My friend, Don, introduced me to homeopathy several years ago. Since then I used it several times on conditions from bruises to an epidemic of parvo in a sled dog kennel. Homoepathy is effective if properly applied. To apply homeopathy to more than first aid cases requires deep and thorough study. I'm unable to progress beyond the first aid stages and decided to leave serious homeopathy to the more capable and talented.
Homeopathy as a form of medical treatment was discovered by Samuel Hanamann. a German physician, in the 1700's. The basic principle behind Homeopathy is like cures like. This may sound a simple principle, and it is, but application of the principle often isn't. It means the agent that causes a certain combination of symptoms or rubrics in a well person will cure those same symptoms in an ill individual.
Homeopathic treatment is based on a technique called proving. In a proving, the medicine is given to healthy subjects over a period of time. The sensations developed on all levels, physical, mental, and emotional, in the healthy subject are carefully recorded and written up in a materia medica, a listing of symptoms. All subjects do not develop the exact same symptoms, but there some common symptoms and some rarer ones. By comparing these symptoms, called rubrics, to the materia medica a remedy is prescribed. Allopathic medicine concentrates on physical symptoms. Homeopathy addresses the mental and emotional symptoms and the modalities or modifying factors as well as the physical.
A homeopath will probably ask questions like: "When is it worse? How do you feel about tomatoes?" A homeopathic physician observes how the patient sits, walks, and several other seemingly meaningless things mostly ignored by that allopath. To the homeopath everything is important. There will be several questions about the physical pains: "Does the pain move about? Is the pain sharp or dull or ......?"
All of these things are important in choosing a remedy. An interview may take more than an hour to complete.
Homeopathic remedies are dispensed in differing strength, or potency. A potency is a measure of the dilution of the remedy, the higher the dilution, the higher the potency and strength. Homeopathic remedies are diluted to the point that the most potent remedies probably, on a mathematical basis, have not even one molecule of the original substance. The reason for different potencies instead of just going to the highest (strongest) potency is the different potencies of the same remedy have somewhat different provings and homeopathy is very precise.
Homeopathic principle is beyond the realm of ordinary thought and scientific belief of today although quantum physicists seem to be moving in this direction. The idea that less is more powerful and none at all is most powerful seems a contradiction. When one gets into explanations of what happens with homeopathic medicines, it is beyond the understanding of almost everyone. The explanation is found in quantum mechanics and the holographic universe theories. Although I have a very basic understanding of these fields, I don't feel qualified to attempt an explanation.
Although there are several variations, the general method to create a homeopathic potency is as follows:
The actual material in the remedy becomes less, but the shaking method captures the force or energy field of the material being prepared. With each dilution, the power or energy field becomes greater. If this doesn't make sense to you, take my word for it --- this works.
You could hear that homeopathic medicines are natural, and therefore, not dangerous. This is NOT true. Repeated usage can put you in a proving and more repetition can cause damage. Homeopathic remedies do cause physical and mental changes. Low potencies contain some actual material.
The instructions on bottles of homeopathic remedies are generalities, put there for legal purposes. If you are planning on using homeopathic remedies, buy a suitable book and apply the remedies properly. You probably won't do any damage with the remedies, but the possibility does exist, so use caution.