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December 16, 2018

The Battle for the Body

“Man is a product of his thoughts, what he believes, he becomes”
– Mahatma Gandhi.

In our experience most people who do a herb course like this have an underlying belief in the effectiveness of herbalism as a healing modality. And that, as Mahatma Gandhi hints, is critical to what you’ll get from this course.

What is the nature of healing? What does it take to heal?
What is the nature of healing? What does it take to heal?

Few people however have a clearly defined idea of where exactly herbalism, or any other healing modality for that matter, fits into a Biblical worldview. And with that comes the very real and grave danger that you might be here because you have unreasonably high expectations of herbalism. Or you might be here because you have a misguided view of your role in the healing process.

In the Advanced Herbal Medicine Making Course this voluntary module attempts to explain:

“How/where herbology fits into a Biblical worldview wherein God is the Ultimate Healer.”

Now before you roll your eyes, and shout “Get out of here! You are totally out of your line, not to say out of your league! This is a herbal medicine making course.” Or even worse, before you trash this course, allow us to stress that the first two lessons are not required study material. As in the Advanced Course, it is voluntary.

So, if exploring the Christian view of your role as Family Herbalist / Health Coach, and the role of herbalism in healing makes you uncomfortable, you can safely mark this unit and the next one as done.

Faith and Healing

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines health as:

“More than simply the absence of illness. It is the active state of physical, emotional, mental and social well-being.”

At first glance, most people will agree with this definition. But if you look at it carefully you’ll note that something is amiss. Either by oversight or by deliberation. That which sets man apart from the rest of God’s creation is not part of health as defined by the WHO.

And with that, the role of faith in bringing about this state is also being discounted. The ‘stuff that miracles are made of’ is swept under the carpet.

Not that there can be any doubt that contemporary medical drugs and treatments provide us with miracles of treatment. Much suffering has been relieved and countless lives saved. This cannot be denied and we would not want to belittle the value within high tech medicine.

But what is the nature of healing? What does it take to heal?

“In my view, there are four essential qualities of a healer: trust, faith, love, and humility,” wrote Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, M.D., in her essay “The Four Pillars of Healing.” These qualities she says, affect the patient in a positive way, causing his or her own faith and trust to rise.

Why is your faith so important to healing?

Why is this intangible element so vital to the healing process?

“After all,” says Tom Monte, editor of Natural Health magazine, “if we take a strictly materialistic view of life and healing, drugs alone should be sufficient to bring about the desired results. But this is not the case as we all know. In order for anyone to be healed, he or she must have faith and trust that healing is possible and that the medicine being offered will bring about such healing.”

This hints at something mysterious and powerful in each of us that plays a pivotal role in determining our state of health and even our longevity. Monte (1997)

One of the most outstanding figures in the history of medicine, Hippocrates (ca. 460 BC – ca. 370 BC), who is also considered the “father of medicine”, acknowledged the existence of this “spiritual dimension” when he said:

“God cures, but the doctor sends the bill.”

“So how do you bridge spirituality within a helping/healing modality so that you’re fulfilled and making a positive difference to your health?” asks Rahima Schmall, Ph.D., R.N.

How DO you become what is sometimes called a “healer”?

Simple—you study and you give yourself the same care that you intend giving others.

Simple? Yes!

Easy? Not so much.

Why? Because it takes time and effort to focus on our own spiritual dimension and for many of us, that’s not what we are here to do.

Pause and Reflect

Answer the following questions in your notebook. You are taking notes, aren’t you?  icon-smile-o

  1. What are the four essential qualities of a healer?
  2. What is your opinion? Why is faith so important to healing?
  3. Did you have any “AHA” (Eureka) moments? Share them in a Reply below.
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Article by 45 Comments

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  1. Elsa du Preez says

    September 14, 2022 at 6:43 pm

    trust, faith, love, and humility

    I think faith is very important. If you have faith, then you believe. And having that makes healing faster.

