The Minimum Dose. From Cape Town to Callanish and beyond

The Minimum Dose - From Cape Town to Callanish and beyond - A Homeopathic Journey by Norman Ball DHom MARH ND MRN DO Dip.Civ Eng.
In this article Norman brings together several aspects of his many experiences that led him to discover, initially by trial and error or empirical measure, a means to perfect an aspect of homeopathic dosage the size of the minimum dose.
There is no question of him wishing to modify the concept or philosophy of homeopathy nor how it is practiced. However, with his insight, practical understanding and knowledge of measurement, mathematics and physics he was driven to obtain clarity regarding the transference of homeopathic energy from the homeopathic prescription to the patient:

   On a recent radio program I heard an interesting and challenging statement: 'Are you doing the best that you can be doing?' and further: ' When you take stock and measure your present self against your true potential is there something that could be improved, or broadened in scope, knowledge, understanding or attitude?'
   I have tried to apply this concept of self-improvement in many ways over the years: for example I had previously, in 1965, been recruited as a civil engineer to assist with projetcs in South Africa and during my stay I was able to both observe and take part in life there. As a result I became heavily involved, with some successess, in a number of other different projects or activities, including homeopathy and alpine sport, which kept me occupied there for 25 years.
   My next period of challenges came on my return to the UK in 1990. Life in England was far from ideal for me, what with the cold, the miserable winter weather, the darkness and the expense. It compared harshly to my previous lifestyle in Cape Town. I had a wife to support and chose Peterborough over London for a rewarding job with civil engineering consultants. However, there were some social barriers to progress, possibly due to my apparent foreignness (South Africa is both multi-cultural and multi-lingual), or the unseen territorial nature of the office environment. At weekends I would look forward to some homeopathic work.
The Peterborough Effect and the malaria miasma
   During my first year in Peterborough I noticed that I began to suffer unnaturally from loss of vigour and vitality, even though I had access to good quality fresh foods (not organic) and well prepared meals. I was happily married with a helpful wife and in my clinic a few patients - a dream scenario for anyone trying to get established after returning to the UK.
   The malaise became more and more obvious whether or not I worked forty or more hours each week and included visits driving to and from Dagenham in Essex or Liverpool. No matter which homeopathic prescription I took, nothing seemed to help. I gave my malaise the title ' The Peterborough Effect' - the same wording as seen on big seductive adverts at the railway station in order to attract business to the region. Peterborough appears to be a very attractive place to live and work, however the geography of the area suggests that it had been a swampy region sitting on the edge of the Fens. It is now well drained for farming but has some stagnant waters and a sluggish river called the Nene. It reminded me of areas in Africa heavy with malaria and became a factor in my future prescribing.
   During 1991 I met fellow homeopath Norman Jollyman, (former employee of the Atomic Energy Commision), at his home nearby in Elton. We often discussed homeopathy, case taking, analyses of patients and made remedies from time to time. He saw patients regularly, researched and wrote several useful health books, painted, taught at the adult education centre and had an open attitude toward homeopathy. I felt that I had made a good friend and was able to discuss my health with him but we could not reach any firm conclusions about the problem.
Wear copper plate for protection
   Searching through my bookcase I came across a pocket sized book, The Prescriber by J. H. Clarke. The Prescriber covers many conditions and illnesses including the disease of cholera and possible remedies. I had not suffered cholera but read on and became excited with this information. Clarke advocates the use of a copper plate for protection against cholera, provided that one wears an oval shaped plate over the abdomen. I reasoned that if copper can give protection against cholera (vibrio bacilli), then perhaps it could also give some protection for me against The Peterborough Effect or malaria miasm. I imagined that by using the plate I could somehow deflect the miasm. Copper is a soft metal with many properties, including conductivity, and many Africans wear it for decoration around the wrists, arms, ankles or neck and others wear it for relief of arthritic pain.
   I obtained copper sheet, cut it to size, shaped and filed the sharp and rough edges, polished it and wore it for several hours each day over my abdomen. The symptoms lifted quickly and I was able to move forward again, after a year of near misery. Unfortunately, the improvement lasted only a few weeks and new symptoms arose which caused me to feel worse than ever! My device had in effect diverted the sickness to another part of me and replaced one set of symptoms with another. It acted like a drug providing a type of allopathic distraction for the body's vital force. However, the copper plate did provide some unseen protection whenever I faced a day in and amongst the factory buildings of Dagenham, with it's tidal wetlands and marshes.
An outrageous thought
   My belief in homeopathy was tested to the limit during 1990. I had consumed many homeopathic prescriptions over the year without relief. In my despair, my frustration and my growing scepticism, due to the poor results, I made what seemed to be an outrageous thought, (in defiance of my understanding of homeopathy and contrary to Hahnemann's avice on the minimum dose), which was: 'If one or two tablets or pillules could not bring about an improvement then why not try 3, 4 or even 5 per dose?'   The result unfortunately was the same.
   However, I persisted tenaciously with my 'correct' prescription for a week, looking for a result and gradually increasing the quantity of tablets in my mouth from 5 to 10, then 10 to 15, then 15 to 20 tablets per dose, and so on without any noticeable effect. In sheer desperation, and with only 40 or 50 tablets remaining in my supply, I stuffed the whole lot into my mouth. 'What a dose', I thought! whilst chewing, sucking and unable to speak for several minutes.
   Overnight my symptoms disappeared, except for the odd nightime painful muscle cramps. (Cramp is often a sign of mineral salt deficiency and/or poor circulation). At last I felt that I could resume cycling to the office, go mountaneering or play tennis again. However, after a week the symptoms would reappear, hence I would prescribe again using from 40 to 50 tablets per dose. My symptoms would then subside again. My period of well being never lasted more than a week between doses. It was my method of survival, but at least I had a valid empirical truth of sorts, where my belief system became irrelevant in my trials.
   These episodes repeated themselves many times through 1991, whilst I remained in Peterborough. I would note down my rubrics and study Kent's Repertory and then Clarke's three volumes of Materia Medica, almost daily and then prescribe: Cinchona Officinalis (debility), or Gelsemium (lassitude), or Arsenicum album (debility and exhaustion), or Phosphoricum acidum (brain fag after office design work), or Bryonia alba at times (repetitive strain injury, contracted after surveying and walking on glass smooth floors through huge factory buildings). It was possible to rapidly depress my own vitality and develop an Arsenic-like symptom picture, due to the working conditions and imposed environment. I would then prescribe Ars. alb. again.
Relocation north
