Strike a Chord

If you are a frequent reader of Ruminating on Remedies, you’ll know that I am a fan of homeopathic combination remedies, especially for at home use: Banerji Protocols, Narayanis and over-the-counter combos, like Cold Calm.

Homeopathy chords (also spelled as homeochords or homaccords or homeocords) resemble a combination remedy but they are multi-potency preparations as opposed to multi-remedy combinations.

A “standard” homeochord (sometimes also called a potency chord) would include homeopathic potencies like 12c, 30c, 200c, 1M — some may include additional higher potencies or more lower potencies.

Finding the history on these chords is not so easy. I certainly didn’t find it in any of the books on my shelves and I didn’t find anything through the books on my homeopathic software or through internet searches. I had to turn to AI (I used Grok, which I have been told is more homeopathy friendly than others) which refers to Emanual Cahis (a Spanish physician) as the “key reference” “who is widely credited as the first to describe and use the idea of combining multiple potencies of the same remedy in 1913… in Berliner Homöopathische Zeitschrift (Berlin Homeopathic Journal)… (drawing on Fechner’s law for ratios like 3:6:12 in decimal/centesimal scales) to create what he called ‘accords’ or ‘syntheses.’ He noted practical benefits like faster, more intense, longer-lasting action with fewer adverse reactions.”

Finding modern “official” information on homeochords is not much easier. Lisa Strbac (2024) mentions them in her Trailblazer’s Insight into Homeopathy, but other than that, not much is out there. I have included in the references below two PDFs I stumbled upon.

Dr. Joe Rozencwajg (2010) is one modern homeopath who uses them and writes about them. He calls homeochords “plasma potencies” postulating “that instead of remaining individualised and separated, the different potencies would also somehow ‘morph and create’ all the intermediaries… maybe this is wishful thinking, maybe this is real, so far there is no demonstration of this…. Nevertheless, as long as the remedy was correct, I always had very good results with that system.” He says they are “especially useful in acute situations, in semiacutes and localized problems.”

Dr. Rozencwajg* now uses his “plasma potencies” in a Fibonacci chord. The Fibonacci potencies are a way of using homeopathic remedies based on a natural sequence of numbers. This sequence is found throughout nature, like in the arrangement of leaves or the pattern of a sunflower’s seeds. In homeopathy, remedies are given in potencies that follow these steps (not just in a chord — these can be used individually as well), with the idea that this approach may align more naturally with the body’s own rhythms and healing processes, potentially enhancing the effectiveness of the remedy. (See here for more information on Fibonacci numbers.)

Homeochords are not classical homeopathy and I am not implying that here at all, but the classical thinking behind the chords in the standard potencies is that these potencies will address the physical symptoms (through the low potencies) and the deep-seated mental/emotional symptoms (through the high potencies). The medium potencies are thrown in for good measure to bridge the physical and emotional planes. (For more thoughts on potency, see here.)

I would say that like the Banerji Protocols, homeochords are aimed at the disease rather than the patient as a whole. They make more sense to me when trying to address something specific.

Henninger and King (1998) surmise: “When applying homeopathic potency chords, a faster and broader response of the organism is to be expected.” From the same article, Dr. H.H. Reckeweg says: “…the leading idea is that different potencies will reach different defense systems.”

Dr. Reckeweg developed what are called Homaccords, “a mixture of two or more homeopathic components in potency chords.” This is a full system of homeopathy which I have yet to dig into very far, but it’s on my to-do list.

Looking at the chords from a more practical aspect, think of them as “birdshot” — the ammunition for shooting small, fast-moving targets — the pellets, or in this case the potencies, spread out in a wide pattern for the best chance of hitting the target.

I have been aware of the idea of chords for a while, but only recently did I decide to give one a try.

Why did I choose to try a chord? I had excellent results with a particular remedy and potency but things weren’t quite finished but that remedy and potency combination was no longer doing anything for me. I went up in potency to no avail. I went down in potency for nought. Rather than systematically taking a long time to work my way through the various potencies, I decided to let my body decide which potency it needed. (Bonus: a homeochord is (generally speaking) cheaper than buying many different potencies of the same remedy.)

The benefits of using a homeochord:

• if it’s the right remedy, there’s a good chance the chord will strike harmoniously with the user
• it is said to reduce the potential of aggravations. This makes sense since one standard rule of thumb for dealing with an aggravation is to take the same remedy but in a lower potency (2 steps down) to quell the symptoms. There’s a good chance that lower potency is already included in the chord.

The downside? I have no idea which potency worked its magic on me. Oh, well.

Some may worry about “proving” a remedy with all these potencies, but in my never-to-be-humble opinion, I believe that if your body doesn’t need the homeopathic remedy, your body will ignore that homeopathic remedy. There are exceptions to this thought process: if one repeatedly takes a remedy which one does not need, new symptoms may arise. (See “The Original Drug Testing… Homeopathic Provings” for more info.) I believe the same thing holds true in regard potencies: The remedy and the potency needs to resonate with the person.

I am sure I have tempted you with this idea and now I leave you with the challenge of finding these homeochords.

A couple of the combination remedies you can buy at the grocery store are a little chord-ish… T-Relief,** for example, includes Arnica in 3x, 6x and 10x, all in the same tablet, along with other remedies.
Rootling around the internet, I came upon a few online sources (most located in Australia) and only one of which I am familiar (Eugenie Kreuger).

Heel/BHI and Dr. Reckeweg are the most readily available in the US that incorporate chords. There are other US based distributors and pharmacies, but I believe most of these are available only to/through professional homeopaths. So, if you’re interested, speak to your homeopath about them.


Julia Coyte, CHom
Classically Practical homeopath
#wellnessawaits


* Dr. Rozencwajg’s book is all about the Fibonacci sequence, but I have yet to read anything beyond his few pages on chords.
** I have no affiliation with this company, I just like their products.

Reference list
Berryman, P., n.d. Busting the myth of ‘high’ and ‘low’ potencies: how homochords can improve your potency and dosing outcomes [online].

Henninger, C. and King, G., 1998. Fundamentals of the Application of Potency Chords. Biomedical Therapy [online], XVI (No. 1), 147–150.

Pierce, R., 2016. Fibonacci Sequence [online]. Mathsisfun.com.

Rozencwajg, J., 2010. The potency : advanced prescribing in homeopathy : the Fibonacci potencies : a unified theory and practice of modern homeopathic posology. Haarlem? Emryss.

Strbac, L., 2024. The Trailblazer’s Insight Into Homeopathy. Homeopathy Heals.