Modalities - Fun and Frustrating

What makes homeopathy unique and powerful?  The analytic art of defining symptoms when selecting the remedy to match the ailment and patient.  Defining the where, when and most of all what effects symptoms, is critical.  Sounds weird? Consider your last flu. Were you bundled up tight (better for warmth) or throwing off the covers?  When "proving" a substance to see what a remedy is capable of treating (like cures like), doctors noticed a  strong trend in most remedies for hot or cold (better with or worse for), fresh air or aversion to it, motion or staying still, eating or fasting, etc. In applying the remedies, these "modalities" were usually the pointers toward success.

For general elixers, homeopathic combinations like “Headache #33” group single remedies for their ability to treat a variety of related ailments in hopes that one of the "single remedy" ingredients will address each user's particular needs.   When you are ready to break into the exciting world of homeopathic "singles," i.e., finding the one remedy that has the greatest healing potential for your case, you have to say more than, "it hurts."  File through your symptoms.  Classify them.  Find out where it is (locality), what it feels like (sensation), when it happens (times), what triggers it (causation), and sometimes most importantly, what makes it feel worse and what makes it better (modalities).

Knowing your modalities can shorten your reading list by half or more.  For instance, if joint pain is better with motion, rule out remedies like Bryonia which is always worse with motion, and give an extra strong mark to Rhus tox which got its nickname “the rusty gate remedy” by its ability to relieve stiff joints that feel better with gentle motion. They also let you clue in quickly to likely solutions. A “Hepar sulph anything” wants to be bundled up. A “Ledum wound” is cold to the touch and feels better with cold applied. An “Apis sting” is burning hot and also craves cold. As you get to know a few of the main "polycrest" remedies, these individual traits make more sense. For instance, remedies that help with low overall vitality tend to be chilly and need warmth, high vitality are hot and need cooling. 

Getting familiar with the nuances of a remedy may start out frustrating, but becomes fun, fascinating and very useful. The insight they lend you will will soon impress your friends, too.  Next time your outgoing friend complains about her nervous pressing headache, tell her she needs to eat something (Phosphorus). A Pulsatilla’s headache? Open the window (craves fresh air).  A hot tempered pal with a throbbing headache? Offer some Belladonna.

One more thing, if you pick up an advanced materia medica and see greater than, less than symbols everywhere, those are the modalities.  Less than “<” equals worse for and greater than “>” better for. On the keynotes listings in our catalogues we always spell them out.  You can order a free one anytime. Good luck!