How Does our Health Benefit From a Trip to Afghanistan?

Afghanistan truly dominated our thoughts and our news cycle for months last year. But there is an interesting lesson there when contemplating our own health. For many years, numerous countries including the US and the UK tried to force Afghanistan to adopt our vision of what was best for their country and their people. We spent money, resources and lives trying to make Afghanistan over in our own image and we did this by layering our concepts on top of an intricate, diverse and co-dependent mosaic of people. This pushed many of the extreme elements of the society underground or into the periphery of society, even sending many into exile. So these elements which had been much of the driving force of Afghani society remained entrenched, dormant and unchanged waiting for their opportunity. Then last year as the inevitable withdrawal of foreign forces from the country occurred, the vacuum that was created drew back the very elements that had been ousted, only to point out that very little change had occurred after years of western resources controlling the country. Why was that?

We cannot completely identify nor understand the nuances, allegiances, philosophies and histories that move Afghanistan and its people. There is an inherent and natural pattern to this society where much of their decisions, ideas and priorities are antithetical to our own vision and therefore to this laying on of our ideas on top of thousands of years of social development and structure. So the result was that very little change occurred because the minute we were no longer there, the underlying pattern emerged unchanged. The extreme elements returned and started back up with the same strategies and structures, often aided by a willing or apathetic segment of the population.

In the human body there is also an inherent pattern, history, experiences and lifestyle that creates our health or lack thereof. Simply applying a prescription drug may make us feel better, may reduce the symptoms of chaos, pain and debility, but it does not create change, nor does it promote resolution. As soon as we stop, the original condition will often return, making us dependent on the drug for peace within our body.

In order to create real, lasting balance, peace and productivity, we have to support the inherent pattern and create subtle change through that pattern. We have to include each of our body systems and resources, realizing that these natural patterns have been able to maintain our body health for many years and will continue to do so, if essential resources are provided to enable it to do so. We have to strengthen our inherent systems for health and reduce the burdens to our body’s “society”. We have to allow time and have patience while change takes place.

Pharmaceuticals are excellent for getting us out of the thick of it, but that relief is only temporary. It has to be followed by real change, real support or we will not achieve the solution we seek. That’s why natural medicinal support of the body’s inherent healing capacity is essential, a truth that goes far beyond the borders of our body…