The last couple of days, I have been enmeshed in a patient's reaction to a remedy; in this case, an aggravation. Aggravation is a word we often use, when the presenting symptoms temporarily worsen, or are exaggerated in response to the remedy's influence. Stuart Close, author of _The Genius of Homeopathy_ provides an apt metaphor- that when the rusty, ill-maintained gears and parts of a machine are jump started, we hear the creaking, groaning and grunting of forgotten movement. Likewise, our vital force shaking off the rust of dis-ease makes its presence known.
As a Homeopath in the infancy of my practice, I fluctuate between holding, witnessing, and guiding my patients' aggravations with both understanding and confidence, and wild wondering and downright clumsiness. The last couple days have been infused with the latter. This is not to say that I have not been attentive, supportive, and diligent in considering the case before me, and acting accordingly. But more that I've been acutely aware of my own dance with the unknown.
In my life and in yours, the waters of intention are consistently breached by the unknown. Modern life doesn't allow for the unknown so much, and the ease of which we can "know" vast quantities (googlefacebookyoutubewikipediaetc....) makes it hard to resist that pull.
Homeopathy is an elegant, complete system of medicine with clearly defined principles. It has within it the possibility of a "rapid and gentle cure" for so much suffering. It is coined a 'the medical art' and I think the 'art' is the ability of the practitioner to balance the science with the unknown again, and again, and again.
The unknown does not ask- will the remedy act?
The unknown asks- in what way will the remedy act?
The difference between a Yes/No dichotomy, and a Way is in the motion. Yes and No is strictly back and forth. Way, is flow. Of course Zen teaches us this, but how often do we really apply that to our everyday life? If you are a practitioner or patient of Homeopathy, you are in luck :)
Disease, is back and forth. I am exposed to pollen- I sneeze. I'm not exposed to pollen- I don't sneeze. In a disease state, we are locked into our reaction, which is our suffering (be it physical, mental, emotional or spiritual).
Health and healing, is a flow. Sometimes, it's an uphill flow (don't ask me how, this is about the unknown, remember?). Sometimes, it's a steep drop. But however it goes, it's creative, adaptable motion.
You don't need a remedy to create that flow; I am continuously amazed at the healing and movement I have witnessed in friends and family, with not a remedy in sight. But there has been an undeniable step into the unknown, a willingness to be in it, steep drops and all, unused gears screeching and rust flying.
Sometimes, though, we're stuck. The flow has stopped, the Way is obscured. Or maybe, one never even realized there was a motion beyond back and forth. This is where a remedy comes in, and a Way is revealed. How it goes, we don't know. Rapid, gentle, and complete is one way. With creaks and groans and aggravations is another Way. And many other Ways inbetween.
The next time you take a remedy, consider - 'in what way is this remedy acting?'