Holistic Health

To me, the fact that I am doing as well as I am with my disability, as opposed to the possibility I wrote about a few days ago, represents the power of acceptance and love. I have applied that power to several other physical conditions in my life with similar effects (causing confusion, surprise and disbelief in doctors!). I have also suggested that approach to other people who also had success. The process costs nothing other than focus and intent and even feels good.

Acceptance

I meet with a woman who has a "progressive degenerative neurological" condition very similar to mine but hers is mid-brain and mine is hind-brain. She does not accept her condition but "hates" and fights it. I, on the other hand, accept my condition and can therefore work with it. I can’t say I like it but it’s an unwelcome partner that I deal with daily. In working with my disability I do everything I know of in order to be functional, including bathing it with love. In my case I was diagnosed about thirty-one years ago and am living in my own home with the help of my wife. She was diagnosed a few years ago and I visit her in a nursing home. Anecdotal but suggestive!

Listening

Today I have been reflecting on the fact that most people "listen" to others through the filter of the story they have made up about that person rather than really paying attention and truly listening. For example, in my case, with a few notable exceptions, because of my behavior and the stories they had heard the adults around me believed that I was of below average intelligence, rather than taking the time to realize that I was really just indifferent to their opinions and bored out of my mind. The primary result has been that I recognize how important it is to truly listen and I have been blessed with the ability to look beyond my own mind chatter to hear the reality of what is happening. "Listening is a far more difficult process than most people imagine; really to listen in the way that is meant by the masters is to let go utterly of ourselves, to let go of all the information, all of the concepts, all the ideas and all the prejudices that our heads are stuffed with." (Sogyal Rinpoche)