The Vitalism of Naturopathy:

2006-08-24T12:40:00.000-07:00

[to return to the main document, click here, http://standtoyourduty.blogspot.com/]

07. Reference Tools (a-edt):

the Alternative Health CD, Gold Edition [mainly put together by AANP type NDs] states:

"naturopathy is based on several key principles: 'support the healing power of the body', 'treat the whole person', 'first do no harm', 'identify and treat the causes', 'emphasize prevention', and 'doctor as teacher'. These principles are outlined in more detail below. Support the healing power of the body (vis medicatrix naturae). Your body is inherently able to intelligently heal itself, restore health, and ward off disease through its vital energy. Naturopathic doctors identify and remove obstacles and work with this internal ability to facilitate the healing process";

(click here,

http://www.ahcd.net/samples/remedies/th_ha_m/naturopathy.html)

(archived here,

http://web.archive.org/web/20030112083527/http://www.ahcd.net/samples/remedies/th_ha_m/naturopathy.htm)

(for the archive.org history of this page, click here,

http://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.ahcd.net/samples/remedies/th_ha_m/naturopathy.html)

the Alternative Medicine Channel states:

[in "Naturopathic Medicine"]

"naturopathic medicine [...] is based on vitalism, a medical philosophy that views a person as a vital being consisting of a body, mind, and spirit [...] not just a complex mass of chemical and physical reactions. Vitalists assert that illness is not directly caused by a pathogen [!...] but is the result of the body's response to a pathogen";

(click here,

http://www.alternativemedicinechannel.com/naturopathic/)

(archived here,

http://web.archive.org/web/20010619102756/http:/www.alternativemedicinechannel.com/naturopathic/)

(for the archive.org history of this page, click here,

http://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.alternativemedicinechannel.com/naturopathic/)

(for a digg.com social bookmark of this, click here,

)

ii.

[in "Naturopathic Medicine: Hydrotherapy"]

“naturopathic medicine – hydrotherapy […] contraindications […] weak persons with low vital force”;

(click here,

http://www.alternativemedicinechannel.com/naturopathic/hydrotherapy.shtml)

(archived here,

http://web.archive.org/web/20030203210107/http://www.alternativemedicinechannel.com/naturopathic/hydrotherapy.shtml)

(for the archive.org history of this page, click here,

http://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.alternativemedicinechannel.com/naturopathic/hydrotherapy.shtml)

the Alternative Medicine Referral Network states:

"naturopathic medicine is heir to the vitalistic tradition of medicine in the Western world, emphasizing the treatment of disease through the stimulation, enhancement, and support of the inherent healing capacity of the person. Methods of treatments are chosen to work with the patient's vital force, respecting the intelligence of the natural healing process [...] the healing power of nature. The body has the inherent ability to establish, maintain, and restore health. The healing process is ordered and intelligent; nature heals through the response of the life force. The physician's role is to facilitate and augment this process";

(click here,

http://www.alternative-medicine-referral-network.com/content.php?cid=1048)

alternative medicine therapies states:

[in ‘Naturopathic Medicine”]

“naturopathic treatment works with the person's vital force, his or her body's ability to fend off diseases and illnesses by itself, without intervention”;

(click here,

http://library.thinkquest.org/24206/naturopathic-medicine.html)

(archived here,

http://web.archive.org/web/20060425202656/http://library.thinkquest.org/24206/naturopathic-medicine.html)

(for the archive.org history of this page, click here,

http://web.archive.org/web/*/http://library.thinkquest.org/24206/naturopathic-medicine.html)

alternativemedicinee.com states:

[in “Naturopathic Medicine”]

“naturopathic medicine is a distinctively natural approach to health and healing that recognizes the integration of the whole person. Naturopathic medicine is heir to the vitalistic tradition of medicine in the Western world, emphasizing the treatment of disease through the stimulation, enhancement, and support of the inherent healing capacity of the person. Methods of treatment are chosen to work with the patient's life force, respecting the natural healing process [...] the healing power of nature (vis medicatix [sp.] naturae): the body has the inherent ability to establish, maintain, and restore health. The healing process is ordered and intelligent: nature heals through the response of the life force. The physician's role is to facilitate and augment this process”;

(click here,

http://www.alternativemedicinee.com/naturopathic-medicine.html)

