Practical Guide to Eastern Macrobiotic Medicine

to Far Eastern Macrobiotic Medicine

This book, a compilation of several books and writings of George Ohsawa, attempts to give the whole scope of macrobiotic medicine to everyone. The main part is treatment for sickness. However, treatment without understanding of principles and a good attitude is dangerous; therefore, the theory of macrobiotics and other articles were added. The book, like its predecessor, The Unique Principle, is unique not because of its name and contents, but rather in how it was translated, edited and published.

The first part is a translation taken from Japanese books such as, A New Dietetic Cure, How to Cure Sickness and a Sick Man, and Vegetarianism. The second part is a translation from the French edition of Practical Guide to Far-Eastern Medicine which was done by Ann Harris. Noburo Muramoto was consulted to suit remedies to present-day American needs.

Conellia Aihara translated Cooking for the Sick which was written by Lima Ohsawa. Massage and Palm Therapy are based on notes taken by Cynthia McClusky at Mirimichi Summer Camp, 1972. Photographs of Cornellia demonstrating external treatments were taken by Fred Pulver. The Manual of Macrobiotics is a contribution of Nina Bond who took notes at George Ohsawa's lectures in New York at Summer Camp held about ten years ago (1963).

The third part is a translation from French and Japanese by Fred Pulver, Lou Oles and Herman Aihara.

The last part is again taken from several articles appearing in past issues of The Macrobiotic magazine. The Appendix is taken from a translation of the French edition of Ohsawa's Practical Guide to Far-Eastern Medicine.

For beginners we recommend reading Macrobiotic: An Invitation to Health and Happiness before this book. In addition, The Unique Principle and Book of Judgment are also of great value for those who want to study further macrobiotic principles. For the sick we recommend keeping in contact with experienced macrobiotic persons and centers. (1)

I am very happy to give you this short, simplified translation of my book, Cure-Following the New Way of Eating. It was originally written in Japanese, and is now in its 465th edition. I want to share with you the practical application of Macrobiotic healing that I have been teaching for almost 40 years--leaving aside the conceptual aspects covered in my other books and classes.

Herein is the synthesis of my medical philosophy, which is nothing but the biological, physiological and dialectic interpretation of Far Eastern philosophy--the principles of the Order of the Universe and the Order of Man. For 30 years I have been writing on both the practical and theoretical side of the question and have published more than 20 books and thousands of articles. But at this time I wish to limit myself to giving easily accessible information.

My medical philosophy, the way of eating and the art of longevity and rejuvenation, is so simple and inexpensive that anyone can follow it anytime, anywhere. If you decide to cure yourself before all else, you can forget about the bitter, painful and costly suffering that results from medical, physical, psychological and religious therapies.

This system depends on you alone. No reliance on other people or on artificial means--everything depends on how you eat. My system relies more on the sensitization of common sense and morality then on prescribed remedies. It goes to the root rather than treating the symptoms.

The goals of my method are to reach first the basis of all disease and second the basis of all unhappiness. So if you follow the principles of my medicine, you will not only avoid sickness and even unhappiness but also be immune to them in the future. In fact, this new and simplified interpretation of Far Eastern philosophy applied to biology and physiology leads you to eternal happiness, infinite freedom, absolute integrity and cosmic love, all through Satvic eating (Bhagavad-Gita XVII). Moreover, without this key interpretation you will never understand these philosophies and their practices--including medicine--and these religions--Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, etc.

All the great and free men of the Far East (the saints and prophets) emphasize this Order of the Universe over and over. Their teachings are forgotten today. So I feel compelled to present a new view of this thousand-year's wisdom and philosophy of China, contemporary in its expression, its aesthetics, its biology, physiology and dialectics.
Enough theory.
Study and try my way of eating which is very simple. (2)

1. Practical Guide to Far Eastern Macrobiotic Medicine - George Ohsawa - 1973
Forward - Herman Aihara, 1973

2. Practical Guide to Far Eastern Macrobiotic Medicine - George Ohsawa - 1973
Preface - George Ohsawa