homeochristianity

Homeopathy and Soul - II
-- Dr. Leela D'Souza

The Homeopathic Process and Christian Spirituality:

Recently I was exchanging emails with a 'Religious person' who
earlier 'practiced' homeopathy and now claimed that homeopathy
was not compatible with Christianity. He was advising fellow
Christians to be wary of homeopathy and claimed I was too "deep
into it" to see its dangers. He felt I was not on the right path and not
discerning wisely. During a telephonic conversation, he mentioned
that the incompatibility was mainly because of the principle of Similia
Similibus Curentur. His explanation for this evoked my spontaneous
laughter over the phone. I later apologized for my reaction; yet, as
much as I tried to see his viewpoint, I simply cannot agree with his
views. This encounter though made me question myself, and more
deeply reflect on my faith as to how my practice of homeopathy and
my Christian spirituality helps me integrate the various dimensions
of my life.

At the outset I have to clarify that I've known wonderful 'religious
people' of the Catholic Church, including my own extended family
members who are priests and nuns. My own parents were very
active in the Church and so I interacted with numerous sincerely
committed people who lived their lives to serve others. They have
always supported me in my profession as a homeopath. Each of
these people were deeply inspired and spiritually motivated. My
experience of Church has been a balance, of seeing people
tremendously motivated in the Holy Spirit alongside their human
limitations.

I realize that unfortunately some people's experience of 'church' has
been negative. And, as I responded to people who wrote critical
feedback to my last article, I'm convinced that the buck stops and
starts with me (as a Christian). If people seek to know (again) what
Church is, or trust a Christian, a follower of Christ, they have to see it
reflected in my life. I am the witness, not someone else out there
whom I can point a finger at.

While I have talked about the problems we face in the System of
Homeopathy today, its just as obvious that Modern Medicine does
not have all the answers either. In fact, its difficult to bring to mind
many people who's health status has changed for the better in long
term, while still on addictive and harsh allopathic medicine.
Homeopathy in fact offers hope to those labeled as "incurable" by
conventional doctors. Most chronic problems are curable through
patient long-term homeopathic treatment, or else at least the quality
of life is considerably improved in cases that are too far advanced in
pathology.

To those who opine that homeopathy is incompatible with
Christianity, let me put some queries regarding conventional
medicine:

"Is a medical system that only believes in the body Christian? Is a
medicine that never addresses the soul, Christian? Is a medicine
that will not openly acknowledge the immaterial vital spark in human
beings Christian? Is a medicine that only depends on man-made
drugs and surgery truly Christian? Is a system that has been warped
by business interests first, instead of the suffering individual truly
Christain?

I wonder why no 'religious person' boldly speaks up against this
assault on the mind and soul of the sick by harsh and questionable
use of allopathic drugs. No, we seem to have lost our voice against
the glorified might of 'science'. Yet isn't there even more need today
to speak against this deviated abuse of Modern Medicine that is
alienating our souls?

What about the Orthodox Medicine practiced during Hahnemann's
life-time? In Hahnemann's time (1755 - 1843), the type of empirical
medicine in vogue was seriously detrimental to life, which was why
Hahnemann, a qualified MD was so disillusioned with it. David Little
explains Hahnemann's experience and observations in this way:

"Hahnemann taught that orthodox medicine mistook the instinctive
actions of the vital force during crisis for the healing power of Nature
(Physis). If the patient was plethoric they would bleed the patient
because this is what "Nature" would do to someone with so-called
excess blood in crisis. If the patient had a digestive upset one
should use a emetic because vomiting is what "Nature" would do
during a stomach crisis. In their view nature used diversion during
crisis so they also sought to use diversion in the form of making
artificial ulcers and irritations and the like. In this way they claimed
they were imitating Nature and were Her ministers. Hahnemann was
quite critical of their claim!

Hahnemann went to great lengths to point out that blindly following
the instinctive actions of the vital force during crisis was not the best
procedure to undertake. He opined that one should use their reason-
gifted mind to understand the laws of Nature and follow them in
such a manner that one can harness the positive aspects of the vital
force while leaving its tendency to over react behind. This is best
done by observing the cardinal principle of dynamic healing Similars
Cure Similars and using homoeopathic remedies. Hahnemann
realized that the disease-tuned vital force was a destructive power
that should not be blindly mimicked while the homeopathically-
altered vital force was an essential aspect of the healing process."

There were various other destructive methods of treatment like
venesections, applying leeches, counter-irritants, etc, prevalent at
that time. These frequently resulted in death or prolonged
unnecessary suffering in people. The continious inspiration for
discovering and establishing the gentle system of healing through
homeopathic remedies prompted Hahnemann to state in Aphorism 2
of the Organon : "The highest ideal of cure is rapid, gentle and
permanent restoration of health, or removal and annihilation of the
disease in its whole extent, in the shortest, most reliable and most
harmless way, on easily comprehensible principles."

