So this illustrates the schism between Western and Eastern medicine philosophies. Eastern medicinal philosophy posits that the mind and body are one entity. What affects one affects the other. They are both of the same energy source and share interacting properties. So a broken leg is just as valid and real as a mental illness like depression. In this view, one’s responsibility for the illness has nothing to do with its validity.
Western medicine believes in the mind and body as separate entities. This type of thinking could lead to judgment calls as to the validity or realness of an illness that cannot be poked or prodded, such as mental illnesses. Is this disease ”real” or simply a character flaw? But if you truly consider this philosophy, you will realize that this black-and-white thinking isn’t realistic.
Crystals, magnets and minerals have been used in the healing arts for at least 6,000 years. Folklore and stories passed through generations speak of the healing properties of gemstones. The Sumerians of Mesopotamia and ancient Egyptians were the first people to use crystals as an adornment to ward off illness and negative energy. Modern-day use of crystals is found among many healers influenced by the Chinese concept of “chi,” or life energy. There is also another group who align themselves with the Hindu/Buddhist concept of “chakras,” vortices of life energy connecting both supernatural and physical elements within the body.
These elements of healing are viewed as an alternative to conventional, Western medicine. Stones, crystals and magnets are used to cure and protect against ailments. Practitioners believe crystals and the like are conduits for positive healing energy to flow into the body. Simultaneously, the bad energy, or illness, is evacuated from the body.
In America, the practice of wearing copper bracelets for arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis has been popular since the 1970s. Wearing magnetic bracelets or amulets has been a centuries-old tradition. It is estimated that worldwide, sales of magnetic devices generates $1 billion a year. But most medical researchers and practitioners say to use your money for treatments that are known to work.
“What these findings do tell us is that people who suffer with rheumatoid arthritis may be better off saving their money or spending it on other complementary interventions, such as dietary fish oils, for example, which have far better evidence for effectiveness,” writes Stewart Richmond, a research fellow in the Department of Health Sciences at University of York in the U.K.
Most Western-trained physicians consider crystal and mineral healing as “pseudoscience.” There is no medical evidence that crystal healing works, they say. To its credit, science has never been able to corroborate bad energy as a disease source. Not that they have tried very hard, as evinced by the dearth of studies on this issue. Furthermore, no scientific study has shown that crystals and stones can be differentiated by composition or color to treat a specific illness.
But there are some medical doctors who recognize the use of crystals as a therapy to induce relaxation, which is therapeutic for stress-related illnesses.
Another effect of crystal healing is considered by the vast majority of physicians as the “placebo effect.” This is defined as a treatment that affects the illness though the treatment is not directly impacting the disease itself. This happens when the patient believes that some process will work to alleviate symptoms of an illness. Because of the patient’s belief, the medical procedure may work and help to relieve signs of the illness.
Other researchers are beginning to investigate the medicinal possibilities of various aspects of Eastern medicine. One example using transdermal patches as a delivery system for drugs or vitamins is similar, some say, to wearing copper/iron or magnetic bracelets for rheumatoid arthritis.
The basis for this theory is that the skin was the original feeding system for humans when they were just simple-celled organisms. This was before we developed more complex organs like the digestive tract. The only way to get nutrients was through cell walls. Sweat and fluids below the skin oxidize chemicals by acting as electrochemical generators, breaking down and absorbing elements of copper and iron into the body.
Investigators are also trying to figure out how to quantify the effects of crystal healing. Proponents say that measurements of crystal phenomenon such as auras, vibrations and frequencies are not presently testable. Opponents are sure these occurrences are not measurable because they aren’t real. But frequency-based technologies are already in use. Ultrasounds, cauterization tools and microwave diathermy (electrically induced heat) machines all use various frequencies to accomplish their tasks.
“Our exclusive dependence on rational thought and language has obscured our natural ability to sense the flow of energy” wrote Ilchi Lee, author of Brain Wave Vibration: Getting Back Into the Rhythm of a Happy, Healthy Life.
So whether you go to a holistic practitioner that lays various stones on your chakra points, or you visit a Western-style doctor for a diagnosis and treatment, the important thing is that you believe in your treatment. This, perhaps, is the most powerful medicine out there: your mind.