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Miasms in labour' discusses a revision of the hom'oeopathic theory of the miasms. It starts with researching an analogy between the birth process and the miasms. A deeper analysis of the miasms leads to a new perception of them. By discussing their connection with the individuation process their function in the development of the human psyche is clarified. A book with a refreshing and challenging view on the miasms, written in a clear and comprehensive way.
Corrie Hiwat
For some two centuries homoeopathy had no connections with the mainlands of science. In this book Harry van der Zee is building a bridge with psychology. He makes a connection between the miasms and the birth process ... and succeeds in giving the miasms a much greater depth by connecting them with the individuation process. Apart from this 'Miasms in labour' is already a valuable book for all the beautiful cases and remedy pictures. Jan Scholten This book of Harry van der Zee on a new understanding of the miasms and the essences of many remedies through the process of pregnancy and birth is brilliant.
Jan Scholten
This book is an important step towards a deeper understanding of miasms and its application into practice. The connection that Harry made between pregnancy, birth, biblical stories on the creation of the world, mythology and psycholo-gy is wonderful. This book helped me in realizing better the truth and depth of homoeopathy. After reading the book, I felt much more confident in the ability of homoeopathy to treat and cure severe pathologies, by using the miasmatic approach.
Intro
For some two centuries homoeopathy was like an island emerging in the ocean of subconsciousness. Homoeopathy didn't have any connections with the mainlands of science like mathematics, physics, chemistry, allopathy, psychology, sociology, philosophy et cetera. The last decade bridges are being built between the island of homeopathy and the mainlands. In this book Harry van der Zee is building a bridge with psychology. He makes a connection between the miasms and the birth process as discovered by Stanislav Grof. The title 'The Birth of the Miasms' makes this clear. Harry shows the connections between the stages in the birth process as found by 'rebirthing' and the miasms.
Important here is the concept of 'process'. For a long time homoeopathy has been dominated by static thinking. We see this in the idea of constitutional remedies expressed as 'this is a Sulphur patient', in the idea of fixed remedy pictures and in the idea of 'the patient was cured'. Harry emphasizes the dynamic aspects in homoeopathy, in the miasms. Just as the birth in itself is a process, as life is a process. It's not by chance that Hahnemann named the life force 'dynamis'.
A second bridge is build to the psychology of Jung. Harry succeeds in giving the miasms a much more depth by connecting them with the individuation process.
One of the consequences of his search is that the miasms are not only disease, bad and ugly. Harry makes it clear that the miasms are needed in the process of development. For instance, the syphilitic miasm is not only destruction, but also unification; it's not only the dragon, but also the hero conquering the dragon. Harry gives the example of the beautiful fairy tail of the princess and the frog. We can see the princes as the psoric stage and the frog as the sycotic stage. When they come together we get the syphilitic stage. First as a split with the uglyness of the frog and disgust of the princess. Later we see the unification in the princess kissing the frog and the marriage with the prince. This is a beautiful example of 'the unity of the two opposites'. Often in homoeopathy we start with he ugly, dirty, bad and diseased side of remedy or patient. It's one of the merits of Harry not to stop at this point, but to go further and search for the healthy, curing side of the miasms.
Now we can also build a bridge to the philosophy of Hegel. Hegel developed his dialectics, a philosophy of development and process. He made three stages: thesis, antithesis and synthesis. In these we can see psora, sycosis and syphilis. Important for this bridge is notion that the concept of unification is strongly connected to syphilis. And that's one of the ideas Harry gives us in this book.
We are lucky that Harry van der Zee by accident (!) came in contact with 'rebirthing' and also by accident (!, a dream) came in contact with homoeopathy. So he could give homoeopathy and the homoeopathic community this bridge. Harry did that not only by knowing the two 'islands', but also by thinking it over, giving his attention and energy to it and let it ripen in his subconsciousness.
Apart from all the above gifts 'The birth of the Miasms' is already a valuable book for all the beautiful cases and remedy pictures Harry is giving.
