Energy Medicine and the Politics (Politeia) of Health
“Politics” is derived from the juicier Greek word, “politeia,” which implies an active engagement in which people empower each other to enhance their communities. – Jean Houston
“The Earth is what we all have in common.”
—Wendell Berry
Political Choices Are Health Choices
First published January 17, 2022
Donna Eden and David Feinstein
A study recently published in a multi-disciplinary academic journal on the social implications of health policies looked at the relationship between life expectancy in the United States and social policies, giving state by state comparisons. The article opens with, “For a number of years, the United States has ranked last in life expectancy among high-income countries.” Our own audience is becoming increasingly international, and the implications of this study apply everywhere.
The study used information on 18 policy domains, such as labor laws, tax codes, civil rights, education, tobacco taxes, gun safety, abortion, and environmental policies. It found that some policies had a negative impact on health and longevity while others had a positive impact. For instance, in states whose legislation had, over the past dozen years, become more favorable in terms of policies associated with better health, life expectancy increased by more than two years. Meanwhile, in states whose policies had become less favorable, life expectancy decreased significantly.
The policies associated with longevity are, however, politically charged. What are we to do with such findings about the impact of social policies on longevity in formulating the health guidance we provide? Are we to ignore them in our public statements because they have become political hotwires? The truth is, so far, we have. We’ve not even offered guidance on the use of masks or physical distancing during the pandemic in terms of their impact energetically. Here is what we would have said: “Covid appears to Donna as a thick murky green. Masks and distancing keep that murky energy from moving into others.”
Why change now? Why are we ready to comment on highly charged social issues? The study of social policies and life expectancy, while even more dramatic than we realized, did not surprise us. What is new is that as the 2022 elections approach, we believe that the implications for policies that impact health are going to be momentous and probably unprecedented. For us personally, we are deeply concerned about the world our grandchildren will inherit. Will effective health care be readily available? Will they feel safe at a concert? Will they be able to do meaningful work for a livable wage? Will bridges be safe? Will they have fresh air to breathe and clean water to drink? Will their bodies enjoy swimming in clean oceans?
There is more to living a healthy life than just nutrition, exercise, adequate sleep, meaningful work, good relationships and, of course from our perspective, energy medicine practices. Attending to your environment is also part of the package. Gasoline did not have lead removed because the auto industry or oil companies demanded it. Toxic pesticides were not banned because the farming industry or chemical manufacturers thought it was a good idea. We are healthier today because earlier generations demanded better.
Our students have often heard us emphasize that “Energy medicine only works if you use it.” It is similar with your voice and your vote. You can’t be heard if you don’t speak up. If you want to live in a healthier environment, the evidence shows that the way you vote and engage politically makes a difference. The life expectancy gap between Connecticut, the state with the greatest movement toward policies associated with good health, and Oklahoma, the state that made greatest movement away from such policies, is 7 years. Political choices are health choices.
While we will be vocal in our opinions about specific health care policies and how to get them implemented, we want to be clear on one fundamental point. We do not expect to change the political views of anyone in our community! We will continue to enthusiastically embrace everyone, regardless of political affiliation, as we provide guidance on the use of energy methods for health and well-being. Our intention is not to change your opinion. Our intention is to offer our perspective on specific topics and to encourage those who are aligned with that perspective on that issue to make their voices heard. If our opinions do not resonate with yours, we honor and respect that. Jane Goodall summed up the arrangement: “You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of a difference you want to make.”
In today’s world, the misinformation floating around is unprecedented. Social policies based on that misinformation are being enacted. That misinformation is, as you witness every day, aided and abetted by electronic media that literally rewires the brain. Here is what you can expect from us: We believe in science. We believe in the world revealed by invisible energies. We believe in critical thinking. The positions we will advocate will be supported by our best integration of these three sources of information.
We are more committed than ever to activate forces within you that support your health at the deepest levels and that support the conditions in your environment that promote health. In promoting your own health, you are taking a gargantuan step toward promoting the health of your culture. During these coming months, we will explore issues that will be impacted by the upcoming elections. To the degree that our perspective resonates with yours, we hope to inspire you to be vocal. We ourselves are inspired to be more vocal by the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: “In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.”
