For the Native Americans, the terms ‘ancestors’ and ‘grandfathers’ are related to the elements of the supernatural which include spiritual experiences not common to most religion found today. They include the soil, animals and plants that have helped build up our bodies, and the bodies of our ancestors from the soil. They are not some beings or things that we can look at now, they are all the spiritual and material elements of life that were here before us. They discovered information, created models and theories, kept up the traditions, justice, decency, love, compassion and spiritual wisdom that we have now (Wood, pg xiv). However, they still look over us, guiding us, teaching and protecting us as they possess the over-all human divine connection.
As the Great Creator respects the Ancestors, we also must respect them since we actually are standing on their shoulders, they are part of our history. It is said that only through this common respect we can communicate and maintain a link with the higher dispensation or the Great Creator. It is important to understand that what once was true, always will be true. The great Creator does not waste people or experiences, therefore respect is important. (Wood, pg xv).
The ancestors place in this world should be that they are the pioneers. They provide us with important tools to spread the information. They have given us models and theories that we can evaluate, expand, improve, modify and pass onto the next generation. This is vital to evolve as humanity, to become better healers and people of the earth.
The Ancestors of Naturopathy are all the individuals that were involved in Naturopathy before us, such as Paracelsus, Lindlahr, Hahnemann, Thomson and many more. Vital are also their experiences, models, theories that we learn, study, scrutinise, change, build upon or improve and eventually pass on to the next generation.
Copyright Robert Mijas 2005
References
Wood, M. (2005). Vitalism. The History of Herbalism, Homeopathy and Flower Essences. California, USA: North Atlantic Books.
Cartoon by Bob Moran
