Homeopathy lessons!

Homeopathy Lessons by Dennis Hardy, ND

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

Lesson two

The Four Fundamentals of Homeopathy

1. All substances used as homeopathic medicine are proved on healthy humans.
2. The so proved homeopathic medicine is selected according to the law of similars.
3. Use a single remedy.
4. Use the minimum dose.

Know the Remedy and Know the Patient

1. Each homeopathic remedy has its own spontaneous, characteristic symptoms, as well as its own general or particular parts affected, that separate it from all others, people are the same.

2. The constant prolonged study of the meterea medica is essential to homeopathy.
Homeopathic remedies establish a state of order in the body, they change the economy from abnormal to normal.

Don't prescribe for the dis-ease, or the out-come of dis-ease, or the cause of disease, prescribe for the patient.

The very nature of the homeopathic remedy must match the very nature of the dis-eased person, mind and body.

What is Health?

Health is freedom of movement, the ability to think abstractly, the ability to communicate intelligently, the lack of painful or annoying sensation of all body parts (the only time we know a body part exists is when it hurts, or is disfunctioning.

What is Dis-ease?

Dis-ease is not an entity, but is named for classification purposes of the departure from health and must be individualized for homeopathic treatment.
Dis-ease is a state of disharmony which involves three factors.

1. A morbific influence.
2. The susceptibility of the person affected.
3. The individuality of the patient modifying the form the dis-ease takes.

What are Symptoms?

Symptoms are the language of the body, expressing its disharmony and calling for a similar remedy to return it to homeostasis.

Acute Dis-ease

A acute dis-ease is one that starts quickly runs its course and ends quickly, either in health or in death.

Chronic Dis-ease

A chronic dis-ease is one that starts slowly (sometimes undetected), and progresses throughout the life of the patient, robbing him of health and finely of life itself.

Herring's Law of Cure

Herring's law of cure states that the body while healing will heal in a certain order, as fallows:
A. From inside to outside (center to circumference).
B. From top to bottom.
C. From last to first.

When patient's are on a remedy we want to see this law in action.

When a patient is on a homeopathic remedy and we observe a symptom that is not part of the case we have taken, we have four possibilities:
1. It was caused by the homeopathic remedy (a proving)
2. It is an old system that is returning according to Herring's law of cure.
3. It is a new acute dis-ease, in which case the original treatment must be stopped and a new homeopathic remedy must be prescribed for the new dis-ease. When this new acute dis-ease is over, we can reinstate the original treatment.
4. The patient forgot to tell us about this dis-ease that have had in the past.


Lesson Three

If the patient is new to Homeopathy the Homeopath must explain to the patient what homeopathy is, how it works, and what you, the Homeopath needs to know to make Homeopathy work for them. This is also the time to dispel any untrues they may have heard about Homeopathy.

Knowing the Patient

1. The Homeopathic Prescription is based on the information obtained form the patient, the observation of the patient, by the patient's family and friends, and the homeopath's inquiring and observations. This information is essential to the Homeopath.

The Homeopath must know his patient physically, mentally, emotionally, sociologically. There are no shortcuts to taking a case, but by prolonged, constant study of meteria medica you may be able to find the simli quickly and accurately by association like you would do when given a set of characteristics and asked to mach them as closely as possible to a person you know well.

2. The Homeopath must be receptive and ask "what brings you to me?" and keep quiet.
3. Don't interrupt the patient, let him tell his whole story, if you interrupt a patient they will lose their train of thought and may leave out vital information.
4. As the patient tells his story the homeopath must write down the symptoms as the story unfolds. Number each symptom and leave a few spaces between them.
5. When the patient is done with his story, you must ask "anything more?" and then write down any new information and again ask "anything more?", and repeat this process until you and the patient are sure there is no more to tell.
6. The Homeopath must now go back and ask for the modalities of each symptom given. The modalities are the aggravations (what makes each symptom worse), and the amelioration's (what makes each symptom better). Modalities can be position, emotions, time of day, cold or hot, motion, or anything that effects the symptom.
7. What happened before the symptom appeared is important.
If a patient is on any medication; natural, over the counter or prescription, you must know how they feel without the medication, this is because the medication does not heel the disease it just surpasses the symptoms. If they plan on staying on this medication while under your care you must treat the side effects of the medication that they are experiencing, as part of the case (totality of symptoms). In this manner you will not be hampered by the medication, and will also be able to rid the patient of any side effects they may have and heal them of the dis-ease at the same time.
8. The homeopath must now asked questions in the Hahnemann order (head to toe) to be certain that he has the totality of symptoms. The totality of symptoms is everything that is happening right now.
9. The Constitution is what is happening now symptomatically to the patient. It is also the patients’ ability to recover from the disease being treated, in this sense, they either have a strong constitution and will be easy to heal or they have a weak constitution and will need extra help to heal.
a. A general symptom is one that effects the whole body.
b. A keynote is a symptom that is distinguishing to a specific remedy.
c. A particular symptom is one that effects a part of the person and not the whole person.
d. A peculiar symptom is one that is unusual.
For acute prescribing, you must have three good symptoms to know the simli, these can all be from the acute dis-ease, or from a combination of the generals and the acute dis-ease.

Layers of Symptoms

If a present symptom (or symptoms) is caused by a past trauma (emotional or physical), such as arthritis from depression or never felt good sense the flu, these past symptoms are either suppressed by the stronger present symptoms, or the present symptoms are a safety release "valve" for the patient, because the former symptom was a threat to the survival of the whole being. The body and mind of a patient will create a outlet at a place on the body that is not necessary to the survival of the whole, the body will sacrifice a limb to save the lungs, it will cause loss of hair or bawl dysfunction to stabilize the emotions. This forms the so called layers of dis-ease.

