Torako Yui: The Miracle of Japanese Homeopathy

Torako Yui

Less than fifteen years ago, homeopathy was relatively unknown in Japan and the "Far East". But the situation in Japan has changed dramatically over the past ten years. By 2010 more than 500 trained homeopaths were working in an estimated 250 clinics across the country. Presumably more than 100,000 Japanese people now use homeopathic remedies.

The „Japanese miracle“ would not have been possible without Torako Yui's energy and commitment to homeopathy. After completing her studies she became in 1994 the first registered homeopath of the Homoeopathic Medical Association (HMA). Since then she has devoted her life to spreading homeopathy around the world.

My encounter with homeopathy - Torako Yui tells it in her own words:

„When I was 33 I suffered from ulcerative colitis and had tarry stools for three years because blood from the intestinal wall mixed with my stools. When the disease reached its worst stage I had a constant urge to defecate - sometimes up to fifteen times a day, which meant it was difficult to leave the house or the office. Because the situation was caused by bowel ulcers I also suffered terrible colic pains.

During the first two years I received many treatments including cortisone, but these only helped temporarily; as soon as I became stressed or under pressure the ulcers returned and started to bleed again. The real reason the ulcerative colitis was so persistent was my lifestyle. I often ignored my tiredness and worked through the night.

It was in the second year of treatment that I came across homeopathy. I was very depressed and could only think negatively about my life. It felt so unfair that it had to be me suffering such unpleasant symptoms. In hindsight I see that in such a poor mental state I could not get better. My condition deteriorated and I was given sedatives, diuretics, iron tablets and antibiotics – all to no avail. Eventually I was told that the affected part of my bowel would have to be removed and a colostomy created.

That night I had a dream about a treatment. Today I am sure my dream advised me to seek a homeopathic treatment. When I woke up, however, all I could remember from the dream was the sentence: „Like must be treated by like, a correct treatment requires a simile.“ I rang an English colleague and repeated this sentence to her. She said that I apparently had homeopathy on my mind, and then I remembered everything again - it had indeed been the homeopathic treatment I had dreamed about. Normally I'm not the type to see dreams as omens, but you will remember that at the time I was pretty desperate and exhausted.

My first visit to a homeopath seemed somewhat strange. Some of his questions seemed completely irrelevant to me, while others could have come from a psychologist; I felt exposed and vulnerable. I was asked about my habits and my character and the way I thought about things.

He also asked whether and how I was affected by the sun, moon and the weather. He wanted to know everything about my food preferences and my fears, whether I dreamed regularly and how I dealt with my feelings. Some questions were really confusing. He even asked about my birth weight and whether I had been breastfed. Then he asked many questions about my family's medical history. I realised how little I knew about myself, and even less about my family; such things were not discussed with my parents.

During the consultation I constantly waited for the homeopath to ask me about my health condition. I tried to steer the conversation to my health problems because I wanted to talk about them, but the homeopath apparently did not consider that important. During the hour-long case-taking we spoke for less than five minutes about my complaint. When the consultation ended he gave me four little sugar pellets, each with a different name. I began to feel cheated: the homeopath had no stethoscope, no white coat, no interest in my illness, only four tiny sugar pills. I wondered why I had trusted my dream.
When I got home I decided to take the globules anyway. Throwing them away would have been a waste of money, and it was unlikely that such a small pill once daily could do me harm. On the fifth day I felt so weak I couldn't get up in the morning; I had a fever and my joints ached. After dragging myself to the toilet I staggered back to bed in agony. The pain was terrible. I called the homeopath and asked for help: „Please help me, I can't get up and all my joints are inflamed!“ His answer was brief: „This is good news! Go back to bed and try to relax and sleep.“ Then he hung up.
I couldn't believe it! How could that be good? The man was obviously a charlatan, a quack! How could I have been so stupid as to take those things? Yet - as the pain grew worse I noticed that I no longer had diarrhoea. The pain reminded me of a severe flu I had had at the age of 26. Back then I had taken antibiotics but they hadn't helped at all.
I still had a fever and was doubled up with pain. Three days after taking the last pellet the pain began to ease. I felt dazed and dizzy. The diarrhoea returned, but it was no longer bright red, it was dark red. Since I had been unable to eat over the previous days, it was clear to me that this could only be the emptying of the blood residues from my bowel.