Content
0 Introduction 17
1 Realms of the human unconscious 21
2 What the fetus experiences 23
3 Birth language 27
4 Symptoms from pregnancy and birth 31
5 Trillium pendulum: the wise owl 39
6 Birth, a guided tour along the miasms 47
6.1 Pre-miasmatic state 48
6.1.0 Pre-miasmatic remedies 54
6.1.1 Hydrogenium 54
6.1.2 Helium 55
6.1.3 Cannabis-indica 56
6.1.4 Anhalonium 57
6.2 Psoric miasm - the 'expulsion from paradise' 58
6.2.0 Psoric remedies 61
6.2.1 Sulphur 61
6.2.2 Lycopodium 62
6.2.3 Calcarea carbonica 62
6.2.4 Silica 63
6.2.5 Psorinum 64
6.3 Transition from psora to sycosis 66
6.3.1 Tuberculinum 66
6.3.2 Calcarea phosphorica 68
6.4 Sycotic miasm - 'no exit' or 'eternal hell' 70
6.4.0 Sycotic remedies 76
6.4.1 Thuja occidentalis 76
6.4.2 Sabina 78
6.4.3 Anacardium 79
6.4.4 Lac caninum 80
6.4.5 Staphysagria 81
6.4.6 Nitricum acidum 81
6.4.7 Mancinella 82
6.4.8 Medorrhinum 82
6.5 Transition from sycosis to syphilis 85
6.5.1 Gelsemium 85
6.5.2 Cimicifuga 87
6.5.3 Chamomilla 88
6.5.4 Coffea cruda 89
6.5.5 Argentum nitricum 90
6.5.6 Lyssinum 90
6.5.7 Mezereum 91
6.5.8 Carcinosinum 93
6.6 Syphilitic miasm and the 'death-rebirth struggle' 94
6.6.0 Syphilitic remedies 98
6.6.1 Lachesis muta 98
6.6.2 Tarentula hispanica 99
6.6.3 Platinum 100
6.6.4 Aurum 101
6.6.5 Mercurius 103
6.6.6 Thallium 103
6.6.7 Plumbum 103
6.6.8 Bismuth 104
6.6.9 Arsenicum album 104
6.6.10 Nitricum acidum 105
6.6.11 Fluoricum acidum 105
6.6.12 Cuprum 105
6.6.13 Syphilinum 107
6.7 Transition from syphilis to acute 109
6.7.1 Radium bromatum 109
6.7.2 Plutonium nitricum 109
6.8 Acute miasm and the 'death-rebirth experience' 111
6.8.0 Acute remedies 114
6.8.1 Stramonium 114
6.8.2 Belladonna 116
6.8.3 Aconite 117
6.8.4 Opium 118
6.8.5 Hyoscyamus 120
6.8.6 Veratrum album 121
6.8.7 The Uranium series 123
7 Miasms and the individuation process 124
7.1 Pre-individuation 127
7.1.1 Jungian psychology 127
7.1.2 Mythology 129
7.1.3 The kingdoms 130
7.1.4 Qualities 131
7.2 Departure 132
7.2.1 Persona 133
7.2.2 Psoric miasm 133
7.2.3 Psoric miasm and mythology 134
7.2.4 Psoric miasm and the mineral kingdom 134
7.2.5 Psoric qualities 136
7.3 Descent 136
7.3.1 Shadow 136
7.3.2 Sycotic miasm 137
7.3.3 Sycotic miasm and mythology 139
7.3.4 Sycotic miasm and the plant kingdom 140
7.3.5 Sycotic qualities 140
7.4 Ascent 142
7.4.1 The soul image: anima and animus 142
7.4.2 The spiritual principle: spirit and matter 144
7.4.3 Syphilitic miasm 144
7.4.4 Syphilitic miasm and mythology 145
7.4.5 Syphilitic miasm and the animal kingdom 146
7.4.6 Syphilitic qualities 146
7.5 Atonement 148
7.5.1 The Self 148
7.5.2 Acute miasm 149
7.5.3 Acute miasm and mythology 149
7.5.4 Acute miasm and the human kingdom 150
7.5.5 Acute qualities 151
8 A cosmological survey 154
9 An artistic expression of the miasms 159
10 Miasms in perspective 170
| ISBN | 9789490453022 |
|---|---|
| Author | Harry van der Zee |
| Type | Unknown |
| Language | English |
| Publication Date | 2007-02-01 |
| Pages | 176 |
| Review | This book review is reprinted with the permission of the National Center for Homeopathy I am a bit leery of new theories, or "old wine in new bottles," but I must say I have really enjoyed reading this one, especially since I was there during much of the conception and birth process of this book, and saw it take off from being a nearly still-born child to a lively, healthy baby. In this book Harry van der Zee endeavours to bring new insights to the unwieldy theory of miasms. He takes it beyond the traditional realm of being a classification of remedies and illnesses, into a way of looking at life itself as an unfolding process. Starting from his work with the Czech pychiatrist Stanislav Grof and Holotropic Therapy, he studied the stages of the birth process and the stages of development in life. The same pattern can be seen "in the phases of crises in life, the development of the level of the personality or of the soul, or the development of society, humanity of the creation as a whole." He related these stages to the different miasms-not as illnesses, but as stages that we go through (or get stuck in). For every stage, Harry cites the circumstances and the feelings that go with them, including the types of words that might apply to the situation (e.g., "I'm The time in the womb would be called the "pre-miasmatic state"-the primal union with the mother. Problems arising from this period could cause the person to have problems incarnating into the body, and being grounded here on earth. Remedies like Hydrogen ("all is one"), or the drug remedies such as Cannabis indica or Anhalonium could relate to this period, and help the person to move beyond the womb stage, no matter what their actual age. The next stage, Psora, relates to the onset of delivery, the expulsion from paradise." He