Minutus

Hi Rosemary,

I was just reading the chapter on case taking in Sensations by Sankaran.
Maybe I should ask you about this privately.

However, it seems to me that Sankaran is just doing standard homeopathy up
to Level III (Level I name of disease, Level II Facts about the experience
of the disease ie modalities, location, concomitants. And even perhaps Level
lIII emotions). Then, from Level IV - VI he is getting much more orderly
and clear about delusions, dreams and sensation. Much of this seems to be
ordinary homeopathy. Those mind sections of the rep and MM are murky no
matter who you read, speculative or not. Anyway much of Sankaran's analysis
is clearly there in the materia medica. To say the MM has no problems of
interpretation is to close one's eyes to the obvious. In some cases the
findings that he uses are from his and others systems of speculative
groupings of remedies etc. I suppose this is where Soroush and Sain have
problems. I personally am helped by clariflying murky areas and assuming
that the clarifications do not alway apply in practice.

Regardless of the boundaries of which analytical systems you as an
individual homeopath are going to accept, the material that he is clarifying
is useful. Could I ask you some questions about this while allowing the
argument concerning speculation to go on at another thread?

Blessings,
Ellen
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Hi, Ellen.

Two of the ( many) differences between Sankaran's process of case taking and
that we've been taught focus on the importance of reaching the level of
"sensation," which generally mainfests when the patient runs out of words to
express what s/he's feeling, an starts resorting to hand gestures instead.
In his system, it's important to realize that getting the patient to that
point by continuing to dig into what she or he says can provide a key clue
to the needed remedy. (e.g., "Tell me more," "what does that mean?" How
does that feel? etc... until you can't get any deeper.)

There are a couple of levels deeper than sensation, as well, but at least
by the time you get down to the sensation, often you can begin to unite the
physical, energetic, mental and emotional symptoms into one overriding
concept. Sankaran's more recent works on Materia Medica focus on the
sensations that characterize remedy families. More recently, he's proceeed
from doing this for plant families to also considering minerals (according
to the periodic table) and animals (by families).

The second axis, once you've identified a likely remedy family is to
identify the miasm you're seeing by its most typical rhythms (horizontal
across time) and miasmatic placement (characterized at least partially by
the ups and downs).

The combination of family sensation and miasm helps to pinpoint the needed
remedy.

This, of course, is a vast oversimplification.

Sankaran's system does not at all contradict classical Materia Medica
concepts. In some individual cases, where the variables one receives fit
into his system, it can be extremely helpful in identifying a family one
otherwise would not have considered, which may lead to the needed remedy.
In other cases, one just can't get the information to conform to that idea
system, and then you have to proceed by whatever seems most obvious --
whether miasm, keynotes, SRPs, affinities, etc.... Basically, I find his
system adds to the possible approaches, and that it's an important tool
among many others. The skillful practitioner of any art or craft knows well
the available tools and when to use which one.

Hope that helps a little. Warmly, Rosemary

Hi Rosemary,

That was a very nice summary. Thank-you.

Where are you finding information on Sankaran's mineral analysis?

It seems much harder to get to the Sensation and energy levels of the case.
When you look at Materia Medica, do you see rubrics at those levels? Or
when he teaches, does he cover remedies at those levels?

Blessings,
ellen
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The main published source I''ve found so far for Sankaran's mineral
sensations, etc... is the second edition (2005) of "Sankaran's Schema,"
which is an expanded version of his initial schema from 3-4 years ago. I'm
sure it's available from his website, and also, quite possibly, from the
various homeopathic booksellers (Dana??)

The whole focus of his method is to find a unifying point among the various
levels -- an overriding concept that defines the essence of the patient's
suffering and that's illustrated by symptoms. This often does bring up the
possibility of remedies one might not originally have thought of --
sometimes helpfully and sometimes not -- you as the homeopath still need to
use your judgment about what remedy is truly indicated for a patient at a
particular moment, based on all the Materia Medica and homeopathic
philosophical knowledge at your disposal.

Warmly, Rosemary

From a lecture I went to:-

Dr. Sankaran has differentiated 7 Levels which follow one after the other:

Name

Fact

Feeling

Delusion

Sensation

Energy

Seventh (No name)
As an example, when we listen to a piece of music, we relate to it or
experience it through a mixture of the Levels. Most superficially, we use a
name to signify it. Then we might describe it by how long the piece is, what
instruments are used, when it was written and many other facts related to
it. At the next level, we are moved by it because it evokes certain emotions
in us.

At the delusion level, our imagination takes over and we become transported
by the music to a scene either real or imagined. We actually feel a physical
sensation at the 5th level, such as a warm flush on the skin or increased
beating of the heart.

The 6th level is more rarefied and abstract, where we relate to the music
directly through patterns of light and sound or other energetic phenomena.
The final level - one that has not been given a name - is a transcendent
experience that defies description.

In the field of medicine, especially homeopathy, people relate to their
condition through the various Levels:

Level 1. Name.

I have a headache.

Level 2. Fact.

It is in my temples and begins after I wake in the morning

Level 3. Emotions.

I feel irritable and don't want to talk with anyone when I

have it.

Level 4. Delusion.

It is like someone is stabbing me with an ice pick

Level 5. Sensation.

The pain is sharp, piercing deep into my skull.

Level 6. Energy.

The pain is a quick, narrow force that I experience

as a blue colour.

(There is no application of the 7th Level here.)
Depending on the nature of the person, they will relate to their headache
focusing on one level more than another. For instance, one person will
describe in great detail how the pain actual feels, while the next person
talks more about how irritable it makes him feel.

One of the fundamental differences between homeopathy and conventional
medicine is that the systems also focus on different levels. Conventional
medicine is focused on the first two: the name

or diagnosis and the symptoms or facts. Without clear information about
them, it is impossible to offer any treatment.

While they both are important for the homeopath, the deeper levels are often
of greater significance in finding a truly curative remedy. Especially at
the 5th or sensation level where the mental and

the physical aspects of the body most directly connect, the Vital

Sensation expresses itself as reliable reflection of the vital force. This
manifestation of the vital force at provides a deep insight both into the
nature of the illness and the curative remedy.

Registered Homeopath
EFT(Advanced) Practitioner
www.southporthomeopathy.co.uk

Hi Rosemary,
Does Schema have much in it beyond Sensations (aside from the mimeral
stuff?)
Thanks,
Ellen
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Hi Rochelle,
Thanks for the notes. The levels are pretty well outlined in Sensations
(his book). I am having trouble seeing how some sensations, energy etc fit
back into the MM. I guess that's where his nay sayers reject him. He has a
lot of intricacy to his thought, and I would not be too eager to throw out
the baby with the bath water before I understood what he is saying.
Blessings,
ellen
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I've found it really helpful. It's presented in a series of more or less
elucidated charts, rather than in prose. It's a relatively inexpensive
book, spiral bound.

Rosemary

Hi Ellen,

His previous books (Spirit of Homeopathy and Substance of Homeopathy explains the minerals a bit).

One thing Sankaran says is to study his earlier works first.

Regards,
Paul

Thank-you Paul and Rosemary. I do have all his earlier works except his
Repertory. Following his development is I agree essential. The earlier
works are not nearly as interesting as later works. Many people develop
their thought through publishing and seminars, and although it is complex,
you have to just follow the development and withhold judgement until you get
a really good grasp of how they work. I can see why there are those who get
worn out with that kind of process. Personally, I find it invigorating and
to feel the pulse of another person's development is rewarding.

Rosemary, I am wondering if Schema is mainly a repeat of the charts in
earlier books.

Blessings,
Ellen
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