Sea Remedies

Review

This book review is reprinted from Volume 16, 2010 Edition of The American Homeopath with permission from The American Homeopath.

Reviewed by Suzanne J. Smith, RSHom (NA), CCH

Diving into this book, one begins an underwater homeopathic adventure. We join the author as she explores 24 marine invertebrates: their history, mythology, biology and more importantly their use as homeopathic remedies. It is a visually compelling volume replete with full-color underwater photographs that bring the remedies to life.

Sea Remedies richly describes how the marine invertebrates experience the five senses. Whether Evans is writing of mollusk, cetacean or jellyfish, we read about how they experience smell, vision, touch, hearing and taste. She tells us that: "Crustaceans... could be considered the percussion section of the animal kingdom's orchestra of sound" and alternately, "Cephalapods may be deaf." (p. 116)

Each remedy's chapter begins with a highlighted summary of the remedy, featuring its main polarities and sensations, together with system and clinical affinities. There is discussion of each particular invertebrate, how it presents and behaves in its natural habitat and often information on its conventional biomedical applications. Spongia tosta represents the Porifera (marine sponges), and at 25 pages it is just one example of the depth and breadth of information that Ms. Evans has compiled.

In the Echinoderm family which comprises starfish and urchins, we find Asterias rubens (Red starfish), Acanthaster planci (Crown of thorns starfish) and Toxopneustes pileolus (Flower urchin). Dr. med. Jorg Hildebrandt conducted double-blind provings of Acanthaster planci (Crown of thorns starfish) and Toxopneustes pileolus (Flower urchin) in 1998-1999.

Clinical data from Hildebrandt's Toxopneustes pileolus proving demonstrated that the remedy may be useful in auto-immune diseases. "Normalization of elevated antinuclear antibodies (ANA) was observed in a patient." (p. 297) Evans also reviews the biology and habits of sea urchins and starfish. The "Crown of thorns starfish is spiky, sinister-looking and venomous..." (p. 269) Photographs of its sharp, deadly looking spines leave no doubt in the reader's mind about that fact!

Eledone cirrhosa (Lesser octopus), Stichodactyla haddoni (Haddon's sea anemone), Corallium rubrum (Red gorgonian coral) and Hormarus gammarus (European lobster) are just a few of the less-studied remedies found in this book. The author presents information from many sources and tells us specifically if materia medica on these remedies is from provings or poisonings and who did the research.

Although the materia medica of Physalia pelagic (Portuguese Man of War) is based largely on Alastair Gray's proving, George Bennett's study of poisoning symptoms published in the London Medical Gazette in 1831 is also considered. The poison in Portuguese Man of War affects the subcutaneous nerves, which can lead to numbness and ascending paralysis. In her summary of the remedy's action Evans writes, "Intense pain; ascending muscular weakness; sense of impending death; disorientation; paralysis of muscles..." (p. 227)

Hahnemann's Materia Medica Pura is the author's source for Calcarea carbonica and Sepia, but the language has been modernized for the ease of the twenty-first century homeopath. And for Sepia, we are treated to an outstanding photograph of cuttlefish mating and a description of cuttlefish courtship rituals. ".. .male and female meet face to face, grasping tentacles... A new mate will attempt to wash a female's mouth free of sperm packets, so that he knows he has been the one to fertilise her." (p. 515)

Many of the remedies presented include case studies. For example, there are two Homarus gammarus cases by Maurizio Italiano, five recent case studies of venus mercenaria presented by British homeopaths and published cases from Clarke, Kent and others.

In "Spiral Journey Part I: the homeopathic process," the characteristic spiral of the nautilus shell and seahorse tail, "... the only mathematical curve emanating from the central still point that increases in growth at one end while maintaining the form of the entire figure..." (p. 543) leads to comparing homeopathy with the spiral's "self-similarity."

Dreams, symbols, and Native American and Hawaiian myths beg us to open our minds to all the possibilities of the spiral. "According to Hawaiian lore, shells enable us to journey deep into the unconscious, to relieve our mental tensions... and to create harmony..." just as with homeopathic remedies, "old symptoms may return briefly and old emotions, dreams and sensations be remembered and played out." (p. 568)

In Sea Remedies, the remedies - the sponge, jellyfish and scallop - come to life amid vibrant photographs, the story of their evolution, the sensuality of their lives, how they defend themselves and how they mate. Evans presents this information so that regardless of which page you open to, a pearl of wisdom greets you. For those of us who are constantly referring back to another page or chapter, the ribbon bookmarks are invaluable.

Whether you are looking for a new book on materia medica, in search of information from new provings, or use the amazing underwater photographs to convince a friend to try scuba diving, this book is a treasure.

 

This book review is reprinted from Volume 23, Summer 2010 edition, with permission from Homeopathic Links.

Reviewed by Franz Swoboda, Austria

Contains: Materia medica of twenty-four marine invertebrate remedies.
Plus: An exploration of the evolution of the senses, beginning with the sensory systems of marine invertebrates. Taste, smell, vision, hearing and touch are explored in individual chapters. Each chapter ends with an appendix of the relevant sensory symptoms for the corresponding homeopathic remedies.

It seems so long ago, Sepia was alone...

How many sea remedies did we know, 25 years ago? How much about them? Leonard Cohen's sad song' could have been sung about our knowledge of sea remedies before homeopaths decided to swarm out exploring the universe of the oceans. Some of the presented remedies you may not have heard of so far.

So - is this one of the new age books published prematurely where you cannot decide between fact and fiction, between information and speculation?

Glad to say: No, it isn't.

Jo Evans, a London practitioner, makes clear where we are. We are guided, not misled. More than 100 pages introduce us to the senses of these beings, after which it is hard to call them just "remedies." Look at the squid on page 617. This thorough investigation is of relevance to the homeopathic prescriber: the sensual abilities of the beings express themselves through the symptoms oft he remedies.

A bunch of lonesome symptoms?

The next 500 pages are filled with 24 remedies: A lot of new remedies which I will hardly ever use, because I see just a bunch of symptoms, cured and proven ones, and I am not able to see the differences?

Glad to say: No, it isn't. Jo Evans provides us with symptoms, provings and cases, all solid information. The author is clear about the remedies. She compares them, subtly and carefully. Remarks on differentiation run through the book. The closer you get the easier you are able to see the differences.

Diamonds in the mine

Will I ever need Limulus, Acanthaster or Toxopneustes, Chironex and Cypraea? Maybe not. Maybe tomorrow. They are jewels, anyway. Once you look at the pictures, you will not end a chapter before you know more about this creature.

Teachers

This book is a work of years, dedicated to collect, to evaluate, to write. It is not a work of a single genius, but a beautiful example of networking. Networking is one of the lessons we homeopaths have to learn before we call ourselves scientists. Future homeopathic books will be measured against this one.

Hey, that's no way to say goodbye

We look forward to reading your next book, Jo.

For more information, pictures and downloads look at: http://www.1ikecureslike.org/

Reviewed by Kaare Troelsen, Denmark

A True Pearl

This book is a true pearl, a welcome pleasure in the heap of poorly researched books on homeopathy that are published. The language is beautiful, the layout and images are exquisite and the way the subject is explored, analysed and presented is truly inspiring and insightful. The timeliness of its publication can't be accidental. The sea remedies have received a lot of attention lately from various writers like Sankaran, Schadde and Massimo, but this book is in a league by itself and so far the most comprehensive book on the subject. It is a wonder that this missing link between minerals and animals has not been explored previously in this detail. We have the huge old remedies like Sepia, Calc carb, Spongia tosta, Ambra grisea and it must have required a blind spot, to have ignored the profoundness of healing potential in this group of remedies, that resonate with many of the fundamental human issues. Many of our patients that seem to require mineral polychrests but do not get the relief we expect, will benefit from our knowledge of sea remedies.