(archived here,

http://web.archive.org/web/20070515174320/http://www.alternativemedicinee.com/naturopathic-medicine.html)

(for the archive.org history of this page, click here,

http://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.alternativemedicinee.com/naturopathic-medicine.html)

“first do no harm (primum no nocere): illness is a purposeful [teleological] process of the organism. The process of healing includes the generation of symptoms, which in fact are an expression of the life force attempting to heal itself. Therapeutic actions should be complementary to and synergistic with this healing process. The physician's actions can support or antagonize the actions of the vis mediatrix [sp.] naturae; therefore methods designed to suppress symptoms without removing underlying causes are considered harmful and are avoided or minimized”;

(click here,

http://www.alternativemedicinee.com/naturopathic-medicine2.html)

(archived here,

http://web.archive.org/web/20070513033928/http://www.alternativemedicinee.com/naturopathic-medicine2.html)

(for the archive.org history of this page, click here,

http://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.alternativemedicinee.com/naturopathic-medicine2.html)

alternativetherapies.com.au states:

"the foundation of naturopathic medicine is the vitalistic philosophy of the ‘healing power of nature’ […] a healing energy";

(click here,

http://www.alternativetherapies.com.au/index2.php?option=com_content&do_pdf=1&id=80#search=%22vitalistic%20naturopathy%22)

(archived here,

http://web.archive.org/web/20050619205425/http://www.alternativetherapies.com.au/index2.php?option=com_content&do_pdf=1&id=80)

(for the archive.org history of this page, click here,

http://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.alternativetherapies.com.au/index2.php?option=com_content&do_pdf=1&id=80#search=%22vitalistic%20naturopathy%22)

altmedschools states:

[in "Naturopathy Question & Answer Sections"]

"naturopathic medicine emphasizes the treatment of disease through the stimulation, enhancement, and support of the inherent healing capacity of the person. Methods of treatments are chosen to work with the patient's vital force, respecting the intelligence of the natural healing process";

(click here,

http://www.altmedschools.com/q_naturopathy.asp)

(archived here,

http://web.archive.org/web/20040628235733/http:/www.altmedschools.com/q_naturopathy.asp)

(for the archive.org history of this page, click here,

http://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.altmedschools.com/q_naturopathy.asp)

the American Heritage Dictionary (4th ed., 2007) states:

[in "Vitalism"]

"the theory or doctrine that life processes arise from or contain a nonmaterial vital principle and cannot be explained entirely as physical and chemical phenomena";

(click here,

http://www.answers.com/vitalism)

(archived here,

)

(for the archive.org history of this page, click here,

http://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.answers.com/vitalism)

(for a digg.com social bookmark of this {live page}, click here,

http://digg.com/general_sciences/Definition_of_Vitalism_American_Heritage_Dictionary_2007)

ii.

[in “Life Force”]

“see elan vital”;

(click here,

http://www.bartleby.com/61/87/L0158750.html)

(archived here,

http://web.archive.org/web/20050422091602/http://bartleby.com/61/87/L0158750.html)

(for the archive.org history of this page, click here,

http://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.bartleby.com/61/87/L0158750.html)

iii.

[in “Elan Vital”]

“the vital force hypothesized by Henri Bergson as a source of efficient causation and evolution in nature. Also called life force”;

(click here,

http://www.bartleby.com/61/49/E0064900.html)

(archived here,

http://web.archive.org/web/20050422120312/http://bartleby.com/61/49/E0064900.html)

(for the archive.org history of this page, click here,

http://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.bartleby.com/61/49/E0064900.html)

iv.

[in "Vitalistic"]

"(biol.) pertaining to, or involving, vitalism, or the theory of a special vital principle";

(click here,

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/vitalistic)[RB]

the American Illustrated Medical Dictionary [17th ed.] states:

"vitalism: the opinion that the bodily functions are produced by a distinct principle call the vital force. Vitalism: a believer in vitalism [p.818]";

(ISBN none, too old; 1907, W.B. Saunders)

Anmol's Dictionary of Biology states:

“vitalism: the theory [!] which postulates that activities of organisms are due to a vital principle or force and are not simply the result of chemical and physical processes [p.449]”;

(ISBN 8126118334)

answers.com states:

[in "Georg Ernst Stahl"{04-07-2007}]

