This is from a series I wrote when I was blogging as a homeopathic health coach. It is basic information that I wanted to leave available for free but may not pertain to my most recent blogging venture :).
Last time in this series, we talked about how to dose your remedy once you've picked it. Today we're going to talk about a common question for those new to homeopathy, and that is what happens if you take too much homeopathy!
What Does "Proving" Mean?
A proving is something that the earliest homeopaths did to determine what a remedy was good for. Basically, healthy people would take a remedy until they would develop symptoms. They kept detailed records of their symptoms, what time of day they happened, descriptions of the pain and discharges, and even how their dreams changed.
These records were compiled and turned into the first Materia Medicas. Often when you read about symptoms that a remedy can help, you're reading what symptoms showed up like when someone participated in a proving.
Controlled provings generally aren't conducted today (there have been a few) because of the legal issues and expense required to conduct these kinds of studies, but you could still experience a proving. If you pick a remedy and take a few doses (about 2-4) without seeing any improvement, the correct thing to do would be to stop the remedy and try a new one. However, if you continue to take the remedy, especially if you're taking it on some sort of regular schedule, you could start to develop new symptoms.
Identifying a Proving
You know a proving has happened if the new symptoms you're experiencing have not been a part of your symptom picture before. I have experienced two accidental provings in my life and one stands out in particular.
One of my first experiences with homeopathy was using Nux vomica as a Banerji protocol. I used it for about a month to completely get rid of constipation I'd had since a child. A few months later when the constipation was starting to trouble me again, I didn't think twice and started taking Nux vomica on a schedule again. What I didn't realize was that my symptoms were different than before and I wasn't truly constipated, just a little slow. After about a week of taking that remedy I didn't need, I developed extreme constipation with heartburn and a slow and toxic feeling. That's a perfect description of Nux vomica. I had proved the remedy because I had ignored my current symptoms, didn't pay attention to how my body responded to the remedy, and stuck to a schedule on a remedy I didn't need.
So provings can happen, but they are very unlikely if you pay attention and evaluate changes after each dose. Provings can happen with any potency, too, although it's much less likely to happen when using a cell salt (6X or 12X).
Aggravations
An aggravation is similar to a proving because it results from an incorrect use of homeopathy. The difference lies in if existing symptoms are made worse (aggravation) or if new symptoms surface (proving). Often an aggravation happens from taking a potency that is too high rather than taking a remedy too often, as in a proving.
This is from an earlier post in this series:
There is this interesting thing that happens when you dose more often. The remedy may actually "cancel out" its own aggravations by dosing more often. I think this is why Banerji protocols tend to work well. When you dose high potencies consistently, often twice a day, the second dose of the day will often calm down any aggravations of the first dose of the day.
This is also true in acute situations. If you pick a remedy that causes an aggravation, often administering another dose will speed up the recovery process and appear to have a calming effect on the initial aggravation. This takes some courage to try in the moment, but it's worth a shot. You can also calm down an aggravation by dosing the same remedy in a lower potency.
What Do I Do if I have a Proving or Aggravation?
If you do experience a proving or aggravation, you have a couple of options.
The first option is to just wait it out. As long as you catch on to what's happening, your body should be able to adjust back to its pre-proving state within a day or two.
Another option is to observe your new symptoms and choose another remedy to try to match. This can be a little difficult, especially when you're in the moment and may be concerned about your new sensations, but it is worth a try.
The final option I've never used for a proving but I've seen excellent results when used on aggravations. You will take the remedy that caused the aggravation and dilute it to the 4th cup. This means you drop a pellet or two of the remedy in a disposable cup with a couple tablespoons of water. Take a little of that water and dilute it in a second disposable cup. Do this in a third cup and then in a fourth cup as well. Finally, you take sips from the 4th cup dilution until the aggravation has subsided. I keep small ketchup cups on hand for situations like this.
Next post in series: When Homeopathy Doesn’t Work
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Reviewing this today for a specific situation. Glad to have the post available for easy reference!