Medicine is defined by oxford dictionary (online) as:

1The science or practice of the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease (in technical use often taken to exclude surgery):
he made distinguished contributions to pathology and medicine
the remarkable achievements of modern medicine

2A drug or other preparation for the treatment or prevention of disease:
give her some medicine

3(Among North American Indians and some other peoples) a spell, charm, or fetish believed to have healing, protective, or other power:
Fleur was murdering him by use of bad medicine

As a doctor I have spent a lot of time training in 1 and 2. Today it is based very much on rational thought – the use of studies and evidence base to make rational decisions based around a diagnosis. The process is to come to a diagnosis based on clinical history, examination and investigation. Once there is a diagnosis a treatment plan can be put in place based on studies of how to treat this diagnosis.  Over time the balance between history, examination and investigations has changed with more focus on investigations as technology has improved.

The studies used are either:

• observational, based around looking at populations and comparing them to a different population to see if there is a difference.  This produces an association with an exposure which carries a different outcome. An example of this is smoking and lung cancer. Association does not mean proof of causality (although the media and some doctors seem to get this confused). Causality is generally based on a set of criteria.  These type of studies are hypothesis generating.
• Experimental, based around an intervention which is controlled. The classic example is an randomised control study which takes a set population of similar people and splits them randomly into 2 groups. One group has an intervention where the other has a placebo. The results can then prove if the intervention has an improvement. These are generally hypothesis testing studies.

This information is based on populations and probabilities. In real life people may not fit neatly into these boxes but the information is used to guide the decision making.

So what then of shamanic medicine – it is based on the individual and a spiritual diagnosis of what is needed. This will vary from person to person even if they present with the same disease.  This makes it very difficult to study other than at an observational level of do people feel better afterwards. It is based around the belief system of the shaman which the client accepts. The work of the shaman includes the healing story for the client to enable them to understand the process. Although sometimes I have had healing sessions with no story and these have been even more profound.

I do therefore work with 2 very different “models” of  medicine. As time goes on I am getting more comfortable doing so. My simple rule is that the client determines which one I use. If they see me as a doctor then it’s the western medicine, If they see me as a shamanic practitioner in training then they get the shamanic model.

There is lots more to say on this topic. Until next time.

Love and Blessings