Jo Blogs

Plants and Fungi in Homeopathy

2010-03-04T07:14:00.000-08:00

This is a fantastic area on the Natural History Museum website. There is some excellent information and pictures of hundreds of plants and fungi as well as lichens and algae used in homeopathic remedies.

This is the work of Vilma Bharatan who is a botanist at the NHM.

Plants and Fungi in Homeopathy pages

Gelsemium Sempervirens

The homeopathic remedy Gelsemium is
often used to treat the symptoms of flu

The Knitting Nannies

2010-02-27T14:09:00.000-08:00

This is absolutely nothing to do with homeopathy or anything I usually write about! With all the terrible events going on in the world I thought everyone could do with something a bit light hearted.

I must confess to a family connection here, my mother in law is one of the nannies (2nd from the right), and the musician is Sirius Fawkes, my husbands nephew.

Guaranteed to make you smile.

The Knitting Nannies on YouTube

Sirius Fawkes

Science and Technology Evidence Check

2010-02-21T09:27:00.000-08:00

The UK government has recently had their Science and Technology Committee look at evidence for homeopathy. There have been concerns that some of the people on the committee were known critics of homeopathy, or had strong connections with groups who were, and so a fair and balanced report is unlikely to be the outcome.

The Liberal Democrat Science spokesman, Dr Evan Harris is a known supporter of Sense About Science, an organisation which is publicly extremely critical of homeopathy. Dr Harris was recently filmed making a speech at an anti-homeopathy 'mass overdose' stunt. He made derogatory comments about Dr Peter Fisher who is director of the London Homeopathic Hospital, and also incidentally, homeopath to the Queen. Hardly an impartial and unbiased act for an MP on a committee listening to evidence on the subject. Dr Harris by criticising a fellow doctor is clearly in breach of Articles 46 and 47 of the General Medical Council?s Guidelines for Good Medical Practice.

Article 46. You must treat your colleagues fairly and with respect. You must not bully or harass them, or unfairly discriminate against them by allowing your personal views to affect adversely your professional relationship with them. You should challenge colleagues if their behaviour does not comply with this guidance.

Article 47. You must not make malicious and unfounded criticisms of colleagues that may undermine patients' trust in the care or treatment they receive, or in the judgement of those treating them.

Voice of (not so young) homeopathy blog for the video of Dr Harris addressing the crowd at the 'mass overdose'

The choice of people who gave oral evidence to the committee seems a bit odd. Dr Peter Fisher is the only doctor using homeopathy who was questioned. Dr David Reilly from the Glasgow Homeopathic Hospital is regarded as a leading expert on this subject and should have been called. The Society of Homeopaths, the principal organisation representing non-medical homeopaths did not have the opportunity to speak. At least three people chosen to speak have affiliations or sympathies with Sense About Science, an organisation which has no advisors who are experts in the field of homeopathy.

Government policy should be informed by the performance of homeopathy in the real world with real patients, and it is seen to perform there extremely well - providing cost effective and successful treatment to tens of thousands of patients who have not been helped by conventional medicine. An audit by the Bristol Homeopathic Hospital looking at over 6500 patients and 23,000 appointments over a 6 year period showed 70% of patients reported their health improved after treatment. The reports from the homeopathic hospitals were never discussed as part of the Evidence Check.

The NHS budget for homeopathy comprises just 0.004% of the total NHS budget and the annual bill for homeopathic medicines is just �157,000. Compare this with the NHS drugs bill for pharmaceutical products of �11 billion. Incidentally, the NHS expects to pay out over �4.4 billion in compensation and negligence claims this year.

Observational study Bristol Homeopathic Hospital. Over 23,000 patient attendances in a 6-year period, 70% of patients reported improved health, 50% major improvement of wide range of conditions.

Spence DS, Thompson EA, Barron SJ (2005). Homeopathic treatment for chronic disease: a 6-year university-hospital outpatient observational study. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 11:793-798.

Homeopathy Evening Class

2010-02-12T06:49:00.000-08:00

I am starting a regular evening class to talk in more depth about various aspects of homeopathy and related subjects. Classes will be on the last Monday evening of each month and held at the Gateway to Health clinic in Settle which can be found in the courtyard behind LloydsTSB.

