What Do You Mean “Holistic?”

Posted byLisa at Micro of the MacroPosted inEnvironment, Health & Well-Being, Psychological HealthTags:, , , , , , , , , , ,
I am saddened by the increase in wildfires ravaging our National Parks. These photos are from King’s Canyon in California’s Sierra Nevada.

If you are a tag reader like I am, you may have noticed all my posts include the word holistic. You may understand the concept, but my idea of it encompasses more than what’s normally considered.  For that reason, I’d like to take the opportunity to explain. 

First, I want to share a definition from the American Holistic Nurses Association:  Holistic health is an approach to life where the whole person is valued. Rather than focusing on specific parts, holistic health considers the person’s body, thoughts, emotions, spirit and interaction with others and the environment.  

All of our earliest healing traditions are holistic, including Ayurveda, Traditional Chinese Medicine, and Traditional European Medicine.  Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, asserted, It is more important to know what sort of person has a disease than to know what sort of disease a person has.  Modern Western Medicine began as holistic, but now, the majority of its practices involve addressing particular issues with little regard for the whole person. This tendency to compartmentalize helps explain the long list of side effects often associated with surgeries and medications.

There are some holistic therapies practiced in the US. They include acupuncture, acupressure, reflexology, massage, cupping, chiropractic care, and aromatherapy.  Even yoga and Tai Chi can be added to the list, making you your own practitioner.  And meditation is a holistic therapy that can get you in touch with the very ground of your being.

The American-born theoretical physicist David Bohm referred to his body as a microcosm of the macrocosm.  (Hmmmmm, where have I heard that phrase?)  In his book Wholeness and the Implicate Order, he writes, We must learn to view everything as part of Undivided Wholeness in Flowing Movement.  I really like that idea.

The idea of interdependence plays a starring role in this philosophy.  (Read more on that in this post.) The health of everything in the human body, mind, and spirit is dependent on the condition of the whole.  Our interactions with and the well being of our Primal Mother are a huge part of that.  Some examples: we can become depressed with too little exposure to Nature. Our lungs can suffer from breathing toxic air. The liver can become stressed when our water is infused with chemicals. Our gut’s lining & microbiome can become dysfunctional as a result of eating foods that are grown from lab-modified seeds in nutrient-poor soils.  And due to our body’s internal interdependence, these health issues affect other organs, our blood, nervous system, energy levels, and attitude.

Making strides toward a more holistic lifestyle is important for all of us, both individually and collectively.  These are a few of my suggestions:

  • Ask for alternatives or adjuncts to medications or procedures.  If your physician is not open to – or knowledgeable of – natural approaches, maybe look for a new one.
  • Choose organic, non-GMO, fair-trade, & sustainable foods.  Entire forests are being destroyed for the purpose of producing the palm oil found in peanut butter and other foods.  (Alliteration unintended.)  Don’t buy it unless the label indicates it’s sustainably grown.
  • Avoid single-use plastics.  If not recycled, which is common, plastic can stay in a landfill more than 100 years before decomposing. If you purchase bottled water, buy it in glass or 2.5 gallon containers.  Better yet, take your own containers into a refill station each week.  And when you shop, use your own bags.
  • Stay away from unethical investing.  If you buy stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and the like, let your investment advisor (IA) know that you are interested only in ethical investments.  For example, you don’t want to put money into companies that exploit poor populations by paying pennies a day for labor (more unintended alliteration) or “benefit” from environmental destruction.  If your IA is ignorant of such practices (or claims to be) find one who is willing to make these concerns a priority. 

In general, I believe living holistically boils down to this: practicing what best serves your life while also choosing to do the right thing for the whole. In your process of making daily decisions, keep in mind our undivided wholeness, upon which we are all dependent for long, healthy, happy lives.

Holistic Blessings,

Lisa

The content of this article is for educational and informational purposes only, and is not intended as medical advice. Please consult with a qualified health care professional before acting on any information presented herein. Any statements about the possible health benefits of any subject discussed have not been evaluated by medical professionals or the Food & Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease or illness.

46 thoughts on “What Do You Mean “Holistic?””

