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HEALING THROUGH UNITY
January 1998
A monthly newsletter dedicated to serving the principles ofphysical and spiritual health envisioned in the Baha'i Teachings.
Volume 1, Issue #6
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PRAYER
This article was written by Ranzie Mensah who lives in Aosta, Italy.
Is my soul atrophied ?
Is my soul hungry?
Is my soul thirsty?
Is my soul in anguish?
Is my soul wandering in the desert of heedlessness
Blinded by the veils of my vain imaginations?
Are my wings sullied
By my attachment to worldly desires?
What is prayer?
Why must we pray?
Why is humanity not praying anymore?
All the religions of the past have taught us that the fundamental purpose of prayer is for us to draw closer to God. The essence of the human creation is his soul, and this soul will return to its Maker. Our heaven will be the degree of our closeness to Him and our hell will be the degree of our separation from Him."...in separation from Whom hearts and souls have melted..."
(Baha'u'llah, Long Obligatory Prayer, Bahá'í Prayers, 1985 edition, p. 9)
"...separation from Thee hath destroyed me, and remoteness from Thee hath consumed me." (ibid, p.13)
The cardinal purpose of our lives on this earthly plane is to know God and to worship Him. One of the ways to achieve this is through prayer. "I bear witness, O my God, that Thou hast created me to know Thee and to worship Thee." (ibid, p.4)
When the seed is sown, the pure water and the brilliant rays from the sun will cause the seed to sacrifice itself and become the tree, giving forth blossoms, flowers and finally its fruit. The purpose of the creation of the seed will have been fulfilled. The seed will have become utter nothingness.
"...O My servants! Be as resigned and submissive as the earth, that from the soil of your being there may blossom the fragrant, the holy and multicolored hyacinths of My knowledge."
(Baha'u'llah, Gleanings CLII)
We pray so that the fire of the power of the Word of God will burn away our idols of vain imaginings."...to make of my prayer a fire that will burn away the veils which have shut me out from Thy beauty, and a light that will lead me unto the ocean of Thy Presence." (Baha'u'llah, Long Obligatory Prayer, Baha'i Prayers, p.8)
We must teach our children to learn the prayers and the Sacred Writings by heart. 'Abdu'l-Bahá exhorted many of the early believers to commit the prayers and Tablets to memory. We must be an example for our children and youth. These words will be engraved on their hearts forever and will strengthen them in the Covenant. I will always remember when the martyrs in Iran were thrown into prison, all their belongings taken away from them, including their Baha'i books. They all knew prayers by heart and chanted them in their prison cell and prepared their souls to meet their heart's desire. In the next world, we will pray. We will pray for our beloved ones who are still on this earthly plane as they will pray for us. We will take with us, not the prayer books, but the prayers that are engraved on our hearts."...whereby I may live as long as Thy sovereignty endureth, and may make mention of Thee in every world of Thy worlds." (ibid, 9)
Our prayers must lead us to the shores of detachment. But before we reach this station, we must be ready to surrender our will to His Will. And this is sometimes a life-long enterprise. That is why we repeat these phrases everyday when we recite the Long Obligatory Prayer on pages 8 and 9 in Bahá'í Prayers."Behold me standing ready to do Thy will and Thy desire..."
"I have desired only what Thou didst desire, and love only what Thou dost love."
Only when the dross is cleared from the mirror will it reflect the face of the Beloved.
Only when the veils are removed from the lamp will the light shine.
Only when the dust is shaken from our feet may we tread the threshold of His bounties.
Only when we have removed every trace of wordly desire will we come home."Be light and untrammeled as the breeze, that ye may obtain admittance into the precincts of My court, My inviolable Sanctuary."
(Baha'u'llah, Gleanings CLII)
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THE EXCHANGE
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Here are more enlightened responses to the September 1997 question: "What are some of the treatments to re-establish a balance in our bodies to prevent sickness?"
In "Some Answered Questions" pp. 254-56, 'Abdu'l Baha speaks of six types of healing; four are spiritual and two are material. Spiritual healing comprises 1) contagion of health from the healthy to the one slightly 'out of sorts' 2) transfer of a magnetic force from a healer to the one ill, for example to place one's hand upon his head or heart 3) through the concentrated belief of the healer and the patient that a cure will occur, and 4) through the Holy Spirit. Material healing is by means of medicine and by aliments, fruit and vegetables and waters, hot and cold.
He speaks in the same reference that the body is in a state of equilibrium and that an imbalance causes disease while balance of the elements involved restores or perpetuates it. As a scientist working on problems of life support, environmental and radiation protection systems for the United States Space program, I have become aware that the health of the Astronauts or future space travelers became of paramount importance. As a Baha'i, I turned to the Baha'i Writings instead of the current medical literature for guidance and took as my basic assumption if balance is established and maintained that the body will heal itself.
The body is in a state of dynamic homeostasis, that it is constantly adjusting for all the changes occurring from microbic and viral invasions, environmental assaults, positive or negative thinking, and finally to our attitude toward life and our spiritual beliefs and commitments. True equilibrium is a static state and is only observed several hours after death when all life activity comes to a halt. Therefore, balancing the body to heal or maintain health requires all aspects of the six healing methods referenced above. Let me explain.
Essentially, the body's homeostasis is controlled by the endocrine and immune systems, through release of the chemicals or phagic bodies that fight invasions of foreign or toxic materials. But even the immune system must rely on a proper supply of the elements necessary for it to do its work. The endocrine system is controlled by the autonomic nervous system which has two parts, the sympathetic and the parasympathetic system. One increases reactions while the other suppresses them. The autonomic system acts independently through the subconscious but also has a linkage to our central nervous system. Most religious traditions also say it is connected to our soul or spiritual nature. The autonomic system balance is affected from above by our thoughts, beliefs and attitudes and from below by unfriendly foreign organisms, toxic substances, either entering the body or being produced by the body and not eliminated, and by adverse climatic conditions to which the body is subjected. Therefore, you can see that each of the methods of healing mentioned above can contribute to the homeostasis of the body and restore or maintain health. If appropriate methods are used in combination and if the patient truly believes they will be healed, the body will re-establish a dynamic homeostasis and heal itself. A competent physician should understand these principles but modern medical practice concentrates primarily on repairing injuries and trying to reduce the effects of invading germs and inflamations through drugs with little concern on strengthening the body's ability to heal itself through restoring those elements missing in its chemistry by aliments, foods and fruits. Based on this understanding, a colleague once remarked that in the United States a convention of competent physicians could be held in a telephone booth.
The subject is weighty, but I have tried to be brief and not too scholarly. Each of the methods of healing based on this assumption and explanation could be an article by themselves. If anyone wishes to ask questions my e-mail is orvalm@usa.net. Orval H. Minney, DSc, California, U.S.A.
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I would like to say that eating organic foods, no meat, dairy, and little wheat has brought myself and my daughter to a better place health wise. I use herbs now for onset of illness, and rarely see the illness actually take hold!
"It is, therefore, evident that it is possible to cure by foods, aliments and fruits; but as today the science of medicine is imperfect, this fact is not yet fully grasped. When science of medicine reaches perfection, treatment will be given by foods, ailments, fragrant fruits and vegetables, and by various waters, hot and cold in temperature." (Some Answered Questions, pp. 257-59) Diana Kite, Washington, U.S.A
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Here are more answers to the November 1997 question: "How can we encourage ourselves and other people to develop imagination, creativity and initiative?"
STIMULATING OTHERS
When we realize how profound our influence is on each other, how our very thoughts nurture or deflate others, we have a tremendous opportunity -- and challenge.
We learn in consultation to be prayerful together, to pray silently, and we see the blessings which shower upon us as we struggle together to communicate and create. The nascent House of Justice (the Baha'i Local Spiritual Assembly) is the creative spirit of our day. How triumphant when we can feel that Unity in the outcome of consultation!
As we begin to strive to function using these new spiritual principles of unity and consultation, we will become more and more sensitive to each other, to the positive and to the negative. Then we can consciously send our love/unity/spiritual connection to others and cultivate detachment from our insecurities if we encounter negativity. It is a new way of being and an exciting way of being together. The fruits are all around us, made manifest in seeing others' unfolding hearts when we bathe them in love.
To generate greater creativity and imagination in others, we have only to bathe them in the love we have unleashed from our own hearts/minds and then share in their returned supporting thoughts. It is the greatest adventure of our time! How blessed is this Day!
Linda Foust, Atlanta, U.S.A
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Children are basically curious and creative. This curiosity and creativeness are stifled by not answering their questions or forbidding, by direct command or teasing, their flights of imagination. Our schools regimentize them to be 'good citizens' in the current mold of mediocre society. Genius or creativity are portrayed in the media as 'mad professors', eccentrics, or comic characters. We do not read fairy tales, or fantasy. We can start helping others by encouraging children's curiosity, creativity and initiative. Open their minds and encourage them to dream dreams and see visions.
How about we adults? We can read the revealed Word and other writings that will open up new thoughts. Eliminate our fear of rejection, accept positive, and ignore negative criticism. Play games not based on chance alone but that require visual acuity and strategy where we must see and plan ahead. Think circularly, not linear, and accept no boundaries to the universe in determining solutions. That is, see in our mind's eye the problem, the solution and all the steps in between as one entity, develop scenarios of what could happen, and settle for optimization rather than hoping for a single 'right' answer. Test it, reject it quickly if it doesn't work, no matter how much we were involved or convinced about it. Practice word association and build up our vocabulary. Exercise our mind just as we would do with our muscles. Stretch our imaginations, create 'what ifs'. Meditate and achieve that glimpse into the universe that makes one a 'knower', an 'enlightened one', and then rely on our intuition backed up by fact or experiment.
When I first entered the space program, our manager made us sit and read Science Fiction for months before we ever started working on problems. He was opening our minds from earth bound thinking to universal thinking and exposing us to the sci-fi writers who were the most imaginative persons of the time.
If you awoke one morning and were unable to contact another Baha'i anywhere in the world, you would be responsible to God for the entire plan of Baha'u'llah. What would you do?Civilization collapses, anarchy reigns in your community and people turn to you and say, help us to re-establish civilization. How would you build the Divine Civilization?
You're standing at a transit stop and a fellow passenger says, tell me about the Baha'i Faith. You look up and see the bus coming so you only have less than five minutes. What do you say?
Perhaps you might wish to develop scenarios for these 'what ifs' and develop your own 'what ifs' and share your answers in the newsletter.
Orval Minney, California, U.S.A
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LETTERS
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Your newsletter sounds interesting. I am a nutritionist, and involved in a number of little development projects here in Ecuador, South America, which have to do with health.
Sam DuBois, Ecuador, South America
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Thank you for your promptness in sending me 4 issues (Sept -Dec 97) of the wonderful, touching, practical newsletter.
K.F. Yip, Taiwan
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What a beautiful and touching newsletter! When I read it I feel like I am drinking honey, so soothing, so healing for my physical and spiritual being. It really touches my soul. Thank you for your love.
SiewSim Chin, Ontario, Canada
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Just a quick note of appreciation and admiration for your wonderful initiative of starting the "Healing Through Unity" magazine.....I know for a fact that there is a great need for disseminating the Writings on health and healing as well as articles connecting to our spiritual healing process to the divine Teachings. Your initiative may very well be part of such sorely needed responses.......Shahkar Arjomand, Auxiliary Board Member for Southern Ontario, Canada
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It is with great joy that I receive the news of the "Healing Through Unity" newsletter..I can't tell you how much I need it - when I saw the email from Baha'i Announce, I cheered and cried both! Ya Baha'ul-Abha!
"...We must all strive with heart and soul until we have the reality of unity in our midst, and as we work, so will strength be given to us.."
(Paris Talk, p. 54) Phoebe Stark, Puerto Rico
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Thank you very much for sending me "Healing Through Unity". Based on a quick read through the issues, I am sure it will be a most valuable resource for my classes and for the Baha'i community. The students and I shall study it together in depth.
Nancy Barnes, Daystar International School, Japan
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Editor's note: Please feel free to forward this newsletter to other people so we can assist them and include them in this beautiful circle of love. The newsletter, which travels with the speed of light, is only available through electronic means. This brings this quote to mind:
" A mechanism of world inter-communication will be devised, embracing the whole planet, freed from national hindrances and restrictions and functioning with marvelous swiftness and perfect regularity." (Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Baha'u'llah, p. 203)
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QUESTION FOR THIS MONTH
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The question for this month is: What are some divine ways of serving individuals who are ill or in need for our assistance.
Please share all your responses or if you have other comments for the newsletter, please write to: Frances Mezei by e-mail, -- .
Much love, prayers and spiritual connection,
Frances Mezei
Ontario, Canada
--HEALING THROUGH UNITY
February 1998
A monthly newsletter dedicated to serving the principles ofphysical and spiritual health envisioned in the Baha'i Teachings.
Volume 1, Issue #7
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IN THE SERVICE OF LIFE
By Rachel Naomi Remen
In recent years the question "How can I help?" has become meaningful to many people. But perhaps there is a deeper question we might consider. Perhaps the real question is not "How can I help?" But "How can I serve?"
Serving is different from helping. Helping is based on inequality; it is not a relationship between equals. When you help you use your own strength to help those of lesser strength. If I'm attentive to what is going on inside of me when I'm helping, I find that I'm always helping someone who is not as strong as I am, who is needier than I am. People feel this inequality. When we help we may inadvertently take away from people more than we could ever give them; we may diminish their self-esteem, their sense of worth, integrity and wholeness. When I help I am very aware of my own
strength. But we don't serve with our strength, we serve with ourselves. We draw from all of our experiences. Our limitations serve, our wounds serve, even our darkness can serve. The wholeness in us serves the wholeness in others and the wholeness in life. The wholeness in you is the same as the wholeness in me. Service is a relationship between equals.
Helping incurs debt. When you help someone they owe you one. But serving, like healing is mutual. There is no debt. I am as served as the person that I am serving. When I help I have a feeling of satisfaction. When I serve I have a feeling of gratitude. These are very different things.
Serving is also different from fixing. When I fix a person I perceive them as broken, and their brokeness requires me to act. When I serve I see and trust that wholeness. It is what I am responding to and collaborating with.
There is distance between ourselves and whatever or whomever we are fixing. Fixing is a form of judgment. All judgment creates distance, a disconnection, an experience of difference. In fixing there is an inequality of expertise that can easily become a moral distance. We cannot serve at a distance. We can only serve that to which we are profoundly connected, that which we are willing to touch. This is Mother Teresa's basic message. We serve life not because it is broken but because it is holy.
If helping is an experience of strength, fixing is an experience of mastery and expertise. Service, on the other hand, is an experience of mystery, surrender, and awe. A fixer has the illusion of being casual. A server knows that he or she is being used and has a willingness to be used in the service of something greater, something essentially unknown. Fixing and helping are very personal; they are very particular, concrete and specific. We fix and help many different things in our lifetimes, but when we serve we are always serving the same thing. Everyone who has ever served through the history of time serves the same thing. We are servers of the wholeness and mystery in life.
The bottom line, of course, is that we can fix without serving. And we can help without serving. And we can serve without fixing or helping. I think I would go so far as to say that fixing and helping may often be the work of
the ego and service is the work of the soul. They may look similar if you're watching from the outside, but the inner experience is different. The outcome is often different too.
Our service serves us as well as others. That which uses us strengthens us. Over time, fixing and helping are draining, depleting. Over time we burn out. Service is renewing. When we serve, our work itself will sustain us.
Service rests on the basic premise that the nature of life is sacred, that life is a holy mystery, which has an unknown purpose. When we serve, we know that we belong to life and to that purpose. Fundamentally, helping, fixing, and service are ways of seeing life. When you help you see life as weak, when you fix, you see life as broken. When you serve, you see life as whole. From the perspective of service, we are all connected. All suffering is like my suffering and all joy is like my joy. The impulse to serve emerges naturally and inevitably from this way of seeing.
Lastly, fixing and helping is the basis of curing, but not of healing. In 40 years of chronic illness I have been helped by many people and fixed by a great many others who did not recognize my wholeness. All that fixing and helping left me wounded in some important and fundamental ways. Only service heals.
This article was submitted by Susan Gammage who came across it in her local Community News, issue #16, October 97. It serves Muskoka, Haliburton and Parry Sound regions, Ontario, Canada.
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THE EXCHANGE
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Question:
These are inspiring and practical responses to the Janaury 1998 question: "What are some divine ways of serving individuals who are ill or in need of our assistance?"
Answers:
Divine ways... Well, since humans are created in the Divine Image, I'll touch on human ways. I have a friend who has post-polio. She was scheduled, earlier this winter, to have surgery on one of her feet, which was collapsing due to lack of muscle tone resulting from the nerve damage from the polio. She had spent a long time in the hospital as a child, and the prospect of being in the hospital, and the relative loss of independence after release, scared her half to death.In the last several years, we have become very close friends. I know her as well as I know my own family. And I knew she needed company. I was able to visit her twice while she was in the hospital, (it was in another city) and frequently after her release, since I was staying in her town for a couple months. There were times when she would be frightened or angry or just plain in a bad mood. And there were times when she'd push away and act as if she didn't want anyone around. All those times, I hung in there with her. If she had to cry, I let her cry, because I know that the release of sadness is much better than keeping it in. If she had to yell, I let her yell, knowing that she needed her anger for healing. I also knew that nothing she expressed would hurt me.
She was often apologetic for "being bad company." I told her that I only expected her to be real. I reminded her of all the trials she had succeeded in weathering. How strong this woman is! And how grateful I am to be her friend! I know that my presence in her life helped her get through the ordeal of her surgery and recovery. She tells me so every time we're together. It was not hard or heroic for me to spend time with her. I love her. She's a dear friend. And the times we have spent together, even when one or both of us have been "at our worst" have been catalysts for both of our spiritual growth. That says it all.
If I were to sum up the one quality that stands out in this situation, it would be unconditional acceptance.
Rachel Cammack, Washington, USA
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Remember the saying: 'Of all the pilgrimages, the greatest is to relieve the sorrow-laden heart.'" ('Abdu'l-Baha, Translated by Shoghi Effendi, Star of the West, Vol. XlV #1)
We are told: "Indeed the believers have not yet fully learned to draw on each other's love for strength and consolation in time of need. The Cause of God is endowed with tremendous powers, and the reason the believers do
not gain more from it is because they have not learned to fully draw on these mighty forces of love and strength and harmony generated by the Faith" (Shoghi Effendi, Directives of the Guardian, p. 27)
How can we learn to accomplish this? "We should all visit the sick. When they are in sorrow and suffering, it is a real help and benefit to have a friend come. Happiness is a great healer to those who are ill. In the East it is the custom to call upon the patient often and meet him individually . . . This has greater effect than the remedy itself. You must always have this thought of love and affection when you visit the ailing and afflicted." ('Abdu'l-Baha, Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 204)
"When at the bedside of a patient, cheer and gladden his heart and enrapture his spirit through celestial power. Indeed, such a heavenly breath quickeneth every mouldering bone and reviveth the spirit of every sick and ailing one." ('Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Baha, p. 151)
"...if a doctor consoles a sick man by saying, "Thank God you are better, and there is hope of your recovery," though these words are contrary to the truth, yet they may become the consolation of the patient and the turning point of the illness. This is not blameworthy." ('Abdu'l-Baha, Some Answered Questions, p. 215-6) Susan Gammage, Ontario, Canada
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It has become a habit within our family at the sound or sight of an ambulance, fire-engine or other emergency service vehicle to stop whatever we are doing and to say some prayers hopefully to ease the suffering or panic of those in peril, and to bring them some measure of comfort. It is the least we can do, and is something we would encourage us all to do. Charles Boyle, Townsville, Australia
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The question of the month for January brought to mind the experience of our family during the terminal illness of my father over the last year and a half. My father was Ron Parsons, known to many of you. As his terminal illness progressed, he became unable to leave his bed, or read the Baha'i Writings that had always been so dear to him.
It was because of his great love for the Word, that his family and Baha'i community set up a cassette player in his room. When nobody could physically be present to say prayers or be with him, tapes of Baha'i music, but also of prayers and of the World Congress in New York were played, even while he was asleep. His soul was, then, surrounded by the breaths of the spirit constantly: "...in this new age the Manifest Light hath, in His holy Tablets, specifically proclaimed that music, sung or played, is spiritual food for soul and heart." (Selections from the Writings of Abdul Baha, p.112)
Besides the physical care we could give my father at home, this was one way in which we could feel assured that healing for his soul could also be provided. Ann Murdoch, British Columbia, Canada
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A Man's Heart was Touched by a Caring Comment
There is an instance of a husband who for many years was caring for his wife suffering from a terminal illness. He also had many other responsibilities looking after their two children, the household and a job. He tried to keep on an even keel, be supportive to everybody and to avoid self-pity. One day, on a visit to the ill wife with her family, a teenage girl looked in his eyes: "I know how hard this must be for you." He was deeply touched. While everyone else gave support to the wife, this young woman remembered him. Ever since, he often recalls this validation of his own value, and has shared the story with many others.
As shared by another reader. "How much love and healing can be felt in a single look, a gentle touch, a kind word and a reassuring presence! These precious spiritual feelings leave a mark on our hearts and souls."
Anonymous
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(Editor's note: This story of 'Abdu'l-Baha was shared by Mr Aziz Yazdi, retired Counsellor and former member of the International Teaching Centre, at a Baha'i Pre-Youth Winter School held December 6 - 8, 1991 in Puslinch,
Ontario, Canada. It is taken from "Parenting in the New World Order", Vol. 1, Issue #6)
"Now I am going to tell you an interesting story about the Nineteen Day Feast. The Feast would be in the same room (next to the Shrine of the Bab) and after the prayers, 'Abdu'l-Baha spoke to us. There would be a big table near the door full of good things, fruits and sweets. 'Abdu'l-Baha Himself would stand next to this table. Then we would come, one by one, He would put some fruit and other good things with His own hands into our hands. We would go out, we would kiss the fruit and eat them and enjoy them. It was very good fruit.
Now one of these Nineteen Day Feasts, I had a young brother. He was only six years old. He was sick and he could not come. But he is a child - and all these people - who would remember him? I thought nobody would remember
him. When my turn came, I got my share and kissed it. I was going out to eat it and enjoy it.
'Abdu'l-Baha stopped me. He gave me another share and said, Please give this to your brother who is sick and at home." Oh! You have no idea how happy this made me. That 'Abdu'l-Baha remembered my little brother, without
anyone telling Him that he was sick. We didn't! But He knew it. This is 'Abdu'l-Baha!
I was so excited! I wanted to run and tell my father who was outside that 'Abdu'l-Baha remembered my little brother. Before I could move He stopped me again and gave me another one. Guess for whom this one is? He said, 'This is for your mamma who stayed home to look after your brother."
You see how thoughtful and kind He is? For everyone. He remembered everyone. And I can tell you - be rest assured that even now if you turn your heart to Him and pray to Him, He will not forget you. Ask for His help and assistance. Please ask for His assistance - especially! He will almost take your hand and show the way to you. It's so beautiful, so beautiful."
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Question:
This is an interesting perspective to the September 1997 question: "What are some of the treatments to re-establish a balance in our bodies to prevent sickness?"
Answer:
I am always amazed by the statement of Baha'u'llah in the Kitab-i-Aqdas (Baha'u'llah, The Most Holy Book, K145, 158) "Take heed that ye enter no house in the absence of its owner, except with his permission." If I look at the concept of "another man's house" beyond the simple property, to include his feelings, business, emotions, beliefs,
opinions, then I see a further wisdom and meaning. Indeed if I extend this to include my body in the sense of not permitting anything to enter it (by way of food or drink) except those things which it needs or would allow (give permission), placing a responsibility on me to determine what things are appropriate to allow to enter.
There is of course throughout the revelation of Baha'u'llah the recurrent theme of duty and responsibility - in this case a duty to maintain good health, and a personal responsibility to determine in what way our health may be best maintained. This responsibility can by extension be taken further to include the provision of health and educational facilities and/or programmes to facilitate the decisions we may wish to make. Indeed the entire Kitab-i-Aqdas can be viewed as a blueprint for social and economic development, placing upon us the various duties required of Baha'is, and the responsibilities required to see those duties are carried out. It may also be seen as a charter for self-empowerment and development. Charles Boyle, Townsville, Australia
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LETTERS
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I have a very old but reliable printer that is painstakingly slow and while I realize that I could read your newsletter on my computer, I want the pages in my hands, and so I stand at the printer reading each page trying not to hurry through the words but my spirit is hungry and races over the pages as they come out. I want the printer to fly and the words to never stop and I am sad when the newsletter finally ends. Thank you for your time and the gift of this wonderful communication. I have been sharing your newsletter with many of the friends and they are as thrilled with it as I am. Lilwen Hodson, British Columbia, Canada
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Just received via e-mail this beautiful, beautiful newsletter. The contents of it are so precious. I forwarded it to some of my friends that are in the "nickname file". This is the first time I've heard of it....and would like some details on how I can receive this regularly..." Evelyn Watts, Coburg, Ontario, Canada
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I am writing to ask that I be placed on the mailing list for the "Healing Through Unity" newsletter. I am a Baha'i Pioneer in Rankin Inlet, NWT, Canada. I am a nurse and Health Consultant. I am the Community Wellness Coordinator here, and am applying Baha'i teachings and principles to assist in healing in the community. Your newsletter sounds wonderful and I am eagerly waiting to read it. Gerry Pflueger, Northwest Territories, Canada
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I want to thank you for all your inspirational material that you send us. Faye Rouhani, Florida, U.S.A.
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QUESTION FOR THE MONTH
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The question for this month is: "The cycles of growth involves both crises and victories. What are some examples of this spiritual process and how does it affect our lives? What does this pattern of growth look like?"
You are encouraged to ask questions for future issues of the newsletter. Please share all your responses or if you have other comments for the newsletter, please write to: Frances Mezei by e-mail, -- .
Other than the quoted Writings, the material in this newsletter represents the thoughts and opinions of the writers and has no authority. You are free to copy articles, provided you indicate the source of the article.
May God grant you boundless health, security and comfort,
Frances Mezei,
Ontario, Canada
--HEALING THROUGH UNITY
March 1998
A monthly newsletter dedicated to serving the principles ofphysical and spiritual health envisioned in the Baha'i Teachings.
Volume 1, Issue #8
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A DREAM
"...this immortal human soul is endowed with two means of perception: One is effected through instrumentality; the other, independently. For instance, the soul sees through the instrumentality of the eye, hears with the ear, smells through the nostrils and grasps objects with the hands. These are actions or operations of the soul through instruments. But in the world of dreams the soul sees when the eyes are closed. The man is seemingly dead, lies there as dead; the ears do not hear, yet he hears. The body lies there, but he - that is, the soul - travels, sees, observes... It
often happens that a man in a state of wakefulness has not been able to accomplish the solution of a problem, and when he goes to sleep, he will reach that solution in a dream. How often it has happened that he has dreamed, even as the prophets have dreamed, of the future; and events which have thus been foreshadowed have come to pass literally." ('Abdu'l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 416)
It is a gift to know that there is a host of holy souls just waiting to be called into action to assist us. There is an interesting dream in the book "Tristan" on page 184 by Suzanne Schuurman. Tristan was born physically and mentally disabled and through his ability to understand and accept his limitations and sufferings, he became spiritually adept. He was born in Iqualuit, Northwest Territories, Canada.
"I was in the other worlds of God and one of the heavenly host was showing me around what looked like a celestial control center. There were big monitor screens on tables at which sat an angel, or heavenly being. Each screen monitored a person on earth who was that angel's particular responsibility. The singular thing about the screen was that it showed only good deeds, altruistic conduct, self-sacrifice and the like. Some of the angels were obviously bored sitting before totally blank screens. On some screens, however, there was so much activity that other heavenly beings, who were not busy, came to look and consult about the next course of action. The conversation I overheard went something like this:‘Look at that wonderful reaction!'
‘Do you think they are ready for the next test?'
‘They have just had a real dilly!'
‘Well, it's "my soul" and I think it can handle it. After all, the more it learns the better. Are you forgetting that there is a time limit here?' The next test would be sent down and several angels would gather at the console to watch the soul's response and progress.
‘Beautiful! I knew it could do it!"
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THE EXCHANGE
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Question:
In the February, 1998 newsletter the question was asked: "The cycles of growth involve both crises and victories. What are some examples of this spiritual process and how does it affect our lives? What does this pattern of growth look like?"
Answers:
CYCLES OF GROWTH
In the normal cycles of the advancement of the Faith two phases are prominent, crisis and victory. Crisis is always followed by victory, and victory is always followed by crisis. This is the normal course of the divine process, and is manifest in all aspects of life. Both of these phases are essential for completion. They are complementary opposites;
these two are the same, yet they are different. In the field of health this process is manifest as a healing crisis followed by a cure. All true healing comes from God, Who has deposited within us a divine healing power which automatically heals us of all disease if we simply abide by His laws. This healing is an active, powerful process, which can be very painful if it is delayed sufficiently to require an intense response. In other words, healing hurts. It is not a passive comfortable process. Why? Because it involves severe changes, and all changes to which we have not adapted ourselves are uncomfortable, regardless of whether they are positive changes or negative changes. Thus, some sports trainers have the saying, "No pain, no gain." Because of this inherent discomfort asociated with the intense healing phase, our materialistic society has labeled the healing crisis as being the disease, and seeks to alleviate the symptoms by aborting the healing, thus leading to the development of chronic disease. In the natural cycles of growth and the acquisition of health perfections, we move through successively higher levels of perfections, and at each level we are taken apart, purified, and put back together again at the higher level, somewhat analagous to an automobile being taken apart, worn parts replaced, and reassembled. This is a spiritual process, which is also manifest in this physical world. We have explicit instructions from Baha'u'llah telling us how to acquire perfect health. Each of us can become as a regiment, and live to be a hundred and ten years or longer.
Dr. William Saunders, Smyrna, Georgia, U.S.A
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We can learn from the Manifestation of God, His son 'Abdu'l-Baha and His great grandson Shoghi Effendi who had a firm anchor on things on how to cope with life's many crises and victories. Ruhiyyih Khanum in her book, "The Priceless Pearl" mentions that the Guardian, Shoghi Effendi, would be so deeply affected by events swirling around Him that He would sometimes wrap himself up in a coat of Baha'u'llah and lie absolutely motionless. This story which shows a fine balance was brought to our attention. "Yet who can doubt that all the central Figures demonstrated to the whole of mankind an assured and happy way of life? Here is where their example seems particularly precious. To rise above the disappointments, obstacles, and pain which we experience in serving the Cause is difficult enough, but to be called on, in doing so, to be happy and confident is perhaps the keenest spiritual test any of us can meet. The lives of the Founders of our Faith clearly show that to be fundamentally assured does not mean that we live without anxieties, nor does being happy mean that there are not periods of deep grief when, like the Guardian, we wrap
ourselves in a blanket, pray and supplicate, and give ourselves time for healing in preparation for the next great effort." (A letter from the National Spiritual Assembly of Canada quoted in Quickeners of Mankind p. 117)
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I have been in a year of patience since May, and it has been the most trying and exhilarating time in my life. The pain of separation from my dearly-loved husband of 16 years has been equalled by what we have both learned from the experience, and perhaps far surpassed by what we still stand to learn before we are reunited. We have been blessed by having a skillful counselor, caring friends, a mature and forward-thinking Assembly in our area, and prayers from all over the world.
One ramification of these tests and this learning has been that I am physically and emotionally healthier than I have been in years. I have begun taking care of myself as I have striven to take care of others for a long time. I have begun to learn the correlations between love and discipline and health. I have begun to learn appropriate ways of expressing even unpleasant feelings, so that I can be obedient to Baha'u'llah's exhortations not to lose our tempers and to speak humbly. I have begun, along with my husband, to be able to teach our children (now adolescents) many of the things we weren't taught as children. And today I can truly say that, while I am still experiencing the pain of separation, I am happy and contented.
"Through that Word the realities of all created things were shaken, were divided, separated, scattered, combined and reunited, disclosing, in both the contingent world and the heavenly Kingdom, entities of a new creation." (Baha'u'llah, Prayers and Meditations, pp. 295-96)
Rachel Cammack, Washington, U.S.A
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As a midwife, the pattern of growth in pregnancy fits perfectly! Not only the labor and birth process, but the actual pregnancy, during which the woman and her family go through many crises and victories as they prepare for this new life. Unquestionably, her life is irreparably changed! Just as I encourage this woman with reassurance that her unique experience is also held in common with generations of women, and remind her that she can do this - that her body was designed to accomplish this most sacred task. Similarly, God has designed us all to work through the gestation of our
souls, so that we can birth ourselves into His spiritual world. The knowledge of how a mother's life style affects her developing child is being continuously unfolded for us. Her diet, exercise, life stressors and thoughts all have an impact. Every choice we make impacts our souls. The process is unique to each of us, and yet, generations have worked it through and we are assured by the Blessed Beauty (Baha'u'llah) that we have the capacity. Choose wisely my brothers and sisters!
Karen Sadar Watt, The Midwifery Network, Louisiana, U.S.A.
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I would like to share my own experience with friends and perhaps be of some help to you to go through crises with an eternal hope of spiritual growth. My life has been a succession of crises and victories...I will share a couple of them.
In one year, I lost both my fiance and roommate who died in very dramatic circumstances. I was also very far from God and religion. I was raised as a Catholic. When my fiance died, his parents asked me to organize a religious ceremony at church. I was not very convinced of it but did my best to organize something he would have liked, i.e. joyful and hopeful . I didn't know what to choose as far as songs were concerned and for some mysterious reason, I chose a song about the return of Christ ("When will He come back to walk on our path?") This song was so powerful that during the following year everytime I was thinking of my fiance, I started to sing it again and again. Only when I discovered Baha'u'llah for the first time, years later did I stop singing it.
When my roommate died - she was a very religious Christian - she left a gift for me which I discovered a few days after her death, her own Bible. These two deaths led me unconsciously to search for the truth. One year later, still suffering from the death of my two dearest friends, I met two Catholic priests at a party who became friends and offered to say a mass for my two friends . After the mass, these priests came to my home with a Jewish friend and we started to talk about religion. I had become more open to it and the conversation was very intense. At some stage, the Jewish friend said to me: " I know what you are, you are a Baha'i " and he explained to me about the Baha'i Faith. I discarded it since I didn't want to hear about any new religion since I was returning to the Catholic Church.
During the same time, I was having a very difficult time in my professional life. I had been fired from my job which I thought was the job of my life. As a result, I decided to start my own company, a travel agency. I started it at the worse time during the Gulf War. I really thought about stopping it but for some reasons I went on despite all the financial difficulties and very hard work. Thank God I did it since this new company gave me travelling opportunites around the world and nearly on every trip I came across the Baha'i Faith...I did a Christian pilgrimage to the Holy Land which ended on Mount Carmel. When I returned home, I declared myself a Baha'i. I can't thank God enough for all the hard times I went through. Because without all those times, I would never have met Baha'u'llah. Now every time, hard time comes I get excited because I know that at some stage if I manage to go through it, I will grow spiritually and be gratified. I feel blessed and so happy in spite of what I went through.
May this story help a lot of people who go through difficult times to grow and keep hope.
Laurence de Closets, Paris, France
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Question:
Here is another answer to the January, 1998 question: "What are some divine ways of serving individuals who are ill or in need of our assistance?"
Answer:
I would like to offer the following ideas:
1. Show love to them
2. Pray for them
3. Encourage them
4. Find ways to make them happy
5. Find ways to spread and share a healthier way of life with everyone. The more each person gets support, the easier it is for them to feel better.
As an example for number four, one way I found to uplift my own spirit is by exercising to classical music, which makes the sometimes heavy task of exercising more fun and enjoyable.
I feel that all of the above five ideas apply to all the dear friends involved in "Healing Through Unity", the selfless efforts of the physicians and the generous sharing of ideas by all...
Mina Khaze, England
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A Person's Victory with her Health
For over a year now, Dr. Saunders, Georgia, U.S.A, has been my doctor, and this wonderful approach to spiritual and physical health has changed my whole life. Since I had been in such poor health before, I have since had many opportunities to share this process with friends.
Everybody says that it is difficult to start this health program; some friends say it is impossible: 'How can we not eat kabab, chicken, tah cheen, fessenjun, etc., or cheese, yogurts, cake, chocolate, tea, etc.?' And it is true. Really, it seems impossible, if we think from this point of view, which is looking at the short-term way of enjoyment.
However, if we look at it from the long-term result of it, we find it a much better and more enjoyable way of life. Putting aside the main (spiritual) aspect of it and only considering the physical benefits, we see that it is much healthier, we will enjoy the taste of each food more. We will have more time because we spend less time in the kitchen. We spend less money on our food, and we generally find life easier to live. Having considered this side of things, we will give up our attachment to the short-term view, and sacrifice our cravings. As we know at the start of
any change, there is a need for some sacrifice. As the Writings say, we have to give up the important for the most important....
I feel that besides the physical point of view, it is the most effective way to progress spiritually. Just like fasting and obligatory prayers, it improves our will power and steadfastness, our patience, our detachment, our reliance upon God, and our obedience to His Covenant. It is in fact the effects of the spiritual side of this diet that I find the most
interesting...the main purpose is to apply the Creative Words in my daily life.
Mina Khaze, England
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SPIRITUAL HEALTH HABITS
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Here are some essential elements for our spiritual and physical health.
1) Trust in God
2) Consult a skilled physician and follow his instructions
3) Practice detachment from all save God
4) Practice moderation
5) Pray and meditate daily; read the Creative Word morning and evening
6) Be happy always
7) Simplify
8) Focus
9) Practice patience
10) Eat simple, natural plant foods
11) Drink adequate pure water
12) Evaluate progress daily
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LETTERS
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Dearly beloved family,
"Baha'u'llah says in the Hidden Words #16 of the Arabic, "O Son of Light! Forget all save Me and commune with My spirit. This is of the essence of My command, therefore turn unto it." No matter what our illness, if we turn to God, enter His court, supplicate, pray and meditate on His Word, He will guide us. Our test is to become detached from ourselves and place our affairs in His hand. If we do this we can feel Baha'u'llah's strength and have inner peace. As we submit to God's will, our purpose in life will be fulfilled. We will be assured and confident."
Eugenia Pritchard, Florida, U.S.A
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"I want to thank you for sending the newsletter. Yesterday, I received no.7 and we used it as a basis of discussion in our meeting, in the evening. Everybody agreed on the quality of the teaching of the newsletter. Thank you again and God bless you for this very important work."
Gilles Gauthier, Granby, Quebec, Canada
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"I would like to thank you so much for your newsletters. Not only do I learn a lot from them, but it is also a wonderful link between the friends and an extraordinary way to unite people from all over the world. I live in France
where the number of Baha'is is small. I am so happy to share with many people from the whole world. Thanks so much."
Laurence de Closets, Paris, France
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QUESTION OF THE MONTH
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The question for this month is:
"How do we bring ourselves into account?"
O Son of Being!
Bring thyself to account each day ere thou art summoned to a reckoning; for death, unheralded, shall come upon thee and thou shalt be called to give account for thy deeds."
(Baha'u'llah, Hidden Words, #32)
Please share all your responses or if you have other comments for the newsletter, please write to: Frances Mezei by e-mail, -- .
Other than the quoted Writings, the material in this newsletter represents the thoughts and opinions of the writers and has no authority. You are free to copy articles, provided you indicate the source of the article.
With most loving greetings,
Frances Mezei
Ontario, Canada
--HEALING THROUGH UNITY
APRIL 1998
A monthly newsletter dedicated to serving the principles ofphysical and spiritual health envisioned in the Baha'i Teachings.
Volume 1, Issue #9
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"Man, therefore, on the plane of the contingent world is the most perfect being. By man is meant the perfect individual, who is like unto a mirror in which the divine perfections are manifested and reflected. But the sun doth not descend from the height of its sanctity to enter into the mirror, but when the latter is purified and turned towards the Sun of Truth, the perfections of this Sun, consisting of light and heat, are reflected and manifested in that mirror. These souls are the Divine Manifestations of God." ( 'Abdu'l-Baha, Selections From The Writings of 'Abdu'l-Baha, p. 62)
LIGHT OF SELF
By Marcus Bach, Ph.D., D.D.
One of life's greatest discoveries is that you carry a light and that this light is seen by those who see you. This light is the true you. How you dress, what make-up you use, what you say, the life-style you develop may be reflections of the light, but the true light is deeper than all these. It is innate. You really can't see it the way you see yourself in a mirror. It is best seen by others. It is that which betrays and reveals the real you.
Call it an aura, an emanation, an energy, radiance, spirit, charisma or what you will - you carry a light. The way you feel, think, believe, the mood you are in, the thoughts you harbor, the way you treat your physical body, the reach of your mind, the consciousness of your spiritual awareness, all reflect themselves in this light of self.
The light is not only seen by others, it is felt. It is caught by an inner eye, recognized by something intuitive, triggered by something psychic, responds to something spiritual. Whatever it is, the more you walk in the light of honesty, truth, health and well-being, the greater is the reflection. The Galilean said", You are the light of the world" and those who understood Him knew that here was a Man who saw the commonly unseen and who knew that the deep things of life are never obvious. The outer self is often the make-believe, a masquerade. The real self is the light and the challenge is to live so that you show forth the Light, not righteously, but naturally...as naturally as the sun lights the world.....
Seen through the eyes of religion or science, you carry a light and this light is seen by those who see you. Baha'u'llah, founder of the Baha'i Faith,... more than 100 years ago He made a statement worthy of an atomic physicist. He said, 'Split an atom and you will find the universe.' Baha'i literally means: a follower of the Light.
In this connection I had an unforgetable experience several years ago in Australia when I attended a Baha'i meeting one Sunday afternoon. The speaker was a black from Nigeria, an official in the Baha'i movement named Enoch Olinga (Hand of the Cause of God). I was sitting in the auditorium among Baha'i followers. He was on the platform speaking when I gradually saw his aura, a golden-white emanation encircling his body. I am not an auric reader and there are only rare occasions I can attest to seeing these luminous manifestations. This one was so vivid and real that I moved from one part of the auditorium to another in order to assure myself it was not a matter of lights and shadows in the room or merely a reflection of some kind. Apparently it was real. Very real, and the luminosity ebbed and flowed with the passion of his speech.
After the meeting I hesitated speaking to him because he was continually surrounded by his friends. At one point, however, our eyes met and we were involuntarily drawn to each other. As we shook hands, I said to him, 'May I
tell you that I saw your aura this afternoon?' He put his arms around me and I instinctively put my arms around him as he whispered, 'I know, I know.'
What does it mean to me? What does it mean to you? Simply this: we are living in a highly sensitized age in which we are being forced to add new dimensions and new perspectives to life. We are being compelled to live the life that we profess. The gap is closing between profession and practice, between faith and work, between science and religion. The real you eventually comes to light because it is the Light! The integrated, orderly life cannot be staged for long. It must be lived in order to endure. One thing good about science and religion is that both eventually come face to
face with God's love and eventually brings everything to light.
Let us learn to work from the center of that Light. Let us fix our mind on that Light. When things are dark in the world or in our mind, let us turn on that inner Light. Let us follow the Light and learn that we will not walk in darkness. ( The above is an excerpt from the article that appeared in Today's Chiropractic, March-April 1975, p. 26)
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THE EXCHANGE
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Question:
In the March, 1998 issue, the question was asked: "How do we bring ourselves into account?"
Answers:
One woman tried something new. She always kept a journal which she reviewed periodically to review the growth and struggles of life. This year she decided to try an experiment when she received a new journal from her
niece. On pilgrimage she learned from a member of the Universal House of Justice that we do not bring our negative qualities to the next world but only positive attributes. "The soul carries with it divine attributes and spiritual qualities to the next world, but cannot take with it bad qualities for badness has no existence of its own; it is only the lack of goodness." (Adib Tahirzadih, The Human Soul, p. 13) This person had always considered bringing herself to account was to reflect both the positive and negative aspects of the day. She felt that she was very good at seeing the
negative aspects of herself and thought she would attempt to only write about the positive aspects of bringing herself to account each day. At first she felt very doubtful, and decided to give this experiment one year to try it out.
Two months later, she reflected that each time she reviewed the journal it uplifted her soul. She perceived how it simplified and purified her attitude when she looked back on past events and how encouraging it was to her spiritual journey. Focusing on her inner and outer accomplishments now serves as a basis to give her strength to do her service and to validate her own value. She encourages us all to try this. This quote from Velda Piff Metelmann, Denmark, demonstrates this explicitly.
"To bring oneself to account is essentially to find one's strengths, abilities and nobility so that one can value these attributes sufficiently to use them for others. One cannot advance on the spiritual path on one's drawbacks - just as one cannot invest debt for profit. We need to be conscious of ourselves as God's creation - noble beings, capable of
reflecting His Glory - in order to act well. Any set of books that shows only liabilities and does not include assets is useless. Even if, when we evaluate our lives, our faults seem overpowering, still by the grace and mercy of God, we can go forward. Each soul is unique, with a precious, individual point of view, a way of seeing and speaking no other soul can do. If we withhold these inner gifts, it is the whole of mankind - the Cause of God itself - that suffers. The Cause will triumph without us, but our note in the great orchestra of life will not be sounded."
Dorothy Baker, Hand of the Cause of God, said: "I tell myself that one's powers must be turned to creative impulses, not to negativity even of oneself. Lingering on one's frailties is pure egotism."
( Ilona Weinstein,Tending the Garden, p. 84)
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A local 5th grade class has come up with a wonderful way to bring themselves to account each day and to strive to better serve others. The class decided to have each student keep a journal of the good deeds he/she had done. Each day the student would enter something they had done that they considered to be a good deed. The goal of the class was to have many good deeds at the end of the year. Now, mind you, nobody is judging these good deeds - they are private and confidential journals. The children aren't rewarded for quantity or quality of these deeds and nobody is
encouraging boastfulness.
Each day the students sit down to write in their journals and think about what they did that day. No doubt they are excited about the good things they have done, and disappointed in the opportunites they have missed. Even better, throughout the day they are more conscious of the opportunities that pop up - opportunities to do a good deed.
And there is one more thing these students have learned - they feel good about themselves when they serve others. And that makes me feel good, too!
Kendra Steel, Topsham, Maine, U.S.A.
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A SHORT STORY
The Wemmicks were small wooden people. Each of the wooden people was carved by a Woodworker named Eli. His workshop sat on a hill overlooking their village. Every Wemmick was different. Some had big noses, others had large eyes. Some were tall and others were short. Some wore hats, others wore coats. But all were made by the same carver.
And all day, every day, the Wemmicks did the same thing; they gave each other stickers. Each Wemmick had a box of golden star stickers and a box of grey dot stickers. Up and down the streets all over the city, people could be seen sticking stars or dots on one another.
The pretty ones, those with smooth wood and fine paint, always got stars. But if the wood was rough or the paint chipped, the Wemmicks gave dots. The talented ones got stars too. Some could lift big sticks high above their heads or jump over tall boxes. Still other knew big words or could sing very pretty songs. Everyone gave them stars. Some Wemmicks had stars all over them! Every time they got a star it made them feel so good that they did something else and got another star. Others, though, could do little. They got dots.
Punchinello was one of these. He tried to jump high like the others, but he always fell. And when he fell, the others would gather around and give him dots. Sometimes when he fell, it would scar his wood, so the people would give him more dots.
He would try to explain why he fell and say something silly and the Wemmicks would give him more dots. After a while he had so many dots that he didn't want to go outside. He was afraid he would do something dumb such as forget his hat or step in the water, and then people would give him another dot; in fact, he had so many grey dots that some people would come up and give him one without reason.
'He deserves lots of dots', the wooden people would agree with one another. 'He's not a good wooden person.'
After a while, Punchinello believed them. 'I'm not a good Wemmick.' he would say. The few times he went outside, he hung around other Wemmicks who had a lot of dots. He felt better around them.
One day he met a Wemmick who was unlike any other he'd ever met. She had no dots or stars. She was just wooden. Her name was Lucia. It wasn't that people didn't try to give her stickers, it's just that the stickers didn't stick. Some admired Lucia for having no dots, so they would run up and give her a star. But it would fall off. Some would look down on her for having no stars, so they would give her a dot. But it wouldn't stay either.
'That's the way I want to be,' thought Punchinello. I don't want anyone's marks.' So he asked the stickerless Wemmick how she did it.
'It's easy,' Lucia replied, 'Every day I see Eli'
'Eli?'
'Yes, Eli. The wood-carver. I sit in the workshop with Him.'
'Why?'
'Why don't you find out for yourself. Go up the hill. He's there. And with that the Wemmick with no marks turned and skipped away.
'But he won't want to see me!' Punchinello cried out. Lucia didn't hear. So Punchinello went home. He sat near a window and watched the wooden people as they scurried around giving each other stars and dots.
'It's not right.' he muttered to himself. And he resolved to go see Eli. He walked up the narrow path to the top of the hill and stepped into the big shop. His wooden eyes widened at the size of everything. The stool was as tall as he was. He had to stretch on his toes to see the top of the workbench. A hammer was as long as his arm. Punchinello swallowed hard.
'I'm not staying here!' and he turned to leave. Then he heard his name. 'Punchinello?' The voice was deep and strong. Punchinello stopped.
'Punchinello! How good to see you. Come and let me have a look at you.'
Punchinello turned slowly and looked at the large bearded craftsman. 'You know my name?' the little Wemmick asked.
'Of course I do. I made you.'
Eli stooped down and picked him up and set him on the bench. 'Hmm,' the maker spoke thoughtfully as he inspected the grey circles. 'Looks like you've been given some bad marks.'
'I didn't mean to, Eli I really tried hard.'
'Oh, you don't have to defend yourself to me, child. I don't care what the other Wemmicks think.'
'You don't?'
'No, and you shouldn't either. Who are they to give stars or dots? They're Wemmicks just like you. What they think doesn't matter, Punchinello. All that matters is what I think - and I think you are pretty special.'
Punchinello laughed. 'Me, special? Why? I can't walk fast. I can't jump. My paint is peeling. Why do I matter to you?'
Eli looked at Punchinello, put his hands on those small wooden shoulders, and spoke very slowly. 'Because you're mine. That's why you matter to me.'
Punchinello had never had anyone look at him like that - much less his maker. He didn't know what to say.
'Every day I've been hoping you'd come,' Eli explained.
'I came because I met someone who had no marks.'
'I know. She told me about YOU.'
'Why don't the stickers stay on her?'
'Because she has decided that what I think is more important then what they think. The stickers only stick if you let them.'
'The stickers only stick if they matter to you. The more you trust my love, the less you care about the stickers.'
'I'm not sure I understand.'
'You will but it will take time. You've got a lot of marks. For now, just come to see me every day and let me remind you how much I care.'
Eli lifted Punchinello off the bench and set him on the ground.
'Remember,' Eli said as the Wemmick walked out the door, 'You are special because I made you. And I don't make mistakes.'
Punchinello didn't stop, but in his heart he thought, 'I think he really means it.'
And when he did a dot fell to the ground.
(This story is taken from "Magazyn Baha'i Polsce" (Polish Baha'i Magazine) English Edition, January 1998, Vol 4, No.1, pp 10-11)
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HEALTH AND HEALING SEMINAR
Our community organized for the first time a seminar on 'Health and Healing' and to our joy it attracted many friends from the local area. A chiropractor who is a Baha'i and works at a Community Health Centre, discussed the evolution of medicine, alternatives in health care such as homeopathy, isopathy, diet and food combining, the need for harmony between science and religion as it relates to medicine and new methods of diagnosis. He prepared a very attractive handout containing many quotes from the Baha'i writings related to spiritual and physical health. There
was a dynamic spiritual force occuring in the room. The participants felt free to express their views and questions. They requested that the speaker return in the Fall for a follow up. What was new to them was the religion component to the field of medicine. We are excited that we identified a topic that interests our community and we encourage you to organize a similar event. We would be delighted to hear of your experiences of applying the healing teachings in your community and will include them in the newsletter. This quote by 'Abdu'l-Baha stresses this importance.
"Thou shouldst endeavour to study the science of medicine. It is extremely useful and serveth as the greatest instrument for the dissemination of the Cause." ('Abdu'l-Baha, From a Tablet - translated from the Persian)
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LETTERS
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The staff at "Health for Humanity" would like to thank you for sending us copies of your "Healing through Unity" Newsletter. There are always wonderful insights in the articles offered by the contributors, and it is good to have a place where questions can be asked and answered. It is very important to have established an ongoing dialogue among those of us who are concerned with the spiritual as well as the physical healing of mankind.
Caterina Bosio, Health for Humanity, Glencoe, Illinois, U.S.A
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Thank you for your beautiful initiative. I was touched by the content of your newsletter and by your own story and hope this endeavour will be blessed with continuity, inspiration and discoveries.
Denise Belisle, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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(Editor's note: The following are responses to the Ayyam-i-Ha greetings.)
We learn from each other's experiences and in this way we grow in spirit and it helps us all to become more united, to love and enjoy fellowship with all without fear and restriction. Baha'is are called upon to be the Community of the Most Great Name, to be a model of unity, so we have to start with ourselves as nobody else is going to do it for ourselves. Little by little, day by day, this Community tries to live up to the law of unity, and in so doing we grow bonds of unity around the world.
Thank you once again for all that you are doing through your newsletter. We are grateful that you have included Papua New Guinea on your list. Perhaps you can consider some practical way to foster "Healing Through Unity"
seminars in different areas around the world. People everywhere are basically looking for spiritual health although outwardly they think and believe that their material well-being and physical health is what really matters.
Mariette & Ho-San Leong, Papua New Guinea
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Thank you for your wonderful scroll and words. Our family sat down last night and the children with a great deal of love and laughter created 50 origami balloons from paper they had washed with watercolour. They then carefully inserted small bookmarks with 'illuminated' Hidden words that are laminated. Tomorrow night they will distribute them to all the friends at our Community party. It was wonderful to me to see my children having such a marvellous time making such simple gifts and the true love they have for so many friends. (They are 6 and 7) Jane Baker Jones, Palmerston, NT, Australia
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You don't know how my heart has been cheered by your healing newsletter which contains so many priceless rays of hope and comfort. Your Ayyam-i-Ha quotes were just icing on the cake.
Brit Regan, Scarborough, Ontario, Canada
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QUESTION OF THE MONTH
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The question for this month is: How can we arrange to make the time for prayers and devotions special?
Please share all your responses or if you have other comments for the newsletter, please write to Frances Mezei by e-mail: -- .
Other than the quoted Writings, the material in this newsletter represents the thoughts and opinions of the writers and has no authority. You are free to copy articles, provided you indicate the source of the article.
Love to your wonderful and blessed self,
Frances Mezei
Ontario, Canada
--HEALING THROUGH UNITY
May 1998
A monthly newsletter dedicated to serving the principles ofphysical and spiritual health envisioned in the Baha'i Teachings.
Volume 1, Issue #10
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LISTENING TO OUR BODY
by Frances Mezei
"O Son of Man!
The temple of being is My throne; cleanse it of all things, that there I may be established and there I may abide." (Baha'u'llah, Hidden Words, Arabic #59)
The body is the temple of the human soul. It is important to have knowledge and understanding about our body, feel it, take care of it, like it and allow it to be healthy. Today the condition of our body is influenced by the perceptions and attitudes of our society's view of illness. Most of us grew up with little training on how to honour and nurture our body. Our bodily signs are often ignored mostly because we do not understand the deeper implications of them. We often resort to a quick fix and think that the problem will resolve on its own. There is a lot of pressure to believe
the advertisements that tell us to pop a pill and continue with life's many duties; that popping pills is the only cure.
Our illnesses or chronic diseases such as headaches, allergies, high blood pressure, asthmas, etc are among the greatest trials and sacrifices. We often think it is impossible to find a cure and to eradicate the disease. In the Baha'i Writings, there is much guidance from Baha'u'llah to take care and cleanse the body of its wastes as exhorted in this quote:
"...You should not neglect your health, but consider it the means which enables you to serve. It - the body - is like a horse which carries the personality and spirit, and as such should be well cared for so it can do its work! You should certainly safeguard your nerves, and force yourself to take time, and not only for prayer and meditation, but for real rest and relaxation."
( From a letter dated 23 November 1947 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, Health and Healing, p. 40)
When our body senses tiredness, heaviness, pain or discomfort, it is asking for our loving and kind attention. It demands that we listen to these bodily signs. We can rest, relax and pray, allowing the body to stop and do nothing. Some days we can have complete rest by staying in bed. This will assist the system to heal itself, adjusting severe imbalances which require a great amount of focus and energy. By putting our trust in God, this total relaxation will strengthen the healing power to perform its divinely ordained function. The stress is caused by trying to do something beyond the normal capability at that time. This is simply the natural God-given healing process; some of us call it a healing or spiritual crisis.
This story tells of a woman who is learning to take care of herself: Mary has been suffering from headaches and migraines for about 20 years. Each time a headache would surface, she would immediately take a pill. The pain
would lessen and then she would carry on with her duties. However, the headache would return, and Mary would continue to increase her intake of pills. She was very concerned about her dependency on pills which at times affected her stomach. She tried all kinds of alternative treatments and her headaches still persisted. Then she consulted with a doctor who educated her about the benefits of a healing crisis and that all true healing comes from God.
She is trying an experiment. Whenever she feels a headache, she will increase her intake of water, rest and take no pills. One month ago, Mary had a migraine and she was determined not to take one pill. She was pain-ridden for two days, wore a woolen hat and faced her internal battles of fears which were manifested through her headaches. It was a critical time which demanded bravery and reliance on Baha'u'llah. She faced it fair and square and emerged victorious, clear-eyed and triumphant. She discovered hidden and evident insights, thus liberating her. Mary also
noticed afterwards that her energy level increased and she was able to complete her tasks with a greater sense of simplicity and focus. She wants to continue to strive to practice these spiritual healing habits. She feels this is the key to beat this chronic disease and achieve detachment from pills.
Mary's consciousness has increased. She learned from her physician that when the headaches are suppressed by drugs the healing stops and the underlying imbalance remains, only to emerge at a later time. The headaches
continued to grow worse, and compounded over the years. This encouraged her to search for new solutions such as rest, drinking lots of water and saying prayers. She has learned how to welcome, abide and accept the healing process and thus safeguard her body which is the temple of the soul.
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GOD'S PERSONAL MESSAGES - THROUGH THE BODY
By William Saunders, M.D., Smyrna, Georgia, U.S.A
All true healing comes from God, and God has deposited within us His trust, the rational soul, the human spirit, He is closer to us than our own life vein, and He is constantly, uninterruptedly, sending us messages through our physical and spiritual senses. Listening to your body means to pay attention to the message He is sending and to respond to it in the way He wishes. Everyone receives His messages, He ensures that it is the proper response that is important. If we do not learn to respond, He increases the intensity: slight fatigue will gradually increase to total exhaustion, and mild discomfort to debilitating pain. The problem is not the unwelcomed message, which we have been taught to regard as a disease, to be destroyed at all costs, even our self destruction. The real problem is our lack of awareness to His divine health laws, which causes no discomfort and is not disagreeable. We adapt and learn to enjoy these
transgressions, we become attached to them, and refuse to detach ourselves from these practices which are squandering our innate resources, our strength and health, and depriving us of the God-given power to serve Him
at full power for a lifetime. Pain and discomfort do not result from these actions, they follow the attempts to continue to function at the level we were capable of achieving before we squandered our health by conforming to the standards of society. His messages are simple and clear, if you are sleepy, sleep, if you are tired, rest, if you are thirsty, drink pure water, and he has given specific written instructions. In the Most Holy Book is the injunction:
"Resort ye, in times of sickness, to competent physicians."
Abdu'l-Baha interprets this as follows:
"According to the explicit decree of Baha'u'llah one must not turn aside from the advice of a competent doctor. It is imperative to consult one even if the patient himself be a well-known and eminent physician. In short, the point is that you should maintain your health by consulting a highly-skilled physician."
(Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 156)
"It is incumbent upon everyone to seek medical treatment and to follow the doctor's instructions, for this is in compliance with the divine ordinance, but, in reality, He Who giveth healing is God." (ibid, p. 156)
In the Tablet to a Physician (included in this issue), written to a Persian physician more than a century ago, Baha'u'llah gives general and specific advice about health and healing. Of paramount importance is the advice:
"Treat disease first of all through diet, and refrain from medicine."
Equally important is the next statement:
"If you can find what you need for healing in a single herb, do not use a compound medicine."
The original of the Tablet is far more comprehensive than the translation implies, the word used is 'ahad', the Arabic word for 'one', 'a single unit', and could therefore apply to anything required: herb, drug, medicine, food or dish. Its essence is simplicity.
This advice is for physicians, and for the wise in the absence of physicians. Physicians should learn how to do this, and patients should demand that it be done. This will be a sign of the maturity of mankind and will carry us into the medicine of the future, and that future is now, if we dedicate ourselves to making it a reality through our actions, our
unity, and our obedience to His will.
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TABLET TO A PHYSICIAN
This unauthorized translation of the entire Tablet by Baha'u'llah is published in "Star of the West", Vol.13, No.9, p.152, Dec.1922.
O God! The Supreme Knower!
The Ancient Tongue speaks that which will satisfy the wise in the absence of physicians.
Say! O people! Do not eat except when you are hungry. Do not drink after you have retired to sleep. Exercise is good when the stomach is empty; it strengthens the muscles. When the stomach is full it is very harmful. Do not neglect medical treatment when it is necessary, but leave it off when the body is in good condition. Do not take nourishment except when (the process of) digestion is completed. Do not swallow until you have thoroughly masticated your food. Treat disease first of all through diet, and refrain from medicine. If you can find what you need for healing in a single herb, do not use a compound medicine. Leave off medicine when the health is good, and use them in case of necessity.
If two diametrically opposite foods are put on the table do not mix them. Be content with one of them. Take first the liquid food before partaking of solid food. The taking of food before that which you have already eaten is digested is dangerous. The compounding of one food with another is a danger of which you must beware. Begin meals with "In My Name, the All Glorious." End with "In the Name of the Possessor of heaven and earth." When you have eaten, walk a little, that the food may settle. That which is difficult to masticate is forbidden by the wise. Thus the Supreme Pen commands you. A light meal in the morning is as a light to the body. Avoid all harmful habits; they cause unhappiness in the world. Relate the diseases to their causes. This statement in this connection is a conclusive decree.
Verily the most necessary thing is contentment under all circumstances; by this one is preserved from morbid conditions and from lassitude. Yield not to grief and sorrow; they cause the greatest misery. Jealously consumeth
the body and anger doth burn the liver; avoid these two as you would a lion.
The main thing is to cleanse the body of its wastes, but in the temperate season. He who overeats, his illness becomes more severe. We have arranged for each thing a cause and we have bestowed upon it an effect. All this is from the effulglence of My Name which permeates all things. Your God is the Ruler in all things. Say! By adhering to that which we have set forth the humours of the body will not depart from their equilibrium nor will their set measure be upset by various conditions, for the primary substance will remain in its pristine purity and no change will occur in the normal proportion of one-sixth, and one-sixth of one sixth, and the twin active agents (qualities, properties) and the twin passive agents will remain intact; and in God must our trust be. There is no God but Him, the Healer, the Knower, the Helper.The Supreme Pen has not written such words but for love of thee, that thou mayest know that grief has not siezed upon the Blessed Beauty. He is not sorrowful because of what has befallen Him from the nations. Sadness is for
him who loses his chance when it appears. Nothing on earth or in heaven is outside the grasp of God.O physician! In treating the sick, first mention the Name of God, the Possessor of the Day of Judgement and then use what God hath destined for the healing of His creatures. By My Life! The physician who has drunk from the Wine of My Love, his visit is healing, and his breath is mercy and hope. Cling to him for the welfare of the constitution. He is confirmed by God in his treatment.
This science (of the healing arts) is the noblest of all the sciences, for it is the greatest means from God, the Life-Giver to the dust, for preserving the bodies of all people, and he has put it in the forefront of all sciences and wisdoms. It is indeed the most potent instrument provided by God, He Who breathes life into bones, for the protection of the bodies of men. He hath given it the foremost rank among all sciences and the knowledge of the wise. However, this is the day for thee to arise to help My Cause, while fully detached from all the worlds. Say! Thy name is my healing, O my God, and remembrance of Thee is my remedy. Nearness to thee is my hope, and love for Thee is my companion. Thy mercy to me is my healing and my succor in both this world and the world to come. Thou, verily, art the All-Bountiful, the All-Knowing, the All Wise.
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INFORMATION ON HOW COMMON MENTAL ILLNESS IS
Submitted by Nona Lynn Simons, Reno, Nevada, U.S.A,
Following is a synopsis of some important statistics on how common mental illness is in America, based on The National Institute of Mental Health Agenda, Web Page called "Mental Illness in America"
(http://www.nimh.nih.gov/research/amer.htm):
"...the most severe mental illnesses affect some 5 million American adults, causing inestimable suffering to these patients and their families.
"But these severely ill patients...represent only a part of a broader problem from which few families are immune, for mental disorders can and do occur from childhood to old age..." "Overall, one in ten Americans experience some disability from a diagnosable mental illness in the course of any given year."
"An analysis conducted for the Senate Appropriations Committee projected that appropriate and timely treatment of severe mental disorders would produce a 10 percent decrease in the use and cost of medical services by people with these illnesses, yielding savings greater than the cost of providing these treatment services."
"Affective (Mood) Disorders affect nearly 18 million Americans age 18 and older each year..."
This information points to a need for mental health awareness in this country, since so many people experience some disability from mental illness, and this also affects their family members and peers. Thus, I think this is a common problem which is important for us not to ignore. By educating ourselves about mental illness, I believe we can begin to learn strategies for coping with the family members or friends we are bound to encounter who are afflicted with some sort of mental disorder. As Baha'is, I believe we are obligated to learn more about this subject, as a way to help foster the growth of mature Local Spiritual Assemblies (Baha'i Institutions) who are loving shepherds to the friends in their communities. There are a few references on how Local Spiritual Assemblies and the friends can deal with mental illness in statements on this subject prepared by the Baha'i International Community.
It is hoped this information will be helpful to you in some way.
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THE EXCHANGE
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Question:
Here is another answer to the question asked in the March, 1998 issue: "How do we bring ourselves to account?"
Answer:
My 14 year old son and I review our day together when we say our evening prayers. We come up with at least one good thing and one thing we'd like to improve, and then we come up with at least three things we are grateful for in our day. "If we should offer a hundred thousand thanksgivings every moment to the threshold of God. . . we would fail to express our gratitude sufficiently." (`Abdu'l-Baha, Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 37)
I'd been doing it on my own, but we started doing it together about 3 or 4 years ago, when I realized that for him to learn to do it, I had to model it. It's practically the only time of day we can be guaranteed to have any "real" dialogue. It really keeps the doors of communication open and he learns that I am not perfect. We often problem solve together - he helps me to strategize on improving my conduct in the days to come, as I help him.
Susan Gammage, Ontario, Canada
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THE VIRTUE OF ORDER
This is taken from Sacred Moments, Daily Meditation on the Virtues by Linda Kavelin Popov. It is a beautiful story about the art of focus.
"I have faced my fear of heights by climbing mountains, feel energized by speaking to large audiences, gladly take financial risks for the sake of a worthy venture and regularly take on my personal dragons. What sets my heart to fibrillating and weakens my knees is adminophobia - the fear of all the little tasks undone that grow like mold, that mock and whine, "You're not enough. You'll never get done." One morning after returning from a trip, an anxiety attack woke me early. Bleary-eyed, I got up and went to my prayer corner. "Help!", I said aloud, "I need real help! I just can't face the pile on my desk." I saw in my mind's eye a holy figure in the distance standing on a beach where I often saw him. He was smiling at me and beckoning. As I approached him, I noticed something colorful in his right hand, glinting in the sunlight. It was a set of pick-up-sticks, a game I played as a child. He lifted his head and raised his eyebrows, directing me to watch closely. He tossed the sticks onto the sand where they landed in a jumbled pile. He put his thumb and forefinger together and shook them with a wry expression which said "Watch this!" He bent
slightly from the waist and, without disturbing the rest of the pile, carefully and effortlessly picked up one red stick. He held it up with a triumphant smile and looked deep into my eyes. I quickly journaled the meditation, writing "One thing at a time." When I walked into the office, there was the expected pile left by my secretary. As my computer hummed to life, I picked up one thing from the teetering pile with thumb and forefinger. I handled it with calm,
focused concentration. By noon, my out-basket was brimming and my desk was mercifully clear.
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SPIRITUAL HEALTH HABITS
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Here are some essential elements for our spiritual and physical health from an eminent physician.
1) Trust in God
2) Consult a skilled physician and follow his instructions
3) Practice detachment from all save God
4) Practice moderation
5) Pray and meditate daily; read the Creative Word morning and evening
6) Be happy always
7) Simplify
8) Focus
9) Practice patience
10) Eat simple, natural plant foods
11) Drink adequate pure water
12) Evaluate progress daily
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LETTERS
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You are doing a great service to the community and I hope you will get lots of interest and support...This is an exciting project which I am sure will make the Writings of the Faith accessible and relevant to the friends.
Anne Maund, Editor - Baha'i Journal UK, United Kingdom
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Thank you for your warm welcome. I have printed all the newsletters and will distribute them via the National Spiritual Assembly to all the friends here.
Dr. Ramin Mohjir, Oman
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Thank you for sending the newsletter out to the world. You are doing a great and wonderful job. God bless you.
Joakim Larsen, Denmark
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I would like to subscribe to the Healing Through Unity Newsletter. My Mother forwarded the April, 1998 issue and the good works and thoughts presented in it have kept my mind working for weeks. Thank you very much.
Beverly Ketcham, Austin, Texas, U.S.A.
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QUESTION OF THE MONTH
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The question for this month is:
"How can we use humour and joy to assist with our health and well-being?"
"The star of happiness is in every heart; we must remove the clouds so that it may twinkle radiantly."
(Quoted by Martha Root in Star of the West, vol 13, p. 128)
Please share all your responses or if you have other comments for the newsletter, please write to: Frances Mezei by e-mail, -- .
Other than the quoted Writings, the material in this newsletter represents the thoughts and opinions of the writers and has no authority. You are free to copy articles, provided you indicate the source of the article. If you have a change of e-mail address or wish to unsubscribe the newsletter, please let me know. There are 10 issues per year; it is not published during July and August.
With most loving greetings,
Frances Mezei
Ontario, Canada
--
HEALING THROUGH UNITY
June 1998
A monthly newsletter dedicated to serving the principles ofphysical and spiritual health envisioned in the Baha'i Teachings.
Volume 1, Issue #11
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"BEYOND THE TEARS IS SUNSHINE"
Stanwood Cobb, the renowned educator, wrote, "This philosophy of joy was the keynote of all Abdu'l-Baha's teachings. "Are you happy?" was His frequent greeting to his visitors. "Be Happy!" 'Those who were unhappy (and who of us are not at times!) would weep at this. And Abdu'l-Baha would smile as if to say, "Yes, weep on. Beyond the
tears is sunshine." "And sometimes He would wipe away with His own hands the tears from their wet cheeks, and they would leave His presence transfigured.' In California it was observed that 'despite the Master's fatigue at times, and His physical ailments, He welcomed everyone with a beaming smile, and in His pleasing and vibrant voice would ask,"Are you happy?"' He loved the sound of laughter and often told stories and anecdotes to make us laugh. When we heard Him laugh, we knew that He or someone else had told an amusing story, and the sound of His laughter made us all happy. Once the Master told us that during the most dangerous and trying times of His imprisonment Baha'u'llah would ask each member of the family to relate the most amusing incident or story they had experienced or heard that day. After the tale had been told, they would all roar with laughter." ( AnnaMarie Honnold, Vignettes from the Life of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 127 and Ramona Brown, Memories of Abdu'l-Baha, p.38)
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THE EXCHANGE
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Question:
In the May, 1998 issue, the question was asked: "How can we use humour and joy to assist with our health and well-being?"
Answers:
I would like to share with you a quote I have been pondering since the last Feast (April 8/98). The theme of the Feast was joy. Our consultation was centered on how to bring more joy into our own lives and into the life of the community.
This quote is from "Paris Talks" page 109.
"Joy gives us wings! In times of joy our strength is more vital, our intellect keener, and our understanding less clouded. We seem better able to cope with the world and to find our sphere of usefulness. But when sadness visits us we become weak, our strength leaves us, our comprehension is dim and our intelligence veiled. The actualities of life seem to elude our grasp, the eyes of our spirits fail to discover the sacred mysteries, and we become even as dead beings."
Such power joy gives us. The term "sphere of usefulness" jumped out for me. Also the idea that we fail to discover the sacred mysteries when our joy leaves us. How excited I was when I found this glorious Cause. How happy and intense I became, reading everything I could get my hands on, reveling in every new discovery and meaning. Our consultation centered more on how do we bring that spirit into our community to become attracting beacons of hope; so the community can help us from not becoming dead beings. As individuals we can read, meditate, say our prayers and draw closer to God but how do we translate that into the community? How do we find our sphere of usefulness as a community?
Sometimes our community gets bogged down and the light dims dangerously low. The only way out of a bog is to fly out. So if we need to fly we need wings and joy gives us wings. How do we create joy within the community? Sometimes just having the Feasts and Holy Days aren't enough, the event is held but the joy is missing.
If you have any ideas or thoughts about this please pass them on. I'm sure we all have had times when we have had to feed the flames of joy.
Lyda Greer, Hay River, Northwest Territories, Canada
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HAPPINESS IS A GREAT HEALER
Joy gives strength, has a healing effect. Unhappiness weakens and causes disease. True happiness resides in the spiritual world and is eternal, whereas all unhappiness resides in this material world of existence, therefore the more we detach ourselves from the material world and attach ourselves to the spiritual world, the more happy and spiritually strong we become. The direct means of achieving this is by detachment from all save God. Another powerful tool is the prayer "O God, refresh and gladden my spirit.." (Baha'i Prayers, U.S.A.,1985 edition, p. 152)
A very simple physical technique is simply to laugh daily. "One man, Norman Cousins, in his efforts to overcome a painful and debilitating disease, resorted to the exercise of positive emotions such as laughter. With the help of his physician he collected comic films and humorous books which he used regularly in order to laugh his illness away: 'I made the joyous discovery that ten minutes of genuine belly laughter had an anaesthetic effect and would give me at least two hours of pain-free sleep. When the pain-killing effect of the laughter wore off, we would switch on the motion-picture projector again, and, not infrequently, it would lead to another pain-free sleep interval.' "(Rusty Wright and Linda Wright, 500 Clean Jokes and Humorous Stories, p.21) How much more effective laughing can become when it is spiritualized! Thus you can see how interrelated these components are, each tied to all the others, supporting and being supported. This is not a "diet" or a treatment, it is a way of life. Be happy always.
"You must be happy always. You must be counted among the people of joy and happiness and must be adorned with divine morals. In a large measure happiness keeps our health while depression of spirit begets diseases. The substance of eternal happiness is spirituality and divine morality, which has no sorrow to follow it." (Abdu'l-Baha quoted in 239 Days: Abdu'l-Baha's Journey in America, p. 94)
Dr. William Saunders, Smyra, Georgia, U.S.A.
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I have many humourous jokes and stories sent to me by email. The ones I like, I print out and put together in a humour journal. Then when I need to lift my spirits, they are all there for me to see.
I also subscribe to an online "Joke of the Day" list. These are clean jokes. * To join or leave the list, email:
<laughalot-request@graceweb.org> Send the message: Subscribe or Unsubscribe. (No other words!)
Susan Gammage, Ontario, Canada
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SUPPORT FOR FRIENDS IN NEED
By Nona Simons, Reno, Nevada, U.S.A
"We should all visit the sick. When they are are in sorrow and suffering it is a real help and benefit to have a friend come. Happiness is a great healer to those who are ill....The people in the East show the utmost kindness and compassion to the sick and suffering. This has greater effect than the remedy itself."
(Abdu'l-Baha, Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 204)
How often do we think of our friends who are ill or indisposed and in need of extra help? It can be very comforting and an aid to healing for a person who is ill or indisposed to receive phone calls, visits, and help with practical things such as shopping, cooking, and house cleaning. Even though we all have busy schedules, we can all benefit from thinking about and helping our friends who really need it. The person who is giving the assistance to the one in need can receive all kinds of intangible benefits from showing their care and concern for another human being. The person receiving the assistance might feel a little less lonely and a little more loved, contributing to a positive attitude which aids in healing. When I was recuperating from a serious surgery several years ago, the phone calls I received were an
important highlight of the day, making me feel more connected to the world. One of my friends took me shopping when I couldn't drive, and I was able to buy things I wanted and needed, which aided in my recovery. Giving assistance to our friends and neighbors is something enjoined upon us by 'Abdu'l-Baha, and the example he has set in his life is one which all of us can try to follow. Not only does this sort of service aid the people involved directly, but the benefits can effect an entire Baha'i community, serving to increase unity, and helping the friends feel more connected and loved.
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ADVANCES IN HEALTH AND MEDICINE
By Cindy Moriarty-Schieven
Program Director and Nutritionist
Waters of Life Therapy Centers Inc., Hawaii
email: cindyms@interpac.net
web site: www.kshin.com/waterslife.html
"It is certain that in this wonderful new age the development of medical science will lead to the doctors' healing their patients with foods."
(Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 155)
This wondrous age, inspired by the lifegiving outpouring of energy and knowledge through the revelation of Baha'u'llah has inspired great advances in science, medicine and surgery. Not least among the great upwelling of
knowledge has been advances in understanding nutrition and health. But like all social and scientific processes, knowledge can be present and available long before the social and legal structures are present to make them available to humanity. Twenty three years ago when I was a sick young person I began to investigate health techniques that would help me. I was born with a congenital heart condition and had open heart surgery at the age of six. Although the surgery and medical techniques were truly new and miraculous, allowing me a life that would have ended in previous times, medical knowledge of the time did not understand the negative effects that surgery and drug therapy can have on a child and I suffered for years from serious health concerns including chronic infections. At age 18, I suffered a cardiac arrest with CPR for 2 hours and a period of coma. By intensive study and the assistance of a few health practitioners I developed a lifestyle that allowed me to remain strong despite frequent surgery, chronic heart problems and other continuous challenges and learned to prevent heart disease related to coronary artery disease. I share this personal information to illustrate how times change and new knowledge becomes known and accepted. Twenty years ago when I investigated nutrition as a supportive step to health my doctors warned me not to listen to quacks. If I had not researched and learned to apply this excellent knowledge, I would have been a very sick person indeed and Baha'u'llah has presented challenges to help me to continue to learn and develop new techniques.
Now doctors and the public are aware of nutrition and holistic techniques and reccomend nutrients to the level that I used them 20 years ago. Take vitamin E and C. Use herbs for colds, etc. This is heartening but also frustrating because 20 years of research and knowledge has gone on during this process and the knowledge is quite staggering and incredibly helpful. We now understand nutrition related syndromes that cause mental illness which leads from depression to Schizophrenia which is actually a linked disease process. They are due to specific imbalances in the body.
( Editor's note: The author has written a description and a summary of symptoms of various illnesses such as Pyroluria, Histadelia, Histapenia, Cancer, HIV/Aids and other Ills which could not be included here due to lack of space. However, if you wish to read this information, please e-mail her at cindyms@interpac.net or write her at Waters of Life Therapy Centers Inc. HCR 1 Box 5352 Kea'au, Hawaii )
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HEALING THROUGH UNITY IN THE U.S. SPACE PROGRAM
By Orval H. Minney, DSc
Santa Maria, CA, U.S.A.
In a previous issue (January, 1998), I spoke of the six methods of healing mentioned by Abdu'l Baha in "Some Answered Questions" and referenced some of my experience using these concepts in my work on the U.S. Manned Space Program. This raised the question of how these Healing Through Unity ideas were applicable. Obviously, they were not officially recognized by the NASA as the source of our pursuit but were my own interpretations and
utilizations as a scientist researching the problems of maintaining the health, well being and optimal functioning of the astronauts .
The greatest contribution of the Apollo Project, which landed man on the moon, is recognized by scholars of civilization's evolutionary history as not the landing itself but the management and control system developed by
government, academia and industry to integrate the work of thousands of companies and organizations developing hundreds of thousands of material and psychological units, parts and elements into a single goal oriented program and achievement. Compare this to the human mind developing and maintaining the dynamic balance or homeostasis, spoken of by Abdu'l-Baha, of millions of cells, tissues, systems, organs and structures into an evolving and functional human being able to perform at levels never before seen in evolutionary creation. As a life scientist, this was the vision of my quest.
The challenge to place a man on the moon, to go where no human had ever gone before, meant a new paradigm had to be developed and pursued. We had to develop spiritual, psychological and physical criteria for the first explorers or astronauts. Then, it was necessary to develop training programs and improve and maintain their health, mental alertness and physical acumen at the pinnacle of human achievement. As a member of the original Apollo research team, I turned to the Baha'i Writings. Nothing in academia had prepared us for the task we faced. Man was being sent, not only as a integral functioning subsystem in a totally integrated mission system, but was expected to be a guinea pig and observer as well. Medical practice was oriented toward curing diseases, but we were expected to make healthy men healthier and keep them that way under conditions of stress never before experienced. It was this challenge that caused me to consider the six methods of healing as a guideline for developing criteria for use in my research.
If we consider a human as being of four elements; material (the physical body), spirit (the animating force or energy of the body), mind (the non-material mental or thought processes), and soul (the transcendent and true essence of the individual), then it was necessary to consider not just the functioning or treatment of any one of these elements but to integrate and optimize all of them into a single holistic self. Each experiment provided data on the process or element being tested or trained but then had to be integrated and optimized with the total psyche, physique and functional abilities of the subject being tested. Our work included elements of eastern philosophy and yoga, allopathic and alternative biomedical practices, modern psychology and psychometrics, and bioenvironmental sciences.
In the Apollo Space Program we explored the unknowns of Healing Through Unity in that complex organism called man as a holistic entity within a equally unknown and integrated artificial environment in a hostile space environment.
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SPIRITUAL HEALTH HABITS
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Here are some essential elements for our spiritual and physical health from an eminent physician.
1) Trust in God
2) Consult a skilled physician and follow his instructions
3) Practice detachment from all save God
4) Practice moderation
5) Pray and meditate daily; read the Creative Word morning and evening
6) Be happy always
7) Simplify
8) Focus
9) Practice patience
10) Eat simple, natural plant foods
11) Drink adequate pure water
12) Evaluate progress daily
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LETTERS
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What a beautiful surprise to see on my email this morning such an outstanding newsletter. My heart just soared and I had to call my mother and read it to her. She was so excited and said, " Wow I was just reading about that". Thanks so much for the breath of fresh air. I am the coordinator for The Power of Race Unity project that is taking place for
the first time in Alaska and after reading your newsletter I now have many more ideas as well I plan to share it with other fellow members. Thanks so much for the hard work, time and very obvious devotion. My love and prayers will be with you.
Vinita and Travis Norman, Fairbanks, Alaska, U.S.A
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The newsletters are getting better and better with each issue....It is so spiritually uplifting and its incredible how each person's contribution is so enriching!
Ranzie Mensah, Aosta, Italy
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I enjoy so much receiving this wonderful newsletter you've put together. What a wonderful service you are providing to a large and growing number of people!
Meim Smith, Auxiliary Board Member for Southern Ontario, Canada
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Dearest Friends,
It is the end of the first year of the ‘Healing Through Unity' newsletter. It has been so beautiful to observe and admire the exchange of information, caring and sensitivity among the friends. How fortunate we are to have this
type of healing and support during our struggles and victories. Each one of you has been led to ‘Healing Through Unity' to enhance, encourage, serve and sweeten each other and the larger community. Each one of you has contributed a wealth of knowledge and experience of the diversity of the acquisition of perfect health. "...God willing, be freed from all spiritual afflictions, and may attain unto perfect health..." (Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 108) Together as one united spiritual family, we are learning to understand the implication and wisdom of the Baha'i Writings on the subject of physical and spiritual health as delineated in the emerging World Order of Baha'u'llah.
There are now 400 listed subscribers from 42 countries/territories. Please continue to share your news, stories and ideas over the summer. I wish you a joyful and happy summer while basking in the sunshine and love of God. I look forward to our second year of ‘Healing Through Unity' which will resume in September and to the treasures of the future in the field of medicine.
My heart is very grateful for your warmth,
encouragement and support.
Frances Mezei
Ontario, Canada
--HEALING THROUGH UNITY NEWSLETTER
A monthly newsletter dedicated to serving the principles of
physical and spiritual health envisioned in the Baha'i Teachings.
September 1998
Volume 2, Issue #1
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"Systematization ensures consistency of lines of action based on well-conceived plans. In a general sense, it implies an orderliness of approach in all that pertains to Baha'i service, whether in teaching or administration, in individual or collective endeavour. While allowing for individual initiative and spontaneity, it suggests the need to be clear-headed, methodical, efficient, constant, balanced and harmonious. Systematization is a necessary mode of functioning animated by the urgency to act."
(The Universal House of Justice to the Baha'is of the World, Ridvan Message 155)
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AN INDIVIDUAL ATTEMPT AT A SYSTEMATIC PLAN FOR TRANSFORMATION
By Michael Teske, Haifa, Israel
I wish to share with you my attempt at a systematic plan for transformation. First I will give you a little background as to how this developed, and then I will explain the program. Some of you might be familiar with Benjamin Franklin, one of the Founding Fathers of the United States of America. Well, apparently when he was a young man, he was notorious for his ill manners and poor and rude behavior; he was also quite promiscuous -- leading some to say that he is the father of our country (the United States). Anyway, at some point in his life he wanted to change, but he realized that everytime he tried to change his behavior he would become paralyzed or nothing would happen because he would be trying to change everything at once. He recognized that he could only accomplish a transformation if he focussed on one thing at a time. So he looked at a year, there are 52 weeks in a year, divide by 4 and you have 13. So he chose 13 qualities that he would like to develop or improve within himself and decided to focus on one of these qualities each week. Week number one he only focussed on quality number one; week number two he only focussed on quality number two, and forgot about quality number one, etc... So in this way he worked through all the qualities in 13 weeks and then repeated this four times so that at the end of one year he had worked on each quality a total of four times and could get excited about the progress that he made.
About two years ago, I attempted to put this same program into action here with a slight twist... I chose 13 things about myself that I wanted to develop or strengthen within myself, and then associated these with the names of 13 of the 19 names of the Baha'i months. Well I wrote all of this down on a sheet of paper, and now I do not even remember how much I followed this plan -- perhaps it was only a couple of weeks and then I somehow got distracted and the paper got lost amongst my ever growing stacks of papers. Anyway, about one month ago as I was saying the Long Obligatory Prayer one evening, as is often the case, I was battling stray or seemingly random thoughts. In this case the thought that popped into my mind was wondering about systematic plans as mentioned in this year's Ridvan message 155 from the Universal House of Justice to the Baha'is of the World. Immediately I wondered where this piece of paper was that I had written down this transformation plan some two years before, knowing that it must be in a particular stack of papers. I then fought with myself, saying that hey, I am in the middle of praying here and letting stray thoughts distract me. Just then another thought pops into my mind... In "The Secret of Divine Civilization" Abdu'l-Baha mentions "attributes of perfection" and there seems to be somewhere between 10 to 15 of these -- I wonder if there are 13 and if so maybe I should do the "Benjamin Franklin Transformation Plan" with these "Attributes of Perfection". Oh, hey now I am in the middle of prayer and I am letting myself get distracted again, but I must promise myself to remember to look this up in the morning when I go to work, as my book is in the office.
The next morning when I got to work I immediately counted 13 attributes of perfection... so since then for the last month I have been pursuing a plan of action of focussing on one attribute of perfection a week. I just completed the fourth week and the fourth attribute of perfection.... Now as I proceed I am becoming even more excited, as I realize that in 13 weeks I will have gone through all these 13 attributes of perfection one time; then for the rest of the year I will revise what I have compiled three times.... this seems like a powerful method of developing and reviewing material as well as a potentially potent path towards tremendous transformation. Only time will tell for sure...., but don't necessarily discard those stray thoughts that come to you in prayer... it might be the only time your brain is relaxed enough for God to send you a message.
I hope that you find this useful or that it stimulates you in a different direction useful for your own self, remembering that everything we do is a process towards growth -- my previous attempts at individual systematic plans of transformation have led me to this new stage of development... May Baha'u'llah assist each one of you in your own struggles towards perfection!
ATTRIBUTES OF PERFECTION
(Summarized from "The Secret of Divine Civilization", Abdu'l-Baha, pp. 35-40)
(1) learning and the cultural attainments of the mind
(2) justice and impartiality
(3) to arise with complete sincerity and purity of purpose to educate the masses
(4) to fear God
(5) to love God by loving His servants
(6) to exercise mildness and forbearance and calm
(7) to be sincere, amenable, clement and compassionate
(8) to have resolution and courage, trustworthiness and energy
(9) to strive and struggle
(10) to be generous, loyal, without malice
(11) to have zeal and a sense of honor
(12) to be high-minded and magnanimous
(13) to have regard for the rights of others
(Editor's note: If you have begun a similiar systematic plan for your own transformation, we would be interested to hear and learn from you.)
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A DOCTOR'S VIEW OF HEALTH
By Dale Sims, Ontario, Canada
On television, I watched this wise, female obstetrician and gynecologist -Dr. Christiane Northrup - speaking about health. Here are some of the steps to creating health which she prescribes:
1. Listen to your body.
2. To say twice a day to yourself in the mirror - daily for 30 days - "I accept myself unconditionally right now." This will bring out all your 'voices' for nonacceptance of yourself loud and clear.
3. Identify the desire to create and your power of intent.
4. Understand the law of attraction.
5. Embrace the potential of your biology - get in touch and think about something or someone you love unconditionally. Do this regularly.
6. Get support.
7. Walk away from negativity. Don't read the newspaper.
8. Internalize completion regularly. Regularly take account of what you have accomplished and regularly identify your strengths without denying the weaknesses that need work.
9. Don't blame. Forgive. (You forgive to free up yourself.)
10. Appreciate where you are right now and pay attention to it.
It was so refreshing to listen and to learn from her - much of what she had to share was common sense. She ended up with a quote from Albert Schweitzer "All healing is self healing." In the Baha'i Writings it states, "All true healing comes from God." (Abdu'l-Baha, Paris Talks, p.19) We are also told "Turn thy sight unto thyself, that thou mayest find Me standing within thee, mighty, powerful and self-subsisting." (Baha'u'llah, Hidden Words, Arabic #13) so perhaps Schweitzer was right.
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THE MOST BEAUTIFUL FLOWER
Submitted by Jeff and Jane Rhodes, Aptos, CA, U.S.A.
The park bench was deserted as I sat down to read
Beneath the long, straggly branches of an old willow tree.
Disillusioned by life with good reason to frown,
For the world was intent on dragging me down.
And if that weren't enough to ruin my day,
A young boy out of breath approached me, all tired from play.
He stood right before me with his head tilted down
And said with great excitement, "Look what I found!"
In his hand was a flower, and what a pitiful sight,
With its petals all worn - not enough rain, or too little light.
Wanting him to take his dead flower and go off to play,
I faked a small smile and then shifted away.
But instead of retreating he sat next to my side
And placed the flower to his nose and declared with overacted surprise,
"It sure smells pretty and it's beautiful, too.
That's why I picked it; here, it's for you."
The weed before me was dying or dead.
Not vibrant of colors, orange, yellow or red.
But I knew I must take it, or he might never leave.
So I reached for the flower, and replied, "Just what I need."
But instead of him placing the flower in my hand,
He held it mid-air without reason or plan.
It was then that I noticed for the very first time
That weed-toting boy could not see: he was blind.
I heard my voice quiver, tears shone like the sun
As I thanked him for picking the very best one.
"You're welcome," he smiled, and then ran off to play,
Unaware of the impact he'd had on my day.
I sat there and wondered how he managed to see
A self-pitying woman beneath an old willow tree.
How did he know of my self-indulged plight?
Perhaps from his heart, he'd been blessed with true sight.
Through the eyes of a blind child, at last I could see
The problem was not with the world; the problem was me.
And for all of those times I myself had been blind,
I vowed to see the beauty in life, and appreciate every second that's mine.
And then I held that wilted flower up to my nose
And breathed in the fragrance of a beautiful rose
And smiled as I watched that young boy, another weed in his hand
About to change the life of an unsuspecting old man.____________________________________________________
PUSHING AGAINST THE ROCK
Author unknown
Submitted by Susan Gammage, Muskoka, Ontario, Canada
There was a man who was asleep one night in his cabin when suddenly his room filled with light and the Savior appeared. The Lord told the man He had a work for him to do, and showed him a large rock in front of his cabin. The Lord explained that the man was to push against the rock with all his might. This the man did, day after day. For many years he toiled from sun up to sun down, his shoulders set squarely against the cold, massive surface of the unmoving rock pushing with all his might. Each night the man returned to his cabin sore and worn out, feeling that his whole day had been spent in vain.
Seeing that the man was showing signs of discouragement, Satan decided to enter the picture placing thoughts into the man's mind such as; "You have been pushing against that rock for a long time and it hasn't budged. Why kill yourself over this, you are never going to move it? etc." Thus, giving the man the impression that the task was impossible and that he was a failure.
These thoughts discouraged and disheartened the man even more. "Why kill myself over this?" he thought. "I'll just put in my time, giving just the minimum of effort and that will be good enough." And that he planned to do until one day he decided to make it a matter of prayer and take his troubled thoughts to the Lord. "Lord" he said, "I have labored long and hard in your service, putting all my strength to do that which you have asked. Yet, after all this time, I have not even budged that rock a half a millimeter. What is wrong? Why am I failing?"
To this the Lord responded compassionately, "My friend, when long ago I asked you to serve me and you accepted, I told you that your task was to push against the rock with all your strength, which you have done. Never once did I mention to you that I expected you to move it. Your task was to push. And now you come to me, your strength spent, thinking that you have failed. But, is that really so? Look at yourself. Your arms are strong and muscled, your back sinewed and brown, your hands are callused from constant pressure, and your legs have become massive and hard. Through opposition you have grown much and your abilities now surpass that which you used to have. Yet you haven't moved the rock. But your calling was to be obedient and to push and to exercise your faith and trust in My wisdom. This you have done. I, my friend, will now move the rock."
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TRUST IN GOD
By Dr.William Saunders, Smyrna, Georgia, U.S.A.
Trust in Him attracts the divine confirmations, opens new spiritual connections, and unfastens the divine healing power latent within all of us, and which is closer to us than our own life vein. How do we trust God? By practice. Our actions demonstrate in whom we trust. Our thoughts are also actions. Think of Him, thank Him, supplicate Him, praise Him, be patient in Him, love Him, worship Him, and obey Him. Set up simple routines: say the Greatest Name 95 times, God is most glorious, or Allah-u-Abha, intone or chant the short healing prayer, the long healing prayer, as the spirit moves you or as you are instructed by your physician. The effect at first may be unnoticeable, but if you persist, its benefits will blossom forth and become as obvious as the noonday sun.
"O SON OF SPIRIT!
There is no peace for thee save by renouncing thyself and turning unto Me; for it behoveth thee to glory in My name, not in thine own; to put thy trust in Me and not in thyself, since I desire to be loved alone and above all that is." (Baha'u'llah, Arabic Hidden Words,#8)
"Hold ye fast unto the cord of means and place your trust in God, the Provider of all means." (Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Aqdas, page 30)
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SPIRITUAL HEALTH HABITS
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Here are some essential elements for our spiritual and physical health from an eminent physician.
1) Trust in God
2) Consult a skilled physician and follow his instructions
3) Practice detachment from all save God
4) Practice moderation
5) Pray and meditate daily; read the Creative Word morning and evening
6) Be always happy
7) Simplify
8) Focus
9) Practice patience
10) Go at your own pace
11) Eat simple, natural plant foods
12) Drink adequate pure water
13) Evaluate progress daily, summarize weekly
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LETTERS
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Thanks again for sending me this wonderful newsletter. This issue (June 1998) is of particular interest to me. You know how much joy and laughter brings to my heart. It is truly a gift that God has given us and it seems that sometimes we don't appreciate this gift as much as we should. Sometimes we think that we must be serious to be spiritual. Laughter in itself is serious. I think perhaps we make the mistake of thinking that all laughter and humour is foolishness.
Shirlee Smith, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
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Your lastest issue, June 1998, ( thanks for sending it!) is wonderful. I'm a performing songwriter and use lots of humor in my performances. I think music is an especially healing medium! My new album "Bird" is out......
Susan Lewis Wright, Denver, CO, U.S.A.
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I have to add my accolades to those you've already received. It is truly a fabulous newsletter with many ideas, tips, quotations and stories. I'll be looking forward to the forthcoming issues in the Fall.
Natalie Reyes, California, U.S.A.
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Thank you so much for your wonderful newsletter. I work in organizational development with General Electric Company and have my PHD in industrial/organizational psychology. I only graduated about 12 months ago and am trying on a mindset of seeing myself as an organizational physician - and your newsletter re-invigorates much of my thinking along those lines.
Thank you so much!
Johanna Merritt, Richmond, Virginia, U.S.A.
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OCTOBER ISSUE
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The focus of the October, 1998, issue will be on the area of abuse. We would be interested to hear from you if you have explored useful and practical ways in dealing with this difficult and painful subject of abuse. Please share all your responses or if you have other comments for the newsletter, please write to: Frances Mezei by e-mail, -- .
Other than the quoted Writings, the material in this newsletter represents the thoughts and opinions of the writers and has no authority. You are free to copy articles, provided you indicate the source of the article. If you have a change of e-mail address or wish to unsubscribe the newsletter, please let me know. There are 10 issues per year; it is not published during July and August.
Dearest Friends,
It never ceases to amaze me the number of people who wish to join our family. The spirit is catching on and I often find myself saying "Oh Lord, increase my astonishment in Thee!" We are a family and our unity will increase our individual powers a thousand fold, through the power of the Holy Spirit and by following His teachings.
An important part of the newsletter is the exchange of ideas among the readers. Your answers are encouraged and essential because you are thinking your experiences through in a fresh and practical way and then sharing them with the other readers. This will increase our learning, understanding, connections and unity. This will also hopefully assist us to focus on a shift in attitude within ourselves from backing away from sickness to going towards perfect health. To follow this new path is to focus on the Writings of Baha'u'llah, 'Abdu'l-Baha, Shoghi Effendi and The Universal House of Justice which is the essence of our well being and reality.
I am looking forward to our second year of the "Healing Through Unity" newsletter and may we arise to greater heights of spiritual connections, growth and health. Please be assured of my deepest gratitute and respect for each one of you. Be filled with happiness and derive joy from the melody of the word of God.
Frances Mezei
Ontario, Canada
--
HEALING THROUGH UNITY NEWSLETTER
A monthly newsletter dedicated to serving the principles of
physical and spiritual health envisioned in the Baha'i Teachings.
October 1998
Volume 2, Issue #2
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"HEALING THROUGH UNITY" COURSE NOW AVAILABLE
By Dale Sims and Frances Mezei
In Puslinch, Ontario, Canada, Dale Sims and Frances Mezei had the bounty of giving a "Healing Through Unity" Course. The course's mandate was on spiritual education, training and application of the Baha'i teachings on health and healing. There were 17 participants and the course was held for four consecutive weeks. Each class was two hours long. We covered topics such as: Dealing with Imbalance, Spiritual and Material Healing, Specific Solutions toward Healing, Causes of Disease and the Effect of Disease on the Soul. We were striving to follow this new path of healing by focusing on the Baha'i Writings rather then on our own personal opinions. We would break the class into two groups and each group would have their own Writings to study as well as to consult how they could develop skills for their health based on the quotes studied. This course also included other creative and enjoyable exercises. We would serve simple refreshments such as fruits, nuts and water or juice to drink. There was a keenness about this subject of health which was very positive and infectious. We were amazed at the wealth of understanding that is in the participants and were happily verified and strengthened with focusing on the quotes. A lot of sharing, insights and practical tips were a great benefit to us all. Here are some comments from the participants at the end of the course.
One person said "I learned about balance and simplicity". Another person shared "This method to study the quotes by asking questions helped me to detach from my own views and get a handle on the words in the Writings. I had to learn discipline". One person said "They had learned to focus on the word "competent" when thinking of a physician."
Due to the success of the course, we came up with the idea to prepare kits so anyone in your community could give the course. A kit costs $15.00 Cdn Funds if mailed to an address in Canada or $15.00 U.S. Funds if mailed outside Canada. It would be a practical and useful way for different communities located in various countries to conduct this course and then perhaps share their findings and insights to the other readers of the "Healing Through Unity" newsletter. This would advance the process in systematic sharing of insights on health. We hope you will consider this exciting possibility.
If you are interested in receiving the "Healing Through Unity" Course kit, please write to Frances Mezei at -- .
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( Editor's note: In the September, 1998 issue, people were encouraged to share their insights and experiences on the subject of abuse.)
THE HEALING POWER OF THE LOCAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY AND THE INSTITUTIONS OF THE FAITH
"Name Withheld"
Bringing a problem to a Local Spiritual Assembly, and receiving the prayers and support of that Institution of our Beloved Faith, can be a very healing process for the individual involved. This is a concept I have worked with on all levels of our Baha'i Administration, with astonishingly successful results......I have also come to believe that prayer outreach and support for the friends can be a very important service for an Assembly to perform. The following quotations from our writings seem to back up the idea that we have a wonderful power in our teachings and institutions.
Abdu'l-Baha has stated: "'Abdu'l-Baha is constantly engaged in ideal communication with any Spiritual Assembly which is instituted through divine bounty, and the members of which are in the utmost devotion turning to the divine kingdom and are firm in the Covenant. To them He is heartily attached and with them He is united by everlasting ties." ( The Universal House of Justice, The Local Spiritual Assembly, An Institution of the Baha'i Administrative Order, p. 6)
"These Spiritual Assemblies are aided by the Spirit of God...From them the spirit of life streameth in every direction. They, indeed, are the potent sources of the progress of man, at all times and under all conditions." (ibid, p. 6)
...In the mid 1990's, I had my first encounter with an Assembly which extended an invitation to the friends in its orbit who needed prayer support to meet with that Assembly for prayers. When the invitation to receive support from that Assembly was extended to me, I gladly accepted, as I was dealing with healing from the discovery of a problem of incest in my biological family. It was such a painful process, that it was difficult to find a place where I could cry safely.
When I met with that lovely Assembly, I was showered with prayers and love for at least 45 minutes, and was able to have a needed cry. I did not want to burden that Assembly, as they resided in a different jurisdiction from my own community, but would occasionally meet with them, or send a written prayer request which they acknowledged. Their prayers made me feel loved and cared about, a concept which I tried to introduce to my own Assembly of jurisdiction when I was going through the process of severing ties with my biological relatives. I felt that if I told my story to an Institution of God and received validation, that my wounded heart might receive some sort of healing. My local Assembly gave careful consideration to my comments, however, could not validate my desire to "divorce" my biological family as there were no specific teachings on this subject. This led to my reframing the request to receiving support for obtaining a Waiver of Familial Obligations, and submitting the reframed request to a higher institution, the National Spiritual Assembly....The process of compiling the requested material and submitting it to an Institution of God was astonishingly healing. As a result of telling my life story to an Institution of God (in a 3-1/2 inch 3 ring binder providing a history of my situtation, descriptions of past life events, copies of correspondence between me and several family members, a list of the spiritual principles involved and a list of books I read and seminars I attended to become educated on these issues), I received a profound spiritual healing which included being relieved of a problem of free-floating fear/anxiety in the workplace which I had been plagued with for over 20 years. I also became less afraid to speak my truth and became an advocate for other survivors of abuse. While awaiting for a response from the National Spiritual Assembly, I continued a correspondence on these matters that I had been engaging in with the Universal House of Justice, and asked for prayers from the House regarding my experiences which I felt could help other incest/abuse survivors with similar problems to mine, to heal from their wounds. The prayers of the House sustained me during this period of waiting. Additionally, I remained high functioning in the workplace and my marriage remained intact...The National Spiritual Assembly could not rule specifically on the issue of whether a Waiver of Familial Obligations could be granted, however, the magnitude of the suffering of my family members and myself were acknowledged and validated, and I received wonderful deepening materials on the subject that are hard to find in the current published Baha'i literature. My sense of feeling abandoned and sad over the loss of my biological family was greatly reduced as a result of receiving the written and prayerful support of the National Spiritual Assembly. This is because I felt loved and cared for by an Institution that responded to every care and concern I had....
I would look forward to communicating with any lay or professional people who are interested in the spiritual outlook, about how this subject can be further explored and developed.
(Editor's Note: If you are interested in communicating with the author, please forward your e-mail address to the "Healing Through Unity" newsletter with a brief note and we will forward it to the author's address.)
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The Baha'i Network on AIDS, Sexuality, Addictions and Abuse has a website at http://www.globweb.com/bnasaa/. The abuse section contains a number of articles written by the House of Justice, as well as articles on various aspects of abuse, all from the Baha'i Writings. These articles cover the following issues: Types of abuse, Value in Recalling Events which happened long ago, Effects on the individual, Effects on the Abuser, The Recovery Process, Severe Mental tests, Role of Others, and Breaking the Cycle of violence and abuse. This section is wonderful for those dealing with this issue, but is generic enough to cover a broad spectrum of issues relating to spiritual transformation as well.
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BAHA'U'LLAH I've Got The Blues
By Lyda Greer, Hay River, Northwest Territories, Canada
Laden with tests. You say are good for me
I know You would never overburden my soul
Your healing message isn't getting through to me
That's my problem I know
I'm stuck here in my humanness
Baha'u'llah I've got the blues
You wish me joy and happiness
You let no harm beset me in times of tests
These promises of Yours I know
And in my heart believe
For now I'm trapped within my humanness
Baha'u'llah I've got the blues
You are my Remover of my difficulties
The Dispeller of my grief
And all You ask of me
Is that I bare witness to my belief
Yet I can't rise above my humanness
Baha'u'llah I've got the blues
You offer me wings of joy
And hold me as I weep
You call me to a higher place
But my feet are planted deep into my humanness
Baha'u'llah I've got the blues
You befriend me in my loneliness
You refresh my drooping soul
You deprive me not of Thy Wonderous Grace
Still I revel in my humanness
Baha'u'llah I've got the blues
My spirit crawls along the ground
My soul cries out in pain
Only now can I put pen and paper to proclaim Your Name
The paint explores my humanness and sets my spirit free
Baha'u'llah Thank-you for the blues.__________________________________________________
"WOMEN'S BODIES, WOMEN'S WISDOM
By Dale Sims, Ontario, Canada
I wish to share with you excerpts from "Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom" written by Dr. Christian Northrup (obstetrician and gynecologist), 890 pages - revised in March, 1998 which I find extremely helpful and thought that you may too. Despite the focus on women and their bodies, this book would be enjoyed by men as well.
FEELINGS
* Feelings are facts. Pay attention to them.
* Once an experience is consciously named and internalized, physically and emotionally, it can no longer influence us unconsciously.
* Many times healing cannot begin until we allow ourselves to feel how bad things are (or were in the past).
* We take responsibility for our own feelings and our own life.
* Part of creating health is allowing others to go through their own learning process.
* Hope, self-esteem and education are the most important factors in creating health daily.
* You don't need to know why your heart is racing or why you feel like crying. Understanding comes after you have allowed yourself to experience what you're feeling.
* The purpose of emotions, regardless of what they are, is to help us feel and participate fully in our own lives. To become aware of our inner guidance system, we must learn to trust our emotions. This isn't always so easy, because many of us have been taught to live our lives as though we were in a constant emergency situation.
* Remember, it is not the emotion itself that causes the problem - it is the inability to express the emotion fully, release it, and respond to the situation in a healthy, adaptive fashion.
* We cannot feel the heights of our joy unless we have felt the depths of our sadness.OUR MINDS AND BELIEFS
* Though each of us is bombarded by millions of stimuli daily, our central nervous system and sense organs function in such a way as to choose and process only those stimuli that reinforce what we already believe about ourselves.
* The mind is located throughout the body.
* The mind can no longer be thought of as being confined to the brain or the intellect; it exists in every cell of our bodies.
* The intellect works best in service to our intuition, our inner guidance, soul, God, or higher power - whichever term we choose for the spiritual energy that animates life.
* Thoughts are just one part of our body's wisdom. A thought held long enough and repeated enough becomes a belief. The belief then becomes biology. Beliefs are energetic forces that create the physical basis for our individual lives and our health.
* It is important to understand that our beliefs go much deeper than our thoughts, and we cannot simply will them away. Many beliefs are completely unconscious and are not readily available to the intellect.
* It is a leap of faith that acknowledges the fact that all of us have inner guidance available within us and that this guidance has the power to remove our harmful beliefs.
* For a woman to change or improve her reality and her state of health, she first has to change her beliefs about what is possible.HEALING OURSELVES
* Curing, which is what doctors are called upon to do, usually consists of an external treatment; medication or surgery is used to mask or eliminate symptoms. This external treatment doesn't necessarily address the factors that contributed to the symptoms in the first place. Healing goes deeper than curing and must always come from within.
* By the "wisdom of the body", I mean that we must learn to trust that the symptoms in the body are often the only way that the soul can get our attention. Covering up our symptoms with external "cures" prevents us from healing the parts of our lives that need attention and change.
* For healing to occur, we must come to see that we are not so much responsible for our illnesses as are responsible to them. The healthiest people I know don't take their diseases or even their lives too personally. They spend very little time beating themselves up about their illnesses, their life circumstances, or anything else.
* Healing can occur in the present only when we allow ourselves to feel, express, and release emotions from the past that we have suppressed or tried to forget. I call this emotional incision and drainage.
* When a woman comes to me because she is having panic attacks or crying spells, I know that some emotional material is ready to come up to be processed. To observers who haven't experienced the deep process, she may appear to be "losing it", "going off the deep end," or "getting out of control". She is not "out of control" however; she is simply allowing a healing process to arise within the body. Only the intellect has lost control - it has taken a back seat to the innate wisdom of the body.
* Our bodies function best when we're doing work that feels exactly right to us. If we want to know God's will for us, all we have to do is look to our gifts and talents - that is where we will find it.
* I learned that when I take care of myself, everything else takes care of itself.____________________________________________________
This poem was written by Hand of the Cause of God Adelbert Muhlschlegel, translated into English by his daughter.
Climb on unceasingly
For if you tried to shun the heights
To seek in gardens fair delights
You'd wander restlessly
So, climb unceasingly
Be your own self, be free
Whatever tempts you left or right
Alluring, teasing, twinkling bright
It scatters instantly
So be yourself, be free
Climb on unceasingly
And if it trying, do not moan
It is your path, your path alone
So be yourself, be free
And climb unceasingly._________________________
SPIRITUAL HEALTH HABITS
__________________________
Here are some essential elements for our spiritual and physical health from an eminent physician.
1) Trust in God
2) Consult a skilled physician and follow his instructions
3) Practice detachment from all save God
4) Practice moderation
5) Pray and meditate daily; read the Creative Word morning and evening
6) Be happy always
7) Simplify
8) Focus
9) Practice patience
10) Eat simple, natural plant foods
11) Drink adequate pure water
12) Evaluate progress daily, summarize weekly
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LETTERS
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Thank you very much for your beautiful newsletter. My sincere love surrounds you.
Our goal should be to enter into the Kingdom of God and have all of our activities centered in that realm. Abdul'Baha tell us that in order to do this we should develop qualities such as: the love of God, truthfulness, steadfastness, faithfulness, holiness and chasity and the sacrifice of life. These virtues are mentioned in page 282 of Some Answered Questions.
Baha'u'llah gives us some quidelines on how to accomplish this by using the power of the Most Great Name. He writes, "Walk thou high above the world of being through the power of the Most Great Name, that thou mayest become aware of the immemorial mysteries and become acquainted with that wherewith no one is acquainted. Verily, thy Lord is the Helper, the All Knowing, the All-Informed. Be thou as a throbbing artery, pulsating in the body of the entire creation, that through the heat generated by this motion there may appear that which will ignite the hearts of those who hesitate." (p.242 Writings of Baha'u'llah, The National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of India)
Eugenia Pritchard, Florida, U.S.A.
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I would like to thank you for the lastest issue (Volume 2, Issue#1) of "Healing Through Unity". I try to encourage as many of my friends as possible to read this inspirational newsletter and I will use parts of it in a fireside I will be giving in December, 1998.
Mary Tabarsi Tsang, Hong Kong
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Just to say a big Thank You for the last 3 issues of your wonderful newsletter. It is full of gems of wisdom and illuminating comments. I hope to print some of the material and share them with my friends.
Venus Alae Carew, Dumfries, Scotland
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It really is so good to see the start of another year of healing for our body and soul, and strengthening bonds of unity around the world through this wonderful newsletter.
Mariette and Ho-San Leong, Papua New Guinea
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I recently received an e-mail of the "Healing Through Unity" newsletter, May 1998 issue which contained an article that you wrote titled "Listening to our Body". I wanted to tell you that I really enjoyed the e-mail and I am interested in subscribing to the newsletter.
I work as a Doctor of Chiropractic so health issues are a very big part of my life. As a new Baha'i I have been rather excited with the Baha'i writings regarding health. They are very much the principles that chiropractic has been teaching for the last 100 years, mind you not all chiropractors are teaching these principles. The founder of chiropractic, D.D. Palmer, has written in 1910 that the principles of health that he teaches came to him from the spirit world. This occured around 1895. Since becoming a Baha'i this statement carries a much greater meaning to me. When I understand that Baha'u'llah was the source of all the new knowledge that humanity enjoys today, I start to see the big picture and it makes my service as a Doctor of Chiropractic that much more rewarding.
Dan Boyle, Stirling, Ontario, Canada, ( www.intranet.ca/~adio/ )
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I thought you might be interested in the new "Three Tools for Healing" art print I recently produced. It is a full-color 8-1/2 x 11" sheet with quotations about Medical Treatment, Prayer and Joy & Laughter interwoven around calligraphy titles. On the back is a short pamphlet about balancing physical, mental and spiritual healing. It is designed to catch the attention of people in the healing professions as well as anyone concerned about their own health.
You can see a picture of it at http://www.special-ideas.com
It is listed with poster-pamphlets.
Justice St Rain, Special Ideas, 1-800-326-1197
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QUESTION OF THE MONTH
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The question for this month is:
"What methods do the native culture and indigenous populations use to assist with our healing and development?"
Please share all your responses or if you have other comments for the newsletter or "Question for the Month" ideas, please write to: Frances Mezei by e-mail, -- .
Other than the quoted Writings, the material in this newsletter represents the thoughts and opinions of the writers and has no authority. You are free to copy articles, provided you indicate the source of the article. If you have a change of e-mail address or wish to unsubscribe the newsletter, please let me know. There are 10 issues per year; it is not published during July and August.
With most loving greetings,
Frances Mezei
Ontario, Canada
--
HEALING THROUGH UNITY NEWSLETTER
A monthly newsletter dedicated to serving the principles of
physical and spiritual health envisioned in the Baha'i Teachings.
November 1998
Volume 2, Issue #3
_____________________________________________________
CHINESE MEDICINE
Chinese medicine? You mean acupuncture, right? Well, yes, but there's more. Its approach is totally different than what we're used to in the West. Here, a doctor cures diseases. But in China, traditionally, a doctor was responsible for health. The two ideas aren't exactly the same. For example, we only go to a doctor when we feel sick. He or she diagnoses our problem, and prescribes a remedy. Whether we get better or not, we pay for the service. But according to what someone told me, in a traditional Chinese village, the doctor was paid only when everyone was in good health. He made regular visits to the villagers to make sure they stayed healthy. If someone fell sick, he wouldn't receive his salary that week.
Believe it or not, there is a doctor in Santiago who seems to follow this method. She is an acupuncturist, and uses other natural healing methods too. But she only accepts payment when her patients get well. Her name is Gisela Salves. When she was young, an Israeli doctor saved her life with Chinese medicine. He used acupuncture to cure her of leukemia. She was so grateful she decided to devote her life to healing. For 20 years she lived in Israel, studying and developing her skills in acupuncture and natural medicine. Recently she decided to return home to Chile, and now works in a small clinic in Providencia. When you walk into her office, the first thing you notice is that there is no receptionist. She handles everything. Five patients at a time follow her into the treatment room. Some sit in chairs, some lie down. During the half hour it takes for the acupuncture needles to work, she educates her patients. She talks about wholeness. She explains how the healing process works, how the right food can keep you healthy. After treatment, she makes small chiropractic adjustments and prescribes herbal and homeopathic remedies. She often recommends particular foods to eat or avoid. Natural healing takes time. It could require weekly visits to the clinic. But no matter how much you insist, she won't accept any payment until the healing process is complete, and you are strong and healthy.
(This article was submitted by Daryoush Yazdani from Japan. He came across it in "Success in English" which is a resource for developing English language skills produced by Robert Mackay Mcllvride.)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"The bounty of good health is the greatest of all gifts."
('Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Baha, p. 151)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"O thou distinguished physician!... Praise be to God that thou hast two powers: one to undertake physical healing and the other spiritual healing. Matters related to man's spirit have a great effect on his bodily condition. For instance, thou shouldst impart gladness to thy patient, give him comfort and joy, and bring him to ecstasy and exultation. How often hath it occurred that this hath caused early recovery. Therefore, treat thou the sick with both powers. Spiritual feelings have a surprising effect on healing nervous ailments."
(Helen Hornby, Lights of Guidance, pp. 285-286)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It is incumbent upon everyone to seek medical treatment and to follow the doctor's instructions, for this is in compliance with the divine ordinance, but, in reality, He Who giveth healing is God.
(Abdu'l-Baha: Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p.156)
____________________________________
THE EXCHANGE
____________________________________
Question:
In the October, 1998 issue, the question was asked:
"What methods do the native culture and indigenous populations use to assist with our healing and development?"
Answers:
I have been blessed to have been able to work with a number of the Native people in British Columbia and Northern Canada. There is an element of non-spoken healing through different cermonies and practises that I have come to rely on and respect as part of my own healing process. I won't get into a lot of details here but I would like to share an experience with a drum dance that took place at the local Drug and Alcohol Treatment Centre here on the reserve. Every Saturday night, when the residents are not on the land there is a AA meeting followed by a drum dance open to everyone in the community. At one of these drum dances there were a number of inmates from the local jail as well as the residents of the Treatment Centre. The atmosphere was heavy and oppressive. When the drummers came and lined up to start the drum dance the change in the mood was so palitable that I awoke the next morning with a painting and poetry of the event in my heart and mind. I spent the day working on it, then had it framed and gave it to the treatment centre. It has flowers in the four corners and a drum and drum stick drawn in the middle of it. Over the drum the following poem is written.
THE POWER OF THE DRUM
Vacant eyes, shuffling feet
downcast faces, reflect defeat.
Weighty worries, sagging shoulders
so much sadness, makes us older.
The drummers come lined in a row;
heads come up, spirits grow
eyes light up, the beat begins.
The soul responds to let the healing in.
Slowly one by one the dance begins;
the steady beat resounds within
connects us to Mother Earth.
The ancient rhythm does its work,
it's the heartbeat of the universe.
Our souls and God converse;
it is the beat that has stood the test of time
to the soul, it is the ultimate wine.
Every atom does proclaim
to the greatness of His Name.
The darkness leaves, the pain subsides;
the drugs, the alcohol, these are alive
but powerless to touch our souls.
As the beat continues to grow,
the drummers drum in a row.
Their healing message freely flows
this is the power of the drum.Lyda Greer,Hay River, NWT Canada
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THE FOUR WORLDS ELDERHEALTH PROGRAM
( This is one of the current programs offered by Four Worlds International Institute for Human and Community Development, Alberta, Canada)
"Elderhealth" was developed in response to a crisis in tribal communities created by the untimely death of many native elders. Not only did these deaths generate great sadness at the loss of dearly loved relatives, but it also meant that greatly needed knowledge and wisdom was rapidly disappearing, just when tribal communities were beginning to seriously address their social and economic challenges.
Through Four Worlds discretionary funds and with the generous support of the Canadian Government (Health Canada), Four Worlds was able to undertake a seven year research and development process in partnership with native elders and communities. The result is a "comprehensive elder wellness and leadership development program" that addresses the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual health of elders, but also builds the support systems at the family and community level to sustain the wellness gains made through participation in the program.
The results of this program have seemed almost miraculous: the severity of diabetes (type B - a big killer in tribal communities) was significantly reduced in many cases, physical stamina and strength was greatly improved (from walks around the room to walks of three to five miles). Beyond these benefits, relatively inactive elders became active agents of health promotion in their families and communities. The most exciting aspect of this program is to see the vitality, sense of purpose and energy return to the elders. The program is simple, but comprehensive. It addresses nutrition, exercise, mental health, spiritual well-being and leadership skills. A carefully crafted curriculum guide makes program implementations relatively easy for any community willing to invest modest amounts of money and human energy into preserving a precious living resource: the elders.
Phil Lane Jr., International Co-ordinator, Alberta, Canada
( If you would like further information on Four Worlds, please visit the web site: http://nucleus.com/4worlds )
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TRADITIONAL HEALING WAYS OF THE PEOPLE IN PAPUA NEW GUINEA (PNG)
First of all I would like to share that in PNG, the Most Holy Book is not yet translated into the Nalik language, although one day in the future it will surely be so. The Bahai communities everywhere have a great reverence for the Kitab-i-Aqdas, and so they go to great lengths of preparation to receive it in their respective community, building a spirit or sacred house for it.
The people of PNG have over the years taught themselves how to use the curative healing powers of plants and herbs. While "western" medicine is now used widely in health centres and aid posts, they have not forgotten nature and how much their lives depend on it. In this sense, they are especially close to nature and its environment, and therefore, spiritually inclined with the healing powers that are "hidden" in the fruits, flowers, roots and plants that are found in their village gardens and forests. From the frangipani tree, they use the sap extracted from the leaf to cure them of asthma. The leaves of the guava tree, for instance, when minced, give a juice that helps to get rid of a sore throat. The pawpaw, or papaya, leaf is used in brewing a tea to ward off malaria; the pawpaw seeds, crushed and dried, are also used for the same purpose. At night in the village the people burn a certain kind of grass that gives off a smoke that keeps mosquitoes away. The common cold, and flu are also treated in a similar manner, using leaves of a certain bush plant. The leaves are warmed over the fire, and the juice extracted, and you drink it, which alleviates the illness and soon makes it go away! Some leaves are chewed, and you just suck on its juice; it has similar effect of getting rid of your cold. There are special herbs that are crushed into a pulp, and the juice is force-fed through the nose, to cure mouth ulcers, and equally, mouth cancers. A certain plant is known to help cure syphillis and related sexually transmitted diseases, while other plants are used to help mothers have easy natural births. There are other plants, by contrast, that are used for natural birth control!
Mariette & Ho-San Leong, Papua New Guinea
*********************************
When I was adopted as a Tlingit, in the great Yukon Territory of Canada, my wonderful Indian mother reminded me that both physical and spiritual healing can be heightened through prayer, in the hour before dawn. Having practiced it now for many years, I understand her great wisdom, and will be thankful to her for that advice through all the worlds of God. The next paragraph will perhaps give people an insight into what this adopted son, of Ida Calmegan, now understands about the power of prayer in the hour before dawn.
In the hour before dawn, in that moment of most solitude, the love of God begins to stir within me. In the quiet of that darkest hour, my longing heart sings out its praises. At once I am transported beyond this mortal world and into the arms of The Great Spirit. And it is a feeling beyond belief. In that myriad of time found in the twinkling of an eye, a single wisdom flashes before me. It is but a drop from the bottomless ocean of the Creator's wisdom. And my drowning in its depths, is with pleasure. For a brief eternity, the Oneness that admits to no duplicity, refreshes my spirit, rejuvenates my soul, and re-establishes my fear of Him. For it is fear alone; fear of remoteness from God, that helps me polish the mirror of my heart, and enables the depths of my obedience and submission to grow ever more bottomless. In the span of eternity, the hourglass of time will record our greatest steps forward to have taken place after prayer, in the hour before dawn.
Glenn Darling, Sidney BC, Canada
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DEAFNESS.......IN MUSIC!!
By Jean-Christophe Casu, Aosta, Italy
Many friends have asked me to write what follows. I finally decided after two years of encouragement and persuasion to talk about this personal matter. I became convinced that my experience could be a comfort to manypeople who were ill and perhaps give a ray of hope to the suffering.
I lost my hearing completely in October 1996. I underwent a surgical operation to remove a chronic ear infection. After a while, I began hearing in my right ear (where I had lost the hearing completely since 1969), apart from the usual noises, music! I was astonished! It had nothing to do with music that I had already heard, where one would think of a phenomenon linked to memory. This music was completely new! I asked my ear specialist how this was possible but he was unable to give any answer except joking about the fact that during the operation the doctors might have forgotten to switch off the radio!
As I concentrated on what I was hearing, I gained an increased awareness that they weren't just noises that gave an illusion of being music because the noises were there in my ears and I was still hearing the music at the same time. Further proof came when the music I began to hear were voices! Voices that were singing to the music, like a choir! The most surprising thing was when a tenor voice began to sing to lead the music and the choir, just as in an opera. Sometimes there are two solo voices doing a duet. These are not reminiscences because I have never heard these pieces before!
I woke up one morning with a piece of music (still in my right ear) that was so celestial, uplifting and exalted that I was moved to tears. Only the word "divine" can render remotely the beauty of this music. The music of Mozart, Beethoven, J.S Bach express a human touch even in their most spiritually uplifting pieces whereas the music I was hearing was completely devoid of any human touch. It belonged to another world, at least that's how it seemed to me.... The following dreams confirm this.
FIRST DREAM
A young man is singing in a square full of people. I realize that these people are Baha'is. The gentleman is singing beautiful classical music. All of a sudden I see my mother among the crowd (My mother passed away two years ago). She beckons to a group of persons with whom I am to come and sit in a certain place where there are seats. The tenor performs wonders with his voice. His song is powerful and so beautiful that at a certain point I wake up and realize that I am hearing the same music and song in my ears!
SECOND DREAM
There is a very large gathering at an important event in an immense park. A well-known singer is asked to sing. He accepts and begins to sing a magnificent song with a Baha'i theme entitled "One Mankind" (This song has nothing to do with any known song composed by Baha'is). The crowd is ecstatic! I wake up with the song permeating my whole being. I was literally vibrating from the energy emanating from the song coming out of my ears!
THIRD DREAM
I am walking along a path on a hillside holding a stick in one hand and a branch adorned with leaves in the other. It is a hot and sunny day. As I approach a little wall overlooking a valley, I hear music of unspeakable beauty as I climb the wall with a wondrous sensation of victory! This stupendous music uplifts me and transmits a great feeling of elation. When I wake up I have exactly the same music in my ear....
The above demonstrates that the music of the dreams and what I am hearing in my ear belong to the same realm. This is indicated in the Baha'i Writings.
"... your eyes have been opened to the light of guidance and your ears attuned to the music of the Company above; and blessed by abounding grace, your hearts and souls have been born into new life." ( Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 35)
"When the song is of the Kingdom, it rejoiceth the soul." (ibid, p. 180)
"The field larks are become the festival's musicians, and lifting wondrous voices they cry and sing to the melodies of the Company on high." (ibid, p. 255)
"Only the perceiving eye beholdeth the rays of the sun, only the listening ear can hear the singing of the Concourse on high." (ibid, p. 22)
The music and the singing are not only limited to classical and religious music. Sometimes I hear African music or Persian music with chanting. Sometimes it is only a piano playing, other times it is jazz music and frequently it is music that I am unable to describe. Music coming from an immense and infinite realm. It is always comforting music, conveying very rich emotional sensations of a very high level. The same pieces of music are heard more than once and each time they have the same effect on me. They take me back to Africa, to Iran, to France.... The strange thing is that because I hear this music continuously, I have the impression that I am not deaf. Therefore, I am surprised that I cannot hear the voices of the people around me! I hope you will get the chance to experience this wondrous celestial music which is available to us all.
_________________________
SPIRITUAL HEALTH HABITS
__________________________
Here are some essential elements for our spiritual and physical health from an eminent physician.
1) Trust in God
2) Consult a skilled physician and follow his instructions
3) Practice detachment from all save God
4) Practice moderation
5) Pray and meditate daily; read the Creative Word morning and evening
6) Be happy always
7) Simplify
8) Focus
9) Practice patience
10) Eat simple, natural plant foods
11) Drink adequate pure water
12) Evaluate progress daily, summarize weekly
--------------------------------
LETTERS
--------------------------------
I recieved the news of your wonderful newsletter and I really enjoyed your first article that was sent to me by e-mail. I am the coordinator of the Baha'i Health Agency of South Africa and would like to subscribe to your newsletter and let the other Baha'i health professionals of South Africa know about your wonderful articles.
Dr Roya Shams, South Africa
.............................................
I read your newsletter for Sept and Oct and loved them, especially the poems and stories. I believe that these are the best means for helping people make paradigm shifts and thus look upon life through new eyes. I honour your service to our worldwide community in producing this newsletter. Speaking of paradigm shifts I would like to share with you a story from a few months of my life last year.
A friend suggested I read 'Seven Habits of Highly Effective People' by Stephen Covey. Through completing an exercise from this book where I imagined myself at my own funeral and listened to a friend, a family member, and a community member speak of my life. What would I like to hear them say. From this exercise I was able to set my long term life goals. I came to the realisation that without regular prayer and meditation I could not be an effective mother, friend, sister or community member. I now use this book as a teaching tool for, after much paradigm shifting material and exercises Mr. Covey stresses the need for a balance in our lives of intellectual, spiritual and physical health.
Sue Haselhurst, Australia
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We have received your e-mail newsletter, "Healing Through Unity" and are very impressed. We are pioneers in the Northern Mariana Islands and are for the most part isolated. There is a large group in Guam, over 100 miles away, and we see them maybe once a year. We have been pioneering for almost 25 years in a number of places and most of that time was also isolated in very primitative situations. (We love it) Our deepening is limited because my husband and I think so much alike and we need outside influences to aid us in deepening. Your newsletter and deepening kit will help. I have some medical friends that are willing to take these deepening courses with us.
Anna Crawford, Northern Mariana Islands, U.S.
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I notice the offer from Justice St. Rain to check out "Three Tools for Healing" (see October, 1998 issue). Readers may be interested in knowing that the Northern Ohio Baha'i community recently gave away about 5000 copies of this art print at the Whole Life Expo, an exposition focused on healing, peace, new age types of themes, etc. held in the Cleveland area. Its beauty had a strong impact on people.
A main booth at the entrance to the expo was so impressed with it, they asked to keep a stack of the prints at their booth for people to take. They are beautifully presented for the healing professions.
Susanne Alexander, Freelance Journalist, Ohio, U.S.
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WHERE DOES OUR "HEALING THROUGH UNITY" NEWSLETTER GO?
You might be interested to know the newsletter now goes to 53 countries/territories:
Canada, United States, Israel, Poland, Denmark, Italy, Belarus, Papua New Guinea, England, Cyprus, Japan, Belgium, Taiwan, South Africa, Bolivia, Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Kenya, Ecuador, France, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Australia, Austria, Switzerland, New Zealand, Chile, Solomon Islands, Spain, Malaysia, Germany, South Korea, Ireland, Thailand, Puerto Rico, Belize, The Netherlands, Scotland, Wales, Oman, China, Alaska, Hawaii, Portugal, Turkey, Dominican Republic, Trinidad & Tobago, Mongolia, Iceland, Northern Mariana Islands.
(If we have missed your country/territory, please kindly let us know)
There have been 30 copies of the "Healing Through Unity" Course kits sent out to the readers. We look forward to hearing the results of these courses.
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QUESTION OF THE MONTH
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The question for this month is:
"What are some of the practical ways to deal with stress?"
Please share all your stories or if you have other comments for the newsletter or "Question for the Month" ideas, please write to: Frances Mezei by e-mail, -- .
Other than the quoted Writings, the material in this newsletter represents the thoughts and opinions of the writers and has no authority. You are free to copy articles, provided you indicate the source of the article. If you have a change of e-mail address or wish to unsubscribe the newsletter, please let me know. There are 10 issues per year; it is not published during July and August.
Warmest greetings and prayers,
Frances Mezei
Ontario, Canada
--
HEALING THROUGH UNITY NEWSLETTER
A monthly newsletter dedicated to serving the principles of
physical and spiritual health envisioned in the Baha'i Teachings.
December 1998
Volume 2, Issue #4
_____________________________________________________
LOVE
Author Unknown - submitted by Daryoush Yazdani, Japan
Like any good mother, when Karen found out that another baby was on the way, she did what she could to help her 3-year-old son, Michael, prepare for a new sibling. They found out that the new baby was going to be a girl, and day after day, night after night, Michael sings to his sister in Mommy's tummy.
The pregnancy progresses normally for Karen, an active member of the Panther Creek United Methodist Church in Morristown, Tennessee. Then the labor pains come. Every five minutes... every minute. But complications arise during delivery. Hours of labor. Would a C-section be required?
Finally, Michael's little sister is born. But she is in serious condition. With sirens howling in the night, the ambulance rushes the infant to the neonatal intensive care unit at St. Mary's Hospital, Knoxville, Tennessee. The days crawl by. The little girl gets worse. The pediatrician tells the parents, "There is very little hope. Be prepared for the worst." Karen and her husband contact a local cemetery about a burial plot. They have fixed up a special room in their home for the new baby; now they plan a funeral.
Michael keeps begging his parents to let him see his sister, "I want to sing to her," he says.
