Books on Happiness / the happiness revolution - 2 students

140	The Happiness Revolution

molecule of the original mother tincture in the 30x dilution vial, nor can it explain how more dilute remedies have a stronger, more curative e ect on the patient.

Furthermore, there are centesimal dilutions in homeopathy. These homeopathic remedies, denoted with the letter “c” (for centesimal), are made from dilutions of 99 drops of pure water instead of 9 drops, resulting in a vial having 100 drops in total. Both the decimal and centesimal dilutions of homeopathic remedies have more than 200 years of clinical experience as well as many modern clinical trials proving that homeopathy is not a placebo medicine. This evolutionary understanding requires modern science and quantum physics to enjoin into a higher refinement of medicine and healing. Most commonly, homeopathic remedies are prescribed at the dilutions of 6c, 9c, 15c, 30c, 200c and 1000c.

MATERIA MEDICA

The 90 substances tested in Hahnemann’s lifetime can now be found in the Homeopathic Materia Medica, along with additional medicines tested by Hahnemann’s students and present-day homeopaths. The total number of remedies is now more than 2,000. The Materia Medica is a thorough listing of every homeopathic remedy and the symptoms they are known to heal. The Homeopathic Materia Medica has also been very insightful in understanding modern diseases.

For instance, many Americans consume co ee on a daily basis. The Materia Medica listing for co ee shows many mental symptoms. The listing for co ee cruda, the unroasted co ee bean, has the symptom of sensitivity to all sensory stimulation. Under the mental symptoms, the Materia Medica lists irritability, gaiety, excitement, impressionability, being filled with ideas, quick to act, and tossing about in anguish. It also lists symptoms a ecting the head, such as a tight pain

Homeopathy: The Energy Medicine

141

made worse from noise and smell and sensations as if the brain were torn to pieces from a nail driven into the head. If you have ever seen people go through co ee withdrawal, and they get headaches, you may see that they have head pain similar to what is described. Co ee is also known to cause toothaches, which are temporarily relieved by holding ice water in the mouth. Co ee can cause symptoms that include hasty eating and drinking, excessive hunger, intolerance of tight clothing and sleeplessness on account of mental activity.

So, if my patient was a small child who was teething, felt better chewing on chips of ice and had too much mental excitability to be able to stay asleep at night, I could say that this child’s symptoms are most similar to the symptoms of too much co ee. This little child has not consumed any co ee at all, but the child has symptoms similar to the su ering of co ee intoxication. Applying Hahnemann’s theory of letting likes be cured by likes, I would prescribe co ee in a homeopathic potency as the remedy most likely to give the child relief from teething.

{{ {

HOMEOPATHIC REMEDIES FOR GRIEF AND

SADNESS

Homeopathic medicines have the unique ability to help you get through di cult situations with style and grace. Sometimes, when you get stuck in a bout of sadness and grief, homeopathy can help release pent-up feelings that you have suppressed and bring you back to a state of happiness.

IGNATIA

I remember going to my first funeral - maybe everyone does. I actually do not recall which relative was lying in the casket, but I

seated grief.

patients release deep-

is in its ability to help

The miracle of Ignatia

142	The Happiness Revolution

definitely remember the lump in my throat. I was 11 years old and I was choked up with sadness and grief. My dad said that the lump happens to everyone.

A couple decades later I looked into this phenomenon, which is called globus hystericus -— basically the hysterical sensation of a lump in the throat. It is a sensation that all of us have felt at one time or another. Later I would learn that the “lump” is a key symptom for determining certain remedies for grief.

When I first started studying homeopathy with Dr. Dennis Chernin, M.D., in Ann Arbor, Mich., one of the first patients that I observed in his clinic was su ering from the long-term e ects of unresolved grief. The hour-long interview was cut short by 50 minutes. Dr. Chernin immediately wrote a prescription for homeopathic Igna-

tia 200c before the fellow could complete his story. With the patient still present, Dr. Chernin turned to me, “Ignatia (St. Ignatius’ Bean

— Ignatia amara) is the most famous remedy for grief in homeopathy. It addresses the elements of hysteria and spasms - like a lump in the throat - brought about by grief. This fellow, like many others, could have benefited from taking Ignatia years ago when tragedy struck his family. During times of overwhelming grief and loss, which everyone in the entire human race experiences, Ignatia is fantastic.”

