Chapter 4
The phone beeped softly into the Abbot’s ear as he keyed in the number to the conference calling service. The automated voice, in a pretty female tone announced: “Welcome to the conference calling center. Please tell us your name.” The Abbot answered, “Brother Francis.” In a split second he heard the same mechanical voice announce: “Brother Francis has joined the conference.”
Detective David Gold was the only one on line at that moment. He responded with a cheery, “Hello and welcome my favorite monk! How are you doing today?”
“Very well, David, and getting excited about the possibility of a journey to the Far East. Will Chantal and the others be joining us soon?”
Before the Abbot had quite finished his question the automated voice announced: “Chantal has joined the conference.” David said hello to his wife, who was calling from her office, and Francis seconded the welcome from his office. The electronic assistant next announced that Flo had joined the conference, which was immediately followed by an announcement about Mani, who had also phoned in. These people were welcomed with the same warmth, as was Krishna, last to join the conference call. (Some say Krishna still goes by IST—Indian Standard Time.)
When all six friends were on their electronic connection, Chantal began to organize the meeting in her soft but decisive voice. “Okay guys, we could go on forever just chatting and enjoying one another’s company but we’ve got some big decisions to make.
“First, are we all into going to the Far East? Secondly, those of us who go need to organize an itinerary. Third, what is the focus of our journey? Fourth and finally, will we have enough time to get this all together so that we can leave in a little over a month from now?”
The group went “round robin” from one person to the next, stating their desires to go on such a journey, especially with such wonderful friends. Everyone was open to the possibility. Some had more reservations than others due to things such as finance and time, but all agreed that if they were able to manage it, they would like to go on this journey.
Chantal next asked the group about the focus of the journey, as well as about possible places that their adventure might take them. Flo, a Registered Nurse of many years and a real veteran in healthcare, responded with her typical energetic enthusiasm.
“All of you folks know that I lost my husband after a long illness just about a year ago and I am wide open for a new adventure. I’ve worked in a hospital setting for over twenty-five years and I am ready to learn some very new and different things about healing and medicine. I have great respect for Western medicine but believe that Eastern healing approaches and ancient wisdom might well be the medicine of the future. I definitely want to meet up with some indigenous healers, and visit whatever type of healthcare institutions exist in the Far East.”
Flo’s energy communicated itself to the quieter person in the group, Krishna, who spoke next. “Having been born and raised until my teens in India, I have been exposed to various Eastern healing practices. As a Western family practice doctor I would like to integrate Eastern and Western medicine, and thus fully support Flo’s enthusiasm about looking into Eastern healthcare.”
“That certainly appeals to me,” said David Gold. He continued, “I have been in law enforcement for almost as long as Flo has been a nurse. Krishna, you are almost young enough to be our son but we certainly see you as a peer and a dear friend. I would like to exercise this mind of mine, which loves to puzzle out mysteries and solve crimes by being in a land filled with intrigue and ancient mystery. I’m particularly captivated by the way the Tibetans manage to live in the midst of an occupied land. They have to be very careful about what they do and say because of the Communist government, yet they have maintained their culture and positive attitude, and that’s a mystery to me. I’m sure they have their struggles as well--as a detective I am immersed in that reality everyday. My Jewish background propels me toward any of the great religions of the world, and Tibetan Buddhism is certainly one of those. So, all of that gets my vote.”
Mani began to read from a long list of places she wanted to go to and things she wanted to see. She had facts and figures from a reputable travel company that specializes in the Far East journeys. Mani’s heart of gold sometimes needed to be tempered by allowing time and space for input from others. Her quick mind and articulate speech could unwittingly run roughshod over the good intentions and ideas of other less assertive people. This group was aware of that and had little problem with relating to her in that context. In her early forties, Mani had founded her own successful company, an organization that promotes energetic healthcare. Every conceivable type of esoteric healing was being practiced by someone in her company, i.e., Reiki, Therapeutic Touch, qigong, various forms of bodywork, and only the God of the world’s great religions knew what else. She loved the southwestern part of the United States and in recent years had relocated there with her family.
