Difference between Perseverance, Obstinate & Pertinacity

Question from Dr Pritam Bhanwase, Gadhinglaz.

Respected Sir,
Please explain the difference between Perseverance, Obstinate & Pertinacity.

Dear Dr Pritam,
I am replying your question after a long time about the difference between Perseverance, Obstinate & Pertinacity.

Let’s start with the dictionary meaning of these words.

Perseverance means
1 the act of persevering; continued, patient effort
2 the quality of one who perseveres; persistence
3 in Calvinism, the continuance in grace of people elected to eternal salvation

Obstinate means
1 unreasonably determined to have one's own way; not yielding to reason or plea; stubborn; dogged; mulish
2 resisting remedy or treatment (an obstinate fever)
3 not easily subdued, ended, etc.

Pertinacity means the quality or condition of being pertinacious; stubborn persistence; obstinacy.
Pertinacious means
1 holding firmly to some purpose, belief, or action, often stubbornly or obstinately
2 hard to get rid of; unyielding; persistent


These dictionary meanings are self explanatory but still I will try my level best to make it as simple as possible.
Perseverance applies to those tireless activities of the human being where person go on doing it continuously. e.g. Generally a patient who use to follow a Homoeopath continuously for years together for his disease or a person use to work continuously for his goal since long time. He is having firm belief about the treatment or whatever goal he is having. Here, Industrious attitude is more exists than Egotism. e.g. Dr Rasal’s perseverance for doing continuous study, learning as much as possible.
Obstinate is stubbornness expresses with some Egotism, Selfishness, Desires. It is commonly observed in children which doesn’t means that it is not observed in Adults. Even after contradiction it, obstinate nature persists. Even though he is wrong, his obstinacy persists. e.g. Dr Rasal is too obstinate to follow the rules, timings etc.

Pertinacity applies to firm activity done for some purpose so that the goal will be achieved. Here again Industriousness comes along with Egotism & Desires. Selfishness may or may not be present with it. e.g. Even though there is very poor response from Homoeopathic Students, Dr Rasal’s pertinacious effort continues for the propagation of Homoeopathy in the Society & Student’s mind.

I think in Synthesis Repertory, Perseverance & Obstinate, Pertinacity is discussed separately but in Complete Repertory Obstinate is given as a cross reference for Perseverance. But from my point of view, Perseverance is very close to Obstinate, Pertinacity in stead of only Obstinate.

These are my thoughts of understanding those three rubrics.

Thank You!

Understanding the Rubric with a Case: Opium

Fear, Extravagance, of: Opium

Let us first understand the dictionary meaning of the words.

Fear means
1 a feeling of anxiety and agitation caused by the presence or nearness of danger, evil, pain, etc.; timidity; dread; terror; fright; apprehension
2 respectful dread; awe; reverence
3 a feeling of uneasiness or apprehension; concern (a fear that it will rain)
4 a cause for fear; possibility; chance (there was no fear of difficulty)

Extravagance means
1 a going beyond reasonable or proper limits in conduct or speech; unreasonable excess
2 a spending of more than is reasonable or necessary; excessive expenditure; wastefulness
3 an instance of excess in spending, behavior, or speech Also

The meaning of the whole rubric is: Fear of going beyond limits, unreasonable excess.

Case: A patient of hair fall came to me & I observed on his face a lot of anxiety as if he is suffering from a very severe illness. He uttered with lot of fear on his face: Doctor, I am suffering from so severe hair fall that I feel that after a month there will not remain a single hair on my scalp. Dr. please, please give me some medicine.
So, I considered a fear which is out of proportion to his illness or suffering. He is considering that he will get bald within a month. So, I considered two rubrics:
1. Fear, Extravagance, of
along with one more rubric i.e.
2. Praying
Result of Repertorisation:
Opium 2/2
We never think of Opium for a hair fall because we use to consider only a Materia Medica picture of the Opium. But, because of proper understanding of the rubrics, one becomes unprejudiced which Dr Samuel hahnemann says one of the basic quality Homoeopathic Physician should possess.
I have prescribed him Opium 30 a single dose followed by placebo & revived him after 10days when he said in a very happy mood: Doctor, first time after a long time I am enjoying my life. Hair fall is 90% reduced & because of which my anxiety is also disappeared. Thanks!

One more versions of the same rubric:
(Everything in a Frightful appearance) Doctor, you told me that my disease will be cured within three months. It’s already 6 months passed. Doctor, whether I will become all right? Why I am not getting cured? Is there any major problem?

