Author: Dr. Aparna Joshi
Reviewed by: Dr. Firuzi Mehta
141 pages, paperback.
Publisher: Educreation Publishing
ISBN: 978-1-5457-0765-4
Price: INR 265.00 (available at a discount on Amazon and other websites)
The Dynamics Of Homoeopathy is a little book which packs quite a punch. I would recommend it to anyone who shows a real interest in knowing what homoeopathy as a system of medicine is about. It will trigger further interest and may motivate people to start walking down the path of homoeopathy, either as patients, students or practitioners.
It is a perfect little book for students and young homoeopaths, who at times, are sure to feel that the study and practice of homoeopathy is difficult. We know that many young homoeopaths, after a brief struggle, quit and take up other career paths. The author makes clear that she understands those struggles and she extends a hand of support to those young homoeopaths. Reading this book gives encouragement and motivation to work that little bit harder. The book describes the immense satisfaction that can be ours when we cure a case – a case that was not necessarily complicated – but one in which conventional medicine could have done nothing. The rewards in terms of satisfaction are enough motivation to keep us going.
Dr. Joshi mentions in her Foreword “Most of all, this book is for the ardent student of homoeopathy who may be riddled with doubts and misgivings of practice. If it can help him set aside his uncertainties, reinforce his convictions and face the world with confidence, my intention is realised and my objective is achieved!” After reading this book, I can say, “Yes, Dr. Joshi, your book will make you achieve your goals.”
Apart from young homoeopaths, I think this book would be a good read for practitioners of conventional medicine. It will give them some insight into homoeopathy and if they can let go of preconceived notions and prejudices, it will help them to have a healthy respect for this wonderful system that is Homoeopathy.
This gem of a book has 20 chapters. In the first chapter, Dr. Joshi, in brief, takes the reader down the historical path that Dr. Hahnemann travelled. Within the few pages of this chapter, she shows how Dr. Samuel Hahnemann was a prolific thinker, a man with vision, ample intelligence and logical reasoning, who arrived at scientific ideas far in advance of the times he lived in – scientific ideas that have been proven as facts more than a century later.
In the second chapter, Dr. Joshi discusses the laws and principles of practice of homoeopathy – showing the scientific foundation that homoeopathy is based on. In further chapters, she discusses at length what a physician needs to know, and how he/she needs to develop the necessary skills to be a good clinician and homoeopath. She emphasises the importance of knowledge of physiology, pathology and clinical examination. For improving the case taking and understanding skills of the homoeopath, relevant aphorisms from Hahnemann’s Organon have been chosen and explained. Many of our homoeopathic concepts have been explained using modern scientific concepts like the laws of thermodynamics, biochemistry, the endocrine system, the immune system, etc. This will clearly help our colleagues from conventional medicine to better understand our laws and concepts.
Dr. Joshi also touches upon the field of epigenetics and there is one chapter dedicated to the Quantum Field as well. She explains how advances in physics may prove how homoeopathy works, dispelling the long-held myths about homeopathy being merely placebo. We could go into pages and volumes showing fantastic homoeopathic results even in plants, animals and babies where there is no question of a placebo effect, but let us not digress at this point. The Memory of Water gets a chapter too, which highlights the work of Dr. Masaru Emoto, a Japanese researcher, who showed how water molecules get structurally affected by different frequencies and vibrations.
The last few chapters touch upon prescribing skills for different types of cases including critical care cases. In the last chapter, Dr. Joshi talks about establishing collaboration between homoeopaths, which would help to grow and strengthen unity in the community. I see this as a much needed enterprise, especially nowadays, as the existence of homoeopathy is being threatened in several countries by forces inimical to its growth and spread.
We have a wonderful system of medicine in our hands. It is our right and duty to make the best use of it, to help all the suffering masses to attain better health, and what a change we could bring about in the world! United we stand and divided we fall. Let us not forget the main aim; we work for the betterment of our patients.
No review of mine is complete without a mention of the ‘physical’ aspects of the book – good paper quality, good printing; a very nice little book to have and read from time to time.
Thank you, Dr. Joshi. Your book is going to motivate and encourage everyone who reads it.
