Biographies of Homeopaths

Proceso Sanchez Ortega – Truth Cannot Be Destroyed

homeopathy medicine in mexico
Written by Katja Schuett

Homeopath Katja Schütt presents a brief biography Proceso Sanchez Ortega, a monumental figure in the history of homeopathy. She shares some of his profound insights into miasms.

“Miasms create erroneous views and ideas and are the cause for human unhappiness and all far-reaching errors of the human species, including war.“

Proceso Sanchez Ortega

mexico     Proceso Sanchez Ortega was born in Tulancingo de Bravo, Hidalgo, a state of Mexico. Referring to Samuel Hahnemann’s death and the continuation of his work he said: “According to my birth certificate I was born on July 26th, 1919, but the truth is I was born on July 2nd.” His parents, Jesus Sanchez and Enriqueta Ortega, had two more children, Alberto and Angel. Their father, Jesus Sanchez, had died already when Proceso was one year old. To provide for their children the mother worked in a small business.

Proceso Sanchez OrtegaOrtega went to the primary schools ”Nicolas Garcia de San Vicente“ and “Ignacio Zaragoza“. In 1926, when he was attending the fourth grade, he won the school mathematics competition. During his school time he spent his leisure time with his beloved and admired aunts who were teachers and possibly evoked his love for teaching. Since being a child Ortega loved reading and philosophizing and put all his efforts into learning as he dreamed of becoming a teacher.

Encouraged and supported by his aunts and teachers he continued his higher academic education in Mexico City, despite the political instability at that time. Changing to the secondary school “Cooperacion” in Mexico City, at the age of 13, he soon found friends whose support helped him to reach his desired goal.

Ortega’s mother became ill before he finished his preparatory education. She could not be helped with orthodox medicine but finally recovered with homeopathy. This was a transcendental experience which influenced Ortega’s life profoundly.

Ortega had a strong faith in God and deep religious thoughts. In faith he saw one of the most important needs of the human being. When he was studying in Mexico City there was an anti-religious movement which was supported by the school “Escuela Normal de Maestros” which he was attending at the time. Their anti-religious motives and endeavors to implement socialistic and communistic ideas led him to doubt about his ambitions of becoming a teacher.

schuett-feb14-image003Following his medical vocation and due to his encounter with homeopathy, Ortega entered the school “Escuela Libre de Homeopatia de Mexico” in 1929 to study medicine and homeopathy. He finished his medical studies as a physician of surgery and gynecology in 1942. He wrote his doctoral thesis on “Nature and Homeopathy” which already concentrated on the constitutional aspects of chronic diseases.

Ortega studied with eminent homeopathic teachers like Drs. Leonardo Jaramillo, Pastor G. Rocha, Eulalio Dario Flores, Moises Mendez X, Gilda Bonilla, Miguel Sanchez de la Vega, and Alberto Lara de la Rosa, all direct disciples of the  Mexican homeopathy apostle Dr. Higinio G. Perez, who once established the school “Escuela Libre de Homeopatia de Mexico”.

Soon after his fifth year of medical study Ortega became a teaching assistant in general anatomy, due to his academic successes. One year later he became a teacher of the homeopathic doctrine, an area where he soon proved to be an enthusiastic teacher. Although being young, his pupils applauded his lectures and he became a much beloved teacher in Mexico and abroad. He soon overcame his fear of speaking in the public.

On January 15th, 1945, Proceso Sanchez Ortega married his girlfriend Rebeca Caballero Cuevas who was a nurse and midwife at the school “Escuela Libre de Homeopatia de Mexico”. She gave birth to eight children, two of whom died in early childhood. Four of their children and five of their grandchildren also became homeopaths!

After finishing his medical studies Ortega treated thousands of patients. His vocation to serve his patients did not allow him to retire, so he continued practicing for more than 60 years. Amongst his patients were his teachers who confidentially laid their lives into his hands after having witnessed his development and being convinced of his capabilities.

