Guest guest Posted September 4, 2007 Report Share Posted September 4, 2007 Dearest , Your gift in this post means so much to me! I myself have been struggling lately with past experiences and this post if so helpful for gaining my power and to re-member I am not a Victim of my circumstances, I can change my way of thinking permanently for the good, raising my awareness and love higher which in turn aids me in loving others with much more love and understanding. I do believe all people are special, loving and unique but this gives me such incentive to strive even more for that total inner peace from those past " ickees " that at times I allow to get me down. Thank you kind and sweet , I def shall keep this post, as I have a whole folder full of the amazing things that you and all my awesme family has posted. And what you said at the end, oh, you are such a positive beam of light in my life, dear! It is true all things are possible and Shine on, dear ! Much love and gratitude, LUNA --- In , " karmarqu69 " <karmarqu69@...> wrote: > > Thanks and Blessings > betty > <http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vcHJvZmlsZS5teXNwYWNlLmNvbS9pbmRle C5\ > jZm0/ZnVzZWFjdGlvbj11c2VyLnZpZXdwcm9maWxlJmZyaWVuZGlkPTE3NTc0NTYwMCZNe VR\ > va2VuPTFkNDQ4MzNlLTgyNDgtNDMwNy04MDBiLTYzZTFjOWMzMjQ3Nw==> > > > > Thanks and Blessing > > >Odyssey Spirit ~~tina~~ > > > Healing: Why We Don't and How We Can > > Caroline Myss > > > [Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket] > <http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vcGhvdG9idWNrZXQuY29t> > > So many people in the process of healing are, at the same time, feeling > stuck. They are striving to confront their painful experiences, > valiantly working to bring meaning to past traumas, and exercising > compassionate understanding of others who share their wounds. But they > are still not healing. Rather, they have redefined their lives around > their wounds and the process of accepting them. > > When we define ourselves in this way—what I call > " woundology " —we lose our physical and spiritual energy, and > open ourselves to the risk of illness. We are not > > meant to stay wounded. We are supposed to move through our tragedies and > challenges and to help others move through theirs. By remaining stuck in > the power of our wounds, we block our own transformation. We overlook > the greater gifts inherent in our wounds—the strength to overcome > them and the lessons we are meant to receive through them. Wounds teach > us to become passionate and wise. > [Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket] > <http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vcGhvdG9idWNrZXQuY29t> > THE MYTHS > > There are five central myths that make healing nearly impossible. Each > supports the consciousness of woundology. These beliefs are so powerful > that they sometimes seem to be stronger than our beliefs about the > possibility of healing. > > The way to break the controlling force of a myth is to recognize that > you personally believe it and that while you may share this belief with > others, it is not necessarily a fact. Then, you need to work consciously > to detach yourself from its influence. No myth releases itself from the > psyche without a fight, yet if you are intent on genuine healing, you > must carry on that fight and develop thought forms to supplant these > myths and support your health. > [Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket] > <http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vcGhvdG9idWNrZXQuY29t> > MYTH 1: My life is defined by my wound. > > It is virtually impossible not to be influenced by a personal history of > emotional or psychological wounds. Both literally and symbolically, what > we experience permeates our bodies. Your biography is your biology. > > Many people come to believe, however, that their lives are only a > compilation of psychological wounds that they feel they can do little to > heal. They project their past experience onto everything that has since > come into their lives. Although this state of mind is sad, self- limiting > and defeatist, some people derive great power from maintaining it > because it gives them permission to lead a life of limited > responsibility. It allows them to lean on others for assistance, playing > on their guilt to keep that assistance coming. > > As the years go by, and you become accustomed to this kind of power and > self-protection, it is more and more difficult to change. The only way > to release the grip of this myth is to take more responsibility for the > quality of your life. Instead of wishing that you weighed 50 pounds > less, start walking and change your diet, even if you walk just a mile > and day and eliminate only a few high-fat foods. > > When you find yourself saying or thinking, " I could have been a > ____________, but my wounded past prevented me from achieving it, " > then take steps to fulfill that impossible goal. > > Questions for Self-Examination: > > 1. Do you make excuses for why you're not doing more positive things > with your life? > > 2. Do you compare your history of wounds with others? If so, why? > > 3. If you feel more wounded than someone else, does that make you feel > empowered? > [Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket] > <http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vcGhvdG9idWNrZXQuY29t> > MYTH 2: Being healthy means being alone. > > For many people, the fear of independence —and by extension, of > being alone —lies at the core of their inability to heal. Moreover, > they believe that once they are healed they will always be healed and > that emotional and psychological support will evaporate. > > The truth is that whether we are healed or are in the process of > healing, we will always need loving friends and family; a community > based not just on wounds or neediness but also on shared interests and > emotional nurturing. > > The requirements for healing are tough; they may demand that you let go > of old friends. If so, keep in mind the cyclical nature of life. > Loneliness and