Oriental healing

Gradually, I learned to appreciate the traditional Oriental ideas about treating people, although I was educated with conventional Western ideas. Nowadays the Oriental ideas about healing are more to my liking.

Western ideas

In the West, it is believed that knowledge comes from experience, and observed and measured phenomena only. People do not have inborn knowledge and the importance of the unseen is not endorsed. The conventional Western healing ideas are based on the knowledge of anatomy and physiology.

The ‘verdict’/ opinion is that an illness is caused by a bodily cause and that mental and emotional aspects cannot cause illness. Also, environmental factors cannot cause illness.

Because it is believed that illness is a product of biological factors the standard conventional healing technologies in the West manage health issues therapeutically with treatments that aim to lessen physical symptoms. Treatments in use are (synthetic) medicines, fluid interventions, radiation, surgery, chemotherapy, gene-therapy, and more.

Oriental ideas

In the Orient, it is believed that knowledge comes from theoretical concepts and systematic thinking. Written records of Chinese medicine teach the unity between Universe & Man. The traditional Oriental healing ideas are based on early written records of Chinese medicine and imaginary and theoretical thinking.

The ‘verdict’/ opinon is that illness is caused by energetical factors, and that the mental aspects that influence an individual’s mind or behaviour – emotions, thoughts, relationships, social interactions – as well as lifestyle, can cause illness. Also, environmental factors (wind, damp, hot, cold) can cause illness.

Because it is believed that illness is a product of yin-yang energy quality imbalance, the standard traditional healing technologies in the Orient manage health issues therapeutically with treatments that aim to restore the qualities of the yin and yang energy back into balance. Treatments in use are herbals, massage, acupressure, acupuncture, moxibustion, cupping, body-mind exercising, and more.

Man watching the universe

Photo Credit: Greg Rakozy (on unsplash), Greg Rakozy <gregrakozy.com>

Nature

Traditional Oriental healing ideas teach the unity between Universe & Man. Humans are products and part of Nature and the forces of the Universe and Nature echo in us. The forces that flow through our body are collectively named: “Qi” (pronounced ‘Chee’), which can be translated as ‘life-force energy’.

‘Qi’ consists of two complementary forces named ‘Yin’ (passive) and ‘Yang’ (active). We feel healthy when the yin-yang qualities are in balance, and we feel sick when the qualities are not in balance. We seldom fall ill when we live in harmony with the Universe and Nature and eat the products of the season. The traditional Oriental thoughts show us a way to go.

Traditional Oriental ideas are not considered to be of great value in a consumerist economy and heavy medicalized world. Humans, however, only are a tiny part of the universe, and in relation to the Universe and Nature forces we should be free from pride and arrogance. We should listen to the forces of the Universe and Nature that echo in us.

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