Week two in intensive care. It looks as if a funeral will come before the week is over. Michael keeps nagging about singing to his sister, but children are never allowed in Intensive Care. But Karen makes up her mind; she will take Michael whether they like it or not. If he doesn't see his sister now, he may never see her alive. She dresses him in an oversized scrub suit and marches him into ICU. He looks like a walking laundry basket, but the head nurse recognizes him as a child and bellows, "Get that kid out of here now! No children are allowed."
The mother in Karen rises up strong, and the usually mild-mannered lady glares steel-eyed into the head nurse's face, her lips a firm line. "He is not leaving until he sings to his sister!"
Karen tows Michael to his sister's bedside. He gazes at the tiny infant losing the battle to live. And he begins to sing. In the pure hearted voice of a 3-year-old, Michael sings: "You are my sunshine, my only sunshine, you make me happy when skies are grey --- " Instantly the baby girl responds. The pulse rate becomes calm and steady.
"Keep on singing, Michael", Karen urges.
"You never know, dear, how much I love you, Please don't take my sunshine away---" The ragged, strained breathing becomes as smooth as a kitten's purr.
"Keep on singing, Michael", Karen repeats.
"The other night, dear, as I lay sleeping, I dreamed I held you in my arms..."
Michael's little sister relaxes as rest, healing rest, seems to sweep over her.
"Keep on singing, Michael", Karen whispers. Tears conquer the face of the bossy head nurse. Karen glows.
"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. Please don't, take my sunshine away."
Funeral plans are scrapped. The next day - the very next day - the little girl is well enough to go home!
Woman's Day magazine called it "The Miracle of a Brother's Song." The medical staff just called it a miracle. Karen called it a miracle of God's love!
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"When at the bedside of a patient, cheer, and gladden his heart and enrapture his spirit through celestial power. Indeed, such a heavenly breath quickeneth every moldering bone and reviveth the spirit of every sick and ailing one." (Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p.151)
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"Of the two other kinds of healing which are spiritual -- that is to say, where the means of cure is a spiritual power -- one results from the entire concentration of the mind of a strong person upon a sick person, when the latter expects with all his concentrated faith that a cure will be effected from the spiritual power of the strong person, to such an extent that there will be a cordial connection between the strong person and the invalid. The strong person makes every effort to cure the sick patient, and the sick patient is then sure of receiving a cure. From the effect of these mental impressions an excitement of the nerves is produced, and this impression and this excitement of the nerves will become the cause of the recovery of the sick person. So when a sick person has a strong desire and intense hope for something and hears suddenly the tidings of its realization, a nervous excitement is produced which will make the malady entirely disappear. In the same way, if a cause of terror suddenly occurs, perhaps an excitement may be produced in the nerves of a strong person which will immediately cause a malady. The cause of the sickness will be no material thing, for that person has not eaten anything, and nothing harmful has touched him; the excitement of the nerves is then the only cause of the illness. In the same way the sudden realization of a chief desire will give such joy that the nerves will be excited by it, and this excitement may produce health." ( Abdu'l-Baha, Some Answered Questions, p. 255)
______________________________
THE EXCHANGE
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Question:
In the November, 1998 issue, the question was asked: "What are some of the practical ways to deal with stress?"
Answer:
The first thing that comes to my mind is the use of prayer and having the knowledge that when we turn to Baha'u'llah and ask for His help it will come in some shape or form. The difficult part is in trusting that help will come and then recognizing it when it does come. Also Baha'u'llah has told us that we will never be tested beyond our means, so whatever we come up against we know that we have the strength to cope with it. The main reason we feel stressed is because of the way we think about a certain situation. According to Richard Carlson, in his book "You Can Be Happy No Matter What" we think first, then we feel. It is our thinking not our circumstances that determines how we feel. We are in control of our thoughts, therefore we can have a lot of control of how we feel. To put it in Carlson's own words "Stress is not something that "happens to us", but rather something that develops from within our own thinking." So with the knowledge that we are responsible for how we feel and that we have Baha’u’llah’s help when things get really bad - there is no reason for us not to go through life without being overwhelmed by our cares and responsibilities.
Jean Owen, Wales
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Question:
Here is another answer on the subject of abuse asked in the September, 1998 issue.
A HALLOWEEN MEMORIAL
"Name Withheld"
People have been encouraging me for a long time that I needed to do something ceremonial to put the experiences of cult abuse behind me, but until this year, I wasn't ready. With the grace of God, and the assistance of a couple of dear friends, the idea of a memorial service came together effortlessly.
A great deal of the cult abuse was done on halloween and this has been a difficult time of year for me as an adult. This halloween, I had a memorial service, to honour my brother who was 4 years old and my daughter, who were killed by the cult when I was a child. The memorial was very powerful. It was very healing to have so many peoplestand with me as I acknowledged the lives of my brother and daughter, and released the hold they had on me by virtue of having to remain silent and alone with the memories for so long. I really felt surrounded by love and was encouraged by the support. That was the most powerful healing: not to be alone with the pain and the secrets any more.
About 12 people gathered at the memorial site. In addition, there were people praying simultaneously from eleven places literally around the world. There were 4 other ritual abuse survivors participating, and honouring the people they knew who had been killed in cults. It was for my benefit, but also for a much higher purpose, I think. I'm hoping and believing, that the Concourse on High was busy that night, spreading sweet savours of healing all around the world.
Slowly I am hearing back from those who attended. One person said that she felt very peaceful afterwards. She hadn't wanted to come, and was greatly impressed with the way we had done it. Another person came, despite an estrangement between her and one of the other guests. She told me later that the hurts she had sustained had been healed as a result and said that the whole community would benefit from what happened that night. Another participant has since gone onto the web to educate herself about ritual abuse, so that she can speak for those of us who can't.
A couple of days before the memorial, I received an article called "Chasm of Belief", written by Barbara McLellan from New Zealand which mentioned ritual abuse a great deal. A friend who was my primary support took a quote from the article and used it in his introduction to the group. It said: "If we have people in the Baha'i community who have terrible stories to tell and they have no one who will listen to them, how then will we become true community? How will we be enriched by their courage and their will to live in the face of denial, if we do not hear their stories? I believe we have a lot to learn from people who have suffered trauma because we will learn how to be truly human as God has intended us to be."
He read it 3-4 times to explain why we were doing what we were doing that night. People were blown away by it, and several people have asked for copies of the program, to share with friends who are also isolated and alone with their pain.
Personally, I had hoped to feel more settled after doing it. I'm sure it was an important part of my healing, but it hasn't given the closure I had hoped. Instead it feels like I've just lopped off the tip of the iceberg, and the rest is pushing to make itself heard. But then, this is my "severe mental test" that 'Abdu'l-Baha promised, and I guess it will be with me, to assist in my perfection, for the rest of my life. I am profoundly grateful to the friends who made it possible, to those who attended and to those who participated from afar.
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FREED TO SERVE
By Hannah Rishel, Arizona, U.S.
Do you suffer from depression, anxiety, and a sense of inability to serve the Faith adequately? Have you taken responsibility for many Baha'i endeavors, then felt abandoned by others who felt less responsible? Do you often wonder how to attain "radiant aquiescence;" how to be as selfless as the martyrs? Could you be called codependent, depressed, anxious, or in possession of an overactive guilt complex?
Maybe you are experiencing "Baha'i Fatigue Syndrome." This is a tongue-in-cheek term for a debilitating condition experienced by numerous Baha'is who have served the Faith for years, and find themselves growing less joyful and less able to serve. It is distressing, because we read in the Writings, "The spiritual world bestows only the joy," "Be light and untrammeled as the breeze," and countless other admonitions toward joy and selfless service. We read it, we remember bounties of service, we see others who demonstrate radiant acquiescence. But somehow, we've lost it.
What is the cause? Many causes, including:
--Spiritual testing, either because of our own mistakes, or God's test to purify our souls
--Inadequate response to the tests arising from other people
--Being children of the half-light; serving in old-world ways, failure to transcend hurts from our upbringing
--Addictions, compulsions
--Physical components such as a physically disabling condition, inadequate exercise, nutrition and self-care, and other physical ailments
What is the outcome? Unchecked, such people can become so debilitated that they cannot serve the Faith, their family, or themselves well. For all the feeling of responsibility, they become progressively unable to do their part.
This is an illness. What is the remedy?
Baha'u'llah tells us, "Whenever ye fall ill, refer to competent physicians." ( Compiled by the Universal House of Justice, "Health and Healing", p. 1) Depression, anxiety, and fatigue may have physical causes, for which a physician is best trained to evaluate and treat.
'Abdul'l-Baha teaches,"an illness caused by affliction, fear, nervous impressions, will be healed more effectively by spiritual rather than by physical treatment. Hence, both kinds of treatment should be followed; they are not contradictory." ( ibid, pp. 11- 12) Further, Baha'u'llah stated that "The healer of all thine ills is remembrance of Me, forget it not." ( ibid, p. 3) Any or all three components may be necessary to recover from "Baha'i Fatigue Syndrome."
For my recovery, two competent physicians were exceedingly helpful guides. One physician provided daily "listening" and feedback by e-mail. He prescribed hourly recitation of the prayer starting, "O God, refresh and gladden my spirit..." and use of "Allah'u'abha" to banish each negative, hurtful, or stressful thought. The other physician identified physical/nutritional components and prescribed appropriate nutritional support. Both were encouraging, both urged letting go of responsibilities and nurturing my own needs. Both made it clear that I could not serve others until I was restored.
God is the true Healer. He utilized the clear channels of two physicians, a Counselor, wise friends and family, and my own soul & volition. These are some valuable insights gained:
1. Do say the prescribed prayers, very often. How else can we apply, "Thy Name is my healing, O my God, and remembrance of Thee is my remedy."?
2. Learn how to say "no" to requests and needs. Learn to define how and how much we're able to assist with a particular need. Learn to deflect and defer requests. Practice tabling a decision, until the next day, the next week, or until after prayer and meditation. Observe others who have learned to say no, but still demonstrate other admirable qualities. Just because someone has a problem doesn't mean I must solve it.
3. Learn what my unique priorities and needs are. For example, only I can be my children's mother. Their needs must sometimes take priority over other needs.
4. "Selfish desire" is not synonymous with taking care of myself. And only I can take care of myself. Not my husband, friend, Local Spiritual Assembly, Auxiliary Board Member, or anyone else can take care of my unique needs.
And what is the outcome? When one's heart is connected to Baha'u'llah, He will guide us into new paths of service. Paths we had not anticipated. New ways of being, more calm, radiant, grateful, and inclusive of others; not shouldering responsibilities alone. Our service will be restored.
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HOW DO WE RECEIVE DIVINE CONFIRMATION AND RECOGNIZE IT?
By Michael Teske, Haifa, Israel
An area that attracts my thoughts is the idea of confirmation. How do we receive divine confirmation and recognize it? My imagination tells me that there are infinite possibilities to this, and that one may receive these confirmations in many different forms. What we have to do is to increase our sensitivity to receiving, recognizing and understanding the guidance, which is no easy task; it requires vigilance, determination, persistence and experience.
In my own life I have seen a progressive realization and development of this sensitivity, but it all adds up to a drop in the ocean of being a clear channel of receptivity. One of the things I have noticed is the speed at which this guidance seems to come. Someone once told me that whenever obstacles arise, there are clear messages in them as it is not the right direction at the time or it is necessary to make a detour to circumnavigate the obstacle. And how does one ever really know 100 percent? Hindsight usually gives us a good indication. Sometimes the guidance comes as a distracting thought in the middle of a prayer (perhaps this is the only time we relax enough for guidance to come to our conscious mind). Other times it comes by a fast sequence of events that seems to steer you in the right direction.
An example of this happened to me recently. I had previously agreed to help someone by performing a task. I was driving to meet the person when the car broke down. There was not enough time to call for a tow truck and fulfill the obligation. Within minutes someone stopped and gave me a lift all the way to the designated meeting place, going out of the way to get there and we could barely communicate as this individual had only a few English words and I had even fewer Hebrew words.
Sometimes the guidance may come as an intense, almost overpowering feeling. In my case I have felt this a few times as an indescribable sense of joy and love. And I have heard numerous stories about people getting sick, which in turn prevents them from doing something they shouldn't do or from going somewhere they shouldn't be going. Other times this guidance may come as a powerful thought with no inkling of doubts lurking in the background....
What are some of the ways you have received guidance or that you have heard from others? This is a fascinating subject to explore.
The overriding rule that I have found to be most effective in my life so far in trying to purge myself of doubts and to become more receptive to receiving and understanding the constantly flowing guidance that more often than not remains elusive is first to be completely honest and sincere in whatever one is doing -- then whatever one is doing, whether it be the correct thing or the incorrect thing to do, God will steer you into the right path. What are some of the patterns you have discovered work for you?
Some wonderful advice a dear friend gave me several years ago is to pursue all the things that you want to do and feel inspired to do, then God will steer you into what you are supposed to be doing. In other words, don't close any doors yourself... let them be closed for you, or in pursuing your goals the ones that you are supposed to be following will naturally unfold at a faster pace than the others. Some Christian friends quite some time ago used this phrase which I love: "Even God can't steer a parked car!" ... you have to be moving... so my prayer is that each and every one of you will be so inspired and moved as to dedicate yourselves to encouraging and supporting each other in spurring on your chargers towards greater and greater acts of service.
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CONSULTATION ON THE TABLET TO A PHYSICIAN
( A reader asked these questions to Dr. Saunders, Georgia, U.S. and suggested that others may have similar questions. This Tablet to a Physician by Baha'u'llah was printed in the May, 1998 issue.)
(Reader) I was reading the Tablet to a Physician by Baha'u'llah, the unauthorized translation, and had some questions. I'm trying to change my diet, and would like to understand better this Tablet. When Baha'u'llah says "If two diametrically opposite foods are put on the table do not mix them"; what do you think "diametrically opposite foods" means?
Dr Saunders (Dr.) Since it is the word of God, it can have infinite meanings. In an explanatory Tablet (untranslated) Baha'u'llah gives an example that if two heavy foods were given to a person with a weak constitution they may be incompatible, that is, too strong for his weak constitution, therefore two foods which disagree with an individual's constitution are incompatible.
(Reader) It would be so nice if there was a list of "diametrically opposite foods"?
(Dr.) Baha'u'llah's writings give universal guidance and lay down principles which can be applied in infinitely many different ways to suit each individual's needs. Detailed instructions place limitations upon individual choices. There is no list of diametrically opposite foods because it is dependent upon the constitution of the patient and should be determined for each individual under the supervision of a physician skilled in this science.
(Reader) Also, when He says "The compounding of one food with another is a danger of which you must beware", is this the same meaning as the above "diametrically opposite foods" or what exactly does this mean?
(Dr.) It is very closely related. The principles are moderation and simplicity. In the Kitab-i-Badi, Baha'u'llah states: "In all circumstances they should conduct themselves with moderation; if the meal be only one course this is more pleasing in the sight of God; however, according to their means, they should seek to have this single dish be of good quality." (Complied by the Universal House of Justice, "Health and Healing", p. 2)
(Reader) What is "one food"?
(Dr.) Could be a single dish, course, or edible substance.
(Reader) I've heard that we should not drink water during or right after a meal. Have you heard this? It's interesting because Baha'u'llah says "Take first liquid food before partaking of solid food." Do you think He meantfor all the meals we should take something liquid first?
(Dr.) No, He does not state that something liquid should be eaten at each meal. He is giving the order in which food is to be eaten. The literal translation of this passage is that light food is to be eaten before heavy food, and liquid food before solid. He does not state that water should not be taken before the meal.
(Reader) Do you think water counts? Or are we not to drink water during meals?
(Dr.) Water is a very special substance, and is probably not the same as food, and certainly not the same as liquid food, including juices and beverages
(Reader) And "Do not drink after you have retired to sleep". I'm assuming that we can't drink if we've fallen asleep, so does He mean a certain amount of time before we actually lay down? Like once we start getting ready for bed?
(Dr.) This is not clearly stated in the Tablet, leaving the individual free to apply it to suit his individual needs.
(Reader) When He says "The main thing is to cleanse the body of its wastes", what does that mean? Fasting? Or some other methods?
(Dr.) Could have many meanings. The original word in Arabic is related to "enema", opening the possibility of cleansing by enemas or colonic irrigation. This is an area for further investigation.
(Reader) Finally, when He says "for the primary substance will remain in its pristine purity and no change will occur in the normal proportion of one-sixth, and one-sixth of one sixth, and the twin active agents (qualities, properties) and the twin passive agents will remain intact." What does that mean? Is the "substance" the food, or the body? What are the two passive agents?
(Dr.) A much deeper subject, cannot be adequately answered at present, this refers to the older science of medicine and the "four elements" represented in the body as black bile, yellow bile, blood and phlegm. Requires extensive study and investigation now and in the future.
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LETTERS
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I want to thank you so much for the very dignified, helpful newsletter you provide to so many people. It is of such a high calibre, and always so moving to read. Thank you for this tremendous service!
Meim Smith, Auxiliary Board Member for Southern Ontario, Canada
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I have been so engrossed in reading the copies of past newsletters you were kind enough to send. How inspiring, how enlightening, how uplifting! The variety, the diversity, and the wisdom conveyed by the contributors is refreshing and marvelous.
Audrey Diggs, Illinois, U.S.
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Thank you for your lovely journal, today. I spent hours studying and absorbing the pathophysiology of the endocrine system. Your issue came as a lighthearted balance to the heavy work of pathophysiology.
Anne Grove, Nurse Practitioner student, Ohio, U.S
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A friend has just shared copies with us of your last two newsletters on "Healing Through Unity". We are delighted, in particular, with the stories of those who have met crises with practical applications of guidance found in the Baha'i Faith.
We know so many people who are going through severe mental stresses, yet deprive themselves of the real source of healing because they aren't ready for the huge leap of faith required to join a religious community. This newsletter is most useful as a soft and compassionate approach in helping souls to take one step at a time towards God and this wonderful Faith, through those who have suffered before them and found re-affirmations of all those promises.
Thank you for this terrific assistance.
Steve and Iris Bennett, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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QUESTION OF THE MONTH
---------------------------------------------
The question for this month is:
"What methods can assist individuals and families who are dealing with mental health issues?"
Please share all your stories or if you have other comments for the newsletter or "Question for the Month" ideas, please write to: Frances Mezei by e-mail, -- .
Other than the quoted Writings, the material in this newsletter represents the thoughts and opinions of the writers and has no authority. You are free to copy articles, provided you indicate the source of the article. If you have a change of e-mail address or wish to unsubscribe the newsletter, please let me know. There are 10 issues per year; it is not published during July and August.
Dearest Friends,
Something very special is happening. It appears that a network is developing among the friends. I have often been called to act as a liaison or messenger between the friends to forward messages and information to the writers of the articles. It is very heartening to know that the friends wish to be in touch with each other. It is a general policy that I do not give out any e-mail addresses unless with permission to insure confidentiality. It is hoped that when you receive the newsletters, the recipient lists are always suppressed. If this has not been the case, please do inform me as it may be due to computer errors. I would be happy to forward messages on your behalf to any friends to develop this networking of consultation and sharing.
Occasionally, I receive articles from subscribers which have been forwarded on from other sources such as a great healing story from a magazine or another newsletter. While these articles can be very important to our subscribers, it is important as well that the original source be mentioned re name of magazine, the author and the date. In this way, the article preserves its integrity and provides the subscribers with a reference for future research.
There is a large number of friends reading the newsletter who serve in the health professions. These include: physicians, nurses, pharmacists, chiropractors, naturopaths, homeopaths, massage therapists, dentists, psychotherapists, counsellors, and other alternative healing specialists. The various disciplines and practices have much to educate and train us. It is essential to recognize and honour the different ways of healing. Therefore, your contributions about your treatments, experiences and knowledge would be most valuable. With this consultation, we can explore ways to bring healing to more and more people.
I have been very impressed with the caliber of the articles people have written about very intimate and important healing matters and am amazed at the quality of the striving of individuals today. I admire your strength and courage to grow physically and spiritually. Thank you for your excellent contributions.
May you be blessed with health and happiness,
Frances Mezei
Ontario, Canada
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HEALING THROUGH UNITY
January, 1999
A monthly newsletter dedicated to serving the principles of
physical and spiritual health envisioned in the Baha'i Teachings.
Volume 2, Issue #5
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THE POWER OF POWERLESSNESS
By Dr. William Saunders, Georgia, U.S.A
Beloved Friends,
You are participating in a mighty process, but were you chosen because of your personal prowess? Probably not, according to the way His Will works. You will probably be called upon to function in that capacity in which you are most deficient:
the blind shall see the victory of His Cause,
the dumb shall speak in great assemblies,
the deaf shall hear celestial sounds,
the unstable shall stand firm as a mighty mountain,
the fearful shall roar across the seven seas in His name,
the weak shall rise with great strength and perform mighty deeds,
the timid shall excel in assertiveness,
the lame shall walk,
and the depressed shall be exalted to the pinnacles of spiritual power.Look at Mulla Husayn, a frail, weak student, whose hands shook, and how God transformed him into a mighty warrior, who, when an enemy soldier hid behind a tree, holding his rifle before him as further protection, cleaved the tree, the rifle and the soldier with one mighty sweep of his sword.
In the spiritual world you shall achieve greater victories, in this greatest of all Days, you are at the forefront, in the vanguard of His Hosts, and this program will assist you to achieve the health perfections enabling you to accomplish your exalted mission.
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A BAHA'I VIEW OF DISABILITY
Paul Booth has written a beautiful and heart-warming article, "A Baha'i View of Disability". It conveys a positive, authentic and healthy view on the various aspects of disabilities; physical, mental, and spiritual using a wonderful collection of the Baha'i' Writings. Here are some excerpts from his article:
"A poet friend of mind, Paul Bura, observed in one of his books that polio was the best thing that ever happened to him! He explained that because of it he was perforce, less active than his fellows which meant he spent more time on the sidelines watching others. This served to enhance and develop his powers of observation; an attribute so vital to the art of the poet."
"If we look at this world, the disabilities people suffer can indeed seem like the "fire and vengeance" referred to in " My calamity is My providence, outwardly it is fire and vengeance, but inwardly, it is light and mercy." (Baha'u'llah, The Hidden Words, Arabic, # 51) However, from the perspective of the life of the soul which, the Baha'i teachings state, continues to progress for all eternity, we can see that it is indeed "light and mercy" if we use it as God intended."
This article is highly recommended. It was recently printed in the Baha'i Journal UK, October, 1998 issue. You can look it up at his website:
www.nur.win-uk.net/disabil1.htm
For those unable to access the web Paul would be happy for you to e-mail him at: pmb@nur.win-uk.net and please indicate whether you would like to receive it in HTML or MS Word 6 format.
______________________________
THE EXCHANGE
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Question:
In the December, 1998 issue, the question was asked:
"What methods can assist individuals and families who are dealing with mental health issues?"
Answers:
I work as a caregiver in the home of an elderly lady who is both psychotic and bedfast. I prepare her meals and assist her daughter with many of the functions of her life. I am finding, as time goes on, that one of the best things I can do to help her reconnect with sanity is to encourage her that being sane is a pleasant experience. She is learning to enjoy the quiet, pleasant chats we have while she's eating. She listens for my voice when several people are working on her and listens when I ask for her help, as with transfers to and from her bed. Thanks and encouragement of effort go a long way here. Her daughter, too, is finding that my methods are getting better results and is starting to imitate them. The result will eventually be a more peaceful home, but these are early days yet.
"We must associate with all humanity in gentleness and kindliness. We must love all with love of the heart. Some are ignorant; they must be trained and educated. One is sick; he must be healed. Another is as a child; we must assist him to attain maturity. We must not detest him who is ailing, neither shun him, scorn nor curse him, but care for him with the utmost kindness and tenderness..." (Abdu'l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 63)
Nancy Myers, Eureka, CA, U.S.
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A BRILLIANT MADNESS: LIVING WITH MANIC-DEPRESSIVE ILLNESS
By Patty Duke and Gloria Hochman
Here is the back cover information about this excellent and useful book. (Published in 1992, A Bantam Book)
"Patty Duke shared her long-kept secret: The talented, Oscar-winning actress who won our hearts on "The Patty Duke Show" was suffering from a serious - but treatable - mental illness called manic depression. For nearly twenty years, until she was correctly diagnosed at age thirty-five, she careened between periods of extreme euphoria and debilitating depression, prone to delusions and panic attacks, temper tantrums, spending sprees, and suicide attempts.
Now in 'A Brilliant Madness' Patty Duke joins with medical reporter Gloria Hochman to shed light on this powerful, paradoxical, and destructive illness. From what it's like to live with manic-depressive disorder to the latest findings on its probable causes, its wide range of symptoms, and its most effective treatments, this compassionate and eloquent book provides insight into the challenge of mental illness. And through Patty's story, which ends in a newfound happiness with her cherished family, it offers hope for all those who suffer from mood disorders and for the family, friends, and physicians who love and care for them."
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MENTAL ILLNESS IS NOT SPIRITUAL
"...mental illness is not spiritual, although its effects may indeed hinder and be a burden in one's striving toward spiritual progress. In a letter written on behalf of the Guardian to a believer there is this further passage: 'Such hindrances (i.e. illness and outer difficulties), no matter how severe and insuperable they may at first seem, can and should be effectively overcome through the combined and sustained power of prayer and of determined and continued effort.'
That effort can include the counsel of wise and experienced physicians including psychiatrists. Working for the Faith, serving others who may need you, and giving of yourself can aid you in your struggle to overcome your sufferings. One helpful activity is, of course, striving to teach the Cause in spite of personal feelings of shortcomings, thus allowing the healing words of the Cause to flood your mind with their grace and positive power."
(From a letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer, June 15, 1982) Taken from Lights of Guidance, Helen Hornby, # 955)
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DISEASE IS OF TWO KINDS
"Disease is of two kinds: material and spiritual. Take for instance, a cut hand; if you pray for the cut to be healed and do not stop its bleeding, you will not do much good; a material remedy is needed. Sometimes if the nervous system is paralysed through fear, a spiritual remedy is necessary. Madness, incurable otherwise, can be cured through prayer. It often happens that sorrow makes one ill, this can be cured by spiritual means."
(Abdu'l-Baha in London, Addresses and Notes of Conversations, p. 65)
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TEMPORARILY DISCONNECTED!
Ashley Alvis from Atlanta, GA, U.S. wrote this poem in response to the article about "Baha'i Fatigue Syndrome" in the December, 1998 issue.
We regret to inform you, that
your service to the Faith
has been, temporarily
disconnected.
Please do NOT seek any refunds.
If you were expecting a return
on your investments of money,
time, or energy, then
that is probably why
your service is
currently disconnected.
If you were expecting others
to be as enthusiastic as you are
about what captures your interest
that may indeed be another reason
why you currently feel so cut-off.
If you have in the past
achieved great success
when others followed your lead,
Perhaps it is time you became a follower.
If you perceive that your community
is providing you with inadequate guidance,
Perhaps it is time you took a leading role.
Be not dismayed,
nor troubled over this matter.
The currents in the affairs of humanity,
even more so in the affairs of God,
are constantly changing.
Do thou likewise.
If you find all doors closed on you,
be aware that those are only
the ones familiar to you.
Try looking down a different hall.
But don't forget about the ones
you've used before.
Chances are, that once your service
is again restored and reconnected,
all doors will be opened to you at once.
Then you can worry!
And search your heart and His
and your community's heart, until
you choose the one which serves best.
Until then, be aware, that time off for good behavior,
is indeed granted on rare occasions.
Enjoy your vacation! Relax! Have Fun!
Love Love; Fellowship, Fellowship; Unity, Unity!;
Be happy, Be happy, Be happy,
and return to His service refreshed and recreated!
Currently! Currently! Currently!
You are only a channel, my friend.
Reconnection involves two poles;
the Source, and your service.
Current flows best when your attachments,
at both ends!
are cleanly and firmly grasped,
and when your channel is pure
and uncluttered.
Restoration is your business, not ours!
and yet we stand ready to assist each other
in all ways, humanly, and divinely possible.
Ask for what you need from the friends,
just like beseeching your Lord,
with no time frame imposed,
and open to whatever may come in answer.
Let us serve you for a change!
Learn how to receive,
while giving forth your light;
And your filament
in the vacuum bulb of self
need never burn out again.===============================================
THE GUARDIAN OF THE BAHA'I FAITH - SHOGHI EFFENDI
The following is an excerpt from the "The Priceless Pearl" written by Ruhiyyih Rabbani, pages 57-58, describing an honest account of Shoghi Effendi in dealing with his mental anguish as a result of his heavy work and responsibilities in being the Guardian for the Baha'i Faith. When he would become exhausted he would go to the mountains in Switzerland to seek out healing and relaxation.
"On 8 April the Greatest Holy Leaf ( Bahiyyih Khanum, aunt of Shoghi Effendi) wrote a general letter...'Since the ascension of our Beloved Abdu'l-Baha Shoghi Effendi has been moved so deeply...that he has sought the necessary quiet in which to meditate upon the vast task ahead of him, and it is to accomplish this that he has temporarily left these regions. During his absence he has appointed me as his representative,...'"
"It all looked very calm on paper but behind it was a raging storm in the heart and mind of Shoghi Effendi. 'He has gone', the Greatest Holy Leaf wrote, 'on a trip to various countries'. He left with his cousin and went to Germany to consult doctors. I remember he told me they found he had almost no reflexes, which they considered very serious. In the wilderness, however, he found for himself partial healing, as so many others had found before him. Some years later, in 1926, to Hippolyte Dreyfus, who had known him from childhood and whom he evidently felt he could be open with as an intimate friend, he wrote that his letter had reached him 'on my way to the Bernese Oberland which has become my second home. In the vastnesses and recesses of its alluring mountains I shall try to forget the atrocious vexations which have afflicted me for so long... It is a matter which I greatly deplore, that in my present state of health, I feel the least inclined to, and even incapable of, any serious discussion on these vital problems with which I am confronted and with which you are already familiar. The atmosphere in Haifa is intolerable and a radical change is impracticable. The transference of my work to any other center is unthinkable, undesirable and in the opinion of many justly scandalous...I cannot express myself more adequately than I have for my memory has greatly suffered.'"
"In the early years after Abdu'l-Baha's passing, although Shoghi Effendi often travelled about Europe with restless interest of not only a young man but a man haunted by the ever-present, towering giants of his work and his responsibility, he returned again and again to those wild, high mountains and their lofty solitude."
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A VIRTUE GAME
By Annegret Hallanzy, Psychotherapist, Munich, Germany
I would like to share a family or partnership game on the use of these virtues. Write down 21 of these virtues on a card.
sense of perfection, inspiration, sense of harmony, profoundness depth, empathy / sensitivity, courage, detachment dedication, trustworthiness, faithfulness, supportiveness honesty, acceptance, joyfulness, enthusiasm, intensity warmth, perseverance, patience, compassion
Close your eyes and pull out one card and do not show your card to the others. The others do the same. Now, you have two weeks to perform your chosen virtue with utter perfection until the others can tell you which virtue you are practising. It's possible!!! The effect of the game is to see the others in a positive and enlightening way because you are aware that they are struggling to live a certain virtue! Have fun.
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VIRTUES ARE THE GEMS WITHIN US - AN EXERCISE FOR CHILDREN
By Sue Haselhurst, Australia
I have recently come across two virtuous activities which help one experience how the use of virtues can empower our children. A friend of mine once said "When you practice a virtue you are plugging into God." A reader of the newsletter shared this perspective "Mental health is based on the healthy expression of emotions through the use of virtues." The first one leads on to the second.
1. Prepare a blackline master with the drawing of an outline of two people/children. Write underneath the first figure "This person is practising virtues" and under the second figure "This person is not practising virtues". Ask each child to glue each centre with glitter and cover the second figure with tracing paper. Get each child to talk about what the activity represents to him/her. For me it represents an empowering image in that we all have the virtues inside us; we just need to polish them by using them. My daughter once said she was too tired to practise courtesy (and say thank you). With the above picture in mind I acknowledged her tiredness but still asked her to find courtesy. I said "This is an opportunity to learn how to find courtesy even though you are tired - to dig deep, because I know it's in there." It took a while but she eventually found it and from this experience we both learned that she could overcome other emotions to practise a virtue. This leads to empowerment because she learned that she could choose how to behave in that situation and that I believed in her ability. This leads to the second activity which I like to use as a follow up to the first.
2. Fill two thirds of a container with rice (or similiar) and add several pretend gemstones - the more the merrier. Ask a child to "Think of a virtue that is really easy for you to find today". Child responds with love. "Look, there it is right on the top; you pick out the gem of love for me." Child selects a gem from near the top of the rice and is fascinated when you say that it is the love gemstone. Now ask "Can you tell me a virtue that is really hard for you to find today?" Child says patience. "Ok, now I want you to put your hand deep into the container and see if you can dig down deep and find patience for me." Child pulls out a gem. "Wow, there is patience. I honour you for diggingdeep and finding patience." Do this activity with each child and then talk about how on some days it can be very difficult to find any virtues and we have to struggle all day and on other days it's easy.
My daughter (who is four now) said last week that she was digging to find a particular virtue and was just not quite reaching it. As she said this she was mimicking with her hand as if she was trying to reach into her heart to find the virtue but her hand just couldn't quite reach. This activity is great for children, adults and grandparents aged between 3 - 93. It can change the paradigm of many parents from thinking that they have to fill up their child with good behaviours rather than to draw forth those desirable ones which they already possess. I showed this activity to the principal of my daughter's school and he asked all the teachers to offer it to every child in the school.
To sum up, when we practise virtues our gems shine through and when we don't practice virtues it is hard to see them.
'What is the purpose of our lives?' Abdu'l-Baha. -- 'To acquire virtues.' ( Abdu'l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 177)
"Thus, when the spirit is fed with holy virtues, then is the body joyous, if the soul falls into sin, the body is in torment!" (Abdu'l-Baha, Paris Talk p. 65)
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INFORMAL NGO (Non-Governmental Organization) REPORT ON THE EXPERT GROUP MEETING ON: WOMEN AND HEALTH: MAIN STREAMING THE GENDER PERSPECTIVE INTO THE HEALTH SECTOR
By Elizabeth L. Bowen, MD, EdD., Georgia, U.S.A.
This meeting was co-sponsored by the United Nations Division for the Advancement of Women and the World Health Organization (WHO) on 28 September to 2 October, 1998, in Tunis, Tunisia. This paper summarizes a report to the Geneva Committee on the Status of Women presented on October 12 at the Palais des Nations in Geneva by Elizabeth L. Bowen, M.D., Ed.D., who represented the Baha'i International Community and Health for Humanityat the Expert Group Meeting.
Approximately 50 individuals participated in the Expert Group Meeting, including 15 invited experts, 12 representatives of UN agencies, 9 WHO staff, 6 governments’ representatives, 5 NGO representatives.
Women and Health is a priority theme of the March 1999 Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) at the UN. The purpose of the Expert Group Meeting was to develop a framework to integrate the gender perspective into health care policies and programs. Many national action plans contain concrete action-oriented proposals for the health sector. However, many countries face difficulties and are asking for assistance in designing and implementing gender-sensitive national action plans for the health sector.
The Platform for Action identified women and health as one of twelve critical areas of concern and defined five strategic objectives:
1. To increase women’s access throughout the life cycle to appropriate, affordable, and quality health care;
2. To create and strengthen preventive programs to protect and promote women’s health;
3. To promote research and disseminate information on women’s health;
4. To undertake gender-sensitive initiatives to address sexual and reproductive health issues; and
5. To monitor follow-up and implementation of the Platform of Action, especially increasing resources.
For example, some five years ago, in the United States, the National Institutes of Health established a gender focal point and found that only 13% of medical research was for women’s health. Inequalities must be addressed worldwide. A World Bank study showed a gender differential in the five leading causes of young adults’ disease burden in developing countries: For women, they are maternal morbidity and mortality, sexually-transmitted diseases, tuberculosis, HIV infection, and depressive disorders. For men, they are HIV infection, tuberculosis, motor vehicle injuries, homicide, violence, and war.
How do we know when we have achieved the mainstreaming of gender into the health sector? When policy planners, researchers, and health practitioners have internalized a gender perspective, we will be able to:
1. Identify risk factors for women and men. For example, the risk of acquiring HIV and AIDS upon exposure is higher in women.
2. Identify conditions that affect women and men differently. For example, 75% of new cases of HIV and AIDS worldwide are women.
3. Identify conditions that are more serious in women than in men. For example, certain sexually transmitted diseases such as gonorrhea and chlamydia can lead to life-threatening pelvic inflammatory disease, and ectopic pregnancies. Infertility in women is life threatening but is rarely life-threatening in men.
4. Identify conditions that are more prevalent in men than in women. For example, certain forms of substance abuse such as tobacco and alcohol, are more common in men, yet are increasing among women.
5. Develop different interventions for women and men.
The NGO community has a vital role to play in the process of improving the health of women and girls, especially human rights-based approaches, for example, in the acceleration of the elimination of female genital mutilation.
In summary, the Expert Group Meeting participants reached consensus on specific recommendations to present at the CSW, (the Commission on the Status of Women), which is meeting at the UN in New York City from March 1-19, 1999. The recommendations have been published along with a full report of the meeting by the UN Division for the Advancement of Women. For further information, please refer to: http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw
Fax: (212) 963-3463. E-mail: daw@un.org
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"The world of humanity has two wings - one is women and the other men. Not until both wings are equally developed can the bird fly. Should one wing remain weak, flight is impossible. Not until the world of women becomes equal to the world of men in the acquisition of virtues and perfections, can success and prosperity be attained as they ought to be." ( Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 302)
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SPIRITUAL HEALTH HABITS
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Here are some essential elements for our spiritual and physical health from an eminent physician.
1) Trust in God
2) Consult a skilled physician and follow his instructions
3) Practice detachment from all save God
4) Practice moderation
5) Pray and meditate daily; read the Creative Word morning and evening
6) Be happy always
7) Simplify
8) Focus
9) Practice patience
10) Eat simple, natural plant foods
11) Drink adequate pure water
12) Evaluate progress daily, summarize weekly
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LETTERS
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I would like to use this opportunity to thank you for the service you do, and would like to ask you to put the following question on my behalf to the readers of the "Healing Through Unity". This way, I may be able to get some responses from the friends, which hopefully would be of some help to me.
"Within the last few years, I have met a number of people who have through death lost someone close to them. I would like to learn or receive some tips on how I can help my friends in times of bereavement. I notice on the issue of grief that not many people like to talk about it and it is a subject which is not dealt with but rather is avoided, hoping it will go away by itself. I would like to know for example if it is a good idea to organise a 'self help group'? And how can I go about organizing it?"
Mojgan Agahi, Lauben, Germany
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My gratitude to you....this newsletter is short and succint, and at the same time, packed with critical information for us in the Western world. I feel that virtually all of us are struggling with the "severe mental tests" that Shoghi Effendi predicted that the Baha'is of the West would undergo in their preparation for the Lesser Peace and beyond. As painful as all this is, I know that what we endure was predicted many years ago as being equivalent to the physical pain that the Babi marytrs endured. It is our time to shine in the fire of tests, and to use His wonderful Writings andprayers to heal - first ourselves and then, God Willing, others.
Lisa Armstrong
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I was forwarded a copy of the "Healing Through Unity" newsletter. I really liked it and I hope there is always the honouring of different ways of healing that I sensed in this one. It is such a refreshing thing to know that there are friends who are willing to share very intimate experiences (e.g. dreams, ceremonies, etc) in the context of 'healing', the healing process, etc. I feel that each nation, each peoples, somewhere in the process of history had been given 'ways' to enter and access into that 'special place and space' for healing, remembering, forgiveness, dreaming and honouring for those 'special and sacred forces'.
Ted Lew and June Iron Hawk-Lew, Mandaree, ND, U.S.A.
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Thanks very much for addressing the issues many of us are concerned about in your newsletter. The fact that it is reaching so many people in administrative positions is very significant. Dealing with personal pain and healing is something we are not yet very good at . . .hopefully your newsletter will help us take steps to bring it out of thedarkness into at least the half-light.
Terry Poirier, Uxbridge, Ontario, Canada
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QUESTION OF THE MONTH
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The question for this month is:
"What are homeopathic remedies?" "How can they successfully cure various illnesses?"
Please share all your stories or if you have other comments for the newsletter or "Question for the Month" ideas, please write to: Frances Mezei by e-mail, -- .
Other than the quoted Writings, the material in this newsletter represents the thoughts and opinions of the writers and has no authority. You are free to copy articles, provided you indicate the source of the article. If you have a change of e-mail address or wish to unsubscribe the newsletter, please let me know. There are 10 issues per year; it is not published during July and August.
A WEBSITE TO BE DEVELOPED
Due to the "Healing Through Unity" newsletter's growth and expansion, it has been suggested that a website be developed. It would be helpful, practical and marvelous if a reader who has the expertise and interest in building a website for the newsletter could take upon this task and responsibility. If you are interested in serving in this capacity, please contact me at -- . Also, if you have any ideas, suggestions or insights on what to include in the website, please feel free to share them with me. Thank you!
With warmest loving greetings,
Frances Mezei
Ontario, Canada
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HEALING THROUGH UNITY
February, 1999
A monthly newsletter dedicated to serving the principles of
physical and spiritual health envisioned in the Baha'i Teachings.
Volume 2, Issue #6
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Just Clay!
Author Unknown - submitted by Daryoush Yazdani, Japan
A couple vacationing in Europe went strolling down a little street and saw a quaint little gift shop with a beautiful teacup in the window. The lady collected teacups and she wanted this one for her collection, so she went inside to pick up the teacup, and as the story goes the teacup spoke and said: "I want you to know that I have not always looked like this. It took the process of pain to bring me to this point. You see, there was a time when I was just clay and the master came and he pounded me and he squeezed me and he kneaded me and I screamed: "STOP THAT". But he just smiled and he said, "Not yet".
Then he took me and put me on the wheel and I went round and round and round and round ... and while I was spinning and getting dizzier and dizzier I screamed again and I said, "Please get me off this thing ...please get me off!!!" And the master was looking at me and he was smiling, as he said, "Not yet".
Then he took me and walked toward the oven and he shut the door and turned up the heat and I could see him through the window of the oven and it was getting hotter and hotter and I thought, "He's going to burn me to death". And I started pounding on the inside of the oven and I said, "Master, let me out, let me out, let me out", and I could see that he was smiling as he said "Not yet".
Then he opened the door and I was fresh and free and he took me out of the oven and he put me on the table and then he got some paint and a paintbrush. And he started dabbing me and making swirls all over me and I started to gag and I said: "Master, stop it ... stop it ... stop it please ... you're making me gag" and he just smiled as he said "Not yet".
Then very gently he picked me up again and he started walking toward the oven and I said, "Master, NO! Not again, pleeeeease". He opened the oven door and he slipped me inside and he shut the door and this time he turned the heat up twice as hot as before and I thought. "He's going to kill me", and I looked through the window of the oven and I started to pound saying, "Master ... Master, please let me out ... please let me out ... let me out... let me out". And I could see that he was smiling, but I also noticed a tear trickle down his cheek as I watched him mouth the words. "Not yet!"
Just as I thought I was about to die, the door opened and he reached in ever so gently and took me out, fresh and free and he went and placed me on a high shelf and he said: "There, I have created what I intended. Would you like to see yourself?" I said "Yes", so he handed me a mirror and I looked and I looked again and I said, "That's not me, I'm just a lump of clay" And he said: "Yes, that IS you, but it took the process of pain to bring you to this place. "You see, had I not worked you when you were clay, then you would have dried up. If I had not subjected you to the stress of the wheel, you would have crumbled. If I had not put you into the heat of the oven you would have cracked. If I had not painted you there would be no color in your life. But, it was the second oven that gave you the strength to endure. And now you are everything that I intended you to be - from the beginning."
And I, the tea cup, heard myself saying something I never thought I would hear myself saying: "Master, forgive me, I did not trust you, I thought you were going to harm me, I did not know you had a glorious future and a hope for me. I was too shortsighted, but I want to thank you. I want to thank you for suffering. I want to thank you for the process of pain. Here I am! I give you myself - fill me, pour from me, use me as you see fit. I really want to be a vessel that brings you glory within my life"<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
"When I contemplate, O my God, the relationship that bindeth me to Thee, I am moved to proclaim to all created things "verily I am God"; and when I consider my own self, lo, I find it coarser than clay!" (Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Aqdas, p.234)**********************************
"The mind and spirit of man advance when he is tried by suffering. The more the ground is ploughed the better the seed will grow, the better the harvest will be. Just as the plough furrows the earth deeply, purifying it of weeds and thistles, so suffering and tribulation free man from the petty affairs of this wordly life until he arrives at a state of complete detachment. His attitude in this world will be that of divine happiness. Man is, so to speak, unripe: the heat of the fire of suffering will mature him. Look back to the times past and you will find that the greatest men have suffered most." (Abdu'l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 178 )
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"In this day, everyone must be tested, as the time of the 'chosen ones' to prove their worth is indeed very short. The day of attainment is drawing to a close for them. The 'first fruits' must be ripened in spirit, mellowed in love, and consumed in their self-sacrifice and severance. None other are acceptable as first fruits, and all who fail to attain to the standard through the tests are relegated to the 'many who are called'." (Abdu'l-Baha, Star of the West, Book 4, Vol. 6, #6)
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A NEW TABLET
***************************27 April 1998: The Research Department has found that this is an authentic Tablet revealed by Bah·'u'll·h in the Arabic language, and this is the copy of the authorized translation.
In His Name, the Exalted, the All-Highest, the Most Sublime!
Glorified art Thou, O Lord my God! O Thou Who art my God, and my Master, and my Lord, and my Support, and my Hope, and my Refuge, and my Light. I ask of Thee, by Thy Hidden and Treasured Name, that none knoweth save Thine own Self, to protect the bearer of this Tablet from every calamity and pestilence, and from every wicked man and woman; from the evil of the evil-doers, and from the scheming of the unbelievers. Preserve him, moreover, O my God, from every pain and vexation, O Thou Who holdest in Thy hand the empire of all things. Thou, truly, art powerful over all things. Thou doest as Thou willest, and ordainest as Thou pleasest.
O Thou King of Kings! O Thou kind Lord! O Thou Source of ancient bounty, of grace, of generosity and bestowal! O Thou Healer of sicknesses! O Thou Sufficer of needs! O Thou Light of Light! O Thou Light above all Lights! O Thou Revealer of every Manifestation! O Thou the Compassionate! O Thou the Merciful! Do Thou have mercy upon the bearer of this Tablet, through Thy most great mercy and Thine abundant grace, O Thou the Gracious, Thou the Bounteous. Guard him, moreover, through Thy protection, from whatsoever his heart and mind may find repugnant. Of those endued with power, Thou, verily, art the most powerful. The Glory of God rest upon thee, O thou rising sun! Do thou testify unto that which God hath testified of His own Self, that there is none other God besides Him, the Almighty, the Best-Beloved.
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THE EXCHANGE
********************************************Question:
In the January, 1999 issue, the question was asked: "What are homeopathic remedies?" "How can they successfully cure various illnesses?"Answers:
All alternative medicines tend to be linked together in people's minds and homeopathy is no exception. It is often confused with herbalism, faith healing, aromatherapy etc. which it is not. Homeopathy is one of the most scientific and precise forms of medicine available. Discovered by Samuel Hahnemann in the 18th century, it is based on the concept that "like cures like". Being a true scientist, he then proceeded to test his theory by years of "provings". Initially, these were done by giving various substances to healthy people and recording the effects on them. Later, in an attempt to find the lowest dose which would elicit a response, he discovered that the more dilute the "potency" the more dramatic the effect. Conventional medicine, whether using antipathy (the treatment by opposites to neutralize a disease symptom) or allopathy (the treatment by an unrelated substance to try to alter the body's response to disease) is totally different in this respect. If one dilutes below the usual dose the efficacy is lost. His method of systematic serial dilution and succussion successfully eliminated the dangers of toxicity in poisonous substances while amplifying the medicinal value of the substance. This process produces what homeopathic practitioners today call remedies. They are classified first by their botanical or elemental name in Latin and then by their method and number of dilution. Thus, Arnica 30c is a Tincture made by diluting Arnica ( a poisonous plant also known as leopard bane) one in one hundred parts, thirty times. Succussion is performed each time and is believed to be the key to the successful transfer of the medicinal quality of the herb while removing the harmful qualities. In fact none of the original organic compound remains, only it's "essence" imprinted on the diluent (usually pure water and/or alcohol).A significant difference between homeopathy and allopathic medicine is that homeopathy works not by counteracting the body's reaction to disease (called symptoms) but by mobilizing the body's natural defenses to correct imbalances and/or overcome the causative agents.
The other significant difference is that homeopathy must always treat the entire patient, including, physical, mental and emotional symptoms. Since illness or dis-ease is seen as an imbalance in the energy or life force of each individual being, a similar imbalance may produce very different symptoms in different beings. Only when the whole person (or animal) is considered can the correct remedy be chosen. The potency given to the patient is then based on the length and duration of all symptoms, and progress or cure is viewed only when a return to health (rather than the elimination of symptoms) is seen.
Homeopathy is an extremely complex method of healing to use and should be used only by trained persons. It is not a replacement for orthodox medicine but an adjunct to it. Naturopathic Doctors (in Canada) must complete up to seven years of schooling to learn this (among other things). Please refer to a professional about the use of these remedies.
Jean Huffman, Wholistic Animal Health Consultant, Ontario, Canada************************
It's not easy to describe within a few lines on Homeopathy, which is not common to our way of thinking. I'll just try to give some basic information on this kind of treatment. Already Hippocrates, the 'father of medicine', advocated that there are two ways of healing. One can heal with a remedy working against a symptom or disease (i.e. with anti-biotics, anti-diabetics etc) or with a remedy which urges the body to fight the disease by its own innate healing-forces. This second way is used by Homeopathy. It applies pharmacological substances from natural sources (mainly plants and minerals) in very small dosages to the patient. Prior to this the patient and his/her condition has to be exactly and carefully analysed and examined as a psychosomatic whole. It is not the symptoms or the diseases which are treated, but the patient as a whole with his/her very special individuality and way of expressing the imbalance, which has occurred and led to the disease. The purpose is not just to treat a malady, but to heal and cure the patient. There are no negative side effects of the remedy. In opposition to allopathy, where the physician usually can never be sure about the possible side effects of a certain remedy and the possible damage it may inflict. Homeopathy applies strictly to the oath of Hippocrates, which says that any damage to the patient should be avoided.
Critics say, because of the very small dosage of substances used in homeopathy, that it is just a placebo. It's true, that the way of preparing (homeopaths call it 'potenticing') the remedies leads in certain cases to the point, that no trace of the original substance can be found in the dissolution (carrier substance of the remedy itself) by the usual ways of biochemical analysis. But homeopaths disagree maintaining that it is not a question of the material substance in this case, but a biophysical, energetic phenomenon. The dissolution carries the information of the original substance within it, it is impregnated with it. Biophysical analysis of homeopathic remedies in recent years, measuring its electromagnetic and energetical state, reinforce this view.
What is, from strictly chemical viewpoint, the difference between the same computer with and without a program? You won't find the difference, because the way of analysing the difference is inadequate. Similarily homeopaths maintain this about their remedies. The information is the aspect which counts. Furthermore, there are already plenty of "lege artis" studies on the University level, which prove the effectiveness of homeopathy. Some of these studies prove its effectiveness, even with animals and lower organisms, like microbes. In this connection, to simply talk about placebo-effects does not seem to be logical. Finally, millions of patients around the world every year, treated and being cured by homeopathy, believe simply in the fact that whoever cures is right. Naturally, homeopathy also has its limitations. It is true, as I can tell clearly from my own experiences, that it quite often cures so-called 'incurable' diseases, but it is not a supernatural miracle-performer. Moreover, it will not evolve to be, in my humble opinion, the major part of the medicine of the future as its supporters uphold, because it is a curing of people, who are already sick. It is not a preventive medicine. The medicine of the future has to be first of all preventive and include mainly, according to 'Abdu'l-Baha, nutrition and hydrotherapy. Furthermore, neither allopathy nor homeopathy usually consider the importance and major role of spiritual healing.
Dr. Bernhard Koppold, M.D., Volos, Greece
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We keep a full set of homeopathic biochemic tissue salts in our first aid supply and use them by following the symptom/treatment guidance found in "The Biochemic Handbook" ISBN 0-89378-051-0 and "Biochemic Tissue Salts" by Dr. Andrew Stanway ISBN 0-7225-1156-6. There are 12 separate Tissue Salts and we purchase them in tablet form in bottles of 500 or 1000. For hiccups, nose-bleeds, crankiness associated with infant/toddler teething, a wide range of mild headaches, cough & cold symptoms, etc. these are incredibly effective. My eternal gratitude to Sarah Ma'ani, a pioneer in South Africa, from whom I first learned of them.
Carol Bowie, British Columbia, Canada*******************************
I first came across homeopathy some 30 years ago, shortly after becoming a Baha'i. It was a Baha'i friend in England, Sydney Barrett, who introduced me to the subject and I am for ever grateful to him for demonstrating to me what homeopathy was about. In the mid 1960s homeopathy was as mysterious and unknown a subject as was the Baha'i Faith. Now matters have changed and homeopathic remedies are sold in the majority of pharmacies in the U.K. This is a far cry from 30 years ago when remedies could only be obtained from one or two London pharmacies.
To me it has become an interesting and fascinating branch of medicine. I have absolutely no medical qualifications but as a "devotee" of homeopathy, I have used it to treat myself and my family over the years. Children's ailments, the usual coughs, colds and sore throats, sprains, strains, sicknesses of various kinds, have all been treated successfully by means of homeopathy. Having lived overseas in sometimes hostile conditions and climates, the use of homeopathy has literally proved itself to be a godsend. If the problem is more complicated, then we have always consulted a competent homeopathic doctor. I have to say that some of the cures have actually been nothing short of miraculous!
Thelma Batchelor, Leatherhead, Surrey, England
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ASSISTING OTHERS IN GRIEF
********************************************A reader asked us this question: "Within the last few years, I have met a number of people who have lost someone close to them through death. I would like to learn or receive some tips on how I can help my friends in times of bereavement. I notice on the issue of grief that not many people like to talk about it and it is a subject which is not dealt with but rather is avoided, hoping it will go away by itself. I would like to know for example if it is a good idea to organise a 'self help group'? And how can I go about organizing it?"
A reader shared these comments. "Similar with the sick and dying, being ready to listen can be helpful. Active listening, feeding back the feelings, or beginning with 'it must have been hard for you....' And, being able to tolerate silences. I think there have been some groups for widows and widowers formed in some places. When and if a person is ready to join a group, or organize a group, depends on the individual."
"Brenda Ueland says listening is a great and powerful thing, a magnetic and strange thing, a creative force. She writes "Think how the friends that really listen to us are the ones we move toward, and we want to sit in their radius as though it did us good, like ultraviolet rays. She says that when we are listened to, really listened to as if what we have to say means something, ideas actually begin to grow within us and come to life. When we have problems, who is it that we go to? she asks. Not to the hard, bossy practical ones who can tell you exactly what to do, but to the listeners: that is, the kindest, least censorious, least bossy people that you know. It is because by pouring out your problem to them, you then know what to do about it yourself." (Brenda Ueland, 'Tell Me More' in Utne Reader, Nov/Dec 1992)This was taken from "Chasm of Belief" written by Barbara McLellan from New Zealand. It is also useful to be familiar with the grieving process.
"The grief process, says Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, is a five-stage process: denial, anger, bargaining, sadness, and finally acceptance. That's how we grieve; that's how we accept; that's how we forgive; that's how we respond to the many changes life throws our way. Although this five-step process looks tidy on paper, it is not tidy in life. We do not move through it in a compartmentalized manner. We usually flounder through, kicking and screaming, with much back-and-forth movement --until we reach that peaceful state called acceptance.
"When we talk about 'unfinished business' from our past, we usually are referring to losses about which we have not completed grieving. We're talking about being stuck somewhere in the grief process. Usually, for adult children and codependents, the place where we become stuck is denial. Passing through denial is the first and most dangerous stage of grieving, but it is also the first step toward acceptance. "We can learn to understand the grief process and how it applies to recovery. Even good changes in recovery can bring loss and, consequently, grief. We can learn to help ourselves and others by understanding and becoming familiar with this process. We can learn to fully grieve our losses, feel our pain, accept, and forgive, so we can feel joy and love."
(Melody Beattie, The Language of Letting Go, p. 318-19)
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INVOCATION TO USE FOR POWERFUL PRAYER
*****************************************************************By Nona Simons, Reno, Nevada, U.S.A.
When preparing a lesson for Baha'i students, I ran across the most wonderful quote from "Dawnbreakers" page 552-553. It appears in the story of a dedicated and wise early Babi believer named Hujjat and his fellow Babi's who were living in a fort in Zanjan during the time of the Bab. They were under serious threat of attack, and Hujjat instructed the guards at the gates to "repeat nineteen times, each night, each of the following invocations:"
Allah-u-Akbar [God the Great]
Allah-u-A'zam [God the Most Great]
Allah-u-Ajmal [God the Most Beauteous]
Allah-u-Abha [God the Most Glorious]
Allah-u-Athar [God the Most Pure]
After the invocations were repeated by the Babis, their attackers became startled and agitated, dropped what they were doing, left their barracks, and ran and hid in houses in the environs of the governor's residence, afraid to attack the Babis at that time. When the Babis uttered these powerful words, they were mysteriously protected.
For the commemoration of the Birth of the Bab, October 20, 1819, which was held in my home last night, for part of the readings, we uttered these invocations, nineteen times each, and there was a wonderful spirit generated by doing so. The friends seemed truly happy after the readings ended. When I utter these powerful words, I do not want to stop, because it feels so wonderful just to say them.
It is possible that much healing could result from uttering these invocations and I am sharing them with you in this spirit. I would be happy if people might want to share their experiences upon uttering these marvelous invocations/supplications to and praise for God.
**********************
FASTING
**********************During the Baha'i month of Loftiness beginning sunrise March 2nd, the Baha'is over 15 years of age fast from sunrise to sunset for nineteen days. Exempted from the Fast are children under 15, those who are ill, over 70, travelling, pregnant or nursing women, women in their courses or those doing heavy labour. The Fast ends at sunset March 20, Naw-Ruz (Baha'i New Year).
Abdu'l-Baha tells us that "prayer and fasting is the cause of awakening and mindfulness and conducive to protection and preservation from tests." (Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, pp 69-70)
Prayer and fasting "act as stimulants to the soul, strengthen, revive, and purify it, and thus insure its steady development." (Shoghi Effendi, Principles of Baha'i Administration, p.8)
The Guardian, Shoghi Effendi writes, "it (the fasting period) is essentially a period of meditation and prayer, of spiritual recuperation, during which the believer must strive to make necessary readjustments to his inner life, and to refresh and reinvigorate the spiritual forces latent in his soul. Its significance and purpose are, therefore, fundamentally spiritual in character. Fasting is symbolic, and a reminder of abstinence from selfish and carnal desires." (Shoghi Effendi, Principles of Baha'i Adminstration, p. 9)
THE FAST
Written by Stephen Newbegin and published in the June 1975 issue of the California Regional Newsletter
O My loving companions on the Path
Think ye that the fast is a burden?
Even should you waste into nothingness,
This would be a joy beyond compare.
For those that enjoy this mystic meal,
The True Fast begins at sunset.
If it be that thy stomach groans
And thy tongue is a desert,
Eat and drink thoughts of thy Beloved
Whose sweet fresh water cleanses
And heavenly food strengthens.
And as thy body empties itself, so too
Empty the cup of the heart of self and passion.
And in thy growing weakness
Feel thy humility before God and thy fellows.
And as the dreary hours pass along,
Think of what store of patience
Ye may gather for the coming year.
And as thy body begins to lighten,
Let thy soul float like a kite
In the breezes of the spirit
Though still attached to the form
Which is fulfilling its daily duties.
And when you desire something,
Think of the One Desired,
Who has created all of what thou hast ever desired.
And as your hunger grows,
Think of those less fortunate souls
Who cannot replenish their flesh
During the sleeping of the sun.
And when you break bread,
Think of thy fellow Baha'is all around the world
In unity with your actions.
____________________________SPIRITUAL HEALTH HABITS
____________________________Here are some essential elements for our spiritual and physical health from an eminent physician.
1) Trust in God
2) Consult a skilled physician and follow his instructions
3) Practice detachment from all save God
4) Practice moderation
5) Pray and meditate daily; read the Creative Word morning and evening
6) Be happy always
7) Simplify
8) Focus
9) Practice patience
10) Eat simple, natural plant foods
11) Drink adequate pure water
12) Evaluate progress daily, summarize weekly*************************************************************************
"PARENTING IN THE NEW WORLD ORDER " NEWSLETTER
*************************************************************************We wish to inform you about a newsletter entitled "Parenting in the New World Order." This bi-monthly newsletter is dedicated to raising families with strong spiritual values and is published for the purpose of sharing thoughts, comments and experiences on how the teachings of the Baha'i Faith are being applied to the task of parenting and family life. "Parenting in the New World Order" began slowly with a few families in 1991 and gradually expanded until it was being read around the world. It is now only available on e-mail at no charge to interested subscribers. Your articles, stories, and thoughts are warmly welcomed. If you are interested, please e-mail Nima and Negin Anvar who are the new editors of this newsletter at: allamanda@caribsurf.com.
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LETTERS
-------------------------------------------I have received and glanced at your newsletter "Healing Through Unity". I would like to congratulate you for this worthy undertaking and wish to subscribe it.
Counsellor Jabbar Eidelkhani, Bangladesh
...................................We would like to thank you for the inspiring, uplifting, and timely newsletter. Congratulations on your initiative. I'm sure many hearts are being touched. This came as an answer to my prayers. Have already found much inspiration in the quotes and stories you included. Honduras is passing through a healing process and needs as much spiritual support and nurturing as possible. Please include us in your membership list.
Gloria (nee Perd?) and Donald Drysdale, National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Honduras
(Editor's Note: If you wish to send a note or a prayer to the people in Honduras, I would be happy to forward it to Gloria.)
.......................................I would like to subscribe to the "Healing Through Unity" Newsletter. I am a pioneer in Honduras. I really like your approach; applying Baha'u'llah's teachings to the reality of our situation. So often as Baha'is we try so hard to be "model" Baha'is - examples to others as we are told to be, but as a consequence don't give enough importance to our feelings and to find the true causes of our conflicts. Or to just listening and validating other's experiences and feelings-sharing! I hope to participate, too. Thanks!
Jackie Schwart Rajabian, Honduras
.......................................Thank you for the complimentary copy of the "Healing Through Unity" newsletter, subscriptions to which you are providing as a very generous service to the friends worldwide. We will be delighted to be on your mailing list for this very uplifting magazine and intend to distribute it to all Local Spiritual Assemblies on email. You may well also receive requests from friends in New Zealand to have their email addresses added to your mailing list. We would like to take this opportunity to congratulate you on this wonderful initiative, and to wish you well in its future development.
Suzanne Mahon, Secretary, National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of New Zealand
.....................................As a dentist and secretary of the Association of Medicale Baha'is in France, I would like to receive the newsletter so I can resend it to the other members of our association, and other Baha'i health professionals.
Thank you very much.
Albert Mirabelle, France**************************************
QUESTION OF THE MONTH
**************************************"What is the role of a chiropractor? How do the principles and treatments of chiropractic assist us with our health?
If you have a question that you would like answered, you can e-mail this to -- .********************************************
PURPOSE OF THE NEWSLETTER
********************************************"Healing Through Unity" is published for the purpose of sharing thoughts, comments and experiences on how the teachings of the Baha'i Faith are being applied to our physical and spiritual health. Other than the quoted Writings, the material in this newsletter represents the thoughts and opinions of the writers and has no authority. You are free to copy articles, provided you indicate the source of the article. If you have a change of e-mail address or wish to unsubscribe the newsletter, please inform me. There are 10 issues per year; it is not published during July and August.
Please send your stories, comments, suggestions or "Question for the Month" ideas to: Frances Mezei by e-mail, -- .
The website for the newsletter is now being developed and the details will be shared in the March issue.
*************************************************************
STARTING "HEALING THROUGH UNITY" TEAMS
*************************************************************A reader shared this comment: "It would be very helpful if there would be some links to people suffering from the same kind of illnesses, because none understands you better than a person who went through the same hell."
Dr. William Saunders from Atlantic, U.S.A. has generously offered his service to coordinate the concept of the teams which has been tried out during the past few years around the globe with great success. Dr. Saunders, who has practiced as a medical doctor for 30 years, will share his present health care prescriptions which are based, to a large extent, on simple foods, prayer and balance in one's life. He has an extraordinary ability to search for the truth in the body's ability to heal itself based on spiritual healing.
The "Healing Through Unity" newsletter was also a vision of Dr. Saunders. Two years ago, in 1997, after I (Frances Mezei) joined his health program to assist with my health and healing process, he asked two other friends and myself if one of us would be willing to continue the newsletter he was doing. I took on this service and the newsletter started in September, 1997.
If a number of individuals (say three to four people) have the same objective, such as the cure of a particular disease or condition, a team can be formed. This team would consult via e-mail with Dr. Saunders functioning as the guide and skilled physician using the healing teachings of the Baha'i Faith. A general treatment program would be developed by this common experience of the team to travel the path toward health perfection and to learn to apply physical and spiritual health habits. We are also familar with the value of consulting with other inidividuals who have common experiences. As well, the team concept may be useful for certain health professionals to form a team and use the power of consultation to advance the process of healing.
If you wish to participate in a team with friends who are dealing with similar illnesses, disabilities, struggles or issues, please write to me at: -- and identify your specific needs to be placed in the right treatment program. Some examples include high blood pressure, diabetes, migraine, depression, grief, cancer, blindness, etc. Also, if you wish to join the doctors and health professionals team, please inform me. There is an annual membership fee of $35.00 U.S. payable to Dr. Saunders. Individual consultations with Dr. Saunders are also available at $35.00 U.S. a week. If you have any questions about this program, we would be happy to answer your questions.
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Best wishes for a fruitful and spiritually enriching Fast.
Frances Mezei
Ontario, CanadaHEALING THROUGH UNITY
MARCH, 1999
A monthly newsletter dedicated to serving the principles of
physical and spiritual health envisioned in the Baha'i Teachings.
Volume 2, Issue #7
_______________________________________________________
TO "BEE" OR NOT TO "BEE"
By Sally Caldwell, Alaska, U.S.A.
A bee flew into the car one day while the family was stopped at a traffic light. Try as they might to get it out through an open window, it insisted on buzzing blindly into the windshield.
When the family got home, they tried again to get it to leave, but this only made the bee buzz angrily against the rear window. Again and again, the family tried to direct the bee outside through the open windows and doors. Yet, each time it evaded them. Afraid of injuring the bee by trying any further, the family left the car with the windows open
and parked it next to a flowering bougainvillea vine, hoping this would entice the bee to freedom.
Alas, the next morning they found the little creature dead on the back dash under the rear window, mortally exhausted from its desperate efforts. This poor bee was so sure it had the answer to its dilemma and so it buzzed with greater and greater intensity into the window. It stubbornly maintained that it could solve its own problem, when the truth was that the bee's way got it nowhere. All the bee had to do to reach the flowers outside the car was admit personal powerlessness. At that point the family could have taken it gently from the midst of its prison and released
it to the sweetness of freedom.
And how often do we humans try to solve a problem on our own, trying harder and harder to overcome some perceived difficulty? It is rather sobering to realize that whatever predicament we are now facing, it was our best
thinking that got us there and it is our best thinking that is keeping us there, just like that little bee. Let go and let God.
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THE BUTTERFLY
**************************
Author Unknown - submitted by Susan Gammage, Canada
A man found a cocoon of a butterfly. One day a small opening appeared, and he sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force its body through that little hole. Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could and it could go no farther. Then the man decided to help the butterfly, so he took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon. The butterfly then emerged easily. But it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings.
The man continued to watch the butterfly because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand to be able to support the body, which would contract in time. Neither happened! In fact, the butterfly
spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings. It never was able to fly. What the man in his kindness and haste did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the butterfly to get through the tiny opening were God's way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon.
Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our life. If God allowed us to go through our life without any obstacles, it would cripple us. We would not be as strong as what we could have been. And we could never fly.
________________________
THE EXCHANGE
________________________
Question:
In the February , 1999 issue, the question was asked:
"What is the role of a chiropractor? How do the principles and treatments of chiropractic assist us with our health?
Answers:
Chiropractic is a branch of the healing arts which is concerned with human health and disease processes. It is based on scientific fact that the nervous system controls the function of every cell, tissue, organ and system of the body. The nervous system consists of the brain, spinal cord and millions of nerves. Many everyday activities from trauma to chemical and/or mental stress can upset the mechanics of the spine, which in turn can create pain, restriction of movement and other symptoms, such as backaches, neck aches, pain in the extremities, headaches, asthmatic
syndrome, digestive malfunctions, carpel tunnel syndrome, and nervousness, to name but a few. Some people may not know that chiropractic treatment has very favorable results with earaches in children.
The term chiropractic (Greek for "done by hand") was coined by its founder Daniel David Palmer in 1895 when he gave his first "adjustment" to a man who had been deaf for 17 years after falling downstairs. Following the chiropractic adjustment the man's hearing was restored. After that chiropractic was born as a teachable art and science. Thus began what later became the first Chiropractic College in the world in Davenport, Iowa, United States. Now there are sixteen Colleges in North America and several in other parts of the world. In fact, a World Federation of Chiropractors is currently being set up. The accrediting agency for chiropractic colleges was approved by the U.S. Department of Education in 1974. Chiropractors are primary health care providers and their services are covered by most insurance companies in the U.S.
The philosophy of chiropractic is in harmony with the concepts taught in the Baha'i Faith. Chiropractors are taught that there is a Universal Intelligence, and that within each person is an innate or inborn intelligence. They believe that this intelligence can manifest itself best if all interference is removed, thus allowing a person's nervous,
vascular, muscular, energy (meridians, etc.) and other systems to function optimally. Homeostasis, equilibrium and balance are key words in natural healing.
Chiropractic is the largest drug and surgery-free approach to healing in the world. During a chiropractor's five years of training, he/she is taught all the basic sciences - modern diagnostic procedures and treatment methods, including regard for good nutrition, and the adverse effects of a polluted environment, drugs, alcohol and mental stress. X-ray is a compulsory subject and each chiropractic college has its own treatment clinic and laboratory where blood work can be carried out. There are many techniques to adjust the spine and extremities, including soft-tissue approaches. Thus people ranging from infants to the elderly, who are sometimes fragile, can take advantage of chiropractic care.
Chiropractors often have massage therapists on their staff, and may utliize other therapies as well, including hot and cold compresses, depending on the patient's condition. Traditionally people sought a chiropractor for neck and back pain, but now many are going for other health problems. The pendulum is swinging towards trying the natural approach. Having said that, chiropractors are aware there is a need for all branches of healing and the allopathic method is definitely essential.
Chiropractors are required to attend continuing education studies annually as there is new information being released constantly. In my practice, in addition to adjusting the spine I do sacro-cranial work, polarity work, applied kinesiology, neuro-emotional work, homeopathy, nutritional counseling and other natural methods of healing. It is a very rewarding profession and I often find that patients are searching for spiritual answers as well. I often give them a copy of the Healing Prayer or "O God! Refresh and gladden my spirit". Many patients have heard of and read about Baha'u'llah. I try to be kind, compassionate and understanding, and have soft music playing in my office to help people relax. I feel they come not only to be freed from pain, but to unwind and become regenerated after struggling in a stressful world. I try to educate my patients that the Power that made the body heals the body, and we with our free-will must respect and love ourselves as part of God's creation. I often share Baha'u'llah's Hidden Word, Arabic, #23 "O Son of Spirit! Noble have I created thee, yet thou hast abased thyself. Rise then unto that for which thou wast created." with them. Such concepts assist patients who are sad and/or suffer from low self-esteem. Miracles happen every day.
"Unveiled and unconcealed, this Wronged One hath, at all times, proclaimed before the face of all the peoples of the world that which will serve as the key for unlocking the doors of sciences, of arts, of knowledge, of well-being, of prosperity and wealth."
( Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 96)
"The powers of the sympathetic nerve are neither entirely physical nor spiritual, but are between the two (systems). The nerve is connected with both. Its phenomena will be perfect when its spiritual and physical relations are normal."
( Abdu'l-Baha, Tablets of 'Abdu'l-Baha, p.309)
Lynette Frieden, Chiropractor for 30 years, California, USA
*********************************
He feels you should certainly think of your future and earning your living, and if chiropractic is the work you wish to go in for, you should continue your education; when you are finished it would be highly meritorious to enter the pioneer field, as for many years to come Baha'i teachers will be needed in distant lands.
( Written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, 31 March 1947, Health and Healing,p. 39)
********************************
I am not qualified to answer the question as a practitioner but I am a Physical Therapist who has come to appreciate and utilize the services of a Chiropractor when I cannot correct my own physical dysfunctions with my own knowledge of the body. I am not sure I would choose a Chiropractor as my primary physician but I have a great deal of confidence in their abilities with some problems. I have referred patients whose problems are not responding to my treatment and their gratitude has been an affirmation of the efficacy of Chiropractic treatments. I have observed my chiropractor's ability to relieve the problems of a dog who had lost control over its bladder, the reduction of the effects of stress on a friend, and the reduction of pain associated with Tempo-Mandibular malalignment.
I'm given to understand, the impingement on the autonomic nervous system is the source of many problems and thus mobilization of the spine to relieve that impingement is the source of the relief. I am told it can be effective in many ailments not apparently having physical causation.
As a practitioner of one of the healing arts, I offer this admonition to any who seek any health care from any field of healing.
* Be open to approaches to healing that initially may seem to be nonsense, since tradition can blind us to truth.
* Choose the practitioner more carefully than you would choose a mechanic for your vehicle.
* Don't assume their certificate of qualification has made them a "healer", they may lack the intuitive/spiritual/dedicated sense.
* Listen with both your head and your heart to their advice.
* Don't expect magic cures from anyone but don't be afraid to reject a healer that does not seem to be addressing your problem.
* Don't put your health into anyone's hands before you have accepted responsibility for it yourself - or you will be prey for quacks and incompetents.
In other words, as I've been told, the Quran admonishes - Trust in God but tie your camel.
Annette Cox, Tennessee, U.S.A.
===============================================
Here is another answer to the question asked in the January, 1999 issue.
"What are homeopathic remedies?" How can they successfully cure various illnesses?'
When my daughter was five years old she developed Bell's Palsy. I first noticed something wrong when her left eye would not close properly, then the left side of her mouth became immobile making her look as if she had suffered a stroke. I took her to our local doctor who sent us straight to the local hospital (over 20 miles away!) The local doctor had never seen Bell's Palsy in a child before and at the hospital I was informed that in 90% of cases the condition cleared up within three months and that there was nothing that could be done medically. We returned home and the 'word' soon got around the local Baha'i community. One of the community members suggested that I try homeopathic medicine. After reading a text I decided to browse for a remedy for my daughter and with prayer and contemplation
this is what I did. The remedy that evoked a positive reaction was Opium (which surprised me) so I went to the local chemist and found that homeopathic opium could be obtained - and it was within two days. My daughter recovered from the condition within a week of taking the remedy.
Since then I have consulted qualified homeopaths on several occasions when my children have been ill and have found that their general health has improved greatly. I used tissue salts when my son was teething and they certainly seemed to help. Childrens' bodies should not be unnecessarily polluted with antibiotics, as this reduces their own resistance to disease (as I myself am living proof of). All medicine has its place in our society but children should be treated with care and their bodies given the chance to build up resistances to 'life'.
As regards the issue of legalising cannabis (in the UK) for MS sufferers, could not a homeopathic cannabis remedy be used? Thus removing the necessity of legalising a drug that can be abused and can lead to a distancing of the soul.
Lady Julie Van-Dungey, Oxford, England.
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OFFERING ASSISTANCE
*************************************
By Kathy Gilbert, New Zealand
I have Multiple Sclerosis. I was diagnosed in 1993 after several attacks mostly with blindness, blackouts and spasms in my legs. After many tests it was shown that I had 15 lesions in my brain mostly in the areas which affect motor control but also in many other areas. I have been following a particular path of management that works well, made up by me and suited to my personality. I am not medically trained in any way. I have not had a severe exacerbation for nearly four years now. I use prayer, relaxation techniques, natural medicines and kinesiology. If anyone would like to
know more of this technique, please feel free to contact me at my e-mail address: kathyg@xtra.co.nz
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SIX TYPES OF HEALING
**********************************
By Orval H. Minney, California, USA
Editor's note: Orval Minney, a retired U.S. Space Scientist from California, U.S.A., has kindly agreed to write a series of six articles describing the six methods of healing stated by Abdu'l-Baha in "Some Answered Questions", pages 254 - 259. This is an excellent opportunity to study, consult and share our experiences, insights and comments on this very important subject. These six types of healing will serve as our guidance to educate us on how to prevent and cure our many diseases and illnesses. Your contributions will be printed in the next issues.
To recap from my original article of January 8, 1998, Volume 1, Issue # 6, in "Some Answered Questions", Abdu'l Baha speaks of six types of healing; four are spiritual and two are material.
Spiritual healing comprises:
1) contagion of health from the very healthy to the one slightly ill,
2) transfer of a magnetic force from a "healer" to the one ill,
3) the concentrated belief of the healer and patient that a cure will occur,
4) the power of the Holy Spirit.
Material healing occurs:
5) by means of medicines and surgical procedures,
6) by aliments, fruits, vegetables, and hot and cold waters.
He speaks in the same reference that the body is in a state of energy and chemical equilibrium and that an imbalance causes disease while balance restores the equilibrium. Scientifically, the body is in a state of homeostasis, or dynamic energy/chemical balance, which is controlled by the autonomic nervous system through the endocrine system. This balance is affected by thoughts, beliefs and attitudes and by invading organisms, toxins, allergies and structural changes from subluxations to broken bones or lacerations.
The first type of spiritual healing discussed in this issue is "contagion of health". Abdu'l Baha says: "...in man both health and sickness are contagious. The contagion of disease is violent and rapid, while that of health is extremely weak and slow. If two bodies are brought into contact with each other, it is certain that microbic particles will pass from one to the other. In the same way that disease is transferred from one body to another with rapid and strong contagion, it may be that the strong health of a healthy man will alleviate a very slight malady in a sick person. That
is to say, the contagion of disease is violent and has a rapid effect, while that of health is very slow and has a small effect, and it is only in very slight diseases that it has even this small effect. The strong power of a healthy body can overcome a slight weakness of a sick body, and health results. This is one kind of healing."
(Abdu'l-Baha, Some Answered Questions, p. 254)
If we consider that the homeostasis or equilibrium can be upset by our attitude, then the positive, cheerful attitude and presence of a healthy person can be contagious to one who is "out of balance", changing their outlook so that it affects their internal equilibrium. From an energy viewpoint however, contagion implies a transfer of something between persons. An ill person has an imbalance from either a shortage or an overabundance of elements which is sometimes caused by their attitude. Their innate self is then receptive to receiving the necessary energy to restore the equilibrium. A healthy person exudes energy. In their presence the ill person draws on that energy and feels better which changes their equilibrium and assists in restoring the balance. The proviso is that they must have the proper nutrients in their system for the endocrine system to act on. So, this type of healing will help and should be part of every healer's modus operandi, however, for very slight cases of illness or depression, other types of healing must be used.
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SOME THOUGHTS FROM THE "SEAT OF THE SOUL"
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Editor's note: Dale Sims, Ontario, Canada, took these notes from "Seat of the Soul" by Gary Zukav published by Simon and Schuster. I thought you might enjoy them. These notes encourage us to release old pain, old fears, old insecurities that have been trapped inside our bodies for years. We can choose to be no longer with them when they have come to our consciousness. When our reality becomes aware of our fears, we can consciously release them. We may think that our anxieties and insecurities are blocking our service or process when in reality they are our gifts from God. Our anxieties are acting as a stimulus to cast aside the shackles and limitations within ourselves which often disappears when we respond in a more acceptable way to God.
* Every experience that you have and will have upon the Earth encourages the alignment of your personality with your soul.
* There is much joy in the nonphysical world when the soul releases major negativity and the quality of its consciousness shifts upward into higher frequencies of Light.
* The first step to awareness is becoming aware of what you are feeling. Following your feelings will lead you to their source. Only through emotions can you encounter the force field of your own soul.
* This requires that you clear yourself each day of your emotional impacts. Just as you dispose of your physical body wastes and toxins, so too, dispose of your emotional wastes and toxins by finishing emotionally unfinished business, by not going to bed in anger, by seeing that you do not feel contaminated emotionally, and by learning to work with and to honour your emotional currents of energy.
* Trust allows you to call forth your negativity in order to heal them. It allows you to follow your feelings through your defenses to their sources, and to bring to the Light of consciousness those aspects of yourself that resist wholeness, that live in fear. The journey to authentic power requires that you become conscious of all that you feel. The unearthing and healing of your negativities may appear to be an endless process, but it is not. Your vulnerabilities and weaknesses and fears are not different from those of your fellow humans. Do not despair because your humanness awakens.
* When you pray, you draw to you and invoke grace. Grace is uncontaminated conscious Light, it is divinity. Prayer brings grace and grace calms you. Grace is the tranquilizer of the soul. With grace comes a knowing that what you are experiencing is necessary. It calms you with a sense of knowing.
* Authentic needs belong to the soul. You need, for example, to love and to be loved. You need to express your creativity, whether that is in raising a family or leading a country. You need to cultivate your spirit, to work
consciously at aligning your personality with your soul. You need to be counseled with the impersonal wisdom of your nonphysical teachers, and the guidance of your nonphysical guides. These are some of your authentic needs.
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ESSENTIAL REQUISITES FOR SPIRITUAL GROWTH
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Baha'u'llah has stated quite clearly in His Writings the essential requisites for our spiritual growth, and these are stressed again and again by Abdu'l-Baha in His talks and Tablets. One can summarise them briefly in this way:
1. The recital each day of one of the Obligatory Prayers with pure-hearted devotion.
2. The regular reading of the Sacred Scriptures, specifically at least each morning and evening, with reverence, attention and thought.
3. Prayerful meditation on the Teachings, so that we may understand them more deeply, fulfil them more faithfully, and convey them more accurately to others.
4. Striving every day to bring our behaviour more into accordance with the high standards that are set forth in the Teachings.
5. Teaching the Cause of God.
6. Selfless service in the work of the Cause and in the carrying on of our trade or profession.
( Written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice, 1 September 1983, 'Messages from the Universal House of Justice', p. 589)
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SPIRITUAL HEALTH HABITS
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Here are some essential elements for our spiritual and physical health from
an eminent physician.
1) Trust in God
2) Consult a skilled physician and follow his instructions
3) Practice detachment from all save God
4) Practice moderation
5) Pray and meditate daily; read the Creative Word morning and evening
6) Be happy always
7) Simplify
8) Focus
9) Practice patience
10) Eat simple, natural plant foods
11) Drink adequate pure water
12) Evaluate progress daily, summarize weekly
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NEW WEBSITE
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Russ Novak has graciously offered to do the website for the "Healing Through Unity" newsletter. He works for a start-up firm, Coastal Datalink Corp., that does website development in California, U.S.A. You can visit the website at: http://www.healingthroughunity.org. Back issues, your comments page, and a subscription page can be found at the website. New features will be included in the future. I wish to express my thanks to Russ for his time, expertise and dedication in designing the website.
It is an honour to dedicate the website to the loving memory of Russ' wife, Maria Novak, who passed away in June, 1998.
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LETTERS
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The newsletter published by you is of great interest for this country. We decided to provide the Russian translation of "Healing Through Unity" and send it out to all Belarussian communities.
Thank you for such a wonderful newsletter, people can use it for holding firesides, children's classes or private reading.
Vassily Kislyak, Secretary, National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Belarus
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The NSA of the Baha'is of Moldova received your letter and it would like to convey to you the fact that it would be more than happy to receive your newsletter.
Ludmila Zaichenko, Secretary, National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Moldova
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I find "Healing Through Unity" very interesting, and I've sent messages to all my Baha'i friends who have e-mail about it. Also, there are not many people in Panchgani who have e-mail access, but we have a Baha'i community
of around 150. So I've decided to print out a copy of your newsletter and share it with the friends at the Feasts.
Adore Talukder, Panchgani, India
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Here is a new website for Baha'i Mental Health:
http://members.xoom.com/BahaiMH/ The website is an online magazine and resource center for Baha'is concerned with mental health issues. Content will be updated monthly in each of the four columns, and there will be a new featured article.
This month they are proud to offer a special feature, "Self-Criticism and Mental Health" by Phyllis K. Peterson - author of "Assisting the Traumatized Soul: Healing the Wounded Talisman" - a spring offering of the Baha'i Publishing Trust.
Submitted by Susan Gammage, Ontario, Canada
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QUESTION OF THE MONTH
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How can we arrange to make the time for meditation special? What are some of the practical exercises to do meditation? What are some of the effects and benefits of meditation?
If you have a question that you would like answered, you can e-mail this to: -- .
********************************************
PURPOSE OF THE NEWSLETTER
********************************************
"Healing Through Unity" is published for the purpose of sharing thoughts, comments and experiences on how the teachings of the Baha'i Faith are being applied to our physical and spiritual health. Other than the quoted Writings, the material in this newsletter represents the thoughts and opinions of the writers and has no authority. You are free to copy articles, provided you indicate the source of the article. If you have a change of e-mail address or wish to unsubscribe the newsletter, please inform me. There are 10 issues per year; it is not published during July and August. The newsletter is produced in Ontario, Canada.
Please send your stories, comments, suggestions or "Question for the Month" ideas to Frances Mezei by e-mail: -- .HEALING THROUGH UNITY
April, 1999
A monthly newsletter dedicated to serving the principles of
physical and spiritual health envisioned in the Baha'i Teachings.
Volume 2, Issue #8
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A STORY ABOUT SERVICE DESPITE ADVERSITY
Author Unknown - submitted by the Bauman Family
Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room. One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs. His bed was next to the room's only window. The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back. The men talked for hours on end. They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation. And every afternoon when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the window. The man in the other bed began to live for those one-hour periods where his view would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and color of the world outside. The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake. Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every color of the rainbow. Grand old trees graced the landscape, and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance. As the man by the window described all this in exquisite detail, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine the picturesque scene. One warm afternoon the man by the window described a parade passing by. Although the other man couldn't hear the band he could see it in his mind's eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive words.
Days and weeks passed. One morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths only to find the lifeless body of the man by the window, who had died peacefully in his sleep. She was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take the body away. As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone. Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the world outside. Finally, he would have the joy of seeing it for himself. He strained to slowly turn to look out the window beside the bed. It faced a blank wall. The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased roommate who had described such wonderful things outside this window. The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not even see the wall. She said, "Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you."
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"Let them purify their sight and behold all humankind as leaves and blossoms and fruits of the tree of being. Let them at all times concern themselves with doing a kindly thing for one of their fellows, offering to someone love, consideration, thoughtful help." (Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 1)
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A STORY IN OVERCOMING SEVERE CHALLENGES
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By Renett GrovÈ, Johannesburg, South Africa
Recently I celebrated my 41st birthday. I had such a wonderful day and I spent time in prayer thanking God for all I have to be thankful for. I fell asleep during the praying and when I awoke I realised I had spent about half an hour listing all I am grateful for before I had fallen asleep yet I was not even ten percent of the way through the list. I never thought I would have 41 years to learn the lessons in this physical garment because since childhood I was told my life expectancy was very short. I have been physically challenged since infancy due to a condition called Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), which is a progressive neuro-muscular disease. I experienced rapid degeneration in childhood and have lived my entire life from a wheelchair, and for the past year, mostly from my bed. I have lived a fulfilled and productive life. Through God's mercy, I have never looked at what I do not have but have found it more productive to focus on what I do have. I have worked in telesales and marketing since the age of 15 and for the past 15 years I have been privileged to be involved in developing and presenting motivation, telephone and general communication training courses for companies and work-seekers. Early last year it became obvious that I had developed an additional serious neurological problem. My face and upper body went into severe spasms - almost convulsions - and I was hospitalised for most of the year. Although I now spend the majority of my time in bed, I am still able to enjoy the blessing of Worship through work and my life is very full and satisfying.
I accepted the Bah·'Ì Faith in 1992 and found in the Baha'i Writings confirmation of the outlook and techniques that have often assisted me through difficult days. I also found in the Baha'i Writings a great deal of inspiration and encouragement especially with regards to the age we are living in and how through the love, knowledge and worship of God we can be assisted on the journey to detachment and understanding this physical realm. I have had times in my life when the burden of battling through every day has felt as if it is too hard to bear and will crush me. Now, however, not only do I experience "the peace that passes all understanding" but I have a joy that just bubbles, and bubbles out of me. This has happened, I believe because friends carried me through "a dark night of the soul" wrapped in prayer and love. I pray when I am in pain, when fears of future or guilt from the past enters my mind or when loneliness and longing for the dear ones who have departed this physical garment takes over me. I recite the Greatest Name when I have no words to offer and my thoughts are jumbled through over-medication or distress. I recite the Long Healing Prayer often as well as the Tablet of Ahmad and try to say as many times a week as possible the two prayers that contain the words "Armed with the power of Thy Name nothing can ever hurt me, and with Thy love in my heart all the world's afflictions can in no wise alarm me" and "Send down upon me as a token of Thy Grace, Thy vitalising breezes throughout the daytime and in the night season, O Lord of bounty." It has also become very clear to me that God has provided tools for us to be able to teach, serve the Cause and participate fully in the Baha'i Community even when physical circumstances threaten to isolate us. I would gladly share more about this with anyone who wishes to write to me at: rgrove@global.co.za
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"Anybody can be happy in the state of comfort, ease, health, success, pleasure and joy; but if one will be happy and contented in the time of trouble, hardship and prevailing disease, it is the proof of nobility." (Abdu'l-Baha, Baha'i World Faith, p. 363)
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THE EXCHANGE
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In the March, 1999 issue, the question was asked:
"How can we arrange to make the time for meditation special? What are some of the practical exercises to do meditation? What are some of the effects and benefits of meditation?"
Answers:
REQUISITES FOR SPIRITUAL GROWTH
This letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice, 1 September 1983, includes a section on Prayer and Meditation, 'Messages from the Universal House of Justice', p. 589-90 "It is striking how private and personal the most fundamental spiritual exercises of prayer and meditation are in the Faith. Baha'is do, of course, have meetings for devotions, as in the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar or at Nineteen Day Feasts, but the daily obligatory prayers are ordained to be said in the privacy of one's chamber, and meditation on the Teachings is, likewise, a private individual activity, not a form of group therapy.
In His talks Abdu'l-Baha describes prayer as "conversation with God", and concerning meditation He says that "while you meditate you are speaking with your own spirit. In that state of mind you put certain questions to your spirit and the spirit answers: the light breaks forth and the reality is revealed." (Abdu'l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 174)
There are, of course, other things that one can do to increase one's spirituality. For example, Baha'u'llah has specified no procedures to be followed in meditation, and individual believers are free to do as they wish in this area, provided that they remain in harmony with the Teachings, but such activities are purely personal and should under no circumstances be confused with those actions which Baha'u'llah Himself considered to be of fundamental importance for our spiritual growth. Some believers may find that it is beneficial to them to follow a particular method of meditation, and they may certainly do so, but such methods should not be taught at Baha'i Summer Schools or be carried out during a session of the School because, while they may appeal to some people, they may repel others. They have nothing to do with the Faith and should be kept quite separate so that enquirers will not be confused.
...The House of Justice suggests that for their private meditations they may wish to use the repetition of the Greatest Name, Allah-u-Abha, ninety-five times a day which, although not yet applied in the West, is among the Laws, Ordinances and Exhortations of the 'Kitab-i-Aqdas'". (See p. 46 of the "Synopsis and Codification of the Kitab-i-Aqdas".)
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Guidance from the Writings
Meditation is often viewed as a goal in itself, a nirvana-like state representing the pinnacle of dedication and practice. An alternative viewpoint considers meditation more like a tool than a destination. Abdu'l-Baha informs us that: "Meditation is the key for opening the doors of mysteries." (Paris Talks, p. 175).
To describe how meditation works He uses an analogy: "The meditative faculty is akin to the mirror; if you put it before earthly objects it will reflect them... But if you turn the mirror of your spirits heavenwards, the heavenly constellations and the rays of the Sun of Reality will be reflected in your hearts..."(ibid,p. 176).
As well as being a tool, the meditative faculty appears to be a gateway allowing access to the Divine: "This faculty of meditation frees man from the animal nature, discerns the reality of things, puts man in touch with God." (ibid,p. 175). In fact, `Abdu'l-Baha goes even further and categorically states: "Through the faculty of meditation man attains to eternal life..." (ibid,p. 175).
The capacity for meditation is one of our definitive features and without it we would not be human: "You cannot apply the name `man' to any being void of this faculty of meditation; without it he would be a mere animal, lower than the beasts."`(ibid,p. 175).
Further, meditation seems to be an essential means for developing a sense of spirituality which, in turn, is a prerequisite for 'living the life'. It seems that without the practice of meditation we are not truly 'alive': "The first thing to do is to acquire a thirst for Spirituality, then Live the Life! Live the Life! Live the Life! The way to acquire this thirst is to meditate upon the future life. Study the Holy Words, read your Bible, read the Holy Books, especially study the Holy Utterances of Baha'u'llah; Prayer and Meditation, take much time for these two. Then will you know this Great Thirst, and then only can you begin to Live the Life!" (Abdu'l-Baha, Star of the West Vol. 19, No. 3, p. 69)
The Baha'i Writings encourage each of us to meditate but no particular form is advocated. The choice of meditation style is an entirely personal affair and leaves room for experimentation to find the method with which one is most comfortable: "As to meditation: This also is a field in which the individual is free. There are no set forms of meditation prescribed in the teachings, no plan as such, for inner development. The friends are urged - nay enjoined - to pray, and they also should meditate, but the manner of doing the latter is left entirely to the individual." (Shoghi Effendi, Directives of the Guardian, p. 34-35).
While we are exhorted to meditate, we are cautioned about overly elaborate practices. Simplicity of form, and balance in practice seem to be the guideposts: "Meditation is very important, and the Guardian sees no reason why the friends should not be taught to meditate, but they should guard against superstitions or foolish ideas creeping into it." (Shoghi Effendi, Directives of the Guardian, p. 46-47)
Some Results and Suggested Techniques from Scientific Study of Meditation
Like any tool, the faculty of meditation needs exercise and practice if it is to be used skillfully. Throughout the world there are a wide range of exercises claiming to improve one's ability to meditate and in the confusing array of options it can be difficult to sort out the hyperbole from the authentic. Some of the most well documented research into meditative techniques was carried out by Herbert Benson, M.D. in the 1970's. Dr. Benson studied a variety of meditative techniques and recorded their physiological effects on the health and well-being of the practitioner. He coined the term 'Relaxation Response' which refers to "the inborn capacity of the body to enter a special state characterized by lowered heart rate, decreased rate of breathing, lowered blood pressure, slower brain waves, and an overall reduction of the speed of metabolism." (p. 4: Benson, H. 1984. Beyond the Relaxation Response. New York: Times Books).
>From the meditation styles, he studied Dr. Benson distilled four simple steps common to all. He found that practicing these techniques for 15-20 minutes twice a day elicits the Relaxation Response (ibid,p. 96). Beneficial results will be felt by some people within a matter of weeks. For others it may take several months before the effects take place. But wherever we are in the process, diligent practice will assure results. The four steps are:
* Sit in a comfortable position in a quiet place where you will not be disturbed.
* Close your eyes and relax your muscles.
* Focus on your breathing. Breath from your abdomen slowly and naturally.
* Select a word, prayer, or phrase rooted in your personal belief system (for example a Baha'i might choose "Ya-Baha'u'l-Abha"). Then, repeat it silently or see it in your mind's eye each time you exhale.
Dr. Benson emphasizes "When outside thoughts intrude during the meditation, disregard them by saying, "Oh, well," and return to the word or prayer you've selected. It's essential always to maintain a passive, relaxed style in dealing with any interruptions." (ibid,p. 97).
Another supportive technique for developing meditative skills is the practice of 'mindfulness'. Pick some activity that you perform on a daily basis e.g. brushing your teeth. Focus all your attention on this simple act. Become aware of all the physical sensations involved in the act of cleaning your teeth. How hard are you gripping the brush? What do your gums and teeth feel like as the brush touches them? What tastes is your tongue experiencing? What expressions move across your face? What aromas can you smell? What sounds come to your ears? Try to be more conscious of what you are feeling: relaxed, impatient, bored? Notice what effects result from your deliberateness: do you slow down, speed up? Whenever you catch yourself thinking of something else just notice that your attention has moved away and softly bring it back to brushing your teeth. Try this for two weeks and observe the results.
The 'Relaxation Response' technique will expand one's innate capacity for meditating. It's simple to do, sometimes arduous in practice, and often unspeakably glorious in results. Remember, the technique is not the goal but rather a means of developing your skill with the tool. `Abdu'l-Baha encourages us not merely to meditate but to set ourselves lofty goals: "Therefore let us keep this faculty rightly directed - turning it to the heavenly Sun and not to earthly objects - so that we may discover the secrets of the Kingdom, and comprehend the allegories of the Bible and the mysteries of the spirit." (Paris Talks, p. 176).
- Rian Cassells, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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I've brought up meditation a few times with Baha'i friends (very few - I've been an isolated believer most of my Baha'i life) and always seem to run into the same frustration - there is no teaching on how to meditate in the writings, just an injunction to do so. I personally do not find this a limitation, but rather a gift. We are all individual creations of God, with different strengths, interests and qualities. We all have different "things" that cause us to feel close to God and close to our own spirit. For some, this could be as simple as sitting in a dim room and chanting the Greatest Name, for others, artistic creation. Some might want soft music and candlelight, others may need silence in a natural setting. Some need to sit still and just be, others need motion - walking, even dancing - to allow their soul to transcend the body for a little bit. The process of learning how to meditate is tied into the rest of our spiritual lives. It is part of learning to see the attributes of God all around us, every moment in our lives. It is a part of calling yourself into account - knowing your spiritual strengths and how you can best feel God's presence in your life. The beauty of it, again, is that there is no "right way" that you force yourself to conform to, you instead explore yourself and God's creation to find the powers latent in your soul and then use them to further strengthen yourself.
The benefits of meditation are many (some of which are as unique as the individual who meditates). Release of stress and tension, increased detachment from the world and a sense of connection to God, a better knowledge of yourself and your spiritual powers, a deeper knowledge of the writings upon which you meditate, a sense of being spiritually grounded which gives you the power to ACT on what you learn, and many others that are not coming to my attention right now.
- Suzi Esser, California, U.S.A.
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SIX TYPES OF HEALING - TYPE TWO
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By Orval H. Minney, California, U.S.A.
In "Some Answered Questions" Abdu'l Baha speaks of six types of healing, four are spiritual and two are material. The first type of healing, which we discussed in the March issue, concerned spiritual healing through contagion of health from the very healthy to the one slightly ill. The second type of healing is the transfer of a magnetic force from a "healer" to the one ill.
"The other kind of healing without medicine is through the magnetic force which acts from one body on another and becomes the cause of cure. This force also has only a slight effect. Sometimes one can benefit a sick person by placing one's hand upon his head or upon his heart. Why? Because of the effect of the magnetism, and of the mental impression made upon the sick person, which causes the disease to vanish. But this effect is also very slight and weak. (Abdu'l-Baha, Some Answered Questions, pp. 254-55)
We are composed of cells which are basically bipolar in nature and have a magnetic field. In our bodies these cells are ordinarily arranged in a random fashion neutralizing the overall magnetic effect. Differentiating or growing cells align by their polarity and grow in the direction of the growth. Some lower creatures like the salamander can re-grow lost limbs, and a magnetic field can be detected along the line of growth...Our neural system is a bioelectrochemical system so we create magnetic fluxes and fields by our thoughts and actions. Finally, in accordance with relativistic and quantum physics, our bodies are essentially matrices of electromagnetic vibrations and have a magnetic field, often called the "aura" by mystics.
It is possible by our thoughts to generate a line of flux and magnetic field that can be transmitted by laying on of hands. Some yogi healing masters actually transmit this flux through space by the power of their focused concentrated thought. I have seen this demonstrated by a Yogi Guru. Healers have acquired their ability through some natural process or by focused training of their mind. Placing one hand on either side of a wound or on the head uses that portion of the patient to close the circuit and the energy flows through you and the patient creating a magnetic field which helps realign the patient's essential matrix and in restoring homeostasis to the system.
A demonstration of this ability can be done in a dark room. Place your fingertips slightly apart in front of you making a circle of your arms and body. Visualize a current of energy or light flowing in one direction through your shoulders, chest and arms and jumping the gap between your fingertips. If you are successful you will see a blue spark jump between your fingertips. To train this ability, start by placing the fingertips together until you feel a tingling sensation at the juncture. Then gradually increase the gap.
For now, this concept must remain as an adjunct to other treatment and not as a cure by itself. Competent physicians should develop their spirituality and practice the healing touch as part of their bedside manner. The physicians can recite healing prayers and the Greatest Name to be given divine assistance. In my experience with persons in this capacity, I have come to believe that the effect of the transfer of magnetism works in accordance with the spiritual development of the practitioner.
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Abdu'l-Baha writes: "He who is filled with love of Baha, and forgets all things, the Holy Spirit will be heard from his lips and the spirit of life will fill his heart...Words will issue from his lips in strands of pearls, and all sickness and disease will be healed by the laying on of the hands." (J.E. Esslemont, Baha'u'llah and The New Era, p.112)
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RESEARCH AND INFORMATION
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By Louise Yazdani, Canada
Health disciplines, like all other areas of study, are under constant fire these days for their basic premises and approaches. When researching a health topic, I try to look first for guidance from three sources:
1. Any sort of related compilation put together by the World Centre - for example, an August 1998 compilation prepared by the Research Dept. of the Universal House of Justice, called "Aspects of Traditional African Culture", contains a section entitled "Traditional Healing and Traditional Healers";
2. "Consumer Reports" - for example, "Consumer Reports" of 1994 did very thoroughly researched articles on "Alternative Medicine" in general, as well as specific articles on Acupuncture and Chiropractors;
3. Conferences reports (local, national and international) - these are often useful, because they present the subject matter from diverse - often, opposing - perspectives, and therefore encourage the reader to be less biased when identifying key issues and trends.
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SPIRITUAL HEALTH HABITS
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Here are some essential elements for our spiritual and physical health provided by a physician who has practised for more than 30 years.
1) Trust in God
2) Consult a skilled physician and follow his instructions
3) Practice detachment from all save God
4) Practice moderation
5) Pray and meditate daily; read the Creative Word morning and evening
6) Be happy always
7) Simplify
8) Focus
9) Practice patience
10) Eat simple, natural plant foods
11) Drink adequate pure water
12) Evaluate progress daily, summarize weekly
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LETTERS
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The National Spiritual Assembly appreciated receiving your January 4, 1999 email transmitting an issue of your "Healing Through Unity" newsletter and commends your efforts to offer in electronic form an informative source for applying a spiritual perspective to practical questions related to health and healing.
We have been asked to convey its best wishes for the success of your efforts to open the hearts of numerous souls to His Healing Message.
Office of the Secretary, National Spiritual Assembly of the Bah·'Ìs of the United States
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ANNOUNCEMENT
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Green Acre Baha'i School
Mystic Medicine: Health and Healing in the New World Order. August 6-11. Examine the Teachings of Baha'u'llah as they relate to health and healing. Topics will include the history of religion's role in the evolution of medicine; the role of prayer in health and disease; how the Baha'i Faith can guide the approach toward traditional and "alternative" health care theories, issues of the day such as in-vitro fertilization and cloning; and the Baha'i Writings' guidance for health maintenance and disease prevention.
Babak Etemad, M.D, a fifth-generation Baha'i and fifth-generation physician, is a faculty member at MCP-Hahnemann School of Medicine in Philadelphia and is director of the gastrointestinal diagnostic laboratory there.
Green Acre is 5 miles from Portsmouth, New Hamphire and 60 miles north of Boston, Massachusetts. Phone (207) 439-7200; email greenacre@usbnc.org ; or visit the website at: www.greenacre.org
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QUESTION OF THE MONTH
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A reader from Johannesburg, South Africa would appreciate consultation on this question.
In The Kitab-i-Aqdas (The Most Holy Book by Baha'u'llah), we read under Questions and Answers section number 93: "Question: Concerning fasting and obligatory prayer by the sick.
Answer: In truth, I say that obligatory prayer and fasting occupy an exalted station in the sight of God. It is, however, in a state of health that their virtue can be realized. In time of ill-health, it is not permissible to observe these obligations; such hath been the bidding of the Lord, exalted be His glory, at all times. Blessed be such men and women as pay heed, and observed His precepts. All praise be unto God, He who hath sent down the verses and is the Revealer of undoubted proofs."
This raises a question. When is an individual in ill-health? Is it when an individual sees him or herself as in ill-health or is it when a doctor proclaims it so? Although my health is often poor and I have good days and bad days, I often see myself as being in good health, but is this true since I suffer permanently from a progressive neuromuscular disease called Spinal Muscular Atrophy and I live my life from a wheelchair and often from bed. I live a full and productive life and I earn an income and work even when I am forced to stay in bed during the day and I do not feel so great. Consequently I do not see myself as sick unless I am in hospital but of course, how I see myself is not important. What is important is following God's Law.
If you have a question that you would like to share, you can e-mail this to: fmezei@sentex.net.
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PURPOSE OF THE NEWSLETTER
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"Healing Through Unity" is published for the purpose of sharing thoughts, comments and experiences on how the teachings of the Baha'i Faith are being applied to our physical and spiritual health. Other than the quoted Writings, the material in this newsletter represents the thoughts and opinions of the writers and has no authority. You are free to copy articles, provided you indicate the source of the article. If you have a change of e-mail address or wish to unsubscribe the newsletter, please inform me. There are 10 issues per year; it is not published during July and August. The newsletter is produced in Ontario, Canada.
You can visit the website and obtain back issues at:
http://www.healingthroughunity.org
Please send your stories, comments, suggestions or "Question for the Month" ideas to Frances Mezei by e-mail: -- .
HEALING THROUGH UNITY
May, 1999
A monthly newsletter dedicated to serving the principles of
physical and spiritual health envisioned in the Baha'i Teachings.
Volume 2, Issue #9
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CONTENTS
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- Under His Wings
- The Exchange
- Steps for Healing
- Dynamics of Prayer for Solving Problems
- Hour of Power - Ritual of Joy (Poem)
- Six Types of Healing - Type Three
- Letters
- Question of the Month
- Purpose of the Newsletter
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UNDER HIS WINGS
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Author unknown
An article in National Geographic several years ago provided a penetrating picture of God's wings...
After a forest fire in Yellowstone National Park, forest rangers began their trek up a mountain to assess the inferno's damage. One ranger found a bird literally petrified in ashes, perched statuesquely on the ground at the base of a tree. Somewhat sickened by the eerie sight, he knocked over the bird with a stick. When he struck it, three tiny chicks scurried from under their dead mother's wings. The loving mother, keenly aware of impending disaster, had carried her offspring to the base of the tree and had gathered them under her wings, instinctively knowing that the toxicsmoke would rise. She could have flown to safety but had refused to abandon her babies.
When the blaze had arrived and the heat had scorched her small body, the mother had remained steadfast. Because she had been willing to die, those under the cover of her wings would live...
"He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge;..." (Psalm 91:4)
"Cause me to rest under the shadow of the wings of Thy grace, for the flame of my separation from Thee hath melted my heart within me. Draw me nearer unto the river that is life indeed, for my soul burneth with thirst in its ceaseless search after Thee." ( Baha'u'llah, Prayers and Meditations, p. 22)
"I implore Thee, O Thou Who art the beloved Companion of Baha, by Thy name, the All-Glorious, to keep safe these Thy servants under the shadow of the wings of Thine all-encompassing mercy, that the darts of the evil suggestions of the wicked doers among Thy creatures, who have disbelieved in Thy signs, may be kept back from them." (Baha'u'llah, Prayers and Meditations, p. 11)
"Praised be Thou, O Lord my God! This is Thy servant whom Thou hast in the kingdom of Thy names called by Thine own name, and whom Thou hast reared under the wings of Thy grace and favours." (Baha'u'llah, Prayers and Meditations, p. 47)
"May our beloved and vigilant Master ever keep you under His wings, and inspire you to promote far and wide and in a most effective manner the manifold interests of His Faith and its ever-developing institutions." (Shoghi Effendi, The Light of Divine Guidance Vol. 1, pp. 71-72)
"My fervent and constant prayer is that Baha'u'llah may ever keep them safe and protected under the shadow of His wings and aid them to play a worthy and memorable part in these tragic days of the Formative Period of our beloved Cause." (Shoghi Effendi, Unfolding Destiny, pp. 139-40)
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THE EXCHANGE
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Question:
In the April 1999 issue, the question was asked:
"What is the meaning of 'ill-health' when referring to the exemption from fasting and the obligatory prayer?"
Answers:
As to the question from the brave soul in South Africa, about when am I healthy or ill; I have two chronic problems that prevent me from fasting although they are not debilitating. Therefore, I usually consider myself to be in good health. My related question, which often troubles me since I passed the age of 60, is whether I am sick or just aging. People say I look very young for my years but are stiff joints, back ache and fatigue just signs of aging or of illness? Most of the women of my family, on both sides, live or lived exceptionally long lives and I expect to have another 30 to 40 years. I just resist having to accept physical limitations. Does anyone have any gems to share?
- Myrtle Gordon
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I was thinking about the question posed in the newsletter about prayer and fasting when ill and was thinking that as we mature we need the laws less. The laws are a safety net under us, to let us not fall too far back ... but as the spirit permeates and takes hold of our soul we would actually not be able to act in any other way than in accordance with the spirit. We become truly free and not bound by rules ...
- Anonymous
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Not Able to Fast
At this time of year encouragement for the friends to fast is widespread. Then comes the celebration of how glorious it was to take part.
Do the friends not realise that there are many of us who are forbidden to fast, often as in my case, on medical grounds?
When I first became a Baha'i I was sometimes criticised for not taking part and I have experienced this attitude since. May I suggest that instead of criticising or making people feel low by loudly proclaiming the glories of self-discipline and spiritual development, the friends realise that there are many of us who cannot fast. We envy those who can take part and cry inwardly because we cannot.
It is already difficult enough to celebrate Naw Ruz (which marks the end of the Fast as well as the beginning of the year), without being made to feel inferior or lacking in Baha'i devotion by such remarks as "You didn't fast? Really you should - it's marvellous."
- By Ron Roe - this letter is taken from the Baha'i Journal UK, March/April 1999 issue.
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I am unable to Fast because of low blood sugar condition. Each year, however, I try until I become ill, in the hopes my condition has changed in some way. I usually become quite ill the first day. I do however continue to rise at dawn, eat before sunrise and say dawn prayers and readings for the fast to partake in the spiritual renewal the fast provides. I try to snack only as necessary to stay well and functioning and eat dinner after sunset.
My husband who is not a Baha'i joins me for breakfast and dawn prayers. This is a most special time in our marriage. While I do feel sad that I cannot fully participate in the fast, I look forward to and cherish this time in which we receive much bounty and spiritual renewal and an opportunity to focus on our lives. All of us can observe the spiritual aspect of the Fast and gain those divine bounties. I used to work at the Canadian National Baha'i Centre where several members were unable to fast from time to time, and I felt quite comfortable eating my lunch daily. Having the bounty of saying prayers in the presence of the shoes worn by Abdu'l-Baha during his visit to Canada (these shoes are located at the National Baha'i Centre) was a very sacred gift. Only God knows who, in His eyes has observed the Fast.
- Mary Hougham, Ontario, Canada
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"Since Thou hast adorned them, O my Lord, with the ornament of the fast prescribed by Thee, do Thou adorn them also with the ornament of Thine acceptance, through Thy grace and bountiful favor. For the doings of men are all dependent upon Thy good-pleasure, and are conditioned by Thy behest. Shouldst Thou regard him who hath broken the fast as one who hath observed it, such a man would be reckoned among them who from eternity had been keeping the fast. And shouldst Thou decree that he who hath observed the fast hath broken it, that person would be numbered with such as have caused the Robe of Thy Revelation to be stained with dust, and been far removed from the crystal waters of this living Fountain." (Baha'u'llah, Baha'i Prayers, U.S. 1985, pp. 262-63)
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STEPS FOR HEALING
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The following excerpts from "Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom" written by Dr. Christiane Northup (obstetrician and gynecologist) outlines 12 practical steps for healing. They are taken from chapter 15, pages 579 - 641. Although it's written for women, men could benefit just as well from it. "These steps have proved helpful to women who want to become more deeply in tune with the inner guidance of their bodies, minds and spirits. By going through the steps mindfully, you will be practicing preventive medicine at its best, whether or not you are currently being treated for anything. I'd recommend that you use a journal to write down your responses to these steps and record whatever material comes up for you." (ibid, 579)
Imagine Your Future: Change Your Consciousness, Change Your Cells
"For years, I had my patients begin their health journeys by exploring their pasts to find clues to how they were creating their present conditions...It is really our vision and hope for the future that heals us and draws us forward. Our cells keep replacing themselves daily, and we create a whole new body every seven years. So it is not really accurate to say that our pasts are locked in our bodies. What is realy going on is that the consciousness that is creating our cells is often locked in the past - and that consciousness keeps re-creating the same old patterns. If, however, we can change the consciousness that creates our cells, then our cells and lives improve automatically. The easiest and fastest way to do this is to imagine your future self in as much detail as you possibly can. You can ask yourself this question: 'If you were in optimal health, what would your life look like?'" (ibid, pp. 579-80)
Step One: Get Your History Straight
"It is helpful for each woman to get her medical, social, and family history straight.." Dr. Northrup has "each patient fill out an extensive questionnaire that covers not only their medical history but their family history and a "daily living profile' in which they check off the effects of their living situation, job, relationships, and other factors on their health. Many of our patients find that taking the time to pull all this information together enables them to see patterns that they had not seen before." (ibid, p. 582)
Step Two: Sort Through Your Beliefs
Dr. Northrup asks us these questions suggesting that we consult them with a friend, and then write down the reponses. "Do you understand how inherited cultural attitudes toward our female physiological processes such as menstruation and menopause have contributed to the illnesses suffered by our female bodies?"
"Do you believe you can be healthy?"
"What challenges were part of your childhood?"
"What purpose does your illness serve? What does it mean to you?"
"Are you willing to be open to any messages that your symptoms or illness may have for you?"
"When faced with an illness, what is your usual reaction?"
"What is preventing you from healing yourself?"
"Do you still take on everyone else's problems and put yourself last? This is the classic dilemma for women. Feeling the need to be the healer and peacemaker for our entire family or place of work is a pattern that many of us learn in childhood. To create health, a woman must face this tendency squarely and commit to changing it."
"Do you fully understand the workings of your female body and how intimately your thoughts and feelings are connected to your physical health?"
"Are you following your life's purpose? Our bodies are designed to function best when we're involved in activities and work that feel exactly right to us." (ibid, pp. 590-601)
Step Three: Respect and Release Your Emotions
"Emotions are a vital part of our inner guidance. Like our illnesses, our dreams, and our lives, our emotions are ours, and we must own them and pay attention to them. We must learn to feel our emotions, release our judgements about them, and be grateful for their guidance. They let us know how we are directing our life-energy. Chronic anger or sadness, by the law of attraction, tends to attract situations to us that are filled with anger or sadness. Daily doses of joy and appreciation of ourselves and others tend to attract joy and appreciation into our lives.
Children automatically know how to feel their emotions and then let go. When they're hurt, they stop and cry. After just a short time, they're back out playing again. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross points out that a child's natural anger and emotional outburst around it lasts about fifteen seconds. Shaming or blaming the child for that anger, however, blocks its natural release. The child's natural emotion may get stuck and become a form of self-pity that remains with the person for years! Kubler-Ross points out that people who weren't allowed a natural expression of anger are often 'marinated in self-pity' as adults and are difficult to be around...It takes a great deal of energy to hold in our natural emotions. In fact, it's exhausting. If we haven't felt our feelings regularly during a period of personal crisis or change, we often have a backlog of sealed-off emotion stored up in our bodies.
Emotional suppression is a pattern that gets passed down from generation to generation. Many women have a natural rage that's been held in check for decades. They hold in oceans of tears that are yet to be shed." (ibid, pp. 601-602)
Step Four: Learn to Listen to Your Body
"Learning to listen to and respect your body is a process that requires patience and compassion.
* Make a note of those things in your life that are difficult, painful,joyful, etc. As these things come up, notice your breathing, your heart rate, and your bodily sensation.
* Pay attention to what your body feels like. Do you feel like crying?
* What is your image of yourself?
* Notice how you routinely talk to your body. What happens when you look in the mirror each morning? Do you criticize your face, your legs, your hair?
* Pay attention to your thoughts and observe how they affect your body.
* Notice what your body needs on a daily basis.
* Notice whether there are parts of your body that you have disowned.
* When you experience a bodily sensation such as back pain, "a gut reaction", a headache, or abdominal pain, pay attention to it and see if you can pinpoint the emotional situation that may have triggered it.
* Stand in front of a mirror regularly, and thank your body for all it has done for you. (ibid, pp. 604-606)
Step Five: Learn to Respect Your Body
"Almost all women in the United States have a body image distortion because of the millions of images of 'perfect' airbrushed women that the media flash at us continually. We begin comparing ourselves with these icons of perfection even before puberty. Thus, we often relate to our bodies via negative comparisons: "My hips are too fat, my knees are ugly, my hair is too thin." (ibid, p. 607)
"Our approach to dressing, makeup, hair, and personal care can be well served by the wisdom of Dolly Parton, who said, 'Find out who you are, then do it on purpose.' If we can find out who we are on the inside, we can then express it on the outside." (ibid, p. 609)
Step Six: Acknowledge a Higher Power or Inner Wisdom
"Our bodies are permeated and nourished by spiritual energy and guidance. Having faith and trust in this reality is an important part of creating health. When a woman has faith in something greater than her intellect or her present circumstances, she is in touch with her inner source of power." (ibid, p. 610)
"When we invite the sacred into our lives by sincerely asking our inner wisdom, or higher power, or God for guidance in our lives, we're invoking great power. This can't be taken lightly. The reason people are cynical about this and make fun of it is that they are afraid. When you sincerely invite in the sacred to assist you with your life, you are granting permission for your life to change." (ibid, p. 611-612)
Editor's comment: Here are quotes from the Baha'i Writings that states, "All true healing comes from God" (Abdu'l-Baha, Paris Talks, p.19) and "Turn thy sight unto thyself, that thou mayest find Me standing within thee, mighty, powerful and self-subsisting." (Baha'u'llah, Hidden Words, Arabic #13)
Step Seven: Reclaim the Fullness of Your Mind
"If we are to reclaim the wisdom of our bodies, we must also reclaim our intellects, our minds, and our ability to think. Once we have experienced how intimately our thoughts and bodily symptoms are related and how intelligent we are, our thinking is less distracted by cultural hypnosis and we trust our inner voice.
Journal writing, writing practice, and meditation are methods that many have used to successfullly get in touch with their inner voices and get to know their minds...I learned through my writing that my thoughts have order, direction, and intelligence, and that these are all related to my well being.
To become free of thoughts and beliefs that don't serve you, you must be able to hear them as they arise. Writing practice is a profound tool for learning how to hear ourselves and to appreciate the multi modal nature of our thoughts. Everyone has this ability, but it is devalued and therefore underdeveloped in our culture....For years, the word 'worthy' came up in my writing because on some deep level I didn't feel 'worthy'. I spent hours asking myself what I meant by this word. Images of school, authorities, and tests always arose around this word. Eventually, my meditation on the word 'worthy' led me to a breakthrough understanding of the orginal sin of being female. How could I have felt worthy, given my cultural programming?
If a word or phrase continually comes into your mind, it is important - it has meaning for you. Explore it. Write about it. Meditate on it. It will have meaning for you, no matter what it is.
I often ask patients to carry out a dialogue with their bodily symptoms or with the organ that is giving them problems, through writing, meditation, or drawing. Sitting with your journal open while being receptive to your thoughts, ask your body what it needs or what it is trying to tell you." (ibid, p. 615-618)
Editor's note: Abdu'l-Baha explains the effects of emptying our minds: "I now assure thee...that if thy mind become empty and pure from every mention and thought and thy heart attracted wholly to the Kingdom of God, forget all else besides God and come in communion with the Spirit of God, then the Holy Spirit will assist thee with a power which will enable thee to penetrate all things, and a Dazzling Spark which enlightens all sides, a Brilliant Flame in the zenith of the heaven, will teach thee that which thou dost not know of the facts of the universe and of the divine doctrine." (Abdu'l-Baha, Baha'i World Faith, p. 369)
Step Eight: Get Help
"Asking for help does not mean that we are weak or incompetent. It usually indicates an advanced level of honesty and intelligence." -Anne Wilson Schaef (ibid, p. 622)
"Setting aside time and money to go and talk with a skilled listener can be invaluable....Many therapists have helped people begin to look at their lives differently and effect change. A good therapist should be like a midwife, standing by while someone gives birth to what's best in themselves." (ibid, p. 622)
"There are many different kinds of therapists. The entire field has been changing in response to evolving knowledge about addiction, recovery and the influence of childhood trauma. Therapy is not something that should go on for years, in my view. When it does, it can become an addictive process in and of itself. All relationships, therapeutic or otherwise, work best when the participants see each other as essentially whole beings with inner resources and strengths, though sometimes in temporary need of assistance.
Though individual therapy is often a first step for many women, group work of some kind can be powerful in that this setting helps us see that our problems are shared by so many others." (ibid, p 624)
"It has been my experience that women with histories of trauma recover most effectively in a type of group therapy known as DBT (Dialective Behavioral Therapy). This form of therapy focuses not exclusively on the past trauma, but on helping people develop the skills necessary to live productive, healthy lives in the present. I have found that it is not generally helpful to these women to spend a great deal of time revisiting the past, where it is too easy to get stuck in pain and immobility. Instead, women with trauma histories need to learn to develop the skills that they never developed in childhood. In DBT training, women learn to answer the following questions and then take effective, balanced action.
* What am I feeling?
* What is the purpose of this feeling?
* What do I need to do for myself to deal effectively with this feeling?
I have seen more improvement in women's lives with this model than with any of the others. These skills are practical and helpful for everyone, not just those with histories of trauma." (ibid, 625)
Step Nine: Work with Your Body
"For some women, talking things out is simply not enough. 'I know all of the things that happened to me as a child and with my husband,' said one woman, 'but talking about it just doesn't change a thing. I seem to be going in circles.' When this happens, we often obsess and seem to spin our wheels. It's easy to get locked into 'thought addiction' - a kind of gerbil wheel in the brain that keeps us going around in circles.
Much of the information we need to heal is locked in our muscles and other body parts. Getting a good massage will often release old energy blockages and help us cry or get rid of chronic pain for 'holding the world on our shoulders'. There are many types of bodywork such as Reiki, acupuncture, therapeutic touch, Rolfing, etc.
Work on and with the body can be an opportunity for understanding and experiencing the unity of our bodymind. These therapies are often deeply relaxing and give our bodies a chance to rest and sleep, a time when much of the body's repair work goes on." (ibid, p. 628)
Step Ten: Gather Information
"Currently, more books of interest to women are available than at any other time in history....I recommend going to your bookstore or library and using your inner guidance to help you make a choice. Acknowledge that you have the wisdom to choose the right book at the right time. Just sit with the books for a while and look over a few titles. See which ones speak to you. Choose the ones that feel right and have appeal. You cannot make a mistake....It is a powerful experience for women to begin to reclaim our forgotten history by reading about our bodies, menstruation and childbirth, all written from a women's point of view." (ibid, p. 629)
Step Eleven: Forgive
"Forgiveness frees us. It heals our bodies and our lives. But it is also the most difficult step we must take in our healing process. It takes a great deal of energy to keep someone out of our hearts...Forgiveness and making amends are completely linked. Holding a grudge and maintaining hatred or resentment hurts us as least as much as the other person.
Forgiveness moves our energy to the heart area. When the body's energy moves there, we don't take our wounds so personally - and we can heal. Forgiveness is the inititiation of the heart, and it is very powerful. Scientific studies have shown, for example, that when we think with our hearts by taking a moment to focus on someone or something that we love unconditionally - like a puppy or a young child - the rhythm of our hearts even out and becomes healthier. When people are taught to think with their hearts regularly, they can even reverse heart disease and other related conditions. The electromagnetic field of the heart is forty times stronger than the electromagnetic field produced by the brain; to me, this means that every cell in our bodies - and in the bodies of those around us - can be positively influenced by the quality of our hearts when they are beating in synchrony with the energy of appreciation." (ibid, p. 630-1)
"To get to forgiveness, we first have to work through the painful experiences that require it. Forgiveness doesn't mean that what happened to us was okay. It simply means that we are no longer willing to allow that experience to adversely affect our lives. Forgiveness is something we do, ultimately, for ourselves." (ibid, p. 631)
Step Twelve: Actively Participate in Your Life
"Watch children for a while and you will begin to see what qualities you need to embody to wake up your soul and your immune system regularly. Most young children know exactly what they want. We are all born with an innate ability to know what we want. We are then socialized to believe that we can't have what we want, and so gradually dismiss our innermost desires, our life's passion, to avoid disappointment.
Get out a piece of paper and write on the top of it, 'I intend to receive...', or 'I choose...' Then write in what you want. For example, "I intend to receive a strong, healthy body'. Notice that the word receive and choose indicates that you don't have to work for this. You just have to allow it to come. Now write down exactly why you want what you want, so that you can literally feel the excitement generated by your enthusiasm. In one example: ' I intend to receive this because I want to feel powerful. I want my body to be an instrument that is highly attuned to my needs. I want a body that is a reflection of the beauty that is inside me. I want a body that is capable of getting me where I want to go.' The positive emotional energy generated by this experience literally begins to draw the experience of health to you." (ibid, p. 638)
"Write down your lifetime goals. Over the past ten years, I've written down my goals for each year. I have written down a five-year plan and a ten-year plan at the same time. When I look back, the amazing thing is that I've accomplished almost every one of my goals - even the ones I later forgot about. The very process of writing them down and thinking about them sets something magical into motion." (ibid, p. 640)
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DYNAMICS OF PRAYER FOR SOLVING PROBLEMS
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"The five steps were suggested by the beloved Guardian Shoghi Effendi to a believer as a means of finding a solution through the use of prayer. This statement belongs to the category of statements known as "pilgrims notes", and has such as no authority, but since it seems to be particularly helpful and clear it was felt that believers should not be deprived of it.
1st step:
Pray and meditate about it. Use the prayers of the Manifestations as they have the greatest power. Then remain in the silence of contemplation for a few minutes.
2nd step:
Arrive at a decision and hold this. This decision is usually born during the contemplation. It may seem almost impossible of accomplishment but if it seems to be an answer to a prayer or a way of solving the problem, then immediately take the next step.
3rd step:
Have determination to carry the decision through. Many fail here. The decision, budding into determination, is blighted and instead becomes a wish or a vague longing. When determination is born, immediately take the next step.
4th step:
Have faith and confidence that the power will flow through you, the right way will appear, the door will open, the right thought, the right message, the right principle, or the right book will be given to you. Have confidence and the right thing will come to your need. Then, as you rise from prayer, take at once the 5th step.
5th step:
Act as though it had all been answered. Then act with tireless, ceaseless energy. And as you act, you, yourself, will become a magnet, which will attract more power to your being, until you become an unobstructed channel for the Divine power to flow through you. Many pray but do not remain for the last half of the first step. Some who meditate arrive at a decision, but fail to hold it. Few have the determination to carry the decision through, still fewer have the confidence that the right thing will come to their need. But how many remember to act as though it had all been answered? How true are these words "Greater than the prayer is the spirit in which it is uttered" and greater than the way it is uttered is the spirit in which it is carried out."
(Baha'i Prayers, Baha'i Publishing Trust of the Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Malaysia, p. 127)
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HOUR OF POWER - RITUAL OF JOY
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By Angela Minten, B.C., Canada
- From darkness to light
- From fear to tranquility
- From despair to joy
- From a cocoon to a butterfly,
- Rebirthed.
- Cedar, sweetgrass, sage and tobacco
- Permeate the room
- Prayer, spirituality, support and strength
- Transform images of horror
- To images of life and spirit.
- We brought forth bear medicine
- Hawk, bat, skunk, lizard and beaver medicine
- We brought with us trepidation and hope
- We walked the paths of sadness
- Anger, rage, horror and power.
- We brought forth the medicine wheel,
- Victory, innocence, inner child and the ritual of joy
- We brought food for the body and food for the soul
- We walked the paths of compassion
- Heart, joy, relief and exhilaration.
- The essential reality of my life revealed
- In existence - in spirituality
- Bursting forth in joy and excitement
- The essence of being SEEN,
- Acknowledged and honoured.
- Together we came for my healing
- Unaware of the path's direction
- Trust, faith, certainty and prayer
- Brought forth awe, wonderment, peace,
- Power, spirit and transformation.
- The spirit of 'Abdu'l-Baha - majesty and gentleness
- Prayer, prayer and prayer
- Exploding a ball of negativity, abuse and horror
- Into the universe to disperse and end
- Among the angels and the concourse on high.
- 'Abdu'l-Baha's presence within me
- Around me, guiding me, protecting me
- He cradled my inner child
- In radiance, rapture and ecstasy,
- Feeling cherished in every cell of my being.
- I am transformed
- Shedding snake's old skin
- A butterfly with wings
- And I am grateful to everyone who has walked with me
- And to everyone who has travelled the healing path.
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SIX TYPES OF HEALING - TYPE THREE
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By Orval H. Minney, California, U.S.A.
I have been presenting my views on the six types of healing as mentioned by Abdu'l Baha in Some Answered Questions. Type One, was spiritual healing through contagion of health (March, 1999 issue) and type Two, was by transfer of a magnetic force from the healer to the patient (April, 1999 issue).
Type Three is "..where the means of cure is a spiritual power - one results from the entire concentration of the mind of a strong person upon a sick person, when the latter expects with all his concentrated faith that a cure will be effected from the spiritual power of the strong person, to such an extent that there will be a cordial connection between the strong person and the invalid. The strong person makes every effort to cure the sick patient, and the sick patient is then sure of receiving a cure. From the effect of these mental impressions an excitement of the nerves is produced, and this impression and this excitement of the nerves will become the cause of the recovery of the sick person. So when a sick person has a strong desire and intense hope for something and hears suddenly the tidings of its realization, a nervous excitement is produced which will make the malady entirely disappear. The cause of the sickness will be no material thing, for that person has not eaten anything, and nothing harmful has touched him; the excitement of the nerves is then the only cause of the illness. In the same way the sudden realization of a chief desire will give such joy that the nerves with be excited by it, and this excitement may produce health." ( Abdu'l-Baha, Some Answered Questions, p. 255)
Last month I spoke of the magnetic force that the 'healer' can generate and transfer to the ill person by touch. The ill person is the passive recipient but his 'innate' or life force receives strength and the bipolarity necessary for the body to heal itself from the magnetic force. In type three of spiritual healing, the ill person must be an active participant since no direct transfer of physical energy occurs. Instead we have a demonstration of several principles of which Faith is the main ingredient. That is, the faith of the ill person in the healer and in his or her own ability to be cured by that faith. The physician exudes his complete faith that a healing will occur; his manner is cheerful, positive and competent. The patient believes and has complete faith in the physician's knowledge, ability and spiritual qualities. This faith on the part of the patient creates 'an excitement of the nerves'.
Psychology and mysticism have both demonstrated that the sub-conscious mind reacts to visualization and how we see ourselves or tell ourselves what we can or can't do. Essentially, our health and well being are controlled by our endocrine system which in turn is controlled by the autonomic nervous system. The body is an integrated system in which health is maintained by its varied elements in a state of dynamic equilibrium or homeostasis. Essentially, this homeostasis is controlled by our thoughts, and especially our subconscious thoughts. In the Sacred Writings, mysticism, psychology, fitness and diet journals we are told to visualize ourselves as happy and healthy. Also, to associate with happy and joyful beings. Turning our hearts and our thoughts to God opens a connection to our true essense, our soul, which is traversing the world of spirit. Your joy and happiness, belief in yourself as a child of God, and faith excites the autonomic system which then balances its two parts, the sympathetic and parasympathetic. These balances the secretions of the endocrine glands and organs, the body chemistry and restores healthful homeostasis.
"To conclude, the complete and perfect connection between the spiritual doctor and the sick person -- that is, a connection of such a kind that the spiritual doctor entirely concentrates himself, and all attention of the sick person is given to the spiritual doctor from whom he expects to realize health -- causes an excitement of the nerves, and health is produced. But all this has effect only to a certain extent, and that not always. For if someone is afflicted with a very violent disease, or is wounded, these means will not remove the disease nor close and heal the wound -- that is to say, these means have no power in severe maladies, unless the constitution helps, because a strong constitution often overcomes disease." (ibid, pp.255-256)
To heal minor maladies especially those that are stress related, develop a cheerful attitude, choose a competent, positive and spiritual physician, and have faith in the doctor and even more so in yourself.