friendship can each play a role in your healing at > different times. > [Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket] > <http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vcGhvdG9idWNrZXQuY29t> > Questions for Self-Examination > > 1. Are you afraid that if you heal, your support group will abandon you > or be less sympathetic to you? > > 2. When you picture yourself as healed, are you the only one in the > room? > > 3. Do you see emotional wounds as a means of bonding with another, and > does healing mean having to separate from that person? > [Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket] > <http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vcGhvdG9idWNrZXQuY29t> > MYTH 3: Feeling pain means being destroyed by pain. > > Often pain signals the presence of illness, either emotional or > physical. But pain is also a teacher, pointing to an area that is > begging for repair. Drugging pain can mislead us into thinking we are > healing when we are not. Instead of immediately medicating ourselves, we > should examine why we have a pain or a pattern of physical aches and > pains. > > One way is to being by studying yourself. Pay attention to how many > thoughts and attitudes you hold each day that are painful. Write them > down so that you can see them clearly and can recognize the physical > damage they can do to your body. You may come to realize that you dwell > on painful images of yourself or on pain-filled beliefs about life. You > may even realize that you are, at your core, a pessimist. Or you may > come to recognize that it is not your pain that you are carrying but the > grief of others whom you want to protect. It may even become possible > for you to understand pain as a spiritual challenge that has come into > your life as a means of making your state of mind stronger than you ever > could have imagined. > > Questions for Self-Examination: > > 1. Do you think of pain as always being an enemy? > > 2. Have you ever learned anything from physical pain? If so, what? > > 3. To cope with pain, are you more likely to take medication or use > meditation or > > another inner discipline? > > 4. Have you ever been addicted to pain medication or sleeping pills? > [Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket] > <http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vcGhvdG9idWNrZXQuY29t> > MYTH 4: Illness is the result of negativity. > > Our thoughts powerfully influence the health of our minds and bodies, > and delving into our inner selves is essential to the healing process. > Yet negative patterns are not always at the root of illness, and a > failure to heal should not always be blamed on negative past experiences > or on negative beliefs buried deep in the unconscious mind. > > Sometimes illness is the result of a complex of causes, and it can be > futile to try to reduce it to a single factor. Healing would be better > served by investigating our past for positive patterns as well as > negative ones. > > Questions for Self-Examination: > > 1. Are you always searching for what you did to deserve your illness? > > 2. Do you believe that you won't be able to heal until you uncover > what you did wrong? > > 3. Do you find yourself dwelling on past negative experiences, believing > that this actually enhances your healing? > > > > > > MYTH 5: True change is impossible. > > No one likes to change. Yet the truth is, healing and change are the > same thing. They are composed of the same energy, and we cannot heal > without first investigating what behavioral patterns and attitudes we > need to alter. Once those characteristics are identified, we have to do > something about them. > > And action brings about change. To work change into the depths of our > nature, we need to come to grips with those characteristics within us > that we have avoided. We are often completely unaware of parts of our > personalities, either because we do not want to recognize them or > because we have never paid attention to our shadow side. > > Questions for Self-Examination: > > 1. Do you think about change more than you act to bring it about? > > 2. Do you always imagine that change will be troublesome and depressing > rather than exciting? > > 3. Do you think of change as something that will make your life feel > chaotic? > > [Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket] > <http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vcGhvdG9idWNrZXQuY29t> > [Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket] > <http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vcGhvdG9idWNrZXQuY29t> > IGNITING THE HEALING FIRE > > It's one thing to understand intellectually the steps you need to > take to heal. It's quite another to understand what you need to do > on an emotional level. > > To ignite the healing fire, you need to believe something with your > heart. The heart holds the catalyst that causes the rest of the > body-mind to heal. > > Here are 12 ways to maximize your healing potential: > > 1. Learn to say no. > > The most important thing you can do for yourself in a crisis situation > is to learn to manage your time. You have to put yourself first. Whether > you're healthy or trying to heal, ask yourself: Is this what I want > to put my time into right now? Whenever you find yourself in a life > crisis, ask the following questions: > > A) Who are the most important people in my life? > > B.) Am I investing my time in the people and things that matter most to > me, both for healing and for living a meaningful life? > > C.) If not, what am I willing to do about that? > > You may need to cut down on the time you spend with people whose > orientation and behavior no longer fi t in with your need to heal. Using > time wisely also means leaving empty space for yourself, time to do > nothing so that you allow new ideas and feelings to come to the surface. > An illness, a trauma, or a life crisis can become an opportunity to > explore life at a slower pace. > > 2. Change course immediately. > > People often tell me that until they can figure out what treatment is > best for them, they