How To Turn Loss Into Newfound Life
Everyone at some point in life must confront loss and grief. In December of last year, my friend Bill Gottlieb, CHC, lost his beloved wife to breast cancer. His writings of his experience of loss and grief and his path to healing touched me deeply. Bill has generously agreed to share the tools he has […]
Embracing The Mystery In Herbal Medicine
“There are two ways to live: you can live as if nothing is a miracle; you can live as if everything is a miracle.” – Albert Einstein This has always been one of my favorite quotes—for me, it is a beautiful reminder that spirit is always present. I consciously pay attention to the mystery and […]
Reflections As We Move Into The New Year
As we move into 2014, I continue to reflect on the homily given by Pope Francis on Christmas, and I feel moved to share these thoughts with you. My intention is to convey my reflections, and is not in any way meant to offend those who are not of the Christian faith. I believe that […]
In the Heart of the Holy Land
Last week, my wife Jen and I arrived home from 10 days in Israel. It was a wonderful and transformative journey on many levels, and we are still absorbing all that we experienced. The opportunity to teach my approach—the Eclectic Triphasic Medical System (ETMS)— to the Integrative Medicine department at the largest and leading medical […]
Thanksgiving Gratitude
My wife Jen and I are off to Israel to teach for a week (see flyer below). For the first time, we won’t be celebrating Thanksgiving with our children. Although we would much prefer to be with our children, family, and friends on this and every other holiday, we recognize that this is a unique […]
Celebrating St. Francis of Assisi
Today, October 4th is the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi. As a former Franciscan monk, I have always felt a special affinity for St. Francis. On this day, I take time to reflect on his life and his words of wisdom and compassion. In The Canticle of Exhortation to St. Clare, St. Francis […]
Remembering John Coltrane
John Coltrane (1926-1967)—saxophonist, composer, and iconic figure—is to me a saint. He has inspired me in my music and my life, and has meant so much to me that we named our son Coltrane. September 23rd is the anniversary of John Coltrane’s birth. In his honor, I want to share with you what has made […]
Healing vs. Curing: Contrasting Fundamental Aims in Medicine
Conventional modern medicine has long separated itself from traditional healing systems such as Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ayurveda, and the Eclectic tradition. However, the inadequacies of conventional medicine and the growing interest of people in the wisdom of these ancient healing traditions has created a unique opportunity to rewrite medicine as we currently know it. I […]
How Do We Define A Human Being?
To the Western way of thinking, theology and medicine have little in common. Although some progress has been made in the past several decades in recognizing the interrelationship of the mind, body, and spirit, there is still the tendency to define a human being merely in terms of concrete, physiological attributes. In Eastern Christian ideology, […]