Wednesday, August 18, 2010

What is Holistic Health?

The term holistic health relates to treating you as a whole person, rather than the sum of your different parts. For example, how can an operation (or any other major event) you had several years ago not be connected to your problems now? ALL your life experiences make up who you are and how you deal with life, from the genetic imprint from your parents, onwards.

EVERYTHING is your life is relevant. Some aspects simply show how you deal with events. Other aspects show a problem in the making.

Homeopaths are taught to look at everything, to judge nothing, but to consider even the smallest detail that may have been a contributing factor of your current health issue. As far as I am aware, there is no other modality of health care that is so thorough.

Things that happen to children are particularly traumatic and can have a huge effect. Things that seem silly or insignificant to an adult, can be enormous to a child.

So holistic health is all about looking at you as a whole person and looking for areas that was the start of your problem.

However, I feel that holistic health goes further than that. I feel it needs to take into consideration our whole environment, even the whole world. What do I mean by this?

I don’t believe that you can expect to have good health when you eat food that is devoid of nutrients. Not only does factory farming harm the environment, it also harms you. In reality, how can a system that harms the world that supports you, be beneficial to your health? The impact of this may not be immediate, but it is there.

On a much deeper note, the cruelty and misery humans inflict on animals must have an impact on the world. I see no justification in any acts of cruelty, but none less than in the entertainment industry.

Circuses have long used animals (both wild and domestic) to entertain the public, in particular children. However, their training methods have long been suspect. Quite apart from this, what does it do to a growing mind to see a dignified, wild animal performing silly tricks? Teaching a child to be insensitive makes for an insensitive adult.

I recently watched a couple of yourtubes on how elephants are trained in a circus. Although one particular circus was the culprit in these links, none are exempt from the cruelty. I was profoundly disturbed by this, and couldn’t work the rest of the day (luckily I didn’t have any consultations booked).

But this is simply the tip of the iceberg.

If you feel that circuses are fun for children, please check this link out, to see first hand how elephants are trained. Is it acceptable to take your children to this, a product of extreme cruelty and insensitivity?

Just as we are connected to all parts of our bodies, so we are also connected to every other living being in the world. By respecting and treasuring all life, we will also be respected and treasured back ourselves.

If animals suffer so much at the hands of humanity, how can this contribute to a healthy world? We are all connected, so even if we don’t actively engage in the acts of cruelty ourselves, they will affect us.

A small contribution from everyone (such as not going to circuses) is all that is needed to effect a change. Please think twice before visiting a circus with animals. Instead, actively support those who only have human performers, which is much more about acts of skill.

I’m very pleased to say that homeopathy does not engage in any animal experiments, relying on the much more accurate human trials.