feel safer not doing anything. I take that to mean > that they are not ready to make the necessary changes in their lives. > Healing is a " present time " challenge. Postponing the decision > to shift gears is dangerous. It is much wiser—and safer—to start > anywhere than to do nothing. > > Every positive choice activates a new current of energy in your life. A > change does not have to be big to be effective: Introducing a shift in > your nutrition or adding an exercise regime is a good beginning. > > 3. Practice cyclic thinking. > > The perception that time and life are linear handicaps the healing > process. Example: " If this treatment does not help within a month, > then it's not working, and I'm not healing. " Healing is, > above all, a learning experience, and one of its biggest lessons is that > life is characterized by impermanence and flux. If you can learn to > accept change with equanimity, you will have mastered a lot more than > just an illness. > > Cyclic thinking is also one of the most effective means of learning to > forgive. Forgiveness frees up the energy for necessary healing. Part of > the problem with the victim mentality is that it overlooks the ways in > which we ourselves perpetuate what was done to us. > > The next time you are caught up in angry thoughts about a past injury, > try this exercise: Look closely at your actions over the past week and > see if you are committing the same kind of injustice or abuse that you > have suffered. You may feel, for instance, that during your childhood, > you were wrongly judged and that this judgment has influenced how people > think of you today. When you start to feel the weight of that memory, > look at whether you have judged someone else in a similar fashion. > > You need to both forgive yourself for making the judgment and forgive > the person who judged you unfairly all those years ago. > > 4. Have realistic goals for yourself. > > Just as no one can train to run a marathon in one day, living a healthy > life or healing an illness requires that you practice regularly whatever > disciplines you adopt, whether they are medical treatments, nutritional > changes, an exercise regimen, visualizations, or meditation. > > Many new fears may emerge following the diagnosis of an illness, or when > you experience a setback or tragedy in your life. You need to be patient > with yourself. If you feel depressed or anxious, step back and see when > and in what context those feelings appear. > > Or you can try this Sufi exercise, called " A Mile from Baghdad. " > > Close your eyes and see yourself walking down a lonely stretch of desert > road that seems to go on forever. Feel the sun beating down, the hot > sand beneath your feet, an overpowering thirst and fatigue. Let yourself > experience both the aridity of the place and your own loneliness and > desperation. Then find an outcropping of rock beside the road and settle > down for the night. Watch the sun set, and feel the cool night air. > > Now leave the rock formation and look around. In the distance you see > twinkling lights, and you begin to hear the soft strains of music. You > realize there is a city filled with people quite close by. You believed > you were in the middle of a barren desert, but you were really only a > mile from Baghdad. > > Let the realization sink in that relief is near at hand and you have > only a short way to walk. As you relax in that knowledge, say a brief > prayer of thanksgiving. > > If you do not notice any change in your body in the first month of your > effort to heal, it does not mean that changes are not happening. They > may be occurring at an energetic level and will eventually cause > positive mental, spiritual, and even physical changes. You may be a lot > closer to your goal than you realize. > [Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket] > <http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vcGhvdG9idWNrZXQuY29t> > 5. Develop your will power. > > Desiring to heal is not the same as having the will to heal. You need to > train your mind and emotions to respond to the positive commands you > create. And these positive thoughts must become the dominant perceptions > with which your mind and emotions connect. Doing a thirty-minute > visualization once or twice a day and then returning to fear-fi lled > thoughts the rest of the day negates the influence of your positive > work. > > Keeping your focus in a positive direction takes practice. You do not > need to develop your focus as completely as a meditation master, but you > do need to achieve a working relationship with your inner resources so > you can quickly eclipse a negative thought with a positive one. > > The use of a mantra—a word or phrase you repeat silently to > yourself—is very effective in learning to focus. > > Another way of learning to control your mind and emotions is to work > with the distractions in your everyday life. Suppose you become > irritated while waiting in traffic. This is a perfect situation in which > to practice commanding your energy to remain within your body instead of > leaking out. > > 6. Healing is not a quest to solve your mysteries but to learn how to > live within them. > > Illness remains one of the great mysteries of life. You may wonder if > your disease is tied to your traumatic marriage, or your childhood, or > toxins in the environment. Get past the questions. > > The purpose of the mysteries in our lives may well be to lead us out of > our dependence on human reasoning into acceptance that Divine > intelligence is in control. > > Practice placing your questions in the hands of the Divine. Visualize > God or Buddha > > or or the Tao pulling your questions away from you and your energy. > Feel yourself freed from concern and doubt and filled with a gentle > healing glow that suffuses every part of your body and mind. > > > > 7. Cultivate grace. > > The spirit needs nourishment to heal, just as the mind and body do. > Build up the courage to act by inspiring yourself with the stories and > wisdom of those who have changed their lives forever by taking