“Medicine is a social science, and politics is nothing more than medicine on a large scale.  The physicians are the natural attorneys of the poor, and the social problems should largely be solved by them.”

                        ~Rudolph Virchow

As medical practitioners and healers we are activists and organizers.  We give a voice to the voiceless, whether it be validating the experiences of a patient, advocating for the right to healthcare, or paving the way for natural medicine in America.  In school we learn about disease and its pathological mechanisms, but in the end all disease is an issue of powerlessness.  We contract disease in the unoccupied parts of our body, the parts where the light of our Shen, our spirit-consciousness, is absent.  These are the parts we have forgotten and ignored, that in turn give us pain or problems as a reminder of their existence.  On a larger scale this is also true in our society; the organism of America contracts disease as well.  There are many places where spirit is absent, where power is taken from people and oppression occurs.  I believe as a healer it is my responsibility to address disease on every level and I see Oriental medicine as a mighty instrument for this work.  I use the term “Oriental medicine” specifically to include all the various healing arts that have sprouted from the roots of Eastern philosophy.   There is a time and place for philosophical debate, but for the purpose of this discussion let us broaden our perspective to survey our role as healthcare providers in the current landscape of America.