Health/Natural: Classical Homeopathy: Gentle Medicine for an Intense World

"I don¹t know what¹s in those little white pills, but I sure do feel better since I started taking them."
"I¹m sleeping so much better since I started my remedy."
"The overall health and happiness of our child has improved since she started her remedy."

These are just some of the many favorable comments I have heard in the last ten years of studying and teaching homeopathy, and it makes my heart feel good to know that so many people (and pets, too) have felt improvement from the most simple illness to even some very complex ones. So, what is it all about?

There is much confusion about homeopathic medicine, which is one of the reasons I remain so dedicated to teaching the basic technique and application of it, especially to beginners. Homeopathy is an intuitive, yet very technical and detailed natural medical science which uses extremely small dilutions of natural substances that are specifically chosen based on exact symptoms expressed by the individual with the illness. A well chosen remedy has the opportunity then to gently induce or guide the person¹s own healing abilities.

"Little is more" in the practice of homeopathy, meaning that we give the least amount of a substance to induce wellness. The more a substance is diluted, the more powerful it becomes. How can something that is vastly diluted, aid in healing? Through recent scientific explorations in quantum physics, we now have proof that substances in nature can leave a resonance, or vibrational signature of themselves, in a medium of water for example. Everything in nature, including us, expresses a resonance. We call this the Vital Force, and early homeopaths knew this clearly through observation, even though they did not have scientific research to confirm it as we do today.

Actually, healers from many traditions in the world understand the inner-workings of vibration and resonance in healing work. In homeopathy, we match the vibration of the person with the vibration of the remedy. A detailed study of the unique symptoms expressed by the person is the key that guides us to the choice of a remedy.

Homeopathy is very user-friendly and is something that anyone can learn for their own use and to assist family members in times of minor illness. Kits are available which contain the most frequently called-for remedies along with a basic how-to booklet, or you can go into your local health food store and find combination homeopathic formulas which contain several remedies for a specific ailment, chosen to cover a wide range of symptoms. Combination remedies are the easiest place to start on your own, moving to single remedies as you become more familiar with their specific indications.

I would like to share a beautiful case-example with you. A young woman was taking a walk in the woods with some friends and tripped over a fallen tree. The impact of the trunk hit her on her shin and before she could get back to the cabin, her shin grew swollen to the size of a goose egg. There was much pain, also. I was in the group and I happened to have Arnica with me (I always carry it with me for sudden injuries) and I gave her one oral dose and had her apply the cream topically several times a day for the next couple days. There was an improvement with the sharp pain within one hour, and the swelling continued to go down gradually over the rest of the weekend. To her amazement, the area never bruised at all.

Arnica is used to dispell pain, bruising and swelling, and is derived from a lovely little mountain flower. (Never apply Arnica topically to broken skin areas.) It is usually the first remedy which opens peoples' eyes to the power of healing which homeopathy can offer us, and I have witnessed countless cases through the years similar to this one to attest just to the use of Arnica alone. (There actually are several thousand proven remedies now available in the homeopathic pharmacopeia.)

For a deeper and more involved assessment of chronic imbalances, a classical homeopathic practitioner is usually consulted. This is referred to as a "constitutional case-taking" session. The beauty of this traditional method of determining the proper overall single remedy for the individual is that a special and private time, usually two hours, is created between the homeopath and the client. Many questions are asked by the homeopath, and no two sessions are ever alike because no two people are alike. It is a customized session of personal interaction which grows and develops uniquely and intuitively, yet is still based on the solid foundation and technique of homeopathy.

Classical homeopaths are dedicated to this personal interaction and observation of the client to assist in making the best remedy choice possible. Working privately with individuals in this manner continues to amaze me...my appreciation of the uniqueness of each and every person grows with each case of which I have had the priviledge to be a part. For me, homeopathy brings together the intuitive and the technical, the heart and the mind, the Spirit and the Physical, and all areas of Self which lie between, and can offer us true and harmonious rebalancing.

©Copyright 2002 by AlternativeApproaches.com

Susie Cooper, ND earned her Doctor of Naturopathy degree at the Southern College of Naturopathic Medicine, and is Board Licensed and Certified. She has continued most of her study in Classical Homeopathy with the New England School of Homeopathy. Dr. Susie has taught workshops in homeopathy, herbal medicine and nutrition in North Carolina for many years. She now teaches all her workshops in her shop, Blue Mountain Herbs & Supplements, in beautiful Pilot Mountain, NC, where she also takes private appointments for herbal, nutritional and homeopathic assessments. (336) 368-5955.

Important note: The information contained in this column is not meant to diagnose or prescribe for specific ailments, but is intended for educational support only. Please seek the advise of a licensed health practitioner for specific illnesses and emergency situations.