“Holos” means whole in Greek. It is the same root for words such as “hologram”, and “holographic”. What is a hologram? When a reference wave is applied to a light wave reflected by or transmitted through an object, interference occurs. A hologram is the interference pattern recorded on a suitable recording medium. A hologram can reproduce the image of the original object either in a 2D or 3D format. The small images on credit cards are flat optical images which look three-dimensional to the naked eye. The three-dimensionality of such images is not the only remarkable characteristic of holograms. If a hologram of a rose is cut in half and then illuminated by a laser, each half will still be found to contain the entire image of the rose. Indeed, even if the halves are divided again, each snippet of film will always be found to contain a smaller but intact version of the original image. Unlike regular photographs, every part of a hologram contains all the information possessed by the whole.

A new direction of thought in both philosophy and science tends to regard the entire Universe as a hologram (see “The Holographic Universe” by Michael Talbot). Even more, the universe is regarded as a holographic projection of our mind. This view is, interestingly, congruent with ancient Eastern philosophies which refer to what we know as our worldly life as “maya”, or “illusion” (Sanskrit). Based solely on first-hand experience, these philosophies alluded to life being a stage, and us, human beings, being the actors. It’s often a concept hard to accept by the Western mind. And yet, how can we hold on to a mechanical view of the world, when we know that what we call “solid matter” is made of continuously moving particles. If you sit at your desk now, and you sense it to be solid, while knowing that tiny little quarks are moving fast inside of it; but you don’t see the motion, all you see is solidity: then, is what you see “reality”?

Such a view on creation has deep implication in our human lives. If the whole carries information on itself in each and every one of its parts, this means that everything connected with, and relates to everything else. In other words, your body, emotions, mind, thoughts, words, relationships, environment, bank account and daily occupation, are all representations of the whole, and of each other. It is safe to regard all bits and pieces of existence as metaphors, or symbols of each other, of life, and of all that is. This symbolic point of view has been long embraced by earth cultures and Eastern philosophies. One, oneness, “yoga” – unity, Tao; they all seem to agree. Health and prosperity of humankind is view in this light of interconnectedness of all things and beings. Diagnosis is often a language constructed to “decode” symbols.

For example, the medicine men and women of the aboriginals, use the symbolism of animals and plants in order to diagnose and treat illness. They even call the plants and animals “medicine”. Using keen intuition that bypasses intellectual reasoning, a medicine man or woman can diagnose and heal a situation by dreaming of an animal, and by invoking the animal’s presence in either a material way, using the animal’s feathers, fur, fangs or claws; or in a non-material way, by calling its spirit.

In the Far East, health and other aspects of one’s life are addressed, among other ways, through the environment. For example, in this holographic view of life and the Universe, your home is regarded as a metaphor of your life. Each corner of your home symbolizes certain aspects: your relationships and marriage; your finances; your education and mentors, and more. The art of placement and arrangement goes far beyond aesthetics: it impacts your life at many levels. Dismissed by Western thought as mere superstition for lack of scientific validation, Feng-Shui is getting more acceptance and interest in our world on pure experiential basis: it simply works even if we don’t understand how.

Consider this: your entire existence could be an intricate web of processes. You can alter all by altering one. There are many levels of entry to create change. Physically, for instance, your diet and exercise will directly impact your mental and emotional state. Your emotions directly affect your biology. Your view of the world affects all levels of your life (read “Biology of Belief” by Dr. Bruce Lipton). This knowledge allows you tremendous leverage in designing your reality to suit your liking. As a matter of fact, at a certain level of thought, you create your entire reality, whether consciously or not. The quest of the seeker is to create his / her reality consciously.

You are the creator of your reality. This is the assumption of holistic thought in healthcare and wellness. It confers both ability and responsibility to you, which translates in your active participation in the process of your healing and life transformation. The holistic therapist or wellness coach will work with you, rather than “on” you. The outcome of therapy, coaching and training session depends, thus, on many factors, such as the skill, ability and intent of your facilitator; the level of trust and rapport between client and therapist / coach; and, equally important, the actions you are taking towards your health and wellness.

A woman I treated a few years ago, came to my practice complaining of chronic constipation. We worked together in private sessions for a few weeks. The sessions comprised of body work, energy work and body-mind techniques. At times, my client was passively receiving the healing work; other times, she participating with her breath and focused attention, releasing emotions and shifting her state. At home, she made a small, but significant change in her eating habits, as well as took note of all physical and mental responses to our work. In no time, her bowel movements were regular, and she stopped coming for sessions.

Another woman who came for session, complained about urinary tract infection. Through subconscious exploration in sessions, she uncovered a childhood event as the source of her present condition. Addressing both the physical and the emotional issues, she eventually healed. Her healing occurred at her physical level, as well as in her relationships. For the first time in her life, she soon became sexually active and happily involved in a committed loving relationship with a wonderful man; today they have a baby together.

Perhaps one of the most interesting holistic stories is the one of my refrigerator. Living in Israel, in a cold climate, fridges are an important part of a household. Well, my fridge gave me trouble from the day it entered my house. At that time, my own body wasn’t doing that well, and neither did my emotions. A technician would come to my house for repairs more often than my best friend did. It was distressful and I was thinking to replace it with a new one. After a few years, I moved into a new home, and my fridge came with me. In the same period of time, I started seeing regularly a holistic therapist; I trained in the first two levels of Reiki healing art, and I hired a Feng-Shui consultant for my home. As if by miracle, my fridge ran perfectly until I left my home and moved to Canada.

Often a person comes to my practice in great distress and confusion. A separation, or relationship tension with a family member, or problems with their house, causes them upset, anger and frustration. An initial chat exposes this person to a different, conducive view on things. Work on the treatment table starts often with breathwork and focused attention into the body. This way, the body, mind and spirit (the breath) become one unit. This unit, body-mind-spirit, becomes the entry for change. The person’s separation, relationship or household issue is being addressed and resolved through the body. The change is felt in the person’s body as a shift, a release, or ease-off of tension. With intent, a new reality is re-written in the body-mind-spirit unit, right there, in session, on the treatment table. The session is concluded with the person experiencing a sense of peace and lightness. Back at home, it is simply a matter of time before the change achieved in session will be reflected in the other areas of this person’s “hologram” (life).  Change in the person’s life is sped up when they take appropriate action towards the goal of their choice. A phone call, a letter written, a visit, or even cleaning the house might be the action called for. As a result of such work, relationships often move a notch up in quality. And fridges cool better…