In the homeopathic anthropological model it’s the Vital Force that maintains the organism in  equilibrium. The Vital Force according to Hahnemann have two forces.

The Force of generation

The tendency to imbalance is possible because of the ability of the vital force to resonate with pathogenic processes (exogenous or endogenous) and to produce symptoms. It is in German “Erzeugungskraft” (Organon § 21): Force of generation or production. This means that the energy of the pathogenic process resonates with the vital energy and generates a dis-attunement of this vital energy. It is the ability of vital energy to receive another energy and to give birth to a pathogenic process. Once this pathogenic process is initiated, it will develop and grow without a natural tendency to cure.

The global disorganization – which immediately affects the overall system- manifests into peripheral somatic or psychic symptoms. A symptom or disease located in an organ is not an isolated entity from the rest of the organism but the localized manifestation of the global imbalance.

In the human body, homeopaths have shown that the disorganization evolves from bottom to top (from toes to head), from the outside inward (from the skin to the internal organs), from the superficial to the deep organs (for example joints to the heart or brain) and from a superficial emotional state to a neurosis or psychosis (Hering’s Law).

The Force of conservation

Facing this generated imbalance, the vital force tends to react, in order to maintain homeostasis, it is in German “Erhaltungskraft” which means force of preservation or conservation. This second quality is the ability to oppose the unbalancing primary action. This opposite secondary response, opposite  in direction and intensity to primary action, is the self-preservation ability of the vital force. Hahnemann talks about it at § 63: ” ” Every power that acts on life, every medicine, alters the vital force more or less and brings about in human health certain modifications of greater or lesser duration. We call this the primary action. Although it is a product of both the medicinal and the vital force, this primary action nevertheless belongs more to the domain of the former. Our vital force strives to oppose its energy to this influence. This, its life-preserving reaction “erhaltungskraft”, is an automatic activity called secondary action or counteraction.”

However if this force of opposition is able to maintain homeostasis in the usual circumstances of life, the genesis of a chronic disease in the vital energy of the individual cannot be overcome by this force and requires intervention of a similar medicinal force that will neutralize by resonance the natural disease.