The idea that understanding is the equivalent of knowledge may seem true, but I found myself examining this position after reading Unity’s post this week. As usual, I try to improve my communication skills regarding patient education in order to promote a better understanding of health within my practice.
In my experience, patients need to understand what causes their symptoms and also what type of care, examination or any other clinical process I offer. According to Unity: “We have an innate desire to know the truth, to see things clearly and without limiting interferences”.
In that previous statement, the apparent relationship between knowledge and understanding is referred to as an innate sense of clarity that we seek through knowledge. Further more, we learn that understanding by definition is a personal opinion or interpretation of a subject.
It is clear to me that most of my time in clinic is spent explaining to patients. What has been also growing in clarity is that no matter how clever or truthful my explanations are, there is nothing I can do to guarantee that patients will understand or agree with the information. This introduces a new pickle for your mind. Is there a right understanding? In my search for clarity, I came to believe that understanding would be a balance between wisdom and knowledge. Without wisdom then understanding becomes a sterile intellectual choice, not shouldered by our intuition, but selected based on criteria not rooted within ourselves.
I believe that there is an innate intelligence within all of us, a presence that manifests consciously when you are open to it. From that place of innate understanding, I claim that there is no higher level of technology than nature itself. No matter how clever the information, there is no substitute for nature. When dealing with health issues, the only way to return to balance is through natural approaches no matter how unpractical it seems these days.
I believe that this statement can explain why so many of us have an innherent fear of medication. Can you think of anything more discomforting than a dentist visit that starts with the needle? How about medication? What else would explain that over 90% of patients never finish their prescription in spite of their “understanding”.
Yesterday, I was talking with a friend who is dealing with cancer. He has chosen an absolute chemical approach to his health problem and nothing I can say, can help him understand that what he needs is a more natural lifestyle. The discussion ended yesterday when he stated that if there was a better approach, then the media would promote it.
I stopped all discussions right there as I realized that his level of understanding was not rooted in wisdom but a synthetic sense of logic based on popular belief.
I honestly have no idea if raw foods, anti-oxidants, and natural therapies would be more efficient when dealing with the devastating reality of cancer. It just makes perfect sense that it would be. Besides, the thought of putting myself through the toxic chemotherapy, accompanying steroids and pain killers does not appeal to me as a valid choice of treatment. I would be terrified by the idea. The emphasis here is on me as this is merely a reflection of my limited understanding.
I believe that health is a result of lifestyle and that major health issues are caused by major lifestyle imbalances.
I seek to move past intellectual perception and abandon myself to spiritual understanding or intuition. I also respect the fact that this process is a process of becoming that cannot be forced and I am thankful for the abundance of people that seek my care specifically for my spiritual understanding of the importance of nature. I urge all of us who have manifested health victories through natural processes to share their experiences to help people raise their level of understanding.
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