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 Ancient
Healing Techniques:
There are certain areas of study
for which one
has to ask whether humanity is actually more successful now than we
were in the past.
While there is little doubt that science has improved certain
medical procedures, healing is a complex art and several recent
experiments have shown that the relationship between healers and
patients can be as important as the medicines themselves. It is
of course impossible to say how much of a role in healing shaman
took in prehistory, but studies on modern tribal shaman
suggest that they were the primary healers of the sick. Reports
of shaman undergoing initiation through voluntary sickness
(4)
support Jung's theory of the archetypal shamanic healer, which
he termed the 'Wounded Healer'. In these rituals, the
young shaman are required to bring themselves to the brink of
death in order to begin contact with the spirit-world and 'to
have sickness in order to understand sickness'.
Quick-links:
Modern studies
have shown that the power of positive thought (i.e. prayer), can
also have a marked difference on a patients recovery, regardless of
their knowledge of the act.
(5)
In addition, there has been some important research on the famed
'Placebo effect'. The Placebo effect
can arise not only from a conscious
belief in a drug but also from
subconscious associations between
recovery and the experience of being
treated - from a
doctor�s white coat to ingesting a pill.
Such subliminal conditioning can control bodily processes of
which we are unaware, such as immune responses and the release
of hormones. (1)
These remarkable conclusions open several lines of debate
concerning what exactly healing is, simultaneously revealing the
dark underbelly of the pharmaceutical companies, who
have become the silent partner in the
modern relationship between healers and patients.
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- Prehistoric Surgery: The
Evidence.
The
high number of prehistoric skulls that show evidence
of trepanning show it to have been a common surgical
treatment for at least 50,000 years. In addition,
other operations such as dental work, and even
open-heart surgery also date back thousands of
years, revealing a knowledge and confidence which
elevates surgery into the category of prehistoric
sciences.
(Prehistoric
Surgeons) |
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- Labyrinths: The Journey
Within.
The Labyrinth is considered to be a physical
metaphor for life's journey. Jung called them
'archetypal images of the psyche', and they can
be found at many important pilgrim
sites and spiritual centres, such as at Glastonbury
and
Chartres Cathedral. But what exactly is it that
makes the labyrinth such a strong spiritual
tool.?
(More
about Labyrinths) |
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- Prehistoric Tattooing:
Evidence of Acupuncture.
The
discovery of tattoo marks on the 'Otzi' Ice-man was
just the first of several discoveries of prehistoric tattoo's that
appear to show a relationship between modern
'alternative therapy' acupuncture points on the body and physical
weaknesses on the body's that the the tattoos' were
found on. Acupuncture is now commonly available in
hospitals around the world.
(More
about Prehistoric Tattooing) |
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- Mantras: Healing With
Sound.
The
use of mantras for healing can be seen in
the Rig-Veda, one of the oldest texts in the world.
Today, ultrasound is commonly used to speed recovery
of various conditions including broken bones
(3),
and music itself has been shown to be an effective
healing medium
(6),(7),
all of which suggests that sound deserves more
recognition in the arena of healing.
(Healing
With Sound) |
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- Spiritual Healing: The
Power of Positive Thinking.
There
are now several studies available that show the
effect of positive thought on patients in recovery. Spiritual
healing (positive thinking) has now also been proven
to be beneficial to patients, regardless of whether
they have knowledge of it or not
(5).
The profound implications of these results offer
credence to the traditional beliefs in the healing
powers of shaman, witch doctors, and the healing
miracles of the clergy.
(Positive
Thinking) |
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- Herbal Remedies: Natures
Pharmaceuticals.
With
over 50% of all prescription drugs being derived
from chemicals first identified in plants and over 5
billion people still dependant on plant-based
medicine as their primary form of health care (In
2008) (8),
perhaps it is time to take herbal remedies more
seriously, especially in light of the modern trend
for unregulated global deforestation.
(Herb
Lore: Magical, Spiritual and Medicinal) |
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