One thing I found particularly interesting in class was the concept of the Medicine Wheel. While trying to find more information about this concept, I stumbled upon this really great article that talks about culturally-appropriate traditional healing practices that may also help with regaining culture.
In their article Aboriginal Healing: Regaining Balance and Culture, Hunter et al. interviewed 8 Indigenous people about their use of traditional healing practices. Three common themes emerged, including:
- Following a cultural path
- Gaining balance
- Sharing in the circle of life
Traditional Healing Practice #1: Following a Cultural Path
Loss of culture during the era of Residential Schools has left devastating effects for Indigenous people who were stripped of their language, beliefs and traditions. Very little remained to be passed on to future generations. Many Indigenous people have since began a process of regaining their culture, which may include participating in traditional practices: drumming, talking circles, sweat lodges, stories, smudging, sacred pipe, etc.
Traditional Healing Practice #2: Gaining Balance
Western medicine is heavily focused on the medical model. Indigenous people typically hold a more holistic view of health and healing. The focus is on finding balance among physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional health. When one of these aspects of health is off balance, so too are the other 3. It is important for this balance to occur not just within oneself, but within one’s family, relationships, etc.
In class, Ken Paul gave a guest lecture about the Medicine Wheel. He explained how he uses it in daily life for planning. The 4 directions on the wheel can represent many different aspects of life, including the 4 aspects of health and healing: mental (the mind), emotional (the heart), physical (the body), and spiritual (the gift to envision). Ken told us that when there is stress on one plane (one of the 4 directions), the wheel must be counterbalanced. Ken also explained the types of treatment for each of the 4 aspects of healing. Treatment for the mind includes meditation; treatment for the heart includes counseling; treatment for the body consists of medicine; treatment for the spirit includes prayer or being out in nature. The lecture was incredibly interesting and highly relational to nursing, as both the Medicine Wheel and nursing practice focus on the concept of holistic care.
Traditional Healing Practice #3: The Circle of Life
This refers to sharing heritage and identity with others (both Indigenous and non-Indigenous). Sharing with others involves the following steps: learning a lesson, gaining knowledge, and sharing that knowledge with others. Motivation for learning must be intrinsic. The sharing can occur with another Indigenous or non-Indigenous person.
These 3 traditional healing practices helped participants in the process of regaining their culture, and also helped to foster self-awareness, choice, and self-determination. They were found to empower individuals and communities (Hunter et al., 2015).
Indigenous people experience extreme health disparities, and therefore are in frequent contact with nurses. Nurses are responsible for providing culturally sensitive and competent care, and should be aware of common traditional health practices so that they can adequately support Indigenous individuals in their healing journey. Additionally, nurses should lobby for healthy public policy to ensure that all Canadians have equal opportunity for health – something that is much needed for this group in particular! Recognizing the importance of holistic care and ensuring adequate balance among the 4 aspects of health and healing is another important part of Indigenous nursing practice, as this view of heath is much different from the typical Western medical model. Implications of this will mean treating the whole person, and not just symptoms of a disease or illness. Finally, nurses should always consider the historical and social context of their patient, especially when this patient belongs to a group known to be oppressed by society.
Two-Eyed Seeing for Health 