As someone who has been living with chronic pain for years, I’m slowly learning that nature has all the answers. We just need to ask the right questions and be willing to listen—listen to our bodies, to our minds, and to our souls. In our lifetime, we all go through physical and mental pain—not to mention heartache. And nature has everything that we need to heal, ready and waiting.
I’ve yet to go for a facial and not get asked about my skincare routine. I avoid harsh cleansers that leave my skin dry and inflamed, but even with holistic toners and moisturizers, blackheads seem to be inevitable. While it can be satisfying to remove blackheads and pop zits, doing so can actually make your skin more prone to breakouts as dirt is transferred from clogged pores to open ones.
Has Fido tried acupuncture to cure his pesky arthritis? Has hydrotherapy helped Bailey’s hip dysplasia?
Here we are in the 21st century with more illness and disease than ever before. There are endless prescriptions for an endless amount of disorders.
I want to simplify this complexity so we don’t get lost in masking the symptoms but we take the journey to the root where real healing and miracles happen. This is the way of the first doctor: the Shaman.
The holidays bring plenty of joyful memories for many people—family gatherings over home cooked meals, crisp winter hikes in the snow, and, for some, buying gifts. Unfortunately, not everyone feels the same away about holiday gift giving and many struggle to find a meaningful present. Rather than opt for a gift card, think about sending holiday cheer with one of these holistic gifts.
For the uninitiated, the name chaga immediately pokes at one’s curiosity—as does its nickname, “black gold.” The chaga mushroom (Inonotus obliquus) resembles a chunk of rough coal blooming from the side of a birch, stark in contrast to the tree’s white bark. Whether the name is just a bit of clever branding or finds its roots in its ancient medicinal context, it is, undoubtedly, correct.
Cupping, as defined by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, is “a traditional Chinese medicine practice that involves placing cups on the skin to create suction.” Suction cups are left on the skin to draw fluid into the area, thereby speeding the healing process. Cupping follows the Chinese philosophy: “Where there’s stagnation, there will be pain.
We’ve got one more sense to work with when balancing dosha disharmonies in the Mind. Each of our senses are potent in their own right but, scientifically speaking, we’ve saved the most powerful for last.
Our own five senses—the “gateways to healing,” as they are referred to in Ayurveda—are very powerful tools for promoting health and wellbeing. They allow us to use everything around us as medicine.
This week, we’ll dive into the world of Sound. (We previously looked at Sight.)
Have you heard of forest bathing? It doesn’t involve a bath, and doesn’t necessarily need water. Instead, it involves nature, yourself, and time to breathe.