The Prince of Peace

The Prince of Peace

Hippocrates has long been considered the “Father of Medicine” the Hippocratic Oath is an ethical code that each new physician pledges to uphold, in tribute to the spirit of the founding father. Scientific research now shows that the origin of the recorded history of medicine can be dated over one thousand years before Hippocrates was born.

There are about eight major ancient medical papyri that show the scientific approach to medicine in ancient Egypt, the Edwin Smith papyrus for example entails details focused on surgery, a medical practice that early European religious political laws considered a crime.

The discovery of these ancient Egyptian texts written on papyrus gave details on medical knowledge in the areas such as surgery, dentistry, gynecological conditions and migraines. The first recorded founder of Egyptian medicine was Imhotep also known as the Prince of Peace.

Imhotep was not only considered the father of medicine he was an astrologer and chief Vizier to the Pharaoh. Imhotep was also the father of Egyptian architecture he built Egypt’s first pyramid. The Djoser Step Pyramid in Saqqara Egypt still stands and is considered to be the world’s first monumental stone.

An illustration taken from the Physician’s Tomb which is also in Saqqara shows practitioners using the therapeutic benefits of foot and hand manipulation; (what we now call reflexology or chunsoo Ki treatments). This was more than 4000 years ago. Ann Gillanders has a picture of this illustration in her book “The Joy of Reflexology”. The practitioners were dark skin with short wooly textured hair.

Imhotep used medicine from plants and herbs, practiced meditation, energy healing techniques, diagnosed and treated over 200 diseases, 2000 years before Hippocrates was born. The early Greek temples dedicated to Imhotep whom they called “Imouthes” were centers of medical teachings. History also tells us that the Third Dynasty and the court of Pharaoh Zoser were Nubian decedents from the Kingdom of Kush; this was the time of Imhotep a high priest and the advisor to the Pharoh.

The true father of medicine was a “Black Man” yet when we think of brilliant medical professionals many do not see a person of African descent although there are many. There is a strange and sad story about a leading African American surgeon who was rushed to a southern hospital’s emergency room in the mid 50’s due to a heart attack. When word that this famous doctor was in the hospital’s emergency room, the operating room was set up with the hospital’s best doctors ready to go.

Two attendants were sent to bring this famous doctor to the operating room; they found two patients one a well-dressed Blackman and a white homeless drunk; guess who they brought up to the operating room. As we move into this current time of change it is important to understand many of the things we have been programed to believe about ourselves and others are illusionary.

Holistic and natural wellness options like energy treatments and movement exercises are now becoming accepted options in many of today’s medical communities yet the true father of medicine and inspiration to Hippocrates understood their benefits thousands of years ago.

I wonder where the world would be today if the advance science and technology practiced during the time of Imhotep could have proceeded and advanced uninterrupted. I have no doubt that there is a reason for this cycle of relearning during this current stage of the human evolutionary journey