Homeopathy Papers

The Carpet Weaver of the Night

dream interpretation
Written by Luc De Schepper

Dr. Luc De Schepper discusses his latest book and tells us why every homeopath should make it his duty to master the art and science of dream-analysis.

Basic Concepts of Dream Interpretation in the Homeopathic practice

It always was my goal to give the aspiring homeopath a full education in the Art and Science of Classical Homeopathy and beyond. This will be the fifth book that will complete this lofty goal. In the following order, I wrote “Hahnemann Revisited,” “Achieving and Maintaining the Simillimum,” “advanced Guide for the Professional homeopath,” the new in depth Materia Medica “Discovering Life: Homeopathic Portraits,” and now in the works, a book about the other half of humankind, unknown to Hahnemann and to homeopaths around the world, about the actions of the unconscious communicated by dreams. Add to this as usual, the Organon and the student will receive more information than in any school around the world. This last work might be the most challenging but very rewarding to the reader and the aspiring healer and homeopath. It will still take several years to complete this last volume, but it has and still is giving me the opportunity to enhance the practice of homeopathy without sinning against any of Hahnemann’s Teachings. What follows is the working introduction to this work.

dream-interpretation

Introduction

“I woke up in a cold sweat and was filled with rage. My dream finally told me what I so long suspected: I saw my husband seducing another woman. Upon awakening, I did not hesitate to confront him immediately, and from the surprised look on his face, I knew I had caught him in the crime of deception. The more I insisted on hearing the truth, the more flustered and confused he became, stammering that I had been caught with a whiff of insanity, but the more he pleaded, the more he was signaling to me that there was no doubt! He was possessed of the spirit of the sex craved Rasputin, the demonic confident of Tsar Nicholas II and Tsarita Alexandria in the early 1900s. Guilty as charged!”

I often wonder how such similar story and even more incredible stories have sawed thorns in mankind’s garden of love, and to what disastrous results they have led: emotions like jealousy, suspicion and rage descended with tsunami-like forces on the dwelling or Self of the dreamer, threatening to fracture the bearer’s integrity of the ego. To whom should we look for explanation? To the long trusted family physician? He will reassure you with a wink and a gentle touch on your shoulder: “You know that these dreams are all nonsense!” To the psychiatrist, the physician who deals with derangements of the mind? Certainly the reaction of the dreamer and the created story in the dream look like the handiwork of a delusional person and the creation of an evil genius respectively. But after examining the state of your married life, the stress at work and the support of your extended family, he throws his hands up and declares you “sane”—not needing any of the readily available allopathic “wonder” drugs to restore your out-of-bound neurotransmitters.

What about alternative physicians? Chiropractors? Naturopaths? Not a chance to receive any explanation about dreams from their art of healing! Maybe TCM physicians, who have studied the Chinese ancient books, where the word Tao means the union of opposites and whose techniques have brought relief for many ailments to so many sufferers over the last five centuries? The “Spiritual Axis” in chapter 43 says: When the Gall Bladder is deficient one dreams of fights, trials and suicide (Spiritual Axis, p.85).” For the Chinese, as the mind resides in the Heart, all dreams are somewhat related to disharmony in the Heart organ, but more specifically (as the Heart belongs to the Fire Element), dreams of fire, volcanic eruptions and smoke.

However, how much and long I studied TCM and loved its practice for decades, I wonder how many of its practitioners deal adequately with explaining dreams and are able to bring peace and understanding in the mind of the dreamer. Dream analysis is certainly not high on the curriculum of TCM schools. Well, at least we have the homeopaths! Its modality and science certainly is able to penetrate deep in the mind of the body, linking diseases to subtle (or not so subtle) unbalanced emotions. Its founder, Samuel Hahnemann, was the first physician in his time, to advocate the humane treatment of the insane and epileptics, the latter, which were also considered insane! But when one examines Hahnemann’s master work, The Organon of the Medical Art, not one mention can be found in his masterful treatise of health about dreams. Throughout the ensuing years, one phrase seems to have come up in the homeopathic world: “recurrent dreams are important.” No further explanation and no further investigation has ever been given, and yes no further understanding by almost any homeopath was and is forthcoming, unless they are a Jungian analyst or studied Jung’s extensive Collective Volumes (20!). Rare indeed is that bird in this world. If so far any small attempts were made, its authors failed to connect the two sciences, homeopathy and dream analysis to the point that homeopaths in their practice could use to the full extent that important “other” part of the human being in healing their patients: the unconscious and its messenger, dreams!

