WHAT IS HOLISM?

By Lilo Bauer-Freitag, M.A., CLC April 2016

EVERY DECADE CREATES ITS OWN BUZZWORDS AND NEW CONCEPTS

Some of these stick around for more than a decade, while others disappear again or are replaced.
“Holistic” therapies entered the West during the 70’s when it became fashionable to travel to India,
China or Tibet, in an effort to expand our worldview and a scientific paradigm that was mostly based on
tangible matter and what can be witness with human eyes. Ever since, the West has remained calling
for an expansion of this paradigm that is unable to account for much our human experience: Most of
what we cherish and wish for in life, i.e., love, purpose, meaning, happiness, wellbeing, creativity, joy,
forgiveness, communication with each other, with nature and with God…are highly intangible and non-
scientific ideas. In fact, an “idea” in and by itself is mystical in nature, as are moments of deep insight
and understanding which change us forever. Those come from and occur in realms which escape the
parameters of physics, mathematics, economics, medicine or psychiatry. Even much of psychology and
mental health schools of thought contain concepts which seem to defy clear definitions and precise
measurement. No one knows exactly what and where “the Mind” is, let alone, “the Self,” “Ego,”
confidence or willpower, attitude or thought, a feeling, consciousness, or life itself. When not defining
the universe in terms of energy , while including the less visible but inevitable subtle-energy
components of the human organism, the essence of life and conscious living forever evade us.

THERE ARE FOUR BASIC PREMISES OF A TRULY HOLISTIC PARADIGM

1. Everything is Energy, in varying density and energy frequency. The temporary manifestation
or “illusion” of matter comes about by sub-atomic particles being suspended in certain
distances from each other, through electromagnetic attraction. “We are all electromagnetic
clouds,” said O. Becker, MD, Professor of Orthopedics and Author of The Body Electric. “…[This]
will be judged to be the primary discovery of the twentieth century: that living organisms are
sensitive to magnetic fields, that living organisms produce magnetic fields, that electric currents
flow within the body, and that all of these things are part of the living process.”
2. Everything is ALIVE. There is nothing “dead” or truly “solid.” A dead “thing” cannot exist or
be. It would not be a “thing” we can talk about. As soon as it is, it consists of particles, atoms,
molecules and/or cells, all vibrating with enormous energy.
3. All Energy is Information and goal-directed. This implies that it is conscious of itself, in some
fashion, further evidenced by the fact that our own consciousness can interact, influence and
communicate with all things and with the energy on those levels of pure consciousness. The
original idea (there is that word again) for this universe is an energy frequency or impulse which
can be perceived (alas, it communicates, as “the word” or as sound, at least), and it has creative
powers. Everything which vibrates is alive and produces an effect (waves or “ripple” effects),
with the ability to “excite” or transform all in its path. Much of non-physical/sub-atomic
bonding occurs according to the principle, “like to like.” Like information or energy is attracted
 to each other, and energy/information can be changed when bombarded continuously with
differently vibrating energy. You might recall Dr. Emoto’s water experiments, as a case in point.
4. Everything in this universe is replicated, infinitely large or small, and consists basically of the
same energetic components. Hence consider not the shape of physical form of bodies; instead,
consider the electromagnetic bodies which house the physical manifestations! From atom to
planets and stars, and everything in between, all has the same form and bodies. We are all
electromagnetic bubbles, with smaller and smallest “bubbles” floating inside of us. In turn, we
and all there is is floats inside larger energy clouds or “bubbles.” The expressions, “Microcosm
equals Macrocosm,” and “As above, so below,” come to mind here.

THE ETERNAL MIND OR SOUL CAN THUS BE DEFINED AS THE SUM OF OUR SUB-
ATOMIC, NON-PHYSICAL, SUBTLE ENERGY FIELDS…

…Which consist of—from finest to densest—of our abstract ideas and purpose, to thoughts and to
emotions. “Attitudes” are constructs of certain emotional connections we make with any particular
thought. All of these are our creations (or they were adopted into our “house” with our consent or
without our conscious awareness), and those are with us at all times, surrounding and permeating us, in
egg-shape-fashion. They are conscious, seeing and thinking and communicating, independent of a
physical brain, ears or eyes, of DNA or any physical body at all. All “ghost,” “angel,” and “spirit”
phenomena thus can be understood as semi-tangible and reasonable subtle-energy manifestations, as
does mind-to-mind communication, as well as communication among all that exists. Not only is such
communication possible, but it is happening constantly, throughout creation, because everything has a
soul or mind. And many subtle-energy formations exist only in (or better, as a mind), without any
physical form whatsoever. The mechanism—our non-physical sensory organs, in fact—to facilitate
communication (both sending and receiving), connecting our subtle-energy bodies with each other and
with realms of like energy/information, is our Chakra System. Importing knowledge of Chakras from
the East into our understanding was a monumental milestone in the direction of a paradigm shift
toward Holism. Still, our science continues to view the physical body as paramount, and it presumes
the physical brain as the seat and driver or our consciousness and behaviors. Both premises seem to be
delaying any real progress toward a shift, even when “holistic therapies” are plugged in, here and
there, as augmentation to a medical intervention which remains true to the old paradigm and continues
to be considered superior.

