Editorials

A Message to British Homeopaths

A Message to British Homeopaths

Dear Friends,

Way back in November 2007, I had written an editorial about the attacks on Homeopathy in UK. The editorial was titled ‘Is Homeopathy Bleeding to Death?‘ and had created a furor in our community then. At that time I was angry about the very passive and timid response being given to the purported nonsense against homeopathy and wanted to counter it more aggressively.

It has been more than 2 years now and we have seen many more attacks on homeopathy in UK. We have seen more pharma-funded anti-homeopathy blogs, more closure of B.Sc. degrees, more media slandering and even a trial by the U.K. Science and Technology Committee. At the same time we have seen two good things happening:

  1. Homeopathy has kept growing in rest of the world.
  2. There has been an increased movement and galvanizing of efforts by various individual homeopaths and groups against these attacks. The efforts like HMC:21, Homeopathy World Community, Voice of Not So Young Homeopathy (VONSYH), HomeopathyHeals etc are laudable initiatives that are exposing this anti-homeopathy lobby and making a strong pro-homeopathy statement by bringing together ideas, people and resources. Even Hpathy.com has started creating a database of homeopathic research and methodologies to help homeopaths answer the critics. So yes, the external attacks have helped our fragmented community to come together to an extent.
    Here is a recent example of this coming together:

%CODE1%

The question now is how to reverse the situation in U.K.?

I know my friends in U.K. are already working on that, but still I would like to share my feelings about this. To find an answer to the above question, we need to answer a few more questions first:

  1. Has homeopathy suffered such attacks in the past?
    — The answer is YES.
  2. Has homeopathy survived those attacks and grown despite them?
    — The answer is again YES. And that leads us to the most fundamental question:
  3. Why and how did homeopathy survive and grow through those trying times in the past?

The answer to this last question needs some thought. Since the time these attacks started in U.K., the community there has primarily looked towards the official bodies to do something. The official bodies have time and again countered the anti-homeopathy statements and campaigns. They have done a lot, but much more could have been done, if the organizations had involved every single homeopath in their efforts.

And that brings us back to the last question – Why and how did homeopathy survive and grow through those trying times in the past? Homeopathy has survived every attack and ridicule because during those attacks, somewhere a homeopath was curing a sick person, who was more interested in getting better rather than understanding the physics behind homeopathy.

The homeopaths at the street-end and in small villages were doing something that societies and organizations cannot do – they were showing the efficacy of homeopathy first-hand to the people, and creating a chain of believers that in turn kept homeopathy alive despite all attacks. We have survived because of the people we cure and not because of the official bodies or the Royal Family!

And that is what I believe we need to focus on once again. It is high time that every individual homeopath realizes the power he/she has and the work they can do to reverse this tide. Yes, do not feel ‘What can I do against such large scale staged attacks?

It is you, and you alone, the individual homeopath, who could turn this tide and defeat this anti-homeopathy campaign. And you do not need loads of funds and ammunition to do that. All you need is a strong will to do something. All you need to do is to reach out to as many people as possible, see as many patients as possible and make people realize that Homeopathy is effective. If there were millions of people speaking for you, as your patients, the anti-homeopathy lobby would be forced to shut-up. The proof of the pudding lies in its eating and it is up to you to make people taste the results of our system.

That brings us to the strategic question – How?

The first thing is to reach out to as many people as possible. The best way to do it is by organizing free seminars for the general public. Give your weekend to this effort. Enlisting the help of your existing patients and contacts, go to nearby schools, patient groups, churches, private offices etc and organize free seminars about what homeopathy is and how it can help them with their disease conditions.

You can publish small booklets and if you get a sponsor, distribute free remedy kits to the attending group. If some volunteers from UK take up the lead, Hpathy can help create a central fund for such booklets and remedy kits.

The second thing is to treat as many people as possible. For that, you can organize free homeopathy treatment camps using the same contact group as above. Every village or town could set up free clinics for treating acute conditions and when these patients see results, they will also come to your clinic for their chronic conditions. The effort does not need lot of resources. All it needs is your desire to do something for homeopathy and your time.

It is time we stop looking outside for help and reflect on what each one of us can do individually. If all of us do what we are trained to do and if each one of us reaches out to the public and spreads the message, every offensive against homeopathy is bound to fail. Remember, the proof of the pudding lies in its eating and the real power belongs to you, the individual homeopath!

I hope my thoughts will resonate with some of you. You can send me your thoughts and feedback at [email protected]

Best wishes,

Dr. Manish Bhatia

About the author

Dr. Manish Bhatia

- BHMS, BCA, M.Sc Homeopathy (UK), CICH (Greece), MD (Hom)
- Associate Professor, Organon & Homeopathic Philosophy, SKH Medical College, Jaipur
- Founder Director of Hpathy.com
- Editor, Homeopathy for Everyone
- Co-author - Homeopathy and Mental Health Care: Integrative Practice, Principles and Research
- Author - Lectures on Organon of Medicine vol 1, 2, 3. CCH Approved. (English, German, Bulgarian)
- Awardee - Raja Pajwan Dev Award for Excellence in the Field of Medicine; APJ Abdul Kalam Award for Excellence in Homeopathy Education
- Visit Dr. Bhatia's website

12 Comments

  • Dear Dr Manish ~ Thank you for these encouraging and wise words. The light workers on the ground will spread healing to the people, who in turn will speak our praises.