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  2. Jessica Bryant says

    April 22, 2022 at 4:04 pm

    Faith, Trust, Love and Humility – Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, M.D

    ‘Faith’ can mean so many different things; I believe faith is important and incredibly beneficial to healing, but I also believe that knowledge (of healing, medicine, and humanity) is the key. and if you are knowledgable your patients have faith in you and the things you ‘prescribe’

    AHA! of course, self care is extremely important! I am a great at study and putting in the work but I really do need to learn to sit with the knowledge and feel connected to the work (ie take my own advice and have a cup of dandelion tea while I think on things)

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  3. dheeonline says

    April 20, 2022 at 4:21 am

    The four essential qualities of a healer are trust, faith, love and humility.

    Faith is so important to healing because our thought, belief and dreams can manifest on the physical plane. Also, different aspects of our life are interlinked such that a disturbance in one can wreck havoc in another.

    Not necessarily an AHA moment since I have been studying natural health for many years now. It’s more like an affirmation of what I already believe in and practice.

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  4. Colin Jardine says

    February 10, 2022 at 4:28 pm

    1-trust, faith, love, humility
    2- faith has a corresponding neurological function that triggers inner healing.
    3- I listen to my body.

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  5. Jessica Austin says

    September 5, 2021 at 3:24 pm

    Faith, Humility, trust, love
    Faith is the most important to me, without faith nothing heals…heart, body, or soul
    No big AHA moments yet

    Log in to Reply
  6. ÖMER AYDIN says

    August 31, 2021 at 6:59 pm

    Her Şeye Gücü Yeten Tanrı’nın gerçek şifacı olduğuna inanın, şifa getirmek için doğal yollar sağladığına ve sizi ve beni araç olarak kullanabileceğine güvenin. Bunu her zaman sevgi ve alçakgönüllülükle yapmalıyız.

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  7. Megan Martin says

    August 3, 2021 at 4:32 am

    1) Faith, Humility, Trust, Love,
    2) Faith is so important, no can heal unless they have hope–their soul believes it’s possible. Without hope/faith we languish.
    3) No Eureka moments yet…

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  8. Lorele Stark says

    April 18, 2021 at 2:17 am

    With out faith there is no hope and with out hope there is no healing.

    It just reafirmed what I have believed for a long time and what I need to get in touch with myself and new journey

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  9. Dion Le Roux says

    February 7, 2021 at 7:52 pm

    Have faith that God Almighty is the true healer, trust that he has provided natural means to bring healing and that he is able to use you and I as instruments. We should do this with love and humility always.

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  10. debbieadedeji says

    September 22, 2020 at 10:28 pm

    1. The four essential qualities of a leader are; trust, faith, love and humility.

    2. Faith is so important in healing because, to be healed, you must believe that God is the healer and He has the power and can heal you through many ways eg, through Herbs or Drugs. But Healers and Doctors can only try, it takes God that heals a sick person ‘In order for anyone to be healed, he or she must have faith…’ Tom Monte

    3. My AHA moment is in hiw to become a Healer which is by Studying and giving myself the care I intend giving to others. Amazing!

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  11. Maureen Duvenhage says

    September 16, 2020 at 10:59 am

    Love
    Trust
    Humility
    Hope

    Log in to Reply
  12. debbieadedeji says

    August 26, 2020 at 12:06 pm

    1. The four essential qualities of a Healer are;
    Trust: in his product.
    Faith: in God the Great and Ultimate Healer himself. trusting Him for the herbs to work as desired.
    Love: Love and compassion for the sick to be able to attend very well to them.
    Humily: sereving mankind in humility, not arrogating any power to oneself, accnowledging God all the way.

    2. My opinion is absolutely in support of the above submission, no man can heal but God, so acknowledging Him is great. Exodus 15:26 ‘…for Iam the Lord that healeth thee’
    3. Faith is important to healing because without faith, no man receive anything from the Lord.

    Yes I have EUREKA MOMENTS when I observed that God Almighty is acknowledged in the healing of mankind.