action, > through entering the dark night of the soul fearlessly. > > Sample the wisdom of unfamiliar traditions: Explore the Kabbalah; > entertain yourself with Sufi parables; study the sermons of the Buddha > or the simple teachings of the Vietnamese Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh; > examine the mystical writings of the Christian Desert Fathers or the > text of the Upanishads. > > As you absorb truths and stories that nourish the spirit, you will feel > a release of energy in you. This energy can only be called > " grace " . It is a vibrational force of such power that it can > lift you for an instant out of your immediate circumstances and fill you > with the perception that there is nothing you cannot handle. > > In case you think that miracles don't happen to ordinary people, let > me tell you a story that happened to me. Satya Sai Baba is a living > saint in India who is said, among other things, to be able to manifest > objects, from holy ashes to precious stones, out of thin air. This > ability is known in Sanskrit is vibhuti— " revelation " or > " power. " A few years ago I was having trouble keeping my > balance. No matter what I did, this condition kept getting worse, so as > a last resort before I went to sleep, I said a prayer to Sai Baba: > " I need some vibhuti, and I need it now. I'm in bad > trouble. " > > The next morning I received a package from an acquaintance in Copenhagen > whom I hadn't heard from in five years; inside was a small tube > filled with ashes, with a label that read, " To Caroline Myss from > Satya Sai Baba. " Since the mail from Denmark usually takes several > days, the answer to my prayer must have been on the way to me before I > uttered the words. > > Within hours of receiving the vibhuti, my balance returned and I have > never had the problem again. > > Every situation in your life has been created with the energy of grace. > Pay attention to the ordinary moments as much as to the extraordinary > ones and recognize that behind the scenes of those events is the energy > of the Divine. > > 8. Use sacred imagery. > > Whether you use visualization or actual objects, sacred imagery is a > profound way to feel a connection with the heavens. If you have a > favorite representation of the Divine, a personal saint, or a revered > spiritual teacher, keep it with you. Although you can't carry around > your altar or sacred space, you can carry a small image, reminding you > that you are never truly alone. > > 9. Learn something new every day. > > Learning activates passion, and passion is power—in fact it is one > of the strongest forms of energy that we can generate within our body. > Passion is a connection to life itself, giving us a reason to want to > see tomorrow. > > Like meditation, developing and pursuing a passion is its own reward, > but it can also generate many valuable side effects. We don't know > where our passions will take us or what subsidiary benefi ts may accrue > from following our hearts and our bliss. > > 10. Create a new vocabulary for yourself. > > Although there is no harm in expressing the pain and fear that illness > brings into your life, you want to avoid falling into the pit of > constantly " speaking pain. " Toward that end, create a new > vocabulary for yourself that describes your condition in optimistic, > healing, or spiritual terms. One woman I know referred to her illness as > a friend " who has come to teach me great truths. " > > Calling her illness a friend helped her lessen the fear of her situation > and helped her feel she could communicate with her illness; she also > felt it would leave her when their time together was complete. Once > healed, she actually held a ritual saying farewell to her friend—a > fine antidote to lingering woundology. > > 11. Review daily where you have plugged in your energy circuits. > > Pay attention to any feeling that energy is leaving your body and assess > why and where it is going. If your energy attaches itself to a target > that is draining your energy, tell yourself to detach. Learn to sense > the flow of energy into and out of your body. > > You already know the sensation of energy leaving your body when you are > angry or frightened—you feel instantly weakened, or develop a > headache or backache. Any physical symptom is a signal that you are > losing energy. As a preemptive action, direct your energy circuits each > day into positive sources that can help you feel filled with power and > light. > > One person I know visualizes his circuits connecting to the statues of > Jesus and that stand in the church he attends. Other people I know > visualize their energy circuits connected to the sun or other aspects of > nature. > > 12. Practice gratitude whenever you feel overwhelmed. > > Feeling appreciative makes live thrive in our systems. Make gratitude a > practice. Do not look for only the large and obvious reasons to be > grateful. Learn to see you life through a wide-angle lens that includes > every detail. > > In your effort to appreciate all that is in your life, include yourself. > Spoil yourself with gifts of time—time to know yourself better and > to appreciate those who are part of your life. Indulge yourself in ways > you have always wanted to. Wander off your beaten path. > > Few obstacles that we encounter are life-threatening, but disease is. > And psychologically and spiritually devastating experiences such as the > loss of a child or a painful divorce can also be dangerous; the anguish > they generate can lead to a large-scale physical breakdown or the risk > of suicide. > > Be committed to your effort to return to mental and physical health. > Don't let the limitations that you experience today influence what > you may experience tomorrow. > > All things are possible, and heaven is always listening. > > LOVE~ALL~WAYS > KAREN~KARMA > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 5, 2007 Report Share Posted September 5, 2007 I send blessings of love in abundance to you Betty.. Hugs ~Karma > > > > Thanks and Blessings > > betty > > > <http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vcHJvZmlsZS5teXNwYWNlLmNvbS9pbmRle > C5\ > > > jZm0/ZnVzZWFjdGlvbj11c2VyLnZpZXdwcm9maWxlJmZyaWVuZGlkPTE3NTc0NTYwMCZNe > VR\ > > va2VuPTFkNDQ4MzNlLTgyNDgtNDMwNy04MDBiLTYzZTFjOWMzMjQ3Nw==> > > > > > > > > Thanks and Blessing > > > > >Odyssey Spirit ~~tina~~ > > > > > > Healing: Why We Don't and How We Can > > > > Caroline Myss > > > > > > [Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket] > > <http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vcGhvdG9idWNrZXQuY29t> > > > > So many people in the process of healing are, at the same time, > feeling > > stuck. They are striving to confront their painful experiences, > > valiantly working to bring meaning to past traumas, and exercising > > compassionate understanding of others who share their wounds. But > they > > are still not healing. Rather, they have redefined their lives > around > > their wounds and the process of accepting them. > > > > When we define ourselves in this way—what I call > > " woundology " —we lose our physical and spiritual energy, and > > open ourselves to the risk of illness. We are not > > > > meant to stay wounded. We are supposed to move through our > tragedies and > > challenges and to help others move through theirs. By remaining > stuck in > > the power of our wounds, we block our own transformation. We > overlook > > the greater gifts inherent in our wounds—the strength to overcome > > them and the lessons we are meant to receive through them. Wounds > teach > > us to become passionate and wise. > > [Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket] > > <http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vcGhvdG9idWNrZXQuY29t> > > THE MYTHS > > > > There are five central myths that make healing nearly impossible. > Each > > supports the consciousness of woundology. These beliefs are so > powerful > > that they sometimes seem to be stronger than our beliefs about the > > possibility of healing. > > > > The way to break the controlling force of a myth is to recognize > that > > you personally believe it and that while you may share this belief > with > > others, it is not necessarily a fact. Then, you need to work > consciously > > to detach yourself from its influence. No myth releases itself from > the > > psyche without a fight, yet if you are intent on genuine healing, > you > > must carry on that fight and develop thought forms to supplant these > > myths and support your health. > > [Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket] > > <http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vcGhvdG9idWNrZXQuY29t> > > MYTH 1: My life is defined by my wound. > > > > It is virtually impossible not to be influenced by a personal > history of > > emotional or psychological wounds. Both literally and symbolically, > what > > we experience permeates our bodies. Your biography is your biology. > > > > Many people come to believe, however, that their lives are only a > > compilation of psychological wounds that they feel they can do > little to > > heal. They project their past experience onto everything that has > since > > come into their lives. Although this state of mind is sad, self- > limiting > > and defeatist, some people derive great power from maintaining it > > because it gives them permission to lead a life of limited > > responsibility. It allows them to lean on others for assistance, > playing > > on their guilt to keep that assistance coming. > > > > As the years go by, and you become accustomed to this kind of power > and > > self-protection, it is more and more difficult to change. The only > way > > to release the grip of this myth is to take more responsibility for > the > > quality of your life. Instead of wishing that you weighed 50 pounds > > less, start walking and change your diet, even if you walk just a > mile > > and day and eliminate only a few high-fat foods. > > > > When you find yourself saying or thinking, " I could have been a > > ____________, but my wounded past prevented me from achieving it, " > > then take steps to fulfill that impossible goal. > > > > Questions for Self-Examination: > > > > 1. Do you make excuses for why you're not doing more positive things > > with your life? > > > > 2. Do you compare your history of wounds with others? If so, why? > > > > 3. If you feel more wounded than someone else, does that make you > feel > > empowered? > > [Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket] > > <http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vcGhvdG9idWNrZXQuY29t> > > MYTH 2: Being healthy means being alone. > > > > For many people, the fear of independence —and by extension, of > > being alone —lies at the core of their inability to heal. Moreover, > > they believe that once they are healed they will always be healed > and > > that emotional and psychological support will evaporate. > > > > The truth is that whether we are healed or are in the process of > > healing, we will always need loving friends and family; a community > > based not just on wounds or neediness but also on shared interests > and > > emotional nurturing. > > > > The requirements for healing are tough; they may demand that you > let go > > of old friends. If so, keep in mind the cyclical nature of life. > > Loneliness and friendship can each play a role in your healing at > > different times. > > [Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket] > > <http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vcGhvdG9idWNrZXQuY29t> > > Questions for Self-Examination > > > > 1. Are you afraid that if you heal, your support group will abandon > you > > or be less sympathetic to you? > > > > 2. When you picture yourself as healed, are you the only one in the > > room? > > > > 3. Do you see emotional wounds as a means of bonding with another, > and > > does healing mean having to separate from that person? > > [Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket] > > <http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vcGhvdG9idWNrZXQuY29t> > > MYTH 3: Feeling pain means being destroyed by pain. > > > > Often pain signals the presence of