Chairman of the Board of Directors of the MOA Health Science Center Kiyoshi Suzuki
Kiyoshi Suzuki, MD, PhD, President, MOA Health Science Foundation

We all suffer from many different kinds of pain, but Western medicine has made it possible to control physical pain to a great extent. However, various studies have shown that post-operative pain is more easily relieved when a doctor or nurse comes to give the patient an injection, even if it is a fake drug, rather than when a painkiller is automatically injected at the press of a button (Figure 1). It reminds us of the importance of human warmth in the medical field.

Human connections are also important in everyday life. Research also supports the idea that being around happy people increases one’s chances of becoming happy himself, and happiness even spreads to friends of friends of friends (Figure 2). Being part of a community where we can share our happiness is what makes us happy.

Western medicine is powerless to treat so-called spiritual pain, such as “What was the meaning of my life?”, “Living is painful”, and “I’m afraid of what will happen when I die”. In the past, religious figures would listen to such concerns, but these days, many people would be unwilling if a Buddhist monk came to their bedside just before their passing. So now, clinical religious teachers who transcend religious boundaries are taking on this role.

However, in reality, many people want to consult a medical doctor about such concerns instead of clinical religious teachers. But medical doctors are not trained for this, either in college or in the medical field. I do not think I can give a proper answer to that question either. Although death is becoming a common occurrence in our super-aging society, today, most people die in hospitals, so death is separated from our everyday lives. That is why the question arises as to who will take on the burden of death.

Regardless of age, some people accept their own death and spend their time peacefully, while others struggle to die, feeling that they cannot continue like this. I do not think it is a matter of which way of life is better, but rather each person’s outlook on life. As Professor Hiroi Yoshinori of Kyoto University has stated, what is important is not “where” or “how” you spend your final moments, but “with whom” you spend them. I believe that in our final moments, it is important to make peace not only with our loved ones, but also with ourselves before we depart. In that sense, care from loved ones is becoming more and more important.

These will be difficult days for the person(s) who are there at the end, so it is essential that there is a community to support them. In that sense, the bond between MOA members that is forged by the Okada Health and Wellness Program, a holistic health method, has been a source of comfort to many of the people I have met so far.

What I feel when I experience Okada Purifying Therapy is a sense of gratitude toward the therapist, as well as a sense of peace and healing from being healed by something so-called “greater” that transcends human power. Although it may seem like a person simply holds his hand up in front of the recipient, as mentioned in Column 15 of this article, it definitely has a relaxing effect on brain waves. Plus, it’s a very thoughtful gesture that he is taking the time to treat me. This sensation is unique and different from Western medicine and other health methods. I believe it is because of this background that MOA emphasizes the importance of care and even encourages them to take spiritual health into consideration. While we hope that the symptoms will improve through treatment, we also want to cherish this encounter with “the greater good” and the sense of compassion.

If we can build relationships in which we care for and are cared for through human warmth, and even support each other’s spiritual health, this will be essential for us to live healthy and happy lives. The MOA Healthy Life Network is sure to become that kind of community.

By the way, MOA International (Inc.) and MOA Health Science Center (Foundation) signed cooperation agreements with the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Public Health of Thailand in July and October 2024, respectively. This is a groundbreaking development, and next time I will talk about how we got there and what it means. Stay tuned.

【profile】
Suzuki Kiyoshi Graduated from Chiba University School of Medicine in 1981. Doctor of Medicine. After serving as deputy director of pediatrics at Sakakibara Memorial Hospital, working at Seijo Clinic, and director of Tamagawakai MOA Takanawa Clinic and Tokyo Ryôin, he is now chairman of the MOA Health Science Center (foundation) and honorary director of Tokyo Ryôin. Director of the Japan Society for Integrative Medicine and Chairman of the International Committee. In 1994, he was awarded the Young Investigator’s Award by the Japanese Society of Pediatric Cardiology.