Definitions of Alternative Medicine, Complementary Medicine, Adjunctive Medicine - Part 8

imagery (mental imagery): Method expounded by general practitioner Martin L. Rossman, M.D., in Healing Yourself: A Step-by-Step Program for Better Health Through Imagery (1987). Therein, Rossman recommended consulting "inner advisors" or a "small voice within" regarding such matters as attitude, emotions, environment, exercise, faith, illness, nutrition, and posture. He stated that such "advisors" come in the form of angels, animals, deceased relatives, fairies, gremlins, leprechauns, long-lost friends, the ocean, Buddha, Winston Churchill, Mahatma Gandhi, Jesus, John F. Kennedy, Moses, Eleanor Roosevelt, and the "Star Wars" character Yoda. Moreover, Rossman distinguished between "inner advisors" and "impostor advisors" ("inner figures" who are heavily judgmental, punitive, and hostile).

indirect moxabustion: Form of moxabustion that requires burning moxa (a dried herb) that is not in contact with skin. Forms of indirect moxabustion include: burning moxa cones on a slice of garlic or ginger, or on a layer of salt; manipulating burning moxa sticks over the "affected" area; burning pieces of moxa sticks on needles inserted into acupoints; and burning moxa on a grill in a box over the "affected" area.

inner child work (Inner Child, inner child therapy): Form of psychotherapy pioneered and popularized by Texas-born theologian John Bradshaw, a former aspirant to the Roman Catholic priesthood. Bradshaw is the author of: (a) Bradshaw On: The Family; (b) Healing the Shame That Binds You; (c) Homecoming: Reclaiming and Championing Your Inner Child; and (d) Creating Love: The Next Stage of Growth. In Homecoming, first published in 1990, Bradshaw states that all children of dysfunctional families lose their "I AMness": their assurance that their parents or guardians are healthy, able, and eager caregivers. He recommends that victims of this loss or "spiritual wound" reclaim their "inner child" by reliving their developmental stages and finishing "unfinished business." He terms such reclamation a Zenlike experience. Toward this end, he suggests having conversations with one's "inner infant," writing letters to it and reading them aloud, and writing letters to oneself--with the nondominant hand--as if the infant were writing them. Through such methods, the "wounded inner child" supposedly evolves into a "wonder child," which Bradshaw describes as one's "Imago Dei--the part of you that bears a likeness to your creator." In late 1996, Bradshaw hosted The Bradshaw Difference, a talk show on UPN.

integral counseling psychology: Form of psychotherapy taught at the California Institute of Integral Studies, in San Francisco. It encompasses bioenergetics, Gestalt therapy, holotropic therapy (see "Holotropic Breathwork"), Integral Yoga, psychosynthesis, "spiritual mind healing," Taoism, and "Theosophical Therapy." One of its postulates is that one can help humans to contact and activate their "inner organizing center for holistic living."

Integrative Therapy: Apparently, a psychospiritual method based on Jungian psychology and psychosynthesis. One of its "core values" is "body-mind-spirit integration."

Integral Yoga® (Purna-Yoga): System founded by Sri Ghose Aurobindo (1872-1950) and promoted by Rev. Sri Swami Satchidananda (Sri Gurudev). (The Sanskrit word sri, or shri, is translatable as "majesty," "eminent one," or "venerable one." It is an honorific for both humans and deities. The English equivalents of "Sri" as a title for humans are "Esquire" and "Sir.") Integral Yoga includes hatha yoga, Raja Yoga (astanga yoga), and other forms of yoga.

iridology (eye analysis, iridiagnosis, irido-diagnosis, iris diagnosis): Ostensibly diagnostic system whose postulate is that every bodily organ corresponds to a location on the iris (the colored portion of the eye surrounding the pupil). According to iridology theory, the iris serves as a map of the body and gives warning signs of physical, mental, and spiritual problems. Proponents ascribe modern iridology to Hungarian physician Ignatz von Peczely (1822-1911), author of The Discovery in Natural History and Medical Science, a Guide to the Study and Diagnosis from the Eye (1881). Supposedly, von Peczely discovered the "iris-body" connection in his childhood, when he broke the leg of an owl and a black stripe spontaneously appeared on the owl's iris. Probably the leading proponent of iridology in the United States is author and nutritionist J. Bernard Jensen, D.C., Ph.D.

Iroquois medical botany: Traditional medical usage of herbs in the culture of the six Native American peoples that constitute the Iroquois League. According to the Iroquois theory of disease, symptoms are manifestations of a disturbance of the "vital principle" (life force) within an individual and result from any of four acts: (1) violating a divine guideline, (2) self-denial, (3) interacting with entities or events that give off "negative power" or evil, and (4) offending someone who has access to "great knowledge" regarding the manipulation of "spirit forces." Iroquois herbal "medicines" include "antighost" plants, "anti-witching remedies," and "cures" for "bad luck" and even death.

