The Lydian Center for Innovative Medicine :: Cambridge, Massachusetts :: Services

What Is Homeopathy?

Homeopathy is a system of medicine developed by the German physician Samuel Hahnemann in the early 1800s. It uses medicines made primarily from natural substances (mostly herbs, also minerals) which have been diluted so many times that the original remedy substance is no longer present. Instead, its vibrational pattern has been imprinted on the water it was dissolved in. It is this energetic imprint which the remedy imparts to your body's Vital Force or chi (healing energy), stimulating it to react against your health condition and push it out of the body for good.

As an energy-based healing system, homeopathy has many advantages over conventional medicine. There are no side effects or adverse reactions; it stimulates and strengthens the body's healing energy, instead of weakening it and lowering the immune system; it is especially well-suited for people who are extremely sensitive (to medications, environmental toxins, etc.); it can address mental and emotional as well as physical symptoms; the remedies are inexpensive (about $5 per week) and usually only need to be taken short-term.

For more information about homeopathy's healing principles, we recommend Impossible Cure by Amy Lansky.

How Do We Know It Works?

Homeopathy is part of the conventional health care system in many countries around the world, including England, France, Germany, Russia, India, and much of South America. Medical doctors in these countries commonly use homeopathic medicines or refer patients to their colleagues trained at homeopathic medical schools. Two hundred years of clinical experience have demonstrated the effectiveness of homeopathic remedies.

In addition, their activity has been demonstrated by scientific studies. We still see statements in the popular press, even in medical journals, that homeopathy is unscientific and unproven. There has been extensive testing of homeopathy; unfortunately, nearly all of the studies have been conducted abroad, due to lack of funding for research in alternative medicine. The most promising type of research is called outcomes research, which indicates that for many health conditions, homeopathy provides better results, at lower cost, with fewer side effects and greater patient satisfaction, than conventional medicine. Unfortunately, most doctors in the US remain unaware of homeopathy's scientific status because it is not included in the curriculum of American medical schools.

For information on research in homeopathy: http://www.homeopathic.org and http://www.homeopathic.com.

What Is It Good For?

Homeopathy is good for a wide variety of conditions in people of all ages, from newborns to the elderly, and even for pets. (The fact that it works in infants and pets tends to dispel the notion of the placebo effect!)

And it works for a wide variety of conditions, whether acute (such as colds, flu, bee stings, cuts, bruises) or chronic (arthritis, allergies, hypothyroidism). The problem may be physical or mental (such as learning disabilities in the young or loss of memory in the elderly), emotional (depression, anxiety, low self-esteem), behavioral (addictive behaviors, ODD) or energetic (hyperactivity, fatigue).

It works especially well when there is a strong mind-body component (such as in stress-relatd conditions like ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease, or in women's issues like menopause). It also works well for any condition when there is a clear "Never Well Since", when the patient can say "I've never really felt the same since my mother died [or my husband left me, my business partner betrayed me, etc]."

Many times the homeopathic process helps people discover such connections between their emotions, their life-traumas, and their symptoms.

How Is Begabati's Practice Different?

If you have already seen a homeopath, or heard about the process from someone who has, you might appreciate the ways in which Begabati's practice is different:

Most homeopaths start with a single dose of a high-potency (strong) remedy in order to induce an aggravation (a temporary worsening of symptoms which makes it clear to the homeopath that the remedy is correct and is working). Begabati starts with a low potency (mild) dose of the remedy and gradually increases it in order to avoid an aggravation. Instead, she establishes benchmarks at the first appointment which will help you as well as her to notice whether the remedy is working.

Many homeopaths refuse to tell their clients the name of the remedy they are taking; Begabati finds that telling her clients about their remedy helps them to feel more involved in the process.

Most homeopaths ask their patients to avoid coffee, mint, and possibly other factors such as dental work, electric blankets, and a long list of foods and bodycare products with aromatic oils. Begabati does not find these avoidances necessary with her system of daily dosing of the remedy.

Hypersensitives (people who are extremely sensitive to environmental influences) are ideal candidates for homeopathy – except that they tend to suffer more than anyone else from the high potencies used by most homeopaths. Begabati adjusts the strength of the remedy to the sensitivity of her clients, using extremely gentle potencies for hypersensitives, so that even people who may have suffered from previous homeopathic treatment are often able to benefit from homeopathy with Begabati.

Many homeopaths ask their clients to stop taking vitamins and herbs, and to stop other modalities they may be using like acupuncture or chiropractic. Begabati encourages her clients to continue doing anything which they feel is helping, except not to start anything new at the same time as the remedy in order to assess the remedy clearly. In addition, based on more than fifteen years of running a health food store, she is very knowledgeable about supplements and other modalities which she recommends when she realizes that homeopathy cannot do everything for a client.

Finally, Begabati supports her clients in whatever spiritual practice or personal growth work they are involved in, believing – as her spiritual teacher Sri Chinmoy would often say – that there are many paths to enlightenment. She often frames her discussion of her clients' remedies in the larger picture of how homeopathy can support their life lessons and fulfilling their purpose on earth.