Understanding disease 

To understand disease, its object, its nature, and its cure, we must in part comprehend the reason of our being and the laws of our Creator in relation to us. 

It is essential to realise that man has two aspects, a spiritual and a physical; and that of these two, the physical is infinitely the less important. 

Under the guidance of our Spiritual Self, our Immortal Life, Man is born to gain knowledge and experience; and to perfect himself as a physical being. 

The physical body alone, without communion with the Spiritual, is as an empty shell, a cork upon the waters, but when there is union, life is a joy, an adventure of absorbing interest; a journey yielding happiness, health and knowledge. 

Our evolution began as a new born babe, without knowledge, and with the whole interest self-centred. Desires being limited to comfort, food and warmth. Then as we advance comes the desire for power, and so for a time we continue to be self-centred, desiring only our own gain and worldly ambitions. 

Then comes the turning point: the birth of the wish to be of service to others, and then begins the battle, for in the course of our further evolution we have to turn self into selfless, separation into unity, to gain all the knowledge and experience which the world can teach us; and to transmute all the human qualities into their opposing virtues. 

However we learn slowly, one lesson at a time, but we must if we are to be well and happy, learn the particular lesson given to us by our spiritual self. 

We are not all learning the same lesson at the same time. One is conquering pride, another fear, another hate, and so on, but the essential factor for health is that we do learn the lesson set for us. 

It matters not our stage of advancement, whether aborigine or disciple, is of no consequence as regards health; but what is important is that we, whatever our station, live in harmony with the dictates of our soul. Whether it be to gain rank and wealth, or to live the sacrificing life of a martyr, health depends on obeying the commands, and being in accord with our own Spiritual Self. 

Our soul places us in that station of life and gives to us that calling, be it bootblack or monarch, prince or pauper, which is best suited for our evolution, and where we can most readily learn the lesson needed, and whatever our position, it is only necessary to do the particular work laid down for us, and all will be well. 

Disease is the result of a conflict, when the personality refuses to obey the dictates of the soul, when there is disharmony, disease, between the Higher or Spiritual Self, and the lower personality as we know ourselves. 

None of us is given more than we can accomplish, nor are we asked to do more than is within our power. 

Life then resolves itself into the effort of transmuting the lower qualities of self into the higher virtues of selfless unity. Not by drastic nor frenzied efforts, but by a slow, gradual and should be happy evolution. 

During our sojourn in search of perfection, there are various stages. To transmute self into selfless, desire into desireless, separateness into unity is not done in a moment but by gradual steady evolution, and we have to master stage by stage as we progress. Some stages may be comparatively easy, some exceedingly difficult, and then it is that disease occurs, because it is at those times that we fail to follow our Spiritual Self, that the conflict arises which produces illness. 

According to the particular stage at which we are failing, so on the physical place does a definite mentality develop, with its consequent results both on the patient and those associated with him. It is this mentality which teaches the physician the real fundamental cause of the patient’s trouble, and gives to him the keynote of successful treatment. 

From this can be ascertained the effort the patient is expected to make, where he is failing, and thus can be deduced the correct treatment for his welfare. Hahnemann taught that “Like cures like.” This is true up to a point, but the word ‘cures’ is a little misleading. Like repels like might be more accurate. 

Disease itself is like curing like, or better, like repelling like. 

The reason of disease is to cause us to cease wrong actions; the most effective method to harmonise our personality with our soul. Were it not for pain how could we really know that cruelty hurt? Had we never any loss, could we realise the suffering caused by robbery? True we should learn our lessons on the mental plane, and so save physical suffering, but many of us fail to do this. And so disease is sent to us to hasten our evolution. Cruel as it may seem in our narrow outlook, it is in reality beneficent in its nature. It is the method adopted by our own Fatherly Loving Soul, to bring us to the path of understanding. 

Moreover, let it be remembered that suffering (although we certainly should by wisdom avoid it) is in a way a privilege; since it indicates that the personality has reached that stage of development when correcting is possible; very small babies are not chastised. 

Hence immediately can be seen how disease can be avoided; could we but listen to the voice of our Spiritual Self, but keep in harmony with our soul, no such severe lesson would be needed, and we could live disease free. 

Thus it is the work of the physician to assist his patient to that end, by spiritual, mental, and physical assistance. 

The genius of Hahnemann realising the nature and reason of disease, used like remedies, which, by temporarily intensifying the illness, hastened its end. He used like poisons to repel the poisons from the body. 

But having contemplated where his genius left us, let us advance a step further forward, and we shall see that there is even a new and better way. 

If a patient has a mental error, a conflict between spiritual and physical self will result, and disease will be the product. The error may be repelled, the poison driven from the body, but a vacuum is left, an adverse force has gone, but a space exists where it has been situated. 

The perfect method is not so much to repel the adverse influence, as to draw in its opposing virtue; and by means of this virtue flood out the fault. This is the law of opposites, of positive and negative. 

For example: a patient is suffering pain because there is cruelty in his nature. He may suppress that quality by constantly determining, “I will not be cruel,” but this means a long and strenuous battle, and should he succeed in eliminating cruelty, there is a gap, a void. But should that patient concentrate on the positive side, to develop sympathy, and flood his nature with that virtue, cruelty without any further effort is replaced and for all time becomes impossible. 

So the perfect science of healing teaches and assists the patient to develop that virtue which will make, once and for all, immunity against that adverse quality, which it is his particular battle to efface. 

This is not the healing of “Thou shalt not,” but of “Blessed are they.” 

Another great principle of Hahnemann’s genius may be considered here: the teaching of curing from within out. 

