How long have you been involved in alternative therapies as a qualified medical doctor?

I have been practising my profession for the last 12 years. After graduating, I had work experience in both anatomy and physiology, but I later realised it was not sufficient, because our emotions, our way of thinking, and what we eat, also form part of our daily living and play a very important role in our health. I discovered from many books and seminars that if you don’t change your way of life and your eating habits, problem is most likely to recur.

When people are happy they are usually healthy. So this is where I started from – how to integrate all the different aspects of our existence into a healthy way of living.

When did you first hear about Su Jok?

My interest in Su Jok began when I met Professor Park about eight years ago. He really is formidable. A professional MD. in Seoul, he has improved the ancient knowledge of traditional Chinese acupuncture, and the traditional Chinese philosophy about the five elements by combining them with the South Korean branch of knowledge and the Indian knowledge of the chakras. Last year he gave a brilliant lecture at the Moscow Su Jok Academy on the connection between modern physics, Quantum Physics, the physics of mind, psychology and energy work. I have read research about patients who were cured of very serious problems by this man and it all made a lot of sense.

What convinced you that Su Jok as an alternative healing therapy and suitable for today’s modern living?

I had a few cases that were quite serious. One of them was sinusitis. The patient had suffered from this condition for years and had a high allergic level. After 10 sessions he was cured, and his operation was cancelled. Another case aroused my interest in Su Jok even more. It took place during a long train journey in Russia. A passenger had the beginning of a heart attack and the next station was about three to four hours away. Of course there was a big panic and a call went out for doctors to assist.

I happened to be there and treated him with Su Jok. I punctured the point which corresponds to the heart with needles – the blood flowed out and in a few minutes the passenger felt much better. When we finally got to a station there was an ambulance waiting. They carried out an electro-cardiogram on the train and found that he could continue his journey. They discovered that it was the beginning of a heart attack that was prevented. I was really happy because it was a coincidence, although nothing happens by coincidence and I witnessed the results so quickly.

I also had a lot of cases with children hurting their knees or their head but after finding the point of correspondence, the pain would disappear in a few minutes. For me this was like a miracle. The medical mind is very sceptic and I could hardly believe it. In the beginning I was just trying to decide whether it was merely coincidence or some miracle. However, after reading more and more of Prof. Park’s theoretic books in which he mentions a lot of physics and physiological aspects, I began to understand that it is very deep knowledge, not just medical, it’s a big system which involves working with the mind and the emotions.

Is it considered an improvement on Chinese acupuncture?

Prof. Park discovered that the Indian chakra therapy and the Chinese principle of acupuncture can work very well together. Su Jok is not only acupuncture, it also consists of working with seeds, magnets and even the leaves of plants. This makes the method very natural and usually we give courses where we show basic Su Jok which can be used by everybody, where you can be cured in a few minutes if your problem isn’t serious.

Can you explain the basics of how it functions?

Nowadays, nearly everybody knows the basic principles of the computer. We have a keyboard and a system of files. When we need to open some file we press a combination of certain buttons. Our hands, feet and ears are the basic three most comfortable and effective systems which have thousands of points that correspond to the different parts of our body. Different needles may be needed, depending on whether the doctor is working on an emotional level or a mental level.

Does it take intuition?

No, it’s not intuition, it’s knowledge though intuition does play a big part. You can say it takes intuition based on knowledge.

Are there many different techniques involved?

Yes. There is acupuncture, Moxa therapy where we use heat with herbal cigars, and seed therapy. We also use parts of plants, such as leaves. People find seed therapy very fascinating because usually we use seeds just for food and nutrition. The colour and shape play a very important role in the treatment. For example, kidney beans have the shape of kidneys. The more the seeds look like the corresponding organs, the quicker the effect. They are applied with a plaster to the corresponding point for the particular organ.

Like all natural therapies, in Su Jok the doctor and the patient share the responsibility, while in conventional medicine it is only the doctor who takes responsibility for the patient’s health. And the patient also has homework to do, if he really wants to cure himself. So usually the treatment is like a lesson. All my patients have some basic knowledge of the topography of the organs and the anatomy.

Do patients learn how to heal themselves during treatment?

Yes. It’s more interesting for children because afterwards they play with the seeds and with all this natural equipment they easily learn how to help themselves. There are very interesting situations where children teach their parents. Many children suffer from tummy ache due to stress, tension or not eating proper food. When children start to treat themselves they are very curious and very open. So they start treating each other, they also show their parents how to treat themselves, and this is the way it should be in a family.

One does not need to learn where each and every point is located, as long as one understands the basic corresponding points the body. It is a highly effective and preventive method of healing with no side effects. Su Jok is useful both at the physical and emotional level because it allows you to take responsibility for your health at any time and in any place.

Every person has the right to learn and master the simple methods of self-healing. If you use the wrong points by mistake nothing will happen. However, Su Jok acupuncture has to be done by a specialist.

Although it originated in the East, has Su Jok become popular in the West?

It is gaining in popularity. In the last five years, clinics have been opened in the Mediterranean area, in Cyprus and Turkey. In Europe there are Su Jok centres in Germany, Britain and Switzerland. There are centres in practically all of Asia and there is a big clinic in Mexico. Dr Pak’s first step was to try and introduce this practice into Third World countries, since it is an inexpensive method of self-healing. It was his gift to the world. India also has a few clinics for Su Jok therapy.

Can it be combined with other remedies, or is it enough to use only Su Jok?

Su Jok is quite independent. It can work by itself, but I always involve food correction because food also has different types of energy, so it is best to combine it with the right diet.

What kind of patient would you especially recommend Su Jok to?

For those who really want to be healthy! (laughs) Not those who want to indulge. It is better if the patients are involved in the treatment. To tell you the truth there are no limits. We even have Su Jok therapy for emergency cases, unless emergency surgery is needed.

Can you describe some of the “tools” used in this therapy?

The seeds themselves have to be healthy. They must not be damaged, and they must be covered, in good condition, and ripe. You can get them from any food stores. I also use a lot of Music and Sound to help the patients relax. In fact they are usually surprised how fast time has gone by.

The needle in Su Jok therapy is very small. The sharp point is about 0.8 mm. The needles have two functions: stimulating, and as an antenna. They are a projection of the meridian to regulate the movement of the energy.

Is it possible to learn about Su Jok in Malta?

I have held courses called “Su Jok for Everybody”. They are open to the public as well as medical specialists. In fact there are some massage and beauty therapists who use the seed therapy when the problem is not serious, like for example in the case of muscle or joint problems.

Su Jok is based on the Tao philosophy, which embraces the idea that the best things in life are the most effortless and simple ones. It seems that even when it comes to self-healing, life can be a cup of tea!

Anybody interested in this alternative healing method can contact Dr Lydia on Mob. 9946 9922.