Natural Healing Therapy: Polarity Therapy

Polarity Therapy Introduction

Origins

This is a therapy devised by Dr Randolph Stone (1890-1983) that amalgamates other healing therapies from both east and west. Dr Stone studied many of these therapies, including yoga and acupuncture, and he was also trained to practise osteopathy and chiropractic among others. He began to search for a cure to the problem that he experienced with some of his patients when, although their disorder had been cured by the use of manipulation, they subsequently became unwell. Through his studies of eastern therapies he accepted the fundamental belief that a form of energy flows along certain channels in the body and that to keep good health the flow must be maintained.

In India this energy is referred to as prana and in China it was called chi or qi. The western equivalent of this would probably be called a person's soul or spirit. It is believed that ailments occur when this flow of energy is blocked or is out of balance, and this could happen for different reasons such as tension or stress, disturbances in the mind or unhealthy eating patterns. This energy is purported to be the controlling factor in a person's whole life and therefore affects the mind and body at all levels. It is believed that once the flow of energy has been restored to normal, the ailment will disappear and not recur.

The underlying belief

Dr Stone's polarity therapy states that there are three types of relationships, known as neutral,positive and negative, to be maintained between various areas in the body and five centres of energy. These centres originate from a very old belief held in India, and each centre is held to have an effect on its related part of the body. The centres are known as ether (controlling the ears and throat), earth (controlling the rectum and bladder), fire (controlling the stomach and bowels), water (controlling the pelvis and glands), and air (controlling the circulation and breathing). The therapy's aim is to maintain a balance and harmony between all these various points, and Dr Stone slowly developed four procedures to do this. They are the use of diet, stretching exercises, touch and manipulation, and mental attitude, that is, contemplation allied with a positive view of life.

Diet

To cleanse the body from a build-up of toxins caused by unhealthy eating and environmental pollution, the person will eat only fresh vegetables, fruit juices and fresh fruit. The length of time for this diet will vary according to the degree of cleansing required, but it is unlikely to be longer than a fortnight. Also available is a special drink that consists of lemon juice, olive oil, garlic and ginger. After the cleansing is complete, there is another diet to be followed that is said to promote and increase health, and finally one to ensure that the body maintains its level of good health.