The first class will be on Monday 22nd February 7 to 9pm. I will be there from 6pm and will provide some simple food so people can come straight from work. Each session costs �10 and will include handouts, drinks and, of course, food. The idea is that each class will be self contained so people can drop in rather than commit to a long course.

First session will be about the history of homeopathy and some of the colourful characters involved in its development. Second session on 29th March will show you how to make your own remedies and also to talk about the controversy of dilutions and the strange behaviour of water. Subsequent subjects will be up to the class to choose but could include topics such as treating family pets with homeopathy, hayfever, family first aid or colds and flu.

For more information or to book up please contact me

0800 298 0701 or 07932 159099
jo@jorhodeshomeopathy.co.uk
www.jorhodeshomeopathy.co.uk

Dilutions and Avagadro

2010-01-29T14:42:00.000-08:00

The critics of homeopathy are always going on about Avogadro's number, which is 6.022 x 10 to the power 23. I wonder how many of them actually understand it.

So here is a very simple explanation of what it is all about. Armedeo Avagadro in 1811 hypothesised that 'Equal volumes of ideal or perfect gases, at the same temperature and pressure, contain the same number of particles, or molecules'. What he meant was that the same volume of a gas, whether it is hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen or anything else, will contain the same number of molecules if the temperatures and pressures are the same. This is Avogadro's Law.

Long after he died other scientists recognised what an important contribution he had made and the Avogadro Constant is named after him but the concept of the mole to which it refers was not known in his lifetime.

Now for a basic chemistry lesson, so pay attention.

One mole of a substance is the molecular weight in grams of that substance, so hydrogen has a molecular weight of 1, so 1 g is 1 mole of hydrogen, carbon has a molecular weight of 12 and so 12g of carbon is 1 mole.

One mole of a substance will always contain the same number of elemental particles (usually atoms or molecules) and that number will be 6.022 x 10 to the power 23, this can also be written as 602 200 000 000 000 000 000 000 particles, which is an awful lot of particles.

Are you still with me? The problem sceptics have is that homeopathic remedies are very diluted. A 12c homepathic remedy is technically a dilution of 1 x 10 to the power 24, and so larger than Avogadro's Constant so there should be none of the original particles still present. What the sceptics always seem to forget, or ignore, is that homeopathic remedies are not just diluted, they are also shaken vigorously between each dilution which is a process known as succussion.

There is a whole branch of science looking at the peculiar properties of ultra diluted solutions and there is absolutely no doubt that there are many scientific peer reviewed published papers which demonstrate that a substance which has been diluted and shaken is still measurable way beyond the point that it should be. There have been positive experiments using a whole host of different analytical techniques and the laws of physics and chemistry cannot currently explain why these ultra diluted and shaken substances can still be measured.

One of the key papers on this subject is by the physicist Dr Louis Rey, he used very diluted and shaken solutions of lithium chloride and sodium chloride and then analysed them using a technique called thermoluminescence. It showed conclusively that very dilute solutions were measurable when they were diluted beyond the point there should be any particles present.

http://www.vhan.nl/documents/Rey.thermoluminescence.pdf

and there is much more evidence in plant and biological systems too.

Homeopathy ( http://www.elsevier.com/locate/homp) is the journal for the Faculty of Homeopathy which has recently published a two part special issue focusing on biological models of homeopathy. The special issue highlights experiments on homeopathic treatments in biological models, ranging from whole animals and plants to cell cultures and enzymes, showing a remarkable range of findings.

Editor-in-Chief Dr Peter Fisher commented: ?Throughout its 200 year history claims that homeopathy has ?real? (as opposed to placebo) effects have been hotly contested. Our special issue brings together a wide range of scientific work in biological systems, where there can be no placebo effect, showing that there are now several biological experiments which yield consistently positive results with homeopathic dilutions?.

Visit www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/14754916 for full contents and abstracts

Sceptic stunt

2010-01-29T11:26:00.000-08:00

The sceptics 'overdose' stunt is in the news.