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LETTERS
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This newsletter is getting better and better! This one (April, 1999) is phenomenal. I have been meditating for about a year and a half now (I have been a Baha'i since 1982) and what a difference it has made in my life. I often receive guidance to complex problems, feel more centered and calm, and my steadfastness has deepened considerably.
Please know that the work you are doing is so important. I was thrilled to see the letter from the National Spiritual Assembly (U.S.A). May God bless you and work through you to keep this work a priority and a success.
Regina Kienzle, Texas, U.S.A.
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Your newsletter is that support group that I needed and I have the pile of 'Healing Through Unity' newsletter on a table that I continually read when things get tough...This is my link to the Baha'i world as we are so isolated out here. Each article can be talked about as we teach about health and spirituality....
Anna Crawford, Northern Mariana Islands
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Thank you very much for sending me the 'Healing Through Unity" newsletter, it is just wonderful. It is a very important theme and I feel a strong spiritual connection thinking that so many Baha'is are reading this all together.
Ana Maria Pradon, Nerja, Spain
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QUESTION OF THE MONTH
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It is commonly known that laughter is excellent medicine. What are some of the spiritual, mental and physiological benefits of laughter? You can share your humorous stories, jokes and experiences to be printed in the June issue which is our last issue before the summer break. If you have a question that you would like to share, you can e-mail this to: -- .
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PURPOSE OF THE NEWSLETTER
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"Healing Through Unity" is published for the purpose of sharing thoughts, comments and experiences on how the teachings of the Baha'i Faith are being applied to our physical and spiritual health. Other than the quoted Writings, the material in this newsletter represents the thoughts and opinions of the writers and has no authority. You are free to copy articles, provided you indicate the source of the article. If you have a change of e-mail address or wish to unsubscribe the newsletter, please inform me. There are 10 issues per year; it is not published during July and August. The newsletter is produced in Ontario, Canada.
You can visit the website and obtain back issues at:
http://www.healingthroughunity.org
Please send your stories, comments, suggestions or "Question for the Month" ideas to Frances Mezei by e-mail: -- .
HEALING THROUGH UNITY
June, 1999
A monthly newsletter dedicated to serving the principles of
physical and spiritual health envisioned in the Baha'i Teachings.
Volume 2, Issue #10
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CONTENTS
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- A Letter from the Editor
- My Home is the Home of Peace
- The Exchange
- Six Types of Healing - Type Four
- Spiritual Healing
- The Cure of My Macular Degeneration
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A LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
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The second year of the newsletter has been one of growth and expansion. There are now 1,050 listed subscribers from 90 countries. I am once again in awe of the 'unity and diversity' demonstrated in the exchange of information and ideas - truly an example of being one family. We are becoming united as one soul which brings healing through unity. We are expressing a diversity in the range of topics, the different voices and the wide geographic area which is very exciting. We are discovering and practicing the many paths and tools of health and healing by reading and following the teachings of Baha'u'llah, the Prophet Founder of the Baha'i Faith.
There have been about 55 copies of the 'Healing Through Unity' Course kits purchased and are now being used in different areas of the world. This course is now available on the website and we hope you will use it in your community. You can look it up at: www.healingthroughunity.org. We would love to have feedback on the use of these health kits. Please write to us and share your views on this course.
I wish to thank the excellent reviewers of the newsletter - Counsellor Patricia Coles from Poland, Dr. William Saunders from U.S.A., Dale Sims, Bill Sims, and Mary Hougham from Canada, and Kim Bowden-Kerby from Fiji. Each one of these reviewers have served an important role in the development of the newsletter. I wish to thank them all for their kind and loving encouragement which I could not have done without!
A special thanks to Russ Novak for designing the beautiful website and for maintaining it. Also, a thank you to Orval Minney who has been presenting his thoughtful and educational views on the six types of healing as mentioned by Abdu'l-Baha in the book 'Some Answered Questions'.
On behalf of the reviewers and myself, we have received so much encouragement in this "Healing Through Unity" endeavour, and we want to thank you for that. You will be happy to know that the newsletter is growing with a loyal subscribership. Please continue to share your news, stories, and thoughts over the summer. We will return to you in September, 1999 and look forward to our third year of the 'Healing Through Unity' newsletter.
With warmest greetings for a wonderful summer,
Frances Mezei
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MY HOME IS THE HOME OF PEACE
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While 'Abdu'l-Baha was dictating tablets this morning, an Arab was announced and after a few minutes another one came in. 'Abdu'l-Baha instantly saw that these grown-up children of nature were not friendly with each other and as a subtle master of human nature, he started immediately to establish conciliation between them. Each of them sat there inwardly growling at his enemy. At first 'Abdu'l-Baha spoke to them in such a manner as to make them laugh. They did not want to laugh, neither did they want to look at each other, but they could not help doing both. Then with his deep insight into their hearts he said
"Are not men really children? The life of men is but a few days; then death overtakes them. Is it not foolish to attach one's heart to the worldly love and hate? Why should we let envy and hatred separate us? The strange part of it is that they have no outward existence. Happiness is the king of our hearts. Let us not part from it. If the candle of happiness is ignited in the chamber of our heart, all the forboding gloom of evil suggestions will be dispelled.
'My home is the home of peace. My home is the home of joy and delight. My home is the home of laughter and exultation. Whosoever enters through the portals of this home, must go out with gladsome heart. This is the home of light; whosoever enters here must become illumined. This is the home of knowledge: the one who enters it must receive knowledge. This is the home of love: those who come in must learn the lessons of love; thus may they know to love one another.'
Whenever I see people exercise love and good-fellowship among themselves, my heart is exceedingly rejoiced. ... God willing, you will always love one another. Praise be to God, that you are brothers in faith. You are the citizens of one country, the inhabitants of one town. The members of your families have known one another for years. Why then this feud? Why this ill-feeling? Why this mutual hatred?"
Then he related to them story after story, making them now laugh and now become serious. Finally when he observed the time had come, he got up from his seat and asked them to kiss one another and be true friends ever afterwards. "Is it not better to be friends than enemies?" 'Abdu'l-Baha asked them. Then He went into another room and brought candy and two silk hankerchiefs for each one. "By this token you are plighted together forever."
"We are the slaves of Abbas Effendi. We will do thy holy bidding. It seems God directed our steps to your home this morning," they said. They left the house laughing and holding one another's hands."
Story written by Mirza Ahmad Sohrab, with quotes of Abdu'l-Bah· Star of the West, Bounded Vol 5, Volume IX, No. 3, pages 39-40. Parts re-quoted in
later compilations from the Universal House of Justice
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THE EXCHANGE
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Question:
In the May, 1999 issue, the question was asked:
It is commonly known that laughter is excellent medicine. What are some of the spiritual, mental and physiological benefits of laughter? You can share your humorous stories, jokes and experiences.
Answers:
You mentioned 'humorous stories'. Well I have some delightful moments that have been stored in my heart for many years.
These situations occurred about 25 years ago when I was practicing as a rural physician. When we first arrived in the area the clinic was in the same building as our home. The distance between home and the office was a closed door, and possibly a key-hole.
One Labor Day week-end I said to my two small children, "Now what day is it today?" (I was trying to fulfill my duty as educator of my kids). They both thought for a while, and then one cheerfully said, "I know, I know, it's Maternity Day."
Now this was in the days when the fetal stethoscopes were short trumpet-like pieces of metal. I came out of the clinic to find both kids on the stairs. My son was lying on his back on the stairs and my daughter was carefully listening to his fetal heart through a long wooden block.
A few years went by and changes took place. The children were now in school and the clinic was now located in a separate building quite close to the school. I often had visits from them on their way home.
My blood pressure machine had been acting up and leaking some of its mercury. I had collected this carefully in a little box and kept it in a drawer in my desk. My son was fascinated by this and would often ask to see it. One day he arrived and said "Mummy, can I have a look at your Jupiter?"
I have been wanting to share these dear stories for 25 years. I think the time has come to share them with you.
- Anne Parsons, Newfoundland, Canada
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Here is a humorous story which also reflects how deep racism runs in our society.
An Embarrassing Lesson
On a recent weekend in Atlantic City, the woman related, she won a bucketful of quarters at a slot machine. She took a break from the slots for dinner with her husband in the hotel dining room. But first she would stash the quarters in her room. I'll be right back and we'll go to eat," she told her husband and she carried the coin-laden bucket to the elevator. As she was about to walk into the elevator she noticed two men already aboard. Both were black. One of them was big... Very big... An intimidating figure.
The woman froze. Her first thought was: These two are going to rob me. Her next thought was: Don't be a bigot, they look like perfectly nice gentlemen, even if one of them is awfully black. But racial stereotypes are powerful, and fear immobilized her.
She stood and stared at the two men. She felt anxious, flustered, ashamed. She hoped they didn't read her mind but knew they surely did; her hesitation about joining them on the elevator was all too obvious. Her face burned. She couldn't just stand there, so with a mighty effort of will she picked up one foot and stepped forward and followed with the other foot and was on the elevator. Avoiding eye contact, she turned around stiffly and faced the elevator doors as they closed. A second passed, and then another second, and then another. The elevator didn't move. Panic consumed her. My God, she thought, I'm trapped and about to be robbed!
Her heart plummeted. Perspiration poured from every pore. Then one of the men said, "Hit the floor." Instinct told her: Do what they tell you. The bucket of quarters flew upwards as she threw out her arms and collapsed on the elevator carpet. A shower of coins rained down on her. Take my money and spare me, she prayed. More seconds passed. She heard one of the men say politely, "Ma'am, if you'll just tell us what floor you're going to, we'll push the button." The one who said it had a little trouble getting the words out. He was trying mightily to hold in a belly laugh. She lifted her head and looked up at the two men.
They reached down to help her up. Confused, she struggled to her feet. "When I told my man here to hit the floor," one of the men, the average sized one, told her, "I meant that he should hit the elevator button for our floor. I didn't mean for you to hit the floor, ma'am. "He spoke genially. He bit his lip. It was obvious he was having a hard time not laughing.
She thought: My God, what a spectacle I've made of myself. She was too humiliated to speak. She wanted to blurt out an apology, but words failed her. How do you apologize to two perfectly respectable gentlemen for behaving as though they were robbing you? She didn't know. The three of them gathered up the strewn quarters and refilled her bucket. When the elevator arrived at her floor they insisted on walking her to her room.
She seemed a little unsteady on her feet, and they were afraid she might not make it down the corridor. At her door they bid her good evening. As she slipped into her room she could hear them laughing while they walked back to the elevator. The woman brushed herself off. She pulled herself together and went downstairs for dinner with her husband. The next morning flowers were delivered to her room ~ a dozen roses. Attached to each rose was a crisp one hundred dollar bill. A card said: "Thanks for the best laugh we've had in years."
It was signed, Eddie Murphy and Bodyguard.
- submitted by Nona Simons, Nevada, U.S.A.
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Laugh!
Many years ago, Norman Cousins was diagnosed as "terminally ill." He was given six months to live. His chance for recovery was one in 500. He could see the worry, depression and anger in his life contributed to, and perhaps helped cause his disease. He wondered, "If illness can be caused by negativity, can wellness be created by positivity?"
He decided to make an experiment of himself. Laughter was one of the most positive activities he knew. He rented all the funny movies he could find - Keaton, Chaplin, Fields, the Marx Brothers. (This was before VCRs, so he had to rent the actual films.) He read funny stories. He asked his friends to call him whenever they said, heard or did something funny. His pain was so great he could not sleep. Laughing for 10 solid minutes, he found, relieved the pain for several hours so he could sleep.
He fully recovered from his illness and lived another 20 happy, healthy and productive years. (His journey is detailed in his book, 'Anatomy of an Illness'.) He credits visualization, the love of his family and friends, and laughter for his recovery.
Some people think laughter is a waste of time. It is a luxury, they say, a frivolity, something to indulge in only every so often. Nothing could be further from the truth. Laughter is essential to our equilibrium, to our well-being, to our aliveness. If we're not well, laughter helps us get well; if we are well, laughter helps us stay that way.
Since Cousins' ground-breaking subjective work, scientific studies have shown that laughter has a curative effect on the body, the mind and the emotions. So, if you like laughter, consider it sound medical advice to indulge in it as often as you can. If you don't like laughter, then take your medicine - laugh anyway. Use whatever makes you laugh - movies, sitcoms, Monty Python, records, books, New Yorker cartoons, jokes, friends.
Give yourself permission to laugh - long and loud and out loud - whenever anything strikes you as funny. The people around you may think you're strange, but sooner or later they'll join in even if they don't know what you're laughing about. Some diseases may be contagious, but none is as contagious as the cure. . . laughter.
- by Peter McWilliams from Chicken Soup for the Surviving Soul
Copyright 1996 by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Patty
Aubery & Nancy Mitchell, R.N.
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A giggle a day keeps the doctor away!
It's no joke that laughter is the best medicine ... for having a good giggle can apparently do wonders for your health. Not only does it make you feel better, it relieves stress, provides an internal massage and can even put romance into your life, says stress consultant and pyschologist Robert Holden, founder of the first ever National Health Service Laughter Clinic in Birmingham, U.K.
Research has shown that laughter can result in improved immunity to illness and that people who regularly use laughter, humour and play as coping strategies for everyday events have a significantly higher count of a particular immunity antibody.
The act of laughing ventilates the lungs and leaves muscles, nerves and heart warm and relaxed, according to Dr. Willliam Fry Jr, an American who has spent more than 30 years researching its therapeutic properties. He reckons that 100-200 laughs a day is equivalent to about 10 minutes of rowing or jogging.
Victor Borge once said laughter is the shortest distance between two people. It helps develop friendships and is brilliant for romance. Research shows that a sense of humour attracts us to partners and may give away our whole philosophy on life. You can tell a lot about a person by what they find funny. Laughter also has spiritual benefits, he notes.
[the above is extracted from a newspaper article by Hannah Stephenson (UK)]
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The following quote tells us how to act:
"Even as the clouds let us shed down tears, and as the lightning flashes let us laugh at our coursings through east and west. By day, by night, let us think but of spreading the sweet savours of God. Let us not keep on forever with our fancies and illusions, with our analysing and interpreting and circulating of complex dubieties. Let us put aside all thoughts of self; let us close our eyes to all on earth, let us neither make known our sufferings nor complain of our wrongs. Rather let us become oblivious of our own selves, and drinking down the wine of heavenly grace, let us cry out our joy, and lose ourselves in the beauty of the All-Glorious."
[Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Baha, p.236]
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The following is Abdu'l-Baha's reflections on a fellow believer:
The Prison was a garden of roses to him ( Mirza Ja'far i Yazdi), and his narrow cell a wide and fragrant place. At the time when we were in the barracks he fell dangerously ill and was confined to his bed. He suffered many complications, until finally the doctor gave him up and would visit him no more. Then the sick man breathed his last. Mirza Aqa Jan ran to Baha'u'llah, with word of the death. Not only had the patient ceased to breathe, but his body was already going limp. His family were gathered about him, mourning him, shedding bitter tears. The Blessed Beauty said, "Go; chant the prayer of Ya Shafi - O Thou, the Healer and Mirza Ja'far will come alive. Very rapidly, he will be as well as ever." I reached his bedside. His body was cold and all the signs of death were present. Slowly, he began to stir; soon he could move his limbs, and before an hour had passed he lifted his head, sat up, and proceeded to laugh and tell jokes.
He lived for a long time after that, occupied as ever with serving the friends. This giving service was a point of pride with him: to all he was a servant. He was always modest and humble, calling God to mind, and to the highest degree full of hope and faith. Finally, while in the Most Great Prison, he abandoned this earthly life and winged his way to the life beyond. (Abdu'l-Baha, Memorials of the Faithful, pp. 157-58)
- submitted by Thelma Batchelor, Leatherhead, U.K.
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SIX TYPES OF HEALING - TYPE FOUR
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By Orval H. Minney, California, U.S.A.
I have been presenting my views on the six types of healing (four spiritual and two material) as mentioned by Abdu'l Baha in Some Answered Questions. Of spiritual healing; Type One was through contagion of health (March, 1999 issue); Type Two, was by transfer of a magnetic force from the healer to the patient (April, 1999 issue), and Type Three was from the entire concentration of the mind of a strong person upon a sick person, when the latter expects with all his concentrated faith that a cure will be effected. (May, 1999 issue)
The fourth type of healing is "...produced through the power of the Holy Spirit. This does not depend on contact, nor on sight, nor upon presence; it is not dependent on any condition. Whether the disease be light or severe, whether there be contact of bodies or not, whether a personal connection be established between the sick person and the healer or not, this healing takes place through the power of the Holy Spirit." (Abdu'l-Baha, Some Answered Questions, p. 256)
The ingredients of this type of healing involve Faith, Prayer and the Mercy of God. We, or the healer, pray for the healing of the one ill relying on the Mercy of God and the Holy Spirit. This requires great Faith, not only in the power of prayer, but in God's Mercy and the healing power of the Holy Spirit. We have discussed before that the body tries to maintain a state of health which we call Homeostatic Balance or a state of Homeostasis. This is controlled by the endocrine system which is controlled by the nervous systems. We also know our nervous systems are controlled by our minds and by the energy forces in the universal matrix.
When we pray, with complete Faith, vibrations are sent from our brains outward as well as throughout our bodies. These vibrations become part of the cosmic energy matrix which is the true essence of all creation. Since they are thoughts they are instantly everywhere. No creation ever came into being that was not preceeded by a thought. In his revolutionary book , 'A New Science of Life", Rupert Sheldrake presents a new "hypothesis of formative causation" involving morphogenetic fields. "These fields are molded by the form and behavior of past organisms of the same species through direct connections across both space and time", He calls the process "morphic resonance". In layman's terms, thoughts set up a resonance in the universe that affects actions, either singly or by a group, elsewhere in time and space. Prayer is a means of creating this morphic resonance and will be specifically directed in the healing process by what we understand as the Holy Spirit. Thus is not dependent on contact, time or space.
Two healers I have known, heal from a distance by invoking the Holy Spirit through meditation and prayer, then they visualize their prayer as a flow of light to the ill one. One caveat is, the ill one must be in a receptive mental state through their own Faith so that the prayers of the healer, or well wishers, will enable the Holy Spirit to use the vibrations to excite the nerves of their innate healing system.
A competent physician knows that he or she does not heal, they merely implement the body's natural healing processes. Therefore, they should, before attempting any type of healing therapy invoke, through prayer and meditation, the power of the Holy Spirit to guide them, and to balance and attune the innate healing systems of all their patients, whether present or not.
This concludes my thoughts on "Spiritual Healing", and after the two months break we will explore "Material Healing" which will be much more scientific as presently understood, and less esoteric.
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SPIRITUAL HEALING
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By Dr. Wm Saunders, Atlantic, U.S.A.
The articles on the various forms of spiritual healing are rational, scientific explanations of spiritual realities regarding healing, a mighty step towards the eventual reconciliation of science and religion. Pure spiritual healing, however, such as that via the Holy Spirit, cannot be encompassed. This unlimited spiritual power cannot be understood by the intellect; it is a mystery, but it is not illogical, it transcends the intellect. It cannot be understood in its essence, but only through its actions. How can we systematically increase our understanding of this spiritual power? Perhaps through our actions: by systematically working together in love and unity to put His teachings into practice. Electricity flows through conductors connected to form a complete circuit. Perhaps we can learn how to form spiritual connections through which the Holy Spirit can flow. The formation of small teams of souls willing to work together in love and unity to find more ideal solutions to similar health problems is a pioneering effort in that direction. There is no place for the ego in this spiritual circuit, it must be sacrificed.
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THE CURE OF MY MACULAR DEGENERATION
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By Eugenia Pritchard, Florida, U.S.A.
Our goal in life is to attain the presence of God. Baha'u'llah says in The
Hidden Words Arabic # 6,
"O Son of Being! Thy Paradise is My love; thy heavenly home, reunion with Me. Enter therein and tarry not. This is that which hath been destined for thee in Our kingdom above and Our exalted Dominion."
In the world of creation there are many forces. There is cohesion in the mineral kingdom, growth in the plant kingdom, sensory perception in the animal kingdom and intellect in man. Material laws govern all of the forces.
The spirit of faith comes to us through the Holy Spirit. Through this spirit we learn of spiritual attributes and eternal life. This kingdom is governed by spiritual laws. However, there is an interaction between the laws of creation and the spiritual laws.
On page 58 of "The Divine Art of Living", U.S. (1944), Abdu’l-Baha states, "The powers of the sympathetic nerve are neither entirely physical nor spiritual, but are between the two. The nerve is connected with both. Its phenomena shall be perfect when its spiritual and physical relation are normal. When the material world and the divine world are well correlated, when the heart becomes heavenly and the aspirations become pure and divine, perfect connection shall take place. Then shall this power produce a perfect manifestation. Physical and spiritual diseases will then receive absolute healing."
I was diagnosed as having macular degeneration. I went to an optometrist and about five ophthomologists and attended 2 workshops concerning my diagnosis. They told me my eyes remained in a stable condition but offered no encouragement that they would improve but rather would only deteriorate from this point. However, I knew in my heart that God could conquer all and that my eyes would improve. I was aware that it was necessary for me to learn detachment from myself, be acquiescent to His will and put the problem entirely in God's hands. This was a very difficult test since my husband had just recently passed away and I was living alone. I have always had a love for reading and writing which of course were not possible to do. Consequently, I had a great deal of time to turn to God and pray. There were many times when I felt hopeful and hopeless. It was a continuous process that enabled me to fortify my strength in God. If ever, I felt discouraged God would bring forth a light to help me persevere in strengthening myself to pass this ultimate test of faith. One confirmation occured when I was miraculously given the bounty of acquiring a vision magnifier for the seeing impaired. This was quite an event because I was at the bottom of the list for recipients, but somehow was chosen. This greatly enlightened my spirit as I could at long last resume limited reading again. Then, I took some classes on eye exercises and the value of different colored lights, as well as electric stimulation. One eye exercise which proved to be extremely useful was to massage my eyes while reciting the Greatest Name. I continued to develop the discipline of meditation and reliance on God alone. This progress was rewarded with a computer and scanner which enabled me to enter a book or text which would in turn read back what was fed into the computer. This greatly enlivened my spirit as I gained a greater freedom for my expression and was able to acquiesce not only my condition but to God’s will, too.
After five years, I was able to place the situation entirely in God’s hands and to tell Him that I would abide by His will. When I felt I had truly detached myself from all save Him, my good eye which was about 20/200 improved to enable me to read the chart at 20/100. I knew I was on the road to success at that point. I could see to open my mailbox without having to feel for the keyhole.
After this progress I realized that I had more spiritual lessons to learn. In the Hidden Words, Arabic #8 stated by Baha'u'llah, I read "O Son of Spirit! There is no peace for thee save by renouncing thyself and turning unto Me; for it behoveth thee to glory in My Name, not in thine own; to put thy trust in Me and not in thyself, since I desire to be loved alone and above all that is." After meditating on the power of God and my faith in Him, I noticed that I could see things on the 20/70 line on the chart.
Once again, I knew that I was on the road to improvement and searched for some further enlightment which I found in the Hidden Words, Arabic # 33 by Baha'u'llah, "O Son of Spirit! With the joyful tidings of light I hail thee: rejoice! To the court of holiness I summon thee; abide therein that thou mayest live in peace for evermore." I was aware of God’s great light in our physical bodies that we can call on. Shortly after that I was able to see on the 20/50 line. This was confirmed by Ruth Moffet’s, In the Call to Prayer. She explained that the divine spirit enters the unobstructed channels of the soul through sincere prayer and the cells of the body become radiant with light.
My greatest joy was the spiritual growth that took place in my being and to attain to greater heights of nearness to and love for Him that I had not known previously. This was achieved through the hard work to improve my health. I would gladly repeat this test or any others to have the priviledge of gaining this depth of understanding into God’s laws.
I am so fortunate to have the guidance of my wonderful doctor Dr. Saunders to guide me on this spiritual path which is achieved via e-mail. Also, we are fortunate to have each other for support and comfort. I love all of you very much and look forward to our beautiful newsletter.
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SPIRITUAL HEALTH HABITS
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Here are some essential elements for our spiritual and physical health provided by a physician who has practised for more than 35 years under the guidance of the Baha'i teachings.
1) Trust in God
2) Consult a skilled physician and follow his instructions
3) Practice detachment from all save God
4) Practice moderation
5) Pray and meditate daily; read the Creative Word morning and evening
6) Be happy always
7) Simplify
8) Focus
9) Practice patience
10) Eat simple, natural plant foods
11) Drink adequate pure water
12) Evaluate progress daily, summarize weekly
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LETTERS
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Thank you always for the wonderful 'Healing Through Unity' newsletters you send out. I enjoy every one of them. This month was especially wonderful as my daughter and granddaughter are both taking alternative healing courses. My granddaughter will soon be opening her own business and I copied out most of the newsletter so she will have some spiritual thoughts, ideas and answers as well as the practical ones to have on hand..... Thanks again.
Maddie Wingett, Ontario, Canada
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We want to acknowledge receipt and thank you warmly for the May issue of 'Healing Through Unity' which we deeply enjoy.
Livia De Sanctis, Secretary, National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Panama
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This is a worthwhile and helpful journal. How wonderful that Baha'is are speaking of the real and the sacred.....I have passed your journal on to others.
Linda Popov, The Virtues Project, British Columbia, Canada
(Editor's note: There will be an article describing The Virtue Project in a future issue. You can look it up at their website: www.virtuesproject.com)
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Once again, I must thank you for this wonderful service....Each month I find it worth my time and energy to read your newsletter from top to bottom. You seem to maintain just the right balance of new-age spiritualism and solid practical advice.
Justice St Rain, IN, U.S.A.
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PURPOSE OF THE NEWSLETTER
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"Healing Through Unity" is published for the purpose of sharing thoughts, comments and experiences on how the teachings of the Baha'i Faith are being applied to our physical and spiritual health. Other than the quoted Writings, the material in this newsletter represents the thoughts and opinions of the writers and has no authority. You are free to copy articles, provided you indicate the source of the article. If you have a change of e-mail address or wish to unsubscribe the newsletter, please inform me. There are 10 issues per year; it is not published during July and August. The newsletter is produced in Ontario, Canada.
You can visit the website and obtain back issues at:
http://www.healingthroughunity.org
Please send your stories, comments, suggestions or "Question for the Month" ideas to Frances Mezei by e-mail: -- .
HEALING THROUGH UNITY
September, 1999A monthly newsletter dedicated to serving the principles of
physical and spiritual health envisioned in the Baha'i Teachings.Volume 3, Issue #1
_______________________________________________________CONTENTS
-------------------- Innate Miracles
- Ten Rules for Health
- Uses of Hot and Cold Water
- Setting Our Own Course With Goals
- Laughter Room
- Six Types of Healing - Type Five
- Spiritual Health Habits
- A View of the Spiritual Health Habits
- A Response to the Spiritual Health Habits
- Letters
- Requesting Assistance From Our Readers
- Question of the Month
- Purpose of the Newsletter***************************
"INNATE MIRACLES"
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By Martin O. MinneyThe Power of Innate Intelligence
I want to share with you two stories of patients in my office that
experienced what I like to call "Innate Miracles". A brief explanation may
be in order. I am currently a practicing Chiropractor and I graduated
from Palmer College of Chiropractic in October, 1975. While I was in
school, I took two seminars that changed my life. One was on the
philosophy of Chiropractic called "Forgotten Fundamentals" taught by Dr.
H. Marshall Himes and the other on DNFT (Directional Non-Force Technique)
taught by Dr. Richard Van Rumpt.Combining all that I learned at Palmer with these two seminars gave me a
strong base from which to operate my practice. Being from a Baha'i family
I knew of the Writings on the soul, health, and healing. Once in practice,
I began to study the Writings in depth and incorporate what I was learning
into the practice. Now, twenty-five years later, my practice is based on
the spiritual teachings of Baha'u'llah. Without question, this body of
information is the foundation of all that I do in my practice. A good
example of this is the passage in Gleanings (pgs 164 - 166) on the Rational
Faculty. This is the absolute best description of the concept of Innate
Intelligence I have ever found. It is clear to me that D. D. Palmer was on
to something when he discovered Chiropractic in 1895 and connected to the
energy of Baha'u'llah's Revelation.Here are the stories:
The Story of Darlene
On my first day in practice, October 1975 in Summersville, WV, the third
patient I saw was a 14 year old named Darlene. She had been diagnosed with
"ulcerative colitis", was bleeding to death and the doctors told her family
that she had 6 months to live. Darlene and her mom gave me the history and
then they both looked at me and mom asked "Can you help her?" I looked at
Darlene and asked "Are you still alive?" She grinned. "Since you are
still alive, we have a good shot at it", I said.I did my evaluation looking for the interference patterns in the nervous
system. The biggest area of interference was in the upper cervical area
with a secondary pattern in the sacral area. I further evaluated and
determined to begin the adjusting with an upper cervical correction. I
don't remember if I used the Palmer Toggle-Recoil or the DNFT upper
cervical work, but it cleared the whole pattern!We did the adjustments as Darlene's body needed and saw her frequently
during the first thirty days. During that time, lots of changes occurred.
She would hemorrhage and masses would be found in the stool. The tumors
were being sloughed off by the innate wisdom of the body. Each time one
would be released, she would bleed. We did no therapies nor medical
monitoring like blood pressure or blood tests, etc.After the first month, she began to gain some weight and her body began to
stabilize and grow stronger. There was light in her eyes now and she was
doing better in school. At the end of 6 months, she went to Charleston for
a checkup with the medical people. They ran all of their tests and found
"no evidence that she had ever had a problem". They were stunned! "How
did you do this?" Mom told them "A lot of prayers, intense Faith, and a
good Chiropractor."The Story of Michelle
I heard about Michelle when my wife came home from work at the University
of Wyoming Library and told me that her boss's daughter had been in a car
accident in Buffalo. Of the five or six people in the car, only one was
seriously hurt. Michelle was the best friend of this girl. Michelle
shattered her C-5 segment and was not expected to ever walk again.I was called by Michelle's dad some six months later as they were moving to
Laramie and he was looking for a Chiropractor to work with Michelle. He
had called the other Chiropractors in town and they all said that I was the
only one crazy enough to try it. We set up a visit after they got settled
in their new home.Michelle had no sensation from the armpits down, could move her head,
shoulders, and elbows, though without looking, she was not aware where her
arms were. No awareness of any internal functions either. We talked about
Innate Intelligence and how it would always strive for the best in the
body. We talked about how interference garbles the messages and puts the
nervous system into a state of confusion. I explained that it doesn't take
force to clear the interference pattern as we are not trying to move
anything, just open the channels of communication. I did my evaluation and
found a major interference pattern in the upper cervical area. The area of
the injury was pretty stable. The first adjustment was a DNFT upper
cervical group series. The interference cleared!I saw Michelle for the first time on a Saturday, rechecked her on Sunday,
Tuesday , Thursday and on the following Monday when I went to see her,
Gary, her dad, had a black eye. He was an officer with the Wyoming Highway
Patrol so I teased him a little. He told me that Michelle did it. Now,
Michelle couldn't weigh more than 125 pounds and she's in the chair. He
had her explain. "Saturday night we were all going out for dinner and dad
was putting on my shoes. He had my right one on and was putting on my left
shoe when I decked him. He asked 'What was that for?' and I said 'You hurt
my foot! He said 'What?! I said You hurt my foot!' Then we all got
excited!!!!" I got excited, too!!!From there it was all upwards. In the course of a year, she got all of her
bladder and bowel control back, had sensation over 90% of her body, was
getting voluntary contractions in her calves, thighs, abdomen and back, was
able to move her wrists and beginning to move her fingers on both hands.She then moved to Las Vegas to work with the Help Them Walk Again
Foundation. I went down and saw her a couple of times and checked her out.
I did evaluations for all of their patients and learned a lot about spinal
cord injury. Approximately 6 months after my last visit with her, I
received a photo in the mail. It was Michelle, standing under her own
power, and the look on her face is beyond priceless. On the back it said
"Thanks! Love, Michelle"It was the most AWESOME and humbling thing to watch. If I didn't have a
really fortified, really strong belief in the power of Innate Intelligence
by then, after 11 - 12 years of practice, I had it NOW!!! It was a lesson
in TRUST, SUBMISSION, and OBEDIENCE. Innate mind has access to infinite
power. Conscious mind does NOT know it all. Conscious mind needs to
become the obedient servant of Innate.If you are interested, I will be glad to share with you more of what I have
learned about health, healing, and the spiritual nature of mankind. For a
"brief" look at the foundations of what I do, see Gleanings pages 136 -
200. It is about the soul and our spirituality. Read it aloud.Martin O. Minney, D.C.
532 Charles Street
Lockport, IL 60441-4408
Phone: 815-834-0034; email: str8in8dc@aol.com***********************************
TEN RULES FOR HEALTH
***********************************
By Linda Kavelin Popov, B.C., Canada (Mrs. Popov is the co-founder of The
Virtues Project and co-author of The Family Virtues Guide published by
Penguin.)This is an answer I received in mediation and prayer to the question "What
must I do to care for my body" during the onset of an energy illness. I
heard the words "I will give you Ten Rules for Health.
Write them down and put them where you can see them." Then it started very
swiftly like a letter being dictated. I wrote as quickly as I could in my
prayer journal. I hope that if these principles can be of help to others,
they will apply them and also discern the 'rules' that work best for their
individual needs. They have made a big difference to me, giving me hope and
far more energy when I am true to them.1. Purity and Cleanliness: Outside - bathe daily. Inside - eat pure,
water-based foods. 8 glasses of water a day. Dark greens, legumes, rice,
root vegetables. A little meat. Cut oils by 2/3.2. Breathing: Learn Yoga. Walk or exercise every day for 10 minutes, then
15 minutes, then 20 minutes. No more. Breathe fresh air every day.3. Vitamins: Increase B, C and E. Speak to a homeopath and listen.
4. Proactive Rest: Take 2 rests each day. Do it as a routine. Stop before
you get tired.5. Pace Yourself: You have 4 hours a day for work, sometimes 6. Choose
carefully. Keep your correspondence current. Enjoy! Enjoy!6. Pray every hour: Let your movements be a prayer, your work, your daily
food.7. Practice restful activity: Cut television down. It depresses you. Read
what comes to you. Listen to music, clear and clean in small ways, watch
the fire, write letters to your friends.8. Play! Spend time in ways which give you joy and make you laugh.
9. Plan a sustainable life.
10. Prioritize: Always put your first passion (writing) first. It is your
most productive activity.**********************************************
USES OF HOT AND COLD WATER
**********************************************
By Bill Sims, Ontario, Canada"It is, therefore, evident that it is possible to cure by foods, aliments
and fruits; but as today the science of medicine is imperfect, this fact is
not yet fully grasped. When the science of medicine reaches perfection,
treatment will be given by foods, aliments, fragrant fruits and vegetables,
and by various waters, hot and cold in temperature."
(Abdu'l-Baha, Some Answered Questions, p. 258-59)Here are some suggested uses of hot and cold water for the treatment of
certain ailments that we are aware of. Can you think of others? Please
share your experience with us, and we will update the list in a future
issue. Note: The hot water should not be boiling but comfortable to the touch.1. Leg and foot cramps - Immerse your legs and/or feet in a hot bath. You
may need to sit there for 15 - 30 minutes. Repeat the process as necessary.2. Sting ray bite - Immerse the area of the bite in hot water to
neutralize the venom. The hot water should be as hot as possible without
scalding. This may take approximately 45 minutes. You will know when it is
complete when you can remove your foot or bitten area from the water
without the pain returning.3. Headaches - Immerse your head in hot water and then cold water.
Alternate this process for approximately 10 - 15 minutes until the pain
lessens. Then wrap your head in a towel as long as necessary. Repeat this
process if the pain returns.4. Coughing - Drink a cup of hot water if you get a coughing spell. The
hot water will soothe the spasm in the throat.5. Burns - Immerse the burned area in cold water until you can get
appropriate medical treatment.*********************************************************
SETTING OUR OWN COURSE WITH GOALS
*********************************************************
By Frances Mezei, Ontario, Canada"To thank Him for this, make ye a mighty effort, and choose for yourselves
a noble goal."
(Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 35)Sometimes we may feel that our lives are going in different directions
causing us to feel that we have no or little control over our lives. We may
be reacting to others and to the course they would prefer we took with our
lives. During the course of the day, people may make demands on our time,
talents, energy, money and emotions.A solution to these struggles is to set clearly defined, purposeful goals
and most importantly of having the desire to act on them.Here are some practical notes about setting goals taken from the book: "The
Monk Who Sold His Ferrari" by Robin Sharma."These are the five steps to follow to make your desires come true.
Step One: Have a clear vision of your outcome.
Step Two: Create positive pressure to keep you inspired.
Step Three: Never set a goal without attaching a timeline to it. Always
write it down.
Step Four: Apply the Rule of 21. For a new behavior to crystallize into a
habit, one has to perform the new activity for twenty-one days in a row.
Step Five: Enjoy the process with laughter, love and fun." (p. 85 - 90)"Goal-setting is the starting point. Mapping out your objectives and your
goals releases the creative juices that get you on the path of your
purpose." (p. 78)Think about what you want for yourself. What do you need? We can trust God
and listen to our intuition or inner voice to guide us. Here are some
examples of goals. "I will achieve calmness and balance by April 2000",
"To create a simple, balanced and sincere lifestyle by April, 2000", "To
learn how to be efficient and successful in my work/service by December,
2000", "I will walk (for a person who uses crutches) and achieve focus in
my life by December, 2000". Then, we can form a team with our spouses or
close friends to act as coaches to work on our specific goals. We can have
regular consultation meetings, perhaps about once a week.We can let go of our specific goals after we have written them down. Have
faith and confidence that God will guide us to the steps to take to achieve
the goals. During the process, we do not need to look for the results or
outcome which often comes when we are not thinking about them. When we
review our goals, we will often be amazed that the goals have been
accomplished in ways that we did not imagine. "The less you focus on the
end result, the quicker it will come". (ibid, p. 52)We will receive divine assistance to achieve a manageable life that is
directed in the course we choose for ourselves. We can own our power to
choose the path that is right for us.****************************
LAUGHTER ROOM
****************************The "Laughter Room" is a new and regular feature which will appear in each
issue of the 'Healing Through Unity' newsletter. Laughter is medicine for
the soul and we wish to explore this topic in depth. We need your
participation to help decorate the "Laughter Room". Please send your jokes,
funny stories, information and experiences about laughter, etc. to:
-- .This concept was taken from:
"...only few hospitals have learned from Norman Cousins' case (see June,
1999 issue), and incorporated 'laughter rooms' into their treatment plans.
These rooms provide patients with a variety of materials (funny gadgets,
books, videos and toys) to make them laugh.I remember when my father was in the hospital I asked a nurse if they had a
laughter room available. She looked at me with a puzzled expression and
said 'What?!' After I explained to her what a laughter room was, she
shrugged and said that they didn't have enough money to afford new facilities.After I discovered that there wasn't even a video cassette recorder
available for the patients to use, I went to the local library, rented a
16mm film projector, and borrowed a copy of the Marx Brothers' 'Horse
Feathers' along with a collection of Chaplin's best films. My father and I
watched the movies and laughed for more than two hours. As a result, he
felt better about himself and his illness, and changed its apparent effect
on him."From "Stress An Owner's Manual: Postive Techniques for Taking Charge of
Your Life", by Arther Rowshan, OneWorld, pp. 65. (This book takes a
positive look at the role of stress in our lives, teaches us how to
recognize our personal stress symptoms, and offers a holistic approach to a
stress-free life. This useful book can be ordered from your local Baha'i
Distribution Service.)**************************************************
SIX TYPES OF HEALING - TYPE FIVE
**************************************************
By Dr. Orval H. Minney, California, U.S.A.I have been presenting my views on the six types of healing (four
spiritual and two material) as mentioned by Abdu'l Baha in Some Answered
Questions. Of spiritual healing; Type One was through contagion of health
(March, 1999 issue); Type Two, was by transfer of a magnetic force from the
healer to the patient (April, 1999 issue), Type Three was from the entire
concentration of the mind of a strong person upon a sick person, when the
latter expects with all his concentrated faith that a cure will be
effected. (May,1999 issue ), and Type Four, was "...produced by the power
of the Holy Spirit" (June, 1999 issue).
In the next two issues we will consider material healing which consists of:
Type Five, by means of medicines and surgical procedures, and Type Six, by
aliments, fruits, vegetables, and hot and cold waters.He speaks in the same reference that the body is in a state of energy
and chemical equilibrium and that an imbalance causes disease while
balance restores the equilibrium. Scientifically, we say the body is in a
state of homeostasis, or dynamic energy/chemical balance, which is
controlled by the autonomic nervous system through the endocrine system.
This balance is affected by thoughts, beliefs and attitudes and by invading
organisms, toxins, allergens and structural changes from vertebral and
joint subluxations to broken bones and lacerations."But the principal causes of disease are physical, for the human body is
composed of numerous elements, but in the measure of an especial
equilibrium. As long as this equilibrium is maintained, man is preserved
from disease; but if this essential balance, which is the pivot of the
constitution, is disturbed, the constitution is disordered, and disease
will supervene." ( Abdu'l-Baha, Some Answered Questions, p. 257)Obviously, for vertebral or joint subluxations go to an expert on
structural/neural probems such as a Chiropractor or Osteopathic
specialist. Broken bones must be set and wounds treated and sutured by a
physician competent in those areas. Abdu'l Baha also speaks of the use of
surgical procedures to remove afflicted parts that are acting as toxins to
the rest of the body in the same sense as removing felons from the body of
society.For the invading organisms, toxins and allergins, the present practice
of Western Medicine is based on using chemical agents, i.e.,
manufactured drugs, for removing or destroying the invading toxins or
organisms, or reducing the symptom's effects, thus allowing the body's
innate intelligence to reestablish homeostasis and health. The overuse of
some of these drugs, such as the antibiotics, has caused the pathogenic
organisms to develop resistant strains in accordance with the "survival of
the fittest". So more powerful agents are developed, some of which may do
more harm than good by damaging the body's own healing mechanisms. The
other problem with the chemical agents is, as stated in a recent medical
journal, that over 326,000 deaths in the United States were due to
iatrogenic causes such as wrong prescriptions, or incompetently
administered pharmaceuticals.Few alopathic medicines are designed to strengthen the body's
homeostatic mechanisms directly and help speed up the healing process.
Bedside manner, in which the physician considers the spiritual and
psychological belief systems of the patient, or at least maintains a
cheerful attitude, no longer seems to be taught in medical schools.This present trend to make the practice of medicine a scientific
battleground and the doctor a noble warrior or a Demi-God armed with the
latest patented nostrum is, in my opinion, not the holistic approach
presented by Abdu'l Baha in his discourses on health and healing. While he
admonishes us to seek help from a 'competent physician' he does not give a
definition of a 'competent physician'. From the writings I
infer that a competent physician will consider the whole patient and his
or her own healing mechanisms; not just treat physical symptoms or
diseases, but help to restore or reinforce the patient's beliefs, thoughts
and attitudes that lead to natural healing.I have expressed some concerns in finding competent physicians in a
technological culture but there are competent physicians out there.
Seek them out and support them so the future of medicine will advance.****************************************
SPIRITUAL HEALTH HABITS
****************************************Here are some essential elements for our spiritual and physical health
provided by a physician who has practised for more than 35 years under the
guidance of the Baha'i teachings.1) Trust in God
2) Consult a skilled physician and follow his instructions
3) Practice detachment from all save God
4) Practice moderation
5) Pray and meditate daily; read the Creative Word morning and evening
6) Be happy always
7) Simplify
8) Focus
9) Practice patience
10) Eat simple, natural plant foods
11) Drink adequate pure water
12) Evaluate progress daily, summarize weekly*************************************************************
A VIEW OF THE SPIRITUAL HEALTH HABITS
*************************************************************
By Dr. Dan Boyle, Network Chiropractor, Ontario, CanadaI wanted to voice my concern regarding these recommendations of the
Spiritual Health Habits. I know that there is no ranking given to the 12
items on the list, meaning that their importance is not listed from
greatest to least, but I think that because Trust in God is listed first
this concept is implied. The corollary of this is that we should consider
consulting a skilled physician as the second most important thing to do. I
think that is a very misleading interpretation of the writings.All of the other items on the list are far more important to our Spiritual
Health Habits than that of consulting a physician and I am still very
confused by how to define a skilled physician today. The first part of the
definition for me would be that the physician has a sound knowledge of the
other 10 principles listed and many physicians today don't. They have very
little if any education on nutrition and very few will think behind their
randomized control trials which don't look at us as being spiritual beings
but rather machines that, for some, happen to hold the soul. There are
some that certainly do understand our spiritual being quite well but they
are a large minority and many of them don't incorporate it into their
practice.I also feel that the writings tend to refer to the treatment offered by
physicians as physical means of healing rather than spiritual means and
therefore since the list is a "Spiritual" Health Habits, I question whether
it should be on the list at all or maybe the title of the list should be
changed as it does say under the title that the list is both spiritual and
physical habits.The writings also say that medicine is in its infancy and we should first
look to diet, then herbs and lastly drugs when looking for help with our
health. When I hear that physicians are having their license taken away by
their own licensing boards because they are using treatments that involve
herbs or homeopathy does not give me confidence that they will be able to
offer advice based on this principle. And as I said , physicians today are
not trained in nutrition and neither are they trained in herbs therefore it
is understandable that they should not be offering advice on these subjects.I know this all may sound very harsh. I am not saying that all medical
doctors have all these problems. There are some very good doctors out there
that truly understand their oath of "first do no harm" and they practice
with ethics and a sound understanding of spiritual principles but this is
not the case of the profession of medicine as a whole today. This is my
understanding of the evidence that is available to me.I guess the major principle of the Faith of independent investigation of
truth will bring this out for people but I still feel that people will get
the wrong message when reading this list of Spiritual Health Habits.****************************************************************
A RESPONSE TO THE SPIRITUAL HEALTH HABITS
****************************************************************
Dr. William Saunders, Atlantic, U.S.A.That which our brother says is true,
thoughts similar to those I have been voicing for years,
but if I act on the basis of this logic,
what will be accomplished?
Can a Phoenix be snared in a spider's web?
The listing of these 12 points
is grossly inadequate to accomplish the entire process.
It is a single action in response to the call
of the Universal House of Justice (main administrative body
of the Baha'i Faith located in Haifa, Israel)
"act, act now, and continue to act"
and it was effective.
There are those who responded to it,
representative of many more to come
in need of that particular form,
but there are infinitely more in need of other forms,
and those too must be developed and made available.
If each step that is incomplete be destroyed
and replaced by the following step,
what happens to the process?
Of what importance is consulting a physician?
It is an injunction in the Most Holy Book
by Baha'u'llah.
Does the physician cure?
No! "All true healing comes from God" by Abdu'l-Baha.
Results come from following the injunction of God."It is incumbent upon everyone to seek medical treatment and to follow the
doctor's instructions, for this is in compliance with the divine ordinance,
but, in reality, He Who giveth healing is God."
(Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p.156)------------------------
LETTERS
------------------------
We are writing to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated June 3, 1999 in
which you shared with us a copy of the summary of the "Healing Through
Unity" newsletter publication for the second successful year.We note that the number of subscribers to the newsletter has increased
dramatically over this last year and the quality of the submissions has
also attained a new level. The newsletter has also become a vehicle through
a "unity in diversity" of thought expressed on the vital topic of health...
- Reginald Newkirk, Secretary, National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is
of Canada
..................................Thank you very much for your bulletin. It was as interesting and
informative as usual. We are getting some of its parts translated into
Urdu, our national language for publication into Baha'i Bulletins. Please
convey our deepest regards to all who help you to bring out such a
wonderful bulletin.
- Shamsheer Ali, Coordinator, National Baha'i Institute for Human
Resource Development, Pakistan
.............................With warm appreciation we regularly receive the 'Healing Through Unity'
newsletter. We decided to translate these materials into Russian for our
communities.
- Alma Nurlybayeva, Secretary, National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is
of Kazakhstan****************************************************************
REQUESTING ASSISTANCE FROM OUR READERS
****************************************************************
By Cori and Marlize Silva Correa, BrazilWe're from Brazil and have been living in this rather Portuguese island
(Madeira) for over 12 years now, trying to serve our beloved Faith here.
Although the place is very agreeable, it lacks in many facilities one can
easily encounter in the mainland regions.In our particular case, we have a 12-year old daughter who has some rather
serious emotional problems that have been badly affecting her social
behaviour and learning performance at school. We've taken her to a number
of doctors and psychologists, here and in Brazil alike. None of them have
been able to come up with a proper diagnosis of her problem and so the
right treatment has never been found and applied, and little progress has
been made. We cannot help feeling sad and frustrated, as we see our kid
falling behind in her studies day by day, and we can't do much to help
because of our limited resourses and the limitations of this island in
terms of medical treatment.She's undergone some neurological and genetic tests, but they have all come
out negative; nothing clearcut has been found or detected, although she has
some features of an autistic child, but not the full set of symptoms.We wonder if any of the friends have had any similar experience from which
some good result has derived and could be shared with us. We shall be very
grateful for any kind of assistance and guidance we could get from the
friends. You can write to us at: cory@mail.telepac.pt
****************************************
QUESTION OF THE MONTH
****************************************What are your views of the Spiritual Health Habits? Do you have any
suggestions or additions to build on the Spiritual Health Habits? Have you
had any experience with a specific health habit (positive or negative),
which you can share with us?********************************************
PURPOSE OF THE NEWSLETTER
********************************************"Healing Through Unity" is published for the purpose of sharing thoughts,
comments and experiences on how the teachings of the Baha'i Faith are being
applied to our physical and spiritual health. Other than the quoted Holy
Writings, the material in this newsletter represents the thoughts and
opinions of the writers and has no authority. You are free to copy
articles, provided you indicate the source of the article. If you have a
change of e-mail address or wish to unsubscribe the newsletter, please
inform me. There are 10 issues per year; it is not published during July
and August. The newsletter is produced in Ontario, Canada.WEB SITE
You can visit the website and obtain back issues and the Healing Through
Unity Course at: http://www.healingthroughunity.orgPlease send your stories, comments, suggestions or "Question for the Month"
ideas to Frances Mezei by e-mail: -- .HEALING THROUGH UNITY
October, 1999A monthly newsletter dedicated to serving the principles of
physical and spiritual health envisioned in the Baha'i Teachings.Volume 3, Issue #2
_______________________________________________________CONTENTS
-------------------- Thoughtfulness - A Lesson By Abdu'l-Baha
- The Exchange
- Craniosacral Therapy
- Responses to the Six Types of Healing
- Reiki Treatment
- Baha'i Writings - "Friends Will Become Physicians"
- "Assisting the Traumatized Soul"
- Laughter Room
- Health Habits
- Question of the Month
- Purpose of the Newsletter*****************************************************************
THOUGHTFULNESS - A LESSON BY ABDU'L-BAHA
*****************************************************************
From An Early Pilgrimage, pp. 14-16 - quoted in Vignettes from the Life of
Abdu'l-Baha, AnnaMarie Honnold, p. 87On pilgrimage May Maxwell came to realize that every word and every act of
the Master's (Abdu'l-Baha) had meaning and purpose. The pilgrim party was
invited to meet Abdu'l-Baha 'under the cedar trees on Mount Carmel where He
had been in the habit of sitting with Baha'u'llah.' She recalled that 'on
Sunday morning we awakened with the joy and hope of the meeting on Mount
Carmel. The Master arrived quite early and after looking at me, touching my
head and counting my pulse, still holding my hand He said to the believers
present: "There will be no meeting on Mount Carmel today...we could not go
and leave one of the beloved of God alone and sick. We could none of us be
happy unless all the beloved were happy." We were astonished. That anything
so important as this meeting in that blessed spot should be cancelled
because one person was ill and could not go seemed incredible. It was so
contrary to all ordinary habits of thoughts and action, so different from
the life of the world where daily events and material circumstances are
supreme in importance that it gave us a genuine shock of surprise, and in
that shock the foundations of the old order began to totter and fall. The
Master's words had opened wide the door of God's Kingdom and given us a
vision of that infinite world whose only law is love. This was but one of
the many times that we saw Abdu'l-Baha place above every other
consideration the love and kindness, the sympathy and compassion due to
every soul.'**************************
THE EXCHANGE
**************************Question:
In the September, 1999 issue, the question was:
What are your views of the Spiritual Health Habits? Do you have any
suggestions or additions to build on the Spiritual Health Habits? Have you
had any experience with a specific health habit (positive or negative),
which you can share with us?Answers:
- Since Baha'u'llah does not define "physician" narrowly, it seems to me
that a person, who after prayer felt inclined to consult a competent
chiropractic physican, homeopathic physician, traditional Asian physician,
etc., would still be obeying Baha'u'llah's injunction. Since Abdu'l-Baha
said,"At whatever time highly-skilled physicians shall have developed the
healing of illnesses by means of foods, and shall make provision for simple
foods, and shall prohibit humankind from living as slaves to their lustful
appetites, it is certain that the incidence of chronic and diversified
illnesses will abate, and the general health of all mankind will be much
improved." ( Selections From the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p.156),One could consider that "skilled physicians" might refer more to those
physicians of "alternative medicine" who are developing food therapies and
inspiring patients to abandon lustful appetites. But once a "competent
physician" has been chosen, the Baha'i patient has an obligation to obey!
(no fair saying, "never mind, she's only a chiropractor, not a 'real'
doctor")"Resort ye, in times of sickness, to competent physicians.."
(Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Aqas, The Most Holy Book, paragraph 113)- One might reflect on why Baha'u'llah considered this matter serious
enough to include in the Most Holy Book. One possible reason is the
overwhelming human tendency to go into denial... and to fail to act on
matters until they are beyond repair. If it weren't for that, I would
support Dr. Boyle's implied suggestion to move this "habit" to the bottom
of the list, since the others are all preventative and could potentially
make this one unnecessary.- Linda Popov's list (September, 1999 issue) pointed up a spiritual health
habit that is missing from the 12 -- cleanliness.
- Kim Bowden-Kerby, Fiji
(Editor's note: Cleanliness is now added to the Health Habits list.)****************************************
CRANIOSACRAL THERAPY
****************************************
By Lynn Ascrizzi, Freedom, Maine, U.S.A.(Editor's note: This article was written by Lynn Ascrizzi in response to
the couple's request for assistance for their 12-year-old daughter; printed
in Volume 3, Issue #1. Lynn was willing to put this article in the
newsletter so we can learn more about craniosacral therapy.)Dear Cori and Marlize Silva Correa,
I read your letter in the September, 1999 issue of the Healing Through
Unity Newsletter. Considering that neurological testing has not detected
anything, and also, seeing that your daughter has some autistic-like
behavior, I think you might be interested to learn of craniosacral therapy
-- CST.I am a lifestyle editor for Central Maine Newspapers and recently did a
story on a craniosacral practitioner here in Belfast, Maine -- Tsunenori
Fujimaki -- or Fuji.Fuji was born in Tokyo and is a Japanese trained chiropractor, but
specializes only in craniosacral techniques here in the states. He has
worked extensively with brain-injured children in Japan and at the
Institute for the Achievement of Human Potential in Philadelphia, Pa., an
international organization for the rehabilitation of brain-injured
children. The institute has branches in Brazil and Australia. Fuji won a
Gold Medal of Honor from Brazil in recognition for his overal contribution
to the institute's programs. He has worked with autistic children and
children with behavioral problems, with amazing success.Of the craniosacral fluid, he says: "I can feel it; it is like a river."
His techniques are completely noninvasive, and so gentle! He did wonders
for my neck pain caused by repetitive strain injury, from sitting at the
computer too many hours a day. I tried other therapies, but his brought
results after the first session! He gives workshops on the method, too.Here is an excerpt from the sidebar of my story:
"Craniosacral therapy -- CST -- is a relatively recent discovery.
It dates back to the early 1900s, when osteopathic physician William
Sutherland developed a system known as cranial osteopathy. In 1970, Dr.
John E. Upledger observed the rhythmic movement of the craniosacral system
firsthand during surgery. He incorporated and refined Dr. Sutherland's
techniques with success.
Later, he and a team of medical researchers tested and documented
the influence of therapy upon the craniosacral system and how it could be
used to evaluate and treat malfunctions involving the brain and spinal
cord, including numerous other health problems.
Virtually unknown to most people until just a few years ago, CST is
quickly gaining acceptance, says practitioner Tsunenori Fujimaki -- Fuji --
of Belfast, Maine.
CST has proven effective for many stress-related and other
illnesses, such as chronic tension in the neck and shoulder, backaches,
headaches, fatique, sleep disorders and sinus problems, he says. "During
treatment, many people also get emotional release," he says.
Other health conditions that CST addressess are:
-- Infantile disorders
-- Traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries
-- Migraine headaches
-- Chronic fatigue
-- Motor corrodination impairments
-- Scoliosis
-- Central nervous system disorders
-- Emotional difficulties
-- Temporomandibular joint syndrome -- TMJ
-- Post-traumatic stress disorder -- PTSD
-- Orthopedic problems
For more information about craniosacral therapy -- CST -- contact
the Upledger Institute, Inc., 11211 Prosperity Farms Rd. , D=325 Palm Beach
Gardens, Fla., 33410=3487, 1-800-233-5880, ext. 4536. E-mail:
upledger@upledger.com Web site: http://upledger.com"The best of luck and may the blessings of Baha'u'llah and the
downpourings of guidance from the holy spirit set your daughter firmly on
the road to healing and health.
Lynn Ascrizzi***********************************************************
RESPONSES TO THE SIX TYPES OF HEALING
***********************************************************
By Suzi Esser, Simi Valley, California, U.S.AI have some scientific evidence to add to your recent article (June, 1999
issue) on healing through the Holy Spirit. Your article again focused on
the faith of the sick individual, which sounds to me more like the 3rd type
of healing. Healing through the Holy Spirit "does not depend on contact,
nor on sight, nor upon presence; it is not dependent on any condition.
Whether the disease be light or severe, whether there be contact of bodies
or not, whether a personal connection be established between the sick
person and the healer or not, this healing takes place through the power of
the Holy Spirit." (Abdu'l-Baha, Some Answered Questions, p. 256) It can be
accomplished regardless of whether a sick individual believes, and
regardless of whether that person knows they are being prayed for or aided
in healing. I refer to two scientific studies, cited in full below:The first study assessed the healing of coronary patients after being
admitted to the hospital. Half of the patients names were given to a local
Christian church, and were prayed for whereas the other half were given no
additional treatments. Patients did not know which group they were in. The
group which was prayed for needed fewer treatments (such as antibiotics and
ventilary assistance) and had a lower severity score based on their
hospital stay after initial diagnosis (the groups were equal in severity of
initial diagnosis).The second study was conducted at an AIDS clinic and included other kinds
of distal healing in addition to prayer. Again, patients did not know if
they were receiving this type of care. Patients in the spiritual healing
group had fewer new AIDS-defining illnesses, lower illness severity, fewer
doctor visits, fewer hospitalizations, and fewer days of hospitalization.
They also showed improved mood when compared to the group which did not
receive spiritual healing.Both of these studies reflect scientific support for healing through the
Holy Spirit. There was no additional contact with a healthy person (type
one), no "laying on of hands" (type 2) and no knowledge of faith on the
part of the sick that they were being healed (type 3) yet healing was aided
without physical means. From a scientific viewpoint, it is good to know
that some research supports the existence of this sort of healing.References:
1) Byrd, C. (1988). Positive therapeutic effects of intercessory prayer in
a coronary care unit population. South Medical Journal (UVH), 81, 826-829.2) Sicher, F., Targ, E., Moore, D. and Smith, H. S. (1998). A randomized
double-blind study of the effects of distant healing in a population with
advanced AIDS. Report of a small scale study. West Medical Journal (XN5),
169, 356-363.***************************
Second Response to the Six Types of Healing
By Pati Wolfgang, Pennsylvania, U.S.AI very much enjoyed Orvil H. Minney's article Six Types of Healing - Type 4
At one point the article (June, 1999 issue) states "Two healers I have
known, heal from a distance by invoking the Holy Spirit through meditation
and prayer, then they visualize their prayer as a flow of light to the ill
one. One caveat is, the ill one must be in a receptive mental state through
their own Faith so that the prayers of the healer, or well wishers, will
enable the Holy Spirit to use the
vibrations to excite the nerves of their innate healing system."I am a Reiki practitioner and have a slightly different perspective than
the one presented here. I, too, practice long distance healing. Whenever I
can, I ask the recipient to select a time when he or she can be lying
comfortably, and ask that they meditate or relax. I do this not because it
is necessary, but because it is optimal. The Spirit will do the right
thing at the right time, but as with just about anything involving
receiving, if we are calm and open we are able to receive more.There is also a very slight chance that if caught unaware, the influx of
energy can make you dizzy. That happened to my husband once, when I had
agreed to send Reiki at a specific time. I missed the appointment, and sent
it an hour later. He was dizzy, in a meeting, just for a moment. Since
then, I try to let people know when I am sending, and be on time!But I have had a myriad of times when I feel Spirit is guiding me to send
Reiki to someone without them having to lay down and relax. There have
been times when I don't even know the person, but a face will flash in my
mind, or a situation.I have had many experiences with loved ones who I felt asked me to send
Reiki. For example, last week I was emailing a family member who sees me
for Reiki, and I got the message to do a long distance session. I wrote
down in my email what I was perceiving, and what I saw Spirit doing, and it
turned out she had come down with a case of shingles (I saw gnats around
her midriff.) and the itching had stopped while I was typing, and by the
next day the rash was completely gone.I was also able to be "present" for the birth of my granddaughter through
Reiki, and the Grace of God, many miles away. I was able to watch Spirit
help my daughter-in-law in labor, and later when checking in with the proud
papa, what I was seeing was exactly right, and she sure wasn't relaxed and
meditating!When someone asks me for long distance healing, I do ask for them to be
quiet. But that is what is optimal, not necessary. Of course, I can't
speak for the healers you know, but I hope you don't mind me giving my
perspective on the matter.**************************
REIKI TREATMENT
**************************
By Lynn from Luxembourg, Germany
A friend has asked me to write about Reiki, an exceptional
laying-of-hands energy healing technique which Iíve been practicing for
three years. The name comes from Japanese: Rei, meaning Universal, and
Ki, meaning life force (chi in Chinese, prana in Sanskrit). Although
western cultures do not recognize this concept, ki energy is pure and
limitless. It is the very energy that animates life.Reiki is a technique of channeling ki energy into the body of a human,
animal, plant, or, into oneself for healing or self-healing purposes.
Because it is a channeled energy, nothing of the healerís body or personal
energy is passed to the receiver. Neither, in fact, is anything new added.
All living beings contain ki energy; Reiki simply give us more from the
abundance of the universe.Reiki is not the only laying-of-hands healing technique. Indeed, the
ancient world had numerous such practices. But this particular technique,
discovered by a Japanese, Mikao Usui, during a meditation retreat in l914,
is unique in several vitally-important ways. Most energy healing is
dependent on the skill of the practitioner. This person must know both how
to raise the energy in the hands to the appropriate frequency and how to
direct it to its healing work. Reiki energy, however, is already channeled
at high frequencies, and it is the receiverís body (subconscious and higher
self) which directs the energy to the most vital tasks. I have been taught
that Reiki cannot violate the freewill of any being and have had numerous
experiences where this teaching has been confirmed. Nothing will be healed
that the receiver does not want to heal. Reiki is also perfectly safe in
any and all situations. It is impossible to harm another living being
using this energy. Neither is scepticism an obstacle as long as the
receiver is not completely closed to the possibility of healing.A full Reiki treatment takes about one hour and leaves the receiver
feeling peaceful and relaxed. The giver of the treatment is not drained as
she/he has lost no personal energy. Often, some of the energy stays in the
healer's body, healing anything which needs healing during the treatment.What can Reiki do? It is impossible to promise someone that Reiki will
heal a certain ailment. Not all ailments are curable through energy
techniques. But the energy will go where it is needed most, and will do
the work it can do. In the short time I have been working with Reiki, I
have seen it do things ranging from eliminating heahaches, knee and other
joint pains to stopping degenerative blindness! It can shrink tumors and
aid the immune system. Everyone with experience of it has seen marvelous
results.Perhaps the most miraculous part of all is that Reiki channeling can be
taught to anyone in a day or weekend workshop! This is because there is no
real skill to teach--the teacher uses a short series of movements to open
the channels of the student. It is a quick and painless process.There are no catches. This energy is a gift to humanity. Though many
organizations and religious groups have adopted it , it is not inherently
part of any group and requires no specific religious beliefs for healers or
healees. There is however, a spiritual side to using the energy. After an
attunement (the process of opening the channels), the body does go through
an adjustment period which can take some months, during which physical or
emotional blocks are released. Although this can be briefly unsettling, it
leaves the person feeling somehow more balanced and mature, often
strengthened in religious feeling.I suggest that interested individuals check alternative bookstores for
books on this subject (keeping in mind that people with many beliefs have
written about it). To find a Reiki Master (teacher), inquire at the
bookstore, health food stores, or where other alternative therapies are
found. Prices vary but should be roughly comparable to other workshops
since some people do charge excessively high prices, so look around until
you find the person who is right for you.*************************************************************************
BAHA'I WRITINGS - "FRIENDS WILL BECOME PHYSICIANS"
*************************************************************************Abdu'l-Baha repeatedly advises that we all become physicians for every
soul. There is tremendous potential and power contained in the Holy
Teachings to heal ourselves and others. These quotes are examples:"It is my hope that the breaths of the Holy Spirit will so be breathed into
your hearts that your tongues will disclose the mysteries, and set forth
and expound the inner meanings of the Holy Books; that the friends will
become physicians, and will, through the potent medicine of the heavenly
Teachings, heal the long-standing diseases that afflict the body of this
world; that they will make the blind to see, the deaf to hear, the dead to
come alive; that they will awaken those who are sound asleep."
(Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 275)" O Ye lovers of God! The world is even as a human being who is diseased
and impotent, whose eyes can see no longer, whose ears have gone deaf, all
of whose powers are corroded and used up. Wherefore must the friends of God
be competent physicians who, following the holy teachings, will nurse this
patient back to health. Perhaps, God willing, the world will mend, and
become permanently whole, and its exhausted faculties will be restored, and
its person will take on such vigor, freshness and verdancy that it will
shine out with comeliness and grace." (Abdu'l-Baha, The Divine Art of
Living, p. 151)***************************************************
"ASSISTING THE TRAUMATIZED SOUL"
***************************************************
By Phyllis K. Peterson, Illinois, U.S.A.The title of the book "Assisting the Traumatized Soul: Healing the
Wounded Talisman" published by the Baha'i Publishing Trust is a welcome new
addition to the literature on health issues. This important new book
reaches out to the survivors of trauma and to those who wish to assist
them. With open and inspiring honesty about her own painful experiences as
a survivor of childhood sexual abuse, the author tells how she learned to
overcome her own trauma by delving into the healing words of the Baha'i
Writings. Ms. Peterson shows how the loss of power over one's self, that is
the essence of abuse, greatly hinders progress and personal well-being.
Offering her own perspective, and relying extensively on the teachings of
the Baha'i Faith, the author shows what a traumatized soul can do to heal
and regain a sense of self-empowerment, and what a Baha'i community or
individual can do to help.Here are the comments of two other early reviewers, printed on the back cover:
"I found it deeply moving and most illuminating...it is a tremendous help
to be able to read a book such as "Assisting the Traumatized Soul," written
by someone who has suffered and who also has acquired a profound knowledge
of the Teachings and their application to the situation." Ian Semple,
Member of the Universal House of Justice"Assisting the Traumatized Soul" will bestow upon many the spiritual tools
necessary to make the painful journey "out of the dark cave" and into the
light." Dr. Michael Penn, author of "Desecration of the Temple" which is
about violence toward women world wide...."The cost of the book is $16.95 and it can be ordered by calling USA Baha'i
Publishing Trust at 1-800-999-9019 or Unity Arts in Canada at
1-800-465-3287. They will also accept orders through e-mail at:
BDS@usbnc.orgIn addition, below is the web site of Phyllis K. Peterson for her company,
Skylark Publishing, which contains many items that concern anger,
boundaries and women's issues: http://members.aol.com/skylarkpp/web1.html
****************************
LAUGHTER ROOM
****************************The "Laughter Room" is a new and regular feature which will appear in each
issue of the 'Healing Through Unity' newsletter. We need your
participation to help decorate the "Laughter Room". Please send your jokes,
funny stories, information and experiences about laughter, etc. to:
-- .
"...the Master (Abdu'l-Baha) reached for a bunch of grapes and dropped them
into my glass of water. I looked at them, and He laughed as He saw that I
was puzzled as to what to do. I felt it would be rude to put my hand into
the glass to take them out, but I ate two grapes which hung over the rim of
the glass and sadly left the rest. During the luncheon Abdu'l-Baha would
lean over, look at me, and laugh; and so did I. He conversed with others at
the table, but I was too overwhelmed to remember what was said."
(Ramona Allen Brown, Memories of Abdu'l-Baha: Recollections of the Early
Days of the Baha'i Faith in California, pp. 45-46)**************************
"Take a guess how many times the average four-year-old laughs a day."
"Who knows?"
"I do, three hundred. Now guess how many times the average adult in our
society laughs in the course of a day."
"Fifty?" I tried.
"Try fifteen," Julian said."
(Robin Sharma, The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari, p. 129)*************************
How can we learn to laugh?Abdu'l-Baha loved laughter and always asked His friends 'Are you happy?' To
learn how to laugh, we can encourage ourselves even when we do not feel
like it, to laugh out loud every day. Or, we can look in the mirror and
laugh for a couple of minutes. Do this each day until it becomes a natural
habit. An analogy would be; How can one learn more trust, confidence and
love? The answer is to act with trust, confidence and love, and you will
become trusting, confident and loving. It is similar with laughter, we can
act with laughter and become happy beings.
- Frances Mezei******************************
HEALTH HABITS
******************************Here are some essential elements for our spiritual and physical health
provided by a physician who has practised for more than 35 years under the
guidance of the Baha'i teachings.Trust in God
Consult a skilled physician and follow his instructions
Practice detachment from all save God
Practice moderation
Pray and meditate daily; read the Creative Word morning and evening
Be happy always
Simplify
Focus
Practice patience
Cleanliness
Eat simple, natural plant foods
Drink adequate pure water
Evaluate progress daily, summarize weekly****************************************
QUESTION OF THE MONTH
****************************************
A reader asks us this question:One thing I would really like to address are the issues of wealth,
prosperity consciousness and the Fund. I firmly believe that the same
feelings of fear and unworthiness that contribute to physical and emotional
illnesses also keep us in poverty. We each deserve physical health,
emotional health and financial health. We say healing
prayers so that we can serve the Cause without our physical
limitations getting in the way, but when was the last time any of us
asked God to make us wealthy enough that our financial limitations
would not get in the way?We consider healthy food and exercise part of a spiritual lifestyle,
but we consider healthy profits and financial exercises part of a
materialistic lifestyle. But both our bodies and our money are just
tools for the spirit. I would like to hear your views on this issue.********************************************
PURPOSE OF THE NEWSLETTER
********************************************"Healing Through Unity" is published for the purpose of sharing thoughts,
comments and experiences on how the teachings of the Baha'i Faith are being
applied to our physical and spiritual health. Other than the quoted Holy
Writings, the material in this newsletter represents the thoughts and
opinions of the writers and has no authority. You are free to copy
articles, provided you indicate the source of the article. If you have a
change of e-mail address or wish to unsubscribe the newsletter, please
inform me. There are 10 issues per year; it is not published during July
and August. The newsletter is produced in Ontario, Canada.WEB SITE
You can visit the website and obtain back issues and the Healing Through
Unity Course at: http://www.healingthroughunity.orgPlease send your stories, comments, suggestions or "Question for the Month"
ideas to Frances Mezei by e-mail: -- .HEALING THROUGH UNITY
November, 1999
A monthly newsletter dedicated to serving the principles of
physical and spiritual health envisioned in the Baha'i Teachings.
Volume 3, Issue #3
_______________________________________________________
CONTENTS
-------------------
- The Spiritual Life of Man
- Healing - Poem
- The Exchange
- Six Types of Healing - Type Six
- Breaking the Vicious Cycle: Intestinal Health Through Diet
- A Response on Different Issues covered in the Newsletter
- Aromatherapy: A Beginning
- Laughter Room
- Health Habits
- Announcements
- Question of the Month
- Purpose of the Newsletter
**********************************************
THE SPIRITUAL LIFE OF MAN
**********************************************
(Editor's Note: Dorothy Baker, Hand of the Cause of God, prepared this talk for a radio program in Lima, Ohio, United States. It is taken from "From Copper to Gold: The Life of Dorothy Baker, pp. 149 - 150 by Dorothy Freeman. Hands of the Cause of God of the Baha'i Faith are people who have been appointed by Baha'u'llah, Abdu'l-Baha, and Shoghi Effendi, to be the Chief Stewards of the Baha'i Faith)
"One day a businessman said to me, 'Secretly I wonder about myself. I arise in the morning, eat, keep shop, sleep and then do it all over again. I begin to feel like that person who said, "Man matters only to himself; he is fighting a lone fight against a vast indifference."'
What a strange creature man is! He stands at the very apex of creation and forgets his own preciousness in the sight of God. Sometimes we go into dark closets of our own building and stuff up the keyhole and the cracks. Then we say, 'The sun is not shining for me.' We build the closets of our own odd variety of materials - envy, fear, selfishness, sadness and sometimes just a sense of frustration and futility. And there we stay, mainly because we have not thought out our position there and so we are not doing anything about it. Often we hear the sighs of others in nearby closets and we wish we could liberate them, but not having freed ourselves, we find it pretty hard to tell them what to do.
Now the first thing that is probably needed is a larger perspective. I had the good fortune to have a remarkable grandmother. How well I remember hearing her say, 'If anything troubles you very much now, look at it in terms of five years from this time, or twenty-five, or fifty, and if it still looms pretty large, measure it in terms of eternity. Now that is my theme of eternity. Then look back, if you will, and wonder what became of your darkest closet.
The great thing is to find for ourselves the purpose of being, and to hold to that through everything. Baha'u'llah said, 'O God, I testify that thou hast created me to know Thee and to adore Thee.' There is God at the far end and here are we are at the near end, on this lonely little island, the earth, needing to discover in that brief flash, an enormous purpose like that! And it is brief! He also said, 'Count all the days of thy life as less than a fleeting instant.'
To know and adore God! Think of the things we deplore every day that all the while may be really speeding us on our way! Take the matter of trouble, for example. Baha'u'llah, in His Tablet to the Shah of Persia, wrote, 'I am not impatient of calamity in His way nor of affliction for His love. God hath made afflictions as a morning shower to His green pasture, and as a wick for His lamp, whereby earth and Heaven are illumined.'
A morning shower! Often trouble opens the heart to God. And after that it becomes purified, little by little, so that the self or Satan of the heart dies out and makes room for the Divine Beloved. I came just this morning upon these words, 'Purify thy heart for My descent. The Friend and stanger cannot dwell there together.' Trouble is often just the testing ground of the soul. There is a real freedom in it. As a Kreisler after difficult years of drudgery is free in the world of music, as an athlete after long discipline of the body has supremacy in the world of sports, so does your soul win a sovereignty through a life that challenges it to be at grips with the world. Tests often come again and again to teach a single lesson, until at last there is a victory and a former weakness is replaced by strength. Every time this happens, it marks a milestone on the path to God."
*******************
HEALING
*******************
This poem is taken from "Below the Surface, p. 6 by Anne Spencer Parry and Marjorie Pizer
The task of the rescue of the soul is long and slow
And only those will be rescued who want to be rescued,
For only the soul itself can unmake
The prison it has so carefully constructed.
How delicate is the work of the freeing of the soul!
Open eyes and open hearts,
A tongue to speak what must be said
And hands to hold through the terror and the pain.
Only those who are themselves becoming free
Can wield this fiery wand.
The rebirth of the soul is an agony and a joy
And only one already born
Can assist this painful labour.
How tender and beautiful is the work of the
freeing of the soul.
************************
"O My Servant
Free thyself from the fetters of this world, and loose thy soul from the prison of self. Seize they chance, for it will come to thee no more."
(Baha'u'llah, Hidden Words, Persian #40)
***************************
THE EXCHANGE
****************************
Question:
In the October, 1999 issue, the question was:
One thing I would really like to address are the issues of wealth, prosperity, consciousness and the Fund. I firmly believe that the same feelings of fear and unworthiness that contribute to physical and emotional illnesses also keep us in poverty. We each deserve physical health, emotional health and financial health. We say healing prayers so that we can serve the Cause without our physical limitations getting in the way, but when was the last time any of us asked God to make us wealthy enough that our financial limitations would not get in the way?
We consider healthy food and exercise part of a spiritual lifestyle, but we consider healthy profits and financial exercises part of a materialistic lifestyle. But both our bodies and our money are just tools for the spirit. I would like to hear your views on this issue.
Answers:
The Gift of Financial Tests
I would like to share some recent experiences my husband and I have had with spiritual growth around the issue of financial income.
For the last two years my 63 year old husband and I (56 with long standing chronic illness) have struggled without earning an income, to establish a business at our most recent pioneer post. When we first arrived, I decided to practice positive thinking. "Attitude is everything!" was my motto. Success, financial security, was just around the corner. Roger, ever the complementary personality, began very cautiously to explore this enterpreneurial opportunity without success. As setback followed setback, he began reading an 'Abdu'l-Baha prayer for prosperity on a daily basis and found books to help him persevere. I faced my panic about being old and sick and broke, and Baha'u'llah helped me to discover many older sick people, with little money, who do get along as long as they have the joy of serving our Beloved. And I adopted an "Attitude of Gratitude". Along the way, we learned the difficult lesson of accepting charity from family and friends, gratefully and cheerfully, recognizing that their generosity blesses both the giver and the recipient. We have both been in and out of depression during the last two years. Just yesterday Roger and I were talking about how wonderful a blessing this struggle has been for us, bringing us new insights and developing otherwise neglected capacities. He now feels free of old fantasies about what wealth would bring. My latest lesson has been to accept that my value as a parent does not depend on my being able to shower my
children and grandchildren with all the gifts they never had from me. And, who knows, the business may turn out alright after all. If it does, we will experience that new development hoping to continue to appreciate all of Baha'u'llah's bounties that have brought us this far.
- Diana Carson
*******************************
On first reading of the question, the following prayer by the Bab for detachment sprang to mind:
"...Vouchsafe unto me, through Thy Grace, what will enable me to dispense with all except Thee, and destine for me that which will make me independent of everyone else besides Thee..." (Baha'i Prayers, U.S.,1985, p. 55)
God knows what we will need to serve His Cause, and standing ready to serve Him implies keeping an open mind about how in His wisdom He will assist us.
'Abdu'l-Baha leaves little doubt, however, about the morality of wealth:
"...it should not be imagined that the writer's earlier remarks constitute a denunciation of wealth or a commendation on poverty. Wealth is praiseworthy in the highest degree, if it is acquired by an individual's own efforts and the grace of God, in commerce, agriculture, art and industry, and if it be expended for philanthropic purposes... Wealth is most commendable, provided the entire population is wealthy. If, however, a few have inordinate riches while the rest are impoverished, and no fruit or benefit accrues from that wealth, then it is only a liability to its possessor. If, on the other hand, it is expended for the promotion of knowledge, the founding of elementary and other schools, the encouragement of art and industry, the training of orphans and the poor--in brief, if it is dedicated to the welfare of society--its possessor will stand out before God and man as the most excellent of all who live on earth and will be accounted as one of the people of paradise." ---Secret of Divine Civilisation, pp. 24-25
- Dr Mary Ann Chance, Australia
*********************************
There are many, many references to be found in the Baha'i Writings on the subject of wealth. Here are just a few:
"When the love of God is established, everything else will be realized. This is the true foundation of all economics."
(Abdu'l-Baha, Promulgation of Universal Peace, p 239)
"Love is the most great law Ö"
(Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha; p 27)
"... God hath made the achievement of everything conditional upon material means, ..."
(Baha'u'llah, Huququ'llah, p 12, #33)
"When a rich man believes and follows the Manifestation of God, it is a proof that his wealth is not an obstacle and does not prevent him from attaining the pathway of salvation."
(Abdu'l-Bah·, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p.216)
"Having attained the stage of fulfilment and reached his maturity, man standeth in need of wealth, and such wealth as he acquireth through crafts or professions is commendable and praiseworthy in the estimation of men of wisdom, and especially in the eyes of servants to the education of the world and to the edification of its peoples."
(Bah·'u'll·h, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p.35)
"Bah·'u'll·h had also in His writings given a most important place to Art, and the practice of skilled trades. He had stated that the practice of an Art or Trade in the true spirit of service was identical with the worship of God."
(Abdu'l-Bah·, Abdu'l-Baha in London, p.72)
"We cannot give of our wealth to the poor unless we possess it."
(Abdu'l-Bah·, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p.3)
"The attainment of any object is conditioned upon knowledge, volition and action. Unless these three conditions are forthcoming, there is no execution or accomplishment."
(Abdu'l-Bah·, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p.157)
- Complied by Jim Belchamber, Ontario, Canada
************************************************
SIX TYPES OF HEALING - TYPE SIX
************************************************
By Dr. Orval H. Minney, California, U.S.A.
orvalm@prodigy.net
I have been presenting my views on the six types of healing (four spiritual and two material) as mentioned by Abdu'l Baha in Some Answered Questions. Of spiritual healing; Type One was through contagion of health; Type Two, was by transfer of a magnetic force from the healer to the patient, Type Three was from the entire concentration of the mind of a strong person upon a sick person, when the latter expects with all his concentrated faith that a cure will be effected., Type Four was "...produced by the power of the Holy Spirit" and Type Five was by use of medicines and surgery. Today we will consider Type Six which consists of the use of aliments, fruits, vegetables, and hot and cold waters.
"It is, therefore, evident that it is possible to cure by foods, aliments and fruits; but as today the science of medicine is imperfect, this fact is not yet fully grasped. When the science of medicine reaches perfection, treatment will be given by foods, aliments, fragrant fruits and vegetables, and by various waters, hot and cold in temperature."
(Abdu'l-Baha, Some Answered Questions, p. 258-59)
Abdu'l Baha speaks in the same reference that the body is in a state of energy and chemical equilibrium and that an imbalance causes disease while balance restores the equilibrium and health. As an example, he speaks of lacking the sugar element and restoring the balance by replacing the missing element. Since I have previously discussed the science of dynamic balance or homeostasis and how it works through the autonomic nervous and endocrine systems, I will not go into it here but it is the basis of healing by use of herbs, foods and waters.
Nutritionists and physiologists like to point out that we are what we eat. Physically, our bodies are made up from the food we eat, the water we drink, and the air we breathe. They are poisoned by ingestion of toxins by eating, drinking and breathing. If the body is healthy and in a state of balance, the immune system can deactivate the toxins. If it is not, then the chemistry of the body must be returned to balance. This is where the use of foods, herbs and waters comes in. If the foods we eat were grown in naturally rich soil and contained all the nutrients according to their species we could eat a "balanced" meal and maintain the body equilibrium. Since today many of the soils are either depleted or have been artificially fertilized by growth/yield producing chemicals the plants either lack the essential elements or they are in an unbalanced state in the plant. We eat according to the best knowledge we have of our body's needs but still we may not meet it's needs.
Interestingly, in terms of body needs, one size does not fit all. For example, in very cold climates the need for calories from fats is essential. In Antarctica, I read that members of an expedition confined to their hut during the winter, lost weight on 10 to 12 hundred calories per day. An athlete requires lots of carbohydrates that might trigger diabetes in a sedentary older person. Therefore, God has made us individuals with different needs.
Water is the solute for the body's chemicals as well as the means of transport of nutrients and waste. We need to take in the amount of pure water, not beverages, to balance what we excrete and to implement the maintenance of homeostasis.
Using herbs to help restore balance is in line with what I believe is Abdu'l-Baha's intent, but to use herbs to treat symptoms is, to me, 'allopathic' herbal medicine. Yet the supplement industry is being built on the "magic pill" concept and many herbalists are falling into the trap. I believe that the use of herbs or supplements should be on the basis of maintaining the dynamic equilibrium of the body and its Innate intelligence and its immune system....
It has been my intention in this series of articles to present my opinions based on my research and experience rather than use the method of a technical paper with cited statistics. I have tried not to condemn any practice or group in total but to present a path to the future by mentioning concepts, problems and information for your thought, consideration, and planning. In my opinion, 'competent physicians' should have all six types of healing in their methodology and hopefully this will increase as our knowledge and understanding develops.
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" The Bab hath said that the people of Baha must develop the science of medicine to such a high degree that they will heal illnesses by means of foods. The basic reason for this is that if, in some component substance of the human body, an imbalance should occur, altering its correct, relative proportion to the whole, this fact will inevitably result in the onset of disease. If, for example, the starch component should be unduly augmented, or the sugar component decreased, an illness will take control. It is the function of a skilled physician to determine which constituent of his patient's body hath suffered diminution, which hath been augmented. Once he hath discovered this, he must prescribe a food containing the diminished element in considerable amounts, to re-establish the body's essential equilibrium. The patient, once his constitution is again in balance, will be rid of his disease."
(Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 155-4)
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BREAKING THE VICIOUS CYCLE:
INTESTINAL HEALTH THROUGH DIET
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By Elaine Gottschall, MSc, Ontario, Canada
"There are ten million North Americans bothered with gastrointestinal problems," say Ms. Gottschall whose lifelong interest in these disorders started in 1955. Here are some facts about this illness given by Elaine. She gathered this information from the Crohn's and Colitis Association and her own intensive research.
* It accounts for the second highest number of hospital admissions.
* In 1922, thirty percent of doctor visits were because of it. Today, nearly half the people visiting doctors are there due to complaints relating to this illness in its various forms.
* Although it's not as life threatening as heart disease or cancer, it is responsible for much human suffering, the expenditure of a large portion of health care budgets and often requires lifelong drug management.
* Sufferers of its various forms are told their illness is incurable.
* When people ask their doctors what they should eat, they are told that food has nothing to do with their problem.
People diagnosed with Crohn's Disease, ulcerative colitis, diverticulosis, irritable bowel, spastic colon, or celiac disease are usually given no hope of a cure. As a result, Elaine Gottschall's book "Breaking the Vicious Cycle: Intestinal Health Through Diet" has served to assist people who claim to have been helped by it and appears that this diet is capable of reversing the intestinal damage related to these disorders.
This is printed on the back cover which includes testimonials from various people:
"Diagnosis: Ulcerative Colitis
"Thanks to the Specific Carbohydrate Diet, I have regained my life! For many years, ulcerative colitis contolled almost every aspect of my existence - where I worked, social situations, recreation, travel, etc. Having not responded well to medications, I had even reached the point of discussing with my doctor the possibility of having my colon surgically removed. I would never have thought that something as simple as diet could solve this problem.
- Lucy Rosset, Bellingham, Washington
Diagnosis: Crohn's Disease
"I was diagnosed as having Crohn's Disease of the small intestine fifteen years ago. The 'bland diet' I was told to follow did not help. In June of 1993, I began the Specific Carbohydrate Diet. Not only did all pain disappear but laboratory blood tests returned to normal. Since discovering this remarkable diet, I recommend it to all my patients who have Crohn's and other intestinal problems."
- Carl E. Byer D.C., Mt Prospect, Illinois
Diagnosis: Ulcerative Colitis
"My battle with colitis had gone on for a number of years. I had been on high doses of medication steadily for one year and felt that I had hit bottom. It was then that I read a newspaper article about the Specific Carbohydrate Diet and began following it immediately. I am now so much healthier, happier, and energetic. It was a miracle to find this diet.
- Lois Lang, Wilson, Oklahoma
Diagnosis: Crohn's Disease
"It is now four months since I heard those wonderful words from the doctor at the London, Ontario hospital telling me that he could see no signs of Crohn's disease. I felt as if someone had lifted a great weight from me and I could breathe freely again. And this after only two years on the Specific Carbohydrate Diet."
- Mary Rimmer, Centralia, Ontario, Canada
Topics covered in "Breaking the Vicious Cycle":
- The relationship between food and intestinal disorders such as Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, diverticulitis, celiac disease, cystic fibrosis of the pancreas, and other forms of chronic diarrhea.
- A discussion of the cycle of events occuring in the intestine of those with problems and how the Specific Carbohydrate Diet can break this cycle and permit the body to regain normal functioning.
- A complete recipe section which offers an assortment of simple, quick, as well as gourmet-type recipes, based on the scientific principle underlying the Specific Carohydrate Diet."
To order this book you can visit www.amazon.com (website bookstore) or write to Kirkton Press Ltd, 396 Grills Road, RR # 2, Baltimore, Ontario, Canada, K0K 1C0, 905-349-3443. This book costs $22.55 Cdn funds which includes shipping. This book has also been translated into the Danish and Hebrew languages and it has sold 1 1/2 million copies.
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A RESPONSE ON DIFFERENT ISSUES
COVERED IN THE NEWSLETTER
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By Dr. Bernhard Koppold, Greece
USES OF COLD AND HOT WATER, Volume 3, Issue #1
The use of hot and cold water as a way of treatment, as can easily be seen, has not yet been sufficiently appreciated by Baha'i physicians. In Germany and other countries there is made use in many clinics and therapeutic-centres of the "Kneipp" method, which is healing many diseases through the use of mainly icy cold water in a very specific way. Interestingly the founder of this system, a monk with the name Kneipp, was living and discovering his system of healing in the times of Baha'u'llah during the second part of the last century.
As to the concrete suggestions given in issue #1 on using warm and hot water, I would like to differentiate and caution a bit: if cramps in the legs are due to venous insufficiency warm and hot water are clearly contraindicated and could result even in some serious condition. As to the use of hot water in bites, I don't know about the concrete case of sting ray bites, but in general warm water causes hyperemia at the spot of application and through this a dissemination of the possibly toxic substances, which should be avoided clearly in case of serious bites (like through snakes or scorpions). So this cannot by suggested as a first aid application in such cases.
Finally, a differentiation of using either cold or hot water in case of hemicrania or other kinds of headache is often done intuitively by the patients themselves. Some apply hot water, others would feel crazy with it and apply icy cold water instead. No human being is exactly the same as another one and often each is reacting in a specific way, which the patient and the physician would do well to find out and to consider.
(Editor's Note: Dr. Koppold's comments are very valid and point out the need to consult skilled physicians and for Baha'i physicians to study the writings of the Baha'i Faith to assist in the application in their practice. The case of the sting-ray bite was a personal experience of the writer of the article; who, while in Florida encountered two individuals who had been bitten and the first aid treatment was to apply a hot pack to the area bitten or to immerse the area (in this case a foot) into a hot tub of water for a period of approximately 45 minutes. The paramedics in charge then advised the person to see a doctor and get a tetanus shot.)
REIKI, Volume 3, Issue #2
As the spiritual ways of healing are obviously much underdeveloped in our materialistic times, it is excellent if we are using them intensively and support their application, wherever appropriate. But the danger of overdoing it on the other side, we should also not ignore. In a recent seminar on Reiki an instructor suggested to the participants to heal AIDS and cancerous diseases with Reiki. We know about the power of spiritual healing; however, we find in numerous quotations in the Baha'i Writings, that the best would be to combine material and spiritual healing, whether it may be a physical or a psychic disease (see for example, quotations in: 'The Throne of the Inner Temple', pp. 75-76, No 186, 187, 188).
FRIENDS WILL BECOME PHYSICIANS, Volume 3, Issue #2
Certainly every friend can support the healing process through prayers and other spiritual kinds of healing. In my (perhaps insufficient) understanding however both quotes from Abdu'l-Baha, which are cited at this place, are referring to the healing of the world (of humanity) in general through the teachings, and not to the friends becoming and considering themselves physicians in the usual sense.
SKILLED PHYSICIANS
The important question of what could be the criteria for patients to find out who could be considered a "skillful physician" and who should not, has only been touched on the surface and has not yet been discussed thoroughly. What should be considered before a decision is made as to whether to visit a specific physician? Some examples include: formal education at Universities, a doctor's title, reported healing successes by other patients and other factors.
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AROMATHERAPY: A BEGINNING
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By Galya Gunderson, Oregon, United States
"Make use of rose-water, and of pure perfume; this, indeed, is that which God hath loved from the beginnng that hath no beginning, in order that there may be diffused from you what your Lord, the Incomparable,the All-Wise, desireth."
Baha'u'llah The Kitab-i-Aqdas p.47:76.
The "pure perfumes" referred to in the above passage are now known as 'essential oils' and they form the treatment basis for an ancient healing knowledge now greatly updated and known as Aromatherapy. Purity is very important as these oils will not be effective if they have been adulterated which, unfortunately, is the case with many of the oils currently available here today. "Pure" on a label means nothing. Look for 'organic' or 'wildcrafted botannical' suitable for Aromatherapy instead. Years ago, I wandered into a book store and found a treasure; "The "Aromatherapy Kit" prepared by Charla Devereux. This kit included five exquisitely pure and vital oils and it explained how to use them to effectively treat conditions as diverse as colds (eucalyptus) and black widow spider bites (lavender). I carried these five wonderful little bottles with me everywhere and did they ever come in handy! Now, as a certified Aromatherapist, I recommend this resource to you. If you cannot find it locally, it is available on-line at Barnes & Noble. There is another excellent beginning textbook, "Aromatherapy Workbook" by Marcel Lavabre. If you want a complete and visually beautiful guide, I recommend the "Encyclopedia of Essential Oils" by Julia Lawless. To order this book, you can visit www.amazon.com (website bookstore). The next article I will write will focus on the spiritual uses and applications of these wonderful "pure perfumes."
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LAUGHTER ROOM
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We would love to hear your jokes, funny stories and how you cheer your loved ones who are ill. Please e-mail your ideas to -- .
This is a common Baha'i joke:
This Baha'i, named Bill, is in a fatal car wreck and finds himself at the Gates of Heaven. St. Peter says, welcome to Heaven. Before we can let you enter, We have a quick test for you to take. You must score at least 400 points in order to enter Heaven.
The first question is: What good works have you done in your community to deserve entering Heaven?
Bill answers: Well, I was on this committee, that committee, I went to a deepening over here, a Fireside here, and I did this and I did that (and continues on until he lists about 30 or 40 good things he has done in his community).
St. Peter says: Very impressive! Your answer is worth 2 points.
Bill thinks to himself "How am I ever going to make 400 points at this rate!"
The second question: What have you done outside of your community that is worthy of entrance into Heaven?
Bill answers, by naming several dozen projects outside of his community that he was involved in on earth. His answer takes several minutes, as his list of projects is a long one.
St. Peter responds: Very good! That answer is worth another 2 points!
Bill replies while smacking his forehead with the palm of his hand: How am I going to get into heaven at this rate? I only have 4 points! Only by the grace of God will I get into Heaven!
St. Peter says: Congratulations! That answer is worth 396 points! You may enter!
- Author Unknown
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'Happy are they who act; happy are they who understand; happy the man that hath clung unto the truth, detached from all that is in the heavens and all that is on earth."
(Baha'u'llah, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 139)
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"Therefore, be rejoiced, for ye are sheltered beneath the providence of God. Be happy and joyous because the bestowals of God are intended for you and the life of the Holy Spirit is breathing upon you.
Rejoice, for the heavenly table is prepared for you.
Rejoice, for the angels of heaven are your assistants and helpers.
Rejoice, for the glance of the Blessed Beauty, Baha'u'llah, is directed upon you.
Rejoice, for Baha'u'llah is your Protector.
Rejoice, for the everlasting glory is destined for you.
Rejoice, for the eternal life is awaiting you.
(Abdu'l-Baha, Promuglation of Universal Peace, p. 214)
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HEALTH HABITS
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Here are some essential elements for our spiritual and physical health provided by a physician who has practised for more than 35 years under the guidance of the Baha'i teachings.
Trust in God
Consult a skilled physician and follow his instructions
Practice detachment from all save God
Practice moderation
Pray and meditate daily; read the Creative Word morning and evening
Be happy always
Simplify
Focus
Practice patience
Cleanliness
Eat simple, natural plant foods
Drink adequate pure water
Evaluate progress daily, summarize weekly
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
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I have been a subscriber to the newsletter for a few months now and greatly appreciate being connected to Baha'is and others with an interest in health and healing. The following notice is about a project I am involved with which may be of interest to some of the readers:
An international e-mail network of female doctors of chiropractic in clinical practice, education, research and administration is in the process of formation, and is expected to start with circulation of a newsletter with a format similar to this one. Expressions of interest should be addressed to chance@wagga.net.au
- Dr Mary Ann Chance, Editor, Chiropractic Journal of Australia, Australia
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"PARENTING IN THE NEW WORLD ORDER " NEWSLETTER is a bi-monthly publication dedicated to raising families with strong spiritual values. It is published for the purpose of sharing thoughts, comments and experiences on how the teachings of the Baha'i Faith are being applied to the task of parenting and family life.
If you are interested, please email: allamanda@caribsurf.com or check out the website at: http://www.spiceisle.com/homepages/allamanda/
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I would like to ask a question. What does anyone know about healing Hepatitis ? My daughter is undergoing the traditional drug method. Although she hasn't had many side effects except tiredness, I'm wondering what else she can do?
- Barbara Bennett, chabarb@gwtc.net
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Change of E-mail Addresses
Editor's Note: To make it easier when I receive a change of e-mail address, I would appreciate receiving the following information.
1) Old e-mail address.
2) New e-mail address.
This would assist me to readily search for your old e-mail address on the distribution list and then change it to the new one.
I would also like to take this opportunity to thank those who have given me your new e-mail address.
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QUESTION OF THE MONTH
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There are many references in the Baha'i Writings about detachment from all save God. What is your understanding of this? How can we be detached and live a spiritual life in this world? What kind of things do you think can turn us away from God?
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PURPOSE OF THE NEWSLETTER
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"Healing Through Unity" is published for the purpose of sharing thoughts, comments and experiences on how the teachings of the Baha'i Faith are being applied to our physical and spiritual health. Other than the quoted Holy Writings, the material in this newsletter represents the thoughts and opinions of the writers and has no authority. You are free to copy articles, provided you indicate the source of the article. If you have a change of e-mail address or wish to unsubscribe the newsletter, please inform me. There are 10 issues per year; it is not published during July and August. The newsletter is produced in Ontario, Canada.
Please send your stories, comments, suggestions or "Question for the Month" ideas to Frances Mezei by e-mail: -- .
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WEB SITE
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You can visit the website and obtain back issues and the Healing Through Unity Course at: http://www.healingthroughunity.org
HEALING THROUGH UNITY
December, 1999
A monthly newsletter dedicated to serving the principles of
physical and spiritual health envisioned in the Baha'i Teachings.
Volume 3, Issue #4
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CONTENTS
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- Detachment From This World
- The Exchange
- Stress Mastery in Changing Times
- A Response about Skilled Physicians
- Laughter Room
- Health Habits
- Letters
- Community
- Question of the Month
- Purpose of the Newsletter
- Website
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DETACHMENT FROM THIS WORLD
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Taken from 'Trustees of the Merciful, by Adib Taherzadeh, pp. 46-48
"It is often attachment to this world which clouds the vision and makes the individual proud, arrogant and self-centered. Obedience to Baha'u'llah, humility and submissiveness towards the Institutions will, in the end, confer inestimable blessings upon the soul. Attachment to this world is often mistakenly understood to be the possession of earthly goods. "Should a man," Baha'u'llah explains to His followers, "wish to adorn himself with the ornaments of the earth, to wear its apparels, or partake of the benefits it can bestow, no harm can befall him, if he alloweth nothing whatever to intervene between him and God, for God hath ordained every good thing, whether created in the heavens or in the earth, for such of His servants as truly believe in Him."
There is a story in Persian which throws some light on the nature and meaning of detachment from this world. It is the story of a King and a dervish. The King had many spiritual qualities but in his heart he envied the dervish who seemed to have no attachment to this world. For all that a dervish possessed was a basket in which he carried his food. He spent his time roaming around town chanting the praises of his Lord and having mystical communion with HIm. He had no home and no belongings yet he considered himself to be so rich that he owned the whole world. To this way of life the King was attracted, so he invited a dervish to his palace in order to learn some lessons in detachment. The dervish came and stayed for some time. At last the King decided to give up his throne and live the life of a dervish. Putting on some old clothes, he disguished himself as a poor man and left his palace with his guest.
They had walked together some distance when the dervish realized that he had left his basket behind in the palace. He explained to the King that he could not go without the basket and that they had better go back and fetch it. It was by this incident that the dervish was finally tested and found to be attached to this world. The King had left behind his palaces and his treasures and was treading the path of detachment, whereas the dervish preaching this very virtue for a life-time proved in the end to be attached to his small basket.
Attachment is an attitude of mind and is not necessarily related to riches. The pride which the individual may have in his learning and knowledge, his accomplishments in this life, his position in the community, his fame and popularity, the love of his own self and of his possessions could all become barriers between his soul and God."
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THE EXCHANGE
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Question:
In the November issue, the question was:
There are many references in the Baha'i Writings about detachment from all save God. What is your understanding of this? How can we be detached and live a spiritual life in this world? What kind of things do you think can turn us away from God?
Answers:
On our way to our pioneering post to Costa Rica in 1969; as we drove from California through Mexico and Central America, we listened to a tape of a talk given by Hand of the Cause, Mr. Faizi, on the "Hidden Words".
He told a story about a woman he met while teaching in India, who told him: "Every day I awaken. Prepare the morning meal for my family. Gather up the wash for the day. Go to the river where I wash my clothes, and on my way, meet my neighbor who joins me. Thence I return to my home and continue the work of my day. Through each of these events, I carry Baha'u'llah with me, and find myself in the utmost joy, every day of my life."
"O Son of Being! Love Me that I may love thee. If thou lovest Me not, My love can in no wise reach thee. Know this, O servant." ( Baha'u'llah, Hidden Words, Arabic #6)
What is turning away from God? When we forget the above-mentioned Hidden Word and try to get through life by our own devices, that, it seems to me, is turning away from God. But what I have learned, is that the moment I become aware of this, and turn toward Baha'u'llah, and live in a state of gratitude for whatever may be taking place in my life, I am instantly forgiven, and His protection permeates my soul, once again. - Jeanette Roberts, New Mexico, U.S.A
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Quotes from Different Religions on Detachment
"He unto whom all desires enter as waters into the sea, which, though ever being filled is ever motionless, attains to peace and not he who hugs his desires." (Hindu: Bhagavad Gita 2:70 p.128)
"Do not rely on property and the goods of this world, for property and the goods of this world are like a bird that flies from one tree to another and stays on none." (Zoroastrian: Pahlavi Texts, Counsels of Adhurbadh p. 105, v 89)
"Empty the boat of your life, O man; when empty it will swiftly sail." (Buddhist: Dhammapada, 25:369 p. 87)
"None of you can be a disciple of Mine without parting with all his possessions." (Christian: New Testament of the Bible, Luke 14:33)
"What little has been given you is only for a while; but that which is with God is greater and more lasting." (Islam: Quran 42:36 sec.219)
"No man shall attain the shores of the ocean of true understanding except he be detached from all that is in heaven and on earth." (Baha'i: The Kitab-i-Iqan; Baha'u'llah, p. 3)
- Taken from "Comparable Quotes from the Major Religions: Compiled to promote Religious Unity and to Reduce Religious Prejudice", author unknown.
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A Story about Detachment
"One day, my son brought a gerbil home to live with us. We put it in a cage. Some time later, the gerbil escaped. For the next six months, the animal ran frightened and wild through the house. So did we - chasing it. "There it is. Get it!" we'd scream, each time someone spotted the gerbil. I, or my son, would throw down whatever we were working on, race across the house, and lunge at the animal hoping to catch it.
I worried about it, even when we didn't see it. "This isn't right", I'd think. "I can't have a gerbil running loose in the house. We've got to catch it. We've got to do something." A small animal, the size of a mouse had the entire household in a tizzy.
One day, while sitting in the living room, I watched the animal scurry across the hallway. In a frenzy, I started to lunge at it, as I usually did, then I stopped myself. No, I said. I'm all done. If that animal wants to live in the nooks and crannies of this house, I'm going to let it. I'm done worrying about it. I'm done chasing it. It's an irregular circumstance, but that's just the way it's going to have to be.
I let the gerbil run past without reacting. I felt slightly uncomfortable with my new reaction - not reacting - but I stuck to it anyway. I got more comfortable with my new reaction - not reacting. Before long, I became downright peaceful with the situation. I had stopped fighting the gerbil. One afternoon, only weeks after I started practicing my new attitude, the gerbil ran by me, as it had so many times, and I barely glanced at it. The animal stopped in its tracks, turned around, and looked at me. I started to lunge at it. It started to run away. I relaxed.
"Fine", I said. "Do what you want." And I meant it. One hour later, the gerbil came and stood by me, and waited. I gently picked it up and placed it in its cage, where it has lived happily ever since. The moral of the story? Don't lunge at the gerbil. He's already frightened, and chasing him just scares him more and makes us crazy. Detachment works."
This story was taken from the book, "The Language of Letting Go", by Melody Beattie, pp. 344-45. She is also the author of "Co-dependent No More" and "Beyond Codependency".
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STRESS MASTERY IN CHANGING TIMES
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By Robin S. Sharma, LL.M., Ontario, Canada (Editor's Note: This article is taken from 'Sharma Leadership Report', Volume 2, No. 5, by Robin Sharma. He has also written two excellent and highly recommended books, 'The Monk who Sold His Ferrari' and "Leadership Wisdom from The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari'. Website is: www.robinsharma.com)
We live in a high-pressure world. Your customers demand more from you than ever before, your colleagues expect greater results in less time and by the time you have mastered one technology, it's often obsolete. The constant change in the marketplace and in society is so vast it makes your head spin. More new information was produced in the past 30 years than in the entire 5000 year period from 3000 BC to 1965. The effect of these new challenges has been to create an invisible epidemic, one that has the potential to rob you of your productivity, creativity and effectiveness like no other. The name of this culprit? Stress.
Here are seven lessons you can apply to master stress and stay focused in these turbulent times:
1. Reframe the Negative as Positive. Stress is essentially a matter of perception. While giving a presentation to a group of 100 prospects might strike fear in the heart of one sales professional, it will be viewed as a superb business opportunity to another. Stress mastery is all about thought mastery and the more effectively you can reframe seemingly negative events as positive circumstances, the more inspired, productive and energetic you will remain. When a stressor appears, ask yourself: "is there a better way of interpreting this situation?" or "will this really matter 3 years from now?" Remember, all setbacks offer growth lessons and all failure is essential to success.
2. Continuously Grow. The best way to manage change is to keep on growing. Ironically, by clinging to old pathways of thought and action in the hope of finding a little security in these change-crazed times, you are actually putting yourself in the most insecure position possible. The pace of change in our world will only increase as we advance into the new millennium so accept and embrace it. Make the decision to become a change master and begin to see yourself as a lifelong student. Read for 30 minutes a day, go to training seminars and listen to educational and motivational audiocassettes in your car. By expanding your own professional knowledge base you will not only thrive on the change that you will inevitably face, you will be in a position to add greater value to your organization.
3. Focus the Essential. With all the demands on your time, you simply cannot do everything. The person who tries to do everything ultimately achieves nothing. Or as Confucius noted so many years ago: "The man who chases two rabbits catches neither." Peak performers have a clear sense of the activities that are worthy of their time and those that contribute little to their professional and personal missions. They then have the self-discipline to focus only on their best activities, the ones that create the results they desire. Focusing on the essential is the golden key to time management and life fulfillment. As management guru Peter Drucker observed: "There is nothing so useless as doing efficiently that which should not be done at all."
4. Plan Your Time. If you don't make the time to schedule your priorities in your daily planner, someone else's priorities will get scheduled into your daily planner. All peak performing men and women understand that time is their most precious resource and guard it wisely. Set aside 30 minutes every Sunday night for your weekly planning session and ask yourself this very powerful question: "What goals do I need to accomplish over the next 7 days for me to feel this week was a success?" Write these small but essential goals down and schedule a time for their achievement into your daily organizer. Remember, the days slip into weeks and the weeks slip into months and the months slip into years. If you don't act on life, life will act on you. Get control of your time and make your weeks count.
5. Work Smarter, Not Harder. Tear yourself away from the outdated mindset that says "to be more productive, you must work harder." In these pressure filled times, that's a recipe for disaster. Adopt a new, more enlightened way to manage yourself and understand that the key to increased effectiveness is to work smarter. Stop focusing on the time spent behind your office desk and, instead, begin concentrating on getting results.
6. Manage Your Environment. We live in an increasingly negative world. Massive corporate downsizing, ever-increasing levels of competition and constant access to mind-numbing news stories are only a few of the influences that can adversely affect our attitudes and thought-processes if left unchecked over time. To master stress and maintain high levels of enthusiasm, meticulously guard the information you expose yourself to. Ruthlessly assess the nature of your environment to ensure that you are surrounding yourself with the best influences available. Associate with positive people. Make your office an oasis of excellence and inspiration. Make your car a mobile learning center through tapes and energizing messages. Avoid anything that detracts from the clear, focused mindset you know will lead you to success. As Gandhi said: "I will not let anyone walk through my mind with their dirty feet."
7. Make Time for Yourself. Ultimately, the best way to manage stress effectively is to manage yourself effectively. Have the wisdom to understand that success on the outside truly begins within. Carve out time every week to commune with nature or listen to beautiful music or get a relaxing massage. Discover the renewing power of visualization and meditation and ensure that you find a few minutes during your busy week to enjoy a little silence. Time invested in revitalizing your self is never a waste of time. Rather, it is an excellent use of your time as it makes every remaining hour of your week far more productive and dynamic. Begin to manage yourself better. Get to know yourself and craft a serious action plan for personal development. You will quickly meet with higher levels of success and feel far less stress. As Churchill said: "The price of greatness is responsibility."
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"So long as the thoughts of an individual are scattered he will achieve no results, but if his thinking be concentrated on a single point wonderful will be the fruits thereof. One cannot obtain the full force of the sunlight when it is cast on a flat mirror, but once the sun shineth upon a concave mirror, or on a lens that is convex, all its heat will be concentrated on a single point, and that one point will burn the hottest. Thus it is necessary to focus one's thinking on a single point so that it will become an effective force." (Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, pp. 110 -11)
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A RESPONSE ABOUT SKILLED PHYSICIANS
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By Annette Cox, Tennessee, U.S.A.
The important question of what could be the criteria for patients to find out who could be considered a "skillful physician" and who should not, has only been touched on the surface and has not yet been discussed thoroughly. What should be considered before a decision is made as to whether to visit a specific physician? Some examples include: formal education at Universities, a doctor's title, reported healing successes by other patients and other factors. ( from the article: 'A Response on Different Issues Covered in the Newsletter", Volume 3, Issue #3)
As a side note to my comment below, I want to share that I am a Physical Therapist with a master's degree in Physical Therapy. I have changed in my attitude toward MD's over the years for a variety of reasons. I have chosen Alternative healing methods over Allopathic ones because they work (generally). However, I do use physicians such as MDs or DOs, Chiropractors, Acupuncturists, Homeopaths, Massage Therapists and Herbalists (plus anyone who seems to have a body of knowledge about any particular subject) to provide me with choices, options, and information because Baha'u'llah, Abdu'l-Baha, and Shoghi Effendi urge us to consult skilled physicians.
I have established a few criteria by which I choose or reject my physicians because I am not necessarily qualified to assess their training. Therefore, I must rely on my assessment of their spiritual and psychological profile.
1 Does the physician really listen to what I say or seem to be humoring me, just waiting to get past me and do his/her thing?
2 Does the physician ever say. . . I don't know, but I will find out?
3. Does the physician get insulted if I ask questions such as why?, is there any alternative treatment?, are there any negative side effects?, and what consequences will occur if I don't follow your advice?
4 Is the physician either skilled in or if not skilled in them - positive in their assessment of Alternative Healing methods?
5 Does the physician give me an opportunity to be an active part of the healing process or is it clear he/she feels she will heal me despite myself?
6 Does the physician believe in God and will he/she allow me to ask for prayer before surgery or major treatments? Does he/she offer prayer as a help in healing?
I have found that I can use a very technically skilled physician who doesn't meet all the criteria but I cannot get good care from one who doesn't meet the first three criteria. I believe that all persons should take responsibility for their own health and that of their children which necessitates developing a set of criteria by which one does assess their healers.
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LAUGHTER ROOM
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The following excerpts are taken from an article called "Comic Relief" from the magazine "Country Living's Healthy Living", September/October 1999 issue, printed in the U.S.A. Leslie Martin, who wrote the article, looks at the very real connection between humor and healing.
"...Humor is healing, scientists now know. Here's why: When we laugh our body temperature rises, our pulse and blood pressure drop, our breathing deepens, and our muscles relax. Plus, our immune system is invigorated. How so? A bout of robust laughter activates our immune-cell infantry - via the lymphocytes( also called T-cells) that battle invading microorganisms - and accelerates the production of both immunity-boosting gamma interferon and new immune cells. Laughter also releases endorphins, our natural painkillers, while it markedly decreases levels of stress hormone cortisol, which can sabotage the immune system.
Though this technical explanation reads about as humorously as a page from the 'Physician's Desk Reference', the message is a merry one. In a word: Laugh. That's the advice of a clinical psychologist Paul Pearsall, who includes a quotation from 17th-century physician Thomas Sydenham in his book, 'The Pleasure Prescription'. "The arrival of a good clown exercises more beneficial influence upon the health of a town than 200 asses laden with drugs."
Fast forward nearly 400 years: Today clowns abound in medical centres and clinics across the United States. "For babies and kids especially, hospitals are horrifying environments," says pediatrician John Woolley, M.D. "What a gift when someone imaginative can distract young patients from their terror and pain. Laughter energizes them and literally gets them out of bed." Stanford Medical Centre in Palo Alto, California, where Woolley practiced from the late 1960s through the 70s, was one of the first hospitals in the country to introduce a play program in the children's ward.
Among Woolley's most poignant memories are those of the frizzy-wigged Play Lady and the magical effect her games and tricks had on frightened, desperately sick children. "I'd enter a ward expecting to find one of my young leukemia patients fearing the next IV hookup or a burn victim in extreme discomfort after an operation," he recalls. "Instead, much to my alarm, I'd see a vacant bed. Sure enough, no matter how sick they were, these little kids - 2 - and 4-years-old - would be off in the playing room with the Play Lady, giggling, their faces bright and their minds taken off the terror of spinal taps and transfusions."
The Big Apple Circus Clown Care Unit tours 11 pediatric hospitals from New York City to Seattle, performing such procedures as red-nose transplants, kitty-CAT scans, and chocolate-milk transfusions. "A child's natural need to laugh can get lost in the tangle of hospital procedures," says Big Apple Circus cofounder Michael Christensen, who created the unit 13 years ago. So the 64 "doctors of delight", professional clowns who undergo rigorous training for their hospital duties, dispense laughter as the chief medical treatment, helping their young audience fight fears along the way. "When a child begins to laugh, it means he's probably beginning to feel better," observes John M. Driscoll Jr., M.D., the pediatrics-department chairman of Babies and Children's Hospital at Columbia Presbyterian Centre in Manhattan. "I see clowns as healers."
It's not only children who benefit from laughter in a hospital setting. "When we on the medical staff call on own sense of play and self-parody, everyone around us can relax and laugh, too," comments Daniel Doolan. R.N. Doolan makes the rounds in northern California hospitals on a unicycle, executing fancy tricks with a yo-yo as much to the delight of his colleagues as to that of patients in trauma units or psychiatric wards and their families. "And what a joy to watch a smile brighten a worried mother's face," he says.
Reverend Gina Rose Halpern, the executive director of Healing Through Arts, based in Berkeley, California, often dons a scarlet-red clown's nose and, in a silly falsetto, croons to many ill patients - children and adults. "Laughter opens people's hearts. It's a truly holistic form of healing," she observes. Halpern's skills served her well during her 1995 visit to Russian hospitals, orphanages, and homeless shelters with Patch Adams, the physician, clown, and social activist. (Editor's Note: There is a recent movie available on video titled "Patch Adams" which is about his life.)
...While most of us aren't hooked up to an IV, suffering from debilitating illness, or administering to the sick, we can still reap the benefits of a good laugh. And we don't have to break into a side-splitting guffaw, either. Even an optimistic outlook does wonders for general health. In 'Relax: You May Only Have a Few Minutes Left', lecturer Loretta LaRoche, a member of the Mind/Body Medical Centre in Boston, advises readers to reframe stressful events with humor. The next time your stress level elevates - whether it's triggered by a conniving worker or an epic traffic jam - she suggests writing an impromptu sit-com episode about the problem. This exercise will help you detach from situations that make you crazy - and even find humor in them. It also nurtures new habits - difficult but doable - that can positively affect your sense of well-bring. "Finding even a hint of comedy in tragedy goes a long way toward putting things in perspective, "Daniel Doolan offers. "Both in the hospital and out, compassionate laughter and a positive attitude are keys to wellness, to healing, and to preventing ailments."
So in sickness and in health, laughing matters. And, unlike most medicine, it requires no prescription, causes no side effects, and carries no risk of overdose: No one, after all, has ever really died laughing."
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HEALTH HABITS
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Here are some essential elements for our spiritual and physical health provided by a physician who has practiced for more than 35 years under the guidance of the Baha'i teachings.
Trust in God
Consult a skilled physician and follow his instructions
Practice detachment from all save God
Practice moderation
Pray and meditate daily; read the Creative Word morning and evening
Be happy always
Simplify
Focus
Practice patience
Cleanliness
Eat simple, natural plant foods
Drink adequate pure water
Evaluate progress daily, summarize weekly
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LETTERS
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We would like to thank you for sharing the Healing Through Unity newsletter with our community. It was sent just on time....we will be translating it and putting it in our News Bulletin. We are truly not aware of the spiritual power that surrounds us. Thank you again.
- Office of the Secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Turkey..............................
It is a rainy Sunday afternoon here in southern Chile and quite by accident I ran across the "Healing Through Unity" newsletter and wanted to get a little more information about it if possible. I am a Naturopathic Doctor and Master Herbalist and have been pioneering in Chile for 27 years now and practicing as a Health Care Professional here for 15 years. I was happy to see your efforts over the web. As isolated as we are down here, I've felt that there weren't too many Baha'is involved in the Natural Healing field, so I never made much of an extensive effort to get in touch with the friends who might be serving and working this way.....I would greatly appreciate any news, contacts, seminars, get togethers, pioneers working in this field, etc. that you might be able to put me in touch with.
- Dr. Reed Chandler, Chile................................
Although I live in the Marshall Islands, located in the midmost heart of the Pacific Ocean, I just read about your newsletter "Healing Through Unity" in the Alaska Baha'i News, so one never knows where a message may end up....
- Carol Curtis, Marshall Island*******************
COMMUNITY
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(Editor's Note: When I read this poem, it brought to mind what we are striving to do as a world community through the "Healing Through Unity" Newsletter to bring health and healing for ourselves and each other. May you enjoy it, too.)
Community
by Starhawk, 'Dreaming in the Dark'
Somewhere, there are people
to whom we can speak with passion
without having the words catch in our throats.
Somewhere a circle of hands will open to receive us,
eyes will light up as we enter, voices will celebrate with us
whenever we come into our own power.
Community means strength that joins our strength
to do the work that needs to be done.
Arms to hold us when we falter.
A circle of healing. A circle of friends.
Someplace where we can be free.****************************************
QUESTION OF THE MONTH
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"All art is a gift of the Holy Spirit. When this light shines through the mind of a musician, it manifests itself in beautiful harmonies. Again, shining through the mind of a poet, it is seen in fine poetry and poetic prose. When the Light of the Sun of Truth inspires the mind of a painter, he produces marvelous pictures. These gifts are fulfilling their highest purpose, when showing forth the praise of God." (Extract from a reported utterance of Abdu'l-Baha in 'The Chosen Highway' by Lady Blomfield, p. 167)
How can music, poetry, dance and the arts be used as a healing medium? How can these mediums be applied in our everyday lives? How are you affected when being creative?
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PURPOSE OF THE NEWSLETTER
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"Healing Through Unity" is published for the purpose of sharing thoughts, comments and experiences on how the teachings of the Baha'i Faith are being applied to our physical and spiritual health. Other than the quoted Holy Writings, the material in this newsletter represents the thoughts and opinions of the writers and has no authority. You are free to copy articles, provided you indicate the source of the article. If you have a change of e-mail address or wish to unsubscribe the newsletter, please inform me. There are 10 issues per year; it is not published during July and August. The newsletter is produced in Ontario, Canada.
Please send your stories, comments, suggestions or "Question for the Month" ideas to Frances Mezei by e-mail: -- .
PLEASE NOTE:
Many thanks to all of you who sent such wonderful contributions for "Healing Through Unity" Newsletter. The decision to select and edit material submitted for publication is determined by the editor and editorial board.
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WEB SITE
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You can visit the website, obtain back issues and the Healing Through Unity Course at: http://www.healingthroughunity.org
HEALING THROUGH UNITY
January, 2000
A monthly newsletter dedicated to serving the principles of
physical and spiritual health envisioned in the Baha'i Teachings.
Volume 3, Issue #5
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CONTENTS
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- The Piano
- The Exchange
- 'The Ground I Walk' - Book
- Exploring Our Creativity
- A Response on Detachment From All Save God
- Laughter Room
- Baha'i Health Agency of South Africa Faces a Big Challenge Today
- Announcements
- Health Habits
- Question of the Month
- Purpose of the Newsletter
- Website
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THE PIANO
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Author Unknown
Wishing to encourage her young son's progress on the piano, a mother took her boy to a Paderewski concert. After they were seated, the mother spotted a friend in the audience and walked down the aisle to greet her. Seizing the opportunity to explore the wonders of the concert hall, the little boy rose and eventually explored his way through a door marked "NO ADMITTANCE." When the houselights dimmed and the concert was about to begin, the mother returned to her seat and discovered that the child was missing.
Suddenly, the curtains parted and spotlights focused on the impressive Steinway on stage. In horror, the mother saw her little boy sitting at the keyboard, innocently picking out "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star." At that moment, the great piano master made his entrance, quickly moved to the piano, and whispered in the boy's ear, "Don't quit. Keep playing." Then leaning over, Paderewski reached down with his left hand and began filling in a bass part. Soon his right arm reached around to the other side of the child and he added a running obbligato. Together, the old master and the young novice transformed a frightening situation into a wonderfully creative experience. And the audience was mesmerized.
Whatever our situation in life and history--however outrageous, however desperate, whatever dry spell of the spirit, whatever dark night of the soul--God is whispering deep within our beings, "Don't quit. Keep playing. You are not alone, together we will transform the broken patterns into a masterwork of my creative art. Together, we will mesmerize the world with our song of peace."
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"...It is natural for the heart and spirit to take pleasure and enjoyment in all things that show forth symmetry, harmony, and perfection. For instance: a beautiful house, a well designed garden, a symmetrical line, a graceful motion, a well written book, pleasing garments - in fact, all things that have in themselves grace or beauty are pleasing to the heart and spirit - therefore, it is most certain that a true voice causes deep pleasure....Some feelings occur accidentally and some have a foundation. For example: some people are naturally kind, but they may be accidentally upset by a wave of anger. But if they hear music, the true nature will reassert itself. Music really awakens the real, natural nature, the initial essence..." (Abdu'l-Baha's words to Mrs. Mary L.Lucas, as quoted in 'A Brief Account of My Visit to Acca', published by the Baha'i Publishing Society, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A)
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THE EXCHANGE
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Question:
How can music, poetry, dance and the arts be used as a healing media? How can these mediums be applied in our everyday lives? How are you affected when being creative?
Answers:
A little over a year ago I found art as a means of sharing my personal story of abuse and being able to reach others. I had never tried art before but as I did the paintings for my talk I discovered new insights I had missed. I have always written poetry over the years and over the past two years have shared some Baha'i poetry I have written. This newsletter printed a poem I had written called "Baha'u'llah I've got the Blues" (Volume 2, Issue #2). This poem was about the tests I was dealing with while trying to finish the project I was doing for our small Canadian Arctic community of 3500 people in Hay River NWT. Between December 1996 and August 1997 there were 5 deaths by suicide, 3 youths under 17 and 2 adults. During this time there were three other attempts that are known and only God knows the ones that are unreported. I attended and participated in a couple of community forums to try to find solutions and work towards healing our community. I asked God and said a number of prayers for guidance. What came of this was a sense that I was to share my own story and healing journey. This was not going to be easy or fun. I dug up some of the poetry I had written as a teenager. I painted to explore some of the poems and just painted to explore some of my feelings. I had always been able to verbalize and be clear mentally what had occurred but the release of the pain seemed to elude me. I knew something good had to come of the abuse or I would never be free of it. It was the paintings and art that gave me the courage to share the story and help others face theirs. Legally in a court of law it is stated that I am alive today purely through an act of God. Baha'u'llah through art helped me find a way to change the pain into action and healing. I ended up with 9 paintings in my presentation and so far have given it 4 times with further requests.
- Lyda Greer, Northwest Territories, Canada***********
The arts such as music, poetry and dance should bring and influence the True Love. True Love which is a communion of the hearts is the healing. Through the influence of this force everyone's perception should irresistibly be drawn to the divine bounties, to the common bond of unity which shall undoubtedly conquer the ugly spectacle of malice, discord, hate and war.
- Dr Fereidoun Abbasi, United Kingdom**********
"At the age of five, our daughter asked to have a piano with some lessons. However, our budget did not allow for a piano nor our small place could not fit a piano. We asked her to make a second choice and she decided on the flute. I also had to find someone who was willing to teach a young child music. Finally, by her sixth birthday we started to rent a flute on a monthly basis, we made sure that if she changed her mind we wouldn't be tied to payments and that we could return the flute. My husband and I had to make some sacrifices and budget modification to afford a $20 half hour weekly lesson, over and above the cost of the monthly rental and insurance of the flute. We sacrificed our weekly Sunday Brunch outing to the 'cow place' and "Daddy" even offered to make the brunch at home instead. But, we were so happy at being able to offer our daughter the opportunity we never had when we were her age.
Now, almost three years later, she is playing Mozart's "Eine Klein Natchtmusic" and some of Bach's most cherished pieces such as "Sheep May Safely Graze", etc. She is also talking about going to Julliard's when she grows up, and her dream is to perform on top of Mount Carmel for her beloved Abdu'l-Baha in front of the Shrine of the Bab. Every morning on our way to school we listen to classical music on the radio.
I wanted to share my story to inspire you to think there is always room for change in our lives and room for improvement. All we need is a little creative thinking and a lot of heart."
- Shekoo Jokic, from "Parenting in the New World Order", Volume 7, Issue #6, February 1998************
I recently started to play the trumpet and have noticed something very interesting. The primary role in the instruction process for me is to strengthen the muscles surrounding the mouth (referred to as the embouchure). After four months of practice and lessons, I have learned that if I practice on the mouthpiece (without the trumpet) for about an hour a day, the sound from the trumpet becomes much clearer and sharper. I have learned that a lot of individuals who play the trumpet in bands, etc. practice up to 3 or 4 hours a day. Wow, when I started, I thought playing would be a lot quicker and a lot less work.
Now I am able to see that for everything beautiful in life, training and hard work is needed, and continuous training. I can start to understand the long training necessary for the wonderful singers in order to develop the precision of their voices. We all see the results of extensive training of figure skaters who start at such early ages. Naturally, this same process applies to all of our physical and learning activities.
Imagine the importance of the training of virtues that young children receive from an early age. Perseverance in training by the mother (and father) is so important in this role.
I started to play the trumpet at age sixty, but often wonder what would have happened if I started at age six.
- Anonymous, Canada***************************************
'THE GROUND I WALK' - BOOK
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By Neda Najibi, Texas, U.S.A
(Editor's Note: The following beautiful poems were submitted by Neda Najibi which were written for her new book titled "The Ground I Walk". Neda was born in Tehran, Iran in 1966 and she moved to Chicago, Illinois with her family in 1969. She began to write at age thirteen and went on to graduate from California State University Northridge in 1995 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism. She has written many articles and poems for newspapers, Consumer News for KEY-TV and community volunteer programs. To purchase a copy of her new book contact PEACE by Piece Publishing P.O. Box 200064, Austin, TX 78720. Her website is: http://www.farsinet.com/neda/TheGroundIWalkOn.html)
LOVE AND PAIN
Reads from the point of view of love and painBeating was the heart
Love answered
and then
Pain enteredLove asked:
"Why have you come?"
Pain replied:
"Love, it is because of me you stand."Love reluctant to answer, shortly thereafter remarked:
"I don't want to feel you!"Pain answered:
"I know, but I cannot control that which is."He embraced love and in return Love accepted him, but only as a visitor.
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SOMEHOW
In the corner of a room
I find myself an empty chair.
My mind is busy, worried
But I don't know what about
It thinks and thinks.I stare at no one
Because there's no one here
So, I begin to cry
Believe me, I don't know why.
You see, my insides are worried also,
But I don't know what about.
It turns and a sinking feeling occurs every two seconds or so.I continue to cry...
Now nervous because I'm afraid someone will come in
And I don't like to look weak
So, I try to stop the tears
I take a deep breath and you know
Now I want to cry,
It feels good somehow, so I do
But now I've added sound
It feels better this way, somehow.A few minutes pass and I kind of want to know what I look like
So I open my compact and I stare at myself
And I cry so I can see myself crying
I like it somehowOkay I've decided it's enough
And I notice how red my eyes are and how red my nose is
I feel like I've accomplished something and I want to thank myself for a job
well done.Sounds weird, but it feels good, somehow.
No one ever came in,
So no one saw me.
Honestly, I think maybe I wanted someone to...***************************************
EXPLORING OUR CREATIVITY
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By Frances Mezei, Ontario, Canada
In October, 1994, a few friends and I organized a workshop called "The Arts and the Three Year Plan" which was held in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. We invited speakers to talk on various topics such as Art and Crafts, Storytelling, Poetry/Writing and Music/Drama. We also prepared this exercise for our friends and you may enjoy trying it out as well.
"We are all creative beings and we can allow our lives to become our work of art. Do you have certain creative longings such as learning to sing, write, paint or act, but feel there are barriers or limitations in the way of achieving your goals? The following questions will help you reflect on your feelings about developing your creative abilities."
1. Do you feel that it is too late for you to develop your creative talents?
2. Are you waiting until you make enough money to do something you'd really love to do creatively?
3. Is fear holding you back from expressing yourself creatively?
4. Are you afraid of what your family and friends would think of your efforts to be creative?
5. Do you feel that you are not good enough to explore your own creativity? Being an artist myself, I will share some tips that I have learned throughout the years when creating different works of art.
- It is very important to listen, trust and follow our dreams of what we desire to create.
- It is important to make art about what we are really interested in, not what we should be interested in. We do best what we love to do.
- When we conceptualize and inhabit on the imagination realm, we can manifest and materialize it into a physical form. There is a saying "Seeing is believing". Therefore, we use our mind's eye to give the imagination shape into a tangible, solid form.
- We need faith that we can create certain works of art. In the book "The Vein of Gold: A Journey To Your Creative Heart" by Julia Cameron, on page 35, the writer shares "Consider the possibility that our dreams and desires are the voice of our soul, the God-voice awake within us, dreaming of expression and expansion through our daring and our faith. We walk into that faith, that daring, a step at a time."
- Listen and follow our inner voice which has its own unique style of expression. Try to avoid being sidetracked by other people's feelings and opinions.
- Throughout the day, we all get inspiration and excellent ideas. Write them down in our diaries, set of cards, notepad, etc. Review them from time to time.
- When we become aware of our creative patterns, we will learn how to take charge, revise and refine them.
- Set aside time to develop our creative talents daily or weekly and be strongly disciplined with this habit. This habit will serve to keep us focused, motivated and effective.
- Read books about well known artists and learn from their training and experience.
- Enjoy the process of being creative with patience which allows us to see, and be encouraged by tiny increments of growth. Be tolerant when we make mistakes which are in reality lessons to be learned.
- We are not always inspired to create and produce; we need time and balance for reflection, rest and breaks.
- To develop our talents will bring us hours of sheer pleasure and happiness.*********
"O people of Baha! The source of crafts, sciences and arts is the power of reflection. Make ye every effort that out of this ideal mine there may gleam forth such pearls of wisdom and utterance as will promote the well-being and harmony of all the kindreds of the earth." (Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 72)
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"Although now is only the very beginning of Baha'i art, yet the friends who feel they are gifted in such matters should endeavour to develop and cultivate their gifts and through their works to reflect, however, inadequately, the Divine spirit which Baha'u'llah has breathed into the world." (Shoghi Effendi, letter to an individual believer, Nov. 4, 1937)
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"There will be a new art, a new architecture, fused of all the beauty of the world of the past, but new." (Abdu'l-Baha, Star of the West IV, pp. 30-31)
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A RESPONSE ON DETACHMENT FROM ALL SAVE GOD
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Here is another answer to the question asked in the November, 1999 issue: There are many references in the Baha'i Writings about detachment from all save God. What is your understanding of this? How can we be detached and live a spiritual life in this world? What kind of things do you think can turn us away from God?
Here is the story of one small process toward detachment. In my case, it was detachment from coffee. At 45 years of age, I felt depleted of energy reserves, depleted of memory and alertness. I have sustained a demanding life for many years -- as medical student, doctor, mother, active Bahaíi, etc. Coffee was one way to "keep going, get through the day, feel good again, and think." It also provided hand-warming on cold mornings, comfort, pleasant taste, and sociability.
