I am very much a grounded person. When someone first told me about naturopathy I was completely skeptical and imagined some hippy-dressed lady circling me with incense burning and telling me about my palm reading.
Don't ask.
I am still a pretty skeptical person. It's a fine line for me between something that has been scientifically proven and something that I find completely 'hokey'.
I find that when I am at the end of my rope when it comes to Western medicine, that is when I tend to being more open-minded about alternative ways.
I have (in the past) gone and done acupuncture, cupping, essential oils, herbal remedies, body-talk, yoga and meditation sessions, all sorts of stuff.
Here is where it gets tricky. My whole opinion on all of this is that if it is helpful, I'll continue. If it is not causing me more pain over a long period of time, I'll continue. If it is based on mythology, does not cost so much money that I am scraping by, and does not cause any harm, then why not??
For instance - all of the belief systems surrounding chakras are pretty interesting to read. Is it a little hokey? Maybe. But concentrating on certain 'energies', doing specific yoga poses, and having particular gemstones and crystals around are not activities that will harm me. So why not? It COULD help - even if it is something small like making me more aware of my body, or helping me focus on my breathing...
And then there is the idea of a dream catcher. I have always found this belief fascinating.
Well, on my little holiday in a little mountain town, I bought myself a small dream catcher that now hangs over my bed. Does it work? I can't claim yes or no. I have no idea. But what does it hurt to have a beautiful piece of artwork in my place? It didn't cost me much, and I can use all the help I can get with all of my nightmares and hallucinations.
I don't claim to have any knowledge of spirits, chakras, auras, the afterlife, dream worlds and nightmares... But I think that any positive energy - whether it is myth or reality - is a good thing to keep in my life.
If my nightmares don't subside, then I have a beautiful handcrafted souvenir from my trip.
Why not?