This is a statement from the Society of Homeopaths, the largest organisation registering professional homeopaths in Europe, in response to the1023 stunt.

http://www.homeopathy-soh.org/

For a very good overview of the current research and evidence for homeopathy have a look at the website of the British Homeopathic Association which is the organisation for medically trained homeopaths working within the NHS.

http://www.britishhomeopathic.org/

Homeopathy is a system of medicine which is based on treating the individual with highly diluted substances given in mainly tablet form, which triggers the body?s natural system of healing. Based on their experience of their symptoms, a homeopath will match the most appropriate medicine to the patient.

Since homeopathy is person specific, the action of a remedy cannot be predicted without knowing the patient?s symptoms at the time they take it.

This is one reason why The Society recommends that prescriptions are taken under the guidance of an appropriately qualified and registered homeopath (see www.homeopathy-soh.org for more details).

Over-the-counter homeopathic medicines should only be used as directed on the labeling. Proving guidelines for determining which homeopathic medicines are suitable for which disease focus more on the repetition of a dose rather than a large single dose in isolation.

The Society would not therefore expect any reaction to the proposed ?overdose? by this group unless, by chance, an individual in that group already had symptoms that matched that remedy at the time of taking it.

The Thin Line That Leads Us

2010-01-26T07:48:00.000-08:00

Lemon Leaf

This is nothing to do with homeopathy but is a wonderful blog which is written by a friend of mine, Rhiannon. We shared an office many years ago at the Open University where we worked in geochemistry research, both our lives have changed quite a bit since then!
She now lives in a beautiful part of Cumbia, is a keen walker, fellrunner and sea kayak-er and her blog is full of amazing pictures, mainly of things that her and her partner, Stu, get up to on their travels. It is so much more than looking at someones holiday snaps, the photos are really quite wonderful and beautifully observed. So, if you are stuck at a desk and not enjoying your day then have a look at her blog and escape in to Rhiannons world for a bit!

http://heliospanoptes.blogspot.com/

Pumpkins drying on a Spanish balcony

Winter scenes

2010-01-24T03:36:00.000-08:00

Catrigg Force

There has been much doom and gloom on the news about the recent disruptions due to the snow and ice. But with all the cold weather we also get some fantastic scenery, particularly in our bit of the Yorkshire Dales. We went for a walk in the snow to Catrigg Force which is close to where we live. The ice in the stream above the waterfall and cascade of water had created some wonderful ice formations so I thought I'd share some of our pictures with you.

Ice in the beck

Down the waterfall

Looking towards Giggleswick

Winter Newsletter and Evening Class

2010-01-20T10:45:00.001-08:00

The winter newsletter is now available. If you would like to receive a copy, either by post or email, then email or call me.

I am starting a regular evening class in Settle to talk in more depth about various aspects of homeopathy and related subjects. Classes will be on the last Monday of each month and held at the Gateway to Health clinic in Settle.

The first class will be on Monday 22nd February from 7-9pm. I will be there from 6pm and will provide some simple vegetarian food so people can come straight from work. Each session costs �10 and will include handouts, drinks and, of course, food. The idea is that each class will be self contained so people can drop in rather than commit to a long course.

The first session will be about the history of homeopathy and some of the colourful characters involved in its development.

Clinic Move

2010-01-06T00:40:00.001-08:00

The Gateway to Health Clinic has now moved, but not very far. From January 2010 we have relocated to larger premises off Castle Hill in the centre of Settle. The new clinic is in a courtyard just behind LloydsTSB bank which is in the Market Square. New address is Gateway to Health, Castle Hill, Settle, North Yorkshire, BD24 9EU.

To celebrate the move we will be having an Open Day on Sunday 14th February 10am to 2pm. This will be an informal event where visitors can come and have a look around the building and meet some of the therapists. As there is space for more practioners we now offer Homeopathy and Flower Remedies, Acupuncture, Tai Chi and Chi Kung, Reflexology, Emotional Freedom Technique, Holistic Massage, Shiatsu, Person Centred Counselling and Life Coaching.

The Open Day is the same day as the Farmers Market in Settle so why not come over and make a day of it. Unfortunately, due to family commitments down south I am unable to be there.

http://www.gatewaytohealth.co.uk/

Dana Ullman Blog

2009-11-30T04:36:00.000-08:00

Dana Ullman is an eminent homeopath and writer. His book, The Homeopathic Revolution, talks about some of the key characters involved in the development of homeopathy and the many famous people who have used it over the years.