Newly proved remedies contain all kinds of dreams, but I have never seen any symbolic subjective translation of these dreams in these provings in relationship to the prover’s existing conscious situation. They are just treated like the other proving symptoms−registered as facts without depth analysis, which in case of dreams is far more important than for the other objective and subjective symptoms. So the extreme value of dream content importance in provings is not at all addressed, missing the true meaning of these important messages. What about the neo-gurus in homeopathy? They are always busy to introduce a “new” theory expressed by a single “new” (not invented by them though) word in order to step backwards towards the more Hahnemannian classical homeopathy, albeit without giving up the esoteric, based on the same squiggles, and then pronouncing this again as the “advanced and only method” to succeed in practice. After having misled the homeopathic community for a long time, leading to therapeutical failures and homeopaths abandoning the field in droves while still mesmerizing the simple souls, backpedaling is the only resource left and the new theory has to be wrapped in a new inflated packing in order to obtain a new impetus to maintain their name and to set themselves up on their little thrones. But even for them dreams remain too mysterious and taxing their brains too much to even attempt to approach this scientifically proven field. Besides this subject is indeed very difficult, not only for intellectual reasons, but even more on account of personal, subjective resistance as it demands from the homeopath ruthless self-knowledge and courage, two characteristics unknown to most people in general. “Know Thyself” is not a favorite topic and yet one of the meanings of life is to find out how to meet and resolve one’s own difficulty!

One of the major principles in homeopathy is selecting the simillimum according to “the totality of symptoms.” So far in the homeopathic practice, this has entailed Aphorism 5 and 7 of the Organon: the exciting and underlying cause, usually a chronic miasm, the physical condition of the patient, his intellectual character, his activities, his life style, his habits, his social position, family relationships, his age, his sexual life (A5). A7 refers to the appearance of symptoms, the outer image expressing the inner essence of the disease, of the disturbed vital force, that must be the main, even the only, means by which the disease allows us to find the necessary remedy…(Hahnemann, Organon of Medicine, 162, translated by Alain Naude, Cooper Publishing, p.11-12. ((emphasis by author). Is it truly the only means for determining the simillimum in the practice and does it truly reflect the “totality” of the symptoms homeopaths should prescribe on? Although Hahnemann could have known about the importance of dreams in assessing the health of his patients (dream interpretation goes back to the ancient Greeks), homeopathy has failed to understand the power of the unconscious and its cryptic message through its messenger−dreams, exposing more of the patient than the conscious ever can reveal. The information we obtain from our patients is far from complete. One only has to attend a day in the clinic of homeopaths, physicians and healers alike, to find out that what is elicited during the inquiry reflects only one quarter of the patient’s life story. This small part is the “totality” of the Personal story the patient is aware of and wants to display no matter how deep the healer probes! The other quarter of the conscious, because it is too shameful, too painful, and its contents are of such nature that they would impede further living as they are a shock to the system, is promptly delegated to the unconscious. Therefore the other half of the human life, the ever-growing personal unconscious, remains dark and unattended. It becomes the garbage can, the dark and threatening cellar in the house where one rarely pays a visit. What the homeopath so much wants to know, the real character of the patient and the undiluted time line of events in his life, is hidden, deformed, skipped over and left alone along the lines of the empathetic advice of the Philistine to “let sleeping dogs lie.”

We can’t fault Hahnemann for not having incorporated dream analysis in the homeopathic practice as it required his life time to formulate his six editions of the Organon in spite of constant opposition to the practice of his Art. It is left to us, his disciples to expand the homeopathic investigation with the unknown element of the human being: his unconscious and its messenger, dreams. The ASD epidemic has made the understanding of dreams even more important. Too many of such children seem to be caught between conscious and unconscious where the selective filter of the conscious has become closed to let elements from the outside world pass through, making increased communication and exchange impossible if not undesirable. Children in general are caught in their own dreamy world and understanding dreams help us navigate the maze of their world. Moreover, depth-psychology, especially dream interpretation, enables the crossover to biology and medicine, with great benefit to the medical and homeopathic community. The benefits to the homeopathic practice are enormous and every homeopath should make it his duty to master the art and science of dream-analysis. As the homeopath will study the contents of this book, besides receiving an in-depth new and expanded view of the patient’s suffering, dream analysis will contribute important information that will assist him in finding many aspects of the homeopathic Art:

