.. 76' . : lm THf PROfniSf Of HOfnfOPHTHY . - Amy L. Lansky, PhD With a forevvord by Ric.hard Pitt, CCH~ RSHon~ (NA) . -R.L.Ranch . . Press Portola Valley, California ........... .. ~ .- ....·':':-:!.' .: ..:":-"~~:-~:~~-.~;n ~~;rr.···• . ..-::..-.;·. ...... _.. .. ~--::-~-~----· .... -- . ::-:-:-: .. ___.. .-:----~;.~ .... ~ .--~-;-rr-~. .. ~. . .......-.....-~...__,.~--------'"'"~ Impossible Cure: TI~e Promise C!f Homcop11thy. Copyright© 2003 by Amy L. Lansky, PhD. Printed and bound in the United States of America. All rights reserved. No part of this book nuy be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any electronic or n1echanical 1neans, including photocopying, recording, or by an information storage and retrieval systen1, without pennission fron1 the Publisher - except in the case of brief quotations etnbodied in reviews and academic papers. For more infonnation, please contact: R .. L.Ranch Press B 4119 Alpine Road, Suite A ~ Portola Valley, California 9402H Tel: 650-85 1-2927 f\ Fax:650-851-9095 EJ E-1nail: [email protected] m r.u Visit our web site: im possi b/ectt re. WUJUJ. f(ll/r to find out n1ore about hOineopathic treatment and about bulk discount orders of this book. R Although the author and publisher have exhaustively researched aU sources to ensure tl the accuracy and c01npleteness of infonnation contained in this book, we assmne no responsibility for errors, inaccuracies, omissions, or any inconsistency herein. Any slights of people, places, or organizations are unintentional. PUBLISHER'S CATALOGING-IN-PUBLICATION DATA I - Lansky, Atny L., 1955- . Impossible cure :the promise of hom«!oparhy I Amy L. Lansky ; with a foreword by Richard Pitt. p. em. Includes bibliographical r~ferences and index. LCCN 2003090295 ISBN 0-9727514-0-8 1. Homeopathy. I. Tide. RX71.L36 7 2003 615.5"32 i . QUIOJ-:W0087 ' SECOND PRINTING. 2004 . ~. Interior and cover design by Mdanie Haage Author photo by Jennifer Dungan ~. 13ook production ~y Data R.t.·producrions Corpor;uion . Primed in the Unitcd St.ltL'S of Amcric;.t I -- - -------~-..---... -----·-··-····~-····~~-----~. ·------~- --.-· ... ----------··- .... ... ..- ---;:- Praise for Inzpossible Cure "Many of the greatest advances in science and tnedicine begin as obser vations that don't fit in. Hotneopathy- the 'in1possible cure'- is just that sort of challenge. An1y Lansky is a skilled guide to the world of hotneop athy, and she dispels n1uch of the 1nystery surrounding this fonn of ther apy. bnpossiblc Cure is a valuable insight for anyone wishing to kno\v n1ore about J1on1eopathy and how it 1nay fit into their search for health." - LARRY DOSSEY, MD Executive Editor, Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine Author: Healing Beyond tile Bod)J, Rciuvcutiug A1cdici11e, and Hcali11~'?. f J' t'lrds "By wnt1ng Impossible Cure, author Atuy Lansky has accon1plished a (nearly) impossible task: provide a clear, cotnprehensible, ~nd con1pelling -exposition of ho1neopathy. Her autistic son's ren1arkable response to hon1eopathic treatment n1otivated cotnputer scientist Lansky to bring the long-neglected science of hotneopathy to pu~lic attention. She has suc ceeded adnurably. Impossible Cure is titnely, inforn1ative, and retnarkably reader friendly. An excellent, n1ust-read boo~. Highly recon1111ended!" ... - BERNARD RrMLANo, PHD Director, Aurisn1 Research Institute; Founder, Autisn1. Society of An1erica "The finest general introduction to hon1eopathy I've yet read ... This book should be read by everyone interested in ho1neopathy, fron1 the rank begin ~ ner to the seasoned professional. It has sonlething ne\:v- in it for everyone.~~ ~ -jULIAN WINSTON Editor, Homeopt1th)' Ii-'day Author: The Faces C!.f Homeopathy and Tile Hcrita._c.?C (!f Homeopathic Litcmturc "This book n1ay very well contribute to the cransfonnation of hotneopa thy fi·otn the ugly duckling of 1nedicine to the sw·an that it deserves to be.'