In homeopathy a potency refers to the degree of dilution and succession (vigorous shaking) that a drug has undergone during its preparation.
Common potency scales
X or D potencies (decimal scale)
C-potencies (centesimal scale)
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Prepare by another method with a dilution ratio of 1:50,000.
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Usually taken more often and adjusted gradually.
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Often used in chronic cases where gentle but continued action is desired.
Over the years of performing homeopathic testing in a slightly different way, I began to recognize the differences between potencies. Traditionally, homeopathic tests are performed at a potency of 30°C, but with meteorite remedies we often chose the potency we were attracted to. This clearly showed that lower potencies tended to have a more physical effect, while higher potencies brought out more of the spiritual and emotional aspects of the remedy.
I would go further and say from my clinical experience that higher potencies penetrate deeper into the psyche, but never start high. Always work with the layer your client is at and move up in potential if necessary. That’s not to say that a lower potency can’t have a profound effect, depending on the drug itself. Sometimes it comes down to the remedy, with a particular potency having a greater tendency to worsen than other potencies.
It always comes down to the customer in front of you.
Homeopaths who use lower potencies for drainage and organ support. For example, Nux vomica with a potency of 30ºC can be used to support liver detoxification without requiring the full picture of the remedy, and it generally does not cause any proven symptoms. Silica with a potency of 6C can be used to help remove splinters.
Arnica gives another example. It is often prescribed in a strength of 6C or 30C for bruises and injuries without being fully consistent with the full picture of the remedy. Drugs such as Sepia or Agni Manitite, on the other hand, generally require much better attunement to the full symptom picture before they are prescribed.
Jill Turland’s work on mega potencies showed us a whole new perspective on polycrest remedies. Although they retained a similar essence, subtle differences could be observed in the way the image of the remedy presented itself.
Folliculium can be used with a lower potency, as with all sacrodes 4c to stimulate, 7c to regulate and 9c to suppress, but at 30c and higher it has a symptom picture that is tailored to the client. It is one of the few sacrodes remedies that has this.
I would also like to point out that sensitive clients sometimes use a low potency because the client is hypersensitive to homeopathic remedies.
As you can see, potency is just as important as the remedy itself.
Hocord is a homeopathic preparation that contains multiple potencies of the same product combined in one product.
The concept was developed by the German homeopathic company Heel. The idea is that different potencies can work at different levels, and by combining these the remedy can work on a wider range of symptoms and disease stages. I have never used these for more than just drainage agents and they may work well, but I have never seen them work at a higher level of the psyche. They use the heel products in D-potency.
More commonly used in The Fibonacci sequence is a series of numbers where each number is the sum of the two previous numbers. This concept is newer. Not much is known yet about how these work. But I am curious and open to discovering.
My hypothesis is that combination potencies become their own separate potencies, rather than each potency remaining separate. I conducted an experiment with silica and the freezing method in a petri dish. The results suggested that when the substances were mixed together, no clear pattern emerged. I need to replicate this study a few more times and incorporate a Fibonacci sequence style hocord approach to confirm my result. Because that would prove my hypothesis wrong and cause confusion. I’ll post more about this once I’ve done a series of tests.
I haven’t found any studies that look at combined potency and what happens, but I’m interested in finding out more by doing some studies to better understand this new concept. If anyone reading this is excited and knows how, they would love to talk more.