Behind every "Art" i.e. that which may be applied through intuition or inspiration, there is "Science", i.e. Knowledge acquired through the steady accumulation of repeatable and communicable facts, gathered through trial and error, observation and experimentation.

We are committed to the exploration, practice and dissemination of information, research, techniques and protocols around the alternative or traditional arts and sciences of Healing

In a western sense these alternative modalities are often called "arts" or less kindly and these days less often; "quackery", "flakey", "hippy stuff" and sometimes from those who should know better "pseudo science". These various descriptions attach to the alternative modalities primarily because of the lack of supportive and hard clinical data.

Of course, to the cultures from which these modalities came, their practice may have been regarded "artistically", i.e. one aspired to be and eventually became a "master" which involved a total integration of "self" (intuition and reason) with the disciplined practice of one's knowledge.

Invariably, the basis of the modality was hard facts gained through countless hours of observation and the testing of substances, preparations and techniques. This process occurred seamlessly over countless generations of students, practitioners and teachers. Great discoveries were often illuminated by the intangible and perhaps unscientific quality of "inspiration" (increasingly, intangibles such as "inspiration" are being discussed and even sometimes explained in terms familiar to such disciplines as quantum physics, neurology and genetics).

While most of the practices and preparations used in alternative healing/medicine have not been formerly researched and quantified by modern scientific methods, there nevertheless exists a vast body of trial and error evidence, often called "anecdotal", built up in many divergent cultures over thousands of years which support their efficacy. This evidence continues to amass as tens of thousands, if not millions, of safe and effective alternative treatments are performed daily all over the world.

We live in a time of opportunity and capability as modern researchers are increasingly securing support to undertake trials and research across the spectrum of alternative and complimentary modalities.

This cannot come soon enough as society finds itself in a situation where increases in population combined with expectations of higher standards of living is placing enormous pressure and cost on existing public and private health systems. So from crisis comes opportunity and our society is, once again at a crossroad.

We are in a position to set a direction for health and medicine where the modalities may truly compliment each other, working together cooperatively to achieve vastly improved outcomes in the health of our communities.

For this to be achieved enormous change needs to occur; principally in the attitude of our elected officials, medical establishment, corporations, media; and in the minority of the public who have not experienced the benefits of alternative treatments.

Change needs to occur also in the attitude of the alternative therapy practitioners towards the medical establishment and towards each other.

Practitioners need reach out to other health professionals across the full spectrum of fields and modalities and develop professional relationships with them. They also need to improve their skill in the language of orthodox medicine, so as to better communicate with Doctors and patients who increasingly want their health carers to communicate cooperatively.

Practitioners also need to cultivate a more cooperative and unified interaction with other alternative practitioners and avoid the kind of fear, jealousy and snobbery which has been a characteristic of the Alternative Professions attitude towards each other for too long.

As the ground shifts and opportunities arise, alternative therapy practitioners would do well to be prepared to step in and take advantage of opportunities such as working in hospital and community clinics, being involved in research programs and working co-operatively with other practitioners including MDs in private clinics and to share their knowledge with other practitioners both alternate and orthodox, students including medical students and individuals including patients and the general public.

Our intention at HealingArtsandSciences.com is to participate in this process of integrating ancient knowledge, wisdom and practice with the best of current scientific knowledge and standards; and that the result will see the acceptance into the mainstream of standards based, holistic, alternative modalities resulting in greater accessibility to better health for all.

Top of page