Ortega had a deep desire to understand his patients in their innermost. His great success as a homeopath can be attributed to following exactly Hahnemannian principles of prescribing, to his profound understanding  of and continued investigation of the homeopathic philosophy, combined with a deep knowledge of psychology, anthropology, philosophy and sociology, as well as his extensive clinical experience and knowledge of the obstacles to cure. He also considered it his duty to care for his patients, to his own considerable anxiety. Ortega believed that achievements are only gained if one passionately dedicates himself to what one likes. His inquisitive mind had obliged him to a deeper study and investigation of homeopathy which finally led him to master the science and art of homeopathy. Homeopathy became his passion and vocation.

Since the beginning Ortega had felt intrigued to study the miasm theory introduced by Hahnemann.  His interest in miasms was fueled by the observations and advice of homeopaths like Drs. Eulalio Dario Flores, Leonardo Jaramillo, Moises Mendez X, Gildardo Bonilla, Alfredo Zendejas, Miguel Sanchez de la Vega, Pastor G. Rocha, Alberto Lara de la Rosa, and Lucio Rosette who referred to various other physicians and their search for the true cause of diseases. His in depth study of human pathology and his investigations of chronic diseases and miasms lead him to make important contributions to the understanding of the miasm theory and its practical implications.

Ortega viewed miasms as the modality through which the essential nature of the human being is expressed, and which limits their freedom and the expression of their true self. A subject’s individuality always strives for its complete expression and holistic presentation. Everything which is abnormal hinders the expression. The doctrine of miasms gives criteria for that which is normal and abnormal in the individual. [1]

“Man’s natural healing power is undoubtedly undermined, caused to deteriorate, and lessened as a restorative or reconstructive force by the presence of a miasmatic condition, a profound and indelible stamp permanently imprinted on the being.” [2]

“A miasm must be understood in its broadest sense as a true chronic disease, predisposing condition, or morbid constitutional state which will unfailingly give rise to the different illnesses of mankind, whether of deficiency, excess or perversion, recognizable in the organic alterations as well as in the mental and emotional spheres.” [3] Miasms create erroneous views and ideas and are the cause for human unhappiness and all far-reaching errors of the human species, including war. As miasms account for the subtle variants of symptoms on the one hand, “the collective miasm on the other hand characterizes a human group or nation and its rules, philosophies, politics and happenings. History is the product of the biopathography of the most prominent humans in that historical period, spread by contagion through miasmatic predisposition.” [4] Consequently, Ortega argued that an understanding of miasms should be the ultimate concern of the physician and provides the deepest understanding of the human being, with regard to the features which lead them to exist and to realize their full potential as well as the defects and failures which impede them. [5]

“Miasms should be the main point of each true physician’s attention. He shall feel them, recognize them and eradicate them as much as possible! “ [6]

Accessing the subject’s miasm helps in understanding his pathology, to give a relative prognosis, and to make a truly curative prescription. Implementing the miasm theory into practice, Ortega advised that the totality of symptoms is the totality which is congruent with the dominant miasm: “This constitutes the true and useful totality: True, because it is the existential moment which we must strive to reach in our patient and useful because it is the group of symptoms which points to the true simillimum”. [7] Therefore it is necessary to carefully determine the miasm of each symptom.

Opining, that “the truly eugenic man – even though an utopian concept – should include the possibility of maximum equilibrium and harmony of all determinative characteristics of the species” [8] Ortega based eugenics fundamentally on the greatest possible elimination of the miasms. By prenatal treatment with constitutional remedies, homeopathic treatment can even benefit future generations!