· - LIA BELLo, RN, FNP, CcH- R:-eviewer tor Hl'IIICll}Jtlt!ry Ti1day "A well-written and ultin1ately inspiring volu1ne ... ln1possibJc Cure pres ents an uncon1pro1nising call for a rethinking of conventional tnedical r.. ·]· I· L practices in the U.S." - D. PATRICK MILLER n Fearless Books Rem'ew (wwfll~fearlessbooks.com) )._:! "Hon1eopathy is the e1nerging therapy that offers hope for truly curing chronic disease in a profound way. This book is a con1prehensive intro duction __t o the full extent .of what homeopathy can do for you. By pro viding case histories, deep yet understandable explanations of ho1neopathy (including its relationship to 1nodern 1nedicine), and clear infonnation on what it tneans to be a hon1eopathic patient, Impossi!J/c Cure is an invaluable. resource. A petfect book for patients and first-year students of hotueopathy." - LOUIS KLEIN, RSHOM n President, Lutninos Hotneopathic Courses Ltd., Lutninos Schools, LJ and Horneopathic Master Clinicians Course (wrl'w.lwmcopathycourscs.{()lll) Author: Clinical Focus Guide to Home(lpathic Remedies and 0 Lumhws Homeopathic Pnwings - An1y Lansky '\Vatched in disbelief as hotneopathy did the itnpossible - H cured her son, Max, of autism. She delved into the controversial therapy and has becon1e an articulate, passionate advocate~ for the healing art n1ost physic_ians continue to distniss as 'itnpossible.' Her book is filled \Vith a n1other's love and a scientist's skepticisn1. The res~It is one of t{:1e best Iwo introd~ctions ·to hotneopathy I've seen. thutnbs up for Impossible Cure: {he Pn:n11ise C!.f Homeopathy." - MICHAEL CASTLEMAN Author: ~rhc Hcali11g Herbs., The New Hcalin~'! Herbs, i\Tatun<' Cures, Blcuded A1edicillc, and other consun1er health books I] "An accessible guide to one of the n1ost n1ysterious of healing arts." u - WAYNE B. JONAS, MD Director, Satnueli Institute For Steve, Izaak, and Max I. I. I Date to know That the source o_f al!tnirade.,· Lies within. you. i. f ,~·-. ~ t t I I I· f -· .. i I I ,, m § SPECIAL NOTICE TO THE READER Although this book discusses the homeopathic method of treatment, including stories of cure using various remedies, it is intended only as a general introduction to home opathy. It is not meant to give specific recommendations of medical, psycholog-ical. or n other advice regarding the treat1nent of particular i1lnesses. Nor does it n1ake any war It·:;.~ ranties or guarantees of any sort that any of the Information in this book (or in any of the books or material listed under "Suggested Reading" and "Helpful Resources") wiH produce any particular medical, physical, emotional or other result. This book is not intended to be a replacement tor good n1edical diagnosis and treatment by a licensed physician or for care by a certified health-care practitioner. Readers arc strongly cautioned to consult with a lice1~'ied health-care professional before utilizing any infennation in this book, and if they choose to pursue to hon1eopathic treatment. so to do under the supervision of a licensed physician and a certified homeopath. Permissions Special thanks to all of the individuals who allowed me to use their stories ofhmneopathic healing in this book. Special thanks also go to North Atlantic Books and H01neop~1thic Educational Services of Berkeley, California, for pennission to quote fron1 several of r1 their books. These include Psyche aud Substance, by Edward C. Whitmont (copy•:ight © B 1991 by Edvvard C. Whiunont, MD); Di,idcd Le.{!aC)~ volume Ill, by Harris Livermore Coulter (copyright © 1973 by Harris L. Coulter); and A Homeopathic L<WC Story, by Ritna Handley (copyright © 1990 by Rima Handley). North Atlantic Books has given pern1ission to quote frmn TI1c Emer._~ing Science lif Homeopathy, by Paolo Bellavite and Andrea Signorini (copyright © 2002 by Paolo Bellavite, MD and Andrea Signorini, MD). I also thank Grove/A tlantic, Inc. for their permission to quote fron1 71lc Scieuce <~{ Homeopathy, by Ge<?rge Vithoulkas (copyright© 1980 by George Vithoulkas). Heartfelt . I thanks to Julian Winston, for his permission to use numerous quotes fron1 his classic vol m. (if utne on hotneopathic history, The Fafcs Ho11we<1parhy, published by Great Auk . Publishing, Tawa, New Zealand (copyright © 1999 by Julian Winston). Julian also has m given pe;tllission in his capacity as editor of Homeopathy 1(1day to use several·quotes fron1 m that tuaiizine, published by the National Center for Hmneopathy, Alexandria, Virginia. Thanks to•· l'tajan Sankaran for permission to quote frotn his books Tire Spirit <?f Hmncopathy (copyright© 1992 by Dr. R.ajan Sankaran) and The S(>u/ <?i Remedies (copy I. right © 1997 by Dr. Rajan Sankaran). Ian Watson has given permission to LISe: several - quotes fi·om his book A Guide to the 1\ !cthcJdolc~f!ics <!f Hmucclptlthy (copyright © ) ()<)<) by Jan Watson). Finally, thanks to the publishers of Altematil'l' 17u·rapics, Thl' Scientist, Pediatrics, Tlu.