"the German chemist and medical theorist Georg Ernst Stahl (1660-1734) was the founder of the phlogiston theory of combustion and the author of a theory of medicine based upon vitalistic ideas [...] His reintroduction of animistic or vitalistic ideas into physiology had great influence on 18th-century medical theory";

(click here,

http://www.answers.com/topic/georg-ernst-stahl)

(archived here,

http://web.archive.org/web/20070324065538/http://www.answers.com/topic/georg-ernst-stahl)

(for the archive.org history of this page, click here,

http://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.answers.com/topic/georg-ernst-stahl)

Barron's E-Z 101 Study Keys Biology {for intro. college bio.} states:

[per Minkoff, E.C. (PhD{biology} ?)]

"vitalism: view that living systems must include 'something else,' such as a 'vital force'";

(ISBN 0812045696)

the BBC states:

[in “Pinprick To Take The Pain Away”{05-09-2006}]

“acupuncture, which has been practiced in China for more than 3,000 years, is based on the belief that every disease or complaint is caused by an imbalance of two opposing life forces. These life forces are thought to flow through ‘meridians’ on which the acupuncture points are located. By inserting needles into the acupuncture points, therapists hope to correct an imbalance of the two life forces”;

(click here,

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/89998.stm)

(archived here,

http://web.archive.org/web/20040313205549/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/89998.stm)

(for the archive.org history of this page, click here,

http://web.archive.org/web/*/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/89998.stm)

ii.

[in "Homeopathy - a Skeptical View"]

“vitalism, or the 'vital force,' was introduced by GE Stahl in 1707 and later incorporated into homeopathy by Hahnemann as the vis vitalis. At the time it was thought that chemicals made by living bodies differed from inorganic compounds in that a vital force was needed to make them. According to Hahnemann, disease was caused by a disharmony of this force”;

(click here,

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/filmnetwork/A954740)

the Billings Gazette states:

[in “Naturopathic Medicine: Acupuncture Balances Body”{per Burpee, K. (? ?)}]

“’qi’ [...] is one of the fundamental aspects of Chinese medicine. It has been translated to mean ‘energy,’ ‘material force,’ ‘matter,’ ‘ether,’ ‘matter-energy,’ ‘vital force,’ ‘life force,’ ‘vital power’ or ‘moving power’ […] author Ted Kaptchuk wrote: ‘... we can think of qi as matter on the verge of becoming energy, or energy at the point of materializing’ […] qi can be anything; it can assume any form […] qi is the energy behind every process in our body. If it is blocked, we can have many different symptoms, including pain, fatigue, allergies, digestive problems and emotional disorders […] we have 12 major energy pathways that carry qi throughout the body. If we think of these pathways as irrigation canals, we can look at the acupuncture points as the gateways that direct the qi. In acupuncture, we use the needles to open and close these energetic pathways […] through acupuncture, we attempt to bring the body back into balance so it can heal. The ancient Chinese thought of qi as the foundation of the universe […] Kara Burpee is a licensed acupuncturist in Montana. She received her M.S. in acupuncture from Bastyr University in 2001. She practices at the Yellowstone Naturopathic Clinic”;

(click here,

http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2006/10/18/features/health/35-naturopathic.txt)[RB]

Biology-Online.org states:

"vitalism […] the doctrine that all the functions of a living organism are due to an unknown vital principle distinct from all chemical and physical forces. Was once a term of Aristotle pertaining to a cosmic force known as ether that was supposedly giving life to dead things";

(click here,

http://www.biology-online.org/dictionary/Vitalism)

Blackwell's Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Fast Facts for Medical Practice [(2002; I own this book; editors Herring, M.A. (BSN IWU, MSN UH), Roberts, M.M. (MD UA)] states:

