1. Healthy Living and Homeopathy

2. Importance of Mental Symptoms in Homeopathic Prescribing

Healthy Living and Homeopathy (Presented in 66th world homeopathic congress LMHI)

Abstract: The most precious life of human being meant for a purposeful living with regulated way of life in conformity with the true concept of requisite knowledge and language of nature to remain healthy and accomplish the journey of life.

Background and objectives: The principle characteristics of holistic health are an emphasis on prevention rather than on treatment, and a concept of health as something more positive and something more than the mere absence of disease. So, cure of sick individual is re-establishment to his original state of health and to assist him to become a good citizen for the higher purposes of life. This recovery of health helps achieve righteousness in the heart. Righteousness brings beauty in the character which leads to harmony in the house, order in the nation and peace in the world.

Methods: The faulty mode of life along with errors in diet and thoughts lead to unhealthy living needs to be regulated. Foods are to be complementary to sustain healthy mind. Mind plays the key role for healthy living with innocent moral and intellectual recreation as advocated by Master Hahnemann. Mind receives vital principle from Soul through Astral body and convey this dynamis that animates the material body. Concentration and meditation, a function of mind, helps more influx of vital principle for better health, peace and prosperity. On further progress this reduces entropy level of brain up to zero where calmness prevails in weal and woe, and a state of eternal bliss and happiness manifests. This state is Bose-Einstein condensate in physics, the Samadhi in yoga, the highest fruits of innocent moral and intelligent recreation.

Conclusions: True concept on natural way of healthy living and treatment with Homoeopathy, the natural art of healing, is the prime need for all from the basic education for a healthy world of co-existence with real sense of philanthropic brotherhood, peace and prosperity.

Key words- Astral body, Bose-Einstein condensate, casual body, concentration, entropy, higher purposes of life, innocent moral, intelligent recreation, life principle, meditation, physical body, righteousness, Samadhi, sattwik food, vital principle.

Introduction

The life is a journey and not destination. The concept and purpose of life differs from man to man as each person is a unique individual with unique heredity, environment, bio-chemical structure and a unique mental background. No individual desires sufferings but peace with healthy life. Peace is sustained in a state of harmonious function between body and mind in perfect conformity with the infinite goodness of all-wise preserver of human life, the God, the source of sensible perceptions and the cause of all causes as is stated at the beginning of Sri Brahmasanhita-

“Iswarah paramah krishnaah sachchidanandabigrah

Anadiradirgobindah sarbakaranakaranam.”

The entity of Iswara (God) is Sat (eternal), Chit (subtle) and Anand (blissful) also seen as-

“Sachchidanandamayang parabrahma”

(Nreshingha Puran, Purba, 1/6)

Any effort for healthy living of mankind which may sound very learned, other than the concept of life as confirmed by the great Master Samuel Hahnemann, the nature`s law of cure, is like a journey without pilot which is not only improper but also subject to danger for the humanity.

Concept of life

Life of human being is a constituent of material body and immaterial spiritual vital principle. The

material body is the product of nature which is mortal. The immaterial spiritual vital principle is eternal (sec 10, ref 1).The physical body is made up of five elements of nature- earth, water, fire, air and aakaash (ether).This physical body operates through the following:

(i) Five co-native Sense organs- Organs of speech(mouth), locomotion(feet),

grasping (hands), excretion and procreation.

(II) Five cognitive sense organs- sense of sight, test, smell, hearing and touch.

There is also an astral or subtle body and a casual body. The astral body consists of four internal senses of subconscious mind, conscious mind, intellect and pride. The abode of Soul is considered to be in the region of heart. The power from the Soul comes to the astral body. It is the mind which, on the basis of that power (p/1 of ref 3), the vital principal, the dynamis that animates the material body(organism),rules with unbounded sway, and retains all the parts of the organism in admirable harmonious, vital operation, as regards both sensations and functions, so that our indwelling, reason-gifted mind can freely employ this lIving, healthy instrument for the higher purposes of our existence (sec 9 ,ref 1).The float of the Soul and the astral body is connected to the gross body with breathing alone. As long as breathing continues the body works as a whole. When breathing stops the gross body drops down as dead and then subject to the power of external world it decays, and is again resolved into its chemical constituents of nature and the float of the Soul and astral body, the casual body wafted away to the destination as destined by the services. This truth revealed to the ancient saints and also to the life of Master Samuel Hahnemann which he brought to light in his epoch making book “Organon of Medicine”, the set of his convictions, revised up to 6th edition during his life time.