   When I took a holiday, usually spent hill walking or alpine ski-ing, the improvement in health seemed phenomenal. The clue was in the energy of the land. Hills have it, plains do not ! Leaving Peterborough, with its low lying elevation, for 2 weeks was of immense benefit to me. However, the feeling of well being was short lived, as the malaise would reappear with a vengeance on my return. My thoughts turned to relocation and alternative employment but there was little available in the field of engineering design, and employment within the UK, during 1992, was getting tougher by the day. Fortunately I had made friends in the north of England and visited them regularly. They were deeply interested in my work in health and homeopathy. Unfortunately my wife was away for long periods, preferring the South African climate. Something had to be done. I took a bold but risky decision and resigned from engineering after 3 years in Peterborough and took a few weeks away relaxing and walking during the winter of 1992/3 in Scotland. I felt a million times better and with renewed vigour moved home and began a new life in Newcastle upon Tyne.
   The helpful Business Link Officers of Newcastle encouraged me to enrol on a business course for the self-employed at a university. This gave me a very good foundation and also led to my obtaining office space for my first clinic in Newcastle, which opened in 1994. I found that the energies within Newcastle were very good and I have never had an off day there. I never returned to full-time engineering and was able to put all my effort into homeopathy and naturopathy. A few years later I was able to obtain good supplies of organic food, which helped maintain my good health. My wife rejoined me but we separated soon after and then obtained a divorce.
Refining the size of the minimum dose
   The discovery I made earlier in Peterborough, concerning the minimum homeopathic dose, had made a deep impression on me. It was necessary for me to make it both practical and economical for my patients who, I was led to believe, were also benefitting. Norman Jollyman had encouraged me to persist with my work refining the size of the dose.
   In moving north to Newcastle I felt myself reawakening. It was similar to the excitement that I had first encountered on arriving by ship in Table Bay Harbour, Cape Town, and similar to the experience I felt when introduced to the staff of the Lindlahr College of Natural Therapeutics, in Johannesburg. I studied there for four packed years until December 1969, graduating in homeopathy, naturopathy and osteopathy. (There is now a five year course in homeopathy and other disciplines, at either Johannesburg or Durban, see their websites).
   Perhaps it was my extensive engineering background and experience with homeopathy that drove me to investigate dosage. My stubborn persistence with dosage had brought me results, of a practical kind, but it was at odds with Hahneman's Organon, where he states clearly and concisely how to go about remedy making, dispensing and dosage Paras. 270 - 279. (Also see Lessell's Homoeopathy for Physicians). But from 1990 onward the minimum dose was not working for me unless I used a large quantity of tablets per dose.
   I wrote to Weleda (UK) Ltd., suppliers of homeopathic medicines, who very kindly replied, saying: 'It was the quality of the dose and not the quantity taken that mattered'. I gathered from the pharmacist's letter that a single grain of impregnated sac lac would have the same curative benefit as a spoonful of grains. As an engineer I was both amused and at the same time sceptical, of this Hahnemannian explanation, especially after my experience in Peterborough. There may have been other unknown contributing factors affecting my health at the time, which I was not aware of. We know that Hahnemann made all his own remedies and lived in an era when there was no such thing then as intensive farming, growth enhancers, artificial fertilisers, pesticides, herbicides and fungicides, nor the irradiation of food or fluoridation of the water supply. The population in Hahnemann's time may have suffered seasonal shortages and hunger but their food was organically grown.
The calculations
   In my discovery I found that an effective dose needed a minimum number of tablets which would make adequate contact with the patient's mouth and tongue: the wet area or mucous membranes. These membranes appear to act as a gateway or route for the transference of the vibrational essence of the medicine, or its homeopathic energy, onto the surface of the bi-concave (dish shaped), iron-rich blood corpuscles. This essence would then be carried around the body by the blood influencing various energy centres or chakras, until used up. Note: This would be very slow, difficult or nigh impossible in some types of iron deficient anaemia and gastric or intestinal disturbances, hence before homeopathy could be used the patient's diet would need supplementation especially with iron, vitamin B12, vitamin C, probiotics, enzymes and betaine hydrochloride, for the intrinsic factor.
   Calculating the size of the minimum dose requires a few measurements and some basic mathematics. A standard tablet (domed shape, nine tablets to a gram), is about 6 mm to 6.5 mm in diameter and about 1.2 mm to 1.5 mm in thickness. The surface area is impregnated with the 'homeopathic' preparation. The formula for the surface area is:
[2 Π + 2 Π r t], where r is the radius, Π = 3.142, and t is the thickness of the side of the tablet. You can now calculate the surface area of a tablet whilst ignoring the slightly extra area due to the dome effect, about 3%.
Delivery by tablets, pillules or grains
   From a patient's point of view, a lot of tablets would be needed, too many for most ordinary folk to comprehend, chew and then swallow. Even 10 or 15 tablets at a time would seem excessive. However, I noticed that my new dosage recommendations were working well and it was not necessary for me to have to pray for my prescripions to work. Fortunately there were other variations of shape and size for medicine delivery.
   Since tablets or pills (3 mm in diameter), are not a convenient way to provide sufficient surface area for effective dosage I turned to the use of grains. They were the obvious choice as the smaller the size of the grain the greater, in proportion, is its surface area to its diameter. A sucrose or milk-sugar grain has a near spherical form of diameter from 0.8 mm to 1.0 mm. The formula for surface area of a sphere is: [4 x Π r²].
   The number of grains needed to meet my requirements for a minimum dose is obtained by dividing the gross surface area of the minimum number of tablets (the dose), by the surface area of a single grain. Use your own experiences to establish a minimum dose.
   The result for me, although large in number of actual grains, is without the bulk of many tablets. I counted out many hundreds of grains and funnelled them onto a spoon. Their volume nearly filled a teaspoon. 'Voila!'
Quantity of grains required for an effective dose:
Let n = number of tablets for an effective dose.
R = radius of a standard round tablet.
t = thickness at side wall of tablet.
r = radius of a spherical grain.
Hence number of grains for an effective dose:
= n (surface area of a tablet) divided by (surface area of a grain), or
= n [2 Π R² + 2 Π R t] divided by [4 x Π r²].
In practice the effective dose, for my patients, turns out to be almost 1 teasponful of grains.
The all or nothing law
   The very next time I injured myself, which happened fairly regularly, e.g. head banging on low level Northumbrian door lintels or opening bulky parcels, erecting shelves, cycling or climbing etc., I would try my new dosage discovery. Without much surprise it worked a treat! I could now move on with renewed confidence. I mentioned my findings to several friends, some were naturally curious whilst others were cautious; no suprise there! A previous homeopathic medicine supplier in South Africa said that this system had been in use before and it was of no surprise to him! My friend Norman Jollyman and later Mrs Brookes, or Brookie, of the Homeopathic Animal Welfare Society, thought that my discovery and minimum dosage recommendations were very novel and worth a try.
    Grains are convenient, manageable and cost effective for use in the majority of prescriptions. They are well liked by most patients. Liquid oral drops were also found to be effective when used in quantity instead of grains. Later on I discovered that when standard sized tablets were sucked every 2 or 3 minutes until a whole handful of tablets had been consumed, a similar benefit eventually occurred as if the full quantity of the dose had been taken in one go. It was also quite understandable that if a patient were to take 3 tablets, three times per day for a week, then a healing action could be triggered due to the accummulation of homeopathic energy. This is how I used to write my homeopathic prescriptions, with some success, until my departure from Cape Town in December 1989.
