The Fate of the Sanpaku
Sanpaku is a Japanese term that
literally means “three areas empty”.
It refers to two sides of the eye that
show white (“empty”) plus the lower area, as follows:
A person manifesting this appearance was
considered chronically fatigued, headed for serious illness, and
accident-prone.
The normal, balanced appearance is as
follows:
George Ohsawa,
the founder of Macrobiotics, wrote an article which appeared in the New York Times many years ago titled The Fate of the Sanpaku. In the article he named a number of famous
people, including US President John F. Kennedy and his brother, Attorney
General Robert Kennedy, as well as Marilyn Monroe and other
Mr. Ohsawa
predicted tragic outcomes for all of these people based on photographs he had
observed in the news media.
All of the people he mentioned exhibited
the condition called Sanpaku.
When his “predictions” came true it
created a sensation. Of course, Mr. Ohsawa was more concerned about getting the word out about
the value of Macrobiotics, but the majority of people simply considered him a
psychic.
The real intent of his message was to
alert people to the following facts:
1)
Tragedies are understandable and
preventable.
2)
They occur to people whose systems are
unbalanced.
3)
They can be avoided by changing one’s
condition of health.
4)
Health can be changed by studying and
practicing Macrobiotics.
In the West, the condition of Sanpaku is mostly
associated with fatigue. This is
partially correct. After staying up late
to study, late-night partying, excessive consumption of alcohol or drugs, etc.
people often become temporarily Sanpaku. This is
easily noticeable by staring directly into the mirror upon arising.
When the human system becomes
chronically fatigued, Sanpaku
will exhibit continually. Co-ordination,
reflexes become slowed. The immune
system is stressed. If this condition is
not corrected, the Sanpaku
individual will experience accidents, sickness or degenerative conditions that
can lead to death or catastrophe.
In John F. Kennedy’s case, he struggled
with Parkinson’s and pain associated with back problems. This would be enough to account for being Sanpaku, since
suffering with these conditions would wear down even the strongest person.
However, the simple diagnostic of Sanpaku can help
anyone quickly and accurately assess his or her condition. One simply notes one’s appearance in the
bathroom mirror upon arising and then later on during the day if possible.
It is not uncommon to observe Sanpaku upon
arising, and then notice that it disappears during the day. That is because many people are not able to
get enough sleep to awake fully rested. A
number of articles have appeared in the last few years regarding the fact that many
people today are not getting enough sleep due to the hectic pace of modern
life. This in itself is enough to cause
the condition of Sanpaku;
however, when chronic lack of sleep or sound sleep is coupled with consumption
of stimulants, alcohol, drugs and a diet high in refined sugar, refined salt,
refined grain products, meat and fatty foods, chemical additives and
chemically-extracted oils, etc. it is easy to understand how people are putting
themselves at risk of developing serious illness or suffering from tragic
accidents, as well as putting others at risk.
Samauri warriors of ancient
If you can see 3 sides of your eyes
showing white when you look straight into the mirror, you need to take steps to
improve your health, especially if the state of Sanpaku shows all day every
day.
Even if Sanpaku shows only upon arising,
there is still cause for concern. We
should awake refreshed and full of energy, ready to tackle the tasks of daily
life with vigor and enthusiasm. Anything
less is already a warning sign that you are not “up to speed” – that your
system has slowed down and needs to be revitalized. Relying on coffee or other stimulants to perk
up the system is ultimately self-defeating, since this approach is like
whipping the body to keep going.
Eventually collapse of various body systems, especially the adrenal
glands and kidneys can be the result.
Unfortunately, too many people in modern
society rely on meat, sugar, coffee and cigarettes to keep themselves
going. Little do they realize the tragic
consequences that await them for practicing such habits....
When one’s system is fatigued, it is
difficult to think clearly, quickly and accurately. Most everyone who has not allowed themselves the time to get enough quality sleep knows this. Trying to operate a car or other vehicle
when chronically fatigued can have tragic consequences, to oneself, passengers
and others who become involved in an accident.
Tiring one’s system with unwholesome
food and other substances can have the same effect of slowing reaction time,
alertness and ability to react with good judgment.
We need to study Macrobiotics not just
to keep ourselves healthy, but to insure we can survive the jungle that life in
modern society has become.
--Fred
Pulver