• American Homeopath, and Tltr l.Atrcct for permission to quote and discuss papers published in their respective journal publications, including, in son1e cases, the: use of tables. A11 of the above credits and every other quotation in this book have been duly cited in the text and are accompanied by citation descriptions in the references sec tion at the end of this book. r:J fj ,,,. TABLE OF CONTENTS Foret.l'ord . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1x Pr~face . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xii AcknouJ/edg1nen.ts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . x1v Chapter 1. Homeopathy Revealed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Homeopathy's prominence i11 19th-rentttr)' America; Homeopathy returns; Homeopathy- the ublack sheep" medicine; What you will find in this book Chapter 2. The Law of Si111ilars ..................... 24 Halmcmann. the rabble-rouser; Discovery of the LAw of Similar.s; Drug pror,iugs; Philosophical amsequences C!f the Law ,~f Similars; Hah11emamt's per:~cJuallifc; Halmemam1 the scientist; Homeopath}' as empirical medicine Chapter 3. Testilnony to Cure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 The warning signs; The search - without and Jllitllin; Homeopathy; Initi~l cha11J!.es; Skepticism; Osteopath)~ Reiki, m1d prayer;]oining tfte crowd; . . Remedy adjustments, and a hint of vaainatio11 damage; An 011goit1g proce~f; - J;Vlry afltism?; The path to cure; The many lesso11s learned .. Chapter 4. What Is Disease? VVhat Is Cure-? ............. 73 The b(.,dy machine; 1/Jk are more than machines; Hi? are intrinsicaily se!f-heal iug; Symptoms are our friends;· Cure:versus suppression; Antipatlz}~ homeopa- th)~ and allopathy; The Law of Cure; Su,liceptibilit}': Susceptibility is h1di1'idua/; Center C?.f gravity; History and envinmmeut Chapter 5. Sy1npto111 Patterns: Hul'nanity R((_f/ected i11. Nature . 106 Psychosomatic symptom patterns; Aruica- the trauma remedy; The mccbauics £!{matching symptom pattcrus; -rile center C!.f the case; lv/odalities and ct>tiCtllllitauLii; Causatiou; Situation; The doctriuc qf signatures; Animal patten/::; Plauts and minerals, too; Symb<,fism aud structure 1'11 viii JMPOSSlBLE CURE Chapter 6. The Development and Evolution o.f Hon1eopathic Practice . . . . . . 134 Hahnenumn s development if the hoineopathic system; Potentization - the creation cif the ultradilutc remedies; The centesimal, decimal, and LM potencies; Remedy administration: how, how much, and how cften; Potency selection; One temcdy at a time; Related applications and methods; Loosely related methods ami modalities Chapter 7. Science and Skeptidsn1: Does Homeopathy Really Work? .... ~ ........ 163 Exiii~;1cc proC?_f; The randomized placebo-controlled trial - the only proof of ejfectiilencss?; It does work, and it works well; Meta-a11al}'sis; The message and the l'izedium; Homeopathic models of remedy action; Putth-,g it all together ~· of H4 . Chapter 8. The Experien_ce Hon1eopathy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205 Selecting a homeopath; Preparing_{Or )'OUr first visit; The inte1view.; Case A u analysis tools; Repertorizatio11. an~ remedy selection.; Taking )'Our remedy; Aniidoting; Remed)' response; Follow-up visits; Wheu to report back to your homeopath; 1Vlixi1zg homeopathy with other types C?.f treatment; Stick with it! Chapter 9. Cure Is Possible . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230 Alzheimers disease reversed; Cancer cures and expulsion cif tumors; More expulsion anecdotes; Some serious acutes; Chronic disease; Helping our animal compa11ions with homeopathy; Fighting starvatiou and d!sease in the ~. . Tizird World; Oh, Ill}' aclzing *#$&(#!;The enwti01wl. aud behavioral realm.,~tvfiraclcs happen ·.~ Chapte~~lO. The Road Ahead .... 259 Licensure versus certification; The fight _for legal practice; New hope: legalization of unlicensed therapies; Homeopathic training; Other issues: insurauce, access to remedies, an.d recognition; Our right to health freedom References . . . . . . . 271 Suggested Reading .. 285 HelP.ful Resources .. . . 288 Index ....... . . . 