Since the beginning of the new Millennium one could observe a major change in understanding the Materia Medica. of homeopathic remedies.
In former times it was common to study a remedy only by its individual symptoms. However, these days we can observe, that for a deeper understanding, it is more common to include the systematics of a family. The modern way of looking at a family and the view to their themes (especially in the world of plants with their huge diversity), has changed the understanding of the homeopathic Materia Medica profoundly. This positive enrichment has improved my clinic results, and also put a new depth in my kind of teaching.
Understanding remedies by families, a new approach in homeopathy?
Modern teachers like Rajan Sankaran, Jan Scholten, Massimo Mangialavori, and also Franz Vermeulen, have all brought us in their unique manner to a deeper understanding of the Materia Medica. They have also influenced my work immensely during the last years. However, what about the old masters of homeopathy? Would they also have liked to follow the idea of understanding a remedy by looking to the family? Constantin Hering*, one of the great pioneers of homeopathy, makes reference to this idea in his published „American Drug Provings and Preparatory Work for Constituting Materia Medica a Natural Science“(1856).
The comparison of close relatives
Under „Allium Cepa“ Constantin Hering refers to the controversial aspect of using signatures in homeopathy. Here he mentions the similarities of remedies being in the same plant family. He speaks about form and chemical similarities in members of the same family. „There must be an analogy between „form“ and action“.
Even if the likeness between „form“ and „action“ in a plant family would be superficial, for him the next step would be to prove if there is the same law of distribution of the remedy forces (Vertheilung der Arzneikräfte). For him the foundation was to prove single plants on as many people as possible. Then one can go to the next step:
The comparison of close relatives.
Plant photography
Whenever there is a time gap I like to grip my camera, take photos of plants and trees, assigning them in the family with trilingual naming.
A work which also brings me in contact to the plants and deepens my understanding of homeopathic remedies. By now there has grown a huge collection of images which are filling the Plant galleries.
Aude sapere ("dare to be wise", after the interpretation of Immanuel Kant). According to this quote I like to close my introduction with these words: "Dare to walk along a new road, but still feel connected to the source of the beginning".
Enjoy my plant images and feel free to comment on my website.
best regards,
Jürgen Weiland