Once traversed extensively in the realm of the western medicine, then engaged in the research of traditional Chinese medicine such as acupuncture, Chi-Gon, and parapsychology, Dr. Tsuei indicated that she now has a totally different perception of “Life” after such a long and winding road in her decades of medical research career.

“Life- how long has it existed on Earth?” This is the everlasting myth that haunted the world of science. To date there is no clear scientific evidence to provide a viable answer.

Philosophical thinking such as “Who am I?” and “Why do I exist?” has plagued the mankind as we ushered in the twenty first century. In this new age of scientific discovery and advanced technology, many ancient myth and even superstitions continue to enter the mainstream research. The scientific community worldwide and the medical research community have been able to lead the exploration of the unknown world. Hopefully those puzzling philosophical questions would be answered before long.

Do you know when do you begin your existence in this world?

Most people know their birthday. Because no matter you are born naturally or by a Caesarian operation, there is a definitive moment of birth when you enter the world as a crying baby. But De Cartes once said, “I think and I am.” So do you really know when you begin to live and exist in this world? According to the internationally well-known Obstetrician, Dr. Julia Tsuei, the consensus of the scientific community is very clear. When a fertilized egg attached to the womb and began to ingest nutrients from the circulated blood of the mother, the fetus started to produce its own unique information-bearing hormones that could cause changes to the mother, this is the moment when a life began.

From the viewpoint of the scientific community that pursues rationalization and experimental proof, an average woman produces over hundreds of thousands of eggs in her lifetime, only a very few of them would ever come into contact with male's sperm and becomes associated. The inseminated egg would still need to travel in the f-tube for three days before it reached the inner membrane wall of the womb. It would take another four days before the egg can locate a suitable spot on the wall of the womb and attached itself. Until then the inseminated egg is, strictly speaking, only a substance for life. If the inseminated egg withered before it reached the safe haven of mother's womb, or it was aborted before it even began the first fissure, it cannot be considered as life.

Dr. Julia Tsuei has been appointed the technical project leader of the “Family Plan” medical team of the US Agency of International Development (AID) and participated in the United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) to expand the concept and technique of family planning and birth control to Asian and African countries. In the process of promoting family planning, Dr. Tsuei has come into contact with many different religious views of life. She received numerous inquiries from people, “Are abortions the same as manslaughter? Does abortion bring damage to the spirit?”

Dr. Tsuei told us that the Catholics considered the inseminated egg as life and once a life is formed inside the mother, it should not be destroyed for any reason. Therefore any birth control apparatus are strictly forbidden in the Catholic countries. They consider that any measure to prevent a pregnancy is equivalent to manslaughter. The only acceptable birth control methodology is to use the safe period of a woman such that the sperms and eggs would not encounter each other and therefore avoid pregnancy.

The Christians, on the other hand, accept birth control, even allowing the use of birth control apparatus. But they do not encourage their followers to abortion. The Buddhist monks in Thailand believe that the spirit reincarnates and enters a human body at the time of the birth. A fetus is not considered as a life until it is born. Therefore the Buddhist allows any form of birth control but would not tolerate the destruction of life once it is born.

Are spirit and human life interconnected?

  Dr. Tsuei indicated that from her experience most cultures and religions acknowledge the fact that spirit and human life are closely intertwined. In another words, the spirit is an important element of life and spirit gives the life its vitality. This is a concept that we should not overlook.

Dr. Tsuei told us that the medical community has studied the “Spiritual Memory.” Patients are induced to recall their past by subjecting them to hypnosis. It was discovered that many people could actually remember the moment of their birth when the spirits enter their bodies. Subsequently whether people could recall even further into their past lives has become a new and fascinating area for scientists to explore.

