NMR ISSUE 1

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Beltane
Closer Look at the Tarot: Aces
Earth's Coronation
Eastern Insights
Editorial
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Guardians of the Four Gateways
How to Eat Meat
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Solitary Summer Rite
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The Kabalah in Everyday Use
The Oldest Magick
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Witchcraft: Problems of Study

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Eastern Insights

Seymour Koblin

"Eastern Insights" is a question and answer forum to show how to integrate Eastern health philosophies into Western lifestyle. Seymour Koblin has been practicing the Eastern Healing Arts since 1979. He apprenticed with Master C. K. Chu of the Tai Chi Chuan Center of New York. He graduated from the Shiatsu Education Center of America. He is certified by the Kushi Institute and is a senior member and state-coordinator for the American Shiatsu Association. Seymour practices and teaches Shiatsu/ acupressure, Tai Chi Chuan and nutrition at the Institute of Health Sciences in Pacific Beach (619) 581-9429.

This column is an honor and a challenge. The "Eastern Way" has been a very useful tool in my life. I hope my interpretations and explanations will bring you insight as well.

Our Western appetite for analysis often misses the point of the simple traditional Eastern concepts. Before I address specific lifestyle questions that you may have, I feel it is important to answer a very basic question: What are the differences between Eastern and Western/American attitudes? The health field is a practical example that relates to our everyday lives.

Eastern civilizations were founded thousands of years before westerners discovered North America. Thus, the lifestyles of the Eastern cultures have been established for many more years than those of Americans. This fundamental difference is the key to understanding our different attitudes. While the people of the East were living out established patterns (fisherman, farmer, merchant, etc.), North Americans were clearing forests, starting farms and discovering new climatic and geographical trends. These pioneers were aggressive, courageous, strong-willed and perhaps somewhat rebellious.

While the Easterner nurtured attitudes of integration and blending with his environment, the Westerner developed attitudes like, "survival of the fittest" and "Man against the elements." The stability of the East allowed its people to flow with the life's changes. The struggle of the West demanded a more focused analytical view. Settlers would examine new challenges and often aggressively confront them. This fighting attitude is seen today in our description of the immune system. We use term like "resistance" to colds and flu, and "fighting" infection. In comparison, a traditional Eastern attitude sees colds and flu as part of the body's natural balancing process to "neutralize" infection, bringing us back to a state of harmony with our surroundings.

The pressures of the newly founded land created a demand for concentrated action within a short time period. This paved the way for specialization in specific fields (e.g., banker, blacksmith, farmer, and shoemaker). This trend, carried over to modern medicine, has brought us to an age of extreme specialization. One doctor may see only those with heart troubles, while another will only see those with foot problems. The list of specialties is very extensive. The traditional Eastern doctor, because of his orientation, looks at problems as an integral part of the whole person. Thus, a foot problem could provide a hint to the source of heart trouble.

Another Western trend was the need for greater technology. The extreme challenges of the new environment rewarded sophisticated farming and transportation equipment, refrigeration, electricity, etc. The medical profession developed sophisticated machines like x-rays, EKGs and sonograms. Many people benefit from this technology. However, its use has nearly eliminated human contact and judgment in diagnosing and treating the patient. In Western medicine, the diagnostic process is often separate from the treatment. In Eastern traditional medicine, the two occur simultaneously. For example, in Acupuncture and Acupressure, the practitioner stimulates certain points while monitoring the client's response. This becomes a diagnostic tool for the progression of the treatment.

Of course, the expense of these sophisticated Western Diagnostic tools is awesome. A patient may spend several hundred dollars just in diagnosis, not to mention treatment. A traditional Eastern healer would only accept payment if the patient had beneficial results. He would also educate the patient, to prevent complications.

The complicated process and technical names have given Western medicine an air of authority, the "doctor knows best" attitude. This estranges the person from the workings of his own body, thus making it very difficult for him to take responsibility for his own health. This attitude, coupled with high medical costs, has also influenced economic and political policies, e.g., insurance, employee benefits, taxes. The analytical attitude of the West derives results by experiment, (mostly tests on animals). In the East conclusions are based more on experience—years and years of watching humans and in different environments.

While the Western medicine treatment addresses present symptoms, Eastern medicine focuses more on personal causes and prevention. For example, in the West it is common to use one remedy for a particular symptom, often with little regard for the person exhibiting the symptom. For example, recommending vitamin C to remedy the common cold. The Eastern physician looks at a symptom only as a function of the lifestyle of the person and recommends different remedies for different people. Vitamin C might work for one person, yet for another it could make things worse. Yet, in trauma situations, Western medicine far surpasses the Eastern, wholistic view. When Western analytical and Eastern intuitive attitudes are integrated and complement each other, not only the medical field but also our entire lives will benefit.