FOUNDATIONAL PERSPECTIVES
Kortliks
Alhoewel die mensbeskouing en die idee oor gesondheid grootliks verskil tussen die Westerse bio-mediese model en natuurlike genesing, kan hulle saamwerk tot voordeel van die mensdom.
When we look at life and the world, everybody has a specific vantage point from where he/she sees and evaluate everything. This point of view is called our “world view” and is a subjective view on life affecting everything we do as well as all scientific endeavours. Although most people are not aware of this world view, it is of utmost importance. It acts like coloured glasses through which we look at life.
All healing scientists have such world views which are pre-scientific and unproven points of departure. Important questions everyone must answer are: What is a human being? and What is health and healing?
The typical Western mind-set is built on the early Greek philosophy of Plato and Aristotle that came to us via philosophers like Descartes and others in the 18th and 19th centuries. The Western world view starts from a view of man influenced by dualism (duality of the physical body and the invisible mind or spirit); this viewpoint leads to materialism where only that which can be seen and measured are accepted as reality and the rest seen as metaphysical and not important.
The views of all traditional healing systems, (African, Chinese, Indian, etc.) however, are holistic, seeing a person as a unity of many different aspects (which include social connectedness, emotional issues and spirituality, among others). Also is modern research, especially that relating to quantum physics, becoming aware of the unity of many facets of the human person and the centrality of energy in all its different forms.
Natural healing is only natural when the human person:
- is seen as an intricate ecosystem
- realises that the body-mind has the ability to heal itself
- understand that true healing comes from the inside
- sees the client as the doctor – because the person heals itself when he/she feeds mind and body through body-friendly treatment and remedies.
The reductionist view of man, which underlies most of Western medicine, is very effective in acute situations and can help to relieve symptoms, but needs to change when it comes to healing a person. Western medicine has nothing that can cure the origin of diseases and can only superficially help those with chronic diseases.
The medical establishment and the natural health care movement have radically different views about the human person and healing but can supplement each other to really advance the health of our people. It is no wonder that the idea of Integrative Medicine is becoming popular in our day.