Several well known characters have been helped by homeopathy including Charles Darwin, Charles Dickens, many members of the Royal family, several US presidents, a multitude of scientists, actors, sporting personalities, singers and politicians but for some reason these homeopathic connections often disappear when biographies are written.

Dana has started to write a regular blog on the Huffington Post website, these articles are thought provoking and informative and certainly well worth a read.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dana-ullman

Huffington Post is an online internet only newspaper which offers coverage of politics, media, business, entertainment, living, style, the green movement, world news, and comedy, and is a top destination for news, blogs and original content.

If you would like to know more about Dana's book or his writing in general have a look at www.homeopathicrevolution.com which also has articles on various homeopathy related stories and news.

Testimonial from Sylvia

2009-11-30T03:53:00.000-08:00

Having recently suffered from a nervous breakdown I have been extremely grateful for the professional, compassionate service you offer as a homeopath. Having had experience of other homeopaths in the past I feel I have particularly benefitted from your considerable knowledge of mental health. I would certainly recommend you to others.

Sylvia, North Yorkshire

Autumn newsletter

2009-09-18T10:04:00.000-07:00

Autumn newsletter now available. If you would like a copy then please contact me. I can email or post it to you.

Homeopathy Day in Settle

2009-08-31T10:54:00.000-07:00

I will be running an introductory course to talk about some commonly used homeopathic remedies. The aim of the course is to give you the confidence to be able to treat friends and family safely and effectively for first aid and minor ailments.

This will not be a lecture where I talk at you for hours, I would like people to share their experiences of homeopathic treatment and learn from each other as well as from me.

Saturday 3^rd October 10 am until 4 pm

Quaker Meeting House, Kirkgate, Settle

Cost �20 for the day, handouts will be provided

Hot and cold drinks will be available but

please bring some food to share for lunch

To book up or for more information

call me on 0800 2980701 or 07932 159099

or email jo@jorhodeshomeopathy.co.uk

I know not everyone can make a course on a Saturday so I can repeat the course later in the year over two evening sessions if there is enough interest.

Placebos getting more effective

2009-08-31T10:42:00.001-07:00

This is a very interesting, but quite long, article about a mysterious phenomenon which is causing havoc in drug trials. The placebo (dummy) pills given to people seem to having a more powerful positive response than the drugs being tested.

http://www.wired.com/medtech/drugs/magazine/17-09/ff_placebo_effect?currentPage=1

an extract from the article

In a study last year, Harvard Medical School researcher Ted Kaptchuk devised a clever strategy for testing his volunteers' response to varying levels of therapeutic ritual. The study focused on irritable bowel syndrome, a painful disorder that costs more than $40 billion a year worldwide to treat. First the volunteers were placed randomly in one of three groups. One group was simply put on a waiting list; researchers know that some patients get better just because they sign up for a trial. Another group received placebo treatment from a clinician who declined to engage in small talk. Volunteers in the third group got the same sham treatment from a clinician who asked them questions about symptoms, outlined the causes of IBS, and displayed optimism about their condition.

Not surprisingly, the health of those in the third group improved most. In fact, just by participating in the trial, volunteers in this high-interaction group got as much relief as did people taking the two leading prescription drugs for IBS. And the benefits of their bogus treatment persisted for weeks afterward, contrary to the belief, widespread in the pharmaceutical industry, that the placebo response is short-lived.

Swine flu advice from Helios

2009-08-03T01:44:00.000-07:00

So far, most swine flu cases have been mild, with symptoms similar to those of seasonal flu. Only a small number of people have had more serious symptoms.

Quote from NHS direct website http://www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk/

Lots of people have been asking me about Swine Flu recently.The information below is taken from the Helios website and has some very good suggestions. From talking to other homeopaths the most frequently prescribed remedies seem to be Belladonna, Gelsemium and Nux Vomica but always remember homeopathic treatment looks at how the individual responds to an illness and so members of the same household may well have different symptoms and so need different remedies.

http://www.helios.co.uk

SWINE FLU ADVICE FROM HELIOS

Due to the current reports of an approaching SWINE FLU epidemic, we have been inundated with questions. Here is some information, advice and a few suggestions for homoeopathic remedies which have been traditionally used to treat the acute phase of flu and to speed up recovery.

For more in depth information about this epidemic we refer everyone to the NHS Direct web page.