   In electrical engineering we learn a fundamental law: 'The all or nothing law'. It is used in all sorts of applications, especially in switching, where the desired action cannot take place until the minimum quantity of energy or the correct voltage has been reached. I believe now that it also applies to homeopathy regarding energy transference. Hence I always prescribe a quantity of medicine slightly in excess of the bare minimum. (My empirical approach).
Divine intervention and alpine sport
   Returning to my memorable period in South Africa, I was on a high level walking holiday deep inside the sun bleached Cedarberg National Park with a companion from Pretoria. We had camped and then, very late at night, were awoken by a boisterous group of agile mountaineers from Cape Town. We were apparently sleeping at their favourite site, within the huge opening of the Welbedacht Cave. However, after the suprise meeting we soon became friends and at camp every evening we were soon discussing all sorts of natural phenomena such as auric colour, astral travel, reincarnation, channelling of spirit guides, the practice of which totally eluded me at the time, healing through psychic energy, the cosmic and homeopathy. It was a fascinating time. I returned refreshed to my homeopathic practice in Johannesburg.
   Later on, from about 1973, I became seriously involved in alpine sport with its various difficult challenges, its administration, fund raising, marketing, photography and later its management. I deeply enjoyed the sport, its personalities and on rare occasions would ski the slope, obtain a few bumps, scrapes and cracked ribs before one day painfully injuring myself by shattering my wrist and breaking my thumb. I had during 1981 and in good fun entered a parallel slalom ski race, run on a plastic ski slope, but my ski had hooked a slalom pole and I hit the floor. (Snow is very forgiving in comparison to falling on ski matting).
   After the initial shock and emergency treatment, at the local general hospital, I found that I needed to consult a different orthopaedic surgeon (privately), who knew his subject very well. He repaired my wrist after the botched attempt of the previous surgeon and suggested that I soon get typing or play a piano regularly to help the wrist and improve my finger movements. I took lessons and enjoyed playing the piano so much that I eventually bought my own beautiful piano, which I continue to play on most evenings.
Callanish, Isle of Lewis and an unexpected visitor
   My visit to the Isles of Lewis and Harris in May 1999 was another turning point for me. It was at Callanish, at about midday, and within the huge circle of ancient stones, that I felt my first contact with a spirit guide, who then invited me to take part in some channelling, a process of telepathy that I now understood well. From then on my channelling ability grew and flourished and I listened often to this intelligence or spirit guide. I learnt a great deal from these messages especially the concern shown by the spirit world for the environment and natural forces. I was asked to become pro-active by involving myself in numerous repair tasks in the environment, such as repairing a Ley line or building an Arnica stone henge for healing an aspect of Nature. An Arnica stone henge is employed when, for example, Nature has suffered from the battering, ripping, tearing and pollution caused by large scale quarrying in the countryside and she needs to recover her senses and reconnect broken lines of communication.
   One autumn evening in Newcastle, also in 1999, I noticed a presence of unusual quality around within my living room. I was curious as to which spirit guide had need of my time. I was asked, by this invisible soul, to sit, get comfortable and then begin writing. This I did by translating the messages that I received from spirit into everyday language. It is a normal routine for me now. However, this presence was not like that of my regular spirit guides, it felt cooler and was a unique experience to me. An invisible solid of a different vibratory rate to ourselves. I soon gathered that it was from one of our planetary neighbours and quickly learnt that there was a serious problem on this visitor's far away planet. Apparently, and suprisingly to me, I had become well known amongst the spirit world and by some extraordinary route this soul now sought my advice. They were having an epidemic of huge proportion, which could not be allowed to proceed or it would wipe out their entire population. A planetary pandemic. Far fetched you might think but, due to my sensitivity as a homeopath, it was very real to me.
   Before I continue I need to explain that I had earlier been searching for the appropriate musical note on my piano that would correspond or resonate with each one of the planets in our solar system. I found that each planet had a specific note except that there were several pairs of planets which had their own common note, either an F, an A, a C or an E flat etc., but that the note differed by two or more octaves for each of the planets in a pair.
   To my amazement I learnt that the soul in my room had come or reached out from a planet that was in harmony with our own planet. It had the same note as our own planet but was 2-3 octaves apart. Presumably life on this distant planet harmonizes in some way with ourselves. Some of my ideas and research were the result of reading books by authors such as Carl Sagan, Abbe Mermet, David Tansley, Judy Jacka, Fran Nixon, Roslyn Bryere and others.
Homeopathy concept exported
   There was a certain calm in our meeting as I thought of the human race's previous problems: the Plague or Black Death, the Influenza epidemics, Cholera, Diptheria, Smallpox and Famine, etc. I also realised that I knew nothing about the surface of this soul's planet only that there was an opportunity for me to pass on my knowledge of homeopathy in order to help solve the problem, (this I offered without taking liberties or any thought of acknowledgement). I began by explaining, in the simplest of terms, the discovery of our hero Samuel Hahnemann who experimented on himself some 200 years earlier, in a thoroughly scientific manner, by taking doses of the poison from Peruvian Bark or Cinchona, and produced in himself symptoms of the disease called malaria or intermittent fever, even though he had never had malaria. I explained further that by decreasing the quantity of poison taken, Hahnemann had found that a point was reached where it no longer caused symptoms of poisoning. Instead the use of Cinchona became curative.
   I said that different poisons would create different symptom pictures and that by diluting the poison many times the effect would be reversed. I explained the dynamics, as I saw it, of even further dilution using a bland fluid such as water or a water and alcohol mix, as the diluent, 100 parts of the diluent to one part of the poison, and the process of banging the mixture on a hard surface forty times, in a half filled bottle, before further dilution. Then repeating the whole process over and over again until six or more successive dilutions have been completed. This solution would then be given to the sufferer for several doses until they had recovered their health fully. I also thought it wise to add my knowledge of the discovery concerning the minimum dose and surface area of contact of the remedy with, what we humans call a wet surface, or the mucous membranes of our mouths, rich in blood and nerve vessels, and where homeopathic energy transference takes place.
   I then raised the important subject of raw materials, for a homeopathic pharmacy, and explained that any substance on their planet that acted as a poison, or produced symptoms of poisoning, could be used in homeopathy. Substances such as plants, minerals, metals, animal secretions, insects, bacteria or viruses could be used as a potential curative remedy by using the process of dilution and succussion and should act beneficially on the sufferer when offered as a medicine. The visitor appeared to be satisfied with my explanation. I felt that it was clear enough for another civilisation to grasp and employ. I heard no more but thought that possibly something good would come about and soon forgot this interesting yet humbling experience.
