Page 13 - NAMAH-Jul-2017

Holistic healing and alternative therapies

Prashant Shivanand Shah

Abstract
Modern medical science spends millions of dollars and many man-hours on research, whereas the
therapist of alternative medicine merely applies some age-old wisdom and uses the skill that was
acquired in a few months as an apprentice. In this scenario the author asks,
• Is there a flaw in the method of modern science?
• Can alternative therapy deliver the kind of results that modern medicine fails to deliver?
• Is the aim of medical science to serve ailing humanity, or is it to promote technology and
business?

The author explains the trend of reductionism in analytical sciences. This trend has given rise to a basic
flaw in the modern scientific approach and, as a result, modern science cannot provide any profound
understanding of living systems. On the other hand, the author gives glimpses into the alternative
therapies that are founded on the basis of traditional or holistic science.

The article 1. Fundamentals of traditional sciences
a. The difference in working with wholes
First we show the fundamental difference and working with parts
in the approach between traditional holistic b. Qualitative and quantitative approaches
sciences and modern analytical sciences. Next,
we apply the holistic approach to the function 2. An Application to health and healing
of healing. Then, we provide insight into the a. The present scenario
working of some alternative therapies. b. The alternative approach
c. How does the notion of ‘healing’ differ
In the following issue of NAMAH, we shall from the notion of ‘cure’?
discuss the applications of two holistic healing d. The issue of treating symptoms
systems to illustrate our point of view. e. The difference between the holistic and the
specialised approaches in healing
Contents f. What is holistic about healing?

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