TCM-a final few words

[Guest guest]

Mike,

A couple of things.

 

I find, on one hand, a certain maturity in our profession is

beginning when we are willing to discuss such essential, core issues

as professionalism, standards, titles, or dress codes. On the other

hand, since we are not doing this face to face, but on the internet,

there is a tendency for the power of certain words to lead to upset,

hurt, anger and emotions. I know from recent experience that it

feels strange to be challenged or attacked by someone who doesn't

have a clue of who I am or what I truly represent. It is a shame

that Robert Hayden should have to spell out his credentials, and then

withdraw, when he has been such a voice of clarity in the field for

so long.

 

Even though I have made a strong case for clear translation and

terminology standards, this doesn't mean that I advocate a monolithic

profession. I think our profession has many branches and approaches,

and there needs to be universality in our diversity. We must learn

to think in terms of complexity, seeing different sides of an issue,

yin and yang. On one hand, increased quality of education and

professionalism are important, but not at the expense of creativity,

warmth, and a humanistic approach to medicine. It doesn't matter to

me that in the PRC the practitioners of CM wear white coats, it

matters to me how my own patients respond to me here in San Diego.

Both approaches can coexist, depending on the environment in which

the medicine is practiced, in the living room, in a tai qi class, or

in a hospital.

 

Chinese medicine and Western medicine have great differences, and

great similarities. We need to be clear about both in our

discussions. We need to learn from both tradition and modern

approaches to medicine, but Chinese medicine is clearly rooted in

philosophy and a mode of thinking based on systematic

correspondence. That is our core, in my opinion, and we need to

cleave to the principles of yin and yang, otherwise as Robert pointed

out, we will be practicing biomedicine with needles and herbs.

Perhaps some individuals have no problem with this. Fine, as long as

one realizes that using Chinese technologies (needles and herbs) is

not what Chinese medicine is truly about. Chinese medicine is a way

of viewing nature and humanity, and applying principles to the

cultivation of human health and treatment of disease. One can use

any technology, herbs from around the world within this philosophy.

We use the Chinese herbal methods and acupuncture/moxabustion because

we have a long historical precedent to learn from, but we apply these

methods to the modern era and modern societies.

 

 

 

On Jan 22, 2006, at 8:28 AM, mike Bowser wrote:

 

 

> Doug,

> I can appreciate your statements but think that maybe we owe it to

> ourselves

> and our profession to listen to these problems and make attempts to

> correct

> them. It is not always easy to listen or read them and some have

> chosen to

> attack the messenger, also not a productive idea. We have a very

> small

> profession and one that requires all of us to unite, not divide.

> There are

> forces currently at work to dismantle or diminish what we have

> achieved as a

> profession over the years. Some of this has come from within at

> our own

> expense. CA has gone thru a lot and almost lost its Acu Bd and we

> have seen

> a decrease in work comp authority and participation. Money is being

> diverted from insurance and the govt to pay for expensive things.

>

> It is sad that we choose to attack those who bring the message.

>

>

> Mike W. Bowser, L Ac

>

>

>

>

>

>

>> <doug

>> Chinese Medicine

>> Chinese Medicine

>> Re: Digest Number 1261

>> Sun, 22 Jan 2006 02:39:31 -0800

>>

>> Well, why don't you just talk about those problems instead of

>> alienating your colleagues with your rants?

>> Don't you realize we're all thought these things out with our own

>> conclusions?

>> This is ridiculous listening to you attack everybody and every word.

>> It's not very smart, Rachel.

>> I've work with students all the time and you are just as much a

>> " type " as everyone else. We all are.

>> i've seen a dozens of students who sound just like you. And that's my

>> reality listening to " highly intelligent " people who have it ALL

>> figured out.

>> Either tone it down, have the moderator turn you off or I'm out of

>> here too.

>> doug

>>