(Editor’s Note: This is Part 2 of an essay written by recent Palmer College of Chiropractic graduate, Dr. Jason W. Blackketter.)
I have a friend who just moved to Sicily in October 2009 to open the first upper cervical chiropractic office in that country. His practice will be set up inside a hospital for the purpose of doing clinical research, especially with patients who are suffering from central nervous system disorders which do not respond to standard medical treatments. This passionate young Chiropractor said, “without philosophy I wouldn’t get the results I do.” He was not bragging about his cases: restored hearing, helping dozens of patients with Fibromyalgia, complete relief of migraines and vertigo, or seeing a patient get up and walk after being confined to a wheelchair. He was merely noting the value of running a philosophically-based practice.
SEVEN AXIOMS OF CHIROPRACTIC PHILOSOPHY
The basic axioms of chiropractic are simple to explain and will keep me on track professionally.
1. Life is intelligently designed.
2. Your innate life energy uses your nervous system to coordinate all the functions of life.
3. Subluxation reduces our brain-to-body connection, impairing the flow of life-giving messages.
4. An incomplete connection to this life energy causes dis-ease, imbalance, and a lack of coordination.
5. Every sickness, syndrome, disorder, and disease known to man results from our inability to adapt fully to what is happening to us, either internally or externally.
6. A specific scientific chiropractic adjustment can restore this brain-to-body connection.
7. The natural result of connection is coordination, cellular homeostasis, healing, health, and optimal function.
If this sounds too good to be true and too simple to accept at face value, forgive me. Truth is often found in small simple things. Vitalism may be hard to quantify scientifically, but it is so easy to understand.
EDUCATION vs. INNATE
Several years ago my 6 year old son made this profound observation: “My brain is smarter than I am!” This innocent and insightful remark came upon his realization that his brain and body could adapt and do things he didn’t even know about, such as causing a fever and vomiting in order to kill bacteria and get rid of toxins.
Intuitively we know our bodies are pretty smart, but our educated society and fascination with science has made us doubt that Wisdom which made us. We have heard a creative lie that our bodies are just stupid accidents of nature. This fairy tale has been told so often now that it seems plausible, even true. People actually believe they need drugs to survive. They are afraid of germs. They worry themselves sick. Many people actually think that the answer to health problems is more money for medicine and surgery.
In the midst of this sad and paranoid tale there is still hope. The rest of the story will be told, certainly in my town and for my patients. There is more to life than fear and random chance. We are not the result of mindless mutations. We were designed to be self-healing independent rationale thinkers capable of great things and grand ideas. We can thrive, grow stronger, healthier, and adapt to almost anything that happens. Life is vitalistic, not merely a laboratory flask full of chemical reactions.
VITALISTIC REVOLUTION
This concept of vitalism is wholly unique, and I believe we must guard our revolutionary idea. We know the nervous system is the conduit for the metaphysical spark of life which gives us all we need to grow, adapt, heal, and thrive. This process works all the time, as long as we are fully connected. If the profession can simply come together and agree on this singular issue of vitalism, then many of our squabbles and territorial debates can melt away.
I envision that this issue of vitalistic philosophy, if it can be revived, will be the deciding factor in the future progress of chiropractic. D.D. Palmer’s vision of restoring the connection and tone of the central nervous system can be achieved. On the other hand, if we slip further into the mechanistic allopathic model of treating disease, we will decline and fade away, ignored by yet another generation and maybe lost forever as a healing art.
Vitalistic thinking will always be the core of my practice. I will market, educate, consult, examine, analyze, adjust, and change lives from the perspective of vitalism. I intend to move chiropractic forward by honoring the great ideas and fertile minds from the past. ‘New’ does not always equal ‘improved.’ I will proclaim the old concept that life is the expression of intelligence through matter linked together by force. I will keep people connected.
I will teach people that sickness and disease are not things they acquire. The primary cause of disorder and malfunction in the body is an interruption of the body’s connection to innate intelligence. We do not catch a cold or grow cancer or get diabetes. We fail to adapt and thrive to life’s stress. The effect of in-coordinated adaptive physiology is decreased function. As Virgil Strang noted, “the molecular changes that accompany a disease are not the cause of the disease, but the result.” This lack of balance and substandard health comes directly from a lack of expression of life force.
HOW TO LIVE A LIFE WITHOUT FEAR
Reconnect people. Nothing else matters. Diagnosis is irrelevant. Our educated brains may like fancy names for disease, but all Innate needs is a connection so the full expression of life can return.
I believe there are only seven ingredients we need to be whole and healthy: connection to our life energy source, plenty of oxygen, pure water, and rest, balanced nutrition, exercise, and love. With this recipe, not only can we live a life without fear, but we can thrive and succeed beyond our wildest dreams!
I see chiropractic philosophy as the linchpin in my future professional life. It is the reason I am in this profession. Our unique philosophy, and the chiropractic lifestyle which logically follows this philosophy, will be the template for my practice. It provides me with a principled foundation for living. It is the basis for what I will do every day, not only in the office, but also at home with my family, and out in the public. It is something to be celebrated and shared with a world in desperate need of a message of hope. Enuf said!
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{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Thanks for the article. When I graduate, that is the attitude I would like to share with the world.
You are right on. Chiropractic philosophy is the cornerstone to my belief system as well. What I really like about it is that it is logical. It makes sense, but most importantly chiropractic care doesn’t treat the symptom but the cause which allows your body to heal. Chiropractic Las Vegas Cares!
Our philosophy is the reason I do what I do. At the end of the day it’s my philosophy that drives my purpose. I really enjoyed your article and love your spizz Brandon.
Thanks Dr. Scott! I’m glad you enjoy it!