illness, either emotional or > > physical. But pain is also a teacher, pointing to an area that is > > begging for repair. Drugging pain can mislead us into thinking we > are > > healing when we are not. Instead of immediately medicating > ourselves, we > > should examine why we have a pain or a pattern of physical aches and > > pains. > > > > One way is to being by studying yourself. Pay attention to how many > > thoughts and attitudes you hold each day that are painful. Write > them > > down so that you can see them clearly and can recognize the physical > > damage they can do to your body. You may come to realize that you > dwell > > on painful images of yourself or on pain-filled beliefs about life. > You > > may even realize that you are, at your core, a pessimist. Or you may > > come to recognize that it is not your pain that you are carrying > but the > > grief of others whom you want to protect. It may even become > possible > > for you to understand pain as a spiritual challenge that has come > into > > your life as a means of making your state of mind stronger than you > ever > > could have imagined. > > > > Questions for Self-Examination: > > > > 1. Do you think of pain as always being an enemy? > > > > 2. Have you ever learned anything from physical pain? If so, what? > > > > 3. To cope with pain, are you more likely to take medication or use > > meditation or > > > > another inner discipline? > > > > 4. Have you ever been addicted to pain medication or sleeping pills? > > [Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket] > > <http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vcGhvdG9idWNrZXQuY29t> > > MYTH 4: Illness is the result of negativity. > > > > Our thoughts powerfully influence the health of our minds and > bodies, > > and delving into our inner selves is essential to the healing > process. > > Yet negative patterns are not always at the root of illness, and a > > failure to heal should not always be blamed on negative past > experiences > > or on negative beliefs buried deep in the unconscious mind. > > > > Sometimes illness is the result of a complex of causes, and it can > be > > futile to try to reduce it to a single factor. Healing would be > better > > served by investigating our past for positive patterns as well as > > negative ones. > > > > Questions for Self-Examination: > > > > 1. Are you always searching for what you did to deserve your > illness? > > > > 2. Do you believe that you won't be able to heal until you uncover > > what you did wrong? > > > > 3. Do you find yourself dwelling on past negative experiences, > believing > > that this actually enhances your healing? > > > > > > > > > > > > MYTH 5: True change is impossible. > > > > No one likes to change. Yet the truth is, healing and change are the > > same thing. They are composed of the same energy, and we cannot heal > > without first investigating what behavioral patterns and attitudes > we > > need to alter. Once those characteristics are identified, we have > to do > > something about them. > > > > And action brings about change. To work change into the depths of > our > > nature, we need to come to grips with those characteristics within > us > > that we have avoided. We are often completely unaware of parts of > our > > personalities, either because we do not want to recognize them or > > because we have never paid attention to our shadow side. > > > > Questions for Self-Examination: > > > > 1. Do you think about change more than you act to bring it about? > > > > 2. Do you always imagine that change will be troublesome and > depressing > > rather than exciting? > > > > 3. Do you think of change as something that will make your life feel > > chaotic? > > > > [Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket] > > <http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vcGhvdG9idWNrZXQuY29t> > > [Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket] > > <http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vcGhvdG9idWNrZXQuY29t> > > IGNITING THE HEALING FIRE > > > > It's one thing to understand intellectually the steps you need to > > take to heal. It's quite another to understand what you need to do > > on an emotional level. > > > > To ignite the healing fire, you need to believe something with your > > heart. The heart holds the catalyst that causes the rest of the > > body-mind to heal. > > > > Here are 12 ways to maximize your healing potential: > > > > 1. Learn to say no. > > > > The most important thing you can do for yourself in a crisis > situation > > is to learn to manage your time. You have to put yourself first. > Whether > > you're healthy or trying to heal, ask yourself: Is this what I want > > to put my time into right now? Whenever you find yourself in a life > > crisis, ask the following questions: > > > > A) Who are the most important people in my life? > > > > B.) Am I investing my time in the people and things that matter > most to > > me, both for healing and for living a meaningful life? > > > > C.) If not, what am I willing to do about that? > > > > You may need to cut down on the time you spend with people whose > > orientation and behavior no longer fi t in with your need to heal. > Using > > time wisely also means leaving empty space for yourself, time to do > > nothing so that you allow new ideas and feelings to come to the > surface. > > An illness, a trauma, or a life crisis can become an opportunity to > > explore life at a slower pace. > > > > 2. Change course immediately. > > > > People often tell me that until they can figure out what treatment > is > > best for them, they feel safer not doing anything. I take that to > mean > > that they are not ready to make the necessary changes in their > lives. > > Healing is a " present time " challenge. Postponing the decision > > to shift gears is dangerous. It is much wiser—and safer—to start > > anywhere than to do nothing. > > > > Every positive choice activates a new current of energy in your > life. A > > change does not have to be big to be effective: Introducing a shift > in > > your nutrition or adding an