Iyengar Yoga (Iyengar-style yoga): Form of hatha yoga founded by B.K.S. Iyengar, who first came to the United States in 1974.

Jin Shin Do® (Jin Shin Do® Bodymind™Acupressure, "The Way of the Compassionate Spirit"): Combination of acupressure and Taoist yogic breathing methods developed in the 1970s by psychotherapist Iona Marsaa Teeguarden, author of The Acupressure Way of Health: Jin Shin Do (Japan Publications, Inc., 1978) and The Joy of Feeling: Bodymind Acupressure (Japan Publications, Inc., 1987). It borrows from Reichian Therapy and allegedly moves "stagnant energy" through the body. According to Jin Shin Do theory, stressful experiences increase tension at certain acupoints. Practitioners decide on which parts of the body are "tense." Then, purportedly to "balance" the "energy" of the body, they hold the "tense" part with one hand and supposedly stimulate a series of acupoints with the other. "Jin shin do" means "way of the compassionate spirit" in Japanese.

Jin Shin Jyutsu® (jin shin jitsu): Subject of The Touch of Healing: Energizing Body, Mind, and Spirit with the Art of Jin Shin Jyutsu (Bantam Books, 1997). Jin Shin Jyutsu is a non-massage form of shiatsu developed by Jiro Murai in Japan. It uses only 26 "pressure points," termed "energy locks." According to its theory, fatigue, tension, or illness can trap "energy" in these "safety energy locks." The purported design of Jin Shin Jyutsu is to "harmonize" the flow of "energy" through the body. Jin Shin Jyutsu involves either: (a) prolonged, gentle, manual pressing of these points; or (b) movements of the practitioner's hands over such areas without contact. The practitioner's hands supposedly function like booster cables. "Jin shin jyutsu" literally means "the creator's art through knowing and compassionate man."

kahuna healing: The medical phase of Huna, which is a religion or esoteric magical tradition native to the Hawaiian Islands. The word huna literally means "secret" or "that which is hidden, or not obvious." Kahuna literally means "keeper of the secret." Kahunas are Hawaiian witch doctors. Kahuna healing encompasses "colon cleansing," "energy field manipulation," Ho'oponopono (spiritual counseling), lomi-lomi, and the use of amulets. Its theory posits an "etheric body" (aka), a godhead (Kumulipo), and mana (the life force). Some proponents use the expressions "kahuna healing," "Huna," and "Hawaiian Huna" interchangeably.

kneipping (Kneipp cure, Kneipp therapies, Kneipptherapie): Hydropathy-centered system of "natural healing" founded by Bavarian almoner and Dominican priest Sebastian Kneipp (1821-1897), author of My Water Cure and So Sollt Ihr Leben ("Thus Thou Shalt Live"), and promoted by the Kneipp Institute, in Germany. Herbalism is one of its major components.

lemonade diet (lemon cleansing, master cleanser): One of the three major components of a theistic system of self-healing developed by Stanley Burroughs and expounded by him in Healing for the Age of Enlightenment (1976). Lemon cleansing is a mono-diet variation wherein one ingests daily, for ten to 40 or more days, nothing except 60 to 120 ounces of a drink that consists of lemon (or lime) juice, maple syrup, cayenne pepper (red pepper), and water. Its main postulate is that lemons and ripe limes have unique "anionic properties" to create the "energy" necessary for health maintenance. Another of its postulates is that "Nature" creates infections to assist in "burning" one's "surplus wastes."

Living Foods Lifestyle® (Hippocrates Diet): Dietetic variation of self-healing originated by Ann Wigmore (1904-1994). It is the centerpiece of the Hippocrates health program. The Hippocrates Diet comprises seven categories of uncooked ("living") foods: (1) specific fruits; (2) specific vegetables; (3) fresh juices extracted from fruits, vegetables, and sprouts; (4) specific sprouts; (5) nuts and seeds; (6) fermented foods such as sauerkraut and miso; and (7) unfiltered honey. In The Hippocrates Diet and Health Program (1984), Wigmore stated that "life energy" is the "active agent" of enzymes and claimed that the diet "stops unnecessary wastage of enzyme energy."