relates Sycosis with "no exit" or "eternal Hell," and the syphilitic miasm to the death and rebirth struggle." The "acute miasm" has a special place, being "transition itself" It includes remedies from the "heavy end" of the periodic table, the radioactive elements which are "falling apart." The question with any new theory remains: "Do we need a new theory at all? How practical is it?" I remember watching Roger Morrison's despair as Harry described his work to him at first, only later to respond with "a-ha" as he saw the possiblities open up. In my opinion, anything that helps us to relate remedies to life situations in such a way as to make them more accessible earns our attention. As we journey with Harry through the process of incarnation and birth, illustrated by case after case, the miasmatic theory itself begins to "live." The full-colored oil paintings created especially for this book portray the different miasms in a way "not possible to express in words." This book is by no means the last word on miasms, nor a book for beginners in homeopathy. What it successfully does is to bring homeopathic thinking into a broad perspective, that of the developing soul. This book review is reprinted from The Homoeopath with permission from Francis Treuherz of The Society of Homoeopaths In the introduction to The Chronic Diseases, Hahnemann states that his teachings on the miasmatic doctrine (to which he introduces us as early as paragraph 5 in The Organon) will be able 'to deliver mankind from the numberless torments which have rested upon the poor sick... as far back as history extends'l. Over the last two centuries the Fundamental Cause has been interpreted and applied in a myriad of ways by various schools of thought, all wishing to put those grandiose declarations into successful practice, but whose theories, if viewed in a wider perspective, cannot be reconciled. What is a miasm, essentially? Is it a defective legacy from spiritually and morally degenerated forebears, or strictly a microbe, a 'toxin'? Is it an analysis strategy, a means of narrowing down the number of optional remedies, a springboard to the true simillimum, or perhaps a criterion to classify diseased states by*3nd base a prognosis on? Can we, acquainted with all these theories, subscribe to but one theory and entirely invalidate the rest? So essential, yet so often misunderstood, the miasmatic idea has been one of the most charged issues in the homeopathic debate, with many trends claiming to be that 'more conscientious and intelligent posterity'2 Hahnemann referred to in the forward to The Chronic Diseases, a posterity to faithfully follow his teachings. From history we know what opposition the miasmatic theory met when first put forward: no wonder Hahnemann, reluctant to teach it to his students, claimed he had done so only because of his advanced age. Now how can we possibly expect a community, that has yet to reach a consensus on what classical homeopathy is, to skillfully treat such a controversial issue? Working out the glaring differences between all the miasmatic theories, which involve different scientific, religious, cultural and moral worldviews, seems a distant dream. To come up with yet another theory in this field, one would better have a good argument at hand. A certain degree of chutzpa could help too, especially if your theory defies deep-rooted ways of thinking. Acknowledging that every classification is to a certain degree 'a violation of truth' (pl5), Harry van der Zee doesn't claim to come up with an absolute answer, but he invites the readers to be 'creative' and 'open to surprises' (ibid.). 'The division of remedies and miasms can be applied at many levels. They can be applied to the stages of the birth process, connected to the stages of development in life, to phases in crises in life... in a holistic view we may expect to see the same pattern wherever we look'. (pl6). In other words, 'Miasms in Labour' doesn't mean you should reach for your birth remedies kit, but rather refers to the image of birth as a metaphor (pl37), a process analogous in many respects to the miasms, a fractal of a whole picture (also known as 'life'). The first part of the book describes the similarities between the phases in the birth process (described by Czech psychiatrist Stanislav Grof) and the miasms, and elaborates on the remedies identified with each stage/miasm. Then follows the part which places the miasms in the light of the jungian individuation process, 'thus transforming the perception of the miasms from merely diseased states into correcting mechanisms in an evolutionary process' (pl4), as the sub-title of the book suggests. Given the striking analogies between the theories, there remains an evident contradiction to settle, between a process of 'increasing deterioration' (pl24), and one that is clearly evolutionary and symbolizes growth. We should change our perception of what a miasm is, says van der Zee, and he offers the following definition: a miasm is parallel to a stage in our life, a shadow side of evolution. Its deeper understanding can be enhanced by the jungian individuation process: a miasm represents the obstructions and their effects on the path of a normal psychological development. Spiritual develop ment goes hand in hand with increased creative powers, which is why obstructions to the process can be all the more serious. 