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ABOUT CONSTITUTIONAL MEDICINE
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One of the most incredible things about life is its ability to be endlessly creative. You who are reading this are one of a kind and so, of course, is each of your friends, your family, and everyone you know. The complexity within life, and each one of us, that allows for such individuality is something extraordinary, it is unlimited. We set about categorising each other, therefore, at the peril of losing sight of this everyday wonder. Just as soon as we divide each other by age, race, nationality etc. we can lose the awareness of what matters most; namely that the great creativity of life is equally expressed in the individuality of each of our lives, that no one person is inherently better or worse than another, we are the same in being different. So, why bring constitutions into the picture? It is to better understand, and work with, the nature that underlies that individuality. Throughout history, all cultures have come to a similar recognition that, despite the obvious evidence of our differences, there are still recurring themes that show how we tend to be relatively hotter or cooler and, at the same time, relatively dryer or damper than one another. 'Nosce te ipsum' know thyself. The value of this understanding is that it gives such useful insights, including into what kinds of foods, habits and, when needed, medicines can form the surest foundation for our most precious possession of all; our health... There are several characteristics that perfectly demonstrate the distinct personality of the Eagle:
Eagles are often high-achieving people and take pride in their strengths and accomplishments. You can usually sense or see a kind of dignity about Eagles which, if you have got to know them well and see signs of them losing, will tell you for sure that things have come to a difficult pass indeed. The quality of vitality could just as well be called 'energy' and, of course, in our culture, energy is thought of as something that, 'the more you have the better'. However, the truth is that vitality needs to be usefully channelled to serve a person well and too much of it can be just as bad as too little, especially if it impacts negatively on sleep, relaxation, or other aspects of their well-being. That said, Eagles often do have very good health for much of their lives. If they can maintain good sleep habits, avoid getting allergic or immune-based illness and not get injured in the name of having fun, then there is every chance that they will make it to a considerable age before they have to think or worry much at all about their health.
Eagles can get very out of sorts if they can't see the point of what they are doing, even to the extent of bringing things to a screeching halt. On the other hand, if an Eagle has a clear vision of their goals, they know what they are doing, where they are going and why, there can be no stopping them. Another aspect of 'vision' for Eagles is how it relates to their sense of justice, of right and wrong. They really hate to see unfairness and many Eagles are drawn into life-paths where they can put the world to rights in some way. With few exceptions, the Eagle is not the constitutional type that does well to retire, because really, what's the point of that! It is, therefore, very important to maintain a sense of flexibility to balance that need to know where things are going. Everything always changes, we can fight it or go with it. The Eagle need for vision, for clarity, means they usually need some time to themselves on a regular basis. Time to think, time to process, time to get their own perspective on things. This is no small part of another abiding quality in the Eagle; their need for freedom. Freedom has always been one of humanity's highest aspirations but perhaps, like health, it is something that can only be truly appreciated for what it is when it's been lost, at least for a while... Many Eagles experience some conflict between this need for freedom and their natural desire to also have a 'nest' to return to. To not become a loner, or leave a trail of broken hearts, they must find the way to have the open sky and a nest, rather than one or the other. Especially when they are young, there will be times that an Eagle will need to spread their proverbial wings and feel the sense of freedom that is so vital to them. Anyone who is in love with an Eagle needs to know that they must be prepared to let them go, regularly, 'if you love someone, set them free, if they come back they're yours, if they don't, they never were' It is not easy to find freedom in a world full of obligations and expectations. Some Eagles, looking back on a long journey, share that they have understood that a key motivating force behind their past decisions and directions was a need to explore what different kinds of freedom meant for them. Eventually, some come to see that the freedom they were seeking is an internal state more than anything else, an ability to be un-trapped by one's own conditioning and limitations, to feel free within.