But it had quit working so well. The energy stores it had drawn out for some 20 years felt depleted, gone. An article by Dr. Christine Northrup, author of "Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom", confirmed these thoughts and explained the physiology I had suspected but not seen described before. It also told how to wean oneself from coffee, and minimize the psychological and physical hardships (headaches) of quitting. So I found a coffee substitute (Cafrix and decaffeinated coffee are some choices), started mixing it with coffee at increasing proportions, and began the weaning process.
The next stage came about a month later, when I decided to enroll as a patient of Dr. Bill Saunders, Georgia, U.S.A., for the second time. I already had received his "General Health Program" by e-mail months before. I had read his list of "Spiritual Health Habits" each month in "Healing Through Unity." After clearing out some doubts and inner conflicts by a preliminary e-mail to him, I was ready to enroll -- a step at a time.
Starting the "Health Program" involved completing a detailed "Patient Information Form," which asked my health history, family history, goals, and commitments. Among the commitments I made was to "Continue to wean from caffeine." Dr. Saunders affirmed this goal -- as he has affirmed, but never pushed, any goal Iíve set.
Implementing the "Spiritual Health Habits" included these changes: drinking at least eight cups of water daily; finding ways to eat progressively more plant-derived, simple foods and less animal-derived, complex foods; finding ways to rest when tired; and seeking contentment (another of my goals).
And here are the results in detachment from coffee: Within four weeks of starting the "Health Program," I was off caffeinated coffee. It was great to feel able to NOT drink coffee without suffering headaches. I can enjoy decaffeinated coffee, without the old familiar compulsion - I can take it or leave it. Even earlier, within about 10 days of starting the Program, I had quit feeling the need for the supplements taken all summer (Gingko Biloba, St. Johnís Wort, Ginseng, and B-complex). My energy, mood, and memory became, and have remained markedly improved. Other positive changes have included: less hand joint pain and constipation, and disappearance of an intense, longstanding chocolate craving! Food cravings are minimal, yet a budding inclination toward healthful food needs is emerging. I experience calm and gratefulness frequently.
While this dependence on caffeine was minor compared to the debilitating attachments faced by many of us, the experience of detaching gave me courage, and may assist others.
- by Hannah Rishel, Arizona, U.S.A.********
Here is Abdu'l-Baha's prayer for freedom from addictions:
" O Divine Providence! Bestow Thou in all things purity and cleanliness upon the people of Baha. Grant that they be freed from all defilement, and released from all addictions. Save them from committing any repugnant act, unbind them from the chains of every evil habit, that they may live pure and free, wholesome and cleanly, worthy to serve at Thy Sacred Threshold and fit to be related to their Lord. Deliver them from intoxicating drinks and tobacco, save them, rescue them, from this opium that bringeth on madness, suffer them to enjoy the sweet savours of holiness, that they may drink deep of the mystic cup of heavenly love and know the rapture of being drawn ever closer unto the Realm of the All-Glorious..." (Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, pp 149-50)
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LAUGHTER ROOM
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Abdu'l-Baha's Laughter Through The Eyes of the Early Believers in America Abdu'l-Baha had a delightful sense of humor and loved to laugh. His laughter was often described by the early believers of the Baha'i Faith in their stories and books that they have written. A few examples are printed below and if you are aware of others, please share them with us so they can be printed in the laughter room.
Howard Colby Ives, a Unitarian minister, seeking long and ardently for spiritual happiness, met Abdu'l-Baha in New York in 1912, and was thrown into a complete turmoil by His dynamic influence. In Mr.Ives' book " Portals to Freedom", pages 193 - 94, he shares:
"One of these fascinating and provocative characteristics was His ready laughter when alluding to subjects usually approached with extreme gravity. For instance: on the last day in New York I had my final personal interview with Him. I was saying good-bye and my heart was sad. Haltingly, I expressed this sorrow that He was leaving the country and that, in all probability, I should never see Him again. We were standing. It was actually the last goodbye. Abdu'l-Baha laid His arm across my shoulders and walked with me to the door, saying that I should be with Him in all the worlds of God. And then He laughed - a hearty, ringing laugh - and I: my eyes blinded with tears. - "Why does He laugh?" I thought. Nevertheless, these words, and even more, the tone in which they were uttered, and His joyous laughter, have been an illuminating light upon my path through all these years."In the "Diary of Juliet Thompson", page 314, Juliet, an artist, wrote "I am going to tell you something funny," He (Abdu'l-Baha) said, adding in English," a joke". "Oh tell it!" we begged; and now I was in sort of hysteria, laughing and crying at the same time. "No, Not now. Paint." But of course I couldn't paint. Later, walking up and down, He laughed again. "I am thinking of My joke," he explained. "Tell it!" we pleaded. "No, I cannot, for every time I try to tell it I laugh so I cannot speak." In another instance on page 254, when May Maxwell, Juliet and Abdu'l-Baha had a delightful visit together, Juliet became concerned and asked "Don't we tire You?" I asked a little later. "Oughtn't we to leave You now?" "No stay. You rest Me. You make me laugh!" He answered."
Ramona Allen Brown in her book "Memories of Abdu'-Baha", page 78, shares "The Master often laughed when He was speaking to the 'Peach Tree' and on other occasions as well. I knew He was not laughing at us but with us. He had a fine sense of humor. Once Abdu'l-Baha laughed so heartily at our questions and observations that His turban became disarranged. As He lifted His hands to straighten it, he smiled as though we had a joke between us."
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BAHA'I HEALTH AGENCY OF SOUTH AFRICA
FACES A BIG CHALLENGE TODAY
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By Roya Shams, Coordinator of Baha'i Health Agency of South Africa
In South Africa, the Baha'i Health Agency is facing a very challenging period of time, dealing with the problem of Aids Disease. The Aids problem is unfortunately wiping out our country silently but rapidly. At present time, there is an estimate of six million people of the country affected by HIV. The majority of these people are black, women and between the ages of 20 to 29. The Ministry of Health has announced that about 22.3% of the country is affected by the disease. One out of four women who attends the antenatal clinic is HIV positive. The AZT medication is no longer offered to patients in the hospitals and only the people who have private medical insurance can afford to pay for the medication. The Ministry thinks that by the year 2002, there will be one million orphans in the country.
It is really devastating and terribly sad, to see what is happening here. The Ministry of Health has a lot of hope for the Baha'is to do something for the country. A few weeks ago the Minister invited religious representatives at a national level to a consulting session, held in Johannesburg, discussing what the religious groups can do for the country. Three members of the Baha'i Health Agency were invited to the meeting. It was an interesting session. Repeatedly the law of chastity was claimed to be the only solution for the prevention of this devastating disease. We had a very good opportunity to present the Faith and to emphasize the law of chastity before marriage and faithfulness to the marriage. The Minister has a lot of hope in the Baha'is to have some impact on the solution of this disease.
We, the Baha'is, must work very hard now to help our people in this country. We have to put all our effort in educating the people, organizing seminars on the prevention of the disease as well as training our Baha'i communities to learn how to provide counseling to the affected people. The task is enormous, and what is needed is a willingness and enthusiasm to help, even if the degree of help is minimal compared to the magnitude of the disaster. WE MUST FEEL THE PAIN AND HELP THE PEOPLE HERE.
(Editor's Note: If any of the readers have any thoughts, ideas or experiences in this area to assist with this tragic situation, please write to Roya Shams at: dshams@netactive.co.za. There is a website organized by the Baha'i Network on AIDS, Sexuality, Addictions and Abuse in Canada at: www.globweb.com/bnasaa.)
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
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A READER SEEKS A PEN PAL
My husband and I have been pioneering in the Northern Mariana Islands for the past 7 years and will continue to do so, even with all the challenges we face. I have been diagnosed with Breast Cancer, Stage 3, metastasized. I am being treating totally with surgery and alternative, natural ways very successfully during the past year, in spite of pressures from the surgeons. NO chemotherapy or radiation. I feel great.
Now to my request. I would very much like to have a pen pal (support) from anywhere in the world, from someone that is facing the same problem and using natural treatments. Although I have an excellent naturopathic doctor and local support, no one here actually faces my challenges in the same way. It would be helpful to "talk" with another woman facing the same challenges. Please e-mail direct to Anna Crawford at: anaharry@gtepacifica.net
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A BAHA'I CONFERENCE ON HEALTH AND HEALING
Are you intensely interested in health and healing? Have you poured over the Baha'i teachings on health? If you practice a healing discipline, do you long to collaborate with other Baha'i health practitioners? Have you searched the Writings on how to better serve your patients? Have you tried some of the Teachings and observed results? Do you wonder how there can be unity between health disciplines? Do you contemplate how "highly skilled physicians" can gain the skills necessary to assist the world toward the time when "chronic and diversified illnesses will abate, and the general health of all mankind will be much improved." (Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 156)
If any of these questions apply to you, here's your chance to share, learn from, and pray with other friends who have similar goals. You are warmly invited to this conference which is planned for February 11-13, 2000 at Desert Rose Baha'i Institute, Eloy, Arizona. It will start at suppertime Friday and end midday on Sunday. The planning committee needs to have an idea of how many people would like to attend, present, and help with the conference. We ask for your response in one or more of the following ways:
1. If you are a health practitioner and would like to present at this conference, please contact the planning committee with your topic. Please focus on: What results have you seen, through implementing Baha'i teachings on health and healing? We will request an outline of all confirmed presentations, to include in the conference packet.
2. If you are interested in attending, or have suggestions for the conference, please contact the planning committee.
For all contacts, please include: your name, address, phone number, e-mail address, and fax number if available. Also indicate your health discipline or particular interest, and whether you wish to present a talk or workshop.
Planning Committee for the Baha'i Conference on Health and Healing doctor@homeopathycare.com or BCHH, 1150 North Country Club Drive suite 8, Mesa, AZ 85201.
By Randall Robinson, NMD; Hannah Rishel, MD; and Candace McConnell, FNP**************
HEALING THROUGH UNITY COURSE
The Healing Through Unity course materials located in the website www.healingthroughunity.org is now available in Adobe PDF format for easy downloading and printing in addition to its current form in html.
Adobe Acrobat Reader is free, and freely distributable, software that lets you view and print Portable Document Format (PDF) files. Acrobat Reader also lets you fill in and submit PDF forms online. PDF is an acronym for "Portable Document Format." PDF is a file format created by Adobe that lets you view and print a file exactly as the author designed it, without needing to have the same application or fonts used to create the file. Since its introduction in 1993, PDF has become an Internet standard for electronic distribution that faithfully preserves the look and feel of the original document complete with fonts, colors, images, and layout.
You can go to this link: www.adobe.com/prodindex/acrobat/readstep.html and download the Acrobat Reader for free.******************************
HEALTH HABITS
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Here are some essential elements for our spiritual and physical health provided by a physician who has practiced for more than 35 years under the guidance of the Baha'i teachings.
Trust in God
Consult a skilled physician and follow his instructions
Practice detachment from all save God
Practice moderation
Pray and meditate daily; read the Creative Word morning and evening
Be always happy
Simplify
Focus
Practice patience
Cleanliness
Eat simple, natural plant foods
Drink adequate pure water
Evaluate progress daily, summarize weekly
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QUESTION OF THE MONTH
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"There are two ways of healing sickness, material means and spiritual means. The first is by the treatment of physicians; the second consisteth in prayers offered by the spiritual ones to God and in turning to Him. Both means should be used and practised." (Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, pp 151-52)
The Baha'i teachings repeatedly emphasis that the best would be to combine material and spiritual healing when treating illnesses. What is your understanding of this? What experiences, results, and stories have you had when using both physical and spiritual treatments or remedies? How can we train health practitioners to bring spirituality into their work which is sorely lacking in today's society?
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PURPOSE OF THE NEWSLETTER
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"Healing Through Unity" is published for the purpose of sharing thoughts, comments and experiences on how the teachings of the Baha'i Faith are being applied to our physical and spiritual health. Other than the quoted Holy Writings, the material in this newsletter represents the thoughts and opinions of the writers and has no authority. You are free to copy articles, provided you indicate the source of the article. If you have a change of e-mail address or wish to unsubscribe the newsletter, please inform me. There are 10 issues per year; it is not published during July and August. The newsletter is produced in Ontario, Canada.
Please send your stories, comments, suggestions or "Question for the Month" ideas to Frances Mezei by e-mail: -- .
PLEASE NOTE:
Many thanks to all of you who sent such wonderful contributions for "Healing Through Unity" Newsletter. The decision to select and edit material submitted for publication is determined by the editor.
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WEB SITE
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You can visit the website, obtain back issues and the Healing Through Unity Course at: http://www.healingthroughunity.org
HEALING THROUGH UNITY
February, 2000A monthly newsletter dedicated to serving the principles of
physical and spiritual health envisioned in the Baha'i Teachings.Volume 3, Issue #6
_______________________________________________________CONTENTS
-------------------- Dedication
- A Letter From May Maxwell to Agnes Alexander
- The Exchange
- Spiritual Tools for our Health
- Even Science Supports Prayer
- A Creative Idea!
- The Laughter Room
- Arts In Action
- Health Habits
- Question of the Month
- Purpose of the Newsletter
- Website********************
DEDICATION
********************Editor's Note: We lost a very special leader, mentor and friend, Hand of the Cause Amatu'l-Baha Ruhiyyih Khanum who passed away in Haifa, Israel on January 19, 2000. She was 89. She resided there since her marriage in 1937 to the world head of the Baha'i Faith, Shoghi Effendi. Ruhiyyik Khanum held senior positions in the Baha'i community and played a major role in the development of the Baha'i community. She was also a tireless traveler visiting 185 countries over her years of service to the Baha'i community which included spending four years driving her Land-Rover through sub-Saharan Africa to 34 countries. She was also a writer, publishing several books, including "The Priceless Pearl", a biography of her husband and "Prescription for Living", which deals with the application of spiritual principles to practical life. In 1996 she published a collection of her poems written in the months following the death of Shoghi Effendi in 1957, "Poems of the Passing."
I would like to honour her by dedicating this issue to the loving memory of Madame Ruhiyyih Khanum. If you have any stories, memories or articles about Ruhiyyih Khanum that you would like printed in a future issue, please share them with us.
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A LETTER FROM MAY MAXWELL TO AGNES ALEXANDER
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This portion of the letter from May Maxwell (mother of Ruhiyyih Khanum) to Agnes Alexander is from a collection of letters currently held by a believer in California.
243 W. 44th St.,
New York City.
May 7 (1909)My Dearest Agnes,
All of your dear letters have been received and the .... You must have wondered that I could remain so silent in spite of all your love and kindness but you will understand when I tell you that this winter has been one of great physical weakness and suffering for me, so that I have been most of the time unable to write, or to make any effort. A little more than a year ago when I was in Acca I was passing one evening in the twilight in front of the Master's door. His daughter Rouha was with me and in my arms I held her wee babe. I suddenly saw Our Beloved Lord framed in the doorway gazing attentively upon me - then He said - "You love that baby?" "Oh! I love him," I replied - and after a pause Our Lord said: "Come here, come in here," and I stood before Him in His room, with the baby in my arms and Rouha by my side. Then The Blessed one sat looking at us; and he said to me: "Would you like to have a baby?" and I answered, "I should be so happy to have one -" and He said, "Do you know why you never had one? It is because you were a chosen maid servant of God - you were called for the service of God - you could not have children because you had to devote your time to the service of the Cause. This is the only reason; this is the only reason."I stood with bowed head before Him and after a little silence He said "Speak, do you choose to have a child, you may choose!" Then I looked at Him with all my heart and soul and adoration, and I said, "I choose whatever God chooses - I have no choice but His." Although those words were very simple - in them I renounced all hope of Motherhood. Then 'Abdu'l-Baha arose quickly and came to me and clasped me in His arms with the greatest love and joy, and He said: "That is the best choice, the Will of God is the best choice -" and walking up and down the room He continued, "I will pray for you, that God will send you that which is best for you". "Be sure of this, that God will send you that which is best for you -" and this He repeated several times.
Thus ended this never-to-be forgotten scene - but I cannot describe its reality - the deep significance of those moments - the atmosphere of beauty and sanctity which pervaded the little room - the surrender of a soul in the Presence of the Lord - the quiet twilight on earth mingling with the effulgent purity and peace of the Kingdom of God. And regarding the Adored One Himself - what can we say? Such love - such wondrous love - revealed in Face and Voice and Eyes and Touch! A love so tender to understand, so strong to redeem! He desired for me as for all, the highest and best - not the wayward mortal desiring - not even the natural human longings - not even the pure flower of Motherhood - but the surrender of the soul to God by which alone it attains the apex of severance and sanctity, and becomes enkindled with the Fire of Eternal Love.
And so I have told you, my Agnes - of one scene of those divine and perfect days in the Kingdom of God - and in time I shall hope to tell you all - for those days live forever, far above the world - and I long to have you and all the dear ones share their sacred fruits. And now my lamb I am going to confide to you a secret which is the sequel to what I have told you. Our dear Lord has favored His maid servant past all her hope, and by the pure showers of His Bounty has watered the seed of life, and is bringing forth a child. In a few months Inchallah, the babe He is sending to my husband and me will be born, and I beg for your prayers, both for the little one and for myself - for I am not strong - nor young! and physically I am passing through some trials - and this winter I had a fall which nearly proved fatal. I have not told the friends - even the most intimate - but l wanted you to know - and I know you will keep my confidence.
*********In a letter of March 2, 1911, May Maxwell wrote: In a recent Tablet He ('Abdu'l-Baha) said concerning her (May's child) "In the garden of existence a rose has bloomed with the utmost freshness fragrance and beauty. Educate her according to the divine teachings so that she may grow up to be a real Baha'i and strive with all thy heart, that she may receive the Holy Spirit.",...... You guarded my secret so well - and no one knew until Nature proclaimed it and every one was so happy in the coming of the God-given child.
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THE EXCHANGE
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Question:"There are two ways of healing sickness, material means and spiritual means. The first is by the treatment of physicians; the second consisteth in prayers offered by the spiritual ones to God and in turning to Him. Both means should be used and practised."
(Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, pp 151-52)The Baha'i teachings repeatedly emphasize that the best would be to combine material and spiritual healing when treating illnesses. What is your understanding of this? What experiences, results, and stories have you had when using both physical and spiritual treatments or remedies? How can we train health practitioners to bring spirituality into their work which is sorely lacking in today's society?
Answers:
In answer to the question of the month, January, 2000, here is a brief experience I had a little over a year ago, when undergoing a hernia operation at the Shouldice Hospital in Toronto, Ontario. This clinic is world famous for its hernia repair technique and during my stay, there were patients from South Africa, and United States. My roommate was a surgeon from Boston.
When I was wheeled into the operating room, I had been sedated and was being given the local anesthetic so the doctors could perform the operation. The two doctors and assisting nurse were very warm and happy and also experienced in this field as hernia operations are all that this hospital does, and they are carried out in a very systematic manner. I looked up at the doctors and because of their happy mood, I said in a semi-humorous manner. "Do you guys say a prayer before you do the operation?" They looked at me and continuing their happy attitude, one of them replied, "Not usually, but if you would like to say a prayer, we would be happy to listen". I then said the short healing prayer, following which one of the doctors said, "That was a very nice prayer. What religion is that from?" I then told him it was from the Baha'i Faith, and he nodded. He also thanked me again for the prayer following the operation.
- Anonymous, Ontario, Canada**********
The Importance of Prayer"... Although physically we may be unable to do much, we can all pray even when we are elderly. Mother Teresa had special co-workers who were disabled, elderly or ill. They were able to pray daily as their service in supporting her work with the poor, and she was very glad to have such valuable help. I knew a wonderful young man, terminally ill with cancer, who although often in great pain would pray for others from his bed. Each day started with these prayers. He would even pray for his visitors in hospital.
I personally have witnessed miracles happening after prayer. Our Godson Christopher, as a newborn, was desperately ill. He was not expected to live through the night and the consultant had said that if he did survive he would be seriously brain damaged. Hearing this terrible news we immediately rang round our Christian friends through a prayer chain. Christopher not only survived the night, but he is now a healthy strong and intelligent four-year-old who has never looked back.
I also prayed with another young man who was dying in hospital and in great fear. Gradually with support he began to pray himself. All his fear left him and he made his peace with his family and friends from who he had become estranged. He died beautifully; smiling, pain free and at peace. He saw his brother, who had died before, waiting for him, and what he called a beautiful white lady waiting to welcome him with outstretched arms and great love. He could not wait to go, and I could not help thinking that it must have been a Maid of Heaven receiving him to the next world...."
- Excerpts from article "The Importance of Prayer" by Juliet Grainger, taken
from Baha'i Journal UK, May 1998*******
Mary Maxwell's (Ruhiyyih Khanum) Dream
"Some years before her marriage to the Guardian, Mary told me this dream, shortly before the passing of Bahiyyih Khanum, (daughter of Baha'u'llah and sister of Abdu'l-Baha) the Greatest Holy Leaf. We were sitting together on the blue velvet couch in the Maxwell drawing room, waiting for the Feast to begin. The dream was as follows:
Mary appeared to be in Haifa. She entered the bedroom of the Greatest Holy Leaf who was lying ill in bed. At the foot of the bed was a table laden with all shapes and sizes of bottles of different coloured medicines. Mary, longing to help, asked if she could give Bahiyyih Khanum some medicine, indicating the table.
The Greatest Holy Leaf smiled gently, shook her head and replied, "That is the world's medicine. That will not help me." Then she asked Mary to go to a table in another corner of the room, remove an exquisitely carved silver screen and behind it she would find her medicine. Mary did as directed and when she removed the little screen she saw a goblet of such clear crystal filled with golden liquid so pure that one could not know where the liquid began and the goblet ended!
This precious goblet Mary carried with both hands and gave it to Bahiyyih Khanum. The Greatest Holy Leaf took one sip, then handed the goblet to Mary and said, 'Drink it, drink it all up!' Mary did so. Then she said, Rosemary, I could never describe the taste of that divine elixir. I could never describe it."
- Taken from "Tending the Garden - the edited letters and papers of Emeric and Rosemary Sala", by Ilona Sala Weinstein, pp. 53-4.**************************************************
SPIRITUAL TOOLS FOR OUR HEALTH
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By Frances Mezei, Ontario, CanadaWe are taught in the Baha'i writings that science and religion are both paths to the truth and that they agree and complement. In the matter of health, we are taught that all true healing comes from God, and that this God-sent healing comes through medical care (science) and through the spiritual care (religion). Here is a powerful story which demonstrates the importance of the true balance of material and spiritual healing.
"It is said that once Peter became ill and called on God for help, and God sent him to find a particular herb. Peter found it, ate it, and was cured. Time passed and Peter again became ill, however, this time he ate the same herb, but it didn't work so he asked God why. God replied, "The first time you turned to ME, and I cured you through the herb. The next time you did not turn to ME, you went to the herb and this was My test." Author unknown.
The teachings of the Baha'i Faith encourage someone who is ill to go to a skilled and wise physician as well as to rely on prayer. Because we are living in a materialistic society, most people are highly conscious of the material means of healing while remaining largely unaware of the spiritual means of healing. Just as material healing has different tools, there are also spiritual tools which can be used in healing.
SPECIFIC PRAYERS FOR HEALING
We can recite daily the long healing prayer and short healing prayer revealed by Baha'u'llah. For those who do not have a copy of the long healing prayer, it can be found in the "Healing Through Unity" course in the website. Here is a beautiful perspective of the long healing prayer shared by Dr. Saunders, Georgia, U.S.
"Calling on His Names is remembrance of Him and we are being trained to call on Him. The Names in the long healing prayer for example, 'O Thou Abiding One', 'O Unfettered One', 'O Gathering One', and 'O Magnanimous One' are specialized for healing. Each one is different and has its own unique and special power. They are also virtues and remembering them is a means of acquiring those virtues. What marvelous and ennobling instruments He has blessed us with!"
The healing prayers can be typed up and then reduced to a smaller version to be placed inside a locket, wallet or purse for our protection. We can develop healing prayer cards to be given to patients, health practitioners, families and friends.
THE HABIT OF PRAYER AND MEDITATION
"Recite ye the verses of God every morning and evening." (Baha'u'llah, Spiritual Foundation: Prayer, Meditation and the Devotional Attitude)
The commandments to pray daily are precious gifts from God because reciting prayers refresh, purify and strengthen our souls. The wisdom of prayer and meditation serve as a connection between us and God to receive His guidance, bounties and grace for our growth and development. Our bodies and souls become permeated and nourished by spiritual energy and guidance.
We can establish a routine of reading the Writings so it becomes a natural thing to do. We can read and meditate on the Writings on health and healing as well as the ones which focus on the specific area of health that we are working on such as hearing, sight, depression, calmness, etc, etc. Through the power of prayer, we can turn with all our heart to God, with implicit trust both in His power and in His Will to do whatever is best. We can ask God specific questions and then rely that our prayer will be answered and put all our trust in God. We can learn to listen to our inner self and hear messages which are often short, precise and practical for our daily routines. These answers can be written down in our journals for our record and progress.
"When, in prayer, we are freed from all outward things and turn to God, then it is as if in our hearts we hear the voice of God. Without words we speak, we communicate, we converse with God and hear the answer...All of us, when we attain to a truly spiritual condition, can hear the Voice of God."
(Abdu'l-Baha cited in "Baha'u'llah and the New Era", J.E. Esslemont, pp. 88 - 9)RECITATION OF THE GREATEST NAME
We can obtain healing by saying the Greatest Name, Allah-u-Abha, regularly and in emergency or trauma situations for God's assistance. The following fragments from the Writings have been received from the Baha'i World Centre so that we may increase our understanding of the recital of the Greatest Name 95 times daily as per the 28 December 1999 letter of the Universal House of Justice. "It hath been ordained that every believer in God, the Lord of judgment, shall each day, having washed his hands and then his face, seat himself and, turning unto God repeat 'Allah-u-Abha' ninety-five times. Such was the decree of the Maker of the Heavens when, with majesty and power, he established Himself upon the thrones of His Names."
"O ye beloved friends of God and handmaids of the Merciful! Call ye to mind the blessed Name of our peerless Beloved, the Abha Beauty, in an uplifting spirit of unbounded ecstasy and delight, then unloose your tongues in His praise in such wise that the realm of the heart may be purged from the woes and sorrows of the world of water and clay, that the great heights of spiritual perception may be unveiled before your eyes, that the glorious signs of His Divine Unity may shine resplendent, a fresh outpouring of His grace may stream forth, and a liberal effusion of celestial confirmations may be vouchsafed unto you.
His Name is indeed the healing medicine for every illness, and imparteth warmth unto those starving with cold. It is the sovereign remedy and the supreme Talisman. It is the source of life in both worlds, and of salvation unto such as have gone astray. Today this hallowed Name serveth as a shield for all mankind, and as a veritable refuge for the children of men. It is the wondrous accent of the Lord of Mercy, and His celestial melody.
Wherefore, O faithful friends, raise ye the triumphal cry of Ya-Baha'u'l-Abha! O ye who yearn after the Beauty of the Almighty! Lift up your faces toward the Supreme Horizon. Rest not, even for a moment. Breathe not a single breath save in remembrance of His love and in recognition of His grace, in the promulgation of His Utterances and the vindication of His Testimonies.
Verily, this is the Magnet of divine confirmations. This is the mighty Force which will surely attract heavenly assistance."
'Abdu'l-Baha (recently translated quotation received from the Baha'i World Centre concerning the Greatest Name - 1993)Note: Allah-u-Abha is a greeting which means: 'God the All-Glorious'. Ya Baha'u'l-Abha is an invocation meaning: 'O Thou Glory of Glories'.
(Baha'u'llah, 'The Kitab-i-Aqdas', Note 33)INTERCESSORY PRAYER
When our loved ones are ill or in need, we can offer prayers for them. People can come together and pray for each other as well as to pray for anyone in need which often creates a strong spiritual bond. J.E. Esslemont writes in Baha'u'llah and the New Era, p. 113:
" All must help, by sympathy and service, by right living and right thinking, and especially by prayer, for of all remedies prayer is the most potent. 'Supplication and prayer on behalf of others will surely be effective.' (Abdu'l-Baha, The Divine Art of Living, p. 50)....It may not be possible for everyone, in the present state of the world, to attain perfect health, but it is possible for everyone to become a 'willing channel' for the health-giving power of the Holy Spirit and thus to exert a healing, helpful influence both on his own body and on all with whom he comes in contact."
"The greatest form of healing which the Baha'is can practice is to heal the spiritually sick souls of men by giving this greatest of all Messages to them. We can also try to help them, both physically and spiritually, through prayer."
(From letter dated 31 March 1947 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, Health and Healing, p. 39)************************************************
EVEN SCIENCE SUPPORTS PRAYER
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This is an article taken from Archives of Internal Medicine 1999; 159:2273 - submitted by Daryoush Yazdani, JapanNEW YORK, Oct 26 (Reuters Health) -- Prayer may reduce the number of complications experienced by hospitalized heart patients, researchers report.
"This suggests that prayer may be an effective adjunct to standard medical care,'' Dr. William Harris of Saint Luke's Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri, and colleagues report in the October 25th issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.
Heart patients who were prayed for by others, but were not aware of being the object of prayers, had an 11% reduction in medical complications or the need for surgery or medication while in hospital, according to the investigators.
The authors examined the medical charts of nearly 1,000 heart patients, following their health histories between hospital admission and discharge.
All patients in the study received standard medical care. But unbeknownst to the patients, Harris and colleagues provided the first names of about half the patients to 15 teams of five self-identified, practicing Christians. These individuals prayed daily for the healthy recovery of selected patients for a period of 4 weeks. The remaining patients were not prayed for as part of the study.
The authors report that the prayed-for patients had significantly lower complication rates than those not prayed for in the study.
The research team effectively ruled out patient bias as a possible factor behind the benefits associated with prayer, since both patients and hospital staff "were completely (unaware of)... the very existence of the trial.''
Indeed, they say they have no "mechanistic explanation'' as to how the prayers of strangers might have helped speed patient healing. The odds that chance might explain the findings are about 1 in 25, according to the authors.
Instead, they refer to the theories of those who believe that "natural or supernatural'' causes may be behind the 'healing power of prayer.' Believers in the 'natural causes' theory propose that some as-yet-undiscovered natural force is '''generated' by the intercessors and 'received' by the patients,'' according to the researchers. On the other hand, those subscribing to a supernatural explanation point to the existence of God or some force "beyond the ken of science.''
Other, smaller studies have provided conflicting results regarding the power of prayer. However, the largest -- a 1988 trial involving 339 San Francisco patients -- found results remarkably similar to those of the current study. The combined results have led Harris and his colleagues to suggest that experts "explore the role of prayer as an adjunct to standard medical care.''
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A CREATIVE IDEA!
***************************A friend, Aghdas Javid, a tireless worker of the Faith and who has been holding firesides every Wednesday evening for the last 33 years in her home in Southern Ontario, Canada, came up with a creative idea. Recently, she was a patient at a hospital and when she returned home, she wasted no time and went to work to design a very simple and educational pamphlet called "Health and Healing: A Baha'i Perspective. On the cover page are pictures of people from different cultures and ages.
Here is what is written inside the pamphlet which is an excellent summary about Health and Healing:
"Good health is truly one of life's bounties. The ability to work, play and fully enjoy life while contributing to society confers happiness and a sense of purpose in our day-to-day lives. Ill health is, however, inevitable at one time or another for most of us, and for the families and friends that care for us.
The Baha'i teachings offer solace and hope for those who are ill and guidance for maintaining health. Human beings are seen as fundamentally spiritual in nature. Although we exist in physical bodies during our journey on earth, the essential identity of each person is defined by an invisible, rational, and everlasting soul. The physical body is the temple of one's soul and should be respected and cared for, but neither physical or mental illness interfere with our spiritual progress.
"Know thou that the soul of man is exalted above, and is independent of all infirmities of body or mind. That a sick person showeth signs of weakness is due to the hindrances that interpose themselves between his soul and his body, for the soul itself remaineth unaffected by any bodily ailments."
(Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, pp.153-54)Health and healing can be seen as having two components: spiritual and physical. Medical science is humanity's tool for understanding our physical nature while offering prayers and turning to our Creator facilitates spiritual healing.
"There are two ways of healing sickness, material means and spiritual means. The first is by the treatment of physicians; the second consisteth in prayers offered by the spiritual ones to God and in turning to Him. Both means should be used and practised. Illnesses which occur by reason of physical causes should be treated by doctors with medical remedies; those which are due to spiritual causes disappear through spiritual means...."
(Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, pp 151-52)We can help to maintain our health with adequate rest, relaxation, a moderate lifestyle, and good nutrition. When suffering and ill health do occur we can often see it as an opportunity in adversity.
"Often physical sickness draws man nearer unto his Maker, suffers his heart to be made empty from all worldly desires until it becomes tender and sympathetic towards all sufferers and compassionate to all creatures...."
(Elias Zohoori, The Throne of the Inner Temple, pp 20-1)When our loved ones are ill, we can offer prayers for them, and cheer their hearts. "We should all visit the sick. When they are in sorrow or suffering it is a real help and benefit to have a friend come. Happiness is a great healer to those who are ill..."
(Abdu'l-Baha, Tablets of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 149)The Baha'i teachings offer an optimistic vision of a peaceful world where religion and science are seen as essential and complementary, and human health is seen as organic with the health of our environment. In the future the enormous resources now spent on war will be "consecrated to such ends as will extend the range of human inventions...to the extermination of disease, to the extension of scientific research, to the raising of the standard of physical health..."
(Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Baha'u'llah, p. 204)When Aghdas Javid sent this pamphlet for the newsletter, she wrote a lovely note. She wrote "I hope everybody gets it and puts it in all waiting rooms in hospitals and doctor's offices. It will console and inform them about the Faith." We can try to follow Aghdas' wishes by creating pamphlets ourselves for our communities or buying copies of this one if it becomes available at the Baha'i distribution outlets.
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THE LAUGHTER ROOM
******************************WISDOM OF THE TREES
OR ALL I NEED TO KNOW ABOUT LIFE I LEARNED FROM TREES
Author UnknownIt's important to have roots.
In today's complex world, it pays to branch out.
Don't pine away over old flames.
If you really believe in something, don't be afraid to go out on a limb.
Be flexible so you don't break when a harsh wind blows.
Sometimes you have to shed your old bark in order to grow.
If you want to maintain accurate records, keep a log.
Grow where you're planted.
It's perfectly okay to be a late bloomer.
Avoid people who would like to cut you down.
As you approach the autumn of your life, you can't hide your true colours.
It's more important to be honest than popular.
And remember, as you go through life, always give yourself time to blossom.
***********
You can find out about The Happiness Project (previously the National Health Service Laughter Clinic in Birmingham, U.K.) on www.happiness.co.uk or by e-mailing hello@happiness.co.
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ARTS IN ACTION
**********************Jena Taghvai is a woman of action. When she became a mother for the first time 10 years ago, and realized that we do not have enough Baha'i materials for children, she decided to use her talents to make a difference. One lack she identified is audio-recordings of prayers for children. Jena's first effort is 'Tender Seedling,' a recording of Baha'i children's prayers in Persian which are chanted and are accompanied by beautiful, soothing, traditional Persian music. As Jena wrote, "Prayer for the delicate soul of a child is as rain pouring upon a tender seedling to make it flourish."
Jena was moved to share news of her creative project with us after reading the January, 2000 issue of Healing Through Unity which focused on developing our artistic talents. Jena's work is certainly timely since the Universal House of Justice has brought to our attention the importance of children and their spiritual education in the community, as well as the importance of using the arts. We are happy to know that Jena has put the arts into action, and we wish her every success in her future efforts.
Note: For anyone who is interested in getting more information on ordering "Tender Seedlings", please contact Jena at jena@smartt.com or visit her website at http://www.jenacd.com
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HEALTH HABITS
******************************Here are some essential elements for our spiritual and physical health provided by a physician who has practiced for more than 35 years under the guidance of the Baha'i teachings.
Trust in God
Consult a skilled physician and follow his instructions
Practice detachment from all save God
Practice moderation
Pray and meditate daily; read the Creative Word morning and evening
Be always happy
Simplify
Focus
Practice patience
Cleanliness
Eat simple, natural plant foods
Drink adequate pure water
Evaluate progress daily, summarize weekly****************************************
QUESTION OF THE MONTH
****************************************Many of us struggle with different forms of addictions such as: shopping, alcohol, narcotics, smoking, food, gambling, work, computers and others. What are your suggestions to assist us to overcome our specific addictions which may cause us pain and frustrations? How were you able to make the decision to deal with it and to make the right choices to change your life? What does the Baha'i Teachings say about addictions?
********************************************
PURPOSE OF THE NEWSLETTER
********************************************"Healing Through Unity" is published for the purpose of sharing thoughts, comments and experiences on how the teachings of the Baha'i Faith are being applied to our physical and spiritual health. Other than the quoted Holy Writings, the material in this newsletter represents the thoughts and opinions of the writers and has no authority. You are free to copy articles, provided you indicate the source of the article. If you have a change of e-mail address or wish to unsubscribe the newsletter, please inform me.
There are 10 issues per year; it is not published during July and August. The newsletter is produced in Ontario, Canada.Please send your stories, comments, suggestions or "Question for the Month" ideas to Frances Mezei by e-mail: -- .
PLEASE NOTE:
Many thanks to all of you who sent such wonderful contributions for "Healing Through Unity" Newsletter. The decision to select and edit material submitted for publication is determined by the editor.****************
WEB SITE
****************
You can visit the website, obtain back issues and the Healing Through Unity
Course at: http://www.healingthroughunity.orgHEALING THROUGH UNITY
March, 2000A monthly newsletter dedicated to serving the principles of
physical and spiritual health envisioned in the Baha'i Teachings.Volume 3, Issue #7
_______________________________________________________CONTENTS
-------------------- Special Tribute to Ruhiyyih Khanum
- The Exchange
- Some Thoughts on Addiction from "The Seat of the Soul"
- Caffeine: How to Taper or Get Off It
- The Laughter Room
- Fasting
- Health Habits
- Question of the Month
- Spreading the Word
- Purpose of the Newsletter
- Website******************************************************
SPECIAL TRIBUTE TO RUHIYYIH KHANUM
******************************************************In the February, 2000 issue, the readers were asked to share their stories and memories of Ruhiyyih Khanum and we are blessed to receive these beautiful accounts of her life. These stories assist us to further understand her true station as a Hand of the Cause of God and wife of Shoghi Effendi. In the book 'Lights of Fortitude', p. 182, Barron Harper writes "Amatu'l-Baha Ruhiyyih Khanum is indeed the embodiment of the words of Shoghi Effendi:...let us arise to teach His Cause with righteousness, conviction, understanding and vigour...Let us make it the dominating passion of our life. Let us scatter to the uttermost corners of the earth; sacrifice our personal interests, comforts, tastes and pleasures; mingle with the divers kindreds and peoples of the world...."
Note: A correction needs to be made in the February 2000 issue. In the article "A letter from May Maxwell to Agnes Alexander", the date should be May 7, 1910 instead of 1909 since Ruhiyyih Khanum was born in 1910.
RUHIYYIH KHANUM'S VISIT IN PAPUA NEW GUINEA
By Mariette & Ho-San Leong, Papua New GuineaWe would like to share a story about Hand of the Cause Ruhiyyih Khanum when she visited Papua New Guinea in 1984, accompanied by Mrs Violette Nakhjavani. She spent 5 glorious weeks in the country, and managed to visit a good number of Baha'i communities in various remote areas of this beautiful land. The friends just poured out their love on her and were most excited that here, in a remote country so far away from the Holy Land, we had a most distinguished visitor who brought such spiritual flavours from the heart of the Baha'i world. And of course they were enchanted that Khanum was the link with the Guardian and the Holy Family, and so it made her visit all the more special, that it would live forever in their memories, and undoubtedly they will even now recount stories of her visit to their villages for generations to come. One particular incident comes to mind when she was in Port Moresby. The driver who had the honour of driving her and Mrs Nakhjavani around to the artefact shops related what he saw and observed when she entered a shop. The sales staff would just stand aside for her in a respectful manner as she walked into the shop, almost instinctively recognizing her high position and rank without knowing why. Aminio Bale, the driver and a member of the National Spiritual Assembly at the time, was just astonished and overwhelmed by this experience, not easily to be forgotten with the passage of time!
Khanum truly loved Papua New Guinea and its people. Whenever there were pilgrims and visitors from this country to Haifa, she would invariably invite them to afternoon tea or dinner. Without fail, she would always say how very much she loved this country and the people, and if she did have her choice there was no doubt that she would want to live here.
That is our little story about Khanum and how much she means to so many, many of us who met her and enjoyed the precious moments in her presence, and just listened to her talking and sharing her wisdom and thoughts on the Baha'i Teachings. She will always live in our hearts in this country.
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RUHIYYIH KHANUM ASSISTS A SICK FAMILY IN A LATIN AMERICAN COUNTRY
By Ruth Robin, U.S.A (Robin shares that this story was told to her about 20 years ago by the mother-in-law of the pioneer in the story. She says if there are any errors they come from her own memory.)Imagine this: you are a young woman, pioneering to a Latin American country with your husband and several small children. Something wonderful is going to happen, Ruhiyyih Khanum is coming to visit your area and your husband leaves for a journey of several days to escort her to your pioneering post. You begin to prepare for the momentous visit, but the next morning your youngest child is quite ill with a fever, vomiting, diarrhea. By late afternoon another child is equally as sick and, exhausted from the care of these sick little ones, as you fall into bed, you realize that you, too, have a fever and all the other aspects of this illness. Your husband is also your doctor but you can only long for his help as you pray and struggle for two more days and nights with comforting, bathing, cleaning, forcing liquids and medicating as best you can yourself and the children. You scarcely realize that he has returned, except that you are put to bed and somehow you know that someone else is taking care of things.
Hours later, you awaken, you have been bathed and dressed in a clean gown, you can smell something cooking - a strengthening broth - your floors have been scrubbed, your children, listless and quiet, but their fever gone, have been bathed and are wearing clean garments. Someone brings you a cup of tea, her sleeves are rolled up, her gentle hands are red from the washing and scrubbing and you think you must be still asleep and dreaming, hallucinating even, because it is Ruhiyyih Khanum who has brought you the tea, who has scrubbed floors, washed dishes, taken care of sick children and given you clean sheets and combed your tangled hair. It is Ruhiyyih Khanum.
I have had the great bounty of seeing Ruhiyyih Khanum several times, speaking at conferences, the World Congress, more intimately during my Pilgrimage and once even, looking very sophisticated and elegant, speaking to a large audience, but I can never forget the woman who scrubbed floors, washed dishes, cooked and cared for a sick family.
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RUHIYYIH KHANUM'S STORY ABOUT HER FATHER'S ILLNESS
Submitted by Kamyar Solhjoo, South Wales, U.KWe were asked to write something about this beloved soul. I extract her memory from her book 'The Priceless Pearl' which is relevant to the subject of health and healing as well.
"When my father fell desperately ill in the winter of 1949-50 his condition was despaired of by his doctors. He reached a point where he seemed to have no conscious mind left, could not recognize me, his only and idolized child, at all, and had no more control over himself than if he were six months old. If I had needed any convincing on the subject of whether man has a soul or not I received conclusive proof of its existence at that time. When Shoghi Effendi would come in to see my father, although he could not speak, and gave no conscious sign whatever of the Guardian's nearness, a flutter, a tremor, some reaction wholly ephemeral but nevertheless visible, would pass over him because of the very presence of Shoghi Effendi. It was so extraordinary and so evident that his nurse (the best in Haifa) also noticed it and was greatly puzzled by it. It went against all laws of the mind, which, as it fades, remembers the distant past more vividly than the immediate past. Shoghi Effendi was determined my father should not die. At his insistence, when no one, including me, had the slightest hope, we took him with his nurse to Switzerland, where he rapidly recovered under the care of our own doctor, a recovery so complete that a few weeks later, when his Swiss nurse and I took him for his first drive and he caught sight of a cafe in the midst of a garden, he promptly invited us to go in and have tea with him - an offer I accepted with feelings of wonder and gratitude that are indescribable. It was after this healing had taken place that the Guardian, in a message to America sent in July 1950, reporting progress in the construction of the Shrine of the Bab, was moved to allude to these events:" My gratitude is deepened by miraculous recovery of its gifted architect, Sutherland Maxwell, whose illness was pronounced hopeless by physicians."
'The Priceless Pearl', p. 155-6, by Ruhiyyih Rabbani**********************
THE EXCHANGE
**********************Question:
Many of us struggle with different forms of addictions such as: shopping, alcohol, narcotics, smoking, food, gambling, work, computers and others. What are your suggestions to assist us to overcome our specific addictions which may cause us pain and frustrations? How were you able to make the decision to deal with it and to make the right choices to change your life? What do the Baha'i Teachings say about addictions?Answers:
I continue to be amazed at how many addictions I have. No sooner do I deal with one then I find another underneath it. But I have come to realize somethings in the process;
- each addiction has its purpose in keeping me safe as I travel my spiritual path;
- that God (in His compassion for the frailty of the human condition) will reveal each one to my conscious mind as I am ready to replace my addictive behavior with healthier ones;
- that they can come in all shapes and sizes like mental (in the form of fantasies and trances) as well as physical (in the form of sugar addictions);
- that they are like veils blocking my view to reality;
- that their use serves to lessen my personal power.I have just read an amazing book written by a Baha'i which describes the powers of the soul and the authority of self which can be gained through obedience to the Covenant. It is a must for anyone who would like to understand their addictions and the part they play in their lives. It is called "Assisting the Traumatized Soul" by Phyllis K. Peterson.
Through reading this book last week I have become aware of the reason why I have struggled with obedience to the Covenant for the last 20 years and can now see, without veils, the next step I need to take in my spiritual journey. Very empowering!
- Sue Haselhurst, Perth, Western Australia.**************
For 27 years (from age 17) I was addicted to smoking. Almost from the beginning I went through a pack of 20 cigarettes a day, and with stress the consumption gradually increased to as high as 60. After just a couple of years, I developed a chronic smoker's cough, which was always with me, and increased in severity over the years. In my mid-40s I started having severe chest pains, which prompted me to seek my personal physician's help. Blood tests revealed polycythaemia, an abnormal rise in the concentration of red cells to cope with oxygen deprivation (from smoking) and the stress which was also contributing to my dependence on nicotine. This condition predisposes one to stroke, which (having seen my grandmother live on for 12 years with hemiplegia, pain and depression after her catastrophic CVA) was a very powerful motivation to deal with my habit. This episode coincided with a "breakdown" of sorts as a result of the severe, continual stress I was under in many departments of my life. It had also led to overweight bordering on obesity, so I took what many considered a foolish course: to stop smoking and lose weight at the same time. I went onto the then-popular Scarsdale Medical Diet, started walking every day after work, and (against conventional wisdom) chose cutting down on cigarettes gradually rather than quitting "cold turkey." I quite rapidly reduced to 4 cigarettes a day (toward the end, having a couple of puffs of a cigarette, putting it out, relighting it perhaps 4 times over an 8-hour period until it was finished, and so on). Then I hit the wall--I was finding it more and more difficult to maintain this level, and cutting down further seemed like climbing Mt Everest! My eldest son (who is still a smoker!) suggested switching to non-nicotine cigarettes made of cocoa bean husks instead of tobacco. A light bulb went off in my head: Of course! Smoking feeds at least two addictions (chemical and process), and these ersatz cigarettes could help me conquer the chemical one. I made a pact with myself to start at 4 a day of these rather nasty-tasting "cigarettes" and gradually cut down until the nicotine was out of my system. I was down to about 2 a day when I participated in a tree-planting project one morning. Having my feet and hands in mud and having parked about 100 meters away, it wasn't possible to smoke, and when I finally got back to the car, my hands were still too muddy to enjoy a cigarette. By the time I got home, my children were impatient to have lunch, so I put off having my cigarette until after that--and to my surprise didn't feel like having it when the time came. That was the moment of decision to quit for life, and I still celebrate it as a second birthday.
Since I still had the process addiction to some extent and was also trying to lose weight, I was concerned about falling back on eating as a substitute, so for the next several months I carried tiny splinters of cinnamon bark in a pill box in case the desire to light up became overwhelming. Chewing these (they last about as long as a cigarette would) helped me over this final hurdle without adding significantly to my daily caloric consumption. There were many times over the next couple of years that the urge for a cigarette was so strong that I felt panicky, but the greater urge to protect my huge investment in will power saw me through. As for the dieting, I managed to lose 20 pounds within about 4 months, and after another concerted effort a couple of years later, 10 more pounds, bringing me to within 2 or 3 pounds of my pre-motherhood weight. The lost weight has gradually crept back over the years, and after many failed attempts at dieting, exercise and you name it, I have recently discovered that I have reactive hyperinsulinism, leading to a carbohydrate addiction, which I am now addressing through lifestyle modification, including a very strict, though quite comfortable, diet regime which almost immediately reduced food cravings, and after a few days a modest loss of weight. The jury is still out on this one, but I am hopeful that in time this might turn out to be another success story!
These are the insights I gained and which I share with anyone who wants to break an addiction.
1 Addictions of any kind are very powerful, so your desire to overcome them must also be strong. I think this is where a spiritual focus, including prayer and meditation, come in, both to prepare a person to recognise and deal with the causes of their addiction and to help see them through to a successful (and lasting) conclusion.
2. Identifying the physiological, emotional and lifestyle triggers that can sabotage your best efforts is absolutely essential, because if you do not deal with those, you set yourself up for failure, which increases the stresses (including loss of self esteem) that drive the addiction.
3. It is also important to remember that there is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all program. To borrow some advice from Richard and Rachael Heller (The Carbohydrate Addict's Lifespan Program. New York: Penguin, 1997), any program, to be successful in the long term, must be:
- Simple and easy to put into practice over the long haul;
- Targeted to take into account your own unique needs, preferences, and the cause of your problems;
- Adaptable to take into account all the circumstances of your life, e.g.(especially in the case of a food addiction) work, travel, social occasions, celebrations, stressful situations; and
- Rewarding in that meaningful results come before you lose heart and can be maintained long-term.
You must evolve a program that works for YOU, and with God's help, some well chosen background reading, and your personal physician's advice, you can--maybe not on the first attempt, but eventually.
- Mary Ann Chance, Doctor of Chiropractic, Australia***************
QUOTES ON ADDICTIONS
"The drinking of wine is according to the text of the Most Holy Book, forbidden, for it is the cause of chronic diseases, weakeneth the nerves, and consumeth the mind." ( Abdu'l-Baha, Advent of Divine Justice, p. 33)
"My meaning is that in the sight of God, smoking tobacco is deprecated, abhorrent, filthy in the extreme; and, albeit by degrees, highly injurious to health. It is also a waste of money and time, and maketh the user a prey to a noxious addiction. To those who stand firm in the Covenant, this habit is therefore censured both by reason and experience, and renouncing it will bring relief and peace of mind to all men. Furthermore, this will make it possible to have a fresh mouth and unstained fingers, and hair that is free of a foul and repellent smell. On receipt of this missive, the friends will surely, by whatever means and even over a period of time, forsake this pernicious habit. Such is my hope." ( Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 148)
"As to opium, it is foul and accursed. God protect us from the punishment He inflicteth on the user. According to the explicit Text of the Most Holy Book, it is forbidden, and its use is utterly condemned. Reason showeth that smoking opium is a kind of insanity, and experience attesteth that the user is completely cut off from the human kingdom...For opium fasteneth on the soul, so that the user's conscience dieth, his mind is blotted away, his perceptions are eroded....." ( Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 148- 9)
"O ye, God's loved ones! Experience hath shown how greatly the renouncing of smoking, of intoxicating drink, and of opium, conduceth to health and vigour, to the expansion and keenness of the mind and to bodily strength. There is today a people who strictly avoid tabacco, intoxicating liquor and opium. This people is far and away superior to the others, for strength and physical courage, for health, beauty and comeliness...." ( Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 150)
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SOME THOUGHTS ON ADDICTION FROM
"THE SEAT OF THE SOUL"
*******************************************************Editor's note: Gary Zukav, author of "The Seat of the Soul" has appeared a number of times on daytime television talk show, "The Oprah Winfrey Show" by Oprah Winfrey from Mondays to Fridays, CTV (Canada). I have always been very impressed with Gary Zukav's views so I purchased a copy of his book "The Seat of the Soul" published by Simon and Schuster and wish to share with you excerpts from the chapter on addiction, pp.148-160. Also, if you have access to "The Oprah Winfrey Show", an American TV show, you may wish to view it since Oprah often invites guests and authors who specialize on the many topics on health and healing. Her main attempt is to inspire millions of people to dare to dream and to reach their goals. Very educational, inspiring and powerful!
ACKNOWLEDGING OUR ADDICTIONS
- You cannot begin the work of releasing an addiction until you can acknowledge that you are addicted. Until you realize that you have an addiction, it is not possible to diminish its power. The personality rationalizes its addictions.
- A person who is addicted to alcohol, for example, will say to herself or himself, or to others, that drunkenness is a way of loosening up, of relaxing after a tense day, of having fun, and, therefore, it is constructive.
- Recognition of your own addictions requires inner work. It requires that you look clearly at the places where you lose power in your life, where you are controlled by external circumstances. It requires going through your defenses.
- Why does the personality resist acknowledging its addictions? Acknowledging an addiction, accepting that you have an addiction, is acknowledgement that a part of you is out of control. The personality resists acknowledging its addictions because that forces it to choose to leave a part of itself out of control, or to do something about it. Once an addiction has been acknowledged, it cannot be ignored, and it cannot be released without changing your life, without changing your self-image, without changing your entire perceptual and conceptual framework. We do not want to do that because it is our nature to resist change. Therefore, we resist acknowledging our addictions.UNDERSTANDING OUR ADDICTIONS
- Enter into your own fear, into your own sense of wanting a drink...Ask yourself to seriously review all of the times in your life that you thought you would gain so much from that, and face what you gained.
- Hold onto the thought that you create your experiences. Your fear comes from the realization that a part of you is creating a reality that it wants, whether you want it or not, and the feeling that you are powerless to prevent it, but that is not so. This is critical to understand: your addiction is not stronger than you. It is not stronger than who you want to be. Though it may feel that way, it can only win if you let it. Like any weakness, it is not stronger than the soul or the force of will. Its strength only indicates the amount of effort that needs to be applied toward the transition, toward making yourself whole in that area of your life.
- Recognize that what you are doing when you fear that you will be tempted, and that you will not be able to resist the temptation, is creating a situation that will give you permission to act irresponsibly. It is possible to create a test that you cannot pass? Yes. The experience of wanting to be tempted in order to test yourself is the act of creating an opportunity to act irresponsibly, to say to yourself , "I knew I couldn't do it, anyway," and give in to your addiction.MAKING RESPONSIBLE CHOICES
- The greater the desire of your soul to heal your addiction, the greater will be the cost of keeping it. If you - if your soul - have chosen to heal an addiction now, you will find that the decision to maintain your addiction will cost you the things that you hold most dear.
- Try to realize, and truly realize, that what stands between you and a different life are matters of responsible choice. In your moments of fear, what you are obscure about in your thinking is the power and magnitude of your own choice. You are not at the mercy of your inadequacy. The intention that will empower you must come from a place within you that suggests that you are indeed about to make responsible choices and draw power from them, that you can make choices that empower you and not disempower you, that you are capable of acts of wholeness.WAYS TO WORK WITH OUR ADDICTIONS
- As you work through your weakness, and you feel levels of addictive attraction, ask yourself the critical question of the spirit: If, by following those impulses, do you increase your level of enlightenment? Does it bring you power of the genuine sort? Will it make you more loving? Will it make you most whole? Ask yourself these questions.
- This is the way out of an addiction: Walk yourself through your reality step by step. Make yourself aware of the consequences of your decisions, and choose accordingly. When you feel in yourself the addictive attraction of sex, or alcohol, or drugs, or anything else, remember these words: You stand between the two worlds of your lesser self and your full self. Your lesser self is tempting and powerful because it is not as responsible and not as loving and not as disciplined, so it calls you. This other part of you is whole and more responsible and more caring and more empowered, but it demands of you the way of the enlightened spirit: conscious life.
- If your decision is to become whole, hold that decision. You will not be as tempted or as frightened as you think. Hold it and remind yourself again and again: You stand between your lesser self and your whole self.
- As you choose to empower yourself, the part of you that you challenge, the temptation that you challenge, will surface again and again. Each time you challenge it, you gain power and it loses power. If you challenge an addiction to alcohol, for example, and you are drawn twelve times that very day to have a drink, challenge that energy each time. If you look upon each recurrence of attraction as a setback, or as an indication that your intention is not working, you choose the path of learning through fear and doubt. If you look upon each recurrence as an opportunity that is offered to you, in response to your intention, to release your inadequacy and to acquire power over it, you choose the path of learning through wisdom, for that it what it is.
- Until you fill in the inadequacies within you, you will always have your addiction. In order to release your addiction, it is necessary to enter your inadequacies, to recognize they are real, and to bring them into the light of consciousness to heal.
- When you struggle with an addiction, you deal directly with the healing of your soul. You deal directly with the matter of life. This is the work that is required to be done. As you face your deepest struggles, you reach for your highest goal. As you bring to light, heal, and release the deepest currents of negativity within you, you allow the energy of your soul to move directly into, and to shape, the experiences and events of physical reality, and thereby to accomplish unimpeded its tasks upon the Earth.*****************************************
CAFFEINE: HOW TO TAPER
OR GET OFF IT
*****************************************
Taken from "Dr. Christine Northrup's Health Wisdom for Women" which is published monthly by Phillips Publishing Inc, 7811 Montrose Road, Potomac MD 20854. Submitted by Hannah Rishel, Arizona, U.S.A as a follow up to her article (Volume 3, Issue #5) describing her attempt to wean from coffee.HOW TO KNOW IF YOU'RE ADDICTED TO CAFFEINE
1) Be Honest. Add up your total caffeine consumption for one day. If it's below 100 mg and you have no problem with sleep, osteoporosis, anxiety or depression, PMS or menopausal symptoms, heart disease or palpitations, then you are probably fine to continue at that level of consumption.
2) Cut your caffeine intake below your "addiction level." If you're not sure whether or not you're addicted to caffeine, try stopping it completely for 24 hours. If you experience any symptoms, such as headaches, drowsiness, fatigue, problems concentrating, muscle pain, or nausea, you're addicted. I can get addicted and then experience withdrawal symptoms if I drink more than two cups of caffeinated coffee per week! It's also important to realize that many over-the-counter pain medications contain caffeine, so you may feel withdrawal symptoms when you stop these. In fact, many people who go to their doctors complaining of headaches are actually going through withdrawal from intermittent caffeine use.
EASE YOUR WAY THROUGH CAFFEINE WITHDRAWAL
To withdraw from caffeine, you have two choices: gradual or cold turkey. I like the gradual method because headaches are milder or absent. (Caffeine causes blood vessel constriction in the brain. The sudden withdrawal results in dilation and pain.) If you're a coffee drinker, start by gradually replacing your caffeinated coffee with decaf. Make each cup 1/3 decaf and 2/3 regular. Then gradually add more and more decaf. But remember that decaf contains about 6-7 mg of caffeine per 6 oz. cup, which may be enough to jolt you, depending upon your sensitivity.
If you drink caffeinated sodas, you may want to try replacing them with seltzer or soda water, juice or water.
Aim for a two-to three-week conversion period. Set a date for your full personal decaffeination.
Be patient and be prepared. Withdrawal takes anywhere from one to four days to be completed. Some people recover their energy right away. For some, it can take their bodies two to three weeks to bounce back in the morning without their regular jolt. But after a while, you won't believe the difference in how you feel. Look for improvements in your sleep, energy, digestion, skin, mood, and energy levels.
SUPPORT YOUR ADRENALS NUTRITIONALLY WHILE TAPERING OFF CAFFEINE
Take Siberian ginseng or Panax ginseng. Both have been shown to help support the body during emotional or physical stress through supporting adrenal function. Use Siberian ginseg for mild to moderate stress and Panax if the stress is longer term or more severe.
Increase your intake of B vitamins. You should especially increase pantothenic acid (100-500 mg day). This supports adrenal function.
Use Ginkgo biloba. This herb can help restore mental clarity while you're getting your adrenal health back and reducing caffeine.
Be sure to drink up to ten 8oz glasses of water per day.
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THE LAUGHTER ROOM
***********************************The following excerpts are taken from the book "Are You Happy? Some Answers to the Most Important Questions in Your Life" by Dennis Wholey. This book is about people and what makes us happy. It is also about all of us as human beings and where happiness fits into the life process. Dennis says "No one finds happiness after a long search. Happiness comes to us as a direct result of positive self-worth, personal attitudes, specific actions, and the way in which we relate to other people...Freedom to be ourselves, good feelings, satisfaction, contentment, peace of mind, joy, laughter, and happiness are the rewards of life...." p. 3
- "I believe that the happiest people are those who love many things with a passion. The key is loving intensely and loving many, many things." By Leo. F. Buscaglia, p. 21
- "Happiness is having a sense of self - not a feeling of being perfect but of being good enough and knowing that you are in the process of growth, of being, of achieving levels of joy. It's a wonderful contentment and acceptance of who and what you are and a knowledge that the world and the life are full of wondrous adventures and possibilities, and you are part of the center. It's an awareness that no matter what happens you will somehow be able to deal with it, knowing that everything does pass and even your deepest despair will vanish." By Leo. F. Buscaglia, p. 22
- "Happiness is intrinsic, it's an internal thing. When you build it into yourself, no external circumstances can take it away...." Everything else is in transition but the happiness you create within yourself is permanent." By Leo. F. Buscaglia, p. 23
- "Happiness is a choice and as we reinforce that choice, happiness becomes a deeper and deeper part of us until we are Happiness. Then as we move through life being Happiness, we create it everyplace we go. We dissolve conflicts. We come into tense situations and people feel relaxed. People feel very open with a happy person and think, "My goodness, I can be me." By Leo. F. Buscaglia, p. 23
- "To be happy you must have the faith. You must have the hope. You must have the will. Then you must make it happen. Many of us are afraid of happiness." By Leo. F. Buscaglia, p. 24
- "Being playful is being happy." By Eda Leshan, p. 29
- "When people say they're not happy it's because they have lost the child and the playfulness. Playfulness is really the basis of all discovery, and discovering is the adventure of living. If you lose that, you become crippled forever." By Eda Leshan, p. 30.
- " Fred Rogers once said, 'When you have a child, you have another chance at yourself. What he meant is that you have another chance to become a child and play.'" By Eda Leshan, p 33
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HAPPINESS IS A GREAT HEALER
"You must be happy always. You must be counted among the people of joy and happiness and must be adorned with divine morals. In a large measure happiness keeps our health while depression of spirit begets disease." (Abdu'l-Baha, 239 Days in Akka, p.1)
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FASTING
**********************The nineteen-day period of daily fasting takes place during the last month of the Baha'i year, the month of Ala (Loftiness), 2nd - 20th March inclusive. It is followed by the Feast of Naw-Ruz (Baha'i New Year). Fasting is enjoined on all believers between ages of 15 and 70. Exempted from the Fast are children under 15, those who are ill, over 70, traveling, pregnant or nursing women, women in their courses or those doing heavy labour.
"These are, O my God, the days whereon Thou didst enjoin Thy servants to observe the fast. With it Thou didst adorn the preamble of the Book of Thy Laws revealed unto Thy creatures, and didst deck forth the Repositories of Thy commandments in the sight of all who are in Thy heaven and all who are
on Thy earth. Thou hast endowed every hour of these days with a special virtue, inscrutable to all except Thee, Whose knowledge embraceth all created things." (Baha'u'llah, Baha'i Prayers, U.S, 1985 Edition, p. 247)Abdu'l-Baha tells us that "prayer and fasting is the cause of awakening and mindfulness and conducive to protection and preservation from tests." (Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, pp 69-70)
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HEALTH HABITS
******************************Here are some essential elements for our spiritual and physical health provided by a physician who has practiced for more than 35 years under the guidance of the Baha'i teachings.
Trust in God
Consult a skilled physician and follow his instructions
Practice detachment from all save God
Practice moderation
Pray and meditate daily; read the Creative Word morning and evening
Be always happy
Simplify
Focus
Practice patience
Cleanliness
Eat simple, natural plant foods
Drink adequate pure water
Evaluate progress daily, summarize weekly****************************************
QUESTION OF THE MONTH
****************************************Some of us are challenged by living with severe physical limitations, illnesses or disabilities. How did you make the adjustment to make your environment and situation more pleasant to deal with your condition? What kind of care and comfort have you discovered to assist you? How does your community assist you? We look forward to hearing and learning from you!
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SPREADING THE WORD
********************************We would love to see "Healing Through Unity" grow! We hope you, as subscribers, will continue to make a conscious effort to tell your friends, families, and communities who you think might enjoy and benefit from the publication. If you would like to place a small announcement to put in your local or national newsletters, here is one that has already been prepared:
"HEALING THROUGH UNITY" NEWSLETTER
This newsletter is published for the purpose of sharing thoughts, comments and experiences on how the teachings of the Baha'i Faith are being applied to our physical and spiritual health. There are 10 issues/year and it is circulated to more than 105 countries and territories. If you are interested, please email: -- or check out the website at: www.healingthroughunity.org********************************************
PURPOSE OF THE NEWSLETTER
********************************************"Healing Through Unity" is published for the purpose of sharing thoughts, comments and experiences on how the teachings of the Baha'i Faith are being applied to our physical and spiritual health. Other than the quoted Holy Writings, the material in this newsletter represents the thoughts and opinions of the writers and has no authority. You are free to copy articles, provided you indicate the source of the article. If you have a change of e-mail address or wish to unsubscribe the newsletter, please inform me. There are 10 issues per year; it is not published during July and August. The newsletter is produced in Ontario, Canada.
Please send your stories, comments, suggestions or "Question for the Month" ideas to Frances Mezei by e-mail: -- .
PLEASE NOTE:
Many thanks to all of you who sent such wonderful contributions for "Healing Through Unity" Newsletter. The decision to select and edit material submitted for publication is determined by the editor.****************
WEB SITE
****************
You can visit the website, obtain back issues and the Healing Through Unity Course at: http://www.healingthroughunity.orgHEALING THROUGH UNITY
April, 2000
A monthly newsletter dedicated to serving the principles of
physical and spiritual health envisioned in the Baha'i Teachings.
Volume 3, Issue #8
_______________________________________________________
CONTENTS
-------------------
- The Blind Bus Passenger
- The Exchange
- A Woman's Courage
- Sacred Writings to Overcome our Limitations
- Everyone is Differently Abled
- Clara and Hyde Dunn Memorial Lecture on Health for All: The Challenge
- The Laughter Room
- Letter to the Editor
- Health Habits
- Announcement
- Question of the Month
- Purpose of the Newsletter
- Website
There is a supplementary issue called A Baha'i Perspective on Disability."
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THE BLIND BUS PASSENGER
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Author Unknown, Submitted by Nima Anvar, Island of Grenada
The passengers on the bus watched sympathetically as the attractive young woman with the white cane made her way carefully up the steps. She paid the driver and, using her hands to feel the location of the seats, walked down the aisle and found the seat he'd told her was empty. Then she settled in, placed her briefcase on her lap and rested her cane against her leg.
It had been a year since Susan, thirty-four, became blind. Due to a medical misdiagnosis she had been rendered sightless, and she was suddenly thrown into a world of darkness, anger, frustration and self-pity. Once a fiercely independent woman, Susan now felt condemned by this terrible twist of fate to become a powerless, helpless burden on everyone around her.
"How could this have happened to me?" she would plead, her heart knotted with anger. But no matter how much she cried or ranted or prayed, she knew the painful truth that her sight was never going to return.
A cloud of depression hung over Susan's once optimistic spirit. Just getting through each day was an exercise in frustration and exhaustion. And all she had to cling to was her husband Mark.
Mark was an Air Force officer and he loved Susan with all of his heart. When she first lost her sight, he watched her sink into despair and was determined to help his wife gain the strength and confidence she needed to become independent again. Mark's military background had trained him well to deal with sensitive situations, and yet he knew this was the most difficult battle he would ever face. Finally, Susan felt ready to return to her job, but how would she get there? She used to take the bus, but was now too frightened to get around the city by herself. Mark volunteered to drive her to work each day, even though they worked at opposite ends of the city.
At first, this comforted Susan and fulfilled Mark's need to protect his sightless wife who was so insecure about performing the slightest task. Soon, however, Mark realized that this arrangement wasn't working - it was hectic and costly. Susan is going to have to start taking the bus again, he admitted to himself. But just the thought of mentioning it to her made him cringe. She was still so fragile, so angry. How would she react?
Just as Mark predicted, Susan was horrified at the idea of taking the bus again. "I'm blind!" she responded bitterly. "How am I supposed to know where I'm going? I feel like you're abandoning me." Mark's heart broke to hear these words, but he knew what had to be done. He promised Susan that each morning and evening he would ride the bus with her, for as long as it took, until she got the hang of it. And that is exactly what happened.
For two solid weeks, Mark, military uniform and all, accompanied Susan to and from work each day. He taught her how to rely on her other senses, specifically her hearing, to determine where she was and how to adapt to her new environment. He helped her befriend the bus drivers who could watch out for her, and save her a seat. He made her laugh, even on those not-so-good days when she would trip exiting the bus, or drop her briefcase. Each morning they made the journey together, and Mark would take a cab back to his office. Although this routine was even more costly and exhausting than the previous one, Mark knew it was only a matter of time before Susan would be able to ride the bus on her own.
He believed in her, in the Susan he used to know before she'd lost her sight, who wasn't afraid of any challenge and who would never, ever quit.
Finally, Susan decided that she was ready to try the trip on her own. Monday morning arrived, and before she left, she threw her arms around Mark, her temporary bus riding companion, her husband, and her best friend. Her eyes filled with tears of gratitude for his loyalty, his patience, his love. She said good-bye, and for the first time, they went their separate ways.
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday... Each day on her own went perfectly, and Susan never felt better. She was doing it! She was going to work all by herself!
On Friday morning, Susan took the bus to work as usual. As she was paying for her fare to exit the bus, the driver said, "Boy, I sure envy you." Susan wasn't sure if the driver was speaking to her or not. After all, who on earth would ever envy a blind woman who had struggled just to find the courage to live for the past year? Curious, she asked the driver, "Why do you say that you envy me?"
The driver answered, "You know, every morning for the past week, a fine looking gentleman in a military uniform has been standing across the corner watching you when you get off the bus. He makes sure you cross the street safely and he watches you until you enter your office building. Then he blows you a kiss, gives you a little salute and walks away. You are one lucky lady."
Tears of happiness poured down Susan's cheeks. For, although she couldn't physically see him, she had always felt Mark's presence. She was lucky, so lucky, for he had given her a gift more powerful than sight, a gift she didn't need to see to believe - the gift of love that can bring light where there had been darkness.
God watches over us in just the same way. We may not know He is present. We may not be able to see His face, but He is there nonetheless. Be blessed in this thought: "God Loves You - even when you are not looking."
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The following quote teaches us about acquiring 'spiritual eyes'. It is taken from The Revelation of Baha'u'llah, Vol. 2, p. 31 by Adib Taherzadeh.
"Baha'u'llah teaches in the Mathnavi (a poem) that man will not be able to receive the light of God in this day unless he acquires a new eye. Eyes which are fixed on the things of this world can never see the glory of His Revelation, and ears which are tuned to the voices of the ungodly cannot hear the melodies of the Kingdom. By 'new eyes' and 'new ears' He means spiritual eyes and spiritual ears. He states that since the eye of the spirit receives its light from God it is shameful to let it turn to a stranger, and re-affirms that the purpose of God in creating the inner eye was that man might behold the beauty of His Manifestation in this world. In 'The Hidden Words', Persian #11, Baha'u'llah reveals:
O Son Of Dust!
Blind thine eyes, that thou mayest behold My beauty; stop thine ears, that thou mayest hearken unto the sweet melody of My voice; empty thyself of all learning, that thou mayest hearken unto the sweet melody of my Voice; empty thyself of all learning, that thou mayest partake of My knowledge; and sanctify thyself from riches, that thou mayest obtain a lasting share from the ocean of My eternal wealth. Blind thine eyes, that is, to all save My beauty; stop thine ears to all save My word; empty thyself of all learning save the knowledge of Me; that with a clear vision, a pure heart and an attentive ear thou mayest enter the court of My holiness."
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THE EXCHANGE
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Question:
Some of us are challenged by living with severe physical limitations, illnesses or disabilities. How did you make the adjustment to make your environment and situation more pleasant to deal with your condition? What kind of care and comfort have you discovered to assist you? How does your community assist you? We look forward to hearing and learning from you!
Answers:
While suffering from depression my whole body was cold most of the time. Long underwear was my closest companion. Hot showers, finishing with cold caused reflex warming. Perhaps the deepest treatment was acupuncture which released a knot of pain, sadness and anger as well as having a remarkable warming effect on even the most remote digits. When in Moscow recently, wearing one of those warm Russian fur hats, one could see how keeping the head really warm seems to push heat into the lower half of the body, the part which had been coldest. The increased blood flow simply provided a feeling of ease and brought to mind "a touch of moisture sufficeth to dissolve the hardened clay out of which this perverse generation is molded." (Baha'u'llah, Gleanings 43:2 or page 93)
- Anonymous
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(Editor's note: The above story reminds me of an account of Abdu'l-Baha using massage to ease his feet.)
"Abdu'l-Baha invited my father and me to visit Him one evening at His home in San Francisco. When we entered His room, the Master (Abdu'l-Baha) was reclining against the pillows on His bed, and one of His secretaries was massaging His feet and ankles. The Master explained that His feet caused Him great pain, which was eased by massage. We knew that Abdu'l-Baha suffered much as a result of frostbite from walking and riding in the snow during the exile of the Holy Family in Turkey, and also because of the heavy chains which He had been forced to wear part of the time on His ankles while in prison." (Ramona Allen Brown, Memories of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 75)
**********
Since infancy I have lived my life from a wheelchair as a result of a debilitating progressive neuro-muscular disease, Spinal Muscular Atrophy and since the beginning of 1998 my physical condition has necessitated that I spend most of my time in bed. I require extensive assistance with just the basics of living such as bathing, dressing and eating. As prisoners have often recounted, when you are trapped in one place, you can easily stagnate. When I realized that my bedroom is to be my home and workplace for the majority of time I have left in this physical garment, I decided, through God's grace and mercy, to seek out ways to be stimulated. The celebration of diversity I am privileged to enjoy each day I believe has helped enormously to keep me enthralled and fascinated by life.
While lying in bed, as I look to my left I see outside my window a sea of greenery splashed with a rainbow of flowers. This garden was lovingly sculptured by my mother to attract bird life. Almost within touching distance, my father has hung three birdfeeders, which my mother stocks daily with seed, fruit and table scraps. As a result, my day is filled with an orchestra of birdsong that has a surprising harmony.
At the foot of my bed, I can usually feel the warmth flowing from one of my dog friends. Oprah once named dogs "people dressed in fur" but I say they are "angels dressed in fur" because they bring the gifts from God of lessons in unconditional love and loyalty.
Across my chest lies a very small telephone, the size of a matchbook, which is my lifeline that allows me to conduct business and stay in touch with loved ones. The walls of my bedroom are decorated by written messages, greeting cards, works of art and photographs that reflect a potpourri of emotions and signs of caring. My bookshelves groan under the weight of wisdom and debates from writers representing a variety of religious, philosophical, motivational, scientific and humorous viewpoints.
If I look straight ahead, I see a TV set positioned conveniently so that I can look with ease from my bed. When in 1998 I developed a mysterious neurological condition that twists my face and body with painful spasms, I was encouraged to lay quietly in darkness so as to diminish the frequency of the attacks. I opted to keep the TV on and through the haze of heavy medication I was able to watch a variety of shows.
To the right of me stands SLINGSHOT. This is the name I have given to a miraculous computer system put together by friends who have given me lifelong use of this instrument that gives me access via the Internet and e-mail to the global village.
Prayer and reading the Writings has been for me the most important tool for making my situation more pleasant to deal with. Through prayer I find the strength and the guidance to continue on the journey that God has ordained for me.
- By Renett Grove, South Africa,
http://www.heartwarmers4u.com/members?rgrove
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(Editor's note: The story by Renett Grove reminds me of the following quotation from the Baha'i Scriptures which teaches that the spirit is everlasting and permanent.)
"There is no doubt that it is the spirit and that there is no change or transformation in it, for it is not a composition of elements, and anything that is not composed of elements is eternal. Change and transformation are peculiarities of composition. There is no change and transformation in the spirit. In proof of this, the body may become weakened in its members. It may be dismembered, or one of its members may be incapacitated. The whole body may be paralyzed; and yet the mind, the spirit, remains ever the same. The mind decides; the thought is perfect; and yet the hand is withered, the feet have become useless, the spinal column is paralyzed, and there is no muscular movement at all, but the spirit is in the same status. Dismember a healthy man: the spirit is not dismembered. Amputate his feet; his spirit is there. He may become lame; the spirit is not affected. The spirit is ever the same; no change or transformation can you perceive, and because there is no change or transformation, it is everlasting and permanent."
Abdu'l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, pp. 242-43)
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A WOMAN'S COURAGE
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By Anna May Kinney, Canada (You can visit her website which is filled with pictures of her garden, pets and her section changes weekly: http://aradece.tripod.com/Default.htm)
It was over 25 years ago that my illness first showed itís ugly face. At that time they were only just beginning to know about what multiple sclerosis (MS) was and they thought I had some rare flu at first, or some rare virus and ran all kinds of tests, nothing of that kind showed up.
During the winter months, I was pretty well, but as soon as it got warm the following summer, I began to ache all over, my balance deteriorated and my legs would suddenly turn to rubber, making me wind up on my behind in the middle of the sidewalk.
It took many years of hearing doctors tell me there was nothing wrong with me or it was all in my head, before a observant MD gave me some test, asked a lot of questions and said, ìI think you have MSî.
Well at this point, instead of being depressed, I was relieved to find out what was wrong. I always felt that once you know the enemy then you know how to rage war against him. I also feel that God does not allow something to hit you like this unless He has a reason to do so. Everything we suffer is to help us learn to understand the needs of others and to make ourselves stronger in this physical world as well as the spiritual world.
As I went to doctors, I was told to limit my lifestyle, told I should rest most of the day, not do this or that. I wanted to adopt another dog after my beloved Athena passed away, but was told it was too much responsibility, that it was a time in my life to focus on myself. That I was NOT going to get better and that slowly every year I would get worse and that everyday stress, lack of sleep and rest would only make matters worse.
For about three years, I was forced to use crutches around my farm, and a wheelchair for shopping. While still on crutches, I adopted Faith, my dog, and wrote my cookbook on a very old 286 computer that was donated by a Bahaí i family. It crashed just as I was finishing it.
A year later, I found that the doctors were making me depressed with their negative attitudes and lack of treating my entire body. I decided to use only natural healing and said good-bye to all the regular doctors. Since then my health has been on the constant road to improvement. Even before this point, I had started taking Ginseng every morning for energy, but soon I found I was changing everything I ate and especially eliminating bad fats, transfats, such as hydrogenated vegetable shortening, even margarine. I do eat natural butter, olive oil and some corn oil. There are a lot of things I have eliminated from my diet and anyone who is interested in knowing what they are and why may contact me.
Then I decided to adopt a few more dogs and they have given me so much love that my body has been healing. Every year since my dogs have arrived we all walk together around the huge perennial flower garden I designed to thank God for letting me walk again and every year with their love and encouragement I walk better. Then this year, for the first time in 23 years I was strong enough to jog around the garden. No it wasnít a great jog, but I did it....
In January 1997, against doctor's advice, I started a writing course and a month later sold my first article to a local newspaper. A month after that, I had my own weekly column called Nature's Way.
I strongly feel that the medical profession feels it is doing the right thing, but telling people to ëgive upí, go on welfare, forget about their dreams, become dependant on the system, is not helping them. Yes, if you are too ill to do anything that is what a person should do, but if you can do anything, the more you do and keep doing, the more a person will be able to do.
I do have a lot of pain in my legs at times, and it takes me a lot longer to do things than it used to. In order to achieve anything in a day, besides doing meals, dishes and other housework, I have to put in a lot of hours. I get up at 4:30 a.m. and go to bed often at 11 p.m. Doctors will be the first to tell you this is not good, I agree, but if I want to change my life style I must do this. I have done nothing on my own, if God would not have been there holding me up through all of this, nothing could have been achieved. With every step I praise His Holy name. I know without a doubt that God will open the way for me.
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SACRED WRITINGS TO OVERCOME OUR LIMITATIONS
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The Sacred Writings of the Baha'i Faith can offer us inspiration and guidance to cope with our inner and outer limitations, and with our loved ones who are disabled or suffering from an illness. Our disabilities and struggles are given to us as gifts from God for our moral and spiritual development. This process will lead us to recognize that our physical self is only one small part of our being. Shoghi Effendi, in a letter dated 25 May 1936, written on his behalf, identifies man's "true self" with "his soul'. By rising above our limitations and imperfections, the real essence of the senses will become liberated and purified, our eyes to 'see', our ears to 'hear', our hearts to 'know' and our tongues to 'speak'. As Baha'u'llah states in Gleanings CXXV, "Then will the manifold favors and outpouring grace of the holy and everlasting Spirit confer such new life upon the seeker that he will find himself endowed with a new eye, a new ear, a new heart, and a new mind." The following quotes are a few examples to assist us to overcome our limitations:
"Human attitudes must not be limited; for God is unlimited, and whosoever is the servant of the threshold of God must, likewise, be free from limitations." (Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 131)
Remember not your own limitations; the help of God will come to you. Forget yourself. God's help will surely come! When you call on the Mercy of God waiting to reinforce you, your strength will be tenfold. Look at me: I am so feeble, yet I have had the strength given me to come amongst you: a poor servant of God, who has been enabled to give you this message!" (Abdu'l-Baha, Paris Talks, pp. 38-9)
"The greater your handicaps the firmer your determination should wax, and the more abundant will assuredly be the blessings and confirmations of Baha'u'llah." (Shoghi Effendi, Dawn of a New Day, p. 87)
"Baha'u'llah and the Master have both urged us repeatedly to disregard our own handicaps and lay our whole reliance upon God. He will come to our help if we only arise and become an active channel for God's grace." (From letter dated 31 March 1932 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, 'The Power of Divine Assistance, pp. 47-8)
"All of us suffer from imperfections which we must struggle to overcome and we all need one another's understanding and patience." Also, "Whether deficiencies are inborn or are acquired, our purpose in this life is to overcome them and to train ourselves in accordance with the pattern that is revealed to us in the divine Teachings." (The Universal House of Justice, in a letter dated 11 September 1995 to the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of United States)
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EVERYONE IS DIFFERENTLY ABLED
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Words and Music - Lorraine Bayes, Danny Deardoff, Dee Dickinson
Chorus
Everyone's differently abled
Everyone has ability
Everyone's differently abled
Making their lives work differently
Now you might use a chair with wheels to get around
You might use your hands to speak without a sound
Cause there's a million ways to do most anything
Some people love to dance some people prefer to sing
Chorus
Now you can use a working dog to help you see
Or use your mouth and feet to paint and write poetry
There's a million different ways that you can be
It's true that all of us live inter-dependently
I will not be defined by my limitations
But rather by my possibilities
We can respond to the needs of those around us
The best ability is response ability
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CLARA AND HYDE DUNN MEMORIAL LECTURE
ON HEALTH FOR ALL: THE CHALLENGE
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From Baha'i International News Service (BINS)
The fifth annual Clara and Hyde Dunn Memorial Dinner and Lecture was held at the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre on 9 October, 1999. The event was hosted by the National Spiritual Assembly and was attended by more than 180 people. Many guests were health practitioners or researchers.
Dr. Robert Kim-Farley -- a Baha'i who is the World Health Organization representative to Indonesia -- was the main speaker. His theme was 'Health for All: The Challenge of the New Millennium, and his premise was that world unity is the key to health.
'The current state of the world's health is actually a tale of two very different worlds,' he said. 'In the developed world, nine of the ten leading causes of death are now non-infectious. They include hypertension, heart disease, stroke and diabetes. In the developing world, on the other hand, lack of primary health care and the prevalence of infectious diseases make the situation grim. For example, some 1.8 billion people, about 30 per cent of the world's population, are infected with tuberculosis.'
Dr. Kim-Farley identified a number of necessary responses to the health challenges facing humanity. For example, there is a need for a global surveillance system capable of responding rapidly to outbreaks of disease, and for continuing medical research which includes the rich heritage of traditional medicine. But most important of all, he said, is the need for a change in the way we think about the world.
'The future of our health depends upon the degree to which we, as a global society, mature to the next stage of our collective existance -- that of unity and interdependence. We must show concern and act on that concern when there is conflict or suffering for members of our societies, just as we would if they were members of our own family.
In concluding, Dr. Kim-Farley called for the empowerment of people to take charge of their own health, accepting responsibility for their own actions and modify their lifestyles to promote health.
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THE LAUGHTER ROOM
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Taken from "The Laughter Prescription", by Dr. Laurence J. Peter, 1982, published by Ballantine Books, p. 193
PETER'S PRESCRIPTION FOR DEVELOPMENT OF YOUR SENSE OF HUMOR
1. Adopt an attitude of playfulness. This does not mean that you will do outrageous things, but that your mind is open to uncensored, iconoclastic, silly or outrageous thoughts.
2. Think funny. See the funny side or flip side of every situation. Select and refine your outrageous thoughts that best expose our conceits, pomposities and incongruities.
3. Laugh at the incongruities in situations involving yourself and others.
4. Only laugh with others for what they do rather than for what they are, unless you are assured that they can laugh at themselves for what they are. In laughing with others about their incongruities, see them as mirrors in which your own weaknesses, idiosyncrasies and conceits are reflected.
5. Laugh at yourself, not in derision, but with objectivity and acceptance of self.
6. Take yourself lightly. Take your job and your responsibility to yourself and to others seriously. You will discover that this will make life's anxieties and burdens lighter.
7. Make others laugh. By creating happiness for others, you will experience a special joy of accomplishment that only a lively, generous sense of humor can bring.
8. Realize that a sense of humor is deeper then laughter and more satisfactory than comedy, and delivers greater rewards than merely being entertaining. A sense of humor sees the fun in everyday experiences. It is more important to have fun than it is to be funny.
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LETTER TO THE EDITOR
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BY Kim Bowen-Kerby, Fiji
I wish to respond to the article on "Caffeine: How to Taper or Get Off it", printed in the March, 2000 issue. I understand how this article makes sense in the overall theme of this issue, which is dealing with addiction, but it is not clear in the issue that the Baha'i Teachings in no way discourage the moderate use of caffeine.
In the Baha'i teachings, alcohol and opium are forbidden outright, as are a number of unhealthy acts (including gambling, sex outside of marriage, and backbiting). Tobacco is so strongly discouraged that 'Abdu'l-Baha stated that "the friends will surely, by whatever means and even over a period of time, forsake this pernicious habit." But tea and coffee where neither forbidden nor discouraged by the Bab, Baha'u'llah, or Abdu'l-Baha. They all drank tea habitually, and the Universal House of Justice serves it to pilgrims ( not just once, but over and over again!). We also have the power of example:
"From the day of his arrival at the fortress of Akka he took over the coffee service, and waited upon the friends." (`Abdu'l-Baha: Memorials of the Faithful, Page: 159)
"In like manner His Holiness the Supreme (the Bab), in the beginning of the Manifestation through the excessive effect of descending verses, passed days in which His nourishment was reduced to tea only." (Multiple Authors: Lights of Guidance, Page: 235)
Therefore, if there were any connection between the Baha'i Faith and caffeine (at least in a weak form in tea) I would say that it is promoted. At the very least, caffeine is not discouraged, as long as the general principle of moderation is observed and the person does not have a medical condition in which it is contraindicated.
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HEALTH HABITS
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Here are some essential elements for our spiritual and physical health provided by a physician who has practiced for more than 35 years under the guidance of the Baha'i teachings.
Trust in God
Consult a skilled physician and follow his instructions
Practice detachment from all save God
Practice moderation
Pray and meditate daily; read the Creative Word morning and evening
Be always happy
Simplify
Focus
Practice patience
Cleanliness
Eat simple, natural plant foods
Drink adequate pure water
Evaluate progress daily, summarize weekly
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ANNOUNCEMENT
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Green Acre Baha'i School
Mystic Medicine: Religion Shaping Science. August 11-16 Presenter: Babak Etemad, M.D., a fifth-generation Baha'i and fifth-generation physician
Explore the influence of faith on the philosophy of science and medicine. A broad review of history will identify how religion has shaped scientific study through the centuries. Medicine's evolution through the 18th and 19th century will be emphasized with parallels drawn to the recent evolution of religion. The influence of the Baha'i Revelation on the progress of medical science will be addressed through a survey of Baha'i Sacred texts. Sessions will also address such issues as faith healing, end-of-life, assisted fertilization, and resource allocation.
Green Acre Baha'i School, 188 Main Street, Eliot, Maine, 03903-1800, U.S.A;
email: greenacre@usbnc.org, website: www.greenacre.org
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QUESTION OF THE MONTH
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"It is, therefore, evident that it is possible to cure by foods, aliments and fruits; but as today the science of medicine is imperfect, this fact is not yet fully grasped. When the science of medicine reaches perfection, treatment will be given by foods, aliments, fragrant fruits and vegetables, and by various waters, hot and cold in temperature." (Abdu'l-Baha, Some Answered Question, pp. 58-9)
A reader asks:
"I would like some articles on the 'proper diet' for either ill people or for those that are well. There is so much conflict out there on this subject and each doctor or medical person has a different idea. Just a fruit/vegetable diet is not enough for healing on the material plane. And herbs are sometimes needed to fight a disease. Are there any suggestions to this important subject?"
Dear Readers:
Do you have any comments, solutions or information in response to this question? Please send them to the newsletter and we will share them in the next issue.
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PURPOSE OF THE NEWSLETTER
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"Healing Through Unity" is published for the purpose of sharing thoughts, comments and experiences on how the teachings of the Baha'i Faith are being applied to our physical and spiritual health. Other than the quoted Holy Writings, the material in this newsletter represents the thoughts and opinions of the writers and has no authority. You are free to copy articles, provided you indicate the source of the article. If you have a change of e-mail address or wish to unsubscribe the newsletter, please inform me. There are 10 issues per year; it is not published during July and August. The newsletter is produced in Ontario, Canada.
Please send your stories, comments, suggestions or "Question for the Month" ideas to Frances Mezei by e-mail: -- .
PLEASE NOTE:
Many thanks to all of you who sent such wonderful contributions for "Healing Through Unity" Newsletter. The decision to select and edit material submitted for publication is determined by the editor.
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WEB SITE
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You can visit the website, obtain back issues and the Healing Through Unity Course at: http://www.healingthroughunity.org/
HEALING THROUGH UNITY
May, 2000
A monthly newsletter dedicated to serving the principles of
physical and spiritual health envisioned in the Baha'i Teachings.Volume 3, Issue #9
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CONTENTS
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- Abdu'l-Baha's Use of Natural Remedies
- Editor's Note Regarding the Focus of this Issue
- Optimal Nutrition for Optimal Health
- Nutrition: Guidance from the Baha'i Writings
- Tablet to a Physician
- Suggested Reading
- Living Past 100
- Announcement
- Health Habits
- Letters
- Question of the Month
- Purpose of the Newsletter
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ABDU'L-BAHA'S USE OF NATURAL REMEDIES
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Taken from "The Revelation of Baha'u'llah", Volume Three, by Adib Taherzadeh, pp. 361-2
Dr. Yunis Khan, a distinguished and trusted secretary of Abdu'l-Baha and one of the Heralds of the Covenant of Baha'u'llah (the title 'Herald of the Covenant' was sometimes given by Abdu'l-Baha and Shoghi Effendi to outstanding promoters of the Covenant), writes an interesting account in his memoirs. The following is a summary of his reminiscences:
"I heard Abdu'l-Baha many times speaking about the subject of medicine: He used to say that Jinab-i-Kalim (Baha'u'llah's faithful brother) was very knowledgeable in herbal medicine and used to practise it. In the early days Abdu'l-Baha also used to practise it. In the early days Abdu'l-Baha also used to prescribe medicine to those who came to him for healing. But later Baha'u'llah directed Him not to prescribe for patients, so that the believers might turn to the medical profession and not form the habit of seeking medical advice from unqualified people. This advice was given by Baha'u'llah so that His injunction in the 'Kitab-i-Aqdas (Baha'i Most Holy Book) to consult a skilled physician might be realized.
Although we all knew that because of this particular commandment in the 'Kitab-i-Aqdas, Abdu'l-Baha, the healer of spiritual ills, would not consent to prescribe for the physical sickness, yet whenever the doctor's treatment failed to cure, the patient used to turn to the Master and beg for healing from the One who was the Healer of all ills. And since the compassionate nature of Abdu'l-Baha was such that He could not withhold help from an individual who turned to Him, in such cases He would, as a matter of principle, employ some means to cure the patient. This He did by offering some remedy and thus conferring healing on the individual. More surprising is the fact that whereas the believers acted with some restraint, the non-Baha'i public who were not aware of the real situation used to come to Him for healing more often, and none of them left feeling disappointed.
One of the remedial means which was at Abdu'l-Baha's disposal and which He offered to many a sick person, was a delicious sauce made from pomegranates. The fruit has been grown in the Garden of Ridvan in Akka. To whomsoever Abdu'l-Baha gave this sauce, whether a believer or a non-Baha'i, He would say that the pomegranates had grown on trees in the Garden of Ridvan, trees which had been blessed by Baha'u'llah's eyes. But what were the circumstances which produced healing? Was it an inherent nature of the patient to be cured, was the cure the result of taking the sauce, or was it purely through the will of Abdu'l-Baha? I do not know the answer, but one thing I know that it was proved time and time again that this delicious fruit sauce was the remedy for many an illness! This was one of the topics often discussed among the believers in the Pilgrim House.
Another prescription which Abdu'l-Baha gave to some was that of fasting or cutting down on certain foods...."
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EDITOR'S NOTE REGARDING THE FOCUS OF THIS ISSUE
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In the April, 2000 issue, the question of the month is: "I would like some articles on the 'proper diet' for either ill people or for those that are well. There is so much conflict out there on this subject and each doctor or medical person has a different idea. Just a fruit/vegetable diet is not enough for healing on the material plane. And herbs are sometimes needed to fight a disease. Are there any suggestions to this important subject?"
There have been no responses to the question of the month and a complete discussion of different diets and nutritional guidance is beyond the scope of this newsletter since there is a wealth of information available for us to choose from. However, there is an excellent article printed for your information called 'Optimal Nutrition for Optimal Health' from "Encyclopedia of National Healing". Some quotations and the Tablet to a Physician which provides nutritional guidance from the Baha'i Teachings are included. I also offer some suggested reading which may be useful for our diets, the selection of herbs, vitamins and nutritional supplements.
"...it must be clearly understood that no specific school of nutrition or medicine has been associated with the Baha'i teachings." (From a letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer, July 11, 1978, Lights of Guidance, p. 298)
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OPTIMAL NUTRITION FOR OPTIMAL HEALTH
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Taken from "Encyclopedia of Natural Healing", A Practical Self-Help Guide, Alive Research Group, by Siegfried Gursche, MH and Dr. Zoltan Rona, Medical Advisor, pp. 112 - 114.
Optimal health is more than the absence of disease. The term 'optimal health' has emerged in the last twenty years as a description of the most desirable state of health and well-being that one can experience. Serious concerns over the quality of the foods we eat have given birth to a growing number of health-conscious consumers willing to take responsibility for improving their own health.
The human body has a miraculous natural ability to protect and heal itself from sickness, but there is a limit to its endurance. If we are to achieve optimal health, we must acquire the knowledge and tools to heal ourselves with the assistance of qualified health practitoners.
Thomas Edison predicted, "The doctor of the future will give no medicine but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, in diet, and in the cause and prevention of disease." Apparently the future has not yet arrived. In modern Western medical schools, the study of nutrition comprises a minimal part of a doctor's training. The prevention of disease through proper eating is given only token importance. Instead, significant attention is given to the prescribing of medicines and treatments, many of which have adverse, and sometimes irreversible, side-effects.
This approach to health, which permeates popular medical thinking, is the exact opposite of the direction voiced by Hippocrates fifteen centuries ago when he admonished his followers to "Let thy food by thy medicine and medicine be thy food."
Understanding the impact of our food choices, what we eat and drink, are two of the most important steps we can take along the road to achieving optimal health.
THE ORIGINAL DIET
The last 80 to 100 years have ushered a drastically different style of eating in comparison to the diets of our grandparents, and their grandparents before them. No longer are our food sources home and community-based. We have become global eaters, consumers of mass-marketed, highly refined and processed 'foods.' An examination of the diets of our ancestors offers a myriad of clues and possibilities to help us find our way back to healthy eating. It is noteworthy that traditional diets that have evolved independently in different parts of the world have a common nutritionally-sound basis.
Biologically, humans are omnivores, 'eaters of everything.' Compared to the modern Western diet, the diets of our ancestors included far more fiber, less saturated beef fat and no hydrogenated fat such as margarine or shortening. Instead, they consumed more natural fat, particularly the omega-3 essential fatty acid, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)....
In the 1930s Dr. Weston Price, a Canadian-born dentist with a keen interest in anthropology and health, discovered the devastating impact of replacing a traditional food diet with a modern one on the health of primitive people. He conducted a famous research project, traveling the world and studying the dietary habits of some of the planet's most primitive and isolated people.
No matter where his research led him from the African continent to the Swiss Alps, from the Amazon jungle - to the Northern reaches of the Canadian Arctic - Dr. Price's observations were consistent. He found that the ancient cultures that displayed remarkable longevity ate predominately vegetable-source foods. These cultures are often cited in support of a purely vegetarian diet, however, the healthiest groups also ate fish regularly. Dr. Price found that wherever geography permitted, fish and seafood played a major role in the diet and he believed that the beneficial fats found in fish most likely accounted for the superior health of these people who were free of dental and degenerative disease.
After many years of dedicated study and research, Dr. Price concluded that the overall health and resistance to disease of his subjects was far superior in the study groups who maintained a traditional diet consisting of the animals they could catch and the fruits, berries, nuts, grains and eggs they could collect. Dr. Price also postulated that human disease is caused by sub-optimal nutrient intake.
Traditional diets of long-lived peoples, whether or not they were predominantly vegetarian, shared certain other common features. Most foods were eaten raw, so they were high in fiber and rich in vitamins, minerals and enzymes. Foods were locally derived and unrefined. Dairy products were obtained from animals that had grazed on fresh, green pastures and these products were almost always eaten in fermented forms, such as yogurt and cheese. All sweet foods, including fruits, were eaten in season and therefore were rare treats rather than regular parts of the diet. Vegetable oils and fruit juices were also rare. Processed foods such as white flour, sugar and hydrogenated fats were nonexistent.
Wild greens, and seaweeds, where available, have always been a very important component of traditional diets. These foods, rich in vitamins and minerals, were alkaline-forming in the body, and provided a counterbalance to acid-forming grains and meats.
OUT OF EDEN
The idyllic lifestyle and eating habits of the healthy natives studied by Dr. Price are in stark contrast to the overfed but undernourished inhabitants of North America. In the mad rush to modernize, our once-healthy dietary patterns have been reshaped and remolded by the clever marketing strategies of the fast food industry and multinational food producers.
Socio-economic changes such as both parents working, single-parent families, nuclear family isolation and the generally hectic schedules of modern life have all played a part in the popular acceptance of fast foods. The price we pay for 'convenience' foods is far greater than the immediate monetary cost. When we consider the far-reaching health and environmental consequences of the popular use of these foods, we realize it is worth our investment in the time and money to return to a natural foods diet....
LINKS TO HEALTH
Hippocrates, the father of Medicine, set a medical precedent in considering the role of nutrients in relation to health and disease. It only took the next fifteen hundred years for the Arthritis Foundation and the United States Surgeon General to come to some of the same conclusions. After centuries of denial the medical establishment has finally begun to acknowledge the role dietary habits and nutrition play in creating disease.
Cancer, arthritis, diabetes and heart disease, four of Western civilization's most common diseases, do not happen overnight. They are degenerative diseases that develop over the course of many years. There are certainly other mitigating factors such as lifestyle, smoking, stress, genetic predisposition and environmental toxins that also influence the onset of disease.
Successive years of eating highly refined, overprocessed and pesticide-ridden foods can take their toll on the health of even the strongest human. Chronic, sub-optimal nutrient intake gradually erodes the body's defense system and reconstructive, healing abilities, thus opening the door to many preventable health problems.
The overconsumption of refined oils and hydrogenated (artificially hardened) fats in combination with refined sugar and a lack of exercise lead to obesity. Being more than twenty percent overweight has been linked to conditions such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and arthritis.
NUTRITIONAL LINKS
When the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDAs) were established over fifty years ago, they began to identify the minimal levels of essential nutrients required to prevent commonly recognized nutritional deficiency diseases.
The science of nutrition has come a long way since the accidental discovery that the vitamin C in citrus fruits cures and prevents scurvy....The power of nutrients to prevent and cure disease is being researched around the world. Nutritional researchers are identifying and studying thousands of enzymes and phytonutrients they never knew existed in food....
Nutrients are the natural chemicals found in foods, and are utilized by the body to maintain health and combat illness. If a deficiency of nutrients contributes to the causes of disease, then it stands to reason that an optional level of nutrients contributes to wellness. (Editor's note: It is interesting to note that in the Tablet to a Physician it says: " Treat disease first of all through diet, and refrain from medicine. If what you can find what you need for healing in a single herb, do not use compound medicine.")
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NUTRITION: GUIDANCE FROM THE BAHA'I WRITINGS
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FROM THE WRITINGS OF BAHA'U'LLAH
"In all circumstances they should conduct themselves with moderation; if the meal be only one course this is more pleasing in the sight of God; however according to their means, they should seek to have this single dish be of good quality." (Baha'u'llah, Kitab-i-Badi, p. 2)
FROM THE WRITINGS OF ABDU'L-BAHA
"What will be the food of the future?" "Fruit and grains. The time will come when meat will no longer be eaten. Medical science is only in its infancy, yet it has shown that our natural diet is that which grows out of the ground. The people will gradually develop up to the condition of this natural food." (Abdu'l-Baha, The Days in the Light of Akka, 1979 ed, pp. 8-9)
"But man hath perversely continued to serve his lustful appetites, and he would not content himself with simple foods. Rather, he prepared for himself food that was compounded of many ingredients, of substances differing one from the other. With this, and with perpetrating of vile and ignoble acts, his attention was engrossed, and he abandoned the temperance and moderation of a natural way of life. The result was the engendering of diseases both violent and diverse.
For the animal, as to its body, is made up of the same constituent elements as man. Since, however, the animal contenteth itself with simple foods and striveth not to indulge its importunate urges to any great degree, and committeth no sins, its ailments relative to man's are few..." Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p 152-3)
"As humanity progresses, meat will be used less and less, for the teeth of man are not carnivorous...The human teeth, the molars, are formed to cut grass, which is their fodder. The front teeth, the incisors, are for fruit, etc. It is, therefore, quite apparent according to the implements for eating that man's food is intended to be grain and not meat. When mankind is more fully developed, the eating of meat will gradually cease." (Abdu'l-Baha, The Promulagation of Universal Peace, pp. 170-71)
"But eating meat is not forbidden or unlawful, nay, the point is this, that it is possible for man to live without eating meat and still be strong. Meat is nourishing and containeth the elements of herbs, seeds and fruits; therefore sometimes it is essential for the sick and for the rehabilitation of health. There is no objection in the Law of God to the eating of meat if it is required. So if thy constitution is rather weak and thou findest meat useful, thou mayest eat it." (Abdu'l-Baha, Health and Healing: Compiled by the Universal House of Justice, p. 8-9)
FROM A LETTER WRITTEN ON BEHALF OF SHOGHI EFFENDI
"In regard to the question as to whether people ought to kill animals for food or not, there is no explicit statement in the Baha'i Sacred Scriptures (as far as I know) in favour or against it. It is certain, however, that if man can live on a purely vegetarian diet and thus avoid killing animals, it would be much preferable. This is, however, a very controversial question and the Baha'is are free to express their views on it. (From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, July 9, 1931, Lights of Guidance, p. 296)
FROM LETTERS WRITTEN ON BEHALF OF THE UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE
"No specific school of nutrition or medicine has been associated with the Baha'i teachings. What we have are certain guidelines, indications and principles which will be carefully studied by experts and will, in the years ahead, undoubtedly prove to be invaluable sources of guidance and inspiration in the development of these medical sciences. Moreover, in this connection the Guardian's secretary has stated on his behalf that "It is premature to try and elaborate on the few general references to health and medicine made in our Holy Scriptures." The believers must guard against seizing upon any particular text which may appeal to them and which they may only partially or even incorrectly understand....In matters of diet, as in medicine, the Universal House of Justice feels that the believers should be aware that a huge body of scientific knowledge has been accumulated as a guide to our habits and practices. Here too, as in all other things, the believers should be conscious of the two principles of moderation and courtesy in the way they express their opinions and in deciding whether they should refuse food offered to them or request special foods. There are, of course, instances where a believer would be fully justified in abstaining from or eating only certain foods for some medical reason, but this is a different matter and would be understood by any reasonable person." (From a letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer, January 24, 1977, Lights of Guidance, p. 298)
In matters of health, particularly regarding diet and nutrition, the House of Justice advises the friends to seek the help and advice of experts and doctors. This is what Baha'u'llah has recommended and He does not indicate which school of thought or practice they should belong to. However, as you particularly ask about references in the Old Testament as they relate to meat and fish, the House of Justice has asked us to quote for you the following excerpt taken from a letter written on behalf of the beloved Guardian by his secretary to an individual believer: "...there is nothing in the teachings about whether people should eat their food cooked or raw; exercise or not exercise; resort to specific therapies or not; nor is it forbidden to eat meat." (From a letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer, July 11, 1978, Lights of Guidance, 298)
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TABLET TO A PHYSICIAN
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(Editor's Note: This unauthorized translation of the entire Tablet by Baha'u'llah is published in "Star of the West", Vol.13, No.9, p.152, Dec.1922. In the Tablet to a Physician, written to a Persian physician more than a century ago, Baha'u'llah gives general and specific advice about health and healing. This Tablet was first printed in the 'Healing Through Unity' Newsletter in May, 1998 and it is being reprinted for those who have not read it. It is an important Tablet to study carefully and it will perhaps take many more generations before we begin to fully understand and appreciate the divine wisdom behind the unique aspects of this Tablet.)
O God! The Supreme Knower!
The Ancient Tongue speaks that which will satisfy the wise in the absence of physicians.
Say! O people! Do not eat except when you are hungry. Do not drink after you have retired to sleep. Exercise is good when the stomach is empty; it strengthens the muscles. When the stomach is full it is very harmful. Do not neglect medical treatment when it is necessary, but leave it off when the body is in good condition. Do not take nourishment except when (the process of) digestion is completed. Do not swallow until you have thoroughly masticated your food. Treat disease first of all through diet, and refrain from medicine. If you can find what you need for healing in a single herb, do not use a compound medicine. Leave off medicine when the health is good, and use them in case of necessity.
If two diametrically opposite foods are put on the table do not mix them. Be content with one of them. Take first the liquid food before partaking of solid food. The taking of food before that which you have already eaten is digested is dangerous. The compounding of one food with another is a danger of which you must beware.
Begin meals with "In My Name, the All Glorious." End with "In the Name of the Possessor of heaven and earth." When you have eaten, walk a little, that the food may settle. That which is difficult to masticate is forbidden by the wise. Thus the Supreme Pen commands you. A light meal in the morning is as a light to the body. Avoid all harmful habits; they cause unhappiness in the world.
Relate the diseases to their causes. This statement in this connection is a conclusive decree.Verily the most necessary thing is contentment under all circumstances; by this one is preserved from morbid conditions and from lassitude. Yield not to grief and sorrow; they cause the greatest misery. Jealously consumeth the body and anger doth burn the liver; avoid these two as you would a lion.
The main thing is to cleanse the body of its wastes, but in the temperate season. He who overeats, his illness becomes more severe. We have arranged for each thing a cause and we have bestowed upon it an effect. All this is from the effulgence of My Name which permeates all things. Your God is the Ruler in all things.
Say! By adhering to that which we have set forth the humours of the body will not depart from their equilibrium nor will their set measure be upset by various conditions, for the primary substance will remain in its pristine purity and no change will occur in the normal proportion of one-sixth, and one-sixth of one sixth, and the twin active agents (qualities, properties) and the twin passive agents will remain intact; and in God must our trust be. There is no God but Him, the Healer, the Knower, the Helper.
The Supreme Pen has not written such words but for love of thee, that thou mayest know that grief has not seized upon the Blessed Beauty. He is not sorrowful because of what has befallen Him from the nations. Sadness is for him who loses his chance when it appears.
Nothing on earth or in heaven is outside the grasp of God. O physician! In treating the sick, first mention the Name of God, the Possessor of the Day of Judgement and then use what God hath destined for the healing of His creatures. By My Life! The physician who has drunk from the Wine of My Love, his visit is healing, and his breath is mercy and hope. Cling to him for the welfare of the constitution. He is confirmed by God in his treatment.This science (of the healing arts) is the noblest of all the sciences, for it is the greatest means from God, the Life-Giver to the dust, for preserving the bodies of all people, and he has put it in the forefront of all sciences and wisdoms. It is indeed the most potent instrument provided by God, He Who breathes life into bones, for the protection of the bodies of men. He hath given it the foremost rank among all sciences and the knowledge of the wise. However, this is the day for thee to arise to help My Cause, while fully detached from all the worlds.
Say! Thy name is my healing, O my God, and remembrance of Thee is my remedy. Nearness to thee is my hope, and love for Thee is my companion. Thy mercy to me is my healing and my succor in both this world and the world to come. Thou, verily, art the All-Bountiful, the All-Knowing, the All Wise.
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SUGGESTED READING
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The following books are suggestions which may assist us in finding a healthy diet, nutrients, vitamins and herbs.
1) "4 Blood Types, 4 Diets: Eat Right, For Your Type. The Individualized Diet Solution to Staying Healthy, Living Longer and Achieving Your Ideal Weight", by Dr. Peter D' Adams, published by C.P. Putnam's Sons, New York, 1996.
2) "Becoming Vegetarian: The Complete Guide to Adopting a Healthy Vegetarian Diet", by Vesan Melina, RD, Brenda Davis, RD and Victoria Harrison, RD, published by MacMillan Canada, Toronto.
3) "The Carbohydrate Addict's Lifespan Program", by Richard and Rachael Heller, Penguin, New York, 1997.
4) "Eating Well for Optimum Health", by Dr Andrew Weil, Random House of Canada Ltd., 2000.
5) "Breaking The Vicious Cycle: Intestinal Health Through Diet", by Elaine Gottschall, Kirkton Press Ltd, Canada, 1994. (This book contains useful information for the dietary treatment of many gastrointestinal disorders.)
6) "Complete Candida Yeast Guidebook", by Jeanne Marie Martin with Zoltan Rona, M.D., Prima Publishing, U.S.A., 1996 (This book contains information about the prevention, treatment and diet for yeast infections. There are over 200 specialized recipes.)
7) "Prescription for Nutritional Healing", by James F. Balch, MD and Phyllis A. Balch, Avery Publishing Group, New York, 1996. ( A practical A - Z reference to drug-free remedies using vitamins, minerals, herbs and food supplements. This book has 600 pages and costs $28.00 Cdn Funds.)
8) "Encyclopedia of Natural Healing", by Siegfried Gursche, MH and Dr. Zoltan Rona, Medical Editor, Vancouver: Alive Books, 1998. (The Encyclopedia is divided into two sections. The first is a complete guide to natural living and alternative therapies. The second is an alphabetical listing of over 300 conditions. Included in the section are symptoms, causes, herbal treatments, nutritional supplements, nutrition, homeopathy, tissue salts and external therapies for each condition. This book has 1,500 pages and costs $59.95 U.S. Funds; $69.95 Cdn Funds)
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LIVING PAST 100
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This article is taken from "Life" magazine, February, 2000. (Used by permission of the publisher)
"As we sail into the new millennium, the potential for human longevity is written in the cards - Hallmark cards, among others. The company expects to be selling more than 70,000 centenarian birthday cards annually by the year 2010. Which doesn't surprise geriatrician Thomas Perls at all. Perls, a Harvard professor and director of the New England Centenarian Study, is the coauthor of 'Living to 100 - Lessons in Living to Your Maximum Potential at Any Age' (Basic Books, $25).
The book pictures an old age far removed from the bleak image of a grim trek into illness, frailty and confusion. Old age isn't failure, Perls says; its success. As he puts it, "The older you get, the healthier you've been."
Obviously, getting old is mainly a matter of avoiding illness. Genes have a lot to do with that, but so does behavior. Perls recommends a sensible diet, no smoking, yoga and other stress-reducers. Again and again, Perls found, the healthy aged are folks who, to borrow a phrase that they never heard in their youth, don't sweat the small stuff. As one 101-year-old told him, "Don't make a federal case of everything."
Too many of us do make a big deal out of small troubles, he says, and that, along with slothful physical habits, can reduce our genetic life expectancy by 10 years.
Meanwhile, researchers are closing in on the genes that keep us healthy far into old age, in hopes of developing medications to mimic good genetics and slow down the aging process, Perls says.
Michael Rose, an evolutionary biologist at the University of California at Irvine, shares Perls's optimism. Life span is not set in stone, he says. It's neither fixed nor preset.
A few things Perls has learned:
- Centenarians are the world's fastest-growing age-group.
- More than half of the baby boomers will live past 85, but unless they diet wisely and exercise regularly, they'll face chronic illness along the way.
- The healthy aged share low blood pressure; youthful looks; parents and grandparents who lived long and well; and enthusiasm for exercising the mind."Editor's note: This article brought to mind this quotation from the Guardian of the Baha'i Faith: "The enormous energy dissipated and wasted on war, whether economic or political, will be consecrated to such ends as will extend the range of human inventions and technical development, to the increase of the productivity of mankind, to the extermination of disease, to the extension of scientific research, to the raising of the standard of physical health, to the sharpening and refinement of the human brain, to the exploitation of the unused and unsuspected resources of the planet, to the prolongation of human life, and to the furtherance of any other agency that can stimulate the intellectual, the moral, and spiritual life of the entire human race." (Shoghi Effendi, World Order of Baha'u'llah, p. 204)
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ANNOUNCEMENT
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BAHA'I MEDICAL ASSOCIATION OF CANADA 4th ANNUAL CONFERENCE
The Baha'i Medical Association of Canada (BMAC) Conference task force is very pleased to announce that the 4th Annual BMAC Conference is going to be held during the weekend of October 27-29, 2000 at the Toronto Baha'i Centre, Ontario, Canada. The theme of this year's conference is "Bridging the Old and the New: An Evidence and Scripture Based Conference on Health." In a period dominated by evidence-based challenges to traditional medical practices, it is only appropriate that we, as physicians, explore ways to incorporate scientific evidence from the material world with spiritual truths found in the Sacred Writings in a spirit of harmony and unity.
The conference will include presentations on the following subjects: nutrition, the application of Baha'i principles to international health work, a historical perspective on medicine and the arts, our stories and our health, an approach to ethical dilemmas and balancing personal, professional and spiritual responsibilities. Musical presentations, historical vignettes and health walks will be interspersed throughout the program.
If you are interested to attend this conference, please contact: Payam Dehghani - payamdehghani@hotmail.com or Ashley Roberts - robera@mcmaster.ca (Phone number - 905-308-8484) (They will both be away during the months of July and August, 2000)
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HEALTH HABITS
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Here are some essential elements for our spiritual and physical health provided by a physician who has practiced for more than 35 years under the guidance of the Baha'i teachings.
Trust in God
Consult a skilled physician and follow his instructions
Practice detachment from all save God
Practice moderation
Pray and meditate daily; read the Creative Word morning and evening
Be always happy
Simplify
Focus
Practice patience
Cleanliness
Eat simple, wholesome foods
Drink adequate pure water
Evaluate progress daily, summarize weekly**********************
LETTERS
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Just a note of thanks that we appreciate your interesting and informative newsletter. Please keep up the excellent work.
- John Anglin, Secretary, National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Uganda********
Let me express my gratitude and admiration for the most valuable service you are doing to the World with this project. Specifically, I am convinced that the Healing Through Unity Course will help a large number of people to lead a more spiritual and thus more healthy life.
- Michael Walk, Switzerland*******
I have subscribed to the Healing Through Unity newsletter for a while now and I wish to warmly congratulate you on a wonderful job. I am a G.P. in England with an open mind about complimentary therapies. Experiences teaches you how little you know about science, spirituality and the power of the spirit when dealing with people who are sick in body and mind....Thank you once again for an inspiring journal that I can envision in the future, as it develops, as a model for future 'medical' publications.
- Dr Kathy Hadfield, England**************************************
QUESTION OF THE MONTH
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A reader writes:
I have been under treatment for hepatitis C for the last 4 weeks - the interferon and ribavirin. I have good days and bad days, but they have been much better than I ever guessed. I had my first blood test on April 3 and my hemoglobin is down slightly and will get a blood test again on April 20 and see the doctor on April 24. This is supposed to last for 48 weeks. I have also been going to a Baha'i for Chinese medicine and acupuncture. She is a great help. Is there any way you can solicit "the experts" you have available and that the issue of hepatitis C could be addressed in the newsletter. This will be reaching major epidemic proportions soon since most people that were infected had no way of knowing until recently and most doctors do not realize that all people should be tested for it when they come in for a physical. New knowledge will be coming out all the time now. Thank you for any news you can get.
Dear Readers:
Do you have any information, solutions or comments in response to this question? Please send them to the newsletter and we will share them in the next issue which will be the last issue before we will resume again in September, 2000.
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PURPOSE OF THE NEWSLETTER
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"Healing Through Unity" is published for the purpose of sharing thoughts, comments and experiences on how the teachings of the Baha'i Faith are being applied to our physical and spiritual health. Other than the quoted Holy Writings, the material in this newsletter represents the thoughts and opinions of the writers and has no authority. You are free to copy articles, provided you indicate the source of the article. If you have a change of e-mail address or wish to unsubscribe the newsletter, please inform me. There are 10 issues per year; it is not published during July and August. The newsletter is produced in Ontario, Canada.
Please send your stories, comments, suggestions or "Question for the Month" ideas to Frances Mezei by e-mail: -- . PLEASE NOTE:
Many thanks to all of you who sent such wonderful contributions for "Healing Through Unity" Newsletter. The decision to select and edit material submitted for publication is determined by the editor.
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WEB SITE
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You can visit the website, obtain back issues and the Healing Through Unity Course at: http://www.healingthroughunity.org/
HEALING THROUGH UNITY
June, 2000
A monthly newsletter dedicated to serving the principles of
physical and spiritual health envisioned in the Baha'i Teachings.Volume 3, Issue #10
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CONTENTS
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- New Millennium, New Healing Attitudes
- The Exchange
- A Response on Addiction
- Finding Your Joy
- Announcement
- Health Habits
- A Letter From the Editor
- A Message to all the Children and Youth
- Purpose of the Newsletter
- Website*************************************************************
NEW MILLENNIUM, NEW HEALING ATTITUDES
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By Zoltan Rona, MD, Ontario, Canada. (Editor's note: This article is taken from the journal "alive: Canadian Journal of Health and Nutrition", issue #207 January 2000. This article is of general interest and from the greater community, and is not written from a Baha'i perspective. However, I feel that the author gives some excellent ideas and insights to assist us to change our healing attitudes.)After 22 years of general medical practice and over 2,000 letters from readers requesting advice, I have observed some general principles that determine whether or not an individual is capable of controlling his or her health. The following basic habits help reverse illness and prevent disease.
Questioning authority is good for your sanity as well as your health.
Prescription drugs are often unnecessary and even harmful in treating a long list of chronic ailments including high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, high cholesterol, arthritis and immune system problems, especially chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia. In fact, studies published in 1999 indicated that prescription drugs, even when taken as directed, are the fourth or fifth leading cause of death in North America! (1)
Fortunately there are well-documented safe and effective natural alternatives to most drugs. Health experts believe that maybe only 10 percent of all prescription and over-the-counter drugs are really necessary.
Beware of needless surgery, especially for the heart, uterus, ovaries, gall bladder, bowel and joints. Fibroid tumors of the uterus, kidney stones, fibrocystic breast disease and even prostate cancer may not require surgery. Not all conventional surgical procedures are cast in stone. After all, it was only a decade or so ago that radical mastectomy for breast cancer was abandoned for the simple lumpectomy. Also, Dr. Dean Ornish demonstrated in the 1990s that a combination of a diet low in animal fats, exercise and meditation could reverse coronary artery disease and prevent bypass surgery in a high percentage of cases.
North Americans, especially medically socialized Canadians, are the most operated-upon individuals on the planet. While I am by no means saying that surgery is always a bad thing, get a second or even a third opinion.
QUESTION CONVENTIONAL DENTISTRY
A few years ago, only a handful of Canadian dentists dared to question dental orthodoxy on the subject of mercury dental fillings. This has changed radically and will be one of the great battles in the new millennium. It is becoming increasingly evident that mercury from dental amalgams escapes as a vapor into the circulation, leading to neurological diseases like multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, chronic fatigue syndrome and other suboptimal immune system disorders. More and more dentists are seeing the light on this issue as well as the dangers of fluoride and root canal surgery. If at all possible, find yourself a dentist with a more biological orientation.
DEVELOP SELF-DEPENDENCE
Medical school still teaches doctors to focus on disease rather than on wellness and to be interveners rather than teachers or equal partners with their patients. This negative and paternalistic attitude encourages ignorance and dependence on both doctors and the socialized disease care system. Such a system views natural life events like pregnancy and menopause as diseases requiring prescription drugs. This attitude, thankfully, is changing. (2)
The latter half of the 20th century has witnessed the emergence of a new paradigm. Responsibility for health maintenance is shifting on to the individual instead of the doctor. Health care practitioners are only now beginning to see their roles as something other then 'doing something to the patient.' (3)
The human body is capable of healing itself from virtually any illness, provided the right nutrients are present whether these be vitamins, minerals, light, water, a positive mental attitude or spiritual nourishment. Learn to depend on this.
LEARNING SELF CARE
Since grade school, high school and colleges offer no training in nutrition, preventative health care and other aspects of self-healing (although I expect this will change in the new millennium as well), one had to become an avid student outside the mainstream. My favorite patients and letters from readers are those that demonstrate a serious attempt to research and understand their health situation.
The more an individual knows about health matters, the greater the healing potential becomes. Psychologists, psycho-neuro-immunologists and other holistic healers too numerous to list have proven the immense value of visualization and positive thinking in treating disease. One visualizes tumor cells being gobbled up by the white cells and guess what? The cancer is better controlled!
Knowing what coenzyme Q10 and hawthorn does for high blood pressure and visualizing how these remedies work will produce more positive results in blood pressure control than the biochemical effects of these substances on their own. In other words, the more you know about the therapy and how it works, the better the results.
Take courses on natural health care from the 'alive' Academy of Nutrition or another school of natural healing. Take a natural cooking course. Get your personal copy of the 'Encyclopedia of Natural Healing' (published by 'alive' books) and make a habit of reading a bit of it every day. Get on the Internet and do research on your own before spending thousands of dollars on visits to health care providers. Learn, learn and learn some more by reading magazines like this one.
Don't wait for your doctor to give his or her blessing before you take antioxidant vitamins, minerals or other nutrients. I don't recommend that you approach preventive or various 'anti-aging' tactics blindly but one should not take health maintenance lightly.
Research as best you can and take the initiative in controlling your health. Consult a health care practitioner if you have various health challenges but don't be sheepish. Direct action builds confidence. Confidence boosts energy, endurance, stamina and your immunity. (4)
Editor's notes:
(1) It is important to question the use of the prescriptions with the treating physician and sometimes the reduction of prescription drugs should be done carefully over a period of time with the supervision of a skilled physician. Sometimes abruptly stopping a medicine can make the situation worse and a specific drug may be required to help us function better. In the Tablet to a Physician, Baha'u'llah states: "Treat disease first of all through diet, and refrain from medicine. If you can find what you need for healing in single herb, do not use a compound medicine. Leave off medicine when the health is good, and use them in case of necessity", see May, 2000 issue in which the Tablet is printed.
(2) This characterization of physicians as "paternalistic" and "encouraging dependence" is a point in which the Baha'i teachings offer a bit more balance. We are taught to take individual responsibility, but also to respect authority. The medical field is striving to be holistic. Obeying a skilled physician is not a popular stance in current western culture, but it is the Divine Guidance we were given. There is something very healthy about obedience and working in unity. Note this quotation written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice, 24 January, 1977:
The secretaries of the Guardian have conveyed his guidance on this point in many letters to individual believers in passages such as these: "...refer to competent physicians and abide by their considered decisions", "...invariably consult and follow the treatment of competent and conscientious physicians...". Thus the obligation to consult physicians and to distinguish between doctors who are well trained in medical sciences and those who are not is clear, but the Faith should not be associated with any particular school of medical theory or practice. It is left to each believer to decide for himself which doctors he should consult, bearing in mind the principles enunciated above." ('Health and Healing': Compiled by the Universal House of Justice, pp.47-8)
(3) The Baha'i attitude is not that the doctor is alone responsible for our health. Here is one quotation that shows that we do have a great deal of responsibility for guarding our own health. "Praised be God, the women believers have organized meetings where they will learn how to teach the Faith, will spread the sweet savours of the Teachings and make plans for training the children.... Let them also study whatever will nurture the health of the body and its physical soundness, and how to guard their children from disease." (Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, pp. 123-124
(4) You can visit his website at: http://www.srvitamins.com and subscribe to his excellent newsletter, 'HealthWise Digest', 1366 Yonge Street, Suite 202, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M4T 3A7
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THE EXCHANGE
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In the May, 2000 issue, a reader requested for assistance:I have been under treatment for hepatitis C for the last 4 weeks. I have good days and bad days, but they have been much better than I ever guessed. I had my first blood test on April 3 and my hemoglobin is down slightly and will get a blood test again on April 20 and see the doctor on April 24. This is supposed to last for 48 weeks. I have also been going to a Baha'i for Chinese medicine and acupuncture. She is a great help. Is there any way you can solicit "the experts" you have available and that the issue of hepatitis C could be addressed in the newsletter. This will be reaching major epidemic proportions soon since most people that were infected had no way of knowing until recently and most doctors do not realize that all people should be tested for it when they come in for a physical. New knowledge will be coming out all the time now. Thank you for any news you can get.
Answers:
(Editor's note: Here is an explanation of hepatitis taken from "Prescription for Nutritional Healing", by James F. Balch, MD and Phyllis A. Balch, Avery Publishing Group, New York, 1996, p. 314.)
"Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver, usually caused by a viral infection. The liver becomes tender and enlarged and is unable to function normally. As a result, toxins that would normally be filtered out by the liver build up in the body, and certain nutrients are not processed and stored as they should be. The symptoms of hepatitis include fever, weakness, nausea, vomiting, headache, appetite loss, muscle aches, joint pains, drowsiness, dark urine, light-colored stools, abdominal discomfort, and often jaundice (yellowing of the skin) and elevated liver enzymes in the blood. Flulike symptoms may be mild or severe.
In the last fifteen years, scientists have identified the viruses responsible for three leading types of the disease, called hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C.
1) Hepatitis A, also known as infectious hepatitis, is easily spread through person-to-person contact, and through contact with food, clothing, bed linen, and other items. It is contagious between two to three weeks before and one week after jaundice appears. After a bout with hepatitis A, the individual develops an immunity to it.2) Hepatitis B, also referred to as serum hepatitis, is spread through contact with infected blood (for example, the use of contaminated syringes, needles, and transfused blood) and some forms of sexual activity. It is estimated that up to 5 percent of all Americans, and as many as 85 percent of gay men, are infected with hepatitis B. However, most hepatitis B come and go unrecognized. In some 10 percent of cases, the disease becomes chronic, scarring the liver and making it more vulnerable to cancer. Hepatitis B is the ninth leading cause of death in the United States.
3) Hepatitis C accounts for 20 to 40 percent of all hepatitis and 90 to 95 percent of hepatitis contracted through blood transfusions. Tests can now detect antibodies against hepatitis C in donated blood, a major advance in ensuring a safe blood supply, but an infected individual may take up to six months to develop the antibodies, so it is still impossible to identify all infected blood. Hepatitis C can also be contracted through intravenous drug use, sexual contact, and broken skin or mucous membranes."
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I was deeply moved by the letter of the friend, who has been infected with the hepatitis C. I'd like to recommend to this person to investigate macrobiotics. Macrobiotics is a way of healing through food, as well as a healthy life style. The greatest promoter of Macrobiotics and a recognized Macrobiotic healer is Mischio Kushi. (He opened the first health food store in America!) He lives in Boston, MA, US and travels extensively giving lectures and medical consultation. He and his wife are the founders of Kushi Institute, where they teach cooking and healing through food.
Here is their address: Kushi Institute, Leland Road, P.O. Box 7, Becket, MA, United States, 01223-0007 tel: (413) 623-5741 and fax: (413) 623-8827
I know many, many people when treated by macrobiotics were cured of an advanced cancer, AIDS and many other illnesses, which conventional medicine struggled with. In fact the US Medical Association is currently researching macrobiotics as a possible way to cure those diseases!
I myself was diagnosed with a 2.5 inches cyst on my ovary. My gynecologist suspected cancer and wanted to operate. I refused since I consider surgery "the last resort". I decided to give a chance to nutrition first. Therefore, I started to practice a strict macrobiotic diet. After two months my cyst got 50% smaller! I lost weight! I looked really healthy and got my energy back. My trust in natural healing methods was confirmed couple months earlier, when I got rid of 20 stones in my gall-bladder. This was due to a 3 day home made apple-juice diet, coupled with an olive oil-lemon juice mixture. Western medicine says to cases like this is "cut it out" whereas natural medicine suggests non-invasive methods such as - "dissolve it", "melt it", "soften it" and go to the toilet with it. It's painless and effective! So you can imagine why after I've seen my stones come out so easily, I would refuse to operate my reproductive organs (especially before having kids!).
Generally, macrobiotics is all about eating wholesome foods in the right proportion: 60% wholesome grains (brown rice is highly recommended here!), 20-30% vegetables, 10% beans, 5% sea vegetables, 5% soups. And infrequently some fruits and nuts. But there is more to it. It's a whole science.
Fascinating, logical, and uniting yin & yang forces of nature. Also, depending on the disease, proportions change, therefore, some things - even good things - should not be eaten at all until one gets better (due to their contracting or expanding influence on the organs). That's why a macrobiotic healer is necessary! And the healer is usually somebody, who himself/herself has overcome a fatal disease through nutrition. That was the case with me. I got in touch with Mina Dobic, a healer, from California. She was diagnosed with cancer on both of her ovaries. Chemotherapy didn't help, but food did! As a result, she wrote a book about it and cures others - people like me. Good luck! May God guide you. - Ewa Jodlowski, Poland (see recommended books listed below)
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RECOMMENDED BOOKS ON MACROBIOTIC DIET
Michio Kushi & Alex Jack - "The Cancer Prevention Diet" (for prevention and healing)
Aveline Kushi & Wendy Esko - "The Macrobiotic Cancer Prevention Cookbook" (for prevention and healing)
Michio Kushi - "The Macrobiotic Way",- "Diet for a Strong Heart"
- "Standard Macrobiotic Diet"
- "Basic Home Remedies"
- "Basic Shiatsu"Alex Jack - "Let Food be Thy Medicine"
To order any of the above books or to receive a catalog with a full book list and a program of workshops, courses and treatments offered at the Kushi Institute call: 1-800-645-8744
Note:
For any one with a life-threatening disease (such as cancer, or hepatitis C), it is not sufficient just to study these books, as the application of these cooking principles takes time. You should immediately call the Kushi Institute and ask them to recommend to you a certified Macrobiotic Healer in your locality. And consult the physician, as soon as possible. Certain good foods in certain conditions are not good effect, because of their contracting or expanding, warming or cooling effects. Only a Macrobiotic physician, with the experience of natural diagnosis and healing, will be able to tell you what to avoid and what to eat.************
Ibrahim Karim, an Egyptian architect and healer, has developed a pendant with about 400 drawings on it that go into resonance with the part of the body that needs healing. It works upon an energy level which surrounds the body. Basically, by changing the energy into positive energy, it affects the physical (and emotional, and spiritual) body. Universities in Egypt have tested his pendant on hepatitis C, along with homeopathic, allopathic and other medicines. In the first tests, he received a much higher percentage than the other medicines tested. He has an internet site. Look up www.biogeometry.com. The ideas behind his work I find fascinating and may be worth checking into. - T. Pratt, The Netherlands
(Editor's note: The Baha'i Writings are very clear about the importance to consult with competent physicians, therefore it would be wise to share your healing journey with your physician.)
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A RESPONSE ON ADDICTION
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Here is another perspective to the question asked in February, 2000 issue:
Many of us struggle with different forms of addictions such as: shopping, alcohol, narcotics, smoking, food, gambling, work, computers and others. What are your suggestions to assist us to overcome our specific addictions which may cause us pain and frustrations? How were you able to make the decision to deal with it and to make the right choices to change your life?