The symptoms of H1N1 swine flu are similar to many other flu viruses. Fever and coughing are two of the most common symptoms but they can also include headache, chills, loss of appetite, muscle aches and fatigue as well as throat irritation. Nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea may also occur. Remedies for the acute stage would be determined in the usual homeopathic manner of selecting the best matched remedy for the symptoms being experienced. The elderly and vulnerable are more at risk of complications.

It is important for those more at risk to seek professional help from their homeopath, GP or health practitioner now. Constitutional treatment is the best way for anyone to strengthen the immune system and Helios would recommend consulting a homoeopath.

At present we do not have a nosode, i.e. a remedy made from the disease material. However, there are remedies which have been used successfully over many years to treat all stages of flu. These are listed below and are safe for everyone from babies to the elderly.

Our advice regarding Swine flu is that your best protection against disease comes from looking after your health generally and taking simple common-sense preventative measures. There are a number of vitamin and mineral supplements and herbal remedies that will help to boost the immune system. More information on these products can be found on our on our WINTER ALERT page.

THE ACUTE STAGE

AGE - Arsenicum-iodatum/Gelsemium/Eupatorium 30 - A combination remedy - this has historically been used as a prophylactic, although no trials have been carried out to date. It is used as soon as any symptoms develop or after contact - one 3 times a day until symptoms improve.

Aconite 30 - Sudden onset from cold winds or getting chilled. Fever and chill, restlessness and anxiety, good at the first stage of cold or flu.

Belladonna 30 - The No. 1 remedy for sudden fevers. Patient is burning, red and hot. Eyes may be glassy and the pupils dilated. Thirsty for refreshing drinks. Inflamed sore throat, throbbing headache, better lying down, worse touch, jarring or movement.

Bryonia 30 - Keynote: any movement causes pain - wants to be still. Painful dry cough. Headache and pains, better from pressure and worse movement. Irritable and thirsty for cold drinks.

Camphora 30 - Icy coldness - yet doesn?t want covers on - but is sensitive to cold - wants cold drinks. A state of sudden collapse, wants carers present during the hot stage of fever. Anxious.

Eupatorium perfoliatum 30 - intense aching in back, limbs and especially bones - which feel broken. Sore skin and muscles, shivering, chills. Thirst for cold water but may vomit food, drink and bile. Headache with nausea, sore chest with cough.

Nux Vomica 30 - Extreme chilliness - shivery, cannot get warm despite heat. May have fever but feels freezing inside. Aching limbs and gastric problems - nausea. Better from sleep, hot drinks, strong pressure and being left alone.

Gelsemium 30 - Aching, tiredness and weakness felt especially in muscles and limbs. Drowsy, dull, apathetic, dizzy and trembling. Heavy eyelids with bruising headache from the neck to head and forehead. Chill and heat. No thirst.

AFTER INFLUENZA

Tuberculinum Aviare 200 - Practitioners use this remedy for clearing up symptoms after flu, especially when the lungs have been affected, Coughs are irritating, incessant and tickling. There is great debility and weight loss and lack of appetite. This remedy braces up the whole organism, reduces coughs and brings back the appetite. 3 doses in 12 hours. One of the following may also be needed:

China - continued debility and chilliness - anaemic and weak with desire to stretch and move. Worse on alternate days.

Kali Phosphoricum - General weakness with spasm - the slightest labour seems like a heavy task.

Phosphoric Acid - Chronic fatigue after flu. Better from warmth, sleep. Feels apathetic, dull, settled despair, indifferent to everything. Low continued fevers. The above can be taken either in a 6C potency 3 times a day or a 30 potency twice a day.

Gallery on the green

2009-07-20T15:12:00.000-07:00

One of the things I love about living in the countryside is the quirky things that happen.

A phone box in Settle was decommisioned by BT and the town council bought it. Volunteers and local residents have now turned it into an art gallery, but due to the small space available, all artistic donations must be in the form of postcards.

http://www.galleryonthegreen.org.uk/

Probably the smallest art gallery in the world

Try something new!