Thank You!
The Value of Objective Rubrics with Examples

Study of the Rubrics Generally Associated With Each Other

Understanding the Rubric of the Case: Opium

Understanding the Rubrics of the Case: Hydrogen

A Case of Avascular Necrosis of Femoral Head

A Case of Pyloric Stenosis

Two Cases of One-Sided Disease Cured With The Same Rubric

A Case of Viral Warts

A Case of Carcinosin

Two Extremes of Aurum

UNDERSTANDING THE RUBRIC

Timidity, Business, in transacting: Op

Timidity means
1 easily frightened; lacking self-confidence; shy; timorous
2 showing fear or lack of self-confidence; hesitant (a timid reply)

Business means
1 one's work, occupation, or profession
2 a special task, duty, or function
3 rightful concern or responsibility (no one's business but his own)
4 a matter, affair, activity, etc. (the business of packing for a trip)
5 the buying and selling of commodities and services; commerce; trade
6 a commercial or industrial establishment; store, factory, etc
7 the trade or patronage of customers
8 commercial practice or policy
9 a bit of action in a drama, as pouring a drink, intended to establish character, take up a pause in dialogue, etc.

Transacting means
1 to carry on, perform, conduct, or complete (business, etc)
2 [Rare] to do business; negotiate

The complete meaning of this rubric is there is timidity in transacting his or her business. Generally, we consider the exact word meaning of the word ‘Business’. But if we will think in depth regarding the word, we can consider the huge understanding of it according the situation.
For every person, his or her business is different. For e.g.
1. If I am in such a situation that I require money from my parents for certain purpose. At that time, it becomes my business to ask for the same towards them.
2. If one has to tell someone regarding something which is very important for both of them, it becomes his or her business at that specific time.
3. If one has to convey some message to a senior at a particular time, it becomes his or her business at that time.

Let me explain a short case in which I have considered this specific rubric & case got solved.

In my Homoeopathic Workshop, one student came from very long distance for learning the Homoeopathy. Next day after the Workshop, she attended my O.P.D. to understand how I use to prescribe & deals with the patient from 9am to 1pm.
During whole period she was sitting quiet & listening whatever I was discussing. After the O.P.D. was finished, she went in her room & started crying loudly. When I was passing from her room, I observer she was crying very loudly. I couldn’t understand what has happened to her within 5-10 min. period. So, I asked her friend regarding it. She told, Sir, she was getting very severe Pain in abdomen since morning. I asked her why don’t you told it to me. She said how to tell you Sir. Actually, you were teaching so nicely at that time. I feel how I can say such a thing.
So, at that time it was her business to tell me from whatever she was suffering so that I could have prescribed some medicine to her. But, due to her timid nature, she never expressed her feeling.
So, I considered this rubric & told her that this was your mental state during that specific time. I asked her to take a dose of Opium 30 for her pain in abdomen. But she was not ready to take it. Again when I forcefully asked her why she is not ready to take the medicine, then hesitantly she answered (Same mental state) that she is under Homoeopathic Treatment of another Homoeopath who had prescribed her Stramonium for Polycystic Ovarian Disease 45 days back. But, still she never got her periods. So, I asked her to take Opium 30 with the kind permission of that Homoeopath. Her pain in abdomen stopped immediately & within a week, she got periods.

Sometimes, it can be mistaken as: Anxiety, Conscience, of
But, this is not an Anxiety but a fear or timidity. Because,

Anxiety means
1 a state of being uneasy, apprehensive, or worried about what may happen; concern about a possible future event
2 Psychiatry an abnormal state like this, characterized by a feeling of being powerless and unable to cope with threatening events, typically imaginary, and by physical tension, as shown by sweating, trembling, etc.
3 an eager but often uneasy desire

Conscience means
1 a knowledge or sense of right and wrong, with an urge to do right; moral judgment that opposes the violation of a previously recognized ethical principle and that leads to feelings of guilt if one violates such a principle
2 [Obs.] a) consciousness b) inner thoughts or feelings

The meaning of the whole rubric is it is the inner moral feeling to introspect that whether he is not at fault/ whether he is not troubling anyone unnecessarily or unknowingly etc.

Thank You!

Understanding the Rubric

I am trying to explain how I use to consider the Rubrics from Patient’s version.
Whenever a patient comes to us, he is in a diseased state. So, naturally whatever he utters & his expressions, tone of discussion during that state is his state of disposition & mind. I use to concentrate on the same & try to convert it in to the Rubrics because Dr Samuel Hahnemann defined the Law of Similars as:
A drug capable of producing in a healthy individual a diseased state exactly similar to that observed in a diseased individual acts as a curative agent if the disease is in a curable state.

He has specifically used the word Diseased State & not the symptoms or disease.

Why the State of disposition & mind?
Because our master Dr Samuel Hahnemann explained it in the 6th edition of Organon of Medicine, in
§ 211: This holds good to such an extent, that the state of the disposition of the patient often chiefly determines the selection of the homoeopathic remedy, as being a decidedly characteristic symptom which can least of all remain concealed from the accurately observing physician.

So, what is a state?
State is nothing but the Individuality expressed thro’ symptoms, words, language, tone, emotions & body language etc.
For e.g. Person’s version (Sentence): How are you?
“How are you?” can be asked with different tones & expressions like Sympathetic, Curious, Dominating, Vindictive etc. So, “how are you” words are not important but the man behind these words is important. So, state expresses with the help of the words which we have to find it out thro’ unprejudiced observation, sound senses, keen observation & fidelity in tracing the picture of the disease. This captured diseased state of the individual we have to repertories to get the Perfect Similimum.