Remember my words "Size does matter, especially with Homoeopathy"
   Another of my discoveries in 1999 involves healing sessions for traumatised or lost souls. Whilst playing piano I would sense changes developing around me and the presence of entities or souls. Through channelling spirit and by my understanding, I developed a rescue technique for traumatised souls. When a soul has been traumatised, usually by an unnatural death of its human host, it becomes paralysed and lacks the ability to travel until rescued. The process of rescue is very much like that of the action of homeopathy and one of my techniques involves supplying regular and rythmic doses of sustained healing energy ie. music, which helps both free the soul from its paralysis and, at the same time, helps refuel the soul for its onward journey. I work at this pleasant task on most evenings using my piano and various props.
   After finishing a healing session one evening I was sitting at my piano and quietly contemplating the atmosphere within the room. It was a Saturday night (8 July 2000), and had followed a day spent promoting homeopathy to the public at the annual two day Chopwell Woods Forest Festival in Gateshead (held annually by the Forestry Commision, see their website). That night I felt as if my regular spirit guide or supervisor were there, or so I thought, and I asked: 'did some famous healers come here tonight?' and then 'Who is there?' The reply verbatim: 'Samuel Hahnemann speaking! - Hello Norman. I have been wanting to speak to you for some time now because of your dynamic approach to Homœopathy! You have trodden a path that is quite extraordinary: you have excelled where I pioneered! You have taken the essence of Homœopathy and both broadened it and made it acceptable to all manner of people.' I replied: 'That is very nice of you to say that!'
'Yes Norman, you were challenged by many critics in your own profession (presumably the elders or fundamentalists of northern homeopathy during 1998/1999, with their cherished notions and parochial prejudices), but they would not come and talk to you. Instead they went behind your back and sought to rubbish your great discovery.' 'Which one of my discoveries?' I asked. 'The one about surface-area-of-contact Norman.'
   'You see, I was not aware myself of this aspect; with myself preparing all of my own remedies without considering the actual transference of the energy from granule or pillule to the recipient. Now that I have seen you at work over the last year and since many called on me in their prayers to put an end to your ways, I have had to reconsider the whole theory of prescribing.' 'Wow !' I thought.
'My conclusion is that you are right. It is the surface area that allows transference! So in my opinion size does matter! Although I originally thought that the smallest dose is best, I did not make it clear that the surface area has to be a (specific) minimum to be effective. Hence my visit tonight (8 July 2000), to talk to you through your soul! Thank you again.'
   'Yes doctor Hahnemann, you were brilliant, except that I had trouble finding your agreement (or specification), on the size of the dose Para. 270 - 279 (for my circumstances). I did not find it helful.' 'Yes Norman, call me Samuel, please.' 'Thanks Samuel, I appreciate that and your presence here tonight. Anything else?' 'Yes Norman, I am extremely grateful to you for furthering Homœopathy! Perhaps your critics will now learn from you once you publish this message from me. Although it is confidential, I feel it is my duty to talk to you tonight, since you asked this morning, when am I, (Norman), going to put the story of dosage out to all of my colleagues?' 'Yes, I was getting to the point where I felt that I was letting my colleagues down by remaining silent.' (I needed to get the discovery off my chest and into the open as we say).
'Yes Norman you are right, so in the next few weeks you can write (it) up on your web page and paste it on the web, as you call it. This will please me immensely, to see the final instalment of my homœopathic discoveries perfected by a lay (non medical), practitioner of the highest calibre!'
   'I salute you Norman and wish only that I could join you in the physical to see how Homœopathy has travelled over the last 150 years.' 'Thank you very much Samuel, your work was brilliant.' 'Yes Norman, you have already helped half the Universe since your epic transmission some months ago.
   The souls of planet Neptune have had a tremendous boost of health since they received your communication that night (1999), when you sat here and dictated your findings.'
'I was amazed at the clarity of vision and understanding that you showed to them. I heard about it the next day and was gobsmacked, as you say, yes gobsmacked! It is not often that a soul such as mine is stopped in its tracks and learns something new from the physical world, but you have a superb mind and can only go further forward now as you branch out into new fields of study and endeavour.' 'Thanks a lot Samuel. I enjoyed hearing you talk. No one else has ever thanked me before for my homoeopathic discovery.' 'Yes Norman, you had a nice day today and remember my words: "Size does matter, especially with Homœopathy". Thanks again. Goodbye Norman.'
'You may publish all of it Norman, but only in your newsletter please, not in medical journals.' 'Thank you, I will do this sometime in late autumn, I would think.' 'OK Norman.' 'Goodbye Samuel.'   End of the first transmission with Samuel's soul. After finishing writing I communicated with my spirit council at Callanish and the next available guide:
Laughter in the Council!   'Hello Callanish,' 'Hello Norman. So you have had a long chat with Samuel Hahnemann tonight?'   'Yes, for half an hour, quite extraordinary - I mean I never even anticipated meeting Samuel in my flat, especially after I had been condemned by several other homeopaths of the Newcastle area.'   'Well Norman, Samuel and I, (voice of a spirit of Callanish), felt that you were far above all the other practitioners in your day to day understanding of homœopathy. Although you are not privy to its actual workings, you know implicitly how to use it, as it should be used, and for this understanding we decided it was time for you to be recognised.' 'Thank you.'
'You are aware that we sent you a little present today?' 'Yes, I am aware and very suprised'. 'Yes we knew that you would be very suprised but you knew immediately you saw into the eyes that this was no ordinary person?' 'Yes I knew and sensed it immediately we spoke.' 'Yes Norman, we thought that you might be moved sideways, but you were actually knocked over, we noticed !' (Laughter amongst the council of spirit guides). 'Well, yes, it was instant, I think.' 'Yes, we felt that after you had the chakras balanced and after Dominic, (a Shiatsu practitioner), had helped you release the blockages in your solar plexus area, you were then ready for our present.' 'Yes!' 'Well, we sent you a present a few weeks ago but you were closed, as you say.' 'Well, I do not remember what it was.' A pause followed, there being no more business, I assumed. 'Thank you and goodnight!' I replied.
NB. With regard to the results of spirit guide channelling or automatic writing etc., it is sometimes advisable for another person to independently channel the same topic or subject and then have the two results compared to see if there is a common message or theme. However, the message could often be transmitted from any one of a hundred uniquely different souls, within a spirit council, and is often very personal or specific to the subject matter or task allotted to the human individual concerned and as a result verification may be compromised by interpretation. It is also advisable, in the first few months of practice, to have some degree of protection in order to avoid 'getting your wires crossed', as we say. See Packer's Opening to Channel - How to connect with your Guide.
My web page and conclusion
   For various reasons and workload I could not finish my web pages until late 2003. I apologise to my fellow homeopaths, naturopaths and other enthusiasts, for my delay in passing on this message, and to Samuel Hahnemann whose insight, attitude and tenacity of purpose has allowed so many other less fortunate persons, including myself, to benefit from his discovery of Homœopathy.

