Holistic Living Options

The food that you eat gives the body raw materials for regeneration, growth and energy for movement. Therefore, the quality of your life very much depends upon what you eat, since the body can only work with the raw materials, or fuel, that you provide. Exercise is required to keep the body functioning in optimal condition as well; something very similar to the maintenance of a vehicle, which can break down unless used at regular intervals. Lastly, holistic living involves your thoughts. If you are pessimistic and perceive everything as threat, then this will stress your mind, resulting in massive imbalances in the body, which in turn can cause illness.

Holistic living is not a hard or impossible objective. You, or anyone who wants it, can achieve it; not as a goal, but as a continuous ongoing process. Mental and physical natural health is not a destination but a continuous daily effort, where food, exercise and your beliefs need to be kept in perfect balance. It is important to understand that if any one of these three factors is found lacking, then the system inside the body becomes unbalanced, which translates into illness, which will require holistic healing.

In short, holistic living is nothing but bringing your body to its all natural state and ensuring that it maintains its natural health. This means that you need to achieve perfect inner and outer balance. The inner balance represents the functioning of all your organs, which is achieved by correct eating and exercise; outer balance is achieved through meditation and adaptation to your environment.

Traditional Healing in Modern Medicine

You've heard that it's takes a village to raise a child, but Dr. Mehl-Madrona believes that it often takes a community to heal someone who is ill. The indigenous ways have much to teach us. In his books and this interview he tells us stories that he's told to his patients to help in their healing process. These stories give us universal wisdom and strength.

• Discover how to use the community to help your friends and family heal
• See how to integrate contemporary medicine with traditional healing
• Learn the traditional meaning of the Four Directions
• See how you can use stories to enhance the healing process
• Discover the hidden meaning of the Native American Medicine Wheel
• Be Inspired to live in harmony with the seasons and nature
• Learn about the real meaning of “success” in healing
• Explore how to use our ancestors’ spirits in healing and story
• Find out what the benefits of ceremony can be in your life
• Learn to create your own ceremonies for daily living
• See how the Ravens Beak story relates to modern health issues

Lewis Mehl-Madrona holds an M.D. from Stanford University and has been a practicing doctor for over 20 years. An experienced healer who has led many Native American healing ceremonies, Dr. Mehl-Madrona has also headed traditional medical clinics, helping AIDS and cancer patients as well as researching the benefits of relaxation techniques to aid in the natural correction of breech positioned babies. He is currently an Associate Professor of Family Practice at the University Of Hawaii School Of Medicine. He has been studying and working in the field of Native American and indigenous healing for many years.