THIS SYMBOL REPRESENTS HEALING & HAPPINESS
I recently had so many inquiries about healing-related subjects. So I decided to make HEALING – TOPIC OF THIS MONTH. As we can all do with an ‘extra dose of healing’ right now.
Although Living With The Moon is all about practical advice, I have many books and recipes left from my grandmother which deal with healing, mostly for preventative medical care. Of course, physical health is very important. This year showed us more than ever how we take our health for granted and that just a few changes can cause mayhem with our lives.
But I also want to include emotional and mental healing. This is sadly still seen as a bit of a taboo subject. When somebody openly admits that they find their current situation difficult to cope with – it could be because of love problems, a bereavement, work stress (including lack of work), children, menopause, etc. – whatever the reason, it is not taken as seriously as if you fall down and break your leg or have a bruised arm. Because physically harm is visible, emotional harm is not! But the hurt is the same.
The Ancient Chinese tradition saw doctors as ‘keepers of health’ rather than ‘fixers of health’. A respected doctor had happy, healthy clients, not sick ones. The main aspect of the doctor’s work was preventative. When the body started to display minor signs, like feeling unwell, insomnia, tensions, headaches, spots and so on, the doctor cured these early signs with herbal remedies, acupuncture, massages, cupping, meditation and exercise.
Traditional Chinese doctors believed that the body is full of life energy, also called Qi (pronounced chi). If it is in perfect flow, we are happy and healthy. However, if it gets stagnant and is blocked then problems appear. At first, these are subtle. But when not resolved and neglected over time, these can turn into full-blown diseases. This works for the body and mind alike.
Like early Western medicine, the Ancient Chinese medicine connected our bodies to the surrounding energy of the universe – a mantra I keep repeating as it comes up again and again in every civilization that I have studied.
So what can we do to keep our bodies in an energetic balance and to keep happy and healthy?
The answer is simple, but not simplistic!
- A healthy body (good, nutritious food, enough sleep, a healthy weight, looking after your appearance)
- A peaceful, calm environment to live in (garden, home, neigbhourhood)
- A happy relationship, friendships, and harmony within your wider family
- A career that fulfills you and financial stability
- A spiritually fulfilled life. A belief (which could be religion, but does not have to be) that is about leaving a legacy and bringing extra harmony/joy/charity/conservation to the world. In short, you want to leave the world in a better place than you found it.
These are the fundamental pillars of a holistic lifestyle and I will soon introduce you to new LWTM lifestyle planning guide I am currently working on.
As my lovely husband always says – Something to do, someone to love, and something to look forward to! Make sure that you always have these three in your life!
