Interhomeopathy

02/08/2016

August 2016: mapping the Mammals

http://www.interhomeopathy.org/august-2016

As editors of an online journal, always trying to bring together coherent and useful issues, it is a great surprise and pleasure to be simply handed a whole series of articles for publication. The following series is the work of Ghanshyam Kalathia and a group of homeopaths from various parts of the world who have studied closely with him. In general, Interhomeopathy strives to be an online database for homeopathic case material, providing examples of good case-taking and the results in practice. In this case, however, we could not resist the opportunity to share this material with you: a study of the world of mammals in relation to homeopathic remedies. The various mammal groups are described and differentiated in such a way that we learn to recognize them in the behaviour of our “Mammal” patients, fine-tuning the general themes of Mammals down to the specific family and even the specific animal. The differential diagnosis with other kingdoms, for example the various series of the periodic table, are also helpful in practice. Relatively few cases are provided, as this was not the aim of the study, but we and the authors hope that it will stimulate many homeopaths to further explore this material in practice and to prescribe the Mammal remedies with even greater accuracy. Deborah Collins

We are a small group of international homeopaths and students. We study homeopathy together as the ‘Homeopathic Online Study Forum’.

We believe that everything has a specific energy pattern and this is also true in homeopathy. According to the homeopathic perspective, each group of remedies has a specific energy pattern. Mammals have cooperation, coordination, team effort, and are capable of caring. We made use of this ‘mammalian energy’ in our study of mammals and the result is this series of articles.

Our journey began when we collected information about mammals from provings, materia medica, cases and natural history from Google. The collected data was approximately 10,000 pages long; from this, we did a precise editing and prepared the material in a way that is easy to understand. We are most thankful to colleagues and teachers whose work was immensely helpful. There is a long list but we are especially thankful to Rajan Sankaran, the Joshis, Jonathan Hardy, Nancy Herrick, Patricia Hatherly, David Warkentin, and Jörg Wichmann.

In the first article, we map the mammals by presenting their well known general themes and their classification according to order, suborder, class and family. Classification gives us an exact idea as to where each specific mammal and its co- relations are placed within the class of mammals. It also helps us identify how many of these remedies have available provings or materia medica.

Subgrouping is a useful tool to differentiate the Mammal remedies and helps us to identify the subgroup themes and specific source themes during case taking. We were able to elicit the sub-group themes of nearly twelve groups, but still many subgroups remained untouched because there are only a small number of known remedies in them. Out of the twelve groups, we present four subgroups, which we have fully explored, each in a separate article.

Let’s journey together and try to enjoy the “primitive and vulnerable” energy of the Marsupials, the “docile and submissive” energy of the Bovidae. Let’s fully feel the mammalian energies, so we can experience the “cunningness and loyalty” of the Canidae, and the “power, strength and independence” of the Felidae.

30/05/2016

Interhomeopathy - June 2016

June 2016: a road map through the forest

http://www.interhomeopathy.org/june-2016

In this issue, we continue to present cases from the nooks and corners of India from the promising buds of the homeopathic science; these are the zealous shoots dedicated to keep the flame of our holistic science alive, each in their own individual ways.

When you enter a forest, having a road map is immensely helpful for arriving at one’s destination with precision and clarity and with a minimal chance of getting lost in the wild. This is what the case witnessing process (CWP), designed by Dinesh Chauhan, offers a homeopath striving to arrive at the core of their patients; it is exciting to witness a similimum coming dancing alive or a patient experiencing healing at the end of the case taking itself.

Here, we will witness the case witnessing process at work in all the cases presented, including one from Dinesh Chauhan’s clinic. It is fulfilling to witness the individuality of each homeopath and how they have subtly absorbed the concepts and made them their own. After all, the flavor of Individualization is what makes homeopathy a unique science!

So, fasten your seat belts and get ready to travel the journey from manifested symptoms to the vital core in each case, coming from all over India: from head of India, cases by Yogesh Malhotra and Harpreet Singh from Ludhiana; the heart of India, cases from Dinesh Chauhan, Sayali Butala, Riddhi Joshi and Zinkal Tilva from Mumbai, and finally, arriving at the tail of India, a case from Rangarajan Sadashivan from Karnataka.