  • To find the simillimum (expanded by the elusive Cyber delusion, hidden in the unconscious-See my book, “Advanced Guide for the Professional”).
  • To know when to change the remedy or not during the homeopathic treatment
  • Why a remedy would not work, even when there is no miasmatic block and apparently the remedy is seemingly well-chosen
  • Tells the homeopath about the management: is he on the right track or not? Is he going too fast or too slow? Can he go full steam ahead (as the VF is strong enough) or is the dream indicating a hidden serious disease that should warn the homeopath to use low potencies and infrequent small doses (the latter always advisable)?
  • Dreams, through their symbolic message, show the patient and homeopath where the patient is straying from his individual path (and therefore straying from the direction of cure creating an impasse) and whether he let certain aspects of his life remain unconscious; they reveal those factors in the patient that are in conflict with his conscious attitude and therefore not only cause numerous neuroses but also horrible physical conditions. No matter how much the patient will try to hide the truth, a dream will always remind him of the real situation till he is willing to correct it.
  • Warns the homeopath of dangerous aspects in his patient’s life (latent serious disease or imminent death) to be remedied by the suitable medicine, or information can be obtained through the compensatory dream where the patient’s conscious mind cannot see the reality of his dangerous life style and ambition but now a corrective dream, beyond the control of the patient’s conscious mind, will warn the dreamer to slow down, talking in fact directly to the dreamer.
  • Understanding and bridging the gap between the patient’s conscious behavior or mask and what he wants to hide from us (Shadow), the information that is most important for the homeopath in finding the simillimum. Through careful integrating of the unconscious contents, the homeopath receives a higher point of view where the “true totality,” the unconscious and the unconscious are represented, which is called the Self.
  • Tells the homeopath how the patient is hiding unconsciously (in his Shadow side) dormant good qualities which when integrated into consciousness would give the patient a greater meaning of life and vocation as well as providing a ground-plan of future activities and potentialities for personal development.
  • Tells the homeopath about the prognosis (direction of cure and prophesying dreams) and about the psychological, mental or physical causality of his neurosis (NWS) as well as errors of life style (A77 and A5 and 7), so that the patient does not become an obstruction in his own cure when he repeats the same mistakes over and over again; so dreams are helpful in differentiating between organic and psychogenic diseases.
  • Dream interpretation adds elements, unknown to the patient and physician, to his subjective and objective symptoms, on which the homeopath can rely for the diagnosis, including knowledge of the patient’s true temperament and constitution, as he really is, not as he wants to be perceived, in other words the emperor without clothes. Dreams are indeed your number one ally for ruthlessly puncturing your illusions and delusions of grandeur.
  • Gives the homeopath a wider view about the true causalities or what derailed the patient from his life course by examining his formation of Anima and Animus or possibly being forced to function in his archaic conscious function
  • Will shorten the length of any analysis and homeopathic treatment
  • The simillimum helps the patient’s ability to bear the pain and conflict and protecting his ego that is too fearful and brittle when faced with the analytical dream work and discovering the hidden truths in his unconscious, avoiding a psychotic break

Similar to the need of taking his own simillimum, the homeopath finally sees the necessity and finds the courage to apply the same perseverance to investigate the unconscious on himself as he heaped on his patient, rather than remaining in the dark while claiming he enlightens others! And lo and behold, such discovery might remain very unpopular as he might discover that he himself is not able to live up to the standards he demands and expects from his patients! But who claims to be enlightened when he remains in the dark? Who educates others if he himself remains uneducated? The man who suffers from a contagious disease is not fit to treat others! Rather than clinging to his conceit of authority and intellectual bluff, the homeopath must have the courage to drop his professional mask, take his simillimum and understand the long hard way to recovery full of vicissitudes and dead ends, finally understanding that “Knowledge increases suffering.” Even Jung found those benefits of analyzing his dreams as it warned him of the wrong attitude he had towards one of his patients. In Memories, Dreams, Reflections (C. Jung, 1941, page 133), he was warned by his dream that he looked down on his patient rather than looking up at the patient; this interpretation once communicated to the patient was immediately followed by a change in the patient’s situation and a going forward of the treatment, annihilating the counter-transference problem. Because of the process known as transference and counter-transference, the homeopath through a dream receives not only information about his patient’s simillimum but also about his own. Unconscious contents are always projected upon concrete persons, and because of a similar situation in the life of the homeopath, transference always affects both parties. We should remember what Jung had to say about this: “The neurotic maladjustment ofthe patient is now transferred to him (the homeopath)…When two chemical substances combine, both are altered. This is precisely what happens in transference…it is inevitable that the doctor should be influenced to a certain extent and even that his nervous health should suffer (counter-transference) [C.G. Jung. The Psychology of the Transference. Page 7; 1954))

After reading this book, the homeopath will understand that the possessor of the dream, which started this introduction, should investigate her unconscious to discover the skeletons in her cupboard before divorcing her husband, and that her threatening dream was nothing more than a projection of her own archaic Animus and the result of lack of true love, which is the kernel of all jealousy. Moreover, we will discover in this book that all of us need to start the Herculean task of cleaning our own Augias’ stable where masses of deposited manure threaten to overtake our conscious life. Where Hercules was ordered to clean King Augias’ vast stables in one day, at least all of us, normal mortals, can use the rest of our lives to take this vast venture on, where each step rewards the owner with becoming a more enlightened and complete person, although few will reach the stage of Self-realization, truly the real Herculean task.