Again in the words of David little:

"Homeopathy is a healing science based on experimentation not a
system that uses occult forces in any manner. Homoeopathy does
not involve magic, spirits or conjuring of any type which is
associated with the occult. If it did I would not use it either!
Homeopathy only uses the God given natural substances as found
in nature and as an adjuvant homeopaths suggest right diet,
exercise, temperance, morality and a healthy life style. I believe that
Christians who question Homoeopathy as occult are missing the
fact that God gave us natural foods and medicine in the Bible as part
of His plan."

The book of Sirach (Ecclesiaticus), Chapter 38 is a beautiful
reminder of medicine compatible with Christianity Verse 4 says "God
makes the earth yield healing herbs which the prudent man should
not neglect;5 was not the water sweetened by a twig (Ex 15:12) that
men might learn His power? 6 He endows men with knowledge to
glory in His mighty works...8 Thus God's creative work continues
without cease in its efficacy on the surface of the earth."

How aptly this explains the discovery of homeopathic healing in
Nature by Hahnemann! Thus let us be careful that we do not - in
ignorance, fear, prejudice and lack of spiritual insight, throw the
baby out with the bathwater in considering that the proper practice
of homeopathy is incompatible with Christianity. Rather it would be
wise to seek and percieve the Will of God and God's power in all
creation which are the sources for our healing as well.

What is the Human Spirit? What is the Soul?

A discussion on the online lists as well as feedback to my last article,
brought up a need to define various terms used. The semantics with
the functions of soul and spirit remain subjective and experiencial,
though I have provided some description below:

As a Christian, I understand the human spirit to originate from the
breath of God. The book of Genesis 2:7 reads, "The Lord formed
man out of the clay of the ground and blew into his nostrils the
breath of life, and so man became a living being." Man was created
in God's image and likeness. In communion with God, the human
being is whole but does not become God.

The human spirit is thus blessed with the ability to seek Communion
with the Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit. The human spirit is also
blessed with the power of reason which no other living being is. This
power of reason gives us the ability to acknowledge the
transcendental need of the soul, the need for God, the need to be in
communion with the Spirit of God who is "the higher purpose of our
existence".

The Soul, as defined in The Concise Dictionary of Theology is: The
Spiritual principle of human beings which survives their death.
According to the Old Testament the "nephesh" (Hebrew: "Breath of
life") comes from God (Gen2:7) and disappears at death. My
"nephesh" can mean "myself" or "my soul". The New Testament
often uses "psyche" (Greek: "soul") as the principle of life. Towards
the end of the Old Testament, Greek language and thought
introduced a sense of the human soul as distinct from the body and
endowed by God with immortality (Wisdom 3:1-9,9:15, 16;13). The
New Testament reflects a certain dualism between between body
and soul (Matt:10:28, Lk 16:22, 2Cor 5:6-10, Phil 1:23, 1Pet 1:9) but
primarily thinks of human beings as animated beings destined for
final resurrection. Against the Neo-Aristotelianism of Pietro
Pompanazzi (1464-1525) the Fifth Lateran Council taught in 1513, the
individuality and the immortality of human souls.

From the homeopathic perspective, David Little gives an insight:

The powers of consciousness associated with free will, reason and
feeling are related to the soul (Gr. Seele), intellect (Gr. Geist) and
emotional disposition (Gr. Gemuet). The soul is transcendental; the
intellect is related to the rational functions usually associated with
the brain; and the emotional disposition is related to the feeling
tones usually associated with the heart. The physical organism is
the sum total of all physiological systems, organs and tissues. We
can not see the human Esse nor the vital force but we can witness
Vitae through the Gestalt-display of the total human organism, which
includes psyche, the life force and soma. In this way, the psychic,
dynamic and physical powers work together synergistically as a
total unified field in which the whole is more than the sum of its parts.

Who is a Spiritual Person?

Based on the preceding understanding, we see that spirituality is a
function of the soul, for the human spirit. The soul recognizes the
need for transcendence, the need to be in communion with the
Supreme Being whom we call God, and through the soul we
experience the Spirit of God strengthening our human spirit.

We speak of intellectual maturity which is the maturity of the intellect,
we speak of emotional maturity which is the maturity of the heart.
Furthur we recognize the need for spiritual maturity, which is the
maturity of the soul. Every human being has been created with a
soul, spirit and body, but not everyone seeks spiritual maturity. In
my perception, this results in an incomplete development of a
human being, for, every human being is necessarily an intellectual
(rational) being and a creature with feelings (emotional), but also a
spiritual being with the capacity to relate to the transcendental
Being, God.

The spiritual person is one who recognizes the need for spiritual
maturity to become a truly "whole" person. The ability to use one's
reason (mind) must be assisted first by emotional maturity, followed
by spiritual development, in order to be a truly balanced person in
every aspect in life. Indeed a truly spiritual person is one, who in
being ever aware of his/her humanness and limitations recognizes
the need to be dependant on God in his/her soul. In my perception,
the expression of a spiritually matured person (of any religious
background) is one who seeks to interact for the benefit of others in
simplicity, humility and compassion.

