Herbal & Holistic Medicine
Nearly all pharmaceuticals drugs used in western medicine are originally derived from herbs and the active ingredient then synthesized in a laboratory to produce the drug.
Though the drug may temporarily cure the symptoms, they don't often cure the root cause of the disease, and more often than not come with a whole host of side effects to go with them and a risk of further damaging health & wellbeing. Some however are incredibly vital and essential and so pharmaceuticals should NOT be totally dismissed as everything plays its role in cure and management of health and thus well-being.
It is often said that western medicine lacks a “system of energetics”. What that means in short is a vocabulary for describing “energy patterns” or physiological and psychological patterns in the body. The point is to express the activities and configurations of energy, Qi, or vital life force – call it what you will. Examples of energetic systems include the yin/yang theory of traditional Chinese medicine, the five elements of China and India, or the four humours of Greek medicine.
The use of an energetic system is virtually a prerequisite in holistic medicine. Biomedicine is constructed upon a materialistic interpretation of nature, which looks to molecular structure as a guide. Holistic medicine is founded on the concept and experience that the organism is a functional unit or whole under the directing hand of an intelligent, self organising, self-regulating, and self-correcting guiding life force or energy. Since nature in the organism is self-maintaining and self-healing, holistic medicine is further based on the assumption that the organism can be cured, that is, returned from an unbalanced state to one of balance or homeostasis. As mentioned biomedicine does not seek to cure or return the organism to self regulation, but removes and replaces broken parts through drugs or surgery. Thus, modern medicine speaks of health management rather than cure, while Holistic or traditional medicines speak of cure, vitalism, and energy patterns. The language is intrinsically different, and in order to practice Holistic medicine, or to practice Western Herbalism on a holistic basis we need to learn a new vocabulary.
It should be understood that herbs can be used either way: to stimulate self-healing powers of the organism to return to health, or to artificially manipulate the organism to fit an artificial goal. For example Goldenseal can be used in small doses as a bitter tonic to stimulate the digestion and mucosa, removing tendencies to bacterial infection and mucus production, or it can be applied in massive doses as a natural antibiotic to kill bacteria. It contains a potent antibacterial, berberine. The first use is holistic because it increases health of the organism while the second is an example of “health management” because it assumes the organism cannot get rid of the bacteria on its own and the knowledge of the practitioner is superior.
Whatever Qi or life force is, most of us see it indirectly, in its effects. It is the fact that this energy forms patterns that interests us. There are particular patterns to health, and to disease. Thus Hippocrates bids us learn the medical art by looking at man in the bloom of health, and comparing him with a man on the edge of death. In order to describe and influence the patterns of disease formed by unbalanced Qi energy, we need a “language of energy patterns”.
A survey of various cultures around the world shows that a simple system of two, three, four or five elements, qualities, or humors forms the basis of diagnosis and treatment in traditional holistic medicine. Traditional Chinese uses the yin/yang system and the five elements. Ayurvedic medicine uses the three doshas and the five elements. Greek medicine used the four elements, qualities, humours and temperaments. American Indian medicine acknowledges four to seven directions.
These different terms are translated fairly easily from one system to another. Yin and Yang resemble fire and water in another system, the five elements of China and India are similar to the four elements of Greece, and the magical fifth element of alchemy. Local culture, weather patternd, and epidemiology determine the arrangement and number of elements or humours but they bear considerable resemblance to one another.
The arrangement of elements, directions, or humours into a fourfold Mandala (cross or square) serves an important psychological and spiritual function. The psychiatrist C.G Jung showed that the mandala was a symbol of wholeness for the psyche. Many of us when we read about or look at pictures of the four or five elements, feel this deep sense of meaning and fulfillment. Although this symbol is mythological and spiritual in nature that does not mean it should be excluded from medicine. Rather medicine, to be Holistic and curative, must include spiritual elements to satisfy the soul and spirit.
Please hover your cursor over the link to this page on the side bar to see the pop-out options that will lead you to the discovery of various beneficial herbs for health.
For further info, may I introduce a trained, qualified professional in Herbal Medicine: HASKEL ADAMSON who I have had the great pleasure of training with.
Please click on the link-button below:
The use of an energetic system is virtually a prerequisite in holistic medicine. Biomedicine is constructed upon a materialistic interpretation of nature, which looks to molecular structure as a guide. Holistic medicine is founded on the concept and experience that the organism is a functional unit or whole under the directing hand of an intelligent, self organising, self-regulating, and self-correcting guiding life force or energy. Since nature in the organism is self-maintaining and self-healing, holistic medicine is further based on the assumption that the organism can be cured, that is, returned from an unbalanced state to one of balance or homeostasis. As mentioned biomedicine does not seek to cure or return the organism to self regulation, but removes and replaces broken parts through drugs or surgery. Thus, modern medicine speaks of health management rather than cure, while Holistic or traditional medicines speak of cure, vitalism, and energy patterns. The language is intrinsically different, and in order to practice Holistic medicine, or to practice Western Herbalism on a holistic basis we need to learn a new vocabulary.
It should be understood that herbs can be used either way: to stimulate self-healing powers of the organism to return to health, or to artificially manipulate the organism to fit an artificial goal. For example Goldenseal can be used in small doses as a bitter tonic to stimulate the digestion and mucosa, removing tendencies to bacterial infection and mucus production, or it can be applied in massive doses as a natural antibiotic to kill bacteria. It contains a potent antibacterial, berberine. The first use is holistic because it increases health of the organism while the second is an example of “health management” because it assumes the organism cannot get rid of the bacteria on its own and the knowledge of the practitioner is superior.
Whatever Qi or life force is, most of us see it indirectly, in its effects. It is the fact that this energy forms patterns that interests us. There are particular patterns to health, and to disease. Thus Hippocrates bids us learn the medical art by looking at man in the bloom of health, and comparing him with a man on the edge of death. In order to describe and influence the patterns of disease formed by unbalanced Qi energy, we need a “language of energy patterns”.
A survey of various cultures around the world shows that a simple system of two, three, four or five elements, qualities, or humors forms the basis of diagnosis and treatment in traditional holistic medicine. Traditional Chinese uses the yin/yang system and the five elements. Ayurvedic medicine uses the three doshas and the five elements. Greek medicine used the four elements, qualities, humours and temperaments. American Indian medicine acknowledges four to seven directions.
These different terms are translated fairly easily from one system to another. Yin and Yang resemble fire and water in another system, the five elements of China and India are similar to the four elements of Greece, and the magical fifth element of alchemy. Local culture, weather patternd, and epidemiology determine the arrangement and number of elements or humours but they bear considerable resemblance to one another.
The arrangement of elements, directions, or humours into a fourfold Mandala (cross or square) serves an important psychological and spiritual function. The psychiatrist C.G Jung showed that the mandala was a symbol of wholeness for the psyche. Many of us when we read about or look at pictures of the four or five elements, feel this deep sense of meaning and fulfillment. Although this symbol is mythological and spiritual in nature that does not mean it should be excluded from medicine. Rather medicine, to be Holistic and curative, must include spiritual elements to satisfy the soul and spirit.
Please hover your cursor over the link to this page on the side bar to see the pop-out options that will lead you to the discovery of various beneficial herbs for health.
For further info, may I introduce a trained, qualified professional in Herbal Medicine: HASKEL ADAMSON who I have had the great pleasure of training with.
Please click on the link-button below: