I’m no stranger to visionaries who challenge deeply held beliefs; Joseph Chilton Pearce, Krishnamurti and David Bohm, David B. Chamberlain, babies remember birth and before, Jean Liedloff, much of what we believe about human nature is wrong, John Taylor Gotto, compulsory schooling dumbs us down, and most recently, Tom Cowan, MD, contagion is a myth along with challenging the entire field of virology. Tom ask’s simple and probing questions that undermine widely held dogma and myth. My kind of guy.
mm
In these two episodes, Dr. Tom Cowan is joined by filmmaker, author, and long-time advocate of conscious parenting, Michael Mendizza, for a deep exploration of child development, identity, and compulsory schooling, which is different from real learning. Rather than a standard interview, the conversation unfolds as a philosophical and personal dialogue about Dr. Cowan’s book “Commonsense Childrearing: Unconventional Wisdom for a Nourished Childhood” and broader questions of how we raise children.
https://drtomcowan.com/blogs/podcasts/89-michael-mendizza
https://drtomcowan.com/blogs/podcasts/conversations-with-dr-cowan-friends-ep-90-michael-mendizza
More about Tom:
Tom Cowan, MD, is one of the most challenging voices in the global health care field raising deep questions regarding conventional medical paradigms, particularly the germ theory and virology. He argues that the idea of pathogenic viruses and bacteria as external invaders causing disease is flawed. Instead, he emphasizes the importance of the “terrain”—the body’s internal environment—and suggests that illness arises from imbalances or toxins within the body.
Tom links modern illnesses to environmental factors, such as electromagnetic pollution, rather than infectious agents. His perspectives challenge mainstream views and encourage a reevaluation of how we understand health and disease.
Cowan also critiques the concept of contagion, proposing that what is often labeled as “contagious illness.” For example, Scurvy was believed to be contagious. Thousands of people were burned or buried alive when current dogma classified epilepsy as evidence of witchcraft or demonic possession, leading to severe mistreatment, including executions and forced sterilizations. He views viruses as particles released by cells to detoxify and communicate—rather than as harmful invaders.
Dr. Tom Cowan has a background in biology and medicine. He graduated summa cum laude from Duke University in 1977 with a degree in biology. Following this, he served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Swaziland, Africa, where he was influenced by the works of Weston A. Price and Rudolf Steiner—two figures who shaped his holistic approach to health.
After his time in the Peace Corps, Cowan attended medical school at the Michigan State College of Human Medicine, graduating in 1984. He completed an internship in family practice in Johnson City, New York, and went on to practice general medicine for over three decades in upstate New York, Peterborough, New Hampshire, and San Francisco. He retired from active practice in 2019.
Cowan’s views on COVID-19 challenging mainstream narratives. He argues that the existence of SARS-CoV-2, the virus linked to COVID-19, has not been scientifically proven. Cowan critiques virology methods, claiming that the processes used to isolate and identify viruses are flawed and unscientific.
He also disputes the concept of viral contagion, suggesting that illnesses attributed to viruses may instead result from environmental factors, such as toxins or electromagnetic pollution. Cowan’s perspectives are detailed in his writings, including “The Contagion Myth,” where he questions the foundational principles of virology and the COVID-19 narrative.
Tom has authored several books that reflect his unconventional views on health and medicine. Some of his notable works include:
- “The Contagion Myth”: Challenges the mainstream understanding of viruses and disease causation.
- “Human Heart, Cosmic Heart”: Explores alternative perspectives on cardiovascular health.
- “Cancer and the New Biology of Water”: Discusses the role of water in cancer prevention and treatment.
- “Vaccines, Autoimmunity, and the Changing Nature of Childhood Illness”: Examines the impact of vaccines on childhood health.
- “The Fourfold Path to Healing”: Focuses on holistic approaches to nutrition, therapeutics, movement, and meditation.
- “The Nourishing Traditions Book of Baby & Child Care”: Offers guidance on raising children with a focus on nutrition and natural health.
- Commonsense Childrearing: Unconventional Wisdom for a Nourished Childhood, a book that will push you to the edges, change what parenting means.
Michaels Review:
With his trademark candor, Tom Cowan MD, reveals the damaging consequences of accepted dogma, while shining a bright light on wholistic parent+child developmental alternatives. First by ‘doing no harm,’ by being a pal with your child, forever. If we even barely touch this, most challenges and childhood traumas don’t happen.
The chapter on Rhythm (or being real) Tom shares, “the key is the energy, the consciousness of adults.” As above so below. State specific resonance overrides the intellect always. Perseverance, another chapter; what doesn’t kill us makes us stronger, fevers are strengthening, healing in action, not the problem. It’s ok for our kids to meet and overcome challenges. Hovering protectionism is weakening.
Tom explores the Intelligence of Play. Play is a state, not the activity. Authentic play is nature’s agenda for optimum learning and performance at any age of stage. Dogma is reflexive. The state of authentic play is the essence of science, true learning and growth throughout the full arch of human development. Joseph Chilton Pearce and I coauthored ‘Magical Parent – Magical Child’ on this very theme. Of course, Tom’s chapter on Integrity is brilliant. Food Fights are something everyone struggles with.
In Part Two, Tom stands up to the ‘hidden agenda of compulsory skooling.’ Having been living the best ‘alternative education,’ practices for the past forty years, the read is a Mr. Toad ’s Wild Ride survey of how the deep conditioning and extrinsic rewards and punishments implied in forced, coercive schooling dehumanizes our children.
Throughout the book Tom’s passion and reengage passion shies. We live in challenging times. ‘Common (Unconventional Wisdom) Sense Parenting,’ will push you to the edges, question fundamental assumptions, open the doors of perception, in ways that will change what parenting means. And that is exactly what most need.
February 21, 2025
Michael Mendizza; documentary filmmaker, author and founder of Touch the Future