This article appeared in the Pivot Review some years back. I cannot seem to find the exact date so in order to publish it on this blog/webpage, I must post it using today’s date. For those of you who have previously read and memorized it, I apologize for the repetition.:)
Recently, an Objective Straight Chiropractic (OSC) antagonist who has a good understanding of objective straight chiropractic philosophy wanted to know what our vision was. It got me thinking, “Where would we like to go with this profession?” In a real sense, we have no vision, no clear picture of where we would like to see OSC in 10 years, even 5 years from now. We are convinced that it is the most superior way to practice chiropractic, which is an interesting position to take in light of a few facts. It obviously is not the most lucrative approach to chiropractic, for you essentially are asking people to pay for care out of their pocket. Many of these people have insurance coverage and would prefer to use that for care. It is also not the easiest way to build a practice. If you can tell people that vertebral subluxation is the cause of all disease and that you correct the cause of all disease, that would undoubtedly bring in more people (at least until they find out that their diseases do not disappear).
Why do so many of us, okay a few of us, choose to practice this way? I can only speak for myself. It is because for me, it is the right way to practice. It is congruent with my values and beliefs and vision of life. It seems to me to be the most reasonable and logical approach to chiropractic. It gives me a sense of professional fulfillment. Yet, I also realize that those things are not the motivation nor are they satisfying to everyone. So we expect that our numbers are not going to be that great, that we will never have a universal acceptance of our type of practice, either among the profession or among the public. Further, it is not the easiest manner in which to practice. Trying to make our message clear to everyone is hard work, especially knowing that a good percentage of people will reject our message and we will, in a sense, have wasted our time and energy. The greater the challenge, though, the greater the reward. When you realize that someone has gotten the big idea of subluxation correction for a better life, you also realize that you have changed someone’s perspective of life itself. They will begin to look at and think about a lot of things differently, i.e., from an ADIO perspective. That’s a part of the objective straight chiropractic philosophy and that is no small thing.
So where is the vision? More important, who and where are the people with a vision? What is their vision? There are no new Reggie Golds on the scene, at least not in my limited view. It takes a unique person to be so imbued with the philosophy not to waiver or compromise it and to also be extremely articulate and motivational. Any young chiropractors who might fill that role are busy trying to make a living, get out of debt and build a practice. Not only are there no apparent Reggies on the scene, there does not appear to be any new Thom Gelardis appearing either, men with a vision to change the educational direction of the profession to reflect the objective straight chiropractic, non-therapeutic approach to practice. I seriously doubt whether we could create a new school even if there was such a man as Thom among the young chiropractors. Both of these men came at just the right time with just the right abilities and personalities to bring about this movement. Further, they had a core group of “converts” to this type of practice. Those men are passing from the scene. So we really have no one expressing a vision as to where we want this approach to be 5 or 10 years from now. Even if we did, we have no strong leaders to take us there or at least willing to step up to the plate and get the movement going. We have no schools that focus solely on this type of practice, only a few that accept it among other approaches. We have one small national organization committed entirely to the perpetuation of non-therapeutic, objective straight chiropractic and, to the best of my knowledge, only one state organization. At best, we have a small group of solid thinking, but non-organized, people with no one to assume the role of organizer. We have a number of potential leaders but no one seems to want to step out and take the risk of a Reggie or a Thom. I am not faulting them, just making an observation.
So where is our vision? It is in the hearts of individual chiropractors and it mostly involves their own practices. When the young generation fulfills that personal, private practice vision, I believe they will begin to see a greater vision for non-therapeutic straight chiropractic. This wonderful principle we have and wonderful service we perform just naturally should rise to a greater level of benefit to mankind. Meanwhile the Foundation will continue to make a small contribution to that future vision and hopefully play a small part in educating those potential visionaries and leaders while they develop their vision.
Following your line of reason, is it not possible that, just as a Thom/ Reggie and so meny others came at a time when needed others are NOT comeing because they are “in training” for a future time and place beyond our time? How about if all that you and I lived and participated in was for nothing more than to make us happy and give us, and those around us a forfilled life—isn’t that reason enough for it to BE??….only half kidding!!!
Well said Joe D. A few years back, Sherman College had a Lyceum entitled “Racing toward the vision” and I asked the question: What is the vision? Is it chiropractic today for a better world tomorrow? Is it the unfoldment of the species? Is it BJ’s utopia? Is it that all men, women and children on the planet should have access to chiropractic care? Is it a combination of the above? What is it? Do we know what it is? I respectfully submit that we don’t know what the vision is!!! However, I also believe we don’t need to know any more than we don’t need to know the “manifestations” of a chiropractic adjustment in the human body. We leave that up to the innate intelligence of the body. It is in the realm of TRUTH and truth is never expressed in words. You simply see what you did not see before. You see with a beginner’s mind, you’re open to the NEW and you’re in a state of amazement…. As Joe D. wondered (half kidding): “Isn’t that reason enough for it to BE??”
The river of life keeps flowing from Above-Down-Inside-out with or without us, whether we know it or not, and WE are fortunately aware enough to swim in it and know that our call is to invite others to swim in the RIVER with us and come to be fully ALIVE in this river of life. Thank you both Joe S. and Joe D. You are the Michael Phelps of chiropractic in this mighty river.
Yes, indeed. There always seems to be only a few chosen with the Vision. It’s a huge responsibility and a special calling. Perhaps we can each choose it if we wish…but few seem to wish to fulfill such big shoes. Perhaps this time of history is meant for the rebuilding of the base of pure philosophy. I see it happening from a distance. How strong it will become is yet to be seen. Perhaps it is a time that we need to be empowering each other to carry the Vision further. Perhaps instead of one or two strong leaders there needs to develop a greater number of stalwart pioneers whose purpose is to go worldwide with the Vision. To build the colonies, the bees nests of philosophy based Chiropractic throughout the world. Now is the time for inner growth of many, foundational strength for the profession as a whole. Instead of the one or two strong leaders, we must become the many strong leaders.
OSC- it is the most logical and reasonable way to practice.
there are not many motivators to practice OSC other than simply because it is the right thing to do.
a wise fellow once said: decide what is right, not expedient, and then wash your mind of all compromise.
the vision is there. as for the voice and therefore the leadership… it is getting older–approaching limitations of time and matter. leadership is organization. without it… well… without it, we all know what happens.
Never, ever…. say “Die” !
For the very fact that there are no “definites” other than a power and intelligence greater than ourselves,and that the philosophy is indeed vitalistic is why so few are willing to trust in and practice the principle of chiropractic.
The purity of the “vitalistic” philosophy is why it’s difficult to put into words the vision.