Healing Art for Tomorrow Part Ⅱ
Written by Mokichi Okada, 1943
I think that the method I established is the true Japanese medical art and remedy. Here, I would like to observe it from a different perspective. It means that I see it from the viewpoint of Japanese Shinto or the great way of gods. I think that it is the way of Japan, nay, the way of Japanese, nay, the way of all the people in the world for the future. Then what does it mean to follow the way of gods or ‘Kamu-nagara’? Although we have many explanations for it from a long time ago, I think that it means to follow the way of great nature. It would be the most appropriate explanation.
Whole creations between heaven and earth originally generate and raise, meet and part and prosper and decline according to the law of nature. Therefore, this world can be infinitely in progress. When we look at such circumstances, something that looks unnatural is a natural condition and something that seems to happen by chance actually occurs inevitably. There is a strict law even in a vague situation. The real state of the world cannot possibly be understood even with human wisdom and reason. It is not to mention that the transition of great nature is truth itself. Then the one who embodies the truth and rules the universe is worshipfully called God. Therefore, the will of the universe means the will of God. For this reason, the great nature itself represents the will of God and the real state of great nature is the realisation of God’s will.
In this sense, human beings breathe in the great nature and they are raised by its power. Therefore, human life and death should be determined by this great nature or the will of God. Needless to say, everything perishes if they are against the great nature and they flourish if they follow it. For this reason, great nature is the law for humans to follow. Human beings proceed naturally, that is, follow the great nature. It exactly means that they follow the will of God and proceed at the will of God. That means ‘Kamu-Nagara’ in Japanese. This word has really a profound spiritual meaning.
When we apply this law to human health and think of it, it becomes clear why human beings were created. It is because God made them born to govern this place. For this reason, God gave each person their own characteristics. Life is written as ‘生命’ in Japanese and ‘命’ means to order something. Therefore, human beings should receive orders from God and act lively while they are living. They should not neglect their given orders. To die or to lose their lives means that their orders are released. In this sense, since human beings receive orders from God, they should purify their minds and bodies and they work hard to carry out their missions. From a long time ago, human beings are said to be children or servants of God. I think that describes nothing but what I said above.
In this sense, if human beings, who receive the great order from God, ruin their health, it means that they are against the great nature or the will of God. Therefore, it is important to find the reason why an anti-natural condition occurs. This is a fundamental issue. However, they cannot, unfortunately, find it because they are human beings. Therefore, they have no other choice but to try to heal diseases with medical equipment and medicine, which obtain is only temporarily effective.
I described ‘Kamu-Nagara’ or to leave everything to nature as above. It is not difficult to follow it at all. It is contrarily very easy. In terms of human health, once one was born as a human being, they drink breast milk when they are infants and have a normal meal as they grow. Therefore, great nature creates foods such as grains, vegetables, fish and poultry with a wide variety of shapes, beautiful appearances, tastes and flavours to suit human palates. Human beings just enjoy eating them from the land of the living that is harvested in each of the four seasons. They just fulfil the task they are given and follow and carry out Imperial Rescript on Education. When they try hard to do so, they cannot become unhealthy.
The great nature also gives so-called purification action to all things between heaven and earth. As ‘Ooharae-Norito’ says, this purification action is carried out by four pillars of gods called ‘Haraido.’ For example, when filth accumulates on this earth, it is blown with the wind, purified with rain and dried with the sun heat. When dust accumulates in a house, people dust and sweep it out. They also rinse and wipe it out. The same purification action as those happens to the human body. That is called disease. When it happens, it is naturally healed when it is left as it is. If a person cannot work for pain or a fever while they have purification, they should have a rest. If they don’t have an appetite, they just don’t eat anything. That is a natural way. When purification action happens to human beings, it is carried out by their body themselves. That is very convenient, indeed.
In this sense, I advocate the medical art and health promotion method that is just based on nature and followed the way of nature. Therefore, we call it the medical art of ‘Kamu-Nagara,’ which leaves everything naturally.
Translated by N.H.