View allAll Photos Tagged Westernmedicine
Photo: Lon Casler Bixby
Web: www.whileyouweresleeping.photography/
Location: My Studio, Burbank, CA
Copyright - All Rights Reserved
Fine Art Photos for your Home, Office or Place of Business...
This is a terrible tale that I cannot, as an immigrant from Southeast Asia, read without having maybe all my buttons pushed. But in the end, so much cultural information is allowed to enter into Western consciousness that it is worth the suffering of the journey. And somehow through the brilliance of the author, the culture of the primitive, the Other, the maligned immigrant Hmong is rendered with dignity, mystery and spiritual wholeness that so surpasses anything we know in modern life practices, as to create a longing for such spiritual interconnectedness.
It is first the story of the clash between Western medicine and the Hmong culture as expressed by an epileptic baby in Merced, California and her frantic, illiterate parents. When the parents tell of how Shamanic tradition translates an epileptic fit as a sign that the child will later have opportunity to talk to the spirits and be a Shaman the book becomes an opportunity to observe an indigenous Shamanic culture in operation. The Hmong see all sickness as spiritual problems and much is divulged of this Shamanic tradition that makes spiritual sense and parallels other shamanic traditions I have learned. I wouldn't have stuck with it otherwise.
It is also a chance to see the obtuseness of Western Medicine. What the author calls a biomedical bias; how the miracle of high tech medicine fails when faced with a cultural barrier that its doctors are too ethnocentric to recognize as important. The author has skillfully rendered every character with such humanity and diplomacy that there are no bad guys, just an intensely challenging cultural gap to cross by well meaning people. I can identify with the Hmong view of Western medicine as having overstepped its place and see some of my own attitudes expressed by them.
Along the way is told the story of the massive immigration of Hmong people from Laos to the US, possibly one of the most mismanaged social migrations in modern history. I already knew of the Faustian bargain between the CIA and the Hmong fighters who fought the communists for the US in Southeast Asia. They died in high numbers and saved the US military a bundle as cheap mercenaries while creating enemies in their homeland that meant every last one of them would have been hunted down once the US departed. The US Empire absolutely deserves the Hmong immigration and the high cost of having them here. One of the tasks of the book is to tell the story of this debt owed, known to the Hmong as The Promise.
The Hmong were, for two decades or so, in refugee camps in Northeast Thailand. Thailand allowed this camp on condition that the Hmong would not be allowed to immigrate into Thailand. Given the problems with assimilating the hill tribes already in Thailand I can see why. First there is the problem of the opium cash crop, then the slash and burn farming practices. The Hmong, above all, don't want to be assimilated. Their culture is as important as life itself reminding me of Native American self organization and the self-sufficiency of the Amish.
However the process of immigration to America causes so much suffering to the Hmong that it amounts to an attempt at cultural genocide. The Hmong did far better in the deal offered by French Guiana where they were given an uninhabited jungle site near a river to develop into a Lao style village and in two years prospered as farmers. This land offer was what the Hmong leader asked for in the US, but it was out of the question. it would have gone against everything America is about. In the end it might have cost a lot less and been more productive and humane for everyone.
But in America we are all about assimilation. As an immigrant who has assimilated brilliantly due to excessive advantages and still had an uneasy time of it, I can only shake my head at this ongoing suffering of the Hmong in America. But so tightly knit are the clans that they are reorganizing themselves to reunite, resisting the melting pot, and changing the character of the towns they settle in. Such community and family devotion is something to envy and learn from especially if community networks are to be our saving grace during the coming deindustrialization. Having learned how tenacious the Hmong are, I would be surprised if this was the last time I find myself reading about them.
Wonders of Modern Medicine
Photo: Lon Casler Bixby
Web: www.whileyouweresleeping.photography/
Location: My Studio, Burbank, CA
Copyright - All Rights Reserved
Fine Art Photos for your Home, Office or Place of Business...
"The various stages."
General & lighting notes: Yes, my feet are dirty. On purpose. In fact, I had to spend extra time to make sure that they were properly lit.
