Dr. Jim Sigafoose in San Francisco, 1985
What makes chiropractic so remarkable is that it works so effectively. If you work in the chiropractic profession or receive chiropractic adjustments, you have witnessed this first hand.
But there is another factor that makes chiropractic even more remarkable – something that makes it truly unique above most if not all professions.
It hasn’t sold out. For the most part, since its inception in 1895, it has maintained its integrity. It has remained relatively independent and free from mega corporations that have otherwise hijacked our so called “health care” system.
It has stood up to the medical-industrial complex, and though coerced and bribed and enticed to go away or give up, chiropractors and their supporters have prevailed. With your help, it has stood strong and unbowed.
Certainly, there are odd roads that segments of the profession have tried to go down every now and then, not the worst of which has been catering to the “health” cartel. And the chiropractic profession will need to find its way to work more inter-dependently with all legitimate medical and health disciplines.
But most of all — it needs to continue to be itself.
Jim Sigafoose reminded us what chiropractic is and who we are in the chiropractic profession.
Yesterday, I was informed that he passed on.
I have to get personal here. Years ago I worked with Siggy, as did my business partner, Dave Michel. In the 80’s we hung out and worked with him in certain management seminars, or would work with him in the field with our clients. We recommended our clients attend his seminars, his “Gatherings”, and buy his educational material.
Siggy was my own Bob Dylan of chiropractic. He was a troubadour that didn’t play for any king nor cater to any earthly lord. He couldn’t be bought. I am not a doctor of chiropractic, but your profession appealed to me because it was so helpful and revolutionary – and even respected the spiritual aspect mankind. Dr. Sigafoose represented chiropractic to me in this way and were it not for him, I am sure I would be working in other endeavors than chiropractic.
At a WAVE seminar sponsored by Life West a couple of few years ago, Siggy went on the stage and challenged the audience why they felt they needed all the products sold by the vendors lining the hallways of the seminar. He said that he didn’t think saying this was going to be appreciated by the sponsors of the event, but I am sure Siggy felt the principles were more important than the profits.
After his talk, he walked down and sat down by himself. I went over and sat beside him and we listened to Bruce Lipton give a great presentation – full of science and slides.
People like science and slides. But science and slides should simply prove the principles – which was actually Dr. Lipton’s whole point. D.D. Palmer had it correct back in the 19th Century.
As did Siggy.
When he talked, the complexity of what we do in chiropractic fell way, like rust falling off of a hinge. Like crusted ice breaking apart on a car windshield here on a Midwest winter, when Siggy talked, you could see the truth better. And it was a truth that you already knew but was obscured by mental and physical clutter.
Siggy’s message seemed to motivate you not be a warrior, but to be a more loving servant.
I guess mostly I always felt Siggy was my friend and that he genuinely liked me. But I only say this because it seemed to me that he made everyone he touched feel like they were his personal friend.
He was passionate, he cared, and he suffered. He was tireless. He did not retire. He kept going. He was courageous. And I think he did all this because, most of all… because of love. I think he loved chiropractic, God, his family, his patients and all patients, and those of us who work in chiropractic.
Today in America, we celebrate our independence. But with independence comes responsibility and the need for integrity. Forfeit your personal and professional responsibility, care less, comprise more, and you will gradually slip into the state of dependence.
This is the tide that is rushing at your patients – to become more dependent upon drugs and vaccinations, entertainment, and big business masquerading as government.
For those of us in the chiropractic profession, we owe so much to those who have come before us, like Dr. Jim Sigafoose. For, like America, we have been given the hard won gift of independence. Through Dr. Sigafoose’s work, and others like him, we are reminded that we have to work to stay independent and help our patients to do the same.
(same article in PDF form for download)
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Here is a short clip with Siggy. 4 minutes