  4. Another great post, Lisa. We are a part of the organism that is the earth. More and more people are waking up to this but world politicians and leaders, especially those who continue to support fossil fuels need to urgently change direction and cultivate humility. 🌹🌹🙋‍♂️

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    1. Hi, Ashley, I like the way you put that: the organism that is the earth. The so-called leaders of my country put their never-ending desire for power and wealth above all else, leading the world to ever-worsening crises on every level. My prayer is that they soon start valuing the idea of their children having a future. Cultivating humility, as you mentioned, would be a great place to start. Thank you for your ongoing support of my blog, Ashley! Have a beautiful Sunday! 🌞

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  5. Plastics really anger me. There’s little that can’t be packaged in biodegradable materials, and yet incredible amounts of plastic continue to be used. And plastic recycling is hit or miss, as much of plastics meant to be recycled ends up in landfills, or burned, anyway. Humankind is its own worst enemy.

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  6. “We must learn to view everything as part of Undivided Wholeness in Flowing Movement.”
    Just fabulous. And those photos … wow!
    (To think of wildlires this summer is a heartbreak to me, too)

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  7. Wonderful! There’s a growing push in Australia for treatment models incorporating a ‘biopsychosocial’ approach. It sounds very similar to what you’re talking about! Love this Lisa 💜

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  8. Oh, Lisa. This was fabulous. It’s so funny because I used to be a western medicine practitioner, yet I am more and more leaning towards this way of life. I just had my doctor’s appointment and was relieved that she was open to it too. Otherwise, it’s such a struggle,
    XOXO
    Jodie
    http://www.jtouchofstyle.com

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    1. Hi, Jodie, I’ve just realized, you are in Arizona, so I might get to meet you soon! I so look forward to our gathering! I’m glad your Western Medicine background didn’t cause you to be offended by this post. It’s got to the point that I refuse to work with a physician who does not understand my way of eating and caring for myself. They’re hard to find, but well worth the effort. Have a joyful weekend, my friend! 🌞

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  11. 🧡 I Quit “medical” advice years ago and now Totally Trust My AutoImmune System as I did as a Child
    🧡 I AM not Religious because I returned to The Purity of My ChildLike State after Failed Parental Attempts to Force Me to Accept Religion
    🧡 I AM SOMB ((Rhymes with WOMB) Soul Observer Mind Body) ~ http://www.ericberne.com

    …in summary EveryOne I am incredibly healthy mentally (psychologically), physically and physiologically; if I die, so mote be it…because I will simply be on the other side of the veil; many have died young, my grandma died 120+ years young so I follow her “holistic” example of 3DLiving 3DLife to the FULL!!! and ignore “Health Advice” instead I AM Actively Listening to My SOMB and 5D+ Awareness EveryBody…

    …💛💚💙…

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  12. Another gem of a post well thought out and important to follow these tried and true tips Lisa! I’m always blessed by your sharing and gifts to give insight in health and wellness! Thank yous so much my friend!
    💖💖💖

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  15. Thank you, Lisa! Your information always inspires me to want to be better, and to do better when it comes to my health and overall wellbeing. Thank you so much for always giving us this great advice. You should do a podcast. Your information is very valuable. It really is. God bless you. Have a great week.

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  17. Marvelous post! Too often, people do not understand why they do not feel good. Everything is interrelated and if one thing is off, you don’t feel well. You do not treat a symptom. You treat a person. You treat a whole person and everything works together. That old saying about the best medicine being fresh air, exercise, and sunshine is so true. So many of the best cures are natural things like getting more sleep, eating healthy foods. People are always looking for a ‘quick fix’ for weight loss or whatever ails them. It is the more integrated approach of changing the bad habits into good habits that actually works. Taking care of the earth is everyone’s job. Thank you for so many good suggestions! 🙂

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  19. 💜 Goddess is Amazing and Does the Environmental Thing EveryOne; while Ladies 🚺 Worship “God” who creates “plastic” and War et al, Go Figure EveryBody

    …💛💚💙…

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  20. “Stay away from unethical investing” – this one is going to manifest in a very bad way depending on your view of China and their “ethics”. I look at every product that has a precious metal in it (think electric cars and most of the other supposed green products) and wonder if the owners know where those materials are primarily sourced from and the manner in which those are obtained. Then you get into cradle to grave management of those products which gets a blind eye into today’s virtue signalling hypocrisy. Other than that… on board …well except the healthy eating component when I still suck at ha!

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