LETTER TO SELINA
Loving-kindness, picture taken from https://liveboldandbloom.com/12/mindfulness/loving-kindness
Dear Selina,
I have been thinking about the research project I proposed to you in Australia (a scientific study of Chi Kung therapy on so called 'incurable' illnesses like hypertension, asthma, gastritis, etc.), but I still haven't got down to write out the details of the project.
There is not a slightest doubt in me and in some lucky people who have had personal experience of its effectiveness (including many patients themselves) that Chi Kung therapy CAN cure these so-called incurable illnesses. It pains me to know that for every person cured, there are literally thousands of others who are not aware of such an effective therapy. There are also many, many people who have heard of Chi Kung, but who do not believe that it can be effective. This is caused by low-quality Chi Kung instructors who cannot produce good results.
Only just now I read in a local Chinese newspaper of a poor patient suffering from kidney failure, asking for public donation to support him to go overseas to seek medical treatment -- the type of treatment, I believe, that is not likely to bring him any recovery. Such an appeal to public charity is not uncommon. One would assume that any person going to the extent of asking for public charity, will gladly accept any help offered. But it is not necessarily so.
I have publicly announced a few times that I will be happy to teach Chi Kung to needy patients without any fee. Not long ago there was another public appeal by a kidney patient (for about $40,000, if I remember correctly!). I offered my help through the newspaper that publishes his appeal. The reporter knows me personally, and he took extra trouble to impress upon him my proud track record, especially of another kidney patient whose life I saved, and whom the reporter also knows personally. He declined my offer, saying that doing Chi Kung was too time consuming.
Some time ago I wrote to a kidney-patients' association, which complained of the very high cost of supportive treatment in the newspaper. I wrote to the secretary, giving my credentials, explaining that Chi Kung can cure, or at least reduce the suffering of, kidney problems. I offered my help. I suggested that to establish confidence, we would give Chi Kung therapy to a small group of volunteers who could carry on with their conventional medication if they wished. If there was any remarkable improvement, we would extend the therapy to other patients. Of course all this was free of charge. He didn't even have the courtesy to reply early. After a few months he wrote back saying he would forward my proposal to the committee, and that was the last I heard from him.
Of course I am not complaining. I just want to reiterate the fact that if we want to do our bit for humanity, we must be ready to face indifference, suspicion and sometimes abuse, which you, Selina, in your noble profession as a nurse, had probably much endured.
In this connection, I recall a very touching and inspiring quotation I read recently. Dr. Julian Johnson, in his remarkable book "The Path of the Masters" (which I bought in Adelaide during my last visit), in describing Jesus' love and supreme sacrifice, says "It is almost unthinkable, incredible, that a man so filled with lovingkindness, and preaching and living a gospel of love, should himself be cruelly murdered by a blind mob of his own people." And it was the very same people whom Jesus had so graciously dispensed food and loving-kindness, so compassionately and often miraculously saved from suffering and weariness.
Jesus' example is certainly a great inspiration for us all. Thus, some trifle obstacles caused by mankind's weaknesses, should never deter us from our noble work. All these also suggest how useful and beneficial our proposed research project can be, if it can scientifically and conclusively show that Chi Kung therapy is an effective alternative medicine for many organic illnesses.
14th January 1990, Sungai Petani
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