May you enjoy this voyage!

Interhomeopathy: International Internet Homeopathic Journal

28/09/2015

October 2015: precious insights
http://www.interhomeopathy.org/october-2015

Two groups of remedies which have opened a banqueting hall in my practice are the Sarcodes (made from healthy organ tissue or secretions, enzymes, hormones or neurotransmitters, to restore healthy function when a metabolic process is out of balance), and the precious insights of the Gemstones.

The main idea of the Gemstones is that although they may have themes of their component minerals, they are harder to place on the periodic table. Like a Mineral case, the person may express an interest in structure or disruption to their routine, yet the issue is not as straightforward as bonding (ex: Natrum muriaticum), incapacity (ex: Baryta carbonica) or losing capability (ex: Zincum metallicum).

It is still a challenge for us as homeopaths to find the ‘right’ remedy for someone but the clues in a mineral case can be very precise if we use our map of the periodic table. We can see this in the cases of Scandium and Cadmium phosphoricum in this issue. We are unlikely to know the materia medica of these remedies the way we know the polycrests, they are harder to find by repertorisation, but by following our grid-reference of the series and stages of the map, we can find exactly where X marks the spot.

Gems are minerals that go beyond the map of the periodic table. They are not trans-generational like the radioactive Actinides (and DNA Sarcode) but the person’s experience of a undergoing a transformational process in their life is on a deeper level than most of the other complex mineral compounds, acids, and salts.

The Gemstones are often consciously on a journey of personal inner development and transformation, rather than fitting into the themes of the series of the periodic table. It is an alchemical transmutation that takes places under pressure, over time, an elemental process at the core of someone’s being, like the crystals that form in a seam of rock, where fire and water meet the elements.

A journey of transformation

Butterflies can represent a “personal journey” of transformation in the Animal kingdom, just as the Matridonal remedies do in the Sarcodes, the theme of a personal quest, a “personal journey” of transformation that comes with profound insight, is central issue in the Gemstone remedies.

Julie Geraghty has been delving into this group of remedies, revisiting long-standing cases, sharing her insights with colleagues at the Bristol Homeopathic Hospital, and teaching the themes of the Gemstone remedies in seminars and lectures on the hospital’s academic study course.

Formed under pressure

In a crisis, the person who needs a Gemstone remedy feels in a dark place, trapped in a situation that is impossible to reconcile. They have suffered a profound loss, a grief, there is a tension of forces; they are stuck in an unhappy marriage, imprisoned under a harsh regime. Lapiz lazuli feels stuck in the mud, mired in a situation. They feel under pressure, in a pressurised situation. Gemstones are formed over many years of being under pressure in a seam trapped between layers of rock, by volcanic alchemical processes.

Undervalued

Their beauty comes to light when they are unearthed, cut and polished. Then, they are accorded the preciousness and value of jewels.

One of the gifts of a Gemstone remedy is bringing their inner value and worth to light, discovering their multifaceted talent with jewel-like clarity, especially when they have been stuck, their inner colour jaded, their worth undervalued. Gemstones are also valuable remedies for those going through ‘a dark night of the soul’, bringing spiritual dimension to their experience.

Imprisoned or stuck

Some of the Gems are remedies for crisis, grief, shock, trauma, profoundly dark depression, loss of what was most precious, displacement, fracture of a structure, never recovering from an accident, a loss or a relationship. Sometimes, the break is not clear-cut. In Emerald, they are stuck, locked in, imprisoned in the situation of an unhappy marriage with a power struggle. In Diamond, they are struggling for recognition of their worth, they feel undervalued and unseen. In Sapphire and Ruby, there is an expression of hardness, the regime is harsh.

Sensitivity and subtlety

There is subtlety and an exquisite sensitivity in some Gems (Amethyst and Rose quartz) that we might associate with the Plant remedies, and a sensitivity to others’ energy that we may associate with the empathetic sensitivity of Phosphorus nature. In Rose quartz, they are sensitive to others’ and feel responsible for others, unable to express their needs. Flashes of colour, insights feature in all the Gems. In Opals’ creativity and excitement, we may glimpse the Nitrogen component. Without this background knowledge of Gemstones we may not recognise a Gem remedy case immediately or we may be confused by the Alumina content of Lapis lazuli. Clarity, and conversely clouded judgement, unclear murky are keywords and themes in the Gems.

