The Healing Power of Rhythm

Lemniscate symbol

 I sometimes field this question from patients whom are utilizing an array of therapies. They are grasping for an explanation linking each cause to its own effect. My succinct response is that: ‘All the medicines are all working together.” See, a holistic approach involves more than just using herbs instead of pharmaceuticals, it is an entire worldview. I would like to further explore how to approach healing utilizing holistic thinking and doing.

Our modern worldview is often logical and linear. One creates clear lines from a point of cause to a point of effect. Before, I have a headache, then I take a pill, after I no longer have a headache. The linear world is made up of atoms bouncing off each other building sharp lines and rigid planes.

Yet, if one observes the natural world, it does not resemble the linear human engineered world. Circular movement with spirals, curves, expansions, and contraction fill the natural world. Observe hormone cycles, tornados, the tides, eddies, plant budding, and you will notice the same rounded shapes and spiraling motion. The symbol for my medical practice is the lemniscate which symbolizes the spiraling rhythmic movement of nature.

Given that the natural world is circular while the synthetic world is liner, we must apply an appropriate type of thinking to understand each domain. An engineer uses linear thinking to construct blueprints for a skyscraper much like a naturopath uses circular thinking to explain the healing of chronic disease, which is why healing chronic disease is more of an unraveling process than a clear ‘this did that.’

Now that we understand holistic thinking, let us move onto holistic doing and return to the original question: “what is making me better?” Confining the healing experience to a ‘what’ however infers a linear logic. I was ill, ‘what’ I received then fixed me; naturopaths don’t fix people, because it doesn’t work. Earlier in my career, I would repeat acupuncture points that might have helped the previous week; the problem: it never worked as well, because humans are dynamic beings. We are in constant flux like the moon, like our hormonal cycles; we are alive, not static. What was relevant the previous week, may not be relevant today, but we may return to it in a further loop of our cycle. Focusing only on the what we ignore, the how, the why, the who, and the when which are equally relevant.

Ancients were aware of the reality of nature – The yin yang symbol is meant to be in motion as well as the lemniscate. Each side is meant to be in communication exchanging with its counterpart. These of symbolize health and alignment with nature whereas conventional health is discussed like the point on the top of a mountain.

When we are in a state of disease, we exist in one of the polarities of the lemniscate. Maybe we are lacking light and inspiration in our life, and we are feeling depressed, or conversely maybe we start to worry about our low mood and begin to experience anxiety. Healing is a rhythm breathing through life’s ups and downs minimizing the wild swings for prolonged periods of time.

So if someone asks what did what in their healing process, they are not asking the right question, they are using lines to create a circle. The totality of continuing to show up for an extending period of time and breathing through your challenges that is the magical healing power of rhythm.