Basics of Homeopathy - What is potency?

The potency of a remedy such as 6X or 30C says how many times and by what ratio the base substance has been diluted. The purpose of potency is to dilute the remedy until it can do no harm and to invigorate (potentize) the base substance with energy such that the qualities are preserved while the substance itself is diluted out.

Tincture is where it begins. In most remedies, the tincture is made by steeping the powdered base substance in alcohol. Insolubles, like mercury, are made by thoroughly mixing the substance in powdered lactose. HPUS defines this part. After that, the X and C parts begin. For X potencies, we take 1 part tincture and mix with 9 parts diluent (either alcohol and
water or powdered lactose), vigorously shake, mix, succuss (shake a set number of times with a thud at the end) the mix with as much energy as we can muster. This is 1X. Then we mix 1 part of the 1X with 9 parts diluent and succuss it again for 2X. And so on. So by the time we make the 6X potency, we have 1 part tincture to 1,000,000 parts diluent, by 12X add 6 more zeros - a dilution much lower than most pollutants allowed in our water.

Now for C potencies, they are processed the same way except with 99 parts diluent at each stage. So a 3C is equal in dilution (1:1 million) to a 6X except it has only been vigorously succussed/mixed 3 times. Add 6 more zeros and
you have a 6C or 12X dilution. Etcetera.