Final answer:
Items used in ancient and historical healing practices aimed at treating both body and spirit include flowers, incense, relics, and curse tablets, as well as experiencing nature's restorative effects. Rituals often combined physical treatments with spiritual healing, such as through shamanistic practices or faith healing methods.
Step-by-step explanation:
Throughout history, various items have been used in healing practices to restore the body and spirit. This includes using flowers as symbols of rebirth and incense for its divine scent during rituals. Physical treatments often coexisted with spiritual interventions—such as the use of relics believed to hold healing power and confer blessings, possibly reducing one's time in purgatory. Shamans would enter the spirit world seeking to heal illnesses, while faith healers operated within religious frameworks to exorcise negative spirits. Offering food for the afterlife and engaging in practices such as cold water baths followed by robes, oil, and spice rubs were also seen as therapeutic.
Further, the concept of penitence and confession played a role in spiritual healing, where sickness might be interpreted as a sign of sin, and spiritual atonement was required for rebalancing. Esoteric practices, such as using curse tablets to mobilize supernatural powers for personal aims, also reflect the intertwined nature of spiritual beliefs and physical wellbeing. Bringing oneself into harmony with nature was seen as beneficial for the body and soul, highlighting the holistic perspective of health prevalent in some cultures.