Pulling Weeds

John Demartini taught me long ago that you can’t plant flowers until you pull the weeds.  John and I have been friends for many years as I was one of his first students.  Of all the brilliance and genius that he shares with the world, this simple concept is as worthy as any other.  Just think of the ramifications this statement has in relationships, life planning and of course, patient care plans. Subluxations are weeds.  Plain and simple.  They are organic and part of the bio-logical process.  I suppose we could even say they are beautiful at some level, but they are undesirable in the realm of progress.  Take a look at your lawn or better yet the neighbor’s lawn.  Where do those weeds come from?   It’s either neglect or misinformation.  Neglect if you knew better, misinformation if you were guessing and operating through a myth.  The mystery of weeds is as common as the mystery and the continuance of subluxation.  Do we ever rid the lawn of weeds? Unlikely.  We control the eruption of them using hygienic strategies but at times we have to pull them out and hope we got to the root of the problem.  Certain weeds just seem to come back despite best actions.  

I’m sure you are getting the picture.  Care plans are, at best, a defensive strategy that helps the innate ability of adaptation and expression of potential come alive.  Like pulling weeds or managing the “perfect lawn” we make a commitment that has no definitive ending.  Biology does not embrace a sprint to the finish line.  It’s a marathon that fluctuates within the GAP with the goal being to stretch the high limits without plumbing the lower ones.  

Weeds indicate an unhealthy or less than optimal terrain. Pasteur labored over this notion and finally relented on his deathbed when he stated (sic)”  It is the soil not the seed”  in reference to pathogens causing disease. Weeds and subluxations emerge to our attention long after they have begun their journey.  By the time we envision them on scans and certainly on later stage diagnostics like x-ray, they have become a cause as much as an effect. They are part of the fabric of daily living or lawn that we must tend to.  I remember reading a National Geographic article that had a fold out section of NYC now and what it would look like after a potential biologic warfare event had taken out all the mammals(humans included).  In a very short time frame the weeds had won.  The entire cement infrastructure was crumbling as the weeds infiltrated and grew relentlessly.  They shattered the hard structures as they allowed water and other pathogens to seep in.  It wasn’t long before the host was compromised. Think of the consequences of leaving weeds untended in our patients. 

Let’s face it.  It’s so much more fun and fulfilling to plant flowers than to pull weeds.  However, what we know is that the ideal garden has to be prepared first and then tended to.  Your care plans must be designed and adhered to if the weeds are rooted out.  Only then can the flowers that we call wellness strategies be planted successfully.  Use the scans to check your progress and to inform the patient of their successes.  This is the essence of my Path to Wellness care plan model. Release is an essential component before the Rebuilding is set up.  Revitalization is the reward for the efforts of the first two stages.

GAP Coaching offers relevant and exceptional training to help you transition your practice from spine care to wellness.  Its straight forward and successful.  We not only help you weed your garden but plant the right flowers that are weed-resistant.  Write me at docfletch@docfletch.com with your thoughts and book a time to discuss your practice direction and growth.  I love hearing stories from the field.