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  13. Joshua Crotty says

    August 26, 2020 at 5:46 am

    I am split on the concept of “Battle” for the body. I see the logic in it for sure. It inspires creative thought

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  14. Simphiwe Macwili says

    August 22, 2020 at 2:03 pm

    Mh I have never thought of faith as part of a healing process but it make sense bringing it.

    Log in to Reply
  15. Marelize Grobbelaar says

    June 8, 2020 at 4:04 pm

    Trust,Faith,Love and Humility are the 4 essential qualieties of a healer.
    Faith is important, because that means we believe in a higher power that we do not see and that gives us hope to heal and have a full life.
    Aha.. Take care of our own spiritual dimension is also just important to be a good healer..

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  16. Maddy Helwig says

    June 4, 2020 at 7:36 pm

    What are the four essential qualities of a healer?
    Faith, trust, love, and humility
    What is your opinion? Why is faith so important to healing?
    Faith is so important to healing because you have to have hope in order to fully recover. Faith brings hope, and hope brings full healing. And in order to fully heal you must trust the person and things healing you so love and trust for your healer is essential for proper treatment.
    Did you have any “AHA” (Eureka) moments? Share them in a Reply below.

    Log in to Reply
  17. Relebohile Zwane says

    May 24, 2020 at 4:15 am

    It is so true that for one to facilitate healing in their bodies faith is the substance. Iam so glad that God is part of this module. I didn’t think I will get this.

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  18. Tebogo Pooe says

    May 22, 2020 at 8:34 pm

    trust, faith, love, and humility,

    If you do not have in what you do, it can never come to pass.

    My Aha Moment was on I was agreeing more on four essential of healing

    Log in to Reply
  19. Cornelius Foord says

    May 2, 2020 at 8:31 pm

    respect/trust, faith, love and humility

    Log in to Reply
  20. Thabisile Ramela says

    April 14, 2020 at 10:08 pm

    Faith, trust, love and humility. Faith is of utmost importance as without it we can never truly be healed. Faith promotes belief and belief is everything to human beings.

    I’ve just realised that I have been on the right path all along, even though I felt like I was lost, God has been guiding my every step to place me here. It’s an amazing revelation…

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  21. Detlev Friemelt says

    April 14, 2020 at 12:06 pm

    What are the four essential qualities of a ‘healer’?
    According to Elisabeth Kübler-Ross these are: Trust, Faith Love and Humility. Her focus on dealing with the healing in relation to grief, sorrow and death makes these qualities essential and as such I have to agree.

    TRUST: As a ‘healer’ it is fundamentally important for me to remember that I am not there to ‘fix’ problems and by some means make symptoms magically disappear. A Trust relationship must be established, starting from a position of not judging. We have all coped, as we deemed best, under the circumstances that we found ourselves in.

    LOVE: A healthy, loving environment that is safe and comforting can be established by allowing a relationship to develop that has love as a cornerstone. A love to assist, and a love for the process and a love for the herbs are all important.

    HUMILITY: To have a humble opinion as to my importance in the process of healing is sometimes hard. To listen with care, mindfulness and diligence creates clarity. As a healer I am always growing, and every encounter is a mirror in which I can see the opportunities for my own growth.

    What is your opinion? Why is faith so important to healing?
    Faith to believe that healing and change is possible is more important that taking a herb, pill or supplement. Our thoughts can create disease in the same way that they can create healing. To believe that there is a power larger than we can imagine or comprehend, that can assist in the process of healing, is faith.

    Did you have any “AHA” (Eureka) moments? Share them in a Reply below.
    I had forgotten some of the above and this was a good AHA reminder.

    Log in to Reply
  22. Lora Lepley says

    April 8, 2020 at 6:37 pm

    Trust
    Faith
    Love
    Humility
    No aha moments. When all of the above are present the healing can begin.

