Holistic Therapy

Millions of people around the world are living with pain that could be prevented with the use of alternative therapies. As a result many of these people use harmful or ineffective drugs and surgeries in an attempt to cure their ailments. With a steady schedule of massage therapy, acupuncture, and healthy foods, people can lead a healthy and invigorating life without drugs or surgery.

During the time of the ancient Roman gladiators, massage therapy was used to treat everything from headaches to sports injures on them. Today massage therapy is widely recognized as a sensible alternative to traditional medicine, in that it relieves pain and soreness otherwise helped by taking pills or other medicines. Massage can help everyone, including premature infants according to USA Weekend, "premature infants who get regular massages in the hospital gain more weight and leave the hospital sooner then unmassaged babies"(McNichol,22).

I firmly believe that massage therapy is one of the best preventative measures that a person can take to avoid most medical problems involved with aging, physical exertion, and the stress of everyday life. Some doctors agree by saying, "If you have a massage every week, you will have 2/3 less illness" (H. Gruenn, M.D.).

There are many different types of massage therapy including relaxing Swedish massage for relieving stress, sports massage for treating sports related injuries, and therapeutic massage to name a few. Relaxing Swedish massage is one of the most effective ways to deal with that invisible killer, stress. By applying smooth gentle stokes or other non-invasive massage techniques, the Swedish massage practitioner can relieve the client of the every day stresses of life that can be fatal if not dealt with.

In sports massage, the use of more advanced massage techniques can relieve athletes of lactic acid and other wastes that accumulate in the muscles due to exertion. Other therapeutic massage techniques such as Neuromuscular, Myofascal, and Lymphatic drainage can aid in the recovery of injured clients.

Another form of alternative therapy is the ancient Chinese healing art of acupuncture. Acupuncture was first experimented within the First Imperial Medical College of China during the Sui Dynasty in 589 AD. "In Chinese medicine, and therefore in acupuncture, health is determined by a persons ability to maintain a balanced and harmonious internal environment."(Mills pg. 8).

This theory of internal harmony is expressed through the principles of Ying and Yang and it's five separate phases: wood, fire, earth, metal, and water. Internal harmony is also based on the uninterrupted flow of the "Qi", or vitality. The Qi is responsible for all of the body's spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical processes. The Qi flows up and down channels of the body called "Jingluo", or meridians. Twelve particular meridians run up and down the body in a continuous circuit connecting the internal organs of the body known as "Zangfu". If the acupuncturist knows the correct point along the meridians, the Qi's flow may be returned to normal by using the needle.

I have experienced acupuncture first hand and I do believe it is an effective tool for relieving pain and diseases that effect the body. Overall, the basic principle of acupuncture and all of Chinese medicine is to restore the balance of Ying and Yang. Acupuncture works best in conduction with massage therapy and a good diet of healthy foods.

How many times did your mother have to tell you to eat your vegetables? "In fact,
scientists say that a little more attention to our diets might slash the death rate for heart disease by seventy percent."(Michaud,28). As a result of all the junk food in the world, clogged arteries, overburdened hearts, stone filled gall bladders, ruined livers, and many other chemical enemies are eating away at our health. As the well known saying goes, "An apple a day keeps the doctor away", because apples and other fruits can lower cholesterol, prevent gallstones, and protect against certain cancers.

Dr. Neil Stone, M.D., says "It's important to eat a balanced diet rich in fruits and vegetables" (Wild,29). Among other healthy fruits there are apricots that combat constipation and bananas that heal ulcers and prevent strokes. Experts state that, "Fortunately, bananas are the overwhelming fruit snack of Americans. Americans have increased the consumption of the fruit by about 30 percent over the past couple of decades"(Michaud, 38).Vegetables such as beans lower cholesterol and can even control appetite. Berries may also prevent certain cancers and also battle arthritis and urinary tract infections. Carrots and cherries may also help lower cholesterol levels that can result in heart attacks.

Many other tasty entrees such as fish and other meats may prevent iron deficiency anemia and even memory loss. Meats can also bolster the immune system to fight diseases and keep people out of the hospital. Any of these foods combined with a drink of calcium enriched milk or an artery clearing citrus drink will improve your health dramatically.

The junk food companies will say that their products are low-fat or light on the calories, but who are they kidding? They just want to sell their product and could care less about the health of the world. Sometimes it is hard to resist the temptation of a freshly baked batch of cookies or a bag of salty potato chips on Super Bowl Sunday, but the only one responsible for your health is you. There are many other ways to avoid common health problems that can send people straight to the hospital for surgery.

Other alternative therapies like chiropractic care and aromatherapy are also great ways to keep people healthy. It is important to inform people of the many preventative measures in alternative therapy that could improve the people of the world's health dramatically. Thousands of people die every year due to the side effects of prescription medicine and surgeries that go wrong. No one in the history of massage therapy or acupuncture has died from the application of these therapies.

