Homeopathy is a system of alternative medicine developed in the late 1700's by a German physician, chemist and linguist named Samuel Hahnemann. Dr. Hahnemann understood that every person has an energy field called the Life Force.
The spirit-like Life Force enlivens or gives life to the material organism. In health, the Life Force (sometimes referred to as the ‘dynamis’) keeps all parts of the organism in harmony so that the indwelling rational spirit can freely use this energy for higher purposes. Our indwelling rational spirit cannot function properly without a healthy Life Force (dynamis). This explanation helps us to better understand the trinity of healthy body, mind and spirit. All three react to one another and are inter-dependent on one another.
When this Life Force is disrupted or imbalanced, health problems develop and disease occurs. In disease, the Life Force is first dynamically “mistuned” and then manifests its mistunement through physical symptoms. Disease first takes place at the energetic level, then moves down to affect the organs and gradually outward to the circumference, the skin.
Homeopathy aims to stimulate this Life Force in order to stimulate a healing response to prevent illness and affect cure. It does this through the use of the natural law of cure. A homeopathic remedy is chosen, whether crude or potentised, on the basis of the symptoms of the disease using the law of similars.
The term homeopathy comes from the Greek words homeo, meaning similar, and pathos, meaning suffering or disease. In other words, all signs and symptoms are taken into consideration in order to gain a total picture, including not only physical symptoms but lifestyle, emotional and mental states and match the most similar homeopathic remedy to the individual. In this way, treatment in homeopathy is individualized and tailored to each person and not based solely upon symptoms of a disease.
Heilkunst (also founded by Dr. Samuel Hahnemann) is a term that he used to describe a more complete system of holistic medicine which includes all the various treatments involving nutrition, supplements, manipulative therapies, lifestyle changes, etc. (which we call Regimen), plus medicine which includes Homeopathy, and therapeutic education.
