Abstract
Background: Homeopathy is a system of medicine based on the principle, "Like cures like." It is necessary to view the patient as a whole, including the patient's unique individual nature and sensitivity as well as mental and physical symptoms. Recently, the Sensation Method (Bombay method) was devised based on "Seven levels of experience" in homeopathy. The Sensation Method allows one to explore the new depth, "Vital Sensation", which is beyond the level of "Delusion" in the human subconscious. This method can be useful for phenomenological and systematic understanding of the patient. The purpose of this study was to report the treatment procedure and show quality of improvement in detail. We also consider this "Vital Sensation" from the viewpoint of C.G.Jung's unconscious, especially complexes and archetypes. Subjects and Methods: The Sensation Method was used to understand the case of an adolescent somatoform disorder. Homeopathic treatment was started 5 months after standard psychiatric medication. The case-taking process and analytical process of this method are described. Result: The Sensation Method revealed a "Vital Sensation" specific to the patient as well as the features of her mental, physical and general modality. Therefore, the appropriate homeopathic medicine (remedy) was directly selected according to the "Vital Sensation". The patient has shown fundamental improvement and restarted life anew.Conclusion: The Sensation Method can reveal a patient's total individuality as a "Vital Sensation "which is an expression of the patient's own specific energy pattern that shows similarity with the energy pattern of a source in nature (animals, plants, or minerals). In addition, as a point of unconscious structure, "Vital Sensation" could be very closely related to not only Jung's complexes, but also primordial images or archetypes from the collective unconscious. This method and concept can be quite useful for understanding each individual human's inner world and can be widely applied in the practice of psychological and psychiatric medicine. It is hoped that this new way of understanding human experience will be considered in many fields.