Concept of health in disease, cure and preservation

Details concept of health, disease, cure and preservation of health are shown in the Organon of

medicine with allied information of nature. During treatment of acute diseases stress have been given to be free form over exertion of mind and exciting emotions (sec 263, ref 1) and in case of chronic diseases the noxious influences and other disease causing errors in the diet and regimen (sec 260, ref 1) should be avoided. It is also advised to lead innocent moral and intellectual recreation, active exercise in the open air almost all kinds of weather (daily walks, slight manual labour), suitable, nutritious, unmedicinal food and drink (sec 261, ref 1).

Special aspect of healthy living

It is clear from above that innocent moral and intelligent recreation along with balanced diet and exercise is essential not only during the course of treatment but also for healthy mode of living.

The ancient concept is that the food which we ingest for nutrition is converted into three parts. The outer solids are transformed into stool. The intermediate parts (mixture of solid & liquid) build flesh and the rest goes to the formation of mind.

“Anyamasitang tredha bidhiyate. Asya ya sthabistha dhatustat purishang bhabat Yoo madhyamah tanmangsang. Yoohnisthya tanmanah.” (Chhandogya Upanishad, 6/5/1)

Foods are also classified into three types – Sattwik, Rajasik and Tamasik according to properties they

exert in life. Sattwik food is most desirable because knowledge evolves from it. Rajasik food gives rise of temptation and, Tamasik food is the cause of ignorance, mistake and attachment.

“Sattwat sanjayate gnanang rajaso louva aba cha

Pramadamohou tamaso bhavatohagnanameba cha” (Geeta 14/17)

The importance on qualities of food is also stated as-

“Aahar sudhou sattwasudhwih sattwasudhou dhrubah smriti,

Smritilambhe sarbagranthinang bipramokhmah” (Chhandogya Upanishad 7/26/2)

Pure food improves sattwik qualities. Sattwik quality helps reminiscence which helps liberation from

all bondages. The importance of proper food and regimen as emphasized by Hahnemann is evident from above because this has direct influence on mind and body. The quality of food is essentially a compliment to the mode of life for innocent moral and intelligent recreation.

Intelligent recreation

It is that recreation which in turns brings favor to healthy life, a balanced condition of body and

mind under all circumstances and maintains the resistance of the organism against all morbid agents and influences.

Innocent moral life and its benefit

It is necessary to lead an honest life with philosophic attitude so that calmness prevails in weal and

woe. Calmness of mind helps maximum influx of vital principle for peace in health and recovery in sick, helps reduce suffering, brings prosperity, achievement and eternal bliss. The calmness of mind further helps reduce entropy level of brain which is an aggregate of nearly 100 billion neurons. Thoughts that constantly crowd our minds through different sensory organs are the sum total of simultaneous activity of different neurons. Therefore, concentration specially with closing the eyes helps reduce stimulation of neural networks. But in meditation, a conscious attempt to decrease the entropy of the nervous system, a state of calmness is perceived. As these progresses further the neurons start becoming synchronous. That is, they neither modulate nor amplify any incoming signal. They all resonate in harmony. At this state, varying states of bliss and happiness prevails. When this state reaches presumably the final state of zero entropy where all hundred billion neurons function in total unified quantum coherence and what is called the Bose -Einstein condensate in physics. This is nothing but a stage termed Samadhi in yoga(ref 6), the highest fruit of innocent moral and intelligent recreation as advocated by the great master Hahnemann.

Conclusions

Science of today is nearer to truth. The time has come to place the concept of Homoeopathy, the true Laws of nature for healthy living, before the medical fraternity and social reformers for implementation specially from the label of basic education for real service of community health with the help of science and resource knowledge in the field available in ancient scripts. This will not only help better public health but also reduce social and natural disaster at large.

