I’ve noticed, as I continue to learn more about the field I’ve moved in to, that when people aren’t familiar with a concept or an idea that might be new to them, that they are more likely to dismiss it. Generally with more passion than they use for things that they do like or understand. Have you ever noticed this too?

In case you aren’t as familiar with my background, I have my undergraduate degree in psychology and my Master’s degree in Psychological Counseling. As one of the owners of Aspire Wellness, I have learned a lot more recently about holistic based services as well as concepts and ideas that I hadn’t known before. Things such as what a bio mat can be used for or a concept called Theta Healing. A couple years ago, I wouldn’t have known what either of these things are. But I know more now. And I know more because I allowed myself to hear information and not just dismiss it because I didn’t know what it is.

So back to my question….have you ever noticed that when there is a topic or concept that you show interest in that might be off the “beaten path”, there is more easily a dismissal of it? So let’s take Reiki, for example. According to Reiki.org, Reiki “is a simple, natural, and safe method of spiritual healing and self-improvement that everyone can use. It has been effective in helping virtually every known illness and malady and always creates a beneficial effect. It also works in conjunction with all other medical or therapeutic techniques to relieve side effects and promote recovery”. For me, this concept is interesting and leads to other thoughts and ideas for me. But I have certainly heard other people say that “they don’t believe in Reiki”, or “that kind of stuff is hokey”. And so on and so forth.

It gets me wondering how people so easily determine that something isn’t real or it’s ineffective, or something else that results in a negative connotation. Is it because they don’t  understand the topic? In the “unbeliveableness” of something? How does someone say Reiki doesn’t work if they have never experienced Reiki or performed Reiki? To use someone else’s example, it would be like saying you know the sun will come up tomorrow, even though tomorrow has not come yet. How do we know the sun will come up tomorrow? Because we believe it.

When I think about holistic health or services, I think of it as “another way”. An alternative. A different way to get a similar result. If one of the reasons or benefits to use a Bio Mat is to “Damage and Kill Cancer and Viral Cells Without Harming Surrounding Healthy Cells” (did you know that was one of the things the Bio Mat is meant to do?), why would someone assume that it wouldn’t work? Or that it would be hokey or not for them? Because of not having had exposure to it before? Or just not understanding it? Or thinking there is only one way?

How has it been decided that there is only one way to do something? Or that one was is the best? In a recent discussion that I have overheard, a person was talking about a doctor visit, which resulted in several different diagnoses and several different medication prescriptions. The person was talking about not taking the prescriptions and looking for alternative ways of healing, due to the side effects of medications. Alternative ways such as changing their diet and using the float pod to rid their body of toxins.
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I think the point I’m getting at is that not everything will work for everyone. But that’s why there are multiple ways to achieve the same or similar goal. Even when you think about medications for diabetes, there isn’t just one medication. There are multiple choices that could be made, as well as changing a diet, getting more exercise, and spending time on the Bio Mat.

I think we sometimes get caught up in trying to decide if an idea or concept is real, or if it works, or whether it’s “hokey”. But maybe when we hear about something different or new to us, maybe it would just be enough to believe it could work or be effective. If it has worked for or helped 1 person, then it has worked.

So the idea that there could be a holistic way to reach a goal isn’t an unbelievable concept. Or something that isn’t real. Even when you can’t touch or see something, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s not there. Sometimes, you just need to believe it will work or that there is another way. Because it has been my experience that holistic practices are believable.

~Lynn

I’m not sure about you, but I’m pretty mad at my parents for not enrolling me in the “Maintenance Free Warranty” when I was born…

What? You mean that’s not an option? Personally, I want to just wake up every day and have this body of mine just work. Auto pilot. And when it doesn’t work, well, someone is surely to blame for that. Who can I point a finger at??

Myself included, I think we place a lot of expectations on our traditional medical doctors. We want them to ‘fix’ us. After all, that’s their job, right?? That’s why we went into their office? This is what society has taught us – you hire people to fix problems you can’t.
Take a step back for a minute – IS it their job to make us whole again? I think we all want that to be the outcome, the doctor included. But, in reality, sometimes that’s not what happens.

Think about it. When appliances, cars, or electronics break, we can decide to either have them repaired or ditch them for a brand new one. We’ve all surely had that experience where you are weighing out whether springing for a new (fill in the blank) is worth it verses messing around with the old one.

We can’t do that with our own bodies. There is no go back to start, hit refresh, undo button, or buying new. We can’t even turn it on and off again and hope the problems all fix themselves once rebooted. It is what it is. Over time, things wear out and damage happens (we jokingly call it ‘getting old’). Doctors provide solutions and strategies to hopefully ease pain and get the machine running as close to full capacity as possible. They match problems with a course of action that will hopefully lead to the desired solution. I think we often call that “course of action” the SOLUTION; it’s only the solution if it produces the outcome you want or expect. In reality, sometimes it takes more than one course of action to get a desired result.

So, what’s my role in all of this? After all, I own the ‘machine’. Maybe it’s a top of the line body that came from an amazing gene pool or maybe it’s a lemon, but either way, I can’t trade it in. We all know when we take better care of our ‘stuff,’ it stays in better condition, longer. If we treat it badly, and keeping running it to the repair shop, chances are it will wear out and we’ll have to get a new one sooner than we had hoped. In that case, do we blame the repair person for not being able to bring it back to life over and over again?
There’s an ownership role in all of this. These are our bodies. Our health. Our wellness. Our happiness. No one else is responsible for keeping it running. You need to feed it, water it, give it sunlight, rest it, exercise it, clean it, take out the trash, and carry it around with you at all times.

Holistic means as natural as possible, non-invasive. We don’t see it as a replacement of western medicine, but rather as a supplement to it. The fact is, there are ways we can treat our own bodies and manage medical conditions that can enhance traditional medicine.

Holistic health is a way to do regular maintenance. Yes, we all need the repair shop sometimes. But we all also have the responsibility to do the upkeep. It’s surely not the doctor’s job to instantly undo damages and make it all better.

Just like you don’t see (unless you’re using a microscope) how a virus attacks your healthy cells, or how your thoughts affect your emotions, or how love is transferred, or how those little tiny waves connect data to your cellphone – we know it’s happening and ‘something’ is there. Holistic treatments are the same way. You may not see toxins (unless you do an ionic foot bath) leave your body, you may not see your muscle lengthen during massage or yoga, or infrared rays change cell structures, but you know you feel better afterwards. There are lots of healthy, non-invasive ways to keep your ticker ticking and do body maintenance.

Your body is just like anything else you own. It’s YOUR job to keep it operating in peak state. We can pass the buck onto our doc or whomever else, but ultimately, we need to live in these bodies. Why not make them feel as good as possible? No one promised it would be maintenance free.
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At Aspire, we can provide the tools to get you there. Check out our services online! www.aspirewellnessnow.com.
 

• Cheryl