This article is part of our new series, Getting Started With Homeopathy. To read the rest of the articles in the series, click here.
By Jenna Dodge, CCH
If you’ve landed on this page, you’ve heard about homeopathy. Maybe it was from a friend, maybe from a mom’s group online, or maybe you’re one of the few whose mother or grandmother used homeopathy, and you have fond memories of those “magic little pills”.
No matter how you heard about homeopathy, welcome! This article is going to give you some of my favorite tips for how to get started with homeopathy.
How Do I Get Started With Homeopathy?
There are a variety of reasons that someone may come to utilize homeopathic remedies, and depending on your reason, you’ll want to get started in one (or more!) of the following ways:
Educate Yourself
If you are someone who likes to dive right in, start reading and learning! One of the best ways to get started is to purchase a book and a homeopathic remedy kit! There are some excellent kits out there with 50-100 remedies which will provide you with most remedies that you and your family may need as you get started with your journey.
As you choose a book, you’ll want to pick out a good book that explains the basics of homeopathy and can help give you suggestions for treating acute issues at home. Keep in mind all elements within your life. For example, if you have children or if you plan to have more, you may want to pick up a book that specializes in homeopathy for pregnancy and childbirth. Homeopathy can even be used with pets and plants! There are some great authors out there who have been practicing homeopathy for decades and have distilled their knowledge down to a usable format for lay people.
When you get your books and your kit, start reading right away! This will prepare you for almost any homeopathic need once it arrises and will allow you to know where to turn should the need be urgent!
Choose Your Remedy
One of the most common ways to get started with homeopathy is with Arnica Montana. Often used in a 30C or 200C potency or topically as a cream, gel, or oil, Arnica is useful for scenarios involving trauma.
Some athletes swear by it for muscle soreness, though it’s more typically used to promote healing and combat effects of trauma, such as when somebody takes a spill on their bicycle, or after dental work or childbirth.
A little note about Arnica is that it is not a general pain reliever. It really has to be indicated. Oh, and Arnica should never be used topically on open skin.
Speaking of remedy indications… What does that even mean? To put it simply, an indication is what a remedy could be used for.
When you go into the health food store and you see the display of homeopathic remedies, you’ll usually see that each remedy has a specific indication listed. To use Arnica as an example, it generally will say “bruises” as it’s indication. However, it’s important to know that every remedy has multiple indications, so you can’t rely entirely on what the vial says.
You’ll want to either choose a remedy yourself, with the help of some resources, or you’ll be purchasing a remedy that your homeopath has suggested, in which case do not be alarmed when the indication listed is not a part of what you mentioned to your homeopath.
Learn From A Homeopath
Speaking of homeopaths…There are also a few homeopaths offering introductory courses both in person and online, so if structured learning is more of your jam, then make sure to check those out.
Be aware of the balance between wanting to be self-sufficient with a new healing modality and knowing when you are in over your head! It’s perfectly fine to hire a homeopath for an acute consultation. You will still be learning as you go through the process of working with a homeopath for an acute illness. In fact, it may speed up your learning process as you will get to see how a trained homeopath approaches the problem.
As previously mentioned, if you are dealing with anything recurring or chronic, it’s best to see a homeopath! A homeopath will cover your entire health history, as well as thoroughly investigate your current symptomatology and match you to a remedy that is just right for you!
You can find a homeopath near you online at https://www.homeopathicdirectory.com/ and https://homeopathy.org/registered-homeopaths-directory/. If you don’t see one near you, don’t fret! Most homeopaths work remotely via video conference, so you can really pick any homeopath that you’d like!