Dr. Chernin went on to explain that Ignatia is especially useful for people who are overly emotional and sensitive. The miracle of Ignatia is in its ability to help patients release deep-seated grief that has been di cult or impossible for them to resolve on their own. Instead of processing the grief and loss, the momentum of these emotions become trapped inside, causing sensations of spasm and cramp-

Homeopathy: The Energy Medicine

143

ing. The patient’s colitis began immediately after a tragic car accident and increased after his wife’s funeral. Five years later the cramping still hadn’t stopped and it brought him to Dr. Chernin’s door. Dr. Chernin was confident that Ignatia would resolve this spastic quality and psychologically help his patient regain his spirit to live and enjoy life.

A few weeks later, the patient returned looking more energetic and happy. His colitis was completely cured and his emotional outlook was much brighter. I was astounded by this amazing result, which Dr. Chernin had prescribed after only 10 minutes.

Years later I have now seen so many miraculous cases where deep grief and sadness were resolved using Ignatia. When my patients complained of this same “lump in the throat” that I had experienced as a child, I knew Ignatia would be the perfect remedy for them and would bring them closure and relief.

Because grief and loss are such universal experiences, I want to share with you a little more information so that you can help yourself, your family or a friend overcome long-lasting sadness quickly and easily using this homeopathic remedy.

Key Symptoms Remedied by Ignatia:

•Any ailment (illness or problem) that began from the experience of grief, sorrow, bad news, homesickness, disappointed love, shame, or embarrassment

•Hysteria with hysterical symptoms, such as numbness, tingling or acute paralysis

•Refusal to be consoled

•A desire to be left alone to weep in seclusion

•A strong desire to avoid crying due to the person’s underlying fear that if he starts to cry, he will not be able to stop

•Deep sobbing

Natrum-mur can be a wonderful solution for those who suffer deep grief and hide within themselves.

144	The Happiness Revolution

•Desire to travel and move around

•A sense of relief when walking in the rain

•Headaches from grief

•Lump in the throat (globus hystericus)

•Heavy sighing and yawning

•Insomnia or excessive sleepiness from grief

Ignatia is commonly sold in health food stores at a potency of 30c. My patients commonly take a 30c dose twice a day until they feel that their grief or sadness is under control.

NATRUM MURIATICUM

Ninety percent of the time, when the classic symptoms of grief and hysteria are present, Ignatia will be the miracle cure. However, there are those people who express their grief by becoming silent and withdrawn, with no signs of hysteria. In these cases, Natrum muriaticum (Natrum-mur) will be the likely cure.

A few years back, a 15-year-old girl named Sandy was brought to my o ce. Her boyfriend had committed suicide and in the past month since his death her grief had driven her deeper inside. She spoke clearly and articulately about her misery, “I felt it should have been me who died because I was

depressed, not him. I feel so depressed that I do not want to get out of bed. What is the point of life? You will just die anyway.” She stopped and stared o into the distance.

Tears were starting to form and her mother was becoming restless in the chair beside her. Sandy’s tear-stained eyes turned back in my

Homeopathy: The Energy Medicine

145

direction. “Why even get close to people? Either you get hurt, or they get hurt. And people are going to die and go away.”

She became silent. I waited.

Finally her mother broke the silence. “She is not responding to anything the school counselors told us to do. She is getting weak, and she’s lost more than 30 pounds. She dwells on his death.”

“Is she doing anything unusual? Craving anything peculiar?” I asked, searching for clues to the right remedy.

“What’s really odd is that she’s craving salt. Of my three kids, she was the girl with the sweet tooth. And now all she likes is salty chips and pretzels.”

It would have been impossible for Sandy and her mother to realize, but they were describing the exact symptoms that can be treated by homeopathic Natrum-mur. This homeopathic remedy, made from table salt, covers the ailments from grief and disappointed love when expressed as silence, depression and complete withdrawal. This individual dwells on past grief and humiliations in a manner that makes her hesitant to have further contact with society. Such a person is very sensitive to noise and music and seeks to isolate themselves where no one can o er them a consoling hug. They must do everything possible to avoid being humiliated or embarrassed. The grief may last for an abnormally prolonged amount of time. Natrummur also addresses the issues of social awkwardness commonly seen in adolescents who lack the comfort and social skills to communicate with their peers. The young person, unable to comprehend or adjust to sudden loss, may completely shut down as an initial reaction to grief and loss. Commonly, a person needing Natrum-mur may start to bite their fingernails or develop headaches or even migraines as a reaction to stress and grief.

I gave my patient, Sandy, Natrum-mur at a 1M potency (M=1,000 dilutions) and had her return a few weeks later. Two weeks later her

146	The Happiness Revolution

smile was proof enough that Natrum-mur had worked. Her mother demanded her to give testimony immediately as they sat down.

“I could tell the di erence right away,” she reported. “There are no more ups and downs. The roller-coaster is over. She is on a much more even keel. She still has some down days, but they are normal compared to her past experiences. Her concentration is better and she takes a greater interest in her high school and athletic goals.”