Food is incredibly important to the health of all kinds of people and Eagles are no exceptions to this. The kind of food that people prefer is another fascinating reflection of their constitution and it is noticeable that most Eagles typically much prefer foods that are lighter and faster to metabolise than heavier and denser alternatives. There is nothing wrong with being true to your nature and, so long as the Eagle is in good health they should certainly follow their instincts and eat what they most enjoy. That said, it must be acknowledged that some Eagle constitutions grow to develop problems in their health that are directly related to their diet. Many Eagles, especially when young, like to eat plenty of high-energy foods to fuel their high metabolisms. The phrase 'a good game is a fast game' was made for Eagles. In adulthood, If they remain physically active in their work or life-style, they may continue to eat high-energy, high-carbohydrate foods without getting overweight, much to the envy or even frank disbelief of some of their friends. Some Eagles, as they grow into adulthood, adopt the habit of having little to eat during the day other than tea or coffee, and maybe something sweet, until they finally get to the end of their working day and are then ready eat the large part of that day's calories. It's a feast or famine routine. They instinctively know that, once they feast they will have to come down to earth and rest, so they wait until they have got everything done before they do it. If an Eagle becomes somewhat sedentary but keeps eating a high carbohydrate diet without burning it off, then they must be wary of getting overweight and/or getting diabetes, which is something that has been seen to come on to some Eagles hard and fast. If there are such warning signs as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or getting thick around the middle (apple-shaped) then they must turn things around as soon as possible as described here
If, for example, there were skin problems such as eczema or hives, or respiratory problems such as asthma or hay fever, then there is good reason to explore the possibility of them having an underlying food reaction that is causing their 'allergy-bucket' to overflow. There's always more than one thing that fills that bucket; pollens, pollution, dust-mites, stress etc. but foods are often in there too and it is easier to change our diet than our air-supply. If this area needs to be explored further, read here
For most people, their health and fitness are a gift for the 1st half of their lives and then, in the 2nd half, they have to start earning them. Eagles are usually people who instinctively like to keep fit and many become good at working with their body in some kind of skilled task or sport. In practice, the need to talk about exercise rarely comes up with younger Eagles however, as they age it can become crucially important to their health. Eagles do not do well in the captivity of a life restricted by age or illness. Whatever their limitations, and however low they may have gone, whilst they live there must be an attempt to focus on the things that can be done and, if they have lost it, to take a one-step-at-a-time approach to regaining their fitness. You cannot put this kind of medicine in a bottle, it can be hard work, but it is always worth it and I have learned, many times, that no matter how bad things get, you should never underestimate the power of the human being to recover their strength and fitness, at any age. Many Eagles may also need to be especially careful to maintain their mental fitness as they get older. Mental fitness is no different, or less important, than physical fitness, and finding the best ways to keep our minds active and engaged clearly makes an enormous difference to our quality of life as we age. A question that can be useful to ask oneself is "what have I been studying or learning about lately?" If our minds become 'set' in their thinking and manner of experiencing the world, the result is no different than if we were to stop moving or stretching our body; there is a stiffness, a rigidity, a hardness that can develop. People can keep vibrantly good mental health into great old age, but only if they maintain their mental fitness. There is no one right way to do this anymore than there is one right way to exercise the body but, if there is a conscious choice to remain open and to stay mentally fit, then the means to remaining young and alive in spirit are as many and varied as the unlimited creativity of life itself.