Feel free to share your responses. Your comments will not be censored. We expect differing viewpoints and hopefully rich discussion. Comments do, of course, need nowadays to be screened for trolls, bots, being respectful, understandable, on-topic, et cetera, so there will be some delay between your submitting them and their being posted.
Even though Donna and Donna won’t be responding to these comments directly, our purpose is to get dialogue going among the members of our community. We will also have a staff person answer questions that are directly pertinent for our organization to answer, such as questions about our policies. Finally, Donna and David will read all of your comments when they are writing subsequent articles so they will have them in their minds.
It was a huge turn off when I first heard your daughter speak of politics in one of the youtube shorts. She expressed something about the current office and I was in a little bit of a shock to say the least, so I don’t remember what it was said exactly… (I muted my notifications for any new posts after that.) I cringe a little with this, however I am open to hear your stance, whether we agree or not. — I stand for freedom, critical thinking and keeping the government out of my personal affairs. — I agree there is much misinformation out there and critical thinking is needed. I personally don’t trust “the science” because I am aware how pharma controls the medical field, I also believe that much of the information out by main stream media is there for fear manipulation of the masses, and I firmly believe there are no victims, only co-creators. I choose to trust my inner guidance and exercise my freedom of choice in creating my life experience. I use energy work and creative visualization in my life. — As for voting, I participate, yet I am not sure that it matters. Last election we were not even asked to show our official ID’s in Southern California. Many friends I know were sabotaged in their votes as well. We have since relocated to Texas, in every election thus far a government ID is required. I am grateful for this! P.S. I have never wore a face mask and will never put one on my kiddo.
My grandmother was a Suffragette,working for all women to get a law passed for women to have the right to vote. The campaigning was not easy.It was a lengthy and difficult struggle. However through perseverance on August 18,1920 the 19th Amendment to the Constitution was ratified enfranchising all American woman and declaring for the first time that they deserved all the rights and responsibilities of citizenship.
Please use the gift to vote .Many women died heroically to get this legislation passed.
“We believe in science. We believe in a world revealed by invisible energies. We believe in critical thinking.” I concur ….. a powerful place to stand as I work through the challenges I face in today’s existence.
Speaking of health and science, check out this book if you are interested in the science of vaccines, complete with more than 1,200 references, all from mainstream scientific papers and textbooks, the official publications of relevant government agencies, or manufacturers’ documents
The book is available on Amazon:
Turtles All The Way Down: Vaccine Science and Myth Paperback – July 16, 2022
by Anonymous (Author), Zoey O’Toole (Editor), Mary Holland J.D. (Editor, Foreword)
4.8 out of 5 stars 164 ratings
#1 Best Seller in Public Health Administration
Book Description:
“If you are reading this, you are probably aware of the fierce debate surrounding vaccination and looking for information that will allow you to make the best decisions for yourself and your loved ones. Whether you are a parent or a parent to be, sorting through the many arguments on vaccines can be daunting. Still, you need an answer, a definitive one, to the crucial question: Who has it right in the great vaccine debate – the critics, who claim that vaccines often cause serious harm, or the medical establishment, which tells us that vaccines are safe and effective and the science is settled?
Rest assured, you have come to the right place. Turtles All the Way Down: Vaccine Science and Myth will resolve the vaccine question for you, once and for all. By the time you finish reading, not only will you see the answer clearly for yourself, you will also have the scientific references and specific quotes at your disposal that prove it – more than 1,200 of them – all from mainstream scientific papers and textbooks, the official publications of relevant government agencies, or manufacturers’ documents.
The book consolidates a great deal of information (accompanied by detailed analysis) that is scattered in hundreds of medical articles, books, and websites. All discussion is presented in clear and easy-to-understand language, so no medical education is required. It presents several original concepts in addition to laying a robust scientific foundation for the more established ones.
Some of the fundamental vaccine safety issues covered in the book are:
In addition, three cornerstones of vaccination lore are covered in depth:
The book is intended for parents overwhelmed by conflicting messaging on this important topic, but it is also an excellent reference for medical researchers and professionals who seek a better understanding of vaccine safety science. Whether you are new to the vaccine debate or a “veteran” seeking a deeper grasp of the science, this book is a must-read. It also serves as an excellent primer on vaccination to share with friends and relatives who may benefit from a deep dive into the subject.”