exercise regime is a good beginning. > > > > 3. Practice cyclic thinking. > > > > The perception that time and life are linear handicaps the healing > > process. Example: " If this treatment does not help within a month, > > then it's not working, and I'm not healing. " Healing is, > > above all, a learning experience, and one of its biggest lessons is > that > > life is characterized by impermanence and flux. If you can learn to > > accept change with equanimity, you will have mastered a lot more > than > > just an illness. > > > > Cyclic thinking is also one of the most effective means of learning > to > > forgive. Forgiveness frees up the energy for necessary healing. > Part of > > the problem with the victim mentality is that it overlooks the ways > in > > which we ourselves perpetuate what was done to us. > > > > The next time you are caught up in angry thoughts about a past > injury, > > try this exercise: Look closely at your actions over the past week > and > > see if you are committing the same kind of injustice or abuse that > you > > have suffered. You may feel, for instance, that during your > childhood, > > you were wrongly judged and that this judgment has influenced how > people > > think of you today. When you start to feel the weight of that > memory, > > look at whether you have judged someone else in a similar fashion. > > > > You need to both forgive yourself for making the judgment and > forgive > > the person who judged you unfairly all those years ago. > > > > 4. Have realistic goals for yourself. > > > > Just as no one can train to run a marathon in one day, living a > healthy > > life or healing an illness requires that you practice regularly > whatever > > disciplines you adopt, whether they are medical treatments, > nutritional > > changes, an exercise regimen, visualizations, or meditation. > > > > Many new fears may emerge following the diagnosis of an illness, or > when > > you experience a setback or tragedy in your life. You need to be > patient > > with yourself. If you feel depressed or anxious, step back and see > when > > and in what context those feelings appear. > > > > Or you can try this Sufi exercise, called " A Mile from Baghdad. " > > > > Close your eyes and see yourself walking down a lonely stretch of > desert > > road that seems to go on forever. Feel the sun beating down, the hot > > sand beneath your feet, an overpowering thirst and fatigue. Let > yourself > > experience both the aridity of the place and your own loneliness and > > desperation. Then find an outcropping of rock beside the road and > settle > > down for the night. Watch the sun set, and feel the cool night air. > > > > Now leave the rock formation and look around. In the distance you > see > > twinkling lights, and you begin to hear the soft strains of music. > You > > realize there is a city filled with people quite close by. You > believed > > you were in the middle of a barren desert, but you were really only > a > > mile from Baghdad. > > > > Let the realization sink in that relief is near at hand and you have > > only a short way to walk. As you relax in that knowledge, say a > brief > > prayer of thanksgiving. > > > > If you do not notice any change in your body in the first month of > your > > effort to heal, it does not mean that changes are not happening. > They > > may be occurring at an energetic level and will eventually cause > > positive mental, spiritual, and even physical changes. You may be a > lot > > closer to your goal than you realize. > > [Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket] > > <http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vcGhvdG9idWNrZXQuY29t> > > 5. Develop your will power. > > > > Desiring to heal is not the same as having the will to heal. You > need to > > train your mind and emotions to respond to the positive commands you > > create. And these positive thoughts must become the dominant > perceptions > > with which your mind and emotions connect. Doing a thirty-minute > > visualization once or twice a day and then returning to fear-fi lled > > thoughts the rest of the day negates the influence of your positive > > work. > > > > Keeping your focus in a positive direction takes practice. You do > not > > need to develop your focus as completely as a meditation master, > but you > > do need to achieve a working relationship with your inner resources > so > > you can quickly eclipse a negative thought with a positive one. > > > > The use of a mantra—a word or phrase you repeat silently to > > yourself—is very effective in learning to focus. > > > > Another way of learning to control your mind and emotions is to work > > with the distractions in your everyday life. Suppose you become > > irritated while waiting in traffic. This is a perfect situation in > which > > to practice commanding your energy to remain within your body > instead of > > leaking out. > > > > 6. Healing is not a quest to solve your mysteries but to learn how > to > > live within them. > > > > Illness remains one of the great mysteries of life. You may wonder > if > > your disease is tied to your traumatic marriage, or your childhood, > or > > toxins in the environment. Get past the questions. > > > > The purpose of the mysteries in our lives may well be to lead us > out of > > our dependence on human reasoning into acceptance that Divine > > intelligence is in control. > > > > Practice placing your questions in the hands of the Divine. > Visualize > > God or Buddha > > > > or or the Tao pulling your questions away from you and your > energy. > > Feel yourself freed from concern and doubt and filled with a gentle > > healing glow that suffuses every part of your body and mind. > > > > > > > > 7. Cultivate grace. > > > > The spirit needs nourishment to heal, just as the mind and body do. > > Build up the courage to act by inspiring yourself with the stories > and > > wisdom of those who have changed their lives forever by taking > action, > > through entering the dark night of the soul fearlessly. > > > > Sample the wisdom of unfamiliar traditions: Explore the Kabbalah; > > entertain