Interview with Herman Aihara

Healing Views From a Master

Vega Study Center: Herman, what is your view of healing?

Herman Aihara: You have to be like a football player. I like to watch American football, especially the San Francisco 49ers. It is really a beautiful game once you understand it. It's a reflection of the game of life.

V: What do you mean?

HA: It's simple: in football there are two teams. Each team is trying to get to its goal, and each is acting to prevent the other team from reaching its goal.

V: How does this apply to life?

HA: Anytime you have a goal for yourself, there comes into being immediately an opposition to your goal. This is natural, this is life. If you reflect upon it, you will see that every time you create an intention or have a vision for accomplishing something, there is always an opposing force. It's part of the game of life. In this relative world, there are always two forces in every phenomena. Everything has two: a front and a back. Together they make wholeness. In macrobiotic terms this is yin and yang.

V: So, this opposing force is always there?

HA: Some people call their opposing force the "enemy," but they misunderstand. If you don't have a force opposing your goal, there is no game to play; it's no fun, it's boring, it's dead. There is no enemy, really. Any opposition is a part of the nature of your reaching your goal. To reach it you must have opposing forces. Life is amazing!

V: How does this apply to healing?

HA: A person wants to heal. That's the goal. That goal must be very clear so the person knows where he's headed, but he also has to know what forces oppose his healing, his getting to the goal. There could be many opposing forces: family, spouse, culture, personal laziness, finances, tempting foods, habits, etc. Some come from the outside and some are self-generated.

V: Should the person try to eliminate this opposition to healing?

HA: Not at all. This counter force is essential to the person in defining and reaching his healing goal. It can make him clearer, stronger, more aware and ultimately happier. He has to learn how to read the opposition and adjust his healing strategy. Otherwise he can't reach the goal of healing because he will be overwhelmed by the opposing forces.

V: This seems true in all aspects of life

HA: Sure. If you want to have fun playing the game of your life and reaching your goal, you have to understand there will be plenty of opposition that comes your way. You can either call it "the enemy" and hate it, or you can understand it and embrace it as an essential part of your game. So welcome the opposing forces, they will sharpen your vision and make your goal clear. Without the opposing forces, there is no game to play and no fun or adventure in life.