What is Homoeopathy ?
Homoeopathy (=homeopathy) is an method of treatment, based on the nature's Law of Cure, namely 'Like Cures Like'. The truth of this law was discovered by a German scientist Dr.Samuel Hahnemann in 1796, and has been verified experimentally and clinically for 200 years. Homoeopathy is the revolutionary, natural medical science.
Homoeopathy is gentle and effective system of medicine. The remedies are prepared from various natural substances to precise standards and work by stimulating the body's own healing power.
HOLISTIC CONCEPT OF HEALTH
Holistic Health is actually an approach to life. Rather than focusing on illness or specific parts of the body, this ancient approach to health considers the whole person and how he or she interacts with his or here environment. It emphasizes the connection of mind, body, and spirit. The goal is to achieve maximum well-being, where everything is functioning the very best that is possible. With Holistic Health people accept responsibility for their own level of well-being, and everyday choices are used to take charge of one's own health. Holistic Health is based on the law of nature that a whole is made up of interdependent parts. The earth is made up of systems, such as air, land, water, plants and animals. If life is to be sustained, they cannot be separated, for what is happening to one is also felt by all of the other systems. In the same way, an individual is a whole made up of interdependent parts, which are the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. When one part is not working at its best, it impacts all of the other parts of that person. Furthermore, this whole person, including all of the parts, is constantly interacting with everything in the surrounding environment. For example, when an individual is anxious about a history exam or a job interview, his or her nervousness may result in a physical reaction--such as a headache or a stomach ache. When people suppress anger at a parent or a boss over a long period of time, they often develop a serious illness--such as migraine headaches, emphysema, or even arthritis.
The principles of Holistic Health state that health is more than just not being sick. A common explanation is to view wellness as a continuum along a line. The line represents all possible degrees of health. The far left end of the line represents premature death. On the far right end is the highest possible level of wellness or maximum well-being. The center point of the line represents a lack of apparent disease. This places all levels of illness on the left half of the wellness continuum- good
Holistic Health is an ongoing process. As a lifestyle, it includes a personal commitment to be moving toward the right end of the wellness continuum. No matter what their current status of health, people can improve their level of well-being. Even when there are temporary setbacks, movement is always headed toward wellness. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that the key factors influencing an individual's state of health have not changed significantly over the past 20 years.
· Quality of medical care is only 10%.
· Heredity accounts for 18% and environment is 19%.
· Everyday lifestyle choices are 53%.
The decisions people make about their life and habits are, therefore, by far the largest factor in determining their state of wellness·The most obvious choices people make each day is what they "consume"--both physically and mentally .The majority of illnesses and premature death can be traced back to lifestyle choices. There are the well-known dangers connected with drugs, alcohol, nicotine, and unprotected sexual activity. Less recognized is the impact of excesses in things like sugar, caffeine, and negative attitudes. Combined with deficiencies in exercise, nutritious foods, and self-esteem, these gradually accumulate harmful effects. With time they diminish the quality of the "environment" within that human being, and can set the stage for illness to take hold. Quality of life, now and in the future, is actually being determined by a multitude of seemingly unimportant choices made everyday.
Homoeopathy: The Holistic medicine
The concept of disease in homoeopathy is that disease is a total affection of mind and body, the disturbance of the whole organism, Individual organs are not the cause of illness but disturbance at the inner level (disturbance of the life force, the vital energy of the body) is the cause of illness. Therefore homoeopathy does not believe in giving different medicines for different afflicted parts of body but rather give one single constitutional remedy which will cover the disturbance of the whole person. Homoeopathy treats the patient as a whole and not just the disease. Medical philosophy is coming more and more to the conclusion that the mere treatment of symptoms and organs can only help temporarily and that it is the healing power of the body as whole that has to be enhanced. Homoeopathy believes in holistic, totalistic and individualistic approach.
'Health' is an elusive word. Most people who consider themselves healthy are not. And many people, who are suffering from some known disease, may be relatively healthy. Health is a concept which does not merely relate to the absence of disease, of healthy working of organs, or having good thoughts. Health is a holistic concept. It relates to a person as a whole. Not just the person you see, but also the person you 'feel'. Components of health
- Emotional Health
- Mental Health
- Physical Health
Emotional health, mental health, and physical health are not separate entities. You cannot have a healthy mind without a healthy body or healthy emotions and vice-versa. The degree to which one of these components is affected can vary from person to person, but ultimately it is the person as a whole that is affected.
This is the reason why Homeopathy is so different from every other system of medicine. The dominant medical school still has to realize that just as the parts of a human body can not work in isolation, they also can not fall ill in isolation. There can not be a disturbed liver or a damaged lung unless and until there is a primary disturbance which affects the person as a whole. We can not forget that every part in our body and every cell in those parts have come from a single cell. A cell which had a life force of its own. How can any one dissociate the body parts which have all come from one single cell?
