The Homeopathic Universe: Disease and Healing as Manifestations of Consciousness IRIS R. BELL NICK ROWE/GETTY IMAGES NICK ROWE/GETTY

22 MARCH–MAY 2006 • # 10 • SHIFT: AT THE FRONTIERS OF CONSCIOUSNESS omeopathy is a 200-year-old Thus, a homeopathic remedy is not a pharmaceutical system of complementary and alternative drug, even though both carry the term “.”And medicine (CAM) developed by the German even when it does not produce clinical improvement, a Hphysician . With its European remedy is not necessarily a , given the evidence. origins, is one of the few complete CAM Furthermore, unlike with drugs, the pattern of changes that systems that emerged within a Western context. Despite providers and patients report with homeopathy (as in its lengthy history,many lay people still confuse the term ) extends far beyond the original chief “homeopathy” with in general, or complaint or local condition. Homeopathic changes are , or Bach flower remedies.True classical inherently general or “nonspecific” and involve global homeopathy is none of the latter, although it uses improvements in and sense of well-being, as well herbs and flowers as some of the thousands of source as a gradual lessening and resolving of multiple symptoms materials for its (remedies), involving both a throughout the whole person. In addition, the direction unique process of preparation and a comprehensive, of a remedy’s actions depends on the state of the individual systematic, philosophy-driven approach to the selection receiving it in the present time.That is, as Hippocrates of a single individualized medicine for the person as a noted in his articulation of the Law of Similars, the whole dynamic being. remedy can either cause a pattern of symptoms in a healthy SUBTLE ENERGY: THE MEDICINE OF TOMORROW By the simple process of serial dilution and succussion person or cure (reverse) a similar pattern of symptoms in (vigorous shaking) in water or a water-alcohol mixture, a sick individual. homeopathic pharmacies create their remedies. In contrast with herbal supplements, manufacturers prepare BRIDGING THE NON-PHYSICAL such remedies in accord with specific published AND THE PHYSICAL standards (e.g., the FDA-regulated Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia of the United States).When choosing a Most of the discussion about homeopathy in the specific remedy, the homeopathic practitioner seeks to mainstream medical and scientific literature has focused address the highest organizational level of the person on the molecular nature of, or lack of molecules in, (i.e., the core spiritual dynamic disturbance that manifests homeopathic remedies. At the same time, most of the in mental, emotional, and/or physical symptom patterns). attraction that homeopathy holds for its practitioners The remedy addresses not one symptom or body part in and serious students is in its holistic worldview, isolation or an emotional state (as in Bach flower essences) comprehensive philosophy, and practical capacity to but shifts fundamentally the pervasive rut of being in translate the consciousness of a remedy source into which the patient has become stuck. physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual healing. In short, The optimal role for homeopathy in the larger scheme homeopathy affirms the unity of consciousness and the of health care may be after symptoms develop but living physical world. before a conventional diagnosis is locked in place. Consequently,the unique place for homeopathy in the During successful homeopathic treatment over periods of noetic sciences may lie in its potential to bridge the non- months to years, people become unstuck from their physical and physical realms of existence. Hahnemann recurrent dysfunctional disease patterns and establish wrote that all disease begins as “mistunement” at the healthier ways of living in the world. Leading spiritual level and ultimately manifests at the physical homeopaths from various countries have all emphasized level. Homeopathic remedies begin at the physical level that health is a dynamic process of freedom at every level as material sources from the nonself environment (plant, of being. In our own study of individualized classical mineral, animal, synthetic) but ultimately, through their homeopathy in cases of fibromyalgia, for example, the preparation process, gain the ability to speak to the spiritual responders to active remedies exhibited a progressive level of the individual consciousness, in service to healing increase in scores on a spirituality subscale for self- the person in a deep and integrated manner.As a result, actualization, whereas the nonresponders went up and homeopathy implicitly integrates “top-down” (spiritual) down or down and up, ending without a gradual improve- and “bottom-up”(material) approaches to understanding ment in self-actualization after six months. the origin of disease and the nature of healing.

SHIFT: AT THE FRONTIERS OF CONSCIOUSNESS • # 10 • MARCH–MAY 2006 23 Can a network of solvent molecules carry meaningful information? A potentially more interesting question is, What is the interface between the spiritual and the physical planes?

