remedy purity and study

[Ellen Madono]

Dear Julian,

I am studying with the Toronto School of Homeopathy and I am only on the third lesson. Trying to tie the rubrics to nature is really slowing down my paper writing. But, I love it. We have a small group of friends who trade books, remedies, food, yoga and discuss cases.
I have been studying for the last two and a half years with Tom Heard. He has taken us through the theory and case taking. We spent 6 months doing interviews with him. Now, we are bringing in cases, and he guides us through them as we do them together in class. Also, I have been working with my friends and family. Without doing cases, there would be no reality factor to the study. At the same time we are doing MM classes. I could read the principles a thousand times on paper, but until it is connected with "in your face" human suffering, the impact is small. Always Tom is there helping us, so we feel very fortunate.

I don't know of any famous school programs where a homeopath with 20 years of experience would give such support to students. We are participating in the interview process face to face, not behind a camera. We give our cases support that goes beyond giving a remedy. Through the camaraderie among us and with our cases, we are building a grass roots community in the one and only "hospital town of Western Pennsylvania." There are no other homeopathy programs in Pittsburgh. Certainly no schools. Most of the non-MD homeopaths in Pittsburgh began with Tom. Tom is a gift from heaven.

Now with this Minutus group, I can really think about homeopathy day and night.

I will use disposable cups in the future and throw away my jam jars that once contained remedies. The logic of that decision is now clear. Thanks to you and Andy. The science of it is well.... .
Blessings,
Ellen Madono

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Julian Winston]

At 6:01 PM -0500 3/10/04, Ellen Madono wrote:

There is no substitute for seeing it. What homeopathy is about is
connecting the theory to the practice. It is good, however to keep
reviewing the principles of case taking in the Organon while doing
it. I have found that while many pay lip service to the principles,
they do not follow them in practice. Too many leading questions, too
many closed questions, too many assumptions made by the prescriber,
too many not being the "unprejudiced observer."
Not sure what you mean "famous school." I know several schools where
there are good, experienced, teachers that offer that support.
It might be of interest to know out process at our school in NZ.
Our students begin their clinical observation time at the end of the
second year. It continues through their third year. We are set up
with a room that holds about 20 students. They are watching a live
case, being taken by an experienced homeopath, via a closed circuit
TV. The case is then discussed with the class.
Slowly, they are allowed to bring in cases, and take the case with
supervision. By year four, they are taking cases with direct
supervision.
Since the diploma they get is a National Diploma in Homeopathy, the
standard is based on competency as determined by the instructor.
Since there are two schools teaching the National Diploma, the
clinical instructors oversee a number of cases in common to ascertain
that they are assessing to the same standard.
Until a student is judged competent, they can not get the Diploma.
Remember to sleep!!

JW