References:

1. Sarkar B K,- Organon of Medicine (1976 edition) - M. Bhattacharyya & Co. (P) Ltd, Kolkata.

2. Ghosh Jagadish Chandra - Srimath Bhagabad Geeta - Presidency Library, Kolkata.

3. Dewan A P - Back to nature for Healthy Living (2006 edition)- A C Specialist Publishers

Pvt Ltd, New Delhi.

4. Durgacharan Sankhyabedantateertha - Chhandougya Upanishad – Sanskrit Pustak bhander,

Kolkata.

5. Das Ananta Babaji Maharaj – Sadhyasadhantattwa Bingyan – Sri Krishna Chaitanya Sastra

Mandir, Radhakund, Mathura.

6. Bose-Einstein Condensate And State of Samadhi- by Dr. Deepak Ranade, a consultant

neurosurgeon. Published in Times of India, dated 10 Nov, 2010.

Refer also articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com

*******************

Importance of Mental Symptoms in Homeopathic Prescribing

(Thesis presented to Hahnemann College of Homeopathy, London)

Introduction

The most precious possession of earth of human being is his health. It is the gift of gracious God who is eternal, subtle and blissful, the all-wise preserver of human life maintains the functions and sensations of the organism in marvelously perfect condition by the instinctive, irrational, unreasoning vital principle subject to the organic laws of our body so long as the man continues in good health for the higher purposes of existence, i.e. “…. a pattern that leads him from a childish autism in which he is helpless, insecure, dependent and passive being, to the adult stage or a state of conscience in which the barrier that separates the subjective from the objective world has vanished, so that the individual “ego” and the transcendental “ego” meet. Thus he becomes a human being, free of every infantile autism, capable of creating his own destiny. (Dr. Tomas P. Paschero)”

The man is a constituent of material body and subtle body. The mind being part of subtle body draws sprit-like dynamis (vital principle) from the Soul and on the basis of that it administrates, controls, preserves and coordinates all functions of life. When a man falls sick, the vital principle is deranged morbidly. This affection of the morbidly deranged vital principle and the totality of the outwardly cognizable symptoms produced by it in the organism and representing the existing malady, constitute a whole; they are one and the same. Our mind, in thought, separates this unity into two distinct conceptions for the sake of comprehension of it.

Review of Literatures

All diseases are psycho-somatic in nature i.e. involving both psychic and physical sphere of the patient. The view that no disease can be purely psychical or physical is now regarded as a fact by medical man. The psychical or mental symptoms are general symptoms which represent the patient as a whole and not any of his organs. The concept of great men of all ages of Homeopathy, Allopathic and Psychology are of the same. The few of them are shown bellow.

The masters said:

Hahnemann stated that “Almost all the so-called mental and emotional diseases are nothing more than corporeal diseases in which the symptom of derangement of the mind and disposition peculiar to each of them is increased, whilst the corporeal symptoms decline (more or less rapidly), till it at length attains the most striking one-sidedness, almost as though it were a local disease in the invisible subtle organ of mind or disposition (Sec. 215).”

“….in all cases of disease we are called on to cure the state of the patient’s disposition is to be particularly noted, along with the totality of the symptoms, …(Sec. 210)”

“…the state of the disposition of the patient often chiefly determines the selection of the homoeopathic remedy,….(Sec. 211)”

“We shall, therefore never be able to cure conformably to nature- that is to say, homeopathically- if we do not, in every case of disease, even in such as are acute, observe, along with the other symptoms, those relating to the changes in the state of the mind and disposition, ….(Sec. 213)”

Stuart Close said “Statement or observations that reflect a man’s state of mind, his moods, his passions, his fears, his desires and aversions, are all generals because they express the man himself and not merely

some part or organ. ‘The Mind is The Man.’ Symptoms that express the subconscious or involuntary actions of the mind, such as the manner of sleeping, peculiar or unusual positions assumed during sleep or disease, character of dreams or delirium, are general.”

Tomas Pablo Paschero stated “that all sorts of ailments have a psychosomatic basis, since every psychic manifestation is related to a somatic change and every organic change has a specific meaning. The separation of “psyche and matter” or soul and body, is no longer appropriate…..”

