yo, eastern thought
I "picked-up" this interesting table at a page comparing Eastern and Western medical paradigms. It's fascinating. Because the table's author never emailed me back, I figure it's okay to share it. The author did a very good, if biased, job looking at the characteristics of each approach.
| Eastern | Western | |
| Medical View | Philosophic | Scientific |
| Diagnosis/Treatment | Comprehensive | Analytic |
| Clinical Distinction | Wholeness | Local |
| Medicine | Natural | Chemical |
| Study Method | Human Experience | Clinical Lab Testing |
| Preventive View | Preventive | Sanitary |
| Treatment Methods | Individualized | Standardized |
| Treatment Goals | "Cure" oriented | Reduction of Symptoms |
| Treatment View | Natural | Invasive |
I think that eastern thinking can be valuable for us western thinkers. But before I go on about that, I'd like to include some information I've picked up about acupuncture. This is from the pamphlet "Doctor, what's this acupuncture all about?", printed by the American Academy of Medical Acupuncture. It's not copyrighted or anything like that, so I don't know years or authors or any info like that. While the title is cheesy, the pamphlet is informative and is in easy-to-read question/answer form.
So there you have it. The stuff about acupuncture, in theory, is the most interesting... that our bodies are made up of these "meridians" that channel energy everywhere. I think a lot of different belief systems have something that touches on this sort of thing. I know that in the Gospel, we believe that every person has a dual nature: one physical and one spiritual. I don't know if that relates, but it seems like maybe those meridians are like channels to our spiritual bodies. ?? If you have any ideas, email me: walc0015@tc.umn.edu If you want, I could even put your thoughts up here, too. Let me know.
