What is Homeopathy?
Have you heard about homeopathy, but you aren’t sure what it is?
You’re not alone!
Homeopathy is one of the most misunderstood systems of medicine out there. And, even though it is the second most-used type of medicine in the world, most people in the United States still have no clue what it is.
So, what exactly is homeopathy?
Homeopathy is a comprehensive system of medicine originally developed by a German physician by the name of Samuel Hahnemann over 200 years ago. Homeopathy is derived from the Greek words meaning similar suffering (homeo: similar, pathy: suffering) because homeopathy is based on the law of similars. The law of similars states that a substance or drug capable of producing symptoms in a healthy person can cure a sick person with those same set of symptoms.
We see examples of this law of similars in everyday life and in allopathic medicine (allo: other, pathy: suffering). For example, when a stimulant is used to treat a child who is overstimulated or when heat is used to treat an injury (heat = inflammation).
People often ask - if homeopathy is based on symptoms, is it just a band-aid approach? I love getting this question because it means that the person really wants to heal, not simply palliate. The answer is no, homeopathy is not a band-aid approach.
In homeopathy, we look at symptoms as a way of the vital force communicating with us. The vital force is that which animates us - similar to Qi or Prana or the Life Force.
All dis-ease begins as a disturbance to the vital force and our body will produce symptoms - mental, emotional, and physical - as a way of communicating with us. As long as the vital force has enough energy, then a cure is possible.
This brings us to the next major aspect of homeopathy which is that homeopathy uses highly diluted and potentized medicines rather than crude doses. Potentizing the medicines allows them to act more deeply because they can communicate with the vital force via frequency. Remember, all dis-ease begins at the level of the vital force. We are at our core energetic beings (if we were not, we would be immune to static electricity and other effects from electrical currents) and we cannot heal dis-ease with a non-energetic treatment.
“Future medicine will be the medicine of frequencies” - Albert Einstein
The final major tenent of homeoapthy is the law of the minimum dose. This law states that you should take the smallest amount of the medicine that you possibly can to bring about a cure. Once your symptoms are gone, there is no need to continue taking the medicine.
Homeopathic remedies are commonly found in health food stores such as Whole Foods, Sprouts, or your local health food store or vitamin shop. The most popular brand in the United States is probably Boiron though Hyland’s is a close second. You can also find homeopathic remedies at many online retailers, or purchase a homeopathic remedy kit. A homeoapthic remedy kit can be quite an investment up front, but it will get you the lowest price per remedy, and you can’t beat the convenience of having the remedies you need on hand.