yourself with Sufi parables; study the sermons of the > Buddha > > or the simple teachings of the Vietnamese Zen master Thich Nhat > Hanh; > > examine the mystical writings of the Christian Desert Fathers or the > > text of the Upanishads. > > > > As you absorb truths and stories that nourish the spirit, you will > feel > > a release of energy in you. This energy can only be called > > " grace " . It is a vibrational force of such power that it can > > lift you for an instant out of your immediate circumstances and > fill you > > with the perception that there is nothing you cannot handle. > > > > In case you think that miracles don't happen to ordinary people, let > > me tell you a story that happened to me. Satya Sai Baba is a living > > saint in India who is said, among other things, to be able to > manifest > > objects, from holy ashes to precious stones, out of thin air. This > > ability is known in Sanskrit is vibhuti— " revelation " or > > " power. " A few years ago I was having trouble keeping my > > balance. No matter what I did, this condition kept getting worse, > so as > > a last resort before I went to sleep, I said a prayer to Sai Baba: > > " I need some vibhuti, and I need it now. I'm in bad > > trouble. " > > > > The next morning I received a package from an acquaintance in > Copenhagen > > whom I hadn't heard from in five years; inside was a small tube > > filled with ashes, with a label that read, " To Caroline Myss from > > Satya Sai Baba. " Since the mail from Denmark usually takes several > > days, the answer to my prayer must have been on the way to me > before I > > uttered the words. > > > > Within hours of receiving the vibhuti, my balance returned and I > have > > never had the problem again. > > > > Every situation in your life has been created with the energy of > grace. > > Pay attention to the ordinary moments as much as to the > extraordinary > > ones and recognize that behind the scenes of those events is the > energy > > of the Divine. > > > > 8. Use sacred imagery. > > > > Whether you use visualization or actual objects, sacred imagery is a > > profound way to feel a connection with the heavens. If you have a > > favorite representation of the Divine, a personal saint, or a > revered > > spiritual teacher, keep it with you. Although you can't carry around > > your altar or sacred space, you can carry a small image, reminding > you > > that you are never truly alone. > > > > 9. Learn something new every day. > > > > Learning activates passion, and passion is power—in fact it is one > > of the strongest forms of energy that we can generate within our > body. > > Passion is a connection to life itself, giving us a reason to want > to > > see tomorrow. > > > > Like meditation, developing and pursuing a passion is its own > reward, > > but it can also generate many valuable side effects. We don't know > > where our passions will take us or what subsidiary benefi ts may > accrue > > from following our hearts and our bliss. > > > > 10. Create a new vocabulary for yourself. > > > > Although there is no harm in expressing the pain and fear that > illness > > brings into your life, you want to avoid falling into the pit of > > constantly " speaking pain. " Toward that end, create a new > > vocabulary for yourself that describes your condition in optimistic, > > healing, or spiritual terms. One woman I know referred to her > illness as > > a friend " who has come to teach me great truths. " > > > > Calling her illness a friend helped her lessen the fear of her > situation > > and helped her feel she could communicate with her illness; she also > > felt it would leave her when their time together was complete. Once > > healed, she actually held a ritual saying farewell to her friend—a > > fine antidote to lingering woundology. > > > > 11. Review daily where you have plugged in your energy circuits. > > > > Pay attention to any feeling that energy is leaving your body and > assess > > why and where it is going. If your energy attaches itself to a > target > > that is draining your energy, tell yourself to detach. Learn to > sense > > the flow of energy into and out of your body. > > > > You already know the sensation of energy leaving your body when you > are > > angry or frightened—you feel instantly weakened, or develop a > > headache or backache. Any physical symptom is a signal that you are > > losing energy. As a preemptive action, direct your energy circuits > each > > day into positive sources that can help you feel filled with power > and > > light. > > > > One person I know visualizes his circuits connecting to the statues > of > > Jesus and that stand in the church he attends. Other people I > know > > visualize their energy circuits connected to the sun or other > aspects of > > nature. > > > > 12. Practice gratitude whenever you feel overwhelmed. > > > > Feeling appreciative makes live thrive in our systems. Make > gratitude a > > practice. Do not look for only the large and obvious reasons to be > > grateful. Learn to see you life through a wide-angle lens that > includes > > every detail. > > > > In your effort to appreciate all that is in your life, include > yourself. > > Spoil yourself with gifts of time—time to know yourself better and > > to appreciate those who are part of your life. Indulge yourself in > ways > > you have always wanted to. Wander off your beaten path. > > > > Few obstacles that we encounter are life-threatening, but disease > is. > > And psychologically and spiritually devastating experiences such as > the > > loss of a child or a painful divorce can also be dangerous; the > anguish > > they generate can lead to a large-scale physical breakdown or the > risk > > of suicide. > > > > Be committed to your effort to return to mental and physical health. > > Don't let the limitations that you experience today influence what > > you may experience tomorrow. > > > > All things are possible, and heaven is always listening. > > > > LOVE~ALL~WAYS > > KAREN~KARMA > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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