Selden Haines Talcott described “Mental abnormality is always due to either imperfect or eccentric physical development or to effects of inborn or acquired physical disease, or to injurious impressions, either ante-natal or post-natal, upon that delicate and intricate physical structure known as the human brain. Some physical imperfections more than others give rise to mental derangements.”

Herbert A. Roberts stated “the mental and emotional characteristics have a high value, since these are the true reflections of his personality, the man himself.”

A. F. Jack reviewed on Kent Minor Writings on Homoeopathy in the British Homoeopathic Journal “Kent apparently assumes that all illness starts in a person’s mind, and will first involve his loves, hates, desires, aversions etc. He deduces from this that these must be the prime areas to investigate, and to consider in repertorizing.”
K. Sarkar comments on Boenninghausen writing “The individuality of a human being is best manifested through his personality reactions; and these, in their turn, are best expressed through mentality (both intellectual and emotional), temperament, likes and dislikes (or desires and aversions). So the finest shades of difference in individuality reactions are to be studied through mental symptoms. For the selection of a ‘similimum’ drug the mental symptoms of an individual patient must have to be matched by those of the said drug.”
T. Kent writes in his Minor Writing on The Trend of Thought Necessary for the Comprehension and Retention of Homoeopathy (P/598) “First, the centre of man is his loves…Proceeding toward the circumference, work out those remedies related to the disordered affections first. Any remedy not in this group cannot cure. The second point for study is the intellectual functions, the reasoning faculties…

Next in importance are the physical generals—they cannot be cured with remedies that do not have the mental conditions;……”

Weir John stated “Of the generals the symptoms of highest rank are the mental symptoms, as expressing most perfectly, and indeed dominating the individual.”

M. Gunvante asserted “…, the changes in mental disposition or the mental state are so very important in arriving at the similimum, that if correctly understood and applied, they alone can lead to the correct remedy. To neglect to do our best to understand the patient’s mind would thus amount to missing a vital part of the “Totality”- like seeing “Hamlet” without Prince.” F Mohr defined the illness as “a living even taking place in a living organism which is itself alive only by virtue of the fact in it, psychic and somatic are united in a living unity.”

Sri Aurobindo in his book Life Divine explained why physiological functioning of the body help to determine the mind’s psychological action: “for the body is not mere unconscious matter: it is a structure of a secretly conscious energy that has taken from in it. Itself occult conscious it is, at the same time, the vehicle of expression of an overt consciousness that has emerged and is self-aware in our physical energy-substance.”

Sigmund Freud in his theory of fixation mentioned three stages- Oral, Anal and Oedipal that play important role in the development of a person’s personality.

Oral stage starts from the moment of birth to one and half years. The main subject of this stage is re lactation and progressive vacillation of the person from a situation of dependence from the breast to a situation of independence.Anal stage succeeds the oral stage up to the age of two and half to three. The main subject of this stage is the control of sphincters.Oedipal stage succeeds the anal stage and starts from the age of two and half until the end of fifth year. The main subject of this stage is the unfulfilled love of the child to the parent of the opposite sex. If a person does not go normally through any of those stages has a fixation to that stage and accordingly manifested by the following characteristics. The oral type is characterized by demanding behavior, nagging, greed, rush, insulting behavior, tendency to dependence, strong tendency to aggressiveness and disaster.The anal type is characterized by neatness, tendency to niceness, perfectionism, and exactitude. He has a tendency to miserliness, is stubborn and dogmatic. He controls all his feelings.The oedipal type is characterized by the continuous search of an ideal and unfulfilled target and during the effort to find it there are many obstacles. The story of the little boy where his father is an obstacle to his erotic desire for his mother is repeated.

It is thus observed from the above statement of great physicians of all times that all are of same view on the importance of mental and emotional aspect of patient. These mental symptoms thereby assume a great status and totality must include them to enable prescribe correct similimum.

Causation of mental symptoms: The symptoms manifested through the mind of sick individual are of the following basis-

Corporal- Lung troubles, fistula, etc.

Exciting– Mental shock, fright, vexation, the abuse of spirituous liquors, etc.

Psyco-Pathological or Emotional– Continued anxiety, worries, fear, etc.

