A Bold New Era in Healthcare

The term “living Medicine”, is based on the ancient Native American definition of ‘MEDICINE’, which means ‘LIFE’. Therefore, the term, “Living Medicine”, translates to “Living Life”. It is the process of living one’s life and following one’s individual path to Wholeness. Specifically, our lives represent a journey that each of us is taking in order to be WHOLE—emotionally, physically, mentally, and spiritually. Living Medicine is the name of that journey.

By consciously ‘Living’ our lives and ‘Listening to the Physician Within’, we are practicing the ‘Medicine’ that we need for growing and healing physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

Paramount to the Living Medicine approach is the fundamental ideal that Love and Life are the true healers. Living Medicine recognizes each individual as a WHOLE Spiritual Being who creates their own recipe for living life and who does best when following their own unique path. It empowers each individual to take charge of their own life by consciously working with the Physician Within.

In Living Medicine, we may still work with a disease process, which could require drugs and surgery, but the emphasis would be on being whole and alive while doing so. This way of practicing medicine is a living, organic process that changes as each individual grows and evolves.

Living Medicine Defined

Living Medicine is a life process that engages life itself.
Living Medicine becomes the reality when we are able to tune in to our own lives to such an extent that living them becomes the healing.
Life creates the medicine we need for the healing. This requires “at-one-ment” with the physician within and cooperation with the physician without.
Living Medicine is life itself.
Our challenge is accessing the life force. This requires being present in every moment of our life so that if circumstances present us with illness or catastrophe or joy or laughter, we can use them to enhance and infuse that life.
Life itself is Living Medicine.
Living Medicine acknowledges the body’s incredible innate ability to heal.

Source: Living Medicine: The Dwelling Place,
by Gladys Taylor McGarey, M.D., M.D(H).,
pages 4-5 of Preface.

A New Life Approach

Living Medicine promotes a new Life Approach that recognizes that no matter what our current health status is, we have the capacity to age into health. Living Medicine awakens the healer within and guides the individual to take charge of their life.

It’s about living our lives and treating disease as only one of the many facets of who we are.
It’s about seeing ourselves as whole spiritual and physical beings. Life and our response to it becomes the healer. This does not mean that we won’t have health challenges, as we age. But, it does mean that as we continue to engage in life and embrace all facets of life, we will become whole, in spite of these challenges.
It’s about the power of being whole. We tend to spend so much time in our lives fighting off one disease or another or working on preventing disease. We get caught up in the never-ending process of chasing after and eradicating its symptoms, thinking that if we are free of symptoms we are healthy. However, health does not mean the absence of disease, it is about the power to be whole.

Wherever you are in life, whatever disease-state you may be in, and no matter your age, you are still healthy and whole. Joe is crippled and wheelchair-bound because of an accident. He can sit in his wheelchair and dwell on his misfortune, feeling sorry for himself. Or, he can get on with it and embrace life, in spite of his physical challenges. He can treat his physical problem as only one aspect of his life. He can carve a happy and healthy life, in spite of the disabilities that are trying to hold him back.

Illness is only one facet of life. It offers a doorway to healing on many levels, including the possibility of growth. Life itself is healing and age is not our enemy.

Getting Started

Living Medicine challenges us to make healthy changes in three key areas of our lives.

A New Perspective… Change how you think about health. Symptoms and pain are not the enemy. Instead, they are signals that tell us when something is off balance. In addition to treating them, listen to what they may be telling you. What do they represent? How do they relate to other parts of your life? What needs to be done to bring your life more into balance?

New Attitude… Take personal responsibility for your health. So often, the practitioner has been seen as the authority that tells the patient what to do. But, the true healer is really within you. You are the one that has the power to determine whether or not you will heal. Therefore, take personal responsibility for your health. Work closely with your physician as the coach that guides you, while following your inner guidance to restore wholeness in your life.

A New Energy… Take action today to begin balancing your life and health. Changing your life and health approach can feel like a daunting task. But, all it really takes is to begin with little baby-steps. For example, start out with one aspect of your life that you would like to change first, perhaps exercise. Begin your new exercise regimen by walking only 5 minutes per day and then work up to 30 minutes per day. Once you have followed this system for 3-4 weeks, it will become a new habit that is much easier to follow. When making changes in your life, there are three key words to remember: patience, perseverance, and consistency.