    The people will demand more homeopathic hospitals, homeopathic schools, homeopathic clinics in rural and city locations. Every country will hear this call for acceptance. As Deepak Chopra said Homeopathy and “Alternative Medicine is now Mainstream.” This means CAM is a threat to the status quo. They are fighting against change, but this transformation will happen despite their cries as people trust their hearts and ‘truth’.

    many blessings to all,
    Debby
    http://twitter.com/DebbyBruck

  • About Dr.Manish Bhatia anything before i comment,at this age where everywhere in the world homoeopathy facing many disasters he doing much much in right manner to defend homoeopathy.Well done Dr. Bhatia you are the one of havoc weapon of homoeopathic community against homoeopathic enemies.

  • Dear Dr.
    Thank u very much for such timely editorial . every thoughtful men/womem with original understanding know the TRUTH of both systems .FEAR and Fincial greed made their mind thougtless . They dont see supiority ,lowest cost , curative effect on sick humane , animals and plants alike and thoughtful and simple application of HOMOEOPATHY . More and more peoples come forword to support IT idividualy or in groups from succesful homoeopaths and benifitted patients .And we will win without doubts . TRUTH MUST PREVAIL .

    anil kumar kulshreshtha

  • Dear Dr Manish ~

    You certainly are encouraging homeopaths in great way. But this is not only the UK, it is also the same situation in Pakistan. Homeopaths here are seeking for government jobs, getting there 4 years diploma equal to a degree since long but of no avail.

    It is a fact that our educational system do not train the students in real and they almost depend on compound prescriptions. No research is being carried out and professors here only cling to the old “Organon of Medicines”.

    This situation of sluggishness changed my mind of practicing Homeopathy and I since 2003 left practice. Now, reading ur editorial and ur words, I feel a new vigor and vitality to conduct research in this fields.

    Thanx

    M. Irfan

    many blessings to all,
    Debby

    • DR. Manish,your approach is so practical.Instead of waiting for what others are doig to pervert the situation look for your self how you are contributing to counteract the evil designs of the BIG PHARMA led campaign.Your suggession of holding of treatment camps,distribution of free polycrest kits with drug picture pamphlets along with holding of seminars and discussion groups are some of the best steps which every homeopath can do in his own sphere influence.In England sprig flue errupts every year. This is the best time to come into action.Let every homeopath follow Dr.Manish’s recipe,shed a little bit of his comfort,go public and cure patients free.The large patient following will make the devilish campaign ineffective.
      Good luck Manish!Go on doing the good work.

  • dear dr manish,

    it is indded a laudable effort u r doing.

    let me know the creation of fund for facing campaigns against homoeopathy

    let us contribute so that this will work for even in the areas other than uk

    my best wishes to all homoeopathic fraternity and happy new year gudi padava

    dr seshavatharam csv
    dr rohini eyyunni
    dr srikanth csn

  • Dear Dr.manish,
    Your approach to the British Homeopaths is thought provoking and timely.It is well laid out plan to combat the “disease”.I think the following are also be helpful.
    The british homeopaths will definitely have the e-mail addresses of their customers.They can request them to send mails to the committee urging that homeopathy is their choice and should not be deprived of it,for any reason.Refusal of govt support to them will be against their fundamental right
    I fervently believe that some of the exhibitors who gulped vials on that day should have had some adverse reaction and suffered privately.If possible, they should be exposed.
    The patients who miraculously got cured by homeopathy,after being discharged as incurable by allopthy, should narrate their experience in a new website dedicated for it.
    v.r.varadarajan

  • Yes, Dr. Bhatia the idea of seminar with involvement of lay faternity is the key not just to combat or defend homeopathy but to spread the power of homeopathy. In fact our focus instead of being on defending should be on spreading the power of homeopathy-and this can only be done by demystifying homeopathy and empowering people to treat common ailments (first aid).
    My Guru, Fr. Joesph Britto did just that…he conducts seminars for common people with basic, advanced and indepth courses. The result is that other practicing homepaths also benefited from the resulting popularity. And the crown of his efforts are that many children of his students today are pursuing full time homeopathy.

  • Dear Dr. Bhatia,
    You have always been nursing bold ideas. I like the way you have dealt your own views. The best to popularize homoeopathy is to hold free medical camps as you have suggested. Delhi Homoeopathic Medical Association, one of the oldest has been doing this and similar is the case with Dr. Hahnemann Homoeopathic Research
    Association, Delhi. It is on monthly basis and with the help of Delhi Government. On personal level one should attend some charitable institute to practice homoeopathy free of cost at least for one hour if not more. This also boosts the system.
    Keep it up.
    Dr. Shiv Dua

  • Homeopathy cannot be destroyed so easily, it has survived for 200 yrs & more. You have to be persistant,take help of the cured patients. The monarachy of England have been strong followers of homeopathy, they should be roped in. It is the duty of each & every homoeopath to see that such mud slinging in England is stopped for it may spill in other countries too; how can you be a silent spectator when your brother in England is being mocked at? The allopathy has lot of money at stake and they are scared now that homeopathy may shake their foundation. There are so many things we do not understand but we cannot deny it. A dog can sniff out drugs which we don’t know how but still we use it. Just do your work for homoeopathy & pray. God bless homeopathy.

  • Dear dr.
    i returned to Italy,my country, last year and i’ve found the homeopathy practice in bad way. Homeopathy is practiced by allopath doctors after 6 months of week end courses. I’ve studied homeopathy in usa for 4 years, pure homeopathy learning. i cannot practice in Italy because I am not an MD so i decided to move in uk. mostly of italian people say that, homeopathy doesn’t work and use it for kids or pregnants women. Reason, homeopathy is not well applied or practiced. business? God bless homeopathy….

  • The fight between illusion and truth and I hope the illusion will be disappear by true light(Homeopath)

Leave a Comment