Dan wrote [[.. sorry for the delay in replying.]]
** No need to apologize. I too have a life ;)

[[my view is that western medicine IS something to believe in.]]
** Semantics. 'Believe' is to have confidence in the truth of a
thing. Sure .. that can apply, but to me, I see it more as
a 'given'. We know both work because we see the results daily.

[[.. the difference between western medicine and ayurvedic medicine
in this respect is that people believe in western medicine not only
because of results or due to blind faith, but because of it's
scientific foundations.]]
** Ayurveda has a scientific foundation. One that extends back
thousands of years. Another semantic arguement. Science, as defined
in the US has a different meaning & approach as to that applied in
the Orient.

[[.. is there any reason why western medicine can not be non-
holistic,]]
** No, none at all. In fact, Dr. Andrew Weil has created a holistic
college in AZ. It accepts students who have already completed 4 or
more years of Western medical training. They go on to specialize in
Eastern medical techniques. What this means is the first wave of
Holistic Western Medicine.

[[.. any reason why traditional eastern medicine has to be inherantly
more holistic?]]
** Yes. Unlike Western medicine, Eastern medicine has always
considered the 'total package' (so to speak). Many Oriental healers,
historically, were monks & nuns who studied anatomy, herbs,
meditation, exercise, et all. Even today, in Thailand for example,
you go to the temple for a 'physical'.

Western medicine leans more towards just the physical aspect. Or a
cure-the-symptom-not-the-cause approach. For instance, the average
doctor, in 7 - 10 years of med school, studies diet for appx 2
weeks. Frankly, this is the last individual I want to speak with
regarding nutrition.

[[.. surely, you don't need to be practitioner of ayurveda to blend
diet, excercise, life habits, meditation, pyschotherapy etc]]
** Of course not. But a blending of body, mind & soul - holism - is
the most pure form of healing.

[[.. i'd like to understand WHY it works.]]
** Good! As with most Oriental approaches to medicine, "Prove it on
yourself." Essentially, we each are our own 'science labs'.

[[.. i think that if disciplines such as thai massage are to ever be
fully integrated into western health services (rather than remain
left field / alternative)it is important that they have a scientific
grounding as far as possible.]]
** But it does stand on scientific ground. Again, perhaps not in
accord to what the West terms as "scientific". As to TYM being more
accepted, I feel this will come about when more medical personal
enter the field & do standardized Western analysis & testing. Dr.
Dean Ornish, CA heart surgeon & long-time devotee of Swami
Satchidananda, developed a special Yoga routine for his heart
patients.

Standard physical therapy for heart patients is 50% recovery. Dr.
Ornish's success ratio was 75%. This marked improvement lead to
several major insurance companies covering the cost of Yoga Heart
Therapy as a valid treatment program.

[[.. it's gurus had been allowed to dissect bodies and so on.]]
** Hhhhmmm .. not sure you need to dissect a body to learn massage,
but, I understand what you are saying. Likewise, the energy body is
equally, if not more so, important than the physical one. This is
where many Orient physicians have placed there focus. Just because
it has yet to be firmly proven does not mean it does not exist.

[[.. orgone [snip] to what degree is this idea actually supported by
the western medical community .. ]]
** It is becoming more prevalent .. particularily in the fields of
psychotherapy.

[[.. does orgone function in the ways that traditional eastern
medicine says that it does?]]
** Yes. In fact, Dr. Reich became aware of its existance
independant of Orient medicine. Later in his research, Prana & Chi
were brought to his attention. In his memoriors he noted that he
wished he had more time to study these energies.

[[.. "anatomy of hatha yoga" by h. david coulter. i'd recoment this
book for practitioners of yoga or thai massage ]]
** Indeed. This is an excellent work, & one that I too recommend
for the serious practitioner.

Great conversation!..
Valarie