Bending the Rules

As homeopathy has evolved since Hahnemann, there have been many new ideas about how to use energetic medicines. I hesitate to use the word "homeopathic" medicine since this would be in direct conflict with what Hahnemann has described. I use "homeopathic" in the sense of why we are giving the medicine and not the medicine itself.

In the classic Hahnemannian system of prescribing, we are searching for the simillimum; the single best homeopathic remedy, that single remedy that is homeopathic to the case. Homeopathic means similar – suffering.

Hahnemann described his system for prescribing very well in the Organon and it is still the "bible" for homeopathic treatment. Because it was written in German and has been translated into many languages, there is room for interpretation right from the start. And as homeopathy has evolved over time, others have added their observations and made changes to Hahnemann's original system. Indeed times have changed in the last 180 years and all things do evolve.

I have found though that his system is still the best and leaves the least room for interpretation. It is easy to follow. Because there are as many ways to do homeopathy as there are homeopaths, this leads to spirited discussions as to what is the best way to do Classical Hahnemannian homeopathy.

Over the years, I have found a few places that I bend the rules. I still consider myself a classical Hahnemannian homeopath because the foundation for everything I do is still primarily single remedy prescribing. But there are a few things that I do that have worked successfully for me but leave room for argument because they do not follow the Organon directly.

• I sometimes give more than one remedy at a time. I do this only when I have given a single remedy for a more chronic case and an acute condition arises. This is the only time. I maintain the response to the first remedy by continuing to repeat it but if the suffering is too much during an acute, then I will give another remedy or possibly two if necessary as the situation warrants. This usually only happens when there is acute trauma and multiple injuries to attend to. I never give combination remedies.
• In the Organon, Hahnemann says to never repeat a dose of an unmodified remedy. This means that every dose should be different from the last. This can be achieved by succussion of the remedy before every dose or further dilution of each dose. Every remedy then has to be in a liquid form. Remedies in pellet form are most common here. They are difficult to succuss unless put in water. For the sake of convenience and because I have not seen a problem, I have my clients repeat the dry pellet sublingually on a daily basis. There are rarely any signs of provings. These doses are unmodified. But to put them in water may be too weak for most clients. I do water dosing when necessary but this is usually when there is an aggravation or a sensitive client. I do change potencies when it seems that the vital force is no longer in response to the daily potency. This then becomes the next modified dose.

There are so many ways to do homeopathy. Some people practice tautopathy or isopathy as a routine matter, of course, if certain drugs or vaccination are suspect. Others use only combination remedies. There are still many more ways to use the energetic medicines that are not homeopathic yet get described as such. And even within the more classical Hahnemannian style, there are many different methods for prescribing. In the end, it really does not matter. Most people will have some level of successful prescriptions.

And just as the system can be changed to fit one's preferences of prescribing, there is an equal number of ways to see a case. This leaves much again to the discretion of the homeopath. Once a homeopath prescribes that very first dose of the medicine, it is time to observe the vital force's response to it. How this response is understood is completely up to the homeopath. If you put two or more homeopaths on the same case, it is a sure recipe for disaster. Each will have their own way.

So I leave a wide margin before judging another system or style of prescribing from another homeopath. I do not agree with all of them but in the end, if the client is improving, who cares. There will be different paths to healing taken by each homeopath. The frustrating thing is trying to explain all of these differences to clients. Because they expect a system of medicine that is uniform, it is hard for them to understand the subtle and wide differences in the approach to healing under the title of homeopathy.

So my view is for every homeopath to find their own way. In the end, they will anyway. Be tolerant and bend the rules every now and again if you feel or see that something works. It may not work for every client but you may expand your repertoire of styles and help that much more.

Please leave a comment below and share the way you have bent the rules. There just may be some new information that may help another!

Keep the conversation going! I would love to hear your questions and thoughts below!