By Rita Garland
“As the administrator of the Irish School of Homoeopathy, I find that the average profile of our students has been women in their late 20’s, 30’s and 40’s, with many still starting young families. Recently, I have found that one of the positive consequences of the recession is that I am receiving phone calls from individuals who now find themselves in compulsory job-sharing and similar situations in respect of their current occupations, and they are delighted to be able to use this time to study a subject which fascinates them and has the potential for self-employment.” – Angie Murphy
Getting started
When I found out that I was pregnant with my fourth baby back in 2005, I posed myself this very pertinent question: “Is this the best time to start a 4 year course in Homeopathy and begin a career that will require a completely new set of skills, 2 days per month away in classes and many, many more hours of reading and studying?”
A phone conversation with Angie Murphy at the Irish School of Homeopathy greatly helped my decision: Yes! The 4 year practitioner course, based at the Milltown Institute, seemed to be designed exactly to fit in with my circumstances: breastfeeding babies are welcome in class, the time commitment for classes is minimal and all the other work (reading, writing essays, study group meetings, etc) could all be done at home and in my own time.
The gifts of homeopathy
Despite my early hesitations, studying Homeopathy proved to be both fascinating and effortless to me. The study and practice of homeopathy encourages the development of listening skills, observation powers, a rigorous study of nature, empathy and connection towards others, as well as a fully non-judgemental attitude.
My experience at Milltown has been so positive that I can’t wait to go back, as I am eagerly looking forward to starting up my post-graduate studies at the end of January. Little Joanna is now no longer a baby and it is time to hop on my bike again and cycle along the canal to class, fiercely excited about all the new insights there are to learn, great books to discover at the school library, the camaraderie in the cafeteria and the dreamy walks around the beautiful grounds.
Reaping the fruits
There seems to be no shortage of work in our field. Right now, I am in the process of establishing my practice at home (South Circular Road area), at the Olive Tree studio in Dublin 8 and at The Sanctuary in Dublin 7. So far, I have been using homeopathy successfully as a means to help conditions as varied as persistent insomnia, hay fever, psoriasis, arthritis, infertility, common children’s ailments, depression, heart disease, etc.
One of the most enjoyable projects that I have helped to establish is a charity called “Open Homeopathy”. One of our ventures involved the setting up of a free clinic for patients who are resident in the “Fatima Mansions” area. Through this project, we have found a vibrant, active community and all seem very keen to use and learn more about homeopathy, and we also run introductory workshops for the community workers. Homeopathic therapy is well in keeping with the self-empowerment ethos of the group we work with, the Fatima Health Initiative.
Looking ahead
So –at this point of the journey, I can safely say that not only have all my efforts proved to be well worthwhile, but also, I can foresee that homeopathy will continue to keep the wind in my sail for many years to come.
“Was it worthwhile? All is worthwhile
When the spirit is not small.
He who wants to go beyond the Cape
Has to go beyond pain.
God to the sea peril and abyss has given
But it was in it that He mirrored heaven.”
Fernando Pessoa (1888-1935)
Rita Garland was born in Portugal and has been living in Ireland for the past 16 years. She has graduated from the Irish School of Homeopathy and is a registered member of the Irish Society of Homeopaths. She has a practise at The Olive Tree and in The Sanctuary – contact 0876859219
For a complete list of registered Homeopaths, visit the society at www.irishhomeopathy.com and to find dates for introductory workshops and seminars visit www.homoeopathy.ie or ring Angie at 018682581 and to attend our public clinic at reduced costs visit www.homoeopathy-clinic.com