You cannot base the selection of a remedy on "what was" or on "what might be again". The selection of the simli must be based on what is happening now, sense this is the present state of the patient. If for example the cervical arthritis was caused by depression due to the loss of a loved one, you do not prescribe for the loss, you prescribe for the arthritis (the safety release for the depression), this being healed (this is the first layer of symptoms being removed) will allow the depression the surface (this being the next layer), you then retake the case and prescribe for the new top layer of symptoms, this is continued until the patient in fully healed. On the other hand, if the patient is depressed because of the arthritis, and both are present symptoms, both must be taken into account, and both if present are part of the totality of symptoms.

Some cases will be multi layered, and some will have few or no layers. If we prescribe by the totality of symptoms (the totality of symptoms is what is there now, not what use to be), you will observe Herring's law of cure, and watch the layers of dis-eases being removed, with each new simli you give the patient based on each new totality of symptoms that is allowed to surface by the removal of the present top layer (the only layer that can produce symptoms or ill health).

Lesson four

Finding the Simli

Once the case is recorded, the next step is to find the homeopathic remedy that most closely matches the patient's totality of symptoms.

1. Starting with the motivating factor (what got them to seek a Homeopath), which you use as a "center of Gravity", you began the process of elimination that will lead you to the simli. You turn to the repertory and look under the proper Rubic (symptom), (with modalities when possible), and record under the center of gravity on the case you have taken only those remedies that are a. in italic and b. only those that are part of your master homeopathic remedies list. Sometimes it may take more then one rubic to fully describe the center of gravity. When this happens you must repeat the above process for each rubic and modality. Example; head ache with nausea, head ache with vertigo, head ache better from cold, head ache worse from motion, these are all listed separately in the repertory but are all part of the head ache that motivated the patient to seek help.
2. The next step entails the same process, but with a deferent approach. You look in the repertory under the next rubic that matches the symptom given you by the patient, this time however we only record only remedies that a. are on our master homeopathic list and b. that are also listed for the center of gravity rubic. You continue this same process for each proceeding rubic until the case is complete.
3. The next step is a simple matter of totaling the number of times each of the remedies comes up for the case. The remedy that covers the most rubics is undeniably the Simli.
4. If the patient has some symptoms that do not list a. remedies that are also listed for the center of gravity and b. dose have any remedies that are on our master list, that rubic is dis-qualified as part of the case.
5. If the final tally reveals two (or more) remedies that show the same number of times, you must recheck your work by studding these remedies in the Materia Medica, while asking the patient further differentiating questions.
6. In order to prescribe a homeopathic remedy you must have three rubics that match one remedy, one of these must be the center of gravity, but all three matches can be part of the modalities of the center of gravity.

Lesson 5

The Homeopathic Prescription

Once the Simli has been found, it must be administered in the proper potency at the proper intervals in order to heal (restore health).

Each dis-ease has it's own intensity ( Resonance frequency) that the simli must match. Obtaining this match allows the remedy to extinguish the dis-ease.

The dosage for "C" and "X" potencies is the same. Dosages for the "LM" potencies differ form the "C" and "X" potencies. I will cover the use of the "X" and "C" potencies first.

A. never use any "C" or "X" remedy below 6x or 3c, this avoids toxicity.
B. With Acute or Chronic conditions you administer the remedy at set intervals until we see a change in the symptoms (reduction or intensification). This change is the reaction to the remedy.
C. Do not re-administer the remedy until the reaction of the first dosing has ended, and only if 1. the dis-ease is not extinguished, and 2. only if the symptoms are the same.
D. if symptoms have changed, you must re take the case and find the new simli.
E. Ideally, you use A. low potencies (6x or 3c) for mechanical dis-eases, B. mid potencies (18x or 12c) for physiological dis-eases, and C. High potencies (36x or 30c) for emotional dis-eases.
F. Remedies above 30c were not used by Dr. Hahnemann, he regarded them as needlessly dangerous. Dr. Hahnemann stated "30c was high enough for anyone, and safe for everyone, from infant to adult".
G. In chronic dis-eases, administer the remedy once a day until you get a reaction.
H. In acute dis-eases, administer the remedy any where form four times a day, to every 15 minutes, depending on the severity of the situation.

The "LM" remedies are not a "high C" remedy, they are made by a entirely deferent method, that eliminates any "homeopathic intensity of the dis-ease, plus allows for a constant, slight change in potency so the rate of cure is not hindered by sensory adaptability.

The dosing with "LM" for acute and chronic dis-ease is the same as with "C or X", but the healing (cure) is three times as fast, and gentler.

The degree of susceptibility of the particular patient at a given time determines the potency of a remedy that the patient needs to get a reaction from the simli. A patient that is weak requires a lower potency. A patient that is strong requires a higher potency. As the weak patient begins to respond to the low potency, and becomes stronger, a higher potency of the same remedy may be required to complete the cure. Sometimes a patient must be made stronger by proper nature cure principles so they are strong enough to react to the simli. The potency, like the remedy must be individualized to the patient. Individualization is the principle that governs all practical operations in Homeopathy including remedy, potency, and dose.

Prescribing for Epidemics

Finding the Prophylactics Genus Epidemicus
If there is an epidemic and you see a few patients with the dis-ease, although each may have a remedy that matches their individual case, if you are observant you will see a group of symptoms that they all have in common. By concentrating on these you will see a single remedy that matches every patient that had the same dis-ease. These common symptoms can be used the find the simli that will not only cure everyone afflicted, but will act as immunization for that particular epidemic.