Homœopathic Links 2022; 35(01): 086-088
DOI: 10.1055/s-0042-1743574
Obituary

Robin Murphy (15 August 1950 to 17 November 2021)

Naturopathic Physician Conducted Countless, Well-attended Seminars; Wrote Popular Materia Medica and Repertories
Jay Yasgur
1   United States
› Author Affiliations
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Photo courtesy: Judith, Dr Murphy's wife/partner.

Known and appreciated by legions of homeopathic students, practitioners and clients for his relaxed, yet authoritative laid-back lecturing style, naturopathic doctor, Robin Murphy, succumbed to a coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia infection during the Thanksgiving month of 2021. He crossed the threshold at the age of 71.

Dr Murphy (15 August 1950–17 November 2021) discovered homeopathy during undergraduate studies at the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States).

As you might know, there was a homeopathic medical school at this university many years ago which contained a vast number of homeopathic books and journals. During his library visits, Robin happened to come across this collection which piqued his interest and caused him to play the autodidactic role. That evolved into a decision to commence formal, academic study of the subject in 1976, as he enrolled in the naturopathic program at National College of Naturopathic Medicine (NCNM, currently known as National University of Natural Medicine).

Murphy became so accomplished in his mastery of the subject that after graduating in 1980 he remained at his alma mater teaching homeotherapeutics until 1984 when he relocated from the area. During that time, he was also an instructor of homeopathy at Bastyr University, a naturopathic medical school located in Seattle, Washington. Dr Murphy taught it all, repertory, materia medica, case-taking, posology and began his career in seminar education in 1983.

‘I have one story to share, that was personal to me, sort of direction of my life kind of story. I had been studying and practicing homeopathy in NYC in the early 80s, and then had attended the 1982 National Center for Homeopathy's professional course in Millersville, PA. In interviewing the different doctors there, I settled on the ND program as most fitting the type of practice closest to what Hahnemann described. I started studying at NCNM [National College of Naturopathic Medicine] in the Fall of 1982’.

‘At that time classical homeopathy was not accepted as to be the main form of practice there, and in general I felt rather uncommitted toward the program. Previously I had considered going to regular medical school during my educational search path and was still open to going that route, and then practicing homeopathy’.

‘It was then that I met and befriended Robin Murphy, who was practicing classical homeopathy there. I confided my frustration to him and since he was aware of my prior understanding of homeopathy, he suggested that on weekends I teach and see patients at his satellite clinic. I began to see patients at his clinic through my first year. He gave me total autonomy, which I very much appreciated’.

‘He also helped start a study group for a half-dozen ND students who wanted to study classical homeopathy at the school’.

‘That opportunity of seeing patients again was a life-saver for me, watching the workings of the homeopathic remedy, reminding me why I was in school, it buoyed me, and I continued on until my graduation in 1986. In very real and practical terms I am a naturopath who practices homeopathy rather than a medical doctor practicing homeopathy because of this act of kindness from Robin. Which I will not forget’.–Paul Herscu (personal communication, 23 November 2021).

Robin's masterful opus, a 1979 homeopathic research project he undertook while in naturopathic school, was a 368-page, 34-chapter, 5.5” x 8” rather crudely put together book titled Homeopathic Medicine and Cancer: The Philosophy and Clinical Experiences of Dr. A. H. Grimmer, M.D. (revised 1983). It is still in-print and available for sale from his website, <https://www.lotushealthinstitute.com>, as a better produced spiral-bound volume.

Murphy wrote several other books many of which became quite popular in the homeopathic community. His Lotus Materia Medica (1995)..

‘Contains the history, folklore, planetary signs, and therapeutic uses of 1,200 remedies. Condensed from many other sources. Includes spagyric uses–where the leftover from the tincture process after the liquid is extracted, is burned to an ash, triturated, and re-introduced to the preparation. Re-issued as the Homeopathic Remedy Guide, 2000’.–Julian Winston (The Heritage of Homoeopathic Literature, p. 44).

He compiled his Homeopathic Medical Repertory (1993) by re-working the Complete Repertory, placing it into alphabetical order:

‘Contains modern terminology and diagnostic rubrics. There are many additions, but they are of unknown value since no “source” key is included, making it impossible to differentiate which remedies came from Kent, which were added in the Complete, and which are Murphy's additions. ...Well bound and printed on “Bible paper”, the book has been criticised for the lack of “sources” and because of the alphabetical arrangement. In the experience of some, the arrangement makes it so easy to find possible rubrics that the need to search for, perhaps, a more inclusive one is obviated by the ease of finding the first. The result is that in the hands of a beginner or inexperienced person, rubrics are found which are “close enough” but not necessarily the most precise rubric needed for a successful prescription. Although the arrangement of the Kent work might seem confusing, constant use of it inculcates a sense of exactness in rubric selection which is obviated by an alphabetical arrangement’.–Julian Winston (ibid, p. 76).

‘In 1986 Mitzi Lebensorger and I visited Robin in Boerne, Texas where he was living and working at the time. After our visit the three of us suggested that the Guadalupe River Ranch in Boerne be the next location for the NCH Summer School. The idea was presented to the NCH Board of Directors and was accepted and in the summer of 1987, it was held there’. (This was during Jackie Wilson's tenure as Dean of the program in 1986 and 1987.)