    Log in to Reply
  23. Riana Beneke says

    April 2, 2020 at 1:58 pm

    The four qualities of a healer:
    Trust – I have to trust both the herbs that I am using as well as myself.
    Faith – I have to have faith in the herbs that God provided us with, and use it accordingly, but also respect.
    Love – You have to love the earth and all that it provides, as well as God above all else.
    Humility – You have to always be humble, arrogance can do more harm than good.

    2. Faith is just as important as knowledge, as without both one would not be able to fully understand the concept of herbs.

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  24. Marietjie Van der Walt says

    January 5, 2020 at 5:39 pm

    1) The qualities of a healer are: trust, faith, love and humility.
    2) As God created everything I put my trust and faith in His creation and His promises.
    Put your faith in God and everything will be possible in His name.
    Love God first and then love one another as God loves us.

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  25. Hiba Wajahat says

    December 20, 2019 at 3:01 pm

    _Trust – trust God within to give instructions on how to heal a certain condition.

    Faith- Faith is important in healing because it attracts Love, which is the true creator of everything.

    Love- Love your self/ your God to attract the love healing energy.

    Humility- show humility and passion towards yourself and the condition that is supposed to be healed.

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  26. Hosimanjhenjhe Zithavurhena says

    December 6, 2019 at 8:29 am

    Four qualities of a healer

    Trust…my herbs can
    Love…I love my body n my family
    Faith ..I have faith that my garden can save lives
    Humanity…I owe to heal everyone

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  27. lizette Haasbroek says

    September 28, 2019 at 8:35 pm

    trust, faith, love and humility

    In my opinion Faith is the start of any and everything. Each of us choose our own believe system and if we are only following someone else’s we need to question why.
    Faith for me is the anchor that holds me fast when storms start rocking my boat. Faith is what leads me back when I have lost my path Love is what draws me back to that path.
    Without faith I would be lost.

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  28. veleskatruter says

    June 14, 2019 at 3:32 pm

    (2) It is God who heals, not me. I am merely the vessel which he uses to bring miracles into peoples lives. I hope through healing others I can introduce them to the God I serve and make them curious enough to want to meet Him.

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    • Eimear Duffy says

      August 24, 2019 at 3:55 pm

      Trust, faith, love and humility
      You need to have trust that your healing knowledge is accurate. if you don’t trust yourself how can you except a client in which you are treating to trust you. You need to have faith in your practices. You can not have a deep understanding with understanding all the forces that are at work to allow a plant to grow. You can not expect water to come from a tap that has no connection to a water supply. In nature everything is connected. You need to love your work and your plants otherwise they may not be as effective.

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  29. Philemon Ramaphakela says

    June 11, 2019 at 8:41 pm

    1)Trust, faith, love and humility.
    2) Faith is so important to healing because it is one gear that engages one’s attitude to a mode of possibilities. Faith is like a hand that reaches out to one’s healing.

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  30. Kylle Kolk says

    April 29, 2019 at 3:46 pm

    I can accept that healing needs some sense of spirituality, but I do not believe that it requires some semblance of Christianity to it.

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  31. swartbooi.rashida05 says

    April 9, 2019 at 10:44 am

    Love, trust, faith & humility.

    “I know the plans I have for you”, says the Lord…. Jeremiah 29:11.

    This right there is why Faith is important to me and it brings healing in your life. “Body, mind and soul”

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  32. catherine.g.2013 says

    April 3, 2019 at 5:22 am

    Trust/Love/Faith/Humility

    Faith that these are His plants put on this earth to heal. His plants, His intent for use of the plants, the faith that we can use the plants as medicine as He intended.

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  33. Pretty Maluka says

    March 21, 2019 at 3:15 pm

    The four qualities of a healer are as follows:
    Trust – trust God within to give instructions on how to heal a certain condition.
    Faith- have faith in your self/your God and follow the instructions provided.
    Love- Love your self/ your God to attract the love healing energy.
    Humility- show humility and passion towards yourself and the condition that is supposed to be healed.

    Faith is important in healing because it attracts Love, which is the true creator of everything.

    Log in to Reply
  34. uncledeli2 says

    March 14, 2019 at 1:21 pm

    1. trust, faith, love and humility.

