The Other Song Academy – Supporting Homeopaths in Australia

 

For the past four years,The Other Song Academy, based in Mumbai India, has been providing invaluable advanced training for Australian homeopaths.

 

The other song academy was established by Dr Rajan Sankaran, to provide advanced training in homoeopathy, in particular the integration of classical methodologies with the newer approaches, such as the Sensation Method and Synergy. Each year the International arm of the academy offers courses such as “The 12 Daysof Mastery:Mastering Homeopathy with the Masters” and ‘My week with Rajan’, A6-day live-case based course with Dr. Rajan Sankaran. Details are available on the website https://www.theothersong.com/international

In Australia we are fortunate that the other song also offers trainings locally:

• Online Mentorship Program

• Advanced Practitioner Program:4-6day workshops based in Sydney (and accessible via webcast throughout Australia)

• Dr Sankaran’s Video Case Series based in Sydney.

• Seminars focusing on specific topics.

The Australian programmes are presented by Dr Rishi Vyas, Dr Pratik Desai and Dr Meghna Shah, in-house consultants from the other song academy, who have extensive experience both as practitioners and teachers. These consultants continue to work with Dr Sankaran and his colleagues to enhance their knowledge and understanding of case taking, case analysis, and materia medica, particularly from the kingdom perspective.

 

Online Mentorship

The online mentorship programme has been running since August 2016. Small groups of meet fortnightly with their mentorvia the online zoom app with the main focus being the analysis of paper cases. This format provides consistent support over an extended period of time.

 

The content is responsive to issues that arise during the sessions, and can include:

• Case taking skills including pitfalls during case taking

• Recommendations of directions at difficult stages of the case

• Analysis of the case leading to kingdom, sub-kingdom and remedy

• Detailed discussion of the chosen remedy’s kingdom/family

• Deliberation within the group with differential diagnosis

• How to use repertory and material medica with sensation prescribing

Participants also have the opportunity to present their own cases, both successful cases and those which they are finding challenging.

 

One participant shared: ‘The mentoring sessions as being both enjoyable and challenging. I have realised it is not solely about identifying the ‘right’ remedy. Understanding how I ‘missed’ the cues is also valuable learning, especially as this can be accompanied by the mentor giving fresh insightsinto the ‘wrong’remedy and it’s kingdom relationship. And I really appreciate the approach of the mentors; they are very patient and accepting.Theynever make you feel like you are stupid.‘

 

Another participant, who has been with the programme from the start shared:

‘I have become a much less lazy homeopath. The mentorship programme constantly challenges my thinking. Both my knowledge and perception have been refined so that I am able understand my patients at a deeper level, and provide more accurate and long lasting prescriptions.’

 

Starting in 2020, a new mentoring group has been formed. There are still spaces available for anyone who is interested to join this group.

 

Advanced Practitioner Programme

Since July 2018, consultants from the other song academy have travelled periodically to Australia and conducted intensive workshops lasting 4 – 6 days by Dr Rishi Vyas, Dr Pratik Desai and Dr Meghna Shah from the other song.

 

The backbone of the workshops is the study of video and live cases.

This study provides an opportunity for participants to develop further insights into the synergy approach, including:

• the integration of various modes of analysis from materiamedica, repertory and sensation .

• The basic concepts of kingdom, case taking, level of experience, miasm etc.

 

While the workshops are based in Sydney, it is possible to participate from distant locations via the zoom app. The intensive study supports deep shifts in learning, and the small group size ensure active participation for all.

 

One participant shared:

I loved this workshop – it has been one of the best I have attended. Dr Rishi is a great teacher and presenter. I enjoyed the workshop format in a small group which provided for great learning. I learnt a lot from every case and especially from attempting to solve the cases myself before being presented with Dr Rishi’s view and analysis. I also got a lot out of the repertorisation hints and the suggestions on how to map the case-taking information. I will practice this way of analysing my own cases in the future.

 

Another said:

‘The latest workshop was hugely beneficial for me. I feel very privileged to having the opportunity to learn in this hands on and very interactive environment. I can see a clear improvement in my case-taking abilities and ability to perceive what is important in the case since the last workshop. There is a clear advantage in having consistent exposure to the high level of expertise that is offered by The Other Song mentors. Dr Pratik is a great teacher and presenter who is well versed in taking cases and has exceptional Materia Medica knowledge. In this workshop I particularly enjoyed being exposed to the subtleties of case-taking while witnessing the live cases and being able to immediately discuss the process.’

 

Another shared about the workshop with Dr Meghna:

‘This was an enjoyable and very helpful workshop, good in all ways, and especially because of the intimacy of it: the relatively few participants allowed for better interaction and learning than if it were very large. Dr Meghna was so knowledgeable and so passionate, dedicated and insightful, as well as being such a warm and pleasant communicator.

In particular I learned the following about case-taking:

• Don’t rush, go with the patient, feed the information back to patient.

• Be confident that the sensation will be reached in the consultation, that it is there, that it will be found, and that it will be efficacious. Give this confidence to your patient

• There are often lots of options, lots of avenues to explore in the case taking.’

 

A particular valuable aspect of the workshops is the live cases. A participant writes:

‘I invited a number of patients whose cases I was struggling with to have their cases taken by the doctors. It was very enlightening to observe them take these cases; I could clearly see where I had made limiting choices in the questions I had asked these patients; the case taking principles that we have been learning really came to life.’

 

Dr Sankaran’s Video Case Series

The video case series is the newest format being offered. Monthly sessions are held in Sydney. Participants view recordings of cases being taken by Dr Sankaran. They then discuss the case together before viewing a recording of Dr Sankaran’s analysis. Remedy selection is accompanied by a powerpoint presentation giving context of the remedy.

 

A participant shares: ‘I find myself focussing on Dr Sankaran; the information he chooses to follow up, and questions he asks really help shape my understanding. It is a treat to have this opportunity here in Sydney.’

 

Seminars

When Dr Meghna Shah visited Sydney last year, as well as leading a workshop she presented a seminar ‘Insight into Reptiles’. Dr Meghna had done a lot of the background research into Dr Sankaran’s book on reptiles and we were fortunate to have her share some of her knowledge of this remedy group with us.

 

There are plans for Dr Sankaran himself to visit Australia in 2021 and present a seminar on the further exploration into the remedies of the plant kingdom that his group has made. Stay posted.

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Current courses being offered are listed below.