PHILOSOPHY

The Centre helps people to help themselves. It maintains that, just as physical pain is a message of potential harm to the body, dis-ease (both physical and mental) is in itself a symptom of some harm at a deeper level. Just as physical pain eventually subsides, once the body is out of a harmful situation, in the same way, any disease must subside, once the deeper cause is removed. The kind of treatment that just deals with the illness, without attending to the deeper cause, is essentially incomplete and the illness, in one form or another, is bound to recur.

The CIH model explains why there has been an increase in global illness over the past 50 years, despite the heavy investment in health services. It suggests that, at present, health institutions overlook some important aspects of life and factors of illness. Consequently, the Centre has a specific aim to encourage the medical profession to research into these areas.

THE ROLE OF THE MIND

The mind is seen as playing a far greater role in health and illness than is generally accepted. Emotions, thoughts, attitudes and other functions of the mind are seen to play key roles in creating the 'milieu interior' for illness to take root and flourish. Conversely, when the mind is healthy and emotions positive, it is suggested that even the most infectious bacteria will be unable to take hold. The psycho-spiritual state, which is resistant to anxiety and stress (and in turn to physical disease), is considered to be the basic foundation for good health.

EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES

CIH offers clarification on the subject of inner health and how we can help ourselves at all levels. Patients are helped to trace the origins of their stress and emotional suffering and to reassess their approach to life. If necessary, they are encouraged and helped to change their lifestyle.

Educational programmes are provided in the community in the form of seminars, talks, courses and workshops. Regular programmes are also arranged in health centres, schools and universities. Personal management and stress management courses and seminars are also arranged for company staff. Assistance is provided to organisations and companies wishing to develop their own personal management programmes.

The formalisation of the research programme is a more recent development, which involves collecting data from patients and people from the community, with the aim of relating diseases to specific inner causes. CIH also runs health clinics offering various approaches to treatment. It organises free clinics to help people overcome addictions, such as tobacco, alcohol and other drugs.

FUTURE VISION

Future Vision In the near future, we see an increasing number people world-wide experiencing the benefits of becoming free from negative states of mind, such as stress, anger and depression, thus allowing their inner state of peace to emerge. Inner peace and inner happiness create harmony, both internally and externally. Internally it manifests in the body chemistry and physiology, externally in society and within relationships. Both promote health. Inner happiness leads to freedom from external dependencies, so there is less likelihood of reversion to old damaging habits. Thus, the CIH view of health extends beyond just a healthy body, to a healthy society of healthy individuals.