Year: 2014
Type: article
Abstract: T he Caduceus, the Western symbol of health and healing, has its origins in ancient Greece.This well known medical symbol depicts two snakes curled around the staff of the Greek god Hermes.Each snake represents one of the two essential aspects of medicine.The outer aspect is our biology.The inner aspect is consciousness: mental and spiritual life.The Medicine Buddha is an Eastern symbol of health and healing.The wise figure of the Buddha is in a sitting position holding a branch of the Arura plant in his right hand, which symbolizes all external therapeutic approaches to healing.In his left hand, he holds a bowl containing the elixir of wisdom, the inner force of healing.These ancient symbols, arising from the human psyche across time and diverse cultures, are identical in meaning.They offer a universal wisdom gained by the great healers and sages of the past.It is said that a harmonious and balanced interplay of body, mind, and spirit, the inner and outer aspects of life, is the basis of a far-reaching well-being.There are times when the inner and outer aspects of health and healing join together in balance and union.
Author: Elliot S. Dacher
Language: English
Subfield: Psychiatry and Mental health
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W2774030605