to adapt to a continued stimulus by desensitizing it's self to that particular stimulus. Examples: living next to an airport, allergy shorts; the body learns to accepts the stimulus as normal, therefore there is no need to respond to it.
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