A Harvard University study found that Americans spent $27 billion on alternative treatments and made more than 600 million visits to complementary health practitioners (compared to 368 million visits to their primary care physicians) - an increase of almost 50 percent since 1990. Many individuals visiting these complementary health practitioners were looking for holistic healing modalities that take comprehensive treat the entire human system, not just the physical body.
Holistic healing also targets subtle bodies and the life force of chi. There are numerous holistic healing modalities. Some use substances in their therapies, and others work on different parts of the body to promote healing and well-being. These modalities include: Acupuncture, Acupressure, Aromatherapy, Qigong, Chiropractic, Chromotherapy, Crystal/Gemstone therapy, Flower remedies, Herabalism, Homeopathy, Hypnotherapy, Massage, Osteopathy, Reflexology, Reiki, Sound Healing, Visualization and Yoga.
A few of the most common and accepted holistic practices in the West today are Acupuncture, Chiropractic, and Yoga. Chiropractic involves manually adjusting the spine - and in some cases other parts of the skeletal system, to alleviate pain.
Acupuncture uses fine needles to activate and balance Chi. A practitioner inserts needles at certain points along the body's meridians to remove blockages and restore the flow of energy through the body.
Yoga combines physical movement and deep, rhythmic breathing to produce overall health. The most popular form of Yoga in the United States is "Hatha" which involves holding various postures or asanas to strengthen the body, increase balance and improve flexibility.
(Summarized from THE CARE AND FEEDING OF YOUR CHI, 2004, pp48-63)
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