Miasms do not only account for pathological tendencies but also for the attraction towards certain people, their affinity to each other and the (dis-) harmony of relationships. Ortega opined that “any relationship between people is realized tropism. We always pursue that which is analogous, something which prolongs our existence or whose existence we prolong. It is logical that, in the miasmatic realm, we are linked to those who correspond to us, and this correspondence will also be a function of miasmatic characteristics. A psoric-sycotic-syphilitic (or 1-2-3, according to the relative contribution of each miasm) will, in theory, be perfectly complemented by another person represented miasmatically by the numbers 3-2-1, so that the characteristic modes of expression of the one can be fused with those of the other by virtue of continuity, of interlacing, within the overall need of analogy. The expression of their characteristic qualities forms a sort of circle of complementarity and succession whose outcome is a persistent harmonic movement.” [9]

Also, in art, painting, music, literature and philosophy the miasmatic modulation is visible: “In the whole work of an artist, of each artisan as in every work and creation of a human, and in each recognizable netting of his manifestations the miasmatic taint can be determined that modulated and distorted them. In the same way we can recognize the diathetic field in the netting of symptoms on which the plant grows which we call disease.” [10]

“The doctrine of miasms is Hahnemann’s greatest contribution to medicine. Even if it is hardly grasped in a correct manner nor applied properly. It holds the key to a deep impact on the individual, to integral healing, and thereby to a cure or amelioration of the species.” [11]

schuett-feb14-image004Ortega’s other important contribution to homeopathy was the systematization of the following eight fundamental methodical principles of homeopathy:

  • Vis medicatrix naturae
  • Similibus Similia Curantur
  • Pure Experimentation
  • Individual disease
  • Individual remedy
  • Minimum dose
  • Vital Dynamism
  • Chronic miasms

 

In 1946 Ortega published his investigations at the school “Escuela Libre de Homeopatia de Mexico” and soon later at the International Congress of Homeopathy. His important investigations and teachings soon became recognized in Mexico and abroad.

Ortega was a teacher at the school “Ecuela Libre de Homeopatia de Mexico” for more than 20 years, together with his favorite teacher, Dr. Eulalio Dario Flores. However, seeing the school failing in strictly applying the Hahnemannian doctrine of pure homeopathy, Ortega founded the “Associacion Homeopatia de Mexico, A.C.”, in 1960, together with David Flores Toledo and Ranulfo Romero Moreno. In 1962 he finished teaching at the school “Escuela Libre de Homeopatia de Mexico” due to disagreements with the directors who did not share the ideas and goals, with which Ortega once had founded the institution, and despite having been requested by his colleagues and pupils to continue teaching there. Ortega continued working at the “Associacion Homeopatia de Mexico, A.C.” which became incorporated as a postgraduate school for homeopathy into the “Institute of Higher Education” in Oaxaca, Mexico, in 1985, due to a state’s decree.

Despite the difficulties Ortega had to face, due to economic and political problems in Mexico at the time, he was still fighting untiringly for a worthy position for homeopathy in his country, where homeopathy had been officially recognized for a long time. He constantly defended homeopathy against its opponents, as well as the so-called pseudo-homeopath’ who wanted to distort Hahnemann’s original ideas. He opined that “old medicine is always trying to destroy the evil. One can never destroy the evil. What one needs to do is to strengthen the good and that’s it. The same for humanity, for society and for the sick man.” [12] He pointed out that allopathic medicine increases the miasmatic burden with its suppressive therapeutics, which especially aggravate the sycotic and syphilitic miasm. Useless allopathic and enantiopathic treatments as well as indiscriminately and unmindfully given vaccinations, slowly destroy mankind. A true physician, however, shall consider the miasms and constitution, and not resort to those harmful therapeutics, which make the subject even more degenerate!

Nevertheless, Ortega recognized: “We all look for the truth and attend the Temple of Asclepius with our own ideas, beliefs and personal prejudices and peculiarities in thinking and lifestyle. Even if we are sure to be in the possession of truth, let us never forget to meet all those with respect and admiration in our eyes and heart, who look for the same and feel the same desire to cure like us. There is some truth in all ideas, a part which might be missing in our own truth.” [13]

Ortega could get angry, especially about the terrible mistakes of orthodox medicine, or if his pupils did not apply homeopathy properly. Yet, inside he was full of love and tenderness and could give easily. He loved beauty and all beautiful things around him and was very sentimental. He was a great advocator of truth, and recommended the return to nature.

