Holistic medicine is the buzz word for the new medicine in this country which understands wellness and illness as mind, body and spirit. It also understands healing rather than fixing. It's not about just some newer tricks in our medicine bag. It is not about some apparent hocus pocus and waving our hands over the body in healing touch, or praying for recovery. It's also not about just being kinder, more respectful and gentler with the humanity of suffering people. It includes all of that, but it's more. In many ways it's thousands of years old.

The eastern medical arts have always understood mind, body and spirit to be inseparable aspects of the one being. In our culture we think it's news. Native Americans have been there for centuries. For that matter, it wasn't long ago that it was news that the mind and body were connected with one another.

Now, holistic medicine is about human beings supporting, educating and counseling people suffering in mind. body and spirit. It openly acknowledges that all three aspects of the human being inevitably are affected with suffering, different aspects emphasized depending upon the inbalance.

So it is more than acupuncture needles, yoga exercises, healing prayers, biofeedback machines or drums. It is about a new of conceptualizing ourselves as human beings in our wellness and illness and about taking primary responsibility for ourselves in our own healing.

We learn all we can about ourselves, we cultivate our minds, bodies and spirits and rebuild purpose, meaning and hope. The serenity prayer, the golden rule and a loving faith keep us growing.