“I’m not trying to run the show, gang, but here are some possibilities. We could fly to Nepal for a few days to start. We need to enter Tibet through Nepal anyway. One cannot enter directly through India because of the political situation of—the multitude of Tibetan exiles living in India. That would give us a wonderful opportunity to experience the beauty, culture, and healing traditions of Nepal. Our visas would be processed during those days in Nepal for our later entrance into Tibet. It’s just an hour or so from Kathmandu to Lhasa by plane. The bulk of our travel time could be spent in Tibet, and on our way back it’s very easy to stop in Bangkok, Thailand, for a few days to visit that kingdom as well. From there we could fly back to LA and then on to our various States.”
Krishna got back into the conversation. “Abbot Francis, you have been quiet. Why don’t you tell us about your dreams for such a journey? Even if the journey never materializes we can still enjoy this process. What we think profoundly affects not only our bodies, but our behavior, as well as the outcome of many things in life.”
“I’ve been listening with great interest,” said the Abbot, with a touch of awe in his voice. “I’m really getting excited about this journey. Everything that each of you has contributed to a potential itinerary, along with reasons for going, are seconded by me. As a naturopathic doctor and Chinese medicine specialist, the medical arena is very important to me. As a Christian and a monk, I’m deeply interested in Tibetan Buddhism and in spending time in some of their monasteries and temples. I have been studying Tibetan Buddhism for several years now through the Asian Classics Academy. They offer a rather extensive distance-learning curriculum of study and have a branch in New York City. A famous Western Geshe runs it, which is quite unusual. A Westerner who has trained in Tibetan Buddhism to what is our equivalent of a Doctorate is very rare indeed. Perhaps it was a part of God’s providence that I have been doing this kind of study because I might be able to contribute a little bit to our understanding of the Tibetan Buddhist culture that we will be encountering.”
“Krishna,” the Abbot said, “Your devout Hindu background would be of great help to us also, will it not?”
“I hope that it will be! Nepal is Hindu as well as Buddhist so we will be able to visit some sites from both traditions I believe. I think that my Hindi language ability will be enough to communicate, to some extent, with the people in Nepal also.”
The group was quiet for a moment. A profound silence enveloped all of them and seemed to spread out over various parts of the country: New Mexico for Krishna, Arizona for Mani, Kentucky for Flo, New Jersey for David and Chantal, and Pennsylvania for Abbot Francis.
“Maybe it’s a bit of emotionalism,” volunteered David, “but I get the feeling that a Being greater than any one of us is at work here. This project is beginning to take on a life of its own. I’m starting to get the sense of a call from Yahweh to make this journey.”
Flo spoke: “What is it that you always say, Francis? When someone has thoughts like that, we need to ‘test the spirits’ to see if it is from God, the evil one, or ourselves.”
“The Gospel invites us to pray over various ideas or promptings that we may have,” stated the Abbot, “in order to see if they are of the Lord, of our making, or perhaps of some evil force. This is consistent with Hebrew tradition as well, although David is much more of an expert in that area than am I.
“Anyway, Jesus says very clearly in the Gospel that a good tree bears good fruit. Conversely, a bad tree bears rotten fruit. May I suggest that we pray a little bit and ‘test the waters’ of this idea, so to speak, by seeing what the other people in our lives think about it? That may give us some indication as to where these ideas are coming from.”
Chantal broke in, “You all know that I am a hopeful agnostic. I do think that there is a lot of wisdom in the life and teachings of Jesus, and I think that this may be a good way to proceed. Why don’t we talk again in about forty-eight hours and see what we’ve come up with.”
Mani offered, “In the meanwhile, if you folks are okay with it, I will continue doing research and try to get some potential dates and financial figures together.”
Everybody agreed readily and the electronic voice began announcing who had left the call as the six members of the electronic conference call hung up their phones.