About a week later I noticed I was becoming quite angry. Waves of anger came more often and I often felt the urge to break things. It felt as if society had deceived and abandoned me; all my efforts at work had led to nothing. I would never be able to achieve fame and fortune in this male-dominated society where anyone who falls outside accepted norms is systematically excluded. I was not healthy because I had worked so hard to win my boss's praise, but I had ignored my body. I had allowed others to judge my worth and had made myself ill in the process. I realised that inside I was still the child seeking the boss's approval, just as I had once hungered for my emotionally distant mother's praise. The desire for praise and recognition had made me feel worthless and driven me into despair.

Water lilies

Trapped in such an emotionally fragile state I oscillated between anger and tears. As soon as the anger subsided I became sad; I found it awful that life could be so hard. This may sound a little childish; but I noticed that I was still suffering from the pains of my childhood trauma, and it was my inner child crying with frustration. Strangely I did not immediately notice the physical changes that were taking place: my stools were soft but no longer bloody.

One day, as I reflected on my sad childhood, I saw through the veil of my tears the first spring flowers in the garden: crocus, plum blossoms and water lilies. When I went out into the cool air I realised that these beautiful flowers had lived their whole lives without the possibility of voicing a complaint or running away from a problem.

I realised that despite my complaints about a lack of recognition at work, the lack of money in my life and so on, I still had more freedom than these plants (and most living things in nature).

My inner child had controlled me – but it behaved like a child without mature experience. I realised that I immediately became completely stressed when I perceived a subject as burdensome. But if I viewed a problem as a challenge, then I could manage to overcome that challenge.

I understood that the way I thought affected my overall health. I could no longer allow my inner child to determine my life, and I would not find peace if I continued to focus on the world of profit and materialism. I believe my illness taught me these lessons.
The ulcerative colitis healed completely within a month. When I told the homeopath this at my second consultation he smiled happily, as if he had known it would happen.
My whole being had changed. While I had previously been quite strict and a little perfectionist, I became rather careless. I did what I wanted to do when I wanted to do it. I became lazy about housework and my house always looked as if it had just been burgled. I only wanted to work in the garden and the more time I spent there, the happier I became - like a happy child without worries in the world. As I gave myself over to this life of contentment, I realised I wanted to develop my knowledge further and learn homeopathy.

The initial enthusiasm for my homeopathy training soon faded due to the difficulties I had with many of the course texts. The books were often over a hundred years old and peppered with Greek, Latin and Old English words. As a Japanese person it all seemed like Greek to me, and I noticed that many English students felt the same. I asked for special support because I was in tears after the lessons, but it was of no use. Perhaps they didn't know how to help me.

Despite the tears and the disappointment at not being able to master the texts, I did not give up the desire to learn homeopathy and to introduce this brilliant healing method to Japan. I decided to draw a line under it and continue my homeopathy training at another college where they were said to be more attentive to the needs of foreign students. When I then had a conversation with the director Robert Davidson, he said something very strange: "Welcome, we have been expecting you. We thought you were an experienced doctor, but here you are, a young woman... that does not matter. Homeopathy is urgently needed in the Far East - you must take your studies seriously and bring homeopathy to Japan!" Robert and the faculty supported me generously, as did my friend and Privatlehrer, the homeopath Meg Portal. After completing the three-year training I was fortunate to attend an advanced course by Dr William Nelson, who had worked on the Apollo space project. Dr Nelson taught anatomy, physiology, pathology and energising homeopathic treatments. After this course I went to the Homoeopathic Medical Association and became a registered homeopath.

Torako Yui's College

Throughout my homeopathic career I have repeatedly reviewed my working methods because I feel my patients help to heal me as often as I help them. Homeopathy not only cured my illness but also led me to a wonderfully fulfilling profession. I want to express my sincere gratitude to homeopathy and am convinced that - as Robert says - it is my vocation to bring homeopathy to Japan!“