Although Carl Jung wrote, “I know of so many who, opening one of my books and stumbling upon a number of Latin quotations, shut it with a bang…I am afraid my works demand some patience and some thinking.” (Psyche and Symbol, 1958, Preface, xi), I have mainly followed Carl Jung’s ideas in dream interpretation, as throughout his writings I found him speaking as an unconscious homeopath, using the same language to explain dreams: the principles of like curing like and of individuality (1974, Dreams, par.489); for what reason and what motivation is the patient behaving like this and “that the initial dream which appears at the very onset of the treatment often brings to light the essential etiological factor (our NWS) (Dreams, 1974, p. 88);” he pays attention to peculiarities (our A153) in dreams, considering them as most important and follows the time line or orderly process of the individual development when he analyzes long dream-series. He even refers to miasmatic influence when he says that “one must not forget that under certain circumstances compensation may lead to a fatal outcome owing to the preponderance of destructive tendencies …apparently preordained in the life pattern of certain hereditary tainted individuals (C. Jung; Dreams. 1974, par.547) and “we think of the conscious and Personal psyche as resting upon the broad basis of an inherited and universal psychic disposition which is as such unconscious…(1972. Two Essays on Analytical Psychology, p147, par234). And further, “…for psychiatry, the essential etiological factor is the inherited or acquired pathological disposition, (1972, Ibis, Par270), referring to mainly the syphilitic miasm. Building upon such homeopathic-like structure becomes therefore easier than using the limited dogmatic Freudian analysis of dreams with its accent primarily on sexuality or the pleasure principle while (according to Freud) concealing the real meaning of the dream to the ego. It is a pity that Jung did not seem to have “discovered” Hahnemann as he never mentioned his name; and even when he refers to “I readily admit that Hippocrates, Galen, and Paracelsus were excellent doctors… (C.G. Jung, 1954, par22), there is no mentioning of the founder of homeopathy, a mystery to me as Jung immersed himself pretty much way back in medical history.

Carl Jung was not the first one following homeopathic principles in his writings. The Oneirocritica, written by Artemidorus, a philosopher of Daldis, a town in Lydia in the second century of our era, the oldest and most known work on the interpretation of dreams in five volumes, stresses that it is necessary to study the customs of land in which the dreamer lives as well as of knowing the dreamer’s identity, occupation, birth, financial status, state of health and age (Oneirocritica, Introduction, p. 16),” referred to by Hahnemann in Aphorism 5 of the Organon.

I do not pretend to be a full-fledged Jungian analyst, far from it, even after reading with the utmost interest and study all of Jung’s works. It is only my intention to open the door for homeopaths to let them know that there is a different world in man we have been neglecting in our practice, to the detriment of the patient. If as a result, the homeopath feels motivated to introduce dream interpretation in his practice and if it stimulates him to investigate further study, and to explore Carl Jung’s phenomenal books, which require concentration and careful reflection, then the goal of this book will have been reached! The work of a homeopath makes higher demands on his mental and moral structure than the allopath with his mere applications of routine techniques and protocols. Any homeopath should study first the Organon and Chronic Diseases, to honor and respect the founder of homeopathy, and any homeopath interested in dream interpretation should be stimulated to study in-depth Jung’s Collective Works to honor his genius regarding dream work, as well as his extensive research about the conscious, and personal and collective unconscious. Very few physicians in the history of man considered in their teachings the individuality of the patient, and dream interpretation which is always individual should therefore be especially an attractive and vital tool for the homeopath to introduce in his practice. I hope also that it will strengthen the homeopath’s will to succeed and to acquire the strength to swim against the stream of collective prejudice he will encounter in his life and above all to be concerned with the quality of cures rather than just the quantity.

References and Bibliography

  1. Spiritual Axis, (Ling Shi Jung). 1981. People’s Health Publishing House, Beijing. First published c. 100BC.
  2. S. Hahnemann. The Organon of Medicine. 1982. Jost Künzli, MD. Alain Naudé and Peter Pendleton. Cooper Publishing. Washington, USA.
  3. C.G. Jung. Memories, Dreams, Reflections. 1963. Recorded and Edited by Aniella Jaffe. Vintage Books. A division of Random House, New York.
  4. C.G. Jung. The Psychology of Transference. Translated by R.F.C. Hull. 1954. Bollingen Series XX. Princeton University Press.USA.
  5. C.G. Jung. Psyche and Symbol. Translated by R.F.C. Hull. 1958. Bollingen Series XX. Princeton University press.
  6. C.G. Jung. Dreams. Translated by R.F.C. Hull. 1974. Bollingen Series XX. Princeton University press.
  7. C.G. Jung. Two Essays on Analytical Psychology. Volume 7. Translated by R.F.C. Hull. 1972. Bollingen Series XX. Princeton University press.
  8. White, Robert. Artemidorus. The Interpretation of Dreams or Oneirocritica. 1975. Original Books. Torrance. California.

About the author

Luc De Schepper

Luc De Schepper, M.D., Ph.D., Lic.Ac., C.Hom., is a licensed physician and acupuncturist in Europe (since 1971) and the US. (since 1982). He studied and practiced homeopathy extensively for many years, wrote 15 textbooks of homeopathy, alternative medicine and acupuncture and has the largest school of homeopathy in the US. He spends part of his time helping the poor in South Africa, Kenya and Sri Lanka and teaches all around the world, lately bringing homeopathy to China. For more information visit www.drluc.com

25 Comments

  • Hi there,

    I have lots of respect for Mr Schepper, and this is the first time I find myself disagreeing with him.

    Yes, I am aware that we can give ourselves messages in our dreams.
    This is for the patient to find out, as they go deeper in themselves, either during case taking, or as the remedies do their work.
    The patient knows what the dream means, not me. In fact I must to be very careful not to suggest any interpretation.
    Or that it may mean anything.

    I am concerned that we are getting ourselves entangled in dream analysis, when a particular dream may just mean that, hey, there’s a remedy that’s got this dream in it!

