Dr. Arno Burnier is definitely a man on a mission. He is one of the top speakers, coaches, and leaders in the Chiropractic profession. He began leading while in school at Sherman College of Chiropractic and has not looked back since.
Dr. Burnier also had the unique experience of being involved in medicine before coming to Chiropractic. After witnessing the daily battle against disease and sickness first hand, learning about Chiropractic’s vitalistic philosophy was a breath of fresh air.
I am very grateful Dr. Burnier took time out of his very busy schedule to answer some questions for The Atlas of Life.
Dr. Harshe: Did you always know you would be involved in helping people through some form of health care? If not, how and when did you realize this was your calling?
Dr. Burnier: “As a young child I always felt that I would have a place in healing and soothing the world. When I stumbled into Chiropractic in 1973, I recognized my calling, the purpose of my existence and the meaning of my life. I can say that in March of 1973 I surrendered my life to a greater purpose.
While at Sherman College of Chiropractic I quickly took on a leadership role by speaking on Campus. After few years in practice I knew I was called to have an impact, influence and a leadership role. At first I was afraid of the responsibilities. In time I embraced my calling and the responsibilities attached to it fully.”
Dr. Harshe: You spent two years in medical school and a year working in a cancer research center before you decided to become a Chiropractor. What caused this complete and total career shift?
Dr. Burnier: “To be accurate I worked in a ‘pilot’ hospital called the Ambroise Paree Hospital in Boulogne, France, a suburb of Paris. We did experimental avant-garde cancer treatment.
My first visit to my Chiropractor Jean Belaval ignited my consciousness about a new and innovative approach to Life and Health. In three sentences he transformed my reality. After listening to me intensively he stated, ‘There is nothing that I can do about what is wrong with you, what I can do however is address what is right in you. You cannot fight darkness you must turn on the light. You cannot fight disease, you must turn on life.’ That was it.
I had spent three years in the symptom, sickness, and disease world and here came a man who stated ‘Address the well, the source, the cause of life and health.’
I had seen to many patients entering the medical system with one foot in the human junkyard or graveyard. We spent enormous amount of energy, money and professional medical power on these patients for little to no results.
The idea of addressing the source, the cause of life, the idea of supporting the body in life and health rather than attacking the symptoms or the disease made sense to me.”
Dr. Harshe: “You were once badly injured in a motorcycle accident and never sought medical attention for your injuries. Can you describe your injuries and your recovery process?
Dr. Burnier: “Both my wife and I had a sprained pelvis, whiplash, and my arm was ripped open from the elbow to the shoulder all the way down to the muscles. The deep wound was laden with sand, gravel and rubber from the spinning tires. My arm had acted as a break to the rear tire as I landed on the back of the bike, breaking my jaw & zigomatic arch. We did not do anything but watch it heal over time.
Today there is not even a trace of a scar. The wound did not get infected. As the large, thick scab fell off, it took with it the sand, gravel and rubber. My body recreated skin out of the “lake” of serous and lymphatic fluid that bathed the wound within minutes of the crash. That layer of fluid was not washed away.
Following the crash I had headaches. About 3 months after the crash, I was sitting in the sun, reading a book, the warmth of the sun was on my face, I felt a shift and a click. The headaches went away. My jaw realigned it self from the break.”
Dr. Harshe: How long have you been in practice and what has it been like? What was the most significant experience you can remember in your practice?
Dr. Burnier: “I practiced full time for 20 years. It was a blast, fun and a life party every day. The office was full with babies, children, families and young people. It was a true proactive wellness practice. Of course many people first entered with problems, like in most Chiropractic practices.
Yet as a result of education and sharing the principles of Chiropractic, people would evolve into proactive care. They would come in for the possibility of what can happen when they get adjusted regularly. We use trust and only trust as a motivator. I personally rejected the concept of spinal degeneration and scaring people to have them submit under care.
Of course I saw great outcome and many miracles like most Chiropractors in practice. Yet my most memorable experience came from a man nicknamed ‘Chick.’ He came in at noon on a Wednesday, without any appointment. He was in severe pain. There was no speaking to him as the pain was so intense that he was not available to listen. I adjusted his occiput and he broke down crying like a baby.
I later found out that my office was his last stop before committing suicide. He has passed my office countless times because we were on main street. He had seen the crowd in the waiting room and at the talks. He did not know anything about Chiropractic, had never gone to one. Something attracted him there as a last resort place to come to.
As it turned out he was a Vietnam Vet involved in the Mi Lai massacre. He could not live with himself any longer for having killed innocent babies, children and women.
He still communicates with me regularly even though I left Yardley, PA 15 years ago to live in Colorado. Chiropractic saved his life.
Dr. Harshe: What are some of the most memorable experiences you have witnessed on mission trips?
Dr. Burnier: “Hyper synchronicity, grace and providence with nearly instant manifestation of my thoughts into reality. In a city of many millions of people to just state to my friends, DCs, while going down an elevator that it would be great to see this person again and the doors open, here is the very person in front of us.
This is one example out of so many. Seven of us witness a resurrection. A man had been just hit by a passing car and was laying on the ground at the center of a mob of people. We happened to drive by. We stopped. The seven of us stepped out of the van and the crowd parted for us. We checked the man’s pulse and breathing, there was none. He was laying in a pool of blood. We all laid our hands on him, held contacts on his neck. By the time the ambulance came, he was back inside his body, breathing with a pulse and heart beat. The amazing part is was that we were just coming back from a place called Redemption which was the first village were the slaves were given freedom.”
Dr. Harshe: How important is Chiropractic for children? Why?
Dr. Burnier: “Children are the primary clientele of Chiropractic. Proactive care of oneself is really the way to go in life.
Ida Rolf, the creator of Rolfing, stated that nearly all trauma from physical, to emotional to chemical take place between birth and eight years of age. Then we spend the rest of our lives attempting to deal with them and reverse their effects.”
Dr. Harshe: What do you believe the future holds for Chiropractic?
Dr. Burnier: “I believe there is a significant shift taking place, not only in Chiropractic, but in humanity’s consciousness, as well as in the economic of ‘health’ care. This shift is opening the door for a Vitalistic approach to Life, Health, Healing and Well-being.
The therapeutic model of practice is a dying model in Chiropractic. The Vitalistic wellbeing, potentiality model is the only viable model and also is actually Chiropractic pure and simple. We are coming full circle.
Now we need our Colleges and accrediting bodies to get that and shift the dictate they have on our institutions to a vitalistic model and approach.”
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
I absolutely loved this interview! I had the opportunity to here Dr. Burnier speak once and it was truly amazing.
Thanks Brandon for interviewing him and thanks to Arno for sharing his experiences and thots.
sorry for the typo above, “to hear Dr. Burnier”
Great interview! Your blog is really becoming a great resource for information and inspiration. Keep up the great work!
Thanks Travis and Brandon. I really appreciate it. Glad you enjoyed the interview!