As a general population in Western culture…

• when we have a headache we reach for Advil or Tylenol or aspirin

• when we have an upset stomach we reach for Tums or Alka-Seltzer or Pepto Bismol

• when we have a cold we reach for Dayquil or Nyquil or Zicam

They’re products of “the cold ways”; a mostly one-size-fits-all treatment approach. There’s nothing wrong with that, per se. However, back in the not-so-long-ago day, we instead sought the old ways.

The old ways

It was about five years ago when my guides began referring to modern medicine as “the cold ways.” They defined the cold ways as methods of healing that failed to address the spirit, the soul. They’re methods that are deemed “mechanical.”

About that same time, they began referring to alternative medicine - healing modalities such as Reiki, soul retrieval, cranio-sacral therapy and even massage therapy (when used for the purpose of relaxation and healing) - as “the old ways.”

In addition, they included the use of herbs to create tinctures, ointments, teas, poultices, etc., as well as essential oils and even food - in its natural state (meaning not processed through artificial means) and eaten seasonally - in the old-ways camp. Yoga, Ayurveda, traditional Chinese medicine(TCM), acupuncture and reflexology are other modalities that make the cut.

The old ways treat the individual from the spiritual level to the cellular level. They support the entire person rather than addressing only a symptom. And they rely on intuition and body wisdom to be most effective.

Seeking the old ways

In the face of 2020 and its challenges, which have bled into 2021, many people find themselves seeking the old ways as an alternative to the over-the-counter offerings at their local drugstore chain. The surge is almost involuntary; as if they’re energized by something other than themselves - or, at least, a deeper and more intuitive aspect of their human selves.

And perhaps they are.

Herbal remedies are seeing a resurgence. People are turning to alternative treatments such as energy work, TCM and Yoga who pre-pandemic didn’t see those options as something for them.

People are also tuning into their own inner knowing more than every before, it seems. They’re learning to trust their intuition and body wisdom rather than just give themselves over to the “experts.” They’re advocating for something that’s more designed for their specific needs and less designed for the masses.

It’s remarkable to witness.

Practicing the old ways

Practicing the old ways may seem a bit like stepping back in time. In some ways, it is. What practicing the old ways is really about is allowing ourselves to listen to our body and its needs, and to trust ourselves to fulfill those needs.

That doesn’t mean we take an approach that excludes modern medicine, unless that’s what we’re truly guided to. The old ways won’t remove a ruptured appendix or reconstruct a splintered femur, and so modern medicine and its advances have its place.

The way to look at it might be this: Practicing the old ways is a way to create a more holistic and hands-on state of health on our own behalf, with modern medicine being the add-on rather than the given.

It’s the best of both worlds, so to speak, and may prove more beneficial - and most certainly will prove empowering - for us. Something to consider.

Blessed be.