"[specific to naturopathy, there's ch. 14 by Ehrlich, S.D. (NMD SCNM), whose bio. in the book states he was faculty at SCNM at the time] naturopathy is a distinct system of medicine that is based on an understanding that the human organism contains a powerful healing intelligence called the 'vital force.' Naturopathic physicians, as licensed practitioners are referred to in most states, support the vital force by following the six principles of naturopathic medicine: 1. support the healing power of nature [...] naturopathy is unique in that it is defined by its principles rather than its modalities. A variety of interventions are used to help mobilize the vital force in patients to bring about cure [...including] nutrition, botanical medicine, homeopathy, mind-body medicine, physical medicine, and lifestyle counseling [...and] the Eastern modalities of acupuncture and ayurveda [...] as these schools of medicine complement the vitalistic medical philosophy of naturopathy [p.091...] the symptom is merely an expression of imbalance by the vital force, which hints of underlying patterns of disharmony [...] by treating the cause, symptoms are alleviated naturally and permanently, the vital force no longer needing to express a condition of imbalance [p.092...] naturopathy has continued to evolve and integrate more conventional Western medical science with its vitalistic teachings to become the modern system of naturopathic medicine that exists today [...] fast facts for medical practice: naturopaths treat the whole person, using the healing power of nature to enliven a patient's own 'vital force' or innate healing ability [p.095...

and now for the vitalism in all those CAM modalities naturopaths often use...Shannon writes] in both TCM and the variations that have developed in other countries Japan, Korea, and France, health is based on the concept of energy or qi / chi pronounced 'chee' that flows within the body [...] qi flows through pathways or meridians that function like circuits. A number of very specific acupuncture points 365 points exist on the human body. Insertion of needles acupuncture or firm pressure acupressure alters the flow of chi and impacts health [...] specific points on that meridian adjust the flow of chi, or energy [p.028...] from a Western perspective, one does not need to embrace the theories of qi and yin-yang to understand the impact of acupuncture [...] Chinese philosophy posits that the needles replenish the chi energy of the body that was depleted by the illness or imbalance [p.030...Baruch writes] biofield therapy, also known as energy or aura therapy [...] energetic meridians (thin rivers of energy) [...] the aura or HEF (human energy field) [p.041...] referring to energy and aura healing as 'biofield therapeutics' [p.043...] energy therapies are ancient healing practices that have recently begun to integrate with modern medicine. Energetic healing has been practiced in virtually all religions and societies for thousands of years. Five thousand years ago, the Chinese described ubiquitous energy they called chi [...] Asian Indians described prana, a life energy that they used to achieve higher consciousness during meditation and to improve health. In Judeo-Christian teachings, the human aura is described as existing around people as halos [...] Dr. Wilhelm Reich described energies around objects, naming them 'orgone' [p.044...] he believed that blockages in the flow of orgone through the body caused illness [p.045...Anderson writes] in homeopathic theory, symptoms are produced when the vital force, the energy maintaining life in the individual, is out of balance [p.062...Thrapp writes] reiki [...] is a form of healing touch therapy that directs energy through the hands of the provider to replenish and rebalance another’s innate homeostatic mechanisms. The hand positions used in Reiki correspond to the location of the major chakras 'shock-rahs', or energy centers, of the body [...] reiki is a Japanese word for universal life force energy. 'Rei'refers to the universal or cosmic energy, and 'ki' is the life force that flows through every living thing. Reiki is a method for connecting this universal life-force energy vith the body’s innate powers of physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual healing [...] it does have spiritual roots [p.097...] the major chakras are the special energy centers within the etheric body that are associated with major organ, endocrine, and nerve centers in the physical body [p.098...] reiki theorizes that a blockage of energy flow in the chakras can translate our emotional and spiritual difficulties into physiologic weaknesses, which may ultimately result in disease [p.099...] reiki is a noninvasive form of hands-on healing to redirect energy flow [p.100...Kuramoto writes] qigong pronounced 'chee kung' is the practice of cultivating life energy (qi), and of controlling the flow and distribution of qi to improve the health and harmony of mind and body. Qi is often spelled 'chi' [...] tai chi chuan, commonly called tai chi pronounced 'tie chee', can be considered a form of qigong that has martial arts origins. It is a whole body qigong, encouraging free and unobstructed circulation of qi [...] develop a healthy flow of life [p.102] energy [...] qigong and tai chi exercises alleviate this imbalance by awakening the qi, or vital energy, and circulating it to the needed areas. By learning how to increase the qi, one will presumably be able to [p.103] open the energy routes in the body, increasing the body’s defensive powers and preventing illness. [...] one can theoretically build up qi [...and] channel the qi energy along meridians, promote blood circulation to diseased parts of the body, and dispel the blockage of blood and qi in that area, eventually effecting a cure through self-healing [p.104...Quinlan-Coiwell writes] therapeutic touch [...] is one of several modalities under the umbrella classification of biofield or energy therapy. The practitioner identifies subtle abnormalities in the patient’s energy field, then employs specific techniques to modulate and redirect the energy flow. The goal of TT is to restore balance and optimize the body’s natural ability to heal [...] within the patient’s energy system [p.108...] therapeutic touch is founded on the belief that the human body does not end in a solid line of skin, but rather that molecules extend in an irregular pattern forming the human energy field [p.109]";

