The Vis Philosophy Scholarship

Congratulations to CCNM student Aline Potvin for winning the $500 2011 Vis Philosophy Scholarship. This scholarship was designed to challenge naturopathic medical students to reflect on the philosophy of naturopathic medicine, beyond what is asked of them within the confines of the required academic curriculum. The 2012 Vis Philosophy scholarship will award $500 to 2 winners at this year's Student Conference. Stay tuned for specific details for the essay competition

2011 Vis Philosophy Scholarship Essay

Please answer the following:

In the core principles of Naturopathy there is an unresolved tension between the mandate to identify fundamental causes, and the desire to address the person as a bio-psycho-social whole of signs and symptoms. Treating fundamental causes represents discovering the fundamental essence of reality, while treating the whole suggests a theoretical framework where the meaning of signs and symptoms is determined primarily or exclusively from their interrelationship to each other. 

In 500 words or less, debate on the core principles of Tolle Causam and Tolle Totum and how they relate to modern and future naturopathic medical practice.

 
Read Aline's award winning response below:

The Naturopathic profession is expanding in a brilliant rebound from a brush with extinction in the middle of the 20th century. However, as it expands there is a corresponding decline in discussion of the core principles of Naturopathic medicine. As technology allows us access to more advanced and focused natural remedies, a previously blurry distinction between Tolle Totum and Tolle Causum becomes even murkier. This creates increasing confusion and inner conflict in Naturopathic students and seasoned practitioners alike. 

The struggle in designing a therapeutic hierarchy is complicated by the yin and yang nature of root cause and the relational web that determines our health. Which takes precedence generally is the will of the patients seeking Naturopathic care. Root cause may readily present itself, or only a bio-psycho-social map is apparent, but both means of understanding a patient are rendered useless if the patient wishes to be met elsewhere. As naturopaths we are investigators and purveyors of knowledge; ultimately acting as guides while the true healer is the vitality laying within our patients. Thus, distinguishing root cause from a totality of symptoms is only beneficial if the patient can gain from it, and not if introduction of either is presented when the patient cannot grasp its meaning.

When discussing root cause and totality individually, ultimately root cause is the most difficult to understand. Whatever our therapeutic order, our primary objective is to access and engage the Vis. The question then is: is the inherent essence we refer to as root cause something beyond an impairment of the Vis, and therefore is it of the utmost importance that it is the a major component of any treatment plan? Is it only in finding the cause that we may incite healing? It seems that would be true assuming healing is a linear process. However, to raise that awareness and bring about true healing, the case often involves removing superficial layers, which must first be done by addressing a totality of symptoms. As more layers are unearthed and glimpses of root cause reveal themselves, the torch can be passed on to using this essence as a tool until another difficult layer is reached.

 It is the logistical aspects of this debate that will continue to create tension in future naturopathic practice. With increased desire for medicine in pill form, instant relief and decreased understanding of mind-body medicine, it is easy to deny patients the benefit of the doubt. That is, we assume they will and/or cannot be guided into defining the cause of their disease as opposed to their symptomatic whole. It may also be that we have lost faith in our ability to do so ourselves. Young practitioners (who will continue to be the majority of the profession) may also find perceiving the root cause in their patients is a skill they have not mastered, as an individual’s essence is often difficult to identify. This is worsened by the increasing emphasis on Tolle Totum versus Tolle Causum in Naturopathic education, as well as irreconcilable differences in how these two principles are perceived or emphasized in our individual modalites (ex: Homeopathy vs Traditional Chinese Medicine) 

At the end, it seems important to utilize and reinforce these principles by understanding they work in concert with one another, and like everything, it is best not to use either in extremes.
 
These two $500 scholarships are awarded annually at the NMSA Student Conference.