What is Homeopathy?

Homeopathy is a branch of holistic medical science that is uniquely safe and gentle. It was developed in the 1700s by German M.D. Samuel Hahnemann. Research and practice of homeopathy have proceeded almost continuously since that time.

Samuel Hahnemann Memorial
Scott Circle
Washington, DC

Today homeopathy is widely used by medical doctors in Western Europe, South America and India. In the U.S. increased interest in holistic medicine has also seen a rise in the use of homeopathy. Around the world more than 50 million people rely on homeopathy for health and healing.

But let's go back to homeopathy's beginning. Dr. Hahnemann became deeply saddened as a young doctor because of the the side effects and damage to patients that medicine of his time caused. A religious man, he found he could no longer practice medicine in good conscience. So he retired from his practice for some years to work as a translator of medical texts. It was in this work that he learned of an exciting theory in medicine which was espoused by the father of Western Medicine, Hippocrates, and other noted medical thinkers in history.

From this Hahnemann came to understand what he called the Law of Similars. The Law of Similars says that any substance that can cause a symptom in a healthy person (or animal) can stimulate healing of that symptom in someone who is ill. It's a strange idea to most Americans, but the last 250+ years of clinical practice by homeopaths have shown the usefulness of its application.

Hahnemann returned to medicine and began treating his patients in a new way that he found both ethical and tremendously effective. He used homeopathic remedies. Homeopathic remedies are made from natural sources that are diluted to a level that allows the remedies to act as stimulants to human healing. The remedies have no toxicity and so no side effects.

Hahnemann dedicated his life to developing the healing art of homeopathy, gained notoriety by his success with several epidemics, and attracted many students. Today there are a many doctors and health practitioners around the world trained in Classical Homeopathy.

There are also more than 6,500 homeopathic remedies that have been studied and cataloged according to their use in stimulating healing on the physical, mental and emotional levels. And of course, there is a growing body of research on the efficacy of homeopathy. Please see the research page on this web site for more resources on research.