Knowledge comes to light

Julie Geraghty has generously shared several of her cases in this issue, which shed light on themes shared by all the precious Gems and semi-precious Gemstones, and their individual facets. These are immersion remedies, so they work gently at 1M potency. As knowledge of these Gemstone remedies comes to light, we can glimpse their themes in a case. A Gem remedy can restore clarity, focus and decisiveness, restore someone’s undiscovered potential, which may be experienced as unrecognised value, shed light on the dark to reveal the hidden treasure of a creative talent or mission in life.

05/08/2015

Interhomeopathy - August 2015

August 2015: keeping on evolving
http://www.interhomeopathy.org/august-2015

Hello! And we meet again! Summer has ushered in brightness and warmth in our lives and with this issue from ‘the other song’, we have tried to bring in a fresh breath to homoeopathic insight by inviting our consultants to discuss and share in detail their understanding and concepts that keep on evolving with the passage of time, as is the case with any sincere homoeopath.

What has evolved is a series of articles, all highlighting their approach in varied cases in practice, each one following his/her unique style, and yet coming to a common meeting point. Is not this Synergy indeed? This is what the practice at ‘the other song’ too reflects. We have numerous consultants at our clinic, each one of whom specializes in a different approach, understanding, and method. If one, however, were to really look beyond all these and go to the depth of each, one would find common strands running through and binding all of them together: unfailing dedication to Homoeopathy and patient care, adherence to traditional homoeopathic teachings and concepts, and a constantly active mind to research, so as to come up with refined advancements, which help obtain the best possible results in practice. The discovery of concepts like Sensation and Synergy and their respective development are examples of these combined and cohesive efforts. The varied approaches all complementing each other and coming together as one strong force is the basic foundation of ‘the other song’ – International Academy of Advanced Homoeopathy – where different schools and approaches are respected and practiced all forming a part of one integrated system.

In this issue, we have put forth cases from our consultants, both highly experienced as well as those who have trained under them to emerge as highly mature and sincere homoeopaths. Cases by Rishi Vyas, Devang Shah, Sadaf Ulde, and Pratik Desai exhibit an in-depth understanding of the Sensation as well as the traditional approaches of materia medica and repertory. Rajan Sankaran, head of the institute, has penned two articles to give the readers have an overall insight into the case-taking approaches and the Synergy approach, each demonstrated through ample cases. Articles by Gajanan Dhanipkar and Sunirmal Sarkar provide an overview of approaches for acute and pathological cases.

This issue is a work effort by the entire team at ‘the other song’ and I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to the publication team who has helped put together all these articles. I hope all the articles form an appealing read and encourage similar successful results for you all. I am grateful to Deborah and Patricia who have given us this opportunity to share our experiences with the homoeopathic fraternity.

Interhomeopathy: International Internet Homeopathic Journal

29/05/2015

Interhomeopathy - June 2015

June 2015: homeopathy from "down under"
http://www.interhomeopathy.org/june-2015

We have another “down under” issue this month, with cases from homeopaths in far flung New Zealand. Our isolation with miles of ocean surrounding us means that we treasure contacts achieved by the internet, the wonderful publications we subscribe to, and the occasional visitor who braves incredibly long flights to reach our shores.
Alongside the instant contact modern technology provides, the shadow side confronts us. The issues of the world are on TV screens in our living rooms and on the smart phones in our pockets. As a result, the situations here, down under, are the same the world over: sceptics attack our philosophy and the media ridicules our methods. Our patients, however, know the experience of healing, and that fact alone keeps us doing what we love and must do.