'The miasms as they have been taught over the last two centuries only deal with the stumbling blocks on our path, making us believe that the path itself is wrong. But the closer to the top, the more skillful we will have to be in climbing, and the more serious the results of mistakes will be. The function of these obstructions, of the disease, of the miasms, is to make us aware that we are losing our way, or that changes are needed in order to continue on this track' (pgl27-8). 'In a narrow understanding they [the miasms] represent disease. in a broader understanding they are connected as corrective energies to major stepping-stones in the history of mankind. They are spokes in the wheel. They belong to the stages we have to go through in order to become an individual human being. We pass through these stages in the birth process, we pass through them in life, again and again. And as a consequence we pass through their natural and necessary attributes, the miasms... Seen from this perspective where is the pathology? What we see is evolution, growth. We speak of pathology when we get stuck at a certain point in this growth process. Just as the symptoms show us the dynamis in action restoring health, so the chronic diseases can show us the miasms in action, restoring the direction in our life' (pl71). We are asked to accept that Imiasms serve a purpose within the greater whole' (pl9) and that 'the syphilitic miasm is only the shadow side of a plan in the natural development of mankind' (pl45). In other words, rather than considering syphilis as disobedience to the laws of religion and morality, resulting in a just punishment, a crippling stigma (see relevant chapters in Kent's Lectures on Homeopathic Philosophy), it should be viewed as a challenge not properly overcome. Interestingly enough, a recent article in the Homeopathic Links3 points out the influence 'syphilitic minds' had on the cultural development of Europe in the fields of architecture, literature, music and plastic arts, rather than focus on the disease's destructive force. The innovation in this book, among others, is therefore in placing the miasmatic ideas in a different, non-judgmental, much more our air du temps context, and in considering the miasms as a dynamic process rather than a fixed corruption we are passively disposed to. Every generation comes up with its own interpretation of the miasmatic idea. In contrast to the 19th century moralists, entrenched in a religiously oriented worldview, van der Zee wishes to give us a modern perspective to explore the miasmatic concept. The idea of perceiving a miasm as a stage in consciousness has been suggested before, but it hasn't been elaborated so extensively or compared with such disciplines. Can we learn to appreciate a miasm's positive side, and no longer to reduce it to the somewhat limited perspective of moral misconduct? Can we be open enough to revise our definitions without fear, and separate, with some delay, science from religion? Is this book likely eo arouse a controversy? Yes. Is it challenging? Absolutely, it clearly defies what we (think we) know about miasms. I did note down my own reservations, which could be resolved in a second reading. Some statements, however, I cannot accept: Psorinum presents a picture that isn't dirty merely 'on the outside' (p8O). A repeated quote we encounter while reading its materia medica is the dirtiness which 'cannot be washed clean', he is 'the great unwashable' (Nash). Clarke, who also quotes Hering on the subject, says Psorinum suits 'dirty people in whom the body has a filthy smell which no amount of washing can remove', and this observation resonates with ideas expressed in the Mind section of its proving. A misleading detail is found on page 55 and will hopefully be corrected in future editions: contrary to what is stated, Helium did undergo a thorough proving in 1995 by Jeremy Sherr and his Norwegian Dynamis students. Perpetuating the equation Hehum = autism doesn't do justice to the picture that emerged, which extends far beyond that slogan. You may be reluctant to consider the ideas expressed in this book, or believe it merely serves