
The Cultural Diversity of Healing: Meaning, Metaphor,and Mechanism
Healing is a universal human concern, yet the ways in which we heal vary immensely across cultures. Anthropologists have documented diverse systems of healing—from village shamans and herbalists to acupuncture, energy medicine, and spiritual rituals—each offering its own theory of illness, its own patient-healer roles, and its own symbolic actions for recovery. What unites these systems is a shared structure: a defined explanation of affliction, a trusted healer, specific healing