In the discovery of homeopathy, I perceive Hahnemann to be a
scientifically rational person as well as a spiritual person.

Healing of Soul and Body : A Renewal of One's Mind

In the last article, I mentioned the need for "being transformed by the
renewal of one’s mind without conforming to this age". There are
eternal principles of healing, as much as there are eternal moral
values for the soul. In homeopathy I see the principle of Similia
Similibus Curentur as an eternal principle of healing that does not
change with the latest fad or drug or medical technology. In fact,
there has hardly been any significant change in homeopathic
principles or remedies over the last 200 years, except to evolve a
deeper and wider scientific understanding of their healing capacity.
Similarly, the moral values in Christ that were relevant 2000 years
ago are just as relevant today, because the living Christ, is the same,
yesterday, today and forever .

One can renew one's reason-gifted mind with a decision to
understand the process of homeopathic healing that goes against
the prevalent ideas of this age and the medical approach of today.
One can perceive the truth of this simple method of healing through
repeated experiences and observation of the effects of homeopathic
remedies while following the principles of the philosophy laid down.
It is in experiencing the benefits of a healthier mind and body, that
one is convinced in one's mind of the homeopathic paradigm.

In a similar way, the spiritual renewal of one's mind begins with a
decision to follow a simple process of being slowly transformed to
eternal values of Christ. This is a progress through spiritual
conviction and tangible experiences of God's love without
suppression or struggle against one's human needs. It is a repeated
experience of divine support in strengthening of one's human spirit,
beyond the weakness and limitations of the body, enhanced by the
soul's dependence on God. This practical method of transformation,
is Biblical philosophy laid down nearly 2000 years ago in the New
Testament (Study the entire Chapter 8 of the Letter of St. Paul to the
Romans), which is continuously revealed with deeper and wider
understanding today.

In this process, through the transcendental activity of one's soul, the
mind and heart are receptive to the Wisdom, Love and Gifts of the
Spirit of God within us. In more psycho-spiritual terms, one achieves
"self-actualization" and "self-awareness" which allows for a deep
knowing and wisdom, of being in touch with one's 'Innermost Self'.
One achieves greater transcendental activity through prayer,
meditation and obedience to God's Will. But one also necessarily
remains interconnected with other people, family, friends in this
process. This fosters special experiences that lead one to
experience love (Greek: Agape) in one's concrete human
circumstances and suffering.

As a Christian, I seek to relate to God's Spirit through Christ, who
offered himself in unconditional love as a sacrifice for human
salvation. I believe this is the simplest and most reliable form of
meditation or prayer which evolves with deeper maturity. It is a
hotline with God for any person whatever be one's stage of
intellectual or emotional development or stage of physical disease. It
is a pure, simple method of receiving and experiencing unlimited
love and wisdom from God. This is the secret of a personal
encounter with Christ, "for the higher purpose of one's existence"
(Organon Aph. 9) i.e. being ready to serve and sacrifice with love for
the good of humanity. This process of transformation is simple,
gentle and permanent,... on easily comprehensible principles
(Organon Aph. 2) - like homeopathy!

My human spirit is always fortified by the Spirit of God, through
dependence on the divine. This necessarily requires that my human
spirit is humbled so that the Spirit of God may be more powerful.
This slowly and surely results in a renewal first of the mind and
heart, which is followed by healing in the body; no matter what one's
past life of suffering has been, or what one has inherited, or what are
one's past experiences of hurt, failings, sin or physical disease.
Human difficulties don't cease, but one faces them with a deep
sense of peace, courage and a supernatural strength called Grace.
One feels loved and one is full of hope no matter what the external
circumstances. Then there is no place for doubt, fear or narrow
thinking.

This step is the basis of subsequent Spiritual Healing of the body
through the Spirit of God which I will explain in the next and final
chapter of this series. I will do this to parallel with the understanding
of Miasm and the working of the Similimum in Homeopathy, with
case examples in both homeopathy as well as Spiritual healing. My
parents were involved in the Healing Ministry of the Catholic Church
for almost 25 years till my father died in December 2001. With this
background, it is a personal experience of Spiritual healing that I
wish to share with you (fellow Christians), that remains in complete
compatibility with healing through Homeopathy.

Thank you,
Dr. Leela D'Souza
http://www.homeopathy2health.com/

Bibliography

1. Organon of Medicine 6th Edition, by Dr. Samuel C. Hahnemann
2. The Chronic Diseases, by Dr. Samuel C. Hahnemann
3. The Holy Bible (The New American Bible)
4. Excerpts of Articles from David Little's Site
5. The Genius of Homeopathy, by Stuart Close, MD
6. Dhawle's ICR Symposiums (Volume C), Mumbai
7. Theory of Suppression, Predictive Homeopathy Part I, by Praful
Vijaykar, LCEH
8. The End of Myasumtion of Miasms, Predictive Homeopathy Part III,
by Praful Vijaykar, LCEH
9. An Insight into Plants, by Rajan Sankaran, LCEH
10. The Sensation in Homeopathy, by Rajan Sankaran, LCEH