Used two off camera flashes. One diffused and aimed at and just above the foot of the bed, the other bounced off the ceiling. I also set up four full spectrum (cool temp) high watt fluorescents behind the head of the bed. I, of course, wish I had more flashes to use instead of these lights to allow for more leverage (e.g., I would have been able to use higher flash output), but you use what you've got!
This is only my second attempt at self portraits; I had my camera plugged into my laptop (just off the foot of the bed below and/or next to the camera) so I could see from my position very roughly how the shots were coming out. Focusing was the hardest issue; since I wasn't using flashes for the back lighting, I was unable to use high F stops if I wanted to keep the backlight.
Camera: Canon Rebel T2i
Lens: Tamron SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 XR Di II VC LD
Flashes: Canon 580EX II & Yongnuo YN560
Aperture: 5.6 & (presumed, as I do not have the data in front of me for the bottom photo) f/~11
Focal Length: 27mm
A mobile backpack medic team treks from village to village to administer medicine in Karen State, Burma (Myanmar). The medics are part of an internationally funded program to provide medical aid to internally displaced peoples in Burma (Myanmar).
#eastern vs. #western thinking - Warning, you're about to read Facts written in a very opinionated way! In the East corner we have practices to inhibit the body to heal itself. In the West corner we have drugs, FDA, #bigpharma and stats proving #pillpopping does more damage to the body than what you're taking it for. #easternmedicine has been around for over 5,000 years with no change. During the #blackplague Asia averaged an age of 60+ while #whitepeople were dying at the high age of 26. #westernmedicine changes by the day, will never cure or prevent anything. Why? There's no money in healthy people! America is the sickest country in the world because the FDA, Government, Insurance and Pharma companies know it's easier to control sick people. Lol so funny to meet people who think a #cure is possible without starting #civilwar2 against the most evil entity this planet has ever seen. Stop raising money to #cure something that will never be cured. Do your research and you'll find researchers who show progress for a cure disappear. When you raise money for a cure, that money goes to multi billion dollar companies, multi million dollar lobbyists who legally bribe crooked politicians to vote against, or vote for, certain bills to #KeepAmericaSick - #MakeAmericaGreatAgain and let's change the world by getting the one man into DC who will destroy all those evil doers so we have a chance at a cure! #factuallyspeaking
along with western medicines, i'm also on a slew of herbal vitamins. i try to have fun even if it is just taking my medicine-i'm a bit of a drama queen...
“Master, why do people take so much medicine when they feel down?”
“Because child, they have not realised they have the power to meditate and heal within them. Instead, they would rather pay for external poisons in the guise of cures than converse with their inner world.”
------------------------------
What will you do today to empower your life?
This quote is taken from my book "Empowering Thoughts". 280 pages of thoughts to empower your life. Available worldwide now from your favourite online bookstores. Learn more at the link below.
Wishing you a beautiful and empowered day,
James Cole
empoweringmeditations.com/book
#Antidepressant #Anxiety #Anxietyawareness #Anxietyproblems #Anxietyrelief #Depressed #Depression #Depressionawareness #Easternmedicine #Emotionalhealing #Empoweringmeditations #EmpoweringThoughts #Healing #Health #Healwithin #Holistichealth #Innerhealing #JamesCole #Medicine #Meditation #Mentalhealth #Mentalhealthawareness #Mentalhealthmatters #Mentalhealthquotes #Mentalhealthrecovery #Mindbodysoul #Mindfulness #Spiritualawakening #Wellbeing #Westernmedicine
“Master, why do people take so much medicine when they feel down?”
“Because child, they have not realised they have the power to meditate and heal within them. Instead, they would rather pay for external poisons in the guise of cures than converse with their inner world.”
------------------------------
What will you do today to empower your life?
This quote is taken from my book "Empowering Thoughts". 280 pages of thoughts to empower your life. Available worldwide now from your favourite online bookstores. Learn more at the link below.
