HOLISTIC MEDICINE
mind does not know the eyes do not see”. It is obvious that knowledge of the subject is important equipment in the diagnostic process. But I wish to point out here the importance of subtler aspects of the perception of the physician, such as lack of selfish motives, prejudices, preoccupations, biases, etc. and ability to relate oneself with the person concerned, with concern! These qualities are absolutely essential and can be acquired by chanting the holy name of God either silently or loudly. One of the greatest saints and seers Shri Brahmachaitanya Gondavalekar Maharaj from Gondavale, dist. Satara, Maharashtra State (1844 to 1913) has advised a physician to chant the holy name to improve diagnostic ability by clearing the vision. I should comprehend the wisdom in this advice so as to achieve clearer vision which is so fundamental to our diagnostic ability. This is especially important in view of the increasing dependence of the medical community on the technology and simultaneously deteriorating sense of judgment, discretion and also blurring acuity of the inner vision. The chanting of the holy name transforms one’s vision from mechanistic and crude into realistic and subtle, by opening one’s inner eyes. The readers can verify this with themselves instead of at once accepting or rejecting this view of the authors. The next equipment in the diagnosis is the ability to communicate. This is vital to the ability of eliciting the otherwise hidden history. All the qualities described above are essential for accurate history taking. This is because the accuracy of the history depends upon how much confidence the patient has in his doctor and this in turn depends largely on the qualities of the doctor described earlier. I wish to point out that history is not merely a window to the disease process as is usually thought to be. Like smell of the flower the history is ‘smell’ of the disease.
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