Yesterday evening, I attended the first of a four part seminar on the subject of Positive Psychology. This relatively new psychological approach focuses on the positive aspects in an individual's life as opposed to what is dysfunctional. It's the belief that success and happiness thrive in an environment where positive qualities are further developed to give meaning and purpose to life.
As I walked into the building where the seminar was held, a fleeing thought passed through my mind about a young man who I've treated for addiction and anger. The last time we spoke was about a month ago when he had already been sober for over 2 months and I wondered how he was doing.
In my line of work, nothing is coincidence - everything fits into a bigger picture - everything connects. This evening was a classic example of how pieces of life create a wonderful homeopathic story.
"Coincidentally", his mother phoned just minutes after I returned home concerned that he was regressing. Both of us were available, so we arranged to meet on Skype for a webcam session within the hour.
The first thing he said was: "I have no purpose – I’m clean – but I have no purpose."
How cool was that? Just a couple hours before, a useful tool was presented to me that is designed to deal with specifically this issue.
He explained that "he likes nothing and is only good at fighting." A couple years prior, he studied a specialized martial arts in another part of the world. Being a student of martial arts helped him release stress and free him of the walls that blocked his personal development.
Using this new concept, we explored the things he is good at, what he enjoys, what gives him satisfaction. We focused on a few key people he admires and the positive qualities he sees in them. Throughout the conversation, he referred to the many different courses in different professions that he started and didn't finish because of a lack of satisfaction. He complained that everyone encouraged him to take these courses as a means to avoid getting into trouble. But he is stuck in an unfulfilled process and not making money. Now he wants to do something meaningful - he wants a meaningful relationship with a young lady and a meaningful job. He was clearly moving beyond his past issues of addiction and anger to deal with the more important issues of life.
Using this new concept, we explored the things he is good at, what he enjoys, what gives him satisfaction. We focused on a few key people he admires and the positive qualities he sees in them. Throughout the conversation, he referred to the many different courses in different professions that he started and didn't finish because of a lack of satisfaction. He complained that everyone encouraged him to take these courses as a means to avoid getting into trouble. But he is stuck in an unfulfilled process and not making money. Now he wants to do something meaningful - he wants a meaningful relationship with a young lady and a meaningful job. He was clearly moving beyond his past issues of addiction and anger to deal with the more important issues of life.
He went on to talk about how much he enjoyed volunteering for two weeks in a drug recovery facility that he participated in as a teenager. He was a "big brother" to teenage boys "at risk" and felt good about himself because working with these kids gave meaning and purpose to his life. But now the two weeks were over and "he was stuck on the other side of that wall".
Clearly the wall he described doesn't exist physically but rather spiritually within him. Limitations and disease are derived from dysfunctional energies within us. The basic premise of Homeopathy is that a similar energy will neutralize that dysfunctional energy. Homeopathic remedies are energy extracts of substances in creation that are applied based on the principle of "like heals like." So, the homeopathic remedy most effective to break down this young man's "wall" must have been proven in tests and clinical use to represent the feeling of not having purpose or meaning in life.
There were five different remedies that came up in my search, but the remedy most similar to his energetic profile is called Graphites. Graphites is prepared from black lead taken from a pencil which is a mineral carbon containing traces of iron and used in the manufacturing of diamonds, one of the several professions this young man was learning.
The essence of Graphites is described as "finding or unable to find stable values ... issues of self worth and finding one's life purpose... they can't find their own center ... are not master of their feelings and ideas and become prey to outside influences." This was essentially his story ... now I needed to confirm other aspects of his life to ensure this remedy is indeed homeopathic or similar to his overall, holistic profile.
A few other symptoms that matched this remedy picture were his changing moods, his need to hang on to his possessions (selfishness) and his issues with his father. During the many sessions we had in the past, he rarely spoke about his father.
The laws of nature teach us that boys are influenced by their fathers and girls by their mothers. But when these role models are not present, a young person's purpose or direction in life is often clouded and confused as there is no one to emulate or give proper guidance. A person needing the remedy Graphites is dealing with life without a physically, emotionally or spiritually present father or father figure. This young man's relationship with his father is almost non-existent and there is currently no other man filling that void.
I'm not suggesting that this remedy will suddenly make his father appear. But it should break down the spiritual wall within in him so that perhaps he can eventually have a meaningful relationship with his father or another male role model. It interesting to note that these type of men have been present in his life - his martial arts teacher and the man who taught him diamond setting - but he's not connected to them now.
It's been said that everyone comes into this world with everything they need to navigate the journey of life. So it's quite possible that once this wall is removed, he will tap into his own innate resources and be a male role model (i.e. big brother) for himself as well as others like the teens at risk.
Though this remedy selection is very exciting and seems appropriate, the effectiveness of this or any homeopathic treatment can only be known only after the remedy is administered. You are invited to follow this unfolding story and observe the process of holistic healing using the principles of Classical Homeopathy and other very relevant practices like Positive Psychology.
Thank you.
