Healing across Cultures: Learning from Traditions

Abstract

The health and wellness of an individual are reliant on the integrated effects of mind, body, and spirit. This triad is intricately set within a backdrop of the environment, our earth. Western cultures often disregard this holism, especially this fourth component, in its considerations of wellness as described by modern medicine. This practice is unlike that of many of the traditional cultures in the world. These cultures focus more on balance in the context of environmental respect. Varied cultures share remarkable similarities in their healing modalities, especially considering the relative isolation from one to another-evidence that there is truth to the healing knowledge they possess. We are not disconnected from the natural world in terms of health, but dependent and interconnected within ourselves and to everything around us. Social change is required to assure that the practice of modern medicine evolves to incorporate this integral aspect of health and wellness, and this can be done through partnerships with traditional healers.There is a growing demand for wellness and earthly responsibility. It is time to appropriately learn from ageold societies and their healing traditions for they do have answers we are seeking in sustainability and harmony, environmental stewardship and planetary respect, and holistic health. For thousands of years, our ancestors have known the secrets of long life-this knowledge needs to be preserved through the apprenticeship of future generations. We propose a collaboration that develops mutually beneficial learning partnerships combining modern medical knowledge with the wisdom of traditional healers around the world.

Healing Traditions of Southern India and the Conservation of Culture and Biodiversity: A Preliminary Study

“…Today's healers are well aware of the vulnerability of both humankind and our natural environment. This wisdom has been propagated to contemporary peoples including Indian healers and sages who consider human health from the point of view of mind, body, spirit, and environment with both social and natural components (Pesek et al 2006b). In modern society, there is an ever-growing disconnection from the natural world.…”

“…Science is beginning to discover what traditions have known for generations. It is time that we become more attentive to and learn from our traditions (Pesek 2006b). …”

“…All healers have respect for the world around them, that is, all forms of life (human, animal, and plant life as well as the natural world). The reciprocal interaction of mind, body, and spirit within a healthful and life sustaining natural and social environment, as defined by Pesek et al 2006b, was a recurring theme across the various healing traditions explored in southern India. Healing traditions are brought to the younger generation through careful selection of the apprentices.…”

Sustaining Rainforest Plants, People and Global Health: A Model for Learning from Traditions in Holistic Health Promotion and Community Based Conservation as Implemented by Q’eqchi’ Maya Healers, Maya Mountains, Belize

“…It has been advanced by Jeffrey McNeely, chief scientist for International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), that preservation of tropical forests and the cultures which call them home can only be accomplished together. One strategy in accomplishing this is the integration of traditional healing in national healthcare systems [4,[13][14][15].…”

Capturing Indigenous Knowledge on Medicinal Plants Use: Case Study of Selected Communities in Old Oyo National Park, Nigeria

“…Recent interest in this area of research is partly driven by society's interest in healthy lifestyles, which supports a rapidly growing $230 billion dollar market force in USA alone (Pesek et al 2006) About 25% of modern medicines are descended from plants first used traditionally. Many others are synthetic analogues built on prototype compounds isolated from plants.…”