What if I’m not the main character? The ultimate meaning of holistic healing.
March 26, 2007
When I first heard about holistic healing I was thrilled. It was about all of me — my mind, my body, my psyche, my spirit. As my definition of healing expands, however, I see that we really can’t talk about holism in healing from the narrow perspective of the individual. This is not to say that it isn’t crucial that our approach to healing include all levels of the individual. It is, and yet if we are really to evolve as human beings, we need to be able to consider the health of the whole of which we as individuals are merely a part. We need to do this for the health of humanity as a whole as well as for the health of the planet.
I saw a tee shirt once that summed up this shift in perspective so perfectly. It depicted someone in a crowd of people who was obviously startled by the revolutionary thought — “What if I’m not the main character?” When we become aware of how our entire understanding of life and its meaning revolves around the sense that we are the main character and it really dawns on us that obviously we are not, it can create a radical shift in our perspective.
What if, instead of being the owner of planet earth, we are owned by her. What if we are simply cells in the larger organism of the planet? What if my individual preferences are actually draining the energy and vitality of the whole? Certainly the phenomena of global warming is challenging us to look at the impact our individual choices are having on the life of the planet. Hopefully it is causing us to recognize that our own individual well-being is dependent on the health of the whole.
It’s become obvious to me that to be truly holistic, holistic healing needs to expand to include the consideration of the health of humanity and the planet as a whole. In the more narrow consideration of upgrading our health care system, the addition of the holistic approach is an important step, but it doesn’t go far enough. To lead truly healthy lives, we need to experience see own well-being as inextricably bound up with the well-being of others. It can’t just be a concept, it has to be something we feel. It’s something that goes far beyond just what happens in the offices of doctors and holistic practitioners. It involves our choices and strategies on all levels — politics, economics. It’s about our choices in every aspect of our lives in every moment.
I wonder how well we will be able to thrive, or even survive, without an evolutionary leap in consciousness and perspective. Some feel this is happening. I hope so. I don’t really know. I do, however, find some peace in the realization that my one life and even the life of this planet is a tiny blip in space and time. I can’t pretend to understand how my life and that of this planet fits into the whole. It’s a mystery and surrendering to that brings peace. Nevertheless, my passion for healing will undoubtedly continue and so will the prayer in my heart that this wonderful planet will grow and thrive.
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5 Responses to “What if I’m not the main character? The ultimate meaning of holistic healing.”
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You are so right! There’s certainly a strong element of focus on the self (OK, the “whole self”) in holistic practice, and it’s a good thing when it moves the focus away from disease/pathology/part of a person towards illness/suffering/the whole person, but this way of thinking has a couple of potential dangers. There’s the danger that an already suffering person is made to feel responsible for their own illness in the sense that they have created it themselves somehow. And there’s the danger you point out so clearly here – that the medical gaze stops at the edges of the patient’s skin and both the external causes and solutions are left ignored.
I really enjoy the work of Eric Cassell. In his “The Nature of Suffering and The Goals of Medicine” he says “There is no self without others, there is no consciousness without a consciousness of others, no speaker without a hearer, no dreamer who does not dream in relation to others, no act or object or thought that does not somehow encompass others.” He is one of the authors who changed my view of my job as a doctor.
I still think my priority is to help this unique individual before me today but I think I can’t do that unless I see them “embedded” in the myriad of connections and environments of their lives, and seek to engage with that perspective too.
Thank you, Bob, for your enriching comments.
I’m glad you mentioned the danger of people feeling responsible for their illnesses. That idea is quite prevalent and I feel it is not only inaccurate but quite hurtful.
I’m eager to look into Cassell’s work — the quote is beautiful! Mary
I sure wish I could find a doctor who felt the way you do bobleckridge and I am going to look into Cassell’s work myself.
Thank you for this blog here Mary, I’ve been looking for something along these lines and look forward to seeing and reading more here.
I’m not in a healthy state right now nor a healthy state of mind either, but I’m beginning to see things that I sure need to work on and I’ve gotten some very healing vibes from some folks – and not so healing vibes from others. Always welcoming more healinghearts and vibes.
Hi rubyshooz (love that nickname and image!),
I’m glad you’re enjoying the blog. It’s painful to feel you’re in that not healthy state. It’s a great sign of health, though, to be open enough to learn from it (“I’m beginning to see things that I sure need to work on”). I also feel one of the biggest keys to healing is to be able to reach out for “healing vibes”. We need to be able to let people know when we need their support. So glad you can do that!
One of the things I discovered early in my 32-year career in mind/body healing as a Health Psychologist, is that I could not facilitate healing in somone else without also experiencing healing myself. And once I tapped into the flow of that healing energy, “I” was no longer center stage.
I believe most healers would agree with this experience – we are not “doing” the healing.
I am reminded here of the many studies that have shown the power of prayer to heal – even when the person being prayed for is not aware of the prayer.
And then there is the “Maharishi Effect”. Numerous studies have demonstrated that when a certain percentage of people are meditating together at the same time, there is a significant reduction in all sorts of negative events, like crime and accidents.
Whatever this “energy” is that seems to connect us through healing, prayer and meditation, I believe it is becoming more manifest.
And I am not alone in believing that we are going through a phase transition as a species, where this energy that connects us all will be obvious to everyone.
Until then, I think it’s best to focus on healing ourselves and those we connect with. Remember, that from the perspective of holism, you cannot heal the part without also healing the whole.