Sandy beamed as her mother reported the changes. “And my concentration at school is a lot better,” she chimed in. Once again, Na- trum-mur had worked its magic.

Key Symptoms Remedied by Natrum Muriaticum:

•Silent grief

•A tendency to be closed and withdrawn

•Depression with the potential for suicidal feelings

•A desire to be overly proper but often without the social skills required

•Very loyal and sympathetic to others

•A refusal to divulge secrets — the keeper of confidences

•Easily wounded or o ended by insults and criticism

•Unable to stop dwelling on past grief and humiliations

•Strong desire to always be on time and always be perfect

•Adverse to consolation — feels too embarrassed to accept a consoling hug during times of grief and sadness when such embracing would be socially appropriate

•Bites fingernails, frequent hangnails

•Feels aggravated from long periods of time in the direct sun

•Known for being a serious person; a child who behaves “like a little adult”

•Headaches or migraines that are worse from light, sun, or from reading

Homeopathy: The Energy Medicine

147

•Easily cracked lips

•Sensation of a lump in the throat

•A craving for salt

•Inability to urinate in public restrooms unless completely alone

•Insomnia caused by thoughts of grief and disagreeable things

Natrum-mur can be a wonderful solution for those who su er deep grief and hide within themselves. The result is usually a dramatic shift outward and a cheerier disposition. When someone who is su ering from grief becomes stuck inside themselves, Natrum-mur can save them from their despair. Commonly, health food stores carry homeopathic Natrum-mur at 30c potency. For deep-seated grief a potency of 200c or 1M may be needed once a week. These higher potencies are usually only obtained from a homeopathic pharmacy.

SEPIA

One of my first patients that I saw privately, while training with Dr. Chernin in 1982, was an overwhelmed housewife. She rapidly shifted her attitude from sarcastic, cutting remarks about the status of her family and the world to sitting perfectly still, sullen and lifeless. Arguments and confrontations brought her to life, as she unleashed her vicious tongue. As one of my very first patients, she was not making me, the new homeopath, very comfortable at all. Through her bitterness I could still glimpse her sincere outreach, looking for a hand up, as if she wanted me to pull her out of the rut that encased her life.

Her chief complaint that brought her to my door was her self-pro- claimed alcoholism of over 15 years. But my immediate focus was on her shifting states of mind going from lifeless to enraged in less than a second.

148	The Happiness Revolution

Sepia o cionalis is the remedy for deep-seated inertia and the collapse of soft tissue strength. When life events have brought an individual’s world to a standstill, it may be the solution. Sepia is the ink juice of the cuttlefish used by the fish to hide from a predator, offering a brief opportunity for escape.

When people are frightened and overwhelmed, and their response is to become completely still, it is called the “possum response” to stress. They feel dead inside and like a corpse, they do not move. They may report the feeling of a black cloud or sense of darkness surrounding them. They are frightened and do not know in which direction to go with their life. They commonly feel guilty and isolated from their loved ones, feelings that may appear in the form of detachment and indi erence toward their family and friends. They become weepy, irritable, and sarcastic. They feel better when completely alone and when they engage in vigorous exercise or activity.

My patient clearly had all the signs of a Sepia case. I sent her home with Sepia 200c, hoping my next visit with her would be more pleasant. A month later she returned and was doing much better. She no longer had these rapid shifting moods and was better able to cope with opposition. Her alcohol consumption had stopped because her desire for the beverages had completely disappeared. Sobriety came easily.

Over the years, Sepia has been one of the most common remedies in my remedy kit. Many people respond to stress by “playing possum,” holding still and playing dead. This response often results in low self-esteem and deep-seated fears about the world. In these cases, Sepia can help to bring them out of their shell and back to a state of wellness.

Homeopathy: The Energy Medicine

149

Key Symptoms Remedied by Sepia:

•Isolation and withdrawal

•Weakness

•Laxness in the tissues, causing sagging, prolapse, constipation and sluggishness

•Indi erence and disconnectedness

•Mental dullness

•Weeping without knowing why

•A tendency to be easily angered and irritable

•An aversion to company

•The tendency to feel better when left alone

•The tendency to feel better from vigorous exercise and activities

•A sensation of emptiness in the stomach that is not improved by eating

•Aversion to being touched

•Urine leaks from coughing, laughing or sneezing

•Cold hands and feet

•Hormonal imbalances caused by stress and inactivity

•A bearing down sensation, as if the entire womb was going to prolapse, during the menstrual cycle

Sepia is a common remedy that can be found in health food stores at a 30c potency. For more extreme cases, the 200c potency is usually found at homeopathic pharmacies.

{ { {