Last week, Skip mentioned several points that resonated with me, including the shame we should all feel at the blatant racism, hatred and greed in our world, and the sheer stupidity of political correctness. When greed manages to influence political correctness, the result is inevitably a disaster for the under-dog – and that’s you and me!
Douglas Ballard made a flying visit to the Algarve recently, and a group of friends and I spent a very interesting evening talking with him. Douglas is a ‘hands-on’ healer – and a very powerful one at that – but he has also been doing a considerable amount of work establishing the registration structure for complementary therapists in the UK. Alternative and complementary therapists have been practising in the UK for many years without a registration system – so why now?
Simple. The Establishment was not happy at the number of people choosing complementary therapists rather than conventional doctors and so put pressure on the Government to set up a registration system. Actually, it is not a bad thing, as it establishes standards and codes of conduct that any professional therapist will be happy to agree to. Douglas’ form of treatment, hands-on healing or just plain ‘healing’ – as it is now called – has 22,000 registered practitioners in the UK. Remember, that does not include Reiki practitioners, aromatherapists, homeopaths, acupuncturists and so on – that is purely hands-on healers, who have now all complied with the standards set and have their official certificates.
It is now known which therapies will be accepted and which won’t – and, as the noose tightens, it will become increasingly difficult for anyone practising one of the non-recognised therapies to work officially and legally. Talking of which, did you realise that hands-on healing is illegal in a number of European countries? In a landmark case, Germany has just recognised it, but in other countries – including France and Portugal – any form of hands-on healing is, strictly speaking, illegal. Unlike France, the Government here has, so far, turned a blind eye to the growing number of healers, helping people throughout the country.
As part of his work in going around the country explaining the implications of the new system and training more trainers to bring healers up to standard, Douglas has seen the changes taking place as a result of another “greed meets politics” initiative – the three deadly EU directives. I have mentioned these before and warned of the consequences. Well, now it is happening. Major international drugs companies – alarmed by the exodus of people away from their products (and profits) towards more natural, less harmful remedies – banded together to put enormous pressure on the European Parliament in key areas of vitamins, herbal and traditional remedies.
Already, the Food Supplements Directive is taking many safe and popular minerals and vitamins off the shelves and severely restricting the potency of others. The Directive specifies which substances could be labelled vitamins or food supplements, totally changing the way in which products are approved. Herbal remedies are effectively being re-classified as drugs. A product would have to have been on the market for 30 years, including 15 in Europe, in order to gain a licence. The Alliance for Natural Health has warned it could cost up to 250,000 pounds sterling per product. Any newly-introduced herbal remedy would be banned, along with those that combine herbs and vitamins.
Together with the Traditional Herbal Medicine Directive and the amendments to the Medicines Directive, this is going to change the face of medicine in the UK and the rest of Europe. In future, only pharmacies will be allowed to sell vitamins or remedies – and, if I understand correctly, there may even have to be a medical doctor involved in the process!
While many people have said to me, “you’re exaggerating,” Douglas tells me that shelves are being cleared and shops are closing. Perhaps now you understand why there are so many special offers and ‘buy 3, pay for 2’ deals in health food shops in the UK – could it be they are getting rid of stock before the guillotine falls? Even here in the Algarve, I am told that health food shops are being visited by inspectors and whole ranges of products being taken away. Why? Because the major international drug companies did not like the fact that so many people were turning their backs on drugs and choosing the natural option.
And finally, something which should interest anyone who has cancer or is in some way touched by it – sadly, that is most of us nowadays. Scientists and researchers, doctors and healers throughout the world are constantly looking for alternative ways of combating cancer at every level. The publishers of “What Doctors Don’t Tell You” have organised a workshop in London which brings together six of these pioneers to share their revolutionary approaches. These range from the concept that cancer is the result of a severe trauma or conflict, and when the conflict is resolved the cancer will disappear, to variations on diet and detoxing. The event is on Saturday, June 19, for members of the public and Sunday, June 20, for therapists, and each day costs 95 pounds sterling. More details from WDDTY – check the website (www.wddty.co,uk) or call them on (44) 020 8944 9555.
As Skip so rightly said last week, “we all have feelings, souls and hearts to be broken” – why not try to spend a whole week healing – being nice, rather than being selfish and greedy. I’m sure we will all notice what a difference a week of that can make!