    2. Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. Difficult sometimes but very very important.

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  35. nfventer says

    March 14, 2019 at 11:56 am

    4 Qualities of a healer are faith, love, trust and humility.

    If you put your faith into healing it means that you believe in something bigger than yourself to heal. If you don’t believe a treatment will cure, why continue with the treatment…

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  36. Joanne Madgwick says

    March 7, 2019 at 10:36 am

    Love, faith, trust, humility

    Because if you don’t believe mentally that this will benefit you your body won’t respond to it and you’ll prob not follow through with the treatment if you don’t believe it will work.

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  37. annawilliams says

    March 2, 2019 at 6:48 pm

    1. The 4 qualities of a Healer: Trust, Faith, Love & Humility

    2. Faith provides you with the foundation for healing, as you realise that it is the Holy Spirit that truly guides you as a healer. Also the spiritual (faith aspect) has been acknowledged over the ages for well balanced mental and physical health

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  38. Hester Whitehouse says

    February 16, 2019 at 1:03 pm

    The 4 Qualities are: Faith, Trust, Love, Humanity.

    You need to believe and trust that healing is possible. Most of all you need to trust in God.

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  39. ndyokobongi says

    February 15, 2019 at 1:26 pm

    Qualities of a healer are Trust, Faith, Love and Humility.

    It is important to have Faith as faith provides you with the belief that you are capable.

    Log in to Reply
  40. elmarier says

    February 14, 2019 at 1:30 pm

    Alta you said it perfectly well. Could not do better.

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  41. ronel-collins says

    February 2, 2019 at 10:57 am

    I respect the peoples answers above and ask the same respect, but my interpretations are different the way the course is written but I have walked a long difficult terrain and I am comfortable in calling God, Goddess, source energy, the universe

    trust in yourself that you are a good kind person
    love yourself first and harm no-one
    faith that you and everything around you is connected in some way
    humility to know that you are not better than any human, animal or plant

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  42. Nico Roux says

    January 16, 2019 at 1:16 pm

    trust,fath ,love,humility
    Geloof is hoop , hoop is God

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  43. Momley Amushendje says

    January 14, 2019 at 3:48 pm

    Indeed, like Alta clearly puts it.

    The four qualities of a healer are : trust, faith, love and humility

    Secondly, its impossible for anything to happen in one’s life without faith. Also, it clearly shows that one does not believe in higher power either because no man on this earth can make anything possible except for The Almighty God. Its important to walk by faith and not sight.

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  44. Alta Pretorius says

    December 31, 2018 at 12:10 pm

    1. Love – love God first, love one another as God loves us
    Faith – have faith in God and all His promises
    Trust – Trust God with your whole heart and soul. He never disappoints
    Humility – Do not boast about anything except God, and what He has done for you.

    2. If you don’t have faith, you don’t have anything. Faith makes everything possible.
    That which is impossible for man, is possible for God. Have faith

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Course Progress

Basic Herbal Medicine Making
Module 1 Principles of Herbal Medicine Making-
Unit 1 The Battle for the Body  - Preview
Unit 2 Types of Healing
Unit 3 How the "Green People" Came to Our Aid (a Cherokee Tale)
Unit 4 The Irony of the "No-Result" Result in Herbal Medicine  - Preview
Unit 5 How To Use Herbal Medicine Safely  - Preview
Unit 6 Herbalism is NOT a Spectator Sport  - Preview
Unit 7 Quiz 1: The Principles of Herbal Medicine Making
Module 2 The Folk Method of Herbal Medicine Making-
Unit 1 Setting Up A Basic Herbal Apothecary At Home
Unit 2 The 5 Rules of Herbal Medicine Making
Unit 3 The Folk Method of Preparing an Infusion
Unit 4 The Folk Method of Preparing a Decoction
Unit 5 The Folk Method of Preparing a Poultice
Unit 6 Quiz 2 - The Folk Method of Medicine Making

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