as a corrective measure of re-naming in a politically correct atmosphere. If so, put aside the interpretation offered and access the richness of this book at a different 'module', namely the concise rernedy ,essences', the brilliant illustrative cases, and the glances at a few new remedies. Van der Zee's ideas regarding the miasms encompass many fields of knowledge, and to a certain degree even resonate with Kentian 'truths'. Integrated with insights from other contemporary theories in homeopathy, as well as from mythology and the Bible but above all from Stanislav Grof and jungian psychology, the ideas are presented in a most coherent and eloquent way, woven beautifully to make a colourful fabric. It makes a lot of sense, it 'clicks' at many stages, and that goes to support the validity of the theory. I enjoyed this book also for its visual aftractiveness, with original pictures painted especially to enrich the intellectual experience it has to offer. 'But in communicating to the world this great discovery I am sorry that I must doubt whether my contemporaries will comprehend the logical sequence of these teachings of mine, and will follow them carefully and gain thereby the infinite benefits for suffering humanity which must inevitably spring from a faithful and accurate observance of the same, or whether, frightened away by the unheard of nature of many of these disclosures, they will not rather leave them untried and uninitiated and, therefore, useless.' 4 1 Hahnemann, S. The Chronic Diseases (theoretical part), 1991, B. Jain Publishers, New-Delhi The Homeopath |
Review
This book review is reprinted with the permission of the National Center for Homeopathy
Reviewed by Deborah Collins, RCHom, MD
I am a bit leery of new theories, or "old wine in new bottles," but I must say I have really enjoyed reading this one, especially since I was there during much of the conception and birth process of this book, and saw it take off from being a nearly still-born child to a lively, healthy baby.
In this book Harry van der Zee endeavours to bring new insights to the unwieldy theory of miasms. He takes it beyond the traditional realm of being a classification of remedies and illnesses, into a way of looking at life itself as an unfolding process. Starting from his work with the Czech pychiatrist Stanislav Grof and Holotropic Therapy, he studied the stages of the birth process and the stages of development in life. The same pattern can be seen "in the phases of crises in life, the development of the level of the personality or of the soul, or the development of society, humanity of the creation as a whole." He related these stages to the different miasms-not as illnesses, but as stages that we go through (or get stuck in). For every stage, Harry cites the circumstances and the feelings that go with them, including the types of words that might apply to the situation (e.g., "I'm
stuck," "I don't see a way out," "I can't see the light"). He presents remedies that would apply in such a situation, and uses vivid examples from his practice.
The time in the womb would be called the "pre-miasmatic state"-the primal union with the mother. Problems arising from this period could cause the person to have problems incarnating into the body, and being grounded here on earth. Remedies like Hydrogen ("all is one"), or the drug remedies such as Cannabis indica or Anhalonium could relate to this period, and help the person to move beyond the womb stage, no matter what their actual age.
The next stage, Psora, relates to the onset of delivery, the expulsion from paradise." He relates Sycosis with "no exit" or "eternal Hell," and the syphilitic miasm to the death and rebirth struggle." The "acute miasm" has a special place, being "transition itself" It includes remedies from the "heavy end" of the periodic table, the radioactive elements which are "falling apart."
The question with any new theory remains: "Do we need a new theory at all? How practical is it?" I remember watching Roger Morrison's despair as Harry described his work to him at first, only later to respond with "a-ha" as he saw the possiblities open up.
In my opinion, anything that helps us to relate remedies to life situations in such a way as to make them more accessible earns our attention. As we journey with Harry through the process of incarnation and birth, illustrated by case after case, the miasmatic theory itself begins to "live."
The full-colored oil paintings created especially for this book portray the different miasms in a way "not possible to express in words." This book is by no means the last word on miasms, nor a book for beginners in homeopathy. What it successfully does is to bring homeopathic thinking into a broad perspective, that of the developing soul.
