The Art of Self Healing

The art of self healing is guided by a philosophy that the body is innately able to cure itself. When optimum conditions exist, the human body is its own biological wonder. The self-healing movement incorporates a wide range of healing sciences. Ayurveda exemplifies the best of self-healing philosophy and practice. With 5,000 years of techniques and spirituality, Ayurveda is a comprehensive and effective means of self-healing. Other such practices include Gua Sha and Reiki.

Philosophy

According to Ayurveda philosophy, the human body is equipped to heal itself. Holistic Online explains that the human organism is a microcosm of the universe, and like a hologram, a view of the human body is a view of all reality. Illness occurs when people don't take care of the organism or interfere with its intended perfect function. Every second of every day, the human body fends off attacks by carcinogens, viruses and bacteria. Negative emotions sap strength and the body adapts with its immune system. Ayurveda views the immune system as an intelligent force for healing. The individual, however, must tend to the body with appropriate diet, rest, hygiene and spiritual practices. In spite of the human propensity to create chaos in the body it always strives for holistic balance.

Self

Ayurvedic science looks to the self, which is the center of a human being and from which all action and thought radiates. Holistic Online uses a metaphor of a tree: When you water the roots, the entire tree benefits. Similarly, when you tend to the self, the entire body, physical and spiritual, achieves harmony and health. Not only do you experience physical wellness, but you are creatively and intellectually inspired. Many healing approaches aim to heal the causes rather than the symptoms of illness. In Ayurveda, the self must be treated.

Balance

When human beings live in accord with nature, they realize heightened wellness. In Ayurvedic philosophy, to live in balance with nature is to live according to natural laws and the ebbing and flowing rhythm of reality. Ayurvedic science is not purely theoretical. According to Holistic Online, Ayurveda recommends specific practices for daily health, including suggestions about diet, mental and physical exercise, and the development of a routine. An example of living in harmony with nature is eating seasonal foods from your own region. Ayurvedic healing also employs herbs, meditation, diet, massage and sweat to achieve optimum health.

Illness

According to Ayurveda, all symptoms of illness point toward a deeper cause. If you only alleviate your symptoms, you will not restore balance to whatever is making you ill. But the good, though challenging, news is that each person is responsible for her own health. When an individual makes decisions about what she eats or how she lives, she controls her health. While human beings often make unwise choices, nature always responds the same way: It reflects lack of balance through illness. At that point, it is the individual's choice to restore or not restore harmony and regain health.

Alternatives

Using simple tools, Gua Sha scrapes gua (blood) just beneath the sha (skin). Dating to ancient Asia, Gua Sha treatments are based on the theory that blocked energy (qi in Chinese) is the source of illness and disease. Scraping releases qi, creating an optimum environment for healing ailments such as muscle aches and headaches. Gua Sha is safe, and you can perform it on yourself.
Reiki is a non-invasive form of healing that originated in Japan. It also channels blocked energy (ki, in Japanese) throughout the body. Reiki healing is based on the philosophy that the human body is a self-healing organism. Using Reiki techniques, and often without touching the patient, healers balance the life force, which promotes physical, mental and spiritual wellness. Reiki can be practiced one-on-one, by yourself and over distance.

References

• Holistic Online: Ayurveda
• Chinaculture.org: Gua Sha Therapy
• Holistic Online: Reiki