Creating Waves of Awareness
Organon Of Medicine Aphorism 83
What does it take to be a homeopathic physician? Hahnemann tells us in Aphorism 83 of the Organon of Medicine. Let’s take a look at this brief yet thorough description of what the practitioner must possess to examine a case of disease.
Aphorism 83
“This individualizing examination of a case of disease, for which I shall only give in this place general directions, of which the practitioner will bear in mind only what is applicable for each individual case, demands of the physician nothing but freedom from prejudice and sound senses, attention in observing and fidelity in tracing the picture of disease.”
No Two Cases The Same
Let’s break down what Hahnemann is really saying here. In the individual examination of disease he is not talking about disease as a whole, but in each and every individual case. There are no two cases ever the same. Some are alike but they are individual to each person. He is saying that we must examine each case individually.
He says these instructions he is giving are general in nature. That there are more specific ways to understand this, but he is asking us to grasp the whole of what he is sharing. These are a general introduction to the idea in Aphorism 83.
The practitioner shall bear in mind only what is applicable for each individual case.
This is the greatest challenge for homeopaths. We must be able to discern disease from health. If we do not know how the derangement of the vital force expresses itself through each individual it will be very difficult to ever find the medicine that is most homeopathic for the individual. We must be able to see the case. See the disease clearly.
This demands nothing but freedom from prejudice.
This is the key to seeing the case clearly. If we have any prejudice, then we might as well be giving the remedy to ourselves. Our pre-judgments about diseases, other cases we have seem before that are similar, judgments about the individual or their lifestyle etc. must be dismissed during the case receiving, and analysis.
Sound senses are a must for the homeopath.
His/her powers of observation must be very clear. We need to be able to see all of the behaviors and descriptions of the patients disease. We must hear their words. We must be able to feel the case without taking the case on. This empathy versus sympathy. Our senses are a collection of all of our sentient faculties and we must constantly work to refine them in ourselves.
Attention in observing and fidelity in tracing the picture of the disease.
The fidelity in tracing the picture requires us to be very diligent. We must not be half way in our attempts to see the picture of the disease. We must ask open ended questions we don’t lead the case. We must investigate the roots of this disease. By asking about family history or questioning family members we can gain more clarity about the disease. This diligence is something that gets refined each and every case that we work on. We are not just tracing the picture of any disease, we are tracing the picture of this one individual's disease.
Every good homeopath must study the Organon.
When we break down what Hahnemann is saying we can see that there is much to be considered in even a general description of a very small Aphorism. He did not make mistakes with his words or the meaning. Every good homeopath must study the Organon. We have a very good guideline that is applicable in every case we see as a homeopath. We must follow these instructions. They will be what will improve our skills and our lives as we help the lives of others.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Dr Ravindra Saraswat on -
Thanks Debby to give an attractive look to this blog.
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Permalink Reply by Dr. Shiv Dua on -
The wonder of each aphorism of 'Organon' is that it can be interpreted in many beneficial ways but the concept remains the same. How one conceives the contents is all that matters. If the real concept is grasped, the reader becomes a noble homoeopath and if the conception is faulty, the results are also mischievious. So the best is to read it again and again whenever one has time like 'Gita' of Hindus.
However, my hearty congratulations to the writer for making aphor. 83 clearer.
Dr. Shiv Dua
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Permalink Reply by Hans Weitbrecht on -
Dear Dr Shiv Dua
Well observed, and yes interpretation can be a problem -- it is a bit a hen and egg situation. what comes first: interpretation and trying to find confirmation, or knowing all what's in it and then grasp the concept in a theoretical way.
both ways are insufficient to get to the real meaning of each paragraph of the organon.
There is a third dimension:
Hanhemanns case books, particularly the books from his time in paris. these give plenty of material, how Hahnemann took the case, how he analysed it, how he determined the remedy and how he followed up.
Only on that background the organon becomes a meaningful work and there is no real space left for personal interpretations.
This is the way, I studied the organon. -- I ran the paragraphs against the case work.
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Permalink Reply by Dr Piyush Kumar on -
Please support your statement with examples.
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Permalink Reply by Hans Weitbrecht on
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Dear sir
I refer to the following publications, which I don't have in E-format:
Samuel Hahnemann: Organon der heilkunst, Textkritische Ausgabe der 6ten Auflage. Bearbeitet und herausgegeben von Josef M. Schmidt / haug 1992
Samuel Hahnemann: Krankenjournal DF2 / Haug 2003 ( 950 pages)
Samuel Hahnemann: krankenjournal DF 5 / Haug 1992 (1205 pages)
As you can see by the sheer volume of the last two works, there is a lot to study and compare, and a fairly comprehensive understanding can be gained. there are plans for further transcriptions, particularly of the last phase in Paris (DF).
I will leave it to future generations to translate these cases and to publish them on the web.
Time and money does not permit me to do so in the foreseeable future.
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Permalink Reply by Dr Piyush Kumar on
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Thanks sir..Homeopathy will be mystery for many years still to come .......
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Permalink Reply by Dr Ravindra Saraswat on
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Sir ,
Thanks for your valuable comments.
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Permalink Reply by Dr. Prabhat Kumar Dasgupta on -
Every good homeopath must study the Organon......
an essential part of practice......
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Permalink Reply by DR. Sushil Bahl on -
The crux of the matter is freedom from prejudice.If Physician understand it, and make it a Central theme in his practice, then he can certainly touch the heights.
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