The Law of Similars has been documented since at least the time of Hippocrates (ca. 400 B.C.), but it is Samuel Hahnemann (1755-1843), a German doctor and chemist, who is credited with founding homeopathy. He discovered the truth of the Law of Similars by testing small doses of medicine on himself.
By 1900, about twenty percent of doctors in the United States were homeopaths, but due to various political and social changes, homeopathy became relatively unknown in the US until recently. There is wider acceptance of homeopathy in such countries as France, Germany, Mexico, Argentina, India and Great Britain. In fact, the family doctor to England's Queen Elizabeth is a homeopathic physician. In fact, the World Health Organization estimate that it is currently practiced by over 500 million people worldwide.
==The 4 Homeopathic Principles==
Homeopathy has 4 principles that are its foundation. They remain unchanged over the last 200 years as their truth is demonstrated through successful treatment of the sick.
*The cornerstone principle is Similia Similbus Curentur, "Let likes cure likes" Homeopathy actually derives its name from the Greek, homoeo='similar', and pathos='suffering'. Through research and practice Hahnemann verified cure through the use of similars. A substance that can produce disease in a healthy person is used to elicit a healing response in someone presenting with a similar disease. Each person shows symptoms of the body/mind/spirit when they are sick. Some of these symptoms are common to that sickness, others are characteristic of that person in their sickness. The homeopathic practitioner matches the symptom picture of the homeopathic remedy to the symptom picture of the person, with particular attention paid to those symptoms which are unique to the individual.
*The second principle of homeopathy is The Single Remedy. Only one homeopathic remedy is given at any one time. It would be difficult, if not impossible, to ascertain the action of multiple homeopathic remedies given all at once. The response of the vital force would be unpredictable and ambiguous. Though Hahnemann experimented with this approach he abandoned it as unsatisfactory.
*The third principle of homeopathy is The Minimum Dose. This refers to the infinitesimal doses of medicine given as well as to the repetition of dose only when necessary. Drugs given to individuals in material doses frequently cause side effects or adverse reactions. To curtail this problem, the homeopath administers the smallest possible dose so as to maximize beneficial effects and minimize side effects. Repetition of dose is determined by the individual's response to the remedy. Unnecessary repetition may lessen the response, even to the correct remedy. In homeopathy, less is better.
*The fourth principle of homeopathy is The Potentized Remedy. Homeopathic remedies, though made from natural substances such as plants, minerals, animals, etc., are manufactured unlike any other medicine. Through a process of serial dilution a very dilute extract is made. With every step of dilution the remedy is vigorously shaken-succussed. This process of succussion is designed to arouse the dynamic nature of the medicine. To affect the vital force, a similarly energetic, homeopathic remedy must be employed.
==Consitutional Types==
“Like can cure like.” The core understanding of homeopathy is that by causing the body to produce the symptoms of dis-ease, can actually cancel out and heal the body of the original unwanted dis-ease and symptoms. Many of these remedies by themselves are poisonous, but the method in which they are diluted and prepared assures that no harm is done to the client. The irony here is that these remedies actually work better when they are further diluted to such fractional potencies, to the point that the remedy only remains in trace amounts. This is what seems to be somewhat puzzling to most when they begin to research the field of homeopathy and they seem to always ask, “How can this work?” The theory is that the body’s natural healing powers, or the vital force will keep a person healthy as long as it is not disturbed. When the vital force is disturbed, then the person is more prone to dis-ease and dis-harmony. The purpose of the symptoms are to alert you and bring the body into harmony with the vital force, and therefore, by introducing a remedy, which produces a similar symptom can allow the body to shift back into balance and harmony.