Joelle Smaniotto Gorton has been working with a child with cerebral palsy and developmental delay, describing the remedies used and the beautiful improvement in her quality of life. Tricia Curtis did not select the remedy for her three cases of cystitis using Jan Scholten’s Plant theory, but instead, used the ‘signature’ of the plant. She found, however, that Scholten's theory would have identified the remedy as well. Another case of developmental delay is presented by Gerda Waalwijk with a particular focus on speech. A sensitive teenager with such extreme issues of self-esteem meant that Judy Coldicott had to work with her mother to prevent life threatening harm. A ‘pixie child on a pearl’, with a fascination for drawing using chalk, was the clue unlocking the case for Vicki Mathison. Gwyneth Evans had to sleep on the problem of a child with purpura haemorrhagica before the remedy became clear. Lynn Smith found the key to a case of Perthes disease in the drawings and descriptions made by the child during the interview. Finally, an acute case of gout was resolved when Kim Hutchings identified the remedy from an unusual marine organism.

We hope that you enjoy this selection of cases, a snapshot of practical homeopathy from New Zealand.

Interhomeopathy: International Internet Homeopathic Journal

30/03/2015

April 2015: Homeopathy as the art of applied consciousness
http://www.interhomeopathy.org/april-2015

It’s well-known that Samuel Hahnemann repudiated the Doctrine of Signatures, the idea that the shape or appearance of the plant or other medicinal source gave clues as to the target of action of the remedy. Yet contemporary homeopathic cases often reveal striking correspondences between the patient’s nature and history with aspects of the deep ecology of the source of the remedy. This is no simplistic analogy between the shape and color of a plant and a supposed resemblance to a target organ, but rather a more nuanced and intuitive perspective of the forces, stresses, and adaptive responses that shape the nature of any particular mode of being.

The perception of the consciousness of the source of the remedy in the state of the patient can provide the homeopath with a powerful sense of wonder. Long after the astonishment of seeing cures from dispensing granules containing no-thing has worn off, a deeper appreciation of this phenomenon we call homeopathic healing may take hold from this window into the interconnectedness of form with substance, mind with matter, human with earth, and consciousness with health.

For what is a remedy, if not a gateway into a coherent and distinctive mode of being and becoming? Remedies do not heal; it is the patient’s vital force which accomplishes that. But by providing a roadmap to a current of life becoming itself , the correct remedy can prove an indispensable guide and help-mate to the wesen of the patient.

In this issue of Interhomeopathy I have asked esteemed colleagues to provide articles and cases which reveal deep correspondences between remedy and source. Michael Leger takes us on a journey into an alternate way of creating remedies, based on an appreciation of the essentially informational and symbolic nature of the morphic field of the source. JudyAnn McNamara, by way of two short cases of Sabadilla and Sanguinaria, respectively, explores the way in which “noumedynamic prescriptions”, remedies which touch upon the soul-organizing principle of the patient, can radically transform the patient’s sense of self.

A beautiful case of Apple by Karim Adal will not fail to touch your heart, while the clarity of the appearance of the source in the patient’s dream life cannot fail to elicit wonder at the forces that shape us. The remainder of this issue explores animal remedies. The first of two wonderful cases from Jason-Aeric Huenecke depicts the confluence of an apparently external life event with an inner state; the second takes us on a journey through the tunnels and mazes of the consciousness of Rattus.

Two final articles explore the bullfrog. Roland Guenther, a master explorer of other realms, describes the journey into consciousness provided by a C-4 trituration. In the last piece, I describe a successful case in which I treated a boy with the bullfrog remedy, created simply by placing a glass of water over the words Rana catesbeiana 1M.

I call these remedies Noetic, as they point to a sphere of consciousness. It is within consciousness, whether embodied or not, that problems arise. And as Roland wisely points out, it is in consciousness that answers can be found.

I wish to thank Deborah Collins and Patricia Maché for asking me to guest edit this issue, and for all the work they do to keep Interhomeopathy shining its bright light for those of us who are enriched by a diversity of approaches within our profession. I hope that you find this issue as enjoyable to read as I did to put it together.