So different countries and religions all have different interpretations for the concept of “human life.” They also have different codes and regulations governing issues of life. Common people would, more or less, be subject to these restrictions and guidance. Some would accept such codes willingly. Some would struggle against codes that they disagree with. For example, there is a major controversial debate in the recent release of a new health policy that gives women the right to abortion. Religious community, women group, and judicial community would each have vastly different views of the new policy. The discussion covers diverse subject matters such as human nature, morality, law, and sexual abuse. In fact such debates have been going on for ages in the western countries. There has been no consensus yet.

Once traversed extensively in the realm of the western medicine, then engaged in the research of traditional Chinese medicine such as acupuncture, Chi-Gon, and parapsychology, Dr. Tsuei indicated that she now has a totally different perception of “Life” after such a long and winding road in her decades of medical research career.

Does human life has its own journey and rules?

Dr. Julia Tsuei indicated that when she began years ago to promote family planning and to advocate the legalization of abortion, she has a clear mission and goal. She does not want to see sexually abused teenager girls suffer permanent infertility in the hands of unlicensed underground physicians, or sometimes die from infections and hemorrhage due to unclean operations. Furthermore, when an unwanted child is born into a married family, she wants to see such child receiving the love and proper cultivation of the parent. So she agrees that if a pregnancy is not planned and such child may suffer an unfair treatment while growing up, the parent should be allowed to decide whether to abort or not. Thus far, the family planning and birth control have made significant progresses because of the consideration of economy, population explosion, and women's right.

Now she is having a serious second thought about what she advocated in the past. She is no longer certain whether a human intervention in birth control is warranted. “From the broader view of the universe, if a spirit decides to reincarnate into an unwanted or miserable environment, is it not a chosen journey for this spirit? But we interfere its own code, is it really appropriate?” These questions bother Dr. Tsuei deeply. She is now in the personal quest for answers.

Human life is never accidental.

If a matured man and a matured woman decide to become pregnant and bring a new life to this world, what are their best choices?

Dr. Tsuei answered that theoretically two individuals with good health can certainly bring forth a new life under the proper environment. For those people that want to have male child, Dr, Tsuei suggested that the couple should have sexual intercourse before or during the ovulation because the egg would be fresh. The vanguard sperms are typically the light and swift Y-cell. The chance of getting a boy is much increased. If the parent wants a girl, then the couple should copulate after the ovulation. Of course if the parent has no preference for a boy or girl, then the couple should time their union when they have are healthy and in a good mood. The most critical thing is that both parents must want the child.

When a child is conceived, the western medicine believes in fetus cultivation. A proper one would bring great benefits to the child's growing up and formulating his character. The research has shown that listening to music makes a positive influence on the unborn baby.

Whether a mother should go through a Caesarian operation in order to give the baby the best birthday so that he/she would “win from the starting line”. Dr. Tsuei clearly indicated that she is opposed to such notion. She believes that the Caesarian operation may cause irreversible damage to the baby.

Dr, Tsuei said that the mother offers the best choice for a baby. The child grows inside the mother. He/she is fed by the blood of the mother inside her womb. After the birth, the baby would continue to be fed by her milk. Each life has the right to determine when to leave the mother's body. In another words, every life form is a result of the nature. When it is ready, a natural birth would be the best way to come into this world. Unless there is life-threatening danger, the parent should let the child decide when to come out.

Dr. Tsuei said that after years of tracking and discovery, the naturally born child has gone through the contraction and struggle to come out mother's body, it usually is more healthy and with a strong spirit. By comparison, the baby from Caesarian operation has experienced the sudden shock of the operation and therefore lacks a strong character in growing up. They are also prune to being easily frightened. Furthermore the baby who went through an incubator has experienced the fear and isolation early in its life. Such negative feelings stay in the subconscious mind and may have adverse effect on the development of personality.

ecently the research on the body, mind, and spirit has created much momentum and has a rippling effect in the science community. Dr. Tsuei is trekking in the massive flow of information in this field. “Concerning the origin of a human life,” Dr. Tsuei said, “The genes of the parent combines with the spirit of the individual become life itself.” But the human life is never accidental. There are strong will power and energy behind every life. This is something that every one of us should respect.