However, if something as crude as a wire coat hanger or a feather can show the existence of
these subtle energy fields or bodies, you know that science can or could measure and explore
them.
AS HUMANS, WE ALSO CARRY A SPARK OF ORIGINAL SPIRIT (SOURCE ENERGY)
INSIDE OF US…

…Which may be referred to as “The God Within,” our inner compass or yardstick, without which
“meaning,” “value” or “sense of” cannot be assessed. To the extent we learn to allow this spirit to
operate our house and value in on our decisions, we experience wellness and are thriving. Dis-Ease,
then, can be viewed as working from the outside inward, i.e., first as error messages in our subtle
bodies of thought and emotions, until these finally manifest themselves as ailments in our physical
body, if and for as long as we have one. It also follows that, with this paradigm, that physical life is the
temporary “dream,” and that our actual, eternal life (before, during and beyond physical incarnations)
occurs in other, subtle-energy dimensions, all of the time. “Dreams” can occasionally give us a glimpse
into these other dimensions in which we are actually much more fully conscious than right here, right
now, and in which we tirelessly act and create.

With these premises and definitions in mind, it becomes clear that a holistic modality, “borrowed” from
the East and plugged into our Western scientific paradigm does not make a practitioner “holistic.”
When removed from its much broader context, these modalities and interventions lose much of their
effectiveness and can have a (negatively) enabling effect. This is so because the person is not viewed in
his/her entirety, and the inherent spirit-will is not viewed as paramount. As long as we view the
removal or suppression of physical symptoms as the sole goal or purpose of therapy or an intervention,
not even the addition of “prayer with the patient” makes the treatment a holistic one. Prayer is now
offered by some clinic s for patients who are following all medical treatment recommendations, first
and foremost. Of course, prayer is never wasted, but—from the holistic view--this approach is “upside-
down.” A holistic practitioner, prior to recommending any intervention, always consults with spirit first,
and attempts to “read” the language of the body, as an expression of the inherent spirit-will.

BODY THERAPY VERSUS SPIRITUAL THERAPY

A Body Therapy (one that aims to alter physical symptoms, as its ultimate goal) can be holistic, as long
as it considers the other subtle-energy bodies and does nothing to cause those harm. It also would not
serve to maintain or enable existing deficiencies in those bodies. Body therapies are very beneficial for
those in the final stages of “learning” about the purpose of a particular ailment. As such, it can serve as
the final push in the right direction, after all lessons have been learned. Chiropractic and nutrition
coaching can be such examples. Yet without deeper work on one’s issues, chiropractic efforts bring but
temporary relief and we’ll find ourselves going back, time and again, for additional treatments.
Conversely, a spiritual therapy (i.e., non-physical or subtle energy therapy) aims only at positive change
in a person’s energy bodies. Based on the assumption that a healthy body follows healthy thinking and
feeling, the physical ailment will disappear, by itself, once one’s errors in intent, thinking and feeling
have been explored. However, if it does not disappear, a holistic practitioner considers healing
possible, even in the presence of a persistent ailment! Perfect wellness and peace can be achieved by
a person without limbs, or with latent predisposition toward chemical dependency, for example. Some
ailments may be chosen by the Spirit, for a multitude of reasons. A truly holistic practitioner considers
those reasons and the spirit-will as paramount and will never remove an ailment, “just because I can”!
Prayer (consulting the spirit) comes before any intervention to preclude the willful interference of man
in someone else’s chosen journey. Any ailment which appears treatment resistant or which resurfaces
elsewhere after surgery, for example, should give us a clue regarding some larger principle being at
work, needing to be explored and understood.

Ideally, body therapies should always be combined with one or more spiritual therapies and, at times,
with mental health interventions as well. Ultimately, spirit will and the individual’s informed and
conscious decisions reign supreme in all recovery, and health practitioners must enjoy legal freedom
and protection to allow and cooperate with such individual freedom themselves—free from pushing
“standard medicine” which are designed for the masses, without individualistic focus.