27/01/2015

February 2015: standing strong as a tree
http://www.interhomeopathy.org/february-20151

This issue of Interhomeopathy is once again dedicated to the application of the Plant theory as developed by Jan Scholten. Time and time again, Jan’s innovative approach to homeopathy has opened new possibilities for homeopaths. Starting with the group analysis of minerals, and then the understanding of the periodic table as it applies to homeopathy, Jan has laid a solid foundation, one that homeopaths around the world are building their work on. This same foundation now serves as the base for an even broader work, the understanding of the Plant kingdom. Unlike the minerals, which are more or less straight forward to prescribe, the plants are more complex, and thus less easy to pin down. Both Jan and Rajan Sankaran have done much work on the themes of the various plant families, enabling us to recognise a family from the pattern of the patient’s problem. Rather than relying solely on information that can be looked up in repertories or materia medica, we can now also make use of the patient’s life story: where s/he is stuck in his/her life and personal development. In this way, both our more well-known remedies and lesser-known ones come within our reach and our understanding. Cases that have long remained unsolved are now being unravelled.

Several such case examples are presented in this issue, from homeopaths who have overcome the initial challenges inherent in mastering a new method. Martin Jakob describes his experience with Jan’s plant system, how it has changed his practice and opened up new horizons for him. Ulrich Welte, Pieter Kuiper, Michaela Zorzi, Robert Wagner, and Maarten van der Meer demonstrate with cases how the system works and how one can prescribe hitherto unknown remedies with confidence.

For an introduction to the Plant theory, one can refer to earlier issues of Interhomeopathy: April 2014 and December 2014. Another important resource is Jan's site, where you can find the last updates:

The road of a pioneer, one who opens new terrain, is seldom a smooth one, as we know from history. Old paradigms do not die easily; new ideas are often fought tooth and nail, as though the prospect of an enlarged vision is a threat to the existing order, rather than a natural expansion of one’s possibilities. In a recent conversation with Jan Scholten, I was once again made aware of the ongoing battle raging in the media against homeopathy. Jan described the situation around an interview he had been asked to give for a large Dutch newspaper, the Volkskrant, which had previously published several highly critical articles and interviews on homeopathy from the so-called “Skeptic community” of doctors. What was supposedly to have been a chance for a leading homeopath to clarify some questions concerning homeopathy and to balance the negative publicity, was edited in order to ridicule both Jan and homeopathy in general. Sadly, this approach is being taken in many countries: leading homeopaths are seemingly invited to give their point of view, only to find that any positive input concerning homeopathy is left out of the final version, and their words, cited out of context, are used against them. This also happens to those who are investing their own time, energy, and money working in third world countries, helping to battle AIDS, Ebola, malaria, tuberculosis, and so on with homeopathy.

One consequence of this misinformation is that readers are left with an inaccurate impression of the interview and of the interviewer, who would have them believe that these “quacks” are working purely for their own glory and profit, while depriving patients of “real” medicine. Another consequence, sometimes even more painful for the homeopath in question, is that some colleagues, not realising the trap in which the hapless interviewee has been lured, turn against him/her, accusing him/her of putting homeopathy in a bad light. Unfortunately, there is little that we homeopaths can do about the first consequence – having our words twisted or taken out of context. We can, however, do something about the second one. Whether we follow this system or that method is irrelevant here. In line with our aim to search for the most "rapid, gentle, and permanent" cure, we must be prepared to search out the truth behind the facade rather than falling into the trap of being dictated to by the media. It would, after all, be a highly effective way of putting an end to homeopathy, not only by bringing it into discredit in the eyes of the public, but also by sowing division within the homeopathic community. In this very time, when homeopathy is able to help more and more people, at an increasingly deep level, it is more than ever under attack – one wonders why! Let us make sure that we use our experience wisely and remain loyal to one another, offering support and understanding instead of losing ourselves in unnecessary quibbles. Let’s stand together, strong as a tree, for the benefit of all mankind.

30/10/2014

Interhomeopathy - November 2014

November 2014: Sensation and Synergy approaches in homeopathic practice
http://www.interhomeopathy.org/november-2014

Hello! Another year has passed and it was to our immense pleasure that the team of Interhomeopathy again extended an invitation to write articles and share our experience. What followed was a series of discussions and a flow of ideas in an effort to holistically present our current academic and clinic practice as a fruitful learning and sharing experience, the culmination of which is this issue.

the other song – International Academy of Advanced Homoeopathy, which has the objective of ‘Treating, Teaching and Training’ at its heart, has always been a converging point where some of the leading homoeopaths of our generation come together, exchanging ideas and methodologies, in order to give the best possible results in their cases.

