An Interview with Susan Marjorie Ratliff, author of Homeopathy Rising: A Deep Introduction to Earth’s Fastest Growing Medicine
by Nancy Tam, with Susan Marjorie Ratliff

Susan’s beautiful book titled, Little Earths, was a game-changer for me. It was an unexpected gift that soothed my grieving heart, like a magical healing balm. Her book of essays about nature, holistic health, healing, and homeopathy opened me up again to a place of curiosity, wonder, and awe about the interconnectedness of everything. Her writing is filled with a gentle wisdom, creating spaces within, for discovery and deep reflection. I’m delighted to share my interview with Susan, since she launched her new book, Homeopathy Rising.

What inspired you to write Homeopathy Rising?

It started as a little booklet which some colleagues encouraged me to write, to introduce homeopathy to people who were curious, but didn’t know what it was about. We felt so many people are looking for natural forms of medicine these days, and it was hard to find a concise introduction that answered people’s real questions. (That original 12-page booklet is still available free on my website.) But I kept editing, and finding more interesting research, and wanting to add more information… so it became a book.

What homeopathy-related research would you like conducted in the future and why? Despite the many challenges humanity faces at this time, what makes you optimistic about the role homeopathy could play in shaping a better future?

What I wish is for the current paradigm of suppressing suffering, to give way to one of supporting and nurturing the natural healing process. That means respecting and trusting in the regenerative force which is always at work. Healing might not always take the form we expect. Illness invites us to evolve. Homeopathy can help us do that. It can resolve things at such a deep level, help us get back in touch with compassion and make wiser choices. That helps the world around us, and the future. As for the research, which is growing so fast now, I hope it will become like a laser, so coherent that everyone can see its light.

What sparked your interest in formally training as a homeopath?

Years ago, I had chronic pain and autoimmune issues, to the point of being disabled. But in deep meditation there were times when all the pain and exhaustion would simply vanish. There was a completely different sense of myself. The first time I took a remedy, I knew nothing about homeopathy, but I felt a shift at that same level. I saw then that there was a medicine which could actually free the flow of energy at the deepest level, the level that organizes our health. That was the beginning of seeing illness and healing very differently.

What drew you to becoming a master horticulturist? How does your love of nature and passion for gardening complement your healing?

I’ve always been fascinated by the resilience of healthy ecosystems, and the parallel to the internal human ecosystem. I wanted to be part of the movement of agriculture away from toxic “life-support” chemicals that industrial farming relies on. It’s the same as the situation in medicine. People have become estranged from living a natural life. We accidentally left behind the things that used to nourish and protect us. And we’ve imposed that unnatural lifestyle on animals, plants, soil, whole systems. Our present trajectory is overwhelming us with degenerative disease. The whole biosphere is being overwhelmed with its versions of degenerative disease. If we want to change all of this, we’ll have to become more clear about what our true role is on this planet. And, on the personal side, I simply love the soil and sun and water and open air, and growing fresh food and herbs. There’s a sense of peace in it. I’m in love with trees, I’m in love with seeds.

As a holistic health practitioner, what is your philosophy of healing?

I think the word holistic says more than we sometimes remember. Taking all of what we are into account. I try to understand the universal aspects of health, to help people restore the foundation. Nutrition is a big part of that, but there are many aspects. And everyone also has their unique experience, and that means designing individualized care. More and more I see the importance of integrating all our ways of understanding health, having a flexible and diverse approach. One modality will not work for everyone.

When did you first discover that you wanted to be a writer?

There isn’t exactly a “want,” it just is! I was very little, four or five maybe, when I realized I was processing everything, making a kind of simultaneous translation, instinctively working with language in my mind to understand what was happening around me and inside me, and to find the most concise way to express it. Looking back I think this wasn’t normal! But I’m drawn to communicating, at least in this phase of my life. 

What do you enjoy most about the writing process? How do you know a book that you’re writing is finished?

Writing is an incredible feeling. I am compelled to try. I sometimes feel it’s like being a child allowed to sit beside a magician. I sit and listen, and thoughts flow in like oxygen and grow like vines. Where do they come from?? Who is the magician? It can be exhausting, too. As for finishing books, articles, even a letter to a friend… they’re never finished. At some point I realize that I have to let go, let it sink, or swim. That’s hard, because I know my thoughts will continue to move, and I’ll have to live with it being out there incomplete, imperfect. But it’s also a relief, because the ideas and the network of connections between them are very demanding, needing my mind, day and night.

What are some of the new projects you are working on right now?

The big effort now is completing my online course, Holistic and Complementary Care for Cancer. I’ve been immersed in this for five months. It grew out of the enormous research journey I took, while healing from my own cancer. I realized there’s so much we can do for ourselves, that we will never hear about from medical providers. It will be available in a self-paced format by February 2026. And soon I’ll get back to my revision of Little Earths. My thinking has evolved so much in the last few years, I look forward to revisiting those essays. 

We hope you enjoyed this article! For more information about Susan and her various offerings, please visit her website at: smratliff.com.

Nancy Tam, R.S.W., specializes in holistic wellness with a deep respect for homeopathy as an inner peace movement. Homeopathy Rising can be purchased at McNally’s in Saskatoon—books are on hold under Nancy’s name at second-floor counter, or email Nancy at: positivepeaceup@gmail.com. See the display ad for a special discount on the audiobook.