Dominant Biomedical Paradigm

• Views life as chemistry (biochemical view of life).
• Molecular reductionism that focuses on genes, proteins encoded by genes, and molecules synthesized by proteins.  
• Based on an inherent belief that complex systems can be understood by identifying their components.  
• Derivative of the ancient greek philosopher, Democritus, who proposed that everything, including organisms, is reducible to its constituents.

Integrative Medical Model

• Appreciates the complexity of our biology and allows space for an emergent phenomena that may not be perceived or predicted from a perspective of physiologically isolated parts.  
• Grounded in the interconnected, information-based concept of the biofield. This holistic view embraces a field concept of life.
• Based on Aristotle’s view that life processes are autonomous and organisms are integral wholes.

Current Events in Biofield Medicine

The term biofield has been accepted as a medical subject heading by the National Library of Medicine and is now an official search term for scholars to locate peer-reviewed literature. The diverse modes of energetic healing has been consolidated under the single definition of biofield therapies by the National Institute of Health. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine has  funded a round of frontier medicine research grants in biofield science.