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Greenman Wisdom
The Greenman and Naturopathic Health Care
The Greenman is a mythic figure that appears in art and legend throughout the centuries and diverse cultures. Greenman faces adorn many medieval European churches and cathedrals. The mostly masculine faces are typically formed from foliage, often the leaves of the sacred oak. The Greenman archetype represents the masculine principle of irrepressible life in Nature as seen in the rebirth of plants in spring. He is the child of the Sun embracing the Earth to bring forth life, especially as plants. He is considered the protector of Nature, the revealer of her mysteries, and symbolizes humanity's connection with vegetation.
Dionysius, Osirus, the Green Knight of Arthurian legend, Robin Hood, the Jolly Green Giant, and Khidr of Islam are some of his manifestations.
The Greenman is the logo of my professional identity as naturopathic and homeopathic physician. The Greenman personifies my mission to provide health care in harmony of Nature and Wisdom.
Caring for health is like gardening, working with Nature to create life. Health is cultivated by providing the right conditions for Nature's life principle to restore itself. Plants need proper soil, water and sun to thrive. Humans need food, water, air, movement, community, and purpose for health. Toxins, trauma and insufficiency of life's necessities are primary causes of dis-ease.
One of naturopathic medicine's principles is to seek to first understand the cause of disease. A primary method for this is listening and observing. So naturopathic physicians take considerable histories, and explore symptoms in detail. This is Greenman Wisdom.
So for a person with fatigue for instance, a naturopathic physician encourages the individual to explain what their experience of fatigue is. What does fatigue mean to them, and what symptoms accompany the fatigue? The person is asked about lifestyle, exercise, employment, diet, rest, family health history and relationships. What are the stresses in the person's life, and especially what is unique about how the person reacts and adapts to those stresses. A review of other aspects of health is done, for example how is the digestion? Headaches? Dizziness? Allergies? Etc. A limited or extensive physical exam and laboratory tests may be performed as indicated.
From this process, an assessment of the individual's health condition is made, and a treatment plan created. Typically, treatment includes nutritional counseling on food habits, and recommendations for quality nutritional or herbal supplements. Common in my practice is the use of classical homeopathy - one homeopathic remedy that energetically treats the whole person. The goal are to respect and assist the healing power of Nature to act to restore health; i.e. to empower the individual to access the healer within themselves.
Naturopathic physicians are the reappearance of Greenmen and Greenwomen in health care today.
Readers are invited to email me their questions, or to call for information on how to schedule an individual consultation.
Brent Mathieu, ND, DHANP
Naturopathic and Homeopathic Physician
Health Coach
The Health-wise Greenman of Boise