(ISBN 0632045833 978-0632045839; strangely published under the "Blackwell Science" imprint)

the Blackwell Dictionary of Western Philosophy states:

[{per Bunnin, N. (? ?), Yu, J. (? ?)}{2004}]

"vitalism. Philosophy of science. The doctrine that holds that living organisms owe their characteristics to some special vital principle, which is subject to different laws from those governing physical matter, so [p.728] the behavior of living things cannot be sufficiently explained in mechanistic or materialistic terms [...is] in opposition to mechanistic explanations of life, insists on a fundamental distinction between organic and inorganic phenomena [...] the ancestor of vitalism [...in Western thought] is Aristotle [...per a] psyche [...that's] teleological [...also] the French philosopher Bergson forcefully argued for vitalism, using the concept of élan vital (life force) [p.729]";

(ISBN 1405106794)

Cancer Monthly states:

[in "Cancer and Biofield Therapies"{per Baker, J. (? ?)}{08-28-2007}]

"the human body is continually abuzz with energy. While people give this energy different names – some call it chi (or qi); others, life force or prana; some, electricity – they are all referring to the same dynamic force that powers the body and makes it alive. A subset of the discipline of energy medicine, according to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, biofield therapies are treatments that seek to work with this vital energy and use it to promote the body’s own healing abilities [...] biofield therapies are healing techniques based on a number of fundamental beliefs: the human body contains a subtle energy system that reaches beyond the physical body; that energy system is part of a universal energy system that flows through and is available to all living beings; a free and balanced energy flow within the body fosters the body’s natural ability to heal itself; disease or disorder can be detected in the body’s energy system, which can be manipulated by energy practitioners to promote the body’s natural ability to heal itself; compassion and conscious healing intent are vital to effective biofield therapy; biofield practitioners must not necessarily touch a patient’s body, and may mentally treat patients from a distance. (This form of mind-body medicine includes prayer and mental healing) [...] also known by terms such as spiritual healing, energy healing, energy medicine, and laying on of hands, biofield therapies include these five modalities [...] therapeutic touch [...] healing touch [...] polarity therapy [...] qigong [...] reiki";

(click here,

http://www.cancermonthly.com/iNP/view.asp?ID=184)

Channel 4 [UK] states:

[in "Complementary Medicine: Naturopathy, What is It?"{2002}]

"complementary medicine. Naturopathy. What is it? [...] naturopathy is based on the belief that the body has a natural ability to heal itself [...] illness is said to result when the individual's 'vital force' or 'inner vitality' weakens, allowing viruses, bacteria and allergens to get through the body's defenses [...] the naturopath will try to identify underlying causes of an imbalance and then seek ways of restoring the inner self-regulating harmony, known as 'homeostasis,' that sustains the vital force";

(click here,

http://www.channel4.com/health/microsites/C/comp_medicine/naturopathy.html)

(archived here,

http://web.archive.org/web/20021002003344/http:/www.channel4.com/health/microsites/C/comp_medicine/naturopathy.html)

(for the archive.org history of this page, click here,

http://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.channel4.com/health/microsites/C/comp_medicine/naturopathy.html)

ii.