Now we will turn towards the rubric:
Philosophy, Ability for: At first we will understand the meaning of the words.

Philosophy means:
1 [Archaic] love of, or the search for, wisdom or knowledge
2 theory or logical analysis of the principles underlying conduct, thought, knowledge, and the nature of the universe: included in philosophy are ethics, aesthetics, logic, epistemology, metaphysics, etc.
3 the general principles or laws of a field of knowledge, activity, etc.! The philosophy of economics"
4 a) a particular system of principles for the conduct of life b) a treatise covering such a system
5 a study of human morals, character, and behavior
6 mental balance or composure thought of as resulting from the study of philosophy

Ability means:
1 a being able; power to do (something physical or mental)
2 skill, expertness, or talent

So, the complete meaning of the rubric is:

These people have the ability to explain each & everything with the help of certain social principles. For every discussion they used to take the help of those principles.
Common versions of those people’s discussion are:
1. Doctor, don’t you feel that his/ her behavior is not like social norms? Actually, one should behave like normal social norms. He/she should consider how to behave in the society.
2. Doctor, my brother doesn’t understand how to behave with the parents. His behavior is absolutely wrong. He must respect the parents.
3. Every doctor should do ethical medical practice. They should not cheat their patients. But now a day, we never get such type of peoples.
4. I use to follow all human ethics. Generally, I never trouble anyone without reason. Even anyone troubles me I use to consider that this might be a tendency of that individual. Ultimately, every human being is having a different nature.
So, people go on discussing in such a way that we can easily understand their philosophical ability.

I generally never come to conclusion of the rubric with a single version. If we get similar version 2 or more time in a case, we get confirmation about the state of the individual & then we must consider that rubric.

Thank You!

Understanding the Rubric

Understanding the Rubric:

Conflict between higher consciousness & worldly existence: Hydrogen

First we will study the dictionary meanings of few words of this rubric.
Conflict means - 1 [Obs.] to fight; battle; contend
2 to be antagonistic, incompatible, or contradictory; be in opposition; clash! Ideas that conflict"
n.
1 a fight or struggle, esp. a protracted one; war
2 sharp disagreement or opposition, as of interests or ideas; clash
3 emotional disturbance resulting from a clash of opposing impulses or from an inability to reconcile impulses with realistic or moral considerations
4 [Rare] collision of moving bodies

SYN.—conflict refers to a sharp disagreement or collision as in interests or ideas and emphasizes the process rather than the end [the conflict over slavery]; fight, a rather general word for any contest, struggle, or quarrel, stresses physical or hand-to-hand combat; struggle implies great effort or violent exertion, physical or otherwise [the struggle for existence]; contention most frequently applies to heated verbal strife, or dispute [religious contention broke out]; contest refers to a struggle, either friendly or hostile, for supremacy in some matter [athletic contests, a contest of wits]

Consciousness means – 1 the state of being conscious; awareness of one's own feelings, what is happening around one, etc.
2 the totality of one's thoughts, feelings, and impressions; conscious mind

Existence means – 1 the act of existing; state or fact of being
2 continuance of being; life; living
3 occurrence; specific manifestation
4 a manner of existing, being, or living! Derelicts have a poor existence"
5 a being; entity; thing that exists

Worldly – 1 of or limited to this world; temporal or secular
2 devoted to or concerned with the affairs, pleasures, etc. of this world:
3 worldly-wise; sophisticated

So, now if you will understand the meaning of the whole rubric, it shows: There is a conflict in the persons mind regarding his physical & metaphysical existence or in a simple language the material & dynamic aspect of the human being. He is in a confused state regarding his physical existence on this earth & at the same time the spiritual – dynamic aspect of him in this universe.

Let me explain a case:
This is a case of Eczema which I was not able to understand seven years back. The Patient’s version was:
Doctor, I am in a confused state. Number of times, I feel whether I am a part of this universe or not. My thoughts never get coped with the people of this world. Sometimes, I feel who I am? I am embarrassed because of these thoughts. Every human being is part of the Spirit & I thank he should be.
He goes on discussing number of things continuously like a Loquacious person.
I made a mistake of prescribing him Sulphur because at that time I was not knowing this Rubric because rest of the rubrics are common in both remedies i.e. Hydrogen & Sulphur. Ultimately, I never cot a perfect similimum & I have to reconsider this case for 2-3 times to get cured.

Rubrics:
1. Conflict between higher consciousness & worldly existence
2. Egotism
3. Theorizing
4. Embarrassment
5. Philosophy, Ability for
6. Loquacity

Result of Repertorisation:

1. Hydrogen 6/6
2. Sulphur 8/5
3. Lachesis 9/4

So, if I would have prescribed this perfect similimum Hydrogen as a first prescription, I might not have to reconsider the case.
This is the importance of perfect similimum & perceiving the right rubric.
Thank You!

Dr Prasad Rasal,
+919890168872.