What The East has to teach the West about health and healing through Herbalism.The Cadeceus symbol, Kundalini and Pranic Healer works with the entire body with the 5 elements, with Prana and Life force energy for optimum health and to create the bliss state and to reach enlightenment. which is fundamental in Ayurveda aswel as the Egyptian Yoga system and Traditional Chinese Medicines use of Herbs to assist health. The Eastern Herbalist path is one of looking at a Whole-Listic approach. Not just what is presented but the entire system behind the issue, symptom or thing being presented.
What Eastern Herbalism Has to Teach the West
For thousands of years, Eastern herbalism has thrived as a deeply holistic and spiritual approach to healing. In contrast to the fixed prescriptions of Western medicine, systems like Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) which dive into creating individualized treatments, balancing the body’s unique constitution rather than simply addressing symptoms. As the West increasingly embraces adaptogens, energy-based healing, and plant medicine, there is much to learn from the wisdom of the East.
A Personalized Approach to Healing
One of the most profound differences between Eastern and Western approaches to herbalism is their understanding of the individual. Western medicine often follows a one-size-fits-all model, prescribing the same medication for every patient with the same condition—a fixed treatment plan based on symptoms rather than root causes. However, in Ayurveda and TCM, practitioners consider a person’s energetic balance, constitution, and lifestyle before recommending a treatment. This ensures a holistic approach that heals the body, mind, and spirit.
In Ayurveda, the Pranic Path teaches that life force energy (Prana) must flow harmoniously through the body. Each person has a unique Dosha (Vata, Pitta, or Kapha), which determines their physical and emotional tendencies. When prescribing herbal remedies, Ayurvedic practitioners select herbs that balance the individual’s Dosha, taking into account their diet, environment, and current state of being.
Similarly, Traditional Chinese Medicine focuses on Qi (life force energy), the balance of Yin and Yang, and the meridian system. Instead of treating a symptom in isolation, TCM practitioners look at the body’s energetic imbalances and prescribe herbal formulas tailored to the individual’s condition. For example, two people with insomnia may receive entirely different treatments—one may need cooling herbs to calm an overactive mind, while another may require warming herbs to strengthen their Qi.
Adaptogens and the Rise of Holistic Healing in the West
One of the most significant contributions of Eastern herbalism to the West is the concept of adaptogens—herbs that help the body adapt to stress and restore balance. While adaptogenic herbs such as Ashwagandha (Ayurveda), Reishi Mushroom (TCM), and Rhodiola (Siberian herbalism) have been used for centuries in the East, they have only recently gained popularity in Western wellness circles.
Unlike pharmaceutical drugs that target specific symptoms, adaptogens work on a systemic level, helping to regulate cortisol, support the nervous system, and build resilience to stress. This reflects a major shift in Western herbalism, moving toward more preventative and holistic approaches rather than just symptom management.
The Ancient Trade Routes & Herbal Exchange
The integration of Eastern herbal wisdom into Western practice is not a new phenomenon—it has been happening for centuries through trade and cultural exchange. The Silk Road and maritime trade routes connected Ayurvedic and TCM practitioners with neighboring healing traditions, including Persian, Greek, and Egyptian herbalism. Through these exchanges, herbs like ginger, turmeric, saffron, and ginseng traveled across the world, influencing medical traditions far beyond their place of origin.
As globalization continues, Western herbalists are rediscovering these ancient healing traditions and integrating them into modern wellness practices. Today, it is not uncommon to find herbal formulas that blend TCM tonic herbs with Ayurvedic adaptogens, combined with Western herbal traditions to create a truly integrative approach to healing.
The Future of Herbalism: Merging East & West
While Western medicine excels in emergency care and diagnostics, Eastern herbalism offers a time-tested model for preventative medicine, energetic healing, and personalized wellness. As more practitioners embrace holistic healing, individualized herbal formulas, and energetic medicine, the future of herbalism will likely be a fusion of East and West.
By learning from Eastern traditions, Western herbalism can move beyond the symptom-based approach and embrace the art of healing the whole person—body, mind, and spirit.
Eastern Herbalism looks at the whole person when deciding on the treatment where as Western Herbalism identifies the local pain or disease and treats the symptoms. Together Eastern and Western Medicine are a perfect example of the Cadeceus symbol that has been used in both western and herbal modern and traditonal folklore medicine. The 2 schools of thought represent the snakes of the Cadeceus symbol. They perform a sacred dance of assisting the body to maintain a state of Homeostasis and balance in different ways together in partnership they can assist in a Holistic practice of preventitive care aswel as local treatment of pain and discomfort. The Cadeceus symbol is a symbol that has been used to represent the medical system for great reason, its associations deal with a mans ability to rise above themselves and the ego, is it possible? The path of The Kundalini is the path of “The Self” back home to the Soul that is connected to the One Divine Light Source.The Cadeceus is a symbol of healing and medicine. The healing and medical systems of the East and West seperate further still based on the West’s disassociation with the spiritual aspect of health in the public field. Herbalism is not meant to be like pharmaceutical drugs a one size fits all approach instead an individual and their tissue state, their emotional state, mental state etc is analysed. The entire body is analysed including personality and not just the ailment that is being presented and then herbs are used based on those things analysed and the best choices to support the bodys natural ability to heal itself are chosen.
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