[in “Enemies of Reason: The Irrational Health Service” -- per Dawkins, R. (? ?){2007}]

“welcome to the bizarre world of homeopathy [00.23.57...] homeopathy was dreamed up in the late 18^th century as a way of boosting the body's vital spirit [00.24.06]”;

(for the program's homepage, click here,

http://www.channel4.com/culture/microsites/E/enemies_of_reason/)

Chronogram [Hudson Valley, NY edition] states:

[in "Classical Homeopathy: Alive and Well. Your Own Healthy Vital Force is the Best Medicine"{per Klosterman , L. (? ?)}{08-24-2007}]

[full edition is here, http://www.chronogram.com/tmp_pdf/WEB_HV_Chronogram_09-07.pdf]

"'as vital force gets stronger, everything evolves together. The mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical selves become stronger and healthier.' —David Kramer [...] Kramer is the founder of Hudson Valley School of Classical Homeopathy";

(click here,

http://www.chronogram.com/issue/2007/9/Whole+Living/Classical-Homeopathy-Alive-and-Well)

"vital force remedies";

(click here,

http://www.chronogram.com/issue/2007/9/Whole+Living/Classical-Homeopathy-Alive-and-Well?page=2)

"'it took me more than 15 years to call myself a healer, which is to understand the human organism on all its four essential levels: physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. Homeopathy treats people; we don’t treat symptoms. Symptoms are merely the sign of what is called the vital force, the life force.' It is an ailing vital force that produces symptoms, he says, 'just like a house will produce symptoms if it’s left unattended'";

(click here,

http://www.chronogram.com/issue/2007/9/Whole+Living/Classical-Homeopathy-Alive-and-Well?page=3)

"a hallmark of homeopathy is to see signs of a weakened vital force before a full-blown acute situation or chronic condition arises";

(click here,

http://www.chronogram.com/issue/2007/9/Whole+Living/Classical-Homeopathy-Alive-and-Well?page=4)

the Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia [6th ed.] states:

[in "Life"]

"much of the history of biology and of philosophy as related to biology has been marked by a division of thought between vitalistic (or animistic) and mechanistic (or materialistic) concepts. In the most antithetic interpretations of these concepts, the vitalistic school maintains that there is a vital force that distinguishes the living from the nonliving and the mechanistic school holds that there is no essential difference between the animate and inanimate and that all life can be explained by physical and chemical laws";

(click here,

http://www.answers.com/topic/life#copyright)

(archived here,

http://web.archive.org/web/20070502202403/http://www.answers.com/topic/life)

(for the archive.org history of this page, click here,

http://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.answers.com/topic/life#copyright)

the Compact Oxford Dictionary states:

[in “Vitalism”]

“the theory that the origin and phenomena of life are dependent on a force or principle distinct from purely chemical or physical forces”;

(click here,

http://www.askoxford.com/concise_oed/vitalism?view=uk)

ii.

[in “Life Force”]

“the force that gives something its life, vitality, or strength”;

(click here,

http://www.askoxford.com/concise_oed/lifeforce?view=uk)

iii.

[in “Vital Force”]

“the energy or spirit which animates living creatures”;

(click here,

http://www.askoxford.com/concise_oed/vitalforce?view=uk)

Complementary Bath states:

[in “Issue 01, September 2005”]

“naturopathy […] the following principles underpin the practice of naturopathy: the healing power of nature or vis medicatrix naturae. There is a ‘vital force’ or ‘life force’ which dries the self-healing or self-correcting mechanisms of the body [p.020]”;

(click here,

http://www.complementarybath.co.uk/ComplementaryBathIssue1.pdf)

the Concise Dictionary of Modern Medicine(2005){author: Segen, J.C. (MD ?)} states:

“vitalism: the body has an intrinsic ability to heal itself; the chiropractor’s role is to facilitate the body’s ability to restore the vital or life force – termed innate intelligence, to its optimum level, and therefore be allowed to heal itself [p.135]”;

(ISBN 0838515355)

Connect Magazine states:

[in “Naturopathic Medicine...”{per Conlon, G.W. (? ?)]

“homeopathy therapy which accesses the vital force of the body to strengthen its innate power to heal itself”;

(click here,

http://www.connect-utah.com/article.asp?r=1660&iid=42&sid=1)

(archived here,

http://web.archive.org/web/20060515104030/http://www.connect-utah.com/article.asp?r=1660&iid=42&sid=1)

(for the archive.org history of this page, click here,

http://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.connect-utah.com/article.asp?r=1660&iid=42&sid=1)

The Dictionary of the Esoteric: 3000 Entries on the Mystical and Occult Traditions"(2002; Drury, N. (? ?) ) states:

"acupuncture [...] it is along these meridians that the life-force, ch'i, passes through the body [p.003...] animal magnetism: according to Anton Mesmer, the eighteenth century hypnotist, animal magnetism was the vital force present in the human body and could be transmitted as a healing force from one person to another [...] animism: the belief, common among many pre-literate societies, that trees, mountains, rivers and other natural formations possess an animating power of spirit. In spiritualism the term also refers to the concept that inanimate objects as well as animate ones have a life-force or energy quite distinct from the physical form [p.013......] bioenergy: expression used by therapist Wilhelm Reich to describe the life energy in the body. According to Reich, this life-force can become trapped in muscle groups when the contract a spasm, following emotional shocks or repression of sexual instincts [p.032...] bioplasma: term proposed in 1966 by [...] Grischenko [...] biological plasma -- is present in all living organisms and to this extent equates with what is elsewhere described as the universal life-force [...] see ch'i, prana [p.033...] life-force: term for the universal life energy that sustains all living things in the universe. It is known variously as prana (Sanskrit), ch'i (Chinese taoism), and ki (Japanese Buddhism); and in animistic religions it is worshiped as god-in-nature [p.183...] nadi: in kundalini yoga, channel in the body through which the life-force, or prana, is said to flow [p.225...] pneuma: Greek worked for 'air,' 'breath,' and 'spirit,' closely associated with life itself. Compare with prana [p.253...] vital force: the life-force, which resides in all living things and which, in mystical and occult traditions, is presumed to be the source of health and vitality. if the life-force is blocked from the organism, disease results and eventually death ensues. The life-force is known variously as ch'i ( taoism); ki (Japanese Buddhism); and prana (Hinduism). Vitalism: the belief that living organisms may be distinguished from inorganic matter by virtue of the presence of a vital force. This force, sometimes known as elan vital, is capable of existing independently of physical force. See also life-force; nous [p.322...] wakan: also wakanda. Among the traditional Sioux Indians, the universal life-force that permeates all aspects of nature and is a source of spiritual power [p.323...] yin: in taoism, that aspect of the universal life-force -- ch'i -- which is passive, negative, and 'feminine' [p.334]";

(ISBN 1842931083)

the Dictionary of Metaphysical Healthcare states:

[per Raso, J. (? ?)]

"most of alternative medicine's unnaturalistic methods are vitalistic. Vitalism is the doctrine that an invisible, intangible, unique form of energy is responsible for all the activities of living organisms. The lure of vitalism lies in its compatibility with humankind's longing for immortality. Vitalism has both supernaturalistic and mystical forms. For example, as the soul, the 'vital force' appears supernaturalistic; as chi (a concept central to nearly all forms of acupuncture), it seems mystical";

(click here,

http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/dictionary/mdintro.html)

(archived here,

http://web.archive.org/web/20041023105420/http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/dictionary/mdintro.html)

(for the archive.org history of this page, click here,

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the Dictionary of Psychology(1999) states:

"atman (Indian philosophy). The life-force, or soul, of a living being that is seen as an integral part of the ultimate cosmic reality rather an as a separate individual. In vedäntic philosophy, atman is said be the individualized aspect of brahman, which is the eternal absolute [p.0074...] chi [...] the concept of 'life force' as found in the phrase tai chi. See prana [p.0158...] élan vital (life force or spirit - French) (H. Bergson). The force that gives impulse to life, the creative principle responsible for evolution. See [...] vitalism [p.0320...] entelechy [...] the thought that physical form, such as human bodies, are controlled by a hypothetical immaterial entity. See vitalism [p.0332...] hylozoism. A doctrine positing that all matter has life, sensation, consciousness. Also known as hylopsychism. See animism, vitalism [p.0457...] ki. Japanese term for 'life force' as found in their term aikido. See prana [p0524...] life force - English phrase similar to the French élan vital [p.0548...] vital energy - a creative vital force. See vitalism [...] vitalism - 2. a doctrine positing that the functions of living organisms are determined, at least in part, by an inorganic force or principle. The biologist Hans Driesch was the chief exponent of this view, holding that life processes are autonomous and purposive, and that potentialities for growth and development are realized through an agent to which he applied Aristotle's 'entelechy' which means full reality in Greek. The philosopher Henri Bergson called this creative, vital force the élan vital [p.1057]";

(ISBN 158391028X)

Discovery's The Science Channel states:

[in "Alternative Medicine" {11-04-2002}]

