Here's to Hedolism

By Carl Munson

It was interesting to note this week, that where once upon a time schoolchildren drank milk for alleged health reasons, they may soon be getting a daily shot of fish oil to improve behaviour and improve academic performance.

Now that once-revolutionary ideas like the benefits of Omega oils have penetrated the mainstream consciousness, what will the ranks of holistically minded therapists, who for decades have been pushing ideas like these, do with their time?

I have an idea for them and all the other soon-to-no-longer-be ‘alternative’ practitioners whose ideas will surely be consumed into the everyday repertoire of health prevention and treatment as we reach ‘holistic critical mass’.

By way of an introduction to my new idea, let me begin with a little anecdote.

David Boldick, a multi-talented and seasoned natural health professional – was once at a natural health centre open day. One visitor to the event chose to quiz David about his healing methods and David, curious as to why he had been approached, asked the visitor to explain his choice.

“You looked like the sort of bloke who enjoys a pint,” responded the visitor. A motive I am happy to recount and a clue to what the future may hold for complementary therapists.

My view is that therapies are basically terrifying for most people, practiced as they are behind closed doors, under the control of a complete stranger for around thirty quid an hour. It’s not an appealing proposition is it?

Add to that the often lofty, arrogant or plain weird personalities of some practitioners who until recently have blazed a trail with some of the strangest sounding treatments known to man, and you have a significant accessibility challenge.

To put this sorry situation right, I welcome you to a new concept that I call ‘hedolism’.

Hedolism is where a hedonistic approach to life meets a holistic understanding of wellbeing head-on. In complementary therapy circles it’s the new ‘rock and roll’ and my man David – the down-to-earth bloke who likes a pint – is a great example of a ‘hedolist’.

Don’t get him wrong. David is serious about his therapies (among his healing armoury are massage, Craniosacral therapy, Reiki, Indian Head massage and aromatherapy) and he knows how to use them.

But more than a highly competent, some say gifted practitioner, David seems to think it should be fun too. And I must agree. The hedolistic lifestyle is hedonistic without the excess and holistic without the sandals. I apologise to any committed sandal-wearers, but trust their inclusion here illustrates a point.

Heavy involvement with the church, a brush with the idea ordination and a marriage breakdown in the 70s seem to have set hedolist David on his healing mission.

“I took a massage course to give something back to other people,” he revealed, “I found I had a talent for it and went on to study Craniosacral therapy from which many many people say they have benefited.”

Over ten years ago, one particular success set David up on a solid and credible foundation. A Craniosacral therapy client, a 7-year old boy with a hearing difficulty that caused multiple problems at home and at school, was ‘cured’ and subsequently went on to a successful career in music.

The boy’s father, a GP, was so impressed with the result, that he asked David to set up and manage a complementary therapy centre as part of his orthodox practice.

I have to say my own experiences of Craniosacral therapy, a subtle and profound approach which assists the body's natural capacity for self-repair, have been awesome – a term I don’t generally use.

In a typical Craniosacral session, clients usually lie fully-clothed on a treatment couch and the therapist will make contact by placing their hands lightly on the body and tune in to what is happening by ‘listening’ with their hands. It’s great and really needs to be experienced to be understood,

“Essentially, I work on the emotional, physical and mental levels using my therapies, to help the body access, show and deal with what it needs when it needs it,” he told me.

Aromatherapy, Indian Head massage and Reiki augment David’s repertoire and any sense of his skills resembling a small healing orchestra are not misplaced. A keen musician, playing most brass instruments, David can also handle a guitar and has played percussion. He is the musical director of the Newton Abbot and District town band – another hedolistic and reassuring credential that lessens any ideas one could have about him being the inaccessible practitioner of occult healing arts.

Bridging the gap between the heavenly healing realms and the sort of grounded therapeutic touch most practitioners would die for, David is a herald of hedolistic health. See this man if you are ill for a first or second opinion. But see him even if you aren’t ill – his sessions are by all accounts a top treat and a real pleasure.

And if you see him down the pub, make his a pint. I'll have one too and together we can drink to a future of regular health-enhancing therapy treats with an emphasis on pleasure, Roman spa-style, rather than overly-serious and pompous treatments that are preoccupied with fears disease, death and dying. Here's to Hedolism!

David Boldick works at clinics in Exeter, Teignmouth and Newton Abbot. He also teaches introductory courses in most of the disciplines he uses, for more information call 07831 336 762

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