Living Medicine – alternative, complementary or universal medicine and what’s the difference?

Is living medicine a form of alternative or complementary medicine and what’s the difference?  Is there a universal form of medicine?

Living Medicine – alternative, complementary or universal medicine and what’s the difference?

Complementary and alternative medicine are often, if not usually, mentioned in the same breath – they are tied together in the abbreviation, 'CAM' and for many they are just different words for the same thing.

But is this true or is there a difference between them?

Well there is a huge difference when fully understood, and that difference is actually in the name itself.

Alternative Medicine refers to anything that is alternative to conventional medicine and is used instead of conventional medicine. Devotees of alternative medicine are often anti-conventional medicine and avoid doctors, hospitals, medications, chemotherapy, surgery and all other forms of conventional medicine.


On the other hand, Complementary Medicine refers to a form of medicine that works hand in hand with conventional medicine and is a true complement to it. Complementary practitioners appreciate and value what conventional medicine brings and know that both forms of medicine working together facilitate healing. There are areas that conventional medicine does not address so well that complementary medicine excels at, e.g. addressing someone’s emotional, spiritual and energetic well-being.


Both alternative and complementary medicine work holistically – understanding that all parts of the human being contribute to health and well-being and thus all aspects need to be considered and addressed for true healing to occur.


Living Medicine is a form of medicine that works alongside conventional medicine (and in that sense is complementary), but it is also inclusive of conventional medicine and is much more than just complementary. It brings in understandings that go beyond the current paradigm of complementary medicine.


It is a form of medicine where nothing is left out, it is all encompassing and inclusive of the WHOLE – where all aspects of life are known to be both a form of medicine and healing, where the life we live is known to be medicine itself. Its foundational principle is based on the living way of love, in the knowing that every human being is love. Thus Living Medicine is definitely not alternative; it is also more than complementary and in truth is a universal form of medicine that applies to all equally because all are love.


A Universal Medicine is one that is applicable to all people everywhere, as it is based on the true energetic makeup of the human being and the energetic principles of life. It understands that we live in an ocean of energy – where every thought, word and deed sends ripples throughout our bodies and that ocean. These ripples can be deeply harming for our bodies and the planet, or they can be healthy and healing, depending on the quality we are choosing.


And ultimately the state of health of our bodies (and the planet) will reveal the quality of energy we have chosen to live and express with.

Whilst on the surface there may appear to be a myriad of ways of living and expressing, essentially it comes down to two – either with love or not with love.

A Universal Medicine therefore is one that has love as its foundation, in the knowing that we come from love and the process of life is healing our way back to being the love we already are.

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MedicineHealthLoveHealing

  • Photography: Dean Whitling, Brisbane based photographer and film maker of 13 years.

    Dean shoots photos and videos for corporate portraits, architecture, products, events, marketing material, advertising & website content. Dean's philosophy - create photos and videos that have magic about them.