Dear Doctor,
With the passing of George Goodheart, it’s fitting for us to look at his role in
the evolution of the chiropractor in health and wellness care. This brilliant
pioneer in wholism left many scientific distinctions that will be explored for
decades before they are fully understood.
The observation that a weak muscle could be used as an indicator, and could be
strengthened by a variety of interventions, is one of the most revolutionary
original thoughts in chiropractic history. But even more stunning was his
ability to extrapolate his findings to compile a body of knowledge that can be
applied to literally any health condition, from the vibrantly well to the
gravely ill.
By being willing to ask the simple question “Why is that?” Goodheart became one
of the first to notice correlations between the spine and nerve system, the
circulatory system, the immune system, and a host of other at-the-time
relatively unknown healing modalities, like acupuncture, nutrition and cranial
adjustment. He also became one of the first chiropractors to lecture to and work
with other healing arts, serving as the first DC at the Olympics in 1980, and
being featured by Time Magazine in a 2001 article entitled “Alternative Medical
Innovators, A New Breed Of Healers.”
The epitome of the family doctor, his optimism and insight developed into an
intuition that allowed him to “see with eyes that see and hear with ears that
hear,’ typical advice he offered to those myriad students who take a bit of him
forward with them into their own practices and research.
In fact, this is the great invitation George Goodheart leaves to inspire us all.
By being willing to pay attention to what was actually going on, not colored by
preconceived boundaries, he was able to parlay that objectivity into a whole new
angle on healing, where it became possible to ask the body what it wants before
implementing any adjustment or treatment. Faster and more direct than any other
diagnostic testing, Goodheart’s ideas have permeated advanced healing in every
discipline.
So whether or not you’ve ever tested a muscle, Goodheart’s work is available to
you, as the scientific method, flavored with innate philosophy and structured
around common sense. Ask the body questions, and listen and watch carefully for
the answers – the natural approach requires a sensitivity to and a respect for
the signs and markers being left for your evaluation.
You see, health, like success, leaves clues, as do all natural processes. If you
are astute enough to pick up on them, then you can use them to great advantage
for yourself and others. The willingness to open your mind, to bypass judgment
to actually perceive cleanly what is there for you to notice and apply, is the
shortest distance between you and the future you want for yourself and those you
serve.
Yes, we’ve lost one of the all-time greats, but George Goodheart left it all out
on the tennis court. He brought a passionate curiosity and an integrative genius
to his work, and left us with enough raw data to keep us busy for years, if we
intend to fully understand and utilize his legacy. Dr. George Joseph Goodheart,
Jr., dead at 89 – he burned brightly till the end, and went out peacefully with
a flicker, like the true masters deserve.
Dr. Dennis Perman, for The Masters Circle
PS New patients, new patients – check out guest speakers Patrick Gentempo, Bill
Esteb and Tony Palermo, plus the TMC coaches, in a new seminar on getting and
keeping the highest quality new patients. For more info, or to register, please
go to www.themasterscircle.com, or
call 800-451-4514.
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