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Holistic appreciation and treatment of the physical systems of the body

Holistic appreciation, care and treatment of physical, mental, emotional, psychological, psychic and spiritual health

Holistic appreciation, study and application of various modalities of health care and of medicine

Holistic appreciation of synergies among various roles of healers and care-givers in an effort centered on empowered patients.

  1. Total Human Development and Harmony Through Synergism

  2. Holistic Health Care and Medicine

  3. Deep Ecology and Harmony with Nature 

  4. Sense of History and Sense of Mission

  5. Civics and Democratic Governance

  6. Culture as Community Creativity

  7. Light-Seeking and Light-Sharing Education

  8. Gender Sensitivity, Equality & Harmony

  9. Reconstructive/Restor-ative Justice

10. Associative Economics, Social Capital and Sustainable Development

11. Synergetic Leadership and Organizations

12. Appropriate/Adaptive Technology

13. Mutual Enrichment of Families and Friendships

14. Human Dignity and Human Harmony: Human Rights and Peace

15. Aesthetics Without Boundaries: 'Art from the Heart'   

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Human Life... and Health*

By Joaquin G. Tan

[From the book, A Guide to Creative, Responsive and Self-Reliant Medicine, published by Anvil in 1995.]

THE MONOPOLY of orthodox science and medicine in our lives has brought about a monocropping of mindset regarding the image of the human being and the genesis of diseases. Up until today, orthodox science has not understood what life is. It treats the human being and all life merely as chemicals and physical processes. The way of thinking likewise dominates political decision-making, media and "the scientific" collegiate. Whether we are aware of it or not, that point of viewconditions not only our thinking but that of the future generation.

For example, in February 21, 1988, the New York Times editorial about "Life, Industrialized" reported the successful cloning of seven prized bulls and the awarding of patents for genetically improved animals. It was also then that the National Academy of Sciences advocated a $3-billion project to work out the full chemical data base for human genes, now known as the Human Genome Project. The editorial ended with this statement:

Life is special, and humans even more so, but biological machines are still machines that now can be altered, cloned and patented. The consequences will be profound, but taken a step at a time, they can be managed. Though science fiction has prepared everyone for the worst, lawmaking that is steady and careful can create a path towards the best the new technology can offer.

Thousands of kilometers from New York City, our local politicians, mediamen, and scientists (or anyone who is able to read the latest "scientific" pronouncements) reflect their blind faith in what orthodox science claims to be the truth. We are made to believe that out of this alleged truth, biochemistry will only bring good for the vast majority of people. A concrete example is the Department of Science and Technology or DOST making biotechnology as one of the flagship programs of the Philippines 2000. The said program is rationalized by the biotechnology technical panel as

Actually addressing Third World concerns, such as producing better and more food, finding disease cures, and this is far removed from the hightened biotechnology that involves cloning and genetic engineering… [B]iotechnology is at the crest of scientific and technological developments today…the country cannot afford to be left behind in science and technology.

Our crusader-scientists, uncritical politicians and mediamen who support the flagship program are, however, oblivious (ignorant) that the science is flawed, extremely onesided and limited. A flawed science can only result in a product or service that can be dangerous to human health.

The root problem orthodox medical science faces then is directly connected with this reductionist image of the human being. Since we are all affected by this reductionist view, we must think through and take a stand on what kind of being we truly are: a biochemical one or a four-fold interweaving being…. The first image cannot heal and will ultimately reduce the human being into its limited chemical material image. The battle for the 21st century is then a batle for the true image of the human being. Medicine is only one arena of human life where this battle is raging. In agriculture, psychology, sociology and other sciences involving life, a revolution in thinking and practice is underway.

Whatever we discern ourselves to be will determine not only our disease or health tendencies and the kind and conduct of therapy but also the way we will bring the rest of humanity towards a certain direction in evolution. Clearly, the biochemical image of the human being (if we allow it to continue as the leading thought of development particularly in medicine), will bring humanity towards self-mutilation and self-destruction. Thus this identity crisis is critical and each one's stance is equally crucial. Once this direction is resolved in each individual, he or she must militantly stand by it and live it or else others will push for their own version, consciously or unconsciously, with all their power and might. For those who have the will to take a stand, this true image must then guide one towards adjusting one's lifestyle, work situation, and relationships to be worthy of such an image. It should give one the insight to help others to get rid of their blinders and together work in dismantling the illusion-making structures that exist. We should replace them with structures that new structures and relationships worthy of the true human being.

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