Addictive and compulsive behavior is either numbing or distracting behavior. The obvious question is, "what are we trying to numb out or distract ourselves from?" Until we are willing to feel the unfelt and examine the unacknowledged, we will continue to be manipulated by them.
Our first thought is that we are trying to forget or escape painful experiences from our past. Trying to remember and examine these experiences is a valuable step in the process of getting out from under their control. But behind the experiences themselves is the feeling that they generated in us - feelings of shame.
I believe that when we learn to heal unhealthy and toxic shame, then we will gain the serenity and self-acceptance we need to abandon our numbing behaviors.
Toxic shame
From one perspective, we can define shame as the punishment half of the internalization of the principle of reward and punishment. When we do what we believe is right, we reward ourselves with feelings of joy. When we do what we feel is wrong, we punish ourselves with feelings of shame.But what is the essence of joy and shame? Joy is the sensation of being drawn towards God. Shame is the sensation of being removed from God. Ironically, whether we do something good or bad, it is not God who moves, but us. Two forces act to separate us from the experience of the presence of God. One is our feelings of unworthiness. The other is our fear of punishment. We try to hide from God's judgment, not realizing that the act of hiding is, in itself, the greatest punishment.
The western culture promotes feelings of unworthiness and fear through its obsession with original sin, black/white thinking, and perfectionism. The Baha'i Faith rejects all three of these ideas. The Baha'i Writings, therefore, promote a more healthy relationship with God that will ultimately reduce addictive behaviors.
Addictions are very difficult to heal if the approach focuses on ending negative behavior, because we are trying to shame ourselves out of shameful behavior. Addictions are more easily dealt with by replacing numbing behavior with positive feelings - the joy of moving towards God. This comes through forgiveness, service and the development of virtues. - Justice St Rain, U.S.A., Author of "Falling Into Grace"
(Editor's note: Practical examples of applications of these theories would be interesting to know about.)
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FINDING YOUR JOY
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By Frances Mezei, Ontario, Canada
True happiness comes from expressing your passion and goals. When you're really in touch with your passion or goals, you begin living on purpose. Passion is that activity that you love to do, that you do with such pleasure or enthusiasm because you find it's so deeply satisfying.
HERE ARE SOME WAYS TO FIND YOUR OWN JOY OR PASSION:
* Take fifteen minutes a day for yourself alone. If you are not used to this, you can start gradually with one or two days a week and build up. This will help you learn to be still to discover your inner joy and what is important to you.
* Write a purpose statement, a mission statement for your life. This can be very simple with just a few sentences but write it down. Once you know what you're passionate about, or what your purpose in life is, you can look for ways to bring more into your everyday life.
* Start a gratitude journal to change the way you think about your life. Take those 15 minutes with yourself and write down five things in your life that you are grateful for from that day. This idea of the "Gratitude Journal" is mentioned in "Simple Abundance - A Day Book of Comfort and Joy", by Sarah Ban Breathnach, p. 14.
* Discover what you enjoy doing. Decide to spend some time this summer paying attention to what you love, what encourages you, and what is healing to you. There's a pattern in your life of things that you are attracted to, that you enjoy, and that you excel in.
* Make a list of all the things you wish to explore but are afraid to do. Then try them out and notice what happens afterwards. If it is helpful, write down what your inner voice is saying and of any shifts in the felt sense of your body, your energy, and your behavior.
* Make your home an oasis from the frenzied world outside. Fill it with great music, books, friends and laughter.
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A reader from England shares with us this wise quote by Aristotle, 384 - 322 B.C.:
"All men seek one goal: success or happiness. The only way to achieve true success is to express yourself completely in service to society.
First have a definite, clear, practical ideal - a goal, and objective.
Second, have the necessary means to achieve your ends - wisdom, money, materials and methods.
Third, adjust your means to that end."
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ANNOUNCEMENT
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BED OF LOVE
When Dianne Mahbouby, from UK, realised how I was positioned in the bed I Iive my life from, she sensed a need even I was not aware of. She initiated a project that Bahaíis from all over the world UNITED around and now I have what I call my BED OF LOVE, with a backrest that can be raised. Instead of lying flat on my back all day without being able to lift my head, I can sit upright. For the first time I have a full view of the garden and feel more dignified when hosting work related meetings. These dear, dear Friends, acting as Godís grace and mercy have not only given me a luxury I never dreamed of having, but their love and example of ONENESS in action has made my heart overflow with joy. - Renett Grove, South Africa, e-mail rgrove@global.co.za
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PARENTING IN THE NEW WORLD ORDER NEWSLETTER
This bi-monthly newsletter is dedicated to raising families with strong spiritual values and is published for the purpose of sharing thoughts, comments and experiences on how the teachings of the Baha'i Faith are being applied to the task of parenting and family life. If you are interested, please email: allamanda@caribsurf.com or visit the website at: http://www.spiceisle.com/homepages/allamanda/
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H
EALTH HABITS******************************
Here are some essential elements for our spiritual and physical health provided by a physician who has practiced for more than 35 years under the guidance of the Baha'i teachings.
Trust in God
Consult a skilled physician and follow his instructions
Practice detachment from all save God
Practice moderation
Pray and meditate daily; read the Creative Word morning and evening
Be always happy
Simplify
Focus
Practice patience
Cleanliness
Eat simple, wholesome foods
Drink adequate pure water
Evaluate progress daily, summarize weekly**************************************
A LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
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By Frances Mezei, Ontario, Canada
CIRCULATION
It has been three years and thirty issues that I have been sending out the "Healing Through Unity" newsletter. There are now over 1,600 subscribers from more than 105 countries, territories and islands. I have been informed by many readers that they have forwarded the newsletter, put it on list services or made copies of it for their friends so the newsletter reaches a much wider audience.
The publication goes to 26 National Spiritual Assemblies (NSA) which are: Australia, Belarus, Cambodia, Canada, Cook Islands, Ecuador, Ethiopia, Georgia, Honduras, Hong Kong, India, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, New Zealand, Panama, Poland, Pakistan, Uganda, Ukraine, Uruguay, Russia, Solomon Islands, Turkey, Zambia
There are seven members of the Continental Board of Counsellors as well as the office of the Continental Board of Counsellors Australasia receiving the newsletter. The publication is translated into Russian, Urdu (Pakistan's national language), as well as a few other languages. If your National Spiritual Assembly is not listed or if you are currently translating all or parts of the publication, please let me know at: -- .
WORKING TOGETHER
We are assisting each other in our letters and stories to the newsletter. It is a gift to be able to share the things we have learned and have access to other people's wisdom in this newsletter. We are learning to apply the principles of physical and spiritual health envisioned in the Baha'i teachings into our own lives. We are learning to lead a more productive life, one in which we feel a sense of vitality, cooperation, harmony, balance and reverence within ourselves and in all our encounters. Here is a quotation and poem demonstrating the concept of working together in a spirit of unity to bring health to everyone.
"Go forth and light others until all the separate waiting servants are linked together in a great Unity.
"Those who are working alone," He said, "are like ants, but when they are united they will become like eagles. Those who work alone are as drops, but when united, they will become a great river which will carry the clean water of life into the desert places of the world. When this great river of life becomes a flood, all misery and sorrow and grief will be washed away. Be united! It is dangerous to be a drop all alone; it might be spilled or blown away." (Abdu'l-Baha cited in "The Chosen Highway" by Lady Blomfield, p. 171)
This poem was written for Race Unity by Diane Tuffs, U.S.A.
One heart singing
Two hands clinging
Three souls bringing
Four colours blending
Broken spirits mending
Unity pending
Humanity's healingNOTE
The newsletter will not be published during July and August. I hope that you have a wonderful summer and look forward to your participation in the newsletter in September, 2000. I wish to thank you for your participation, support and encouragement during the past year.****************************************************************
A MESSAGE TO ALL THE CHILDREN AND YOUTH
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"Children are the most precious treasure a community can possess, for in them are the promise and guarantee of the future. They bear the seeds of the character of future society which is largely shaped by what the adults constituting the community do or fail to do with respect to children. They are a trust no community can neglect with impunity. An all-embracing love of children, the manner of treating them, the quality of the attention shown them, the spirit of adult behaviour toward them - these are all among the vital aspects of the requisite attitude. Love demands discipline, the courage to accustom children to hardship, not to indulge their whims or leave them entirely to their own devices. An atmosphere needs to be maintained in which children feel that they belong to the community and share in its purpose. They must lovingly but insistently be guided to live up to Baha'i standards, to study and teach the Cause in ways that are suited to their circumstances." (Ridvan 2000 message from the Universal House of Justice, the supreme administrative body of the Baha'i Faith)
For the "Healing Through Unity" newsletter, we would LOVE to hear from the children and youth. As parents, grandparents, other family members, or friends, why don't you ask your daughters, sons, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and friends to write an article, story or poem for the newsletter. Ask them questions such as "What makes you happy?", "What are some of the things you are grateful for?", "How do you help/serve other people who are sick, in need or lonely?", "What is your favorite talent, sport, exercise or activity to keep you active and healthy?", "How do you practice your virtues such as kindness, sensitivity, gentleness, respect, etc?" and "What are some of the ways you communicate and show your love to God?" These articles and stories will be printed in the Fall issues.
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PURPOSE OF THE NEWSLETTER
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"Healing Through Unity" is published for the purpose of sharing thoughts, comments and experiences on how the teachings of the Baha'i Faith are being applied to our physical and spiritual health. Other than the quoted Holy Writings, the material in this newsletter represents the thoughts and opinions of the writers and has no authority. You are free to copy articles, provided you indicate the source of the article. If you have a change of e-mail address or wish to unsubscribe the newsletter, please inform me. There are 10 issues per year; it is not published during July and August. The newsletter is produced in Ontario, Canada. Please send your stories, comments, suggestions or "Question for the Month" ideas to Frances Mezei by e-mail: -- .
PLEASE NOTE:
Many thanks to all of you who sent such wonderful contributions for "Healing Through Unity" Newsletter. The decision to select and edit material submitted for publication is determined by the editor.
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WEB SITE
****************
You can visit the website, obtain back issues and the Healing Through Unity Course at: http://www.healingthroughunity.org
HEALING THROUGH UNITY
September, 2000
A monthly newsletter dedicated to serving the principles of
physical and spiritual health envisioned in the Baha'i Teachings.Volume 4, Issue #1
_______________________________________________________
CONTENTS
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- A Story About Letting Go of Resentments
- Taking Offense
- Our Rights and Needs as an Individual
- Creative Exercises
- Be Who You Are
- Quotations From The Baha'i Writings About Self-Knowledge
- More Responses About Hepatitis C
- Requesting Assistance From Our Readers
- Suggested Reading
- Question of the Month
- Purpose of the Newsletter
- Website****************************************************************
A STORY ABOUT LETTING GO OF RESENTMENTS
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Author Unknown
A story tells of a merchant in a small town who had identical twin sons. The boys worked for their father in the department store he owned and, when he died, they took over the store.
Everything went well until the day a dollar bill disappeared. One of the brothers had left the bill on the cash register and walked outside with a customer. When he returned, the money was gone.
He asked his brother, "Did you see that dollar bill on the cash register?" His brother replied that he had not. But the young man kept probing and questioning. He would not let it alone. "Dollar bills just don't get up and walk away! Surely you must have seen it!" There was a subtle accusation in his voice. Tempers began to rise. Resentment set in. Before long, a deep and bitter chasm divided the young men. They refused to speak. They finally decided they could no longer work together and a dividing wall was built down the center of the store. For twenty years hostility and bitterness grew, spreading to their families and to the community.
Then one day a man in an automobile licensed in another state stopped in front of the store. He walked in and asked the clerk, "How long have you been here?"
The clerk replied that he'd been there all his life. The customer said, "I must share something with you. Twenty years ago I was "riding the rails" and came into this town in a boxcar. I hadn't eaten for three days. I came into this store from the back door and saw a dollar bill on the cash register. I put it in my pocket and walked out. All these years I haven't been able to forget that. I know it wasn't much money, but I had to come back and ask your forgiveness."
The stranger was amazed to see tears well up in the eyes of this middle-aged man. "Would you please go next door and tell that same story to the man in the store?" he said. Then the man was even more amazed to see two middle-aged men, who looked very much alike, embracing each other and weeping together in front of the store.
After twenty years, the brokenness was mended. The wall of resentment that divided them came down.
It is so often the little things that finally divide people -- words spoken in haste; criticisms; accusations; resentments. And once divided, they may never come together again.
The solution, of course, is to let go. There is really nothing particularly profound about learning to let go of little resentments. But for fulfilling and lasting relationships, letting them go is a must. Refuse to carry around bitterness and you may be surprised at how much energy you have left for building bonds with those you love.
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Editor's note: This story reminds me of the following two quotes: "He feels that the present inharmony prevailing among you...is very detrimental to the advancement of the Cause, and can only lead to disruption and the chilling of the interest of new believers. You...should forget about your personal grievances and unite for the protection of the Faith which he well knows you are all loyally devoted to and ready to sacrifice for. Perhaps the greatest test Baha'is are ever subjected to is from each other; but for the sake of the Master they should be ever ready to overlook each other's mistakes, apologize for harsh words they have uttered, forgive and forget. He strongly recommends to you this course of action." (From letter dated December 18, 1945, written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, from 'Living The Life', Baha'i Publishing Trust (UK) p. 24)
"We must never dwell too much on the attitudes and feelings of our fellow-believers towards us. What is most important is to foster love and harmony and ignore any rebuffs we may receive; in this way the weaknesses of human nature and the peculiarity or attitude of any particular person is not magnified, but pales into insignificance in comparison with our joint service to the Faith we all love." (From letter dated 19 September 1948 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, from 'The Baha'i Life', p. 16)
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TAKING OFFENSE
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Prepared by Elizabeth Rochester for Canadian Baha'i News August 1969, used by permission. This article is taken from the book "Falling Into Grace" by Justice St. Rain, pp. 44 - 46.
"It is deeply disturbing to see the ease with which large numbers of Baha'is appear to get 'hurt' and at the tendency of other believers to 'sympathize' with the one hurt and show their 'love' by hardening their hearts against the one who presumably caused the hurt.
'Abdu'l-Baha asks us not to offend anyone. True!
He also asks us not to take offense! He requires us to regard our enemies (not just our estranged friends in the Faith) as friends. He doesn't simply ask us to treat them as friends even though we know they are enemies. He asks us to see them as friends. Why? Because these hurts are the tests which require us to grow if we are to be steadfast in the Cause. They are the tests which correct the direction of our growth (like pruning shrubs) and test the sincerity of our desire to love all mankind.
He requires us to love the people with all their shortcomings. He said, "Do not look at the people for they are full of shortcomings, but love them for the sake of God."
People who are warm and loving are very fortunate. People who are cold and forbidding often hate themselves, are already filled with guilt and fear and only a powerful and genuine love which can thaw their frozen hearts can cure them. What is 'love' if it takes sides against them?
A log may appear to be burning but only when the kindling is consumed can you tell if it has 'caught.' If we only 'love' when we are being 'loved', we haven't 'caught.' To know that is to know a bitter truth about ourselves, but it is one worth knowing. It is a very dangerous condition to be in - a completely dependent one. What is the cure? To completely immerse ourselves in the ocean of the Writings; to pray and beseech God to kindle the fire of love and attraction in our hearts; to take action; to seek reconciliation; to serve the friends no matter what the pain; to teach the Faith and direct the seeker to the source of love and illumination - which is the Revelation. (The friends cannot be this source, for they may or may not have 'caught.')
Many people took offense at 'Abdu'l-Baha Himself. Was the Perfect Exemplar responsible for their being offended? In such a case it is clear that offense can be taken when none was intended nor any cause given. 'Abdu'l-Baha was the object of the most despicable behavior which men are capable of, yet did He ever assume the role of a man offended? It is possible to exercise the spiritual muscles of forbearance, forgiveness, mercy and to refuse to take offense or be hurt. How do we know? We know because 'Abdu'l-Baha did it, and if we are tempted to retort, 'But I am not an 'Abdu'l-Baha, the obvious answer is 'That is evident, but He is still our example.' And the one who 'hurt' us is also not an 'Abdu'l-Baha, but only trying, it is to be hoped, to follow the same example as ourselves.
Baha'u'llah says that He desires to see us as one soul in many bodies. The one who hurts us is simply stuck on a different hurdle in the spiritual race. And we, in being hurt, are stuck on another. If we truly believe in the oneness of mankind we must love wisely enough and well enough to pray that we will both learn to take our separate hurdles in our strides, and in the meantime, love, love, and love again."
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OUR RIGHTS AND NEEDS AS AN INDIVIDUAL
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By Frances Mezei, Ontario, Canada
Many of us have been so deprived of nurturing ourselves that we may think that it's silly or selfish. We, especially women, must learn to take care of ourselves first - not to be selfish but to be in good condition, so that we can have a good relationship with ourselves, others and also to serve the Faith well and long. For instance, the airlines tell us to put on our own mask first because without oxygen, we will not be able to help ourselves or anyone else. There are many other things in life that are also essential, and for which each person needs to take individual responsibility. Some things are entirely in oneís own hands (such as prayer) and other things involve the people in our environment (such as a quiet place to pray in). Dealing with others to meet oneís own legitimate needs requires assertiveness.
At first it may seem out of character for us to express our needs, but the initial step is to become more aware of them. It is important to remember that we can take charge of our lives, accept responsibility and make adjustments. We do have a choice to be able to stand true to our heart's desires which requires awareness and courage. We can also choose how we respond to our needs and challenges. Contrary to the belief that we cannot control our emotions, the Baha'i Writings teach us that through the exercise of free will we can choose our responses. We can choose to be patient or frustrated, accepting or angry, loving or rejected. The more we strive to develop our virtues and qualities, the more we develop spiritually.
This topic is very close to my heart because I have had to learn many basic rights due to coping with a profound hearing loss since birth and being integrated in the regular school system. Throughout my life I have had to be constantly aware of the issues of communication and accessibility. For example, I have had to train many people to learn how to communicate with me, to ask people to face me when speaking, to repeat or rephrase when I do not understand and to sit in the front row of the classroom or lecture hall. These skills of asserting my needs have not always been easy to develop and yet this whole process has assisted me to be more aware of my needs and rights in order to function better.
Using the guidance, comfort and hope drawn from the Baha'i Writings, we can re-create and train ourselves new skills, attitudes and approaches to cope with our daily lives. The following quotes may assist us when asking ourselves the affirmations (see below).
"THE FIRST TARAZ
..and the first effulgence which hath dawned from the horizon of the Mother Book is that man should know his own self and recognize that which leadeth unto loftiness or lowliness, glory or abasement, wealth or poverty."
(Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 34-35)
"O SON OF SPIRIT!
The best beloved of all things in My sight is Justice; turn not away therefrom if thou desirest Me, and neglect it not that I may confide in thee. By its aid thou shalt see with thine own eyes and not through the eyes of others, and shalt know of thine own knowledge and not through the knowledge of thy neighbour. Ponder this in thy heart; how it behooveth thee to be. Verily justice is My gift to thee and the sign of My loving-kindness. Set it then before thine eyes." (Baha'u'llah, Hidden Words, Arabic #2)
AFFIRMATIONS
1. I am able to look after my own needs first. (Women have always been trained to put others first and this is fine in our service and indeed the Faith encourages it. However, it can become unbalanced and, as reminded in the Writings, we must also remember the equality of the sexes.)
2. I think carefully when I am asked to serve. I look carefully into my heart and decide that this is the best way for me to serve. (We must remember that there are many people to serve the Faith and everyone serves differently. Focusing on the knowledge of becoming our true self will help us understand our capacities and talents and unique area of service rather than following someone else's wants and desires.)
3. I am able to take time for myself daily which includes bringing myself to account each day.
4. I allow myself and others to make mistakes.
5. I ask people questions when I require clarity or understanding of a situation.
6. I follow my instinct or inner voice or conscience, as long it is in line with the teachings of the Faith.
7. I feel okay about disagreeing with what people say or do. And I feel okay about them disagreeing with me.
8 I respect myself and so therefore my friends treat and respect me as an individual.
9. I am able to ask other people for help and to accept assistance.
10. I do not have to explain everything I do and think.
11. I am always learning to recognize, listen, and take care of my emotions when they arise.
12. I ask people to speak kindly to me if I am being criticized or put down. Or I end the conversation and say prayers for them and work towards mutual respect.
13. I rest when I feel tired or overwhelmed.
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CREATIVE EXERCISES
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By Frances Mezei, Ontario, Canada
1) Capsule Collage: Collect a stack of magazines, newspapers, catalogs, cereal boxes, and old photo collections, which you can allow yourself to take apart. Look through the materials, cutting out any images that reflect your life or interests. Think of this collage as a form of pictorial autobiography. Include your past, present, future and your dreams. Keep pulling until you have a good stack of images (at least twenty). Now take a sheet of newspaper or large paper, a stapler, or some tape or glue, and arrange your images in a way that pleases you. Remember that it is not necessary to know why an image speaks to you; just appreciate that there is a connection to your life. Feel free to add words with a magic marker or paints. Try to reflect the talents, skills and qualities that you have learned throughout your life and either write them below the images or on the back of the paper.
2) Relationship Collage: Do the same as above except do a collage of a special and/or difficult relationship. This is a very powerful tool and one that may give you unexpected clarity and relief.
3) Encouragement Letters: This can be done with your family, friends or community members. Each individual can write an encouragement letter describing the strengths and positive qualities of each person in the group involved. This can be simple with a few lines and the letters could be prepared alone at home. I know of one community who did this and it seemed to have had a healing effect on everyone and I hear that some of the people still look at their letters from time to time to provide them strength and support.
4) Inspiration Cards: Make a list of your strengths, your skills, your past achievements. For example do you cook, swim, play sports or do gardening? Are you creative? Do you draw, paint, write stories; have you decorated your home or landscaped your yard? Are you gentle, considerate, generous? Write your list on small cards and you can either carry them with you, post them on the wall, or keep them in your drawer. Continue adding to your list as you become more aware of your strengths, skills or past achievements. You can read out loud daily the list to yourself.
(If you have any creative and useful exercises to share with the readers, we would be interested to hear from you. Recently a friend from Poland shared that there are some countries, for example Eastern Europe, that lack resources such as psychology and health books for the friends, therefore it would be very helpful if we could share our materials and resources with each other. I recall that when I visited a family in Ukraine, they asked earnestly for me to mail them some psychology books.)
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BE WHO YOU ARE
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Taken from "The Language of Letting Go" by Melody Beattie, pp. 64-65
"When I meet people or get in a new relationship, I start putting all these repressive restrictions on myself. I can't have my feelings. Can't have my wants and needs. Can't have my history. Can't do the things I want, feel the feelings I 'm feeling, or say what I need to say. I turn into this repressed, perfectionistic robot, instead of being who I am: Me." - Anonymous.
"Sometimes, our instinctive reaction to being in a new situation is: Don't be yourself. Who else can we be? Who else would you want to be? We don't need to be anyone else. The greatest gift we can bring to any relationship wherever we go is being who we are. We may think others won't like us. We may be afraid that if we just relax and be ourselves, the other person will go away and shame us. We may worry about what the other person will think.
But, when we relax and accept ourselves, people often feel much better being around us than when we are rigid and repressed. We're fun to be around. If others don't appreciate us, do we really want to be around them? Do we need to let the opinions of others control us and our behavior?
Giving ourselves permission to be who we are can have a healing influence on our relationships. The tone relaxes. We relax. The other person relaxes. Then everyone feels a little less shame, because they have learned the truth. Who we are is all we can be, all we're meant to be, and it's enough. It's fine. Our opinion of ourselves is truly all that matters. And we can give ourselves all the approval we want and need.
Today, I will relax and be who I am in my relationship. I will do this not in a demeaning or inappropriate way, but in a way that shows I accept myself and value who I am. Help me, God, let go of my fears about being myself."
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QUOTATIONS FROM THE BAHA'I WRITINGS
ABOUT SELF-KNOWLEDGE
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The following quotes teach us about becoming our true selves.
"Whatever duty Thou hast prescribed unto Thy servants of extolling to the utmost Thy majesty and glory is but a token of Thy grace unto them, that they may be enabled to ascend unto the station conferred upon their own inmost being, the station of the knowledge of their own selves." (Baha'u'llah, Gleanings, pp. 4-5)
"And be ye not like those who forget God, and whom He hath therefore caused to forget their own selves'...'He hath known God who hath known himself." (ibid, p. 178)
"Could ye apprehend with what wonders of My munificence and bounty I have willed to entrust your souls, ye would, of a truth, rid yourselves of attachment to all created things, and would gain a true knowledge of your own selves - a knowledge which is the same as the comprehension of Mine own Being." (ibid, 326-7)
"True loss is for him whose days have been spent in utter ignorance of his true self." (Baha'u'llah, Tablet of Baha'u'llah, 156)
"Let your thoughts dwell on your own spiritual development, and close your eyes to the deficiencies of other souls." ('Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Baha, p. 203)
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MORE RESPONSES ABOUT HEPATITIS C
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Here are more answers to the question asked in the June, 2000 issue in which a reader requested information about hepatitis C.
Answers:
When I hear the word "Hepatitis" no remedy comes to mind more readily than the Herb Milk Thistle. I thought that its healing properties concerning the liver would be and are so well known throughout the natural healing world, that its reputation in this area of health would just be a given. But perhaps not. So if that is the case, I think I should enumerate some of Milk Thistle's many benefits to be had at this time.
In "The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants" Andrew Chevallier says this about Milk thistle:
"Today, milk thistle is the main remedy used in western herbal medicine to protect the liver and its many metabolic activities, and help renew its cells. The herb is used in the treatment of jaundice, as well as in conditions where the liver is under stress--whether from infection, excess alcohol, or from chemotherapy prescribed to treat diseases such as cancer. In this last instance, milk thistle can help to limit damage done to the liver by chemotherapy and speed up recovery from side effects once the treatment is completed." pg. 71 "The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants, Andrew Chevallier, DK Publishing, 1996, ISBN 0-7894-0672
In "The Green Pharmacy" by James A. Duke Ph.D., Dr.Duke states:
"I had hepatitis in Panama 25 years ago, and I did what my doctors told me; I stopped drinking alcohol until I recovered, which was a challenge because in Panama, the rum is cheap and tasty. And I rested. That was it...."
" When my son developed hepatitis a few years ago, his doctor gave him the same advice mine gave me in Panama years ago. But this time around, I knew more about medicinal herbs, so I gave my son two bottles of milk thistle capsules."
"Milk thistle is my top choice for all kinds of liver ailments, including everything from hepatitis to cirrhosis to Amanita mushroom poisoning." pg. 375 "The Green Pharmacy, The Ultimate Compendium of Natural Remedies From The Worlds Foremost Authority on Healing Herbs" James A. Duke, Ph.D. St. Martin's Press, 1997, ISBN: 0-312-96648-2
- Linda E. Nedderman, Rhode Island, U.S.A
http://www.aiconnect.com/~lindan Learn more about Multiple Chemical Sensitivities at the Chemical Injury Information Network (CIIN)
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I would like to share with you some information about powerful herbal medicines that are available to treat Hepatitis B and C successfully. As a former clinical faculty at Bastyr University in Seattle, I saw numerous cases of hepatitis B and C. Many patients were treated with herbs (mainly Ayurvedic herbs and some Western herbs) that are specific to the healing and the regeneration of the liver cells. Medicinal herbs which have anti-viral activity specific to the liver have been used to treat hepatitis. Intravenous injections of vitamin C can also be helpful in some cases. Depending on the constitution of the individual, the disease pattern and progression, and the status of the individual's immunity, some herbs may be used over others to treat. And of course, diet and nutritional therapy is important, as well as prayer and meditation. In many cases, the blood test results improve dramatically within 3-6 months of treatment. Forgive me if I have been vague in terms of the specific treatments, but because Hepatitis C is such a life-threatening condition, any form of treatment, including herbal, needs to been performed under the supervision of a physician. If you have specific questions or would like to know more, you are welcome to contact me via e-mail: drdarvish@yahoo.com.
- Dr. Nooshin K. Darvish, Naturopathic Family Physician in Seattle, Washington, U.S.A.
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REQUESTING ASSISTANCE FROM OUR READERS
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"My friend suddenly developed allergies to many foods, including most if not all cooking oils, not long after being stung by a poisonous sea animal. If he eats anything with soy, olives, sesame oil, pumpkin, basil, or black pepper, he develops huge itchy welts, and occasionally has some respiratory distress. It appears that the list of foods may be growing, too. Has anyone had experience with this kind of sudden food allergy? Does anyone have any advice to share?"
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SUGGESTED READING
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"Sacred Moments - Daily Meditations on the Virtues"
This book of meditation and stories by Linda Kavelin Popov, founder of "The Virtues Project", includes 52 virtues, one for each week of the year. Drawn from the sacred texts of the world's religions, the wisdom of poets, writers, artists, philosophers, celebrities, and regular folks, "Sacred Moments" provides a simple tool for daily reflection and meditation on the different virtues.
"Divine Therapy - Pearls of Wisdom from the Baha'i Writings"
Compiled by AnnaMarie Honnold. This book is a collection of quotations from the Baha'i Writings offering guidance for spiritual and emotional healing. This book is grouped into three main sections, "Coping with Stress", "Orientation to the Divine" and "Developing Helpful Attitudes".
"Vignettes from the Life of `Abdu'l-Baha"
Compiled by AnnaMarie Honnald. It is a unique collection of stories, sayings and comments, providing a special insight into the life, character and station of Baha'u'llah's eldest son, 'Abdu'l-Baha. The human virtues which made 'Abdu'l-Baha known as the Perfect Exemplar are illustrated in over two hundred and fifty vignettes of His life.
These books can be ordered from most Baha'i Distribution Services.
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QUESTION OF THE MONTH
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"And now we wish to address a few words to parents who bear the primary responsibility for the upbringing of their children. We appeal to them to give constant attention to the spiritual education of their children. Some parents appear to think that this is the exclusive responsibility of the community; others believe that in order to preserve the independence of children to investigate truth, the Faith should not be taught to them. Still others feel inadequate to take on such a task. None of this is correct. The beloved Master has said that "it is enjoined upon the father and mother, as a duty, to strive with all effort to train the daughter and the son," adding that, "should they neglect this matter, they shall be held responsible and worthy of reproach in the presence of the stern Lord." Independent of the level of their education, parents are in a critical position to shape the spiritual development of their children...." (Ridvan 2000 message from the Universal House of Justice, the supreme administration body of the Baha'i Faith.)
How can communities support parents in the spiritual education of their children and how can community members establish sound relationships with the children and youth in their community?
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PURPOSE OF THE NEWSLETTER
********************************************
"Healing Through Unity" is published for the purpose of sharing thoughts, comments and experiences on how the teachings of the Baha'i Faith are being applied to physical and spiritual health. Other than the quoted Holy Writings, the material in this newsletter represents the thoughts and opinions of the writers and has no authority. You are free to copy articles, provided you indicate the source of the article. If you have a change of e-mail address or wish to unsubscribe the newsletter, please inform me. There are 10 issues per year; it is not published during July and August. The newsletter is produced in Ontario, Canada.
Please send your stories, comments, suggestions or "Question for the Month" ideas to Frances Mezei by e-mail: -- .
PLEASE NOTE:
Many thanks to all of you who sent such wonderful contributions for "Healing Through Unity" Newsletter. The decision to select and edit material submitted for publication is determined by the editor.
****************
WEB SITE
****************
You can visit the website, obtain back issues and the Healing Through Unity Course at: http://www.healingthroughunity.org
HEALING THROUGH UNITY
October, 2000
A monthly newsletter dedicated to serving the principles of
physical and spiritual health envisioned in the Baha'i Teachings.Volume 4, Issue #2
_______________________________________________________
CONTENTS
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- A Canadian Couple Adopts a Child from China
- Book - Adopting in China: A Practical Guide/ An Emotional Journey
- The Exchange
- The Role of the "Not-Parent"
- The Importance of Reading to Children
- The Value of Massage and Herbal Therapies
- More Responses to Hepatitis C
- Requesting Assistance From Our Readers
- Book/Pamphlet Section
- Letters
- Question of the Month
- Purpose of the Newsletter
- Website*********************************************************************
A CANADIAN COUPLE ADOPTS A CHILD FROM CHINA
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By Ann Sheppard and Richard Turner, Ontario, Canada
Almost two years ago, we adopted a little girl from China. We named her Lauren Lai-Sying (Lai-Sying is Chinese for "Beautiful Star"). We feel so wonderfully blessed to have this beautiful little girl in our family, and deeply enriched by learning about China and sharing this experience with the numerous other families around us who have 'children from China'. This is our story about how it happened.
Our son Ben was four years old and we had been considering adopting another child, but were disheartened by the lengthy waiting times involved with domestic adoptions. We then heard of a Baha'i couple who had adopted a baby girl while they were living in China. We visited them and learned about the process of adopting from China. They informed us of an agency in Ottawa, Canada that deals exclusively with adoptions from China. While we were in their home we fell in love with their little girl. By the time we left, we were sure that this was what we wanted to do, and there was no turning back.
We immediately got in touch with the adoption agency "Children's Bridge" in Ottawa. They sent us a package which outlined all the things we had to do and all the paperwork needed to begin this process. We toiled away at this for what seemed like a long time. Eventually, all the paper work was completed, and we were approved by the Canadian government as fit to be adoptive parents. All of our paperwork was translated into Chinese (by the Children's Bridge translator) and our complete file was sent to China. We then settled down to wait as patiently as we could to receive an offer of a child from China.
All this time, we were learning more and more about the situation in China. We learned that China is a country which is overpopulated and is having a great deal of difficulty feeding its people. Because of this, the Chinese government in the 1980's instituted a "One Child Policy" to curb the rate of population growth. We learned that in Chinese culture, sons are responsible for looking after their parents in their old age, and that when a woman marries, it is expected that she will care for her in-laws, rather than her own parents. In effect, having a son is like having an old-age security pension. Not having a son is to feel insecure for one's old age. Consequently, if a couple gives birth to their first child and it is a daughter, they may feel they have to give her up and try again for a son. Similarly, if a couple already has one child and another pregnancy occurs they may be forced to give the child up, as the penalties for having more than one child are very severe, including being disallowed from holding a job of any sort. Most frequently, these babies (over 90% of which are female) are abandoned anonymously in a public place. They are usually picked up by the police and taken to one of the many orphanages all over China.
We also turned to the Baha'i Writings to find out what they said about adoption, and felt confirmed in what we were doing when we read:
"He that bringeth up his son or son of another, it is as though he hath brought up a son of Mine; upon him rest My Glory, My Loving Kindness, My Mercy, that have compassed the world." (Baha'u'llah, Synopsis and Codification of the Kitab-i-Aqdas, p. 16: taken from Lights of Guidance, p. 141, Helen Hornby)
After what seemed to be an eternity but was actually only 8 months after our file went to China, we received a tiny black and white photo of the child the Chinese adoption officials had selected for us, along with a very brief medical history. I will never forget the image of our son Ben kissing this little picture when we showed it to him and told him that this little girl was going to be his sister.
We confirmed our acceptance of this child and within another month, Richard flew to China with a group of 12 other Children's Bridge "parents-to-be" (We decided that in our case one of us had to stay home with Ben.) This trip consisted of a 2 week itinerary during which he received Lauren from the orphanage and travelled with her to various places to finalize the adoption in China.
On the day Richard and Lauren arrived home, Ben and I and all our extended family were at the airport waiting excitedly as Richard suddenly came into view with a skinny, wide-eyed little one-year-old girl who was obviously trying very hard to take it all in. The feeling of joy was so intense that it is difficult to express it in words.
That feeling of joy has never left us. Lauren is a beautiful child, both physically and spiritually. She arrived home 3 weeks after her first birthday, skinny, covered in eczema, able to sit but not yet crawling, and not yet introduced to any solid foods. Within a period of 2-3 months, she changed dramatically. She progressed to crawling and walking, began eating a wide variety of foods with a very healthy appetite, and began to put on some weight. She didn't know what to do with a book when she first arrived but soon became keenly interested in being read to. At present, in spite of the fact that she missed a year of exposure to English, her language skills are at the high end of the range for her age. It took a good year before she actually had a small healthy layer of baby fat on her, and just about as long before her skin cleared up. All in all, she has made a marvellous adjustment to life in our Canadian home.
We have been especially joyful as her personality has emerged. She has a bubbly and happy disposition and an infectious laugh. She is very sweet-natured. She loves to sing and she chats away non-stop when she is at home. She bonded very quickly with her big brother Ben (or "Buh" as she initially called him) and still tries to copy everything he does. We simply adore her and could not imagine life without her now.
We are aware, however, that these early years are probably the easy ones compared to what is to come. She will have to come to terms with the fact that she was abandoned both by her parents and her country. Fortunately, there is a very strong network of families who have adopted children from China who keep in touch so the children will be able to support one another as they grow up. We strongly encourage this, and also in due time the learning of Chinese culture and language. More than this, however, we pray that in addition to our deep love for her we will also be able to give her a deep spiritual understanding, born of the Baha'i Faith, that will help her to come to terms with the reality that she is one of the *"millions and millions (of children) in country after country (who) are dislocated socially.", and that she is one of the "children (who) find themselves alienated by parents and other adults whether they live in conditions of wealth or poverty." and that "this alienation has its roots in a selfishness that is born of materialism that is at the core of the godlessness seizing the hearts of people everywhere." *Ridvan Message 2000 (written by the Universal House of Justice, Haifa, Israel)
Our most sacred dream would be that some day Lauren and Ben will visit China visit together and in some way will be able to help alleviate this sad social situation in China by furthering the spiritual principles there. Any readers who are interested in adopting a child from China can obtain further information through one of the many agencies all over the western world that facilitate adoptions from China. The agency which assisted us is:
The Children's Bridge
1400 Clyde Avenue, Suite 221
Nepean, Ontario, Canada K2G 3J2
Phone (613) 226-2112
Fax (613) 226-8843
Email: CBridge@direct-indirect.net*******************************************************************
BOOK - ADOPTING IN CHINA: A PRACTICAL GUIDE/AN EMOTIONAL JOURNEY
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By Kathleen Wheeler, Ph.D and Doug Werner
"In recent years the Chinese government has made it easier for foreigners to adopt Chinese children. It is estimated that there are up to four million Chinese baby girls in orphanages, and the number of Americans adopting these orphans is growing steadily.
This book is a resource guide for people interested in adopting in China - what to do, who to see and how much it will cost. It simplifies and explains important information about a sometimes mysterious subject. It is also a personal story of a middle-aged couple's quest to become parents - why and how they made the decision and what went on before, during and after the trip to China." (back cover)
To order the book: Tracks Publishing, 140 Brightwood Avenue, Chula Vista, CA 91910, (619) 476-7125, Fax (619) 476-8173
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THE EXCHANGE
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"...although providing spiritual and academic education for children is essential, this represents only a part of what must go into developing their characters and shaping their personalities. The necessity exists, too, for individuals and the institutions at all levels, which is to say the community as a whole, to show a proper attitude towards children and to take a general interest in their welfare....An all-embracing love of children, the manner of treating them, the quality of the attention shown them, the spirit of adult behaviour toward them - these are all among the vital aspects of the requisite attitude." (Universal House of Justice, Ridvan 2000)
Question:
How can communities support parents in the spiritual education of their children and how can community members establish sound relationships with the children and youth in their community?
Answers:
Speaking from personal experience. From the time my children were born, they attended 19-day Feasts and the community always included them and all the other children. They, once able to, were invited to say a prayer at Feasts and other gatherings, and no matter how slow or laboured the recitation was, they were never made to feel hurried. The National Assembly of Ireland sends a 19 - day children's newsletter produced by the National Education Committee to the Feast as well as the Feast letter. The children always shared the reading of this children's newsletter. It was generally read and discussed first at the consultative part of the Feast. When the children were still small, they would then leave with someone older to do an activity in another room and then return for the social part. When the children became older, if they wished, they would be included in the consultation.
The members of the community, many of them also parents and some single people were very warm and loving to the children/junior youth/youth talking with them and generally being interested in how they were doing in school/their hobbies etc. The Local Spiritual Assembly ( I am a member) always had children/youth as an item on its agenda and prayed for them specifically at the Assembly meetings. Thankfully, both the Assembly and the community realized/understood that the children were the future of the Faith and indeed "our precious trust". ( Local Spiritual Assemblies, elected annually consist of nine Baha'is, twenty-one years of age and older, govern the affairs of each local Baha'i community.)
I think I can say that the majority of the young people in the Irish community are now taking their place in the Baha'i community, traveling overseas to do a youth year of service, pioneering, homefront and overseas and serving on National Committees. I feel that our National Assembly, aided by its relevant committees, had great foresight and wisdom and now there are 3 or 4 older youth who have been chosen to go to the World Centre next May as part of the 19 to attend the formal opening of the Terraces.
In a nutshell, they (children/junior youth/youth) were included, loved and communicated with by the community members and the Institutions. Also I personally want to say, communicating and relating with children/youth is rewarding and enjoyable. Everyone gains from it, children/youth have such insight and are usually very straight forward in their talking and thinking. We all can learn from them.
- Eleanor Dawson, Ireland***************
Here in Perth, Western Australia we have just formed a Parenting and Family Life Task Force to look at this question and many others. Last week, I came across one of the many wonderful and useful quotations from the Core Curriculum for Spiritual Education, Parenting Program:
"So long as the mother faileth to train her children, and start them on a proper way of life, the training which they receive later on will not take its full effect. It is incumbent upon the Spiritual Assemblies to provide the mothers with a well-planned programme for the education of children, showing how, from infancy, the child must be watched over and taught. These instructions must be given to every mother to serve her as a guide, so that each will train and nurture her children in accordance with the Teachings." ('Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Baha, p. 138)
In response to the question as to how we can support parents, I would like to offer the suggestion that the community look into running this wonderful parenting program (it is currently being assessed by the International Teaching Centre). The Core Curriculum is an educational program for the spiritual development of children and families that has been developed by the National Baha'i Educational Task Force under the guidance of the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States. The training program has four modules or sections: the role and qualities of the teacher, including the importance of a personal transformation program; the spiritual reality of the child, including an examination of physical, mental and spiritual stages in human development; the interconnected relationships and responsibilities of parents, teachers, Spiritual Assemblies and the community for the education of children; and using sections of the Core Curriculum, making lesson plans and activities which accommodate a wide range of learning styles.
The program is process oriented, aims at promoting the growth of child-development centered communities, drawing into the process all members of the community.
We have nearly completed working through this program and have gained much in spiritual insight as well as having lots of fun and laughter, and developing unity and friendship in our community.
- Sue Haselhurst, Australia*************
Regarding the spiritual education of children, I have attended and even conducted many seminars and meetings on this topic and have advised parents according to the Writings, stressing the need for continuous reflection, family prayer and family consultation, the need to set limits and the need to be a good example. The introduction to the Virtues Guide (see book/pamphlet section) is a good place for parents to start when looking for ways to improve the spiritual education of children. What has lately come to my attention though, is that our 'deepened' Baha'is, who themselves could quote the entire Baha'i Education compilation verbatim, still often resort to physical punishment (slapping and pinching), threats, abuse and insults when dealing with children under five. It really doesn't work at all. These are the children who themselves start hitting other children when under pressure. I wonder if communities shouldn't help parents to deal with frustration and anger and teach them about time out (for themselves as well as the child) and using other means of disciplining small children. Of course, some parents go to the opposite extreme of letting their children destroy someone's home while they smile benignly - but it is possible to have well disciplined children without a battle. I learned this the hard way but now we have a fixed set of rules about behaviour with punishments (such as no story, no TV) and lots of rewards and encouragement for the slightest good thing (non-material rewards, such as more love and attention and time with mom and dad). When we get too stressed and shout at them, we apologize and take responsibility for it. They also take responsibility for their own bad moods. Sometimes we forget that a child is a green and tender plant that will grow in whichever way WE train the child. This is an image to always keep in your mind when you are about to lose your cool.
"While the physical discipline of children is an acceptable part of their education and training, such actions are to be carried out "gently and patiently" and with "loving care", far removed from anger and violence with which children are beaten and abused in some parts of the world. To treat children in such an abhorrent manner is a denial of their human rights, and a betrayal of the trust which the weak should have in the strong in a Baha'i community." (The Universal House of Justice, from the Research Department, 17 January 1994)
- Anonymous******************************************
THE ROLE OF THE "NOT-PARENT"
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By Denise Moberly, taken from "Parenting in the New World Order, Volume 5, Issue #5, January, 1996)
For this article "not-parent" is an adult to whom a teen turns for a listening ear and/or advice.
"In our global society, families have become scattered. There once were and sometimes still are, grandparents, aunts, uncles, older cousins nearby. Now there may be a neighbour, a family friend, a friend's parent. The lack of a close family net does not eliminate the need of a teen to discuss the process of becoming an adult with other adults. Discussion with parents is needed, but, reflecting thoughts and ideas off other adults expands the youth's horizons. This is not a sign of a deficient parent but rather a sign of a budding adult using the fundamentals of consultation for problem-solving, and for exploring themselves.
Youth on the verge of adulthood need to see themselves as an adult rather than an extension of their parents. Talking with an adult who listens and speaks to them as an adult is one way of finding out who they are.
"True loss is for him whose days have been spent in utter ignorance of his self." (Baha'u'llah, Words of Wisdom, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p.156)
During my teen years when I felt I couldn't talk with my parents I had other adults to talk with. Sometimes I felt my parents "just wouldn't understand", sometimes I just wanted another viewpoint, or another form of expression. I now see that "not understanding" is that the parents and I knew each other so well that it was too close, so I went to an adult I trusted to sound out my concerns or try out new ideas. These women listened, sharing their life skills, and spoke their concern as a parent. They could hear my struggles and supported the wisdom of my parents.
"Likewise, when you meet those whose opinions differ from your own, do not turn away your face from them. All are seeking truth, and there are many roads leading thereto. Truth has many aspects, but it remains always and forever one...Rather, search diligently for the truth and make all men your friends." ('Abdu'l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 53)
My daughter is 17 and I am now witnessing this process. I have also been in the position of the not-parent, where a teen has trusted me enough to explore a part of their world with me. I have found that I have learned from these youth and that the search for truth has given me another friend.
The sharing between the elder and the youth is a time-honoured part of community building."
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THE IMPORTANCE OF READING TO CHILDREN
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By Frankie Shaw, taken from "Puslinch Pioneer, Ontario, Canada, Vol. 24, Issue #2, September, 1999
"I recently read an article on literacy, and the facts were startling. Reading to children requires parents' urgent attention from their child's birth onwards. Researchers are saying that children who have not been read to and so have not exercised that part of their brain by the age of seven are in danger of experiencing brain atrophy. The more that children are read to before they go to school, the more likely their academic success. Those fortunate children who have the pleasure of being read to before they start school have an 80% greater change of finishing high school, but children who have not experienced that pleasure lack the wide vocabulary and metaphorical base from which to start the formal process of learning. They need to know that language has a cadence and rhythm which is different when read. They need to know the alphabet. They need to know that words in English go from left to right and they need to know that pages turn from right to left. Children who have spent many hours in front of televisions, computers, video games, or movies do not necessarily know these things. So, given that parents know how important it is for them to read to their children, here's how to set about it:
* Choose books that appeal to both yourself and your child. Some books seem to meet a deep need and will be read over and over again.
* If an event is going to happen such as a new baby coming into the family or a grandparent going into hospital, you could introduce the idea through a story, which will in turn promote discussion in a positive way.
* Choose stories to validate your child's point of view and to show respect for his/her experiences.
* Nourish the development of the brain through the stimulation of ideas, concepts and enriched language.
* Foster the ability to problem-solve as the child identifies with the characters and their situations.
* Register your child in your local library's Story Time. There he/she will join other children and see how they enjoy listening to stories and looking at the pictures.
Spending time reading with your child is one of the most critical investments you will make in your child's and the community's future.
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THE VALUE OF MASSAGE AND HERBAL THERAPIES
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By Brenda Norrell, U.S.A
After two decades of the stress of being a news reporter, I've just received massage reflexology treatments from a Mexican woman. It was very painful, but released tensions I'd had for decades and helped my arthritis, sinus problems, allergies and chronic fatigue syndrome.
But that was only the first step, I still had chronic pain in some joints and my general health wasn't good. She recommended a number of herbs that are incredible. Gotu Kola, which I take in a tincture with Gingko, has a wonderful overall healing effect. She recommended a tea of marshmallow and peppermint for three months to restore my intestines to new health (damaged by parasites and coffee no doubt), and valerian for calming. The valerian at the Health Food Stores has a tremendous impact, like Valium. I only had to take two capsules of the herb one time. She also recommended cayenne pepper for sinus problems. I take it by the pinch, but she gives it in capsules.
I also like the eyebright tea she recommended. All of these herbs actually became purgative in my system. Instead of attempting to stop the vomiting, I realized it was like the method used in many Native healing practices. It wasn't until after I had vomited for about two weeks that I truly began to feel better.
This, along with working out at the gym and using the steam room, eating more vegetables and salads and drinking more bottled water, has totally freed me from four years of chronic fatigue syndrome. I also had to decrease caffeine and colas. Like most people, I was very sleep deprived and needed four months of very long nights of sleep, a luxury of solitude.
Before I began any of this routine, two years ago, I also got rid of my car. I use a bicycle or walk in town. (For out of town trips, I rent cars.) I had no choice, because I was getting to the point that getting out of bed, any exertion at all, was just too exhausting.
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MORE RESPONSES TO HEPATITIS C
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Having been a classical homoeopath for 14 years, I have found many remedies useful. Of course, classical homoeopathy teaches you should choose the remedy for the person! Several people with hepatitis C have been largely improved both as their virus counts as to their general feeling and energy level. But, one has to be exact and also persevering!
- Dr Agnes Ghaznavi, Macau*************
I showed the May, 2000 issue to my doctor and she was interested in sharing something with the reader who had hepatitis C. Rosa Maria Miguez de Renart, Leticia Cartier, Tamara Jeletzky MD, Nida Miniano, M. Szyczglowski, members of the Cancer Survivors Research Group here in Nepean have put together some information regarding the common features of patients with serious health problems such as AIDS, hepatitis C, cancer, etc. Dr. Gilka asked me to share this with you so that your reader may find some helpful information by checking these areas. There are 4 features which may start to help:
1. lifestyle change
2. absolute forgiveness
3. commitment to God
4. positive thinking- Michelle Cooney, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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REQUESTING ASSISTANCE FROM OUR READERS
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Recently my spiritual daughter age 25 and Persian shared with me the reality of her drinking and taking drugs. She does not feel that she can get help within the Baha'i community let alone turn to other Persian Baha'is for help. After speaking with her, I have learned from other young Persian Baha'is that they have the same problems and fears. Is there anyone out there working to help break the silence of this frightening condition? These young people need and want help but don't know what to do or how to do it and I don't know what to tell them. Does anyone know how wide spread this problem could be? I know that more than Persians suffer from these problems, but they seem to hide it more. I'm grateful for any insights.
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BOOK/PAMPHLET SECTION
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SUBSTANCE ABUSE: A BAHA'I PERSPECTIVE
By A-M. Ghadirian, M.D.
This book provides accurate, up-to-date information about diverse addictive substances that are widely abused worldwide, including alcohol, tobacco, cocaine, marijuana, and heroin. It is both for the general public and for professionals. While its style is clear and easy to understand for those who are directly affected by substance abuse, it will also be useful to communities and institutions dealing with substance abuse issues and policies on the local, national and global levels. This book can be ordered from Unity Arts, 1-800-465-3287, (613) 727-6200 or check the Baha'i Books Online at www.bahaibooksonline.com, email: orders@bahaibooksonline.com
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"HEALTH AND HEALING: A BAHA'I PERSPECTIVE" - A PAMPHLET
A very nice pamphlet that can be given to health care givers on the perspectives of the Baha'i Faith on health care can be downloaded from the web site: http://www.steinergraphics.com/health.html. It can only be opened by Adobe Acrobat Reader which can be downloaded for free from the internet. For those of you who do not reside in Canada you may want to consider making appropriate adjustments to the contact information box, etc.
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THE FAMILY VIRTUES GUIDE: SIMPLE WAYS TO BRING OUT THE BEST IN OUR CHILDREN AND OURSELVES
By Linda Kavelin Popov, Dan Popov and John Kavelin
This is a wonderful book which stresses 52 virtues - one for each week of the year - including trust, caring, humility, generosity, and excellence. This book shows how to learn the language of integrity and self-esteem; understand the five roles parents play; help children make moral choices; and discover ways to introduce sacred time into family life. This book can be found in book stores, Baha'i Distribution Services or www.amazon.com - on-line bookstore.
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LETTERS
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We found a capable Baha'i who translates your wonderful newsletter in Russian on a regular basis. We have a Russian version of the issues since January 1999 (# 2-5). Soon we are going to place all of them to the Web-site of the Belarussian Baha'i community.
Circulation of the "Healing Through Unity" newsletter in Russian covers 12 Baha'i communities and groups in Belarus and some individuals in Moscow and Sakhalin Island (Russia). Yet we send each newly translated issue to the National Spiritual Assembly of Russia, Ukraine, Latvia, Lithuania, Georgia and Kazakhstan through Email.
The response is always very positive, I should admit. Baha'is use "Healing Through Unity" as an effective tool in individual teaching, and to discuss some exciting topics at home firesides.
We expect each new issue with agitation and are really thankful to you and your friends for this well-done work.
- Vassily Kislyak, Secretary, National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Belarus************
I have been a subscriber since January 1999 and I have enjoyed reading every issue. However, this month's issue was fantastic! Keep up the excellent work.
- Vivian Baravalle, The Czech Republic***********
I am a doctor from China and now studying at Landegg Academy for MA degree of spiritual psychology. In August, 2000 I will finish my study here and return to China. I appreciated your inspiring newsletter for the spiritual and healthy life. I am writing my paper - "Perspective on the concept of unity in medicine: a historical review and a proposal of new model." And "Healing Through Unity" is one of my best friends and references. Thank you so much.
- Hu Ying, China***********************************
QUESTION OF THE MONTH
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"Baha'i marriage is the commitment of the two parties one to the other, and their mutual attachment of mind and heart. Each must, however, exercise the utmost care to become thoroughly acquainted with the character of the other, that the binding covenant between them may be a tie that will endure forever. Their purpose must be this: to become loving companions and comrades and at one with each other for time and eternity...The true marriage of Baha'is is this, that husband and wife should be united both physically and spiritually, that they may ever improve the spiritual life of each other, and may enjoy everlasting unity throughout all the worlds of God. This is Baha'i marriage." ('Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Baha, p. 118)
Question:
"How can marriage partners develop the qualities of character which will make it possible to build a strong, unified and healthy relationship? What are some communication skills that are important for the husband and wife to use?"
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PURPOSE OF THE NEWSLETTER
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"Healing Through Unity" is published for the purpose of sharing thoughts, comments and experiences on how the teachings of the Baha'i Faith are being applied to physical and spiritual health. Other than the quoted Holy Writings, the material in this newsletter represents the thoughts and opinions of the writers and has no authority. You are free to copy articles, provided you indicate the source of the article. If you have a change of e-mail address or wish to unsubscribe the newsletter, please inform me. There are 10 issues per year; it is not published during July and August. The newsletter is produced in Ontario, Canada.
Please send your stories, comments, suggestions or "Question for the Month" ideas to Frances Mezei by e-mail: -- .
PLEASE NOTE:
Many thanks to all of you who sent such wonderful contributions for "Healing Through Unity" Newsletter. The decision to select and edit material submitted for publication is determined by the editor.
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WEB SITE
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You can visit the website, obtain back issues and the Healing Through Unity Course at: http://www.healingthroughunity.org
HEALING THROUGH UNITY
November, 2000
A monthly newsletter dedicated to serving the principles of
physical and spiritual health envisioned in the Baha'i Teachings.
Volume 4, Issue #3
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CONTENTS
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- Love
- Marriage Ceremony of Shoghi Effendi and Mary Maxwell
- Choosing A Partner
- Healthy Relationships
- Steps to Take for Effective Consultation
- Dealing With Anger and Hurt
- Happy Couples
- The Value of Playfulness
- Responses From the Readers About Addiction Issues
- Requesting Assistance From Our Readers
- Question of the Month
- Purpose of the Newsletter
- Website*********
LOVE
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"Know thou of a certainty that Love is the secret of God's holy Dispensation, the manifestation of the All-Merciful, the fountain of spiritual outpourings. Love is heaven's kindly light, the Holy Spirit's eternal breath that vivifieth the human soul. Love is the cause of God's revelation unto man, the vital bond inherent, in accordance with the divine creation, in the realities of things. Love is the one means that ensureth the felicity both in this world and the next. Love is the light that guideth in darkness, the living link that uniteth God with man, that assureth the progress of every illumined soul. Love is the most great law that ruleth this mighty and heavenly cycle, the unique power that bindeth together the divers elements of this material world, the supreme magnetic force that directeth the movements of the spheres in the celestial realms. Love revealeth with unfailing and limitless power the mysteries latent in the universe. Love is the spirit of life unto the adorned body of mankind, the establisher of true civilization in this mortal world, and the shedder of imperishable glory upon every high-aiming race and nation." (Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 27)
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MARRIAGE CEREMONY OF SHOGHI EFFENDI
AND MARY MAXWELL (RUHIYYIH KHANUM)
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By Ruhiyyih Rabbani, The Priceless Pearl, p. 151-2
"Surely the simplicity of the marriage of Shoghi Effendi - reminiscent of the simplicity of 'Abdu'l-Baha's own marriage in the prison-city of Akka - should provide a thought-provoking example to the Baha'is everywhere. No one, with the exception of his parents, my parents and a brother and two sisters of his living in Haifa, knew it was to take place. He felt strongly urged to keep it a secret, knowing from past experience how much trouble any major event in the Cause invariably stirred up. It was therefore a stunning surprise to both the servants and the local Baha'is when his chauffeur drove him off, with me beside him, to visit the Holy Tomb of Baha'u'llah on the afternoon of 25 March 1937. His heart drew him to that Most Sacred Spot on earth at such a moment in his life. I remember I was dressed, except for a white lace blouse, entirely in black for this unique occasion, and was a typical example of the way oriental women dressed to go out into the streets in those days, the custom being to wear black. Although I was from the West Shoghi Effendi desired me to fit into a pattern of the life in his house - which was a very oriental one - as naturally and inconspicuously as possible and I was only too happy to comply with his wishes in every way. When we arrived at Bahji and entered the Shrine he requested me to give him his ring, which I was still wearing concealed about my neck, and this he placed on the ring-finger of my right hand, the same finger that corresponded to the one of his own on which he himself had always worn it. This was the only gesture he made. He entered the inner Shrine, beneath the floor of which Baha'u'llah is interred, and gathered up in a handkerchief all the dried petals and flowers that the keeper of the Shrine used to take from the threshold and place in a silver receptacle at the feet of Baha'u'llah. After he had chanted the Tablet of Visitation we came back to Haifa and in the room of the Greatest Holy Leaf our actual marriage took place... There was no celebration, no flowers, no elaborate ceremony, no wedding dress, no reception. His mother and father, in compliance with the laws of Baha'u'llah, signified their consent by signing our marriage certificate and then I went back to the Western Pilgrim House across the street and joined my parents (who had not been present at any of these events), and Shoghi Effendi went to attend his own affairs. At dinner-time, quite as usual, the Guardian appeared, showering his love and congratulations on my mother and father. He took the handkerchief, full of such precious flowers, and with his inimitable smile gave them to my mother, saying he had brought them for her from the inner Shrine of Baha'u'llah. My parents also signed the marriage certificate and after dinner and these events were over I walked home with Shoghi Effendi...
The quietness, the simplicity, the reserve and dignity with which this marriage took place did not signify that the Guardian considered it an unimportant event - on the contrary. Over his mother's signature, but drafted by the Guardian, the following cable was sent to America 'Announce Assemblies celebration marriage beloved Guardian.' Inestimable honor conferred upon handmaid of Baha'u'llah, Ruhiyyih Khanum Miss Mary Maxwell. Union of the East and West proclaimed by Baha'i Faith cemented. Ziaiyyih mother of the Guardian. A telegram similar to this was sent to Persia. This news, so long awaited, naturally produced great rejoicing amongst the Baha'is and messages flooded in to Shoghi Effendi from all parts of the world."
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CHOOSING A PARTNER
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(Editor's Note: It was a delight to receive this article "Choosing a Partner" from a friend in Poland. It was prepared by Dr. Agnes and Bijan Ghaznavi for a Polish summer school, 2000. Excerpts are shared in this issue.)
Attraction and Harmony
"In short, attraction and harmony of things are the cause of the production of fruits and useful results, while repulsion and disharmony of things are the cause of disturbance and annihilation." ('Abdu'l-Baha, Baha'i World Faith, p. 296)
Know His Own Self
"...man should know his own self, and know those things which lead to loftiness or to abasement, to shame or to honour, to affluence or poverty." (Baha'u'llah, The Baha'i World, p. 167)
Before Choosing a Partner
Some counsels of 'Abdu'l-Baha addressed to a believer help men and women to reflect on their attitude and the person of their choice.
1) A joyful disposition
"...she must be sympathetic, kind-hearted, happy and endowed with a joyful disposition." ('Abdu'l-Baha, 22nd Dec 1918, to A.S., Star of the West, vol 11, no 1, p. 20)2) A companion and a partner
"....She must take an interest in all the problems pertaining to thy life, and be thy companion and partner in every phase of thy existence..." ('Abdu'l-Baha, 22nd Dec 1918, to A.S., Star of the West, vol 11, no 1, p. 20)3) Everlasting friendship
"Before choosing a wife a man must think soberly and seriously that this girl will be his friend throughout all his life. It is not a temporary matter." ('Abdu'l-Baha, 22nd Dec 1918, to A.S., Star of the West, vol 11, no 1, p. 20)A Mate and Intimate Confident
"She is a soul with whom he must associate all the days of his life; she will be his mate and his intimate confidant; therefore, day by day their love and their attachment to each other must increase." ('Abdu'l-Baha, 22nd Dec 1918, to A.S., Star of the West, vol 11, no 1, p. 20)No Interference
"As for the question regarding marriage under the Law of God: first thou must choose one who is pleasing to thee, and then the matter is subject to the consent of father and mother. Before thou makest thy choice, they have no right to interfere." ('Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Baha, p. 118)Consent of Parents
"As we desired to bring about love and friendship and the unity of the people, therefore We made marriage conditional upon the consent of the parents also, that enmity and ill-feeling might be avoided." (Baha'u'llah, Kitab-i-Aqdas)Eternal Bond
"Baha'i marriage is union and cordial affection between the two parties. They must, however, exercise the utmost care and become acquainted with each other's character. This eternal bond should be made secure by a firm covenant, and the intention should be to foster harmony, fellowship and unity and to attain everlasting life." ('Abdu'l-Baha, The Baha'i World Faith, p. 372)Character and Faith
"There is a difference between character and faith; it is often very hard to accept this fact and put up with it, but the fact remains that a person may believe and love the Cause - even to being ready to die for it - and yet not have a personal character, or possess traits at variance with the teachings." (Shoghi Effendi, from a letter dated October 17, 1944, written on behalf to an individual believer.)True Baha'i Marriage
"The true marriage of Baha'is is this, that both husband and wife should be united both physically and spiritually, that they may ever improve the spiritual life of each other, and may enjoy everlasting unity throughout all the worlds of God. This is Baha'i marriage." ('Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Baha, p. 118)Tenderness Out of This World
"In the same way, when any souls grow to be true believers, they will attain a spiritual relationship with one another, and show forth a tenderness which is not of this world. They will, all of them, become elated from a draught of divine love, and that union of theirs, that connection, will also abide forever." ('Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Baha, pp. 117-8)***********************************
HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS
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Editor's notes: These notes are taken from the book "Breaking The Chain of Low Self-Esteem." by Marilyn J. Sorensen, Ph.D., 149 - 152.
"Healthy relationships are ones in which both partners are healthy individuals, with interests, goals, friends, activities, and a sense of worth not related to the partner....People who seek relationships to heal themselves or avoid their problems are incapable of fully completing their responsibilities to a healthy relationship; instead, they become either too dependent and devote all their energy to the other, or they become too self-focused, demanding, and selfish in their expectations. When one partner is not healthy, communication becomes strained, decision-making becomes more difficult, equality in the relationship cannot be achieved, and true intimacy is impossible.
Healthy relationships are formed when two healthy individuals decide that they would not only like to retain their personal interests and sense of self, but that they would also like to form an "us" with someone else and add a new entity to their lives. This is not a "giving up" of the individual - two do not become one - rather two become three as the model below indicates. Thus, each person maintains individuality while agreeing to share a portion of their lives with the other....
In a healthy relationship, both partners want the best for themselves and the best for the other person. They truly respect each other; they trust each other. They support and encourage each other, yet they maintain their own unique personalities and individuality. They do not try to control nor do they compete.
The model presented here, not only allows for, but also encourages independence, respect, equality, and personal responsibility. If followed, this plan prevents a couple from becoming mired down in codependency and enmeshment; it also provides a road map that enables the couple to discern when they are getting off track. Healthy men and women want to have such a relationship because it affords mutual respect. Many men, however, do not tolerate such a relationship because they see it as demanding far more of them than they have had to give in the past and more than they wish to contribute in the future. Most women, unless protecting their men or fearful they will be abandoned, clearly recognize that this type of relationship is fair to both and much healthier for both as well."
MODEL - TWO BECOME THREE
Partner #1 Us Partner #2 Individual friends Shared friends Individual friends Individual goals Shared goals Individual goals Individual Interests Shared interests Individual interests Financial goals Shared financial goals Financial goals Control of personal expenditures Division of financial resources (same as partner #1) Career choices Where to live Career choices Right to time alone Time spent together Right to time alone Freedom to choose friends, how time is spent, dress, etc. (same as partner #1) Personal errands Shared errands Personal errands Household responsibilities Shared life-style Right to initiate or decline sex with partner Sexual relationship (same as partner #1) Right to personal beliefs and opinions (same as partner #1) Decision to have children Shared parenting *************
This marriage quote from the Baha'i Writings explains the importance of respecting each other's boundaries.
"Wherefore, wed Thou in the heaven of Thy mercy these two birds of the nest of Thy love, and make them the means of attracting perpetual grace; that from the union of these two seas of love a wave of tenderness may surge and cast the pearls of pure and goodly issue on the shore of life. "He hath let loose the two seas, that they meet each other: Between them is a barrier which they overpass not. Which then of the bounties of your Lord will ye deny? ( 'Abdu'l-Baha, Baha'i Prayers, U.S. 1985 edition, p. 106)
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STEPS TO TAKE FOR EFFECTIVE CONSULTATION
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These notes are taken from "A Marriage Workshop", prepared by the Task Force for Family Life for the Continental Board of Counsellors in Europe, 1995.
"Consultation bestoweth greater awareness and transmuteth conjecture into certitude. It is the shining light, which, in a dark world, leadeth the way and guideth. For everything there is and will continue to be a station of perfection and maturity. The maturity of the gift of understanding is made manifest through consultation." (Baha'u'llah, quoted in Consultation: A Compilation, p.3)
"...must with all freedom express their own thoughts, and it is no wise permissible for one to belittle the thoughts of another..." (Abdu'l-Baha, Heaven of Divine Wisdom, p. 6)
1) Agree to consult and choose a time and place.
2) Establish unity and harmony.
3) Ask for aid from the Realm of Glory.
4) Define the problem or situation.
5) Consider the basic spiritual principles involved in the problem in a practical and simple way.
6) Each in turn proceed to state their views: How they see the problem, what they would like, or want to happen.
7) Explore various possible solutions.
8) Agree on one of the solutions - it may be a combination of a few possible solutions.
9) Carry out the decision unitedly.
10) Evaluate the decision after a time and consult again if need be.***********************************************
DEALING WITH ANGER AND HURT
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These notes are taken from "A Marriage Workshop", prepared by the Task Force for Family Life for the Continental Board of Counsellors in Europe, 1995.
"...let your adorning be forgiveness and mercy..." (Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 139)
Frustration, anger, and hurt can get in the way of co-operation, clear thinking, and communication. There are several steps that might be helpful in dealing with these feelings.
1. ADMITTING the feeling of frustration, hurt or anger. Being honest with ourselves is not easy if we believe the feelings to be all bad. It is easier if we see that such feelings are a warning that something is wrong. They have a story to tell that is often worth listening to.
2. REFUSING TO ACT UPON THE FIRST IMPULSE OF ANGER, FRUSTRATION OR HURT. Having a feeling and acting on it are two different things. Take "Three deep breaths" can be of help in separating the feeling and an immediate reaction that could be regretted later.
3. REFLECTING upon the feelings (when they are no longer so intense) by asking yourself such questions as: "What triggered (set off) this feeling? Did I feel misunderstood, unjustly treated, afraid, hurt, etc? It can be useful to ask: "Have I any typical patterns of feeling that get in the way of my relationships?"
If so, what can I do to change these patterns?
Reflection is difficult when feelings are intense. Later it may be possible to reflect and decide what to do next time. Perhaps consulting constructively with our partner will seem reasonable. Perhaps it will seem wiser to set the feelings aside. Physical activity can be a help in releasing pent up emotions. Other things can also be helpful - such as finding some higher purpose and realising that no one - (not even one's partner!) is perfect - "yet man must remember; the earth plane is a workshop and not an art gallery for the exhibition of powers. This is not the plane of perfection, but the earth is the crucible for refining and moulding character." ('Abdu'l-Baha, Star of West, Vol. 24, p. 350)
4. PRAYING has great power to dissolve troubling feelings. "Rely upon God, Trust in Him, Praise Him and call Him continually to mind. He verily turneth trouble into ease, and sorrow into solace, and toil into utter peace. He verily hath dominion over all things." ('Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Baha, 178)
5. FORGIVING. Sometimes the pain and anger have a just cause. When more reasonable action cannot right the wrong, forgiving may be the only option available. It is perhaps more important to forgive, if we are not to become prisoners of our own bitterness. It is helpful to spend some time in reflection on forgiveness and any obstacles (within) that stands in the way of forgiving."
6. LOOK WITH COMPASSION BEHIND THE NEGATIVE BEHAVIOUR OF OTHERS. Assume there is an understandable reason for the way another is acting. We can then try to be ' a healing salve unto his sores...' ('Abdu'-Baha, Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'-Baha, p. 34). This may help to avoid acting in a defensive way. It might then be possible to react to the feeling behind the hurtful action.
Editor's notes: The last point #6, reminded me of this quote about The Greatest Holy Leaf, Bahiyyih Khanum, sister of 'Abdu'l-Baha and daughter of Baha'u'llah.
"You were sure that if one tried to hurt her she would wish to console him for his own cruelty. For her love was unconditioned, could penetrate disguise and see hunger behind the mask of fury, and she knew that the most brutal self is secretly hoping to find gentleness in another." (Marjory Morten, The Passing of Bahiyyih Khanum, The Baha'i World, Vol. 5, 1932-34)
I would also like to add two more important remedies for dealing with anger and hurt which are:
7. GRATITUDE. God sends us tests and difficult situations to teach us something essential for our growth and progress. By recognizing the problem as a test that God has lovingly given to us, it will be easier to accept them for our benefit and well being.
"Be generous in prosperity and thankful in adversity." (Baha'u'llah, Gleanings, p. 285)
"Those who suffer most, attain to the greatest perfection...Tests are benefits from God, for which we should thank Him. Grief and sorrow do not come to us by chance, they are sent to us by the Divine Mercy for our own perfecting.
While a man is happy he may forget his God; but when grief comes and sorrows overwhelm him, then will he remember his Father who is in Heaven, and who is able to deliver him from his humiliations.
Men who suffer not, attain no perfection. The plant most pruned by the gardeners is that one which, when the summer comes, will have the most beautiful blossoms and the most abundant fruit." (`Abdu'l-Baha,Paris Talks*, pp. 50-51)
8. PERFECTING OURSELVES We need to figure out what our mistakes/weaknesses are and then overcome them instead of focussing on others' faults. Here are a few examples from the Baha'i writings:
"Whenever you recognize the fault of another, think of yourself! What are my imperfections? - and try to remove them. Do this whenever you are tried through the words or deeds of others. Thus you will grow, become more perfect. You will overcome self, you will not even have time to think of the faults of others..." (From a letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice, August 13, 1980, Multiple Authors, Lights of Guidance, p. 90)
"The tongue I have designed for the mention of Me, defile it not with detraction. If the fire of self overcome you, remember your own faults and not the faults of My creatures, inasmuch as every one of you knoweth his own self better than he knoweth others." (Baha'u'llah, Persian Hidden Words, # 66)
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HAPPY COUPLES
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Taken from "Parenting in the New World Order - The Marriage Journal", Volume 2, Issue #7, March, 1997
"A friend recently loaned us an article to read with the intriguing title: The Nine Secrets of Happy Couples" by Rebecca Rice from Red Book, February, 1997. We enjoyed Rebecca's article as she looked at the 'ways and means' of a happy marriage. Forty percent of marriages end in divorce so anything we all can learn about good marriages is to our advantage. The author of the article soon realizes of course, "there are certain core values" in good marriages. We know that everyone can probably list them - trust, mutual respect, commitment, etc. But there seem to arise the same habits from any happy couple that mirror these values. We will share very simple actions of her observations of happy couples.
1. They have personal 'pet' names for each other. Says Carolyn Perta, PhD, a marital and family therapist in Manhattan, "Pet names signal a safe, supportive environment and give us the chance to be vulnerable and childlike. They make us feel close to one another.
2. They DO things together - start businesses, take up cooking together, refinish to attic, browse in antique stores, etc.
3. When the going gets tough they don't call Mom or Dad. It is important for the couple to solve their internal problems without any outside, potentially intrusive and controlling forces.
4. They stay connected to their parents and other family members. This way they share that part of their life with each other.
5. They both try to give 150% - and don't keep score.
6. They know how to disagree with limits and with no name calling.
7. They give each other simple gifts or little notes.
8. They do not tease each other about their vulnerable areas.
9. They help each other through life's ups and downs.
"Couples who do well together tend not to do anything that increases their partner's suffering, like becoming resentful or criticizing," notes Dr. Young-Eisendrath. "They both feel that they can always count on each other."
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THE VALUE OF PLAYFULNESS
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By Eda LeShan, an educator and family counsellor for more than 40 years. These excerpts are taken from "Are You Happy? Some Answers to the Most Important Questions in Your Life", by Dennis Wholey, pp. 29-33
"Some of us don't know how to play. We take life and ourselves too seriously. Perhaps we grew up in families in which there wasn't fun and happiness. Perhaps we believe that being an adult is deadly serious business and that fun and games are for little children and teenagers.....Happy people seem to enjoy all that life has to offer, and that includes the lighter side of life. There is balance in their lives, and that includes the ability to have fun. Do I know how to play? When was the last time I had some fun?"
"If I'm very depressed or if something is bothering me today, my husband, Larry, and I go to the park. We get on the carousel horses and we start riding, and I start singing at the top of my lungs. It is pure and absolute joy and happiness. If I analyze it, I say that being my child - the child is what's coming out. The childlike part of us, the playful part, gets lost. That's why there's this terrible, terrible hunger. When people say they're not happy it's because they have lost the child and the playfulness. ...Playfulness is really the basis of all discovery, and discovery is the adventure of living. ..."
"One hot-as-hell day in the middle of summer Larry and I were out walking. We came upon a fountain where little kids were in the water. Larry looked at me and I looked at him; we took off our watches and our shoes and we went into the fountain too. We arrived back at our apartment soaking wet, but it was wonderful. It was totally refreshing because it was so unexpected. We just looked at each other and did it."
"Larry and I bought a rubber raft, which we names 'Privasea - "privacy." It was a stupid little rubber boat with little oars and we would take it through the marshes on the Jersey shore to look at the birds through our field glasses. Along would come fancy million-dollar boats that have a special place to hang fishing rods and a top deck on which to stand. The people aboard them would laugh and wave to us and make jokes about what we were doing. Larry and I felt that they would rather have been in our silly little raft than on a great big boat."
"Larry and I have been married for forty-one years. The reason we have stayed married is that we don't know what's going to happen next. We've kept our sense of playfulness; we're constantly surprising each other...."
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RESPONSES FROM THE READERS ABOUT
ADDICTION ISSUES
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Recently my spiritual daughter age 25 and Persian shared with me the reality of her drinking and taking drugs. She does not feel that she can get help within the Baha'i community let alone turn to other Persian Baha'is for help. After speaking with her, I have learned from other young Persian Baha'is that they have the same problems and fears. Is there anyone out there working to help break the silence of this frightening condition? These young people need and want help but don't know what to do or how to do it and I don't know what to tell them. Does anyone know how wide spread this problem could be? I know that more than Persians suffer from these problems, but they seem to hide it more. I'm grateful for any insights.
RESPONSES:
Like all cultures, Persian culture has many positive and negative aspects. One particularly negative aspect of this culture is the great emphasis on what I will call 'what will others think' syndrome. This prevents many individuals from being honest about personal tests for fear of what others may think or say. Unfortunately hiding problems and maintaining silence does not solve problems, but create bigger ones.
Firstly, it takes a great deal of courage for your spiritual daughter to share this problem with you and I would encourage you to commend her on her strength and courage. The fact that she has shared this with you means that firstly she does recognize it is a problem, and secondly, that she is reaching out for assistance.
If she is comfortable discussing this with her parents, the Local Assembly or an Auxiliary Board Member, please encourage her to do so and assure her of your full support as she tries to deal with this. If she is not comfortable going to family, friends or to the institutions of the faith, (which is what I would suspect is more likely) please take it upon yourself to be the one to help her address this problem and end her addiction.
Here is what I would do:
1. Do some research on the subject and put it all in a folder - perhaps do some internet research, get books, pamphlets etc on addiction; find out information on various agencies that deal with alcohol and drug addiction; information on therapists (preferably a woman) that specialize in this area. Alcohol and drug dependencies are often results of unresolved inner issues, frustrations, etc ... youth today are not always provided with the tools and channels they need to deal with tests, and alcohol and drugs are one way of 'forgetting' or dealing with problems or 'rebelling' against the forbidden. Therapy would be helpful for her to identify the underlying reasons for her addiction and through understanding comes power and strength.
2. Put together a list of quotations from the writings on the subject.
3. There is a Baha'i support group for people dealing with addiction. Call the Baha'i Centre and get information on this and contact information - just in case your 'daughter' would consider contacting them.
4. Prepared with all this information, invite her over to your home to discuss this issue. Tell her how grateful you are that she has shared this with you. It must be a great burden to have a problem such as this and feel there is no one to tell, nowhere to turn. Her opening up is the FIRST and most important step in her therapy. Say some prayers, and show her the folder with all the research you have done. Tell her what you've learned and what seems to stick out in your mind about her and this issue. Then have a consultation with her about what SHE would like to do.
- does she want to stop drinking and using drugs?
- why does she think this habit began for her?
- does she feel she can stop? (and tell her why you are confident that she can)
- ask any other questions you think are relevant5. Ask her to take the folder home and study it and set up another time to meet a week or two later to discuss the matter further. Giving her the opportunity to take control and choose her treatment option will be empowering to her. But your 'presence' - physical, emotional, and spiritual - are vital for her success. Assure her that you are available to her at all times and that you will stick by her. Tell her this is not her 'fault' and there is no faulting, blaming etc ... it is nothing to be ashamed of. Everyone has their own challenges, and this happens to be hers ... but for her physical, spiritual and psychological health, it needs to be dealt with because it is not only something that is spiritually forbidden but physically unhealthy.
6. Encourage the daughter to involve her parents. If she is not comfortable with this, ask if she'd like for her (the woman assisting her) to be present if/when she chooses to tell her parents. Her presence may take some of the pressure off, but the woman will need to ensure the parents that they can trust her to keep this to herself or the parents may get upset with their daughter for telling someone outside of the family about the problem. They may or may not be upset/supportive, etc. There is not enough information to guess, but the bottom line is not to be judgmental of the young girl, not to attribute blame to her or her family; and finally to focus on working to assist her. She may very well be surprised by her parents' reaction and their understanding and support will be of great assistance to her.
7. Set out a time line with goals - what does she hope to achieve by when, etc.
Unfortunately, there is not enough discussion in the community about this problem and our young people don't always receive the support they need and deserve. We sometimes wrongly assume that just because something is 'forbidden' in the Faith, that it doesn't happen ... well it does, and there is indeed support out there in the community. Our youth are so important and precious and any effort you and others can make to assist in these issues, would be a great service.
- By Cheshmak Farhoumand-Sims, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Young and not so young Baha'is, who are struggling with addictions issues, can receive assistance from the Baha'i Network on AIDS, Sexuality, Addictions and Abuse. Their website is at: www.globweb.com/bnasaa/ They hold conferences yearly at Green Acre and Louhelen Baha'i School, and frequently at Bosch and other locations in the US and Canada.
- Susan Gammage, Ontario, Canada
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REQUESTING ASSISTANCE FROM OUR READERS
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I have a growth (non-malignant tumor) inside my skull on the nerve going to my ear. It is not inside the brain but if it grows can affect the brain. Is there anyone who has successfully treated this condition without surgery? For the time being, I have decided against surgery, but would appreciate any helpful suggestions anyone might have.
- Anonymous
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QUESTION OF THE MONTH
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The December issue will focus on "Lifestyles and Aging." What kind of lifestyles are healthy for seniors? Many seniors develop hearing, visual and mobility limitations and what coping skills can be learned? How can we be sensitive to their needs and to assist them in appropriate ways? Also, this is a special time for seniors to be grandparents and how can family members develop a loving relationship with them?
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PURPOSE OF THE NEWSLETTER
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"Healing Through Unity" is published for the purpose of sharing thoughts, comments and experiences on how the teachings of the Baha'i Faith are being applied to physical and spiritual health. Other than the quoted Holy Writings, the material in this newsletter represents the thoughts and opinions of the writers and has no authority. You are free to copy articles, provided you indicate the source of the article. If you have a change of e-mail address or wish to unsubscribe the newsletter, please inform me. There are 10 issues per year; it is not published during July and August. The newsletter is produced in Ontario, Canada.
Please send your stories, comments, suggestions or "Question for the Month" ideas to Frances Mezei by e-mail: fmezei@sentex.net.
PLEASE NOTE:
Many thanks to all of you who sent such wonderful contributions for "Healing Through Unity" Newsletter. The decision to select and edit material submitted for publication is determined by the editor.
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WEB SITE
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You can visit the website, obtain back issues and the Healing Through Unity Course at: http://www.healingthroughunity.org
HEALING THROUGH UNITY
December, 2000
A monthly newsletter dedicated to serving the principles of
physical and spiritual health envisioned in the Baha'i Teachings.
Volume 4, Issue #4
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Contents
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- Stories of 'Abdu'l-Baha
- Lifestyles and Aging
- Receiving the Gift of Health
- Tai Chi For Older People Reduces Falls, May Help Maintain Strength
- The Exchange
- Resources
- Responses from the Readers about Treating Growths and Tumors
- Baha'i Medical Association of Canada
- Report on 4th Annual Conference
- Baha'i Conference on Health and Healing 2001
- Letters
- Question of the Month
- Website
- Purpose of the Newsletter****************************************
STORIES OF 'ABDU'L-BAHA
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Lady Blomfield cited another instance of His delightful humour: 'One day after a meeting when, as usual, many people had crowded round Him, 'Abdu'l-Baha arrived home very tired. We were sad at heart that He should be so fatigued, and bewailed the many steps to be ascended to the flat. Suddenly, to our amazement, the Master ran up the stairs to the top very quickly without stopping. 'He looked down at us as we walked up after Him, saying with a bright smile, from which all traces of fatigue had vanished: "You are all very old! I am very young!"' He added, '"Through the power of Baha'u'llah all things can be done. I have just used that power.'"
Blomfield, The Chosen Highway, p. 169)**********
"He used to take a walk in the park along Riverside Drive. Often He went alone, and, knowing that the friends would like to accompany Him, He said, 'I sleep on the grass. I come out of fatigue. My mind rests. But when I am not alone, surely I talk, and rest of body and mind cannot be gained.'"
(Quoted in 339 Days: 'Abdu'l-Baha's Journey in America, Allan Ward, p. 70),The original source is "'Abdu'l-Baha in America" by Zia Bagdadi, published in Star of the West, 19, no. 6 (Sept. 1928), p 182.
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LIFESTYLES AND AGING
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By Shirlee Smith, Ontario, Canada
The number of individuals who are now surviving into old age is increasing. There is often an assumption that as people grow older, they experience poorer health and more disabilities. While research shows that older people are healthier than stereotypes suggest, it is nonetheless a fact that an overall decline in health and rise in rates of disability do accompany aging. Mobility difficulties, loss of vision and/or hearing late in life will tax an individual's ability to cope with day to day tasks that are usually taken for granted. It is a challenge that some will meet head on and that others will struggle with.
The World Health Organization (1981) uses the notion of "handicap" to refer to a situation where an individual with a disability is disadvantaged relative to others in society. According to their definition, an individual experiences a handicap when he or she is prevented, as a result of a disability, from fulfilling the roles that would be considered normal for someone of comparable age and gender in that society.
Adopting a "Positive Lifestyle" can help us to develop and maintain our physical and spiritual well-being as we grow older.
How might one define a "Positive Lifestyle?" What are some of the elements?
1. SPIRITUALITY
This is a flexible term, which is used in many ways. It is used here to include our religious beliefs, practices and activity, time spent alone, being with nature, meditating, praying and reflecting.
"All is in the hands of God, and without Him there can be no health in us!"
('Abdu'l-Baha, Paris Talks, p.19)
"When a man turns his face to God he finds sunshine everywhere."
(ëAbdu'l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 15)"Happy the days that have been consecrated to the remembrance of God, and blessed the hours which have been spent in praise of Him Who is the All-Wise."
( Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 138)2) A LOVING RELATIONSHIP WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS
Are there people you like to be with? Is there, at least, one person that knows enough and cares enough to respond to what you want to say? Is there someone with whom you can have a conversation and walk away feeling better? Can they also count on you to be there for them?
"Deal ye one with another with the utmost love and harmony, with friendliness and fellowship."
(Baha'u'llah, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p.14)"Treat all thy friends and relatives, even strangers, with a spirit of utmost love and kindliness"
(ëAbdu'l-Baha, Baha'i National Review, July 1982, No. 120, p.3)3) COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
To what extent are you utilizing community resources to expand your life? This includes work, community service and being out and about in the world around you. Do you attend community events? Keep in touch with people? Doing work as a volunteer or as a paid employee adds to your well being.
"Think ye at all times of rendering some service to every member of the human race." (ëAbdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Baha, p.3)
"Öwhen occupied with work one is less likely to dwell on the unpleasant aspects of life." (Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p.175)
4) USE OF LEISURE TIME
Evaluate your use of leisure time. It is easy to drift into sitting alone, watching television, overeating, not exercising and reading uninteresting materials. Consider hobbies, art, music, creativity and other satisfying activities. There is no question that exposing oneself to a new experience is the most important pathway to a steady growth of lifestyle. Have you learned any new skills recently?
"It is enjoined upon every one of you to engage in some form of occupation, such as crafts, trades and the like. We have graciously exalted your engagement in such work to the rank of worship unto God, the True One."
(Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 175)5) FITNESS
Some energy should be directed to keeping fit. Attention to diet and nutrition is essential. Get some exercise on a regular basis. Are you learning what you need to know to work with your illness or disability for independent living? Are you learning techniques to deal with stress? Are you doing all you need to do to stay fit?
"Think not of your own limitations, dwell only on the welfare of the Kingdom of Glory." ('Abdu'l-Baha. Paris Talks, p.166)
Growing older does not have to mean loss of independence. If one has a disability, it does not have to mean that the quality of life is reduced. It can mean change and challenge. Independence is based upon the ability to make choices and information about alternatives. Family, friends and professional caregivers must be careful not to take the right of choice from older adults who may be experiencing sensory or physical disabilities.
"Be fair to yourselves and to others, that the evidences of justice may be revealed, through your deeds, among Our faithful servants."
(Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 278)********************************************
RECEIVING THE GIFT OF HEALTH
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By Bill and Phoebe Anne Lemmon, Quebec, Canada
ìAlthough ill health is one of the unavoidable conditions of man, truly it is hard to bear. The bounty of good health is the greatest of all gifts.î
('Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of ëAbduíl-Bah·, #132, p. 151)______________
As we age we can certainly understand and agree with these two statements (see above) of ëAbduíl-Baha . We live one day, one moment at a time, scarcely noticing the passing years until that morning when we roll out of bed instead of bouncing out with energy and our body says, ìI donít care what you want to do; Iíve been around for 60 (or 50 or 70) years and Iím slowing downî. Unless weíve been motivated to do so earlier in life - and hopefully we have been by something other than illness - this is the time to listen to our body, be kind to it, and work with it.
Todayís environment is not conducive to maintaining or achieving good health. We really have to work at being healthy! This takes expenditures of time, energy, and money. How do we justify such expenditures when the needs of the Faith are so great? ëAbduíl-Baha tells us, ìMake ye then a mighty effort ... that for purity, immaculacy, refinement, and the preservation of health, they (Bahaíis) shall be leaders in the vanguard of those who know.î
(Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, #129, p. 150) From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, October 25, 1949, quoted in Lights of Guidance, we learn that ìThe Bahaíis ... must guard against utterly depleting their forces and having breakdownsî. We are, then, encouraged to look after our health.Although we are instructed to consult a competent physician when we are ill, there are four important aspects of preventive care that we can handle ourselves. You can remember them as RREN - Rest, Recreation, Exercise, and Nutrition.
* Rest: Listen to your body for this one. Youíll soon be able to recognize its messages. Donít wait for the collapse that will surely come if you ignore early signs. Even on a busy day, try to take at least fifteen minutes to lie on your back with your feet elevated. The blood-flow reversal does wonders!
* Recreation: This is rest for the brain, so choose something that is a refreshing change from routine, a real re-creation. That could be anything from a good book to a round of golf.
* Exercise: No, not the round of golf again. Exercise should be purposeful, disciplined, regular. Brisk walking is the original do-it-yourself exercise and heads the list. The cost is a pair of good walking shoes; the benefits are bestowed on the entire body. Two excellent forms of class exercises for seniors are tai chi and stretching.
* Nutrition: Last but most important. If we are feeding our body impure food, it wonít run any better than an automobile with impure gasoline. The extra dollars we spend for food that is as natural as possible come back to us in reduced medical bills. Read labels and remember the current nutritional advice: cut down on meat and dairy, increase fruits, vegetables, and grains.Receiving the gift of good health is well worth the effort required for change. In this passage from Bahaíi World Faith, p. 176, ëAbduíl-Baha gives us further incentive: ìIf thou are desirous of health, wish thou health for serving the Kingdom. I hope thou mayest attain a perfect insight, an inflexible resolution, a complete health and spiritual and physical strength in order that thou mayest drink from the fountain of eternal life and be assisted by the spirit of divine confirmation.î
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TAI CHI FOR OLDER PEOPLE REDUCES
FALLS, MAY HELP MAINTAIN STRENGTH
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Submitted by Bill and Phoebe Anne Lemmon (Taken from the National Institute on Aging (NIA) website: www.nih.gov/nia. The NIA, part of the National Institutes of Health, leads the Federal effort conducting and supporting research on the aging process and the diseases and disabilities that accompany advancing age. The Institute's program focuses on biomedical, clinical, and social and behavioral research, and supports the Claude D. Pepper Older American Independence Centers at medical centres across the U.S., whose research is aimed at maintaining healthy function well into old age.)
Tai Chi, a martial arts form that enhances balance and body awareness through slow, graceful, and precise body movements, can significantly cut the risk of falls among older people and may be beneficial in maintaining gains made by people age 70 and older who undergo other types of balance and strength training. The news comes in two reports appearing in the May 1996 issue of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
The two studies are the first involving Tai Chi to be reported by scientists in a special frailty reduction program sponsored by the National Institute on Aging (NIA).
In the first study, Steven L. Wolf, Ph.D., and colleagues at the Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Ga., found that older people taking part in a 15-week Tai Chi program reduced their risk of falling by 47.5 percent. A second study, by Leslie Wolfson, M.D., and colleagues at the University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, found that several interventions to improve balance and strength among older people were effective. These improvements, particularly in strength, were preserved over a 6-month period while participants did Tai Chi exercises.
The projects are among several in the NIA's Frailty and Injuries:
Cooperative Studies of Intervention Techniques, or FICSIT, initiative, launched in 1990 to improve physical function in old age.Research from these and other FICSIT trials has demonstrated the benefits of strength training for older people and the value and cost-effectiveness of targeted, fall prevention programs for the elderly. It is estimated that each year falls are responsible for costs of over $12 billion in the U.S., and the costs due to physical frailty are much higher.
The news on Tai Chi is a reminder that relatively "low tech" approaches should not be overlooked in the search for ways to prevent disability and maintain physical performance in late life. "The FICSIT studies have shown that a range of techniques, from the most sophisticated medical interventions to more 'low tech' methods, can help older people avoid frailty and falling," says Chhanda Dutta, Ph.D., Director of Musculoskeletal Research in the NIA's Geriatrics Program. "We must make sure that we look at every approach, especially relatively inexpensive ones like Tai Chi," says Dutta. "People can do this at home and with friends once they have had the proper training...."
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THE EXCHANGE
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Question:
What kind of lifestyles are healthy for seniors? Many seniors develop hearing, visual and mobility limitations and what coping skills can be learned? How can we be sensitive to their needs and to assist them in appropriate ways? Also, this is a special time for seniors to be grandparents and how can family members develop a loving relationship with them?
Answer:
I am 68 and now fully retired. My hearing started to decline many years ago. The doctor told me it would get worse as I got older and it has. His advice was to confront the issue and let people know so they can help. I am very independent and do not like to be singled out. It was strange to be presented with this problem. But it really wasn't fair to all of my friends to let them think I was being aloof or didn't want to be around them. Some of them did not realize my problem. The doctor helped me to learn to lip read which helped until people turned away from me. It was a miserable situation at times. So I reasoned....it is my right to attend Feasts and my right to attend functions so there was no choice. Gradually, I told each person who would turn away that I could not hear them unless I could see them. Although I joked about it, their help was priceless. They will never know how much they helped me to deal with my hearing loss. After a while just about every one was careful not to cover their mouth or turn away. At Feasts, the Feast Letter was passed to me while the tape was playing. Everyone seemed to do this automatically as if this was an everyday happening. Volumes were turned up just a bit and just about everyone including the children made sure I understood what was going on. The children were particularly good at this in ways that were so much more mature for their ages.
When I moved to my new community in Princeton, West Virgina, U.S., the response was equally pleasant. Because my hearing was poor, I sometimes talked over the other person. (I was not aware they were talking until it was too late) They understood and did not make a thing of it.
I now wear hearing aids and although I hear much better there are still times when I misinterpret what is being said. Yet, I have never felt left out or misunderstood. I know they repeat things ever so gently if it is important.
- Dolores Kalisty, West Virgina, U.S.A
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RESOURCES
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LIPREADING NATURALLY
Practical Lipreading and Communication Exercises for Everyone The Canadian Hearing Society - Peel Region, Ontario, Canada produced a publication 'Lipreading Naturally', 1993, written by Shirlee Smith and Frances Mezei. The book is written for people with hearing losses, family members, friends and professionals. It contains a series of exercises in what amounts to a course in coping with hearing loss in everyday situations while improving speechreading and communication skills. An introduction provides clear communication rules for group facilitators and speechreaders (lipreaders), plus excellent guidelines on how to start a self-help group. The exercises are grouped into seven categories and include such topics as relationships, family involvement, personal support systems and daily interaction situations. Each lesson has a game or quiz material for group discussion. The complete 143-page publication with pre-and post-tests, notes and bibliography can be used for class study, seminars/workshops or individual lesson plans.
Retail Price: Canada: $16.00 including GST+ $5.00 postage and handling charges (Cdn Funds)
United States: $11.95 + $5.00 shipping (U.S. Funds)
Other countries: $14.95 + shipping (U.S. Funds)
It is available through: The Canadian Hearing Society, Peel Regional Office, 2227 South Millway, Suite 300, Mississauga, ON L5L 3R6, e-mail: Office@peel.chs.ca************
SELF HELP FOP HARD OF HEARING PEOPLE, INC. (SHHH)
Self Help for Hard of Hearing People, Inc, is a volunteer, international organization of hard of hearing people, their relatives and friends. SHHH publication "Hearing Loss: The Journal of Self Help for Hard of Hearing People" is full of information on the latest assistive listening technology, research, what's going on in the local chapters and at a national level, and articles about how you can live well with hearing loss. An annual conference is organized each year. To become a member of SHHH, you can write to: Self Help for Hard of Hearing People, Inc. 7910 Woodmont Avenue, Suite 1200, Bethesda, Maryland, 20814, United States. You can visit their website: http://www.shhh.org
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BAHA'I SERVICE FOR THE BLIND - UNITED STATES
The services are available to those individuals whose handicaps prevent them from using normal print so this could apply to others than those who have a visual handicap. They provide materials in braille, large print and on cassette tape. They maintain a lending library (for US & Canadian residents only) of the braille and tapes. They also make available on tape the issues of 'The American Baha'i' -- United States newspaper. Bill Peary, who is the secretary of Baha'i Service for the Blind, advises that you contact them first to see if the tapes or materials already exist before doing them yourself. For more information and assistance, you can contact Bill Peary at: WDPeary@aol.com
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SERVICE FOR THE VISUALLY IMPAIRED COMMITTEE (SVIC) - UNITED KINGDOM
The Service for the Visually Impaired Committee (SVIC) is a committee appointed by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United Kingdom and is here to help anyone with a visual impairment who is already a Baha'i or interested in learning more about the Baha'i Faith.
The services offered by the SVIC are as follows:
* Baha'i books and other literature in braille
* Baha'i books and other literature on tape
* The UK Baha'i Journal on tape and on-line
* Liaison services for the friends for all their concerns relating to their
visual impairment and Baha'i activities.Please visit their website at www.bahai.org.uk/svic for full details.
For more information about visual impairment, what services and equipment are available, please contact the Royal National Institute for the Blind's website at: www.rnib.org.uk.
To contact the SVIC, please email Robin Christopherson at: bjuk@freenet.co.uk.
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RESPONSES FROM THE READERS ABOUT
TREATING GROWTHS AND TUMORS
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I have a growth (non-malignant tumor) inside my skull on the nerve going to my ear. It is not inside the brain but if it grows can affect the brain. Is there anyone who has successfully treated this condition without surgery? For the time being, I have decided against surgery, but would appreciate any helpful suggestions anyone might have.
- AnonymousRESPONSES
I would like to offer a suggestion to the anonymous person asking for assistance with the non-malignant tumor on the nerve to their ear. I am a chiropractic student in Lombard, Illinois. There is a doctor, nearby that I, myself, go to that has had success with reducing tumors and cancers non invasively. He primarily uses acupuncture. Please pass this e-mail on to our friend requesting assistance, and I would be more than happy to give them his information. Karen Bent - email: kbent20@yahoo.com
- Karen Bent, Illinois, U.S.A**************
I recently read an article in the Harvard Magazine (latest issue) which explains a new technique for treatment of tumors without conventional surgery. The article explains that Doctors at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston have developed a way to use an MRI machine to not only diagnose, but to treat. It is bloodless surgery, not invasive. I don't fully understand it but I think they can see the exact parameters of the tumor and send energy to heat the tumor - and destroy it - without affecting any healthy tissue. Perhaps this person could contact Brigham and Women's Hospital, refer to the magazine article and get some information. This is very new - and requires a herculean team approach, because it is so complex, but very encouraging for those facing conventional surgery.
- Carol Rutstein, U.S.A**************
In response to - anonymous - regarding a growth (non-malignant tumor) inside on the nerve going to the ear. This describes an acoustic neuroma. I had such a tumor in 1992 on the right side. It was discovered because I complained about my hearing. It was removed surgically in May 1992, both doctors telling me as it grows it could endanger my brain. The only negative result of this surgery is that I am totally deaf in my right ear, but they told me that would happen before the surgery. This person is welcome to contact me if they have other questions. But, I would highly recommend the "Acoustic Neuroma Association" website as well. The address is www.anausa.org. The best thing about having this surgery was the response of the Baha'is in the community. I was out of work for 8 weeks and in the beginning a different Baha'i came over with food or prepared my dinner and visited me. I think the love and prayers of the Baha'is had a lot to do with the healing process.
- Irene Bush, New York, U.S.A - email: IBUSH@hanys.org*************
The article that I am submitting is a testimonial that was written up in a newsletter entitled "ESSENTIAL OILS ONLINE" in June 2000, http://www.lynngroup.com/testimonial.html
Lung Cancer Healed
15 months ago, my wife, Linda, was diagnosed with lung cancer. The x-ray showed a near lemon-size tumor with tufts of finger-like growths extending all around the tumor located in the upper right lobe of the lung. To make certain the growth wasn't a fungus, her surgeon ordered a blood test, which came back negative as a fungus. Doctors were then 98% certain the tumor was malignant.
Linda was then scheduled for lung surgery the following week. Her surgeon told us he would remove the upper half of her right lung and that of her lymph glands. I remember we drove home scared to death of what was happening. We were confident the surgeon could do his job okay, but had serious doubts about Linda not catching a lethal staph infection while recovering in the ICU.
Staph infections are common occurrences in ICU's, and have proved lethal for many people recovering from surgery. When we shared this concern with our surgeon, he told us the odds of Linda's recovery were 50/50. This was not acceptable.
We are both believers and have faith that God heals, so we immediately gave her cancer over to Him for healing. We prayed fervently with conviction, and applied a blend of healing oils known as Raven over her chest and upper back. We also used other oils, but Raven was the oil Linda wanted, so we followed her intuition staying with the Raven blend.
Within a day or two, we called the surgeon's office to decline the surgery. Needless to say, the surgeon's nurse did all she could to persuade us to re-consider. Two months after the first x-ray was taken to the day, Linda had another chest x-ray taken. To the doctor's amazement, the tumor had shrunk to the size of a walnut, He was dumbfounded, because he said, "This doesn't happen."
We continued in prayer and anointing with Raven. Two months later, another x-ray revealed the tumor had shrunk to the size of a pea. The entire floor of the clinic, housing many doctor's and their staff, by now had heard of the "miracle girl", as they called her. One nurse wept openly as she hugged Linda. No one in this clinic had ever heard of a lung tumor going into remission without medical intervention.
Today, March 22, 2000, a new x-ray showed no visible sign of the tumor, her lungs are absolutely clear. Linda's surgeon, who never operated on her, told us this is the first time he had ever witnessed such a healing. He could not give any medical reason for what his eyes clearly told him had happened. He just kept looking at all her x-rays and shaking his head as in disbelief.
We give God praise, for we owe Linda's life to His love and will to heal her. We also attribute the therapeutic potion of the Raven blend of healing oil. Not only did it have a direct effect on the cancer, it allowed Linda to breathe much easier. Used together as a healing modality, we believe prayer and healing oils are without equal.
Linda's healing from lung cancer is a matter of pictorial, tested and written record. Her medical records, including the x-rays, are on file at Rockford Health Clinic in Rockford, Illinois. Her doctors are Dr. Rogers, Dr. Mellies and Dr. William Sacksteder, her would be surgeon, who I am certain must be sharing Linda's story with his Fellows this day. Written by Jim Lynn
Raven is a blend of oils containing Ravensara, Birch, Eucalyptus Radiata, Peppermint and other proprietary blends of essential oils.
- Submitted by Diana Tufts, U.S.A**************
A year ago, I had a lump in my breast almost one inch in diameter. I refused any medical treatment even taking a single pill and I always research on natural medications like herbs and eat natural foods that would help heal the cause of my illness. This idea is being inspired by the Baha'i Teachings where it was mentioned: "When the science of medicine reaches perfection, treatment will be given by foods, aliments, fruits, and vegetables..." (Abdu'l-Baha, Some Answered Questions. pp. 266-8). Also, it was said: "... our natural diet is that which grows out of the ground. The people will gradually develop up to the condition of this natural food."
(Abdu'l-Baha: Ten Days in the Light of Akka, 1979 ed, pp. 8-9).As for my lump, I heard that raw vegetarian food can cure cancer, diabetes, and virtually every disease. One time, I went to a health store and saw an ad about a seminar on a Raw Food Diet. I attended the seminar and right after that I started the journey to a healthy diet, the Living Vegetarian Food, which has the enzymes and life force that would energize and enliven every cells in the body. After two months on raw food, I checked my breast and the lump was about half the size. Then, after four months, it was totally gone.
I've been on this diet (95% raw) for a year now and I feel good with bursting energy and mental clarity. However, for those who want to start this diet, they should do some research and preparation as there is the so called symptoms of the healing process. There are several books and websites that could be of help. Please e-mail me if you need some assistance: gvlaroya@webtv.net.
- Gilda Laroya, Nevada, U.S.A.***************
MEDICAL SCIENCE IS PROGRESSING
Editor's note: The following Baha'i Writings supports the concept of developing new form of treatments, new doctors and that medical science is progressing. In a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, 18 December 1945, the Guardian says "Baha'u'llah has recommended that people seek the help and advice of experts and doctors; He does not say which school they should belong to." In another reference he stated " Every day medical science is progressing, and it is quite possible that some new form of treatment or some new doctor may be able to get you on your feet. He will certainly pray that this may be so", from letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, 24 February 1952.
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BAHA'I MEDICAL ASSOCIATION OF CANADA -
REPORT ON 4TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE
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By Meryl Cook, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada
Recently I had the privilege to attend the 4th annual conference of the Canadian Baha'i Medical Association in Toronto, Canada. As a Bowen practitioner and third year student of homeopathy, it was very exciting to take part in a forum connecting my faith to my profession.
The conference was called an Evidence and Scripture-Based Conference on Health, and included sessions on: Inspirations; Bridging the Old and the New; Perfecting and Preserving the Art of Medicine, Nutrition, as well as the keynote speaker Dr. Michael Penn who gave an eloquent talk entitled "Mind, Medicine and Metaphysics: A Union of Science and the Sacred, of the Contingent and the Eternal", which traced the evolution in thinking about the relationship between the mind, body and the soul, up to and including Abdu'l-Baha's comments on this matter.
I was impressed with the incorporation of the arts into the devotions and the presentations. I was also greatly uplifted by the continuous reference to the Baha'i Writings as they applied to each topic discussed. Many speakers touched on the purpose of physical health, which is to allow the soul to express itself (health as a means to an end, not a goal in itself), and on the relationships between spiritual health and physical health. One of the speakers reminded us that the Baha'i Teachings have provided us with the gift of a clear definition of the role of physicians, as well as a universal code of moral and ethical values. Also emphasized was the opportunity we as physicians and other health professionals have in bringing the spirit of the Faith and our expertise to humanity, including underserviced populations in our own country, as well as overseas.
The conference was attended by allopathic physicians from many specialties, as well as by Baha'is in the fields of naturopathy, nursing, homeopathy, holistic health and psychotherapy. As well, there were several individuals with an interest in the health professions. I look forward to further opportunities to work with Baha'is from all of the health disciplines, using the Baha'i Writings as our point of unity.
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BAHA'I CONFERENCE ON HEALTH AND HEALING 2001
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You are invited to attend the 2nd annual Baha'i Health and Healing Conference at Desert Rose Baha'i Institute, February 9-11, 2001. At last year's conference, 30+ participants shared from a variety of healthcare disciplines and from our experience applying Baha'i teachings on health. The 200l conference promises more sharing, more learning, and more public outreach. If you want further information as it becomes available, or you'd like to be a presenter, or wish to register, please contact us.
FEATURES:
Talks, presentations, and workshops from Baha'i health practitioners from various disciplines, who have implemented Baha'i teachings on health and healing
Kenneth Proefrock, N.D. (confirmed speaker)
Bill Saunders, M.D. and Judy Petersen, N.D. (tentative speakers)
Health Fair -- of diverse healing practices, open to the public, Sunday afternoon
Riaz & Bronwyn Castillo, Jin Shin Jyutsu (confirmed Health Fair service)Where: Desert Rose Baha'i Institute, Eloy, AZ -- midway between Phoenix and Tucson
Cost: $40 conference fee, plus meals. Choices offered include foods mentioned in Baha'i teachings on nutrition
For more information, please contact one of the following:
BCHH, Desert Rose Baha'i Institute, 5688 Tweedy Rd, Eloy, AZ 8523l-9611
Hannah Rishel, 520-524-2095, email: rishel@cybertrails.com
Randy Robinson, 480-461-1255**************
LETTERS
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November's Newsletter is so absolutely wonderful. I can't thank you enough. So many topics that are so pertinent at this time were addressed. The articles about marriage and relationships are so timely for all of us and gives me so much insight and guidance on how to maintain a healthy relationship. The love and support of all of us must be obvious in our communities for those who are dealing with some of the addiction issues. Love and acceptance is a large factor in their healing and we must be sensitive to these problems and get out of the judge's seat. Love is the greatest healer of all. When I became a Baha'i 30 years ago I brought with me all the disorders of a crumbling society. The love and acceptance of the Baha'i community which I was born into saved my soul and nurtured me to spiritual health. Let's all do the same for every afflicted soul we encounter in our wonderful, glorious faith.
- Anonymous*********************
I just have to tell you that this is an excellent newsletter and it is very inspiring when I receive it! I am greatly appreciative concerning the tact and wisdom about the articles presented concerning issues I have read about. The Baha'i community has needed such a newsletter in a very long time. Do you have an article that deals with the Baha'i standards on dress? I would be interested and could use such an article for a project.
- Ruby Edgar(Editor's note: If anyone has an article on this subject, it would be good to hear from you.)
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QUESTION OF THE MONTH
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The January issue will focus on the subject of healing of racism. Does the principle of the oneness of humankind have a role to play in healing racism? If so, how? What, if any, is the relationship of the principle of the oneness and wholeness of the human family to concept of unity in diversity? What contribution can these two make toward healing racism in human communities at the individual, institutional and societal levels?
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WEB SITE
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You can visit the website, obtain back issues and the Healing Through Unity Course at: http://www.healingthroughunity.org.
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PURPOSE OF THE NEWSLETTER
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"Healing Through Unity" is published for the purpose of sharing thoughts, comments and experiences on how the teachings of the Baha'i Faith are being applied to physical and spiritual health. Other than the quoted Holy Writings, the material in this newsletter represents the thoughts and opinions of the writers and has no authority. You are free to copy articles, provided you indicate the source of the article. There are 10 issues per year; it is not published during July and August. The newsletter is produced in Ontario, Canada.
Please send your stories, comments, suggestions or "Question for the Month" ideas to Frances Mezei by e-mail: -- .
PLEASE NOTE:
Many thanks to all of you who sent such wonderful contributions for "Healing Through Unity" Newsletter. The decision to select and edit material submitted for publication is determined by the editor. If you have a change of e-mail address, please inform me with your old and new email address. To cancel the subscription, please inform me.
HEALING THROUGH UNITY
January, 2001
A monthly newsletter dedicated to serving the principles of
physical and spiritual health envisioned in the Baha'i Teachings.
Volume 4, Issue #5
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Contents
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- Talk Given By 'Abdu'l-Baha - 23 April 1912, At Howard University Washington, D.C
- Eliminating Negative Effects of Race, Gender and Culture on Provider/Patient Relationships
- Fostering Racial Harmony
- The Exchange
- Book Review - "Racial Healing: The Institutes for the Healing of Racism"
- The Institute for the Healing of Racism in Toronto...and Related Thoughts
- Suggested Reading
- Sacred Writings on Racial Unity
- Health for Humanity
- Response from a Reader to the article "Lung Cancer Healed"
- Question of the Month
- Website
- Purpose of the Newsletter**********************************************
MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY
JANUARY 15, 2001
This issue is devoted to Racial Healing
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TALK GIVEN BY 'ABDU'L-BAHA - 23 APRIL 1912, AT HOWARD UNIVERSITY WASHINGTON, D.C.
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From "The Promulgation of Universal Peace", Talks delivered by 'Abdu'l-Baha during His visit to the United States and Canada in 1912, pp.44-46
"Today I am most happy, for I see here a gathering of the servants of God. I see white and black sitting together. There are no whites and blacks before God. All colors are one, and that is the color of servitude to God. Scent and color are not important. The heart is important. If the heart is pure, white or black or any color makes no difference. God does not look at colors; He looks at the hearts. He whose heart is pure is better. He whose character is better is more pleasing. He who turns more to the Abha Kingdom is more advanced.
In the realm of existence colors are of no importance. Observe in the material kingdom colors are not the cause of discord. In the vegetable kingdom the colors of multicolored flowers are not the cause of discord. Rather, colors are the cause of the adornment of the garden because a single color has no appeal; but when you observe many-colored flowers, there is charm and display.
The world of humanity, too, is like a garden, and humankind are like the many-colored flowers. Therefore, different colors constitute an adornment. In the same way, there are many colors in the realm of animals. Doves are of many colors; nevertheless, they live in utmost happiness. They never look at color; instead, they look at the species. How often white doves fly with black ones. In the same way, other birds and varicolored animals never look at color; they look at the species.
Now ponder this: Animals despite the fact that they lack reason and understanding, do not make colors the cause of conflict. Why should man, who has reason, create conflict? This is wholly unworthy of him. Especially white and black are the descendants of the same Adam; they belong to one household. In origin they were one; they were the same color. Adam was of one color. Eve had one color. All humanity descended from them. Therefore, in origin they are one. These colors developed later due to climates and regions; they have no significance whatsoever. Therefore, today I am very happy that white and black have gathered together in this meeting. I hope this coming together and harmony reaches such a degree that no distinctions shall remain between them, and they shall be together in the utmost harmony and love.
But I wish to say one thing in order that the blacks may become grateful to the whites and the whites become loving toward the blacks. If you go to Africa and see the blacks of Africa, you will realize how much progress you have made. Praise be to God! You are like the whites; there is no great distinctions left. But the blacks of Africa are treated like servants. The first proclamation of emancipation for the blacks was made by the whites of America. How they fought and sacrificed until they freed the blacks! Then it spread to other places. The blacks in Africa were in complete bondage, but your emancipation led to their freedom also - that is, the European states emulated the Americans, and the emancipation proclamation became universal. It was for your sake that the whites of America made such an effort. Were it not for this effort, universal emancipation would not have been proclaimed.
Therefore, you must be very grateful to the whites of America, and the whites must become very loving toward you so that you may progress in all human grades. Strive jointly to make extraordinary progress and mix together completely. In short, you must be very thankful to the whites who were the cause of your freedom in America. Had you not been freed, other blacks would not have been freed either. Now - praise be to God! - everyone is free and lives in tranquility. I pray that you attain to such a degree of good character and behaviour that the names of black and white shall vanish. All shall be called human, just as the name for a flight of doves is dove. They are not called black and white. Likewise with other birds.
I hope that you attain to such a high degree - and this is impossible except through love. You must try to create love between yourselves; and this love does not come about unless you are grateful to the whites, and the whites are loving toward you, and endeavor to promote your advancement and enhance your honor. This will be the cause of love. Differences between black and white will be completely obliterated; indeed, ethnic and national differences will all disappear..."
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ELIMINATING NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF RACE, GENDER AND CULTURE ON PROVIDER/PATIENT RELATIONSHIPS
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Reprinted by permission from Health for Humanity News, July 1999 (see information about Health for Humanity in this issue)
"The impact of race and gender on health care has become an issue of wide concern. Studies have shown that blacks and women receive poorer care than men and whites. One of the most recent and most widely publicized of these studies, 'The Effect of Race and Sex on Physicians' Recommendations for Cardiac Catheterization', can be found in 'The New England Journal of Medicine', February 25, 1999, pp. 618-626. It has also been demonstrated that cultural differences can create major misunderstandings and misdiagnoses, thus creating a negative effect on health care for minority populations. One of the goals of Health for Humanity is to reduce inequities in health care and to assist healthy providers/patient relationships that transcend differences of race, gender and culture.
As part of a new project that Health for Humanity has recently undertaken, a brief questionnaire was sent to some of the nurses on HH's database asking if they had any courses in caring for patients from different cultures as a part of their medical training. If so, the questionnaire asked, were these courses a mandatory part of the nursing curriculum? Of the nineteen replies received, four individuals responded affirmatively, and three of these nurses indicated that such courses were degree requirements. Two nurses said that most U.S. and U.K. nursing schools have had such courses for the past several years. One nurse reported that she is now helping to teach such a course. Thirteen of the nurses, however, said they had no such courses when they received their medical training.
Health for Humanity has begun a search to locate study materials that are available for health care professionals to aid cross-cultural and cross-racial understanding. The following are a few titles that were found:
TITLES:
Pocket Guide to Cultural Assessment
By Elaine M. Geissler, R.N, CTN, PhD. 1994. Clear and precise information on cultural variations of dominant cultures of over 166 countries that could potentially impact patient and family care. Baker and Taylor Books, Commerce Service Centre, 251 Mt. Olive Church Road, Commerce, GA 30599-9988. Ordering: (Phone) 800-775-1100; (Fax) 800-775-7480. Canada: (Fax) 905-470-6780.'Race', Communication and the Caring Professions
By Lena Robinson. 1998. For social workers, health care students and practitioners. Open University Press, Celtic Court, 22 Ballmoor, Buckingham, England MK18 1XW. Or: Taylor and Francis, Inc., 47 Runway Road, Suite G, Levittown, PA 19057. Telephone: 215-269-0400. email: enquires@openup.co.uk. This book also has an extensive list of references to other titles of interest, and is part of a series. Another title of interest in the series is 'Nursing for a MultiEthnic Society, by Gerrish, Husband and Mackenzie. More information about these titles can be found on the publisher's website: www.openup.co.uk.Transcultural Concepts in Nursing Care
By Margaret M. Andrews, RN, PhD, and Joyceen S. Boyle, RN, PhD, CTN, FAAN. 1995. Explores cultural variations in lifestyle, habits, beliefs, life-process and responses to clinical problems and gives a comprehensive framework for conducting relative and sensitive assessments of each client and client family. U.S. and Canada: J.B. Lippincott Co., 12107 Insurance way, Hagerstown, MD 21740-5184. (Phone) 800-777-2295; (Fax) 44-752-695699. Other countries: Same address as U.S. (Phone) 301-714-2300; (Fax) 301-824-7390.Counseling American Minorities: A Cross-cultural Perspective
By D.R. Atkinson, G. Morten, and D.W. Sue, 1993. Dubuque, IA, W.C. Brown. We have no ordering information for this book.Counseling Across Cultures
By C. Vontress, 1981. Racial and ethnic barriers in counseling. Honolulu, University of Hawaii Press. We have no ordering information for this book.Overcoming Unintentional Racism in Counseling and Therapy
By C.R. Ridley. 1995. We have no further ordering information for this book.******************************************
FOSTERING RACIAL HARMONY
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Taken from "Puslinch Pioneer", Vol. 22, Issue 8, April 1998, Ontario, Canada
Members of the Baha'i Faith and their friends came together on March 21 at the Puslinch Community Centre to celebrate the Baha'i New Year and to honour the United Nation's International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. The feature guest speaker Rosalind Crocker, mother of eight, spoke on the theme "Positive Ways We Can Foster Racial Harmony". Rosaline works as a community volunteer in Guelph and this has brought her into contact with many adults and children of diverse backgrounds. Her maternal grandparents were born in Georgia in the late 1800's and were the children of slaves. Their experiences in the southern United States and the harsh reality of the depression led them to seek a new life in Canada.
"Racism" she said, "starts when misinformation is received." She pointed out that many men and women are now in non-traditional roles, people of colour are in leadership positions and people with disabilities are doing activities similar to the able bodied. She asked that we make it a practice that a person's identity is never an acceptable reason for teasing or rejecting them. Ms.Crocker encouraged the audience to, "show that we value diversity in the friends we choose and the people and firms we do business with. Let our children experience a concert, art show or cultural event that reflects diverse cultural heritages. Research confirms that between the ages of 2 and 5, children become aware of gender, race, ethnicity and disabilities. They also become sensitive to the positive attitudes attached to these 4 key aspects of identity both by their family and society in general.
"When your 3-year-old asks 'Why is that lady's skin so dark?' Tell her it is because the lady's parents have dark skin. If it's an older child asking, you can explain that if you have a lot of melanin, your skin is dark, if you only have a little, your skin is light. If your child asks, 'Why do those people talk so funny?' You can explain that they are not speaking funny just differently than you do. If you don't know the answer to your child's questions then you can take the child to the library and find books to help with the answer."
Ms. Crocker pointed out that, "Ethnic humour is a subtle form of racism. Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King has written; "We shall have to repent in our time, not merely for the vitriolic words of the bad men, but also the appalling silence of the good ones." She asked the audience to "make a commitment to establish meaningful friendships with people of different racial, ethnic and religious backgrounds. In your workplace talk with people of other nationalities to find out what barriers they face and how you can work with them to remove them."
In conclusion she commented that, "The preservation of our planet and survival of the human family depends on our coming together. Unity doesn't require uniformity, but does celebrate diversity. We all belong to the human race, part of one human family, biologically, environmentally and spiritually - born with a capacity for goodness."
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THE EXCHANGE
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Question:
Does the principle of the oneness of humankind have a role to play in healing racism? If so, how? What, if any, is the relationship of the principle of the oneness and wholeness of the human family to the concept of unity in diversity? What contribution can these two make toward healing racism in human communities at the individual, institutional and societal levels?
Answers:
"I have a completely different attitude towards this subject. I have been very fortunate to grow up in what I call a healthy atmosphere and the result has been that I have neither an inferiority or superiority complex regarding my race. I was always surprised at how sensitive Americans (both black and white) are regarding the subject of racism and feel that it is because the wounds have not healed yet. 'Abdu'l-Baha said that the white people must make a special effort to eradicate their feelings about black people and the black people must learn to forgive. I think this is very, very important and it is obvious that this goal has not yet been reached on the whole. On one hand, I find many white people with guilty consciences and on the other, black people who are always ready to accuse. This is not a foundation for world unity. I personally always joke about my blackness because I have no complexes and I like to laugh about myself.
My mother-in-law, once said a beautiful thing about me. She said to others that they don't even see me as being black. My husband's family never saw my colour but my soul! Isn't that wonderful? I grew up with friends from all over the world, of different races and countries so I never understood racism even though I have personally experienced it several times. It's alright to be angry with injustice but it is dangerous to be bitter. Bitterness destroys you.
A number of Americans have this way of seeing in everything regarding the race issue, something suspicious. But this is because suspicion among the races still exists. When it will be eradicated, there will be a New Race of Men!!"
- Ranzie Mensah (born in west Africa), Italy
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"...in His public talks in America 'Abdu'l-Baha never touched on the prospect of such catastrophic racial violence. He preferred, as he himself explained not to 'sadden' His audiences. He did not dwell on the deficiencies of the present order. Instead, He encouraged His listeners, pointing out "the oases rather than the deserts of their environments", as Louis Gregory once observed.
His public themes did not spring, therefore, from unfamiliarity with or disregard for the terrible obstacles blacks faced in their efforts to achieve equality in America. Rather, He sought to nurture the positive attitudes among the blacks that would stave off desperation, hopelessness, growing hatred, and the ultimate disaster of racial warfare so violent that it would "cause the streets of American cities to run with blood."
Louis Gregory heard both the encouragement to constructive action in 'Abdu'l-Baha's speeches and His private warnings about racial violence. He readily understood the personal implications of 'Abdu'l-Baha's assertion that brotherhood "is not possible without will and effort on the part of each" of the races. ('Abdu'-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 43) For whites, the quest for brotherhood entailed putting aside ingrained attitudes and habits of superiority. For blacks, it demanded building a basis of trust. Mr. Gregory believed that the teachings of Baha'u'llah had stripped away all traces of anger and hatred from his own heart. He knew that these emotions, however, well justified, simply intensify oppression, whereas positive attitudes erode its foundations. As he once told an audience.
"It is only by co-operation, mutual appreciation, and good will that we can get anywhere in the solution of these problems that vex us. If this room were filled with darkness we could not remove that darkness by intensifying the darkness, nor can we remove discord from the face of the earth by increasing discord." (Louis Gregory, Racial Amity, p. 167)
Yet a hopeful attitude did not come easily even to Louis Gregory, although he turned invariably toward the standard set by 'Abdu'l-Baha. In 1919, for example, he wrote to his friend Joseph Hannen:
"The Baha'i teacher must maintain a state of happiness if he is to do his work effectively. And this seems possible only by constant prayer and as far as one can, ceaseless activity. Otherwise, the well-authenticated reports of cruel injustices and crimes against defenceless peoples would entirely absorb the powers of concentration."
- Taken from "To Move the World" which is about Louis G. Gregory and the Advancement of Racial Unity in America, by Gayle Morrison, pp. 60-61
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BOOK REVIEW OF RACIAL HEALING: THE INSTITUTES FOR THE HEALING OF RACISM
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By Reginald Newkirk and Nathan Rutstein, book review by Nancy Dinnigan Prashad, Ontario, Canada
This highly useful book, just published in the fall of 2000, is a manual for anyone who wants to know what works to overcome racism. It gives us access to the collaborative experience of two people who have fine-tuned a process that breaks down the bases of racism and replaces them with an understanding of the oneness of humankind.
Not surprisingly, Reginald Newkirk and Nathan Rutstein's approach to the book reflects that of the Healing of Racism process itself - a practical approach that reaches hearts. In the first part of the book, each tells us his personal story. And they are personal, these stories; both had the courage to speak honestly of their experiences and realizations, some of which were deeply painful to them. The second part of the book details the rationale behind the Institute process and describes how to do it and how to share it with nstitutions in your community, such as schools and police departments.
Most intended solutions to racism not only don't solve it, but may actually increase it by promoting the pretences that support it. The Institute for the Healing of Racism isn't a quick fix; there isn't one. Personal transformation alone will end racism and this takes time. The developers of the Institute have developed a tried-and-true process that enables participants to experience this transformation.
The authors see racism as a psychological, emotional and spiritual disease that affects every member of a society that is fundamentally racist - yes, ours. Essential parts of the healing process include:
- education on:
a) the development of racism in our country and generally: the circumstances, myths, misunderstandings, lies and power-seeking that underlie and perpetuate its various aspects.
b) the pathology of racism - how it affects us (more complex than you may think!).
c) the oneness of humankind - learning to listen with the heart - an essential skill for any form of healing.The Institute process teaches us that our true nature is as spiritual beings. Although no specific religion is discussed, the core Baha'i principle of the oneness of humanity is at the heart of the process. The authors make no claim that this is the only program tackling racism that works (Institutes are encouraged to network with likeminded organizations) or that it will end racism in the world. Nevertheless, it is evident that it has made tremendous changes at an institutional level in the many communities where it exists. If you have the slightest interest in learning about racism - and how to help heal yourself and others - this book is a must-read.
This book can be found at some Baha'i Distribution Services or contact the executive director of the National Resource Centre for the Healing of Racism, Ms. Milagros Phillips. She can be reached by email at phillipsm@starr.org or by calling their toll free number, 1-800-837-5591. The web site address for the National Centre for the Healing of Racism is: http://www.ntlhealingracism.org.
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THE INSTITUTE FOR THE HEALING OF RACISM IN TORONTO...AND RELATED THOUGHTS
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By Dev Prashad and Nancy Dinnigan Prashad, Ontario, Canada
In 1992, we hosted Nathan Rutstein in our community, Ajax, Ontario, Canada to speak to teachers, police, the public and several Baha'i gatherings and institutions. It seemed a good idea at the time to start an Institute in Ontario, but it didn't happen. Then in the fall of 1999, a small group of Baha'is from the Toronto area, including us, attended the first International Conference on the Institutes for the Healing of Racism in Connecticut and decided to go ahead. We realized that we would be pioneering to some extent, as there is only one facilitator in Canada - now in Saskatchewan - and we would have to develop our own (Canadian) material. 19 people attended a full weekend seminar in June 2000, after which a series of 10 group meetings followed.
Our facilitator, Reggie Newkirk, could be with us only for the initial weekend, so members took turns preparing presentations and facilitating the meetings. Among the topics that we learned about: institutionalized racism within the Canadian legal system, racism and mental health; racism in housing and racist reaction to Roma (gypsy) immigrants to Toronto. Group members increased knowledge, learned to listen with the heart, and built trust. The original group still meets, out of which we have formed a steering committee for the Institute. We expect that several group members will soon train as facilitators. In the future, we hope to take the process into community institutions in Toronto as well as the Baha'i community.
Our own experience with racism? Dev says he would need to write a book to tell his experience with racism, beginning with the effects of colonialism in his country and on his family that created attitudes he didn't know he had, until recently. For now, suffice it to say that as a couple with different backgrounds (Dev is from Guyana, South America, of East Indian background and Nancy the product of Irish immigrants to Quebec) we have seen some. We have lived in various parts of Canada, in Guyana and southern United States. Some prejudice was directed at us as individuals, some because we were together. A lot of it we simply chose not to see when we were younger and more naive. These days, couples who look like us are more common, at least in Toronto, and prejudice, where it exists, is more subtle. Undoubtedly, prejudice played more of a part in our lives than we were aware of at the time. Certainly, our three children, now grown, have experienced prejudice, most persistently and damagingly within the school system.
One last point: Although racism is accepted terminology, it is based on the concept that different races exist. They don't. Race is a socially constructed idea, with no basis in reality. It is an idea that has put power into the hands of a few and caused untold grief and misery to billions. In speaking on this topic to groups, Nancy finds that youth especially are quick to understand that since science has disproven the idea of race, oneness of humanity is more than just a nice-sounding theory. We are one family.
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SUGGESTED READING
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- "Healing Racism in America: A Prescription for the Disease" by Nathan Rutstein, (ISBN 0-9633007-1-7)
- "Racism: Unraveling The Fear" by Nathan Rutstein (ISBN 0-9659945-0-3)
- "Coming of Age at the Millennium: Embracing the Oneness of Humankind" by Nathan Rutstein
- "Racial Healing: The Institutes for the Healing of Racism" by Reginald Newkirk and Nathan Rutstein
- "Towards Freedom: The African-Canadian Experience" by Ken Alexander & Avis Glaze (ISBN 1-895642-20-5)
- "To Move the World" (Louis G. Gregory and the Advancement of Racial Unity in America) by Gayle Morrison (ISBN 0-87743-171-X)
- "Parting the Waters: America in the King Years: 1954-63" by Taylor Branch (ISBN 0-671-46097-8)
- "The Pupil of the Eye: African Americans in the World Order of Baha'u'llah" compiled by Bonnie J. Taylor (Publisher Palabara Publications)
- "Long Walk to Freedom: The Autobiography of Nelson Mandela" by Nelson Mandela
- "The Last Steps to Freedom: The Evolution of Canadian Racism" by John Boyko
- "Racial and Cultural Minorities An Analysis of Prejudice and Discrimination" (Fifth Edition, Plenum Press, New York, 1985)
- "The Black Men's Baha'i Gathering: A Spiritual Transformation by James Williams and Ted Jefferson (self-published), 1995.
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SACRED WRITINGS ON RACIAL UNITY
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"Concerning the prejudice of race: it is an illusion, a superstition pure and simple! For God created us all of one race. There were no differences in the beginning, for we are all descendents of Adam. In the beginning, also, there were no limits and boundaries between the different lands; no part of the earth belonged more to one people than to another. In the sight of God there is no difference between the various races. Why should man invent such a prejudice? How can we uphold war caused by an illusion? God has not created men that they should destroy one another. All races, sects and classes share equally in the Bounty of their Heavenly Father." ('Abdu'l-Baha, Paris Talks, p.148)
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"Then it is evident that excellence does not depend on color. Character is the true criterion of humanity. Anyone who possesses a good character, who has faith in God and is firm, whose actions are good, whose speech is good - that one is accepted at the threshold of God no matter what color he may be." ('Abdu'l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 427)
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"Regarding the solution of the racial problem; the believers should of course realize that the principle of the oneness of mankind which is the cornerstone of the Message of Baha'u'llah is wholly incompatible with all forms of racial prejudice. Loyalty to this foundation principle of the Faith is the paramount duty of every believer and should be therefore whole-hearted and unqualified. For a Baha'i, racial prejudice, in all its forms, is simply a negation of faith, an attitude wholly incompatible with the very spirit and actual teachings of the Cause. ( From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, November 22, 1936, Lights of Guidance, p. 533, Helen Hornby)
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HEALTH FOR HUMANITY
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Health for Humanity (HH) is a health development agency, focusing its activities around three broad program areas: Blindness Prevention, Public Health Development, and International Exchange. The main objective for these programs is to build human capacity by promoting grass roots development through local initiatives in under-served areas around the world. The Blindness Prevention Program is committed to training health care professionals in the prevention and treatment of eye diseases that often lead to blindness. Current activities are on-going in Albania and Cameroon. The Public Health Development Program supports community-based public health initiatives that are set-up to protect and promote the health of all people in that community through capacity-building activities. This program is focused in Bolivia and the South Dakota, USA. The International Exchange Program encourages learning experiences and an exchange of medical knowledge and ideas by both volunteers and partners. Current activities are on-going in China and Mongolia. HH provides avenues of service for health care professionals from all disciplines to apply their talents, skills and resources to further global health and community development. Since its beginnings in 1992, HH has attracted over 1500 members and supporters from 58 countries around the world. For more information contact HH at 467 Jackson Avenue, Glencoe, IL 60022 USA or by email at health@usbnc.org. HH will soon have a website at www.healthforhumanity.org.