A labour of love

Jo Evans takes us on a real tour de force, using a wide range of knowledge from many different sources like evolution, biology, physiology, biochemistry, neuroscience, philosophy, poetry, literature, mythology, signature, cultural context, traditional use, history, medicine, psychology, Organon, materia medica, provings, toxicology, cases, clinical experience etc. And she does manage to synthesize all these facetted facts into an image of the remedies and groups that the reader can use in the clinic. A feat that shows that she really knows what she is writing about. This is not just a quick amassment of disparate facts made to construct a book, it is actually a real treasure trove of cohesive knowledge that can be understood and used on many different levels. A labour of love.

Sea Remedies has three main parts, the first part explores the evolution of the senses of taste, smell, vision, touch and hearing through the evolution from primitive sea sponges to more complex animals like lobster or squid. This evolution from passive microorganisms to assertive and complex hunters necessitated complex senses. She employs the biological knowledge about the way the different animals sense, function and experience to explain symptoms that arise in proving and through clinical experience. The reason for this is that our understanding of remedies/patients is based on feelings, sensations and experience. They are found through the tension between sensation and language (phenomenology).

The second part of the book explores the various groups of sea animals Porifera, Cnidarians, Echinoderms, Marine Arthropods, Gastropods, Bivalves, Cephalopods. As strange and exotic as these names appear to readers not familiar with sea remedies, as interesting and enchanting is this world to explore through Jo Evans' book. She looks at the animals/remedies from all sides through the eyes of all the above-mentioned angles.

It could, in the hands of some, easily become messy, overwhelming and disorganized or meaningless, but Jo Evans makes it clear and useful without it ever becoming too factual and dry only or too ungrounded and speculative. The whole book is a product of a renaissance-like mind that without fear unfolds various fields of knowledge and relates them to reveal new and surprising knowledge.

The third part that spirals you upward and downward deals with the multiple ways the spiral as a symbol can be understood in biology, alchemy, human development, sea remedies etc. This part is incredible interesting and almost dizzying in its multiple references bridging gaps between traditionally unrelated areas, that would otherwise require a leap of faith.

The last part is a quick reference repertory of sea remedy affinities, keynotes and themes.

A New Standard

Sea Remedies is a new classic that will continue to inspire those who want a deep understanding of this 'new' group of ancient remedies as well as expand their way of perceiving remedies in general. It has set a standard.

 

This book review is reprinted with the permission from the Spring 2010 Edition of The Homeopath.

Reviewed by Francis Treuherz

With 24 remedies in 653 pages and around 100 full-page colour illustrations, this book has quality and size. It is surprisingly slim, heavy, perfectly bound on high-grade paper with an elegant font and a great aesthetic; the central materia medica section has a shaded marker on the edge of the page so you can find it.

The first 125 pages set the tone with the sensual themes. Will we ever feel at home with these families? In this book I think so, it is an underwater adventure with correspondences, taste, smell, vision, touch, hearing all analysed, indexed and referenced in such an elegant and poetic fashion that I think the author has been writing prose all her life without knowing it. Each remedy is summarised before being described in detail, with some cases from our literature.

Porifera, cnidarians, echinoderms, arthropods, molluscs, gastropods, bivalves, cepaholopds ... there is a new unfamiliar vocabulary to help define familiar remedies like Calcarea carbonica and Sepia, and new remedies like Eledone cirrhosa or Pecten jacobaeus. Then there is a spiral journey of homeopathic process, integrated with spiral and shell remedies. There follow glossaries of the unfamiliar terms and a thematic repertory, bibliography and index, as part of these last 100 pages.

It looks good enough to eat - about the only information that seems to be missing is this: the sea creatures so lovingly, carefully and comprehensively described in this book are a forbidden food for observant Jews on a par with pig meat. Oh and there are no recipes. I look forward to the second volume that I hope will deal with real vertebrate fish with fins and scales. Desires fish (3).

This is a superlative book in every way, the sensual medium is the message, not only for look and feel but for quality and integration of the information about the medicines. I have never seen a materia medica with so many sources and so much integration of philosophy with useful material. I have a habit of reading an article from a journal or a remedy from material medica in bed most nights. This one is taking me longer as it is so rich and I look forward to more early nights. Buy it for yourself or ask someone dear to you to give it for your next birthday.