Written by Prue – Naturopath at Choice Pharmacy Cameron Park
You may have heard the infamous saying “Your eyes are the windows to the Soul..”
Did you know? the meaning behind this saying is a core value deeply rooted in Herbal Medicine’s insightful history and a key component used during consultation for many Complementary Health Practitioners.
History of Iridology
The origin of the anecdotal practise that is Iridology, is speculated to have dated as far back as the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, with some evidence on the beginning of works developed on Iris markings and their meanings by medical personnel. However, the term ‘Iridology’ wasn’t formally introduced until a Hungarian physician by the name of Dr Ignatz von Peczely brought life to this concept and practice in 1867.
How does Iridology work?
Iridology is the study of the Iris (coloured ring around the pupil of the eye) where a visual analysis is carried out to identify specific signs, markings and various colours within the iris and what they mean for the Beholder’s unique picture of health. The Iris is treated as a visual “blueprint” for Herbalists and Naturopath alike, to interpret the needs of the Client. Following a “blueprint” such as that of one’s Iris, is a valuable tool to pin point a person’s unique “nurture points” (i.e. particular areas of the body that may need a little extra T.L.C) as well as to identify a person’s key strengths (i.e. both emotionally and physically). So why is this all so important? Why does my practitioner need to carry out an Iris analysis as apart of my consultation? Well, the Iris is a very helpful guide for providing visual indications of potential stress in the body and most importantly, how this stress is manifesting for the individual person – remember stress is a very vague term when it comes to symptom picture, everyone experiences stress differently and therefore, will require varying recommendations when it comes to lifestyle and dietary advice along with other methods of treatment.
What Iridology can read?
Through the practise of Iridology, we can learn more about key body systems such as the Gut (which also reflects the current function of our Immune System), Nervous System, Blood and Lymphatic health, Reproductive health…etc. Iridology can also show important traits and characteristics of the person sitting before us which we refer to as ‘Constitution’. An example of constitutional signs include: ‘Vitality’, ‘Balance’, ‘Co-ordination’, ‘Perfectionism’ and ‘Creative intellect’ all of which are physical zones of the Iris that everyone has.
How to decode the Iris colour?
And finally, to tie it all together we have Colour. The colour of particular signs in the Iris reflect ‘function’, usually in ways that illustrate if an area of the body is working too hard or not hard enough. An example of this is present in the Gut zones of the Iris, where a stark ‘White’ can indicate possibly acidity, where pH levels may be too high for the person or, on the contrary, a shadowing ‘Grey’ which may indicate that digestive function is on the more sluggish side of things where stomach acid may be lacking, resulting in higher than normal levels of bad bacteria (but not always). ‘Orange’ areas can indicate a person’s “sweet tooth” as the result of high-processing Adrenal glands. ‘Brown’ colouring may suggest that the liver and gallbladder are feeling a little sluggish and could use some more tailored support in the form of a better quality diet.
Want to learn more about your Iris and how it can show you more about your health & more information about Iridology. Have a chat with Prue today in-store.
You can book our naturopath Prue for in-store consultation online to secure a spot.
