Physician, Heal Thyself
— Barbara de la Torre, MD, FAAMA, AAMA Board of Directors, CME Committee Vice-Chair
The verb flourish, from the Latin “florere” or flower, means to prosper, grow, progress, and be in good health. Every system, whether human or institutional, has a cycle of birth, growth, decline, and death. From a Daoist medical perspective, this isn’t fatalistic or negative thinking, but rather an acknowledgment of what is, or the patterns of nature. The cycle repeats itself and eventually comes to an end for a human life. Humanity exists, however, because it transcends generations through major paradigm shifts that continue long after the life of an individual. Some institutions, too, can experience longevity, but all succumb to a full or partial death because they serve the people of their time.
Some lives are long and prosperous, such as those of the long-lived centenarians from the blue zones around the globe. What’s their secret besides an abundance of Yuan Qi? These blue zones are the terrain, but these individuals adapt to living in rhythm with their environment. When people ignore the laws of the Five Elements or Yin Yang, the path to longevity is at risk of being cut short. They ask, not before, but at the time of onset of illness, “Why is this happening to me?”
Some of the longest-lived individuals didn’t coast through their lives. They had the secret ingredient that the five phases teach in plain sight: adaptation is a form of resilience. Dynamic equilibrium comes from the balance between supplementation and drainage. The four stages of life — birth, growth, decline, death — pass through all systems. The question is whether you can cycle through them gracefully.
When it comes to following one’s own medicine, physicians are least likely to care for themselves. How many physicians do you know who retire in the hospital or are forced to retire because they suffer from chronic illness? How are you feeling right now? Are you happy with your state of health?
It’s not even a simple case of caring for yourself. Everything is about context and timing. The health care world is rapidly changing with many cracks in the system. You live not only with yourself, but with the systems around you. Some organizations stand the test of time, not by being a strong pillar, but by adapting like a deciduous tree through four seasons.
I’ve served on the AAMA’s Board and the CME committee for over three years, I was Treasurer for two, and I am a proud second-generation member of this organization. I recall hearing that the AAMA experienced significant growth in the 1990s and into the 2000s, but it has steadily declined in membership over the last decade.
AAMA is, by no means, alone in this trend. More than 10 accredited acupuncture schools closed over the past five years, and the number of closures is continuing to rise. Fewer physicians are applying to train in medical acupuncture. By comparison, no single medical school has closed in the last decade. However, don’t be fooled into thinking that all is well with the Western medical complex. Remember the five phases and the cyclical nature of systems.
Cycles are cycles because they repeat themselves. The world and all its systems are experiencing significant paradigm shifts. Rather than lament with inaction, it’s time for reflection and strategic action.
How is the only medical acupuncture organization in America going to survive in the twenty-first century? How does the AAMA move from the state of decline to a state of growth again?
I don’t have all the answers, but I welcome your comments and questions. Why? Because it takes all of you to create the solutions needed to transition from the death of an old paradigm to the birth of a new one. The change doesn’t even start with the AAMA at all. It begins with you.
How are you managing the changes around you and within you to preserve your chance to flourish, or to move through the cycles of life gracefully?
For myself, I am shifting to a new way of imagining my place in health care. I declare that whatever I do to serve others in health and healing, I must include myself in the equation. Three weeks ago, I launched a YouTube channel, Third Opinion MD, to document my commitment to prioritizing health as a healer’s right and obligation, and I invite you to join me in the conversation and on this journey.
I ask you, “What are you doing to prepare for the rebirth of you?”
When you practice the healing you desire in others, the AAMA can experience rebirth and growth like you never imagined. Adaptation, equilibrium, and grace can foster longevity for generations to come.
