Holistic Living

The term holistic seems to be most used in the medical field these days. I go to a holistic doctor and my primary care physician and I love that massage therapy is part of holistic treatments. Who else has a doctor that has prescribed massage therapy? I think that is pretty neat and was the only excuse needed to schedule one regularly (as in every couple of months).

However, the term has so much more depth to it. It simply means to emphasize the whole instead of its parts and is a philosophy I was taught while going to Hope College and getting a liberal arts degree. I had to take everything from health to music to philosophy to statistics in order to graduate. This made getting out in 4 years difficult but worth it. Health dynamics was the class that really changed my thinking. Since then I have worked out on a fairly consistent basis but, beyond that, it was the class that really converted me to be a liberal arts, holistic learner. I realized how connected body, mind and spirit are and I think that comes out in my posts now.

So often in the past I have gotten tunnel vision - I need to focus on this test, this project, this upcoming event...one at a time! Now everything is connected. It is not enough to fight for the unborn if I don't help their caretakers with resources and information or appreciate the life once it is here - that goes for every life, including mine. So I blame/credit my college for making me think in a way that connects everything to respecting the sanctity of life. From dancing to pregnancy centers, special education to the death penalty - everything deals with life. If I don't value what is there in front of me - am I setting a good example? Probably not. So thank you to Hope College - I guess I'm still using many of the skills I have learned even if I do not have a full time job.