    Please let me explain why I am so sure about this:
    I am one of these individuals who prove remedies at the drop of a hat.
    I noticed it first about 35 years ago when I ended up with one cheek red and the other pale after Chamomilla.

    And this is where the dreams come in.

    Several times, after a remedy, I noticed a dream that seemed unusual for me (hard to describe how I can tell), and there it was in the Clarke when I checked it out!

    So whether it’s a dream of being ‘covered in excrement’ (zinc), or one of ‘enjoyable voluptuous dreams’ (Glon.), for me it’s just another symptom.
    Like one red cheek.

    There is so much speculation around, muddying our clear and really quite straight-forward homoeopathic heritage.
    And it works so beautifully without it!

    • Hi there!

      What you are reading in this article is just a small introduction. To say that we can’t understand someone else’s dream (the subjective interpretation, not the objerctive one) is hard to believe when Freud and Jung have introduced this already for more than hundred years. No dream interpretation can take place without the assiociations and amplifications of the patient in the first place justr like we don’t give a remedy to anyone without knowing his conscious story and time line. But limiting our practice to one quarter of human conscious limits us and is the reason of many failures to find the remedy in the first place. Introducing dream analysis in the homeopathic practice is not polluting the homeopathic practice, on the contrary. It is time for every human being, homeopaths included, to integrate the unconscious elements into consciousness, as it is the road to become a better and more complete person (the road to individuation as Jung called it). Alas! I have no doubt that most people are averse to hear the voice of their unconscious as it often tell them how they really “are” and not “as how they perceive themselves.” Maybe you might try to see if you have a recurrent dream and see how it pertains to your daily life. Understanding this dream will bring you more insight in yourself than any conscious thought or reasoning will provide you. So dare to open Jung’s books and I am sure you wil put Jung on the same level of genius as Hahnemann. And by the way we never at first suggest any interpretation to the patient (Jung never did this) till the explanation finds its consensus (the AHA moment) in the patient. Only when the patient understood was Jung through careful inquiry giving further information. And by the way the more the truth is told the more the patient will initially deny, that’s why Jung waited till the patient understood the dream himself after personal associations and amplifications. And so should we! I hope you reread this small article and see where and how dream analysis can help in the homeopathic practice. To state that dreams are just dreams without any meaning is backwards thinking
      With much respect
      Dr luc

  • Great introduction which makes me even more longing for this new book. I had the luck to study some time with Luc and so I could already ‘taste’ a bit of this Jungian dream analysis and I must say it is amazing! It’s not easy (as is homeopathy!) but it is so valuable and one is really amazed what your dreams are telling you.
    @Picklet: Luc is not talking about the kind of dream analysis you talk about! It’s true that we can’t explain someone else’s dream; we only help, with the help of the patient’s own views, associations, to discover what the dream is trying to tell us (the patient as well as the homeopath). I suggest not to throw this idea away; just wait for this new book and I’m quite sure you won’t be disappointed 😉

  • Thank you for your kind and comprehensive explanation, Dr Luc!

    I think I did not make myself clear enough.

    Yes, there are dreams that come from the unconscious and are important messages for the patient.
    And we do agree that the patient is ready for that at a certain time. When the aha-moment happens.
    (I am actually an old fan of C G Jung, since the 70s, in fact – much more than of Freud, I must say.)

    It is a different question if it is for us as homoeopaths to work with these dreams, unless the pt spontaneously deals with them in the course of the treatment.
    Have you read Schaef on the subject of the possibility of the objectivity by the therapist?

    I believe that our task is to receive the case, find the remedy, and nothing else.

    My point is, that there are also other dreams.
    And that it can be a trap for us, to get so fascinated by dream analysis that we mistake a purely symptomatic dream (like those zinc and glon. dreams), for something much more deep and meaningful.
    And get sidetracked and entangled.

    I trust the homoeopathic process and see patients do their own dream analysis after a remedy.
    We are not psychotherapists.

    A good remedy will make the patient understand and integrate these dreams that Jung talks about, and my task is to find that remedy.
    I question if I am clear enough to do this job properly, if I involve myself in dream interpretation.

    I do appreciate you taking the time to try and make me understand, Dr Luc, believe me, we are singing from the same song sheet when it’s about C. G. J. and his work

    Can you see my points, too?
    (That there are different kinds of dreams, some meaningful to interpretation, and some purely symptomatic of a remedy state. And that the work that Jungian dream analysis does, can also be accomplished through the homoeopathic process. I have seen this).

    Thank you, I do so value your thinking what you have done for homoeopathy!
    eva

  • Hi everybody,

    dear Eva, may I jump in ? It is correct that all external influences, and more especially medicines, possess the property of producing a particular kind of alteration peculiar to themselves; but Hahnemann also mentions clearly in §181 Organon: “Let it not be objected that the accessory phenomena and new symptoms of this disease that now appear should be laid to the account of the medicament just employed. They owe their origin to it certainly, but they are always only symptoms of such a nature as this disease was itself capable of producing in this organism, and which were summoned forth and induced to make their appearance by the medicine given, owing to its power to cause similar symptoms.” As such your dreams belong to YOU even if caused by Zinc or Glon. – which both cause symptoms to arise that are particular to them and resonate with your being.

