Burnt Out and the BIG IDEA

By James Tickel
Editor and Chief

The BIG IDEA is a whole lot bigger than you think. I am sure of it. Cause everyday, I come to that realization in my own life. The BIG IDEA is a whole lot bigger than I think.

Becoming a master of the science and art are great and chiropractors should be studying and practicing everyday for the rest of their lives. There is always something to be learned.

Starting From Scratch or Buy a Practice?

By Loren Martin

Every year, a few thousand chiropractors either start a practice from scratch or acquire an existing practice. Advantages of starting from scratch include being not as restricted geographically, you can select the patient base you are interested in, and you can customize your floor plan layout design. You do not have to be concerned with another doctor's way of doing things. If you know what you are doing and are well capitalized, this could be the way to go.

However! Consider another viewpoint. Starting from scratch is a much greater risk compared to acquiring an established practice. With a scratch, you have to do absolutely everything. There are no patients or name recognition. Most doctors underestimate the amount of money and involvement required just to reach a break-even point.

Patient Story

By Rob Kessinger DC.

I had a patient come in this week who had been in the previous week. When she came in one week ago, she was having blurred vision, constant headache, so dizzy she couldn't walk, and her husband as well as herself were very concerned because of she was having memory loss. After taking X-rays and finding (and knowing) the listing, we adjusted her. She came in this week and I was excited to see her because I could tell just looking at her that she was not only better, but remarkably better. I shook her hand and said, I am very happy to see you, you look so much better. Her comment was, "my lower back hurts". I teased her for a little while about it, of course. Really making fun of her thought process, but pointing out that this type thinking would keep her sick or at best never allow her to acknowledge her healing. I thought that everything must have cleared up besides the memory loss. She must have forgot how bad she was. Then, I realized that she was not trying to be negative, she just was negative. She was doing the best she could for what she knew. It was just coming out of her because it was truly in her.

Fear Not Fail Not

By Geoff A. Tickel

Messages can come in many different forms. They can be seen in all things, which exist under the sun. For some people this includes elephants, for others tall buildings, and for some very extraordinary individuals they can be found in water. The circumstances under which the message is received is less related to the environment; and more dependent on the frequency of the heart. In The Bigness of the Fellow Within, B.J Palmer states,

The Religion of Chiropractic

By Dennis Da Ponte

There are many people, both in the present and the past, that have accused Chiropractic of being a religion. These same people use some of our most respected philosophically based Chiropractors as support for their preposterous claims. Sid Williams, the founder of our GREAT UNIVERSITY, and the DEFENDER OF CHIROPRACTIC, has come under considerable fire from the accusers for being a CULT LEADER using Life University as his platform for manipulating the weak minds of Chiropractic Students. This bizarre perception of what Chiropractic is has confused many potential patients as well as Chiropractic Doctors, students and schools. Are we really being brainwashed to believe that there is an intelligence in our body that coordinates our function??? Are we unconscious members of some cult when we talk about this intelligence to the people??? Are we making fools of ourselves in the REAL WORLD??? PLEASE!!!

Roca Responce

By James Tickel

This is specifically for Barney Roca. It is a response to an article he wrote to me about an article I wrote in the LT two issues ago, "It Ain't You; It's Innate". The soul point of the article was to level the ground amongst some of the techniques we as students see here on the Life campus. And the title sums up the healing process within the folks we will be seeing in the field. The adjustment does not heal people. Innate heals! As studied and practiced students of specific, scientifically applied arts of adjusting we are just the facilitators to the healing. Simple as that!

Innate Intelligence, Learned Ignorance

By Dennis Da Ponte

All of us in the Chiropractic program here at Life are familiar with the premise of Innate Intelligence. For years, "mainstream science" has refused to acknowledge this anciently accepted principle of Vitalism. Although other schools of Chiropractic have slowly began to give in to the pressures of the "Other Philosophy" we here at Life are not willing to sacrifice the principle that our profession was built upon. Many Chiropractors and Chiropractic students have a hard time coping with the overwhelming pressures of having to defend our principles against the "scientific" medical field as well as the brainwashed people of society. Surely, it is not an easy task to fight an uphill battle. But everyday, despite the controversies that lie ahead, many dedicated Chiropractic Warriors choose to take on the challenge.

Are You Sick, Or Just "Expressing Health?"

By Terry Demeter

Expressing health is a term that I have heard some chiropractors often use when talking to their patients about the symptoms that they are experiencing during the cold and flu season. The patient hearing this may be saying to him/her self, "wait a minute, I'm congested, I have a fever, I'm nauseous, and I'm certainly going to be expressing something real soon! Only I don't know if I'd call it health!" As we know, the body is a self-healing organism, capable of optimal health when innate intelligence is allowed uninterrupted flow through out the nervous system.

So, why do we, at times, not feel well, even though we are taking care of ourselves and having our spines checked and adjusted on a regular basis? How can we tell when we are truly sick, and not simply manifesting the outward signs that our bodies are engaged in a natural, healthy combat with a foreign invader?

Life's Transitions

By Matthew Eisen

As the old saying goes, "Change is the only constant thing in life." As I complete my last quarter here at Life University and transition from being a student into a Doctor of Chiropractic, I am faced with this incredible transition. This feeling is not fear-based, since I am confident in my skills that I have learned here at Life University. Rather, this feeling of change makes me reflect upon some key points in my life, where I had to make a decision and alter my destiny.

One key transition was the death of my father at an early adolescent age. My father is the one who taught me how to be a gentleman, how family and God are important in one's life, and how to throw a curveball – one key asset that helped me excel as a pitcher. But most importantly he taught me how to value myself and too never give up – especially when the only constant thing in life is change. People were amazed at how I handled his death at an early age, as I never showed signs of sadness or weakness. This was simple; I knew he was in heaven taking care of others and I would see him again, someday. Also, I learned what a blessing life was, as I started to appreciate every day on this planet. One change.

It Ain't Innate; It's You

By Barney Roca

There were far to many philosophical problems with the article by Dr. James Will Tickel "It Ain't You; It's Innate" for me to sit hands folded in silence after reading his rant about Innate intelligence verse the role of the Chiropractic doctor. The title of his article clearly states his position, a position that I feel is detrimental to the overall success of the science I have dedicated my life too.

"To sin by silence when they should protest makes cowards of men." Abraham Lincoln once said. A quote I hold close to my heart. Anyone that has met me knows when I think something needs to be said, I'll say it.

One Nation Under God

By Marcus Kampfe

In last months article, 'Inward Look', we saw that we are all works in progress and have areas in our lives that can work on and change for the better. This could mean becoming more righteous and holy in our personal lives or just being that person of conviction - the man/woman of your word.

We are blessed to live in a society that is free to express religion however we see fit. This is the society that we live in, a Free One. Where the fear of being killed or tortured for your beliefs isn't a present thought like it is in other countries around the world. But, like in all things there is a sacrifice to pay for those freedoms.