‘I had heard that the reason Joe Lillard, Homeopathy Works and Jim Klemmer, Natural Health Supply started using bullet boxes for remedy kits originated from Robin who had discovered that Erhart and Karl had previously used them to package their kits. Robin went to Haiti after the earthquake in 2010 with Homeopaths Without Borders to teach folks there how to use Homeopathic Remedy Kits’.

‘I had the privilege of introducing Robin and his presentation at the NCH meeting in Colorado in 2016’.–Tess Nossaman (email communication, 22 November 2021).

Robin continued to update his Homeopathic Clinical Repertory (1990; 2nd 1993; 3rd 2005), and ca. 2018, it became MetaRepertory (4th 2021). This 2021 version was revised to complement the 2020 edition of his materia medica, Nature's Materia Medica. This work started out as Lotus Materia Medica and went through several editions before finally becoming Nature's Materia Medica (4th 2020). Other works include Keynotes of Materia Medica, Case Analysis and Prescribing Techniques. This brief summation is by no means a complete sequencing or listing of his published works.

In an email conversation (27 November 2021) naturopath, Durr Elmore, commented: ‘Robin was my first teacher. That was back in about 1982 after I graduated from chiropractic school and started studying naturopathy at NCNM. I remember him as a very good teacher, especially of materia medica; he made homeopathy come alive for us’.

‘Dr Murphy, one of my early teachers, imbued his passion and brilliance in every single class he gave, and was still his student watching videos up until weeks before his death. His Materia Medicas and Repertories will always be amazing references for me in my practice, for my surrounding family whom I have gifted the books to, for my clients who have the same passion for homeopathy as Robin Murphy’.–Dr vet. med. Dee Blanco (email communication, 5 December 2021).

‘I attended one of his very early weekend seminars; it was fun and interesting. He spoke about ancient Egyptian medicine, Native American medicine and homeopathy and connected them in a very nice way. I do remember him having a fun and interesting way of lecturing. I liked his sense of humor and his choice of topics. May he rest in peace’.–Jennifer Cunningham (email communication, 28 November 2021).

As you may know, Robin's lectures not only contained homeopathic material but also material of a related and often esoteric nature. To illustrate this, I offer a quote from an interview which Elaine Lewis conducted as published in the December 2010 issue of 'Hpathy Ezine,' (on-line journal (https://hpathy.com):

‘Aesclepius is the Greek god of medicine. Before Hahnemann became a homeopath, he said the highest form of medicine was achieved by the Greeks and Egyptians, 2500 years before his time, and then he explains it this way: they had Aesclepius in balance’!

‘Aesclepius had two daughters–Panacea and Hygea–and this reflects to me the whole condition of homeopathy today. Panacea was the daughter who did nothing but find cures for people; so, she's sitting around waiting for diseases to happen so she can cure them. But Aesclepius had another daughter named Hygea, whose only goal in life was to prevent disease! So, to have “Aesclepius In Balance” means 50% of our work should be treating disease and the other 50% should be in preventing disease! And that's where homeopathy's the weakest–there's very little promotion of diet, exercise, a philosophy about life, approaches to staying healthy and so on; so, homeopathy, to me, is the greatest natural system of medicine that I’ve found in 40 years of research, but, people don't know that after Hahnemann gave up medicine, he began following a French naturalist named Mousseau. So, for twenty-some years, Hahnemann gave tonics, wrote papers on vinegar, on charcoal, on using brandy as medicine, camphor and all this stuff, plus diet and fresh air and exercise; he was using home remedies before he became a homeopath'.–Robin Murphy, ND.

‘While I never knew Robin very well, or followed his teachings, I always felt a good vibe from what I heard his students say about him, and sensed that he represented a wholesome, down-to-earth vision of what homeopaths could actually accomplish, and what the homeopathic point of view could inspire in the culture at large, a sort of Johnny Appleseed for our movement’.–Richard Moskowitz, MD (email communication, 9 December 2021).

‘Robin had the ability to make Homeopathy available to anyone, medical or layperson; his practical approach to the use of the remedies was key to his approach to wellness and medicine in general; his role in the resurgence of the use of Homeopathy in our alternative medicine world is, and will be, without question of benefit to gererations [sic]now and to come. He will be missed by all he touched in so many ways’.–Jim Klemmer (email communication, 11 December 2021).

Lastly, I offer another quote of Robin's, the final few lines from the introduction to his opus. Perhaps they are equally apropos now as they were then:

‘To summarize, the homeopathic prescriber should have:

  • (1) A good understanding of human nature, in health or disease.

  • (2) A thorough knowledge of chronic diseases and the factors that precipitate them.

  • (3) A solid foundation in the art, science, and philosophy of homeopathic medicine.

  • (4) A dedicated and sincere heart to help the sick and suffering in the world. This is needed to pursue an in-depth study of homeopathy, which is a hard and long course. But it is also a fruitful and most rewarding one’.–Homeopathic Medicine and Cancer, pp. 7, 8.

It is a rare occurrence when such a confluence of gifts appears in an individual. Let us give thanks that Robin arrived when he did and hope others of equal calibre arise to stimulate an equally great interest in our beloved art.



Publication History

Article published online:
29 May 2022

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