    Dream analysis is a fantastic tool to understand oneself, not only in psychotherapeutic practice. For me it has been a personal enrichment, however, I doubt that many patients will have the necessary introspection, insight and willingness to work on this level. Nevertheless I look forward to reading the book as there will always be patients who can benefit from it !

  • Cheers for that Katja!
    yes, like you, I had been wondering about those dreams being particular to me because a Rx can elicit them. I also wonder what it means that so MANY remedies produce symptoms in me.
    ‘Puts hand on brow and tries to look ever so sensitive, multi-faceted and interesting … :P’

    (My old German teacher once said I was what is known as an ‘Ideal Prover’, because of this reactivity. Simple.)

    When I have one of these dreams, there is a definite feeling of ‘this is not one of mine…it feels different”.
    Whatever that means. Your guess is as good as mine.

    I also think that Dream Analysis can be a phantastic tool in psychotherapy

    I suppose I have just seen too many homoeopaths going off on tangents, because there is such a seductiveness in some of these approaches – much more exciting than asking about the nature of the discharge!
    And it makes me worry about what will become of our clear and beautiful science.
    Maybe that made me rush in where angels fear to tread…?

    I also am looking forward to reading the book, but am wondering if I could be clear and objective enough to integrate Dream Analysis into my practice.

  • Dear Eva
    I address this issue in my introduction (the book wil be more than 500 pages). Indeed some dreams (archetypal dreams) don’t belong to you only but to the rest of mankind, hence the name archetypal in which the problem posed by the unconscious is not only a personal problem but a collective problem. And yes as I mention in this introduction, just like many homeopaths don’t even have the courage or insight to take their indicated remedy, many people will not want to look at dream analysis (homeopaths included) because as I mentioned, noi only because it is taxing on the intellectual level but also even more because it might reveal something of themselves that they either have suppressed or more commonly projected on others. Even if this small introduction elicit interests and comments it is very fruitful to draw the attention of homeopaths what they have failed to address in their practice: the messages from the unconscious revealing more about the individual than the conscious can eliti!

    Warm regards
    Dr luc

  • Dear Eva, I guess I know what you mean ! I’m also an oversensitive prover and have all too often had this feeling that “this is just not my dream” (and I don’t refer to archetypal dreams with this). The proving substance covered only a small part of our overall totality and without the remedy taken the dream would never have occured probably – may be if the disease advances what we don’t want, I’ve pondered about this frequently. But, anyway, for homeopathic case taking we consider the recurrent dreams which are the ones that are reliable and meaningful. Can you recommend any reading for Schaef ? Thanks, Katja

  • Dear Katja
    This is the misconception that only recurrent dreams are reliable and important. This seems to be the only message homeopaths receive although it does not mean they do anything with that dream for their choice of the simillimum or for understanding the patient by depth-psychology. A single dream is never easy to give an interpretation to and certainly less reliable according to Carl Jung, unles this dream recurs over the years, soimetimes from childhood till adulthood. Of course the recurrent dream recurs because the dream states a vital problem for the dreamer that he or she has not addressed or resolved in life, hence the dream recurs. You can compare it to the bill collector who wil come back till you pay your debt. or bill Much more important are the Series of Dreams that will tell you about the progression of any therapy (homeopathy, TCM or psychoanalysis) or the gain on your individuation path and the Archetypal Dreams, important for children and adults, dreams as I mention that state a message or problem not only belonging to the dreamer but to mankind since centuries. Especially the last two kinds of dreams, unknown to homeopaths are most valuable in the practice for anyone treating patients. By taking amn indicated remedy often the theme of the recurrent dream changes and then progresses to the series of dreams, proof that the initial remedy was the simillimum, and the start of a successful therapy and even more of becoming a more complete person. This small article or intoduction is just that: an introduction that needs to be followed up by a longterm study of Jung’s 20 Collective Volumes. I would love to see that happen by any homeopath so we could have a lively and intelligent conversation about it. But always remember that a dream is an individual unconscious statement of a one-sided conscious situation, so fitting dreams to a remedy as seen in Kent or by some modern homeopaths is worthless and is not what real dream analysis stand for.

    Warm regards

    Dr luc

  • Dear Katja

    I forgot to ask you with what you mean with,”This is just not my dream?” and “I don’t refer to archetypal dreams.” I am curious what you mean especially that any dream is in the first place a statement to the dreamer and belongs to the individual dreamer who can never make up his dreams.
    With much respect

    Dr luc

  • Dear Dr. Luc,
    thanks for your comments. I accept the fact given in §181 Organon that each new symptom arising after taking a remedy belongs to the remedy as well as the “prover” (which includes dreams that can be archetypal dreams but don’t have to be so necessarily). It obviously is a shared feeling to wake up after certain dreams that occured after taking a particular remedy, thinking that this “was just not my dream” because it was a completely different experience from the things I usually dream of or have ever dreamed – which might indicate its archetypal nature – but in my case the newly appearing dreams did not contain any of the archetypal dream content as defined by Jung, i.e. universal, archaic patterns and images. Does this necessarily mean that the remedy revealed repressed compensations that the conscious wasn’t able to express, or are there other options ?

