Native American Medicine
The American Indian tribes used many different plants, berries, trees, and
herbs to make Native American medicine, but the Indian healing process was
also a very spiritual ceremony. Native American medicine was given to the
sick while a spiritual ritual was performed in an effort to cleanse the spirit.
They believed that sickness came from the spirit and purifying the spirit
would drive the sickness out.
Every tribe had their own medicine men or women
that would make the Native American medicine out of different combinations
of herbs and sometimes animal parts, mushrooms, and even tree bark. The medicine
men were almost as highly regarded as the chiefs and many times they were
also the tribal spiritual leader. Some of the remedies used by the Native
American people are still used today and many modern pharmaceuticals were
even manufactured from some of the same ingredients the indigenous people
used thousands of years ago.
There are many people in our modern times that practice Shamanism and the
arts of Native American medicine and many people believe that it is a very
effective form of treatment for many different physical and even emotional
illnesses. Another reason that Indian healing and Native American medicine
made from herbs and teas are so popular is because it is a much more natural
and cost effective solution towards being healthy. As previously stated
many of our modern pharmaceuticals have come from the Native Americans herbal
remedies, one of these is the bark and leaves from the willow tree, which
is where aspirin originated from. This should go to show that the Native
American people were very intelligent people and were able to find uses
for anything and everything that they could find within their territories.
The medicinal practices of the Native American tribes will carry on for
many years since the cost of healthcare keeps rising and many people are
finding that the traditional and natural ways to healing can be a lot cheaper.
There are many places to learn about all different kinds of Native American
tribal medicinal remedies, and these varied among tribes due to location
and environment.
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