Some Eagles can be really bad sleepers. All that natural energy is great when out and about in the world but a lot less helpful when trying to get to sleep, especially when it morphs into mental overactivity. Difficulty with relaxing can be equally challenging for some Eagles. They can be fine when they're in action, i.e. 'flight' but, after a certain age, can find that as soon as they stop and sit down, i.e. 'land', they find themselves falling asleep in their chair. An Eagle who has been accustomed to going all day without needing a break can feel quite upset, even offended, by this and can take it to mean that there must be something badly wrong with them. So, in practice, I often meet Eagles who have a fairly blemish-free health history but who are worried that there must be something seriously wrong because they are getting tired. What can be even more frustrating is that, when they do get extra rest, they feel even more tired. Most end up forcing themselves to keep going instead. The experience of increased fatigue after starting to pay off sleep or rest 'debt' is so common that it might as well be called a rule. Sometimes, you just have to feel worse before you get better. When I meet an Eagle whose main concern is simply feeling too tired, and I see the characteristic signs of strain in their immune systems, or hear it in their heart, then I know that we now have an opportunity for a vital healing process, but it is going to depend on me being able to convince the Eagle to land for a while and allow themselves to feel more tired than they are used to, at least for a little while. This is not an easy thing to convey, and some Eagles need to reach further to the edge of their limits before they are ready to hear it. However, if the person is willing to do the 'work' then there is a transformative process of healing that soon follows, it usually takes more than just a few days for the energy to start returning, but it always does come back. The 'work' is to simply let go for a while. Stop pushing, stop forcing, let the body and the mind have a holiday, a rest. This is not a matter of staying in bed or a chair, it is a matter of relaxing and unwinding. For example, for some it is getting out into nature that best 'unwinds the spring', reading books or listening to music works best for others, some have a craft or other pastime that they used to use and just need to get back into to help get them relax. All that matters is that they know and trust that it works, and that they then actually do it! If the sleep pattern is quite bad, then it will also be wise to get some help from Nature for a while. Along with immune health matters, problems related to sleeping are the main reason Eagles come for help and there are some well- tested strategies that have consistently been seen to work in this area that are written up here
Health really is our most valuable possession, but hardly anyone realises the truth of that until they've lost it... however, if you treat the cause and work with 'Nature', i.e. the innate self-healing intelligence, then what's lost can be found. Recognising the patterns of our differences via the constitutional approach ties in with another way of seeing what can help, or obstruct, this self- healing intelligence. We have within us a 'healing cycle' that we constantly move through in the course of our daily lives however, when one part of that cycle is repeatedly blocked or out of balance, we become unable to self-correct what's gone wrong. The subjects mentioned above; nutrition, fitness and rest, have touched on matters that involve 3 of the 4 stages of the healing cycle, the 4th is about 'cleansing'. This area also often needs some attention in a person who has become chronically unwell. Eagles can be no exception to this and, even though they may have maintained a clean diet and environment, many show the classic signs of 'encumbrance' when first met. If you think you might personally need to delve into this further, cleansing is discussed in more detail in an article called 'what is detoxification' found here. The interesting subject of the healing cycle is talked about more here I don't want to describe the health problems that Eagles are most prone to, it would make for a rather gloomy list and none of it may ever be personally relevant so, if there is something you are troubled by now, or want to know more about, see if it's discussed in the A-Z of health conditions found here I do want to highlight some of the remedies from Nature that can be of particular help though. For example, the herb St John's wort has been seen to be especially helpful to many Eagles. Far more than just the natural 'anti-depressant' it has been marketed to be, this herb is like a 'food' for the nerves that can sometimes be exactly what is needed to replenish the system. Another important Eagle herb is the evocatively named Skullcap which can have a wonderfully calming action on an overactive mind, likewise Passionflower, a herb that works to relax the physical nervous system. For an imbalanced immune system, the mushroom-medicine Reishi, and the Native American remedy Echinacea have been seen to help many Eagles. Lastly, two great heart herbs that have been seen to be of much benefit when needed are Hawthorn and Motherwort. Those are just a very few examples, so long as it is understood that, at different times and with different problems, any herb may potentially be of help to any constitution, to see what else is particularly well-suited to Eagles, there are further patterns shown in the chart on constitutional medicines found here
~ Elephant/Butterfly: Cooler & Dryer ~ Back to Constitutional Medicine Introduction ~ Working out your Constitution ~ Origins & Adaptations of Constitutional Medicine ~ Free eBook on Constitutional Complexity
Please understand that I cannot personally advise you without seeing you in my clinic. |
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© 2011 R.J.Whelan Ltd