HOMOEOPATHIC PERSPECTIVE OF WHOLENESS:-
Life's wholeness can be equated with the DYNAMIS or VITAL FORCE or VITAL PRINCIPLE of Homeopathy;
"In the state of health the spirit-like vital force (dynamic) animating the material human organism reigns in supreme sovereignty. It maintains the sensations and activities of all the parts of the living organism in a harmony that obliges wonderment. The reasoning spirit who inhabits the organism can thus freely use this healthy living instrument to reach the lofty goal
of human existence."
Hahnemann- Organon of Medicine Aphorism #9
"Without the vital force the material organism is unable to feel, or act, or maintain itself. Only because of the immaterial being (Vital principle, Vital force) that animates it in health and in disease can it feel and maintain its vital functions."
* "Without the vital force the body dies; and then, delivered exclusively to the forces of the outer material world, it decomposes, reverting to its chemical constituents."
Hahnemann Organon of Medicine Aphorism #10
"In the invisible interior of the body, the suffering of the pathologically unturned spirit-like dynamic animating the organism and the totality of perceptible symptoms that result and that represent the disease are one.
Aphorism #15
"...we summarize the definition of health of the whole being as follows:
health is freedom from pain in the physical body, having attained a state of well being; freedom from passion on the emotional level, having as a result a dynamic state of serenity and calm; and freedom from selfishness in the mental sphere, having as a result total unification with Truth.
MENTAL ASPECT & HOMOEOPATHY:
Although Hahnemann, in the Organon, and most homeopaths since, do consider the mental symptoms - the "always predominating state of the mind and disposition" [Aph. 217] - as being very important and significant in defining the disease or selecting a remedy, yet nowhere in homeopathy is there any coherent theory of mind or mental illness in the same sense that is found in allopathic. Indeed, mind is merely regarded as another part of the whole person: "the almost spiritual, mental and emotional organs, which the anatomist has never yet and never will reach with his scalpel" [Aph. 216]. In other words, all homeopaths since Hahnemann have predominantly ignored mind as a separate field of disease causation, except insofar as it is merely a field wherein symptoms make themselves manifest either as a product of the drug or of a disease and always when viewed holistically - in the round.
Hahnemann does however acknowledge that such mental disorders do give an impression, an apparition of being a separate class of disease: "as though it were a local disease in the invisible subtle organ of the mind or disposition," [Aph. 215], but because homeopathy fails to take cognizance of mental illness as a separate entity, apart from any other holistic disease entity, then it seems to ignore all theories of mental disease in exactly the same way that it ignores all allopathically construed theories of physical disease, as being largely irrelevant to its 'modus operandi' or worldview. It adopts this position because all disease is construed as a "dynamic aberration of our spirit like life," [Close, 67]; "a perverted vital action," [Close, 70]; "disease is the suffering of the dynamic," [Close, 72]; "disease is primarily a morbid disturbance or disorderly action of the vital force," [Close, 74]. Close is most emphatic in insisting that disease is "not a thing, but only the condition of a thing," [Close, 70]. Because homeopathic drugs correct the vital force, so, after which, by domino effect [so to say], the entire organism automatically becomes corrected - including mind. We might therefore ask where the concept of mental illness in homeopathy is. There is NO such concept - there is no concept of mental illness per se in homeopathy.
Clearly, the Organon's conception of 'mental illness' does not dovetail too easily with the conventional definition of mental illness or, the way it is applied by modern practitioners. In this sense, homeopathy clearly has no separate category of 'mental illness'. Even though, the symptom of the one-sided illness may involve mental illness [in the conventional sense] an obsession, illusion, delusion, hallucination, fear [phobia?], suicidal impulses, depression, etc., to homeopathy it is only an illness of a deeply deranged vital force, deranged at the most fundamental level, never of the mind itself in isolation from the whole person.
The essence of this view is peppered throughout the Organon and in Kent and Close and Boger - it states simply that mind and body comprise one holistic unit [conventionally regarded as two arenas] in which symptoms make themselves manifest. It depicts a "functional unity of the psychic state…and somatic state," [Verspoor, 103]. Boenninghausen also repeats this dual unity of Aphorisms 224-226 [Verspoor, 118]. However, Hahnemann is clear that the ultimate source of all symptoms is derangements in the "life force." A view incidentally he shared with Paracelsus, Stahl, and van Helmont. Remedies remove these derangements and so the flow of symptoms - to whichever arena - is slowed and then ceases. These views are stated repeatedly by Close and Kent, for example, and obtain ample repetition by all ‘the greats’.Hahnemann leaves no doubt that the fundamentally holistic nature of homeopathic philosophy, rails repeatedly against materialistic and allopathic constructs, which seek to slice the person up into organs or systems and he condemns any ‘treatment of parts’ that always flows from such a reductions perspective. Kent likewise condemns this approach in his own emotional manner. The only option therefore is to regard all ‘disease’ so-called as an expression of an internal disorder resident in the life force, which remedies reach and eliminate, and then the flow of symptoms ceases. Clearly, the remedies must be chosen based on their totality and similarity to the entire person, rather than upon the disease as an entity
FACTORS INFLUENCING THE HEALTH
There is hardly any cause which affects one plane without affecting the others. Our mind and body are so closely integrated that when one is affected there are bound to be repercussions on the other. Let me give some examples to elaborate this. Even a small cut in your hand (physical plane) can make you worry (mental plane) about the bleeding or injury in general and can make you angry (emotional plane) with yourself that you were not careful enough. Again, mental anxiety (which often results from emotional problems) is a well known cause for peptic ulcers and hypertension. Nearly every known disease, be it physical or psychological, can be associated with signs and symptoms on the other planes. Some of the most common factors affecting our health
1. Genes - children inherit the physical and mental makeup from their parents, they also inherit the tendencies and susceptibilities to acquire diseases. For example - it is a well known fact that conditions like obesity, hypertension, peptic ulcers, crohn's disease, diabetes, depression etc often run in families.
Defective genes sometimes directly result in diseases. What we commonly call as genetic disorders. But even the emotional instability ‘,’ tendency to worry a lot or the 'tendency to catch a cold frequently' can be attributed to our genetic inheritance.
2. Life-style and Social factors - Our contemporary life style is the second biggest factor for failing health of people. Increasing sedentary habits, long working hours, reduced rest hours; diet containing highly processed food, poor in fiber content and with loads of artificial colors and flavors; increased anxiety and tensions related to education, career, job, performance, etc are some of the factors that are responsible for decreasing the health status of our society at large. Coupled with environmental factors and allopathic drugs, these factors are playing havoc with our health.
3. Allopathic Drugs - Even allopath say that allopathic drugs are one of the biggest causes of health problems today. Allopathic drugs not only have their side-effects, but their excessive use is decreasing the immunity level of our society at large. The pill-popping culture is an open invitation to chronic ailments. People keep suppressing their ailments and keep working until their body finally gives up.
4. Environmental factors - Increasing pollution of our air, water, and earth is a well known factor in the increasing level of many diseases. There is a high level of asthma and other allergic complaints in urban areas. Depleting ozone layer is a known factor in increasing rate of skin cancers. Noise pollution is a recognized factor in increasing anxiety and stress levels in our society.
CASE TAKING an extensive patient history is taken and the patient's physical and psychological symptoms are observed, then an initial prescription is made. The case-taking is very important since it is the actual leader to a perfect diagnosis. The details with respect to mental and physical make-up of the patient are assessed by the physician by asking and enquiring into the intimate details of the patients. If the medication does not have the desired effect or if the symptoms persist, a second analysis is done and a second prescription is given. This process continues until the correct medication for the underlying ailment is found. Constitutional treatment is generally used for chronic problems; acute, or short-term, ailments are usually treated with remedies specific to the illness. Physical and emotional makeup — may need to be treated along with any specific ailments.
Individuality / Constitutions
As we are aware that no two individuals are alike so the treatment varies from individual to individual. The majority of homeopaths practice "constitutional" homeopathy, based on the idea that each person's constitution — or mental, physical.
Individuals also come with definite temperaments under which they can be classified. There are five known temperaments viz; Sanguine, Bilious, Lymphatic, Leuco-phlegmatic and Nervous.
Each individual can be classified by the physician in the category to which he belongs. And accordingly the prescriptions are made after a detail study of the physical and mental make-up of the patient which is assessed by various questions that enquire in to the various details especially into the mental state of mind.
Mind
This is the most important aspect of Homeopathic case-taking which is directly related to the treatment. The Mind is studied at different levels viz; the Will, Emotion/Understanding and the Intellect.
Will
This includes the wants of an individual. The cravings, aversions, desire come under this heading.
Emotion / Understanding
The emotional level of the mind is exhibited at this level. The individual emotional level can be assessed by analyzing the level of his anger, irritation, nervousness and his capacity to tackle emotional situations.
Intellect
This gives an assessment of the intelligence of the person. It evaluates the level of perception of the individual especially with respect to situations he faces.
SUPRESSION in homeopathic case-taking
What is Suppression?
Suppression is the opposite of DIRECTION OF CURESuppression occurs whenever the patients symptoms go against the DIRECTION OF CURE, that is, the medicine (or any other circumstances) works against the body's vital energy, causing the disease state to go deeper into the constitution, resulting in greater ill health and a more chronic disease.
Suppression is not always immediately apparent but can develop insidiously Suppression is not (generally) recognized by allopathic as a problem, rather as a solution, whereas in homeopathy it is considered as dangerous and something to be avoided at all costs.
Suppression is often the AETIOLOGY (causation) of another ailment
The consequences of suppression are widespread and homeopathic literature is bedecked with cases illustrating how a patient's suffering has been increased as a result of allopathic suppression
Suppression should be differentiated from side effects of allopathic treatments - suppression only occurs when the direction of cure is thwarted
Summary
Homoeopathy treats the patient as a whole and not just the disease. Medical philosophy is coming more and more to the conclusion that the mere treatment of symptoms and organs can only help temporarily and that it is the healing power of the body as whole that has to be enhanced. Homoeopathy believes in holistic, totalistic and individualistic approach.
