Wayne
Senior Member
- Messages
- 4,308
- Location
- Ashland, Oregon
Hi All,
I’ve thought quite a bit over the years about how our health journey correlates so closely with our spiritual journey. It seems once we enter the world of ME/CFS, our entire lives become dramatically altered. The extraordinary experiences that follow almost makes it an imperative we draw upon our spiritual resources in ways we’ve never had to before.
We are often forced to realize that health strategies that have worked for us in the past no longer work for us in our new situation. Many of us discover that conventional health practitioners are helpful, but many of us realize early on they are of limited help, so we look elsewhere.
Since necessity is the mother of invention, we find ourselves thrust into a whole new world of creativity (in my view, a spiritual quality). We start to hone in on different concepts of health and well being, and begin to implement a new kind of discrimination regarding them. We then begin to contemplate how to best incorporate potentially beneficial health therapies into our lives. If we're open spiritually, I think we'll at times likely discover and implement certain health strategies far different than we ever imagined we would (perhaps even to the point of feeling strange).
Painful realizations often accompany our health journey. We are often forced to reevaluate virtually all our relationships, from our co-workers, our family, our friends, our health care providers, etc. Who are the ones that are being helpful, and/or have a sincere interest in us, our health and our well being? If we’re fortunate, we’ll have people in our lives that are in this category. Sadly however, it appears most of us are forced to “weed out” toxic people and influences in our lives, in ways we’ve never had to before.
To me, these kinds of profound dynamics constitute a spiritual journey. And I’ve come to view the many members who come to this board in this light. As with any spiritual journey, our health journey becomes a highly individualized one for each of us. One person’s hard-earned discrimination and realizations will often be much different than another’s, and so their approach to different health care modalities will be different.
Because of the wide variety of experiences we all have, I find it fascinating to read different accounts of PWCs health choices and perspectives. And I’m very grateful so many take the time and energy to post about them, especially given how much effort it takes to share. It is so clear to me they make this effort however, because of a sense of “service” (another spiritual quality) to others on this board, to in some small way help another on their own journey.
I’ve come to regard this PR board as a very useful spiritual tool for many of us. As such, I believe the board, and the members who frequent here should be given the highest degree of respect, even when we run into concepts that are different than our own. Just as it’s generally understood we shouldn’t denigrate another person’s religion or spiritual beliefs, I think it should be just as unacceptable to denigrate another person’s health choices, especially since these two kinds of choices often significantly overlap each other. To me, it’s just common courtesy.
I’ve seen occasional instances on this board where posts have been made intended to deliberately denigrate certain health protocols, health perspectives, and/or the people who give them credence. To me, this is just so unacceptable, and lacks even minimal standards of regard for another human being. One of my hopes in writing this today, is that it will discourage these kinds of posts in the future, and strengthen a resolve amongst us all to not have them be a part of our forum.
Thank you, thank you, thank you, to all who post here in a constructive manner, to help me and others on our journey. This includes information support, emotional support, and even spiritual support. You and this board are a lifeline for many of us.
I sincerely believe we all have something to offer here, no matter how limited we sometimes feel. What may seem like the littlest of things to us can be a very big thing for another. Things like acceptance, acknowledgment, kindness, humor, respect, etc., should never be underestimated. I am especially grateful to those who have the ability to share these qualities with others.
Again, thank you, thank you, thank you. :Retro smile:
Best Regards, Wayne
I’ve thought quite a bit over the years about how our health journey correlates so closely with our spiritual journey. It seems once we enter the world of ME/CFS, our entire lives become dramatically altered. The extraordinary experiences that follow almost makes it an imperative we draw upon our spiritual resources in ways we’ve never had to before.
We are often forced to realize that health strategies that have worked for us in the past no longer work for us in our new situation. Many of us discover that conventional health practitioners are helpful, but many of us realize early on they are of limited help, so we look elsewhere.
Since necessity is the mother of invention, we find ourselves thrust into a whole new world of creativity (in my view, a spiritual quality). We start to hone in on different concepts of health and well being, and begin to implement a new kind of discrimination regarding them. We then begin to contemplate how to best incorporate potentially beneficial health therapies into our lives. If we're open spiritually, I think we'll at times likely discover and implement certain health strategies far different than we ever imagined we would (perhaps even to the point of feeling strange).
Painful realizations often accompany our health journey. We are often forced to reevaluate virtually all our relationships, from our co-workers, our family, our friends, our health care providers, etc. Who are the ones that are being helpful, and/or have a sincere interest in us, our health and our well being? If we’re fortunate, we’ll have people in our lives that are in this category. Sadly however, it appears most of us are forced to “weed out” toxic people and influences in our lives, in ways we’ve never had to before.
To me, these kinds of profound dynamics constitute a spiritual journey. And I’ve come to view the many members who come to this board in this light. As with any spiritual journey, our health journey becomes a highly individualized one for each of us. One person’s hard-earned discrimination and realizations will often be much different than another’s, and so their approach to different health care modalities will be different.
Because of the wide variety of experiences we all have, I find it fascinating to read different accounts of PWCs health choices and perspectives. And I’m very grateful so many take the time and energy to post about them, especially given how much effort it takes to share. It is so clear to me they make this effort however, because of a sense of “service” (another spiritual quality) to others on this board, to in some small way help another on their own journey.
I’ve come to regard this PR board as a very useful spiritual tool for many of us. As such, I believe the board, and the members who frequent here should be given the highest degree of respect, even when we run into concepts that are different than our own. Just as it’s generally understood we shouldn’t denigrate another person’s religion or spiritual beliefs, I think it should be just as unacceptable to denigrate another person’s health choices, especially since these two kinds of choices often significantly overlap each other. To me, it’s just common courtesy.
I’ve seen occasional instances on this board where posts have been made intended to deliberately denigrate certain health protocols, health perspectives, and/or the people who give them credence. To me, this is just so unacceptable, and lacks even minimal standards of regard for another human being. One of my hopes in writing this today, is that it will discourage these kinds of posts in the future, and strengthen a resolve amongst us all to not have them be a part of our forum.
Thank you, thank you, thank you, to all who post here in a constructive manner, to help me and others on our journey. This includes information support, emotional support, and even spiritual support. You and this board are a lifeline for many of us.
I sincerely believe we all have something to offer here, no matter how limited we sometimes feel. What may seem like the littlest of things to us can be a very big thing for another. Things like acceptance, acknowledgment, kindness, humor, respect, etc., should never be underestimated. I am especially grateful to those who have the ability to share these qualities with others.
Again, thank you, thank you, thank you. :Retro smile:
Best Regards, Wayne