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RESPONSE FROM A READER TO THE ARTICLE "LUNG CANCER HEALED" IN THE DECEMBER/00 ISSUE - VOLUME 4, ISSUE #4
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By Russ Novak, Mexico
"Having personally experienced losing someone to cancer, and also being an "internet type", I spent uncounted hours searching through all the information I could find on the web about the disease and possible treatments. In the process of doing so, I came across dozens of websites with stories similar to the one about the Raven oil. It may indeed be possible that the circumstances described reflect something that really happened, but based on the volume of similar material that I have seen, I think that it is also just as likely that the "story" is actually a cleverly written advertisement by an unscrupulous individual that uses an emotionally appealing tone for the single purpose of selling oil, and that the Newsletter and website are being manipulated. Besides, there are simply too many variables involved for anyone to conclude with certainty that whatever unconventional approach they took was absolutely responsible for the results they claim to have gotten.
Cancer is a terrible scourge, and despite the comfort that can be found in the Teachings that are available to us, causes great trauma not only in the heart of the one afflicted, but those close to him/her as well, making them more susceptible to velvet toned appeals which may be of little or no value, and could possibly impede the seeking out of effective treatment. Anything that can reinforce the hope and faith of persons affected I of course support without reservation, but I express my concern here in the hope that testimonial accounts of this type are very, very carefully investigated before being used. Disclaimers about the articles in the Newsletter merely representing individual points of view notwithstanding, I would shudder to think that what is a wonderful effort on your part might become the tool of petty commercial interests."
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QUESTION OF THE MONTH
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Poor communication causes a great deal of stress - it affects families, marriages, friendships, health care professionals, patients and co-workers. How can consultation and communication, skills that are essential to our well being, be taught and practised in everyday situations?
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WEB SITE
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You can visit the website, obtain back issues and the Healing Through Unity Course at: http://www.healingthroughunity.org.
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PURPOSE OF THE NEWSLETTER
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"Healing Through Unity" is published for the purpose of sharing thoughts, comments and experiences on how the teachings of the Baha'i Faith are being applied to physical and spiritual health. Other than the quoted Holy Writings, the material in this newsletter represents the thoughts and opinions of the writers and has no authority. You are free to copy articles, provided you indicate the source of the article. There are 10 issues per year; it is not published during July and August. The newsletter is produced in Ontario, Canada.
Please send your stories, comments, suggestions or "Question for the Month" ideas to Frances Mezei by e-mail: -- .
PLEASE NOTE:
Many thanks to all of you who sent such wonderful contributions for "Healing Through Unity" Newsletter. The decision to select and edit material submitted for publication is determined by the editor.
If you have a change of e-mail address, please inform me with your old and new email address. To cancel the subscription, please inform me.
HEALING THROUGH UNITY
February, 2001
A monthly newsletter dedicated to serving the principles of
physical and spiritual health envisioned in the Baha'i Teachings.
Volume 4, Issue #6
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Contents
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- Lessons from Geese
- Consultation - That First Condition
- Five Levels of Communication
- Communicating with Your Doctor
- Codependency, Detachment, and the True Self: Part 1 - The Problem
- How a Woman's Journal Made a Difference
- Fasting
- Health Habits
- Announcements
- Question of the Month
- Spreading the Word
- Website
- Purpose of the Newsletter************************************
LESSONS FROM GEESE
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Author Unknown, Submitted by Susan Gammage, Ontario, Canada
Fact 1: As each goose flaps its wings it creates an "uplift" for the birds that follow. By flying in a "V" formation, the whole flock adds 71% greater flying range than if each bird flew alone.
Lesson: People who share a common direction and sense of community can get where they are going quicker and easier because they are traveling on the thrust of one another.
Fact 2: When a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of flying alone. It quickly moves back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird immediately in front of it.
Lesson: If we have as much sense as a goose, we stay in formation with those headed where we are going. We are willing to accept their help and give our help to others.
Fact 3: When the lead goose tires, it rotates back into the formation and another goose flies to the point position.
Lesson: It pays to take turns doing the hard tasks and sharing leadership. As with geese, people are interdependent on each other's skills, capabilities and unique arrangements of gifts, talents and resources.
Fact 4: Geese flying in formation honk to encourage those up front to keep up their speed.
Lesson: We need to make sure our honking is encouraging. In groups where there is encouragement the production is greater. The power of encouragement (to stand by one's heart or core values and encourage the heart or core values of others) is the quality of honking we seek.
Fact 5: When a goose gets sick, wounded or shot down, two geese drop out of formation and follow it down to help and protect it. They stay with it until it dies or is able to fly again. Then they launch out with another formation or catch up with the flock.
Lesson: If we have as much sense as geese, we will stand by each other in difficult times as well as when we are strong.
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CONSULTATION: THAT FIRST CONDITION
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By Kim Bowden-Kerby, Fiji
When Baha'is get together to study about consultation, my experience is that we usually end up spending a lot of time discussing the mechanics of the consultation process. This quotation is a favorite: ìThe shining spark of truth cometh forth only after the clash of differing opinions.î ('Abdu'l-Baha, Baha'i Administration, p. 21) This is another: ìThey must then proceed with the utmost devotion, courtesy, dignity, care and moderation to express their views. They must in every matter search out the truth and not insist upon their own opinion, for stubbornness and persistence in one's views will lead ultimately to discord and wrangling and the truth will remain hidden.î ('Abdu'l-Baha, Baha'i Administration, p. 22) There is a world of practical advice about the process of consultation in the Baha'i Holy Writings.
But what we tend not to discuss very much is the FIRST CONDITION of consultation. 'Abdu'l-Baha wrote: ìThe first condition is absolute love and harmony amongst the members of the assembly. They must be wholly free from estrangement and must manifest in themselves the Unity of God.î Abdu'l-Bah· went on to warn: ìShould harmony of thought and absolute unity be nonexistent, that gathering shall be dispersed and that assembly be brought to naught.î (Baha'i Administration, pp. 22)
How much do we meditate about this ìfirst conditionî? How much do we consider its ramifications?
In May 2000, Dr. Payman Mohajer of the International Teaching Centre in Haifa, Israel came to our community and challenged the National Spiritual Assembly on that very point. What does it mean to have ìabsolute love and harmonyî amongst the assembly members? What will it take to get there?
ìAbsolute loveî implies, at the very least, that assembly members actually KNOW each other as fellow human beings, that we are aware of each otherís struggles and that we care about each other. We cannot absolutely love someone we only know as ëa set of opinions who shows up for the meeting.í To achieve absolute love, then, we have to have some social time together, just to get to know each other.
ìHarmonyî comes with unified vision. Dr. Mohajer said that the challenge is for the members of the assembly to develop a ìcorporate mind,î which can be achieved by developing a strong, accurate framework, found through study of the Holy Writings and the messages of the Guardian and House of Justice. He said that once this unified vision is achieved, then the whole assembly truly functions as a corporate body, and every member expresses confidently the view of the whole. Dr. Mohajer encouraged the spiritual assembly to take the necessary steps to have time for socializing and study together. He said that even if the community was left to itself for six months while the assembly worked on achieving this ìabsolute love and harmonyî - that the Faith would see great progress. There is no step that is more vital.
Dr. Mohajer emphasized that only with absolute love and harmony can we raise the level of the consultation. When we have developed a genuine trust for each other, each person will feel confident to fully express his or her views. With love and trust, frankness becomes possible. Whereas, without love and trust, even silence can be taken badly.
Finally, with absolute love and harmony, we can lose some of our fear of mistakes. Dr. Mohajer said to remember that we are always in ìlearning mode". He added, "If no mistakes happen, something is wrong.î We canít grow without a few mistakes. Isn't that a comforting idea!
As with many of the Baha'i teachings, the fact that the "first condition (for healthy consultation) is absolute love and harmony amongst the members of the assembly" sounds really nice. But it is only when we actually strive to put it into practice that we begin to learn the challenges and to reap the rewards.
(Editor's note: A National Spiritual Assembly is responsible for coordinating and directing the activities of the Baha'i communities in its country. Its nine members are elected once a year by delegates from every part of the country. Local Spiritual Assemblies, elected annually consists of nine Baha'is, twenty-one years of age and older, govern the affairs of each local Baha'i community.)
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FIVE LEVELS OF COMMUNICATION
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Editor's notes: These notes are taken from the book "Breaking The Chain of Low Self-Esteem." by Marilyn J. Sorensen, Ph.D., 145 - 147.
"Loneliness has little to do with whether a person is coupled or single. Many people who are married are still lonely, while many single people are not. Instead, people feel lonely when they lack emotional connections with others. For example, a single person may have one or more good friends whom she talks to and spends time with who are understanding and concerned, who like her and are interested in her well-bring....Another person may be in a committed relationship with a partner but not feel emotionally close, truly supported, or even respected by that partner. If this person does not have others in her life who provide for these needs, she experiences a sense of loneliness even though she is coupled. Thus it is not the coupled state of a person that guarantees the absence of loneliness, but rather the presence of a close, emotionally supportive, and trustworthy person in one's life.
There are five levels on which all people can communicate with others. They are: the surface level, the factual level, the thinking level, the feeling level, and the intimacy level. Learning first to like ourselves, learning secondly how to communicate on all of these levels, and learning to find trustworthy, caring people with whom to communicate are the steps to overcoming loneliness. All three of these elements are necessary; the key to feeling content rather than feeling lonely, however, lies in our ability to develop and maintain a relationship in which we can communicate at the two deepest levels of communication, the feeling and intimacy levels.
1) The Surface Level - At level one, the simplest form of communication occurs. We talk in cliche's or superficially about general topics, e.g., "How's it going?" "Nice day, isn't it." At this level we can talk without knowing anything about the other person and without revealing anything about ourselves. It is totally safe. We might make such comments to a neighbor, to our gas station attendant, or to our postal delivery person.
2) The Factual Level - More involvement occurs at the factual level as we share facts about situations or happenings we know about or have experienced. Such comments as "Aunt Hazel is in the hospital," or "I'm getting a promotion at work,"...are all examples of conversing at the factual level. This is also a form of safe communication because facts leave no room for debate or disagreements, we are merely sharing indisputable facts.
3) The Thinking Level - When communicating on this level, we share our opinions, ideas, and perceptions about the world, about ourselves and about our personal lives. This is a deeper level of interacting and one that is more threatening because such responses can be challenged. To talk freely at this level, we must have confidence in ourselves and our conclusions; lacking that confidence, we will be reluctant to share our thinking, knowing others might disagree or even take offense at our remarks. We must trust the other person - that they will respect our opinions, ideas, and perceptions whether or not they agree. Only when two people both feel comfortable sharing at this level with one another and actively do so, do they have a "level-three relationship." Developing such a trust level with another person takes time....
4) The Feeling Level - This type of communicating requires that we reveal who we really are, how we truly feel about ourselves, about our dreams and our disappointments; at this level, intimacy is developing as we experience increasing vulnerability by opening our inner selves up to be viewed by our listener. In order to truly communicate at this level, we must feel 'safe' with the person we are speaking to; we must feel accepted, respected, and free from threatening repercussions. Sharing at this level is the beginning, the key to developing true intimacy, while the inability to share at this level prevents intimacy from occurring.
5) The Intimacy Level - At this level, we are able to share our deepest feelings, concerns, most embarrassing moments, and our pain without any fear of reprisal; we feel fully accepted and loved by the other. We can talk about positive happenings without anticipation that we will be judged as boasting. We can share our shortcomings and our humiliation without fear that it will alter the other person's feelings about us. We are free to say whatever is on our minds, knowing we will continue to be loved and accepted. This level of communication can only be achieved through a growing and abiding trust that has developed over time between two mature individuals. A 'level-5-relationship' requires reciprocity, it is difficult to achieve and requires tender loving care to maintain."
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COMMUNICATING WITH YOUR DOCTOR
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From "Health Talk: How to Communicate with Your Doctor", by Mary Hawkins, Macmillan Canada.
(Editor's notes: Mary Hawkins realized that many of us have genuine difficulty communicating health concerns, as well as our feelings, to a doctor. She shares "the more clearly you can explain yourself, your preferences and your concerns, the better your chances of receiving appropriate and timely help with health problems and questions." The following are excerpts from her book, pages 66 - 78. It would be important to choose a doctor that you are comfortable with and can communicate with in a relaxed and natural way.)
"Communicating with your doctor involves exchanging information. In order for this exchange to be successful, both of you must understand what the other means. This means you must share a common language, which allows you and your doctor to clarify the information about your symptoms and arrive at a treatment plan.
Finding a Common Language
Finding the right words and images that describe how you feel physically, mentally, or emotionally is difficult for some people. We often have our own set of expressions for describing these feelings; for example, some people think in words and others think in pictures.
However, before you can express any pain, first you must know exactly where it is and how much it hurts. Is it in your side? Near your hip or your groin? Is it deeply uncomfortable, or is it mildly uncomfortable? What words or images describe the depth of your discomfort?
Using Metaphors
Using metaphors or visual images to remember and describe symptoms is a good technique for jogging your memory. It can be an effective way to communicate degrees of physical, mental, or emotional pain. Look at examples such as "it feels like my shoulder has been pierced by an arrow" or "my stomach feels bruised." Someone describing loneliness might say "My heart feels overwhelmed with grief." There are many words or images you can choose to describe your pain or ailment.
WHAT YOUR DOCTOR SHOULD KNOW
Communicating about Medical History
Often we don't let the doctor know of the upsets, stresses, and minor injuries in our personal lives, even though they might contribute to changes in our mental or physical health. Similarly, we often forget to inform the doctor of crucial family history that might affect diagnosis, prognosis, intervention, and even short or long term treatment. A family's medical past might include many conditions with hereditary factors, such as heart disease, stroke, mental illness, or certain types of cancer. If you and your doctor know about these patterns, you can discuss what symptoms to watch for and what preventive medicine to take.
Communicating Discomfort
You should inform your doctor if you feel uncomfortable with any aspect of your routine annual checkup. For example, it's important to tell your doctor if you're uneasy with groin or rectal examinations or breast examinations. Your doctor will try to interact with you in a way that decreases your discomfort or nervousness. If you still do not feel comfortable, then you might consider finding another doctor. If you do, be sure to inform the new doctor of your concerns. The problem may not be the doctor, but your own aversion to invasive procedures.
Communicating About Physical Symptoms
It's important to tell your doctor about changes in your body, such as unusual lumps, rashes, or persistent pain. That gives your doctor the opportunity to discuss any worries or concerns you might have, and also for early detection of possibly serious conditions.
Communicating About Emotional Symptoms
Just as it's useful for the doctor to know about the family medical history, it's also helpful to let the doctor know about the family behavioral and emotional coping skills that might relate to family tensions. This kind of information is particularly important if you find yourself thinking about or re-enacting some kind of destructive behaviour as a response to life stresses.
Communicating About Lifestyle
You may want to discuss with your doctor any concerns associated with stressful living conditions, sleep disturbances, persistent emotional upsets, or just the frustrations you feel from dealing with life's challenges.
Effective communication with your doctor benefits you in many ways. You create an open atmosphere for exchanging information, and offer insights into the state of your well-being, so you help your doctor to meet your needs."
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CODEPENDENCY, DETACHMENT, AND THE TRUE SELF: PART I - THE PROBLEM
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By Carmen (Mathenge) Turner-Pluta, California, United States
"O My servants! Could ye apprehend with what wonders of My munificence and bounty I have willed to entrust your souls, ye would, of a truth, rid yourselves of attachment to all created things, and would gain a true knowledge of your own selves." --Baha'u'llah (1)
The condition known in contemporary jargon as "codependency" may be a form of what the Baha'i Writings refer to as "attachment." Baha'u'llah writes, "True loss is for him whose days are spent in utter ignorance of his self." (2) Codependency is a result of ignorance of the true self, and it occurs when he or she is so focused on trying to please or fix someone else that he or she is unable to develop or to maintain an appropriate sense of self. A better understanding of this condition, which hinders the development of spirituality, may help them learn how to obey Baha'u'llah's injunction to rid themselves of attachment.
According to current psychological theory codependency has its roots in our dysfunctional family systems. The term "dysfunctional" is most often used in reference to families in which there is alcoholism, chemical dependency, or physical or sexual abuse. However, it also applies to many other family situations, such as 1) serious illness or death of a parent or sibling; 2) destructive emotional effects associated with either divorce or continued fighting between parents; 3) less obvious forms of emotional and spiritual abuse, e.g., attempts to control children's behavior by using such destructive weapons as sarcasm, ridicule, silence, name-calling, and "guilting"; and 4) unavailability of parents due to workaholics, TV addiction, excessive social or even religious activities, or anything else which may create a situation in which children's physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual needs are not met.
Any of the above types of abuse result in the child's feeling shame: not shame about a particular behavior that needs to be corrected; not an inner voice which says "Oh-oh! I have done something bad"; but an inner voice which says, "I AM bad, I was born bad, something is wrong with me and it can't be fixed." The result of such a loss of self-esteem can be that the child's entire life becomes focused on trying to please or take care of others--first parents or caregivers; later teachers, peers, spouse, children, friends, bosses, co-workers, etc. The important point is that these persons can only feel "ok" by getting approval from someone else, so they become outer-directed, constantly seeking to please someone and get validated. They learn not to acknowledge or take care of their own feelings and needs; instead, they "stuff" their feelings by developing compulsive behaviors.
How to Keep the Family Dysfunctional
Robert Stubby (3) identified a set of nine unwritten "rules" often followed in dysfunctional families which create and maintain a high level of codependency in the family system: 1) Don't talk about problems; 2) don't express feelings openly (the "big boys don't cry" syndrome and the "don't cry, have a cookie" syndrome); 3) don't address issues or relationships directly (e.g., Mom and Dad are not speaking, so they send messages to each other via the children); 4) the "always" rule ("Always be nice, always be perfect, always be happy"); 5) don't be selfish ("Always think of other people first"); 6) mixed messages ("Do as I say, not as I do); 7) it's not ok to play; 8) don't rock the boat; and 9) don't talk about sex.
These rules reflect a set of ways of interacting and solving problems--ways that don't work. All of them are inimical to the spirit of frank and loving consultation Baha'is hope and attempt to maintain in our families. However, for many of us they are rules we may never have recognized as rules, and thus, never thought to challenge. We need to learn new ways to permit discussion of problems at levels appropriate to the age and maturity of family members, ways to allow expression of real feelings while setting firm limits on destructive behaviors, and at the same time discouraging gossip and backbiting.
How Do Codependents Behave?
We all have patterns of relating learned in childhood. Co-dependents learned 'dysfunctional' patterns of relating, because in childhood, they worked; they were their means of survival. If they lived in a noisy, violent, or unpredictable environment, they became very quiet so nobody would notice them. If they found it difficult to get any attention at all, they learned to get their desperate need for acknowledgement met through tantrums, or depression, or illness. As adults, they keep repeating patterns of behavior that don't work. Why? Because those are the patterns they internalized and which are now repeated without their awareness.
Codependents have an impaired ability to maintain loving relationships. They tend to behave in two ways. Some are "people-pleasers," unable to say no, focused on trying to anticipate other people's needs and give them what they want (regardless of whether it is good for them). Some are manipulators, focused on trying to control others and get them to do what they want. And some jump from one extreme to the other as though controlled by a toggle-switch. All of these behaviors lead to frustration and unhappiness. The placatory find that no matter how hard someone tries to please people, it's never enough. The controllers can't understand why people always resist attempts to tell them how to arrange their lives. Some codependents keep moving from relationship to relationship, discarding one after another like last year's shoes; while others remain interminably stuck in an abusive or unhappy relationship and are unable either to let go of it or accept it.
Codependents have a lot of trouble with boundaries. If they have appropriate boundaries, they know what they are responsible for and what the other person is responsible for. They are able to practice detachment, which doesn't mean they stop caring about the other person--not at all! What it does mean is that their being "OK" does not depend on the other person's feelings or behavior, but on their own relationship with their Creator and with themselves.
Codependents are notorious for inappropriate care taking and rescuing. "But, someone might object, "I thought we were supposed to help people." True, even people who are not extremely codependent can fall into enabling behaviors. Before helping somebody, it is good to ask the following three questions: 1) am I doing something for her that it would be better for her to do for herself? 2) am I protecting him from the legitimate consequences of his own behavior? and 3) am I helping her because I really care about her, or because I want to get approval or validation--in other words, because I want to be liked, or admired, or because I am trying to "fix" myself? These behaviors are called "enabling." They may make it harder for the person who is being helped to learn the lesson God is trying to teach him. If so, he will end up experiencing even more pain, and the enabler will probably experience some pain too. These questions have to do with the issue of motive, and often require meditation and prayer to answer, because our motives may not be consciously recognized. We may need to take a look at past situations in which we have "helped" someone and see whether our "helping" has been based on our unhealthy codependency patterns or whether it has genuinely helped. It may help to ask yourself: "If a friend of mine came to me with this situation, what advice would I give him/her?"
(1) Baha'u'llah (1976). Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah (pp. 326-327). Wilmette, Ill: Baha'i Publishing Trust. 326-327.
(2) Baha'u'llah (1978). Tablets of Bah·'u'll·h Revealed after the Kitab-i-Aqdas (p. 34). Haifa, Israel: Baha'i World Centre.
(3) Stubby, R. (1987). Lost in the Shuffle: The Co-dependent Reality (p. 26). Pompano Beach, FL: Health Communications.
(Part 2 of this article will be included in the March/01 issue. This article is the "bare bones" of a longer paper and Carmen Turner-Pluto will be happy to e-mail the longer version to anyone who requests it. She will also be happy to correspond by e-mail with anyone who wants to discuss these issues. Email address is: cmatheng@sonnet.ucla.edu)
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HOW A WOMAN'S JOURNAL MADE A DIFFERENCE
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This story is being reprinted from the April, 1998 issue of the Healing Through Unity Newsletter, Volume 1, Issue #9
Anna Cameron tried something new. She always kept a journal which she reviewed periodically to review the growth and struggles of her life. This year she decided to try an experiment when she received a new journal from her niece. On pilgrimage (in Haifa, Israel where the Baha'i World centre is located) she learned from a member of the Universal House of Justice that we do not bring our negative qualities to the next world but only positive attributes. "The soul carries with it divine attributes and spiritual qualities to the next world, but cannot take with it bad qualities for badness has no existence of its own; it is only the lack of goodness." (Adib Tahirzadih, The Human Soul, p. 13) This person had always considered bringing herself to account was to reflect both the positive and negative aspects of the day. She felt that she was very good at seeing the negative aspects of herself and thought she would attempt to only write about the positive aspects of bringing herself to account each day. At first she felt very doubtful, and decided to give this experiment one year to try it out.
Two months later, she reflected that each time she reviewed the journal it uplifted her soul. She perceived how it simplified and purified her attitude when she looked back on past events and how encouraging it was to her spiritual journey. Focusing on her inner and outer accomplishments now serves as a basis to give her strength to do her service and to validate her own value. Anna is putting into practice the virtue of looking at the positive qualities of her true self which is making a difference in her life.
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FASTING
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During the Baha'i month of Loftiness which begins March 2nd, Baha'is over 15 years of age fast from sunrise to sunset for nineteen days. Exempted from the Fast are children under 15, those who are ill, over 70, travelling, pregnant or nursing women, women in their courses or those doing heavy labour. The Fast ends at sunset March 20, Naw-Ruz (Baha'i New Year).
'Abdu'l-Baha tells us that "prayer and fasting is the cause of awakening and mindfulness and conducive to protection and preservation from tests." ('Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Baha, pp. 69-70)
Prayer and fasting "act as stimulants to the soul, strengthen, revive, and purify it, and thus insure its steady development." (Shoghi Effendi, Principles of Baha'i Administration, p.8)
The Guardian, Shoghi Effendi writes, "it (the fasting period) is essentially a period of meditation and prayer, of spiritual recuperation, during which the believer must strive to make necessary readjustments to his inner life, and to refresh and reinvigorate the spiritual forces latent in his soul. Its significance and purpose are, therefore, fundamentally spiritual in character. Fasting is symbolic, and a reminder of abstinence from selfish and carnal desires." (Shoghi Effendi, Principles of Baha'i Administration, p. 9)
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HEALTH HABITS
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Here are some essential elements for our spiritual and physical health provided by a physician who has practiced for more than 35 years under the guidance of the Baha'i teachings.
Trust in God
Consult a skilled physician and follow his instructions
Practice detachment from all save God
Practice moderation
Pray and meditate daily; read the Creative Word morning and evening
Be always happy
Simplify
Focus
Practice patience
Cleanliness
Eat simple, wholesome foods
Drink adequate pure water
Evaluate progress daily, summarize weekly***************************
ANNOUNCEMENTS
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Canadians flock to health-related web sites
"More than half (55%) of Canadians with web access have visited a health-related web site in the past year, and about 41% visit them on a monthly basis, according to a new survey from Ipsos-Reid. According to the findings of the survey, conducted in September/00, web sites that offer information about diseases, prevention and cures are the most popular types of sites, visited by 69% of regular Canadian Internet users. These sites are followed in popularity by those that offer information about nutrition (44%) and information about prescription drugs (31%). Less popular are health sites that offer exercise information (20%), and support group sites (16%)." From Charity Village NewsBytes for the week ending December 3, 2000 http://www.charityvillage.com/charityvillage/news.asp
This is taken from Ontario Health Promotion E-Mail Bulletin #185.0. If you wish to subscribe to this newsletter email address is: ohpe@opc.on.ca
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Medicine Amendment Act - Bill 2
On December 21, 2000 history was quietly made in the Legislature of the Province of Ontario, Canada. A law was passed that is significant to us all, no matter where we live. It is "Bill 2, An Act to amend the Medicine Act, 1991."
Monte Kwinter, Liberal MPP, the bill's author, comments, "(it is) sublime in its wording but profound in its impact." Very true, health care will never be the same!
Mr. Kwinter explains, "(the bill has) only has 68 words, and it says: 'A member (of the College of Physicians and Surgeons) shall not be found guilty of professional misconduct or of incompetence under section 51 or 52 of the Health Professions Procedural Code solely on the basis that the member practices a therapy that is non-traditional or that departs from the prevailing medical practice unless there is evidence that proves that the therapy poses a greater risk to a patient's health than the traditional or prevailing practice.'
To view Bill 2, visit the website: http://www.ontla.on.ca/Documents/documentsindex.htm
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QUESTION OF THE MONTH
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What is the role of a massage therapist? How do the principles and treatments of massage assist us with our health?
We look forward to hearing from readers who are massage therapists as well as from individuals who have had massage treatments which assisted them with their well being.
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SPREADING THE WORD
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There are now over 1,800 subscribers from more than 110 countries, territories and islands. This includes a large number of friends who serve in the health professions. These include: physicians, nurses, pharmacists, dentists, chiropractors, naturopaths, homeopaths, massage therapists, psychotherapists, counsellors and other healing specialists.
We would love to see "Healing Through Unity" continue to grow! We hope you, as readers, will continue to make a conscious effort to tell your friends, families, and communities who you think might enjoy and benefit from the publication. If you would like to place a small announcement to put in your local or national newsletters, here is one for your use:
"HEALING THROUGH UNITY" NEWSLETTER
This newsletter is published for the purpose of sharing thoughts, comments and experiences on how the teachings of the Baha'i Faith are being applied to physical and spiritual health. There are 10 issues/year and it is circulated to more than 110 countries and territories. If you are interested, please email: -- or visit the website at: www.healingthroughunity.org****************
WEB SITE
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You can visit the website, obtain back issues and the Healing Through Unity Course at: http://www.healingthroughunity.org.
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PURPOSE OF THE NEWSLETTER
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"Healing Through Unity" is published for the purpose of sharing thoughts, comments and experiences on how the teachings of the Baha'i Faith are being applied to physical and spiritual health. Other than the quoted Holy Writings, the material in this newsletter represents the thoughts and opinions of the writers and has no authority. You are free to copy articles, provided you indicate the source of the article. There are 10 issues per year; it is not published during July and August. The newsletter is produced in Ontario, Canada.
Please send your stories, comments, suggestions or "Question for the Month" ideas to Frances Mezei by e-mail: -- .
PLEASE NOTE:
Many thanks to all of you who sent such wonderful contributions for "Healing Through Unity" Newsletter. The decision to select and edit material submitted for publication is determined by the editor. If you have a change of e-mail address, please inform me with your old and new email address. To cancel the subscription, please send message to: --
HEALING THROUGH UNITY
March, 2001
A monthly newsletter dedicated to serving the principles of
physical and spiritual health envisioned in the Baha'i Teachings.
Volume 4, Issue #7
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Contents
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- The Jewish Physician
- The Value of Massage Treatment
- Understanding Various Responses to Touch Therapy
- The Exchange
- An Insight into the Bowen Technique
- Nambudripad Allergy Elimination Technique: What It Is?
- Codependency, Detachment, and the True Self: Part 2: The Solution
- The Rules of Being Human
- The Meaning of Life Course
- Question of the Month
- Website
- Purpose of the Newsletter************************************
THE JEWISH PHYSICIAN
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Taken from "Fire on the Mountain Top". This is a true story based in Iran during the early days of the Baha'i Faith.
"Hakim Aqa Jan hurried along the narrow lanes of Hamadan to the house of Muhammad Baqir who, carrying a lantern to light the way, ran on in front. Muhammad Bahir's wife lay desperately ill, shaken with convulsions and crying out in pain. She had been suffering with fever when the Jewish Physician, Hakim Aqa Jan, was called in to see her earlier that evening, and he had given her a few pills to take, saying that she would soon feel better. She had scarcely taken the pills, however, when her condition grew worse and she was seized with severe pains and convulsions.
Hurrying to her bedside now, Hakim Aqa Jan had one look at his patient and the blood drained out of his face. He immediately realized what had happened; instead of the quinine pills he intended to give her, he had handed out strychnine. Not only was the patient now in danger of losing her life, but so was he himself. Indeed, knowing the hatred which the Muslims bore towards his people, Hakim Aqa Jan wondered if this consequences of such a mistake on his part might not affect his family and the whole Jewish population of Hamadan. He trembled at the thought and scarcely heard the question Muhammad Baqir was asking. The latter, sensing the state of the doctor's mind, asked the reason for his extreme anxiety. "I have made a mistake in giving the pills," confessed Hakim Aqa Jan. "Anyone can make a mistake" said Muhammad Baqir. "You did not do this on purpose, and even if the patient should die, no one will blame you for it."
Hakim Aqa Jan could not believe his ears. Was it indeed a Muslim who spoke thus to him, a Jew? But there was no time to dwell on such mysteries when his patient needed all his attention. He rushed out of the house to the nearest drug shop and, having purchased some medicine with which he hoped might be able to save her life, hurried back to sit with his patient through the night. After agonizing hours of suspense in which he did every possible thing within his power to save her, he was at last relieved to see that the danger had passed and that she would live.
During all this time, the gracious courtesy and the kindness with which he had received in the home of Muhammad Baqir greatly affected and somewhat puzzled the physician. He had had many dealings with Muslims before and was familiar with the way they treated Jews, especially under such unfavourable conditions. The more he thought about it, the more he wondered at the unusual behaviour of this household.
Later, he mustered enough courage to ask Muhammad Baqir about his religious beliefs. "I belong to a new Faith," was Muhammad Baqir's reply, "I am a Baha'i." Hakim Aqa Jan was immediately interested to know about this new Faith and after a period of investigation, became an ardent follower himself.
He was the first Jew to embrace the Cause in Hamadan, and although he did not live more than a few years after becoming a Baha'i, he was able to bring a great number of other Jews into the Faith before he passed away."
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THE VALUE OF MASSAGE TREATMENT
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By Kevin Beane, New Hampshire, United States
Websterís dictionary defines massage as: the act or art of treating the body by rubbing, kneading, patting, or the like, to stimulate circulation, increase suppleness, relieve tension, etc.
There are numerous massage systems and techniques from around the world. Some examples are Swedish, Thai, Russian, Shiatsu(Japan), Tui Na (China). Systems such as Rolfing or Myofascial Release have a particular focus that includes an awareness of body structure and connective tissue (fascia). Japanese and Chinese systems may include an awareness of the flow of chi (bioelectricity) through our bodies. Balanced chi is considered fundamental to good health. This balance may be encouraged through techniques such as assisted stretching or acupressure (pressing acupuncture points). Some systems focus more on muscles, others on circulation of blood or lymph. Some systems are more often called bodywork or energy work (rather than massage) depending on what their major focus is. Some systems cross professional boundaries and are practiced by nurses, physical therapists, and other health practitioners.
What kind of problems can massage be used for? This depends upon the approach used and the skill level of the practitioner. Some more common uses are relief of muscular pain, discomfort, general relaxation, and stress reduction (for example, this can help regulate high blood pressure). Many people have experienced the benefits of massage and receive regular treatments for health maintenance and prevention. Although Websterís dictionary defines massage as the act or art of treating the body, many current practices and practitioners include a holistic awareness of body, mind, and spirit. All dimensions of our being are important to health and a practitioner who has deepened spiritually, as well as in the knowledge of their art, can be of assistance with many problems. Using massage, people have been helped with a multitude of physical, mental, and emotional symptoms related to past traumas.
As multi-dimensional individuals, who we go to for massage and for what reason can vary greatly. It is best to consult first with a massage practitioner to find out if they think they can help you and if you feel comfortable with them. This is more important than what their technique is called. A competent practitioner will know when something is beyond the scope of their practice and be able to refer one to the appropriate health professional.
We are all ultimately dependent upon God for health and healing. A holistic view of health recognizes spirit as the source and strives to help the patient find balance in their lives. With balance, we are best able to realize (harmonize with) the health that flows through us continually. To help achieve this balance one may utilize one of the various massage styles mentioned as well as healthy diet, exercise, meditation, and prayer.
ìThy name is my healing, O my God, and remembrance of Thee is my remedy. Nearness to Thee is my hope, and love for Thee is my companion. Thy mercy to me is my healing and my succor in both this world and in the world to come. Thou, verily, art the All-Bountiful, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise." (Bahaíuíllah, Baha'i Prayers,1985 edition, p. 87, U.S.A.)
A massage practitioner or any other health professional that has truly deepened on this prayer can be of immeasurable help and service. This knowledge can access healing potential that is beyond the power of the intellect to understand or adequately explain. Self deepening on this prayer will help access health and healing from the source of our being.
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UNDERSTANDING VARIOUS
RESPONSES TO TOUCH THERAPY
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Taken from a publication produced by the Client Relations Committee of the College of Massage Therapists of Ontario, Canada
SPONTANEOUS TENSION RELEASE
Massage therapy is a hands-on manipulation of the soft tissues of the body - muscles, connective tissues, tendons, ligaments and joints. One goal of massage therapy is to release tension.
Tension release comes in different ways. For example, you could be getting a massage, and you could start to tremble. Your trembling could be a spontaneous release of tension similar to an ordinary experience you've had before. Remember, for example, a time when you bought more groceries than you'd intended. You were really dragging by the time you got home, and when you finally put the bags down, your hands began to tremble. You were experiencing a spontaneous release of tension that built up from carrying the heavy parcels. Laughing or crying in the course of a massage, like trembling, could be nothing more complicated than the spontaneous release of tension. At other times, tension release may be associated with remembered experiences stored in the body.
TENSION RELEASE AND MEMORY
Our bodies store experiences. For the most part we function on automatic pilot, integrating new experiences with existing memories already stored in our bodies. In other words, we process incoming experiences automatically without paying conscious attention to detail.
A massage therapist tells the story of treating someone who was experiencing extreme tension in her neck and shoulder. During massage, the tension began to let up, and the client began to cry and talk about how unhappy she was with her boss. As she told her story and experienced the feelings associated with it, the client began to turn her head and move her shoulder more freely. In other words, the client had been functioning on automatic pilot - integrating stressful work experiences with existing stressful memories already stored in her body. Without being consciously aware of it, she had been tensing up her neck and shoulder during encounters at work and experiencing her boss as a "pain in the neck."
The client regained mobility in her neck and shoulder when she made a connection between the bodily tension she was experiencing and how things had been going at work and then, with the help of massage, let go of or released the tension.
TOUCH CAN TRIGGER MEMORIES
Ordinary or story-telling memory occurs automatically in response to a particular cue or trigger. For example, a person sees a brooch like one worn by grandmother and remembers the events surrounding grandmother's death. Seeing the brooch triggers a memory that the person experiences as a story he or she can tell about how grandmother died.
Any one of the five senses can trigger memory. Sometimes the trigger is a context similar to the context in which the memory was originally planted. Other times it's an image, a gesture, a taste, a smell, a sound or a touch. For many people, being touched is associated with having been touched in childhood. For such people, massage therapy may trigger childhood memories.
Persons undergoing a series of massage therapy treatments may experience a memory returning in bits and pieces - some sights, some sounds, some thoughts, some physical sensations. The bits and pieces may eventually come together as a story the person can tell about an episode that occurred in the past. The gradual re-experiencing of an episode that has been stored in the body as neuro-muscular tension is often accompanied by a gradual release of pent-up energy and emotion.
YOUR RESPONSES ARE NORMAL
Responses to touch therapy such as the ones described in this publication are normal. If you have any experiences you do not understand, tell your massage therapist. He or she can reassure you. If, after talking with your massage therapist, you continue to be concerned about your responses, ask your therapist to refer you to someone who can help you put your experiences into context.
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THE EXCHANGE
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Question:
What is the role of a massage therapist? How do the principles and treatments of massage assist us with our health?
Answers:
For years I suffered from a horrid case of tendonitis in my right wrist. This was caused by years of computer work, mainly mousing! I tried everything, from medication to physiotherapy, brace, anything at all, to no avail. The pain always came back with a vengeance. The episodes of pain were longer and more intense. Sometimes to such extent, it would prevent me from doing simple things such as comb my hair or dress myself. Then my doctor said there was one other thing we could try! I was ready for anything. I went to a massage therapist. I did an intensive six months, which was once a week for the first three months and then once a month, and then followed by once a month for another year. I have been pain free for almost 2 years I believe. Or when the pain comes, it is not too great, and a couple of sessions with my therapist takes care of the problem.
I think what happened was that with the other therapies, it focused only on the location of the pain. But with the massage, the therapist started from the neck and shoulder to release the tension from the originating location. Then she would move to the more local pain area. I would recommend it to anyone!
- Atusa Nemat, Vancouver, Canada
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I am not a registered massage therapist, but rather a graduate of a two year community college program in Aromatherapy. Aromatherapy is the study of medicinal plant extracts (which in France and England can only be studied as a medical specialty). The client's history is taken (emotional, physical, spiritual factors are taken into account) and a personalized blend is made. This may be applied through a full-body massage, through inhalation, or as a bath blend. There is great emphasis on the body-mind connection, and on lifestyle factors which influence the well-being of the client.
- Christine Nightingale , Ontario, Canada
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"With the hands of power I made thee and with the fingers of strength I created thee" (Baha'u'llah, Arabic Hidden Words, p. 12)
"Bind ye the broken with the hands of justice" (Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Aqdas, p. 52)
"Sometimes one can benefit a sick person by placing one's hand upon his head or upon his heart." (Abdu'l-Baha, Some Answered Questions, p. 254)
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AN INSIGHT INTO THE BOWEN TECHNIQUE
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By Meryl Cook, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada
A Bowen treatment consists of gentle, rolling movements on specific points of the body. These stimulations activate a systemic response so powerful that a few minutes' pause is observed to allow them to be integrated. A pattern of movements and pauses continues throughout the treatment. The rhythm is soothing and most patients fall asleep at least once during the session. Benefits are usually apparent within two sessions, even when long-standing conditions are being treated.
The Bowen Technique was developed in the 1950's by the late Tom Bowen in Australia. Bowen became a celebrated therapist, regularly treating over 13,000 patients a year. In 1987 the Bowen Therapy Academy of Australia was founded by Oswald and Elaine Rentsch, who were the only people commissioned by Bowen to document and teach his original work. Since 1987, over 9,000 therapists worldwide have taken Bowen training.
Bowen practioners have claimed success in treating musculoskeletal problems such as back and neck pain, frozen shoulder, scoliosis, sports injuries, TMJ alignment and carpal tunnel syndrome. The technique is also claimed to be effective with internal conditions such as migraines, digestive and elimination complaints (including hernia), colic in babies and respiratory problems - including asthma.
The Bowen Technique is considered to be safe to use on everyone - from newborns to the elderly, even for pregnant women. It is effective for both recent and long-standing conditions. The treatments are usually done on a bed or massage table, but can be adapted to the patient sitting - even to those confined to a wheel chair.
The Bowen Technique is unlike most other forms of bodywork. It does not involve deep massage, or adjustment of the bony structure. There is no forceful separation of fascia, or directing of energy by the practitioner. Many of the Bowen moves coincide with acupuncture points, but it is not acupressure. Similar to homeopathy, it is thought that the Bowen Technique stimulates the body to heal itself and to regain balance.
I have been practising the Bowen Technique for five years, and it continues to amaze me. While the technique is relatively easy to learn, and I have had great success from the beginning, the more I practise Bowen, the more I learn from it. In my practice I have had the bounty to use the Bowen Technique to assist moms during labour and delivery. I have also been blessed with the opportunity to assist patients with environmental illness and individuals recovering from cancer and chemotherapy. The Bowtech website is at http://www.bowtech.com. If you would be interested in further information about the Bowen Technique, I would be happy to assist you and you can contact me at MerylACook@hotmail.com.
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NAMBUDRIPAD ALLERGY ELIMINATION
TECHNIQUE: WHAT IT IS?
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By Bill and Phoebe Anne Lemmon, Quebec, Canada. (The technical information was gleaned from the brochure of the Sunrise Health Centre, Ottawa, Canada.)
The Nambudripad Allergy Elimination Technique (NAET), named for its developer, uses chiropractic, kinesiology, and acupuncture in a breakthrough treatment that desensitizes the body to a host of allergens and has resulted in curing many chronic conditions and illnesses.
Computerized allergy testing and muscle response testing determine what allergens are to be treated. The three-step process begins with nerve stimulation down the spine while the client holds a vial of the allergen. Then specific acupuncture points are stimulated by massage or needles. Finally the client rests for twenty minutes.
We were drawn to NAET, because we suspected we had allergies. In our cases, we did not manifest classic symptoms of rashes, sneezes, swelling, and the like. We were grateful that a friend told us about NAET. While being on this program, we have noticed a marked reduction in fatigue and mucous, and, for Phoebe Anne, who had become increasingly depressed about Quebec's winter, a total absence of negativity during the winter months.
We are happy to let others know about NAET and refer those interested to the website at www.naet.com.
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CODEPENDENCY, DETACHMENT, AND
THE TRUE SELF: PART 2 - THE SOLUTION
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By Carmen (Mathenge) Turner-Pluta, California, United States
To recap Part I briefly, codependency (which the author believes to be a form of attachment) is a condition that arises due to having an inadequate sense of self and being focused on pleasing or fixing others in order to gain approval or validation.
Significance of the Self: Donít the Bahaíi Writings say we should forget the self and think only about others? Didnít Bahaíuíllah say ìLoose thy soul from the prison of selfî?(1) Then why does an inadequate sense of self create codependency? Or why isnít codependency good, if it causes us to be focused on others? First, the Bahaíi Writings tell us that man has a dual nature:
"In man there are two natures; his spiritual or higher nature and his material or lower nature. In one he approaches God, in the other he lives for the world aloneÖ.In his material aspect he expresses untruth, cruelty and injustice; all these are the outcome of his lower nature. The attributes of his Divine nature are shown forth in love, mercy, kindness, truth and justice, one and all being expressions of his higher nature." (2)
Picture a circle of light, representing our higher nature (true self), surrounded by a dark circle representing our lower nature (ego or false self). The lower nature, described as ìhating, angry, selfish, guilty, ignorant, judgmental,î is attached to the material world by a cord labeled ìfear.î This represents fear of abandonment, rejection, loss, failure, not having enough, not being loved, being alone. The higher nature, described as ìloving, peaceful, generous, joyful, aware, acceptingî is attached to the spiritual world, that is to Godís Manifestation (i.e., to Bahaíuíllah if we are a Bahaíi, or to Christ, Muhammad, or whichever of Godís previous Manifestations we accept) by a cord labeled ìunconditional love.î
"O Son of Spirit! Love Me that I may love thee. If thou lovest Me not, My love can in no wise reach thee." Know this, O servant!" (3)
Godís love for His creatures is always available, but to receive it, we must learn to love Him. Otherwise we are like an electric appliance that is not plugged into the power source. The way we plug in the cord is by keeping our attention focused on God. Perhaps this is why, when we ask the Universal House of Justice what to do about a problem, they often advise us to pray, meditate, and read the Writings. We say, ìI know that, but they havenít told me what to do.î But they have, because -- and here is the most important point -- when we focus on our fears, our material self expands, and our spiritual self shrinks; but when we focus on Godís unconditional love, the reverse is true: our ìtrue selfî expands, and our ìfalse self" shrinks. Picture that circle representing the higher and lower natures with the bright light expanded to fill most of the circle; or picture it with the dark part expanded and only a little light remaining in the center. Which do we choose?
In a dysfunctional family, we donít get a sense that we are valuable, we matter. When we are going through the normal stages that children go through (e.g., at age 2 we say 'no' a lot and we are not ready to share yet), the message we get is that there is something wrong with us. So we acquire an inner sense that we are defective, and that no matter how hard we try, sooner or later everybody is going to find out. As a result, we are always focusing on other people, trying to ìpsych outî whether theyíve discovered the awful truth yet. This leads to focusing on our fear and neglecting our true self.
There are two meanings to the word ìself.î We have one word, in English at least, for two entirely different concepts; sometimes ìselfî refers to the ego or lower nature, and sometimes to the higher or spiritual nature. Shoghi Effendi sums it up this way:
"Self has really two meanings, or is used in two senses, in the Bahaíi Writings; one is self, the identity of the individual created by GodÖ.The other self is the ego, the dark, animalistic heritage each one of us has, the lower nature that can develop into a monster of selfishness, brutalityÖIt is this self we must struggle againstÖin order to strengthen and free the spirit within us and help it to attain perfection." (4)
Bahaíuíllah writes:
ìNoble I made thee, wherewith dost thou abase thyself?ÖTurn thy sight unto thyself, that thou mayest find Me standing within thee, mighty, powerful, and self-subsisting.î (5)
ìCould ye apprehend with what wonders of My munificence and bounty I have willed to entrust your souls, ye would of a truth, rid yourselves of attachment to all created things, and would gain a true knowledge of your own selves - a knowledge which is the same as the comprehension of Mine own Being. Ye would find yourselves independent of all else but Me, and would perceive, with your inner and outer eyeÖthe seas of My loving-kindness and bounty moving within you.î (6)
It seems that it is within our own self that we find our connection with God - that is, our feeling of a personal and direct relationship with the Manifestation. Thus, to ignore our true self is equivalent to disconnecting from the power source. If we have gained conscious awareness of both ìselves,î then we will recognize when we have shifted our focus in the wrong direction, and will learn to shift back to the spiritual path. Shoghi Effendi writes:
ìSelf-sacrifice means to subordinate this lower nature and its desires to the more Godly and noble side of ourselves. Ultimately, in its highest sense, self-sacrifice means to give our will and our all to God to do with as He pleases. Then He purifies and glorifies our true self until it becomes a shining and wonderful reality.î (7)
Codependency prevents or hinders our spiritual development. When we are too busy focusing on other people - pleasing them, getting angry at them, worrying about them, or taking care of them - we donít have time to find out who we are and what God wants us to do. Have you ever heard yourself saying, ìI really need to say some prayers but I just donít have time?î Thatís just like saying, ìI want to use the vacuum cleaner, but I donít have time to plug it in, so Iíll just run it over the floor anyway.î Yes, we are supposed to care about other people and help them, but in order to do that with wisdom, we must first focus on our own relationship to our Creator.
References
1. Bahaíuíllah, The Hidden Words, Persian, #40
2. ëAbduíl-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 60
3. Bahaíuíllah, The Hidden Words, Arabic # 5
4. From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, December 10, 1947. Hornby, H. (1983), Lights of Guidance, p. 113
5. Baha'u'llah, The Hidden Words, Arabic #13
6. Bahaíuíllah, Gleanings From the Writings of Bahaíuíllah, pp. 326-327
7. From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, December 10, 1947. Hornby, H. (1983). Lights of Guidance, p. 117-8******************************************
THE RULES FOR BEING HUMAN
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Author Unknown
1) You will receive a body. You may like it or hate it, but make the best of it because it's going to be with you the rest of your life.
2) You will learn lessons. You are enrolled in a full-time informal school called Life on Planet Earth. Every person or incident is the universal teacher.
3) There are no mistakes, only lessons. Growth is a process of experimentation. "Failures" are as much a part of the process as "Success".
4) A lesson is repeated until learned. It is presented to you in various forms until you learn it -- then you can go on to the next lesson.
5) External problems are a precise reflection of your internal state; pain is how your subconscious gets your attention. First it whispers, then it yells. When you clear inner obstructions, your outside world changes.
6) You will know you've learned a lesson when your actions change. Wisdom is practice, practice, practice.
7) Others are only mirrors of you. You cannot hate or love something about another unless it reflects something you hate or love in yourself.
8) Your life is up to you. Spirit provides the canvas; you do the painting. Make things happen for yourself; don't sit back and watch or wonder what will happen. Take charge of your life or someone else will.
9) Your subconscious rightfully determines what energies, experiences and people you attract -- so, the only foolproof way to know what you want is to see what you have.
10) Your answers lie inside you. Children need guidance from others; as we mature, we trust our hearts, where the laws of spirit are written. You know more than you've heard, read, or been told. Listen to your heart and trust your instincts.
11) There is no right or wrong, but there are consequences, everything has a value and a price, you pay now or pay later.
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THE MEANING OF LIFE COURSE
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By Khosro Deihim, England, United Kingdom (This course is produced by the team of the George Townshend Travelling Baha'i Teacher Training and Teaching Project)
We would like to inform the friends about this study course entitled "The Meaning of Life" which is available in 14 three hour video tapes with 218 page course support notes which were reviewed and approved by the National Spiritual Assembly in the United Kingdom.
The course is specifically aimed for those who are interested in the deeper aspects of our existence on this planet and our role in life. The course material is based on 45 years of research and study of the Bahaíi Faith Scriptures and Writings. We recommend these videos and course notes for presentation to and use of interfaith fellowships, churches, synagogues, mosques, societies, clubs, adult education departments, schools, libraries, television broadcasting services and Bahaíi deepenings. THE COURSE SYLLABUS
There are four parts to the course:
1) Spiritual awakening
2) Developing our spiritual gifts: mind, emotions, will
3) Global harmony
4) Planning to achieve the goalsFor those who wish further information, please write to Mr. K. Deihim at 65 Grosvenor Road, Dalton, Huddersfield, HD5 9JB England U.K., telephone: code +(0) 1484 - 429490 or send an e-mail to: khosro@deihim.freeserve.co.uk
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QUESTION OF THE MONTH
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The April issue will cover the issues of mental health.
Here are a few questions and comments from the readers:
1) How do psychiatric prescription drugs affect the soul?
2) I wish to explore the issues of depression, psychological and spiritual imbalances and sometimes this can lead the patient to want to commit suicide.
3) Can we say that depression which is very common in our time could be cured by closeness to God?
4) How does one live with a person with depression and mood disorder?Personally, I think depression and mood disorder are a spiritual condition, however, my doctors have told me that it could also be chemical.
Dear Readers:
Do you have any information, solutions or comments in response to the above issues? Please send them to the newsletter and we will share them in the next issue.
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WEB SITE
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You can visit the website, obtain back issues and the Healing Through Unity Course at: http://www.healingthroughunity.org.
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PURPOSE OF THE NEWSLETTER
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"Healing Through Unity" is published for the purpose of sharing thoughts, comments and experiences on how the teachings of the Baha'i Faith are being applied to physical and spiritual health. Other than the quoted Holy Writings, the material in this newsletter represents the thoughts and opinions of the writers and has no authority. You are free to copy articles, provided you indicate the source of the article. There are 10 issues per year; it is not published during July and August. The newsletter is produced in Ontario, Canada.
Please send your stories, comments, suggestions or "Question for the Month" ideas to Frances Mezei by e-mail: -- .
PLEASE NOTE:
Many thanks to all of you who sent such wonderful contributions for "Healing Through Unity" Newsletter. The decision to select and edit material submitted for publication is determined by the editor. If you have a change of e-mail address, please inform me with your old and new email address. To cancel the subscription, please send message to: --
HEALING THROUGH UNITY
April, 2001
A monthly newsletter dedicated to serving the principles of
physical and spiritual health envisioned in the Baha'i Teachings.Volume 4, Issue #8
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Contents
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- The Horse Blanket
- Mental Illness - Physical or Spiritual Cure? What are the Best Treatments?
- The Exchange
- Tips for Individuals and Baha'i Local Spiritual Assemblies in Dealing with Mental Health Issues
- Depression and Suicide Intervention for Children and Youth
- Resources
- Response from a Reader about Nambudripad Allergy Elimination Technique
- Requesting Assistance from the Readers
- Question of the Month
- Website
- Purpose of the Newsletter******************************
THE HORSE BLANKET
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By Ruie Mullins, United States
You think you have all the time in the world. Time to spend with the people in your life. Time to offer praise or time to say you are sorry. Perhaps that's why after a while; we begin to take time for granted. Then one day something triggers your memory and you recall a precious moment and you wonder why you didn't see it that way at the moment it happened. A sudden, empty pit feeling falls upon you as you think back, asking yourself why you didn't see all that when it happened. Perhaps you were busy and were trying to be attentive, but only part of you was there, the other part was worrying about something at the office or a bill that needed to be paid, or maybe you just were not interested and so you went through the motions. But now you wish that you had been there all the way because it was a time you cannot ever retrieve.
About eight years ago, Mother suddenly decided she wanted to visit me. I had been after her for years to teach me how to weave like the Navajos. She was a weaver. They, the Navajos, called her the "Silver Queen" because her hair was silver. I was in the middle of an event (as an event marketing specialist at the time) and I was stretched for time and stressed to the max. I tried to give her my time and to be attentive; the key word here is tried. There were so many things that went wrong with that visit. My daughter was in great trouble and my mother being a mother wanted to be helpful and stepped in where she shouldn't have and I raised my voice to her. To this day, I remember the hurt expression on her face. I had never raised my voice or been disrespectful to either of my parents. I was so ashamed. I realized immediately what I had done and tried to make amends, but it never got better after that moment. She stayed just a few more days, and then left at 6:30 am just as suddenly as she arrived at.
Earlier, she had asked my daughter about a little Indian horse blanket that I had on the floor of my bedroom. She wanted to know if my daughter thought that I might give it to her. She had fallen in love with that little blanket. At the time, my daughter was still angry with her grandmother for interfering, so she was not interested in making her grandmother feel better. My poor, dear mother didn't know that she had entered a hornets nest of pure suffering.
I refused to give the blanket to her. It was for selfish reasons. I didn't want her to have it. I was being hateful and angry in my own behavior and turned it against the one person I loved most in the world.
She was a weaver and no one in the world could have appreciated that little blanket for its beauty of craftsmanship and color and style. But I would not part with it. I held on to it as if it was made of gold and the most important thing in my life. My mother went home sad and hurt.
We didn't speak for almost a year. We were two very stubborn women. I refused to call her; I was so very righteous. As was she, but she was my mother and it was not her place to call me. Then one day the phone rang and it was mother. My son was getting married and she wanted to know what to bring him for a wedding gift. I was so excited to speak with her; I didn't want her to hang up. But of course, she had to. We had a wonderful conversation and tried to put it all behind us. We would be seeing each other in less than a month. We said our good-byes and as we had always done before we closed our conversation with "I love you."
She died suddenly three weeks later, shortly before my son's wedding. We never spoke to one another again. I never got the chance to give her the blanket.
The moral of this storyÖtime is precious. Things are not. Sharing is important and love is what it is all about. The joy I could have given my mother by sharing that blanket would have left me with such wonderful memories of our last moments. What happened to the blanket? It was destroyed by neglect. It never had meaning to me again. The ironyÖI would have gotten the blanket back one day, as she left everything to me.
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MENTAL ILLNESS - PHYSICAL OR SPIRITUAL CURE?
WHAT ARE THE BEST TREATMENTS?
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By Nona Simons, California, United States
In contemplating the above questions it is important to remember that mental illnesses are complex. Because I have had family members with mental illness, I have taken the time to explore this subject in depth, as well as searching out any pertinent Baha'i teachings on this matter. The Baha'i International Community (BIC) supports a very innovative, creative, multifaceted and far reaching approach to the treatment of mental illness, because it considers both the medical (chemical) and spiritual aspects of these conditions.
The BIC defines mental illness as a medical problem in the following statement on protecting people with "mental disorder":
The Baha'i International Community, "On the Protection of Persons Suffering from Mental Disorder: Agenda item 9: Human rights and scientific and technological developments," Written statement circulated as official United Nations Document: /CN.4/Sub.2/1984/NGO/4 of 14 August 1984, pp. 19-21.
In the above-statement, the BIC states that "...mental illness is a medical disorder which does not and cannot affect a personís fundamental value or worth... treatment of the mentally ill must be founded on an appreciation for the spiritual life of the individual and must seek to develop the totality of his person. It must not be concerned solely with controlling his outward symptoms...." The statement goes on to say that "...mental disorders are a medical condition and should be treated as such...utilizing the most advanced standards of medical treatment..." Thus, mental illness is a physical ailment, and medical remedies need to be explored in seeking the best treatment for the physical aspects of the condition.
However, the BIC, in the above-mentioned statement, has emphasized "...the necessity for a spiritual dimension to the treatment of the mentally ill." "In the Baha'i view, the totality of the life of the individual must be taken into consideration. This means that the intellectual, physical, emotional, social and spiritual aspects of human reality should be dealt with in the process of treatment. Thus, treatment should be aimed at the improvement of the psychological and spiritual life of the person and not only at controlling his symptoms. The goal should be to rehabilitate and reintegrate the individual into the life of his family, his community and society at large, and to assist him, by virtue of his spiritual capacities, to acquire higher levels of self-knowledge, insight and understanding of reality." The statement affirms that detention of the mentally ill in hospitals should be temporary and only utilized when the patient is a danger to himself or others, and that such treatment should be "...linked to rehabilitation of the patient...the mentally ill individual should be provided opportunities to develop and fulfill his full potential as soon as he recovers from his mental disorder, by means of access to proper education and exposure to a positive and stimulating environment." The BIC also emphasizes the importance of "...affirming that every patient shall be treated with humanity and respect..." This very important issue has often been overlooked during the initial and prolonged hospitalization of mentally ill people. When such a patient is not treated with dignity and respect the personís illness can become worse. The BIC mentions the "importance of work in enhancing an individualís self-value and sense of worth as a human being..." and how that can contribute to the improvement of his mental health. In reality, little is often done to support training and integrating the ill person back into the work force. This is emphasized by a quote written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, Lights of Guidance, p. 623:
"Every individual, no matter how handicapped and limited he may be, is under the obligation of engaging in some work or profession, for work, specially when performed in the spirit of service, is according to Baha'u'llah a form of worship. It has not only a utilitarian purpose, but has a value in itself, because it draws us nearer to God, and enables us to better grasp His purpose for us in this world."
Although the BIC does not enumerate upon specific treatments for specific illnesses, I believe the guidance offered in the above-mentioned statement provides a framework for an individual or family member to map out an efficacious course of treatment for a mental disorder. When utilizing the BIC framework, a client or family member needs to consider finding professional medical personnel who are not only able to diagnose a mental illness and treat a problem with medication, but who also view the mentally ill client as a person with a medical disease who is worthy of respect and fair treatment. I also believe it is best to work with professionals who seek to involve the client and, if the client desires, his or her family, in formulating a workable treatment plan. Furthermore, any medical professional utilized needs to have a clear understanding of the symptoms and best treatments available for a wide variety of mental illnesses.
Because our society is still in the early stages of understanding and treating the many mental illnesses that exist, clients and their families need to be patient, willing to educate themselves about the ailment, and persistent in seeking the best treatment options. Additionally, because mental illness (depression, manic depression, panic/anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, etc.) are a neurobiological problem (an impairment of brain functioning), clients need to be open to trying new medications aimed at improving brain functioning and eliminating the worst symptoms of their illness. It can be very difficult to find the correct medications to use for other classes of mental problems such as post-traumatic stress disorder, adjustment reactions, and chemical dependence, but this does not mean that there cannot be a time and a place where medication might be needed on a temporary basis to mitigate an acute expression of symptoms.
Because mental illnesses are multifaceted diseases, I believe, like the BIC has stated, that a multifaceted approach to treating these diseases is called for. Hence, exploring alternatives like prayer, meditation, biofeedback, occupational therapy, support groups, and the like, can be important facets of a treatment plan for a mentally ill person. One organization that is very helpful in providing assistance to a family or individual seeking to improve treatment for a mental disorder is Alliance for the Mentally Ill (AMI), an organization founded by the families of mentally ill clients. There are AMI chapters both locally and nationally in the United States, that provide support and educational materials about mental illness to families and clients. They have a web site at http://www.nami.org/.
Coming from a family with two mentally ill members (one with manic depression and alcoholism and one with some kind of schizo-affective disorder), I found AMI to be one of the most valuable resources available for learning how to understand and live with mentally ill family members. AMI supports medical research for finding new medications for the mentally ill and has an educational program aimed at eliminating the stigma of mental illness. As the burden of living with the stigma of a mental illness serves to prevent recovery for mentally ill people, more work needs to be done to provide education to clients, family and society in general, about the true nature of mental illness. I am gratified that 'Healing Through Unity' has provided a supportive forum for the discussion of mental illness, a serious set of neurobiological diseases that affects millions of people.
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THE EXCHANGE
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Question:
What are some suggestions to deal with the issues of mental health?
Answers:
I have found that my depression is caused by blocked energy flows throughout my body. For years I went to therapy and took prescription drugs for my depression. The therapy was very helpful when my depression was caused by downwardly spiraling thoughts, but sometimes it seemed that there was no cause at all for it. This frustrated me very much. I have finally discovered, after 20 years, that Acupuncture is an almost instant relief of my depression symptoms. I'm sure that it would not work for everyone, but personally I have found that I need a "tune-up" every once in a while. I hope that this information helps someone out there who suffers with this debilitating disease as I do.
- Jennifer Springfield, California, United States**********
Acupuncture is gaining new attention among Western scientists for its antidepressant effects. Chinese doctors hold that all illness, including depression, stems from an imbalance in the flow of chi, the life energy that fuels all our vital functions. They believe that the insertion of fine needles at key points in the body restores the flow of chi and so relieves the problem. The Western interpretation is this: The needles trigger the release of endorphins, the natural opiates in the brain that help alleviate pain and provide a sense of well-being.
However you explain it, acupuncture seems to work, John Allen, Ph.D., an associate professor of psychology at the University of Arizona, has conducted some of the most extensive scientific research on acupuncture and depression. In a 16-week experiment analyzing 34 women and the effects of acupuncture on various ailments, researchers found that the women who were clinically depressed responded better to the treatment than did those with other ailments. Allen is now studying a larger group of both men and women, and again is finding that acupuncture is "an acceptable" treatment for depression that appears to work quickly with no side effects.( Country Living's Healthy Living, May/June 2000, p. 110)
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My son suffers from schizophrenia. I would welcome any suggestions for alternative treatments. Here, all he is offered is drugs. The main problem with my son is that his illness makes him suspicious of people and reluctant to try any new treatment. I have heard that fish oil is recommended for this illness, but he refuses to take it.
I do not think that any mental illness is spiritual. I cannot believe that the soul is affected by these things, they must be due to a physical fault. Schizophrenia I think does not have a single cause or a single remedy. There are various treatments which work for some people but not others. I would be grateful for any advice and can be reached at: mcarloa@excite.co.uk - Margaret Carloa, United Kingdom
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The topic for this month hits close to home as someone in my family is affected by bipolar affective disorder. Any mental illness can be devastating not only for the person with the illness but also for his/her friends and family. The hardest part about mental illness is that many times the symptoms are so severe and the treatment so drastic that the person you once knew is no more. So a type of grieving happens for the loss of the person you knew. There is hope however. A new treatment is being tested in double blind studies at the University of Calgary, University of Lethbridge and University of Alberta. The "cure" seems to be as simple as the taking of certain vitamins, minerals and amino acids in specific amounts. They claim a 95% cure rate. I encourage friends to seek out their website at www.truehope.com . The nutriceutical is available through an address given online as well as free counselling for people taking the remedy while weaning themselves off their medications. They encourage working with your health care provider of course.
- Gisele Bahbahani, British Columbia, Canada***********
I wrote an article for the Central Maine Newspaper about a new neutriceutical developed by a Canadian firm, Synergy Group of Canada, that has been showing remarkable success with treating bipolar disorder, and also, according to their information, schizophrenia, depression and attention deficit.
After very good success with an open case study conducted by the University of Calgary involving 10 individuals, the university has been awarded a half-million dollar grant from the Canadian government to conduct a double-blind, placebo based study, which is currently ongoing.
Here is an excerpt from this article:
The story of E.M. Power +, a supplement developed by The Synergy Group of Canada to treat bipolar disorder, an illness characterized by extreme mood swings, begins with the story of Canadian businessman, Anthony Stephan. A lifelong struggle with the illness played a role in the 1994 suicide of Stephan's wife, Debora, mother of 10 children. Stephan's son, Joseph, then 15, was also bipolar. Stephan's daughter, Autumn Stringer, then 23, showed signs that she was headed for the same fate.
Stephan was desperate. But, a conversation with business client David Hardy dramatically changed his life. Hardy, who has a biology degree and 20 years of experience formulating livestock feed, told Stephan about a mix of minerals and vitamins farmers use to calm aggressive pigs that bite the ears and tails of other pigs.
Together, they developed a broad-spectrum nutritional formula for human consumption -- 34 natural trace minerals and vitamins, including vitamins A, C, D, E, various B vitamins, calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc, copper and potassium, and two antioxidants. They tried it out on the Stephan children.
"Within 30 days, they showed no signs whatsoever and have been clear of symptoms ever since," Stephan said. Soon, his son and daughter were off their medications, which for Stephan's son included 900 milligrams of lithium a day.
Kaplan and Hardy then formed Synergy Group and called the supplement, E.M. Power +. An open-case study conducted by the University of Calgary tested it on 10 male subjects. The results showed a significant decrease in symptoms and dependency on drugs decreased by about two-thirds, according to Stephan's son, A. Daniel Stephan.
TRUEHOPE INFORMATION
* For more information about the bipolar nutritional supplement E.M. Power +, or if you wish to participate in the Truehope Research Program, write to the Synergy Group of Canada - Truehope Support Centre, P.O. Box 1254, Cardston, Alberta, Canada T0K0K0, e-mail: support@truehope.tv; web site: www.truehope.com.
* People interested in being part of Synergy Group's study will be asked a series of questions to see if the supplement is applicable to their individual concerns. The company recommends that people interested in participating consult with their personal physicians.
- Lynn Ascrizzi, Maine, United States ( Lynn Ascrizzi wrote this article as a staff writer for the Central Maine Newspaper. Since this article is too long to be printed in the newsletter, Lynn will be happy to send the entire story to whoever requests it. You can write to her at: dreams@uninets.net or lascrizzi@centralmaine.com.)
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Here are two quotes from the Baha'i Writings on mental illness:
"It is not easy to be burdened with long years of mental illness such as you describe. And plainly you have sought aid from many persons of scientific and non-scientific training backgrounds, apparently to little avail over the years of your prolonged illness. Possibly you should consider, if it is feasible, consulting the best specialists in a medical centre in one of the major cities, where the most advanced diagnosis and treatment can be obtained. The science of the mind, of normality and of the disabilities from which it may suffer, is in its relative infancy, but much may be possible to aid you to minimize your suffering and make possible an active life. The last ten years in the therapy of mental disorders has seen important advances from which you may well benefit.
Your discovery of the Faith, of its healing Writings and its great purposes for the individual and for all mankind, have indeed brought to you a powerful force toward a healthy life which will sustain you on a higher level, whatever your ailment may be. The best results for the healing process are to combine the spiritual with the physical, for it should be possible for you to overcome your illness through the combined and sustained power of prayer and of determined effort."
(From a letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer, July 23, 1984, Lights of Guidance, pp. 283-284)
***
"Mental illness is not spiritual, although its effects may indeed hinder and be a burden in one's striving toward spiritual progress. In a letter written on behalf of the Guardian to a believer there is this further passage: ëSuch hindrances (i.e. illness and outer difficulties), no matter how severe and insuperable they may at first seem, can and should be effectively overcome through the combined and sustained power of prayer and of determined and continued effort.'
That effort can include the counsel of wise and experienced physicians including psychiatrists. Working for the Faith, serving others who may need you, and giving of yourself can aid you in your struggle to overcome your sufferings. One helpful activity is, of course, striving to teach the Cause in spite of personal feelings of shortcomings, thus allowing the healing words of the Cause to flood your mind with their grace and positive power." (From a letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer, 15 June 1982, Lights of Guidance, p. 284)
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TIPS FOR INDIVIDUALS AND BAHA'I LOCAL
SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLIES IN DEALING WITH
MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES*******************************************************
By Bud Polk (This article is taken from the Baha'i Mental Health Website at http://members.nbci.com/_XMCM/bahaiMH/ and is printed with permission. Local Spiritual Assemblies, elected annually consists of nine Baha'is, twenty-one years of age and older, govern the affairs of each local Baha'i community.)
INFORMATION AND EDUCATION
- Read Baha'i writings and guidance about sickness, health and mental illness.
- Learn about mental disorders from books, magazines, television, local chapters of mental health organizations, the Internet and from friends who have disorders.
- Attend local support groups with a friend or family member who has a disorder.SUPPORT
- Assure that each person with a disorder is a cherished member of the community.
- Regard mental illness as you would any other illness and act accordingly.
- Pray for the friends who are having an episode or emotional problem.
- Visit the friends in mental hospitals (if they want visitors.)
- Send cards and flowers, visit and help those recovering at home as you would for someone with any other illness.
- Understand that when one family member is afflicted, the entire family "has" the disorder. The family's energy is directed toward the member with the disorder. Each family member needs your love and support.ASSISTANCE
- Don't assume a mentally ill person can't or won't serve and participate in the Faith.
- Do ask people how they would like to serve and participate.
- Arrange or provide transportation to and from Feasts and other Baha'i activities, doctor's appointments, government offices, social service agencies, food pantries. Many people with disorders don't have vehicles or can't drive because of medications or they are afraid to be out in public.
- Share food, used clothing, toys and other items with the mentally ill and their families. Many families are impoverished because medications, doctors and hospital stays are so expensive.REFERRAL
- Develop comprehensive list of community services and resources.
- Loacal Spiritual Assemblies can obtain a copy of the local United Way or Community Chest directory of resources.
- Look in phone book under "government" and "social services" to locate resources.STRUCTURE AND LIMITS
- Recognize personal boundaries and set limits on what you can and cannot do.
- Know that an Local Spiritual Assembly is not a substitute for professional therapy and medical treatment. But do offer spiritual guidance.
- Promote medical and spiritual healing.
- Local Spiritual Assemblies state expectations to a mentally ill believer when necessary so that behavior is appropriate at Baha'i events.
- Know that some believers may not be capable of serving on Local Spiritual Assemblies or carrying out other administrative duties.
- Consult the office of community affairs at the national centre in special cases.***********************************************************
DEPRESSION AND SUICIDE INTERVENTION
FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH***********************************************************
By Marilyn Carey (Mental Health Clinician), British Columbia, Canada
Everyone gets depressed, feels out-of-sorts, or thinks life is just too difficult. But when do these heavy, negative feelings become worrisome? When should parents or the Bahaíi Community intervene? What symptoms tell us that it is time to pay attention because this child or youth is having more difficulty than he/she can handle on his/her own?
Depression, as a serious clinical disorder is different from sadness or feeling disgruntled. I have noticed that children and youth have begun to use the language of serious depression and suicide as part of their descriptions of feelings. To say ìI want to dieî or ìI wish I was deadî is part of the problem solving language that children use - they learn it on television, on the playground, in books, playing video games and from educational lessons at their respective schools. It does not mean the same thing that it did when I went to school. It now means my life is boring, hard, unfair or scary - sometimes. We need to understand that this language is used differently, but pay attention when our children talk about suicide. It is important to talk with a professional to find out how serious the child or youth really is about possible despair.
Suicide attempts are at an all time high among our children and youth, and the age of first attempts are getting younger. We now have a few nine and ten year olds attempting suicide, which is very frightening, because they have not yet developed a realistic concept of the permanency of death. 'Abduíl-Baha wrote:
ìToday the most pressing of all tasks is the purification of character, the reforming of morals, the rectification of conductÖ.The purpose is that earthlings should turn into the people of Heaven, and those who walk in darkness should come into the light, and those who are excluded should join the inner circle of the Kingdom, and those who are as nothing should become intimates of the everlasting Glory.î (Selections from the Writings of 'Abduíl-Baha, p. 10-11)
How difficult this is in a country where it is legal to have sex at age twelve, where the viewing of violence and depravity has reached epidemic proportions and where children are encouraged to make moral decisions for which they are not intellectually or spiritually prepared. How absolutely vital are the teachings of the Baha'i Faith to bring about the transformation of a whole society - a whole world, so that our children can be freed from these difficult and life-threatening choices.
SIGNS OF SERIOUS DEPRESSION
- Depressed or irritable most of the day
- Diminished interest in activities for most of the day
- Significant weight loss or eating all of the time
- Insomnia (not able to sleep) or hypersomnia (sleeping too much)
- Loss of energy
- Not able to think clearly, or concentrate. Finds it hard to make decisions
- Feeling worthless, feeling excessively guilty, or hopeless
- Recurrent thoughts of death or suicide
- Excessive crying
- No interest in friends or activitiesThese symptoms must be present for more than two weeks and must represent a change in behavior.
If the child or youth has six or more of these symptoms for more than 2-3 weeks, professional help should be considered. The child could be taken to his/her doctor or to a Child and Youth Mental Health Clinician or Psychologist.
Often, the child who is depressed for a period of time will contemplate suicide. This is very frightening for parents and caregivers. It is when this contemplation becomes a plan - particularly a plan that is easily executable, that everyone involved needs to be vigilant.
SUICIDE WARNING SIGNS
- Changes in behavior - becoming withdrawn, taking risks etc.
- Problems in school - a dramatic drop in grades, emotional outbursts, falling asleep in class
- Signs of depression - eating and sleeping changes, anxiety, hopelessness, guilt, loss of interest
- Verbal statements - ìI wish I was deadî ìYouíd be better off without meî
- Themes of death - these may show up in artwork, poetry, essays, preoccupations with the occult, heavy metal groups, etc.
- Giving away possessions- favorite clothing CDís etc.
- A previous suicide attempt - really pay attention to these kids
- Poor coping skills - child or youth has very few problem solving skills; has no one that they can talk with; feels that they have no friends or people who care.
- Sexual or physical abuse
- Substance abuse - this increases risk taking behavior and alcohol is a depressant
- Other signs may be - frequent accidents, aggressiveness, prolonged grief after a loss, break-up with a partner (more common with girls), in trouble with the law, an unexpected pregnancy, having a parent or a friend who committed suicide.From a letter on his behalf of Shoghi Effendi wrote to a believer who asked about suicide, "Suicide is forbidden in the Cause. God Who is the Author of all life can alone take it away, and dispose of it in the way He deems best. Whoever commits suicide endangers his soul, and will suffer spiritually as a result in the other Worlds Beyond." (Helen Hornby, Lights of Guidance, p. 203)
"It is too bad that young and promising men, who if they remain living can render great services to humanity, should take away their life at a moment of despair. "The world, especially in these days, is full of woes and sufferings. We should be brave and have a stout heart. Trials and tribulations should arouse in us added vigour and greater determination and not dampen our zeal and kill our spirit." ( From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, March 12, 1933, Lights of Guidance, p. 203, Helen Hornby)
RESPONSIBILITY
- Assess the level of risk. If you have any doubts, consult a professional.
- If a child or youthís life may be in danger, the usual rules of confidentiality do not apply. I always say ì You are really important to me. I have to tell your parents and anyone else who can help to keep you safe.î As a Bahaíi, we need to learn a few quotes that explains to us about light, healing and help. I like ìHold Thou my hand with the hand of Thy PowerÖî from prayers for assistance with tests. (Baha'i Prayers, U.S., 1985 edition, p. 28.)
- Spend some time thinking about how you feel about kids who are depressed or suicidal. Do you know enough to be of assistance?
- Has your Assembly addressed these issues? Do you have literature or knowledge in the community? This was one of the tasks that our beloved Universal House of Justice asked us to do at the beginning of the six year plan - to inform ourselves of social issues.ìWe must now highly resolve to arise and lay hold of all those instrumentalities that promote the peace and well-being and happiness, the knowledge, culture and industry, the dignity, value and station, of the entire human race. Thus through the restoring waters of pure intention and unselfish effort, the earth of human potentialities will blossom with its own latent excellence and flower into praiseworthy qualities, and bear and flourish until it comes to rival that rosegarden of knowledge which belonged to our forefathers.î ('Abdu'l-Baha, The Secret of Divine Civilization, p. 4)
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RESOURCES
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BAHA'I MENTAL HEALTH WEBSITE
http://members.nbci.com/_XMCM/bahaiMH/
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BAHA'I MENTAL HEALTH DISCUSSION GROUP
There is a Baha'i Mental Health discussion group at bahai-mentalhealth@topica.com. In order to post there it is necessary to be subscribed. To subscribe, send an email to bahai-mentalhealth-subscribe@topica.com. In the body of the message write "subscribe" without the quotation marks. You will get a request for confirmation. Just hit reply and send it back. You then should receive an acknowledgement of subscription and an introduction message.
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BAHA'I MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS PLAN MEETING
The Association of Baha'i Mental Health Professionals is planning its third ABMHP conference for November 15-18/01, at Louhelen Baha'i School, and is seeking proposals for demonstration-experiential workshops that are pertinent to the conference theme: "Unfolding the Potential Within: Exploring the Nature of Psychospiritual Development.' If you are interested in presenting at the conference, please submit an abstract that describes the nature of the workshop, experience or training session you wish to provide (500-700 words), as well as a resume and brief bio. The deadline for submission is June. Please send your proposal and information to Holly Timberlake, email: holly999@raex.com, mail: Holistic Psychological Centre, 3678 Darrow Road, Stow, OH, USA, 44224.
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RESPONSE FROM A READER ABOUT
NAMBUDRIPAD ALLERGY ELIMINATION TECHNIQUE (NAET)****************************************************************************
By Bronwyn Castillo, Arizona, United States (See article "Nambudripad Allergy Elimination Technique: What it is?", March 2001,Volume 4, #7)
I am a Registered Nurse and certified in NAET. At this time, I only use it with family and friends as I work full time for Indian Health Service. I would highly recommend investigating this technique for general and severe allergies, asthma, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, Autism, and among other things.
The National Institute of Health (NIH) in association with Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) has invited Dr. Devi Nambudripad to speak at their annual convention on the effectiveness of NAET and is investigating NAET's function to eliminate the side effects of cancer therapies, enhance and support other therapies and treatment modalities, and eliminate side effects of existing therapies in the treatment of cancer. It is worthwhile investigating.
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REQUESTING ASSISTANCE FROM THE READERS
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A reader is requesting information/support about infertility.
My husband and I have been trying to have a baby for about seven years. We are slowly coming to some peace and acceptance, though it has been and continues to be painful. I don't know any other Baha'is who are going through this but would like to find some, and to hear others' thoughts.
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QUESTION OF THE MONTH
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The May issue will continue to cover the issues of mental health. Please share your comments, stories, thoughts and solutions on these issues.
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WEB SITE
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You can visit the website, obtain back issues and the Healing Through Unity Course at: http://www.healingthroughunity.org.
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PURPOSE OF THE NEWSLETTER
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"Healing Through Unity" is published for the purpose of sharing thoughts, comments and experiences on how the teachings of the Baha'i Faith are being applied to physical and spiritual health. Other than the quoted Holy Writings, the material in this newsletter represents the thoughts and opinions of the writers and has no authority. You are free to copy articles, provided you indicate the source of the article. There are 10 issues per year; it is not published during July and August. The newsletter is produced in Ontario, Canada. Please send your stories, comments, suggestions or "Question for the Month" ideas to Frances Mezei by e-mail: -- .
PLEASE NOTE:
Many thanks to all of you who sent such wonderful contributions for "Healing Through Unity" Newsletter. The decision to select and edit material submitted for publication is determined by the editor. If you have a change of e-mail address, please inform me with your old and new email addresses. To cancel the subscription, please send message to: --
HEALING THROUGH UNITY
May, 2001
A monthly newsletter dedicated to serving the principles of
physical and spiritual health envisioned in the Baha'i Teachings.Volume 4, Issue #9
_______________________________________________________
Contents
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- Eagles in a Storm
- A Story About Dealing with Suicide
- Call for Membership in the Association of Baha'i Mental Health Professionals
- Responses From the Readers About Infertility
- Humour As Therapy
- Desert Rose Baha'i Institute Holds Successful Health and Healing Conference
- Suggested Reading
- Health Habits
- Question of the Month
- Website
- Purpose of Newsletter*******************************
EAGLES IN A STORM
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Author Unknown
Did you know that an eagle knows when a storm is approaching long before it breaks? The eagle will fly to some high spot and wait for the winds to come. When the storm hits, it sets its wings so that the wind will pick it up and lift it above the storm. While the storm rages below, the eagle is soaring above it. The eagle does not escape the storm. It simply uses the storm to lift it higher. It rises on the winds that bring the storm.
When the storms of life come upon us - and all of us will experience them - we can rise above them by setting our minds and our belief toward God. The storms do not have to overcome us. We can allow Godís power to lift us above them. God enables us to ride the winds of the storm that bring sickness, tragedy, failure and disappointment in our lives. We can soar above the storm.
"I am the royal Falcon on the arm of the Almighty. I unfold the drooping wings of every broken bird and start it on its flight." (Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 169)
Remember, it is not the burdens of life that weigh us down, it is how we handle them. The Bible says, "Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles."( Isaiah 40:31)
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A STORY ABOUT DEALING WITH SUICIDE
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(Name withheld)
I would like to share a personal story in hopes it may help local spiritual assemblies respond to persons in distress.
I am a survivor of repeated childhood abuse. As a result of this abuse and possibly a bio-chemical make-up, which may be genetic, or a result of the abuse, I have experienced a number of symptoms related to mental illness whether it has been as a result of anxiety, depression, phobias, dissociation, flashbacks and suicidal feelings over the years. On a few occasions when the suicidal feelings were overwhelming I wanted to go to the Local Spiritual Assembly (the local Baha'i governing body) but felt intimidated in doing so. I went to the Local Spiritual Assembly on one occasion and was only able to say that I was going through a difficult time. The assembly fortunately decided to have two members available for me to speak with. This was easier than talking to nine individuals. At a time of feeling overwhelmed and not very interested in living, it is nearly impossible to share with a large group of people and to even get the energy to go to a meeting. Having two people was easier, however, when I asked for some help finding Bahaíi Writings on suicide I never received them. When within a couple of weeks I was hospitalized, after an overdose only one of the two came to visit me. This is an indication of an assembly not ready to respond. Eventually, a couple of years later, I received a six page compilation on suicide from the Universal House of Justice (Baha'i administrative body serving at the Baha'i World Centre in Haifa, Israel) after writing for some guidance. It is a very good compilation.
The last time I felt suicidal, I was living in a different community where I didnít feel my confidentiality would be respected as I had heard members of the Local Spiritual Assembly speak of others. I never told anyone on the assembly how I was feeling. I shared what was happening with another Bahaíi friend. For me it is very important to have contact with Bahaíis when I am feeling hopeless, full of despair and no longer have a desire to live. It is important because in the system at large it is unlikely I will find anyone:
- to say prayers with or for me,
- to help orient me back to my faith and a willingness to do Godís will,
- who has an understanding of tests and difficulties based on spiritual principles
- who is part of my spiritual family.I think if most of the members knew how I felt they would want to be helpful. I think it is in part my reticence to share my vulnerabilities and Local Spiritual Assemblies not being ready to respond to great distress that is the difficulty. Here are a few suggestions on what may have helped in my situation:
- I think it would be wise for every Local Spiritual Assembly to have some writings on any area of difficulty they may face. I think not getting help finding the writings when I asked actually made things worse than if I had never asked.
- I think it is important for someone on the assembly to follow-up with a person if they have expressed having difficulties. If there is any reason at all to suspect that the person is suicidal, the assembly should ask and see that the person gets professional help if necessary. If the person is getting professional help and is suicidal let them know you are going to contact the professional and do perform this task.
- Never betray anyoneís confidence because it causes other people to not seek help even if they need it.
- Be open about a number of difficulties since this lets people know you can be approached. Offering deepenings on a variety of difficult topics can best do this. Not only does this let people know the assembly is approachable, it prepares members of the assembly to deal with a wide range of issues should they arise. Ask the community members for topics they would like to deepen on. This may give a person an opportunity to get the information especially if they are reluctant to come forward with a personal issue.
In conclusion, I would like to tell anyone who feels suicidal, we may not know why God wants us here and we may not want to be here but if we hang on for another hour, fifteen minutes or a minute at a time, we undoubtedly will grow spiritually as we are tested and find ourselves victorious one more time. God wants us here for some reason or we wouldnít be here and He is assisting us whether we know it or not.
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"When a Baha'i finds it essential to seek the help of others, and after his own efforts and those of his family and close friends have proved inadequate, he may certainly turn to his Local Spiritual Assembly, which will consult on his problem, extend a helping hand to him,...and even more importantly, will counsel and advise him on what opportunities are open to him, and what steps he might take to seek a solution to his problem. If the Local Assembly feels that the help or guidance of the National Assembly should be sought, it will no doubt refer the matter to the National Assembly." (From letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer, September 1, 1980, Lights of Guidance, p. 123)
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CALL FOR MEMBERSHIP IN THE ASSOCIATION OF
BAHA'I MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS****************************************************************
By Mary K. Radpour, for the Board of Directors, Association of Baha'i Mental Health Professionals, U.S.
An exciting new organization has been born, and it needs your support and participation. In August 2000, the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States approved the incorporation of the newly formed Association of Baha'i Mental Health Professionals. Membership in the Association is not limited to psychotherapists but all those who have an interest in mental health and its treatment. It welcomes educators, psychologists, nurses, physicians, counsellors, administrators of programs for the developmentally disabled and chronically mentally ill, substance abuse counsellors, vocational counsellors, volunteers in service to the mentally ill, those serving the criminal justice system, researchers, and theoreticians and anyone who has an interest in a fuller understanding of the application of the Baha'i teachings to matters of mental health.
We do hope you will consider applying for membership. Among the advantages of membership: receiving the ABMHP newsletter, participating in an ABMPH listserve, reduced registration fees at the annual ABMHP conference, and receiving ABMHP publications. Student memberships are available as well. The best way to join the Association and to get other information about its activities is to visit the ABMHP website at www.abmhp.com If you have trouble accessing the website or have further questions, feel free to contact the secretary, Adrienne Stengel, at manifold@lib.purdue.edu, or by phone at 765-497-8223.
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RESPONSES FROM THE READERS ABOUT INFERTILITY
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(See article from a couple requesting information/support about infertility, April 2001, Volume 4, Issue #8)
My wife and I pioneered to Africa with our two children in 1977. Over the years we have adopted thirteen more children. At present we have children in different schools in Lusaka, Zambia, Tucson, Arizona, Kelowna, B.C., in addition to the five in school here in Chad. The others are all in British Columbia. We have also helped several American couples adopt children while they were serving here at the American Embassy.
So while I sympathize with the couple who can't conceive, there are options. There will be 30 million AIDs orphans in Africa in the next decade. We have seven of them in our home. They are all healthy children, eager to learn and share in the dream of a better life. So it might be worth doing some soul-searching and meditating on giving an opportunity to a child with no parents. One of the hardest things of living in Africa after being raised in North America is to see how many children with so much capacity live a life without hope of the basic necessities, including an education. There are thousands of children who live in the streets, searching garbage piles each morning, hoping to find a scrap to eat, with no chance to go to school and earn a living. Having been given the opportunity to provide an education to a few of these children, we have learned that there is no real difference between these children, and those born in North America. Only the lack of opportunity holds them back. Sorry to carry on here, but I tend to get a bit too passionate on this subject.
I know of a couple here who also had the same problems with infertility, and after several childless years, we found them a lovely baby boy to adopt. Within a few months, the couple conceived a baby girl. That is often the result when part of the problem is psychological. I would be happy to give advice on this matter to anyone who is considering this option.
- Lynn and Nigel Whitehouse, Chad, Africa, email: nigel.whiteho@intnet.td**********
I just wanted you to know how very sorry I am that you and your husband have tried for so long without getting children. I know a few other Baha'is who have struggled with infertility and are now resolved. All adopted (and are very happy about doing so) or did infertility treatments like IVF and Gift successfully.
It took us years to get our son. I have been pregnant eight times and done several IVFs etc. This struggle was the worst, most painful experience in my life, and I don't really understand why we had to go through it. I still cry often, especially when praying, remembering the grief and pain of those days. One positive outcome (besides our son of course) is that we are much more compassionate, feeling people now, less judgmental of other frustrated people. I hope one day to feel at peace about this time in my life. I think healing the heartbreak is a long-term project. I hope things work out for you and your husband, that you are empowered to make the right decisions for you.
- Carey Gakio, Massachusetts, U.S.A********
My homeopathic physician in Germany highly recommended a natural method of birth control which my husband and I have successfully used for the past 4 years and which I have used to help seven friends who were trying to get pregnant very quickly. One had been trying for years without success. Basically the reason the natural rhythm method (in which one avoids unprotected relations during the middle of the month) does not work is because a woman can spontaneously ovulate each month at the time when the moon is in the same position as it was at the time you were born. Sound strange? Well think about it. The average woman has a 28 day cycle - a lunar cycle! It's the latest craze in Germany, especially in the Catholic church which is a great supporter of it. A team of gynecologists have researched the whole thing and found it to be the only 100 % effective method of birth control. And for couples trying to become pregnant, it's a God-send!
The book in which all the charts are in etc is in German, so one would have to get a German friend to help decipher it for you, however for the lady that wrote in the Volume 4, issue 8 newsletter about trying for 7 years, I would be happy to tell her the dates when her moon is shining down on her extra hopefully for getting pregnant if she would send me the date, time, and place of her birth.
The book in German is called "Kosmobiologische Empfangnisplanung" by Shalila Saramon and Bodo Baginski. The ISBN number is 3-89385-025-2.
- Bita Zerbes, Romania***********
I have had to face (and conquer somewhat) the entire issue of infertility. When, at the age of 29, I married, we wisely decided to wait a year or so to have children. Well, a year after we married, we decided that we should try and get pregnant.........when nothing "happened" in six months, we consulted a doctor at our pioneering post. He immediately diagnosed Poly-Cystic Ovarian Disease (Stein-Levanthal Syndrome). I was placed on fertility drugs which went on for months. Later, we checked into fertility treatments and found that they were so expensive that we thought we couldn't afford them. So the years drifted by with no pregnancy in sight.........
I had begun graduate school and met a man who had a huge number of adopted children. I asked him about the process and he encouraged us to apply right away. Eventually we did and, following the home study process and the many legal necessities, we adopted an infant son from India. What a joy! Although he was tiny (very premature) and sickly the first few months, he thrived overall. He has brought much joy into our lives (and the usual trials and tribulations that go with parenting, too!).
When our son was about 2 1/2, we decided that our marriage had slowly died off. We chose to separate and eventually divorce. While it was awful and painful, we were able to consult about it and finally formed an excellent working relationship to parent our son.
From the age of 36 to 41, I was a single, working mother. I then met a wonderful Baha'i man and we decided to marry. We hoped we could have a biological child. So, we tried to get pregnant for six months. And, with advancing age, we raced right off to a fertility specialist (we managed to "afford" it).
We tried lots of stuff--I began to feel like I was living in the stirrups. We even got fertility drugs from Europe.....and, we were working with the knowledge that both of us contributed to the problem......finally, the doctor had a "heart-to-heart" with us. My age was in the way......we could consider in-vitro fertilization with a donor egg.
Now, far be it for me to say that at 43, I didn't want another baby......but, the reality was that I wasn't thrilled about the whole experience of being pregnant . If I got that way with my own egg and my husband's sperm, fine, but to go with something so chancy and so expensive, I stomped my foot and said "no more."
So, again grieving for the loss of my "own" babies, we looked at adoption again. So, we went to an agency, one that I'd worked for. We completed the home study--with the same social worker my first husband and I had for the first adoption. And, in September of '99, a 3 1/2 year old child came into our lives.
We were the 10th place this child had lived in his short life. In addition to his many moves, he had been born addicted and had to be detoxed from the heroin, methadone, cocaine, etc. he'd been bathed in. The first three months were the hardest of anything I've ever done. I've worked in social services for many years and have had a lot of hard jobs. Nothing begins to compare with the first three months. It was almost a solid tantrum, with only brief breaks when he was tearing through a closet or bedroom, on a seek-and-destroy mission.
About three months after he came, he and I shared a week in bed together with the hard, horrible flu. During that week, we seemed to bond a little. And, about that same time, we had a consultation with a psychologist who guessed his emotional age at about 9 months.
Shortly after that week, he began crawling up under my nightgown, pretending he was in "mama's tummy." Daddy and I would rub my "tummy" and talk about how happy we were going to be when our baby was born, wondering if it was a boy or girl, especially picking his name as the one we'd give our baby if it was a boy. (At first, he attempted to birth rather vigorously up through the neck of my nightie!) We'd just be so overjoyed when our baby was born! We'd wrap him in a blanket (like a burrito) and rock and love him.
About the same time as we started the rocking and rebirthing, his social worker let us read his entire file. There was an incident recorded about him at age 9 months. At that time, the biological mother had gone out and left him in care of the 9 and 6 years old brothers. The 6 year old and his friend had packed the baby's nose with gum. A neighbor heard the frantic baby and managed to climb in a window to get him. She got the gum out, just about the time the police arrived. The mother arrived shortly thereafter and the police left. The three boys had been placed into foster care when he was 10 months old.
So, we had a major traumatic incident at 9 months. He was "stuck" at 9 months. And, he picked his nose until it gushed. Could there be a connection? Very soon, I said, very casually, to him as he was picking his nose, that I'd read that he had some bigger kids do something to him when he was a baby, that he couldn't remember. I then told him something like, "those silly gooses put gum in your nose and you couldn't breathe," and that was why he was picking it now. I reassured him that no one would ever do that to him again, that he was in a safe place now........the picking immediately dropped to almost zero. And, if he did it, he stopped very quickly--when it began to hurt.
Progress on becoming a family has been slow but sure. We've been blessed with a therapist who has done wonderful work with him (play therapy). We've also been blessed with having supportive social workers and a great adoption support program. We have what we need to care for him, forever. Seeing how far this child has come and how much we love him, could I ever say we shouldn't have gone through all this? No. The pain and agony that we've had in bringing this child into our lives has only seared away the pain of infertility.
My husband and I received a Pilgrimage Invitation. We debated about how we could possibly go to Pilgrimage and leave him. We couldn't. We chose to take him with us. Yes, we missed out on some of the evening events. But, compared to being with this child as he laid his head on the Threshold of the Shrine of Baha'u'llah, did we miss much?
- Lenore Lawrence, Pacific, Washington**********
"He that bringeth up his son or son of another, it is as though he hath brought up a son of Mine; upon him rest My Glory, My Loving Kindness, My Mercy, that have compassed the world." (Baha'u'llah, Synopsis and Codification of the Kitab-i-Aqdas, p. 16: taken from Lights of Guidance, p. 141, Helen Hornby)
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HUMOUR AS THERAPY
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By Judy Cools, Michigan, U.S.A
". true happiness and joy and humour that are part of a balanced life. are characteristics that enrich life and add to its radiance." (From a letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer May 8, 1979)
I don't remember my first introduction to Humour-as-Therapy but I clearly remember the day it changed my life. My husband and son had been together in a terrible motorcycle accident. With my husband two hours away in a rural hospital, I found myself in the Intensive Care unit of the larger hospital where our son had been air-lifted.
People spoke in hushed tones on dimly lit corridors. Even the machines that kept him alive seemed to be whispering. The dear friends who took me to the hospital were clearly following my lead for where to go, what to ask, and what life-threatening decision had to be met.
One of the procedures the doctors used to protect our son's brain was to install an inter-cranial pressure monitor. It's a probe placed on the brain, which sets off an alert if pressure starts to build. It looked a lot like the pop-up timer one sees in a frozen turkey breast -- and amid the dark hallways and the softly humming equipment, I said so.
My friends and I collapsed into hysterical laughter. The absurdity took away much of the surreal atmosphere of the true life-and-death situation we faced.
Part of "self-care" in times of severe stress is the ability to laugh. The physical components of laughter include a change in breathing pattern, a release of tensed muscles, and the introduction of the body's own hormones and pain-killers. Psychologically, laughter brings a fresh perspective to an often terrifying situation. It gives a person the chance to re-group, to let go of pent up emotions and regain balance for the important issues yet to come.
My husband and my son seemed to know this instinctively. Even though both had had multiple, serious injuries, they insisted I take them to play mini-golf the same weekend they were both home from the hospital! Both were weak and wobbly from medication, but completely impatient about getting up from their sickbeds. I don't know why they wanted to play mini-golf, but they figured they were evenly matched because each had a broken arm and bruises everywhere else.
We were quite a sight at the mini-golf course -- two unsteady, busted-up guys in casts and workout clothes and a very tired female companion who couldn't do much but fuss over them and take photos of this insanity.
In the years that followed, our family faced many hardships from surgeries to financial strain and several year-long recoveries for both father and son. Life is different today as we still learn to deal with the dynamics resulting from that day. We always try to be on good terms when any of us part company just in case something traumatic happens. We often whisper, "God bless you and protect you" when we pass someone on a motorcycle. And we never say, "Let's hit the road" when we're going somewhere!
While some people see laughter as irreverent or inappropriate in serious circumstances, I have found it can be a vital means to remain centered, to break an overcoming tension, and to continue on.
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DESERT ROSE BAHA'I INSTITUTE HOLDS
SUCCESSFUL HEALTH AND HEALING CONFERENCE********************************************************************
By Susan Clair, New Mexico, United States
Under a clear, blue Arizona sky, the Desert Rose Baha'i Institute opened its doors to about sixty participants for the Second Annual Baha'i Health and Healing Conference, February 9-11/01. People traveled from Georgia, Minnesota, New Mexico, and various locations around Arizona to attend this conference.
The first event of the conference was an enlightening presentation by Dr. Bill Saunders, Smyrna, Georgia. Dr. Saunders, a retired physician now providing health-care guidance via the Internet, spoke on ìPerfect Healthî and explained the use of simple foods, healing waters, and fasting to attain perfect health.
The Saturday program began with prayers followed by music from singer-songwriter John Cook, who lives in St. David, Arizona. The first presentation of the day, ìImproving Spiritual Digestion,î was co-delivered by Drs. Judy Petersen and Jack Daugherty, both naturopathic physicians, who jointly operate the Santa Fe Avenue Natural Health Clinic in Grants, New Mexico. They compared spiritual health to a healthy food-digestion process, emphasizing that spiritual health depends upon our ability to ìdigestî spiritual information. They stressed the negative effects of fear, which they termed the ìbiggest veilî in our lives. They explained that healing is a process and health is a lifestyle. In conclusion, they spoke about contentment, that which ìbubbles up on the inside, a condition of the soul.î
Katia LeMone-Mooney spoke about ìThe Spiritual Focus of Education,î drawing from her experiences as a mother, Baha'i pioneer in Tanzania, midwife, and seminar leader for the U.S. Department of the Interior. She emphasized the importance of being aligned with the principles of the Baha'i Faith to best perform our work in our chosen careers.
After a delicious lunch and ìhealth walkî on institute grounds, conference attendees participated in an afternoon workshop of their choice. Offered workshops included ìA Spiritual Paradigm for Health and Healing: An Application of the Baha'i Teachings on Spiritual Reality,î by Dr. Arvind Auluck-Wilson, a physicist and homeopathic consultant originally from India and now living in Stillwater, Minnesota; ìEclectic Medicine - from Homeopathy to Allopathy,î by Dr. Randall Robinson, a naturopathic physician and former Peace Corps worker from Mesa, Arizona; ìHealing Touch,î by certified healing touch practitioner Kate Toussaint, R.N., from Yuma, Arizona; and ìTíai Chi Chih,î by Korean-born Suni McHenry, from Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Robert Waters, Ph.D., presented the topic ìHow to Obtain Scientific Evidence.î A geneticist who, during the 1970s, worked on DNA hybridization techniques with Nobel Laureate Dr. Norman E. Borlaug, now teaches at Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine in Phoenix. As part of his presentation, Dr. Waters explained various methods of obtaining data and using it as scientific evidence as well as describing his interest and participation in agricultural programs being developed by the Lakota Sioux Tribe of South Dakota.
Barbara Nakai, M.P.H and family nurse practitioner from Rio Ranch, New Mexico, led all the presenters in a midafternoon focus group designed to explore the implications of Bahaíuíllahís Tablet to a Physician.
Following another delicious dinner prepared by institute staff, John Cook talked briefly about the spiritual effect of music and played the guitar, accompanied by his long-time friend, Chester Kahn, who kept the beat on a Chippewa drum. Chester Kahn 's presentation, ìNative American Healing,î provided an introduction to Navajo healing traditions. He talked about medicine men, sand paintings, traditional diagnostic practices, and healing ceremonies.
Sunday morning held a consultation session led by Lee Panak III on ìVisualizing the Ideal Health and Healing Conference,î to explore ways to make the Third Annual Health and Healing Conference even better than the second. Dr. Kenneth Proefrock, a naturopathic physician from Surprise, Arizona gave a talk entitled ìIím a Little Teapot: Caring for the Vessel that Houses Your Spirit,î derived its title from the nursery rhyme that he sings to his children. He explained that as human spiritual beings, we have the opportunity to ìproactively evolve,î and ìto maintain abundance in our lives, it is essential to stay as close as possible to the Divine.î
Before leaving the conference, about fifteen participants gathered in the consultation room of the instituteís main building, to consult on preliminary plans for next yearís health and healing conference. They were so excited about this yearís conference that they were eager to get a ìjump startî on next yearís conference.
Everyone left feeling that they were part of an exciting and ongoing exploration of healing issues and processes, with Bahaíi teachings as their primary guidance. Dr. Rishel, conference coordinator, summed up her feelings ìI felt something had been born, a new level of commitment and collaboration, something of which the significance will be known in the future.î
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SUGGESTED READING
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MULTIFAITH INFORMATION MANUAL
By Ontario Multifaith Council on Spiritual and Religious Care
The organization which compiled this helpful manual is an advocate for spiritual care and religious rights, working in support of hospital chaplains and other care-givers within institutions. The foreword is written by the Baha'i representative on this multifaith council, emphasizing the unity of the religions featured, and showing how this is a celebration of the diversity of the human spiritual experience, as well as a practical guide to the needs of members of different religions. Although originally written for a Canadian readership, the principles and practices outlined here are universal, and will be of interest and assistance to anyone working or studying in the caring professions, such as nursing and teaching. Ontario Multifaith Council on Spiritual and Religious Care, Canada, ISBN 1-896377-00-9, email: omcsrc@omc.on.ca, telephone (416) 422-1490 or 1-888-837-0923, website: www.omc.on.ca.
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ANATOMY OF AN ILLNESS AS PERCEIVED BY THE PATIENT
by Normal Cousins, W.W. Norton and Company, 1979
Rene Bubos shares in the introduction of the book "The basic theme of this book is that every person must accept a certain measure of responsibility for his or her own recovery from disease or disability. This notion of patient responsibility is not new, of course, but the general philosophy behind the notion has seldom been stated better than in this book. Though the author is a layman, his ideas have achieved wide acceptance by the medical profession. His perceptions about the nature of stress and about the ability of the human mind to mobilize the body's capacity to combat illness are in accord with important findings at leading medical research centres....."
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HEALTH HABITS
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Here are some essential elements for our spiritual and physical health provided by a physician who has practiced for more than 35 years under the guidance of the Baha'i teachings.
Trust in God
Consult a skilled physician and follow his instructions
Practice detachment from all save God
Practice moderation
Pray and meditate daily; read the Creative Word morning and evening
Be always happy
Simplify
Focus
Practice patience
Cleanliness
Eat simple, wholesome foods
Drink adequate pure water
Evaluate progress daily, summarize weekly***************************************
QUESTION OF THE MONTH
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What are some ways to protect, nurture and revivify our families? How can therapists assist families to learn healthy relationships and behaviours?
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WEB SITE
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You can visit the website, obtain back issues and the Healing Through Unity Course at: http://www.healingthroughunity.org.
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PURPOSE OF THE NEWSLETTER
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"Healing Through Unity" is published for the purpose of sharing thoughts, comments and experiences on how the teachings of the Baha'i Faith are being applied to physical and spiritual health. Other than the quoted Holy Writings, the material in this newsletter represents the thoughts and opinions of the writers and has no authority. You are free to copy articles, provided you indicate the source of the article. There are 10 issues per year; it is not published during July and August. The newsletter is produced in Ontario, Canada. Please send your stories, comments, suggestions or "Question for the Month" ideas to Frances Mezei by e-mail: -- .
PLEASE NOTE:
Many thanks to all of you who send such wonderful contributions for "Healing Through Unity" Newsletter. The decision to select and edit material submitted for publication is determined by the editor. If you have a change of e-mail address, please inform me with your old and new email addresses. To cancel the subscription, please send message to: --
HEALING THROUGH UNITY
June, 2001
A monthly newsletter dedicated to serving the principles of
physical and spiritual health envisioned in the Baha'i Teachings.
Volume 4, Issue #10
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Contents
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- Letter from the Editor
- The Relationship of Baha'u'llah and 'Abdu'l-Baha
- The Exchange
- The Road to Family Consultation
- Goals of Family Therapy
- A Daughter's Care for her Parents when Ill
- Story about a Substance Abuse Booklet
- Website Correction
- Website
- Purpose of the Newsletter*************************************
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
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An overwhelming number of responses from the questionnaire have been received along with a flood of support, practical ideas, offers to write articles, encouragement and love. Many of the readers have provided sound ideas and helpful suggestions for future issues. Each comment that you have written will be taken into careful consideration, and hopefully some of the responses will be included in a Fall issue. A few readers requested a table of contents of the back issues and the table of contents for both Volumes One and Two have been placed in the website: www.healingthroughunity.org. The table of contents for Volumes Three and Four will be prepared in the near future. If you have not already completed the questionnaire, please feel to do so. The energy and strength coming from the readers is enormous and will take us together into the future. Many thanks for your wonderful response and participation.
Since the newsletter is not published during July and August, this is our last issue for our fourth year, until September, 2001. On behalf of the reviewers and myself, thank you for your contributions of articles, stories, and letters this past year. I feel very fortunate to be a part of the newsletter since I learn so much from you. Each subscriber is precious and we are privileged to be a part of this every growing resource. I hope you have a wonderful summer and look forward to your participation in the newsletter in September.
Frances Mezei, Editor
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THE RELATIONSHIP OF BAHA'U'LLAH AND 'ABDU'L-BAHA
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From "The Covenant of Baha'u'llah" by Adib Taherzadeh, George Ronald, pgs. 135-6.
"It must be remembered that the relationship of Baha'u'llah and the members of His family who remained faithful to the Cause was not like the relationship which exists between members of ordinary families. Normally, a father and son at home have a very intimate and informal attitude towards each other. But in the case of Baha'u'llah and His faithful children, it was very different indeed, although that intimate relationship of father and son did exist. However, the station of Baha'u'llah as the Manifestation of God completely overshadowed His position as a physical father.
Abdu'l-Baha, the Greatest Holy Leaf (Baha'u'llah's daughter) and the Purest Branch (Baha'u'llah's son) looked upon Baha'u'llah not merely as their father, but as their Lord, and because they had truly recognized His station, they acted at all times as most humble servants at His threshold. Abdu'l-Baha always entered the presence of Baha'u'llah with such genuine humility and reverence that no one among His followers could express the spirit of lowliness and utter self-effacement as He did. The humility of Abdu'l-Baha as He bowed before His Father, or prostrated Himself at His feet, demonstrated the unique relationship which existed between this Father and His faithful sons and daughter.
When Baha'u'llah moved to the Mansions of Mazraih and Bahji, Abdu'l-Baha stayed in Akka. Whenever He went to attain the presence of His Father, He dismounted from His steed when He approached the Mansion, because He considered it disrespectful for a servant to be riding when he visited his Lord.
While Abdu'l-Baha showed such lowliness and humility, the outpouring of love and admiration by Baha'u'llah for His Son knew no bounds. His pleasure and joy when Abdu'l-Baha visited Him at the Mansion were evident. So eager was He to receive Abdu'l-Baha with marks of honour that He would dispatch a contingent of the believers, including His sons, to distant fields outside the Mansion as a welcoming party, while He himself would be standing on the balcony to watch Him arrive."
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THE EXCHANGE
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Question:
What are some ways to protect, nurture and revivify our families? How can therapists assist families to learn healthy relationships and behaviours?
Answer:
There are many thoughts to share on this, but please let me focus on two that have been most important to me in maintaining a marriage.
One point is to know that every "living thing" has its cycles. There are stages of movement and growth, stages of rest, stages of adjustment to yet another cycle. The ancient Chinese Holy Book, the I CHING speaks of marriage in terms of "duration" - like a heartbeat with its diastolic and systolic (expanding and contracting) periods. The "fairytale" or "Hollywood" view takes in only the expansion aspect. When the marriage hits a contraction period partners who are unprepared for this aspect of the cycle sometimes struggle inappropriately against that tide, rather than recognizing that mostly it takes patient support, and parallel movement, allowing the Divine Spirit to come into play with the distance that seems to exist. "Let the winds of the Heavens dance between you," as Khalil Gibran put it so eloquently.
The distance seems so great at times, that partners are prone to wonder if their marriage can survive. They may think it is already dead. Baha'u'llah in recognizing the reality that at times affection seems to totally disappear, has offered the remedy of "a year of patience" in order to restore the bonds of affection when needed. It is sad that many Baha'is treat a "year of patience" as a prelude to divorce rather than as a healing period to reset and restore the vitality of the eternal heartbeat of a marriage.
There are four things which the Universal House of Justice has suggested are vital to do during a year of patience. These are taken from the statement called "Preserving Baha'i Marriages". I summarize them and add my own thoughts:
1) Seek counselling. Consultation and support of learned and wise experts or even unbiased, supportive friends can be extremely helpful in helping individuals and couples to deal with and modify the sources of negative or unruly emotions. An assembly may offer counselling, or assign loving individuals to "spiritually companion" a couple (or family) for a period of time. The couple may wish to seek out suitable professional help. At the very least they can seek out good advice through books and the Writings.
2) Pray together often. Even if you find you cannot speak to each other directly about issues without becoming reactive (and in times of great emotional pain this is a natural condition), you can sit in each other's presence and turn to the Best Beloved. (If one partner is not a Baha'i or has some aversion to praying with the other, counsellors sometimes recommend finding an inspirational book to read aloud to each other for 30 minutes or so at a time. This helps to realign the thought patterns to more positive ways of communicating and thinking.)
3) Do some acts of service together. Even in the worst of times, to find some project to work on together helps to make a bridge from the worst times to the better times.
4) Remark on the positive attributes of the partner every day. This is one of the best tests a person can have of "forgetting" the bad points and mentioning only the good. It is one of the most healing exercises. If done consistently and steadfastly for the sake of God, it does much to heal wounds which may have resulted unintentionally in the partnership. It also heals wounds that go even deeper into the past that may have been re-opened through no fault of either side. It is these unintentionally opened wounds that sometimes are the cause of pain in an otherwise viable love relationship. Naming the virtues in one another "fills" the soul with "the spirit of life."
The second point is that Abdu'l-Baha also mentions that each member of a family has rights and prerogatives. These must be protected. That means that each member of a family also has particular roles and responsibilities. One approach that family therapists take is to look at the family as a single cell and to identify if each role is operating within its due boundaries of responsibilities and rights. If the responsibilities and the rights are not functioning in the proper balance, the difficulties of "family dysfunction" are bound to occur. Sometimes, it is a relatively easy matter to recognize the adjustment that needs to be made to bring the healthy functioning back to the "living system" of the family. The roles and responsibilities need to be readjusted periodically as the family moves through its various challenges and matures to new stages. Counsellors trained to recognize family interactions from this perspective can set a family on a renewed footing within relatively few visits.
- Marilyn Higgins, M.S. (Family Counselling), Ph.D., Japan
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"According to the teachings of Baha'u'llah, the family being a human unit must be educated according to the rules of sanctity. All the virtues must be taught the family. The integrity of the family bond must be constantly considered, and the rights of the individual members must not be transgressed. The rights of the son, the father, the mother - none of them must be transgressed, none of them must be arbitrary. Just as the son has certain obligations to his father, the father, likewise has certain obligations to his son. The mother, the sister and other members of the household have their certain prerogatives. All these rights and prerogatives must be conserved, yet the unity of the family must be sustained. The injury of one shall be considered the injury of all; the comfort of each, the comfort of all; the honor of one, the honor of all." ('Abdu'l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 168)
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THE ROAD TO CONSULTATION
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Author Withheld (Taken from Parenting in the New World Order, February, 1996, Vol 5, Issue #6)
The road to family consultation has been long and rocky, since my husband and I became Baha'is ten years ago. 'Abdu'l-Baha's lovely summing up of the process of change 'little by little, day by day' certainly applies to us. The rewards of family consultation are absolutely priceless, as our family can attest. Initial efforts were met with resistance from either adult or child or even from all of us! We wanted change - but weren't united about it. Unity is definitely a verb, an action rather than some ideal state to be achieved solely through wishing! My experience has shown me that the price of unity is paid for with commitment, inner searching and lots of talking. It also involves sacrifice on someone's part, usually the parents. Our children were one and three when we became Baha'is. We had been parenting in a permissive style - the children were looked on as perfect while we adults were riddled with faults which we had to point out to each other!
So, there was very little unity and virtually no equality. We did love each other and we were very much in love with the Faith. This was the basis upon which we started the process of family transformation. For the first few years the Writings of family life were viewed as "very nice" but "for the future"; no doubt for the "new race of men" which are referred to in the Writings, not us mere mortals struggling away to make ends meet. Gradually, through prayer and deepening, we started to get insights into our individual behaviour and how it was impacting on our family.
I can remember the first family meeting we had, we yelled at the kids because they wouldn't sit still, we glared at them through prayers, and then we adults dominated them during the consultation. We did decide to have a family night once a week. At that time this consisted of renting a video. I went along with this because I was out-voted, but I didn't agree with it. In fact, I frequently went out while the rest of my family watched the movie. Then I heard Gordon Naylor talking about their family consultation centering on upholding the decision made by the majority; not just going along but also actively and wholeheartedly supporting the event. When I did this, staying through the movie and making popcorn, sitting with my husband - our situation started to change more rapidly.
Soon we had five children and a large home to run. The family meetings were held irregularly, group prayers were still said infrequently. The need for family meetings was urgent. The problems were as follows: I was doing most of the housework - from laundry to dishes to vacuuming, it was impossible to keep up. As a result, I was frustrated and feeling depressed and acting out my feelings. It was not a pretty sight...My behaviour resulted with my children and husband being resentful. The first meetings were spent with me apologizing often. As the meetings progressed, we addressed the housework, chores and allowances since they were the leading cause of stress and fights. Issues surrounding aggressive behaviour were discussed - loud talk, name-calling, hitting were brought up as inappropriate.
While doing my personal inner look, I had to deal with my own behaviour. There was a pattern to my outbursts and I had to discover ways to prevent a full-blown angry display. Through conscious and honest appraisal I have been able to improve my self-control. It's hard to break old patterns of behaviour but we certainly have the capacity to change. Gradually a feeling of gratitude crept into the meetings, the children were doing their share of their week-end work and nightly dishes. The house was divided into zones which are supervised by each person and cleaned up on Saturday morning as a group. One landmark decision we made was to be a consulting family instead of a conflicting family....
The process was slow but sure since it is what Baha'u'llah wants us to do. It created happiness. Gradually the language of consultation became familiar, though at first we didn't notice the effects. Someone once said that the bad has to come out before the good can come in. Consultation speeds the good and prayer keeps it coming.
What makes me really happy is that we are gradually transforming our family hands on, and we are united. It feels good to work hard and get results. No matter what happens we can apply this principle. We have to understand that this is a process and that we all have a lot of work to do.
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"Baha'u'llah also stressed the importance of consultation. We should not think this worthwhile method of seeking solutions is confined to the administrative institutions of the Cause. Family consultation employing full and frank discussion, and animated by awareness of the need for moderation and balance, can be the panacea for domestic conflict." (Universal House of Justice, from a letter dated August 1, 1978, to an individual, Baha'i Marriage and Family Life, p. 36)
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GOALS OF FAMILY THERAPY
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(Editor's note: The following excerpts from "The Shelter of Each Other: Rebuilding Our Families" written by Mary Pipher outlines some practical steps for goals of family therapy. They are taken from chapter 7, pages 134 - 153.)
1. WE NEED TO PROTECT
Therapists give families a place to build family identity and power. We can teach them how to protect themselves with their values, use of time and places, celebrations, stories and metaphors. Building family takes commitment and hard choices about priorities. Building families means driving all night to a cousin's funeral or telling co-workers that you can't work Saturdays. It involves putting family first, something that is rarely convenient and not always even pleasant.
2. WE NEED TO CONNECT FAMILIES TO OTHERS
We can work to connect people with their histories and their extended families. Even the most difficult families usually have some potentially redeemable members. In the past, we have too often recommended distancing and cutoffs. While these actions are sometimes necessary, they are last-resort strategies. Once broken, fences are hard to mend. We can do families much damage when we separate members, even when those members are not getting along all that well. It's better for us to help in the healing. We can sober up people who are "intoxicated by their own rightness" and help families invent "mechanisms of forgiveness."
We can help families build support systems. As part of our assessments we can draw sociograms of resources in their neighborhoods - the older couple who loves children, the next-door neighbor who has offered to help, etc. We can connect families to each other and encourage them to work for their common good. Community centres with supervised athletic and social events for young people can make a tremendous difference in the health of individuals and communities.
3. BE PURVEYORS OF HOPE
The phrase comes from Don Meichenbaum, a cognitive-behavioural therapist who believes inspiring hope is the therapist's first duty and major contribution. If people feel worse about themselves and their situations after they come in, therapy isn't working. We can focus on learning, creativity, fun and good work. Hope isn't about facts that can be disputed, it's an existential choice about how to face adversity.
4. BE PURVEYORS OF RESPECT
Good therapists emphasize respect as much as caring. Therapists do care, but they also know that respect is a much more powerful motivator. Respect is connected to thinking as well as emotion and it's easier to link respect with specific behaviours. "I respect that you have stopped smoking pot because you want to be a good role model for your children" or "I respect that you will not join a gang."
Respect means that clients speak for themselves and are responsible for their own actions. Those family members not in the room also deserve respect. Therapists can support coping and reinforce resilience by asking - What did you learn from this experience? Respect also implies no us/them dichotomies.
5. WE CAN HELP FAMILIES DEVELOP A STRATEGY TO MAKE GOOD DECISIONS
Most people are trying to do the right thing, but many people do not know what the right thing is and family members often disagree on this. We can help people learn a process for discussing choices in a way that includes everyone and leads to a fair, reasoned decision.
6. WE CAN TEACH EMPATHY
Simone Weil said, "The only real question to be asked of another is what are you experiencing?" We can encourage people to turn off their machines, stop rushing around and ask this of each other. We can teach that people love only in the ways they can love. Too often people spend their lives searching for one kind of love, when all around them there is love if only they would see it. We can teach people to identify different kinds of loving - the husband who changes the oil in the car early Sunday morning, the child who watches his father's face for signs of respect,...
7. WE CAN PROMOTE AUTHENTICITY AND CREATIVITY
We can encourage people to tell the truth and be themselves. We can help people define themselves from within, rather than allowing the larger culture to define them. We can encourage them to write, play music, paint, cook, make quilts, etc.
8. WE CAN FIGHT SECRETS, PROMOTE OPENNESS AND ENCOURAGE FACING PAIN DIRECTLY
We can encourage families to tell the truth about family suicides, criminals, addictions, unplanned pregnancies, adoptions and abuse. Whatever the family is ashamed of must be discussed. As Adrienne Rich wrote, "That which is unspoken becomes unspeakable." We are diminished by living with problems we try not to see. Secrets keep families from dealing with reality. They create alliances and estrangements. They keep things from changing and make people feel ashamed. For families or individuals to be healthy, they must be able to integrate all of their experiences into their lives. Unprocessed experiences block growth and keep people from thinking clearly and realistically. We can encourage people to work through the problems rather than avoid them.
9. WE CAN HELP FAMILIES TO DIFFUSE ANXIETY AND COPE WITH STRESS
Families need ways to deal with things that are embarrassing, frightening, sad or upsetting. If families do not have good ways to cope with stress, they will have bad ways. We can teach families anxiety management and help people process their pain. We can encourage talking and listening, what trauma workers call "being and staying" with each other's pain. Therapists can teach wellness and healthy lifestyles. We can encourage families to eat properly and exercise regularly.
10. WE CAN HELP FAMILY MEMBERS FIND BALANCE BETWEEN INDIVIDUAL AND CONNECTION
We can help families settle boundary disputes. I think of a young single mother who lived with her baby and her parents. Sometimes she felt they interfered with her parenting. They made suggestions about when to put the baby to bed and how to dress the baby. She was grateful for their help, but wanted more autonomy.
Some families are too enmeshed. Some parents do too much for their children. Siblings can interfere in each other's marriages. These are people who don't have a life or an identity and who borrow an identity from others. But therapists have tended to focus more on the dangers of this enmeshment than on the dangers of isolation. It's time for a corrective rebalancing. We help people the most when we acknowledge for their needs for both connection and autonomy.
EXERCISES
Here are some exercises that Mary Pipher, the author of this book, uses with families when in therapy:
- Uses assignments to help families clarify their positions, discover new things about themselves and stay motivated to work toward long-term goals. Families can have weekly meetings on their own and invent assignments for themselves.
- Asks families to record their victories. Family members keep track of successes and report on them when they come in for therapy. For example, victories can be meals together, time spent having fun or honest conversations about conflict.
- After families have experienced trauma, helps them design healing ceremonies.
- Encourages the gifts of attention, lessons, encouragement and experiences. For example, a friend writes long letters to all her grandchildren every week and tapes them stories for their bedtimes.
- Encourages families to increase their expressions of affection. Families often need to be reminded to hug each other, to compliment each other and to say how they feel about each other. Encourages people to write notes, make short phone calls, do small favors and express affection in whatever ways it can be received.
- Recommends that parents schedule once-a-week breakfasts alone with their adolescents. It's a good time to talk about life. Encourages these breakfasts to be a free zone in which grades, chores, rules violations and money are not mentioned.
- Encourages to bring in aunts and uncles, cousins and grandparents when the nuclear family is struggling. Family reunions are important. It's great when children can go visit relatives for extended stays.
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A DAUGHTER'S CARE FOR HER PARENTS WHEN ILL
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By Melody Logue, Ohio, U.S.A
This story occurred in 1988. My parents had just moved in with me in April of 1987. My mother had COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) and, although she was doing quite well at the time we all felt that it would be the best thing to do in the long run as she did occasionally have exacerbations of the COPD and ended up in the hospital.
In January of 1988 my mother started having some pretty high blood pressures which turned out to be from a blocked artery to one of her kidneys. We had to wait three weeks to get her into a hospital 120 miles away for the angioplasty procedure. That went quite well and solved the high blood pressures. In May of that year we found out that my father had inoperable lung cancer. He spent the entire very, very hot summer going for radiation treatments. I don't remember sleeping at all that year.
Between the two of them I was in an emergency room thirteen times that year. I was in the ER one additional time because I slipped on some water on the floor of my mother's hospital room and did a very ungraceful belly flop. My mother had seven hospital stays and my father had three. The week before Thanksgiving I had a benign tumor removed from my breast. Thanksgiving day my mother was having problems breathing so I took her to the hospital where they put her in intensive care. Two nights later, on Saturday, my father was having trouble breathing so I took him to the hospital and they put him in intensive care -- in the room NEXT to my mother!! It was the middle of the night and I was concerned about how she would find out he was there. I knew if she heard him coughing she would know it was him. So, I stayed in the ICU waiting room the rest of the night and when my mother woke up about 7am the nurses came out and got me so I could tell her what had happened. I walked into her room, she looked at me and then at the clock and said, "What are you doing here?" I told her what had happened and she shook her head and said, "If we had a dog, you'd be in the vet's office too." She had the nurse and I both laughing. She got out of the hospital a week later. My father was in for two weeks and died on a Sunday morning the day after my birthday.
Another time my mother's pulmonary doctor was going over a list of her medications. She was on several due to the lung disease and some other chronic conditions she had (all necessary). He started chuckling and said, "They say the more meds a patient is on the worse the doctor is. From the looks of this list I must be a quack!"
He is actually one of the best pulmonary doctors around here and, because of him and our family doctor (both D.O's) her life and quality of life was extended beyond anyone's imagination. She had been on continuous oxygen from 1987 until her passing in 1996 and had during the last three years of her life been on a ventilator four times. I became a Baha'i in 1966 and she declared in 1993 but had, in reality, been a Baha'i for a much longer time. She always felt that she didn't know enough to declare and that she wouldn't be able to teach but she lived the life and taught in that way every day. Her biggest single teaching effort was her funeral. There were about 100 people at the services. The readings were wonderful and the friend who read the Prayer for the Departed took the time to explain it first. Our family doctor came and did the "eulogy" and, in it, mentioned how the Baha'i Faith had come to sustain her.
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To look after the sick is one of the greatest duties! Every soul who becomes sick, the other friends should certainly offer the life (of service) in the utmost kindness.
We should all visit the sick. When they are in sorrow and suffering it is a real help and benefit to have a friend come. Happiness is a great healer to those who are ill. In the east it is the custom to call upon the patient often and meet him individually. The people in the east show the utmost kindness and compassion to the sick and suffering. This has greater effect than the remedy itself. You must always have this thought of love and affection when you visit the ailing and afflicted. (ëAbdu'l-Bah·, The Pattern of Bah·'Ì Life - A Compilation, p. 26)
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STORY ABOUT A SUBSTANCE ABUSE BOOKLET
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By Cheri King, British Columbia, Canada
I work in a hospital as a social worker. I had finished reading the booklet "Substance Abuse: A Baha'i Perspective" by Dr. A. Ghadirian just a couple of weeks ago. Then two days ago (wondering what would put it to best use) I decided to offer it as a donation to the library at the department where I work in the hospital. The secretary sent out an e-mail to all the staff about it, saying that I'd read it, recommended it highly, and that it was "a good, quick read". After sending the e-mail, the secretary said she wanted to wait and read it herself before putting in the library. The next day, one of the social workers approached me, said she'd read it, thanked me, and said it was a very practical, well-written book for people with addictions, people working with people with addictions, or for people with loved ones who have addictions problems. When I arrived home today, there was a message on my answering machine from our emergency ward social worker, saying she'd read it today at work, and that it was "very interesting and helpful -- insightful". And this is only 48 hours after the book was placed there!
I just wanted to share that with you, as it may be a very practical, timely book to give to libraries, physicians, hospitals, clinics, people working with addicted people, or friends who have addicted people in their families. (This book can be ordered from Unity Arts, 1-800-465-3287, (613) 727-6200 or check the Baha'i Books Online at www.bahaibooksonline.com, email: orders@bahaibooksonline.com. You may also wish to check your local Baha'i distribution outlet to see if they sell this book.)
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WEBSITE CORRECTION
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In the article "Call for Membership in the Association of Baha'i Mental Health Professionals", Volume 6, Issue #9 had the wrong website address. The correct address for the website is www.abmhp.org. Sorry for this error.
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WEB SITE
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You can visit the website, obtain back issues and the Healing Through Unity Course at: http://www.healingthroughunity.org.
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PURPOSE OF THE NEWSLETTER
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"Healing Through Unity" is published for the purpose of sharing thoughts, comments and experiences on how the teachings of the Baha'i Faith are being applied to physical and spiritual health. Other than the quoted Holy Writings, the material in this newsletter represents the thoughts and opinions of the writers and has no authority. You are free to copy articles, provided you indicate the source of the article. There are 10 issues per year; it is not published during July and August. The newsletter is produced in Ontario, Canada.
Please send your stories, comments, suggestions or "Question for the Month" ideas to Frances Mezei by e-mail: -- .
PLEASE NOTE:
Many thanks to all of you who send such wonderful contributions for "Healing Through Unity" Newsletter. The decision to select and edit material submitted for publication is determined by the editor. If you have a change of e-mail address, please inform me with your old and new email addresses. To cancel the subscription, please send message to: --
HEALING THROUGH UNITY
September, 2001
A monthly newsletter dedicated to serving the principles of
physical and spiritual health envisioned in the Baha'i Teachings.
Volume 5, Issue #1
_____________________________________________________
Contents
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- "Healing Through Unity" Newsletter Questionnaire Results
- National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of New Zealand Requests
Assistance from the Readers
- Announcements
- Question of the Month
- Website
- Purpose of the Newsletter********************************************************
"HEALING THROUGH UNITY" NEWSLETTER QUESTIONNAIRE RESULTS
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By Frances Mezei, Editor
I would like to share with you the results of the "Healing Through Unity" newsletter questionnaire, which was sent out with the April, 2001 issue of the newsletter. The responses from about 175 readers were very encouraging, interesting and enlightening. Since it is the beginning of our fifth year of the newsletter, the ideas and helpful suggestions given by the readers may stimulate us to think about possible themes, topics, and articles for the coming year. Due to limited space, there is only enough space to share a few of the comments, however please don't think that your comments are not important! All the answers have been transcribed into the computer and broken down into areas such as: topics, needs, uses, suggestions, etc. These many ideas will be very helpful for the future of the newsletter. Once again, many thanks for your wonderful responses and participation and please continue to share your ideas and suggestions.
"In all things it is necessary to consult. This matter should be forcibly stressed by thee, so that consultation may be observed by all. The intent of what hath been revealed from the Pen of the Most High is that consultation may be fully carried out among the friends, inasmuch as it is and will always be a cause of awareness and of awakening and a source of all good and well-being." (Baha'u'llah, Consultation: A Compilation, p. 3)
"Take ye counsel together in all matters, inasmuch as consultation is the lamp of guidance which leadeth the way, and is the bestower of understanding." (Baha'u'llah, Consultation: A compilation, p. 3)
TOPICS:
These topics can be explored and presented in future issues.
* I enjoy the answers that the Writings provide to simple problems in daily living. I also enjoy stories of people's experiences with issues and challenges and how they were able to overcome them.
* Dealing with high levels of stress and simplifying our lives. Keeping ourselves centered in very overwhelming times.
* Articles that show in lay terminology practical applications of healing methodology.
* Anecdotes from the lives of the Central Figures of the Faith.
* Topics about food, nutrition, stress, and dealing with aging.
* I like the stories and questions of the month, especially relating to mental health / issues dealing with the spiritual prerequisites to health / practical steps from health care professionals, the Writings of the Baha'i Faith.
* Enjoy the mix of physical and mental illnesses and the spiritual component addressed.
* Real life struggles such as addiction, depression, divorce, etc.
* Those articles that network by giving resources for difficulties that someone else has experienced. Articles that relate to spiritual growth with physical transformation.
* Chronic illnesses and the spiritual coping mechanisms that may help those who suffer from them. Anything related to primary health care such as health education, developing healthy habits, life-style choices, etc.
* Creating strong, nurturing, creative, sustaining communities.
* I am always interested in the collaboration between the Baha'i teachings, alternative healing techniques, and advances in medical science. Often we learn that advances in medical science validate other healing practices.
* More articles on conflict resolution from a Baha'i perspective, anything related on how to get along better with people.
* Right now, we are struggling with the use of drugs to control behavior in a seniors' residence. I would be interested in seeing a consultation among health professionals on that subject. We are beginning a consultation about the use of spiritual means for spiritual healing in order to help residents adopt different goals, e.g. friendliness and cooperation.
* Nurturing marriages (I appreciated the one issue that covered this.)
* Raising healthy children, physically and spiritually. Effects on violence on children. Discipline in the home - balance with accustoming children to hardship.
* Menopause, fibroids, vision problems, hearing loss.
* Eating disorders and weight loss.
* Life after death.
USES:
The readers have many ideas how to use the newsletter in innovative ways.
* I enjoy the success stories and metaphors which I use a lot with my patients.
* I have passed on the newsletter or articles to friends and have been successful in having the newsletter advertised in our local Baha'i newsletter called 'Northern Lights'. This newsletter goes to a broad range of Baha'is, including aboriginal Baha'is in the northern territory of Australia.
* Even though, I don't write anything, it sometimes spurs discussion with others.
* Sharing with others and for my personal study, and as a source for things to consider for my personal and spiritual development.
* To read and pass on to friends and family whenever I feel there are topics of specific relevance to them.
* To pass on information to the students I teach, and to use stories in hotel training courses. Also, to share simple facts with my 10 and 12-year-old children.
* Aside from my own deepening and knowledge and peace of mind, I also use the newsletter as a resource material for a Baha'i radio program that broadcasts all over Chile.
