Medical Renaissance Series: The Secret Code (DVD) by C. Norman Shealy, MD, PhD

Harvard-trained neurosurgeon and founder of the American Holistic Medical Association, C. Norman Shealy, M.D., Ph.D. has created a documentary film, "Medical Renaissance Series: The Secret Code." It is well worth a viewing.

Norm Shealy, often called Dr. Wizard by his colleagues given his 10 inventions and inventive strategies, is man who likes to solve problems and understand why. Shealy brings his all-things-are-possible thinking to this 92 minute DVD as he explores alternative healing methodologies through case studies, successful patient interviews, and conversations with some of his cutting edge colleagues, including Carl Hammerschlag, M.D., Gladys McGarey, M.D., Caroline Myss, Ph.D., Belleruth Naparstek, Ph.D., Morris Netherton, Ph.D., John Sewell, D.D. and others.

Shealy reports that patients come to see him when there are desperate. His average patient has seen 10 or more doctors, exhausted drugs and surgery, and is almost without hope. In a given year, Shealy has seen 400 patients who have failed every conventional treatment. By the time they get to him, says Shealy, they no longer have one issue; they now have five concerns. It is not just a matter of taking care of the pain; now, the stress attendant to all of these medical issues requires major attention as well, and relaxation becomes most important.

Except in cases of acute illness (think pneumonia, car accident, and the like) where medical care and modern medicine are definitely needed, Shealy says, in general, there is a wealth of safe alternatives to drugs and surgery for most chronic illnesses.

To personalize this message, the film guides us through the alternative treatment processes for three patients, Judy who has multiple issues including chronic pain, pitting edema, and newly realized depression; Rae who has suffered with hormonally-induced migraine headaches; and Kevin, who has been beaten down by unremitting depression despite 12 years on medication.

With discussion and/or application to the three patients in question, Shealy introduces an array of possible holistic tools and options, such as the Liss Stimulator, SheLi Tens unit, RelaxMate, Brain Mapping, spiritual kinesiology, guided imagery, past lives, dietary supplements, exercise, Radionics, homeopathy, biofeedback, massage, quartz crystal room, vibratory music bed, Rejuvamatrix, posture pump, free radical test and the like.

After 10 days to 2 weeks with Dr. Shealy and his cohorts, Judy, Rae, and Kevin are proven to be 50-80% better. This is after years of unrelenting pain, physical and/or psychological.

There is a homespun quality to this film, and clearly, it is not an encyclopedic work on alternative healing methods, but there are more expansive perspectives and much unique information presented. What this film proffers, that is so appealing to me, is the enormous gift of hope and possibility, especially for those living the tortures of the damned with yet-to-be-solved longstanding, medical issues.

The film is infused with Shealy's conviction, enthusiasm for proven success, and desire to open up the medical world to the secret code. This secret code, according to Shealy, has been around for 5000 years and was described in an essay on prayer by Ambrose Worell, who along with his wife, Olga, was a most researched spiritual healer. The secret code is this: Thinking sets everything in motion, and every thought is a prayer.

The medical renaissance speaks to this shift in thinking, where the practitioner is open to looking again; where the disease model of waiting for a crisis is replaced with stress relief and self-care; and, to quote Dr. Carl Hammerschlag, where we "dare to create new endings to old stories."

If you are interested in more information, please go to www.medicalrenaissance.net.

Adele Ryan McDowell, Ph.D., is a transpersonal psychologist, teacher, and channel who has had the great good fortune of studying with Norm Shealy and Caroline Myss in the '90s. Her website is www.channeledgrace.com.