Perspectives on holism in the contemporary practice of Western herbal medicine in the UK

In the course of the 20th century, the concept of holism has gained in popularity, particularly within science and healthcare, while the concept of vitalism has become increasingly problematic. In the literature relating to Western herbal medicine notions of holism and vitalism are often found side by side, though used in a number of different ways. These differences point towards the contested nature of these concepts in Western herbal medicine. This article examines how practitioners of Western herbal medicine in the UK describe their understandings and meanings of holism in the context of their work and a model of holism is presented which exemplifies emerging patterns of a fluid spectrum of understandings of holism. I suggest that the very flexibility of the concept of holism and its inclusive potential accommodates the diversity of contemporary practice demonstrated by the practitioners in this study. In this way, these practitioners respond to the popularity of the idea of holism while minimising or obscuring controversy that surrounds the concept of vitalism.