Too many people decide that the application of these therapies is a waste of money or frivolous, but when it comes to the doctor prescribing medicine or surgeries that pose a threat to health, people take this seriously. Some doctors, the ones who truly care for your health, will recommend alternative therapies before dangerous medical procedures, but there are many medical doctors out there who have dollar signs in their eyes and will recommend expensive and sometimes unnecessary surgeries and medicine just to make their pockets thicker.

Do yourself a favor, look into alternative therapies or ask your doctor about them, the future of your health may depend on it.

WORKS CITED

Michaud, Ellen. "Healing Foods." The Complete Book of Natural and Medicinal Cures. Rodale Press Inc.,
1994.

Mills, Simon M.A., and Finado, Stephen J. Ph.D. Alternatives in Healing. Marshall Editions Ltd., 1988.

Fritz, Sandy. Mosby's Fundamentals of Therapeutic Massage. Mosby-Year Book Inc., 1995.

McNichol, Tom. The power of touch.

Summary

Vibrational healing is the way of the future. I truly believe that technological advances will soon provide the means which will allow scientific testing to validate the effects of these natural essences.

Introduction

Vibrational healing is a form of holistic health whereby vibrations are introduced or transferred into a human being's physical and energetic bodies, so that the vibrations which have become unbalanced in the human physical or auric body are adjusted. This is based on the idea that illness or disease in the human and auric body is characterized by blockages and imbalances. These blockages and imbalances causes a cell, organ, system, or energetic body to slow it's vibration. Slow vibrations result in disease (dis-ease) or illness. The process of vibrational healing adjusts these unbalanced vibrations.

To be healthy, an individual needs to have a high rate of vibration in their physical and auric bodies. This vibration is nourished in many ways including what we think, feel, believe, see, hear, smell, touch, eat, drink, breathe, and are exposed to. As an individual becomes ill their rate of vibration lowers. As the rate of vibration lowers the individual becomes more susceptible to other negative energies and invaders and the cycle of poor health becomes self-perpetuating.

Many internal developments affect the rate of vibration of a human body. Each cell, organ and system has its own vibration. Each emotion that one feels, creates a separate vibration in the human body; each thought we have creates a unique vibration; each color has its own vibration; every sound carries its own vibration; each smell has its own vibration.

Many external factors affect the vibration of the human body. We are bombarded with electromagnetic frequencies that can influence the vibrational rate of our physical and etheric bodies. Each household appliance, television set, cell phone, microwave oven is sending out these vibrations. Mother Earth is surrounded by various electromagnetic grids that can also affect our vibrations. Underground water can also disrupt the healthy vibration of the human system. And finally, there are many entities which can rest in our auras, homes and offices which can seriously affect our rates of vibration. The following provides a more detailed description of what can affect our vibrations and a brief look at different types of vibrational healing.

The relationship between the body, emotions, mind and spirit is not always with us. The additional mystery of the relationship of Mother Earth and the broader Universe is also never ending. It's quite fascinating to realize that the human body is able to automatically balance the complex world of internal and external vibrations and find its own equilibrium. Illness occurs when our vibrations become unbalanced and this equilibrium is disturbed.

Different Types of Vibrational Healing

Vibrational healing has been used for thousands of years in ancient civilizations. Egypt is said to have used sound and color for healing and that many of their healing centers had special rooms devoted only to healing with color and sound. The Chinese have used acupuncture, another form of vibrational healing, for centuries.

In the United States today, acupuncture is becoming a much more common method for dealing with illness. Reiki, another form of vibrational healing is being practiced by many energy practitioners in North America and Europe today. Homeopathy is another form of vibrational healing. This uses the principle of "like cures like" and introduces minute amounts of certain substances at varying energy levels to activate the healing vital force of the human body. A simple form of hands on healing is another form of vibrational healing. An individual places their hands so that their vibration which is stronger, is transferred into an individual who has been weakened or fatigued. There are many other examples of vibrational healing which work effectively.

What is Different Today from 25 Years Ago

The living environment in the year 2000 is very different from the environment in the 1930s. One only has to look at the chemicals, metals, parasites worms viruses infectious bacteria and fungus that humans are exposed to on a daily basis to begin to understand some of these differences. This exposure is caused by many factors: the world grows, processes and handles foods for distribution without all the necessary safeguards; the water is often polluted; many chemicals are used to grow and preserve the food we eat; people are traveling to far distant places, exposing themselves to various types of invaders for which their bodies do not have immunity.

Many of the vibrational healing processes and medical methods used to date are not able to drain off or to detoxify and cleanse the human cells, organs and systems of the many toxins and invaders which are causing these health problems. And the human body and aura does accumulate many of these invaders and toxins.

In addition, humans have abdicated responsibility for their health to the medical profession. They have not looked carefully to learn how to support their personal health and to accept full responsibility for their health. The health care systems and Medicare programs are critical to all individuals everywhere. However, in parallel, each individual needs to look at personal responsibility for their own personal health.

