Like most questions that matter, the answer is deceptively simple: health is not just a physical concept. The longer I practice natural medicine, the more I cherish the philosophy of holism, defined by the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary as "...a theory that the universe and especially living nature is correctly seen in terms of interacting wholes (as of living organisms) that are more than the mere sum of elementary particles." Medicine is notorious for taking a compartmentalized view of the human being, and while it can be a useful perspective, it is also a severely limiting one.
Having a healthy body--one that has passed physical exams with flying colors, one without symptoms--doesn't guarantee feelings of wellbeing; nor is having a chronic illness an insurmountable impediment to feeling whole. Each of us is more than meets the eye, and an awful lot more than can be experienced through microscope, stethoscope, psychological assessment, or even the much-hyped full-body MRI.
My favorite of the Principles of Naturopathic Medicine is "Treat the Whole Person". For me, the whole person doesn't end at the physical, or even the psychological. What makes us whole is that which moves us to passion and to compassion. For most of us, it's more than one thing. Family and friends, of course; social and political issues; the power to make a difference in the world, to create and to change. I don't think I can emphasize that last thought enough. Human beings have a need to create, and if we don't fulfill that need, we feel stifled, empty, unwell.
What is it we long to create, what will fulfill that need? I can't answer that question for anyone else, but I do know some things that work for many of you: self-expression through writing, dance, and other arts; tangible assembly of something new through carpentry, knitting, sewing; nurturing growth through gardening, teaching, cooking. All of these things are important, and each of these things has the power to heal someone I know. Usually we don't know what works until we've tried it; there's no lab test or assessment we can offer you, to find out what will light that inner spark.
What we can offer is a place to try new things, and all within the perspective of the whole person. I select classes for our schedule that have the power to affect our students in a multitude of ways. Yoga and t'ai chi have well-recognized holistic benefits. The physical benefits of meditation continue to be fodder for scientific studies. Knitting and other forms of needlework are touted as stress reduction practices. Writing--a future offering--combines self-expression and self-examination, two valuable skills for living well.
Now, I'm not saying that any one of these things is the magical key to return you to harmony and bliss, any more than eating an apple a day really keeps the doctor away. But finding something that moves you is a key part of the picture. Always remember that you are more than the sum of your parts, and that honoring our wholeness is the first step to integrated wellness.