2009-07-08T08:30:00.000-07:00

Myself and some other therapists from the Gateway to Health clinic in Settle will be at Stainforth Village Hall on Thursday 16th July. Joining me will be Penny Lowe (reflexology), Bernadette Walsh (massage) and Valerie Woodmansey (Indian head massage). All of us will talk for a few minutes about what we do and then there will be the opportunity for people to have a chat or a mini treatment for free.

The evening will be a fundraiser for the village hall and there will be tea and biscuits on offer and also a raffle. The event will be 7.30pm to 9.30pm and entry is free.

Parking near the village hall is very limited so please leave your vehicles in the car park by the main road and walk up.

Stainforth Village Hall
7.30 to 9.30 pm
Thursday 16th July
Free entry

Big Lunch

2009-07-02T15:33:00.000-07:00

This is nothing to do with homeopathy but I think it is a great but simple idea. Have a look at the website and see what is happening near you. I will be going to our local event which is happening in the market square in Settle on Sunday 19th July.

http://www.thebiglunch.com

Imagine a summer's day on which millions of us, throughout the UK, sit down to have lunch together, with our neighbours in the middle of our streets, around our tower blocks and on every patch of common ground. The food, entertainment and decorations we will have either grown, cooked, or created ourselves. This will be a day to break bread with our neighbours, to put a smile on Britain's face.

Festival fun

2009-06-19T12:56:00.000-07:00

It is that festival time again. I am off to Glastonbury on Monday and will be working with the Travelling Homoeopaths Collective. Our enormous tent is just on the right hand side as you enter the Healing Field. So pop in for a chat if you're passing or are in need of some treatment.

http://www.thc.org.uk

While I'm away if you need some advice or remedies in the Settle area please call my colleague Samantha Glossop 07877 138210

Or you can call the Homeopathy Helpline for advice on 0906 534 3404. A qualified homeopath is available between 9am and midnight every day. Calls cost approx �1.50 a minute but if you are clear on what symptoms you want help with the calls will not last long.

http://www.homeopathyhelpline.com/

Homeopathy Awareness Week 14th-21st June

2009-06-08T13:04:00.000-07:00

This year the focus of Homeopathy Awareness Week is on hay fever and advice will be available for those looking for an alternative to conventional medication. During this time homeopaths around the country will be handing out information and answering questions about homeopathy in many pharmacies, health shops and other locations.

Many people suffer with hay fever all summer and either don?t want to take anti-histamines over such a long period, or struggle with side effects. There are a number of research trials into the use of homeopathic remedies which have shown significant improvement in hay fever symptoms.

Each year I work at one or two festivals for the Travelling Homeopaths Collective who provide homeopathic first aid clinics for festival goers. About 60% of the people who come to us have problems with hay fever so I have seen first hand how effective homeopathic treatment can be for this problem.

Listed below are some common remedies for hay fever. Homeopathy treats the individual so you need to consider whether any of these remedies sound relevant for you. They should be readily available in your local chemist or health food shop.

Euphrasia this is a fantastic remedy made from the plant Eyebright where eye symptoms are the most distressing. Itching, burning and puffy eyes with watery nasal discharge. Eyes feel much worse in sunlight and windy weather. Feels worse indoors.

Allium Cepa this is a remedy made from onion. In homeopathy like cures like so if you think about how you feel if you chop up a strong onion you can see how this could be useful for hay fever. There is a streaming, watery discharge from eyes and nose, the nasal discharge may be burning, may also be sneezing ? better in open air, much worse indoors.

Arsenicum burning, watery, discharge from eyes and nose, feels chilly, thirsty but may want hot water or frequent sips of cold water, often there is also some anxiety or restlessness.

Nux Vomica lots of sneezing, streaming eyes and nose, itching in ears, very grumpy and irritable, general over sensitivity to light, smells and noise.

If you would like to have a chat in person I will be in the Gateway to Health Clinic in Settle on Monday 15th and Friday 19th June. There will be free, home made cake!

I will also be in the shop at Growing with Grace in Clapham on Thursday 18th and Saturday 20th and will be around on Saturday 13th June at their Summer Open Day.

I have started to produce a quarterly newsletter with short articles on homeopathy and related topics. If you would like to receive a copy please call or email me.

Homeopathy Research Day

2009-06-08T12:43:00.000-07:00

On Thursday 4^th June I had a trip to London for a research networking day. Rachel Roberts is the Research Consultant for the Society of Homeopaths and she did a great job getting a large group of us together. There are many homeopaths working on small, local research projects in a variety of areas as well as a geat deal of research taking place in universities and hospitals.

