Balance
An expression in the Native American culture, “walking in balance,” describes the
philosophy of a peaceful coexistence and harmony with all aspects of life. This con-
cept of balance is found in all cultures throughout time. For optimal wellness, the
mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual components of health need to be bal-
anced, and equilibrium is needed among all the components. Walking in balance is
a learned skill and one that must be practiced regularly to engage in the process of
healthful living. This concept of balance appears again and again throughout the
various alternative healing practices.Circadian Rhythms
Universal rhythmic cycles are observed in plants, animals, and people and are
referred to as circadian rhythms. The word circadian derives from the Latin, circa diem,
which means “about a day.” Circadian rhythms are regular fluctuations of activity
and rest in a variety of physiologic processes that occur every 23–27 hours. Most
familiar are the 24-hour temperature and sleep patterns. Less well known is the fact
that immunity to viruses and infection is lower in the early hours of the morning,
when most people are usually sleeping. Blood also clots more slowly in to late day
than in the early hours of the morning. Taking these factors into consideration, hos-
pitals might do well to schedule elective surgeries later in the day rather than the
typical early morning schedule.
The constant rhythmic processes bring about a dynamic, healthy balance in our
bodies. The beating and relaxation of the heart help the cardiovascular system regu-
late blood pressure throughout the body. The inspiration and expiration of breath in
the respiratory system allow for gas exchange. The nervous system has a number of
rhythmic processes including nerve depolarization and repolarization, systemic exci-
tation and recovery, and sleep and waking cycles. Attention to the rhythmic nature
of one’s own being reveals an intimate relationship with the rhythms of the sur-
rounding natural world.Musical Rhythms
Health is about balance or harmony of body, mind, and spirit. In a state of optimal
health, all frequencies are in harmony, like a finely tuned piano. In fact, music is
often used in healing, from the ancient sounds of the drum, rattle, bone flute, and
other primitive instruments to the current use of music as a prescription for health.
The Chinese are producing musical recordings with some curious titles. Obesity,
Constipation, and Liver, Heart, and Lungsare three examples. Most of the recordings18 ABSOLUTE BEGINNER’S GUIDE TOALTERNATIVE MEDICINE