REFERENCES:
Clarke, J. H. (1962) A Dictionary of Practical Materia Medica. Rustington, England: Health Science Press, 3rd edition. Clarke, J. H. (Reprinted 1985) The Prescriber, a dictionary of therapeutics. New Delhi, India: B. Jain Publishers, page 112.
Hahnemann, S. (1983) The Organon of Medicine. 6th edition. London, UK: Victor Gallancz Ltd. Para. 247 - 249, pages 172 - 176 and Para. 270 - 279, pages 190 - 202. (ISBN 0-575-03328-2).
Kent, J. T. (1966) Repertory of the Homœopathy Materia Medica. Calcutta, India: Roy Publishing House, 2nd Indian edition reprinted from 6th American edition.
Lessell C. B. (1983) Homoeopathy for Physicians. Wellingborough, UK: Thorsons Publishers Ltd., pages 15 -16.

FURTHER READING:
Ashmore, P. (1995) Calanais (Callanish) The Standing Stones. Stornoway, Isle of Lewis and Harris: Urras nan Tursachan Ltd.,.0 (ISBN 0 86152 1617).
Jollyman N.W. (1992) My Practice of Homeopathy. New Delhi, India: B. Jain Publishers Ltd. Packer, S.R.D. (1987) Opening to Channel - How to connect with your Guide. Tiburon, California, USA: H. J. Kramer Inc., (ISBN 0-91 5811-05-7).
Jacka, J and Nixon, F. (1996) Healing through Earth Energies. Austalia: Lothian Publishers Co., (ISBN 0 85091 7832). Bruyere, R. Wheels of Light. (1989) New York, USA: Simon and Schuster Inc., (Fireside book).
Sagan, C. (1981) The Cosmic Connection. London, UK: Macmillan Publishers Ltd. (ISBN 0 333 32474 9).
Mermet, A. (1935) principles and practice of Radiesthesia. (Translated from the French) London, UK: Robinson and Watkins Books Ltd.
Tansley, D. V. (1972) Radionics and The Subtle Anatomy of Man. Rustington, England: Health Science Press.

