What Is The Holistic View
The word Holistic originally was spelled WHOLISTIC and is derived from the word Holism (Wholism) which can be described as a theory that parts of a whole are intrinsically connected and cannot exist independently of the whole and cannot be understood correctly without referencing the whole.
Recently, I have observed the word being used by pundits and politicians in the media describing finances or situations and typically they are simply trying to convey that what they are talking about necessitates view in greater depth and having to do with varying factors. I don’t agree with this usage as they are not only just trying to sound more responsible, but it also debases the true meaning of the word in the context in which they use it, however, I do see the need for these same folks to have a more holistic view when it comes to the issues at hand and the people who are being burdened the most by these issues. The word is mainly applied to language, ecology, the universe, mental states and medicine. I use it here in it’s more traditional sense as having to do with nature, medicine, health, universe, etc. And definitively I do have strong social and political opinions based on the holistic view I consistently hold.
In holistic medicine a practitioner will look at the person or any living organism, inclusive of landscape, celestial body, etc not simply just the “big picture”, but rather what are the varying parts making the “big picture”. In my case and any other practitioner of the holistic type will look a patient/client not merely by the symptoms they come in complaining about, but also their level of stress, their habitual mood, regularly eaten diet, spirit, mental attitude, on and on. My concern is primarily to discover the root cause of the matter which often translates into self discovery and self empowerment leading to wonderful health of body, mind and spirit-the holistic model of health.
When a client is actively aware of the process and personally involved with this process outside of the treatment room, success is more quickly assured. Otherwise, success is temporary and this is why I embrace modern medicine for the majority of people who sometimes have no recourse for immediate relief of their ailment and for those who need to go more slowly on their path to holistic wellness. I don’t involve myself with your medications or suggest to you how, when or what you should take. I refer you to your medical physician for that. I will however, bring to your attention side effects relative to your health complaints, but again I refer you to speak to your primary caring physician with regard to those meds and the side effects you are experiencing. My holistic treatments are beneficial to those who are bound by a trial or life span of modern medicines as the treatments will some times help the body to not reject the medication and alleviate inevitable side effects. Also, being diagnosed with an incurable ailment, etc. is quite distressing and stressful. These treatments help one to cope bette and feel better than one normally would with medication alone.
The most basic thing to remember about the holistic perspective is to think of any one thing from the view point of the physical, the mental and the spiritual. Allowing those varying points of view and connecting them together while looking at the one thing will give you a deeper and richer experience of that thing, rather than a simple black and white view. We humans are psychological, organic living beings that only become frustrated with just black and white. We are mysteriously organically hardwired for creativity, varying textures feeling and expression. We are happiest with varying experiences and the more open minded to the holist view we can be, the greater personal joy in our lives.