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Trying to describe Homeopathy and how it works is not something easily done in a page or two. This is intended to give general principles in hopes that the reader will get some basic understanding.
Homeopathy is usually described as having been discovered by Samuel Hahnemann (1755-1843). However, in reality, Hahnemann put into practice, a concept that had been taught by the ancient Greeks centuries before.
Samuel Hahnemann was a German doctor, who trained in Austria. He spent a lot of time as a practicing physician and translating medical books into German. He became more and more disillusioned with the medicine practiced at the time. Skin diseases such as leprosy, and venereal diseases such as syphilis and gonorrhea were common.
During an epidemic of cholera, doctors were using a certain bark to alleviate the symptoms of the disease. Many people recovered and the search for the "why" the bark worked began. Most doctors claimed the bark cured because it was bitter, and many other "reasons" were used. Hahnemann started using the bark on himself and after a few days, he developed the symptoms of cholera. (This is normally known as a "proving" of a remedy). When he stopped taking the bark, his symptoms disappeared. It was then that he realized that this bark was curing cholera not because of its chemical components, but because when given to a healthy person, it elicited the symptoms commonly associated with cholera. This was what Hippocrates had talked about in his writings and what we now know as "The Law of Similars"..... similar cures similar.
In 1810 Hahnemann wrote the first of what was to be six editions of The Organon of the Medical Arts. He also wrote The Chronic Diseases, Lesser Writings and others. Hahnemann's goal was to find a gentle, natural way of curing disease. He knew that symptoms were only the manifestations of disease and not the disease itself. He also knew that by using natural substances that were similar in their actions to the symptoms produced by the disease, cure could be effected. In other words, a remedy that when given to a healthy person produced a certain set of symptoms, would cure those very same symptoms when they were present in a dis-eased person.
Hahnemann believed in the Vital Force. He described the it as a "spirit like" force that sustains and maintains life. It is the Vital Force that produces the symptoms in its effort to rid the body from dis-ease. Understanding the function of the Vital Force is one of the corner stones of Homeopathy. The Vital Force is responsible for maintaining the body in a balanced state of health. In doing its job, the Vital Force will produce symptoms. Symptoms can show up at all different levels. Skin rashes, allergies, digestive troubles, as well as deeper sexual, emotional and temperament dis-orders. Because the Vital Force is responsible for protecting the innermost levels of life, it will always try to push disease outwardly. For this reason, skin rashes and other skin affections are considered signs of the Vital Force's work and should NEVER be suppressed by the use of suppressive allopathic drugs such as antibiotics, steroids, etc. Once the skin symptoms are suppressed by medications, the window thru which the Vital Force can throw out dis-ease has been closed. This pushes the dis-ease into deeper levels and more dangerous and chronic diseases are established. The weakening of the Vital Force has begun. With repeated assaults to the Vital Force, such as vaccines, medications that only treat symptoms, stress, poor nutrition, etc., the Vital Force is further weakened both by the dis-ease itself and the suppression of more superficial symptoms. The weaker the Vital Force the more likely the chances of dangerously deep dis-eases developing because the first level of defense has been broken down.
Once the Vital Force starts producing symptoms, there is no way for it to re-tune itself except with the use of homeopathic remedies. Remedies are natural substances that have been diluted so much that the original substance is almost non-existent in them. However, these dilutions retain the energy frequency of the original substance in a form which allows communication and understanding with the Vital Force. Each step of the dilution process of remedies is followed by succussion. By succussing the dilutions, more energetic strength is released from the original substance. Because of this, a high potency remedy (30C, 1M and others) has less of the original substance in it, but works in a much deeper and strong manner. The energy level of these potencies is much higher and much more capable of effecting changes in the Vital Force. Once the Vital Force is influenced by the energy of similar remedy, it is then capable of effecting a cure of the symptoms present. Dr. Goldstein, D.V.M., likes it to "giving a Bloodhound the scent and sending it to its mission".
Because Homeopathic remedies are strong enough to cause changes in the Vital Force, they are not to be used lightly. Many people believe that because there are no "side effects" to homeopathic remedies, they can be used by anyone. This is not so. There are "side effects" to remedies. The continued repetition of remedies that are not truly similar to the symptoms/dis-ease, will create a symptomatic picture that reflects the very symptoms that the remedy is capable of creating in healthy people. The indiscriminate use of high and deep potencies will affect deeper core areas and could produce unnecessary and undesirable mental and emotional symptoms. For these reasons, the proper understanding of the action of remedies is so important. When used in a knowledgeable and cautious manner, Homeopathy is a gentle and safe form of medicine capable of curing diseases that allopathic medicine cannot.
It is important to remember that disease itself is nothing more than an alteration of the state of health of a healthy individual. Therefore, Homeopathic practitioners do not prescribe for the tumor that affects the patient or the other symptoms that appear as the result of the tumor. Homeopathic practitioners prescribe for the patient.
I hope that this information helps you understand the science, the art and the wonders of homeopathy.