Within the field of natural medicine the concept of anatomy may be more subtle than you think. Of course anatomy is not unique to any one branch of medicine, so what I am really suggesting is that there is rather more to a human being than the apparent physical body of bones, sinews and flesh etc., with which we all have some familiarity. Let’s see if we can perceive anything behind the mist.
In my last blog I posted an image from a text book that placed different therapies on a line representing different energy states. You will find the image again below.
The physical body at the bottom left is the most dense energy state and the domain of what we know today as orthodox medicine.
Most modern medical practice follows what some test or procedure tells the physician about what is happening at the physical level. The corresponding medicines are for the most part drugs that act biochemically on the physical body. These range from the relatively simple antibiotic to increasingly complex pharmaceuticals that block or stimulate different pathways. It is a field of increasing complexity as technology reveals.
Homeopathy, in contrast sits at the top right of the line. Homeopathic medicines are potentised ultra-dilutions. There are some useful downloads available on the Helios Pharmacy website, such as Homeopathic Pharmacy for Students, if you wish to know a little more. This concept of the homeopathic remedy is controversial for some – notably those whose domain is at the other end of the spectrum.
Eastern philosophy may have something to teach the westerm mind. The image below comes from a somewhat weighty book from the pen of Edi Bilimoria titled Unfolding Consciousness. Within you will discover the philosophical concepts of many esoteric thinkers much of which has its origin in Hindu and Buddist thought reaching back millenia. The diagram that follows comes from Volume II.
Needless to say it takes a little unraveling but if you start at the bottom and look at the box in red you will find the physical body described; the most dense energetic state. Above that in yellow and then white sits the non-material world without which the material self would not exist. In simplistic terms these are layers of interacting energetic states that sustain the physical body from conception to death.
On the left two possible constitutions are suggested, the dual and triple. The alignment with religious thought is apparent. What is key – and missing from current orthodox thinking for the most part – is this continuum from the immaterial to the material world.
Evolutionary biologist, the late Stephen Jay Gould famously stated that science and religion were two non-overlapping magisteria, a concept intended to at least reduce conflict between science and religion, but it hardly makes sense in my view.
The term ‘subtle anatomy’ reflects the esoteric understanding that (wo)man is more than a physical construct. The etheric body for example, serves as a sort of blueprint for the physical. The astral body – sometimes seen as a separate layer – is the home of the emotions and so forth. This continuum of energetic flow is what the visionary Dr Samuel Hahnemann, who first described the principles of homeopathic medicine, termed the sustaining vital or life force.
The implications should become clear, namely that your disease (or dis-ease) which appears to sit within your physical body, may instead have its origins in the non-material.
A notable American physiciand and homeopath from the early twentieth century James Tyler Kent wrote words to the effect that ‘your pathology is not your disease but its ultimate expession’. Might this be the reason that so much in modern medicine is about symptom management rather than true cure?
Given the subtle nature of homeopathic medicine, it seems quite likely that it acts on this subtle anatomy.
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The goal of homeopathic treatment is find and correct the root cause of illness where possible.
It is not quick fix medicine because the vital force – neither homeopath nor patient – sets the pace of healing. The word patient has meaning even if patience is a challenge in an impatient world.
Perhaps you would be interested in exploring Homeopathy for your health?
I offer a free 30 minute discovery call to allow you to investigate further.
Disclaimer: I am a qualified professional homeopath and not a medical doctor. The NHS has many resources, and seeking the opinion of your GP is always of value.
Dibden Purlieu, Southampton