Health is more than just an absence of symptoms. It is a state of vitality that allows us to live our lives with presence. When we are healthy, we react to life’s stresses with flexibility and return to a state of balance with ease. We make choices that move us forward on our unique paths, rather than getting us stuck in unhealthy patterns that limit our freedom.

When we begin to lose our ability to adapt and stay balanced, the process of dis-easing begins. This occurs when we lose our flexibility, get stuck in a pattern that is not optimal, and cannot find our way back to equilibrium on our own. This is when those pesky symptoms appear. They are the body’s way of nudging us and saying, “hey there, all is not ok!”. 

Symptoms are simply the messengers that express imbalance in our bodies. They are the unique and elegant signposts that lead homeopaths to the correct remedy, and then tell us how that remedy is acting once it is taken. While they can color our days in unpleasant ways—from pesky to all-consuming—we always seek to remove their deeper cause so that the symptoms can shift according to the body’s innate intelligence. Once their message is no longer needed, they will disappear.

When we understand that symptoms are simply an expression of the body seeking to rebalance itself, we can see how problematic it is to remove the symptoms without addressing the deeper cause. Firstly, it does not resolve the issue! It may kick the concern down the road but the issue will surely resurface. Secondly, and even more concerning, it redirects the message internally, causing the issue to last longer, get worse, or move deeper into the body. A common example of this is when suppression of eczema leads to asthma.

Homeopathy seeks to address imbalance at the deepest layer we can see, always peeling back the layers to address things at an ever-deeper level. When a homeopathic remedy is selected based on the broadest view of the body and all its symptoms—even those that seem unrelated to the presenting complaint—the remedy will trigger the body to direct the healing in the best way possible for that body’s ultimate well being. At the same time, we also seek to remove any factors that may be maintaining the illness or blocking the person from getting better. We are whole beings that express what we need as a whole picture.  

Homeopathic remedies undergo a special method of preparation that brings out the inherent energy of the substance that they are prepared from. While some remedies are made from plants such as herbs, they differ from herbal medicines in their preparation, which involves a series of dilutions that result in micro-doses. This renders them extremely gentle and safe enough for use by even pregnant women and babies. Remedies can be made from nearly any substance on the planet and include metals, minerals, plants, fungi, and even man-made substances such as toxins and conventional drugs. There are thousands of remedies to choose from and the number is continually growing as new remedies are made.

The word “homeopathy” is often used interchangeably with the word “holistic” but they are not the same thing. While homeopathy is a distinct system of medicine that originated in Germany in the 1800s, holistic is simply an adjective that describes the idea that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, which informs many complementary medicine systems. When you visit a homeopath, you will not receive allergy testing, acupuncture, hands-on healing, or therapy. Homeopathy is a distinct practice, based on a well-defined set of principles and processes.

Homeopathy originated in Germany in the 1800’s when Dr. Samuel Hahnemann, unhappy with the prevailing practices of the day (such as large doses of mercury and bloodletting), got curious about his observation that ingesting cinchona bark both treated malaria and caused symptoms similar to it. In doing so, he illuminated the principle of “like cures like” and went on write the Organon of Medicine in 1810. Subsequently, homeopathy was taken up in many countries across the globe, and by the late 1800’s it was the dominant medicine of the day. Perhaps you have heard of Hahnemann Hospital in Philadelphia—this hospital is Hahnemann’s namesake, and operated alongside many other homeopathic hospitals both in the US and globally, some of which are still in operation today.

There are many, from all walks of life! Eleven US presidents, seven popes, numerous royal families, and countless athletes, artists, musicians, and celebrities. Just to name a few—Abraham Lincoln, Queen Elizabeth II, Claude Monet, Paul Gaugin, Jackson Pollock, Karl Lagerfeld, Paul McCartney, Ludwig van Beethoven, Frederic Chopin, Dizzy Gillespie, Morgan Freeman, Helena Bonham Carter, Jennifer Aniston, Chris Martin, Jude Law, Cate Blanchett, Marlene Dietrich, John Wayne, David Beckham, Usain Bolt, Martina Navratilova, Boris Becker, Mark Twain, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Charles Darwin, Mother Theresa, and Mahatma Ghandi… and many more!