Page 60 - Spring 2019 Journal

Homeopathy Journal
FAR OUT: HOW HOMEOPATHY UPROOTS ILLNESS RELATED TO CANNABIS
By Joette Calabrese, HMC,CCH, RSHom (NA)
By Joette Calabrese, HMC, CCH, RSHom(Na)
Homeopathy harnesses the potential benefit inherent in harmful or toxic substances and uses them to our advantage.
“Far out, man.” Oh the language of the ’60s! I don’t hear that phrase much anymore, but that certainly doesn’t mean that getting high is no longer in. In fact, it’s more prevalent than ever, but the argument in favor of marijuana has fundamentally changed over the years. Instead of the acknowledgement that a substance—in this case, cannabis—can be brain-disrupting, the new conversation is now focused on its potentially medicinal action.
This is certainly not an earth-shaking rev- elation to homeopaths—we’ve always acknowl- edged that plants and other substances can have coexisting properties that are harmful as well as beneficial. In fact, that observation in many ways describes the very essence of homeopathy, which harnesses the potential benefit inherent in harmful or toxic substances and uses them to our advantage. This is done by noting the substance’s toxic effect and the symptoms pro- voked in a person exposed to that substance. When the substance is diluted and potentized through homeopathic pharmacology, we see it address those very symptoms in the person who suffers from them.
CURATIVE ACTION TO THE FORE
The homeopathic way to derive benefit from the marijuana plant does not rely on using any part of the plant in its gross form. Instead of smoking marijuana, baking it into brownies, distilling it or drinking it, homeopathic manu- facturing pharmacies dilute and potentize it. If you know anything about how homeopathic medicines are made, you can understand how the dilution process eliminates the toxic ele- ments present in the gross form of the plant and allows for the curative action to come to the fore. When the original plant is highly diluted in water or alcohol, according to the standardized pharmacological and mathemati-
cal homeopathic method, the potentially harm- ful aspects of the plant (or any substance from which a homeopathic medicine is made) are minimized, while the curative characteristics of the plant remain.
A TRADITIONAL HOMEOPATHIC REMEDY
Interestingly, homeopaths have employed Cannabis sativa and Cannabis indica for about a century, and they are two of our most valuable medicines. For what? Start with what ingestion or inhalation of cannabis might cause. Given that the plant is noted for its ability to affect the mind, it stands to reason that when used in a homeopathic formula, it will address similar conditions. This homeopathic medicine’s benefi- cial action can be accomplished in four different kinds of people:
1. Someone who has never been exposed to cannabis but who has symptoms that are similar to typical ailments that cannabis use would produce.
2. Someone who has been left with psy- chological conditions as a result of using marijuana.
3. Someone whose parents had a marijuana habit for a time before their conception or during pregnancy.
4. Someone seeking to break the marijuana habit (Cannabis sativa 200 has been used in some instances for this purpose).
In each of the above cases, the symptom picture that the person is presenting must have enough overlap with the cannabis Materia Med- ica picture to justify the use of the homeopathic version of cannabis. Homeopathic Cannabis preparations are medicines, not supplements or recreational drugs. Instead of seeking a high or
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Wise Traditions
SPRING 2019