What is holistic healing? What are the challenges faced?

The concept of holistic healing stems from a perspective that emerges from years of observation and experience and is tinged with the yearning to selflessly do what is right and beneficial.

The holistic healer is convinced that the human being is;

• A person living in an environment
• Endowed with a construct driven by energy and vitality, and
• Owning a body and mind that is capable of self healing

The person and the environment can cause disease when deranged and can heal if the conditions are set right.

The healer thus studies certain concepts;

• What constitutes the person
• What is the environment within which the person lives
• How the person reacts to the environment
• How the environment affects health
• What is the role of energy and vitality in health
• What inputs ensure good health and well being
• How the body heals itself

Thus the healer is concerned about;

• Knowing and eliminating the factors behind disease
• Setting right the factors that induce health
• Increasing energy and stabilizing vitality
• Educating the person so he can stay healthy

In simple terms or in clinical practice these steps are known as;

• Detoxification
• Nourishment
• Restoration
• Counseling & Education

All the holistic healing methods center on these concepts. It finds out the whole problem and rectifies aiming to re-establish the whole.

The perfect solution is to have the least incidence of acute disease as each bout of disease weakens the body and the energy system. Thus there is constructive education regarding the goal of life, lifestyle to be adopted according to changes in the environment, knowing about the cause of disease and exercising self discipline and restraint even as one goes about his duties in the world.

The holistic healer does not concentrate on disease but is engaged in education to prevent disease. Society has to be empowered at individual, family, community, and national levels so that serious disease is prevented, acute diseases reduced to a minimum, and the sick person can be healed by self effort or the people surrounding him using proven knowledge.  

Disease per se is the body's self rectification and detoxification. The physician’s duty is to facilitate the process and aid the recovery.

What are the challenges?

The huge challenges that have emerged are;

• Toxic environment
• Loss of right knowledge and education
• Interference without the right understanding
• Extremely toxic medications

Thus we have epidemics of serious chronic diseases that are difficult to cure. The utmost challenge is when toxicity is intense, and the vitality is depleted. Alarmingly this is the case with over 95% of the population today and they are burdened with chronic disease as the body adapts to the toxicity in order to live.

In response the basic healing modality of naturopathy progressed to drug based ayurveda, specialized detoxification, and homeopathy.

The healer now has to specialize in order to treat the complicated diseases. The responsibility is huge and the arsenal expands to meet the situation. Thus we have vitamins, pain killers and antipyretics being used by the healers.

A great challenge is the patient himself who has lost the knowledge of health and wellness and is intent on the destruction of symptoms as the path to relief. Cures involve inherent detoxification. Many elimination symptoms appear; fever, cold, cough, diarrhea, vomiting, skin issues etc. Existing symptoms can get worse. The patient facing these issues rushes to the allopath and suppresses the process. There are very few who have the patience to undergo the process of healing.

As these symptoms appear, the patient feels better within and hopes of a cure emerge. This ought to guide the patient and make him understand that the detoxification process is beneficial. Thus patient education is of utmost importance.

The other challenge is the corruption of the philosophy behind the holistic healing methods as they have been interfered with under the pretense of making them scientific. This process is continuous and those indulging in it are well aware of the consequences but are adamant to protect their livelihoods and income. Consequently the patient suffers and perishes in the hands of the scientific quacks.

This is truly a very horrific scenario.