Editorial: welcoming diversity

In homeopathy, we have not only a vast diversity of remedies but also countless ways of finding the appropriate one for the patient. As Jan Scholten remarks, “the remedy does not mind how it is found.” In other words, any method that helps us to understand the person and the depth of their problem can be useful. Rajan Sankaran points out that one’s approach must be “homeopathic”, so that we fine-tune our consultation to the needs of the patient rather than following one strict agenda. This gives us the liberty to try different approaches where necessary, while at the same time, the responsibility to remain true to the basic homeopathic principles of finding the most accurate remedy possible.

In this issue, rather than having a theme on a certain topic, we have a collection of cases that reflect very different approaches to finding the remedy – or sometimes, a series of remedies rather than just one.

Piotr Stach, too, has started to apply the Sensation method, and his case of a woman with depression and marital problems after an abusive childhood shows the results of going deeply into her feelings of being “trapped”. From this case, we also gain insights into a remedy that is more well-known for its physical aspects.

Vladimir Petrocci examines a cured case of eczema in hindsight, making use of Jan Scholten’s recent findings on the plant families. Here, we see how the symptoms and the behaviour of a young girl not only mirror those of her mother, but also accurately express the themes of the family from which the plant is derived. One can even see the mineral components of the plant being manifested – the Nitrogen quality, as well as the Carbon and Silica qualities of the monocots.

Guy Payen’s case of depression and anxiety in a young man illustrates another reaction to a traumatic childhood, one where he felt “possessed” by a castrating mother. Here, we see the necessity of understanding family dynamics: this man felt taken over by his mother’s urges to hurt her husband, and ended up almost losing his own sense of reality and his mind.

A case of my own again shows the need to look into the family dynamics in order to understand the behaviour of the various members. A young girl, who had been terrorizing her family with her wilful attitude and constant fits of anger, seemed to reflect the unresolved history of her grandmother, who had been badly beaten by her father, then later by her husband. Here, it was not just one remedy, but three, and each from a different kingdom, which brought harmony back to the family.

Wiet van Helmond has ventured into unknown waters by prescribing remedies whose workings have been intuited, as well as proved by the more traditional method. The controversial books on “Meditation Provings” by Madeline Evans contain a veritable storehouse of information, and Wiet has put aside his initial doubts and prescribed a remedy for a traumatic situation, which brought help where our well-known remedies had failed. This little-known remedy will surely take its rightful place in our pharmacies, when we look for remedies for the treatment of deep-seated grief.

Roma Buchimensky makes use of yet another modality, a chart of the plant kingdom developed by Michal Yakir, along with the sensation method. Here, we can see how different methods lead to the same beautiful result, the finding of one’s inner equilibrium. His case of a young scientist who hates to be disturbed, and researches exactly that same phenomenon, perfectly demonstrates the Violaceae family.

The amazingly quick and thorough healing of a young girl’s psoriasis, shown in a case from Arul Manickam  was brought about by carefully applying the Sensation method. By understanding her inner state, one of boredom, and the right miasm, he was able to prescribe a remedy, which might have been almost impossible to find via traditional repertorisation. The photos before and after treatment speak for themselves.

Angela Hair has extended her traditional practice of homeopathy and her experience as a psychologist by adding another tool to her kit: applied kinesiology. After a lengthy regular homeopathic consultation, she makes use of the patient’s innate knowledge for fine-tuning the remedy, coming up with sometimes unexpected remedies which, on looking further in the existing literature, indeed make sense.  In such a way, she accurately follows the twists and turns of the patient’s progress, prescribing for the layers as they show up.

The art and science of homeopathy is in rapid development. For many homeopaths, this is a disturbing time, as the previous certainty of “one right method” is being replaced by a variety of possibilities. For those who “dare to know”, there are many approaches possible. Following the example of Hahnemann himself, let us continue to develop, and at the same time keep our feet firmly planted on the solid homeopathic base laid down for us by our predecessors.