Holism is a way of perceiving a complete system by analyzing the entire collection of its components instead of studying the specific functioning of each component individually. Holism analyzes how the entire structure of the system functions as a whole instead of focusing only on the specific components.
To define holism it is helpful to understand a concept referred to as gestalt (gestalt is the German word for “unified whole"). The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines gestalt as "something that is made of many parts and yet is somehow more than or different from the combination of its parts". Another way of understanding this is to observe that an integrated system's performance is greater than the sum of the functioning of its parts. The integration of components of the structure of a unified system, when functioning as a whole, makes the unified system perform in a way that is more comprehensive than the functioning of the individual components.
A system cannot be defined or understood by solely studying the specific functioning of its parts. Holism embraces this gestalt concept by implying that to try to understand the system as a whole 'mechanism' it is not sufficient to study and understand each component of the system. It is necessary to combine an understanding of how the parts define the entire system.
Comprehensive Holistics embraces this concept by studying all the parts as they relate to the functioning of the complete structure or system. A major area of Comprehensive Holistics involves Health and Wellness. Another focus involves somewhat more complicated functions such as Spirit (theology) and the very new and scientifically validated study of Consciousness using Quantum Physics as a source (science). A future thesis explores the science of theolgy and the theology of science. Comprehensive Holistics explores the allopathic (Western) medical treatment paradigm. For holistic lifestyle and health choices a holistic approach addresses the entire body/mind as a unified process. The holistic approach to healing explores the lifestyle and health practices of the patient, in addition to the specific health issues involved, and then utilizes the most pertinent and useful components of both Western and Eastern health and wellness practices to create a comprehensive health regimen. Through study, exploration and practice it is possible to improve one's overall health using methodologies that combine the most relevant components of a variety of health practices and procedures. Holism perceives the health and wellness of the body in its gestalt, that is, instead of treating symptoms of a specific health issue by focusing only on the area or areas of concern, the holistic wellness practitioner would seek to understand the overall functioning of the patient's physical, emotional and mental processes. Current allopathic medicine does not embrace holism as a medical paradigm. A holistic approach to healing would use a more comprehensive study of the patient, then it would address the patient's health issues using the combination of specific Western and Eastern treatment regimens. Developing the diagnosis and treatment would take into account the entire patient. The entire patient's health is a gestalt of the patient's overall functioning.
Holism, as it is defined here, offers a more thorough understanding of the entire function of the structure of a system. Studying the specific elements that combine to make up the system, in and of themselves, is not conducive to achieving an understanding of the system as a whole. The functioning of the system being studied is more thorough when the entire system as a whole is analyzed, which, in the gestalt of the system, makes the system function in a way that exceeds the functioning of the combined specific parts of the system being studied.
Health and Wellness, in terms of the comprehensive holistic paradigm, is just one example. Nature, Consciousness, and Physiology are a few more examples of systems that are made up of various components. Within more complex systems, sub-systems that are part of the entire system being studied have parts that make up the sub-systems, which together make up the complete system being studied. The gestalt, or unified functioning of each sub-system is viewed as a discreet unified structure. The sub-systems together make up the unified whole of the total system being studied. The Comprehensive Holistics paradigm strives to view systems and their component sub-systems as gestalts, or unified systems combined to create the entire structure, structures that function in ways that are more comprehensive than the functioning of their particular sub-systems and components.
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