A Mind/body approach in health care is an important matter. Mind / Body medicine tries to use the power of thoughts and emotions to positively influence physical health. As Hippocrates wrote, "The natural healing force within each one of us is the greatest force in getting well." This is the core idea of Mind / Body alternative medicine.[1]
- Is emotional health important to physical health? And, if so, what is emotional health? These are important questions to start thinking about if we take the links between body and mind seriously. And if we take the body mind linkage seriously, we will need to define and create the new charter or foundation on which to design an efficacious health care system. (cfr:Molecules of Emotion by Candace Pert, PhD)
History[edit]
The "Gymnasium" was the real school of olden times. Greeks had high regard and admiration for beauty and fitness; the ancient Greeks believed that developing a body was as important as developing a mind.[2]
"...it would be very foolish to suppose that one could ever treat the [part] by itself without treating the whole body...just as one should not attempt to cure the eyes apart from the head, nor the head apart from the body, so one should not attempt to cure the body apart from the soul. And this is the very reason why most diseases are beyond the Greek Doctors, that they do not pay attention to the whole as they ought to do, since if the whole is not in good condition, it is impossible that the part should be." Plato.
In Different Cultures[edit]
"Wise teachers of ancient times have always referred to energy, but in different terms. Indians called the higher energy Nam, and the lower energy Prana. Chinese tagged it Tao' or 'Chi. Greeks saw it as The Logos of the Music of the Spheres, Hippocrates referred to Nature's Life Force, Wilhelm Reich called it Orgone Energy," Dr. Randolph Stone called it Wireless Anatomy of Man.
The word "yoga" means "union" - the integration of physical, mental, and spiritual energies that enhance health and well-being. The physical postures, breathing, and exercises may reduce stress, lower blood pressure, and regulate heart rate... [3]
It was John Money (1921 – 2006) who coined the term bodymind.
Anneliese Butler wrote:
- Beyond the issue of uncertainty regarding biologic versus psychosocial causes of mental distress, . Illness of any kind ("physical" or "mental") is disruptive and creates stress in people's lives. [1]
See also[edit]
- Naturopathy
- Yoga
- Vegetarianism
- Chakras
- Bernarr Macfadden
- Alois P. Swoboda
- Herbert Benson
- Adrian Vander
- Claudius Conrad
External links[edit]
- Health and Yoga
- The Mindful Body: A Prolegomenon to Future Work in Medical Anthropology
- Everything is Psychosomatic by Merrily Manthey, M.S.
- Women’s Center for Mind-Body Health
- What is Polarity Therapy?
- The Biology of Belief
- "How To Live 365 Days A Year" by John A. Schindler.