To experience the same unpleasant treatment that you have given to others.
This phrase dates back to at least the 1890s in English, evolving from the older concept of 'giving someone their own medicine.' The metaphor draws from the idea that medicine, while ultimately beneficial, often tastes unpleasant - so receiving your 'own medicine' means experiencing the consequences of your own actions.
The phrase reflects the psychological principle of 'poetic justice' - our deep-seated need to see fairness restored through proportional consequences. It's related to the concept of karma in Eastern philosophy and the biblical principle of 'reaping what you sow,' showing how this desire for cosmic balance appears across cultures.
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