    Best regards,
    Katja

  • Dear Katja
    Indeed Aphorisms 178 till 182 reveal only the simile, not the simillimum, because of paucity of symptoms in the patient but the simile (depending how close to the simillimum) can bring up more symptoms (and possible dreams) which as A182 says, “wil facilitate the choice of a second more homeopathic remedy,” indicating the value iof dream analysis also. Regarding these unusual dreams, without examples it is hard to further comment on what you say although archetypal patterns and images are numerous and can be found in fairy tales, psychology, alchemy, philosophy, religion and philology and as such sometimes cannot be recognized by the dreamer. And indeed the second meaning (if not archetypal) can be indeed that an unusual dream (often called a “big” dream) refers to suppressed or projected contents of the personal unconscious, which at first seem unusual and seemingly at contrast with the conscious situation. After al the conscious is not aware of these unconscious contents unless the simillimum was indeed to start the hard and revealing process of integration which often comes as a shock to the dreamer as it is unusual and not only positive in nature. But even such personal dream can bear the theme of a problem seen and suffered in society by many, hence collective, which often comes as a consolation to the dreamer that “he is not alone having this problem.” I appreciate yours and Eva’s discussion and wish we were sitting together at a seminar where many intelligent questions could be asked and answered!

    Dr luc

  • Hi Katja, the book that describes best what I refer to is called ‘Beyond Therapy, Beyond Science’ by Anne W. Schaef.

    I love that you recognise that feeling after a dream that I described.

    I find that my dreams can have lots of different functions, from drawing my attentions to something that needs attending to, from deep and meaningful archetypal images, over simply that I’ve caught nits from the kids (again!), to patting myself on the back for something I have resolved well and learnt from.

    I tend to look at any dream I remember as probably meaning something and work with it.

    And yes, Dr Luc, sitting round a table together having this inspiring discussion together would be a real dream all right!

    eva

  • HI,
    Its a great discussion n illuminating I get dreams of what course i must take if and when Iam sitting over a problem. Like we didnot recieve a call from our nephews and angry i got the dream to first taking care of the plants wilting out instantly i knew i have to call them up and came to know they had some health issues. I got a dream where i carried a baby and was with my brother sliding downhill in a gush of water. Soon after that my bro’s 4 month old son who was critical was operated for VSD at my place.
    What about we taking charge of the situation like fighting the demon etc it seems not so deep sleep and we are manipulating things inside the dream?

  • Hi
    There are all kind of messages in dreams like warning dreams, prophesying dreams, etc. The dreamer always has to look at his conscious life when a dream occurs and see if it is a parallel or compensatory dream (the latter most often). I will not discuss your dreams but there are quite some symbols in them that could explain the dream, especially the second one where the baby often represent death and rebirth and potentialities in the dreamer that are not achieved yet. The way you look at your dreams is the objective approach rather than the subjective symbolic approach. So although these dreams told you something about family members they might tell you also a lot about yourself as every person in your dream can be a part of you. I encourage you to study Carl Jung so you would discover the great potential dream interpretation plays in everyone’s life.
    Warm regards
    Dr luc

  • Thank you very much Sir, Iam a great fan of yours since I met u in a Bjain book release seminar in Chennai. Thank u so much.

    • Dear Dr Rekha
      Just to say something more about some of your dreams: What you experienced in some of your dreams was a genuine synchronistic phenomenon which is quite often observed in connection with any arhetypal situation like in your case of the 4 year old son of your brother diagnosed with VDS ( a phenomenon called synchronicity or acausal connection). You perceived something which in reality was taking place somewhere else. The collective unconscious is common to all mankind, of what the ancients called the “sympathy of all things.” (C. Jung; Memories, Dreams, Reflections, page138). In your case your unconscious had knowledge of your brother’s son’s condition.
      Loved Chennai when I was there!

      Dr luc

  • DEAR DR
    DREAMS CANI BE IMPORTANT SYMPTOM UNLESS THE SAME DREAM WITH SAME SUBJECT IS SEEN AGAIN AND AGAIN. IT IS STATED THAT BLIND MAN BY BIRTH DOES NOT SEE ANY DREAM BUT HE IS CURED BY TAKING INTO ACCOUNT OTHER SYHPTOMS
    THANKS

  • Hello
    What you refer to is the Recurrent dream and a recurrent dream recurs because a vital conscious problem has not been addressed and therefore the dream keeps oon coming back because indeed this man (like so many) was and remained blind. Rather than looking for more symptoms he should investigate this essential message of the unconscious and figure out what this urgent message means as he obviously did not pay his bill, so the bill collector keeps on coming back…So again as man only wil reveal one quarter of his conscious life (and life in general) it is quite possible that you will have many cases where you will have a paucity of symptoms not in the least because the patient hides the skeletons in his cupboard (the Shadow side) or does not reveal them because he thinks it is not important. Especially that what rules his behavior in conscious life (the Cyber delusion) is hidden in the Shadow side and the patient will do anything to keep it locked up, invisible to you and him. Too many people remain blind in life time, projecting or suppressing the unconscious contents rather than acknowledging and using them to become a better person. We can all use it especially that we impose on our patients to reveal as much as they can

