Indigenous Medicine Wheel - Wholistic Healing

Cultural Diversity

Indigenous Medicine Wheel - Wholistic Healing, Wix 3722d8_0b9efdb287b6418fa8ad9df209c5a488

Our book Holistic Healing: Theories, Practices and Social Change provides an in-depth overview of this vital field of study. It links together the common concepts of wholistic healing, while recognizing the vast differences in theories and practices especially based upon cultural diversity. For example, the concepts of Ying-Yang are very different than Ayurveda approaches. The following is one condensed example of Indigenous/Anishaabek Wholistic Healing which is very different than Western concepts and varies from Nation to Nation (see second slide of image for healing practices). See our book for in-depth discussions of this approach (Chapters 2, 11.2, 14.2 and 14.4 and other approaches.

Our book Holistic Healing: Theories, Practices and Social Change provides an in-depth overview of this vital field of study. It links together the common concepts of holistic healing, while recognizing the vast differences in theories and practices especially based upon cultural diversity. For example, the concepts of Ying-Yang are very different than Ayurveda approaches. The following is one condensed example of Indigenous/Anishaabek Wholistic Healing which is very diferent than Western concepts and varies from Nation to Nation (see our book for in-depth discussions of this appraoch and others).

Indigenous/Anishaabek Wholistic Healing

“Indigenous wholistic healing practices originate from ancient traditions. The genealogy of knowledge of these practices is old and passed down from generation to generation through rich oral traditions and practices. We are people of the land and we are people of spirit. We are Indigenous Peoples from the land where our Creation stories place us. As Anishinaabek we are placed on the sacred Turtle’s back: Turtle Island (North America). This land is our original homeland and our languages, cultural traditions, and history set the context for practice. Wholistic healing is inclusively ceremonial, emotional/social, intelligent, and physical. It is cyclical, relational, and circular. The whole is interconnected and woven together by spirit, heart, mind, and body. Healing is ceremony and ceremony is healing. Healing is social and is about our relationship with self, family, community, and Nation. The whole is organized within frameworks that make the healing process methodical and wholistic.

Wholistic healing practitioners must recognize the truth and challenge their colonial beliefs. Wholistic healing elements of the spiritual, cultural, emotional, mental, and physical necessitate the creation of wholistic assessments and evaluations. The ongoing impacts of colonization on our lands, languages, water, air, and earth have ongoing implications for all peoples…. For truth and reconciliation to truly occur… political resurgence and the restoration of Indigenous lands, language, culture, and cultural spaces are essential.”

Absolon, Kathy, Jo-Anne Absolon and Lana Basher. (2019) Indigenous/Anishaabek Wholistic Healing, Holistic Healing: Theories, Practices and Social Change. Toronto: Canadian Scholars Press, p. 57.