WESITES:
The Chopwell Forest Festival
The Witwatersrand Technikon
For further information on Environmental healing workshops and talks, please contact Norman Ball at: Norwood House, West Avenue, Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE3 4ES, or by email: consultnature@newcastle437.fsnet.co.uk, or see 'Adventure and Discovery Workshops - 2006. Geomancy, Telepathy and Healing' on this website.

In part two of my article I examine the blood, artificial disease, transference and transport of the homeopathic influence, aspects of nutrition, trace minerals, intrinsic and extrinsic factors, as well as music and harmony. There are further insights by Samuel Hahnemann, Constantine Hering, Carol Dunham and Noel Puddephat. We discuss the primary and secondary chords of healing, colour, influences and osmosis.

The Minimum Dose - Further insights in a Homeopathic Journey - Part 2
By Norman Ball DHom MARH ND MRN DO Dip.Civ Eng.

The more that I study human anatomy and physiology and energy medicine, the more I seem to understand the significance of the workings and efficacy of homeopathy.
   Homeopathy begins with the use of various plants in healing and nutrition. In part two of my article I examine the blood, artificial disease, transference and transport of the homeopathic influence, aspects of nutrition, trace minerals, intrinsic and extrinsic factors, as well as music and harmony.
    There are further insights by Samuel Hahnemann, Constantine Hering, Caroll Dunham and Noel Puddephat. We discuss the primary and secondary chords of healing, colour, influences and osmosis.
Samuel visits one more time
    Julian Winston, in his stimulating article Over the Rainbow, (HIP January 2004), had reproduced Hahnemann's Para. 29 and 34, stating that: The remedy is an artificial disease and stronger than the natural disease. When introduced into the body, the stronger disease displaces the weaker (natural) one. Then, because it is artificial it gradually fades, leaving the body ready to be, once again, governed by the vital force etc., etc. This set me thinking again and whilst I was closing this article for the night I was called by spirit and began urgently writing another channelled message:
   'The assumption that a succussed and diluted poison is an artificial disease is wrong!' said one of Hahnemann's friends on hindsight. His soul was now disagreeing with this Hahnemannian concept! I intuitively agreed and then proposed: 'A healing template?' 'No!' 'A healing colour?' 'Not exactly!' 'A sound?' 'Not exactly!' 'But a composite chord of sounds and colours?' 'Yes, yes, yes....' The message continued:
'The healing effect is not by virtue of a superior but artificial disease, as I previously thought, (Hahnemann), but by the supply of missing components to the weakened or depleted human orchestra, to use your words, of vibrational energies. If you are sick you have lost a few chords, if you are dieing you have lost all or nearly all of your chords. If you live it is because you have been able to access sufficient of the primary chords and, at the same time, reconstituted all of the finer secondary chords from out of the primary chords.' (Similar to creating secondary colours from out of the primary colours).
   'Your playing of music exemplifies the process of making chords on the piano. Without the chords you do not have beautiful music, only a note. One note is not music, it is merely a vibration. One vibration is not a human being, it is merely a cell or less. A human is made up of a multitude of vibrations, many of which resonate harmoniously, all or nearly all of the time, with one another. Sickness or loss of vitality etc., is loss of harmony and there I must leave it for you to contemplate !' 'Who is this?' I asked. 'A close friend of Samuel Hahnemann, within the spirit world.' Possibly Constantine Hering, I thought and then they were gone.
   My understanding and experience of music is that two or more vibrational waves can make a very pleasant sound when played together e.g. the notes A, C and E or G, B flat, D and F or G, B and D. They make superb musical chords to listen to. Likewise any two primary colours: either red or green or blue, (not coloured paints but lights), when mixed together can make other superb colours often seen in Nature e.g. yellow, cyan or magenta. See text book by Abbott: Ordinary Level Physics.

