HOMEOPATHY
What is homeopathy?
Homeopathy is a medical science developed by a German physician named Samuel Hahnemann in the late 18th century. Hahnemann saw illness as the inability of the body to maintain its own inner equilibrium. When in a state of equilibrium mental, emotional and physical levels are balanced; emotions are felt but not held onto, the mind is free to learn and create without obsessing or becoming trapped and the body functions smoothly without pain or other constraints. This is health. Any symptoms that can be seen or felt are a sign of internal imbalance. Most medical practices in Hahnemann’s time focused on treating the disease not the patient. The focus on disease often did little to help the patient and in many instances actually made them more ill. In his search for an alternative to these practices he came across a theory called the ‘law of similars’. The law of similars states that any substance that produces symptoms in a healthy person can remove those same symptoms in a sick person. Through repeated experimentation he found that the theory was indeed correct and was even more effective when the substances were given in very small amounts. He discovered that minute doses of plant, mineral and animal substances have the ability to stimulate the vital force within the patient bringing about deep and lasting cures of even the most chronic conditions.
The role of the homeopath is to restore health by carefully observing the mental, emotional and physical aspects of a person and then finding the single homeopathic remedy that best fits that pattern. Each remedy is chosen based on the specifics of the patient not the disease. Ten patients with allergies will likely need ten different remedies. The specificity and individualization of homeopathy make it one of the most truly holistic forms of medical treatment.
What conditions can homeopathy treat?
Homeopathy treats a wide variety of ailments ranging from migraines, eczema and asthma to depression, anxiety and autism. The remedies are completely safe and free of side effects and can be used to treat infants and pregnant women. Homeopathy is useful in both acute and chronic conditions.
What can I expect from homeopathic treatment?
An initial visit is generally two hours in length during which you will be allowed to deeply express all of your health concerns whether mental, emotional or physical. You will also be encouraged to share any and all personal attributes and characteristics; anything that makes you distinctly ‘you’. The more candid and honest you can be about yourself, the more complete the picture will be for the doctor to work with. The homeopathic remedy is then chosen based on this whole picture. Follow ups are commonly done every four to six weeks until your condition stabilizes. Once stabilized follow ups are done as needed to help maintain your newly found state of optimal health.
Below are some links to other sites about homeopathy.
This is a general, all-purpose website run by the National Center for Homeopathy (NCH). It is one of the national organizations for homeopaths and it offers general information as well as archives of articles written by some of the leaders in the field.
This is one of the best resources for homeopathic literature.
Julian Winston was one of the greatest homeopathic historians. He was also a prolific writer. This is his personal site dedicated to homeopathy (and his love of music). If you like a more intellectual approach and you enjoy reading this site is full of information.