THE FOLLOWING IS AN ATTEMPT TO CONTRAST THE MOST OBVIOUS DIFFERENCES

1. Allopathic Medicine:
 Look for the common denominator in illnesses
 Look for the “enemy” and “fight” (aggressively)
 Uncomfortable Hospital, ER, and doctor waiting rooms, ice-cold treatment rooms and
instruments, waiting for hours, often with little clothing or housed together with many
other very sick people, for extended periods of time.
 Doctors and staff “hiding” behind laptops. (“Would they even recognize me if they saw
me at Starbucks?”)
 Administer pharmaceuticals which add subtle-energy information, but often do not
address the root cause (which always involves one’s mis/understanding of something).
Therefore, harmful side-effects, life-long drug dependencies, and enabling of poor
mental attitudes follow.
 Reliance on surgery and replacement of “unfixable” body parts, without regard to the
energy bodies which actually will be harmed by the procedure.
 As long as spirit is not considered a viable entity in medicine and as unscientific, an MD
will not explore and adhere to a person’s spirit-intentions and spirit-will.
 2. Holistic Intervention:
 Each intervention is most individualistic! No two people have even the same
symptoms for the exact same reason, nor do they heal in exactly the same way, at the
same sequence, in the same timeframe or in response to the same
stimuli/questions/information. Healing has to do with Learning. No two people
understand the same thing, even when attending the identical lecture.
 Look for and strengthen a person’s resources and assets.
 Determine, omit (passive), undo and avoid the original stressor, instead of fighting.
E.g., turning the stove off and removing the hand, instead of only pouring salves on
the hand and administering pain killers, while keeping all other things constant.
 Add love and a warm, loving environment. In ancient Greece, sick people were
brought to a beautiful island, with flowers and music, fountains, healing foods and
gentle people, so that the body-mind could find rest and find its own rhythm again.
 Emphasis is on building trust and creating an atmosphere conducive to exploring a
person’s blind spots in the mind. This involves lowering each person’s defenses which
will only happen in a completely non-judgmental and personable and confidential
environment.
 Add the missing (energy) information, “sound” or frequency, until the organism
resonates.
 “Soul searching,” as a person’s memory is triggered or glimpses into blind spots
become visible, leading to complete ownership and self-responsibility of all that will or
will not happen, i.e., learning, personal growth and change, in utter respect for a
person’s free will and choice.
 Considers that some ailments are “chosen” or “karmic” in origin.

One must give credit to the phenomenal achievements of Western Medicine in life-threatening
emergencies. All in all, however, I believe that over-reliance on surgery and pharmaceuticals has made
us lazier and sicker, as a species. All the while, we have made healing dependent upon trillion-dollar
gadgets and on the presence of electricity! What if we ever were without those again? What would
happen to our capacity to heal ourselves and others? What do these medical procedures do in regards
to teach us to utilize our own healing mechanisms to heal ourselves?

THE ROLE OF THE ENVIRONMENT & “LIFESTYLE CHOICES”

Doubtlessly, our thriving is being influenced, today mostly negatively, by environmental toxins and
constant bombardment with electro-magnetic radiation, the effects of which cannot be removed
without a clear understanding of, “What is Poison,” followed by action and environmental changes. In
the holistic view, the environment is me, too! We are not supposed to be immune to poison, as this would
rob us of the learning about poisons and recognizing the same as such. We are supposed to know how
we are harming the environment and, with that, in the end, ourselves. Therefore, social and
environmental activism becomes a necessary part of our own healing and spiritual growth, as we do have
impact on and responsibility for the “Whole” of all things and the world we create.
But I understand, also, that the order within my own house(s) is my first and foremost responsibility,
without which my actions will be weak and ineffective. Still, adding a few lifestyle changes to the
treatment plan, in itself, does not make an intervention a “holistic” one! And also, we shouldn’t be told or
say that we are close to finding a cure (e.g., for cancer or Alzheimer’s), as long as we collectively are not
willing to address and remove causative agents from the environment, and as long as Corporations continue
to be allowed to produce and unleash toxins into the world!

We would logically expect health practitioners to be in the forefront of detecting environmental dangers,
raising the red flag and driving political and legal action, instead of fighting a never ending and unwinnable
fight against disease. Driving politics would be a novel change to always being the ones being sued,
wouldn’t it?

CONCLUSION

It all has been said before: To “Know thy own house” may, indeed, be the key to understanding
creation and life itself. Rather than increasingly depending on electricity and machinery, our wellness
and thriving as a species seem much more related to a re-definition of life and what we expect life to be.
If wellness doesn’t result (a mere “managing the ever-increasing symptoms and diagnoses” is not the
same as wellness and thriving), something is missing from our basic premise and concept. Yes, indeed,
the holistic paradigm shift appears well-overdue!

I would like to close this discussion with an alleged quote from Nikola Tesla:

“The day science beings to study non-physical phenomena, it will make more progress in one
decade than in all the previous centuries of its existence.”

And here is one of my favorites from Pythagoras:

“The most divine art is that of healing. And if the healing art is most divine, it must occupy itself
with the soul as well as the body; for no creature can be sound so long as the higher part of it is
suffering.”

In studying and accepting our non-physical bodies into our total view of us humans, we discover that
this is the Mind; indeed, this is also the Soul, complete or “whole” with a divine spirit, residing in one’s
heart! How each of us relates to our energy bodies, how those relate to spirit, and how each inter-
relates with spirits and souls throughout the universe…all of these relationships, singly and together,
define the essence of HOLISM.