Levels of Perception

How the homeopath perceives the case before them will ultimately influence the prescription. If our perception is wrong, even with all of the tools available to us with the repertory and Materia Medica, our prescription will fail. I find that at the very most fundamental level even a prescription made from well-selected remedies of a good repertization is rarely good enough to prescribe the best remedy in the most elegant manner. For this, we need different levels of perception to really see what is asking to be healed.

During case receiving, it is good to keep these ideas about what we are seeing and experiencing in the front of our minds. By this, I do not mean actively thinking about them but being willing and ready to perceive them as they unfold in the case. These levels will all be occurring simultaneously and if we come to the case with a crowded mind, then we will surely miss them. Let the different levels of perception paint a picture for us and we can then translate the story of our client into a clear picture of the energy of the remedy needed. This combined with good rubrics and knowledge of Materia Medica will lead to brilliant prescriptions.

• The first level of perception about the case is usually the diagnosis. This is the primary reason the client has come and usually, it comes with a disease name that the client has learned from the allopathic medical doctor. They have usually read up on their disease and know more about it than you do. We can learn much about them through their disease name and information but it will ultimately not reveal the remedy.
• The second level of perception is the facts of the case. These facts tell the story of the client. It is through these facts that we can understand when the disease started, modalities, and the beginnings of the sensations they are experiencing. Pay particularly close attention to the sensations at this time since they will be unsolicited.
• The next level of perceptions has to do with the level of emotions surrounding their story. It is through these emotions that they are relating to their dis-ease and the world around them. Emotions are energy in motion. It will tell much about the basic perspective they have on their life.
• The next level of perception begins with those levels of perceptions that are more difficult to perceive and requires great clarity of the homeopath. This level has to do with the delusions the person may have. This will influence their basic perceptions of their world. A delusion is a false view of their world or a fixed perspective that limits a larger or more healthy viewpoint. Many times the person will not explain themselves in terms of a delusion but in terms that make perfect sense to them. It can even make perfect sense to the homeopath but if it is the basis through which the disease operates, then we must see this limiting view for what it is. We must cast aside our own prejudice and perceive the case from a larger perspective.
• The next level will be revealed through the client's story but can be very difficult to hear unless you have trained and practiced this art. It is the art of hearing the keywords that describe the sensations they experience in all of life. These will be revealed through their story but need to be heard as a bigger whole. It may be a word that gets repeated often or a theme of the story that will reveal the deeper sensation that the client experiences. Often it comes about as the more descriptive verbs that the client will use.
• Gesture and body language need to be perceived at all times. These can be very elaborate or subtle in their expression. These can sometimes tell the unspoken energy of dis-ease that the person is really suffering from. These gestures can paint the picture in very graphic terms if we are present enough to see them and not just take it for granted that it is the person's way of expressing. It is all an expression of the vital force.
• The next level of perception is the level of the source of the remedy. Each of the kingdoms presents a particular quality. The plant kingdom is about sensitivities. They have botanical qualities and the person may speak of roots, growth, or about seeds. The animal remedies have more active expressions and will speak of properties of the particular genus or species. It is very behavior-oriented. The mineral kingdom will be more structure related. The client may speak of bonding, as in chemical reactions or catalysis. It is a more static state. Sometimes the person may actually tell you the very substance from which the remedy comes from. Do not discount these aspects of their story.
• The last level of perception is that of energy. This is the unspoken and subtly revealed energy the person is carrying. This can sometimes be perceived psychically or intuitively. Other times, it may be subtle or quite pronounced and be that loudest part of the case. When this happens, it is important to be very clear about what you are actually perceiving. This perception usually comes as a feeling in the homeopath. Always recognize these feelings inside of yourself but be very wary of them. You must have great clarity. If you are wrong then the entire basis for the remedy may be wrong. I use the feeling part to support all other perceptions.

When you are able to use all of these perceptions and form very good rubrics that reflect them, you will be a very good prescriber when they are combined with knowledge of the source of the remedy.  Always consider the source. In all of creation, the collection of molecules or organization of atoms carries with it incredible information. When we potentize the remedy, we are revealing the source energy of that substance. When it interacts with a life force, it reveals itself. When a remedy is offered, and it is homeopathic, then the person's vital force will respond. It is this response that is their healing. Without being able to perceive the case, we will have a very hard time coming to that perfect remedy. Use these levels of perception to paint the picture of their dis-ease as well as the remedy.

Keep the conversation going! I would love to hear your questions and thoughts below!