As I sit here, sipping my morning coffee, I can’t help but be transported back to my childhood days on the Navajo Nation. The memories come rushing back – the crisp early mornings, the rhythmic clang of my grandfather’s shaver, and the comforting aroma of Springbok Radio filling the air. Those quiet moments with my grandparents were like a window into a different world, one that was grounded in deep cultural wisdom.
Honoring the Cycles of Life
My grandfather’s meticulous routine, from his 6 AM wake-up to his first cigarette of the day, was a testament to the importance of ritual and structure in his life. For him, these simple acts weren’t just habits – they were a way of honoring the natural rhythms of the day and his connection to the land. As I carefully cleaned his shaver, I understood that there was a sacredness in these everyday tasks, a reverence for the cyclical nature of existence.
This holistic perspective on health and wellness is something that has been deeply ingrained in Indigenous cultures for centuries, long before Western medicine began to grapple with the idea of “social determinants of health.” For the Diné people, as we now call ourselves, our understanding of well-being extends far beyond the physical body. It’s about maintaining balance between the mind, body, spirit, and our broader ecosystem.
As the World Economic Forum has noted, traditional knowledge systems like ours “can teach us a lot about sustainability” – not just in terms of environmental stewardship, but in how we approach our overall health and quality of life.
Restoring Balance Through Ceremony
When my father passed away in 2023, I found myself struggling with the weight of my grief. The pain and anxiety had taken a physical toll, leaving me unable to keep food down. But it was in the midst of this darkness that the wisdom of my culture shone through.
My elders guided me to participate in a comfort ceremony, a profoundly communal experience where my family and community came together to pray for me throughout the night. As I sat there, surrounded by the familiar songs and prayers of my ancestors, I felt a sense of peace and rejuvenation wash over me. The stress and despair that had consumed me seemed to lift, and I was finally able to keep nourishment down.
The Power of Integrative Healing
This experience underscored for me the deep interconnectedness of our mental, physical, and spiritual well-being. It’s a lesson that my colleague Dr. Crystal Lee has also seen play out in her work with United Natives, the nonprofit organization she founded to serve Indigenous communities.
At United Natives, Dr. Lee and her team have made it their mission to bridge the gap between Western medicine and traditional healing practices. They offer an integrative approach that combines clinical services, cultural programming, and the guidance of Native American medicine people. The results have been nothing short of transformative.
“We’re not healing them,” Dr. Lee explains. “They’re healing themselves using the tools we have given them to bridge the gaps with traditional culture, with language, and with spiritual practices.” By helping their clients reconnect with their heritage and rediscover their sense of identity, United Natives has empowered them to take ownership of their own health and well-being.
Valuing Diverse Ways of Knowing
One of the key challenges that Dr. Lee and her colleagues have faced is the tendency of Western institutions to devalue or dismiss Indigenous ways of knowing. As the University of Chicago’s Wisdom Center has explored, traditional knowledge systems are often deemed “unscientific” because they don’t adhere to the same rigid, quantifiable standards that Western academia prizes.
But as Dr. Lee eloquently argues, this narrow-minded perspective fails to recognize the inherent sophistication and nuance of Indigenous epistemologies. Our ways of understanding the world are holistic, communal, and deeply rooted in lived experience – qualities that are just as valuable as the decontextualized, compartmentalized knowledge prized by Western science.
By embracing the wisdom of our elders and ancestors, we can gain a richer, more well-rounded understanding of health, healing, and the human condition. It’s not about rejecting Western medicine, but rather integrating the best of both worlds to create truly holistic, culturally responsive care.
Cleaning as a Microcosm of Wellness
As I reflect on my grandfather’s morning routine, I can’t help but see it as a microcosm of this broader philosophy. The simple act of cleaning his shaver was imbued with meaning, a way of honoring the cycles of life and maintaining balance in his world. It was a ritual that connected him to his cultural heritage, his ancestors, and the rhythms of the natural world.
In many ways, cleaning can be seen as a metaphor for this holistic approach to wellness. It’s not just about scrubbing away dirt and grime, but about restoring harmony, cleansing negative energy, and creating a sense of order and tranquility. And just as my grandfather’s cleaning routine was grounded in the wisdom of his culture, so too can we draw inspiration from the teachings of Indigenous peoples to inform our own cleaning and wellness practices.
At Adam Cleaning, we recognize the power of integrating cultural knowledge into our work. By respecting the diverse ways that different communities approach cleanliness, organization, and self-care, we can provide a more personalized, meaningful service that goes beyond the surface-level. It’s about honoring each individual’s unique needs, values, and traditions – and empowering them to cultivate a greater sense of balance and wholeness in their lives.
The Wisdom of the Elders
As I grow older, I find myself increasingly drawn to the lessons of my grandparents and the generations that came before me. Their quiet strength, their reverence for ritual, and their holistic understanding of the world hold a wisdom that I am only now beginning to fully appreciate.
Perhaps, as the researchers at the University of Chicago’s Wisdom Center suggest, there is indeed a “special mature stage of intellectual development” that comes with age and life experience. A stage where we can transcend the rigid boundaries of logic and rationality, and embrace the nuanced, intuitive ways of knowing that have sustained our communities for centuries.
It’s a humbling realization, but one that fills me with a sense of gratitude and wonder. Because in the end, the true wisdom lies not in the accolades or achievements of youth, but in the quiet, unassuming grace of our elders – those who have weathered the storms of life and emerged with a deeper understanding of what it means to live well.
And so, as I go about my day, I find myself instinctively reaching for the lessons of the past, the rituals and practices that have sustained my people through generations of struggle and triumph. I know that there is much yet to be learned, many more insights to be gleaned from the wellspring of Indigenous knowledge. But I also believe that by embracing this wisdom, we can all find a path to greater wellness, balance, and connection – not just as individuals, but as a global community.
