Hi Shauna,
Yes--very good books to have on hand for reference. And Snoop is right about self-treating--there's a big difference between getting yourself out of the misery of an accidental poison ivy affliction and picking a remedy for rheumatoid arthritis or chronic depression or insomnia. You really do have to have the ability (learned) to know the difference between what has been affecting the body chronically, and what can be cured quickly and easily as an acute.
Asa Hershoff is very well respected, as is Dana Ullman, who has contributed a great deal to Homeopathy's resurgence in the US. I mentioned the Miranda Castro book because it really explains how classical homeopaths go about understanding a case and finding a good remedy--and then it empowers you to do the same, for acute and first aid ailments. It uses clear explanations, and very logical, paired-down resources to help you feel very confident and prescribe effectively. I use it as a text book whenever I teach Introductory Homeopathy and First Aid/Acute prescribing. Though I do feel that starting with any one of the books you've purchased, you are well on your way (By the way, Chapters no longer sells the Miranda Castro book, for reasons having more to do with distribution and their own crazy business finances than with availability. So I always order it from a homeopathic bookseller I know in Toronto. There is an excellent homeopathic bookseller based in
Vancouver--Minimum Price Homeopathic Books--who can send you a catalogue and your order in a matter of days. You can check them out at
www.minimumprice.com).
Perhaps Neilson's school offers a first-aid homeopathy course you may want to check out--it would certainly come in handy for looking after all those childhood acute illnesses every mother treats, one way or the other! Learning about homeopathy IS overwhelming, when you've got to do it all at once. It is meant to be a major undertaking because it does cause a significant change in the way you see and understand everything, in the long run. So, best thing to do is keep it simple and start with the basics--you can hire someone who's well grounded to help you figure out the tough, deep stuff.
You're on your way already!
Divina