There seems to be an ever-increasing effort within the straight chiropractic movement to emphasize the importance of the vertebral subluxation. There are seminars that teach how to “sell” the vertebral subluxation. In the communication courses at Sherman they strongly emphasize the importance of explaining the vertebral subluxation to the practice member—what it is, how it occurs, what it causes, and that straight chiropractors have the correction of subluxation as their only objective and are trained in the correction of it. Articles have appeared in straight publications urging chiropractors to try to make vertebral subluxation a household word. I do not believe that anyone within the straight chiropractic movement would disagree with the fact that we should emphasize the vertebral subluxation and communicate the fact that it presents an insult to the well being of the body. Vertebral subluxation is important.
However, it seems to me that it may not be our most important consideration and that somehow our emphasis upon the vertebral subluxation has overshadowed what is the real essence of the chiropractic philosophy—the existence of innate intelligence. That may be because it is much easier to demonstrate vertebral subluxation. We can hold up a model of the spine and show those little rubber hoses being pinched. We can turn down the rheostat, and the dimness in the room demonstrates the seriousness of vertebral subluxation. We can point out vertebral subluxation on the person’s x-ray (or at least pretend that we can). We can show scientific research on the subluxation done by real scientists.
But, how do we show innate intelligence? There are no visual aids, no pictures, it cannot be seen on x-ray, and there is no scientific research to establish its existence. It cannot be held in your hand. It can only be explained philosophically. It must be deductively reasoned and in this age of science and the “hard sell,” that is not fashionable. Yet, the acknowledgement of an innate intelligence within the body is the distinguishing and distinctive aspect of our profession. It is what sets us apart from others. Medical doctors and osteopaths have been manipulating spines for years and in the process probably inadvertently corrected a few subluxations. Their techniques may be poor, but these practitioners are not stupid! One day, they will realize the importance of what they are doing and then vertebral subluxation (or whatever they choose to call it) will become a household word. At that point, what will distinguish us from them? Only the thing that has distinguished us for the past 115 years: the philosophy of innate intelligence.
Vertebral subluxation is important. It should be a household word. We should emphasize it in every way possible, but it is not the most important aspect of chiropractic. The existence of an innate intelligence is. The recognition of a principle of organization that resides within every living thing, nourishes, heals, causes growth, and adapts the organism to its environment is the most important. This is the first thing that must be communicated to people. It should be the foremost aspect of our philosophy and of our practice. People should understand that even the correction of the dreaded vertebral subluxation is not done by the chiropractor but by the innate wisdom of the body. “Selling” vertebral subluxation to the public uplifts the status of the chiropractor. He finds them and corrects them. Teaching innate intelligence and the wonders of the human body uplifts chiropractic. Perhaps each one of us should stop and consider how much we are talking about vertebral subluxation and how much we are talking about the innate intelligence of the body healing the body. How much do we demonstrate vertebral subluxation and how much do we teach that the body has an inborn intelligence that runs it far better than any finite mind, including that of the chiropractor? It is easier to promote an understanding of the big picture of the vertebral subluxation, but it is far more important to promote the Big Idea of the principle of chiropractic. The essence of that principle is innate intelligence—what it is, what it does, and why its recognition is what separates chiropractic from everything else. v25n3