May 20, 2008

Alternative Medicine

I have no training in any kind of medicine, but I have been a recipient of both today's conventional (or mainstream) and and certain alternative health solutions for quite a while so I do know a little bit about them from the receiving end. there are many types of alternative (or complementary) health solutions, but I am mainly talking about Chinese traditional medicine (sometimes inaccurately called "herb" medicine.) Here I want to express my opinion on how these two medical disciplines ought to respect each other and benefit from each other.

What we now consider as the "conventional" or "mainstream" medicine, i.e. one based on modern scientific methodology and delivered by highly-trained professionals in myriad of ever narrowing specialties, mostly chemical-based pharmaceuticals and increasingly sophisticated diagnostic and treatment equipment, has its roots in Ancient Greece but has been in its current form for, depending on how you define it, possibly no more than 100 years. It has produced many medical wonders along the way, but is by no means perfect. It is also becoming more and more prohibitively expensive and un-affordable for many people. Meanwhile, the requisite drugs and equipment to support this medical discipline has become a huge industry.

What are now considered "alternative" (meaning non-standard or quasi-legitimate at best) medicine, however, dated back to our hunter-gatherer time. Every culture of the world has its own traditional medicine that works, or that culture would not be around today. In western societies especially in Europe and North America, they are considered illegitimate if not woo-doo medicine and shunned by the mainstream medical establishment, although some reluctant exceptions have been made in recent years (e.g. acupuncture.)

Chinese medicine can be traced back all the way to about 2000 B.C.E. While it hasn't been helped by sophisticated scientific instruments, it anchors on thousands of years of empirical data handed down, often by words of mouth, from generation to generation and through trials and errors. Many health problems can be treated and even cured with Chinese medicine, but there are many things that it cannot do also. Another shortcoming is that the onus of diagnosis is all on the doctor. There isn't much in the way of diagnostic equipment. Diagnosis is based on looking listening, asking questions, and taking the pulse. Experienced doctors are hard to come by. The good part is it is very inexpensive. Nevertheless, if Chinese medicine has been treating this most populous nation on earth, it must have been doing something right, whether or not today's western medical establishment is able to understand.

To sum up, modern medicine is precise, can train many doctors and technicians to do exactly the same procedures, but is very expensive. Chinese traditional medicine is very inexpensive, but one has to rely on an experienced doctor and such a doctor is becoming rarer and rarer.

A few years ago I have come upon a book written in Chinese and published in Taiwan, in which the author examine the fundamental difference in philosophy between Chinese medicine of today's Western medicine. In several future postings, I would like to talk about some of the major points of this book. The name of the book is "A Manual for the Human Body."

May 19, 2008

Growing Up and Growing Old: A Lesson from Rose

A while ago, a thoughtful friend sent me the following story which I find very spiritual. I would like to share it with my visitors. I don't know the author of this story. If you like this story, pass it along to your friends:


THE ROSE

The first day of school our professor introduced himself and challenged us to get to know someone we didn't already know. I stood up to look around when a gentle hand touched my shoulder.

I turned round to find a wrinkled, little old lady beaming up at me with a smile that lit up her entire being.

She said, "Hi handsome. My name is Rose. I’m eighty-seven years old. Can I give you a hug?"

I laughed and enthusiastically responded, "Of course you may!" and she gave me a giant squeeze.

"Why are you in college at such a young, innocent age?" I asked.

She jokingly replied, "I'm here to meet a rich husband, get married, and have a couple of kids..."

"No seriously," I asked. I was curious what may have motivated her to be taking on this challenge at her age.

"I always dreamed of having a college education and now I'm getting one!" she told me.

After class we walked to the student union building and shared a chocolate milkshake.

We became instant friends. Every day for the next three months, we would leave class together and talk nonstop. I was always mesmerized listening to this "time machine" as she shared her wisdom and experience with me. Over the course of the year, Rose became a campus icon and she easily made friends wherever she went.

She loved to dress up and she reveled in the attention bestowed upon her from the other students. She was living it up.

At the end of the semester we invited Rose to speak at our football banquet. I'll never forget what she taught us.

She was introduced and stepped up to the podium. As she began to deliver her prepared speech, she dropped her three by five cards on the floor.

Frustrated and a little embarrassed she leaned into the microphone and simply said, "I'm sorry I'm so jittery. I gave up beer for Lent and this whiskey is killing me! I'll never get my speech back in order so let me just tell you what I know.

