At the end and the beginning of the outgoing and incoming years I could foster friendships with many people and enjoyed having dialogues with them. Dialogues give us opportunities to make friends. I was particularly inspired by one who is now engaged in research work in the United States specializing in the nuclear non-proliferation treaty. Every time I see her, she moves me with her strong determination to work for the objective. Whenever we meet, I’m always struck with her words, especially related to US President Obama’s dedication to the establishment of a world where there are no nuclear weapons.
The Scale of Dreams:
Although she and I work in two different fields, we always agree that mutual trust in human beings should underlie all activities. It rises from constructive dialogue. I respect those who understand the value of dialogue, because it is through dialogue that genuine trust is born. Dialogue helps us discover many things that we have been ignorant of in the past. Dialogue leads to mutual empathy. True and effective therapies are born out of it. In the 21-century medicine, there will be no treatment that depends only on medical technologies alone. It is a century in which human life itself is placed at the center. Medicine is neither for those who give treatment nor for those who get treated. It is much less for money. I’m wondering what kind of patients I will face this year. The life value of each human being is unfathomable. An acupuncture-moxibustion therapist should be equipped with the power to bring out the healing power of the patient him/herself. Genuine “Respect” of the life of each patient is essential. In this sense, dialogue is the noblest kind of activities allowed only for human beings.
Therapy through dialogue:
In oriental medicine, mind and body of human beings are considered inseparable. By understanding what is going on in the mind of the patient the therapist can correctly guess the environment in which the patient lives. Correctly guessing the relationship between cause and effect leads us to the core of the physical problem. Truly effective treatment of the disease is therefore impossible unless the therapist is able to carry out effective dialogue with the patient. I am reminded of what the former president of Montreal University of Canada once said: “The dialogue between the doctor and the patient brings out the curing power of both. But unfortunately, in the field of today’s medicine the central position is given to medical instruments to the exclusion of the relations between the doctor and the patient as human beings.” Sarcastic confusion of the computer mouse and the stethoscope are often taken up as an ironic instance.
Even among Western medicine specialists, the importance of the trust between the patient and doctor is increasingly emphasized. As I said, I’m now thinking of the patients whom I am going to treat this year. The life power of each individual is “unfathomable.” An acupuncture-moxibustion specialist must respectfully understand this relationship, I believe.