Lymphasizing (The Art of Lymphatic System Activation, The Art of Lymphasizing, The Fine Art of Lymphasizing, The Science of Lymphasizing): "Healing system" apparently originated by chemist and lymphologist Dr. C. Samuel West, author of The Golden Seven Plus One. According to the system's theory, the human body is essentially a confluence of electrical fields, and health, strength, and endurance depend on the "structural integrity" of the "energy currents" that run through it. Advocates of Lymphasizing include clairvoyant naturopath William J. "Walks Sacred" Martin, of Detroit, Michigan, and acupuncturist Philip L. Gruber, a teacher of "Sacred Geometrical Healing."

macrobiotics (the macrobiotic way; formerly called "Zen Macrobiotics"): Quasireligious movement and health-centered lifestyle whose centerpiece is a mystical form of vegetarianism. The thrust of macrobiotic nutrition is regulation of the intake of two alleged elementary forms of energy: yin and yang. Categorizing a food as yin or yang depends largely on characteristics directly cognizable by the senses and is unrelated to nutrient content. Proponents ascribe the modern version of macrobiotics either to Ishizuka Sagen (1850-1910), a Japanese physician and author of A Chemical Nutritional Theory of Long Life, or to George Ohsawa (1893-1966), whose names included: Georges Ohsawa, Nyoichi (also spelled "Nyoiti") Sakurazawa, and Yukikazu Sakurazawa. The leading exponent of macrobiotics is Michio Kushi.

magnet therapy (biomagnetics, biomagnetic therapeutics, biomagnetic therapy, biomagnetism, Electro-Biomagnetics, electro-biomagnetics therapy, magnetic energy therapy, magnetic field therapy, magnetic healing, magnetics, magnetic therapies, Magnetic Therapy, magnetotherapy): Variation of self-healing purportedly based on "natural laws." Magnet therapy allegedly "reestablishes" order in the "human energy system." Its theory posits "life energy" and "meridians" and depicts magnets as sources of "nature's healing energy." Some proponents equate "magnetic energy," "energy," life force, chi, and prana.

Maharishi Ayur-Ved (Ayur-Ved, Maharishi Ayurveda; formerly called "Maharishi Ayur-Veda"): Brand of Ayurveda founded in 1980 by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. The word "maharishi" literally means "great (maha-) seer (sage, saint)." Maharishi Ayur-Ved encompasses Gandharv Ved, Jyotish (Vedic Astrology), panchakarma, Primordial Sound Meditation, Psychophysiological Integration, pulse diagnosis, Transcendental Meditation, TM-Sidhi, and yagya. Its postulate is that violation of "natural law" is the fundamental cause of "imbalance" and disease.

medical graphology (grapho-diagnostics): Purported means of revealing physical and mental illness, or of pinpointing disease, by examination of handwriting. The nine basic graphological considerations are: (1) letter shapes, (2) the shapes and locations of breaks in letters, (3) the shading of loops in letters or of the central part, (4) ambiguous letters, (5) extra letters, (6) omission of letters, (7) relative letter sizes, (8) unconnected letters in the middle of a word, and (9) variation in the shapes of particular letters within a text. For example, the letter "f" might represent the small and large intestines, which might symbolize the "Minister of Finance": The small intestine sorts out waste and the large intestine either eliminates or retains it. Thus, an ink-filled lower loop of the lowercase letter "f" supposedly is strong evidence of constipation due to a desire to hoard. Graphologists also consider the height, width, and slant of letters and the spacing between words and lines.

medical palmistry: Palmistry with the purported goal of determining the condition of specific organs. An offshoot of fortunetelling, palmistry comprises chirognomy (cheirognomy) and chiromancy (cheiromancy). The foci of chirognomy are: (a) the overall shape of hands (the type of hand); (b) the shapes of fingers, nails, and palms; (c) the size of the mounts (cushions) of the palm; and (d) skin texture. Chiromancy centers on the lines of the palm. Palmists (also called "hand analysts") also examine the hands for other marks and for colors. Proponents use the terms "chiromancy," "hand analysis," "palmistry," and "palm-reading," interchangeably.

meridian therapy: 1. Method that involves rhythmic breathing, visualization, and moving one's hands along meridians (see "tracing"), lines that represent alleged channels through which chi ("universal life-force energy") flows. Meridian therapy is related to etheric touch, and its theory posits chakras. 2. Ching Lo.

Morter HealthSystem: Mode of chiropractic that includes B.E.S.T, Baby B.E.S.T., a videocassette stress-management program called "The Twelve Steps to Stress Less," and nutritional supplementation whose purported design is to restore the body to its "natural alkaline state."

moxabustion: Adjunct to acupuncture characterized by the burning of moxas--preparations of dried leaves from the common mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris) or the wormwood tree (Artemisia chinensis)--at acupoints to stimulate chi. Practitioners attach moxas to acupuncture needles, place them directly on the skin in the form of small cones, or place the cones on a layer of ginger. moxibustion (Jiu, Jiu therapy, moxibustion therapy): 1. Moxabustion. 2. Application of heat to acupoints either in the manner of moxabustion or with an electrical heat source.

muscle testing {manual muscle testing, Muscle Response Testing (M.R.T.) technique, "Muscle Response Test" technique, M.R.T., M.R.T. system, M.R.T. technique, muscle-testing procedure}: Variety of procedures used with the supposed aim of tapping the body's "innate intelligence" and thereby determining the "energy levels" of "life forces" that control the body. Muscle testing is a component of every form of kinesiology (see above) and a purported means of discovering "imbalances."

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