The Relationship Between Body and Mind:
The mind and body of a human being are inseparable. This principle of non-duality is the base of oriental medicine.
“Excessive anger harms the liver, excessive thought injures the spleen, excessive sadness damages the lungs, excessive fear wounds the kidneys, and excessive delight hurts the mind.” This quote sums it all up. Such relations between the mind and physical organs have been believed to exist since ancient times. Emotions and sentiments come to the fore in our daily encounters with various situations, but if they happen to be excessive or continue too long, the physical side is likely to be affected one way or another.
Actually, those who suffer from liver problems are more likely to get irritated or angry. Those who keep thinking about unpleasant matters too long tend to have digestive problems and pains in the spleen, stomach or intestines, which, in serious cases, may invite ulcers that may turn malignant. Also, as we saw in the Great Hanshin Earthquake, not a few people lost the capacity to stand up because of the fright. The kidneys and legs are closely interconnected.

Respectable Patients:
This year as usual I was blessed with opportunities to see a number of patients, some of whom faced a tightrope condition trying to correct their inharmonious balance between body and mind.
When he returned to work after being absent due to illness, Mr. A was abruptly told by his chief that the workplace was ‘NOT a rehabilitation center!’ as he was dragging his way on aching legs in the hallway. He says, “Coming to the acupuncture clinic gives me the courage to keep fighting on, not giving up.”
Ms. K, who had a series of worrisome problems that brought about Parkinson’s disease tremors, is older than me. She says, “Suffering has changed me into an individual who can really appreciate life and feel thankful .” It is great to be told about such an experience by her.
Ms. I, who has long struggled with a handicapped son and complains of various physical pains here and there, holds my hands each time she comes to my clinic, saying she feels encouraged by every word I say to her.
Ms. O, who suffered from hyperventilation syndrome, insomnia, tremor of hands, mental imbalance, and overall aching of her whole body, all due to her physical and mental exhaustion, was not able to eat anything except liquid food for six months. She looked happy one day and said, “Listen, ma’am. I was able to eat a rice ball for the first time in six months!”
It is not uncommon that in our waiting room the patients share their different problems and encourage each other; those who suffered cerebral infarctions, those who are happily sharing the joy of having overcome atopic symptoms, laughing or crying while talking about their experiences with each other. In this way, my acupuncture clinic often turns into a place of warmhearted communications among these people.
This may sound as an exaggeration, but let me dare say that a number of people are actually being saved from their agonies in their daily lives. Each one of them is struggling to get by from day to day. As I see these patients looking so much pleased with the improvement in their spiritual and physical conditions, I feel as if I myself am being saved by my patients. In other words, these people are testifying to the value of acupuncture treatment. Spiritually, I am so much indebted to these heroic patients

From Drug-centered Treatment to Treatment Based on Natural Healing Power:
Almost always a physical problem rises from some mental conflicts within ourselves.
Can a treatment that ignores this reality bring any effect? I cannot help asking this question today when more and more new medicines are being introduced into the medical world. Can this situation be entrusted to psychosomatic specialists alone? Here in Japan, the professional counseling is extremely expensive, and most treatments still depend on drugs.
I myself have a long way to go before I become able to fully understand the feelings of my patients, which is the very reason why I’m thus trying to learn eagerly and humbly from their experiences. By so doing, I hope I’m helping this superb oriental medicine reach out to each patient and dynamically draw out his or her natural healing power.
I sincerely hope that those who have experienced nerve-snapping agonies will direct their kind hearts thus gained toward those who need it to be rescued.