Smiling and serene Michio Kushi arrived in Detroit Tuesday, the 31st day of January to talk about his life work, Macrobiotics. To audiences that night at the residence of Bill Reid and Ken Burns and at Jim Semark’s the next, he explained that Macrobiotics is a dietary approach to living based on the principle of yin and yang, two terms for which he has been unable to find an equivalent in our language.
Americans have gone to the extremes of yin and yang in the form of sugar and meat, thus making it difficult for Americans to achieve balance in their attitudes, emotions and activities.
As he spoke, it rapidly became apparent that Macrobiotics was not merely a dietary discipline but a key to a state of being in which there is no sickness and no fear, an all-comprehending philosophy which people of all stations, circumstances and faiths can practice. His way of saying this was “Macrobiotics is transparent.”
To a great many questions concerning the nature of reality that were couched in mystical and metaphysical terms he replied, “Eat well and you will see more clearly into these things.”
His concept of eating well involved a diet composed of 70% grains and 30% cooked vegetables, the avoidance as much as possible of sugar, especially white, refined sugar, and a greatly reduced intake of fluids.
Again and again he cautioned those present not to alter their present diet too rapidly but to give their bodies and their minds enough time to adjust. A gradual changeover is the most intelligent.
Mr. Kushi departed convinced that Macrobiotics would find a wide audience in Detroit. Those interested may call 923-0968 for further information.