Before I go into the 'meat' of this article, please allow me, first, to state my 'disclaimer'. I am NOT a 'Holistic Practitioner'. Nor do I pretend to be. My view of who I am and 'what I do' are more about...gardening; planting seeds. In short, I merely share what I've learned, as honestly and playfully as I know how. To that end, my intention in the following piece (and many of the others I submit here) is to offer a perspective, and then YOU get to decide what to do with it (or not). So, if you're looking for 'answers', I'm not sure you'll find them here. BUT, it is my hope that you'll find something to inspire you, and, perhaps urge you onward as you travel your own wondrous path. {End Disclaimer}
Now that we've got that out of the way, let's carry on, shall we?
It's become glaringly clear that the term 'holistic' is being misused. There are just too many 'practitioners' who use this word, when the fact is they're NOT. What I mean by that is, if you look up the word (holistic), you'll find a reference to the word "holism". The definition of holism is:
"the theory that the universe, and especially living nature, is correctly seen in terms of interacting wholes (as of living organisms)that are more than the mere sum of elementary particles"
So then, if holism is defined as such, then 'holistic medicine' is the practice of holism as treatment, yes? Why then are there so many Holistic Practitioners who insist on such a narrow perspective? I understand the need or desire to overcome the stigma of being seen as "quacks". I've heard it too. Even recently, I had someone tell me that "they're all a bunch of wanna-be doctors who couldn't handle Med School". Ouch. And while I don't believe this to be even remotely true, I do understand why some would think that. Holistic medicine is SUPPOSED to be about "treating" the WHOLE of us; Mind, Body, Spirit. But how often do our practitioners actually do this?
I've had both 'good' and...let's call them 'less-than' experiences with Holistic Practitioners. Sadly, the latter outweighed the former. I've been to what I call "bone crunchers" (ouch) and "assembly liners" (ICK!) and even a few who claimed to be "blessed healers". (hey! I'm open-minded. What can I say?) Through it all, if there was one thing I learned, it was that the only person truly responsible for a 'holistic approach' was ME. No matter what they did or didn't do, it was up to me to 'interact wholly' with my body, my mind, my spirit. All the rest was (is) merely assistance. We don't maintain or regain wellness because of what some doctor does or doesn't do.
The moment we get this part, the moment we realize it is OUR responsibility to reclaim and retain our wellness, is the moment we discover what holism is.
Camille Strate
Camille Strate is a blossoming Being who spends much of her time writing. She also spends an immense amount of time crafting magickal treasures out of wood. When she makes time for it (which is often!), she rolls around in the grass with her dogs and cat, pretending to be 9 years old. More often than not, she's got a smile on her face & a whole boat-load of love in her heart. Visiting
her website is highly recommended.
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