Colours

   Further, a plant used in medicinal preparation has absorbed sunlight and depending on its particular chemistry, will have large portions of the primary vibrational rates as well as traces of secondary vibrational rates, as in primary and secondary colours. I feel that when you take the plant, extract and then dilute its juices and then succuss it many times, you are extracting from it the primary and secondary vibrational rates, without interference from the roughage of the plant, and you create the homeopathic medicine. The vibrational signature of the plant e.g. Arnica Montana, Calendula, Hypericum, Iris Tenax or Pulsatilla etc., can then be carried and transfered to the patient via their mucous membranes and onto the surface of the red blood corpuscles.
   The feature article: The beautiful and intricate Chakra system - part 1, chapter: Colour, chakras and the great misunderstanding, by Peter Tadd (HIP Autumn 2005), is very useful in explaining that each one of our seven major chakras may contain several or even many different colours and not just one single colour, as is depicted in most modern western literature. It is not just sound or light, as we know them, but cosmic energy that supports us, part of the enormous spectrum of solar irradiation. However, to provide a differnt focus to that of Peter's article I would recommend the reading of Roslyn Bruyere's book: the Wheels of Light.
Further study of the concept of influence and transport.
   Another revealing fact is the common architecture, in chemistry, of the two essential biological macromolecules, both composed of complex ions, one of which is chlorophyll (which in plant life can store radiant energy and transfer it to other molecules), and the other which is haemoglobin (the red pigment of our blood corpuscles, which acts as the transporter of oxygen in the blood). I recently studied this in my text book, by Hill and Holman: Chemistry in Context. They refer to the striking similarity of the haem portion of the haemoglobin complex, comparing it to the chlorphyll molecule, suggesting that, as the two have a chemical formula almost identical with each other, they may have been adapted from the same original substance during the course of evolution. Another exciting concept to contemplate.

chlorophyll

Their compatibility is no coincidence and, in my opinion, it is their similar unique molecular characteristic that allows the plant-derived homeopathic remedy to resonate almost instantaneously and without harm to the patient, e.g. Aconite napellus for shock or sudden onset of symptoms.
   NB. In chlorophyll the central metal ion is Magnesium but in haemoglobin it is Iron, these are two of the most important and essential minerals for our survival and good health.
   The feeling that I have at present is, that the vibrational chord of the plant essence is transferred from the homeopathic dose (grains or pills etc.), into the tongue and walls of the mouth, the mucous membranes, thence into the fine blood filled capilliaries, which are just beneath the surfaces of these tissues. It is then attracted onto the surface of the red blood corpuscles (rbc's). An rbc looks similar in shape to a doughnut or rather a flat dried apricot with its bi-concave disc, normally 7.5µ in diameter. (133 to 1mm). The outer ring of the rbc is like a hoop or toroid and, due to the haemoglobin and its iron content, it could in my opinion, be magnetic and act as a ring of security for the homeopathic influence or vibrational chord, which is then transported around the body like a passenger in a taxi.
   When you stop and think that there are on average from 4.8 to 5.5 million rbc's per ml in the blood and from 3 to 4 litres of blood in each adult person, depending on their size and sex, then it is conceivable that many millions of rbc's will be available, in a very short space of time, to collect and transport a dose of homeopathic influence around the body. However, in pernicious anaemia the number of rbc's is down by from 60 to 80%, which would then seriously limit the transport of the homeopathic inflence. Similarly, in other types of anaemia, disease, drug abuse or malnutrition the rbc's are iron deficient, or even deformed, an even worse scenario for the patient.
A simple analogy
   After my return home one night in Scotland I was again called by spirit and began writing another channelled message:   'Yes hello Norman! Thank you for continuing with your research into the transport of the influence of the homeopathic dose. It appears, through your studies, to be a process that involves the red blood corpuscles.'   'Yes, I find that I have an argument that resembles that of the analogy to the concave TV receiving dish (seen to be wall mounted on many houses), which collects a signal from a transmitter relatively far away and feeds it to a television screen, which then exhibits colour pictures and also sound.'
   'Yes Norman, you have a sustainable analogy, but it does not end there. It has one or two other aspects of subtle transference once the influence is absorbed within the body of the recipient, which is that the nervous system then has to accommodate the small and subtle additions to its processes.'
   'With time Norman, these additions become sufficiently noticeable and the organs respond by increasing their vibrational rate from that which was depleted to that which enables them to be as near normal as is possible. They then proceed to perform in the range that their design expects of them. Continuing with the dosage, as you are often prescribing, gives them a safety margin in their operation or metabolism, as you say!'
   'What else do you think Norman, is involved in this discovery of the transference of the homeopathic influence?'   'After a long pause and trawling through many ideas I gave up trying to think.'   'Yes Norman, it is not so simple. Yet you have touched on it already today (24 February 2006), with the shape you call the toroid, the circular ring or doughnut, to use your words! It is the toroid or ring that supports the membrane of the corpuscle, as does a ring beam (or hoop), supports the trampoline in your garden.'
    'When you understand that the core of the corpuscle is part iron, as in the haemoglobin, you can see that each corpuscle is capable of carrying a small signal or charge, that when added to that of other corpuscles amounts to a dose of the homeopathic medicine, or other influence. Hence Norman, when the ring of the corpuscle is brushing the perimeter of the outer influence of an organ or chakra, it is able to shed the homeopathic or vibrational essence into the area where there is a deficiency of tone or missing component of the organ's vibrational chord or characteristic.'   'There I think we should end this transmission. If you wish you can come back to us Saturday evening but you will need to have condensed your thoughts on this subject prior to engaging with us!'
I was channelling the soul of the homeopathic doctor Caroll Dunham, past president of The American Institute of Homœopathy and of the World's Homœopathic Convention 1876.
Saturday 25 February 10.25 p.m.
   'I believe that I have a concept that involves the transference of the charge from the rbc into the organ or chakra that is needing the charge. It is due to the succussion process in that the homeopathic inflence is positively charged and it is attracted by the negative charge suffered by the depleted organ etc.'
   'Now Norman you have toiled all day long, since early this morning, with your thoughts and the article and you have developed various ideas or theories about the way in which the homeopathic dose and its influence is both transported and then delivered.'   Yes, it has been useful for me to look at it again and try to see it in simple terms.'   'Exactly Norman. You need to view it in simple terms as it is not so difficult to understand. You see Norman your ideas are based on practical considerations but they do not completely answer the intricacies of the transference of the influence. There is a subtle mechanism similar to that which you have in water filtration, which you call osmosis, where different concentrations in liquids are separated by a permable membrane. They eventually balance each other when allowed to do so or are forced by pressure to change concentration'.
   'Well Norman, in our case where an influence is repeatedly offered to an organ that is depleted, the organ concerned will seek to take on board as much of the influence as is possible. However, once it is saturated with the influence it no longer seeks out this influence and simply reverts to its normal design routine, whether it be the kidneys, the liver or the heart, which are your major organs.'
   'Further Norman, before you go to bed tonight, think how it is that you repeatedly return to this home of yours.'   'Yes, it is my address, my permanent home.'
    'Yes Norman, it is your residence. Now Norman, in the same way certain influences or vibrational chords have an address or a home, which when supplied as in homeopathy, they will seek out their address, wherever it might be within the body.'   'Yes, it is a form of magnetism and also, like a musical chord, a special form.'
   'Thank you Norman. You have done enough now that we believe will stimulate many to take up the study of homeoapthy and nutrition, for it is nutrition that is misunderstood amongst both your colleagues and your patients at present, as you have already shown to us.'   'Anything else?' I asked. 'Not tonight Norman. Goodnight.'   I was channelling the soul of the homeopath Noel Puddephat, well known for his self-help books on homeopathy.
Grow More Policy
   From the 1940's the wartime government promoted a 'Grow More' policy, where artificial fertilizers were made available to bulk-up the crop yields on each farm. This policy has become permanent since then amongst 99% of our farmers in the UK.
   Recent government soil analysis has proven that there is now far less mineral content in the British soil than in the 1930's when farming was 100% organic. The long term result is that the land is depleted of trace minerals, by up to 70%, and the population the land now feeds suffers a mineral and vitamin deficiency. When you couple this with the ever increasing consumption of refined cereals, especially wheat, and sugar and then the reduction in vegetable consumption, especially the green, red and yellow vegetables, the result is widespread malnourishment, much ill-health and all sorts of psychological and behavioural abnormalities.
   According to professional healthcare specialists, wheat products contain phytic acid which is known to interfere with the absorption or uptake of minerals such as iron, manganese and zinc.
   It was most probably the reduced levels of trace minerals in my food, especially iron and zinc, that indirectly drove me to having to invent, by trial and error, the minimum dosage for a homeopathic prescription to work, with reasonable success. (The prescription works even better when the patient takes mineral food supplements such as BioCare's Trace Minerals, Iron Complex, Zinc Citrate etc., and also eats an iron-rich organic vegetable diet).
   Going organic is an essential step for all concerned as the long term health benefits outweigh the small extra cost, but it will need perserverence, over many years, by those who care and choose to do so. Often you will be confronted by a lack of understanding and a wall of preconceived ideas and untruths, as the other person's thoughts display themselves by scepticism and their attitude: 'My mind is made up, don't confuse me with facts, or 'it's too expensive,' etc., etc. Remember this "that a thousand lies do not make a truth!"
Conscious competence
   How important all of these patchwork pieces of information are to healing remains to be seen, but I feel that they are central to the understanding of the transference of the homeopathic essence from plant to prescription to patient. You will I hope, have a better insight and opportunity with which to unlock the healing ability within each other or within the patient, (when they are ready to receive your prescription), with a better outcome.
   By February 2006, I felt that I was becoming a veteran in certain fields of healing and had both read and travelled widely. I realise now that my knowledge and experience in other fields is limited, being only a fraction of that of others. However, it brings me back to my initial statement in this article: 'Are you doing the best that you can be doing?'
   The answer for me is simple: I will strive toward better, simpler and more practical ways of healing, whether it be for my own kind or for the environment or even for the planet that supports me! As a physician, it is partly my conscious competence working for me, together with the experiences and guidence of my spiritual Life Coach!

