Medicinal Herbalist, Iridologist, Nutritionist & Holistic Movement Instructor websites: www.herbalwell.com.au www.herbalwell.com.au/movingspaces

“You may think this is the year to do what you love, but every year has been begging you to do what you LOVE. Just ask your body.” – Debbie Rosas (Co-creator of the Nia Technique)

What is Healing? This is a really interesting question, as human beings have an innate ability to self heal. Have you heard? Early in 2007 it was announced that a group of scientists had invented a ‘self-healing’ material, which mimics the regenerative qualities of human skin. When the material is cut, the embedded healing agents spread throughout the material matrix and it sews itself back up, time and time again! Genius! However, healing is not a purely physical process as many of you would agree. Surely, the moment you read the title of this article, you all imagined a multitude of healing ‘agents’. So what is healing to you? What are some of the ways that we can heal ourselves and enhance our wellbeing? What are some practical tools and tips that you can take away with you at the end of this piece, to ensure that you receive something more than words?

Over the centuries concepts of illness and health have become abundant, tied to and springing forth from different cultures and belief systems. As far back as 200 A.D the Imperial physician to Marcus Aurelius, Galen*, described wounds as “windows into the body”, hinting that the key to healing is via the symptoms of dis-ease. What messages could you take from your own body when it is in dis-ease?

You might be able to link your ailment with your mental or psychological state. For example, twitching as seen in Magnesium deficiency is also a sign of anxiety, as the nervous system needs this mineral to maintain calm. Our contemporary, Louise Hay, describes dis-ease as a physical manifestation of a mental belief. According to Hay, diabetes reflects a “longing for what might have been”, jaw problems are a cover up for deep seated anger and resentment, premenstrual syndrome suggests a woman who allows herself to be overly influenced by externals, who may reject her femininity, and itching reflects dissatisfaction, remorse, itching to get away”. Fascinating stuff! Annette Noontil is another highly regarded spokesperson for emotional anatomy, as is the body psychotherapist Stanley Keleman who wrote on The Five Stages of Self Healing. As a practice this is simple and accessible, yet incredibly empowering. I use it often in movement classes to bring us all back to our natural unharnessed movement. At the end of the night, after swimming, floating, crawling, voicing and breaking into a walk it feels like our bodies have gone back to age zero again, and we are learning how to function with this whole new awareness. We are at peace. That in itself is a healing journey.

We exist now in an age where healing is regarded quite superficially, and I believe the ‘natural healing’ revolution that is taking place is in direct response to this. In early times, healers were seen to be magic makers. They picked and compounded their own medicines direct from nature, followed their intuition, listened to the winds and stars, prayed and sought guidance from deities and performed healing rituals. Their work was imbibed with presence and common sense. They understood the messages of Mother Nature. I am talking here of ‘witches’. Witches were in fact wise women and men, who used and supported natural healing practices.

A shift in the ‘health’ paradigm around the 1500s favoured a more ‘rational’ approach, and led to us losing touch with ancient wisdom and teachings.

During the 15th century in Europe the formal witch hunts began and peaked in the 17th century. This is a crucial period in the history of natural medicine because it created a separation between herbs and healing. Many of these so called ‘sorcerists’ and ‘witches’ were also herbalists. Biochemical knowledge was not sophisticated enough to understand the way that herbs affect the human body. The link between witches and herbs invoked fear of magic and further fuelled the spread of ‘rational’ medicine. In 1486 in Germany a handbook was created to give guidance in the identification and punishment of ‘witches’. It was called the Hammer of Witches. According to this text all examinations of those suspected – both male and female - began with stripping off any clothes, which were thought to contain magical abilities themselves, and then a variety of torture procedures ensued until the person confessed. In this dark period of history it was not uncommon for women to be targeted and molested when seized. Most of the condemned were burned, however some were placed in exile: “….such notorious witches, especially those who prepare witch-potions or who by magical methods cure those bewitched, would be peculiarly suited to be thus preserved, in order to aid the bewitched or to accuse other witches…” Western attitudes toward health were no doubt singed by this hysterical fiesta of fear, paranoia and irrationality. Watch out if anyone actually cured you of anything! It all sounds rather heady doesn’t it! As ‘rational’ medicine became more entrenched in western society, views toward illness and disease evolved in a similar vein. Much more emphasis was now placed on anatomica and logic. The ‘magic’ of healing was replaced by the ‘science’ of healing. It feels like we are now living in the ‘drug age’, less in the body and more in the mind.

While the witch hunts were being manifested, new ideas about health were surfacing. According to Paracelsus** - a 16th Century alchemist who also dabbled in astrology and spirituality beyond science – illness was the cause of external agents attacking the human body. He bravely articulated views about minerals and nutrients, dosology (dealing with dosage) and toxicology. With exponents like Paracelsus, the notion of illness evolved over time to become less about our innate ability to heal, and more about our need for protection against the perils of the outside world. This left people feeling more vulnerable and disempowered. Energetically it disconnected us from our intuitive self-healing ability. This is the challenge for all of us today, who wish to heal ourselves.

I admire the writers and thinkers who hand this power back to the people. People like Edward Bach, Annette Noontil, Sanna Ehdin, Ian White and any Naturopaths, Herbalists, Kinesiologists and Homeopaths. Trusting your inner guide is paramount in maintaining health and faith in your bodys ability to heal.

In my experience, the more energy invested in a therapy, the better the outcome. By ‘energy’ I mean the conscious presence and commitment brought into the space, by both therapist and client. Clients who regularly follow up and commit to their treatment programs always heal better and faster. Let’s consider some views about healing.

The Five Stages of Self Healing by Stanley Keleman There are Five Stages in the life evolution of a human being according to Keleman. This is a powerful tool for redeveloping your body and soul through awareness and movement. The Stages are Embryonic, Creeping, Crawling, Squatting to Rise, Standing/Walking. You can workshop this as often as you like, spending time in each stage to connect with the energy and sensation of the stage. As a self healing tool it brings peace and insight into how we individually function and move through life, circumstances, new challenges and even relationships.

Prayer to Nature for Healing
“Mother of fertility, on whose breast lieth water, whose cheek is caressed by air, and in whose heart is the Sun’s fire, the womb of all life, recurring grace of seasons, answer favourably the prayer…”
Aleister Crowley,
Highly controversial Occultist,
Writer, Philosopher

References
Louise Hay [1988] “Heal your Body”, Specialist Publications

Su-lin Sze February 2008

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