Although many people who use CAM may have taken Such preparation apparently leads to an ordering of the a few common homeopathic remedies for acute illnesses— molecular network of the water solvent that should not and received some benefit, even if the remedy is be possible under traditional scientific theory, which incompletely matched to their individual situation—they posits that water molecules do not organize in liquids. rarely learn or need to learn about its more profound When disrupted—under experimental conditions—by implications.The far more powerful way to use homeo- an outside influence such as x-rays, the diluted and pathically prepared remedies is to select the single agent succussed remedy liquid solution releases more heat or whose essence pattern matches that of the patient at the light than plain water/solvents. Where did that extra highest level of integration possible—that is, the spirit. For release of energy come from? The most logical answer is, such sophisticated remedy selection, usually for chronic from the ordering that occurs via the unique preparation disorders and diseases, professional consultation with a well- process, which somehow captured the energy from trained and experienced homeopath is essential. True the succussing. One replication study using heat-release homeopathy involves a highly non-allopathic worldview. measurements even hints that this process of ordering Mainstream scientists and physicians, however, see water molecules may continue over time after the initial homeopathy as little more than a placebo or a joke preparation of the remedy, as though there were a because of its reliance on remedies prepared by serial seeding or progressive amplification process going on dilution of source materials beyond Avogadro’s number throughout the liquid. (the point at which original source molecules are no Can a network of solvent molecules carry meaningful longer physically present in a solution). The skeptics’ information? The materials science and basic science data biased assumption is that the dilution part of the manu- suggest that they can, although skeptical scientists unaware facturing process renders homeopathic remedies into of the evidence will reflexively answer “no.”A potentially , where provider-patient relationship, ritual, sym- more interesting question is,What is the interface between bolism, meaning and/or expectation within the patient— the spiritual and the physical planes? Water comprises but not the remedies themselves—may mobilize roughly 70 percent of our physical bodies. If it is possible self-healing.Without doubt, such factors can and should to seed the restructuring of the (not necessarily physical) contribute to healing with most patients during most network of water molecule interactions first in the test tube types of treatment, including homeopathy. So is there and then throughout the body-water with a homeopathically something beyond these factors that underlies homeop- prepared remedy, the therapy would be modifying the athy? The answer is far more interesting than it would first function of the single largest hub—water—of the body’s appear, invoking conceptual models and empirical evi- biochemistry as a whole system. Even artificial life dence drawn from complex nonlinear systems theory researchers—such as Chris Langton, PhD,who uses com- and entanglement findings in quantum mechanics. plex systems theory as an aspiritual, bottom-up framework for modeling the self-organizing origins of life—have MEANINGFUL MOLECULES focused on water as a key player in their simulations. Changing the way water in every cell acts and interacts Open-minded scientists have begun to recognize that it within the body’s biochemistry could help mediate the is the succussion in combination with the dilution that makes a homeopathic remedy more than plain water. continued on page 26

24 MARCH–MAY 2006 • # 10 • SHIFT: AT THE FRONTIERS OF CONSCIOUSNESS IN HER LATE FIFTIES SHEILA WAS Flower essences are liquid, potentized (highly diluted) DIAGNOSED WITH A MILD CASE OF ADD. plant preparations formulated to convey the distinct She was struggling with the most basic tasks at work, so etheric pattern of a specific flower. They are not a her psychiatrist prescribed Ritalin, which she found biochemical medicine but a diluted, energetic remedy gave her some relief. Sheila also began working with a akin to homeopathy. Unlike homeopathic remedies, psychologist who suggested she try taking a combination however, flower essences are not based on the Law of of flower essences—Cosmos, Peppermint, Rabbitbrush, Similars, and they are made exclusively from the fresh Rosemary,and Shasta Daisy—to address her concentration, blossoms of plants.The preparation of flower essences focus, and bodily awareness. In time she found she could requires careful attention to the purity of the flowers’ stop taking the Ritalin and that a longstanding case of environment, the vibrancy and potency of the blossoms, eczema disappeared as well. Her psychologist observed celestial and meteorological conditions, and the physical that the flower essences had affected the underlying and energetic properties of the plant’s growth cycle. anxiety that is common to ADD and eczema. Once the plant’s vibrational pattern is infused into water Flower essences were first developed in the 1930s by and potentized to a dosage level, drops of the infusion can Edward Bach,whose work in medicine led him from surgery be used topically in a cream, spray bottle, or bath, but are to immunology (where he devel- more commonly ingested under oped intestinal vaccines) to home- the tongue. Although highly diluted opathy (where he developed his from a physical point of view, the vaccines into homeopathic nosodes) essences are believed to work and finally to his discovery of 39 vibrationally as catalysts for flower remedies. His insight that emotional awareness and change feelings and thoughts are intimately that in turn affect the physical body. related to one’s health predated To date, a scientific understand- the findings of psychoneuro- ing of the essences has been immunology and holistic health approached through clinical informing health care’s transfor- Flower outcome studies, double- mation today.Bach, however,grew blind placebo studies (see to distrust the reductionist- Essences— both www.flowersociety.org and materialist science of his day, so www.edwardbach.org), and clinical that his writings about flower Catalysts for reports from flower essence essences do not provide a scientific Emotional practitioners in many countries. basis. He relied on the experiences (In 1999 Cuba’s Ministry of Public of his patients and others to validate Healing Health officially recognized flower