This book review is reprinted from The Homoeopath with permission from Francis Treuherz of The Society of Homoeopaths
Reviewed by Rakhel Shabi
In the introduction to The Chronic Diseases, Hahnemann states that his teachings on the miasmatic doctrine (to which he introduces us as early as paragraph 5 in The Organon) will be able 'to deliver mankind from the numberless torments which have rested upon the poor sick... as far back as history extends'l. Over the last two centuries the Fundamental Cause has been interpreted and applied in a myriad of ways by various schools of thought, all wishing to put those grandiose declarations into successful practice, but whose theories, if viewed in a wider perspective, cannot be reconciled. What is a miasm, essentially? Is it a defective legacy from spiritually and morally degenerated forebears, or strictly a microbe, a 'toxin'? Is it an analysis strategy, a means of narrowing down the number of optional remedies, a springboard to the true simillimum, or perhaps a criterion to classify diseased states by*3nd base a prognosis on? Can we, acquainted with all these theories, subscribe to but one theory and entirely invalidate the rest? So essential, yet so often misunderstood, the miasmatic idea has been one of the most charged issues in the homeopathic debate, with many trends claiming to be that 'more conscientious and intelligent posterity'2 Hahnemann referred to in the forward to The Chronic Diseases, a posterity to faithfully follow his teachings.
From history we know what opposition the miasmatic theory met when first put forward: no wonder Hahnemann, reluctant to teach it to his students, claimed he had done so only because of his advanced age. Now how can we possibly expect a community, that has yet to reach a consensus on what classical homeopathy is, to skillfully treat such a controversial issue? Working out the glaring differences between all the miasmatic theories, which involve different scientific, religious, cultural and moral worldviews, seems a distant dream.
To come up with yet another theory in this field, one would better have a good argument at hand. A certain degree of chutzpa could help too, especially if your theory defies deep-rooted ways of thinking.
Acknowledging that every classification is to a certain degree 'a violation of truth' (pl5), Harry van der Zee doesn't claim to come up with an absolute answer, but he invites the readers to be 'creative' and 'open to surprises' (ibid.). 'The division of remedies and miasms can be applied at many levels. They can be applied to the stages of the birth process, connected to the stages of development in life, to phases in crises in life... in a holistic view we may expect to see the same pattern wherever we look'. (pl6). In other words, 'Miasms in Labour' doesn't mean you should reach for your birth remedies kit, but rather refers to the image of birth as a metaphor (pl37), a process analogous in many respects to the miasms, a fractal of a whole picture (also known as 'life').
The first part of the book describes the similarities between the phases in the birth process (described by Czech psychiatrist Stanislav Grof) and the miasms, and elaborates on the remedies identified with each stage/miasm. Then follows the part which places the miasms in the light of the jungian individuation process, 'thus transforming the perception of the miasms from merely diseased states into correcting mechanisms in an evolutionary process' (pl4), as the sub-title of the book suggests.
Given the striking analogies between the theories, there remains an evident contradiction to settle, between a process of 'increasing deterioration' (pl24), and one that is clearly evolutionary and symbolizes growth. We should change our perception of what a miasm is, says van der Zee, and he offers the following definition: a miasm is parallel to a stage in our life, a shadow side of evolution. Its deeper understanding can be enhanced by the jungian individuation process: a miasm represents the obstructions and their effects on the path of a normal psychological development. Spiritual develop ment goes hand in hand with increased creative powers, which is why obstructions to the process can be all the more serious. 'The miasms as they have been taught over the last two centuries only deal with the stumbling blocks on our path, making us believe that the path itself is wrong. But the closer to the top, the more skillful we will have to be in climbing, and the more serious the results of mistakes will be. The function of these obstructions, of the disease, of the miasms, is to make us aware that we are losing our way, or that changes are needed in order to continue on this track' (pgl27-8).
