Culture And Healing Systems

Sacred healing systems from all around the world have been studied by scientists and laypeople from all walks of life. While some are interested in the spiritual basis for such healing systems, others are interested in the science behind the healing. Researchers and scholars might be more curious about these healing systems from a sociological or anthropological point of view as well. Regardless of how or why one takes interest in learning about a healing system, the journey of learning about and experiencing that system is usually an education in and of itself. Most holistic healing practices take one's whole being into account (rather than just treating physical symptoms that are causing the individual discomfort) which transforms the way that we perceive and experience both ourselves and reality around us- and also how we are connected to and relate with our environment and others in our environment, and how that effects our total well-being.

The interactions between the different parts of the self- the physical, the emotional, the psychological occur constantly and without conscious processing. While the connections may be easy to identify or control in some circumstances, it is by no means reasonable to assume that any person would be aware of the depth and extent that those interactions, through the course of everyday and any day of life, effect our total being. It is generally the premise of many that holistic practices which are designed to engage with all parts of the self (body, mind and spirit- which are the commonly accepted divisions of the self to use as a simple example) can help one to heal these interconnected aspects, as a whole. This is important because where such connections are made, healing one may or may not be a ripple effect of healing the others. A physical complaint being caused by a mental issue, for example, is not truly resolved if one has only addressed the physical manifestation of the issue. Which unfortunately is normally the only time someone will see a physical health provider- that will normally try to treat the symptoms causing discomfort before treating the source. Healing systems, like the healing star, strive to heal one's whole being and not just treat the physical discomforts or symptoms.

There are many different types of healing systems out there. There are also new systems being developed - such as the healing star system which has been given to us and then quickly risen to popularity only recently. Other types of sacred healing systems are old (and in many cases there is no way to tell when they developed because it was long before written records), the wisdom stemming from years and years of practice, such as the case with systems such as TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine, including Acupuncture) and Ayurveda in India- both of which have been gaining in popularity and are becoming common practices in the United States. You can learn a lot about a culture from studying their healing system. From simple differences between cultures such as the native plants and their uses, to differences that stem from their understanding of the human body, and the way spirituality is used and incorporated. Whether training in a specific modality or simply learning some general information about many different healing systems, it is always useful to have a broad understanding of the human condition and all the many ways in which we see ourselves "tick." Also remember to keep an open mind, and take in to account the differences in cultural and technological advances in the originating region. You may be surprised to find that many are still being used today- and many have been proven effective by science too.