As we laughed she cleared her throat and began, "We do not stop playing because we are old; we grow old because we stop playing. There are only four secrets to staying young, being happy, and achieving success. You have to laugh and find humor every day. You've got to have a dream. When you lose your dreams, you die. We have so many people walking around who are dead and don't even know it! There is a huge difference between growing older and growing up. If you are nineteen years old and lie in bed for one full year and don't do one productive thing, you will turn twenty years old. If I am eighty-seven years old and stay in bed for a year and never do anything I will turn eighty-eight. Anybody can grow older. That doesn't take any talent or ability. The idea is to grow up by always finding opportunity in change. Have no regrets. The elderly usually don't have regrets for what we did, but rather for things we did not do. The only people who fear death are those with regrets."

She concluded her speech by courageously singing "The Rose." She challenged each of us to study the lyrics and live them out in our daily lives.

At the year's end Rose finished the college degree she had begun all those years ago.

One week after graduation Rose died peacefully in her sleep.

Over two thousand college students attended her funeral in tribute to the wonderful woman who taught by example that it's never too late to be all you can possibly be.


When you finish reading this, please send this peaceful word of advice to your friends and family, they'll really enjoy it!

These words have been passed along in loving memory of ROSE.

REMEMBER, GROWING OLDER IS MANDATORY. GROWING UP IS OPTIONAL.

May 14, 2008

Internal Conflict in Retirement

I always say that since I am retired and don't answer to a boss, I only do things that I enjoy doing and do them at the pace I please. Now I realize that this attitude has put me into a nasty internal conflict. There are so many things I enjoy doing and I continue to find more things that I like to do. At the same time, I want to do things at a more leisurely pace rather "multi-tasking" as I did before and facing impossible deadlines. Results: my to-do list grows longer and longer,and I am not accomplishing anything because I have lost the strict discipline that used to help me get things done.

I have two choices: Either drastically cut down my to-do list, or forget about the leisurely pace and set up a strict, and mostly hectic schedule for myself, or both, or part of each.

I am going to have to definitely cut off some of the items on the list, set up a priority list for the rest, and better organize my time so that I can get more done. Most importantly, I have to get back to a work discipline that forces me to get certain items done at certain time.

Of the to-do items, some are one-time, short term in nature, such as changing my computer and have it set up to meet my needs, or organize my video files. Others are more long-term in nature, such as writing my autobiography or putting together the book on Chinese wisdoms. Yet others are seasonal, such as taking care of the garden. My involvement in teaching the Taichi Light exercise and promoting my Taichi Light DVD is an on-going project.

I guess I have just added one more item on my to-do list.

May 4, 2008

What is Taichi Light: Part 6

Movement Thirteen: Big Bird Flipping its Wings

The Movement: At the end of the last movement, while leaning forward with your arms outstretched, flip your hands to a horizontal position with your fingertips almost touching. Begin to inhale, rock back to resting on your right foot while opening your arms all the way. Then, begin to exhale and close your arms until your fingertips are almost touching. Keep your hands loosely hinged on your forearms and let them swing as your arms move. This is one movement cycle. Do 12 cycles.

The Breathing: Inhale when opening your arms; exhale when closing your arms.

The Imagery: Imagine you were a huge bird, cruising high up in the sky, looking down on the human race with all its foibles. You are miles away from that mess and without a scintilla of worry.



Movement Fourteen: The Kung-Fu Horseback Pose

The Transition: At the end of the last movement, move your hands to your waist and make the upward facing fists. Move your left foot back and crouch down slightly.

The Movement: Inhale fully. Raise your right fist to the chest level, turn it upside down and, as you exhale, slowly thrust it forward as far as it can go as if you were hitting an imaginary object. Then inhale and retrieve your fist and return it to its starting position. This is one movement cycle. Do this six times, alternating right and left. (Do not thrust your fists fast. Move slowly and decisively. Like a tank. It moves slowly but it can’t be stopped.

The Breathing: Inhale when retrieving your fist; exhale when thrusting your fist.

The Imagery: Imagine you were a kung-fu master living a solitary life in the wilderness, practicing your kung-fu skill every morning.



Movement Fifteen: A Giant Crane Taking Off

The Transition: At the end of the last movement, hold the crouching position and let your arms hang on your sides.

The Movement: Begin to inhale, stand up and raise your outstretched arms as if they were your wings until they are 12 O’clock high and your are standing on your toes. Then, exhale and lower yourself down all the way to the crouching position with your arms flipping slowly down. This is one movement cycle. Do this six times.

The Breathing: Inhale when standing up; exhale when crouching down.

The Imagery: Imagine you were a big crane trying to take off after a heavy meal.