Psychological– faulty educations, bad habits, superstition, ignorance, corrupt morals.

Fundamental causes:

The fundamental causes are miasms. All diseases other than surgical or occupational are caused by dynamic infection of chronic miasms. These are Psora, Syphilis, Sycosis and Tuberculosis. Of all the four, Psora is the only real fundamental cause and producer of all (acute and chronic) diseases of non-venereal nature.Psora is recognized by lack, want, scanty or deficiency in one way and by hypersensitivity or hyperactivity on the other. It is timid, fearful and helpless in one way and extremely nervous, restless and irritable on the other. It is functional and sensational in nature without structural change. It is full of ideas but no tendency to execute them. It is a false philosopher.

S. Ortega stated “We recognize Psora, characterized by deficiency, in the various forms of inhibition- in lacks, in weakness, in inferiority complex, in coldness, in all that LIMITS the individual’s expression and given his signs and symptoms a bluish hue.”Freud worked with patient who had a strong psychopathology. The psoric type has the minimum Psychopathology. Therefore there was no apparent reason for a psoric to follow psychoanalysis.Syphilis is recognized by destruction and perversion in the organism, leading the patient towards end of life. So it is known as destructive miasm.

In the language of:

N. Kanjilal “Syphilis produces destructive disorders everywhere, mental or physical”
S. Ortega “We can recognize that Syphilis, characterized by degeneration, represents an involution which is equivalent to repulsion and destruction of the mind as well as of the organs. Further more, perversion of the functions, spasms, ulcers, degeneration of the tissues, burning passions, homicide and wickedness generally are due to Syphilis. This miasm corresponds to the red colour of blood and of consuming fire.”Freud’s oral type fixation is characterized by demanding behavior, nagging, greed, rush, insulting behavior, tendency to dependence, strong tendency to aggressiveness and disaster which resemble with the syphilis.

Sycosis produces in-coordination or proliferation in the organism. The manifestations are characterized by slowness of recovery. The mentality of sycosis is suspicion, mischievous, mean, selfish and forgetful.

In the language of:

N. Kanjilal “Sycosis produces in-coordination, everywhere, mental or physical; the latter uncontrolled proliferation and/ or atrophy of different parts of tissues”
S. Ortega “We recognize sycosis, characterized by ostentation; its hastiness, its tendency to externalize and exaggerate its abnormal increase in the frequency. The dimensions, and in the intensity of the sickness, as in the concomitant instability. Everything, which tends to exaggerate the expression of self-hyperfunction, hypertrophy, etc., is part of this yellowiest of miasms.”

Freud’s anal type fixation is characterized by neatness, tendency to niceness, perfectionism, and exactitude.It has a tendency to miserliness, stubborn and dogmatic. It controls all feelings. These elements resemble with the sycosis.

Tuberculosis is recognized by dissatisfaction either in mental or physical. Mentally manifested by changeability, cosmopolitan habits and physically by alternating, periodic, one sided and vague manifestations.Freud’s oedipal type is characterized by the continuous search of an ideal and unfulfilled target and during the effort to find it there are many obstacles. The story of the little boy where his father is an obstacle to his erotic desire for his mother is repeated. The oedipal type resembles with the tuberculosis.

The gradation of mental symptoms:

Will : Loves, hates and emotions (suicidal, loathing of life); lasciviousness, evulsions to sex, sexual perversions; fears; greed, eating, emotionality. Smoking, drinking, drugs; dreams; homicidal tendencies. Desire or aversion to company, family, friends; jealousy, suspicion, obstinacy, contrariness, depression, loquacity, weeping, laughing, impatience, conscientiousness.
Understanding: Delusions, delirium, hallucination, mental confusions, loss of time sense.
Intellect: Memory, concentration, mistakes in writing and speaking. (Elizabeth Wright)

Aim and Objectives The mind being intricate in its special role in life and great importance assume in sick, I have been taking special interest to know it specially through the portrait of patient as a whole for more than twenty five years of my practice. I have considered special cases from my practice to show how mental symptoms help to arrive at correct similimum for restoration of health, which is a conviction of truth stated in Sec.213 of Organon of Medicine.

