Old science...

Homeopathy`s basic principle of “like curing alike” was mentioned already by the Vedic teachings. In ancient Greece it was taught in mystical Pythagorean schools. Hippocrates, Greek physician (born 460 BC, he died around 370 BC), who is considered the father of medicine, mentioned in his teachings that the same things that cause the disease, can bring the cure to it.

The later follower of Hippocrates, the German renaissance physician, philosopher and theologian, Theophrastus von Hohenheim (1493-1541), by his self chosen name Paracelsus, also claimed and used the law of similarity. Paracelsus was one determinative and shaping personality of the Renaissance age. He considered his task in life to bring people closer to the meaning of their own vocation. Paracelsus foreshadowed the basic ideas which two and a half centuries later took the shape of Homeopathy.  

The father of Homeopathy is Samuel Hahnemann (1755-1843), German physician.  He had extensive knowledge in the field of medicine, pharmacy, botany, mineralogy and spoke many languages. He did not agree with the methods, tools, mentality of contemporary medicine, so he stopped practicing it, and made a living out of translating. So it was that while translating the Materia Medica of Professor Cullen from Edinburgh, he could not accept the theory of Cullen about the quinine being effective against malaria just because its bitterness and tried the quinine on himself. In this experiment he observed that quinine produced symptoms of malaria on him and out of a genius intuition he concluded that everything that can produce symptoms in healthy man could heal the same symptoms in the diseased. He stated the law of similar (Similia similibus curentur), and also concluded that the effect of a remedy should be observed on healthy people. By the end of his life he managed to develop and formulate this science, which he named Homeopathy and so frequently called as the art of healing.

Later, many great homeopaths also contributed to the strengthening of the foundations of this science and to its progress, their contribution is of enormous value in today's practicing of modern Homeopathy. Just to name a few, without being exhaustive, here are some of the greatest homeopaths.

Constantine J. Hering (1800 -1880) was a pioneer of Homeopathy; he stated the law of direction of cure. James Tyler Kent (1849-1916) American physician was a leading homeopath, the forefather of modern Homeopathy, he made the Repertory named after him, which was translated into many languages, and is a reference up till today. In his lectures (which have to be read by every homeopath) Kent summarizes, interprets and organizes the principles of Homeopathy, provides insight into the fundamental characteristics of the healing process. William G. Boericke (1849-1929) Austrian-born American physician was an enthusiastic and influential representative of the homeopathic medicine, with one of the most popular Materia Medica attributed to him.

George Vithoulkas Greek homeopath is the reformer of Classical Homeopathy of the twentieth-century, who established the scientific bases of Homeopathy, introducing new concepts which are indispensable in practicing correctly Homeopathy.

In 1996, he was honored with the Right Livelihood Award (also known as Alternative Nobel Prize) “…for his outstanding contribution to the revival of homeopathic knowledge and the training of homeopaths to the highest standards…”

He teaches on the Greek island of Alonissos, at the International Academy of Classical Homeopathy where he already trained 15.000 homeopaths; he is Professor at many Universities. His teachings based on his 55 years of experience are valuable guidelines. He is author of numerous books and articles. He explains in very clear manner reactions to the remedies, which are very important to be sure about, because we must to know exactly what happened to the patient after he took the remedy. Professor Vithoulkas formulated and introduced the new concept of levels of health indispensable to correctly evaluate each and every case, to know on which level of health the patient is on, whether he is curable with Homeopathy, how much time and how many remedies are needed for a cure.

Short history of Homeopathy

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