HUGE gratitude for this post!! The political IS personal—and we’re all involved in it, we’re all connected, and we’re all impacted by each other.
I always joked that my birth was an act of medical rebellion – by my mom. The nurse wanted to give her a spinal and she kicked the nurse off. Nurse complained to Dr. Lily and he said, well, then, don’t give it to her. She birthed me without drugs and breast fed, during the pressure of feeding formula during the early 1950s. My mom worked for my 2 uncles, one was the medical examiner for Baltimore. She wanted to be a doctor, but came of age during the Great Depression and her brothers got funded for college. (11 medical pros in her immediate family) Doctor Gurley was her mentor, and he cultivated her wisdom. She wasn’t taken in the trendy surgeries popular in the 1950s but we did all get vaccinated, because she saw the ravages these diseases caused. We ate healthy, played outside in the good soil, and grew strong. No canned food, everything was made from scratch. She was brilliant, intuitive, and would have been a great doctor. She taught me, by example, how to make wise decisions: balancing science, inquiry, and intuition. I took this all for granted back then – just called it thinking well. Every medical decision was discussed robustly, with consultations, research and lots of questions. We all felt in charge of ourselves.
This is all a long way of saying, I agree with your post fulsomely!
The past few years have been so interesting and painful, though. Now I see it as a separating the wheat from the chaff, a revelation. So many revelations about who people and groups really are.
We are all in charge of ourselves and bring that fulsomeness to the great collective, our communities and country. Or not, which is also a choice. (I used to marvel that only 8-15% voted in some local elections. My vote had so so so much more import!)
Why do people give their power away?
I am deeply shocked by this. How can you possibly talk about “critical thinking” and “misinformation” in the same breath? What is your idea of “misinformation”? It clearly demonstrates to me a very biased view of things. And why “vote”? Are you now representing a political party? Since when has politics been a part of EEM? Since when have we even discussed voting? And as for your reference to the internet
“rewiring our brains” to accept misinformation. This is sinister at best from people who talk a lot about the brain and its vulnerabilities. “Murky green”? Is this the best you can come up with? And the vaccines are “most good”??? I am at present collating the works of many very experienced members of the medical profession who are extremely concerned about the vaccines and, dare I say, way more informed than you are. And it is by no means “misinformation”. For the first time, I now trust those people and their experience, and have very little trust in EEM.
How rude!
EEM has spoken out on a topic of global concern...and you attack that action?!
At a time when “the implications for policies that impact health are going to be momentous and probably unprecedented” you protest that they “dare” to speak about politics?!
“If you want to live in a healthier environment, the evidence shows that the way you vote and engage politically makes a difference.” Given that, you.object to EEM discussing voting, even urging us to cast our ballot?!
Their statements about the ramifications of unprecedented misinformation are so valuable for health cnsderations! Or do you think misinformation is wonderful, or not important to discuss??
Maybe take a look at the hitch in your own giddy-up before lashing out at a couple that have given us so much wisdom, incomparable information, and their very hearts.
I agree, Shira. It was an incredibly rude and inappropriate response from someone who obviously didn’t truly understand what was being conveyed and who let their own triggers get out of hand. In addition, as you pointed out, Donna and David have always so selflessly and generously shared their wisdom and hearts and provided thoughtful, balanced information in a calm and loving manner. I am just floored at the nastiness that this commenter and others similar to her have displayed and how quickly and easily they would malign two such beautiful souls who have devoted their lives to helping others heal and empower themselves.
I do resonate with your answer – nothing more to add here. Deeply shocked indeed.
