(NewsTarget) Homeopathy is an ancient idea, recognized by keen observers of nature. Hippocrates, the father of medicine, was born around 460 BC. He recognized that diseases come from natural sources, rather than the superstitious sources popular at the time. He became a careful observer. He recognized that each case is individual. He also recognized that when treating a hitherto unknown case, he could use similar remedies, from similar cases.
As well as recognizing that a body can heal itself, he understood the importance of cleanliness, of a good diet, and of exercise: ideas that took a couple of millennia to become common practice.
Paracelsus (1493 – 1541) was an alchemist and a doctor. He was outspoken against doctors doing more harm than good. He stated: “All things are poison, for there is nothing without poisonous qualities … it is only the dose which makes a thing poison.” This is close to the homeopathic principle of using minute doses of the substance, even poisons. He believed that health rested on “the inner harmony of man”, something homeopaths easily identify with.
William Cullen (1710 – 1790), a Scottish Physician and Lecturer on chemistry, wrote A Treatise of Materia Medica in 1789.
In 1790, Samuel Hahnemann, the Founder of Modern-Day Homeopathy, translated this work into German. It was here that he discovered the idea that cinchona bark produces the very same fever in a healthy person that it so capably heals in a sick person. This was a eureka moment for Hahnemann and he experimented with this idea on himself. When he took a dose, he developed the same symptoms it was known to cure. And so, based on ancient wisdom, modern-day homeopathy was born.
Samuel Hahnemann was a highly intelligent man, far ahead of his time. He was a doctor, a chemist, and a linguist. (He was proficient in Latin, Greek, Italian, Hebrew, Arabic, and French.) He was interested in philosophy and literature.
His change from practicing medicine to discovering homeopathy came about after he found it unacceptable to continue with the current medical practice of doing more harm than good.
He spent the rest of his life experimenting, observing, developing the complete philosophy of homeopathy, and writing guidelines for following practitioners. One of his most important instructions is:
“The highest ideal of cure is a rapid, gentle and permanent restoration of health, or removal and annihilation of the disease in its whole extent, in the shortest, most reliable, and most harmless way, on easily comprehensible principles.”
He clearly understood the nature of the disease, the nature of the medicines, and the nature of man – the three key areas fundamental to healing.
The 100 odd medicines he developed homeopathically are still as much in use today, for exactly the same reasons, as they were 200 years ago. There may have been large changes in our environment and in our technology, but there have been no changes in who we are and how we respond to outside pressure.
Much good can be done by using some of the common remedies in home prescribing. However, this highly sophisticated medical modality works best when it is practiced by a competent professional homeopath who works by understanding the mental and emotional state the person is in. This is when miracles can occur when the incurable is cured.
Homeopathy is one of the few modalities of health which fully appreciates the mind-body connection.
Homeopathy works as well on animals as it does on people.
Based on highly ethical procedures, all homeopathic testing (called provings) is done on healthy people.