Degrees with Soul:
How to Make an Awesome Living by Helping Others Heal
BY MEGHAN MCDONALD
the next generation of healers and doctors are stepping forward to meet our societies growing demand for natural, holistic medicine.
It’s everybody’s dream to earn a great living doing something they love that has a positive impact on the world. And yet so few end up in that envious position. But we’re here to break that pattern because now more than ever, there’s an abundance of fulfilling careers for you to choose from where you can thrive by
helping others thrive. Below are our top conscious picks that offer the ability to make an awesome living doing deeply fulfilling, transformational healing work that genuinely and profoundly helps others enjoy a better quality of life, and in the process, collectively helps to shift the consciousness of the planet one person at a time.Integrative & Natural Medicine
Perhaps more than any other field, there is a growing demand for the next generation of healers and doctors: ones that understand and can integrate the best of both Western medicine and ancient healing modalities like Ayurveda and Naturopathy. In the last decade, there has been an exponential rise in the demand for medical doctors who practice natural and integrative medicine—but not enough trained professionals to meet society’s needs. The growing cultural awareness of the benefits of holistic living and healing, driven in large part by the remarkably positive impact it’s been having in people’s lives and the growing body of research demonstrating its efficacy, is fueling a major shift away from traditional allopathic medicine and into a future where healers and doctors blend the best of both worlds in their practice.
Integrative Medicine doctors and practitioners understand the essential role of consciousness and the inner intelligence of the body in creating health and longevity and are trained in specific healing modalities that blend the powerful holistic wisdom of ancient cultures with modern insights into the nature of the body. This allows them to actually help patients treat the underlying causes of disease through lifestyle adjustments like integrating yoga, meditation and movement, addressing nutritional imbalances with whole foods and supplements, using herbal medicine and working to integrate the mind, body and spirit at a deep level—not just treating the symptoms of illness like so many doctors currently do.
You can learn more about what’s entailed in becoming an Integrative Medicine specialist here: How to Become an Integrative Medicine Specialist
Ayurvedic Practitioner
With the recent rise in the popularity of Yoga, Ayurvedic medicine—which is the ancient art and science of natural healing according the principles of nature and Vedic philosophy—has also enjoyed a surge in popularity, in large part because of its effectiveness as a powerful holistic system of medicine that is highly effective not just for helping people reach new heights of health, but also helping them to develop and grow mentally, emotionally and spiritually.
Ayurveda seeks to the treat the whole person, not just the symptoms of imbalance in the body. As such, it is a complete system for healing and mind-body balance, integrating yoga, meditation, diet, lifestyle, herbs, and even astrology and cosmology as tools for bringing balance, happiness, health and greater quality of life and spirit to all who receive treatment.
Many people around the world who are frustrated with the limitations of allopathic medicine are turning to Ayurvedic practitioners for help and lifelong guidance on how to live a life in harmony and balance with the natural rhythms of nature and their bodies.
Those who study and practice Ayurvedic medicine become skilled healers with a fine-tuned and intimate knowledge of holistic, mind-body medicine, which is currently at the leading-edge of the evolution of modern healthcare.
Next Steps: How to Get Started
If you’re interested in learning more about Integrative or Ayurvedic Medicine, we recommend checking out Maharishi University of Management’s Integrative Medicine degree programs here: Everything You Need to Know to Become an Integrative or Ayurvedic Medicine Practitioner
They offer everything from a pre-integrative medicine Bachelor’s degree to a MD MS in Integrative Medicine developed with their partner medical school, the American University of Integrative Sciences School of Medicine, located on the island of St. Maarten.
At Maharishi University of Management, they have reestablished the connection of Ayurveda to the development of consciousness, which enlivens both a profound understanding and the effectiveness of many Ayurvedic practices, under the name Maharishi AyurVedaSM.
What we love about MUM programs is that they are deeply grounded in ancient wisdom and modern science and feature their Consciousness-BasedSM education model that is designed not just to give you a practical education, but to help you evolve and grow on a personal and spiritual level as well.
Programs at their campus are designed to be stress-free and integrate the best of a holistic lifestyle into your daily routine including organic, vegetarian meals, daily meditation and exercise classes and their special teaching and learning techniques that develop holistic awareness and prepare you for lifelong success and happiness in your chosen career path.
They also offer distance education options for many of their programs that allows you to earn your degree and become certified without having to relocate or leave your current line of work.
Learn More: Consciousness-BasedSM Education Training in Integrative and Ayurvedic Medicine
About The Authors
Meghan McDonald is the Co-founder and Editor-in-Chief of Conscious Lifestyle Magazine. She holds a master’s degree in social psychology from San Diego State University where she conducted award-winning research into the nature of human social behavior. She is an advocate for many environmental and social justice causes and a champion of social impact-focused brands and products that adhere to high sustainability and ethical standards. As a regular travel and lifestyle contributor to Conscious Lifestyle Magazine, Meghan funnels her extensive knowledge of natural products, organic living, and consumer behavior into researching and reviewing brands and products that promote health, wellbeing, sustainability, equality, and positive social change. She has traveled to over 25 countries and loves exploring diverse destinations worldwide while documenting the local artisans and businesses offering conscious, healthy alternatives.