the efficacy of his remedies. MARGARET L. JACKSON essence therapy as a valid medical Following Bach’s death in 1936, flower remedies steadily modality to be integrated into its national health-care grew in popularity among health professionals and family system.) Evidence that water can be a carrier of caretakers seeking holistic approaches to wellness. In information—the subject of ’s recent decades, numerous reports of clinical success with controversial studies in homeopathy and Masuro Emoto’s flower essence therapy have led to increasing interest investigations with water—might offer a partial explana- among innovative researchers to include flower essences tion for the effects of flower essences, indicating another as subjects of scientific study. Richard Katz, who founded avenue for research.“If we consider the development of the Flower Essence Society in 1979 to promote flower physics, from relativity to quantum mechanics and chaos essence research and education, observes that “Bach’s theory,it is clear that science has already broken through distrust of science is understandable, if by ‘science’ we the boundaries of Newtonianism, even if mechanistic mean a system of thought which insists that only that thinking still dominates medical science,” says Katz.“So it which can be quantified is real and that human beings are isn’t unreasonable to suggest that scientific inquiry can be mere products of biochemical and genetic mechanisms. applied to the life forces of plants and their interaction with Bach did not anticipate the possibility of a new science, human energy systems.” one that is fully compatible with a spiritual understanding —Vesela Simic of the human being and the world of nature.” Associate Editor

SHIFT: AT THE FRONTIERS OF CONSCIOUSNESS • # 10 • MARCH–MAY 2006 25 continued from page 24 individual, dynamic place and purpose in the universe; (b) the individual’s place and purpose share a unity with types of pervasive changes reported in homeopathic treat- some other specific manifestation of the universe—that ment. In fact, homeopaths routinely describe healing is, an animal, mineral, or plant—at both physical and during homeopathic treatment as a process of whole-self- spiritual planes of existence. reorganization.The pioneering homeopath Constantine For the mineral kingdom, contemporary homeopath Hering, MD, observed that natural healing of the whole Jan Scholten, MD,from Holland, has generated a detailed person follows a “Law of Cure.”That is, the individual heals schema of homeopathic clinical correlates for each of from inside out (from more important to less important the elements in the periodic table (minerals). He sees organs, e.g., from lungs or heart outward to skin), from generalized themes of life challenge for each row and above downward (from head to toes), and in reverse order specific patterns of coping with life challenges, including in time of appearance of symptoms. Homeopaths routinely stages of life from childhood to death in each of the 18 use Herring’s Law to judge whether or not the remedy they columns. For example, Kalium (potassium) is in the fourth have chosen was correct, i.e., acting in a comprehensively row (worker series) and first column (stage 1). Its issues beneficial way for the patient, apart from the patient’s revolve around doing one’s duty with a single-minded conscious interpretation of any changes in the moment. approach.Arsenicum (arsenic) falls into the 15th column or stage, where the issues are around job loss. Similarly, THE HOMEOPATHIC UNIVERSE Sankaran has proposed a detailed schema of homeopathic clinical correlates for specific plants. At this point, the Homeopathic philosophy is both global (macro) and information on the animal kingdom is not as well developed. local (micro) at once—holistic and individualized. The For a skeptic, such a clinical approach to homeopathy remedies carry information from the surrounding is, at best, a nice story, and perhaps it is. But if clinical environment that mobilizes healing in the individual experience in this physical reality supports such person.A leading contemporary homeopath from India, “stories,”then it is important to explore their implications. Rajan Sankaran,MD,has written:“Our remedies are plants, Studies on homeopathy could offer a practical test for animals, and minerals, represent the spirit of the source they various models of universal consciousness. Indeed, some come from, and must have a character of that source” theoreticians have raised the possibility that the homeo- (http://www.thespiritofhomoeopathy.com/insight/ pathic remedy creates a bridge between the physical article01a.htm). and nonphysical via symbolic mechanisms such as Sankaran has pointed out that the global living style quantum entanglement, morphogenic field, energetic, of an individual can fall into one of the three major biofield, bioelectromagnetic, and/or chemical. Evidence nonhuman kingdoms: animal, mineral, or plant. Broadly, for any of these possibilities is limited, but the overall body animal remedies express themselves in terms of survival, of data suggests that the will not be the familiar physical minerals in terms of structure, and plants in terms of structural ones of pharmaceutical drugs. sensitivity. From there, homeopaths seek additional The work is still in progress, but the homeopathic clinical information to determine the specific remedy practice models share and apply the concept that the family and, ultimately,the specific remedy. physical and nonphysical worlds are ultimately one. The Sankaran approach involves combining a grasp of They see a simultaneous unity between the human the deepest quality of experience that a person expresses experience and that of the nonhuman remedy. Home- in their disease (i.e.,“the sensation”) with the qualitative opathy in clinical use constitutes a practical application of nature of how they cope with life challenges. Sankaran this spiritual perspective. looks for the action in the case: The key is often a patient’s nonverbal gestures (e.g., choking, squeezing, IRIS R. BELL, MD, PHD, is a professor of Family spinning, unfolding, tapping) during history-taking that and Community Medicine at the University of Arizona. Her studies in complementary medicine have focused on encapsulate the essential core experience of the disease homeopathy, biofeedback, nutrition, and environmental dynamics. This model relies on some fundamental medicine. Her new e-book on complex systems and chronic spiritual assumptions: (a) each person has a unique disease treatment is available at www.gettingwhole.com.

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