With that completed, another type of electronic beep sounded. It indicated that someone had entered the waiting room of the white mobile home that made up Abbot Francis’ office and waiting room. He was scheduled to meet with a man who was dealing with an advanced stage of cancer. Francis was working with the staff of a big teaching hospital in Philadelphia where this individual was undergoing Western treatment for his cancer while Abbot Francis provided Eastern treatment.
A liquid extract of Maitake mushroom, along with some other medicinal herbs from the East, were being used to treat this man’s condition. The professional literature was becoming increasingly clear that if a person opted for Western cancer treatment, he or she would do much better with the addition of Eastern treatments as well. Some patients opted for Eastern treatment alone, others for Western treatment alone, but all of this was done with meticulous attention to ethics, legalities, and to presenting informed choices to each patient.
Francis had been seeing a change in the type of patients coming to him in recent years. Not too many years prior, when people came for what some would call ‘complimentary’ and ‘alternative’ treatment (which the United States government now refers to as CAM, short for complimentary and alternative medicine), they would have been through every other conventional type of treatment possible. Many would have had powerful drugs dripped into them through an IV or taken them orally; others might have had multiple surgeries. Some may have experienced radiation as well.
Today more and more people were coming for treatment that did not report being “at the end of my rope and it’s frayed.” The philosophy of Chinese and naturopathic healthcare strongly supports the concept of helping people stay well, not only helping them when they are ill. The United States government has set up an entire CAM Department and is taking a closer look at a variety of treatments that were either ignored or denounced not that long ago.
The doctor began reflecting upon the seven principles of naturopathic medicine that he had studied in naturopathic medical school. They meant even more to him today than they did earlier in his life.
Naturopathic Medicine Principles of Healing
1) First do no harm
2) Recognize the healing power of nature
3) Identify the cause
4) Involve the total person (physical, spiritual, emotional)
5) Teach rather than treat--physician as teacher
6) Identify the source
7) Prevention is the best cure
Abbot Francis very much enjoyed the reciprocity of working with other professionals: osteopaths, medical doctors, chiropractors, dentists, massage therapists, acupuncturists, and the like. He also very much enjoyed treating them when they came to him as patients. Along with clergypersons, Francis believed that healers of various types were folks that he was specifically called to treat. By treating those whose lives touched large numbers of people, Francis believed that he was using his skills in the most helpful fashion, a little like the miracle of the loaves and fishes in the Gospel.
It was time for a little continuing education. His nostalgic and reflective mood prompted him to dig out his transcript from the Central College of Naturopathic Medicine. Where did he need a little extra credit?
Anatomy & Physiology Org. Sys. I & II, Human Anatomy Lab I & II, Anatomy Musculoskeletal, Organic Chemistry, Organic Chemistry Lab, Nutrition I & II, Therapeutic Nutrition I & II, Pathology I & II & III, Pharmacology I & II, Physical Exam & Diagnosis I & II & III, Business Management / J.P. & M.E., Naturopathic Med. Phil. & Theory, Student Support, Environmental Medicine, Microbiology and Public Health,
Botanical Medicine, Botanical Materia Medica, Phytopharmacology, Acupuncture w/Lab, Auricular Therapy, Chinese Medicine Theory, Chinese Patent Medicine, Counseling Techniques, Doctor/Patient Relations/Comm I & II, Psychological Assessment, Homeopathic Medicine I & II & III & IV, Naturopathic Manual Med. I & II & III, Naturopathic Manual Med. Lab I & II & III & IV, Physiotherapy, Gynecology, Cardiology, Dermatology, Eye, Ear, Nose & Throat, Gastroenterology, Neurology, Oncology, Urology, Clinical Application, Hospital Rotations.
The continuing education Francis was pondering wouldn’t exactly be from driving to Harrisburg for a convention, or some training in a distance-learning program--this journey and distance-learning program would take him into places and adventures he had never even dreamed of. How could anyone capture that on a transcript?