REFERENCES:
Abbott A. F. (1977) Ordinary Level Physics. London, UK: Heinemann Educational Books Ltd., (ISBN 0 435 67005 0). 3rd Edition. Hill G.C. and Holman J. S. (1983) Chemistry in Context. Walton-on-Thames, UK: Thomas Nelson and Sons Ltd., 2nd Edition, pages 204 - 205. (ISBN 0-17-438356-8).
Tadd, P. (Homeopathy in Practice, or HIP, - Autumn 2005), The beautiful and intricate Chakra system - part 1, chapter: Colour, chakras and the great misunderstanding, pages 49 - 51. Winston, J. (HIP January 2004), Over the Rainbow, page 33.

FURTHER READING:
Clover, A. M. (1989) Homoeopathy Reconsidered, A New Look at Hahnemann's Organon. London, UK: Victor Gallancz Ltd. (ISBN 0-575-04458-6).

Acknowledgements: An article of this insight and usefullness, even if comes from one pen, is the combined effort of many minds, all of whom have as their mission the improvement in understanding of the mode of action of the homeopathic remedy or medicine, within the body. I am indebted to my colleagues of the British Naturopathic Association for their encouragement especially during study days, and to friend Helen Patterson for her constant support and invaluable contribution in scrutinising the text.

Norman P.Ball also qualified in osteopathy and previously in civil engineering. His professional interests are in using homeopathy and naturopathy in a holistic partnership. His other interests are the environment and mountains also music and travel. He provides workshops and talks on issues such as: protection of the environment and Nature plus use of various remedial techniques in the environment.

Affiliations: Registered member of the Alliance of Registered Homeopaths, the General Council and Register of Naturopaths and the British Naturopathic Association.