The mind must be healed first, and the body will follow. To cure the body and not the mind might be very serious for the patient, as the body gains at the expense of the soul, and at the best it is only a lesson deferred. It were better to lose a body than that the lesson were missed. 

Therefore the work of the physician is two-fold, to assist his patient to correct his spiritual failing, and to give him such remedies as will help him to effect this on the physical plane; so that the healthier mind will effect a cure of the body. 

For the latter it is essential that the remedies chosen should be life-giving and uplifting; of such vibrations that elevate. 

In the choice of these we must consider their evolutionary status as regard to man. 

Metals are sub-human. The use of animals would necessitate cruelty, and no trace of such must occur in the divine art of healing. Thus we are left with the vegetable kingdom. Plants are of three types. The first group is relatively below that of man in their evolution; of such are the primitive varieties, the seaweeds, the cactus, the dodder, etc. Also those which have been used for wrong purposes, some of which are poisonous: Henbane, Belladonna, and the orchids are examples. 

A second class, on the same relative scale as man, which are harmless, and may be used as food. 

But there is a third group, relatively as high or higher than average mankind. Of these we must choose our remedies, for they have been given the power to heal and to bless. 

Moreover there is no cruelty entailed in this: for as these plants desire to be used for the benefit of human nature, a blessing is conferred upon them during their service to man. 

The first group, by lowering the vibrations of the body, renders it unfit for habitation by the Spiritual Self, and hence may cause death. But the last class have the power to elevate our vibrations, and thus draw down spiritual power, which cleanses mind and body, and heals. 

Our work as physicians is thus outlined: To study human nature, so that we may be enabled to assist our patients to a knowledge of themselves, and advise them how to harmonise their personalities with their souls, and also to administer such beneficent remedies that will raise the vibrations of the personality, and make it a more acceptable habitation for the soul; and thus develop the virtue required to bring that harmony between the Higher and lower self, which results in perfect health. 

And now let us consider the practical aspect as regards diagnosis and treatment. 

There are primarily seven main divisions into which we have to place our patients. 

An individual may err, according to the particular lesson being leamt, on any of the following fundamental principles: 

1.     Power 

2.    Intellectual knowledge 

3.    Love 

4.    Balance 

5.    Service 

6.    Wisdom 

7.    Spiritual Perfection 

Before proceeding further let it again be emphasised that the presence of disease indicates that the personality is in conflict with the soul. 

Qualities and virtues are relative, and what is a virtue in one, may be a fault in another. To seek power alone may be right in a young soul, and cause no conflict between the personality and the Spiritual Self, but what is right here would be out of place and hence wrong in the more advanced stage of discipleship, when the Soul has decided for the personality to give instead of to take. 

Hence a quality of itself cannot be judged right or wrong, without considering the evolutionary status of the individual. 

What we know as evil is good out of place. 

But the presence of disease indicates that there are qualities in the personality, which the Soul is endeavouring to remove, because such qualities are below the evolutionary standard of that individual. 

Moreover the patient must be persistently refusing to listen to the voice of Conscience, refusing to gain his experience on the mental place, and hence the necessity for the more severe lesson which is taught by illness. 

From the mentality of our patients can we discern the error which they are making the particular failure of the personality to keep pace with the evolutionary standard desired by the Soul. 

Errors on each of the seven principles will give types as follows: 

It matters not what may be the physical disease of our patient, we have to comprehend to which of the above types he belongs. 

Nor must we expect the characteristics always to be strongly marked, for in many cases there may be only a trace of the adverse type remaining in their natures, but still it is essential to understand exactly their fundamental error, however slight this may be, to ensure successful treatment. 

Moreover in many patients who come to us, their personalities are almost crushed out by some dominant relative or friend, and in some of these it may be easier to obtain a diagnosis from the dominator, for they will be of the same type as the patient; because again it is a case of like repelling like, for we are placed amongst those who have our own failings, more strongly marked, so that we may realise the suffering such adverse actions cause. 

Before considering the above types in more detail, and so far as the research has proceeded giving the remedies associated with each, let us discuss the methods of dosage. 

Here again the law of Hahnemann holds, not to repeat whilst improvement is taking place. 

The remedies to be described are beneficent in action, and cause no aggravation nor reaction for their effect is to uplift. 

They are prepared in the third, fourth and seventh potencies. 

To begin a case a dose of the third maybe given twice or three times a day until improvement is well marked, then cease. So long as progress is being made give no further treatment, but if there is a relapse, administer three or four more doses, and so on, each time after, less should be required. Only resort to the fourth or seventh, should the lower potency fail to hold. 

If you had a friend who had suffered a great loss and was in despair, you would at first visit him often to cheer and comfort him; but as he became reconciled the visits might safely grow less. 

So use these potencies; they are friends and blessings to the distressed, but as Hahnemann foresaw, even the sick must fight their battles and not come to depend upon even beneficent medicines; and so when better, it is necessary to fight along alone, as far as possible, without again calling for help until really necessary. 

And of course the more a patient strives to correct the fault which lies behind his illness, the longer will the potency hold. 

And now we come to a description of some of the types associated with disease, and the remedies given to cure these. 

Here I must offer my gratitude to Dr F.J. Wheeler of Southport, for his very great assistance with regard to the clinical results he has obtained with these remedies, his wholehearted collaboration over a considerable period, and his financial generosity on a large scale, which alone has made possible the discovery of many of these remedies. 

(All remedies to be mentioned in these articles are stocked by Messrs Nelsons and Co, 73, Duke Street, Grosvenor Square, London, W1. Messrs Epps, Thatcher and Co., 6o, Jermyn Street, London, SW1).