-IBIS-1.5.0-
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principles (Mind/Body)
introduction to Psychospiritual Materia Medica
psychospiritual approaches

definition

Introduction to Mind/Body Materia Medica


What this section is and isn't, and how to use it:

The real beauty of the Mind/Body section of IBIS is to be found in the materia medica, a veritable potpourri of wisdom, insight, common sense, and illumination. The difficulties in presenting this type of material are considerable; most notably, all the material available is not referenced throughout the conditions. When they write on these subjects, most authors address general applications rather than disease conditions. The conditions that have been the subjects of an abundance of research, such as asthma, cancer, and rheumatoid arthritis, are exceptions. So, if you are interested in material of a psychological or spiritual nature (including visualizations, affirmations, psychotherapy, process work, hypnotherapy, theotherapy, and many cultural healing methods), explore the materia medica. It will give you far more information and insight than the tidbits presented on the specific conditions.

This raises a difficult issue: how to present material of a psychospiritual material without being reductionistic? It is our intention to provide the practitioner with ways to encourage the unfolding of their patient's process.

What is the patient's story about? It will represent hidden parts of the person. Listen for the deep structure, the underlying meaning, who he or she is. The information or process is being expressed in the body as well as the spirit and the psyche, and may be worth exploring. This, then, is the principle of process work: there exists in every individual a unifying but unpredictable essence or energy pattern which courses through the whole of that person's life, from dreams to relationship crises to bodily and medical problems to external situations, and this establishes the person's behaviors and their symptoms. At the same time, each part reflects the whole, and is significant in an acausal way. The physical condition or symptoms are also representative of the whole. This is the basic assumption of this portion of IBIS. Or, "as above, so below."

On to the Mind/Body Materia Medica tour: it is rather magical and mysterious, but all you need is your beginner's mind. For any condition,
I direct your attention to a few basic cards which are then linked to the remaining 250 cards. These are: the 'body reveals' by Ron Kurtz and Hector Prestera, 'state-dependent learning' by Ernest Rossi, and 'process paradigm' by Arnold Mindell. Other interesting sections of the tour are the 'human energy centers (chakras)', and numerous cards of various cultural healing methods (Kahuna, Native American, Sufi, Ayurvedic) which all share some strikingly similar views about what is healing, and what healing is.

Cards are linked in a somewhat logical sequence which leads to the most closely associated areas of interest. All references that are linked in materia medica are listed alphabetically, encouraging exploration so that you can find your way completely through the sequence if you so desire. There is of course a table of contents for the "Mind/Body" section of the materia medica should you get completely lost or just curious. I hope you enjoy, as I have, browsing through these observations on our nature and universe. Happy trails to you and others!
(Mische')


footnotes