Pioneers and Leaders: Honoring The Vision

By Karen Reynolds, LAc, RN

This year marks the 25th Anniversary of the AAAOM. Auspiciously it heralds the unification of the former Alliance and AAOM. In reflecting upon the ways in which we might celebrate our silver anniversary there were many ideas. In chatting with a friend, I mentioned an idea about compiling small books of interviews of teachers and leaders in Oriental medicine and how this medicine has unfolded in the United States. My friend is a public historian, an author of two books and an avid reader. This is a person serious about history. She said simply and powerfully: “There is an African saying that when an elder dies a library burns to the ground. ‘Best capture those libraries before they burn.’” There is vast life experience and wisdom riding around in those who have gone before, and it is prudent to honor it.

Our profession desperately needs to look to a council of elders. We have much to benefit from their guidance. The historic problems that plagued their times contain modern parallels for us. Our predecessors faced licensure challenges and we continue to face threats upon our scopes of practice and herbal access. Our elders experienced oppression such as being tossed into jail or having needles embargoed and we experience pressure to dismantle our wholistic medicine into an allopathic, compartmentalized framework. Historically what has been successful and what has not? These are valuable things to know.

It brings to mind the concept of additive effect. This is evident in drug interactions in which one drug potentiates the usually innocuous side effect of another such that there can be life-threatening results. Diet and exercise when completed together afford a better end point than one or the other singularly. This wisdom of our elders joined with the energy and presence of younger practitioners is an immensely powerful partnership with the potential of benefiting all.

We all have pivotal moments when a plain yet profound utterance shifts our awareness. It is as though we’ve been residing just beyond the familiar outer swing of a pendulum, which suddenly hooks and pulls us through the arc to the other side. With respect to ‘the other side’ we must be willing to travel to the other side, to hear ‘the other side’ and to respect it--even if we choose not to embrace it. It is the Dao to peacefully ride the arc as opposed to positioning ourselves at the edges of the pendulum swing. Healthy Qi must remain in motion as opposed to being stuck. There is the certain risk of being battered by the pendulum if we stubbornly reside at the poles.

The elders of our profession have vast life experience in addition to obvious clinical, academic, and political knowledge. It is peculiar that it is this very richness frequently not realized within the confines of workshops, classes with objectives and tests or even in the habitual daily routine. The interviews reflect time and again the sage advice of holding space and respect for all opinions and choosing wisely without ego and agenda; seeking to educate ourselves to the highest potential. Thus far, being the primary interviewer for the Pioneers and Leaders commemorative books, my experience has been that of hearing so many pearls of wisdom. I invite you to enjoy Volume I and to look forward to Volume II.

Volume I of the Pioneers and Leaders book was presented at the AAAOM Portland Conference. Nominations for Volume II continue. Nominees embody a mixed collection of individuals, some of whom have contributed largely academically and others politically. The AAAOM is still actively accepting nominations for inclusion in Volume II, so do please submit names and contact information of pivotal leaders and teachers. You may email nominations to karen.a.reynolds@gmail.com. We plan to publish Volume II in time for the 2008 Conference in Chicago.

In closing I will share with you some inspirational quotes pulled from interviews in Pioneers and Leaders: A Commemorative Book of Challenge and Courage, Volume I.

The key to Oriental Medicine’s future is to never stop caring and provide the best training possible to the future practitioners. Ultimately we do this to be of help to each other, nothing else really matters.
Anthony Abbate D.O.M (NM) Southwest Acupuncture College

Trust yourselves, hone your intention, and pay attention to the people who come before you for help. Use your common sense and logic and apply all that you know about, even if it isn't directly from a textbook.
Harriet Beinfield, L.Ac. co-author of Between Heaven and Earth

There is nothing finished about Chinese Medicine. We must honor our history and our medical ancestors. But it is also our job to bring fresh ideas an innovative solutions to our work that will sustain Chinese Medicine a living process. Let's not turn it into a fragile antique which is beautiful, but the domain of only a select few.
Efrem Korngold, L.Ac., O.M.D. co-author of Between Heaven and Earth

Ego typically is difficult. People come in with positions and tend to trivialize and negate other positions; so it makes it hard to work together. The attitude that my way is better than your way gets in the way. We need to have one larger goal and purpose and not allow trivial, individual egos and pride to get in the way.

Dogma needs to be out of the equation. We need a larger vision and bigger picture. It is easier when we have that intention in mind. We need to remember: Do no harm. Do no harm to our patients, but also do no harm to our movement nor our practice.
Dr. Alex Feng L.Ac., PhD, O.M.D., Oakland, California

While I cannot speak for anyone else, I perceive that the challenge of self doubt is still faced in our larger community. Doubt can cause practitioners to isolate, distrust or are easily swayed by others, devalue their own unique gifts and talents, withhold honest expressions and offer opinions freely, not take bold action when called for, not participate in organizations that would further the cause of Oriental Medicine, or tragically, abandon this medicine that holds such promise for so many sick patients.
Neil Gumenick, M.Ac. (UK), C.T. (A), L. Ac., Dipl. Ac

This is our job: to assist and allow for the lifting of pain and suffering, if even for a moment, so the patient can rise the surface and be able to make a change.

I love being able to make a difference for people. Doing so has a larger impact, changes mind-sets, and impacts the environment. Our medicine is a green medicine. Every time somebody comes in and makes a change in their body, they make a change in the world. To treat locally is to treat globally.
Carla Wilson, Executive Director Quan Yin Healing Arts Center, San Francisco, CA.

English speakers need to learn Chinese. Consider that Chinese, the language of origin for TCM, has 10,000 texts and not even 1% of those are translated into English. English speakers need to strengthen their knowledge base and understanding TCM and of the Chinese culture.
Daniel Jiao, ACTCM, San Francisco, CA.

We must be practical and assess what we are used to when we go to a doctor. It’s mostly the personal interacting with the patient that is important. Be skill full and open your heart. Self-work is important if people want to come to you to have needles stuck in them. Establish a heart connection. Have people feel so comfortable with you that they will share with you the true root of what is wrong.
Dr. Daniel Lobash, Ph.D, L.Ac.

Respect others as if they are you. There are no boundaries. Respect Qi energy it is very powerful as the saying goes we have met our energy and it is ourselves. If you don’t manage your qi properly it is like a boomerang; it comes back and hurts you. Always connect the past, present, and future. Live and learn today as if you’ll die tomorrow but plan as if you’ll live forever.
Dr. Effie Poy Yew Chow, PhD, RN, L.Ac., Qigong Grandmaster

We are at a crossroad in the profession between embracing the everlasting mystery of the ancient medicine and escaping into the certainties of a Western style paradigm that has taken the heart out of its medicine, its practitioners and its patients. People desperately need the humanity of our medicine, an alternative to the mechanical cadence of technology, the touch of warmth of our imperfect hearts.
Dr. Leon Hammer, M.D.