Materials and Methods The mind is vast and diverse in its character and unique in its manifestation in each individual with unique heredity, environment and bio-chemical structure demands regular observation on its significance during treatment of patients for clinical symptoms to enrich our repertory. The mental symptoms are of special importance in homoeopathic prescribing. They reflect the deepest aspect of the patient who experiences them. The reflections of mind through symptoms and disposition during disease condition of patient, male and female, of all age groups are considered for study.

Kent advised to note down symptoms of common and uncommon symptoms in separate two columns which are pathogenic and non-pathogenic respectively. These non-pathogenic symptoms represent the central disturbance. Boger termed it characteristic/ uncommon symptoms. He said to generalize the modalities of them. Boenninghausen talked of concomitants. These are symptoms that fill in the totality of the person. Generals come from looking at concomitants together. He said to generalize the modalitiesof them. Repertories of Phatak, Boger’s Synoptic Key, Boeninghausen’s Therapeutic Pocket Book and Boeninghausen’s Charecteristics and Repertory are based on this.

The mental symptoms either as a result of corporeal origin or of psychic origin is treated effectively on the basis of Homoeopathic law of cure, i.e. Similia Similibus Curentur. These symptoms being characteristic and indicate the person as a whole are included in the totality of symptoms. In some cases of unconscious and children, their mental symptoms and disposition were obtained by close observation and report from attendants.

Observation, discussion and summary.These will be discussed in details in the dissertation.

List of references

Banerjea S. K.- Miasmatic Prescribing. Jain Publisher Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi.
Choudhury Harimohan- Indication of Miasm, 1st edition,1988 Jain Publishers (P) Ltd. New Delhi.
Cicchetti Jane – Dreams, Symbols and Homeopathy (2003) Narayana Publishers, Canada.
Close Stuart- The Genius of homoeopathy Lectures & Essays on Homoeopathic Philosophy, Jain Publisher Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi.
Dewan A. P- Back to Nature for Healthy Living.2006 M/s A. C. Specialist Publishers Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi.
Gallavardin J. P – Repertory of Psychic Medicine with Materia Medica (2002).
Jain Publishers (P) Ltd. New Delhi.
Gunvante S. M – Probing the Mind and other guiding symptoms. 8th Impression( 2009), Jain Publishers (P) Ltd. New Delhi.
Hahnemann S. – Organon of medicine.6 th edition. Commentaryby Sarkar B. K (1976).
Bhattacharyya & Co. (P) Ltd., Kolkata.
Hahnemann S- The Chronic Diseases Their Peculiar Nature & Their Hom. Cure Jain Publisher Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi.
Homeopathy- The Journal of the Faculty of Homeopathy, Vol. 100. Issues 1-2, 2011 Elsevier Ltd, The Boulevard, Langford Lane, Kidlington, Oxford.
Kent J. T- Lectures on Homoeopathic Philosophy. 5th edition. Jain Publisher Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi.
Kent J. T.- Lesser Writings including Clinical cases, New Remedies, Aphorisms & Percepts .B. Jain Publisher Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi.
Kent J. T.- Repertory of the Homoeopathic Materia Medica. 6th edition. 1975 Jain Publishing & Co., New Delhi.
Klein Louis – Miasms and nosodes (2011) Narayana Publishers, Canada.
Loukas George – The Theory of Miasms – Personality Types http//hpathy.com/journal/2005/homeopathy-4-everyone-May-2005

18.Mathur K. N.- Principles of Prescribing, 2008 edition. Jain Publisher Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi.

19. Murphy Robin- Homeopathic Medical Repertory, 3rd edition, 2011 Jain Publisher Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi.

20. Ortega P. S. – Notes on Miasms Jain Publisher Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi.

21. Phatak S. R.- A concise Repertory of Homeopathic Medicine, 3rg edition, 2002 Jain Publisher Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi.

22. Roberts H. A.- The Principles and Art of Cure by Homeopathy. Pratap Medical Publishers, New Delhi.

23. Weir John- Homoeopathic philosophy: its importance in the treatment of chronic diseases. British Homeopathic Journal, 1915; 5: 5-21

24. Wright Elizabeth- A brief study Course in Homeopathy. Jain Publisher Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi.

THANK YOU

Page updated

Google Sites

Report abuse