Holistc Healing

Thirty years ago I was diagnosed with a chronic, degenerative, neurological disorder and, as I describe on my website and in my book, I was in rough shape and parts of my brain were dying. I was told that I would never improve and probably continue to worsen, meaning I would probably die. Through my recovery program I had begun a spiritual journey and found as Gilbert Kilpack writes, "Man is separated from God, but secretly united to God; that is the prime fact of life, and all things in all creation speak of this separation, this incompleteness which has infected all." I had begun improving my connection to God and once again, after my diagnosis, turned to spirituality, unconditional love and that spiritual awakening. I did not know what to expect but knew I needed help dealing with my disability so I took a holistic approach. Today my condition is much improved and I am extremely grateful. "And though ideas such as these may seem unimportant in our bustling world, the testimony of seekers after life in all ages is that nothing is so important as the completion of our half-lives, the God-filling of our void." (Kilpack)

God's Will

The theme of my recovery meeting today was our relationship with God and our willingness to act in accordance with God’s will for us, a topic I really appreciate. I used to not be willing or interested at all but now I ask for guidance daily and then make use of the resources and power available to me. "Few things — no things that I know of — are so completely and effectively restorative as the discovery that this World of the environing Spirit is verily closer to us than breathing and is charged with the resources of the Life for which we pant." (Rufus Jones)

Love

When I go to a recovery meeting, a worship meeting with the Friends or pretty much any other activity I make it a point to focus on and express my great God given love to others, to beam it to others. My book is full of practices that recommend that activity in order to change our environment. In the words of Rufus Jones; "God must have an instrument — an organ is perhaps a better word — for the revelation of His love and tenderness, just as his physical energies must have their coordinator and transmitter." My website is packed with personal information about the transforming, healing power of love "If love is ever to reach and move and transform anyone with its wonderful impalpable power it must be a real love expressed in a real life." I feel that love all the time and toward everyone.

Choices

Yesterday I wrote about choices we make and I specifically mentioned the tendency of some people to follow the guidance of a human authority figure, meaning someone like a priest or professor. For myself, I prefer to follow my own internal guidance while listening to the comments of experts. My approach is risky and requires both discipline and effort. I use a lot of contemplation, meditation and the loving practices outlined in my book. This approach is very good for me but not for everyone. Free will and different choices are important. In the words of Irene Claremont deCastillejo; "Scientists discover and theologians affirm; but faced with the mystery of life and death we know almost nothing. We can learn from the experts, but our experience may not fit their theories and it is our experience and our experience alone that we should trust."

Choice

In my book, Three Simple Questions: Being in the World, But Not of It, I write of the "God seed" that my experience tells me is within each of us humans. That seed is often spoken of as "that small quiet voice" and often tells us what the next right action is, the choice that is in harmony with the Loving force of the universe. As I mention, if we pay attention to that voice and nurture it, it gets stronger, leading to a very fulfilling life. If, on the other hand, we choose to follow some external guidance such as an authority figure, our own internal guidance remains quiet. Either behavior is totally fine and appropriate, each reflecting different conditions. "The very fact that such a mighty experience [mystical worship] as this is possible means that there is some inner meeting place between the soul and God; in other words, that the divine and human, God and man, are not wholly sundered." (Rufus Jones)

Dealing With Life

This morning we had a meeting of our reading group in which we are discussing Healing The Heart Of Democracy: The Courage To Create a Politics Worthy of the Human Spirit, by Parker J. Palmer in which he promotes a loving democratic process, a loving way of dealing with political tensions. Later in the day I realized that I felt discouraged since many (most?) people are not interested in the effort it takes to deal with life’s tensions in a constructive, loving way. Similar to Palmer, I advocate for a loving and spiritual response to life’s situations in my book, Three Simple Questions: Being in the World, But Not of It. I also call myself a dreamer since many people do not realize how fulfilling that approach can be. Perhaps they are fine and simply not interested. I will meditate on that! "Few things — no things that I know of — are so completely and effectively restorative as the discovery that this World of the environing Spirit is verily closer to us than breathing and is charged with the resources of Life for which we pant." (Rufus Jones)

Daily Practice

The theme for my recovery meeting tonight was the value and regular practice of prayer and meditation. I spoke up and mentioned that I got up in the middle of the night and spent two to four hours in prayer and meditation — and that the practice yields great results. Actually what I do is to first make contact with that loving force and then scan through my list of quotes, looking for one that resonates with the day and that force. That quote and my meditative thoughts end up being the subject of my daily Blog. After writing in my Blog I do an hour or more of meditation, the length depending on what comes up. This practice ends up being the spiritual and emotional foundation of my day and I find it very nourishing. "The world is weary of traditional religion, of formalism and hollow words, but most hearts are hungry for that true thing by which life is actually renewed."(Rufus Jones)

Asking For Help

In 1985, when I first began recovery, I had some sort of life problem, which I do not remember and a friend suggested I ask for help, which I then did. That friend did not suggest I pray or ask God for help, either of which would have irritated me and I would not have done. When I simply asked for help I received guidance as a sense of what to do — and it worked. Immediately after I became disabled and diagnosed with a progressive, degenerative neurological disorder, during my quiet time, I again asked for guidance, calling it prayer this time. I became suffused with the Loving feeling I now call God and received guidance as to how I might cope with my condition. I have done the same pretty much daily for the last nearly thirty years. During that time, and presumably as a result of my efforts, I have accomplished many things that I and many others considered impossible. "Help comes from somewhere and enables us to do what we had always thought could not be done." (Rufus Jones)

thoughts and Feelings

Quite a tumultuous mix of feelings today, particularly this morning, some very pleasant, some not. I started out the morning with ten minutes of cardio exercise followed by a period of prayer, meditation and blessing the morning, all very nice. I then attended a one hour meeting of largely silent worship during which I had a very good connection with the Loving Source, also very nice. My wife and I then did some grocery shopping at a moderately crowded store and I had people bump into me several times, sometimes with their carts. I move very slowly and they were just being stressed and distracted, but I took it personally, resulting in offense, anger and a complete loss of any connection with the Loving Source. It took me several hours of reflecting on things I was grateful for to get my serenity back. "Words and thoughts often block the doorway to the soul." (Valerie Brown)

Self-care

Today I went to have my blood drawn in order that people in the medical profession can monitor my physical health. This activity and others like check-ups and some simple surgeries like hernia repair are tools which help me in my maintenance of health. However, I consider the maintenance of my health to be a sacred responsibility which is mine alone, which is why I exercise, eat right (most of the time!), pray and meditate. If I succeed in maintaining health, and my independence I have a sense of harmony, well-being and the presence of Love/God in my life. I have to be careful since I find it easy to begin to depend on the medical establishment for health maintenance which also clouds my sense of harmony, well-being and the presence of Love/God in my life."The unending yearnings of the human spirit are satisfied by nothing that can be measured, seen, heard or touched. To focus selfishly on anything in the created order is to be restricted and thus to fall that far short of full freedom.(Thomas Dubay, S. M.)