Have we fully considered the consequence of healing that occurs when we aspire to joy?
Joy is the one element of healing that rarely gets mentioned. What I mean by "joy" is a radical aliveness, a vitality and zest for life, and a sense of well-being on physical, mental, and emotional levels.
As a health care provider, you may have pondered the following scenario before: Why is it that when some people are given a diagnosis of terminal cancer, they look into the eyes of death, get up from their bed, and walk the other way? And, why do other patients embrace their fear and fold themselves into the cold embrace of death?
It may be that some are too stubborn to succumb to death, but I suspect the real difference may be the capacity for joy. All of us have seen this at some point or another during our lives. We all know some people who, when they get a common cold, look and act like they are about to make plans for their funerals. Then, we know or hear of others, like Stephen Hawking, PhD, a research scientist and best-selling author who has been called "the greatest mind in physics since Albert Einstein." At 21 years of age, Dr. Hawking was diagnosed with ALS (often referred to as "Lou Gehrig's disease") and told he had two years to live. More than 20 years later, Dr. Hawking is still very much alive. While it's true that he is bound to a wheelchair, can't talk without the aid of a voice synthesizer, and needs assistance to perform even the simplest of daily tasks (such as brushing his teeth), he nonetheless fully embraces life.
In wholistic medicine, the perspective is to look at the patient's "terrain" or personal environment when devising a care plan. Does the patient have a pleasure and passion for life? Does the patient have a certain zest for living?
An infection or illness can only effectively thrive in a climate that is compromised-or in a person who is susceptible. On a simple level, most people fall prey to a cold or flu when they are fatigued, stressed, or poorly nourished. Although we can alleviate the runny nose or other symptoms, the more fundamental question is this: How do we help the body and the spirit regain balance and vitality? How do we help that person reconnect with joy? The beauty of wholistic modalities such as homeopathy, Aruyvedic, or traditional Chinese medicine is that they do not work against the person, but with the body to restore harmony.
I find that the most effective prescription I can write for my patients is an "Rx for Joy." When a patient embraces life fully and completely, there is less and less space within that person to hold an illness. Illness breeds best in dark and lonely places. When a patient opens the windows of their soul, lets the sun and light in, breathes the air fully, and allows the healing power of life to take hold, that person might find that the illness does not take hold.
I wouldn't spit in the face of death, nor would I shake his hand; instead, if you please, I'll walk the other way. The only true aim of healing is to allow people to more fully experience the joys and pleasures of life. When I hear the song "Joy to the World," it is a reminder to return to a complete state of wellness on all levels: emotional, physical and spiritual.
Dr. T. Namaya
MIA, MSN, FNP, CCH, RS, HOM (NA), D.SCI.
Doctor of Homeopathic Medicine
Family Nurse Practitioner
The Prescription Is Joy