Proceso Sanchez Ortega was the organizing president of the Homeopathic National Congress in 1960 in Mexico, and the Homeopathic World Congress in Brazil in 1958. He was the president of 24 international meetings of homeopathy in Mexico which took place every two years, of two congresses of the “Liga Medicorum Homoeopathica Internationalis” in Acapulco, in 1980, and in Oaxaca, in 1995. He assisted and participated in the Liga Congresses for more than 50 years, always eager to know new advances in homeopathy, especially the miasm theory.  He was the president of fourteen meetings of the “Grupos Foráneos de Homeopatía” in Mexico and the director and founder of the Association “Friends of Homeopathy” in the cities of Mexico and Oaxaca. He was one of the original members of the group “Bandera de Oro” which was dedicated to the study and defense of Hahnemannian homeopathy at an international level. He was the founding member and president of the “Association Eulalio Doctor Darío Flores”, an association which also aimed at preserving pure Hahnemannian homeopathy. He was a member of the Judging Commission of the Mexican Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia. In 1950 Ortega founded the journal “La Homeopatia en el Mundo”, in which articles from all over the world were published. He has worked as a contributor and adviser for several homeopathic publications amongst which “Acta Homeopática de la LMHI”, “La Homeopatía de México”, and the journal “Homeopathy” of the United States of America, stand out. He received numerous medals and diplomas recognizing his efforts for the proliferation of homeopathy in Europe and America. His vocation to teach homeopathy brought him to teach in more than 20 countries, such as Greece, Colombia, Venezuela, Spain, Italy, Argentina, Brazil, Belgium, Germany, France, Ecuador, India, Uruguay and Cuba. Due to his unique character and teaching style he was generally considered to be the “teacher of all teachers”.

Ortega was a charismatic and intelligent man with a sensitive character for whom money wasn’t of primary importance. When teaching in Barcelona, Spain, he shared the following analogy about a farmer who cultivates his fields with devotion and affection, to illustrate his attitude toward his profession and money: “The farmer was approached by property investors who wanted to buy his land, offering him huge economical advantages and a beneficial new life. However, the farmer refused and told them that he was happy cultivating his land, and that in his life, dedicating himself to his work with attention and vocation was what truly fulfilled him with satisfaction and that he did not need their money.” Ortega compared this with the hard, difficult, arduous, yet satisfying work of the homeopath who might often feel seduced to follow another, more easy life which would bring more money.  However, “to dedicate oneself with all care to one’s own field and the cultivation and growth of plants one takes care of, is the only way to continue doing a great job and what finally satisfies the physician as well as his patients”. [14]

schuett-feb14-image006Ortega wrote the following books on homeopathy:

  • “Notes on the miams” (“Apuntes sobre los Miasmas o Enfermedades Crónicas de Hahnemann”)
  • “Introduction to homeopathic medicine” (”Introducción a la Medicina Homeopática, Teoría y Técnica”)
  • “Translation and Defintition of Mental Symptoms of Barthel’s Synthesis Repertory“ (“Traducción y Definición de los Síntomas Mentales del Repertorio sintético de Barthel”)
  • “Apuntes sobre la Clínica Integral Hahnemanniana”

 

schuett-feb14-image005Ortega was a powerful teacher who was able to evoke a passion for homeopathy in his pupils. He taught his pupils to become better people and to love their fellow men, not merely due to religious reasons, but as a primordial need. In homeopathy Ortega found not only his vocation, but also, as he said, God. Like Hahnemann, Ortega had a strong faith in God and was convinced of the superiority of homeopathy over any other therapeutic method. For both, Homeopathy became their vocation to which they dedicated their life with all passion. They determinedly followed their goals and continued to do so despite the difficulties they had to face in their lives. Hahnemann and Ortega were both  very intelligent students who demonstrated their excellent capabilities early in  life. Both men could count on the support of their family and teachers during their formative years. They both could get angry about the harm done by orthodox medicine as well as the practice of half-homeopaths who did not strictly follow Hahnemann’s rules and principles. They were both known to be selfless and loyal physicians who cared for their patients in the most humane and compassionate way. Both lived until a very ripe age and worked tirelessly until the end of their lives. They were both men of principle, and most of all, they practiced what they preached.

Proceso Sanchez Ortega died on October 16th, 2005, in Mexico City. His human remains were buried in the cemetery of his hometown.

Homeopathy has always had its detractors due to ignorance, arrogance, egoism and greed. When facing difficulties with the practice of homeopathy nowadays, let us always remember Proceso Sanchez Ortega’s saying:

Homeopathy will never be destroyed, because it is a truth and truth cannot be destroyed.”

 

References

Proceso Sanchez Ortega, National Homoeopathic Pharmacy, Notes on Miasms, New Delhi, 1980

Proceso Sanchez Ortega, Die Lehre der Homöopathie, Sonntag Verlag, Stuttgart, 2002

http://www.escuelalibredehomeopatia.com.mx

http://elizabethpalmeros.blogspot.de/2010_04_01_archive.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZfJ-frd6BY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qyMwzPUvJI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RMEU9aadZ8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EC7tuCnynw

 

Footnotes

[1] Die Lehre der Homöopathie, p.230

[2] Notes on Miasms, p.93

[3] Notes on Miasms, p.195

[4] Notes on Miasms, p.204

[5] Notes on Miasms, p.5

[6] Die Lehre der Homöopathie, p.233

[7] Notes on Miasms, p.207

[8] Notes on Miasms, p.175

[9] Notes on Miasms, p.115

[10] Die Lehre der Homöopathie, p.233

[11] Die Lehre der Homöopathie, p.343

[12] video

[13] Die Lehre der Homöopathie, p.22

[14] Manuel Mateu-Ratera, Proceso Sanchez Ortega, Maestro de Homeopatas

About the author

Katja Schuett

Katja Schutt, Msc, HP, DHM, PGHom, DVetHom, has studied homeopathy with several schools, amongst which David Little’s advanced course stands out as it offers a really deep insight into homeopathic philosophy and materia medica (simillimum.com). Her current focus lies in working with animals and studying history, the old masters, and research.

7 Comments

  • DEAR DR,
    IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO ELIMINATE MIASAM FROM US. THEY ARE IN DNA OF MANKIND. HOW CAN WE INJECT ANTIMIASMIC VACCINATION, EVEN IF DRUG GETS INVENTED, TO 700 CRORES OF PEOPLE. AGAIN THERE IS POSSIBILITY WE MAY GET THEM FROM ANIMALS AND PLANTS AGAIN. MIASMS CAME FROM THE TIME MEN AND WOMEN WERE LIVING NACKED. THEY DID NOT TAKE BATHS AND COUGHT ITCH AND AFTER SEX WITH MEN AND BEAST, THEY DID NOT WASH AND MAINTAINED BODY HYGIENE. THUS THEY SUFFERED FROM SYCOSIS AND SYPHILIS A FULL BOOK CAN BE WRITTEN ON THIS SUBJECT. EVERY MAN HAS ALL THE 3 MISAMS IN DIFFERENT RATIO. IN HOMEOPATHIC TREATMENT IT IS NECESSARY TO KNOW AS TO WICH MIASM IS PROMENENT IN THE DISEASE
    REGARDS
    DR SHEKHAR

  • Dear Katja, Thanks for this article of Process Sanchez Ortega, and giving some of the recognition he deserves. And also thanks for opening up for other mostly unknown but great Homeopaths of the world.

  • I have received his valuable guidance in 1984 when I was his student. He was very kind and caring person. He was hypnotizing when teaching. The Great Teacher of Homoeopathic philosophy and materia medica. His way of understanding the patient was great. He was feeling the patient.
    I SALUTE HIM.
    I THANKS GOD FOR BEING HIS STUDENT..

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