Holistic Healing: an Introduction

Holistic healing is an approach to health and wellness that takes into consideration the whole person, addressing their physical, mental, and emotional health and well-being, spiritual values, social lifestyle, and interaction with the environment. Holistic (or “wholistic”) health is based on the natural principle that the whole is comprised of inter-reliant parts, and that when one part is not functioning at optimum levels, it impacts all of the other parts.

Holistic healing focuses on all aspects of a person, not just the physical portion where ailments are most obvious. Physical symptoms can be alleviated by taking medication, but unless the whole person is treated, the actual root of the problem still exists. Holistic healing goes beyond merely treating symptoms, and instead uses them as a guide to address the root cause of the problem.

There are many types of holistic healing therapies and treatments, including those noted below:

Types of Holistic Healing Therapies

Energy healing

Acupuncture

Healing touch

Homeopathic therapies

Herbal therapies

Neurological Pain

Body mind healing - part 1

Body mind healing - part 2

Chakra Healing

Naturopathy

Meditation

Natural food plan

Crystal Healing

Ayurvedic Medicine

Spiritual Healing

Reflexology

Principals of Holistic Healing

Holistic healing principles can be applied to any type of issue and support the body’s natural health and healing system. For example, if we are feeling anxious or worried, these feelings can easily translate into short-term physical distress such as stomach issues, headaches, or various aches and pains. Long-term stress has a more devastating effect on our health, as suppressed anger, frustration, and a feeling of lack of control or power over one’s life can manifest into a more serious illness or disease.

A holistic healer understands that distress is an indication of an imbalance in our system and considers all aspects of a person in evaluating the condition and appropriate treatment, rather than merely looking at outside sources as the cause of the problem. Imbalances can stem from unhealthy lifestyle choices such as a poor diet, lack of exercise, and sleep deprivation as well as from unfulfilled emotional, mental, and spiritual needs. While holistic medicine recognizes all confirmed methods of treatment, including drugs and surgery, many people are turning to the holistic healing approach for chronic health conditions that do not respond to medical treatments. Moving away from the belief that modern medicine would simply prescribe medication to easily fix problems as they arose, more people have begun to embrace working with a holistic practitioner to identify the underlying cause of their condition and taking responsibility for achieving balance and overall health and wellbeing. Being healthy is more than just not being sick!

Lifestyle and Holistic Healing

An ongoing process and approach to life rather than just centering on individual issues, holistic healing involves us in every aspect of the mind, body and soul relationship. With an objective of achieving optimum health and wellness, a holistic healer leads us on a journey of self-discovery and engages us in taking an active role and responsibility with regards to everyday choices.

Because the cells in our bodies are continually being replaced and are developed from what currently exists in the body, it is essential that we become aware of the effects of our choices. Unhealthy foods, harmful substances, a toxic environment, and negative attitudes can result in flawed or damaged cells, resulting in healthy cells being replaced with sickly cells and ultimately leading to illness or even death. Seemingly insignificant choices made each day accumulate in the mind and body, establishing our quality of life now and in the future. The focus and goal of holistic healing is to achieve the highest overall level of health and wellbeing through thoughtfully considered choices. While setbacks may occur, they are short-lived and the general flow is continually toward wellness.

Embracing holistic health and healing enables us to obtain wholeness within ourselves, which then naturally expands into increasing compassion and acceptance of others along with caring for our relationships and physical surroundings.