"[narrator] the existence of natural energy in the body. Traditional Chinese medicine calls it chi. [A proponent] 'chi is what makes you different from a sack of chemicals. It's the essence of energy which runs through the body that makes it so that we continue to function.' In theory, chi travels along channels called meridians [...] acupuncturists can adjust a patient's chi [...] freeing the chi and gradually restoring health [...] 'when you have a blockage, especially of chi [...] that blockage can create pain or spasm [...] like a river coming to a dam'";

(homepage at

http://science.discovery.com/tuneins/criticaleye.html)

Dorland’s Medical Dictionary states:

“vitalism (vi·ta·lism) (vi´tə-liz-əm) [L. vita life] the theory, opposed to mechanism (def. 3), that biological activities are due to a vital force or principle distinct from physical and chemical forces”;

(click here,

http://www.mercksource.com/pp/us/cns/cns_hl_dorlands.jspzQzpgzEzzSzppdocszSzuszSzcommonzSzdorlandszSzdorlandzSzdmd_v_10zPzhtm)

(archived here,

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the Eclectic Health Encyclopedia of Healing Modalities states:

[in “Encyclopedia: Homeopathy”]

"’vitalism’’ - the idea that a ‘vital force’ regulates the body - was an important theory in 17th-century medicine. Symptoms of disease, such as fever or inflammation, were seen as signs that the vital force was fighting infection. Modern homeopaths still choose remedies according to the 'law of similars' to stimulate the vital force”;

(click here,

http://www.eclectichealth.net/encyclopedia/homeopathy.php)

(archived here,

http://web.archive.org/web/20070212224001/http://www.eclectichealth.net/encyclopedia/homeopathy.php)

(for the archive.org history of this page, click here,

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ii.

[in “Encyclopedia: Naturopathy”]

“some aspects of naturopathy have common ground with other ancient holistic health systems, such as traditional Chinese medicine and ayurveda, which share the belief that the body has an innate power to heal itself. In naturopathy this power is known as the ‘vital force’ […] modern naturopaths believe the body will always strive toward good health, or homeostasis, and that the body is its own best healer. They maintain that many factors, such as an unhealthy diet, a lack of sleep, exercise, or fresh air, any emotional or physical stress, pollution in the environment, even negative attitudes, allow waste products and toxins to build up in the body and upset self regulation. This in turn can overload the immune system and weaken the vital force, the body's innate ability to maintain good health. If this vital force is weakened, the body becomes susceptible to viruses, bacteria, and allergens”;

(click here,

http://www.eclectichealth.net/encyclopedia/naturopathy.php)

(archived here,

http://web.archive.org/web/20070212224206/http://www.eclectichealth.net/encyclopedia/naturopathy.php)

(for the archive.org history of this page, click here,

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iii.

[in "Acupuncture"]

"acupuncture is an element within the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) health system, which also includes herbs, acupressure, exercise, and diet. Fundamental to TCM are the concepts of yin and yang, opposite but complementary forces whose perfect balance within the body is essential for well-being. Yin signifies cold, damp, darkness, stillness, and contraction; yang signifies heat, dryness, light, action, and expansion. Yin and yang are components of qi [...] which is an invisible 'life energy' that flows through meridians or channels around the body";

(click here,

http://www.eclectichealth.net/encyclopedia/acupuncture.php)

(archived here,

http://web.archive.org/web/20070212224113/http://www.eclectichealth.net/encyclopedia/acupuncture.php)

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iv.

[in "Ayurveda"]

"in the human body, the levels of the doshas are believed to rise and fall daily, affected by factors such as different foods, time of day, season, levels of stress, and repressed emotions. Imbalances in the doshas are thought to disrupt the flow of prana, the 'life energy' that enters the body through food and breath, and to impede agni, the body's 'digestive fire,' which processes food and experiences. If agni is low, toxic substances called amna, said to be a major source of illness, are produced. Ayurveda therefore places great importance on diet and detoxification techniques designed to purge ama by means of sweat, urine, and feces - known as the three malas. Herbal remedies, yoga, massage, and meditation are also believed to balance the doshas and increase prana, and are all practiced as part of ayurveda";

(click here,

http://www.eclectichealth.net/encyclopedia/ayurveda.php)

(archived here,

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Appendix B.07.i. (A-EDT) Reference Tools:

The Vitalism of Naturopathy: