Minutus

totality of a person's
definition of the constitutional remedy.
The second has to with making a prescription here and now.
a

yes, i quite agree with this. however, i want to clarify, when you say the
person's 'mental characteristics' are yu referring to character traits [ie
non-patholigical] as well as mental symptoms?

Andrew

Andrew wrote:

[ie

Dear Andrew,

The characteristics of the patient include his symptoms as well as a number
of other aspects related to the specifics of his character or personality,
which (these other aspects) are not directly related to his complaints.

kind regards,

Piet Guijt

The goal of homeopathy is find the Similimum. The remedy that is fully 'in
tune' with the patient.

All 'Presenting symptoms' should be taken into consideration in trying to
find the Similimum.

You must zoom in on the Centre of your case.
If within the centre there are characteristic which are dominant - be they
mental/emotional, general or particular (modalities etc) and peculiars etc,
then they have dominance in case analysis.

As a homeopath you are supposed to be an unprejudiced observer. That means
that you pass the symptoms of the patient through the lens of your training.

If your observational skills are not well tuned, then you are looking at the
patient with eyes that are not fully open! So you are only getting part of
the image. If you have your biases, then you are looking at the case
through coloured lenses. (These biased lenses can also be formed when MM is
incorrectly taught - which ignores the fact that Nux-v can be mild and
yielding)

Excess theorising is the mother of all bad case-taking - as rather than
detective-like thought processes at best it can distort the patient's image
and at worst it tries to fit the patient with a remedy jacket.

Please consider this in terms of 'constitutional' treatment. 'Homeopathic'
remedies are dynamic in their action. That means that they immediately
affect every part of the organism.
In the case of the constitutional remedy / Similimum, the remedy's dynamic
action has a profound effect on the organism in its totality. In effect it
miraculously puts a de-railed train back on its track.

I think it is wrong to think that one's constitution is permanent in all
cases.
A child may present with a superb Sil case. But after a while this may
change to another remedy - especially as an adult. So rather similar to the
constitution of a developing country, where it requires amendment from time
to time, our constitution varies also. It certainly is not cast in tablets
of stone.

If that were the case, then there would be no hope for mankind. What we
see, however, is the fact that through good and proper homeopathic treatment
the goals expressed at the end of Aph 9 is achievable.

What is quite obvious is that there are elements (e.g. miasms) that prevent
us from reaching the Similimum of the patient. However, what is needed here
is a carefully planned scheme of treatment rather than a hap-hazard
prescribing habit when the first remedy is found not to be correct. We have
seen cases where the poor patient is given a different remedy at each visit
to the homeopath on flimsiest evidence or whim ("my intuition told me he
needed ..."). Then we have a thoroughly confused case which is almost
impossible to cure. My limited experience is that should such a situation
arise where your best selected remedies are not doing much, you should
consult with a more experience colleague. In fact group case analysis is a
marvellous teaching/learning process and I would HIGHLY recommend it.

In the fist few aphorisms of the Organon, Hn establishes the goal, the
scale of the problem, the tools, the qualities of the practitioner and then
starts to give details of how this Art should be applied. Perhaps we should
make it our task to review these over and over again until we are sure what
he was talking about.

Rgds
Soroush

number

this sounds to me that you include fixed character dispostions, eg
perference for colours or types of music etc. this is correct?
If so, do you believe there is support from the Organon in this? if so,
which paragraphs?
If not, to whom would you point as being the first articulator of this
concept?

Andrew

prevent

2 questions:
1. what are other possible 'elements' which prevent us from reaching the
similimum of the patient?
2. According to Hn miasms are the cause of chronic illness, whereas you seem
to make them incidental to the simillimum. Are you therefore talking of
purely acute cases, or are you proposing a non-Hn view which includes
non-miasmatic elements in a picture of chronic illness?

Andrew

1- There are many factors that prevent the Similimum being reached. Poor
case-taking, poor analysis, poor observation of the patient, poor
co-operation of the patient; poor training, bias and prejudice but to name a
few.

2- According to Hn the FUNDAMENTAL cause of all disease is PSORA.
Other miasms and troubles are add-ons.

Acutes are eruptions of dormant miasms.

One big lessons that needs to be learnt is NEVER presume!

Regards
Soroush

when you say this..
why would you say this?...
as, once you understand the miasm, you will have the simillimum. In view of
this, I'm not sure why you ever use the word 'constitution' since it is
completely misleading[in fact implies the opposite, namely relating to
characteristics of health rather than disease]. why not use the same term as
Hn, which is maismatic remedy?

Andrew

You may understand many things, but could be far from the Similimum.

Please define a miasmatic remedy precisely.

Rgds
Soroush

In the course of Chronic Treatment, let assume that we have managed to
remove the symptoms presented by the patient and six months after he is
reporting VERY well and symptom free for all intents and purposes.

I would say that he has been given his Similimum.

Let us now assume that he is going to go into an environment where he may
influenced by local diseases. We may wish to give him a remedy to give him a
boost and extra protection.

My plan would be to give him his 'constitutional remedy'. This would be
nothing but the remedy that made the step change in his health - i.e. the
Similimum he was given the last time he was seen. (ANDREW - what would you
call it??)

I would then consider giving him a prophylactic after say a week or so.

Regards
Soroush

personality,
Andrew wrote:
Dear Andrew,

Ofcourse those things are included, constitution means 'make up'.
I do not 'believe' there is support from the Organon, I know it for a fact.

Aphorism 5 of The Organon:
"Useful to the physician in attaining the cure are the particulars of the
most probable exciting cause of the acute diseases, and the most significant
point in the whole history of the chronic diseases, to enable him to
discover its fundamental cause, which is generally due to a chronic miasm.
In these investigations, the ascertainable physical constitution of the
patient (especially when the disease is chronic], his spiritual and
emotional character, his occupation, mode of living and habits, his social
and domestic relationships, his age, sexual function, etc., are to be taken
into consideration".

Believe me it is a misunderstanding that Hahnemannian Homeopathy has nothing
to do with prescribing on the basis of the constitution.
regards, Piet