    Warm regards
    Dr luc

  • Dr. Luc,

    I just read your brief article in Homeopathy For Everyone. Needless to say I am excited to see the evolution of your thoughts. It is so true that homeopaths( and psychotherapists etc.) miss the many segues into the whole person and how their family/culture of origin plays such a role in synchronizing with those they work with. I have found the Holographic framework useful as well as the systemic inquiry that I learned from my anthropology studies to go beyond the superficial and quick fix (see the Holographic Universe by Michael Talbot).Your teachings on temperament and connections to myths and legacy also provide patterns that connect to the evolving self and their related remedies. I have been reading Jung’s Red Book and can easily see his thought pattern (did I say easy!!) regarding “like dealing with like” especially with paradoxes and double binds..all grist for the simmillimum. Of course you are preaching to the choir with me, but to really heal we need to go into that hologram of dreams if our remedies are to find the appropriate place in one’s healing. Sad that so many look for the simple way that seldom works.Homeopathy can be fun and yes sometimes it seems simple, but rigor and part-to-whole understanding is wisdom and is seldom achieved with out the discipline that like my aikido practice consists of 1000 year techniques..Looking forward to your book and as always thank you for your healing and teachings…all my best, Ken

  • Hi everyone,

    As the above comments prove, a great deal can be said about dreams and this fascinating modality of dream analysis, and no doubt the subject brings up emotions too just talking about it, especially in connection with homeopathy. I want to share some of my experience on the matter.

    For many years now dreams and their vivid imagery have been accompanying me and gradually become a more integrated part of my daily life. Inspired by Luc De Schepper I took the first steps in trying to understand and follow the hints pointed out to me in dreams of all kinds. Just like when I get a post card with an exotic looking stamp on it, addressed to me from a faraway country, I am always eager to listen to the latest news from the “land of the unconscious”. This does not mean I always know how to interpret their varying forms and shapes, far from it, but kindly enough “the sender” seems to react to my lack of insight and sends me a new message, maybe this time slightly modified or completely altered and amplified so that I cannot shake it off before I have made at least some sense out of it. If I am on the right track, the dreams will usually let me know, or at least let me know otherwise. It is like a benevolent correspondence between two dear friends – a friend that I can always trust for his genuineness, honesty and acuteness. The seemingly endless creativity of dreams and their benevolence has humbled me in many ways and nowadays I am very careful not to overlook or reject any dream before I have given it my fullest attention.

    In my own daily life and in my life as a homeopath dream analysis has been most useful. A dream of a patient suddenly makes the next simillimum clear after days of struggle with the few existing symptoms, and the scale finally tips over in favor of one of my top candidates. A series of dreams suggesting and confirming life style changes in another patient seem to postpone again and again the need for any homeopathic remedy.

    In the introduction to his upcoming book Luc De Schepper points out many areas where dream analysis can be of benefit in the homeopathic practice and what kind of information it can provide us with. I am not sure half of it is even within the scoop of the average homeopathic practice, as much as I doubt it is understood or realized in the life of the average practitioner himself. This is not meant as criticism to anyone as I am aware of the difficulties here and how much it takes to gain these insights. But a fact is still too many homeopaths resides in the “juvenile” phase of homeopathy, and have not taken their practice beyond the dry dose or been properly introduced to the chronic miasms and miasmatic prescribing. This easily poses difficulties in management and can also become a source of confusion which will further dim the vision of the practitioner in the evaluation of a given case. Among several likely consequences the correct evaluation of a case will remain in the dark either completely or partially or at least remain much harder to come by since the understanding of a case cannot extend beyond the knowledge and insight of the practitioner and that is why I say several of the aspects of dream analysis might not yet be within the scoop of the average homeopathic practice.

    Still, I am grateful for anyone giving of his time and energy to learn homeopathy and we need great teachers like Luc De Schepper to advance our understanding of this art. From my experience of his previous books, where we are invited to get up to date with the founder of homeopathy Samuel Hahnemann, this book I am sure will be as rewarding in bringing new light and insight into the practice and into your own life as a homeopath and human being.

    With much respect

    Johan

  • Hello,
    I am curious about the dreams subject, because I often do lucid/conscious dreams. And to my opinion, these dreams are very particular and cannot be analysed. All other types of dreams can, of course, be analysed and understood. But conscious dreams where I interact with sacred animals and receive spiritual teaching ? You cannot understand this with a human brain and it has nothing to do with your unconscious part. On the contrary, it is purely conscious ! Nevertheless, I still make – of course – regular dreams with a big unconscious level to unravel ! Thanks for your insight, Emilie (france)

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