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Volume 40, Issue 4
October 15, 2002
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Physician touts tie between body, mind
By Joseph Luchenta
For the Mesa Legend
Dr. Carl Hammerschlag, noted author, physician and spiritual healer,
talked about the connection between body and mind and its affect on total
well-being Sept. 18 at Phoenix College.
The speech, before a standing-room-only crowd, was the first in a series
of honors lectures for the fall semester.
Students lined the aisles, sat cross-legged and were fixed to their seats
until the end of a brief question and answer session after the presentation.
"We've never seen so many people in attendance," said Douglas
Conway, co-coordinator of the Honors Program.
Conway continued to praise Hammerschlag saying, "When I left, I felt
almost like I was walking on air. I knew I had just had a chance to hear
someone really special."
Hammerschlag effectively owned the crowd's attention for the more than
60 minutes that he spoke.
This prolific storyteller and well accomplished doctor still found himself
able to be humble.
Hammerschlag stressed the importance of a connection between the mind
and body and urged listeners to unlock themselves from the confines of
self-interest.
"Connect with something other than you…Greenpeace, spotted owls…It's
gotta be something other than you, nobody makes it alone. The pop-psychological
dogma of the last 20 years: 'do-your-own-thing,' your 'all-you-got,' you're
number one, 'paddle-your-own-canoe.'
"You're familiar with this paradigm. It's ridiculous!" Hammerschlag
said.
This Yale-trained physician's approach to medicine has been less than
conventional, yet strangely refreshing.
An honest, benevolent charm, coupled with a knack for storytelling made
Hammerschlag an excellent and interesting speaker.
His presentation is sure to set the benchmark for the speakers that will
follow throughout the 2002–03 academic year.
Future presentations to be held at the Bulpitt Auditorium include the
Oct. 16 forum on infectious disease hosted by Dr. Peter C. Kelley, an
infectious disease specialist from the Arizona Department of Health Services.
Kelley's expertise in bio-terrorism was reason for White House officials
to consult him after the Sept. 11 attacks.
Betsey Hertzler, Conway's counterpart in honors coordination, points out
that "sometimes we forget the talent we have in our own back yard."
"Peter Kelley does a good job of putting into perspective what we
should really be aware of," Hertzler continued.
Kelley's lecture will bring to light the current issues surrounding infectious
disease and attempt to provide an explanation of what fears are valid
and what is likely to impact us in relation to bio-terrorism in its current
climate.
The final presentation for the fall semester, on Nov. 20, will be hosted
by Susan T. Borra, the director of Nutrition at the International Food
Information Council in Washington, D.C.
Some instructors for honors courses are incorporating attendance for these
seminars into required curriculum for honors credit.
The information presented and the topics dealt with are especially crucial
to students pursuing careers in health care.
"We try to bring to light things that educated people should be aware
of and pique public interest in the topics," Hertzler said.
"We're one of the few districts that actually have the privilege
of guest speakers."
As Hertzler denotes, many districts participate in the nationwide Phi
Theta Kappa Honors Study Topic events, but few are lucky enough to have
any visiting speakers.
In conjunction with the lecture series, there will be a series of satellite
seminars hosted by various speakers.
Two of these satellite seminars will be available for viewing this semester
in the Kiva Room of the Kirk Center as part of the Scholarship Speakers
Series presented by the Omicron Beta Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa; the first
on Oct. 23 from 7 to 9 p.m. and the second on Nov. 13 at the same time.
These seminars will be similar in content to those being presented at
the Bulpitt Auditorium at Phoenix College.
For those unable to attend the live presentations of the lecture series
the Scholarship Speakers Series will also host taped viewings of the lectures
held at Phoenix College.
Kelley's presentation will be shown at 7 p.m., Nov. 9 in the Kiva Room.
For more information on these seminars as well as the lecture series,
contact the Honors Department at 480-721-7079, or stop by the center for
student activities.
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