Spirituality - Traditional Healing

Traditional Healing

Every tribe had some form of traditional healing for their peoples.

• Traditional Healers are either born with their gifts or have spent much time developing their gifts from a knowledgeable teacher.

• Traditional healing is very much like traditional ceremonies but with fewer people. Many times it is done with just the healer and the patient.

• Most traditional healers have some form of these general beliefs:
  • A traditional belief that honors our ancestors.
  • A traditional belief that approaches diseases as a teacher, not as an enemy.
  • A traditional belief that understands that all dis-eases are intimately related to our body, mind, emotion and spirit.
  • A traditional belief that requires each one of us to take responsibility for our personal well being.
  • A traditional belief that uses indigenous plants and animals of our region to assist us in our healing process.
  • A traditional belief that uses ritual and ceremony for healing.
  • A traditional belief that teaches us to give back more than we take.
  • A traditional belief that teaches us to take only what we need in order that future generation will be given an abundant life.

• Most of traditional healers do their work with prayer. The prayer can be spoken out loud, done privately in your thoughts, and many times the prayer is through song and dance.
• Many traditional healers use many sacred items such as feathers, herbs, tobacco, rattles, drums, smudges etc. and sometimes include items of the main elements; earth, air, fire and water.

Abuse of spiritual healers (both organized religious leaders and traditional healers)

CAUTION: Most religious and traditional healers do an excellent job. Yet some spiritual healers, of any religion or belief, are not ethical in their practices.

• Some people, many times due to their desperate desire to receive healing, can find themselves very much at risk of being abused by an unethical healer.
• People have reported physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse and financial abuse etc by not being extremely careful in choosing the right person.
• Trust your instincts. Even though someone was recommended by a friend or family member, make sure you feel comfortable with them.
• If you get a feeling that something doesn't seem quite right, trust this.
• Not all healers are right for everyone. Have another person with you in your healing session. Your inner knowing will guide you.

• There are many ways people practice their traditional healing. All use some type of prayer combined with their special gifts. A few examples are songs, herbs, stones, earth, water, flowers, eggs, dance etc. Some also use different parts of their bodies for healing such as their hands, head, mouth, feet etc.
• If you are interested in finding a traditional healer you may want to ask someone you know and trust to recommend a person to you.