291 FOREWORD H -OMEOPATHY IS ONE OF THE MOST ENrGMATIC OF MEDICAL ARTS. Born out of 18th-century xnedical and scientific thinking, steeped in a tradition of en1pirical rationalisn1, and con1ing to light at a crucial crossroads in Western thought, hon1eopathy has never been widely accepted within n1ainstrean1 medicine. Even though it achieved renlark able popularity in the 19th century, .both in Europe and the United States, its very existence challenged the established Newtonian view of the world, one defined by a tnechanistic view of the hun1an body. The founder of hotneopathy, Saxnuel Hahnemann - a chenust, ·. .. scholar, and physician - was influenced not only by the "new" way of . thinking about the body entailed by enlightentnent philosophy, but als~ by a more alchemical view of the world, where the mystery of the hid den meanings, functions, and interconnections of all things needed to be acknowledged. These influences led to the development ofhis concept of vita/force, a quality of energy that is both immaterial (ca~not be seen) and . - also all encompassing in its influence · over biological function. By no n1eans the first to speak of such phenon1ena, qi being understood· by the Chinese for three thousand years and prana .being recognized by the Indian philosophers for a sinular time, Hahnexnann integrated this con cept into a rational systen1 of 1nedical healing, \vhich was unique in the · West. The 15th-century alchernist/physician Paracelsus atten1pted a sinl ilar synthesis, but he never got far beyond the en1pirical dra,ving board. Therefore, even if thinkers could accept the apparent contradictions of the hon1eopathic law of cure, "Let Likes Be Cured by Likes," when it can1e to the concept of a vital force pern1eating and influencing the anaton1y and physiology of hun1an organisms, this \Vas too n1uch for rnost to bear. Two hundred years later, we are faced with the sarne dilem although cracks are continually appearing in the dan1 of scientific lUa, tnaterialistn. Horneopathy is but one of the \vedges forcing these cracks. irs philosophy and position as a legitin1ate 1nedical art practiced by ix x IMPOSSIBLE CURE ~ ffd physicians being a recurring irritation in the attetnpts to constrain nled n ical doctrine to only that which \ve can see and control. E:l There is now a tidal \'Vave of change occurring within the fields of medicine, psychology, physics, and the panoply of healing 111odalities available, with an1ple evidence suggesting that people are looking for ·. alternative n1odels of healing, even if they don't know how they work. 1 . In n1any ways, science and tnedicine ..1 re no\v catching up with what .... many people already know and hav~ experienced. These things do work. m EJ Also, __ fa~~~ vvith the exploding costs and health cotnplications of con ventiot~~L.medicine, ne\v tnodels of healing are con1ing to the forefront of peop\~'s attention. Hon1eopathy is one of then1. However, the challenge that hon1eopaths have always grappled with ·~·:· is how to detnystify its approach to healing and he~p people understand ":"·'" ;: \vhat embarking into hotneopathic treat1nent is all about. While on the surface it seen1s like Western n1edicine, \Vith tablets being given as the remedy, the process of honleopathic treattnent is a nux of visiting your n doctor, psychiatrist, therapist, and a private detective. Part of the c~nfu­ 8 sion seems to be that it is all of these things at the san1e titne. It is hard to categorize into convenient boxes. It is n1edicine and healing, incor porating nrind, body, and soul, physical disease and tnental conditioning, fusing energy and n1atter into an inseparable \vhole. Hovv to conununicate this atuazing science and art? Many books have been -vvritten on hotneopathy, son1e good ·and others n.ot, often I atten1.pting to cross the bridge bet\Yeen the esoteric -vvorkings of the pro fession and a n1ore 1nainstrean1 understanding of its process. However, m horneopathy is still not understood by n1ost people, even t-vvo hundred ~ years later. Even in n1ore enlightened spheres, anything n1ore than a · superficial understanding of hon1eopathy is hard to find. In Impossible Cure, An1y Lansky is going one step further in enlight ening us to the potential of hotneopathy and its fascinating history. Her personal experience of finding a hotneopathic cure for her son's autisn1 is extraordinary enough. Ho\vever. she has laid out one of the n1ost conl rn plete pictures of honH~Ol-~athy ever \Vritten. The book is extretndy \V.ell 1J i . -