This issue exemplifies the integrative approach practiced here. We have made an earnest attempt to demonstrate the philosophy and the concepts behind the practice, illustrating them with cases. Most consultants and teachers have contributed a case and have presented a simplified but a detailed understanding of the prescription.

The Sensation and the Synergy Approaches, founded by Rajan Sankaran, head of the other song, have been used effectively in most cases. What is noteworthy is seeing how other consultants have utilized these approaches in synchronization with their own understanding. This issue highlights the use of Synergy approach in cases with varying pathologies, in order to give definitive and reproducible results, including an article with a case from Rajan Sankaran himself. Mahesh Gandhi has very ably demonstrated the use of the Sensation Approach in psychiatric cases. It was very riveting to see the analysis of a case of a physician, suffering from panic disorder, who feared different aspects of his very profession! Shekhar Algundgi, Dinesh Chauhan and Gajanan Dhanipkar have not only used the Synergistic Approach to analyse their cases but have also demonstrated the use of various subtle but handy secrets of good case-taking, which are necessary before applying these approaches for case analysis.

We have incorporated the use of different approaches for treating difficult cases, amongst which the meditative approach by Jayesh Shah; it is amazing to see how he follows the patient on his meditative journey and how he integrates the insights from this approach with the traditional and Sensation Approaches. The treatment of severe pathological cases by Ashok Borkar, and a simple but unique approach to clinical practice by Sunirmal Sarkar make an interesting read! Sujit Chatterjee has given a summary of his experience of treating difficult cancer cases, applying his vast knowledge of the Sensation Approach.

So, what we have before us is a comprehensive overview of the constantly evolving practicing tools and approaches at the other song, which has been the result of the unbelievable team work of all there, which includes the authors and the publication team, Sneha Vyas, Armeen Jasawala, and Devang Shah. We hope to continue this sharing experience and learn a lot more from your feedback and experiences as well.

Interhomeopathy: International Internet Homeopathic Journal

29/10/2014

Interhomeopathy's cover photo

30/09/2014

Interhomeopathy - October 2014

October 2014: the many ways of homeopathy
http://www.interhomeopathy.org/october-2014

This month’s issue illustrates several different approaches to homeopathy, with remedies from the animal, plant, and mineral kingdoms.

In Claude Ghezi’s “Owl” case, we recognize the characteristics of this bird in a remarkable young girl, the daughter of a shaman, and observe the results as the remedy helps her to overcome her problems: she becomes less of a “night owl” and more of a sociable little girl.

Sam Scarffe vividly describes a woman who deals with her vulnerability in a similar way, taking on a strong persona, but with a distinctive animal flair to it, for which he prescribes Tigris with success.

Helene Renoux presents the touching story of a young woman who was certainly on the descending slope in life, losing a grip on her self-esteem after an abusive situation and slipping into alcoholism. Menyanthes not only helped her physical complaints but also helped her to “get her head above water,” as the plant itself, which strives in a hostile environment to keep its flower afloat.

Maarten van der Meer also talks of a young woman with a traumatic past and severe pain, which she refuses to give in to. Here, we see the themes of the Compositae plants, especially the Eupatoriaceae, between which he makes an interesting differentiation.

Arul Manickam’s patient, an elderly woman, collapses under the weight of her stress and develops ocular palsy – this complaint, as well as her anxiety, is relieved by Gelsemium, which he differentiates with Calcium carbonicum.

And finally, a case from my own files also responds to a well-known remedy, Cinnabaris, here prescribed for severe depression and sleeplessness, as well as a host of physical problems in a man who cannot resolve his anger towards his ex-wife.

The beauty of homeopathy is that we have so many different remedies for dealing with the after-effects of trauma and stress, each one fine-tuned to the individual and their own way of dealing with the situation. On the one hand, this makes it a challenging science, one that requires the patience for lifelong studies and the diligence and commitment to practice effectively. On the other hand, when one begins to master its intricacies, one is rewarded with a satisfaction beyond measure: seeing ourselves and our patients “blossom”. We hope that this issue inspires you to continue your quest, both in pursuit of your own health and happiness, and that of your patients.

Interhomeopathy: International Internet Homeopathic Journal