It was the year 2011 that we met Harry van der Zee in Mumbai for dinner. The
spark followed when the issue of contemporary classical homeopathy surfaced.
Seemingly there is a divided perception between classical homeopaths as to what
homeopathy is and what it should be. In our opinion their languages differed as did
their paths, but the homeopathic goal remained the same.
As the discussion progressed, we expressed our opinion upon having a single platform
wherein all the homeopaths (practising traditional and contemporary classical
homeopathy) are gathered together to discuss their methods in depth, where each will
honour the other.
The case taking process has been a subject close to our hearts. Dinesh has worked
for
a decade and more upon the subject and has come up with a model of case taking which
we term the Case Witnessing Process. This, in our opinion, is the most pivotal point
of homeopathic learning and practise. We expressed our dream of gathering all the
homeopaths from the traditional to contemporary classical homeopathy with their work
on case taking, case receiving, case witnessing and case observing under a single
roof. We concluded our conversation with Harry by expressing that there is a need
for an issue in the homeopathic journal that discussed “the case taking methods”
practised around the globe and to bring forth a missing link that unites all these
diverse methods.
After a couple of months, it came as a joyous surprise and a challenge when Harry
proposed us as guest editors for this issue. The seed was thus sown; and here we are
with an ever-growing plant!
Today we perceive many schools of case taking, receiving, witnessing and observing
methods being developed and practised by homeopaths all around the globe.
They offer ever deeper and more promising healing possibilities for their patients
and the healers alike.
Our focus with issues (4/13 and 1/14) on “Case taking” is to bring forth:
-
“How to” for each presented method: to make each an easy and reproducible
affair and to expose each one in depth from a single platform.
-
“How” each method, although diverse in appeal, carries its unique weight and
individualised flavour and is thus essential.
-
“How to” arrive (most importantly) at the pivotal point that proves that each
method ultimately follows the same fundamental principles of homeopathy laid
down by Dr. Samuel Hahnemann and other stalwarts. The language and
the paths followed sound different but the ultimate goal is the same: to
find the simillimum by identifying the holistic individualised expressions
of the patient and thus these case taking methods are intricately
interrelated and integrated. Dineshʼs article – Integrating Homeopathy at
the Holistic Level – attempts to do that.
For the present issue we have articles by Alastair Gray, Dinesh
Chauhan, Rajan Sankaran, Rajesh Bhide, Jane Tara Cicchetti
and Maarten Spaargaren. In the following issue we will have Dinesh Chauhan,
Manoj Patel, Robert Bannan, Alastair Gray, Misha Norland
and Harry van der Zee with their case taking methods and views. It is beautiful to
witness the spread of articles over two issues: if viewed closely, one can witness
a
point of integration that gradually diverges as different methods unfold and then
again converge to a point…a point that leads to a pathless land as Harry van der Zee
rightly puts it.
We want to thank Harry for his trust in us that we will bring justice to this issue,
and his unconditional support throughout and, most importantly, for giving us this
opportunity to integrate homeopaths on the pivotal point of homeopathy (case
taking). And, we also thank all our authors for their generous contributions.
With this issue we intend to convey that the need of the hour in homeopathy is to
honour the integrity of each and every method, to identify with one or more, walk
the path, find our own and carry the development further in contrast to feeling
stressed, disheartened, frustrated, overwhelmed and despairing, by their diverse
appeal.
We like these words a lot:
“Behind it all, Is surely an idea so simple, So beautiful, So compelling that when
In a decade, a century, Or a millennium, We grasp it, We all say to each other,
How could it have been Otherwise? How could we have been So stupid for so
long?”
John Archibald Wheeler ~ Physicist
Drs. Urvi and Dinesh Chauhan