Flower, Tree and Gem Essences

Flower, tree and gem essences are a very powerful form of vibrational healing. In the 1930s Dr. Edward Bach pioneered the development of flower essences. He created 38 different essences to adjust emotional and mental imbalances since he believed that these would directly or indirectly affect all types of illness. This was based on the premise that all illness is created by emotions. Today many have expanded the work of Dr. Bach to accommodate the needs of the 21st century.

An essence is simply the energetic imprint of a flower, tree leaf, or gem or crystal which has been transferred into water. This vibration is normally sealed in the water with some alcohol. There are many different ways of making essences. Gurudas in his book called "Gem Elixirs and Vibrational Healing" provides us with a basic methodology.

Mary Kurus makes flower, tree and gem essences, called Choming Essences, shamanically. This means that these essences have amazing healing powers from the Universe, including the sun, moon, stars, and many other energies from the broader Universe." The personal energy vibration of the individual making the essence can seriously affect the healing power of the essence, enhancing it or reducing its ability to adjust vibrations. Choming Essences are all made by me personally to ensure they have the vibration which is specified.

Today, there are many types of flower, tree, and gem essences which can meet the complex needs of living in today's world. Many essences can detoxify the cells, organs and systems. They can release blockages in the chakras and aura. They can literally change how you look at the world. They can set up a vibration that parasites, worms and viruses cannot live in. They can adjust many modern day emotional states including stress and depression. They can provide support while experiencing special times of emotional upheaval including grieving many losses.

Flower, tree and gem essences can provide support to other modalities of healing. How many individuals in therapy have heard that they are stuck and are unable to move forward. Essences can energetically help someone identify and unblock their emotions providing a powerful support to therapy.

How to Select an Essence

There are many ways to choose an essence that are appropriate at any time.

1) Using a pendulum or dowsing allows your energetic body to tell you which essence or combination of essences you need. The Vibrational Assessment identified in this web site uses dowsing to identify the imbalances and a program of essences.

2) The traditional approach is still an appropriate and effective way to identify the essence you need. You read the description of the essence and match it up to the difficulties you wish to address. Choming Essences are divided into subgroups to help an individual identify the area of difficulty and then match the symptoms with the essence. The groupings in Choming Natural Essences are as follows:

- Change and Transformation
- Cleansing and Detoxification
- Depression
- Emotional Healing
- Females, Males and Yin/Yang
- Grounding
- Healing For The Mind
- Physical healing
- Psychic Strengthening and Connecting
- Relationships
- Spirituality and Healing
- Stress

If you have a favorite flower, gem, or tree, or are regularly attracted to a particular flower or gem or tree, it is more than likely that an essence of this natural organism will be very effective in your personal healing. This is often the way that our subconscious works to communicate our needs to a more conscious level.

3) Kinesiology is another way of asking your energetic body to identify which essence is required at that specific time.

4) Intuition is also a very powerful method in choosing essences. At times there is just a "knowing" in a person and they feel strongly that they need to take a specific essence. It's important to respect and nurture selection through intuition.

5) The homeopathic method is being used to help identify the most appropriate essence. This involves the process of proving each essence and identifying symptoms experienced by the "provers". These symptoms are then matched to the individuals symptoms to select the most appropriate essence.

"Complementary therapies" refer to a broad group of natural healing methods and approaches that are different than the conventional western medicine (or pharmaceutical medicine). Many of these healing methods have been used for centuries in many different cultures. These include Traditional Chinese Medicine, acupuncture, ayvrveda, aromatherapy, homeopathy, massage, meditation, naturopathy, Reiki, reflexology and many others.

How does "western medicine" differ from "complementary therapies"?

- Western medicine tends to focus on the external factors that cause the symptoms of the disease, while complementary therapies focus on the balance of the body's internal energies.

- Western medicine focuses on treating the diseases, while complementary therapies focus on restoring balance between the physical, mental, social, spiritual well being of the person.

- In western medicine, drugs and other forms of treatment are tested in clinical trials before approved for use. Many of the complementary therapy practices are not clinically tested, but are learned from centuries of practice experience.

What should I consider before using complementary therapies?

- Learn about a treatment before you use it:Get information about the form of complementary therapy you are interested in using. You can get information from different complementary therapy professional associations, AIDS service organizations or different forms of media. More importantly, talk to other people with HIV who have used the treatment, learn about its advantages and disadvantages, risks and benefits, costs and results of the treatments.

- Find a knowledgeable and sensitive complementary therapist:Find out whether the kind of therapy you are interested in is regulated by a professional body or government. Check if your therapist has the necessary training and qualification to practice.If the therapy you are using is not regulated, then it is even more important to research about the experiences and results of other patients who have used the service. Make a list of questions you may have regarding the therapy, its risks and benefits, length of treatments, costs and expected results and ask your therapist to explain these to you at your first session.