This was a chance to meet face to face and make connections with others with similar interests. The recent criticism of homeopathy in the press seems to have been a catalyst for bringing lots of different groups together. There were people at the meeting from the Homeopathic Medical Association and Society of Homeopaths as well as academics involved in homeopathic teaching.

It was encouraging to see how much positive work is going on, and also to make some useful contacts in the north of England.

India 2009 - travels part 2

2009-05-18T02:07:00.001-07:00

After Pondicherry we travelled inland for a few days. We got the bus to Tiruvannamalai which is about 180 km south west of Chennai.

The Arunachaleswarar temple dedicated to Lord Shiva dominates the town and was built between the 16th and the 17th centuries by the kings of the Vijayanagara empire. The temple is famous for its massive gopurams. The temple is a site of great religious importance and many people come here for pilgrimages and for the many festivals that take place in the town. We got up early one morning to walk up Arunachala hill to see the sunrise, unfortunately we saw more cloud and mist than sun but we had a nice walk!

We spent a day exploring the nearby ruins at Gingee. The fort was built on three hills and the walls are up to 60 feet thick in places. The buildings were carved out of the rocks and included shrines, temples, accommodation and huge stores for grain and oil for when the site was beseiged, which it often was. The oldest part dates back to the 9th century while most was built in the 13th century. The scale of the fortifications is quite incredible and in spite of this the fort was the site of frequent battles and changed hands many times over the years. It was declared a national monument in 1921 and is well looked after by the Archeological Department. It really is a fantastic and impressive site but seems to get very few visitors.

After a very long, hot, walk up and down the hills to see the fort we were pretty exhausted and hungry. So we wandered along the main road towards Gingee town and stopped for a welcome chai and some food. The parota are always very tasty all over southern India and making them is a very specialised job. The parota maker was very happy for us to take some photos of him at work.
It makes me feel hungry just thinking about all that tasty food!

India 2009 - travels part 1

2009-05-18T01:40:00.000-07:00

After Kolkata we spent a couple of weeks travelling round Tamil Nadu. We flew into Chennai and headed straight for Mamallapuram on the coast. On our visits to India we have generally avoided touristy areas so this was a bit different for us, we initially found it hard to find Indian food as most of the cafes seemed to be catering for the bland tastes of european visitors. All around the town are fantastically ornate temples which have been carved out of the rocks. Most of the carvings were done between the 7th and 9th centuries. The five rathas are particularly impressive and are carved out of one huge lump of granite. Two of the rathas are in the picture below.After this we spent a few days in Pondicherry. A bizarre but fantastic bit of France in southern India. A town where you can get proper coffee and croissants and hear locals chattering away in french in cafes. The street signs and tree lined avenues near the seafront really do make you feel like you are in France, but the market area, especially on a Sunday, is very much like any other part of India. The beach is a real focal point for the locals and tourists alike. It seems everyone comes out to promenade along the seaside at sunset and quite a few come along at sunrise too.

Those of you who know my fiance Lyndon will know he likes goats. I've promised him that one day we will get some of our own! He took this picture in Mamallapuram early one morning.

India 2009 - wedding

2009-04-13T03:21:00.000-07:00

The main reason for our return to Kolkata in February was to go to a wedding. Our friends Suve and Ellie had a traditional Hindu ceremony in Kolkata on Valentines day. Suve's family are from Shibpur and many relatives still live there and they were all very hospitable and made us feel welcome. One of Suves uncles gave us a little tour of the district, this picture was taken just near the Banerjee family home.
The first day of the celebrations took place in Shibpur and was a huge meal for friends and family of the bridegroom. There was a seemingly endless supply of wonderful food and Suve had a quite enormous plate to get through, all his female relatives stood behind him to tell him what order to eat it in! He doesn't have much of an appetite so some of the others had to help him out and tidy it up.

The main wedding service took place on the Saturday at a large marriage hall. The ceremony was very interesting to watch and at various points friends and relatives got involved. The priest was very patient with Ellie's dad as he struggled to get to grips with Sanskrit. Ellie and Suve looked fantastic in their wedding outfits.