“A man is but the product of his thoughts; what he thinks, he becomes.” Mohandas Gandhi
Thanks, my friends for your constant and continued good thoughts and prayers for full recovery of my spinal injuries. I’m still in the midst of it all, but optimistic that I’ll find a way through the maze and be 100% again. I’m not good for long stints at the computer, but I’m sending you here, a short message about what I’m learning from chronic, long term pain.
When I first was rear-ended by a truck on Feb. 1, 2007 I would never have guessed that three years later I’d still be dealing with the damage and pain of the incident. I’ve always healed myself rapidly and never doubted my ability to do so, yet instead of the pain lessening, it has gradually increased each day. Why does this pain continue to grow until I cannot sleep through the night, cannot drive a car or fish or do many of the things that have made my life worthwhile? The intelligent and enlightened answer seems to be that this is a necessary part of my spiritual growth through the process of experiencing and expressing. I’ve always drank from the deepest wells and perhaps I have gained deeper wisdom even when the journey has been painful.
Those in the so-called consciousness movement have a penchant for seeing pain or illness as deliberate choices we make. They ask: “What was your purpose for creating this?” In many cases it is a good question and opens us to deeper realization of our intentions and commitments. For instance if I was fired from my job; did I have a purpose I wasn’t even admitting to myself? Maybe another job or career? If I come to a realization here, it might encourage me to do my own life’s work instead of someone else’s.
I believe we all are journeying through our mazes of possibilities and obstacles that can form us into wiser and more powerful beings. Sometimes we need to go through pain to gain personal depth. We learn that our pain is unavoidable whereas our suffering is optional. Part of my many realizations during these last three years is that when I accept what is (my pain) rather than fight it, I can accumulate its blessings and move on. But when I’m in resistance then I must remain in pain. (What I resist persists!) Hundreds of painful, sleepless nights and days pushed me to make a choice; to be either inside the storm of pain in constant agony, or to not become my pain; to go into my higher mind; rise above the storm and ride the rainbow; it is my choice. The first step is to recognize that I am not my pain; that it is an experience and like all other experiences, will eventually pass.
A dear friend of mine’s wife has serious cancer. He says she still has a good sense of humor and is riding the rainbow. Her decision to experience her cancer and yet to not be her cancer is allowing her to flow into a deeper grace and pure enlightenment. Cancer is not something Pam deliberately or even subconsciously chose; it is simply one of inevitable challenges on her personal path. As long as she does not become her cancer, she still has the freedom to choose who she is and how she will respond to it. These are choices that stretch and challenge her and her husband and their children as well. Can you please expand your heart to send Pam your visualization for a perfect and healthy body and also to put her in your prayer circles? Thanks.
So yes, we do create our own realities, moment by moment throughout our lives; we do so by making choices. Yet we may suffer a spinal injury from an auto accident, or cancer or chronic pain and those situations may not result from our deliberate choices; in other words, I didn't choose to get nailed by a truck and Pam didn't choose cancer. What we choose at every crossroad of life is who we are and how we will relate to the experience and how we will express the impact of that experience. We may cry, or rage or laugh or write blogs or meditate and flow with it; every truthful expression expands our souls and our wisdom. Those who consistently love and forgive themselves are on the path of enlightenment.
A Bit of Humor For You:
A DEA officer stops at a ranch in Texas, and tells an old rancher, "I’m going to inspect your ranch for illegally grown drugs." "No problem,” the rancher says. Then he points and says, “But please stay out of that field over there."
The DEA officer verbally explodes saying, " Mister, I have the authority of the Federal Government with me." Reaching into his rear pants pocket, he pulls out his badge and waves it in the rancher's face. "See this badge? This badge means I am allowed to go wherever I want... On any land! No questions asked or answers given. Have I made myself clear? Do you understand? "
The rancher nods politely, apologizes, and goes about his chores.
A short time later, the old rancher hears loud screams and sees the DEA officer running for his life chased by the rancher's huge bull.
With every step the bull is gaining ground on the officer. The rancher throws down his tools, runs to the fence and yells at the top of his lungs.....
“Your badge! Show him your BADGE! "
Our Hero of the week:
Canadian, Ryan Hreljac was 6 years old when his first grade teacher changed his life. She told the class about people in Africa who had a hard time getting clean water and access to wells. Without this basic human necessity, people, especially children, get sick and sometimes die. Deeply moved, Ryan persuaded his parents to pay him to do extra chores and finally came up with the $75 he thought was needed to drill a well. But he was in for a shock. WaterCan (a non-profit organization that provides clean water to poor countries) told him that it would actually cost $2,000 to drill a well on another continent. Ryan didn't give up. He got busy doing more chores. Several months later he had collected the $2,000, sent the money to WaterCan and in January, 1999, The Canadian Physicians for Aid and Relief (CPAR) drilled a well beside Angolo Primary School in northern Uganda, with funds raised by Ryan.
Since that first well was dug Ryan’s organization; RyansWell.ca has raised over $800,000 to drill more than 400 wells. Imagine the good done for thousands of families by one boy who not only raised money but recruited the support of organizations such as WaterCan, CPAR, Canadian International Development Agency and Free The Children.
"If I had the attention of the world for 5 minutes,” Ryan says, “I would ask everyone to think about how much they have. In Canada we have so much stuff. I'd ask people to think about what they want and what they really need. I'd ask them to share just a little bit no matter where they lived.”
He goes on; “Sometimes people think they don't have a lot extra to share but they are wrong. I will tell you why. The kids at Angolo Primary School in Uganda (that's where my first well is) decided after I visited there that they could share too. They told me that they were going to do like me and make a difference. These kids didn't have anything. But they decided that they were going to spend five days out of every school year volunteering, helping older people or people who had HIV/Aids and other stuff. In Uganda, they learned that you can help others no matter who you are. If everyone thought that way and did something nice every day for someone else, the world would be a much better place. The world would be more equal too.”
Ryan it is our honor to acknowledge that you are our hero!
If you were moved by this message and want me to continue writing and sending messages like it, please drop me a note at bob@arasfoundation.org or on my facebook page. Thanks, Bob.
No comments:
Post a Comment