Minutus

Dear All, I think much of this discussion has really been about how to
define a case - knowing what needs to be cured and why; ranking and grading
symptoms; looking for 'themes', 'sensations', characteristic symptoms
throughout the case which pertain to the diseased state, taking into
consideration the possible fusion between 'wellness' and 'unwellness',
especially in chronic cases.

However, if we give priority to the wrong aspects of a case and if our
analysis of the case is off kilter in any way and we select the wrong
definition of a case we will never find the simillimum.

If we select the wrong rubrics for a case we will not find the simillimum,
however impressive our selection might seem to be.

For example, a parent, due to many mitigating circumstances becomes so
stressed, angry, raging that they come close to abusing their child by
lashing out at the child. But somehow, they find it within themselves to
overcome that 'temptation'. They resist and the child remains unharmed
although the parent feels bad about the incident.

Time passes and the mitigating circumstances don't improve and the parent
falls seriously ill with chronic fatigue syndrome. Their illness causes them
to shut down and a paralysis sets in.

When taking their case you might ask about their relationship with their
children when they were becoming unwell and they relate the above story to
you because they still feel bad about this (as many parents do). It only
happened the once but you look for other similar themes throughout their
story to substantiate this 'lashing out' theme. Everyone is capable of
anger, even rage and there is nothing really in this person's story that
gives you reason to believe that 'lashing out' is the theme that defines the
case.

In fact, as you continue to take the case you realise that the diseased
state began to manifest itself due to a lifelong sense of duty that this
person has had to perform. Further questioning shows that this almost
unendurable sense of duty had been imposed by the client's parents
behavioural education - an unacceptably strict upbringing. You might want to
spend time guessing that the client really wants to lash out at their
parents instead - so you have a choice - make too much of this or realise
that the 'lashing' out was purely circumstantial and a passing moment which
had not been repeated before or after in any way. The client insists that
what is really required between them all is some love.

As far as Frodo's case is concerned I don't think his temptation with the
ring is what defines his case - he had enough strength of health, enough
wellness to overcome this. He did manage to adapt. Gollum on the other did
not and his deranged state is clearly linked to his relationship with the
ring.

Frodo only became ill (deranged) because of the almost unendurable duty he
was given with having to take on the mission/quest in the first place and
through the physical endeavours of that mission. The only time he really
succumbed was at the contact with the spider. He had become so weakened.

So, imho, I think the line of disease for Frodo was being unwittingly in a
position whereby he had no choice regarding the quest of resolving the power
of the ring. All that happened to him en route was particular and
characteristic to him alone but his alleged temptation with the ring was not
a red line symptom (to me anyway), certainly not in the same degree that
Gollum had been effected.

I am not sure if anyone is still reading these posts I hope so because
it has been a very valuable discussion. But many will define the case as
they see it and at the end of the day there is no follow up, no proof of any
remedy being the simillimum for these literary and fictional characters.

If you really want to see some challenging cases that can provide follow ups
that show if the remedy has worked or not then come and join in the team
effort cases at the Homeopathic Symposium.

I'm finished on this one now

Best wishes, Joy

www.homeopathicmateriamedica.com
on 28/9/04 11:12 pm, d_barbara_hamilton at d_barbara_hamilton@yahoo.co.uk
wrote:

Hi Andy, Liz, Joy, all

Thoroughly enjoying this interesting discussion, but it does bring up
questions - which may be unanswerable - but I'll ask anyway.

I haven't read the book, so I'm just working from the film, but am I alone
in thinking it strange that Gollum was 'guiding' them in the first place???
After all, he must have known the outcome (loss of the Ring).

If it is a story about triumph of good over evil - then why did Tolkein
have Frodo succumb at the eleventh hour? That seems to make Sam the
hero of the story then, and not Frodo. Perhaps that was his point - that
it is the people who support and work behind the scenes who are the real
heroes??? Or was it that heroes don't exist ?

Perhaps someone knows - or I missed something - but it all seems a little
inconsistent to me, and hence bit of a stretch therefore to think about
remedies or remedy pictures - but an enjoyable mental exercise
nonetheless ! Unlike Frodo, I'm just enjoying the journey.