'In a narrow understanding they [the miasms] represent disease. in a broader understanding they are connected as corrective energies to major stepping-stones in the history of mankind. They are spokes in the wheel. They belong to the stages we have to go through in order to become an individual human being. We pass through these stages in the birth process, we pass through them in life, again and again. And as a consequence we pass through their natural and necessary attributes, the miasms... Seen from this perspective where is the pathology? What we see is evolution, growth. We speak of pathology when we get stuck at a certain point in this growth process. Just as the symptoms show us the dynamis in action restoring health, so the chronic diseases can show us the miasms in action, restoring the direction in our life' (pl71). We are asked to accept that Imiasms serve a purpose within the greater whole' (pl9) and that 'the syphilitic miasm is only the shadow side of a plan in the natural development of mankind' (pl45). In other words, rather than considering syphilis as disobedience to the laws of religion and morality, resulting in a just punishment, a crippling stigma (see relevant chapters in Kent's Lectures on Homeopathic Philosophy), it should be viewed as a challenge not properly overcome. Interestingly enough, a recent article in the Homeopathic Links3 points out the influence 'syphilitic minds' had on the cultural development of Europe in the fields of architecture, literature, music and plastic arts, rather than focus on the disease's destructive force.
The innovation in this book, among others, is therefore in placing the miasmatic ideas in a different, non-judgmental, much more our air du temps context, and in considering the miasms as a dynamic process rather than a fixed corruption we are passively disposed to. Every generation comes up with its own interpretation of the miasmatic idea. In contrast to the 19th century moralists, entrenched in a religiously oriented worldview, van der Zee wishes to give us a modern perspective to explore the miasmatic concept. The idea of perceiving a miasm as a stage in consciousness has been suggested before, but it hasn't been elaborated so extensively or compared with such disciplines. Can we learn to appreciate a miasm's positive side, and no longer to reduce it to the somewhat limited perspective of moral misconduct? Can we be open enough to revise our definitions without fear, and separate, with some delay, science from religion?
Is this book likely eo arouse a controversy? Yes. Is it challenging? Absolutely, it clearly defies what we (think we) know about miasms. I did note down my own reservations, which could be resolved in a second reading. Some statements, however, I cannot accept: Psorinum presents a picture that isn't dirty merely 'on the outside' (p8O). A repeated quote we encounter while reading its materia medica is the dirtiness which 'cannot be washed clean', he is 'the great unwashable' (Nash). Clarke, who also quotes Hering on the subject, says Psorinum suits 'dirty people in whom the body has a filthy smell which no amount of washing can remove', and this observation resonates with ideas expressed in the Mind section of its proving.
A misleading detail is found on page 55 and will hopefully be corrected in future editions: contrary to what is stated, Helium did undergo a thorough proving in 1995 by Jeremy Sherr and his Norwegian Dynamis students. Perpetuating the equation Hehum = autism doesn't do justice to the picture that emerged, which extends far beyond that slogan.
You may be reluctant to consider the ideas expressed in this book, or believe it merely serves as a corrective measure of re-naming in a politically correct atmosphere. If so, put aside the interpretation offered and access the richness of this book at a different 'module', namely the concise rernedy ,essences', the brilliant illustrative cases, and the glances at a few new remedies.
Van der Zee's ideas regarding the miasms encompass many fields of knowledge, and to a certain degree even resonate with Kentian 'truths'. Integrated with insights from other contemporary theories in homeopathy, as well as from mythology and the Bible but above all from Stanislav Grof and jungian psychology, the ideas are presented in a most coherent and eloquent way, woven beautifully to make a colourful fabric. It makes a lot of sense, it 'clicks' at many stages, and that goes to support the validity of the theory. I enjoyed this book also for its visual aftractiveness, with original pictures painted especially to enrich the intellectual experience it has to offer.
'But in communicating to the world this great discovery I am sorry that I must doubt whether my contemporaries will comprehend the logical sequence of these teachings of mine, and will follow them carefully and gain thereby the infinite benefits for suffering humanity which must inevitably spring from a faithful and accurate observance of the same, or whether, frightened away by the unheard of nature of many of these disclosures, they will not rather leave them untried and uninitiated and, therefore, useless.' 4
1 Hahnemann, S. The Chronic Diseases (theoretical part), 1991, B. Jain Publishers, New-Delhi
2 ibid
3 "Syphilinum, Past and Present", Homeopathic Links 2/00, Springer and Wittwer
4 Hahnemann S. The Chronic Diseases (theoretical part), 1991, B.Jain Publishers, New-Delhi
The Homeopath
Summer 2000
No.78