Editorial: the many ways of homeopathy

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.