Wishing you a beautiful and empowered day,
James Cole
empoweringmeditations.com/book
#Antidepressant #Anxiety #Anxietyawareness #Anxietyproblems #Anxietyrelief #Depressed #Depression #Depressionawareness #Easternmedicine #Emotionalhealing #Empoweringmeditations #EmpoweringThoughts #Healing #Health #Healwithin #Holistichealth #Innerhealing #JamesCole #Medicine #Meditation #Mentalhealth #Mentalhealthawareness #Mentalhealthmatters #Mentalhealthquotes #Mentalhealthrecovery #Mindbodysoul #Mindfulness #Spiritualawakening #Wellbeing #Westernmedicine
“Master, why do people take so much medicine when they feel down?”
“Because child, they have not realised they have the power to meditate and heal within them. Instead, they would rather pay for external poisons in the guise of cures than converse with their inner world.”
------------------------------
What will you do today to empower your life?
This quote is taken from my book "Empowering Thoughts". 280 pages of thoughts to empower your life. Available worldwide now from your favourite online bookstores. Learn more at the link below.
Wishing you a beautiful and empowered day,
James Cole
empoweringmeditations.com/book
#Antidepressant #Anxiety #Anxietyawareness #Anxietyproblems #Anxietyrelief #Depressed #Depression #Depressionawareness #Easternmedicine #Emotionalhealing #Empoweringmeditations #EmpoweringThoughts #Healing #Health #Healwithin #Holistichealth #Innerhealing #JamesCole #Medicine #Meditation #Mentalhealth #Mentalhealthawareness #Mentalhealthmatters #Mentalhealthquotes #Mentalhealthrecovery #Mindbodysoul #Mindfulness #Spiritualawakening #Wellbeing #Westernmedicine
meditation stickers now available // link on our products page at www.rideawake.wordpress.com // red "heavily meditated" Buddha & grey "symmetry" circle designs // Happy Saturday!
“Master, why do people take so much medicine when they feel down?”
“Because child, they have not realised they have the power to meditate and heal within them. Instead, they would rather pay for external poisons in the guise of cures than converse with their inner world.”
------------------------------
What will you do today to empower your life?
This quote is taken from my book "Empowering Thoughts". 280 pages of thoughts to empower your life. Available worldwide now from your favourite online bookstores. Learn more at the link below.
Wishing you a beautiful and empowered day,
James Cole
empoweringmeditations.com/book
#Antidepressant #Anxiety #Anxietyawareness #Anxietyproblems #Anxietyrelief #Depressed #Depression #Depressionawareness #Easternmedicine #Emotionalhealing #Empoweringmeditations #EmpoweringThoughts #Healing #Health #Healwithin #Holistichealth #Innerhealing #JamesCole #Medicine #Meditation #Mentalhealth #Mentalhealthawareness #Mentalhealthmatters #Mentalhealthquotes #Mentalhealthrecovery #Mindbodysoul #Mindfulness #Spiritualawakening #Wellbeing #Westernmedicine
“Master, why do people take so much medicine when they feel down?”
“Because child, they have not realised they have the power to meditate and heal within them. Instead, they would rather pay for external poisons in the guise of cures than converse with their inner world.”
------------------------------
What will you do today to empower your life?
This quote is taken from my book "Empowering Thoughts". 280 pages of thoughts to empower your life. Available worldwide now from your favourite online bookstores. Learn more at the link below.
Wishing you a beautiful and empowered day,
James Cole
empoweringmeditations.com/book
#Antidepressant #Anxiety #Anxietyawareness #Anxietyproblems #Anxietyrelief #Depressed #Depression #Depressionawareness #Easternmedicine #Emotionalhealing #Empoweringmeditations #EmpoweringThoughts #Healing #Health #Healwithin #Holistichealth #Innerhealing #JamesCole #Medicine #Meditation #Mentalhealth #Mentalhealthawareness #Mentalhealthmatters #Mentalhealthquotes #Mentalhealthrecovery #Mindbodysoul #Mindfulness #Spiritualawakening #Wellbeing #Westernmedicine