Naomi, this new type of consideration that Donna and David are inviting us to open up, certainly contains uncharted territory for us within “the community.” Our norm has been to encourage individual paths but really stay away from other types of interactions. Let me say to you personally, I recognize that this may be a jolt for you but it is just that which makes your slower consideration even more important. Serendipitously, I just yesterday read someone writing about mindfulness, reflecting that “We pay mightily for premature closure on important questions – not just at work, but also in our families…” I would add, “in our communities.” Before retiring, I was a teacher trainer and my most beloved process to train teachers and students on was “cooperative learning.” HOW can we work together to learn, to discover, to generate new ways of bringing knowledge into our systems and daily lives that will result in better lives lived, better communities. It is VERY hard, when words naturally trigger reactions (that’s kinda their primary job). But it’s the follow up from the first splash of cold water that makes the difference. Again, just from my personal & professional life, I ask you to consider that you have a perspective that is important to hear and consider and unravel…and if you take your voice away, it will be a loss. When I trained all those teachers and students back in their classrooms, my FIRST words when I went in and ran a lesson with the kids, had to do with the core values of cooperative learning. I would tell them point blank — two principles will always be what we work for: RE-SPECT & RESPONSE-ABILITY. I told them, no matter what, we wanted those present in our learning groups. RE-SPECT: really means that we promise to LOOK-AGAIN at what our teammates are doing and saying so that we can understand their needs and perspectives. And RESPONSE-ABILITY: really means that each and every person has the space and capacity to respond, to communicate what is going on for them…and it is through those interactions that we will grow as a group that both cares about the well-being of each person AND effectively creates growth and problem solving and new capacities to face the newer challenges of our communities and our planet. During the original live Playing with Frequencies workshop, I directly questioned David personally about what I saw was a gap in our practitioner’s awareness of the studies showing adverse effects of some electromagnetic radiation. Showed him the studies. For example, in a very large (over 1000), well designed study done by the women’s primary health providers, there was a 27% increase in miscarriages among those women whose actual exposures to magnetic fields were documented to be within a certain measured range. I wanted David to alert practitioners to this as he distinguished our work on subtle energies with the larger spectrum of electromagnetic fields that are manmade and have distinctly opposite polarities than do our cells. He adjusted his presentation the next day to share (have practitioners be aware) that there were aspects of manmade electromagnetic fields that could have adverse effects on humans. I do not know his reasons, but I imagine because he saw that the medical community had discerned an adverse effect about which our political bodies/regulatory agencies, had NOT yet told the public about. Just like tobacco, asbestos and DDT, our regulatory wheels take truly decades to change (that’s one example of how ‘politics’ or ‘financial powers’ get entwined into our ‘health’). WE are much more on the front lines of interacting with people about their optimal well-being, their choices, their lives, in The NOW. NOW, that particular discernment about manmade electromagnetic fields has not been expanded in our Eden training. BUT don’t you think we perhaps could expand our capacities to raise questions to our families/communities and to our clients, that would increase the growth toward everyone’s well-being? That’s a capacity that we have not particularly exercised except as we individually have chosen. For me, my desire would be to grow that capacity with the full Re-Spect-ful and Response-Able participation of all the collective wisdom available from ALL of my cohorts & colleagues. So Naomi, please consider how you can add to creating some powerful discernments that will help us as practitioners bring a healthier environment to those we serve.
This is called freedom of speech, fought for and brought to you by people who spoke up. Especially women didn’t have the right for a long time to say what they think or to vote (-they still don’t have this right in many countries).
There’s no reason to attack EEM folks, just because you don’t agree with them. Everyone can have their own opinion without being attacked for it. Your opinion is of the same value as someone else’s. There’s no need to “convince” someone that your opinion is “better”. So, again, there’s no need to attack.
Love is understanding one another. If someone doesn’t understand, or doesn’t try to understand the other (and the only things they perceive are negative…) then there’s a lack of love, and the bigger picture of the universe (and one’s own role in it) is not understood.
This is a well written statement. I trust science too, just some statistics about the outcomes might not be trustworthy and like in every other “professional world” money rules and takes advantage of situations, like a health crisis, war, and other supply shortages. I think the overall message is that it has consequences if you vote “period”. Choose wisely, it doesn’t help in the long run if we neglect our environment, health and education in order to have more money in our pockets now. If we think only about ourselves and don’t see the big pictures it will backfire in the future and there might be no way to make it right and fix it.
Everyone has a free will to join energy healing or not. For me it was the best decision to start this. It works out very good for me. Thank you very much, you have shown me a different way to look at my health! Thank you so much
I have always thought that how you choose to live your life is indeed political…..our choices not only have an effect on our own lives but also impact the lives of all those we interact with. Sometimes it is daunting to know how we can help and have an impact on all the issues facing us at this challenging time in the world. However we can have an impact in our personal sphere of influence by how we interact with others in our communities and voicing and sharing our concerns and trying to take actions where we can.
Thank you for you wise words…..
with love and light to all
Susan