homeopathic physician Ignatz von Peczeley, which
was based on the concept that examining the iris,
or the colored part of the eye, could reveal hidden
disease in the body before the appearance of the
symptoms. When he was a child, von Peczeley
observed that an owl with a broken leg also had a
black mark in his iris. Later the doctor observed the
same eye mark in a human patient with a broken
leg; that discovery led him to investigate marking
in the iris as a sign of dysfunction or impairment
somewhere else in the body.
The ancient Greeks, Egyptians, and Chinese
maintained that a person’s eyes held information
about his or her health. Hippocrates said, “Behold
the eyes, behold the body.” On the premise that
eyes are not only the mirrors of the soul, but also
of the body, iridology practitioners claim it is possi-
ble to make a diagnostic reading of the iris to dis-
cover the weakened parts of the organism, the
latent tendencies, the patient’s vitality, the condi-
tion of the organs, and the disease processes.
Iridology is reportedly a safe, painless, quick,
and economical diagnostic method without radia-
tion that helps discover any constitutional weak-
ness before a clinical outbreak occurs. It is
considered a unique preventive method used to
determine the body’s tendency toward certain ail-
ments (for example, certain characteristics of the
iris may show a sluggish digestive system or detect
hereditary predispositions to cardiac or arthritic
diseases) and its present degree of stress, with the
advantage of requiring only observation with a
light and a magnifying glass. Iridologists may make
a videotape or photographic slide of the iris using a
special camera, which they can then project onto a
larger screen for examination. Color, texture, fibers
of the iris, and markings and their positions in the
eye are the indicators of problems or potential
problems. The left iris corresponds to the left side of
the body, and the right iris corresponds to the right.
An eye chart has been developed—an illustration
similar to the “body map” on the soles of the feet in
reflexology—to designate parts of the eye as they
relate to other parts of the body; for example, the
area immediately surrounding the pupil relates to
the stomach. Iridologists believe that blue-eyed
people may have tendencies toward excessive acid-
ity that may cause ulcers and arthritis, brown-eyed
individuals may tend to experience gallbladder dys-
function and other problems caused by impaired
ability to metabolize fats, and green, gray, or
mixed-color irises (called “biliary irises”) may indi-
cate gastrointestinal difficulties. Although iridolo-
gists take an extensive personal and medical
history of each patient and may be qualified to
offer nutritional advice or prescribe certain treat-
ment, iridology cannot replace other diagnostic
methods in conventional and alternative medicine.
It is reported on some websites pertaining to iridol-
ogy that some Russian scientists are developing
irischromotherapy, which involves curing disease
through the iris. More information is available by
contacting the Hellenic Medical Association of Iri-
dology, Lidias 2, Thessaloniki, Greece 544 53, or
[email protected], or telephone 0113 0310 906086.Islamic Sufi healing practices An ancient Islamic
religion-based system of meditation, chanting,
prayer, herbs, special diet, use of essential oils, and
other practices that are believed to bring about
healing. Sufis are Muslim mystics. According to
Web information on Sufi healing, Sufis revere the
healing of the sick as the most important of all ser-
vices to humanity, and a book has been written on
the 800-year tradition of this “divine science” of
the Christi Order (one of the Sufi healing orders).
“Among the many topics covered are dietary rec-
ommendations of the Prophet, the preparation of
herbal formulas, healing with essential oils, ill-
nesses arising at various stages of the soul’s evolu-
tion, fasting and prayer, talismans, and the
‘infallible remedy.’ Hakim Chishti is a naturopathic
physician and one of the only recognized Tibb prac-
titioners in the United States. As a Fulbright
Research Scholar, he studied Tibb medicine in
Afghanistan and has participated in international
health symposia in Afghanistan, India, and Pak-
istan. Working from original material, he has trans-
lated the handbooks of Avicenna and the standard
text on Tibb medicine, Mizan-ul-Tibb. He is the
author of The Traditional Healer’s Handbook (Roch-
ester, Vt.: Healing Arts Press, 1991).”
Another healing order is an international net-
work of people called the Sufi Healing Order. Its
website states: “Initiation into the Healing Order
strengthens one’s inner connection with illuminated66 Islamic Sufi healing practices