I don’t mean to be dissing out modern health care. In fact, it has saved millions of lives and has advanced in many areas. For example, we don’t have to worry about TB or polio as much as in the past. Or, if someone breaks a bone, or is in a serious accident, we have surgeries and physical therapy to help the person walk again.
What I’m learning about in class is the integral theory which combines the best of both worlds, the modern health care system and holistic system, focusing on mind, body, spirit and cultural aspects of our lives. Putting all of this together creates a powerhouse of ideas, knowledge, and health practices that can help heal the whole body, not just the parts. As I have said before, there are so many aspects of health and healing. Modern medicine focuses on one area, so we just need to bring in other aspects: the mind, emotions, worldviews, shared beliefs within a community, collective ethics and norms, economic systems, health care, human systems (and much, much more) and we have a holistic and integral approach to health and healing.