* Since I am a lone pioneer on this small island, it is a means to connect with the current Baha'i thinking and interests and it helps me share healing with the local islanders.
* I get the articles translated and printed in local Baha'i journals.
* Ideas for the local bulletin.
* The format of this newsletter has been a model for other newsletters as well. We intend to use a similar format for an educators' newsletter in Japan.
* I am a therapist working with abused children. The newsletter helps me take care of myself so that I can be stronger for them.
* I save it in WordPerfect and 'clean it up' before printing. I keep it in a notebook for handy reference.
* I print out the newsletter and have made a big reference book for myself. I use this in many occasions for personal inspiration. I found the true stories and Holy Writings very inspiring and useful.
SUGGESTIONS FOR FUTURE ISSUES:
* News and events on health and healing from around the world.
* Could include interviews with people such as the author of 'Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom.'
* Avoid articles that use a lot of technical language and terminology which only professionals may understand.
* If it seems appropriate you could include occasional data from scientific studies related to health effects of spiritual actions and life-style choices, etc. Sometimes statistical information to give background information regarding a topic might be useful along with the general principles of health related to the discussion.
* I would particularly like to see articles written by Baha'i physicians on these subjects, to help the friends become more conscious of and more knowledgeable about these issues in general.
* I would like to see more diversity of cultural ideas represented, even on how other people resolve certain cultural issues that exists in Baha'i communities across countries that would encourage unity and spiritual healing in communities.
* Actively seek out professionals from various cultures, disciplines and races to contribute on a given topic.
* I wish there was a Spanish edition for the friends here. (any volunteers?)
* The articles are getting better and I am sure it can get better and better. It would be great if articles came from all over the world and not mainly from the States.
SUPPORT:
It was encouraging to see that many of the readers received support from the newsletter.
* My brother in Chile told me about the newsletter when I was feeling so helpless in the care of my aging parents. We have been pioneers here in Chile for almost 18 years and our finances don't permit visiting my parents very often. The title of the newsletter is very accurate. One feels a healing balm in every issue.
* I really like the newsletter and find it extremely refreshing and nurturing. I became a Baha'i a few years ago and sometimes get in 'psychological and spiritual slumps' because of not meeting the rigorous demands of being a Baha'i. Then your newsletter comes and I feel loved again. Hard to explain, but I think the combination of spiritual reference, loving perspective, information from the fields of science and health and practical tips make this a very inspiring newsletter.
* It is important for people to know that they are not alone and that others are facing some of the same challenges. It is also a helpful link between people around the world.
GENERAL COMMENTS:
* I like the different themes for each issue and to look at the issues from different perspectives.
* The sections that interest me are the sections that relate to the lessons of life, that I can share with my students and children. I like to share articles about the spiritual side of life.
* It is extremely enjoyable to read and truly both inspirational and educational.
* I look forward to receiving the newsletter each month. It is an informative, fun to read newsletter. Thank you for your dedication and purposefulness in healing humanity through unity.
* It's like a breath of fresh air when I get your newsletter.
* I like the general tone of the newsletter which is humble and loving. Not many publications regarding health have such a tone.
* The National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Ethiopia wish to express its appreciation and gratitude for your wonderful publication "Healing Through Unity" which you so kindly and continually supply for our perusal. It may delight you to know that the national Baha'i community here in Ethiopia is making effective use of these excellent compilations and has gained a lot of information on important health issues which has ultimately gained you respect and appreciation for the worthwhile issuance of such useful materials that you have cared to supply and interest all your Baha'i friends around the world.
It truly is educational and highly informative. Needless to say also that it has unifying factor in it, because of the common subjects of interest. It serves communities with love and care for their benefit. We appreciate those who have thought of these and are sustaining it. We thank you again and again for having come up with such beneficial material which is being read with interest by many.
Thank you again for your timely and prompt dispatch.
Elias Yitbarek, Secretary
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NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY OF THE BAHA'IS OF NEW ZEALAND REQUESTS ASSISTANCE FROM THE READERS
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Dear Friends,
The National Spiritual Assembly of New Zealand has very much appreciated receiving the thought-provoking and helpful articles in your newsletter. We are writing to request the assistance of your readers in addressing a topic which we feel would be beneficial to address in the Baha'i community.
The topic in question is the responsibility of husbands and wives to care for one another, through all the challenges that life brings. Many believers rise to great heroism in looking after their families through the vicissitudes of life, as illustrated by the heart-warming story in your recent issue entitled "A Daughter's Care for her Parents when Ill" (Volume 4, Issue #10). However not everyone is so heroic, and in particular there seems to be a tendency at times for marriage partners to "bail out" on one another when the going gets rough, such as in cases of severe illness, mental incapacity due to accident, and the like. We would be most interested to see submissions from your readers, addressing this problem from the perspective of compassion and Baha'i principle. If a well-researched and well-written article was received in response, we would like to publish it in the "New Zealand Baha'i News", giving due credits, naturally.
With much appreciation and best wishes for the continued success of your excellent newsletter.
Warmest Baha'i Love
National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of New Zealand
Suzanne Mahon, Secretary
(Editor's note: Please send your article to Suzanne Mahon, National Secretary [natsec@nsa.org.nz] and make reference to this request. A copy of the article would be appreciated for the Healing Through Unity Newsletter so it can be shared among the readers as well.)
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
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INFORMATION ABOUT THE "INSIGHTS INTO EDUCATION" E-NEWSLETTER
"Insights into Education" is a monthly e-newsletter from Maxwell International Baha'i School in Shawnigan Lake, BC, Canada, dedicated to addressing educational issues and sharing their experience with developing a school "wherein the children, whether Baha'i or other, will be educated to such a degree as to become God's gifts to man..." ('Abdu'l-Baha)
The one to two page newsletter includes one or two articles addressing contemporary educational issues such as character development, moral and spiritual education, service-learning, world citizenship, leadership training, peer pressure, enhanced learning, counselling techniques, integrating Baha'i principles and perspectives in the curriculum, especially the oneness of mankind, equality of men and women, building a New World Order, justice, and human rights. It would be of interest to both educators and parents.
If you would like more information about this e-newsletter or wish to subscribe, please send an email to: insights@maxwell.bc.ca. For more information about Maxwell International Bah·íÌ School, please see their website: www.maxwell.bc.ca
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FIFTH ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF THE BAHA'I MEDICAL ASSOCIATION OF CANADA
We are pleased to announce that the 5th annual conference of the Bahaíi Medical Association of Canada will be held on October 26, 27 and 28, 2001 at the Toronto Bahaíi Centre. The conference is entitled: Reaching New Heights in Health Care: An Evidence and Scripture Based Conference on Health - Part Two. Some topics include: understanding evidence medicine, native health, spirituality and ethics, lines of action workshops, family/marital issues, developing a new health care model, mental health and resident/student issues. For more information, please contact Brian Kirsh - kirshb@home.com, 905-737-3260.
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"SEXUALITY, RELATIONSHIPS AND SPIRITUAL GROWTH" - A BOOK
"Sexuality, Relationships and Spiritual Growth" by Dr. Agnes Ghaznavi has recently been reprinted. It was originally published by George Ronald, Publisher, Oxford, 1995. Dr. Agnes Ghaznavi is a practicing psychiatrist and a former member of the Continental Board of Counsellors in Europe. Dr. Ghaznavi's book has given courage and reassurance to many people facing family crises. She looks at "Qualities and attitudes necessary in a relationship of equality". She delves into issues of jealousy, envy, sensitivity and insensitivity, anger, perversion, emerging sexuality, romiscuity, chastity, communication and so on.
If you wish to order this book, please write to Mrs. Sammi Smith, sammi@bci.org, Fax: (66-2) 962 3076 (Bangkok, Thailand.) The book costs $5.50 U.S. funds, not including postage and packing.
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QUESTION OF THE MONTH
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A reader asks this question:
What do we need to know about breast cancer? Though it is not wise to generalize, in a extremely general way there is a physical, psychological, emotional pattern and progression with breast cancer, recognizing that everyone is unique and different. Screening, early detection, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment are often involved with breast cancer, though being involved doesn't necessarily mean a women is then diagnosed with breast cancer. It is important to know the scientific knowledge of breast cancer; however I wish to know more about the needed emotional and moral support to provide to women with breast cancer because a partner of mine who is 33 years old was recently diagnosed with this kind of cancer. There are a lot of support groups available, however to attain them requires acquiring knowledge on how to find them. I'm sure there are many people who would appreciate knowing about breast cancer, what goes on, what kind of emotions are involved, how do people deal with it, loved ones who had to deal with it, and people's stories. Thank you for your assistance since your guidance and perspective would be helpful!
Dear Readers:
Do you have any experience, suggestions or comments in response to the above topic of breast cancer? Please send them to the newsletter and we will share them in the next issue.
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WEB SITE
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You can visit the website, obtain back issues and the Healing Through Unity Course at: http://www.healingthroughunity.org.
********************************************
PURPOSE OF THE NEWSLETTER
********************************************
"Healing Through Unity" is published for the purpose of sharing thoughts, comments and experiences on how the teachings of the Baha'i Faith are being applied to physical and spiritual health. Other than the quoted Holy Writings, the material in this newsletter represents the thoughts and opinions of the writers and has no authority. You are free to copy articles, provided you indicate the source of the article. There are 10 issues per year; it is not published during July and August. The newsletter is produced in Ontario, Canada.
Please send your stories, comments, suggestions or "Question for the Month" ideas to Frances Mezei by e-mail: fmezei@sentex.net.
PLEASE NOTE:
Many thanks to all of you who send such wonderful contributions for "Healing Through Unity" Newsletter. The decision to select and edit material submitted for publication is determined by the editor. If you have a change of e-mail address, please inform me with your old and new email addresses. To cancel the subscription, please send message to: --
HEALING THROUGH UNITY
October, 2001
A monthly newsletter dedicated to serving the principles of
physical and spiritual health envisioned in the Baha'i Teachings.
Volume 5, Issue #2
_____________________________________________________
Contents
---------------
- Praying for Peace
- The Spinner and the Tent
- General Facts about Breast Cancer
- Suggested Practical Strategies to Follow if Diagnosed with Breast Cancer
- My Story in Healing Breast Cancer with Natural Medicine
- Coping with Hearing Loss
- Announcements
- Question of the Month
- Website
- Purpose of the Newsletter*******************************
PRAYING FOR PEACE
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By Frances Mezei, Editor
We have all been deeply affected by the terrible and heart breaking events in the United States. We have all been disturbed in some way by this tragic day. My deepest sympathies go out to the families that have experienced injury or loss.
'Abdu'l-Baha provides consolation for the bereaved, "When I consider this calamity (the sinking of the Titanic, 1912) in another aspect, I am consoled by the realization that the worlds of God are infinite, even as Christ has said, "In my Father's house are many mansions." They were called away from the temporary and transferred to the eternal; they abandoned this material existence and entered the portals of the spiritual world. Foregoing the pleasures and comforts of the earthly, they now partake of a joy and happiness far more abiding and real, for they have hastened to the kingdom of God. The mercy of God is infinite, and it is our duty to remember these departed souls in our prayers and supplications that they may draw nearer and nearer to the Source itself." (The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 47)
This is a time when many of us have come together around the earth in this time of need. Many people have sought out various places of worship and devotional gatherings to say prayers and to seek out comfort and solace. I believe that we all have to work harder to nurture life, joy, unity, harmony and peace among all people. We have to find a way to dissolve the anger, the bitterness in our own hearts so we can spread the concept of the oneness of humanity as promised by Baha'u'llah through his many messages to the world.
Here is a prayer for America:
"O God! Let this American democracy become glorious in spiritual degrees even as it has aspired to material degrees, and render this just government victorious. Confirm this revered nation to upraise the standard of the oneness of humanity, to promulgate the Most Great Peace, to become thereby most glorious and praiseworthy among all the nations of the world. O God! This American nation is worthy of Thy favors and is deserving of Thy mercy. Make it precious and near to Thee through Thy bounty and bestowal." ('Abdu'l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 67)
The November issue will focus on grieving and will provide us an opportunity to share and listen to those who have managed through this difficult period. We look forward to hearing from you.
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THE SPINNER AND THE TENT
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My calamity is My providence, outwardly it is fire and vengeance, but inwardly it is light and mercy. Hasten thereunto that thou mayest become an eternal light and an immortal spirit. This is My command unto thee, do thou observe it. (Baha'u'llah, Hidden Words, Arabic #52)
"There once lived a girl named Fatimeh, the daughter of a prosperous spinner, who took her on a business trip with him to the islands of the Middle Sea, in the course of which the ship sank in a storm, her father perished, and she was cast ashore near Alexandria, where she was taken in by a family of poor cloth makers, and made a second life for herself, learning their trade, in addition to that of spinner, which she had learned from her father. One day, while walking on the seashore, she was captured by a band of slave traders, taken away from her second life, and sold in the slave market in Istanbul to a maker of ship masts, who taught her the trade of making masts, which she worked at so well that when the maker of masts became prosperous, he sent her as his agent with a cargo of masts, to the great ocean of the east. On this voyage Fatimeh's third livelihood was also taken from her, when the ship was wrecked, and she was cast onto the shores of China. In China there was a legend that one day a strange woman would arrive from a distant land, who would build the Emperor a tent, for no one in China knew how to build a tent, so when she was discovered, and taken to the Emperor's court, she had been prepared, by the hand of providence, to build the Emperor's tent, using her profession as cloth weaver to weave the strong tent cloth, her skill as spinner to produce the necessary ropes, and her mast-making craft to fashion the tent poles. As a result, Fatimeh settled in China, married a handsome prince, and achieved her true destiny for which she had been prepared by her past misfortunes."
(Editor's note: This teaching story from the Sufis demonstrates a fine example of the true meaning of tests and struggles. Nothing in life is wasted and everything given to us has a purpose and wisdom. This story was submitted by Dr.William Saunders, Georgia, U.S.A.)
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GENERAL FACTS ABOUT BREAST CANCER
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By Sedona Callahan, U.S.A
It's difficult to synopsize such a complex and heterogeneous disease, so I've made reference to a couple of books that do a good job of explaining in layperson's terms the differences among the types of breast cancer, as well as the treatment modalities. The following provides a good overview:
- Breast cancer strikes one out of every 8 American women.
- It is the most common form of cancer among women in the U.S.
- 185,000 new cases are discovered annually.
While breast cancer is often referred to as a homogenous disease, there are, in fact, several different kinds of breast cancer. Differences in treatment are based on the type of breast cancer and the extent of invasion. The most common breast cancer, Invasive ductal NOS (not otherwise specified) accounts for about 65% of all breast cancers, with DCIS (ductal cell in situ) about 10 - 15%, and invasive lobular also about 10 - 15%. For an easy-to-understand description of these and other breast cancer types, see John Link's "The Breast Cancer Survivor Manual".****************************************************************
SUGGESTED PRACTICAL STRATEGIES TO
FOLLOW IF DIAGNOSED WITH BREAST CANCER
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By Sedona Callahan, U.S.A
The topic of breast cancer is timely for me because I am currently under treatment - having had a mastectomy and partial reconstruction just six weeks ago, with the remainder of the surgery scheduled in another six weeks. Although this is a very difficult time for the person diagnosed, as well as her family and friends, I have found the following strategies beneficial.
* After diagnosis and prior to scheduling treatment, I encourage the woman and the family members and friends who are assisting her to educate themselves about the particular type of breast cancer she has as well as the stage of development. This will assist them to make intelligent choices about treatments. The Breast Cancer Survival Manual by John Link, M.D. is an excellent source for interpreting biopsy and other lab reports, as well as explaining the currently available treatments for tumor removal, follow-up treatments, as well as reconstruction. Dr. Susan Loveís Breast Book is also helpful.
* Request from members of a local breast cancer support group, or friends who have had breast cancer, their recommendations of physicians. * Ask other women who have been recently treated for breast cancer (search local newspapers, telephone guides, or the internet for breast cancer support groups - either in your own community or online) about their treatments and their level of satisfaction about those treatments.
* Be a partner with your physicians in identifying the most effective treatment. Ask one of the physicians, (among the surgeon, oncologist, plastic surgeon, radiologist and the primary physician) to be the team leader. That is, to have all information channeled through this one physician, who in turn, accepts the responsibility of keeping you informed.
* Prior to surgical treatment, a woman can expect that much of her emotional and intellectual energy will be spent searching for an effective treatment. After surgery is past, she will likely begin to confront the feelings she has around the loss of one or both breasts, and the intensified awareness of her own mortality. (An analogy: first you rescue the child who has wandered into the path of an oncoming truck. Then you sit down on the curb and cry about what just happened.) Questions will come up at this time that she wasnít able to address during the previous period of anxiety. During this time, I began a process of re-evaluation of how I spend my time (work, family, social, Bahaíi activities, etc.) and with whom I spend that time with.
* Ask questions, no matter how hard/gruesome/embarrassing they seem. For me, I wanted to know what had happened to my amputated breast [and asked an o.r. nurse]. The topic of post-surgical sexuality was openly discussed in a support group, with much tenderness and humor. Staying private with unanswered questions leads to sleepless nights, and possibly depression.
* Allow family and friends to help. This is not a time to be proud, or insist that you donít want to bother people. It is not a time for embarrassment. People want to help you, and you will do them a great service in allowing them to do so. Choose your team wisely. Some close friends or family will be able to accompany you to the hospital and stay with you for the duration, helping with intimate details of your care. Others may be able to cook meals for you and your family, or offer child-care. Be wise in what you request, being aware of what their capacities are.
* Request prayers for your full recovery from the Bahaíi community, as well as from other friends. You will allow them to be helpful, and you will feel supported by their participation. The power of their prayers will help to sustain you during the toughest of times. For me, knowing that prayers were being said on my behalf during the entire length of my surgery (about seven hours) helped me face the surgery with some calmness. I felt that everything was in the hands of God, and the doctors I had chosen.
* Anticipate delightfully unexpected gifts from those who love you, both the known and the unknown. Prior to my surgery, a Bahaíi woman in Bulgaria (I live in the US) created a small painting while saying the Long Healing Prayer, and sent it to me in time for my surgery. She had heard of me through a mutual friend. A woman who works with my husband, and whom I had never met, made a colorful afghan to brighten my room and keep me warm during my convalescence. Countless neighbors and friends offered meals and sent cards and flowers. I recently moved to this neighborhood, and was amazed by their generosity. One neighbor, who was harboring a grudge against me for a misunderstanding, overcame her reluctance to speak to me and came to my home with home-baked bread and good wishes. The illness became a means of healing this misunderstanding.
* Be aware that when breast cancer is diagnosed in the early stages (through regular examination and mammograms) the survival rates are excellent. (Because my cancer was diagnosed early, my expected five-year survival is 90%). But even cases where there is metastasis (spreading to other parts of the body), there is a variety of treatments, and this too can be managed. With each passing year improved treatments ensure more effective outcomes. I am not saying it is not a serious disease, or that an unfavorable outcome will not occur, but that a diagnosis of cancer does not necessarily mean a death sentence. For many women, breast cancer has become a manageable disease with a good prognosis.
I hope these observations are of some assistance to anyone who is facing this difficult trial. For me, I am the third of my sisters to get this diagnosis and I have had a previous, unrelated cancer. One of my sisters has survived even though her cancer was diagnosed in an advanced stage. The other has not. The past few years have not been easy ones for us. However, it has been a time of developing spiritual qualities necessary for coping with what is, for appreciating the friendship and love of family and friends and accepting the challenges that are put in our paths.
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Often physical sickness draws man nearer unto his Maker, suffers his heart to be made empty of all worldly desires until it becomes tender and sympathetic toward all sufferers and compassionate to all creatures. Although physical diseases cause man to suffer temporarily, yet they do not touch his spirit. Nay, rather, they contribute toward the divine purpose; that is, spiritual susceptibilities will be created in his heart. (Words attributed to Abdu'l-Baha, from the diary of Ahmad Sohrab, Star of the West, vol. 8, no. 18, p. 231)
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MY STORY OF HEALING BREAST CANCER
WITH NATURAL MEDICINE
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By Anna Crawford, Tinian, Northern Mariana Islands
I am writing this response to the question of the month (Volume 5, Issue #1), as my experiences with Breast Cancer are unique and very different from the normal protocol.
Three years ago May 1998, a lump appeared in my right breast that seemed to come up over night. The wait for almost 6 months for an appointment for a mammogram on another island was difficult. (We are pioneering on a rather isolated place). I became acquainted with a Naturopathic doctor, just starting out, on Tinian, and she treated me with herbs and poultices, and changed my diet while waiting. The mammogram showed a large lump. A biopsy was taken which showed I had breast cancer. Surgery was scheduled to remove the lump as directed by my naturopathic doctor friend. My decision to refuse any chemotherapy, radiation or Tamoxifen had been made years ago.
Lumpectomy surgery was performed and seven lymph nodes were removed. The lab test on the removed tissue revealed that I had Invasive Ductal Carcinoma, stage three, metastases, high hormone, receptive cancer. Against the recommendations of the surgeons and technicians, I adamantly, refused chemo-therapy and radiation treatments.
A year later a melanoma on my neck was removed and a year after that another very small lump was removed from the breast area. Each time the surgeon pushed the use of chemo-therapy, radiation and Tamoxifen, and each time I refused. Now to the interesting and important part:
The night before surgery I did not sleep very well, with a lot of tossing and turning. Sometime during the night Abdu'l-Bah· appeared to me and He said that I was pioneering for the Faith on Tinian and that He wanted me to pioneer for health by eating simple foods. I was so excited that I bounced around to wake up my husband. It might have been easier just to wake him. The "dream" or "vision" or whatever it was, reinforced my decision about treatment. After all, we can trust Abdu'l-Bah·, can't we? There was no doubt now about what to do.
"It is, therefore, evident that it is possible to cure by foods, aliments and fruits; but as today the science of medicine is imperfect, this fact is not yet fully grasped. When the science of medicine reached perfection, treatment will be given by foods, aliments, fragrant fruits and vegetables, and by various waters, hot and cold in temperature." (Abdu'l-Baha, Some Answered Questions, pp. 257-59)
Many friends and family prayed for me and I was blessed with really good experiences in the hospital, staying 3 days instead of the 5 days they projected. Also there was no pain at all. After surgery I had to figure out the best treatment. My doctor is now in Hawaii where she has started a new practice. (Last year, she was voted the best natural healer on her island.)
First, and most important is my attitude. That was easily taken care of by prayer, reading from the Writings and interaction with friends. My husband is very supportive. I do not fear cancer or death. After all, I am a long time Baha'i and trust in the teachings of Baha'u'llah. He promises that He will not give me anything that I can't handle. I live with that knowledge and sometimes apprehension, but it doesnít last long. I tried to join some of the cancer lists but found them too depressing and very negative and was led to the Baha'i women's list, which is a life saver for me. I have made good friends, love them all and know they love and care for me. It is all by e-mail, but a real life line. The prayers have made a huge difference in my surgeries and my healing. My appreciation is boundless and a debt that I could never repay except by living the life and to pray for others with all the love I can muster.
The second thing I had to deal with was my diet. It was awful by my present standards, but better than most. I have eliminated red meat, chicken (has hormones in it) night shade vegetables, except tomatoes, which have good things in it for cancer patients. I have, more or less, eliminated processed foods, sugars, sodas and the other junk food I craved. I use only olive oil, even in baking, and avoid any "bad" fats. Now I eat fish, goat when I can get it, fruits, vegetables, complex carbohydrates, etc. We do not get many vegetables here, but I seem to manage. My diet is good, but I do cheat sometimes, and my body sure lets me know when I do. Diet is an evolving process that daily gets better.
The third blessing is my herbal treatment. I have a wonderful local friend who is a medex-doctor and takes the tests that are necessary and gives the results to my Naturopathic Doctor (ND) for her review and proposed treatment. This is a real bounty for me since the traditional physicians here are so set on my being treated their way. Lately when they say it, I say "Look at me, do I look sick"? What can they say. I take a number of herbs, rotating them every couple of months so my immune system stays healthy and does not become dependant on any one herb. I also take standard vitamins and minerals that also enhances my immune system. All medications are with phone consultation with my ND.
Since I have discovered this cancer, I have lived a full life. I have only minor problems which may have to due mostly with my age since I am 75 years old. The quality of life has been very good, with almost no ill days. I think I am in remission although I don't know. I give talks to the schools on cancer, seminars for the Womenís Affairs Office on health and diet, and write study guides for deepening. I have made my choice - I know where I am going. I am walking my chosen highway and know the destination.
I would like to know if any one else is going the "natural way" for cancer treatments. Any one may write to me by e-mail if they desire - anaharry@gtepacifica.net. My doctor says even with her natural approach to cancer treatments, I am the only one she is treating this way.
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COPING WITH HEARING LOSS
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By ruie Mullins, U.S.A.
Hello, my name is ruie Mullins and I am hearing impaired. "Oh, I'm so sorry", is usually the response I get. I'm not always sure why the person is sorry, but I reply with either "thank you" or "it's not your fault" and then I give a little laugh. On one occasion I was shopping in a local store...the sales clerk came up behind me and not knowing my circumstances, said "are you having a nice day". I felt her presence and turned and said the usual, "no thanks, I'm just looking." With which she looked askance and replied in a disgusted tone "I didn't ask you if you needed help, I asked you if you were having a nice day!" I said "oh I'm sorry, I'm hearing impaired." She threw up her hands and as she walked away with a frown on her face, she said loudly (so even I could hear her) WHATEVER!!
It's been coming on for the last 18 years. To make a long story short, in the middle of the night, I awoke with the most crushing migraine headache. So, I crawled out of bed and went to the medicine cabinet...uh oh, no Midrin, my migraine prescription, what I'll do is have some Sinaid. I'll take three of those to help, maybe this is just a sinus headache and not a migraine. Nope, it's now 4 o'clock and the "migraine" is worsening and the pain is unbearable. Back to the medicine cabinet...hmm I'll take more Sinaid and some aspirin. By six o'clock in the morning I was barely able to stand and the pain was worse than unbearable. I had to go to an emergency room and get a shot of something, anything. So I woke my son (I was then a single, working parent with six children) and asked him to walk with me to the hospital, St. John's in Santa Monica, which was just a few blocks away. I knew I couldn't drive as my vision was blurred.
St. John's took a full head scan and nothing showed. However, I had managed to dry up every cavity in my head and neck and the lack of natural moisture accounted for the increasing pain. They couldn't give me anything for the pain as I had overdosed on my own prescription of Sinaid. They sent me home and said I would just have to bear it out, it would soon subside and the relief of knowing it was nothing more serious than a migraine, the stress of the pain did begin to subside. I didn't get to work that day, nor for the next six or seven days. I lost my hearing for almost a week and when it came back, I was left with tinnitus, a noise in my head that I have heard consistently without a break. The House Clinic for the Deaf in Los Angeles gave me a diagnosis...I had a toxic reaction to the self prescribed medication that started the nerves in my ears to die off. The ringing was a signal of what was happening. Even today with the most technical discoveries, a hearing aid will only magnify sound but will not stop the process of dying nerves. I am now totally deaf in my left ear and the right ear is getting worse. As a musician, it has been devastating as I have been a jazz/blues vocalist for most of my life. However, I am adjusting by turning to other endeavors of writing, drawing and weaving because you don't have to hear to do these things. I never thought I would ever have anything in common with Beethoven...I can still hear music in my head and that sustains me.
I have now become an advocate for the hearing impaired in the Baha'i community. You cannot imagine my exasperation when I attend Feast to embrace the spirit of it and find I cannot understand a word that is being uttered during prayers and consultation. I am able to still have a one on one conversation. Yet, by the time the social portion of Feast comes around, I am so fatigued from the frustration of trying to hear what has been said, I find I have no energy left to socialize and may leave Feast early. I try not to do that too often, it depends on my energy. I also do not attend Baha'i school as often for the same reasons. Most people have not taken a course in speech or drama in school and so they have not learned the art of projection. They read with heads bowed, voice and mouth toward the floor with no way to read the face or lips of the person speaking. Very rarely is a microphone offered or available at Feast which would be a dearly blessed addition for those of us who are hearing impaired. You see, most people will not wear a hearing aid and don't like to admit they can't hear because others will consider it a manifestation of getting old.
My goal this year, is to have firesides that include the hearing impaired and the deaf with a signing interpreter available and, to encourage Local Spiritual Assemblies, Feasts and Baha'i Schools to offer a sound system and to use it, so that everyone can take part. How often I have decided to go to school and find there is a mike available, but the speakers are not using it! I have on occasion talked to the person assisting school that day and told them how important it was to use the mike only to be told "it's a small group this morning and the readers don't like to use the mike". And, I have walked away practically in tears.
I am diligently working with my present community and others to become fully aware of the things that they can do. Nevertheless, it is a slow process and I know it is not because they don't care, but more that they are so overwhelmed with so many responsibilities, it slips their mind. Things we can do to assist the hearing impaired and the deaf:
- Have readers at Feast stand, preferably at the front of the group where everyone can see their faces and if necessary read their lips so that all can absorb and take part in the bounty of Feast.
- Offer a signing interpreter at Feasts and Firesides.
- Always have a microphone available.
- Whether in a private home or hall, group chairs so that all can face the speaker.
- Advise those sponsoring Feast how important it is to project their voices (they don't have to shout) so that all can hear what is being said.You may find that when consultation comes around at Feast, more will partake because they have been able to hear or understand what has been said previously. Or, perhaps they will partake because the ability to hear prayers and writings of Baha'u'llah has given them such joy, they want to participate.
I pass this tidbit of information on to you, the readers...hoping you will pass this on to others in your communities and get started on a campaign to educate people about the needs of the hearing impaired population and to make our communities more accessible so they will feel welcome. This quotation confirms the responsibilities of the community,"...And other members who for valid reasons are incapacitated - the blind, the old, the deaf - their comfort must be looked after. In the village no one will remain in need or in want. All will live in the utmost comfort and welfare." ('Abdu'l-Baha, Foundations of World Unity, p. 40)
(Editor's Note: It is estimated that about 10% of the population have some degree of hearing loss. More than 50% of seniors over 65 years of age have presbycusis hearing loss. Due to congenital deafness, I have extensive personal and professional experience in this field and can appreciate ruie's story. I wish her well in her desire to be an advocate for hearing impaired individuals!
Over the years, my small community and I have managed to explore ways to adjust to my hearing needs through consultation and I have been comfortable with these techniques which have worked well for me. It is important to remember that it is different for each person.
- At Assembly meetings and Feasts, there is an empty seat beside me so people can sit on the chair and then read out loud the prayers, letters and correspondences. This way, I can read the written words.
- I wear an amplification system called the FM system which is connected to my hearing aids and it makes everything much clearer and louder.
- We make sure there is sufficient lighting.
- People put up his/her hands when speaking and to face me so I can lipread them. I need to ask people to repeat when I do not understand what is being said. From time to time, I will need to remind them these coping strategies because they do forget, which is natural. After all, we are reminded in the Baha'i writings many times the importance to encourage, love and care for each other and we do forget! I have had my share of frustrations and need to keep reminding myself that this is my job - to educate others on communications skills.)**************************
ANNOUNCEMENTS
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A wonderful place for learning about all types of cancers, treatments, and support groups is the American Cancer Society. They can be found at www.cancer.org or 1-800-ACS-2345.
- Jo Clifton**************
REUNION OF THE CONDOR AND THE EAGLE INDIGENOUS ACTION SUMMIT -
FOUR WORLDS INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE
Over the past eighteen years we have had extensive consultations with Indigenous Elder and Spiritual Leaders from across North America, and more recently with Indigenous peoples across the Americas. These Guiding Principles for Building a Sustainable World are now at the core of the Reunion of the Condor and Eagle with the Jaguar and the Boa International Indigenous Trade and Social Development Agreements and Unity Pacts that now formally unite more than 8 million Indigenous people across the Caribbean, North America, Mexico and Ecuador. We expect this Reunion to grow rapidly with our First Reunion of the Condor and Eagle with the Boa and Jaguar Indigenous Action Summit in the Commonwealth of Dominica in the Eastern Caribbean from December 4-9, 2001. If you have any questions about this reunion, please feel free to contact us for more information.
By Phil Lane Jr., Four Worlds International Institute for Human and Community Development, website: http://home.uleth.ca/~4worlds 4worlds@uleth.ca************************************
QUESTION OF THE MONTH
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All of us have lost people who have been very special in our lives and the grieving process can be very difficult and painful to go through. In the November issue, we will explore the grieving process, guidelines to help a child through grief, how we can transform and liberate our spirit through grief and develop a deeper understanding of life after death. Also, we often talk about "unfinished business" from our past, which refers to losses which we have not completed grieving. Please share your experiences, comments, thoughts and stories on this subject.
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WEB SITE
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You can visit the website, obtain back issues and the Healing Through Unity Course at: http://www.healingthroughunity.org.
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PURPOSE OF THE NEWSLETTER
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"Healing Through Unity" is published for the purpose of sharing thoughts, comments and experiences on how the teachings of the Baha'i Faith are being applied to physical and spiritual health. Other than the quoted Holy Writings, the material in this newsletter represents the thoughts and opinions of the writers and has no authority. You are free to copy articles, provided you indicate the source of the article. There are 10 issues per year; it is not published during July and August. The newsletter is produced in Ontario, Canada.
Please send your stories, comments, suggestions or "Question for the Month" ideas to Frances Mezei by e-mail: -- .
PLEASE NOTE:
Many thanks to all of you who send such wonderful contributions for "Healing Through Unity" Newsletter. The decision to select and edit material submitted for publication is determined by the editor. If you have a change of e-mail address, please inform me with your old and new email addresses. To cancel the subscription, please send message to: --
HEALING THROUGH UNITY
November, 2001
A monthly newsletter dedicated to serving the principles of
physical and spiritual health envisioned in the Baha'i Teachings.
Volume 5, Issue #3
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Contents
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- My Father's Passing
- The Death of a Husband
- The Comfort of Family Members During the Death of my Sister-in-Law
- No Real Separation between Mother and Daughter
- Practical Suggestions to Deal with Grief
- Guidelines to Help a Child Through Grief
- Healing Wounds From the Past and Moving Forward
- Sacred Writings on Life After Death
- Shoghi Effendi Wrapped Himself in a Coat During Grief
- Question of the Month
- Website
- Purpose of the Newsletter************************************
MY FATHER'S PASSING
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By Gayle Hoover Thorne, California, United States
Ruhiyyih Khanum asked that my father, Wayne Hoover, go on a teaching trip to the Caribbean Islands. This was some time in the fall of 1978. The reason she asked him to go was that he had been an ordained Methodist minister prior to becoming a Baha'i and she felt that his background suited him particularly well to the heavily Christian population of the Caribbean Islands.
Dad was quite weak by the time he readied to leave so he took with him a young Baha'i from Gorham, Maine. Paul Rourke accompanied Dad and tended to whatever needs Dad had.
The two of them went to a couple of the islands before they came to St. Lucia where friends of my father lived. Frank and Pat Paccassi were pioneers on that island.
Dad went on TV and radio, told the people there about Baha'u'llah, about the Faith, told them he had cancer and said that he was going to die and that he hoped he would die there. He died the very next day. The islanders were amazed and moved, even more so when they learned that he would be buried there!
When my father left to go on this teaching trip, I never saw him again. I knew, however, that I would have a dream about him. I waited and waited. Six weeks later I had the following dream...
Dad came into the room wearing his white London Fog overcoat. His face looked ruddy and he went to his dresser to empty his pockets there. The dresser top was bare. In real life his dresser top was so littered with things that if one set a matchbook down on the wrong place, the whole pile would shimmy to the floor.
I looked at Dad and said, "You're supposed to be DEAD (and gone)" and he smiled sideways at me and replied, "I AM, but only when I CHOOSE to be". Then I approached him and gave him a better hug than I'd ever given him in real life. While I was hugging him, I felt the connection. This was MY father. The pull on my heart was great. I whispered into his ear, "What's it like?" Then, realizing that perhaps I shouldn't know the details I whispered, "Just give me a little clue".
Dad waited so long to respond that I thought he hadn't heard me. Then he said, "It's like an infinite tenderness for the Almighty". I woke up just knowing I'd been with him.
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THE DEATH OF A HUSBAND
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by Phoebe Anne Lemmon, Quebec, Canada
A ruptured appendix, followed by an eight-month battle with peritonitis, proved fatal for my first husband, the father of my three children, who were two, six, and seven at the time of his death.
We had not spoken about death during his illness, and, indeed, I never even entertained the thought. I settled into a routine of being at home during the morning until after lunch, having a babysitter in the afternoon while I was at the hospital, returning home to have supper with the children and oversee bedtime, and going back to the hospital for an evening visit while a different friend stayed with the children. These memories are almost thirty-five years old so might not be totally accurate, but Iím sure theyíre not far off.
The night my husband died I received the call just a few minutes after having returned home from my evening visit. I had known when I left him that he was very weak and that a nurse would be with him during the night. If I had realized that he was actually leaving this life, I would have stayed with him, of course. I honestly believe, as I came to believe in the days following his death, that during his illness my emotions had gone into some sort of protective mode, so I did not contemplate life without him. I lived very much in the present.
Perhaps at a subconscious level I was dealing with what was happening and preparing for the outcome because I really did not grieve a great deal. I relied on Bahaíuíllahís words that He had ìmade death a messenger of joy to theeî. The day of my husbandís funeral I felt a warm glow at the centre of my being that spread throughout my entire body. After the funeral a neighbor who was not a Bahaíi said to my sister, who was also not a Bahaíi, ìYour sister looked radiant today. She was a living example of her faithî! And I know the Faith is what sustained me during the hard times.
Although I feel that I fared quite well myself, I am not so sure that I did the best for my children. This was in the days when one did not take children to a funeral and mine stayed with a neighbor (with whose children they often played) who could not handle funerals and had offered to look after them. I had told them the very next morning after his death that Daddy had died the previous evening and tried to assure them that he was no longer sick and in pain, but I do not know what needs they had that they did not express and that I did not recognize. With grief, as with any other experience we have in life, our best recourse is total reliance on the guidance in the Writings.
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THE COMFORT OF FAMILY MEMBERS
DURING THE DEATH OF MY SISTER-IN-LAW
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By Johnson Maxey
In October 1991, my sister-in-law, still four months short of her thirty-ninth birthday, died of a heart attack (heart problems run in her family.) This stunned all of us and hurt us deeply since we had felt Mary Jane as a close family member, probably almost from the time when she began seeing my brother in 1970.
I learned the value of spending three days in the company of my immediate family and Mary Jane's, to grieve together. This must have made us feel comfortable with our feelings of loss. I think that the collective memory of her made her seem nearly present. I don't recall any time when so many people cried, and that felt good.
One of Mary Jane's sisters had the excellent idea for each of us writing something about Jane--memories of what she meant to us. The sister with excellent handwriting compiled them and gave them to the minister conducting the funeral service. He read them as a eulogy, probably the most fitting that one could have. Tears flowed again. I hope that you can find some significance in my experience.
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NO REAL SEPARATION BETWEEN
MOTHER AND DAUGHTER
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By Frances Mezei, Ontario, Canada (This article first appeared in "Parenting in the New World Order", Volume 1, Issue #9, 1992)
It has been my good fortune to have had a special mother who taught me how to listen to love. She planted loving seeds in me which were kindly watered, nurtured and cared for and continues to do so from the other world. My mother departed to the other world back in 1977 when I was nineteen years old after a nine year struggle with a brain tumor. Watching her deal with her illness was at times very painful and yet very natural. She had an amazingly enduring strength and every time I would visit her at the hospital, she would smile at me and continue to give me deep love. And yet, I watched her undergo tremendous physical pain, lose her balance causing her at times to fall, lose her hair, lose her memory and other bodily functions. Her greatest sacrifice was giving me her uniquely human gift of speech which she herself lost from time to time during her illness. I should mention that my mother helped me overcome a profound hearing loss and she taught me lipreading and listening skills.
At my mother's funeral, my dear father read the most precious description about my mother. I would be honoured to share with you the last line which I treasure the most. "She will remain alive in all of us. She always requested: "Please pray for me and remember me.' I am sure we all will."
When I was young, I had no concept of God or understanding of the power of prayer. Whenever, my mother asked me to pray for her, I thought she was talking nonsense. I felt that my mother was taken away from me forever and I would never see her again. It was a dead feeling and I felt as though I had just entered a deep, dark and black void...
Twelve years later after being strongly guided and working hard to develop my spirituality, I discovered that God exists. Soon after this miracle, I began to pray and for one whole month during my mother's anniversary of the time of her death in January 1989, I prayed and prayed for her each day. I have never felt happier and it was amazing to have thought that I was at last fulfilling my mother's request to me to please pray for her. Very soon after this, I became a Baha'i. Now, I feel that she is very happy and is growing spiritually in the other world. We continue to pray for each other, provide inner strength and our special love continues to bloom. I am now at peace for I was enriched by her motherly love which lasts eternally.
"In the next world, man will find himself freed from many of the disabilities under which he now suffers. Those who have passed on through death have a sphere of their own. It is not removed from ours; their work, the work of the kingdom, is ours; but it is sanctified from what we call 'time and place.' Time with us is measured by the sun. When there is no more sunrise, and no more sunset, that kind of time does not exist for man. Those who have ascended have different attributes from those who are still on earth, yet there is no real separation. In prayer there is a mingling of station, a mingling of condition. Pray for them as they pray for you!" ('Abdu'l-Baha, 'Abdu'l-Baha in London, pp. 95-96)
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PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS TO DEAL WITH GRIEF
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These are excerpts taken from "After the Darkest Hour: How Suffering Begins the Journey to Wisdom" by Kathleen A Brettony, PhD, pp. 206-07
1. When you are in the wake of a great loss, recognize and acknowledge that you are grieving. Some characteristic feelings you may experience are: shock, denial, anger, sadness, anxiety, emptiness. Allow yourself to feel these fully. Have patience with yourself as your broken heart heals.
2. Let yourself feel the pain. Give in to it. Accept that grief's emotions come in waves, in cycles. Let yourself cry. Viktor Frankl reminds us that tears are no cause for shame. " For tears bore witness that a man had the greatest of courage, the courage to suffer," he wrote. Many people have told me that they were afraid to cry for fear that the tears would never stop. I can only tell you that, after more than twenty years of working with grieving people and suffering grief myself, I have never seen that happen. If the tears go unshed, however, the fear of their torment can continue until they are released.
3. Express your sorrow. Talk about your grief. Write about your feelings in a journal. Express your sadness through art of any kind. Paint, dance, sculpt, write, or sing into the world. Release the pressure of the pain and don't be ashamed to let it out.
4. Forgive yourself for all the things you think you should have done or wish you had said and didn't. Let go of your regrets. However, pay attention to what you wish you had done and let your grief about chances lost impel you to change now and in the future. Show your feelings to others you love. Let grief help you to treasure each moment you have. Let it encourage you to express your tenderness but forgive yourself for what you cannot change.
5. Take care of yourself. Maintain a balanced diet and good exercise habits. Take care of your physical body. Meditate. Grief is exhausting and we often get distracted from our normal routines when it visits us. When you're grieving is a particularly good time to become very committed to caring for yourself.
6. Find diversions. Although it is important to sit with your grief - doing nothing but experiencing "what is" - it is also necessary to take some breaks from it. Go out to a lighthearted movie with a friend. Be frivolous. Have fun.
7. Be aware of "anniversary reactions" and know that certain, special days are likely to be particularly tough ones for you, especially in the early days of grief. Plan activities that commemorate your loss. It will ease your pain. Some feelings of loss will be triggered throughout your life by a wide array of reminders. These can be all kinds of sights, sounds, smells, and events that recall your loss. If grief is not fully worked through, if most of it lies beneath the surface in the underworld of the unconscious, these triggers can engender major psychological reactions rather than a passing feeling of loss or nostalgia. Be aware of the intensity of your responses to these memories. If you break down completely when something triggers a memory of a lost loved one, explore ways to mourn your loss more consciously.
8. Get help if you need it. Be aware that sadness can turn into depression. There are many resources that you can turn to for help: a therapist who specializes in grief, bereavement groups, or support groups for people who are going through divorce or the loss of a career.
9. Help others. Nothing puts our own grief in perspective as much as helping others who are struggling with their own sorrow. Volunteer and share with others your experiences. Listen to theirs. Find the healing that this simple transaction brings.
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GUIDELINES TO HELP A CHILD
THROUGH GRIEF
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These are excerpts taken from "After the Funeral" which is a resource guide to the practical and emotional issues, pp. 29 -30. Prepared by J.B. Marlatt Funeral Homes Ltd, Dundas, Ontario, Canada.
a) As soon as possible after death, set time aside to talk to the child.
b) Give the child the facts in a simple manner - be careful not to go into too much detail. The child will ask more questions as they come up in his or her mind.
c) If you can't answer their questions, it's OK to say "I don't know how to answer that, but perhaps we can find someone to help us".
d) Use the correct language - say the words "dead" and "die". Do not use phrases such as, "He's sleeping...", or "God took her...", or "He went away...".
e) Ask questions. "What are you feeling?" "What have you heard from your friends?" "What do you think has happened?"
f) Explain your feelings to your children, especially if you are crying. Give them permission to cry too. We are their role models: it is good for children to see our sadness and to share our feelings with them.
g) Use the given name of the decreased when speaking of him or her.
h) Understand the age and level of comprehension of your child. Speak to that level.
i) Talk about feelings, such as angry, sad, feeling responsible, scared, tearful, depressed, wishing to die too, etc.
j) Read a book on death to your child. Also, read a book on childhood grief so you have a better understanding of what they may be experiencing.
k) Talk about the visitation period and funeral. Explain what happens there and find out if your child wants to attend with the rest of your family.
l) Think about ways that a child can say goodbye to the decreased, such as writing a letter, poem, drawing a picture, etc.
m) Talk to your child about your religious beliefs, and what happens to people after they die.
n) Invite your child to come back to you if he or she has more questions or has heard rumors so that you can help him or her to get the correct information.
o) Talk about memories, good ones and ones that may not be so good.
p) Watch out for "bad dreams" - are they occurring often? Talk about the dreams: they are a way to discharge stress.
q) Watch for behaviour changes in your child - if they are cause for concern, seek professional help.
r) Friends, family and school mates frequently find solace and comfort in doing something special in the name of the person who had died.
s) Sudden death, violent death and the death of a young person are especially hard to grieve. Disruption of sleep, appetite, and daily activities may be normal responses to an abnormal or unusual event.
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HEALING WOUNDS FROM THE PAST
AND MOVING FORWARD
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These are excerpts taken from "After the Darkest Hour: How Suffering Begins the Journey to Wisdom" by Kathleen A Brettony, PhD, pp. 185-186
"As a psychotherapist, I've seen many people who cannot seem to leave their past behind. In fact, their whole self-definition seems to rely on past abuse and pain. At the other extreme are people who refuse to revisit the trauma of their past in spite of the fact that it continues to exert its very painful influence in the present. "There's nothing I can do about what happened to me. So why even talk about it? they say. Once again, I think the best approach to healing wounds from the past and reducing their correspondent suffering in the present lies in taking the middle way.
The example I often use with my clients is that a childhood trauma is like have fallen off your bike when you were younger. Imagine that you crashed onto a gravelly roadway and hurt your knee badly. You've healed - sort of. But, even after many years, there are still pieces of that gravel in your knee. You can get around - you can function. You might be one of the "walking wounded." Still, you can walk. But what you cannot do is dance. And there is pain. Sometimes when the weather is damp (things you can't control) or you move in a certain way (unconscious things you do that aggravate the pain), an intense and blazing pain runs up your leg. You're knocked down. You're suffering even now from something that happened a long time ago. It seems to me that the only way to heal this injury is to cut open this scar and remove the stones that are still in there. This is a terribly difficult task - the wound is ugly, and has been festering, under the surface, for years and years. And so, you must carefully, painstakingly, pick out the gravel, wash it clean, and remove all the obstacles to healing. Having done that, you stitch it up. And then? And then, you leave it alone. It will never heal if you continue to pick at it. Let it heal. But this time around, let it heal cleanly. If the wound is particularly serious, it's wise to get some professional help with it. In order to heal cleanly, it is sometimes necessary to revisit our painful past and then consciously get beyond it, let it go, and move courageously into our future.
No matter how painful your past has been, you can change yourself now. It will not be easy and it will take time. But you can begin today, right now if you choose to. As in any journey, the first step is usually the hardest; but once you take it, you can begin the ascent out of the ashes of pain and negative self-images and into the clear light of self-love."
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"O Friends of the Pure and Omnipotent God! To be pure and holy in all things is an attribute of the consecrated mind. The best of perfections is immaculacy and the freeing of oneself from every defect. Once the individual is, in every respect, cleansed and purified, then will he become a focal centre reflecting the Manifest Light.
First in a human being's way of life must be purity, then freshness, cleanliness, and independence of spirit. First must the stream bed be cleansed, then may the sweet river waters be led into it. Chaste eyes enjoy the beatific vision of the Lord and know what this encounter meaneth; a pure sense inhaleth the fragrances that blow from the rose gardens of His grace; a burnished heart will mirror forth the comely face of truth." ('Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Baha, p. 146)
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SACRED WRITINGS ABOUT LIFE AFTER DEATH
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The Sacred Writings of the Baha'i Faith can offer us understanding, guidance and solace to cope with death, grief and life after death.
A friend asked: "How should one look forward to death?" 'Abdu'l-Baha answered: "How does one look forward to the goal of any journey? With hope and with expectation. It is even so with the end of this earthly journey...Those who have passed on through death have a sphere of their own. It is not removed from ours....Those who have ascended have different attributes from those who are still on earth, yet there is no real separation." ('Abdu'l-Baha in London, pp. 95-96)
"At first it is very difficult to welcome death, but after attaining its new condition the soul is grateful, for it has been released from the bondage of the limited to enjoy the liberties of the unlimited. It has been freed from a world of sorrow, grief and trials to live in a world of unending bliss and joy" ( 'Abdu'l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 47)
"The purpose underlying their (Prophets') revelation hath been to educate all men, that they may, at the hour of death, ascend in the utmost purity and sanctity and with absolute detachment to the throne of the Most High." (Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 157)
" O Son of the Supreme! I have made death a messenger of joy to thee. Wherefore dost thou grieve? I made the light to shed on thee its spendour. Why dost thou veil thyself therefrom.?" (Baha'u'llah, The Hidden Words, Arabic #33)
"To consider that after the death of the body the spirit perishes is like imagining that a bird in a cage will be destroyed if the cage is broken, though the bird has nothing to fear from the destruction of the cage. Our body is like the cage, and the spirit is like the bird. We see that without the cage this bird flies in the world of sleep; therefore, if the cage becomes broken, the bird will continue and exist. Its feelings will be even more powerful, its perceptions greater, and its happiness increased." ('Abdu'l-Baha, Some Answered Questions, p 228)
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SHOGHI EFFENDI WRAPPED HIMSELF
IN A COAT DURING GRIEF
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We can learn from the Manifestation of God, His son 'Abdu'l-Baha and His great grandson Shoghi Effendi who had a firm anchor on how to cope with life's many crises and victories. Ruhiyyih Khanum in her book, "The Priceless Pearl" mentions that the Guardian, Shoghi Effendi, would be so deeply affected by events swirling around Him that He would sometimes wrap himself up in a coat of Baha'u'llah and lie absolutely motionless. This story illustrates striking a balance between maintaining our optimism while allowing ourselves time to re-group and heal.
"Yet who can doubt that all the central Figures demonstrated to the whole of mankind an assured and happy way of life? Here is where their example seems particularly precious. To rise above the disappointments, obstacles, and pain which we experience in serving the Cause is difficult enough, but to be called on, in doing so, to be happy and confident is perhaps the keenest spiritual test any of us can meet. The lives of the Founders of our Faith clearly show that to be fundamentally assured does not mean that we live without anxieties, nor does being happy mean that there are not periods of deep grief when, like the Guardian, we wrap ourselves in a blanket, pray and supplicate, and give ourselves time for healing in preparation for the next great effort." (A letter from the National Spiritual Assembly of Canada quoted in Quickeners of Mankind p. 117)
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QUESTION OF THE MONTH
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"We, verily, have made music as a ladder for your souls, a means whereby they may be lifted up unto the realm on high; make it not, therefore, as wings to self and passion. (Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Aqdas, paragraph 51)
Music is an important means to the education and development of humanity. Music is also nourishing for healing our body, mind and soul. Please share your experiences, stories and thoughts about using music for health and education.
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WEB SITE
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You can visit the website, obtain back issues and the Healing Through Unity Course at: http://www.healingthroughunity.org.
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PURPOSE OF THE NEWSLETTER
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"Healing Through Unity" is published for the purpose of sharing thoughts, comments and experiences on how the teachings of the Baha'i Faith are being applied to physical and spiritual health. Other than the quoted Holy Writings, the material in this newsletter represents the thoughts and opinions of the writers and has no authority. You are free to copy articles, provided you indicate the source of the article. There are 10 issues per year; it is not published during July and August. The newsletter is produced in Ontario, Canada.
Please send your stories, comments, suggestions or "Question for the Month" ideas to Frances Mezei by e-mail: -- .
PLEASE NOTE:
Many thanks to all of you who send such wonderful contributions for "Healing Through Unity" Newsletter. The decision to select and edit material submitted for publication is determined by the editor. If you have a change of e-mail address, please inform me with your old and new email addresses. To cancel the subscription, please send message to: --
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HEALING THROUGH UNITY
December, 2001
A monthly newsletter dedicated to serving the principles of
physical and spiritual health envisioned in the Baha'i Teachings.
Volume 5, Issue #4
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Contents
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- Using Music to Heal a Premature Baby
- Music and Healing
- The Exchange
- Baha'i Writings on Music
- Response from a Reader About Dealing with Death
- Announcement
- Question of the Month
- Website
- Purpose of the Newsletter************************************************************
USING MUSIC TO HEAL A PREMATURE BABY
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This story is taken from "The Mozart Effect - Tapping the Power of Music to Heal the Body, Strengthen the Mind, and Unlock the Creative Spirit", 2001, Don Campbell, pp. 13 - 14.
"Weighing just over one-and-a-half pounds, Krissy was born prematurely in a Chicago hospital with a life-threatening condition. Doctors put her on total life support. Other than an occasional pat on the head, the only positive stimulation she received was from constant infusion of Mozart that her mother begged nurses to pipe into the neonatal unit. Doctors did not think Krissy would live; her mother believes that music saved her daughter's life. Krissy could not sit up at age one and did not walk until she was two. Her motor skills were poor, and she was anxious, introverted, and uncommunicative. Despite all this, at age three she tested far ahead of her years in abstract reasoning. One evening, her parents took Krissy to a short chamber music concert. For days afterwards, Krissy played with an empty tube from a paper towel roll, which she placed under her neck and 'bowed' with a chopstick. Enchanted, her mother enrolled Krissy in Suzuki violin lessons with Vicki Vorreiter in Chicago, and the four-year-old girl could immediately reproduce from memory pieces several levels beyond her physical ability. Over the next two years, her strength and coordination on the instrument began to catch up with her mental capacity. With the support and encouragement of her parents, teachers, and fellow students, who were trained to perform in a group spirit, Krissy stopped wringing her hands in fear and began to socialize. Through a combination of pluck and grace, the little girl who was born weighing less than her violin could now express herself - and be whole."
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"What a wonderful meeting this is! These are the children of the Kingdom. The song we have just listened to was very beautiful in melody and words. The art of music is divine and effective. It is the food of the soul and spirit. Through the power and charm of music the spirit of man is uplifted. It has wonderful sway and effect in the hearts of children, for their hearts are pure, and melodies have great influence in them. The latent talents with which the hearts of these children are endowed will find expression through the medium of music. Therefore, you must exert yourselves to make them proficient; teach them to sing with excellence and effect. It is incumbent upon each child to know something of music, for without knowledge of this art the melodies of instrument and voice cannot be rightly enjoyed. Likewise, it is necessary that the schools teach it in order that the souls and hearts of the pupils may become vivified and exhilarated and their lives be brightened with enjoyment." (Abdu'l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 52)
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MUSIC AND HEALING
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By Terry Pratt, The Netherlands
As a musician turned sound healer, I would like to share some thoughts on the subject of sound healing which has not received the credibility which it deserves. The following summary of some of the different streams (impulses in the work) may give an idea of how I am endeavoring to incorporate it into my practice. I feel that this is a time in history when the book will be opened, and much ancient knowledge on healing is now being shared and brought to the west by people like Deepak Chopra, Mantak Chia and Ibrahim Karim and others. Sound healing is an old science while at the same time developing into a new one with potentials which have yet to be discovered.
Music played a central part in the culture and healing forms of all ancient tribal and folk traditions. The American Indians had special underground rooms in which they toned in preparation for healing rituals. Ibrahim Karim, an Egyptian architect who works with healing through specific forms, shapes and sounds says that the pyramids in Egypt were also used for this purpose. Listening to Gregorian choral, or Hildegaard van Bingen, also has a healing effect on the heart. As well, the Tibetan sound bowls have proven to have an amazing healing effect. What is the reason behind all of this?
Many traditions speak of sound as being the basis of creation. ìIn the beginning was the word, and the word was sound.î Frequencies called harmonics come from a fundamental or basis tone. These have qualities, which correspond with the stepping down process from energy into matter. The first harmonic, the octave, gives the space, or ether element, in which the creation can take place. The 2nd and 3rd harmonics form the fifth, and fourth intervals correspond to the yin and yang principle (sometimes referred to as masculine and feminine) - the two forces which interact thus creating the four elements: air, fire, water and earth. The four elements are represented in music by the 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th harmonics.
When there is a vibration, sound and form are created. One cannot exist without the other. From the smallest atom, to the planets, and the universe, there is vibration, and therefore sound and form in all of creation. Within our bodies, three basic rhythms exist: breathing, heart beat, and the cranial sacral rhythm. In addition, each organ and each system of the body has its own pattern of vibration. Surrounding the body, the energy system has also its own unique pattern. In the ayurvedic tradition, each chakra has its corresponding vowel sound, and note. When this is sounded, it activates the chakra into movement, and a form also emerges. Hans Jenny, MD, an anthroposophist, adherent of Rudolf Steiner, did extensive research concerning the effect that sound had upon form in the sixties. He took pictures of the results of playing tones to different materials as sand on a metal plate, on water and various other elements. Beautiful symmetric mandalas were formed, differing according to the pitch of the sound played. It was discovered that the old yantras, or mandalas, representing the chakras, 2000 years old in the ayurvedic tradition, corresponded exactly to the forms created by singing the sounds of the chakras. It is possible to change the crystal formations of water with music. Masaru Emoto has recently done extensive research on this. When one considers that the human body is made of 70% water, the possibilities of sound healing in the body can only be imagined. According to the ayurvedic tradition, all illness begins at the energy level, and by releasing blockages at this level, it can have an effect upon the physical body helping to bring it back into balance. When a person is in balance, he will not get sick.
It is a preventive way of medicine. By chanting vowel sounds, one activates the chakras, creating a positive force around ones body. M. Gaynor, an oncologist, has helped cure cancer patients by having them chant vowel sounds as a, e, i, o, and u. Ibrahim Karim has made a CD of silent vowel sounds corresponding to the chakras. The CD is being used by farmers in Holland on an experimental basis, to help restore the immune system of cows because when they have a strong immune system, then they would not be affected with the diseases such as hoof and mouth disease. The CD has had positive results.
All of creation is formed by energy. Energy is influenced by sound. The human body is made up of many different levels, what we see physically, as bones, muscles, lymph, blood, organs, and what we can not see, but which can be photographed with special cameras and computer programs. All of these different levels can be affected by different frequencies.
It is well known knowledge that a chandelier can be shattered by a singer singing a resonating pitch. It happens because the frequency goes into resonance with the object, and they begin to vibrate together. Using frequencies for healing follows these same principles. It is possible for example to change the energy of a weakened organ by introducing the corresponding frequency even to eradicating parasites by the use of resonating frequencies. Mantak Chia, a master in healing Tao from Thailand, uses healing sounds to activate the fascia surrounding various organs, as the lungs, kidneys, heart, liver, and spleen. According to his system, each organ has a different sound, and each organ responds to a different emotion. For example, if one is afraid, it is because the kidney energy is low, and if that is stimulated, it will lessen the fear. Changing the energy field around the organ, it can have a positive effect upon our emotional state.
Another example of sound-healing is the use of Tibetan Sound bowls. Tibetan sound bowls are made from several different metals. Each bowl is unique. The bowls produce several harmonic sounds simultaneously which resonate with oneís body. It creates a relaxing, soothing, stress releasing state in which the body balance is restored. Another aspect of sound healing is the use of mantras or chants. Different world traditions have used the repetition of short texts upon a melody, which has a very healing effect. In India, they have different ragas representing for example the different seasons and times of day. American Indian chants, Celtic songs, Rhineland mystics, Buddhist and Hindu, and Persian chants are all effective in their own way. Singing these chants creates a direct contact with ones emotions and feelings. Chanting AllahíuíAbha ('God is Most Glorious' - said by Baha'is) 95 times is also an example of a mantra.
Samuel Lewis, a Sufi, created in the 1960ís, Dances of Universal Peace, which are circle dances, whereby one sings a chant. The chants are taken from many different cultures and traditions, such as Jewish, Zoroastrian, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, and American Indian. It is a pleasant group activity which helps people connect feelings and emotions and with each other. In Holland there are plans by the Baha'is to integrate these songs and dances into spiritual education for children of mixed cultures.
I have incorporated aspects of all the above in my practice. I give sound bowl and polarity massages. I use songs, dance, and tone with groups of people. This enables people to find their center, a feeling of peace within themselves. My own experimentation has led me to believe that SINGING Bahaíi prayers can create the same effect as toning. Why is one emotionally moved when one hears the chanting of a Persian prayer much more so than when it is read? It has a healing effect upon all levels of our existence, the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. It has a much deeper effect than reading them. INTONE, O MY SERVANTSÖ. are the words of Bahaíuíllah. It is a way of healing ourselves, if we are open to it. Do not leave the chanting of prayers just to the Persians. Try it yourself, in your own language.
Sound healing is no substitute for medical care. When one is sick, it is imperative to go to a physician and be under medical treatment. It can be used as a supplement and as preventive medicine.
Please feel free to share your own experiments with me. I am interested in contacting with others who are doing this or related work. I feel very much a pioneer in this work. You can reach me at: t.pratt@hccnet.nl , after February 1st, tpratt@kabelfoon.nl
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THE EXCHANGE
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Question:
Music is an important means to the education and development of humanity. Music is also nourishing for healing our body, mind and soul. Please share your experiences, stories and thoughts about using music for health and education.
"We have made it lawful for you to listen to music and singing. Take heed, however, lest listening thereto should cause you to overstep the bounds of propriety and dignity. Let your joy be the joy born of My Most Great Name, a Name that bringeth rapture to the heart, and filleth with ecstasy the minds of all who have drawn nigh unto God. We, verily, have made music as a ladder for your souls, a means whereby they may be lifted up unto the realm on high; make it not, therefore, as wings to self and passion. (Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Aqdas, paragraph 51)
Answers:
I have learned to use music for its effect upon myself and others. Long ago, I learned that I could change and direct the mood of a room of people by my selection of music. I could put on music which reflected their present state of mind, which got them in touch with their feelings, then move along on more and more positive lines by gradually taking them, as it were, on a journey musically.
Of course you can do the same for yourself. It is like prayer...you can start with a prayer which reflects the way you feel, and bring yourself into alignment with the will of God through the selection of further prayers.
I have found that music takes me out of myself. I have Fibromyalgia, but have determined it will not stop me from living the life I want to live, just more moderately! I sing in a band, and when I am performing or even just practising, I cannot help but move with the music. And dancing to music in my own home is the same. These type of activities are my very best therapy, as they come naturally, instead of a superimposed exercise programme, which may strain you beyond your own limits. Music lifts me up and energizes me so I can forget my body, my aches and fatigue, and joyfully do more than I would think I have in me to do.
At the end of a night of performing, I am beat, almost reeling, but so very happy and healthier I am sure than if I weren't doing this and letting myself languish in my limitations instead. Thank you for letting me share this, and realize once again how fortunate I am... - Nancy Lee, Ontario, Canada
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Music and sound has played such an important role in my spiritual life that I cannot sometimes separate the two. My happiest memories of my earlier childhood and my oftentimes strained relationship with my sisters include singing and jumping with joy at songs coming over the radio that we sang together, or singing my mother's favorite old hymns, which I still have ingrained in my soul and memory.
As an adult, and although I have not been trained as a musician, I am a graduate of Don Campbell's "Power of Sound School of Transformational Music". I use my knowledge giving classes to teachers on how to use sound and music in the classroom to accelerate learning. My husband is a chiropractor, and I use my sound knowledge to show patients how to use sound to heal, as well as offering classes on sound and music to other health professionals, like nurses and massage therapists. I give workshops in the public on using sound techniques to deepen meditation and profound listening skills, and how to use music and sound in businesses as a type of Sonic Feng Shui.
My current "musical love" is using Biosonic tuning forks in the classroom and in small groups. My Baha'i community has embraced the process and frequently asks me to facilitate tuning fork circles along with prayer sessions. At the evening before our last Convention, we had a drum circle of 80 and a tuning fork circle for over 40 people. The meditative state that was met was very profound and many shared vivid and personally profound experiences with the other participants along with tears of joy and release. The process is also "healing" and at various Fairs I present the tuning fork balancing as an art form in galleries and often times get automatic healings. For example, I was asked to participate at a local community Fair and over 100 people over two days participated in a free tuning fork sound bath. Three individuals had physical shifts, two with chronic conditions that "disappeared" automatically. Everyone had an emotional or a spiritual surge and reconnectedness.
- Genevieve Metro, Nevada, U.S.
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TUNING UP FOR SURGERY
A recovery room or intensive care unit is extremely noisy; it is not, ironically, a health-producing atmosphere. Following surgery and heavy medication, you may awake in an uncomfortable, dream-like state, made more anxious by the din. Listening to music can serve as a guide in these circumstances, allowing you to awake after the operation in a safe, familiar auditory environment.
If you know that you will be hospitalized, spend a few days beforehand rehearsing for your recovery. Find an album of slow and beautiful baroque or classical music. Each day before the procedure, listen to the album while lying down with your eyes closed. Tell yourself that you are well, you are healing, that the operation is over, and that you are now in a safe environment. The music will mask the noise and help to reassure you.
Many hospitals now provide music systems for recovery, surgery, and preparation. Check beforehand and, if not, bring your own portable cassette or CD player, ideally one that plays music continuously. Ask the nurse or nurse's aide to turn it on when you are brought into the recovery room, so that it can be playing when you are awake.... Popular music, fast music and vocal music do not work as well in this environment because of their emotional content and dynamic beat. Music for recovery need not be your favorite music. But it should be transparent and calming.
- Taken from "The Mozart Effect", Don Campbell, 131.
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BAHA'I WRITINGS ON MUSIC
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"The musician's art is among those arts worthy of the highest praise, and it moveth the hearts of all who grieve. Wherefore, O thou Shahnaz, play and sing out the holy words of God with wondrous tones in the gatherings of the friends, that the listener may be freed from chains of care and sorrow, and his soul may leap for joy and humble itself in prayer to the realm of Glory."
(Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 112)"Whatever is in the heart of man, melody moves and awakens. If a heart full of good feelings and a pure voice are joined together, a great effect is produced. For instance: if there be love in the heart, through melody, it will increase until its intensity can scarcely be borne; but if bad thoughts are in the heart, such as hatred, it will increase and multiply. For instance: the music used in war awakens the desire for bloodshed. The meaning is that melody causes whatever feeling is in the heart to increase.
Some feelings occur accidentally and some have a foundation. For example: some people are naturally kind, but they may be accidentally upset by a wave of anger. But if they hear music, the true nature will reassert itself. Music really awakens the real, natural nature, the individual essence". (Abdu'l-Baha's words to Mrs. Mary L. Lucas, as quoted in "A Brief Account of My Visit to Acca.", pp 79-80)
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RESPONSE FROM A READER
ABOUT DEALING WITH DEATH
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By Cindy Catches, South Dakota, United States
I just read the November issue, Volume 5, Issue #3, about dealing with grief which made me think of a story about a death that is very precious to me. I lost my brother when I was sixteen in a car accident. It was devastating to me as he was nineteen and my father figure. About two weeks after I had lost him, he came to me in a dream. He took me with him. He showed me the beautiful place that he was at and for me not to be sad. He was so happy. It helped me and from then on, he was always helping me. When I was about 25 years old, after a nine year search, I found the Baha'i Faith. I read a quote by Abdu'l-Baha which describes the loss of a young person like a loving Gardener seeing a plant that was not doing well in a certain place (that was my brother) and the gardener doesn't take the plant out and throw it away. He lovingly transplants the plant in an area that it can grow and develop better. Yes, this had been just what my brother had shown me. Now that I had the Faith, I knew that I could let my brother go so he could grow even better.
After many years had gone by, I had to make one of the hardest decisions of my life. I was very concerned about it. I said a prayer to my brother "Oh, how I wish you were here to help me with this decision. I need your wisdom." I expected him to come to me in a dream as I had asked him to help me with a dream. But nothing came. So I just let go and knew that I would do what I had to do. One morning my best girl friend called me to come over. She said that something so scary had happened to her. She said "your brother came to me last night in a dream and that she doesn't even know my brother! He said to tell you that you did the right thing and not to worry about it. Do you know what he was talking about?" I said that I did and told her what I had done. My friend is someone who doesn't like spiritual things, they scare her and she doesn't even talk about them. She said "don't ever do that again, it scared me so that I woke up crying and my husband had to help me go back to sleep." For a while I wondered why he came to her and not me and then it was so clear. You see, this decision was one I would guilt about all my life and yet, I knew if I did not do it, I would die. This way, I am more gentle with myself, I know in a clearer way, that I did the right thing for me.
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"The death of that beloved youth and his separation from you have caused the utmost sorrow and grief; for he winged his flight in the flower of his age and the bloom of his youth to the heavenly nest. But he hath been freed from this sorrow-stricken shelter and hath turned his face toward the everlasting nest of the Kingdom, and, being delivered from a dark and narrow world, hath hastened to the sanctified realm of light; therin lieth the consolation of our hearts.
The inscrutable divine wisdom underlieth such heartrendering occurrences. It is as if a kind gardener transferreth a fresh and tender shrub from a confined place to a wide open area. This transfer is not the cause of the withering, the lessening or the destruction of that shrub; nay, on the contrary, it maketh it to grow and thrive, acquire freshness and delicacy, become green and bear fruit. This hidden secret is well known to the gardener, but those souls who are unaware of this bounty suppose that the gardener, in his anger and wrath, hath uprooted the shrub. Yet to those who are aware, this concealed fact is manifest, and this predestined decree is considered a bounty. Do not feel grieved or disconsolate, therefore, at the ascension of that bird of faithfulness; nay, under all circumstances pray for that youth, supplicating for him forgiveness and the elevation of his station." (Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, pp. 199-200)
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ANNOUNCEMENT
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THIRD ANNUAL BAHA'I CONFERENCE ON HEALTH AND HEALING
Desert Rose Baha'i Institute, Eloy, Arizona, USA
Yes, it is happening again! The dates are February 15 (Friday evening) through February 18 (Monday lunch), 2002. The theme is: ARE YOU WELL? ARE YOU HAPPY? -- "The bounty of good health is the greatest of all gifts." (Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, 151)
Registration costs less than $90, including eight meals. Motel reservations must be made early because of other area events held during the same weekend. For registration or other information, please contact: Desert Rose Baha'i Institute: E-mail: drbi@casagrande.com, Phone: 520-466-7961
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QUESTION OF THE MONTH
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Dreaming is an important aspect of our health. By achieving a better understanding of our dreams, we can then have a better understanding of our relationship to ourselves, our community, family and work. Please share your experiences, stories and thoughts about using dreams as a medium to guide and heal our lives.
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WEB SITE
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You can visit the website, obtain back issues and the Healing Through Unity Course at: http://www.healingthroughunity.org.
********************************************
PURPOSE OF THE NEWSLETTER
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"Healing Through Unity" is published for the purpose of sharing thoughts, comments and experiences on how the teachings of the Baha'i Faith are being applied to physical and spiritual health. Other than the quoted Holy Writings, the material in this newsletter represents the thoughts and opinions of the writers and has no authority. You are free to copy articles, provided you indicate the source of the article. There are 10 issues per year; it is not published during July and August. The newsletter is produced in Ontario, Canada.
Please send your stories, comments, suggestions or "Question for the Month" ideas to Frances Mezei by e-mail: -- .
PLEASE NOTE:
Many thanks to all of you who send such wonderful contributions for "Healing Through Unity" Newsletter. The decision to select and edit material submitted for publication is determined by the editor. If you have a change of e-mail address, please inform me with your old and new email addresses. To cancel the subscription, please send message to: --
HEALING THROUGH UNITY
January, 2002
A monthly newsletter dedicated to serving the principles of
physical and spiritual health envisioned in the Baha'i Teachings.
Volume 5, Issue #5
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Contents
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- Dreams about Baha'u'llah's Destiny
- A Dream
- Understanding Dreams
- No More Nightmares
- An Exercise for Children
- Guidance from the Writings about Dreams
- A Reader Requesting Assistance from the Readers
- Website
- Question of the Month
- Purpose of the Newsletter********************************************************
DREAMS ABOUT BAHA'U'LLAH'S DESTINY
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Taken from "Robe of Light", by David S. Ruhe, p. 26
"Omens of the boy's (Baha'u'llah) future came through dreams, which in that time and culture were given great credence. Two of the dreams were such as to call for interpretation by soothsayers.
At the age of five or six Husayn-Ali (Baha'u'llah's name as a child) had dreams which he related to his father, describing a desert garden in which huge birds were attacking him from every side but without harming him; and he told also of swimming in waters where birds of the air and fishes of the sea were attacking him while he remained unscathed. The Vazir called upon a famous seer who explained the visions as indicating that the child would become the founder of a great cause and that, despite the attacks of the leaders and learned of the world, the birds and the fishes of the dream, no harm would come to him but rather that he would be victorious over all.
At another time, Mirza Abbas (father of Baha'u'llah) himself dreamed that the boy appeared to him swimming in a vast, limitless ocean. His body shone upon waters with a radiance that illumined the sea. Around his head, which could distinctly be seen above the waters, there radiated, in all directions, his long, jet-black locks, floating in great profusion above the waves....a multitude of fishes gathered round him, each holding fast to the extremity of one hair. Fascinated by the effulgence of his face, they followed him in whatever direction he swam. Great as was their number, and however firmly they clung to his locks, not one single hair seemed to have been detached from his head, nor did the least injury affect his person. Free and unrestrained, he moved above the waters and they all followed him."
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A DREAM
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Anonymous by request
This past summer was a challenging time for me marked with numerous tests. When I prayed about my situation, the answer was always "Relax" or "Take it Easy" ... but as always I felt the urgency or need to do what I felt needed to be done. On a particularly difficult day, I finally made it to bed and had a dream. In the dream, I was watching a truck driver trying to manouever a huge tractor trailer on a very narrow mountain road going up. The road was so narrow that it looked like the truck would go off the road and tumble down the side of the mountain. Even though I was watching the scene, I could tell that I was the truck driver. My task was made worse by the fact that I was tired and my eyes kept closing and I would wake up just as the truck was almost off the road. As I am driving on this beautiful mountain road, I can see all the beauty from above the mountain and as I'm driving I pass an inn with lots of people around, looking happy etc. I think to myself for a minute that I should probably stop here and have a rest ... but decide to continue, feeling again the urgency of getting to my destination as soon as possible, and ignoring my fatigue and exhaustion. But just as I pass the inn and am turning the corner, I realize how absolutely tired I am and there is something that tells me I should really stop and rest before continuing. So with great difficulty, I turn the truck around and go back to the inn. I am amazed that I was able to turn the truck around and feel there is some higher power assisting me. Anyway, as I get to the inn and park my truck, I see this woman running toward me with a clip board in her hand. I come down from my truck just in time to meet her smiling greetings. I say hello back, introduce myself and ask if it is possible to get a room for the day. She says, "we have a room all ready for you, we've been expecting you!" I am utterly surprised and ask her how she could have known that I would be coming by and how did she know to reserve a room for me? She responds that a man had come by and told them that a tired traveler would be stopping for a rest, given them my name, and asked them to reserve a special room for me to rest in! I am now stupefied and ask her to describe this person who would have known of my condition and had cared enough to get me a room. As she begins describing the person, He appears behind her like a ghost. First the beautiful white turban, then His white, flowing hair, then his lovely beard flowing on his chest, then the long brown coat 'abba' covering him ... It was Abdu'l Baha who had stopped at the inn to get me a room.
This special dream had great significance ... I felt again that I was under Abdu'l Baha's protection. That he knew of my burden (the truck) and the difficulty I was having carrying it (the narrow road) and how tired I was, and was trying to tell me that it was time to slow down, take care of myself and rest. This dream reiterated my answers to prayer, in an emphatic visual form. It was wonderful and still every time I think of this precious dream, I get emotional.
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UNDERSTANDING DREAMS
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Written by Lee Scheingold, M.S.W., Published by McKessonHBOC Clinical Reference Systems. (This article is taken from website: http://www.bstpractice.com/bha/bha/dreams.htm)
WHAT ARE DREAMS?
Dreams are images and stories that appear to all of us as we sleep, much like the thoughts and daydreams that we have during the day. Every human being dreams. The dreams we are likely to remember occur during periods of rapid-eye-movement (REM) sleep, which we have several times each night.
WHAT ARE THE MAJOR CHARACTERISTICS OF DREAMS?
* Most dreams have in them several people familiar to the dreamer.
* Most dreams have as their setting a building, home, or recreational area. Few take place at work.
* Strong feelings (like fear or anger) may occur in dreams.
* Dreams feel very real to the dreamer, who may be watching them or acting in them.
* Elements from the previous day's experiences can often be found in dream content.WHY IS IT USEFUL TO UNDERSTAND DREAMS?
Since dreams contain thoughts that we are not usually aware of, some therapists believe that remembering our dreams can be useful in understanding ourselves better and even in solving our problems.
You may discover you have mixed feelings about a particular situation you thought you were sure about. For example, a man nearing retirement had a dream in which he went to his office and discovered it was completely empty. He was very angry and sad. Before he had the dream, he thought he had only happy feelings about retirement. Afterward, he realized retirement felt like a loss as well.
Dreams are not reality, but they provide important clues about how each of us sees reality. They also tell us about complicated parts of ourselves of which we may not otherwise be aware.
WHY DO SOME PEOPLE FORGET THEIR DREAMS?
Some people remember more dreams than others. Some people in long-term psychotherapy keep a dream journal and write in it each morning. Some people have trouble remembering dreams because they do not think they are important and do not pay attention to them. Others try to forget their dreams because they fear that remembering them might leave them with disturbing feelings. Or they worry that the angry or sad feelings the dreams stir up might linger on during their waking hours. Some people feel embarrassed about their dreams and would prefer not to think about them.
WHAT DO PSYCHOTHERAPISTS BELIEVE ABOUT DREAMS?
Many psychotherapists agree with the following three ideas about dreams:
* Dreams have important meaning.
* The content of a dream may be related to the waking life of the dreamer.
* Dreams serve some important biological and psychological needs.Dreams can contain symbols of internal conflict. For example, the dreamer may have questions about his or her feelings or what to do about a situation. Most feelings in dreams are negative (dread, fear, confusion, anger, or sadness). Happy dreams are less frequent for most people. Dreams are absorbing and help us stay asleep.
HOW CAN DREAMS BEST BE UNDERSTOOD?
In order to understand and learn from dreams, it is important not to take them too literally. The images and actions in dreams are often unrealistic and logically impossible. A therapist may be able to help you understand your dreams, but you are the expert on what they may mean because the symbols come from your mind.
To increase your chances of understanding a dream, follow these steps:
* Upon awakening, try to remember if you dreamed. Immediately write down the details of any dream you can remember.
* Read what you wrote about the dream. Go over each element and write down any details you may have forgotten to include the first time.
* Relax and try to think of anything the dream reminds you of. This may be a memory from years ago or it may be something that happened recently.
* Write down the memory or incident that the dream reminds you of. What happened, where did it happen, how did you feel, who else was there?
* Read over what you have written about the dream as many times as you wish, thinking about its message to you. Consider its relationship to other dreams you may have had recently, even dreams you may have had during the same night.
* Allow the dream to speak for itself. If you try too hard to understand it, you will no longer be relaxed.Many dreams are difficult to understand, and only a few will be truly helpful. Sometimes insight about the meaning of a dream may come only after you have "carried" it around with you for several days, or had another dream that is clearer.
WHAT IS A LUCID DREAM?
In some dreams, the dreamer is aware that she or he is dreaming, and may even attempt to influence the course of action in the dream. These are called lucid dreams. People who dream in this way are more likely to recall their dreams.
WHEN CAN DREAMS SIGNAL A PROBLEM?
It may be time to consult a therapist or health care provider when:
* Your dreams are often nightmares which awaken you.
* You have sleep problems related to your dreams.
* You have a recurring dream that you do not understand.
* You have symptoms of anxiety or depression, such as loss of appetite, difficulty concentrating, or loss of pleasure in usual activities.***********************************
NO MORE NIGHTMARES
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By Rory Halperin, Family Life Magazine, February 2000
Thirty percent of children ages 5 to 7 have nightmares that are so severe the children need help getting back to sleep, says Cynthia Last, Ph.D., professor of psychology at Nova Southeastern University. To help your child have sweet dreams, find out what frightens him; some children have dreams of being kidnapped, while others fear thunder and the dark.
- "If your child is afraid of monsters, make sure she doesn't watch scary movies before bedtime," says Last.
- Create calming rituals, such as locking windows or checking for monsters, before turning off the lights.
- Even if it is the middle of the night, let your child talk about her dreams. The issues children have nightmares about are usually things they worry about in real life.*****************************************
AN EXERCISE FOR CHILDREN
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Taken from "Dreaming with the Wheel: How to Interpret and Work with your Dreams Using the Medicine Wheel", by Sun Bear and Wabun Wind, pp. 280-81
What you will need: Yourself, a child or children, time, patience and a pleasant, nonjudgmental manner
Estimated time: Five minutes to half an hour
1) Encourage your child or children to remember their dreams. The best way to do this is to set the example of remembering and valuing dreams by discussing your dreams both with the child and with other adults in your household each morning.
2) Teach your child to complete his or her dreams.
3) If the children have a dream that is frightening, encourage them to relax and enjoy whatever dream situation they have encountered. Let them know that there is a gift for them and for their family at the conclusion of whatever the dream situation is. A common example of a frightening dream is the dream of falling. If children have this dream, tell them to relax and enjoy falling, knowing that there will be a gift for them when they come to the bottom.
4) Another way to deal with a dream of falling is to encourage children to start flying at some point during the fall, and to keep flying until they come to someone or something that has a gift for them or their people.
5) If children dream of a monster or something else they perceive as frightening, tell them that they should not run away but should stand there, look at the monster, and ask the monster what gift the monster has for them or their people. People we know have reported that their children tell them that the monster always has a present, candy, or something nice to give them.
6) Be willing to play-act the gifts or instructions that children receive in the dream state. For example, if the monster sings a song, encourage the children to sing the song, and then sing along with them.
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GUIDANCE IN THE WRITINGS ABOUT DREAMS
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Man sees in the world of dreams:
Consider man while in the state of sleep; it is evident that all his parts and members are at a standstill, are functionless. His eye does not see, his ear does not hear, his feet and hands are motionless; but, nevertheless, he does see in the world of dreams, he does hear, he speaks, he walks, he may even fly in an airplane. Therefore, it becomes evident that though the body be dead, yet the spirit is alive and permanent. Nay, the perceptions may be keener when man's body is asleep, the flight may be higher, the hearing may be more acute; all the functions are there, and yet the body is at a standstill. Hence, it is proof that there is a spirit in the man, and in this spirit there is no distinction as to whether the body be asleep or absolutely dead and dependent. (Abdu'l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 243)
Furthermore, man sees in the world of dreams. He travels in the East; he travels in the West; although his body is stationary, his body is here. It is that reality in him which makes the journey while the body sleeps. There is no doubt that a reality exists other than the outward, physical reality. Again, for instance, a person is dead, is buried in the ground. Afterward, you see him in the world of dreams and speak with him, although his body is interred in the earth. Who is the person you see in your dreams, talk to and who also speaks with you? This again proves that there is another reality different from the physical one which dies and is buried....(Abdu'l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 464)
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Obtaining answers in dreams:
"...this immortal human soul is endowed with two means of perception: One is effected through instrumentality; the other, independently. For instance, the soul sees through the instrumentality of the eye, hears with the ear, smells through the nostrils and grasps objects with the hands. These are actions or operations of the soul through instruments. But in the world of dreams the soul sees when the eyes are closed. The man is seemingly dead, lies there as dead; the ears do not hear, yet he hears. The body lies there, but he - that is, the soul - travels, sees, observes... It often happens that a man in a state of wakefulness has not been able to accomplish the solution of a problem, and when he goes to sleep, he will reach that solution in a dream. How often it has happened that he has dreamed, even as the prophets have dreamed, of the future; and events which have thus been foreshadowed have come to pass literally." ('Abdu'l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 416)
"Meditate thou, perform the ablution and pray to God before sleeping; and whatever the Merciful One may inspire unto thee at the time of revelation in a dream, that will be consistent with obtaining thy wishes." (Abdu'l-Baha, Tablets, pp. 629-30)
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Important to test the purity and reality of dreams and visions:
"That truth is often imported through dreams no one who is familiar with history, especially religious history, can doubt. At the same time dreams and visions are always coloured and influenced more or less by the mind of the dreamer and we must beware of attaching too much importance to them. The purer and more free from prejudice and desire our hearts and minds become, the more likely is it that our dreams will convey reliable truth....In many cases dreams have been the means of bringing people to the truth or of confirming them in the Faith. We must strive to become pure in heart and 'free from all save God." Then our dreams as well as our waking thoughts will become pure and true. We should test impressions we get through dreams, visions or inspiration, by comparing them with the revealed Word and seeing whether they are in harmony therewith." ( In a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, May 16, 1925, Lights of Guidance, Helen Hornby, pp. 512-13
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THE POWER OF SOUND AND MUSIC
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Genevieve Metro, Nevada, United States (The source of the ideas and some of the passages from this article have come from the book 'The Mozart Effect" written by Don Campbell. Genevieve is a three year graduate student of Don Campbell's Transformational School of Music.)
Everyone has had the experience of music or sound changing or affecting the mood of a current situation. The intentional increased tempo and deep notes used in a horror or mystery movie automatically intensifies suspense or fright. Upbeat, rhythmic music choices make it easier to complete our aerobic class. Calm, quiet, New Age or wind/string instrumental music can make it easier to drop off into slumberland, or get into a prayerful mode. Music can set the mood for a celebratory graduation, or a wistful marriage ceremony. Many of us have used the technique of humming or whistling through the process of making a tough personal choice or to provide self courage in an uncomfortable new or challenging situation.
Documenting the positive effects on the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual self has expanded our awareness of just how powerful music and sound can be. Research in the fields of medicine, anthropology, education, (especially in the area of brain development), and even in the field of spiritual transpersonal growth have accumulated our wisdom on not only how music and sound affects individuals, groups and cultures, but has given us insights on how to implement these tools for increased learning in the classroom, increased production in the corporate world, increased health and creativity.
To begin to understand the implications of this power in music and sound, we have to be reminded that from the beginning of time, sound and music have been associated with creation, the primary vibration, and the existence of the universe itself. Most all Holy Writings from all cultures/religious groups contain passages on sound being a creative and healing force. Both ancient Eastern traditions from the I Ching, (the Book of Changes) and the Mahabharata, the epic from India, mentions the harmonic understanding of the beginning of the universe, created by symmetrical and numeric variations . Even ancient Western religious traditions in the Old Testament tell us about the "logos" or Word, that was present in the beginning. In Greek, "logos" not only means word, but also means "sound". Traditions continue the story to tell us about how sound and music helped Apollo, Orpheus and David with their sacred lyres. (Harps). Cultures in both the Eastern and Western worlds have both used poetry, music, sound, song, and chant to not only pray and honor their Creator, but also as a tool to attune body and mind.
The world is inherently musical. Embodied in all cultures, religions, nationalities, races, sexes, ages, income and social classes and levels, music can be thought of as a language with universal components. Music speaks to everyone, including species other than human beings. Who has not heard the musical language of the dolphins as they talk in their vibratory language to each other, or the melodies of birds who sing for their pleasure, and for those who overhear their melodic conversation? Even the spacecraft Voyager carried on it 90 minutes of music for the listening pleasure of any extraterrestrials who had the capabilities of listening in to the folk, rock, classical and jazz selections which were included onboard.
Our current English language, as well as other ancient and modern languages, abounds in sonic imagery and reminds us of the power of sound to better our lives and even to help us become more healthy. Indeed, even the word "health" comes from a root word meaning hale, whole, and "to make sound", or become healthy again. We talk about when our lives are healthy and whole, how we are "living in harmony" and how "in sync" and "in tune" we are with God, nature, or others. Who hasn't heard the terms "sound judgment", "sound advice", even "sound investments"? Even if we don't fully consider ourselves as musical beings, our human languages and communication abounds in musical metaphors.
Using "sound techniques", humans are beginning to remember and effectively use the powerful healing medium that music and sound has always possessed. Spurred on by the popularity of the alternative healing method movement, one out of three Americans today are seeking methods of healing, educating, and ways to increase productive lives that are safe, inexpensive, effective, easy to follow, and are preferably self-administered. (Don Campbell, The Mozart Effect, p. 150 - from the New England Journal of Medicine, 1993) We find numerous sonic and musical ways to accomplish this. We can use techniques to listen more intently to our own inner sound system, we can learn more about the large role that our ears, our voice, and our intention, plays in increased learning and healing. We possess a large arsenal of self-generated healthful techniques just by recognizing that the choice of music that we listen to at home, at work, in our cars, in the classroom, or at our doctor's office can have a positive effect on our lives. Our health and lives can profit by using self-generated sound, through chanting, toning, humming, and even over- exaggerating long vowel sounds, to achieve an increased state of learning, relaxation and health.
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A READER REQUESTING ASSISTANCE
FROM THE READERS
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I am a Baha'i pioneer on a small Pacific Island. In my small way, I have "Virtues" classes and a Baha'i Class at the College, but only a handful of students come. The challenge to handle the problems that face youth influenced by circumstances of a troubled environment needs constant professional counselling service.
How can we help youth who are lured into crime? In the past, the legal counsel requested professional counsellors from the main island to come and assist. But they were only able to come for about a couple weeks, where "on-going" counselling is really required. Since this is a small island community, funding to have professional counsellors is required. Those of you who have had such experience, is there funding available for this island? During this period when the professional counsellors were here, they discovered among many problems, that the parents still used the "big stick" methods for discipline. On the other hand, there are parents who would gloss over and could not mentally accept that their children were trouble makers. What can we do? What can be done?
Thanking you for any assistance, suggestions or guidance. (The readers can write to -- with their responses to the above request.)
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QUESTION OF THE MONTH
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"In every avenue of service, the friends need sustained encouragement...When training and encouragement are effective, a culture of growth is nourished in which the believers see their duty to teach as a natural consequence of having accepted Baha'u'llah". (dated 9 January 2001 letter from the Universal House of Justice)
How can we create healthy, strong, creative and sustaining communities? We would like to hear about your health care projects or social and economic development projects to assist the growth and development of your community. What methods or projects have been successful in your community in creating a culture of growth?
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WEB SITE
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You can visit the website, obtain back issues and the Healing Through Unity Course at: http://www.healingthroughunity.org.
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PURPOSE OF THE NEWSLETTER
********************************************
"Healing Through Unity" is published for the purpose of sharing thoughts, comments and experiences on how the teachings of the Baha'i Faith are being applied to physical and spiritual health. Other than the quoted Holy Writings, the material in this newsletter represents the thoughts and opinions of the writers and has no authority. You are free to copy articles, provided you indicate the source of the article. There are 10 issues per year; it is not published during July and August. The newsletter is produced in Ontario, Canada.
Please send your stories, comments, suggestions or "Question for the Month" ideas to Frances Mezei by e-mail: -- .
PLEASE NOTE:
Many thanks to all of you who send such wonderful contributions for "Healing Through Unity" Newsletter. The decision to select and edit material submitted for publication is determined by the editor. If you have a change of e-mail address, please inform me with your old and new email addresses. To cancel the subscription, please send message to: fmezei@sentex.net
HEALING THROUGH UNITY
February, 2002
A monthly newsletter dedicated to serving the principles of
physical and spiritual health envisioned in the Baha'i Teachings.
Volume 5, Issue #6
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Contents
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- A Response about Dreams
- The Exchange
- The Nature of Community
- Sustained Encouragement - Creating Energy
- Guidance from the Writings in Creating a Culture of Encouragement
- Fasting
- Question of the Month
- Website
- Purpose of the Newsletter********************************************
A RESPONSE ABOUT DREAMS
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By Vivian Baravalle, Czech Republic
This was a very lovely issue (Volume 5, Issue #5) about dreams and their meaning. I've just finished reading a book entitled "Dream Back Your Life - Transforming Your Dream Messages into Life Action - A Practical Guide to Dreams, Daydreams and Fantasies" by Joan Mazza. M.S. If you have a chance you should get a hold of it as there are many helpful exercises and suggestions contained within, even suggestions on how to work with "old" dreams and unwrap their many layers of meaning.
Like the anonymous reader, I had a dream of some significance many years ago. It was the week before my marriage and I had caught a bit of flu. There was also a wedding that same day of two friends and I wanted to attend that. So I was given some medicine, told to lie down and rest and then later in the afternoon, if I felt better, I could go. Well, I fell asleep for what seemed to me like a couple of hours (but in reality may not have been more than 30 minutes) and I had the most graphic dream that I have carried within myself for almost some 25 years.
In this dream, I was floating about a lovely city. It was an evening in Winter, but I didn't feel any cold in the air at all. There was snow on the trees and on the ground and the houses below me, with soft diffused light coming from each home and there were numerous stars in the sky. I remember walking into an inn which was lit by candles and soft lights. There were many people around and I sat down at a table with some friends, some who I knew and others whom I didn't know...but then again, these people were familiar to me. We were all drinking tea in lovely glasses and we were smiling because we were all happy.
Then at a certain point, I left these people and walked outside. I found myself in front of a magnificent house. The doors of this house were opened by a young woman who was simply, but elegantly, dressed. She was wearing a pair of white gloves and she greeted me by name, saying that I was expected. I remember asking her what her name was, and she told me (but upon waking, I didn't remember that woman's name or her face). There was a long hallway in this house with wooden floors and crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling and along the walls. These walls were painted in pastel colors and the ceiling was in white stucco, all done in the finest of taste. The woman said that at the end of the hallway (where there were two more double doors) I would go and find Baha'u'llah in the next room, and that I must prepare myself to meet Him. Well the thought of meeting Baha'u'llah filled me with such joy, anticipation and excitement...that I woke up! I felt I had immediately to tell someone about it. (So I never got a chance to open those other doors.)
Almost a quarter of a century has passed since I had that dream and it still warms my heart when I think about it and I still continue to examine its meaning and symbolism. However, one interesting thing I must say is that although I lived in a warm place at that time...far away from snow and cold weather...I am now pioneering in a place which appears to be the place from my long-ago dream. This area produces some of the most lovely objects in crystal ever seen...including chandeliers! Now in retrospect, perhaps Baha'u'llah (and my soul) knew all the long that I would come and live in the very place I am living in.
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THE EXCHANGE
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Question:
How can we create healthy, strong, creative and sustaining communities? We would like to hear about your health care projects or social and economic development projects to assist the growth and development of your community. What methods or projects have been successful in your community in creating a culture of growth?
Answers:
It may be too soon to tell yet, what impact will come of our efforts, but our study circle (Ruhi course) in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, chooses an activity that the group can all participate in during the coming week. So far, we have provided encouragement and donations to a youth who was organizing a silent auction to raise money for the women in Afghanistan, visited people who are sick, picked up garbage in our own communities and donated to the food bank. I'm hoping that with a weekly activity to focus on, a culture of service will be the outcome, and that our small efforts will eventually culminate in something bigger.
- Susan Gammage, Ontario, Canada************
DEVELOPING A COMMUNITY CULTURE
1. During the period of consultation at our nineteen day feasts, we have found it useful to break up into smaller groups of between 5 and 10 people, often friends or families, language groups or special interest groups such as children or Persian-speaking friends. The Assembly suggests some issues about which it would like the community to consult. This enables the consultation to be focused, and the small groups enable everyone, confident or otherwise, to be a part of the consultations. Of course other issues can and are raised within the groups, and at the end of the consultation, everyone comes together and relays their suggestions.
2. Ridvan messages (from the Universal House of Justice) are broken down into separate paragraphs, and key-questions prepared, the paragraphs are then shared out again amongst small groups. The key-questions allow discussions to be focused and result in direct suggestions to the Assembly.
3. Deepenings may be held the same way with select paragraphs from the Writings to illustrate the boundaries of the issue, and leading questions posed which call the participants to consider how their own life experiences might suggest courses of action, and whether their present actions accord with the standards expected of a Baha'i. From this they can identify what things in their lives they could re-align with the teachings and principles.
4. Consensual decision-making at the Assembly is the goal of consultation, voting being the last resort. I am always interested in hearing an opinion which appears to run counter to "an emerging consensus" as it must carry enough weight at least in the eye of the author to warrant being held. Teasing out the reason by invitation often reveals perhaps a misunderstanding, perhaps an unarticulated prejudice, and of course may identify an issue which might contribute to a better decision. The sense of accomplishment that comes from consensual decisions, the feeling of unity and true ownership is remarkably uplifting.
These approaches have proved valuable in the various communities where I have lived as a means to engage the friends and allow them to take responsibility for their own community destiny.
- Charles Boyle, Lae, Papua New Guinea**************************************
THE NATURE OF COMMUNITY
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By M. Scott Peck. (M Scott Peck, who is the author of books such as "The RoadLess Travelled", "The Different Drum", and "A World Waiting to be Born", writes at length about the laboratory of community. He has some wonderful insights about the nature of community. Peck writes "Community is and must be inclusive. The great enemy of community is exclusivity", Scott Peck, The Different Drum: Community Making and Peace, p. 61)
* "Community: a group that has learned to transcend its individual differences. In community, instead of being ignored, denied, hidden, or changed, human differences are celebrated at gifts. (Ibid: 62)
* Community is a safe place. As soon as it is safe to speak oneís heart, as soon as most people in the group know they will be listened to and accepted for themselves, vulnerability snowballs and community members find themselves being valued and appreciated. They become more vulnerable. Love and acceptance escalates. They become intimate friends, and true healing begins. (Ibid: 68)
* Community requires the ability to expose our wounds and weaknesses to our fellow creatures. It also requires the capacity to be affected by the wounds of others, to be wounded by their wounds. (Ibid: 69-70)
*Over the past fifty years, psychotherapists, management consultants, and other students of group behavior have come to discern that when groups evolve, they tend to do so in certain somewhat predictable stages.
- The stage of pretence: the communication in pseudocommunity is filled with generalizations. It is polite, inauthentic, boring, sterile and unproductive.
- The stage of chaos: the attempt to obliterate individual differences which have escalated during pseudocommunity. This is done as the group members try to convert, heal, or fix each other or else argue for simplistic organizational norms.
- The stage of emptiness: this is the stage of hard, hard work, a time when the members work to empty themselves of everything that stands between them and community. Many of the things that must be relinquished or sacrificed with integrity are virtual human universals: prejudices, snap judgments, fixed expectations, the desire to convert, heal or fix, the urge to win, the fear of looking like a fool, the need to control. Other things may be exquisitely personal: hidden griefs, hatreds or terrors that must be confessed, made public, before the individual can be fully ëpresentí to the group". It is a time of risk and courage.
* Community must become empty for a kind of miracle to occur.
* Only after these three stages can there be true community, which then must go through the stages again and again as it advances towards perfection."
(Peck, A World Waiting to Be Born", 1993, 275-276)*********
"Through that Word the realities of all created things were shaken, were divided, separated, scattered, combined and reunited, disclosing, in both the contingent world and the heavenly Kingdom, entities of a new creation."
(Baha'u'llah, Prayers and Meditations, pp. 295-96)*******************************************
SUSTAINED ENCOURAGEMENT -
CREATING ENERGY
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Prepared by Lawrence M. Miller. (Editor's note: This article is reprinted with permission by the author. This section is taken from an excellent paper called "On Becoming Systematic: A Guide to Continuous Improvement in the Baha'i Community. You can download this paper from the Mottahedeh Development Services website: (link inoperative - webmaster). For your information, Local Spiritual Assemblies, elected annually consist of nine Baha'is, twenty-one years of age and older, govern the affairs of each local Baha'i community.)
In the January 9th, 2001 letter from the Universal House of Justice to the Continental Board of Counsellors, the House of Justice points out "Training alone, of course, does not necessarily lead to an upsurge in teaching activity. In every avenue of service, the friends need sustained encouragement...When training and encouragement are effective, a culture of growth is nourished in which the believers see their duty to teach as a natural consequence of having accepted Baha'u'llah."
Abdu'l-Baha constantly encouraged the friends, no matter how humble their efforts, with praise and respect. Virtually every talk given by the Master begins with praise of those to whom he speaks. The messages of the Guardian repeatedly point out the glorious nature of our destiny and he frequently expressed gratitude for our efforts when he certainly must have known of our faults and inadequacies. Why this encouragement? Why this apparently unbalanced emphasis on the good while ignoring the deficiencies?
There are certainly many answers to this. However, you know, from your own experience the effect of encouragement and criticism. Try to remember a time when you extended great time and effort on a plan or project and received praise and gratitude from your fellow believers or an Institution. What was the effect on your level of energy and enthusiasm? Do you remember a time when you similarly extended great energies and your effort was followed by criticism? What then was the effect on your energy?
Energy enables progress, creates action, is the fire, which is fueled by love of the Cause and is reinforced by encouragement and appreciation. If there is no energy the car cannot be steered. If there is no energy the airplane will fall from flight. If there is no energy, the best-devised plans will not lead to constructive action. How does an Assembly, Committee, or individuals create energy in the community, energy that may then be given direction?
The process of encouragement maybe divided into two parts: those things that come before performance and may energize the performance; and, those things that come after and strengthen performance. The systematic Institution will consider the performance it desires and what it can do, both before and after the performance, to increase energy and motivate future performance.
FIRST, SOME THINGS THAT MIGHT COME BEFORE PERFORMANCE:
a) The Dynamic Force of Example: Every young basketball player is motivated by the example of Michael Jordan. Every young artist by the Isaac Stern, Eric Clapton or other musical superstars. And all Baha'is are motivated by Badi and the deeds of all the heroes of the Faith. The degree to which we know what they did, the sacrifices they made, the standard of conduct they set, we are energized toward similar performance. The degree to which we know the Master, the Exemplar, we have an example to follow, a standard, toward which we can try to perform.
b) Knowledge of the World: Did you read the Atlantic Monthly piece describing the disastrous condition of women in Afghanistan? Or, the article on the disintegration of healthcare and the economy in Russia? Have you read about the spread of AIDS in Africa and its calamity for the children of Africa? Why did the Guardian read many of the world's newspapers everyday? Because the principles of our Faith, the healing Divine Prescription of our Teachings, come to fulfill a purpose, to cure an ill. If we live in an oyster, cut off from knowledge of the world, we do not fully understand the need, the imperative, that our Faith reach the masses of humankind. Repeatedly the Guardian told us that we must be knowledgeable of the affairs of the world, and he knew that this knowledge would energize us to arise to spread our teachings to a needy humanity. It would also enable us to make our teachings relevant to the distress felt by so many of our friends.
c) Clear and Simple Direction: When an Assembly appoints a committee or an individual to a task it is important that the Assembly make its wishes clear. Committees can spend a great deal of time trying to guess the wishes of the Assembly and be anxious that they are not doing the right thing in the absence of clear direction. What are the three things you would like the teaching committee, for example, to accomplish during the coming year? What would you like them to accomplish in the next couple of months? Are there specific issues you want them to address or avoid? Part of frank and honest consultation is making clear what is in your mind. Clear and simple direction lets the other person know how they can succeed, what will constitute success. This is energizing.
SECOND, SOME THINGS THAT MIGHT HAPPEN AFTER AN INDIVIDUAL OR GROUP PERFORM:
d) Expression of Appreciation: Many companies that are practicing "team-management" begin management and employee meetings with a standard agenda item: recognition. The chair or facilitator of the meeting simply asks the group, "Would anyone like to share any recognition?" There is usually a period of silent reflection while the members think about who has done something helpful in the past month. This is then shared with the group. The first expression of appreciation stimulates someone else to think of something. And, typically for a period of ten or fifteen minutes, individuals share recognition for other members of the group. The practice sets a positive tone and provides a forum for sharing appreciation that might otherwise be forgotten in the haste to get the work done.
It is a very good practice for an Assembly to consider at each meeting the deeds of members of the community and consider how they might express their appreciation to those members. Feast is an excellent time for recognizing the efforts of members of the community. Too often, in our culture, we focus on the mistakes, missteps and errors of each other and are all too quick to point these out while ignoring the hard work and efforts of our brothers and sisters. If we want to create energy we must be willing to systematically "catch-someone-doing-something-good."
While formal decision making and authority reside in the Assemblies, the process of creating energy resides in the individual, as well. How we treat each other, how we express thanks and appreciation, to each other, is a responsibility we all bear. To create a culture of growth we must first create a culture of appreciation.
e) Review and Consult: There have been cases in the Baha'i community in which an Assembly listened to criticism of a program or committee, perhaps repeatedly, and made a judgment about that program or committee without directly consulting and seeking that group's views. This is very de-motivating to the group and depletes their energy. To be consulted is, in itself, a sign of respect that creates energy. To review the efforts of your committees, with those committees, reflects your esteem for them and your sincere interest in their efforts. It is wise, when assigning responsibility to a committee or individual, to then establish dates on the calendar when it would be a good time to discuss their progress. This is energizing because it creates a simple goal, the simple goal of sharing progress with the Institution.
f) Publicly Praise ñ Privately Correct: While most of us don't want to admit it, we like to be recognized in public. We want everyone in the world, including our mother and father, to know of the good things we have done. It is motivating to recognize effort and achievement at the Feast or other public gatherings. Public comment somehow magnifies the affect. The same is true for criticism. Public criticism, that might in private be heard rationally and considered as an opportunity to learn and improve, when delivered publicly is felt as a stab to the heart. Public criticism is a guaranteed emotional crisis. Never criticize or correct another believer in a public forum, it is simply too damaging. Of course, there are times when an individual needs to receive critical feedback. But, this should always be done in private and in a spirit of love and helpfulness.
It is also best to write letters of praise, but never letters of criticism. Similar to statements in a public forum, seeing criticism on paper, gives it an official status that magnifies the pain but adds nothing to understanding. Criticism needs to be discussed. There needs to be a dialogue with the individual to help them process the feedback and gain understanding. Critical feedback, presented in a consultative dialogue, in the spirit of helpfulness will lead to growth and maturity.
We must always remember that the Baha'i community is a community of volunteers. Virtually no one is paid. No one has to be here. We are all here, involved in the Baha'i community, because we love the Faith, its Founders, and its Teachings. This recognition must guide all of our dealings with each other. It particularly must guide the feedback that we give each other.
These simple steps can do much to create and sustain the energy of the community if they become part of the culture, if they become systematic.
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GUIDANCE FROM THE WRITINGS IN CREATING
A CULTURE OF ENCOURAGEMENT
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"The friends must be patient with each other and must realize that the Cause is still in its infancy and its institutions are not yet functioning perfectly. The greater the patience, the loving understanding and the forbearance the believers show towards each other and their shortcomings, the greater will be the progress of the whole Bah·'Ì Community at large." (Written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, Living the Life: A Compilation, pp. 18-19)
"The success of your past endeavours should encourage you all and the Community whom you represent, to forge ahead, unmindful of obstacles, and forgetful of personal differences of opinion in one united and unanimous effort to carry out all the work you have set for yourselves and achieve all your goals." ( Shoghi Effendi, Dawn of a New Day, p.146)
"The supreme need of humanity is cooperation and reciprocity. The stronger the ties of fellowship and solidarity amongst men, the greater will be the power of constructiveness and accomplishment in all the planes of human activity." (Tablets of Bah·'u'll·h after the Kit·b-i- Aqdas, pp. 63-64)
"The members of the House of Spirituality must give unlimited encouragement to women." (ëAbdu'l-Bah·, Tablets of Abdu'l-Bah·, p. 336)
"...if we show love, patience and understanding of the weakness of others; if we seek to never criticize but rather encourage, others will do likewise, and we can really help the Cause through our example and spiritual strength." (National Spiritual Assembly, pp. 111-112)
"It is incumbent upon every one of us to encourage each other, to exert our utmost endeavour to diffuse His divine fragrances and engage in exalting His Word." (Bahiyyih Khanum, pp. 163-64)
"The Guardian has been at great pains to build up the administrative order and teach the friends how to use it. How could he possibly himself act in such a way as to ignore or belittle the functions of these bodies? He often encourages believers to work, to teach, to pursue some plan they propose in their letters to him..." (Letters to Australia and New Zealand, pp. 45-46)
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FASTING
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During the Baha'i month of Loftiness which begins March 2nd, Baha'is 15 years of age and older fast from sunrise to sunset for nineteen days. Exempted from the Fast are children under 15, those who are ill, over 70, traveling, pregnant or nursing women, women in their courses or those doing heavy labour. The Fast ends at sunset March 20, Naw-Ruz (Baha'i New Year).
"These are the days of the Fast. Blessed is the one who through the heat generated by the Fast increaseth his love, and who, with joy and radiance, ariseth to perform worthy deeds. Verily, He guideth whomsoever He willeth to the straight path." (Baha'u'llah, The Importance of Obligatory Prayer and Fasting, by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice, p. 7)
"Verily, I say, fasting is the supreme remedy and the most great healing for the disease of self and passion." (Baha'u'llah, ibid, p. 8)
"In clear cases of weakness, illness, or injury the law of the Fast is not binding. This injunction is in conformity with the precepts of God, eternal in the past, eternal in the future. Well it is with them who act accordingly." (Baha'u'llah, ibid, p. 9)
"Well is it with you, as you have followed the Law of God and arisen to observe the Fast during these blessed days, for this physical fast is a symbol of the spiritual fast. This Fast leadeth to the cleansing of the soul from all selfish desires, the acquisition of spiritual attributes, attraction to the breezes of the All-Merciful, and enkindlement with the fire of divine love." ('Abdu'l-Baha, ibid, p. 22)
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QUESTION OF THE MONTH
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The March issue will continue to focus on the development of healthy communities. What are some of the practical ways we can manifest love, joy, happiness, healthy connections and unity in our communities?
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WEB SITE
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You can visit the website, obtain back issues and the Healing Through Unity Course at: http://www.healingthroughunity.org.
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PURPOSE OF THE NEWSLETTER
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"Healing Through Unity" is published for the purpose of sharing thoughts, comments and experiences on how the teachings of the Baha'i Faith are being applied to physical and spiritual health. Other than the quoted Holy Writings, the material in this newsletter represents the thoughts and opinions of the writers and has no authority. You are free to copy articles, provided you indicate the source of the article. There are 10 issues per year; it is not published during July and August. The newsletter is produced in Ontario, Canada.
Please send your stories, comments, suggestions or "Question for the Month" ideas to Frances Mezei by e-mail: -- .
PLEASE NOTE:
Many thanks to all of you who send such wonderful contributions for "Healing Through Unity" Newsletter. The decision to select and edit material submitted for publication is determined by the editor. If you have a change of e-mail address, please inform me with your old and new email addresses. To cancel the subscription, please send message to: --
HEALING THROUGH UNITY
March, 2002
A monthly newsletter dedicated to serving the principles of
physical and spiritual health envisioned in the Baha'i Teachings.
Volume 5, Issue #7
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Contents
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- In the Service of Life
- How Do We Manifest Love in our Community?
- Restorative Justice 2001
- The Native North American Drum and the Baha'i Faith: A Voice of Unity, Healing and Spirituality
- Report of the Third Annual Conference of the Baha'i Association of Mental Health Professionals
- Requesting Assistance from the Readers
- Question of the Month
- Website
- Purpose of Newsletter**********************************
IN THE SERVICE OF LIFE
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By Rachel Naomi Remen (This article was submitted by Susan Gammage who came across it in her local Community News, issue #16, October 97. It serves Muskoka, Haliburton and Parry Sound regions, Ontario, Canada.)
In recent years the question "How can I help?" has become meaningful to many people. But perhaps there is a deeper question we might consider. Perhaps the real question is not "How can I help?" But "How can I serve?"
Serving is different from helping. Helping is based on inequality; it is not a relationship between equals. When you help you use your own strength to help those of lesser strength. If I'm attentive to what is going on inside of me when I'm helping, I find that I'm always helping someone who is not as strong as I am, who is needier than I am. People feel this inequality. When we help we may inadvertently take away from people more than we could ever give them; we may diminish their self-esteem, their sense of worth, integrity and wholeness. When I help I am very aware of my own strength. But we don't serve with our strength, we serve with ourselves. We draw from all of our experiences. Our limitations serve, our wounds serve, even our darkness can serve. The wholeness in us serves the wholeness in others and the wholeness in life. The wholeness in you is the same as the wholeness in me. Service is a relationship between equals.
Helping incurs debt. When you help someone they owe you one. But serving, like healing is mutual. There is no debt. I am as served as the person that I am serving. When I help I have a feeling of satisfaction. When I serve I have a feeling of gratitude. These are very different things.
Serving is also different from fixing. When I fix a person I perceive them as broken, and their brokeness requires me to act. When I serve I see and trust that wholeness. It is what I am responding to and collaborating with.
There is distance between ourselves and whatever or whomever we are fixing. Fixing is a form of judgment. All judgment creates distance, a disconnection, an experience of difference. In fixing there is an inequality of expertise that can easily become a moral distance. We cannot serve at a distance. We can only serve that to which we are profoundly connected, that which we are willing to touch. This is Mother Teresa's basic message. We serve life not because it is broken but because it is holy.
If helping is an experience of strength, fixing is an experience of mastery and expertise. Service, on the other hand, is an experience of mystery, surrender, and awe. A fixer has the illusion of being casual. A server knows that he or she is being used and has a willingness to be used in the service of something greater, something essentially unknown. Fixing and helping are very personal; they are very particular, concrete and specific. We fix and help many different things in our lifetimes, but when we serve we are always serving the same thing. Everyone who has ever served through the history of time serves the same thing. We are servers of the wholeness and mystery in life.
The bottom line, of course, is that we can fix without serving. And we can help without serving. And we can serve without fixing or helping. I think I would go so far as to say that fixing and helping may often be the work of the ego and service is the work of the soul. They may look similar if you're watching from the outside, but the inner experience is different. The outcome is often different too.
Our service serves us as well as others. That which uses us strengthens us. Over time, fixing and helping are draining, depleting. Over time we burn out. Service is renewing. When we serve, our work itself will sustain us.
Service rests on the basic premise that the nature of life is sacred, that life is a holy mystery, which has an unknown purpose. When we serve, we know that we belong to life and to that purpose. Fundamentally, helping, fixing, and service are ways of seeing life. When you help you see life as weak, when you fix, you see life as broken. When you serve, you see life as whole. From the perspective of service, we are all connected. All suffering is like my suffering and all joy is like my joy. The impulse to serve emerges naturally and inevitably from this way of seeing.
Lastly, fixing and helping is the basis of curing, but not of healing. In 40 years of chronic illness I have been helped by many people and fixed by a great many others who did not recognize my wholeness. All that fixing and helping left me wounded in some important and fundamental ways. Only service heals.
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HOW DO WE MANIFEST LOVE IN OUR COMMUNITY?
.....LET US COUNT THE WAYS.....
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This list was prepared by Linda Meccouri, United States. (Submitted by Frankie Shaw, Ontario, Canada who attended a workshop held at Louhlelen Baha'i School, U.S.A., from December 27, 2001 to January 1, 2002, where Linda Meccouri was speaking about the transformative power of prayer to transform our lives, our service and teaching, and our communities.)
1. Recognize and point out the virtues in others.
2. Blind yourself to other's shortcomings, yet recognize our own.
3. Host a fireside or feast.
4. Start a tutoring program for school children.
5. Invite your neighbours for a purely social gathering ( e.g. a movie, a cup of tea).
6. Implement a Virtues Project in your local school.
7. Raise happy children.
8. Become a volunteer at a Baha'i school.
9. Help a senior citizen or disabled person (e.g. take them grocery shopping or to a doctor's appointment, or give them a ride to a Baha'i meeting).
10. Invite the children's classroom teachers to Holy Day celebration.
11. Organize a Teachers Appreciation night at your child's school. Make plaques for the teachers. (The following is a great quote for a plaque: "The education and training of children is among the most meritorious acts of humankind...for education is the indispensable foundation of all human excellence...", 'Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Baha, p. 129).
12. Create an adult-child/youth mentorship program to organize deepenings.
13. Make a visit, phone call, e-mail, or send a card to someone you are thinking of.
14. Be a listening ear for someone who needs to talk. (And listen actively.)
15. Give help in a way that is meaningful to the receiver.
16. Encourage others to serve in ways that express their unique talents and abilities.
17. Remember that work is worship. Use your trade or profession to benefit mankind.
18. Treat children like real people. Talk to them. Listen to them.
19. Accept the level of growth present in each individual or situation. Create nurturing environments so that healing and growth can occur.
20. Pray and meditate.
21. Provide guidance, structure and supervision for the children.
22. Nurture and grow the love in your home (e.g., with your spouse and children)
23. Reach out to a forgotten Baha'i in your community.
24. Host fun programs for your community. Make a barbeque!
25. Give someone a hug.
26. Be willing to extend yourself into a new situation that may take you out of your comfort zone.
27. Send a prayer or thought to someone you are thinking of.
28. Welcome new people who have just moved into your community.
29. Become a host for someone new to this country (e.g. new Baha'i family, exchange student).
30 Run an errand for someone who needs one (e.g. a working mother).
31. Make an extra serving of a meal and share it with another family.
32. Take on a community service (e.g. Habitat for Humanity)
33. Knit someone a scarf or some mittens.
34. Take up a collection to buy books for children who cannot afford them.
35. Offer baby sitting service to someone who needs it.
36. Support the Baha'i club at your local college or university.
37. Start a homework hotline. Use the talents and training of adults in your community to help children with questions about their homework.
38. Hold an interfaith devotional meeting.
39. Home an inter-community Holy Day, using ideas of community clustering.
40. Create a Mom-to-Mom exchange.
41. Serve as a literacy volunteer for an adult education program.
42. Support a pioneer, financially or through prayers.
43. If you are a business owner, dedicate one day to provide complimentary services to someone who has served your community. (e.g. a spa in Oklahoma City provides free massages to rescue workers after bombing.)
44. Donate Baha'i books to your local library.
45. Start a dance workshop in your community.
46. Help the youth in your community to organize a session for children at
feast, including prayers, stories, etc as a service.
47. Organize a help group for getting things done in your community (how long has your neighbor been talking about painting that den?)
48. Organize a coffee morning for your neighbors to discuss subjects of topical interest, virtues, etc.
49. Take your pets on a visit to your neighbourhood senior centre.
50. Give a Naw-Ruz card and/or gift to someone you know.
51. Pray for your assembly members. Write them a love letter. Or bake them some cookies.**************
"That one indeed is a man who, today, dedicateth himself to the service of the entire human race. The Great Being saith: Blessed and happy is he that ariseth to promote the best interest of the peoples and kindreds of the earth." (Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 250)
"You must consider all His servants as your own family and relations. Direct your whole effort toward the happiness of those who are despondent, bestow food upon the hungry, clothe the needy, and glorify the humble. Be a helper to every helpless one, and manifest kindness to your fellow creatures in order that ye may attain the good pleasure of God. This is conducive to the illumination of the world of humanity and eternal felicity for yourselves." ('Abdu'l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 469)
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RESTORATIVE JUSTICE 2001
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By Leslie Mezei, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Leslie Mezei is an interfaith minister and freelance writer concentrating on ìpeace journalismî with a special interest in spirituality and religion.)
On September 23, 2001 some 700 people converged in Winnipeg, at the geographic centre of Canada, for a four day conference on restorative Justice: Justice, Reconciliation, Forgiveness, Peace. At least half the attendees and most of the organizers were Canadian Aboriginal people, many of them Elders, police, correctional workers, social workers, lawyers, judges. There were also representatives from the United States, England, New Zealand (a Maori judge), Australia, and the Republic of Congo. The representative from the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission ñ a role model for the rest of the world ñ missed it due to an airline ticket mix-up.
For me the highlight was the role-play of a ìSentencing Circleî which brought together a young man with the young woman he tried to rob in a convenience store at knifepoint, in a circle with their family and supporters and other community members. An Elder opened the proceedings with a spiritual ceremony, adding a sacred and serious tone to it. The circle was introduced by Judge Bria Huculak, a diminutive woman of great energy and compassion, who has held hundreds of such circles in the Province of Saskatchewan. She allowed a consensus to emerge on what should be done to recompense the victim, and to rehabilitate the offender, and made her judgment accordingly. Through moral and physical support, the community then takes responsibility to assist with and supervise the sentence. Most moving was the way even close relatives really heard each other for the first time, as they could speak about whatever they needed for as long as they needed ñ the way of ancient Aboriginal Circles.
To quote Judge Huculak from ìThe Spiritual Roots of Restorative Justiceî edited by Michael L. Hadley: ìFounded on Aboriginal peacemaking and mediation principles, this public, voluntary, participatory model focuses on the theme of healing. It is the ëhealingí which is for many linked to spirituality. As well, the process shares a resemblance with the relational feminist ethic of care and responsibility with its emphasis on context, connection, consensus-based problem-solving, empathy and face-to-face dialogue. At the same time, however, the restorative method respects that due process central to traditional legal practice.î
At the same time, it tries to replace the conventional retributive model, which overwhelming evidence shows is not working as a true deterrent, does not rehabilitate the offender, and makes no reparation for the victim. The growing restorative justice movement aims at not only restoring community relationships, but also transforming them into something better than before. Indeed, many prefer the term ëtransformative justice.í Judge Huculak: ìCore values include empowerment and transformationÖ. Words seem inadequate to capture the ëmagicí that often occurs. The tears, the gestures, facial expressions, and body language are all integral aspects of the experience. This ëmagicalí dimension is found in remorse, apology, forgiveness, and reconciliation. It is the spirituality found in healing. Significantly, the traditional court process offers no room for the spiritual.î
Restorative processes take different names in different countries and settings, such as Healing Circles, Community Conferences, Dialogue Circles, Victim-Offender Mediation, Family Group Conferencing. In England, the case of every young first offender must be diverted from the courts to a local community circle. Less than two weeks after September 11, talk at the conference also turned to applying these principles to the problems of the world society, to begin to look to the context and root causes of the many conflicts between groups of human beings, rather than relying solely on retribution through a ìwar on terrorism.î
RESOURCES: At another conference on conflict resolution Trip Barthel of the Neighborhood Mediation Center in Reno, Nevada, USA presented a paper on ìA Comparison of Mediation Processes and Bah·íÌ Consultation.î In addition to the academic book mentioned above, Michael Hadley (mlhadley@uvvm.uvic.ca) also has a booklet ìThe Justice Tree: Multifaith Reflection on Criminal Justiceî of the Centre for Studies in Religion and Society. Gregory Dunwoody (204-772-5731) edited ìCompassion and Forgiveness: Inheriting the Wisdom of our Spiritual Traditions.î For additional materials, consult the international www.restorativejustice.org, and the Law Commission of Canada report ìFrom Restorative Justice to Transformative Justice,î at www.lcc.gc.ca/en/themes/sr/rj/2000. To contact the conference organizers and The Centre of Excellence for Restorative Justice and Reconciliation, phone Mr. Art Shofley, Winnipeg, 204-783-8549. For broader issues, refer to the Conflict Resolution Network Canada, at www.crnetwork.ca. **********************************************************
THE NATIVE NORTH AMERICAN DRUM AND
THE BAHA'I FAITH - A VOICE OF UNITY,
HEALING AND SPIRITUALITY
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By Bob and Linda Fall, Connecticut, United States, and Paul Carignan and Sylvia Bertolini, Quebec, Canada (They can be contacted at bob.fall@uconn.edu and psferme@interlinx.qc.ca)
With the growing number of Bahaíis of Native North American descent awakening into the message of Bahaíuíllah, it should be no surprise to His followers to see and hear the inspirational wealth of these peopleís culture in the Faith. After all, unity in diversity is a key concept in the Baha'i Faith.
One of these aspects of Indigenous culture is the Drum, either the large community drum with several people attending it at one time, or, the hand-held Drum used by an individual. These drums have been used for social, spiritual and healing means in Indigenous communities for thousands of years. Their introduction to western-oriented Bahaíi communities by Indigenous believers has the potential for a rich infusion of joyful spirit through music and dance and of the sacred through prayer chants. ìSongs keep the world going rightî (Maria Chona, Papago)
ìThrough the power and charm of music, the spirit of man is upliftedî (Abduíl-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 52)
There is a vast repertoire of traditional social, healing and spiritual songs that new believers bring to the Faith as part of their cultural heritage. As they become part of the Bahaíi communities across Turtle Island (North America) they should also have an honoured part in the lives of these communities and express this rich tradition.
ìÖthe world-wide Law of BahaíuíllahÖdoes not ignore, nor does it attempt to suppress, the diversity of ethnical origins, of climate, of history, of language and tradition, of thought and habit, that differentiate the peoples and nations of the worldÖits watchword is unity in diversityÖî ( Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Bahaíuíllah, pp. 41-42)
Indigenous music is heart music and, in fact, one of the beats used on the Drum is the 2-beat or Heart beat. It imitates the rhythmic pulse of the human heart. Kevin Locke states that native music ìÖnurtures and sustains the soil of the human heartî (The Spirit World, Time-Life, 1992, p. 29). Black Elk (Lakota, 1863-1950) explained the symbolism of the Drum. ì Itís round form represents the universe and its steady strong beat is the pulse, the heart throbbing at the centre of the universe.î (ibid, p.149).
Bahaíi childrenís classes and youth audiences recognize intuitively and respond spontaneously to presentations of drum music. Sohnela Wiji, Native Bahaíi Drum group, has been impressed with the response of these young audiences and of their desire to participate in the Round dance finale. This Round dance is used by many First Nations to bind the people together in a social unit. The round shape of the dance, like that of the Drum, represents the sacred Earth of which we are part. Itís social function of uniting the participants to recognize each other is healing and sacred. Itís spiritual function, to acknowledge and praise the Creator, is healing and sacred. And to young participants itís also great fun.
ìThe Sky blesses me, the Earth blesses me;
Up in the Skies I cause to dance the Spirits
On the Earth, the People I cause to danceî.
words to Cree Round dance" (In the Way of the Earth, T.C. McLuhan)At Bahaíi Feasts and Holy Days, the Drum finds a place in both the social and sacred part of the events. Traditional Sacred drum songs to the Creator as well as translations of Bahaíi prayers set to the Drum have stirred the spirits of the listeners. People's hearts are always moved by the praise of God in prayer, however they may be clothed.
The Honour All Nations Drum, based on Vancouver Island, combined their hand-drum rendition of ëYa Bahaíulíabha' with a choir group at the Association of Baha'i Studies Conference in Seattle, August, 2001. The result was so stirring that ìthere wasnít a dry eye in the audienceî. When Sohnela Wiji Drum presented ëYa Bahaíulíabhaí on their big Drum in the fishing village of Hisiu in Papua New Guinea, the village chief stated that we had brought something very special to them, therefore he asked his people to listen to what the Bahaíis had to say.
The repertoire of sacred traditional drum songs used by Sohnela Wiji has been gifted to the Drum by Elders. The Drum in its turn shares this bounty with the Baha'i communities and other Native communities thus becoming a bridge in the healing work of Bahaíuíllah. It is this association through the Elders that validates the sharing of these songs to the future generations. Native tradition is one of respect and responsibility for what has come to us from the ancestors through an oral tradition. And it is the responsibility of the next seven generations to maintain the honoured place of Native traditions in the Bahaíi Faith.
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REPORT OF THE THIRD ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF
THE BAHA'I ASSOCIATION OF MENTAL HEALTH
PROFESSIONALS HELD AT LOUHELEN BAHA'I SCHOOL
- NOVEMBER 15-18, 2001
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The newsletter received this report from the Baha'i Association of Mental Health Professionals
The Baha'i Association of Mental Health Professionals convened for its third annual conference at Louhelen Baha'i School, November 15-18, 2001. With approximately 80 participants representing a wide variety of professional backgrounds - including psychiatry, psychology, counseling, social work, medicine, education and others - it was the largest conference to date of the young association.
The theme of the 2001 conference, which was dedicated to the memory of Mrs. Patricia Locke and Mrs. Helen Hatcher, was "Unfolding the Potential Within: Exploring the Nature of Psychospiritual Development." This theme was explored in talks, panel discussions, workshops and artistic performances of the highest quality. In addition, two memorial services were held in loving recognition of the beautiful lives of Mrs. Locke and Mrs. Hatcher, and at the close of the conference $3,650 was collected and contributed in their names to the newly-established World Centre Endowment Fund.
Highlights of the conference included a rich psycho-historical analysis of the emerging self given by Jane Faily; a Baha'i-inspired critique of psychology's obsession with the "dark side" of adolescence given by Saba Ayman-Nolley; fascinating talks by Mary K. Radpour on the importance of attention to process in psychospiritual development and by Holly Timberlake on psychospiritual development and issues of diversity; a talk by Michael Penn on the relationship between hope and development; a penetrating and insightful talk by Johanna Vanderpol on the emerging field of Emotional Intelligence; an experiential workshop on the treatment of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder presented by Colette Harrison; and an extraordinary series of dance performances and workshops conducted by Lawrence McCullough who served as artist-in-residence.
With participants from throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico, the 2001 gathering was the largest, most diverse Baha'i Association of Mental Health Professionals conference to date. Conference attendees expressed appreciation for the quality of the presentations, as well as the atmosphere of love and spirituality that pervaded the sessions. One participant noted: "The experience of the conference exceeded any expectations I may have entertained." Another said, "I am feeling spiritually rejuvenated by the spiritual fragrance of the friends and the Louhelen environment."
Next year's conference will be held at Louhelen during the weekend of 14-17 November. The hope is that many individuals from Europe and Asia who wished to attend in 2001, but could not, will be able to join us in 2002. For more information, please contact Adrienne Stengel, Secretary of Baha'i Association of Mental Health Professionals, at manifold@lib.purdue.edu or visit the website at www.bamhp.org.
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REQUESTING ASSISTANCE FROM THE READERS
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"I wonder if anyone has some healing tips to alleviate diabetes and its complications. I have had diabetes for the last 12 years and up until three months ago I was treating myself through prayer, diet, and exercise. In November last year I had to go on insulin which I now take four times daily.
For the past five years I have had increasing neuropathy in my feet and legs. Now the pain and numbness is so severe that it keeps me awake at nights and incapacitated for much of the day. I want to avoid taking pain killers so I am asking if anyone has experience in dealing with this painful condition using other than drug therapy. -- Anonymous"
(Editor's note: Please send your responses to the newsletter. Thank you and looking forward to hearing from you!)
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"There are two ways of healing sickness, material means and spiritual means. The first is by the treatment of physicians; the second consisteth in prayers offered by the spiritual ones to God and in turning to Him. Both means should be used and practised. Ilnesses which occur by reason of physical causes should be treated by doctors with medical remedies; those which are due to spiritual causes disappear through spiritual means. Thus an illness caused by affliction, fear, nervous impressions, will be healed more effectively by spiritual rather than by physical treatment. Hence, both kinds of treatment should be followed; they are not contradictory. Therefore thou shouldst also accept physical remedies inasmuch as these too have come from the mercy and favour of God, Who hath revealed and made manifest medical science so that His servants may profit from this kind of treatment also. Thou shouldst give equal attention to spiritual treatments, for they produce marvellous effects." (ëAbdu'l-Bah·, Selections from the Writings of ëAbdu'l-Bah·, p.151-152)
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QUESTION OF THE MONTH
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Do you wish to lose weight but find it difficult to do? It is a sensitive issue which many people struggle with. We would be interested to learn from those who have successfully lost weight, the steps they have taken and how it affected their lives.
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WEB SITE
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You can visit the website, obtain back issues and the Healing Through Unity Course at: http://www.healingthroughunity.org.
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PURPOSE OF THE NEWSLETTER
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"Healing Through Unity" is published for the purpose of sharing thoughts, comments and experiences on how the teachings of the Baha'i Faith are being applied to physical and spiritual health. Other than the quoted Holy Writings, the material in this newsletter represents the thoughts and opinions of the writers and has no authority. You are free to copy articles, provided you indicate the source of the article. There are 10 issues per year; it is not published during July and August. The newsletter is produced in Ontario, Canada.
Please send your stories, comments, suggestions or "Question for the Month" ideas to Frances Mezei by e-mail: -- .
PLEASE NOTE:
Many thanks to all of you who send such wonderful contributions for "Healing Through Unity" Newsletter. The decision to select and edit material submitted for publication is determined by the editor.
If you have a change of e-mail address, please inform me with your old and new email addresses. To cancel the subscription, please send message to: fmezei@sentex.net
HEALING THROUGH UNITY
April, 2002
A monthly newsletter dedicated to serving the principles of
physical and spiritual health envisioned in the Baha'i Teachings.
Volume 5, Issue #8
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Contents
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- A Response about Restorative Justice
- Obesity
- Get Ready, Get Set, Get Motivated
- Nutrition: Guidance from the Baha'i Writings
- The Exchange
- Readers Responses About Diabetes
- Requesting Assistance From the Readers
- Question of the Month
- Website
- Purpose of Newsletter*************************************************************
A RESPONSE ABOUT RESTORATIVE JUSTICE
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By Thelma Batchelor, Surrey, United Kingdom
The subject of Restorative Justice helped me to recall an interesting incident that took place many years ago when we were pioneering in the Solomon Islands in the South Pacific. Some European pioneers were visiting an outlying group of islands and during the few days we were staying there, one of the Europeans found that his wallet containing some money was missing. This was reported to the Head Man of the village. The Head Man was deeply concerned and called all the villagers together and told them that the wallet belonging to one of the visitors was missing (assumed to be stolen) and that he would like it returned to him. The villagers then dispersed to their leaf huts and shortly afterwards returned to where we, the visitors, were sitting with the Head man. They began to put large handfuls of leaves at the feet of the Head Man of the village, looking into his eyes as they did so. This carried on until there was a large pile of leaves at his feet. The Head Man turned to our friend and said: "Your wallet will be in those leaves." Our friend searched through the leaves with his hands and found his wallet complete with money. The villagers' respect for the Head Man went far beyond anything that we in the western world could ever understand.
Thus, no blame was attached by anyone to whoever had taken the money in the first place. The money was restored to its owner, and the person who had taken it must, no doubt, have felt just remorse at the procedure but the outcome was fair to everyone and the integrity of the village was restored.
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"One thing remains to be said: it is that the communities are day and night occupied in making penal laws, and in preparing and organizing instruments and means of punishment. They build prisons, make chains and fetters, arrange places of exile and banishment, and different kinds of hardships and tortures, and think by these means to discipline criminals, whereas, in reality, they are causing destruction of morals and perversion of characters. The community, on the contrary, ought day and night to strive and endeavor with the utmost zeal and effort to accomplish the education of men, to cause them day by day to progress and to increase in science and knowledge, to acquire virtues, to gain good morals and to avoid vices, so that crimes may not occur. At the present time the contrary prevails; the community is always thinking of enforcing the penal laws, and of preparing means of punishment, instruments of death and chastisement, places for imprisonment and banishment; and they expect crimes to be committed. This has a demoralizing effect.
But if the community would endeavor to educate the masses, day by day knowledge and sciences would increase, the understanding would be broadened, the sensibilities developed, customs would become good, and morals normal; in one word, in all these classes of perfections there would be progress, and there would be fewer crimes. ( 'Abdu'l-Baha, Some Answered Questions, 'The Right Method of Treating Criminals', p. 271-2)
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OBESITY
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These are excerpts from the article 'Obesity' written by Nancy Duboise with the assistance of Erica Di Ruggiero, and printed in Ontario Health Promotion E-mail Bulletin #243.1 January 25, 2002. Reprinted by permission from the author. Their archive is http://www.ohpe.ca/ebulletin and the direct link for this article is http://www.ohpe.ca/ebulletin/FullFeature.cfm?ID=243.
Introduction / Overview
Obesity is the most common metabolic condition in industrialized nations. Based on the large, population-based Canadian Heart Health Surveys conducted in the early 1990s, close to half of adult Canadians are overweight and 1 in 6 is obese. And they are at increased risk of disability, disease and premature death because of it. A recent study in the Canadian Medical Association Journal showed that from 1981 to 1996 the prevalence of overweight increased by 92% in boys and by 57% in girls. Moreover, during that same time frame, the prevalence of obesity has more than doubled in both boys and girls. Another study found that 48% of girls and 50% of boys in an Aboriginal community in Northern Canada were obese.
What causes obesity?
According to Obesity Canada, (http://www.obesitycanada.com ) there are many contributing factors: activity levels, diet, genetic, metabolic, environmental, social, economic, psychological, behavioural and biological. Inactivity and poor diet are the two most important factors. There is growing evidence that genetic factors influence the body's tendency to store energy either as fat or lean body mass (muscle). Other contributing factors include endocrine dysfunction, such as adrenal disease or diabetes, however endocrine causes of obesity are uncommon.
Why is obesity such a health risk?
Obesity contributes to a myriad of health conditions. These are outlined below along with descriptors that have been provided by National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute in the US.
a) Premature Death
* An estimated 300,000 deaths in the US per year may be attributable to obesity.
* The risk of death rises with increasing weight.
* Individuals who are obese have a 50 to 100% increased risk of premature death from all causes, compared to individuals with a healthy weight.b) Heart Disease
* The incidence of heart disease is increased in persons who are overweight or obese.
* High blood pressure is twice as common in adults who are obese than in those who are at a healthy weight.c) Diabetes
* A weight gain of 11 to 18 pounds increases a person's risk of developing type 2 diabetes to twice that of individuals who have not gained weight.
* Over 80% of people with diabetes are overweight or obese.d) Cancer
* Overweight and obesity are associated with an increased risk for some types of cancer including endometrial, colon, gall bladder, prostate, kidney, and postmenopausal breast cancer.
* Women gaining more than 20 pounds from age 18 to midlife double their risk of postmenopausal breast cancer, compared to women whose weight remains stable.e) Additional Health Consequences
* Overweight and obesity are associated with increased risks of gall bladder disease, incontinence, increased surgical risk, and depression.
* Obesity can affect the quality of life through limited mobility and decreased physical endurance as well as through social, academic, and job discrimination. Emotional suffering may be one of the most painful parts of obesity. American society emphasizes physical appearance and often equates attractiveness with slimness, especially for women. Such messages make overweight people feel unattractive. Many people think that obese individuals are gluttonous, lazy, or both, even though this is not true. As a result, obese people often face prejudice or discrimination in the job market, at school, and in social situations. Feelings of rejection, shame, or depression are common.What can be done to treat obesity?
The method of treatment depends on the level of obesity, overall health condition, and motivation to lose weight. Treatment may include a combination of diet, exercise, behaviour modification, and sometimes weight-loss drugs. However, according to researchers from the International Obesity Task Force (http://iotf.org,) there are limited effective obesity management systems in place. Obesity tends not to be treated until a co-morbidity is present.
Fortunately, a weight loss of 5 to 10 percent can do much to improve health by lowering blood pressure and cholesterol levels. In addition, recent research has shown that a 5- to 7-percent weight loss can prevent type 2 diabetes in people at high risk for the disease. In their Position Stand, the American College of Sports Medicine recommends a combined approach of reduced caloric intake and increased energy expenditure. For the latter, lifestyle activity as well as resistance training and more structured endurance activity have proven successful in adults.
When dealing with obesity in children, it is recommended that parents and other care-givers consider these behavioural adjustments, in combination with the activity guidelines recommended above:
* Let your child know he or she is loved and appreciated whatever his or her weight. An overweight child probably knows better than anyone else that he or she has a weight problem. Overweight children need support, acceptance, and encouragement from their parents.
* Eat meals together as a family as often as possible.
* Involve children in food shopping and preparing meals.
* Avoid using food to punish or reward children.
* Focus on your child's health and positive qualities, not your child's weight.
* Try not to make your child feel different if he or she is overweight but focus on gradually changing your family's physical activity and eating habits.
* Be a good role model for your child. If your child sees you enjoying healthy foods and physical activity, he or she is more likely to do the same now and for the rest of his or her life.
* Realize that an appropriate goal for many overweight children is to maintain their current weight while growing normally in height.
* Many overweight children who are still growing will not need to lose weight, but can reduce their rate of weight gain so that they can "grow into" their weight.
* Your child's diet should be safe and nutritious. It should include all of the recommended allowances for vitamins, minerals, and protein and contain the foods from the major food groups. Any weight-loss diet should be low in calories (energy) only, not in essential nutrients. * Even with extremely overweight children, weight loss should be gradual, about .5 kg per week * Crash diets and diet pills can compromise growth and are not recommended by many health care professionals.
* Weight lost during a diet is frequently regained unless children are motivated to change their eating habits and activity levels for a lifetime.
* Weight control must be considered a lifelong effort.
* Any weight management program for children should be supervised by a physician.****************************************************
GET READY, GET SET, GET MOTIVATED
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Taken from "The Complete Guide to Your Emotions and Your Health: New Dimensions in Mind/Body Healing", by Emrika Radus and the editors of Prevention magazine, pp. 364-68.
You may have been telling yourself for years that you want to lose weight and get in shape or quit smoking. But getting out and doing something depends on just how bad the excess pounds, the flabby muscles or the smoke in your lungs make you feel. "How people are feeling is what usually gets them to overcome their inertia," contends Jerry Vandel, M.D., who operates his "Health by Design" practice in San Antonio, Texas. "They might be feeling older or lousy. They realize they can't do things the way they used to and they want to try to get back to those activities. So, they'll seek a diet and exercise program."
"People have to acknowledge that they really want to do something and why," notes Cindy Casterella, a yoga instructor and stress-management consultant in Watertown, New York. ìYou have to decide that changing something in your life (like your diet or exercise program) would be good for you right now. Then find someone you can trust who can help you achieve that change.î
GETTING RESULTS
The object of an improvement program, obviously, is to get the desired results, either for self-satisfaction or to meet social expectations. Whatís needed to reach the goal is motivation. You must get motivated and stay motivated. We polled the experts and their five-point plan should really get you rolling.
1. Set easy, short-term goals and list the steps it will take to achieve them.
What is it you need? Is it a diet or exercise program? Whatever, know exactly what it is and how to go about doing it - the right way. If you doní t know anything about achieving your goal, the library or a bookstore can help you out. Read and follow the suggested plan. Be realistic. An aspect of maintaining motivation is to rework your lifestyle gradually, with patience and a positive frame of mind. After all, caterpillars donít become beautiful butterflies overnight.
"When a woman comes in with headaches, aching muscles, and a weight problem, I don't get very far suggesting that she stop all red met, eat more grains, exercise, take vitamins, and meditate all at once," said Christiane Northrup, M.D., a gynecologist/obstetrician from South Portland, Maine. "You've got to start small, with specific plan for tackling one problem at a time. Then the rest falls into place."
2. Find a person or group of people who can help you keep going.
"Support is essential in keeping a lot of people going." says Susan Smith Jones, Ph.D, an instructor in health sciences at UCLA. "Even if it's just one partner or a whole group, people are a great way to encourage motivation," says Dr. Jerry Vandel. "People like company and they can set goals together. Say you're going out running. If someone else is counting on you, you're more likely to be there."
Minister and health educator Leo R. Van Dolson, of Washington, D.C., adds, "When everyone in the group is striving for the same thing, they can offer each other support. Maybe everyone in the class was supposed to lose 2 pounds one week and someone comes to the next class and says she couldn't do it. Someone else might speak up and say, "Me, too," and then other people will make supportive suggestions.
Some people don't necessarily need a whole group of people but just one other person in whom they can confide and from whom they can get information and support. "People need to find someone who won't lay a heavy trip on them," Dr. Northrup notes. "They're usually grateful for that. Finding a doctor or someone they can bounce ideas off is important. If I tell a woman to get a massage to help her reduce some of her stress, it's like I've given her a doctor's prescription to go and feel good, as if she needed permission to do something good."
3. Experiment for a month or two until you find the program that most appropriately suits you. Give yourself time to adjust.
"Behavioral scientists say that it takes the body 21 days to accept new behaviour," says Dr. Jones. "If you give up sugar, for instance, you must keep at it for at least 21 days before your body accepts the change as natural. Set goals that are realistic and easy to achieve that you won't fail. Take it one day at a time. Also, remember that the first group, doctor, or program that you find may not be what you want or what you need. Don't be discouraged and stop. Keep on looking.
Laura Bustamante, a young lawyer from San Antonio, Texas, is an example that trial and error need not be a setback. Bustamante went to see Dr. Vandel after he repeatedly encountered injuries and fatigue from the running and weight-lifting program he created for himself. "I needed someone to tell me how to do it right, how much to do," Bustamante remembers. "He gave me a stress and physical analysis and dietary plan. I did more research on my own before I came up with a nutritional program I liked, but I followed his exercise program and found it a scientific approach to conditioning. I was just getting in such good shape that I didn't want to go back to my old habits."
4. Be flexible - leave a little room for error. No exercise or diet program should be so rigid that it doesn't leave room for little diversion.
Rigid programs are just simply too difficult to follow. A day off from exercise or an occasional dip of ice cream are all part of handling a practical, long-term program. "Once you have less of something you don't need, the less you want of it", says Nora Irvine of her fondness of ice cream.. "After a while it just doesn't appear to you as much." Cindy Casterella agrees, adding, "I give myself permission to fail. If I do, it's no big deal. "You've got to have a trusting, positive attitude about yourself," says Casteralla.
5. Visualize how good the "new you" will look and feel.
"Cut out pictures from magazines that remind you of how you want to look and feel and pin them in noticeable spots around your home," advises Dr. Jones. It may sound old hat, but it really does help you achieve your goal. Actually seeing the physical results is the best way to keep your motivation in high gear.
"As long as I'm in shape, I don't get depressed like I used to. And I don't feel run down or get the same colds or injuries," notes Lauro Bustamante. Another effect of his perseverance has been a 10-pound weight loss. "I was originally on a six-month program with Dr. Vandel. It's hard to do it on your own. With someone looking over your shoulder, you push yourself to stick with it. I asked him a lot of questions and he answered them all. I really got my money's worth - I saw the results."
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NUTRITION: GUIDANCE FROM THE BAHA'I WRITINGS
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FROM THE WRITINGS OF BAHA'U'LLAH
"In all circumstances they should conduct themselves with moderation; if the meal be only one course this is more pleasing in the sight of God; however according to their means, they should seek to have this single dish be of good quality." (Baha'u'llah, Kitab-i-Badi, p. 2)
FROM THE WRITINGS OF ABDU'L-BAHA
"What will be the food of the future?" "Fruit and grains. The time will come when meat will no longer be eaten. Medical science is only in its infancy, yet it has shown that our natural diet is that which grows out of the ground. The people will gradually develop up to the condition of this natural food." (Abdu'l-Baha, The Days in the Light of Akka, 1979 ed, pp. 8-9)
"But man hath perversely continued to serve his lustful appetites, and he would not content himself with simple foods. Rather, he prepared for himself food that was compounded of many ingredients, of substances differing one from the other. With this, and with perpetrating of vile and ignoble acts, his attention was engrossed, and he abandoned the temperance and moderation of a natural way of life. The result was the engendering of diseases both violent and diverse."
FROM LETTERS WRITTEN ON BEHALF OF THE UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE
"No specific school of nutrition or medicine has been associated with the Baha'i teachings. What we have are certain guidelines, indications and principles which will be carefully studied by experts and will, in the years ahead, undoubtedly prove to be invaluable sources of guidance and inspiration in the development of these medical sciences. Moreover, in this connection the Guardian's secretary has stated on his behalf that "It is premature to try and elaborate on the few general references to health and medicine made in our Holy Scriptures." The believers must guard against seizing upon any particular text which may appeal to them and which they may only partially or even incorrectly understand....In matters of diet, as in medicine, the Universal House of Justice feels that the believers should be aware that a huge body of scientific knowledge has been accumulated as a guide to our habits and practices. Here too, as in all other things, the believers should be conscious of the two principles of moderation and courtesy in the way they express their opinions and in deciding whether they should refuse food offered to them or request special foods."
In matters of health, particularly regarding diet and nutrition, the House of Justice advises the friends to seek the help and advice of experts and doctors. This is what Baha'u'llah has recommended and He does not indicate which school of thought or practice they should belong to. However, as you particularly ask about references in the Old Testament as they relate to meat and fish, the House of Justice has asked us to quote for you the following excerpt taken from a letter written on behalf of the beloved Guardian by his secretary to an individual believer:"
"...there is nothing in the teachings about whether people should eat their food cooked or raw; exercise or not exercise; resort to specific therapies or not; nor is it forbidden to eat meat." (From a letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer, July 11, 1978, Lights of Guidance, 298)
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THE EXCHANGE
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Question:
Do you wish to lose weight but find it difficult to do? It is a sensitive issue which many people struggle with. We would be interested to learn from those who have successfully lost weight, the steps they have taken and how it affected their lives.
Answers:
I had an angina pain that would not go away, so my doctor suggested the Dr McDoodle diet. Basically it is a 100% no fat diet, no cheating and staying on it for 12 days. It means no meat, chicken, fish, milk, dairy products or eggs, reading all labels for fat content, etc. I am a 70 year old male 5 ft 8 inches tall, weighing 155 before the diet and lost 1 pound a day. When I dropped below 140 pound I got worried and my doctor suggested fat free yogurt, fat free cottage and organic eggs up to 6/week. I leveled off at 140, my angina is gone and my cholesterol dropped from 225 to 151 in 4 days. Needless to say I am still on it and added some healthy fats like Flaxseed Oil to raise my HDL which was still on the low side and I am allowed nuts. Exercise, walking at least a half hour a day or get yourself to that level. I am a more agile tennis player and have a better outlook on life. Developed amazing recipes for fat free food, that are tasty and nutritious. - Walter Klein, Florida, U.S.
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I am a 29 year old Baha'i living in Africa. My mother struggled with a severe weight problem all my life and was in fear that I would suffer the same fate, therefore she had me on diets since the age of 12. Her focus and struggle with weight issues affected me more severely than any other influence. I also struggled with weight issues, although never as severe as my mother's for a very long time. My interest and participation in holistic healing lead me to search for new answers to this age-old problem and I found a few ways that helped me during the process.
Firstly, to the root of the problem. Although a lot of issues may be genetic, I believe that a lot of behaviours are learned, from a surface to a much deeper level. I read Louise Hay's books avidly, finding proof of her theories in my clients and myself. About weight she says that weight is the body "cushioning" you against what you fear, or protecting you from issues you have strong unresolved emotions about. Where people put on weight is also an indicator to where the issue lies; e.g. back-side is past, arms would be fear of loss, or holding on to someone or something, etc. What felt true for me was the idea that the body does sometimes misdirect instructions - if we are in fear of something for an extended period of time without facing that fear and resolving the issue, then it made sense to me that our body would respond by protecting us in whatever way it could. When I looked at my weight "depositories", I was able to recognize what Louise Hay had to say about why we put on weight. So I began working on my fears with faith, actively acknowledging my fears and praying about them, and gradually without any further attention to food or diet, weight began to come off.
Shoghi Effendi writes about overcoming our fear-complex:
"He will certainly pray that you may entirely overcome your fear-complex. When you concentrate your thoughts on realizing that you now belong to Baha'u'llah, are His servant whom He loves and will always help, if you ask Him to, and that the great spiritual strength of the Cause of God is behind you for you to draw upon, you will soon see your fears melting away." (From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, High Endeavors, p. 237)
I still find that in time of imbalance in my life, I still tend to "cushion" but have noticed that when what I fear is resolved (either by manifestation of my fear or through prayer and resolution) then my weight rectifies. However, at times there isn't the time or space to delve into deep-seated fears and dig out the root of something, lead me to look for physical solutions. Exercise is a brilliant way to control weight issues because it helps negate fear, lethargy and depression naturally as well as to feeling stronger and fitter. I also found that my blood-sugar levels are unstable and as a result I have found that a combination of L-Carnatine and Chromium helps to keep my blood-sugar levels stable.
Abdu'l-Baha tells us that to concentrate too hard on any area of the body "will cause it to become affected". Therefore after finding the solutions for my weight imbalance, I was aware not to pay too much attention to it (I must admit that when I did, nothing seemed to work). Generally, when I do go through a rough patch and "pad", my routine would be to take time out, analyze what I'm padding against, decide on a course of action which may include prayer, supplements and exercise, and then put it out of my mind, being certain and faithful that the weight will drop off, and it always does. - Natalie-Ann Powell, Africa
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These are the insights I gained and which I share with anyone who wants to break an addiction such as with food.
1 Addictions of any kind are very powerful, so your desire to overcome them must also be strong. I think this is where a spiritual focus, including prayer and meditation, come in, both to prepare a person to recognize and deal with the causes of their addiction and to help see them through to a successful (and lasting) conclusion.
2. Identifying the physiological, emotional and lifestyle triggers that can sabotage your best efforts is absolutely essential, because if you do not deal with those, you set yourself up for failure, which increases the stresses (including loss of self-esteem) that drive the addiction.
3. It is also important to remember that there is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all program. To borrow some advice from Richard and Rachael Heller (The Carbohydrate Addict's Lifespan Program. New York: Penguin, 1997), any program, to be successful in the long term, must be:
- Simple and easy to put into practice over the long haul;
- Targeted to take into account your own unique needs, preferences, and the cause of your problems;
- Adaptable to take into account all the circumstances of your life, e.g. (especially in the case of a food addiction) work, travel, social occasions, celebrations, stressful situations; and
- Rewarding in that meaningful results come before you lose heart and can be maintained long-term.You must evolve a program that works for YOU, and with God's help, some well chosen background reading, and your personal physician's advice, you can--maybe not on the first attempt, but eventually. - Mary Ann Chance, Doctor of Chiropractic, Australia
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READERS RESPONSES ABOUT DIABETES
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"I wonder if anyone has some healing tips to alleviate diabetes and its complications. I have had diabetes for the last 12 years and up until three months ago I was treating myself through prayer, diet, and exercise. In November last year I had to go on insulin which I now take four times daily.
For the past five years I have had increasing neuropathy in my feet and legs. Now the pain and numbness is so severe that it keeps me awake at nights and incapacitated for much of the day. I want to avoid taking pain killers so I am asking if anyone has experience in dealing with this painful condition using other than drug therapy. -- Anonymous"
Responses:
I am replying to a member's plea for nutritional science (recent research) into complications of Diabetes and Neuropathy. Please send this person to www.glycoscience.com and go to the nutrition science site and type in their disease condition. - Sharon Stray
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I am a nurse, and one of the best ways to lower your blood sugar is to go on a low carbohydrate diet such as sugar busters or Atkins. These diets are not healthy for everyone, but certainly in a diabetic, they do the job. There are two other diabetics in my community that are successfully lowering their blood sugar(s) by following a diet such as this. - Cathy Hamrick, North Carolina, U.S.
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For the person who has diabetes and is seeking some healing techniques, I have found that Reiki has credibility for aiding in balancing our natural life force energy to heal. Also, acupuncture may be helpful for the leg pain. The Native Americans shamans have healing rituals as well that are spiritually guided. In our modern culture, we sometimes do not understand fully why such techniques may work. Our culture emphasizes the scientific and chemical processes when some past traditions seek to balance the spiritual with the physical. Baha'u'llah invites us to seek the wisdom of other religions and other cultures because there are lessons there. And the investigation is an adventure that moves us, as well. - JJ Smile
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A reader wrote asking for tips to deal with diabetic neuropathy. The person's physician may not have told them about capsaicin cream. It can be purchased in stores but doesn't have the same strength as a prescription cream. Capsaicin is from the chili pepper plant and is what is responsible for the hot sensation in the mouth. Research has shown definite benefit in using it to treat the pain of diabetic neuropathy. Use it lightly to begin and build up tolerance for higher amounts. Rub it on gently so that you don't cause any trauma to the skin and do not use it on any broken skin or open sores. - Deborah Crumbaker-Oldham, Texas, U.S.
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At age 48 with lots of stress in his life, my husband, developed diabetes quite suddenly. His job as an International consultant requires that he travels much of the time. Following one of his trips, he came home feeling quite ill and was diagnosed with acute diabetes. We were shocked and scared because we both have medical backgrounds and knew the complications that could result from diabetes. We spent most of the first week going from doctors, to labs, to clinics and to pharmacies. It was exhausting to say the least! The specialist prescribed an oral hypoglycemic medication at the same time telling us that he was not hopeful that this would be successful in controlling the sugars because my husband was not overweight and was exercising and was already eating low glycemic foods and according to the specialist, in his experience people like my husband tended to need insulin. I was really concerned because with all his traveling it would be difficult to regulate insulin!
I had been ill for quite some time with Chronic Fatigue and Fibromyalgia and unable to work. I found that glyconutritional supplements made all the difference so as soon as we had a diagnosis for my husband and based on the research that I had read, I started to give my husband large amounts of glyconutrients and a week later when we went back to the diabetic teaching center they were amazed at how well controlled his blood sugars were. They said it was unusual and they would not have expected him to be so well controlled so quickly. We had just assumed that it was that the pills were having a positive effect but they said that no, the pills usually took longer to have any result in most people. We didn't tell them about the glyconutrients at the time, but thought that maybe that was what was making the difference.
The studies I have read about the use of glyconutrients with diabetes, indicate that even people who have been on insulin have been able to decrease and in some cases eliminate the need for medication. Quite unusual for this to happen in my experience of working as a nurse with people who have diabetes especially someone like my husband, who couldn't make any more life style changes.
The next thing that happened was that after about two weeks my husband forgot his pills at work and so missed the evening dose. His blood sugars stayed normal even without the evening pill and continued to do so and so we cut his medication dose by half of what the doctor had prescribed. About a month later we cut the dose in half again and then three months later stopped all meds. At his three month check the specialist was surprised at how well his diabetes was controlled. All within normal range and in addition to his sugar levels, his cholesterol was lower than it had been in years and this is after he had actually stopped taking his cholesterol medication which he didn't like. So even though he stopped his meds the cholesterol went down. The only other change in his life that we could figure out that he was taking the glyconutrients!! The amounts of glyconutrients that my husband is taking is far lower than what the pharmacists trained in using these products recommend and his specialist is so impressed that he is considering doing a study with some of his other clients with diabetes. - Nan Hsieh, British Columbia, Canada
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REQUESTING ASSISTANCE FROM THE READERS
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"I am an active woman who uses a wheelchair due to paraplegia. Just recently I began experiencing symptoms of tingling, numbness in my hands and occasionally my right arm when sleeping which has now been attributed to carpal tunnel syndrome. I have had splints prescribed and I am presently using one at night on the right hand. But the neurologist is recommending surgery as soon as possible. I would like to explore alternatives to this as surgery is not a guarantee of a cure nor is likely to be a permanent solution. I would appreciate hearing from anyone who has discovered other non invasive relief. I depend on my hands and wrist for many functions such as pushing my chair, transferring, keyboarding, standing with a walker and all the other tasks of daily living that require the use of my hands. - Anonymous (Editor's note: Please send your responses to the newsletter. Thank you and looking forward to hearing from you!)
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QUESTION OF THE MONTH
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This month's question(s) is the result of the readers requesting information/suggestions on how we can deal with the stresses and responsibilities in our lives. How can we have a more simple and joyful lifestyle?
- How can we have fun and joy at the same time as carrying out all our responsibilities?
- How can we deal with high levels of stress and simplify our lives? Keeping ourselves centered in very overwhelming times.
- How to deal with simple problems in daily living?
- How can we cope with stress in the workplace?
We look forward to hearing your thoughts/ suggestions on this topic.
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WEB SITE
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You can visit the website, obtain back issues and the Healing Through Unity Course at: http://www.healingthroughunity.org.
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PURPOSE OF THE NEWSLETTER
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"Healing Through Unity" is published for the purpose of sharing thoughts, comments and experiences on how the teachings of the Baha'i Faith are being applied to physical and spiritual health. Other than the quoted Holy Writings, the material in this newsletter represents the thoughts and opinions of the writers and has no authority. You are free to copy articles, provided you indicate the source of the article. There are 10 issues per year; it is not published during July and August. The newsletter is produced in Ontario, Canada.
Please send your stories, comments, suggestions or "Question for the Month" ideas to Frances Mezei by e-mail: fmezei@sentex.net.
PLEASE NOTE:
Many thanks to all of you who send such wonderful contributions for "Healing Through Unity" Newsletter. The decision to select and edit material submitted for publication is determined by the editor.
If you have a change of e-mail address, please inform me with your old and new email addresses. To cancel the subscription, please send message to: --
HEALING THROUGH UNITY
May, 2002
A monthly newsletter dedicated to serving the principles of
physical and spiritual health envisioned in the Baha'i Teachings.
Volume 5, Issue #9
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Contents
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- "Go Forward"
- Balancing our Lives - A Pilgrim's Story
- Mastering Stress: How to Beat Burnout and Enjoy Life
- The Exchange
- A Response to Dealing with Weight
- Readers' Responses to Dealing with Carpel Tunnel Syndrome
- A Response About Diabetes
- Book Review: "Recreating the World: A Practical Guide to Building Sustainable Communities"
- Announcements
- Question of the Month
- Website
- Purpose of Newsletter**************************
"GO FORWARD"
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A Parable by Sri Ramakrishna (Samhita Gupta, Grade X In Vedanta Society of Toronto, March 2002 Newsletter. Printed with kind permission.)
There once lived a woodcutter who was hard-working and very poor. Day after day he chopped wood all morning and when dusk came he carried it to the village market to sell. But the wood from the nearby forest was worth an amount so small that he could barely feed his wife and children properly. Though he was of a tall and strong build, his health suffered from the daily physical exhaustion and his body was reduced to skin and bones. One day as he was gathering wood a 'sadhu' (holy man) happened to pass by. He took pity on the hapless woodcutter and said to him "Go Forward". He then went away. The woodcutter pondered over the holy man's words for a while and decided to obey his instruction. On wandering a short distance into the forest he suddenly found himself surrounded by sandalwood trees. He was overjoyed. >From that day on he began selling sandalwood, which being several times more valuable than the ordinary wood he had been selling, earned him a lot of money. His standard of living improved. A few days later, on reflection the woodcutter said to himself, "The holy man advised me to go forward. I should not stop here." Hence, he proceeded further into the forest and stumbled upon silver mines. He made a considerable amount of money on selling the silver and became a rich and happy man.
However, his newly found fortunes did not allow the woodcutter to forget the words of the 'sadhu' . He ventured deeper into the forest and, much to his delight, came across a gold mine. He soon became an immensely wealthy man and lived in luxury. He began feeling that it was needless now to proceed any further in the forest as there could not be anything more to find. But the words of the holy man rang in his mind and he came to the conclusion that it was not wise for him to stop. He must go ahead. On continuing further from the gold mine, he discovered precious stones and further ahead there lay before him mines of priceless diamonds. With these he reached the pinnacle of prosperity. Even the kings began to envy him.
Our soul is covered by a forest of ego and worldly attachments. God is residing in our souls like the diamond mine deep in the forest. To reach 'God' we must, like the woodcutter, pierce through the forest. Other attractions like gold mines must not deviate us from the path or make us stop in our journey, mistaking them to be the perfection to be achieved. We must maintain a constant effort to rise higher in consciousness until we reach the Truth. This is the spiritual significance that lies in the Master's two words "Go Forward."
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BALANCING OUR LIVES - A PILGRIM'S STORY
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Taken from "Parenting in the New World Order", Volume 1, Issue #2, October, 1991
As Baha'is we know it is very difficult to find the balance between serving the Faith, serving our families, dedication to our work and finding time for relaxation as well!
Following is a story from a pilgrim believer who had the privilege and bounty of meeting with the Guardian, Shoghi Effendi, back in the early 50s. This story has no authenticity and is simply a story, but we have found that the point it makes has helped us in our family life and service to the Faith.
This believer, who served on a National body and loved the Faith deeply, mentioned to the Guardian, Shoghi Effendi, that he believed there were four areas of service in one's life: service to your vocation, service to the Faith, service to the family and service to your avocation. He also said that service to the Faith was the most important service for a Baha'i to render. The Guardian replied that there were many areas of service in one's life that must be attended to. The pilgrim again pressed the Guardian by saying that surely service to the Faith was the most important. The Guardian replied that "we could not neglect our responsibilities for our privileges." The pilgrim was bewildered and asked the Guardian how does one find the balance? The Guardian pointed to him and said "you must find the balance."
This little interchange between the Guardian of the Faith and the believer deeply affected him and he would retell other believers as they struggled to find their own balance in serving the Faith and their other responsibilities.
SEEKING THE BALANCE
For our family, the above story proved to be a great assistance to our own dilemma of how to serve the Faith, care for our children, nourish our marriage, maintain our home, dedicate ourselves to our work and still be happy! We decided that we would have to balance our lives in a conscious way. Once a month we would go to a quiet spot by ourselves, without the children, to a park or to a restaurant, and look at our life under the four headings mentioned above (we could have had many more headings but we tried to simplify as much as we could.) We bought a lined book and divided it into four sections looking at each one and assessing their condition and what we felt needed to be done in service to the Faith, service to our vocation, service to the family and service to our avocation (hobbies and relaxation). We made decisions for each area and wrote them down in our book under each section. Then we returned to the busyness of our lives and tried to implement our decisions. Each month we would again go back to our private meeting and review our progress and needs in all of these sections.
We did this for several years as the family, along with all our other responsibilities grew. We soon had a history, of sorts, of the progress of our lives. We discovered that the balance between the Faith, family, marriage, work and avocation was never static but always changing. One month the children would be the prime focus, the next month, it would be the Faith. We were keeping a record of the growth of our family by the decisions we agreed to implement. The decisions were many times small - (Was it time to buy one of the boys a bike? - Were there more ways and means to serve healthy meals?) to, what we considered, fairly large decisions - (Should we start our own business?" Should we pioneer?) All these decisions, actions and results traced the pattern of our unfolding lives.
One underlying theme in our decisions was that we both had to be in full agreement with it. This allowed us to feel that we were co-partners in the shaping of the family and all other aspects of life we would encounter....It allowed us to focus on different areas in our lives in a detached way and after prayer and consultation, make unified decisions.
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"Nothing is too much trouble when one loves," He has been heard to say, "and there is always time." (H.C. Ives re 'Abdu'l-Baha, Portals to Freedom, P. 52)
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MASTERING STRESS: HOW TO BEAT
BURNOUT AND ENJOY LIFE
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Taken from "The Complete Guide to Your Emotions and Your Health: New Dimensions in Mind/Body Healing", by Emrika Radus and the editors of Prevention magazine, pp. 279 - 282
SELF-MANAGEMENT
Establishing clear goals is the first order on the agenda of self-management. Write them down. And review them every month or two and reconfirm them or revise them (remember that life is constantly changing and so, too, do our goals and priorities). Also, while it's natural to have more than one goal at any time, too many goals - or conflicting or competing goals - is certain to lead to frustration and distress. So be very selective and keep each goal in its proper perspective.
Some of your goals will no doubt be very concrete and specific: take a self-defense class, buy a new car, paint the kitchen. Others may be more vague and philosophical: be a better parent, expand your circle of friends, improve your feeling of self-worth. And then there are your long-term goals: become financially independent, get in shape and achieve spiritual fulfillment.
Long-term goals are top priority on everyone's scale. But with so many more immediate concerns, we often lose sight of them and as a result they may never become realized. That is why setting priorities and planning are essential to any stress management program. "Control starts with planning," says Alan Lakein in his book "How to Get Control of Your Time and Your Life" (Peter H. Wyden, Inc.). "Planning is bringing the future into the present so you can do something about it now." Lakein begins and ends every workday with a plan. He makes a "To Do" list of everything he wants to accomplish that day. Then he reviews them in terms of his goals and determines the order of priority. The 'A' tasks are those that are of highest priority - the important things that are absolute 'musts' in order to achieve our goals, including our life goals. "I make it a point to do something every day toward my life goal," says Lakein.
'B' tasks are of secondary importance. "If I have time, I'll tackle them," says Lakein. "But not before all of the As are taken care of first. And C tasks are those that when you really think about them, you realize that they're not significant at all. According to Lakein, 80 percent of the items on any To Do list are insignificant and unnecessary. "Concentrate your effort on these high priority items" he explains. Don't get bogged down in the C tasks no matter how quick and easy they are to do.
As with most things, however, moderation is the key. "If you think that trying to 'get control' of your time and your life means becoming super-organized, super-busy or preoccupied with every moment as it slips by, let me assure you that is not the case. Lakein explains"...too much organization is as ineffective as too little." "The ideal is balance."
Balance. That's the word that every stress manager lives by. People who know how to balance work with play, wakefulness with sleep, stress with relaxation, activity with rest, giving with receiving, have discovered the key to health and happiness, they say. Balance blocks the road to burnout and opens the pathway to peak performance.
Bringing your life into balance requires self-control and time-management. Time to relax, to spend with family and friends, to play, even to do nothing doesn't happen. You've got to plan for it just as you do work activities. "One of the most difficult conflicts is finding enough time and energy to do everything we want. Work can eat up our time and energy, sometimes leaving us with little left over for our family," say Drs. Jaffe and Scott. "Tragically, working people too often make their family and personal relationships their lowest priority..." Yet people who are successful at managing stress and remaining healthy are often those who make their personal and family lives a priority and are able to say 'no' to some outside demands. Setting priorities to give importance to both work and family is a cornerstone of balanced life and self-renewal."
Sometimes, says physician Rick Ingrasci, M.D., setting those priorities requires that you first develop new, more flexible attitudes toward yourself and your work. You've got to realize that you don't have to do everything yourself and, in fact, that you're more effective if you don't. By accepting that premise and developing contacts, networking, support groups - whatever you need to help you get your work done and problems solved - you can free yourself up to do more of the things that you enjoy doing and that you're good at.
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THE EXCHANGE
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Question:
How we can deal with the stresses and responsibilities in our lives? How can we have a more simple and joyful lifestyle?
Answer:
I think much of our stress comes from our tendency to live our lives as "human doings" rather than "human beings." To counteract this, I've found a few thoughts and exercises helpful: First, my therapist told me once that life was a gift, not a debt. This simple observation left me in tears the first time I heard it, and has helped reorient my thinking whenever I remember it.
Second, I like to think that I was given one mission when I was born - not to DO anything in particular, but to become my true self. The doing comes as a natural consequence of becoming, not the other way around. When I get caught up in frantic activities, I can ask myself what they have to do with my becoming my true self.
Third, I like to make up mantras/affirmations using phrases from the Baha'i writings. I repeat the words "refresh and gladden my spirit" over and over when I'm driving my car or standing in line. Another friend says "The sea of joy yearneth to attain Thy presence." These are more powerful than made-up mantras or affirmations, but easier to remember and use than full-length prayers.
- Justice St. Rain, Indiana, U.S.********
The importance of rest and relaxation:
"...you should not neglect your health, but consider it the means which enables you to serve. It - the body - is like a horse which carries the personality and spirit, and as such should be well cared for so it can do its work! You should certainly safeguard your nerves, and force yourself to take time, and not only for prayer and meditation, but for real rest and relaxation." (From a letter dated 23 November 1947 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, Health and Healing, p. 40)
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A RESPONSE TO DEALING WITH WEIGHT
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By Kim Bowden-Kerby, Fiji
I did a research paper on dieting as an exercise when I was teaching research writing a few years ago. I found a website that had a very interesting page about health conditions which are better than average in obese people - They have a much lower rate of osteoporosis, they also have a lower rate of suicide! The website is NAAFA - National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance. One especially pithy quote is below:
"Just being fat does not signify poor health. In fact, research shows that the health risks once associated with weight may instead be attributable to yo-yo dieting. Because fatness is most often caused by heredity and dieting history, and because 95-98% of all diets fail over three years, it is becoming apparent that remaining at a high, but stable weight and concentrating on personal fitness rather than thinness may be the healthiest way to deal with the propensity to be fat."
(NAAFA - http://www.naafa.org/documents/brochures/naafa-info.html#unhealthy)
For the "hopelessly fat" - this site will likely be a lot more helpful than additional suggestions and advice on dealing with their weight.
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READERS RESPONSES TO DEALING WITH
CARPEL TUNNEL SYNDROME
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Dear "Anonymous", (paraplegic woman suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome).
>From personal experience, I can reassure you that many, MANY times, a Chiropractor or Osteopath is capable of bringing about a complete resolution without the need to ever have surgery. You should look for one who specializes not only in the diagnosis and treatment of the spinal column, but also in the extremities. Many times in the situation of carpal tunnel syndrome, the whole shoulder mechanism, elbow, wrist and hand joints can be slightly mal-positioned, often with no indicating pain. The gentle re-positioning of these bones and their adjacent soft-tissues, can provide a relief of pressure on the nerves and blood vessels which pass through the tunnel. In addition, if the Doctor of choice also has a physical therapy department, some micro-current therapy, or ultrasound often speeds the recovery. Many times, using manganese, vitamin C, and the herb arnica can be helpful. So choosing a Doctor who practices nutritional and herbal therapies will also speed your progress. Best of luck and God speed! - Anonymous
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I am responding to the problem one lady has with Carpel Tunnel Syndrome. I found the use of acupressure very helpful in relieving pain and relieving the symptoms itself. I use acupressure as a cure for a stiff neck (after my chiropractor did not relieve the problem). The book I am using is called: "Acupressure's Potent Points, a guide to self-care for common ailments" by Michael Reed Gach a Bantam trade paperback $18.95.
Since my problem was caused by overuse of my wrist by using the mouse on my computer and playing a lot of tennis, I found that a wrist support alleviated the stress on the wrist. You can buy those at Staples or Office Depot. Also at night I put a magnet on my wrist and keep it on there overnight with a bandage loosely wrapped as not to cut off the circulation. - Walter Klein, Florida
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A RESPONSE ABOUT DIABETES
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- Anonymous
There was a question from one of the readers as to how to take care of diabetes. It is very important that individuals read up about one of the very important research that has been done in National Institute of Health (NIH) long time ago, in finding out why particularly in the U.S., there is so much health problems compared to Europe and other parts of the world.
Concerning insulin dependent individuals, any treatment will not necessarily get them off of insulin, rather threaten their other problems. Insulin dependents for the most part have lost the ability to make insulin. There is another side to the coin, which is good to know.
What NIH found, was that in the U.S., because of the abundance of the consumption of corn oil in many processed foods, and restaurants, and households, it's one of the main factors of obesity, diabetes (especially type 2), some of the cancers and the list goes on.
Essentially, what they have found out, when analyzing diseased vs. healthy tissue, is that the omega 6 content is way higher than its European healthy tissue. Corn oil is all omega 6 and has no omega 3. They have determined that in healthy tissue the ratio to omega 6 to omega 3 must be 4 to 1 . In the U.S. the average ratio is 20 omega 6 to 1 omega 3. Essential fats are essential; if we don't get them we lose our health. Furthermore if we don't get it in the right ratio we will lose our health. So they have proved that in a 20 to 1 ratio, the insulin receptors on the living cell almost come to non existent. In some insulin dependent individuals, taking insulin will not help their condition, because the cells are not responding, essentially there is plenty of key but no keyhole to insert the key, this is where disease takes hold. Some of the readers gave other solutions, which in fact are part of this bigger puzzle. Chromium was mentioned, which is a key factor with the usage!
Use of insulin at the cellular level, and reducing the need of extra insulin production. Flax oil was mentioned, which is mostly omega 3 than omega 6. If someone already has too much omega 6, by taking flax oil a better balance is achieved. Going back to NIH, they have also found that Omega 6 is one of the most powerful blood thickeners, and conversely omega 3 one of the most powerful blood thinners. No wonder then, why some individuals after a big meal can end up with a blood clot in their brain or heart or elsewhere.
Another important thing to note, is this, that in the United States, cattle are fed corn, if I am not mistaken, essentially to fatten them up, so that is why the beef in the U.S. makes us fat and gives us heart attacks. Individuals that eat game meat don't get the same problems as the rest of us. Another important finding was that when the omega 6 content got much higher than normal, that is where breast cancer showed its ugly head. Cancer cells were in fact more able to penetrate other tissue. For now eating fish is much better than eating meat.
We don't know what jewels Baha'u'llah and Abdu'l-Baha have given us in the writings about health and healing. I have understood the meaning of a few, hopefully others have understood the meaning of the rest, and are sharing it with us in this forum.
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It is, therefore, evident that it is possible to cure by foods, aliments and fruits; but as today the science of medicine is imperfect, this fact is not yet fully grasped. When the science of medicine reaches perfection, treatment will be given by foods, aliments, fragrant fruits and vegetables, and by various waters, hot and cold in temperature. (ëAbdu'l-Bah·, Some Answered Questions, pp. 258-259)
At whatever time highly-skilled physicians shall have developed the healing of illnesses by means of foods, and shall make provision for simple foods, and shall prohibit humankind from living as slaves to their lustful appetites, it is certain that the incidence of chronic and diversified illnesses will abate, and the general health of all mankind will be much improved. This is destined to come about. In the same way, in the character, the conduct and the manners of men, universal modifications will be made. (ëAbdu'l-Bah·, Selections from the Writings of ëAbdu'l-Bah·, pp. 152-156)
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BOOK REVIEW: RECREATING THE WORLD: A PRACTICAL
GUIDE TO BUILDING SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES
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By Pat Verge, Canada (Pat Verge is the author of an excellent book "Angus >From the Heart: The Life of Counsellor Angus Cowan", 1999, ISBN 0-9685893-0-8)
ìAnd yet, is not the object of every Revelation to effect a transformation in the whole character of mankind, a transformation that shall manifest itself both outwardly and inwardly, that shall affect both its inner life and external conditions?î (Bahaíuíllah, KitabíiíIqan, p. 241.)
When I first read the title of Michael and Judie Boppís new book about community development, "Recreating the World: A Practical Guide to Building Sustainable Communities" (Calgary, Alberta: Four Worlds Press: 2001), I wondered if the words ìrecreating the worldî were too audacious. But then I remembered the quote above, which speaks about the great transformation that must occur in communities everywhere through the influence of the new Revelation from God.
In this book, the Bopps, community development specialists, describe tools that have emerged from more than 15 years of work in partnership with many tribal and other communities in North and South America, Africa and the Asian-Pacific Region. They present a mind-expanding vision:
ìWe invite you to think of community development not as merely rearranging (the proverbial) deck chairs on the Titanic, but as a process of transforming ourselves and our communities into new models of living that are truly life-promoting and life-enhancing for us, for others with whom we share the planet, and for future generations.î
This is a textbook, written for practitioners of community development, but
it is nonetheless very accessible by the lay person. Beautifully designed,
with many illustrations, charts and practical examples, its contents are
described in a nutshell:
ìIn this volume, we have tried to provide a weave of three things we have
found to be useful in the work of facilitating community development
processes:
1. maps and models which tell what the various pieces of the development puzzle are and how they fit together;
2. principles, which tell us how we must work; and
3. practical tools, strategies, stories, examples, instruments and games to use in educating others about community development.
In ìMaps and Modelsî, there are descriptions of two main models the Bopps have found useful. The first is the medicine wheel or hoop of life described by North American tribes. The second, called ìFour Aspects of Human Systems Transformationî, is the writersí own synthesis of recent scientific models and theories, mostly from biology and physics, concerning how transformation of any system in the natural world, including the human system, occurs.
In the next section, 16 principles for human and community development are described. The authors write: ìA principle-centered approach is a way of working that forces us to look again and again at what are we really trying to achieve, as well as at what is really required for development processes to be effective.î The principles include ìdevelopment comes from withinî; ìno vision, no developmentî; ìdevelopment processes must be rooted in the culture of the peopleî.
In the section called ìNuts and Boltsî, the book explores the day-to-day work and 12 areas that need attention in any healthy community development process. These include such issues as harnessing community tension, developing a common vision of a sustainable future, maintaining unity and healthy human relations, facilitating learning, networking and reflection on the process. This section also has many examples of activities such as ìKitchen Table Meetings: a Community Entry and Start-Up Strategyî and ìThe Community Story Framework: A Community Consultation and Planning Toolî.
The Resource Pages contain a rich collection of stories, games, activities and tools that can be used in the three areas above.
Recreating the World will appeal to those involved in community development as a profession, as well as to the larger community. In 1996, the Universal House of Justice wrote: ìSince Bahaíis everywhere are at the very beginning of the process of community building, enormous attention must be devoted to the tasks at hand.î This book is based on practical application of spiritual principles and extensive experience, and will make a valuable contribution to our understanding of the vital processes of creating community.
(Recreating the World is available from Four Worlds Press, P.O. Box 395, Cochrane, Alberta T4C 1A6; phone 403-932-0882; email fourworlds@telusplanet.net).
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
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WORDS CAN HEAL
(Editor's note: A number of readers have suggested that the website "Words Can Heal" be shared in the newsletter. It is an informative and excellent website for us to visit. Here is a Baha'i quote about the importance of words: "Every word is endowed with a spirit, therefore the speaker or expounder should carefully deliver his words at the appropriate time and place, for the impression which each word maketh is clearly evident and perceptible. The Great Being saith: One word may be likened unto fire, another unto light, and the influence which both exert is manifest in the world. Therefore an enlightened man of wisdom should primarily speak with words as mild as milk...." Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, pp. 172-173)
The description below is taken from the website:
"Words Can Heal is a national campaign to eliminate verbal violence, curb gossip and promote the healing power of words to enhance relationships at every level. At a time when so many feel that outside events are beyond their control, we offer concrete tools and know-how to dramatically rebuild our communities and relationships through the words we speak and the way we communicate. At a time of national crisis, as we re-evaluate our lives and re-order priorities, the Words Can Heal message resonates even more forcefully.
Words Can Heal has captured the imagination and commitment of an unprecedented coalition. Our board includes the top leadership, leading diplomats, Wall Street's most influential CEO's, America's leading clergy, Hollywood celebrities and community leaders of every stripe. Visit www.WordsCanHeal.org for more ideas on how to heal with words". Irwin Katsof, Executive Director
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HEALTH COMPILATION AVAILABLE ONLINE
"Extracts from The Writings Concerning Health, Healing and Nutrition" compiled by The Research Department of the Universal House of Justice compilation is available online at http://bahai-library.org/compilations/health.healing.html. It can also be found in the Healing Through Unity website at www.healingthroughunity.org
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WEBSITE FOR PEOPLE WHO CAN READ GERMAN
Those that can read German can check the following website: http://www.bfgev.de/dggk/
"The book 'Grosse Gesundheits Konz' quotes many people who were cured from many serious diseases and thanked Franz Konz, the author for his contribution. The author (72 years) lives by his own advice and healed himself from serious cancer (carcinoma ventriculi) 36 years ago and enjoys perfect health." Submitted by Sebastiaan van Doorn, Germany
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QUESTION OF THE MONTH
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Summer time is when most of us think of the various way to rejuvenate ourselves for our well-being and health. What are some of the important reasons for taking a vacation, attending Baha'i summer school, going to camp and taking time away from normal routine?
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WEB SITE
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You can visit the website, obtain back issues and the Healing Through Unity Course at: http://www.healingthroughunity.org.
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PURPOSE OF THE NEWSLETTER
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"Healing Through Unity" is published for the purpose of sharing thoughts, comments and experiences on how the teachings of the Baha'i Faith are being applied to physical and spiritual health. Other than the quoted Holy Writings, the material in this newsletter represents the thoughts and opinions of the writers and has no authority. You are free to copy articles, provided you indicate the source of the article. There are 10 issues per year; it is not published during July and August. The newsletter is produced in Ontario, Canada.
Please send your stories, comments, suggestions or "Question for the Month" ideas to Frances Mezei by e-mail: fmezei@sentex.net.
PLEASE NOTE:
Many thanks to all of you who send such wonderful contributions for "Healing Through Unity" Newsletter. The decision to select and edit material submitted for publication is determined by the editor.
If you have a change of e-mail address, please inform me with your old and new email addresses. To cancel the subscription, please send message to: --
HEALING THROUGH UNITY
June, 2002
A monthly newsletter dedicated to serving the principles of
physical and spiritual health envisioned in the Baha'i Teachings.
Volume 5, Issue #10
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Contents
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- Shoghi Effendi Finds Solace in the Mountains
- Fifteen Healthy Reasons to Take a Vacation
- Prayer for Balance
- The Principle of Moderation
- What are Glyconutritionals?
- Letters
- Letter from the Editor
- Website
- Purpose of Newsletter***********************************************
SHOGHI EFFENDI FINDS SOLACE IN THE MOUNTAINS
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Taken from The Priceless Pearl, by R?hÌyyih Rabbani, pp. 57-60
On 8 April the Greatest Holy Leaf wrote a general letter ... "Since the ascension of our Beloved ëAbdu'l-Bah· Shoghi Effendi has been moved so deeply ... that he has sought the necessary quiet in which to meditate upon the vast task ahead of him, and it is to accomplish this that he has temporarily left these regions. During his absence he has appointed me as his representative,..."
It all looked very calm on paper but behind it was a raging storm in the heart and mind of Shoghi Effendi. "He has gone", the Greatest Holy Leaf wrote, "on a trip to various countries." He left with his cousin and went to Germany to consult doctors. I remember he told me they found he had almost no reflexes, which they considered very serious. In the wilderness, however, he found for himself a partial healing, as so many others had found before him. Some years later, in 1926, to Hippolyte Dreyfus, who had known him from childhood and whom he evidently felt he could be open with as an intimate friend, he wrote that his letter had reached him "on my way to the Bernese Oberland which has become my second home. In the vastnesses and recesses of its alluring mountains I shall try to forget the atrocious vexations which have afflicted me for so long...It is a matter which I greatly deplore, that in my present state of health, I feel the least inclined to, and even incapable of, any serious discussion on these vital problems with which I am confronted and with which you are already familiar. The atmosphere in Haifa is intolerable and a radical change is impracticable. The transference of my work to any other centre is unthinkable, undesirable and in the opinion of many justly scandalous...I cannot express myself more adequately than I have for my memory has greatly suffered.
In the early years after 'Abdu-l-Baha's passing, although Shoghi Effendi often travelled about Europe with the restless interest of not only a young man but a man haunted by the ever-present, towering giants of his work and his responsibility, he returned again and again to those wild, high mountains and their lofty solitude...
While in Switzerland Shoghi Effendi stayed with a gentleman. This man was an old Swiss guide in whose house on the main street Shoghi Effendi had rented a tiny room, the attic under the eaves, for which he paid about one franc a night. The ceiling was so low that when his uncle-in-law, a big man, came to see him, he could not stand upright. There was a small bed, a basin and a pitcher of cold water to wash with. Interlaken is in the heart of the Bernese Oberland and the starting point for innumerable excursions into the surrounding mountains and valleys. Often long before sunrise Shoghi Effendi would start out, dressed in knee breeches, a Norfolk jacket and black wool puttees on his legs, sturdy mountain boots, and a small cheap canvas rucksack on his back and carrying a cane. He would take a train to the foot of some mountain or pass and begin his excursion, walking often ten to sixteen hours, usually alone, but sometimes accompanied by whichever young relative was with him; they could seldom stand the pace and after a few days would start making excuses. From here he also climbed some of the higher mountains, roped to a guide. These expeditions lasted practically up to the time of his marriage."
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FIFTEEN HEALTHY REASONS TO TAKE A VACATION
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Taken from "The Complete Guide to Your Emotions and Your Health: New Dimensions in Mind/Body Healing", by Emrika Radus and the editors of Prevention magazine, pp. 315 - 319
"I need a vacation." It's what you say when you're at the end - the very end - of your rope. But is a vacation really the answer to your problems? Won't they be just the same when you get back? Fortunately, no. Because you'll be different. Whether you're taking off for the Alps or a mountain lake 30 miles from home, the pink beaches of some tropical island or the pink back porch of your cousin's cottage at the shore - your vacation is going to change you for the better. According to psychologists, getting away from it all - breaking free from routine - can bring new perspectives to old dilemmas and put a positive charge in your mental outlook - even help to fan those waning embers of enthusiasm. You'll also get to know yourself a little better. And when you return home, you'll be happier, healthier, and much more effective in coping with stress. Sounds like a tall order. But vacation can fill it. Here are 15 reasons why.
1. RELAXATION
"Just the act of getting away from your daily frustrations will relax you," says Richard I. Curtis, author of "Taking Off". "Even if you come up against some new problems on your trip, you can treat these like a game. They're temporary. The important thing is, you are getting out of your day-to-day rut", continues Curtis.
Edward Heath, Ph.D., professor in the department of recreation and parks of Texas A & M University, agrees: "When you take a vacation, you escape the humdrum of daily life. You leave your troubles behind you. Even if all you do is sit on the edge of the river and watch the water move, it's a valuable change of place. You're going to recharge your batteries. You'll return refreshed and renewed."
2. STIMULATION OF NEW SIGHTS
Richard Curtis says, "Almost any travel is good. Staying at home for too long tends to crimp our awareness. We need the exposure to new sights and experiences. Think of the first time you saw mountains, or the sea, or the desert, or the Grand Canyon - I don't mean pictures. I mean actually being there, in a place which is totally different from anything you're used to." New sights of things around us can give us new insights, too, according to Dr. Heath. "You can get a broader view, a new perspective on your own world, if you visit a different place. For example, if you live at the mouth of the Mississippi, or the Hudson, or some other great river, you may understand your own region better after visiting the headwaters of the river. You may learn something about yourself, too, namely, that you might like to move to that new area. Lots of people take advantage of their vacations to look over other regions they might like to move to someday."
3. MEETING NEW PEOPLE
"We're very social animals," Dr. Heath says. "A vacation gives us the opportunity to form new friendships - or just to satisfy our curiosity about how other people live. This gives us a broader perspective on our own lives." Richard Curtis agrees: "The more people you know, the more eyes you can borrow to look on the world. And the further those eyes are from are from your own world, the better."
4. FELLOWSHIP AND CAMARADERIE
"Sharing an adventure with other people allows us to share their enthusiasm, too. It's positive reinforcement for our own enthusiasm about life," Dr. Heath says. "But it doesn't necessarily have to be easygoing. Shared hardships also form bonds of love and friendship and give us something to look back on with pride and pleasure. "Every year thousands of people meet at one spot in Canada and form a caravan with their recreational vehicles and eat each other's dust all the way to Alaska. Then they're back again the next year. "Twenty years from now, you'll remember and talk about the canoe trip where the weather suddenly changed and you spent two days huddled over a campfire, shivering. "There's also a benefit in associating with like-minded people in some competitive event. People travel thousands of miles to cheer their team in the Super Bowl or the playoffs.
5. EDUCATION
"You may need or want to learn new skills on your vacation," Dr. Heath says. "You may decide to learn a new language before travelling to a foreign country. Or you may learn as you go along in order to communicate with people there. You may decide to learn snorkeling, or tennis or golf, or skiing, or mountain climbing, or hang gliding, or any new skills."
6. ADVENTURE
"Travel returns a sense of adventure to your life," says Curtis. "Pulling yourself off your native turf is going to make demands on your resourcefulness - to find suitable lodging and food. But you're also allowed to experiment with your personality and lifestyle without having to live with the consequences. If you're usually too shy to say hello and smile at strangers, you may allow yourself the adventure of doing just that on your vacation in a new place. It may then become a habit you can bring home with you."
The element of risk is also a part of many vacation adventures, according to Dr. Heath, "Most travel involves accepting and meeting challenges. You test yourself against a new environment. You can improve your self-esteem by taking on challenges that everyday life doesn't offer. Of course, sometimes everyday life may involve greater risk. Water-skiing, mountain climbing, skydiving - all seem quite scary. But though they may be more thrilling, they actually are safer than driving on the freeway."
7. SURPRISE
"It is the unexpected in life that we learn from," says Curtis. "We gain the most when we put ourselves on the line and remain open to new experiences. On a trip you have to adapt very quickly. You bring much of that enhanced adaptability home with you. "Not to mention the stories of all your surprises, which you'll remember for many years.
8. BEAUTY
"When you're standing in the middle of a beautiful environment, and you open your eyes to it, you start to feel in tune with it. You can actually begin to feel beautiful yourself. You share in some of the beauty and power," Dr. Heath says, "You may have such a peak experience in a natural setting, like the Grand Canyon - or your awe might be inspired by the beauty of some man-made edifice such as the Vatican, or a bridge, or a whole city. "These experiences we never forget are very important to our enjoyment of life."
9. ANTICIPATION
Have we got you itchin' to hit the road for action and adventure and new people, places, and things? Are you so excited you can't wait to plan your vacation? Good, because that's part of the benefit of a vacation. "Your vacation," according to Dr. Heath, "is more than the actual time spent away from home. The planning and preparations are also good for you. Many vacations are actually year-long projects. A person may prepare for a fishing trip, for example, by tying flies. The anticipation is pleasurable. The trip is, too, because you reap the rewards of extensive preparation."
10. MEMORIES
"Your life is enriched before, during, and after a vacation. Dr. Heath says. "You'll always have the joy of reflecting on pleasant memories."
11. FREEDOM
"A vacation gives us the freedom to do what we want to do," says Dr. Heath. "Our bodies have the remarkable ability to recognize a deficiency and try to compensate for it," notes Curtis. "For instance, North American Indians who lived in northern regions where sources of vitamin C were rare compensated by eating pine needles. The mind seems to have a myriad of ways to deal with psychological problems, too, without necessarily consulting the brain's owner. Our desire for change occurs regularly. Even if you are generally satisfied with your life and work, you may still feel the need for something more. You may feel closed in. Take a vacation and you will realize your own freedom.
12. SELF-DISCOVERY
"A vacation can be a great opportunity for sorting out life's experiences," Dr. Heath says. "You can shut off the sensory overload that may be your everyday life and get away to a deserted beach or a mountain stream. "You can let your soul talk to itself. The dialogue you carry on with yourself is very important. You need it to develop your creativity and your inner peace and harmony."
13. APPRECIATION OF THINGS TAKEN FOR GRANTED
"You'll be surprised at the things for which you become homesick," Curtis says. "You'll crave the simple pleasure of finding someone who speaks your language. I have felt almost sick for the sight of a lilac, for a maple leaf, for ice cream sodas, for a long, hot shower, etc. "When you get home, you will get more from life. You'll see the miracles where you live."
14. TIME STANDS STILL
"If you're really enjoying yourself," Dr. Heath says, "time does not progress in equal units. You stop thinking about everything else but what you're doing then and there. "You get lost in the activity of the moment. You may be catching fish, or trying to keep dry while canoeing through the rapids, or looking for pretty shells along the beach. "Time is standing still for you and that's good. There's evidence that happy people are those who can give full attention to what's going on at that moment."
15. HAPPINESS
We saved the most important reason for last: "The major goal of a vacation is happiness," says Dr. Heath. "Your leisure time should make you happier. A vacation is not a necessary evil you endure to enable you to work harder when you get back. Your leisure makes up a large segment of your life, and it can and should be a valuable force for good. You should like your life a little better after a vacation."
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Happiness is a great healer:
You must be happy always. You must be counted among the people of joy and happiness and must be adorned with divine morals. In large measure happiness keeps our health while depression of spirit begets diseases. The substance of eternal happiness is spirituality and divine morality, which has no sorrow to follow it. (ëAbdu'l-Baha, quoted in 239 Days: ëAbdu'l-Baha's Journey in America, p. 94)
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PRAYER FOR BALANCE
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By Leslie Gabriel Mezei, Ontario, Canada
To channel the light,
without being blinded.To transmit the power,
without grabbing it.To fan the flames of fire,
without burning up.To know greatness,
without forgetting how small I can be.To put it in words,
without losing the feeling.To focus on myself,
without ignoring anyone.To take great steps
without stepping on others' toes.To quicken to life,
without deadening those around me.To share,
without holding back.To fully enjoy,
without exploiting others.To be all I can be,
without being self-absorbed.To be patient,
without resentment.To be humble,
without false modesty.To ask for what I need,
without demanding it.To love,
without conditions.To be excited,
without becoming hyper.To be still,
without being depressed.To empathize,
without pity.To learn from opposition,
without bitterness.To pray,
without forgetting to help myself.To think,
without letting my brain take control.To observe the world,
without losing the world within.To give support to others,
without making them dependent.To be ever a beginner,
without envying those seeming further along,
without looking down at those appearing to be behind.To be in awe of the mystery of it all,
without losing sight of the miracle of being at all.******************************************************
THE PRINCIPLE OF MODERATION
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Reprinted with kind permission from Maxwell International Baha'i School. (A monthly e-newsletter from Maxwell International Baha'i School in Shawnigan Lake, BC, Canada, dedicated to addressing educational issues and sharing our experience with developing a school "wherein the children, whether Baha'i or other, will be educated to such a degree as to become God's gifts to man..." 'Abdu'l-Baha. To subscribe to this e-newsletter, write to insights@maxwell.bc.ca)
"The quality of being moderate and avoiding extremes; the trait of avoiding excesses; temperance" (dictionary)
"Whatsoever passeth beyond the limits of moderation will cease to exert a beneficial influence". (Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 216)
In a society that commonly uses the word 'extreme' as a compliment, it is increasingly difficult to persuade children and youth that 'moderation' is a virtue, and that a lack of moderation can lead to distraction, and even to obsession and addiction. Even in schools, where we are constantly being called to greater efforts to achieve excellence, due regard for the importance of moderation tends to lead to greater results. We now know that we tend to learn better and faster if we study in moderate 'chunks' of time, with breaks in between. The effects tend to be even greater when the breaks include moderate physical activity, and if a balanced diet is followed. 'Cramming' in a great deal of study time, especially at the expense of rest and sleep, tends to produce only small and short-term gains. It seems that as we strive toward a philosophy of 'moderation in all things', and try to develop a more balanced lifestyle, we generally also become more productive and healthy.
This idea is being increasingly recognized, even in the most elite academic circles. For example, many universities and colleges have begun to acknowledge that more balanced, well-rounded individuals can often better manage their academic lives than can those who have focused almost exclusively on their grades. These schools are taking an increased interest in how balanced or well-rounded applicants are - rather than simply considering their academic scores. One of our students received two perfect scores on the Scholarship Aptitude Tests and was accepted to both Yale and Harvard with scholarships, but we believe it was his service activities and teaching English in China that made him stand out. Interests in other areas, hobbies, service activities, sports, or travel often make the difference when universities are choosing amongst applicants and make for a more interesting and well-rounded life.
Another form of moderation that assists with a more balanced life, and which tends to support academic excellence, is in relationships. Adolescence is a time when we explore and develop relationships with others, as well as our understanding of ourselves. While it is important to learn about others, to create healthy friendships and to come to terms with our changing bodies during this time, taking a moderate approach to relationships can prevent a great deal of distraction and stress. For those willing to choose to maintain warm but celibate relationships, the emotional highs and lows are much less severe, and the potentially devastating effects of unplanned parenthood, or the contraction of disease are entirely avoided. Our experience at the secondary school level is that there are benefits not only to a celibate lifestyle at that age, but that the avoidance of exclusive relationships entirely ('boyfriends' and 'girlfriends') greatly assists youth to feel safer and freer to explore each other's character as friends and really get to know each other before the distracting and complicating elements of exclusivity come into play.
Encouraging children and youth toward the principle of moderation provides them with a positive and helpful guide for most situations. Striving to apply moderation in speech helps them to neither be shy or unassertive, nor to dominate or hurt others with harshness. Moderate dress and hairstyle helps them to look presentable and attractive without being intimidating, sexually provocative or comical, and may tend to free them from feeling a need to spend more than necessary on clothes, jewelry or makeup, or to develop an unhealthy attachment to fashion trends or images.
There are many references to moderation in the Baha'i Writings, including the following which encourages "...the exercise of moderation in all that pertains to dress, language, amusements, and all artistic and literary avocations." (Shoghi Effendi, The Advent of Divine Justice, p.25)
Moderate diets, exercise, rest, and recreation also support a healthy lifestyle.
When mentoring or developing programs for today's youth, it is helpful to remember and encourage the principle of moderation in all things.
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WHAT ARE GLYCONUTRITIONALS?
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By Nan L. Hsieh, British Columbia, Canada (Editor's note: A number of readers asked "What are glyconutritionals?" so I asked Nan Hsieh who wrote a response about diabetes in the April, 2002 issue to explain this to us based on her experience.)
What are glyconutritionals?
Very simply, glyconutritionals are simple natural sugars or carbohydrates that are used for energy and are essential to communication in our bodies at the cellular level. The relatively new science of Glycobiology has determined that not only are these simple sugars a source of energy but that there are at least eight of them that are considered to be essential for cell to cell communication and health.
How do glyconutritionals work?
In essence glyconutritionals function like the letters of the alphabet and are used by the cells to communicate with each other in their process of running the health of the body. Recent scientific research has shown that eight simple dietary sugars (monosaccharides), most of which are no longer found in abundance in the standard modern diet, combine with proteins and fats to create glycoforms that coat the surface of virtually every cell in the body. In 1996, the 24th edition of Harper's Biochemistry (a medical text) showed the body's use of these eight sugar molecules to produce complete glycoforms. Glycoforms function as cellular recognition molecules that communicate the messages a body needs to function in health.
How much do you need to take?
Since glyconutritionals are simply purified foods, there is no specific amounts that a person has to take. Responses are dependent upon the person's body metabolism and his or her current state of health and to some extent to how long the person has been ill. Some people need very little amounts and others require substantial amounts. The good news is that since these products are simply foods, there has been no demonstrated toxic levels even when taken in huge amounts. Another bonus is that they do not interfere with the functioning of prescribed medications.
What happens if we lack glyconutritionals?
Without ample glyconutritionals the cells in our body lack the letters of the alphabet with which to communicate accurately, resulting in miscommunication between cells. The consequence of this miscommunication is that our body's immune system functions less and less efficiently and over time we develop chronic health challenges such as, arthritis, diabetes, lupus, cancer, chronic fatigue, just to name a few of the multitude of chronic health challenges that plague us as a society.
What are glyconutritionals used for?
Because they form the basis of multicellular intelligence by assisting cells to communicate and work together, glyconutritionals are used to keep our bodies healthy and balanced. They are useful in keeping those who are healthy, functioning at their optimum. And for those who are dealing with health challenges, glyconutritionals have been shown to lower cholesterol, increase lean muscle mass, decrease body fat, accelerate wound healing, ease allergy symptoms, and allay autoimmune diseases such as arthritis, psoriasis, and diabetes. Viral and bacterial infections, including recurrent ear infections, flu and HIV have responded positively to the addition of glyconutritionals into the diet. Symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, and Gulf War syndrome have been shown to frequently abate after adding glyconutritionals. And, for cancer patients, glyconutritionals have been shown to decrease the toxic effects of radiation and chemotherapy while augmenting their cancer-killing effects, resulting in prolonged survival and improved quality of life.
Where can I learn more about glyconutritionals?
The following sources provide resource information on glyconutritionals and how and why they work.
1.http://www.GLYCOSCIENCE.COM/glycoscience/document_viewer.wm?FILENAME=H286B
3.Sugars That Heal -- a book by Emil I. Mondoa, M.D.
4.Harper's Biochemistry Textbook, 1996 edition, chapter 25.
How much do they cost and where can I obtain glyconutritionals?
The cost per month varies depending on the individual, his or her condition and the body's response. For the average healthy person who wishes to stay healthy and takes the glyconutritionals as a preventative measure, the cost would average $50 per month. Someone dealing with a chronic health condition may need to spend more. The products are available through some health food stores and pharmacies who work directly with the Research and Development company to get these products out to the public. For the most part, the majority of people purchase their products directly from the company with the initial assistance of another person who is already an associate.
Where can I find out more? nlh@islandnet.com
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LETTERS
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Many thanks for sending this newsletter to me each month. Although I am not a health professional, I enjoy reading the very informative articles that it contains, and learning from the pearls of wisdom that shine in it too. For example, the story about restorative justice in Solomon Islands in the South Pacific was fascinating. That would probably never happen in a city like Melbourne where I live, a city which usually thinks of itself as being very civilized. Again many thanks, for the wonderful service that you are performing. - Peter Seery, Australia
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Thank you for this wonderful and spirit-filled newsletter that you have devoted yourself to. As I have been a reader for maybe a year now, I am so impressed with the quality of content, the obvious huge desire to aid and assist, and the ability to coordinate the Baha'i writings with the most basic, yet complicated of human conditions: health. I sincerely thank you for this. As a health professional of 24 years experience, maybe I can contribute more in the future to your newsletter. I am only two years and three months into the writings of the Faith, but I have a solid foundation in holistic, alternative health options. - Evelyn Berringer, Paraguay
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I can only say that I look forward each month to the newsletter. It is superb and I heartily congratulate you on your consistent dedication and persistent effort to keep it going. - Richard Witter, Washington DC, U.S.A.
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This is just a great big thank you for doing this wonderful newsletter! I work at a hospital on Cape Cod and have put an offer in the hospital mailing system offering free copies of the newsletter to any interested persons. I have ten people on my list at present (all women!) -- the chaplain of the hospital, some nurses and some secretaries. I know they are using the information and sharing with others. - Judith Partelow, U.S.A.
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(Editor's note: You are free to copy articles, provided you indicate the source of the article.)
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Wonderful newsletter; diverse, informative! Very helpful for the individual and the community! - Esther Detally, U.S.A.
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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
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The fifth year of the Healing Through Unity newsletter covered many diverse topics such as: breast cancer, dealing with grief and death, children and stress, music therapy, understanding dreams, creating a culture of encouragement, community development, restorative justice, the Native North American Drum, dealing with weight issues, diabetes, carpel tunnel syndrome, balancing and simplifying our lives, vacation, etc. It is encouraging to read the wealth of knowledge and experience of the diversity of health issues, struggles, and victories in the application of the principles of the Baha'i Faith in everyday life. It is important that we try to cover a wide variety of topics in order to meet the different needs of the readers. If there is a topic that we have not yet covered, please let me know.
I would like to thank the reviewers of the newsletter who have done an excellent job in reviewing the issues each month. Their assistance and guidance have been invaluable over the years. Dale Sims and Bill Sims from Ontario, Canada and Meryl Cook from Nova Scotia, Canada. Russ Novak, Mexico, has continued to be a great asset in serving and maintaining the website of the newsletter in which he has dedicated in honor of his deceased wife who passed away several years ago.
Since the newsletter is not published during July and August, this is our last issue of the fifth year, until September 2002. On behalf of the reviewers and myself, thank you for your wonderful and excellent contributions of articles, stories, and letters of the past year. Your efforts for this newsletter as well as your words of encouragement that you have sent us are heartwarming. Please write to us over the summer and share your thoughts and ideas. Hope you have a wonderful summer and look forward to your participation in the newsletter in September.
Frances Mezei, Editor
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WEB SITE
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You can visit the website, obtain back issues and the Healing Through Unity Course at: http://www.healingthroughunity.org.
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PURPOSE OF THE NEWSLETTER
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"Healing Through Unity" is published for the purpose of sharing thoughts, comments and experiences on how the teachings of the Baha'i Faith are being applied to physical and spiritual health. Other than the quoted Holy Writings, the material in this newsletter represents the thoughts and opinions of the writers and has no authority. You are free to copy articles, provided you indicate the source of the article. There are 10 issues per year; it is not published during July and August. The newsletter is produced in Ontario, Canada.
Please send your stories, comments, suggestions or "Question for the Month" ideas to Frances Mezei by e-mail: fmezei@sentex.net.
PLEASE NOTE:
Many thanks to all of you who send such wonderful contributions for "Healing Through Unity" Newsletter. The decision to select and edit material submitted for publication is determined by the editor.
If you have a change of e-mail address, please inform me with your old and new email addresses. To cancel the subscription, please send message to: --
HEALING THROUGH UNITY
September, 2002
A monthly newsletter dedicated to serving the principles of
physical and spiritual health envisioned in the Baha'i Teachings.
Volume 6, Issue #1
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Contents
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- Keeping Our Youth Close to Our Hearts
- Requesting Assistance from the Readers
- Question of the Month
- Website
- Purpose of the Newsletter*************************************************************
KEEPING OUR YOUTH CLOSE TO OUR HEARTS
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Prepared by Marilyn Carey who works as a Mental Health Clinician at Powell River Youth and Family Services, British Columbia, Canada. (Editor's note: I am very grateful that Marilyn Carey has offered to do a third article for the Healing Through Unity newsletter. She has been generous in sharing her expertise and skills in the field of children and youth in mental health. Her first article "Depression and Suicide Intervention for Children and Youth" appeared in Vol. 4, Issue # 8, April, 2001; and her second article "Children and Stress" appeared in Vol. 5, Issue #3, November, 2001 as a supplementary issue. Both articles can be found at the website: www.healingthroughunity.org)
Do you have features of ephebiphobia?
Symptoms:
Do you cross the street when you see a group of youth or do you smile and greet them, showing that you value their being?
Do you notice that you watch teens in stores thinking that they may shoplift? Do you also suspect adults (actually more adults shoplift than youth)?
Do you see the exuberance of youth as annoying or frightening, or do you recognize the potential of all that creative energy?
Do you, when you hear that a youth has broken the law, think that all youth are potential lawbreakers? Do you think the same way when adults break the law?
"Let your actions cry aloud to the world that you are indeed Bahaíis, for it is actions that speak to the world and are the cause of the progress of humanityÖ.God, who sees all hearts, knows how far our lives are the fulfillment of our words." (Abdu'l-Baha, Paris Talks, pp. 80-81)
The Blessed Beauty often remarked; ìThere are four qualities which I love to see manifested in people: first, enthusiasm and courage; second, a face wreathed in smiles and a radiant countenance; third, that they see with their own eyes and not through the eyes of others; fourth, the ability to carry a task once begun, through to its endî. (Stories of Bahaíuíllah, compiled by ëAli Akbar Furutan, p 51.)
POTENTIAL CAUSES OF EPHEBIPHOBIA
It is common today to hear that almost half of all young people between the ages of 10 and 17 are at risk for school failure, substance abuse, delinquency, and teenage pregnancy. Factually, teens are healthier, better educated and more responsible than teens of the past. Even in cities like Los Angeles, 90% to 95% of teens are not in a gang. It appears that our whole society is suffering from features of ephebiphobia which is a fear and loathing of adolescents.
In 1960, the total number of youth arrested accounted for about 17% of all arrests. In the 1970ís, that figure had jumped to 26%, an all time high. In 1990, the figures had fallen to approximately 15%, making the total number of arrests lower than two decades ago (Sautter 1995). The perception that this generation is more violent than ever is false. What is on the increase, however, is the number of violent crimes, the diminishing age of perpetrators and the incidents of girls involved in violent crimes (Artz, 1998; Sautter 1995).
We need to adopt ìa widespread conceptual shift from thinking that youth problems are the principle barrier to youth development to thinking that youth development is the most effective strategy for the prevention of youth problemsî (Pittman, as quoted in Linquanti, 1992, p.4). We need to shift our thinking from children being a problem or having problems to children being a rich resource with occasional challenges to optimal growth. The emphasis placed on drug and alcohol prevention, on violence free programs or on reduction of eating disorders, suicide ideation and sexual promiscuity give a much different message than programs that promote strong family attachment and participation with communities who show that they value their children by noticing their positive actions and attributes. Attention to problems focuses the communities attention onproblems, attention given to growth, challenges and attributes, focuses communities on potential.
"Thus it is incumbent upon us, when we direct our gaze toward other people, to see where they excel, not where they fail. Praise be to God, the goal is to promote the well-being of humankind and to help the souls to overcome their faults. This good intention will produce laudable results." ('Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of ëAbdul-Baha, p. 169)
"He hath chosen out of the whole world the hearts of his servants, and made them each a seat for the revelation of His glory. Wherefore, sanctify them from every defilement, that the things for which they were created may be engraven upon them. This indeed is a token of Godís bountiful favour." (Baha'u'llah, Gleanings, p. 297)
"In every avenue of service, the friends need sustained encouragement." (A Message to the Counsellors Conference from the Universal House of Justice, January 9th, 2001)
To create a community-wide commitment to children and youth, the whole community has to be involved. To create caring children and youth, the whole child must be addressed.
ìChange - real change - comes from the inside out. It doesnít come from hacking at the leaves of attitude and behavior with quick-fix personality ethic techniques. It comes from striking at the root - the fabric of our thought, the fundamental, essential paradigms, which give definition to our character and create the lens through which we see the worldî (Covey, 1989, p. 317).
Our children and youth need the community to adopt a collaborative approach to child rearing. Not to condemn but to nurture, to encourage and to adhere to standards that will foster resiliency. It is time for the community to weave a protective web of guidance and learning that will allow our children to test the rules, gain competencies and attain their optimum growth. To do this, we need to re-think how we view the growth matrix of our children and youth. Do we, as a community see the children as problems that need to be fixed? Do we see ourselves as experts who dictate how this mending will occur? Are we quick to see the mistakes our children make while learning new skills as flaws or faults? Do we encourage the steps to growth or criticize any imperfection, even when the child is making every attempt to learn?
"Therefore must the mentor be a doctor as well: that is, he must, in instructing the child, remedy its faults; must give him learning, and at the same time rear him to have a spiritual nature. Let the teacher be a doctor to the character of the child, thus will he heal the spiritual ailments of the children of men." ('Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of ëAbdul-Baha, p. 130)
"What a power is love! It is the most wonderful; the greatest of all living powers. Love gives life to the lifeless. Love lights a flame in the heart that is cold. Love brings hope to the hopeless and gladdens the hearts of the sorrowful." (ëAbdul-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 179)
The past twenty years have produced a growing awareness of the need to develop resiliency in children and youth (Benson, 1997). What protects a child from the more destructive influences in the social environment? Are there positive or protective features in the family, school or community which will strengthen a youth's ability to choose pro-social activities? How can we become pro-active in supporting the healthy growth of our children?
Researchers have identified some areas of potential-indicating resiliency as:
1. School's expectation of high academic success (Rutter 1984).
2. Self-efficacy (Wehlage 1989, Maton 1990).
3. Social competence- caring, empathy, communication and humor (Benard 1997).
4. An involved community (Meier 1995).Developing resilient children is a long-term, collaborative process that needs the involvement of key people in the community. It does not work unless parents, schools, community members and the children and youth work together to build a system of values and practices that foster resiliency. This means that we have to shift our thinking and our practices from fixing individuals to creating healthy communities - a new culture of growth. To accomplish this the community needs to be able to see the whole picture - the result of negative influences and practices on our young people and a framework that will build and maintain resilience.
Perhaps it is not so important to find and name the current road as it is to create a new road. A new road that will foster the strengths that children and youth have attained and provide a warm, secure network for the times when they struggle.
"When you call on the Mercy of God waiting to reinforce you, your strength will be tenfold." (ëAbdul-Baha, Paris Talks, p 38)
"He appreciates very much the devoted and determined spirit with which you are facing the future and all the Bahaíi responsibility it will bring you increasingly. The part of the youth is very great; you have the opportunity to really determine to exemplify in word and deed the teachings of Bahaíuíllah and to show your generation that the New World order he has brought is a tangible reality in the lives of His followers." (Shoghi Effendi, Bahaíi Youth: A Compilation p 8.)
"The Major Plan of God is at work and the forces it generates impel humanity towards its destiny. In their own plans of action, the institutions of the faith must seek to gain insight into the operation of these great forces, explore the potentialities of the people they serve, measure the resources and strengths of their communities, and take practical steps to enlist the unreserved participation of the believers. The nurturing of this process is the sacred mission entrusted to you. We have every confidence in your ability to achieve it. May Bahaíuíllah bless and sustain you through His unfailing grace and mighty confirmations." (A Message to the Counsellors Conference from the Universal House of Justice, January 9th, 2001)
A web site that may be of interest: www.search-institute.org
BIBLIOGRAPHY
'Abduílí-Baha, "Selections from the Writings of Abduílí-Baha", Bahaíi World Centre, 1978 'Abdu'l-Baha, "Paris Talks", Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1969
Artz, S., "Sex, Power & the Violent Schoolgirl", Trifolium Books Inc., 1998
Bahaíuíllah, "Gleanings", Bahaíi Publishing Trust, Wilmette, Illinois, 1976
Benson, P., "All Kids Are Our Kids", Jossey-Bass Publishers, 1997
Benard, B., "A Framework for Practice: Tapping Innate Resilience", University of Minnesota, August 1997
Covey, S. R., "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People", Simon and Schuster, 1989
Furutan, ëAli-Akbar, "Stories of Bahaíuíllah", George Ronald Publisher, 1986
Linquanti, R., "Using Community-Wide Collaboration to Foster Resiliency in Kids: A Conceptual Framework", Western Regional Center for Drug-Free Schools and Communities, October 1992 Maton, K., "Meaningful Involvement in Instrumental Activity and Well Being: Studies of Older Adolescents and At Risk Urban Teens", American Journal of Community Psychology, 18(2), 1990, 297-320
Meier, D., "The Power of Their Ideas", Boston: Beacon Press, 1995 National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahaíis of the United States,"
Bahaíi Youth: A Compilation", Bahaíi Publishing Trust
Rutter, M. Resilient Children, "Psychology Today", March 1984, 57-65
Sautter, R. C.,"Standing up to Violence", Phi Delta Kappan, Vol/Issue: 76(5), January 1995
Wehlage, G., "Reducing the Risks: Schools as Communities of Support", Philadelphia, U.S., Palmer Press, 1989****************************************************************
REQUESTING ASSISTANCE FROM THE READERS
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(Editor's note: Two readers would appreciate your assistance. Thank you and looking forward to hearing from you!)
My question is how can one reach a healthy balance of ìgoodî and ìbadî cholesterol without using current medications (such as Zocar)? Are there any food or natural remedies that are reliable?
I am 23 years old and in June of 2000, while I was serving at the Bah·'Ì World Centre, I had an opportunity to get a complete physical. When I got the results back the General Practitioner told me that my cholesterol level was elevated and that I should look into that further. Unfortunately, being young and having only heard of ìolder peopleî having high cholesterol I ignored the GPís advice. Those results kept nagging at me in the back of my head and when I started University again I went back for a second blood test. When I got the results back my cholesterol level had increased. The University Health Center helped me readjust my diet (which until leaving home had consisted of Alaskaís wild game meat as opposed to beef) and to commit to an exercise plan. But when I went back again after about 6 months I found that my cholesterol level had increased quite a bit (now at 282 total). Panic set in and I reacted by buying non-fat foods (which I dislike greatly), switched to fish, cut out beef completely, and began to eat more beans and fresh veggies and fruits. My doctor on campus immediately wanted to put me on medication to reduce my cholesterol level but I am a firm believer in natural holistic remedies and treatments. So, I would appreciate any insights the readers may have to deal with this widespread problem.
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I have emphysema and it was aggravated by the fumes of charcoal used to cook meals. I have heard that emphysema is curable and wonder if any of the readers have experience of this. I am most interested in seeing anything related that might help me with a cure so I may return to my second home.
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QUESTION OF THE MONTH
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Dear Readers:
The focus for the upcoming issues will be on how to improve accessibility in the Baha'i and surrounding communities for persons with disabilities, illnesses and diseases of various kinds. This may include removing physical barriers, changing our attitudes and providing relevant support or available technology to ensure that everyone is a part of community life. Working together to provide basic information and accommodations as well as typical solutions will hopefully enable those struggling with a disability or illness to be involved in the community. After all, we all have disabilities/struggles of various forms. This information may also apply to the workplace. We will begin this consultative process and see how it evolves.
In "The Merriam Webster Dictionary" the word 'accommodation' means - "To make fit or suitable; adapt, adjust; to provide with something needed; something provided to satisfy a need."
Some examples of accommodations are:
a) If a person has difficulty remembering events and schedules, written information or a time/day planner might be used.
b) Providing materials, newsletters and the Holy writings in large print for visually impaired individuals.
c) Allowing individuals suffering from various illnesses to attend activities and Baha'i functions for a reduced amount of time without feelings of guilt/discomfort.Some of the disabilities/illnesses we will consult are (if there are others missing, please let us know):
1) Hearing Impairment
2) Visual Impairment
3) Mobility/Physical disability
4) Learning Disabilities /Attention Deficit Disorder
5) Developmental Disabilities
6) Brain Injuries
7) Physical Illnesses such as cancer, arthritis, heart condition, back impairment, alzheimer's, etc.
8) Psychiatric Disabilities/Mental Illness
9) EmotionalFor the October issue, we will focus on both hearing and visual impairments. Please share your experiences, stories and comments on this subject. We look forward to learning from you!
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WEB SITE
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You can visit the website, obtain back issues and the Healing Through Unity Course at: http://www.healingthroughunity.org.
********************************************
PURPOSE OF THE NEWSLETTER
********************************************
"Healing Through Unity" is published for the purpose of sharing thoughts, comments and experiences on how the teachings of the Baha'i Faith are being applied to physical and spiritual health. Other than the quoted Holy Writings, the material in this newsletter represents the thoughts and opinions of the writers and has no authority. You are free to copy articles, provided you indicate the source of the article. There are 10 issues per year; it is not published during July and August. The newsletter is produced in Ontario, Canada. Please send your stories, comments, suggestions or "Question for the Month" ideas to Frances Mezei by e-mail: fmezei@sentex.net.
PLEASE NOTE:
Many thanks to all of you who send such wonderful contributions for "Healing Through Unity" Newsletter. The decision to select and edit material submitted for publication is determined by the editor. If you have a change of e-mail address, please inform me with your old and new email addresses. To cancel the subscription, please send message to: fmezei@sentex.net
HEALING THROUGH UNITY
October, 2002
A monthly newsletter dedicated to serving the principles of
physical and spiritual health envisioned in the Baha'i Teachings.
Volume 6, Issue #2
______________________________________________________
Contents
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- Baha'u'llah was Afflicted with a Shaking Hand
- Human Rights and Disability
- The Exchange
- Resources for Visually Impaired Individuals
- Readers' Responses about Cholesterol and Emphysema
- Question of the Month
- Website
- Purpose of the Newsletter***********************************************************************
BAHA'U'LLAH WAS AFFLICTED WITH A SHAKING HAND
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Taken from "God Passes By", Shoghi Effendi, p. 165
"Desperate designs to poison Baha'u'llah and His companions, and thereby reanimate his own defunct leadership, began, approximately a year after their arrival in Adrianople, to agitate his mind. Well aware of the erudition of his half-brother, ¡qay-i-KalÌm, in matters pertaining to medicine, he, under various pretexts, sought enlightenment from him regarding the effects of certain herbs and poisons, and then began, contrary to his wont, to invite Baha'u'llah to his home, where, one day, having smeared His tea-cup with a substance he had concocted, he succeeded in poisoning Him sufficiently to produce a serious illness which lasted no less than a month, and which was accompanied by severe pains and high fever, the aftermath of which left Bah·'u'll·h with a shaking hand till the end of His life."
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HUMAN RIGHTS AND DISABILITY
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The following are excerpts taken from "Statement to the Fortieth Session of the United Nations Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities", Agenda item 7: Human Rights and Disability, Geneva, Switzerland, August 1988 (Baha'i International Community, 1988 Aug 06, Human Rights Disability)
"Until recently, the disabled have constituted a minority in obscurity. Unlike certain other groups that fall victim to discrimination, the disabled do not comprise a self-contained, close-knit social community. Instead, they populate every social sector, every class, every age group, every ethnic and religious community. And at every level, society has tended to ignore them, believing them incapable of participating in the community, or avoiding them as unpleasant reminders of the fragility of our existence.
Fortunately, this situation is beginning to change. Nations and localities are devoting steadily more attention to improving the plight of the disabled. Mr. Despouy's excellent interim report demonstrates the seriousness with which the international community too is finally addressing this important issue. The Baha'i International Community welcomes the Special Rapporteur's study and would like to take a few minutes to comment on his report and on some of the issues it raises.
The plight of the disabled is a mirror reflecting the shortcomings of society. This fundamental observation holds true with respect to three major topics that the Special Rapporteur plans to treat at length in his final report: first, the causes of disability; second, prejudice and discrimination directed towards the disabled; and third, measures to ensure the equal enjoyment of human rights for the disabled.
First, with respect to the causes of disability, the list of injurious practices resulting in disability that the Special Rapporteur has compiled is thought provoking, ranging from amputations to civil war. Disability can be caused by the gamut of inhuman conduct perpetrated by human beings against one another. For that very reason, the international community must take aim at all human rights violations, for they can all result in the permanent mental or physical handicap of human beings. We fully agree with the Special Rapporteur's observation, in paragraph 14 of his report, that any acts contrary to international law and violative of mental or physical integrity should be proscribed, not only those acts that rise to the level of torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
Secondly, the prejudice and discrimination that disabled people suffer is the product of the more general human tendency to label as "inferior" those who are somehow different. But the ostracism that disabled persons often experience can be even more intense, for it is founded on fear -- fear on the part of the ostracizer that he, too, may someday become the victim of disability. The only way to eradicate this fear is to educate every member of society to see disability for what it really is -- a mental or physical condition that may make everyday life more challenging, but that cannot affect the disabled person's soul, spirit, creativity, imagination or determination -- in short, some of the most valuable aspects of life. At the same time, such an appreciation will enable individuals to see through the outward handicaps of disabled persons, to their inner reality.
As we pointed out in our statements to the Sub-Commission last year, the reformation of social stereotypes and prejudices against the disabled requires education aimed at helping individuals to see the disabled as real people and to share in their triumphs. As Baha'is, we are working to implement this kind of education in our schools and in Baha'i homes....
We now turn to our third topic; ensuring equal rights for the disabled. Like many other groups, the disabled have been stigmatized and victimized by prejudice, preventing them from assuming their rightful places in society. As pointed out by the Special Rapporteur, the elimination of traditional stereotypes and prejudices against the disabled is a sine qua non for their full enjoyment of fundamental human rights. We agree wholeheartedly with the Special Rapporteur that all sectors of society must work to integrate disabled persons into the life of society and give them equal opportunities in schools, the workplace and the community at large. Society will be the loser if it fails to benefit from the talents of disabled persons. Their resolute determination to overcome problems that most of us will never be forced to deal with should be a shining torch for us all. We would only suggest that the Special Rapporteur emphasize the ideal of rehabilitation in the family as well as in the community. Family members should be trained, where possible, to help provide the support and encouragement that the disabled person requires to surmount his impairment....
Thanks in part to the devoted efforts of the Special Rapporteur, disabled persons will no longer have to cope with their handicaps in isolation, hidden behind a veil of intentional ignorance on the part of the society around them. We applaud efforts worldwide to help them surmount their disabilities and become fully-functioning members of their communities. Indeed, we all have much to learn from the disabled persons. Theirs is often an example worthy of emulation."
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THE EXCHANGE
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Question:
How can the Baha'i and surrounding communities become more accessible to persons with disabilities/illnesses/struggles?
Answers:
I am 71 years old and have been a very active Baha'i in Singapore ever since I accepted the glorious Faith 30 years ago. After being afflicted with a rare eye disease "RP", retinalitis pigmentosa, from birth, I have gradually experienced the loss of my vision and had to suspend an active Baha'i life a few years ago.
About one and half years ago, I was presented with a computer equipped with a special voice program known as "Jaws", job application with speech. With this wonderful modern hi-tech invention, I am able to work my computer entirely via 'keyboard" commands and have all my emails, date base, web information, etc read for me. I do not need the mouse or even the monitoring screen.
One good thing is that I have in my folders, many Baha'i quotations and books like the "Century of Light", "The Institution of the Counsellors", etc and I am able to surf the net to access other Baha'i references. This is the only way I am able to read. Hard copies are totally useless. I even receive my local and national newsletters by email and the "Healing Through Unity" newsletter is another precious item. I believe that being handicapped in whatever way does not restrict you from a full life as a Baha'i.
- Freddy Tan, Singapore
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I am interested in the question of the month...regarding accessibility for those who have disabilities. This is rather timely for me, as I was just thinking last week about the need for the community to address the different situations of its members and friends.
Now, what I was thinking was triggered by the busy-ness of our lives, and that perhaps we needed to consult within our communities about having activities during hours other than evenings, etc. Some of us work evenings, and some work 6 days a week. Some have more than one job, and have to be flexible. Some have children in all kinds of sports activities.
Combine that with other limiting factors, such as disabilities, and we have lots of reasons to be creative. The Baha'i Faith is for everyone, including people with these types of lives.
I believe that honesty and not taking offense, just because someone isn't aware of our needs, are key. I am a person who has both physical limitations, and also the type of scheduling challenges I listed above. I can't expect people to know what I need, but I can expect willing consultation on a topic I bring to light. I can' t expect the community to alter its schedule totally for me, but perhaps by bringing up a consultation, I will find others who would like to have activities also, when I am able, or the type of activities that I am able to participate in. I will never know that if I don't ask if someone wants to join me in them. And...if no one wishes to or is able to, I must not take offense. Maybe another time, another situation.
- Nancy Lee, Ontario
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Your projected subjects concerning handicapped, disabled or chronically ill members of the community comes at the perfect moment for our family. One week ago today (this is Sunday/Feast of Izzat), we received an approximately two-and-a-half year old girl with very evident disabilities. The little one had been found in the bush and brought into the hospital in Massakory, a town about 150 Km north of us. There are no facilities in Massakory to deal with handicapped children and the orphanage located here in the capital city has one handicapped child in worse straights than "Christina" and is unable to accept her. As we have adopted a number of children here in Chad, most recently five months ago, the delegation from Massakory who had hoped to leave the foundling in the orphanage brought her to us.
This past week was spent carrying the tot between doctors and the centre for the physically handicapped trying to determine what can be done for the little one. We are handicapped ourselves by not knowing what precisely is wrong with Christina . We have no facilities for testing or evaluation. The doctors, not having any information about Christina's history aren't able to say for certain whether she was born damaged or was insufficiently treated for meningitis within the past six to eight months. In the many cases similar to Christina's, the dysfunctional child is kept only until the family's hope for recovery or cure runs out - usually between one and two years of age. When the family is no longer able to care for the child, it is abandoned. Occasionally the children are found still alive by a third party, but this doesn't necessarily improve the lot of the little one because of the lack of treatment or care centres here.
Clearly we need help and support. Why Baha'u'llah brought this child to our door, I cannot understand as yet, and perhaps never will. I had just finished my last day of work as a Budget and Financial consultant for an Embassy operating here in Chad the previous Friday. I wanted to be able to devote more time to Alexandra - the five month old baby mentioned above - whom we are in the process of adopting... Taking on Christina is going to be a challenge for all of us in many ways as she will have to be integrated into our schedule and we will have to alter some of our plans in order to accommodate her development and care.
My intuition is that Christina is not mentally retarded, but there must be plenty of trouble in her little head that will have to be dealt with at the same time as we begin working on physical rehabilitation...Christina also seems to have done most of her communicating by shrieking at people. Obviously, it was not in her long term best interests. We are going to have to agree on a new system quickly if our future together is going to be a positive one. Yesterday, her lovely smile was a rarity and after hours of screeching, we were all of the opinion that handicapped or not, her parents had done a rotten job of educating her. She is able to make a variety of pleasant sounds, seems to hear within normal ranges and although she does not have proper eye muscle control, she is able to see and to follow moving objects. Her neck is very weak and her arms and legs are spastic - though I have seen many children, far more handicapped than she is, who have learned to walk and to operate quite efficiently. So, although we do not have access to good professional doctors and therapists, Christina's future is not nearly as gloomy as it is for many other sick children in Chad.
I would appreciate very much hearing from parents who have faced similar challenges with their children. I need to know from experienced parents who have had to deal with handicapped children and at what point do we make allowances for "handicaps" and when we just deal with our "special" child as we do with all of our others.
- Lynn Whitehouse, Chad
(Editor's note: You can send your responses to the newsletter and/or send them directly to Lynn Whitehouse at nigel.whiteho@intnet.td. Some of the information may be useful for everyone.)
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RESOURCES FOR VISUALLY IMPAIRED INDIVIDUALS
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BAHA'I SERVICE FOR THE BLIND - UNITED STATES
The services are available to those individuals whose handicaps prevent them from using normal print so this could apply to others than those who have a visual handicap. They provide materials in Braille, large print and on cassette tape. They maintain a lending library (for US & Canadian residents only) of the Braille and tapes. They also make available on tape the issues of 'The American Baha'i' -- United States newspaper. Bill Peary, who is the secretary of Baha'i Service for the Blind, advises that you contact them first to see if the tapes or materials already exist before doing them yourself. For more information and assistance, you can contact Bill Peary at: WDPeary@aol.com
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SERVICE FOR THE VISUALLY IMPAIRED COMMITTEE (SVIC) - UNITED KINGDOM
The Service for the Visually Impaired Committee (SVIC) is a committee appointed by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United Kingdom and is here to help anyone with a visual impairment who is already a Baha'i or interested in learning more about the Baha'i Faith.
The services offered by the SVIC are as follows:
* Baha'i books and other literature in Braille
* Baha'i books and other literature on tape
* The UK Baha'i Journal on tape and on-line
* Liaison services for the friends for all their concerns relating to their visual impairment and Baha'i activities.Please visit their website at www.bahai.org.uk/svic for full details.
For more information about visual impairment, what services and equipment are available, please contact the Royal National Institute for the Blind's website at: www.rnib.org.uk.
To contact the SVIC, please email Robin Christopherson at: bjuk@freenet.co.uk.
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READERS RESPONSES ABOUT
CHOLESTEROL AND EMPHYSEMA
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I am a Baha'i physician, a pathologist to be specific, as well as an artist and designer. The reader that asked about high cholesterol needs to be well informed about cholesterol and it's role. Web MD on the internet has very good information about cholesterol. One question the individual needs to ask their physician is "What is my HDL level?" The HDL is the "good" cholesterol. If it is high (well over 45 -50 mg/dl) then they should continue their exercise and low fat diet. There is no need to be in a panic if the HDL is very high also. It sounds like from what they wrote that they may have the hereditary form of high total cholesterol. If so then the only way to lower the cholesterol is to take one of the newer statin drugs such as Zocor or Lipitor. There are studies that show that individuals on statin drugs have lower incidences of Alzheimer's disease. As far as diet goes, they should continue a high fiber diet and include oatmeal cereal, high dose vitamin E (mixed tocopherols 800 IU daily), garlic tablets three times daily and low fat protein sources. The old quote "An apple a day keeps the doctor away" is good advice for folks with high cholesterol.
The other question was about curing emphysema. Unfortunately emphysema is not curable. Emphysema is loss of lung tissue in the tiny airsacs of the lung as opposed to asthma which is a reactive airway disease and is due to inflammation of the small airways. People sometimes confuse emphysema and asthma because both lung diseases may have wheezing and mucus production. We cannot regenerate lost lung tissue but avoiding exposure to things that cause emphysema can keep it from progressing. The major cause of emphysema today is cigarette smoking but long term exposure to coal smoke or industrial irritants or heavy smog can also cause emphysema. If the emphysema is mild the person can become functional and lung function itself can return to fairly normal levels as long as they avoid the original cause of the emphysema. If other readers have personal experience with emphysema they might have good suggestions for maintaining good functional status.
- Dr. Crumbaker-Oldham, U.S.A.
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There can be a real danger in looking for one thing that will cure you. You are asking here for a particular substance that is reliable. This never exists. Each one of us functions in a unique way. There is no single remedy that will work for every individual. Our health problems are a result of our unique way of functioning combined with our unique set of experiences in life. The latter being the most important.
What you have done so far is great. Modifying one's diet and beginning to exercise are very important aspects of good health. If you haven't already done so I would encourage you to get your nervous system evaluated by a subluxation based chiropractor. (A subluxation is when one or more of the bones in your spine move out of position and create pressure on, or irritate spinal nerves.)
Understand that cholesterol is not a good or bad thing. It is a substance that is produced and regulated by your body. It is the building block of many hormones and a substance that the body needs. It can certainly be affected by what you eat and your level of exercise but that is more of a secondary effect.
The nervous system is responsible for the coordination of all functions in the body including chemical balance. Subluxations are disturbances to the nervous system. These disturbances are certainly capable of disrupting the normal regulation of the production of cholesterol thus causing high levels in the body. When you get your subluxations corrected you will allow proper regulation to return.
If the cause of the problem is a subluxation interfering with your regulation system it will not matter how you change your diet or what type of exercise you do. The body will keep thinking that there isn't enough cholesterol and it will keep making it.
The correction of subluxations is very reliable in that you always function better without subluxations. The manner in which your overall health improves will still be a unique experience. If you need help locating a chiropractor who specializes in subluxation correction, or would like any further information, please feel free to contact me at drdan@stirlingchiropractic.com.
- Dr. Dan Boyle, DC, Ontario, Canada
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"The powers of the sympathetic nerve are neither entirely physical nor spiritual, but are between the two. The nerve is connected with both. Its phenomena shall be perfect when its spiritual and physical relations are normal." (Tablets of 'Abdu'l-Baha, p. 309)
"... You should not neglect your health, but consider it the means which enables you to serve. It - the body - is like a horse which carries the personality and spirit, and as such should be well cared for so it can do its work ! You should certainly safeguard your nerves, and force yourself to take time, and not only for prayer and meditation, but for real rest and relaxation..." (From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, dated 23 November 1947 to an individual believer, Health and Healing, p. 40)
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I have been taking an over the counter herbal treatment for cholesterol that my medical doctor had prescribed for me, Red Rice Yeast. My cholesterol (LDL) was 239! I had tried changing my diet which was healthful, yet the numbers have continued to climb. My physician ordered me to take a prescribed amount of Red Yeast Rice capsules once a day with a meal. She told me that [all of] her patients that tried this herb had remarkable results with no side effects. Lipitor and other cholesterol lowering medications have a negative effect on the liver. On Wednesday, September 18, 2002, my physician called to tell me that my LDL had fallen to 141! She asked that I continue the regimen and be ready for another blood test next month (October).
There is a lot of information regarding Red Rice Yeast on the internet and in medical journals. If you are interested in trying this I suggest you search for information, and if it is for you, consult with your competent physician.
- Cheryl Martin, Western Washington, U.S.A.
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In response to the 23 year old person, I will relate my personal experience being a believer in natural healing myself. I am 70 years old and my cholesterol was around 220, however it was the bad cholesterol (LDL) that was high. So my dietitian gave me the following prescription:
Become a vegetarian which means,
1. No meat ie beef, pork or chicken, because of the wrong fat, Omega 6 and antibiotics that are fed to the animals.
2. No fish because of the Mercury content.
3. Eggs are OK, up to six a week (preferably fertilized).
4. Take fish oil (purified from Mercury thru distillation), it has Omega 3 - 2 pills with every meal.
5. Grind up flax seed and or flax oil, one table spoon with every meal, also contains Omega 3.
6. Use olive oil for cooking or salads.
7. Eliminate soft drinks and minimize fruit juices.The above should bring your HDL up and LDL down, as well as your overall cholesterol. It brought mine down to 151 in 2 weeks and stabilized at 180. I also lost 20 pounds in the process. The idea is to increase Omega 3 in your body.
To spice up my food I use a lot of garlic and spices as well as barbecue sauce.
A good source of information on the WEB is www.Mercola.com
- Walter Klein, Florida, U.S.A.
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>From my experience for the friend who is looking for a non-traditional medicine solution for cholesterol can be improved by:
1) Trust in Baha'u'llah and apply His teachings.
2) Try to live according to His prescription.
3) Pray and read the Writings so that we can learn more about ourselves and others and how to relate to God.
4) Be happy so we can have success in our lives.
5) Improve our qualities and capacities so we can live better lives.
6) Encourage all human beings.
7) Improve our faith.- Eduardo Santos, Portugal
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QUESTION OF THE MONTH
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The focus for the upcoming issues will be on how to improve accessibility in the Baha'i and surrounding communities for persons with disabilities, illnesses and diseases of various kinds. This may include removing physical barriers, changing our attitudes and providing relevant support or available technology to ensure that everyone is a part of community life. Working together to provide basic information and accommodations as well as typical solutions will hopefully enable those struggling with a disability or illness to be involved in the community. After all, we all have disabilities/struggles of various forms. This information may also apply to the workplace. We will continue this consultative process.
Some of the disabilities/illnesses we will consult are (if there are others missing, please let us know):
1) Hearing Impairment
2) Visual Impairment
3) Mobility/Physical disability
4) Learning Disabilities /Attention Deficit Disorder
5) Developmental Disabilities
6) Brain Injuries
7) Physical Illnesses such as cancer, arthritis, heart condition, back impairment, alzheimer's, etc.
8) Psychiatric Disabilities/Mental Illness
9) EmotionalFor the November issue, we will focus on hearing and mobility/physical disabilities. Please share your experiences, stories and comments on this subject. We look forward to learning from you!
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WEB SITE
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You can visit the website, obtain back issues and the Healing Through Unity Course at: http://www.healingthroughunity.org.
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PURPOSE OF THE NEWSLETTER
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"Healing Through Unity" is published for the purpose of sharing thoughts, comments and experiences on how the teachings of the Baha'i Faith are being applied to physical and spiritual health. Other than the quoted Holy Writings, the material in this newsletter represents the thoughts and opinions of the writers and has no authority. You are free to copy articles, provided you indicate the source of the article. There are 10 issues per year; it is not published during July and August. The newsletter is produced in Ontario, Canada.
Please send your stories, comments, suggestions or "Question for the Month" ideas to Frances Mezei by e-mail: fmezei@sentex.net.
PLEASE NOTE:
Many thanks to all of you who send such wonderful contributions for "Healing Through Unity" Newsletter. The decision to select and edit material submitted for publication is determined by the editor.
If you have a change of e-mail address, please inform me with your old and new email addresses. To cancel the subscription, please send message to: --
HEALING THROUGH UNITY
November, 2002
A monthly newsletter dedicated to serving the principles of
physical and spiritual health envisioned in the Baha'i Teachings.
Volume 6, Issue #3
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Contents
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- "A Journey of Courage: From Disability to Spiritual Ability": a New Publication
- Deaf Blind Girl Jumps out of Plane to Raise Money for those Less Fortunate
- Persons who Have a Physical Disability
- Physical Disabilities
- Communication Guidelines When Communicating with a Hard of Hearing Person
- Communication Repair Strategies for Deaf/Hard of Hearing Individuals
- Typical Accommodations for Hearing Impaired Individuals
- Resources for Hearing Loss
- A Response to the Information about Emphysema
- Newsletter needs Assistance
- Question of the Month
- Website
- Purpose of Newsletter****************************************************************
"A JOURNEY OF COURAGE: FROM DISABILITY
TO SPIRITUAL ABILITY": A NEW PUBLICATION
****************************************************************
Compiled by Linda Bishop, Beverley Davis, Frances Mezei and Shirlee Smith Foreword by Member of the Continental Board of Counsellor, Dr. David Smith and Auxiliary Board Member, Meim Smith
This book is a celebration of life, where disability becomes ability, where struggle becomes strength, and where the effort to fully participate in the building of all that is noble and good is rewarded with victory after victory. As such, it is destined to serve as a wonderful source of insight and comfort to individuals, families and health care providers alike, assisting all who read it to understand what it means to truly embrace, in unity, the diversity of humankind. The compilers of this publication, all of whom are intimately aware of the ways in which society perceives disability, celebrate, in their own lives, the freedom of the human spirit to express itself in service to humanity. This compilation is an example of their devotion to such freedom. Contains many revealing and empowering passages from the Bah·íÌ Sacred texts as well as touching excerpts from stories and biographies about the Holy family and others. Comes complete with guidelines for creating an accessible environment for those with physical disabilities.
5.5îX8.5î, 160 pages, Unity Arts Inc. - Nine Pines Publishing
9-945 Middlefield Rd Toronto, ON Canada M1V 5E1
Tel: 416-609-9900 Fax: 416-609-9600
ORDER DESK: 1-800-465-3287
EMAIL: orders@bahaibooksonline.com
WEB: www.bahaibooksonline.com
Item No.: B6-290 Suggested Retail: $12.95 USD $16.95 CAD
(You can check your local Baha'i distributor for this book)***************************************************************
DEAF BLIND GIRL JUMPS OUT OF PLANE TO
RAISE MONEY FOR THOSE LESS FORTUNATE
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Taken from the "Inspirational Point" of this website: http://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/, October 6, 2002. Prepared by Sense, U.K.
In an autumnal morning sky, Nicola Henderson, 17, jumped out of an airplane at 10,000 ft. and free fell at over 120 miles per hour for five thousand feet, harnessed to a professional parachute instructor, returning to earth to the cheers of those below.
What made this jump so outstanding is Nicola, a beautiful young lady with a charming personality, has Usher syndrome. Usher is a genetic condition causing deafness from birth and sight loss, leading to blindness, from late teens. But Nicola is determined not to let her disability ruin her life.
ìI couldnít wait to dive out of that plane. I love a challenge and wanted to show everyone that just because I have Usher it doesnít mean I canít have a life. I was a bit scared but when I jumped it was the most amazing feeling - now I canít wait to do another one!î Her jump was intended as a fund raising effort for Sense, the United Kingdomís leading charity for people who are both deaf and blind.
Nicola was diagnosed with Usher syndrome when she was 15 and initially felt scared and alone. ìI felt no one understood the problems I faced. ìSense enabled me to meet other deaf blind people, which helped me come to terms with my deaf blindness. I wanted to take this opportunity to raise money for deaf blind people less fortunate than me and make people aware of this disability and organization.î Nicolaís October 7th jump raised £1,000 for Sense.
ìI would like to be a positive role model for other deaf blind people, showing them that they canít let their disability rule their life and if there is something they want to do then they need to get out and do it! I have 10 GCSEs (academic honors), a part time job in Safeway, I love swimming and want to be a TV presenter - I wonít let anything stop me!î
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BAHA'I QUOTE
"Baha'u'llah and the Master have both urged us repeatedly to disregard our own handicaps and lay our whole reliance upon God. He will come to our help if we only arise and become an active channel for God's grace." ( From a letter dated 31 March 1932 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, "The Power of Divine Assistance", pp.47-48)
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PERSONS WHO HAVE A PHYSICAL DISABILITY
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Prepared by Guelph-Wellington Barrier Free Education Committee, 59 Carden St., Guelph, ON N1H 3A1, Canada
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW...
The common perception of a person with a physical disability is someone in a wheelchair, but not all people who are considered to have a physical impairment use a wheelchair. Other individuals with physical disabilities are those with arthritis or an elderly person who requires a walker. A survivor of a stroke or someone with asthma may seem to walk quite well but might only be able to walk for a very short distance. The same holds true for those who experience some form of nerve damage to the neck, back, spine or legs.
Often these types of physical disabilities are commonly referred to as mobility difficulties. They are described as restricting a person's ability to move around, to perform manual tasks, or to participate in certain activities.
TIPS TO REMEMBER....
- Speak directly to the person, maintain eye contact. Consider sitting down if the person is using a wheelchair.
- A person with a physical disability is like anyone else in the fact that they prefer to be as independent as possible. Before you offer assistance ask for permission, your help may not be needed or wanted.
- Be patient and considerate of anyone that may take extra time to get things done.
- If the person needs help placing bags in or on their wheelchair, ask where they want you to place the bags.
- When pushing a wheelchair, avoid abrupt stops, do not run - walk at a comfortable pace, do not handle wheelchairs roughly. If in doubt about how fast to push the wheelchair, ask the person using the wheelchair.
- A person with a physical disability can probably hear quite well, therefore you don't have to raise your voice or talk more slowly than you would normally. Simply speak directly to the person; clearly and concisely.********************************
PHYSICAL DISABILITIES
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Taken from "Working Together: An Employer's Resource for Workplace Accommodation", pp. 34-35, Human Resource Development Canada. 2000
Accommodation needs for persons with physical disabilities will vary from person to person. Assistive devices such as page turners, speech recognition software, alternative keyboards, and mouth sticks are only a few of the many aids available.
MOBILITY AND AGILITY
The ability to move and the speed and quality of movement can be affected by a number of conditions or disabilities. A partial list includes: amputation, heart conditions, cancer, cumulative trauma disorders (including carpal tunnel syndrome, bursitis and tendonitis), back impairments, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, arthritis. The symptoms of impairment may fluctuate, and both mental health and physical mobility or agility may be involved. It is important to understand the condition causing the limitations, and discuss with your employee what accommodations and adaptations will be useful in accomplishing job duties.
Overall accessibility in your workplace (lighting, handrails, elevators, parking, etc) is important for an employee with a mobility or agility impairment.
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS FOR ACCOMMODATION MAY INCLUDE:
- flexible work schedules or reduced work hours; work from home,
- periodic rest breaks; self-paced workload,
- ergonomic principles including proper lifting, posture and use of equipment,
- alternative computer and/or telephone access
- appropriate desk and chair height with materials in easy reach,
- assistive devices such as arm support, page turner, book holder, writing and grip aids, foot rests,
- note takers.Obstacles may be encountered for someone using a wheelchair in their workstation area, or in travelling into the work site. An accessibility audit will uncover what can be changed or adjusted such as table heights, parking space placement, etc. Some people who use wheelchairs will require assistance with personal care while at work. As an employer, you are not responsible to provide this personal care assistance, but you may be required to make an accommodation related to personal care needs while at work. Some examples of accommodations related to personal care are: personal attendant present to assist person with toileting, eating, grooming; rest breaks for repositioning, grooming; flexible scheduling and use of sick leave for medical care.
EXAMPLES OF WORK ACCOMMODATIONS:
- A journalist with carpal tunnel syndrome was limited to two hours of typing/writing daily. The employer purchased a digital tape recorder, writing aids, alternative keyboard, speech recognition software, and allowed frequent rest breaks during the work period.
- A secretary with rheumatoid arthritis was limited in typing because of pain and stiffness in her hands during cold weather. She was provided with a space heater, additional window insulation and speech recognition software.
- A professor with a back impairment needed accommodations in her work area. She was provided with a file carousel, adjustable stool, automatic stapler, adjustable workstation and ergonomic chair.
- A maintenance worker with rotator cuff syndrome affecting shoulder and arm movement had difficulty reaching cleaning areas and moving cleaning supplies. The employer replaced existing tools with long-handled, pneumatic and lightweight tools, and provided the employee with an electric cart.***********************************************************************
COMMUNICATION GUIDELINES WHEN COMMUNICATING
TO A HARD OF HEARING PERSON
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Loss and loneliness can come together to the hard of hearing person. Too often they begin to feel isolated. Too often others stop talking to them or feel embarrassed with them, simply because they don't know how to 'get through.' Hearing loss is an 'invisible disability' and it is important to try not to ignore the hard of hearing person.
1. Get the person's attention before you speak.
2. Do not put obstacles in front of your face. Refrain from chewing gum or pencils and from covering your mouth with your hand or microphone.
3. Speak clearly and at a moderate pace.
4. Use appropriate facial expressions and body language.
5. If you are not understood, repeat or rephrase the sentence. Hard of hearing people often hesitate to ask, so be alert to help them when they miss something.
6. Make sure your face is not in the shadow and that there is sufficient lighting.
7. Avoid shouting which is embarrassing and unnecessary.
8. In conversation, give the person key words or phrases. "Mary was saying that..." Lipreading is easier when the hard of hearing person knows the subject.
9. Avoid noisy background situations.
10. Be patient, positive and relaxed.
11. Talk to the hard of hearing person, not about him or her.
12. When in doubt ask the hard of hearing person for suggestions on how to improve communication.**********************************************************
COMMUNICATION REPAIR STRATEGIES FOR
DEAF/HARD OF HEARING INDIVIDUALS
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Prepared by Wendy de Jeu, April 13, 2002
As soon as a deaf/hard of hearing person realizes they are having trouble understanding a person, they need to explain their hearing loss. This is important when talking to both family and friends, and to strangers. Doing so will help strangers to understand the reason for the difficulty and they will usually become more patient. Family and friends may often need reminders as well. Being open and honest about their difficulty in understanding a person's speech is one of the most important things that a deaf/hard of hearing person can do to ensure a communication's success. Standing there pretending that they're following the conversation just fine may often result in misunderstandings and embarrassment at some point down the line. Bluffing...letting someone assume you understood when you did not...is a common mistake of most hard of hearing people, and one which often leads into trouble: missed meetings or job assignments, social situations, even critical data such as medical and other emergency information.
It is necessary that deaf/hard of hearing individuals learn the skills to deal with communication difficulties. This is not a skill that can be learned overnight, or even, for many, in a short period of time. For many people it may take many years. A person's ability and willingness to step in and take control of his/her own understanding is dependent on many factors: acceptance of his/her disability, personality (e.g. shyness), feelings (e.g. self-consciousness), the situations, and the perceived importance of what may have been missed, etc. Also, it is not necessary that the deaf/hard of hearing person apologize for missing part of the conversation. There is no need to say "I'm sorry, I missed that." It is not their fault. They're doing the best they can with the hearing they've actually heard and understood, and what works for them to get the communication flowing again.
COMMUNICATION REPAIR STRATEGIES
- Repetition - Ask the person to repeat what they said e.g. "Could you say that again please?"
- Rephrase - Ask the person to rephrase what they said or to say it in a different way. e.g. "Can you please rephrase that for me?" or "Please say it again in a different way."
- Ask a question - Ask a general or specific question related to the part of the message you understood in order to understand the part that you missed e.g."She did what at two o'clock" or "Jessica was going where?"
- Key word - Ask the person to repeat the important words in the sentence e.g. "Can you repeat the main ideas of what you were saying?"
- Confirm - Confirm that you have received the correct message e.g. "I understand that I am to meet you at the mall at two o'clock. Is that right?" ":Did you say...?"
- Spelling - Ask the person to spell the topic word/important words of sentence e.g. "Can you spell the name of the city you were talking about?"
- Code words - Ask the person to spell the word using words that start with each letter of the word e.g. "Was that B as in baseball?'************************************************
TYPICAL ACCOMMODATIONS FOR
HEARING IMPAIRED INDIVIDUALS
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Taken from "Working Together: An Employer's Resource for Workplace Accommodation", pp. 31-32, Human Resource Development Canada. 2000
It is best to ask the person to explain their deafness or hearing loss to find out how they prefer to communicate with others (sign language, read, write, lip read, use of hearing aid or amplification device).
ACCOMMODATIONS
- written notes, or side-by-side computer communications
- email and real-time internet chat
- assistive listening devices - amplifies without background noise (FM systems, infrared or induction loop technologies)
- skilled and qualified sign language interpreters
- sign language or cultural sensitivity training for coworkers and supervisors
- improved lighting for group and other interactive situations
- TTY - telephone communication device where conversation is typed instead of spoken.
- telephone devices - amplifiers including those for headsets, sound frequency devices to increase clarity
- voice recognition or speech-to-text software
- alternatives to voice mail messages (written by another party, pager, telephone relay message service)
- environmental factors (background noise reduction, appropriate and sufficient lighting, seating and positioning arrangements)**********************************************
RESOURCES FOR HEARING LOSS
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LIPREADING NATURALLY
Practical Lipreading and Communication Exercises for Everyone
The Canadian Hearing Society - Peel Region, Ontario, Canada produced a publication 'Lipreading Naturally', 1993, written by Shirlee Smith and Frances Mezei. The book is written for people with hearing loss, family members, friends and professionals. It contains a series of exercises in what amounts to a course in coping with hearing loss in everyday situations while improving speechreading and communication skills. An introduction provides clear communication rules for group facilitators and speechreaders (lipreaders), plus excellent guidelines on how to start a self-help group. The exercises are grouped into seven categories and include such topics as relationships, family involvement, personal support systems and daily interaction situations. The complete 143-page publication with pre-and post-tests, notes and bibliography can be used for class study, seminars/workshops or individual lesson plans.
Retail Price: Canada: $16.00 including GST+ $5.00 postage and handling charges (Cdn Funds) United States: $11.95 + $5.00 shipping (U.S. Funds)
Other countries: $14.95 + shipping (U.S. Funds)
It is available through: The Canadian Hearing Society, Peel Regional Office, 2227 South Millway, Suite 300, Mississauga, ON L5L 3R6, e-mail: Office@peel.chs.ca************
SELF HELP FOP HARD OF HEARING PEOPLE, INC. (SHHH)
Self Help for Hard of Hearing People, Inc, is a volunteer, international organization of hard of hearing people, their relatives and friends. SHHH publication "Hearing Loss: The Journal of Self Help for Hard of Hearing People" is full of information on the latest assistive listening technology, research, what's going on in the local chapters and at a national level, and articles about how you can live well with hearing loss. An annual conference is organized each year. To become a member of SHHH, you can write to: Self Help for Hard of Hearing People, Inc. 7910 Woodmont Avenue, Suite 1200, Bethesda, Maryland, 20814, United States. You can visit their website: http://www.shhh.org
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THE CANADIAN HEARING SOCIETY
The Canadian Hearing Society (CHS) provides services that enhance the independence of deaf, deafened and hard of hearing people, and that encourage prevention of hearing loss. CHS, through 27 offices, provides a wide range of health care and social services directly to deaf, deafened and hard of hearing people, using its own staff of audiologists, speech language pathologists, counsellors and sign language interpreters. You can visit the website at: www.chs.ca.
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ONLINE ANIMATED AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE DICTIONARY
Visit this site to learn sign language online: http://www.bconnex.net/~randys
This site is designed to help you learn about American sign language (ASL) and the Deaf community. To see how to sign a word click Sign links. After the sign loads it will begin to "animate".
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A RESPONSE TO THE INFORMATION
ABOUT EMPHYSEMA
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A reader's response to the statement "..emphysema is not curable" printed in the October, 2002, Vol. 6, Issue #2.
I have a recommendation which is hard to define. It has to do with hope and hopelessness, and providing an opportunity for a person with medical training to potentially destroy hope and faith in an afflicted one. Perhaps having four chiropractors in the family - my father, an uncle and two cousins - has made me super-suspicious of anyone with the audacity and insensitivity to claim any illness as "incurable". The body heals. What the mind conceives, is achievable. I believe that everything is possible, given time. Positive thoughts transform themselves into positive results and likewise for the negative. How many other diseases were considered incurable, that, over time, various means of healing were found to cure? I think we need to be very careful when using the term "incurable." I would hope a way could be found to hedge such proclamations with a note that other opinions exist, such as: "While it is the opinion of __ that__, we would like to hear from readers with additional/different information on the subject."
***********
To an American lady, in August 1912, 'Abdu'l-Baha said:
"All of these ailments will pass away and you will receive perfect physical and spiritual health...Let your heart be confident and assured that through the Bounty of Baha'u'llah, everything will become pleasant for you...But you must turn your face wholly towards the Abh· (All-Glorious) Kingdom, giving perfect attention - the same attention that Mary Magdalene gave to His Holiness Christ - and I assure you that you will get physical and spiritual health. You are worthy. I give you the glad tidings that you are worthy because your heart is pure...Be confident! Be happy! Be Rejoiced! Be hopeful!
(ëAbdu'l-Baha, quoted by J.E. Esslemont , Baha'u'llah and the New Era, pp.109-110)
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REQUESTING ASSISTANCE FROM THE READERS
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(Editor's note: These two readers are requesting assistance from you and please send all responses to fmezei@sentex.net)
I am hoping that this could be included in the newsletter since I rarely visit websites because where I am (Russia) and in my present situation, I have to be extremely careful with my online time. I am seeking current information and enlightenment about epilepsy, as one of our new youth in Nizhny Novgorod is greatly handicapped with this affliction. I would like to offer him whatever advice might be useful to him. As with many other people in Russia, (due to its difficult economic transition), he is no longer in a position to consult physicians, and the prescription medicine prescribed to him long ago must be bought and taken in reduced doses in order to stretch it out as long as possible. I would deeply appreciate any guidance and assistance with this difficult situation.
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A dear Baha'i friend of mine has recently been diagnosed with congestive heart failure caused by a rare virus. Medical tests have revealed that the damage done to her heart is quite extensive and that there is no surgery that could repair the damage. The only alternatives open to her is to manage the symptoms with drugs and accept the real possibility of heart failure at any time or put her name on a list for heart transplant. My friend feels spiritually ready to accept the possibility of an early death but feels very uncomfortable from a spiritual perspective to consider a heart transplant, feeling that the heart more than any other organ has a special spiritual significance. Are there any other Baha'is who have had heart transplants who could share how they handled the situation and how they are doing now? Also does anyone have any specific guidance from any Institution of the Faith on the spiritual ethical considerations regarding organ transplants other than it being left up to the individual to decide.
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QUESTION OF THE MONTH
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The focus for the upcoming issues will be on how to improve accessibility in the Baha'i and surrounding communities for persons with disabilities, illnesses and diseases of various kinds. This may include removing physical barriers, changing our attitudes and providing relevant support or available technology to ensure that everyone is a part of community life. Working together to provide basic information and accommodations as well as typical solutions will hopefully enable those struggling with a disability or illness to be involved in the community. After all, we all have disabilities/struggles of various forms. This information may also apply to the workplace. We will continue this consultative process. Some of the disabilities/illnesses we will consult about are (if there are others missing, please let us know):
1) Hearing Impairment
2) Visual Impairment
3) Mobility/Physical disability
4) Learning Disabilities /Attention Deficit Disorder
5) Developmental Disabilities
6) Brain Injuries
7) Physical Illnesses such as cancer, arthritis, heart condition, back impairment, alzheimer's, etc. 8) Psychiatric Disabilities/Mental Illness
9) EmotionalFor the November issue, we will focus on learning disabilities, attention deficit disorder, and developmental disabilities. Please share your experiences, stories and comments on this subject. We look forward to learning from you!
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WEB SITE
****************
You can visit the website, obtain back issues and the Healing Through Unity Course at: http://www.healingthroughunity.org.
********************************************
PURPOSE OF THE NEWSLETTER
********************************************
"Healing Through Unity" is published for the purpose of sharing thoughts, comments and experiences on how the teachings of the Baha'i Faith are being applied to physical and spiritual health. Other than the quoted Holy Writings, the material in this newsletter represents the thoughts and opinions of the writers and has no authority. You are free to copy articles, provided you indicate the source of the article. There are 10 issues per year; it is not published during July and August. The newsletter is produced in Ontario, Canada.
Please send your stories, comments, suggestions or "Question for the Month" ideas to Frances Mezei by e-mail: fmezei@sentex.net.
PLEASE NOTE:
Many thanks to all of you who send such wonderful contributions for "Healing Through Unity" Newsletter. The decision to select and edit material submitted for publication is determined by the editor.
If you have a change of e-mail address, please inform me with your old and new email addresses. To cancel the subscription, please send message to: --
HEALING THROUGH UNITY
December, 2002
A monthly newsletter dedicated to serving the principles of
physical and spiritual health envisioned in the Baha'i Teachings.
Volume 6, Issue #4
______________________________________________________
Contents
---------------
- "A Journey of Courage: From Disability to Spiritual Ability": a New Publication
- A Gift from Tim
- The Adult with Learning Disabilities
- Children with Learning Disabilities
- Dealing with Visible and Non-Visible Disabilities
- The Exchange
- Guidance from the Baha'i Writings on Organ Transplants
- A Reader is Requesting Assistance
- Newsletter Seeks Assistance
- Baha'i World Centre Needs Health Care Providers
- Question of the Month
- Website
- Purpose of the Newsletter****************************************************************
"A JOURNEY OF COURAGE: FROM DISABILITY
TO SPIRITUAL ABILITY": A NEW PUBLICATION
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Compiled by Linda Bishop, Beverley Davis, Frances Mezei and Shirlee Smith Foreword by Member of the Continental Board of Counsellor, Dr. David Smith and Auxiliary Board Member, Meim Smith
This book is a celebration of life, where disability becomes ability, where struggle becomes strength, and where the effort to fully participate in the building of all that is noble and good is rewarded with victory after victory. As such, it is destined to serve as a wonderful source of insight and comfort to individuals, families and health care providers alike, assisting all who read it to understand what it means to truly embrace, in unity, the diversity of humankind. The compilers of this publication, all of whom are intimately aware of the ways in which society perceives disability, celebrate, in their own lives, the freedom of the human spirit to express itself in service to humanity. This compilation is an example of their devotion to such freedom. Contains many revealing and empowering passages from the Bah·íÌ Sacred texts as well as touching excerpts from stories and biographies about the Holy family and others. Comes complete with guidelines for creating an accessible environment for those with physical disabilities.
5.5îX8.5î, 160 pages, Unity Arts Inc. - Nine Pines Publishing
9-945 Middlefield Rd Toronto, ON Canada M1V 5E1
Tel: 416-609-9900 Fax: 416-609-9600
ORDER DESK: 1-800-465-3287
EMAIL: orders@bahaibooksonline.com
WEB: www.bahaibooksonline.com
Item No.: B6-290 Suggested Retail: $12.95 USD $16.95 CAD
(You can check your local Baha'i distributor for this book)**********
Quotation From the Baha'i Writings
The rewards of this life are the virtues and perfections which adorn the reality of man. For example, he was dark and becomes luminous; he was ignorant and becomes wise; he was neglectful and becomes vigilant; he was asleep and becomes awakened; he was dead and becomes living; he was blind and becomes a seer; he was deaf and becomes a hearer; he was earthly and becomes heavenly; he was material and becomes spiritual. Through these rewards he gains spiritual birth and becomes a new creature. (ëAbdu'l-Baha, Some Answered Questions, p. 223)
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A GIFT FROM TIM
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By Betty Marmura, Ontario, Canada (This article is submitted by Felicia Sandberg Jervis. Felicia shares that "Tim is Betty Marmura's son. He is a man with autism who does not speak, and who has inspired Betty to write a lot about disability related issues in a spiritual context. Betty herself is a United Church minister......A support circle usually consists of family members and friends of the person with disability. People gather regularly perhaps once a month to discuss the person's life, challenges, as well as the joys and to stay together for the purpose of journeying together with someone very vulnerable who depends on others for his survival.")
A Canadian Catholic theologian writesÖ..îWhen people are in communion and help one another, there is always more involved than just these peopleÖ..There is a gift dimension in human life that is not reducible to the human.î (G. Baum, Man Becoming) . The gift that friends and the community provide exceeds what they themselves possess.
This gift dimension of fellowship, this grace-would undoubtedly be a constant source of wonder to every person were he or she sufficiently aware of it. Do we not all notice, from time to time, that people give us more than they really have? If, beneath all the layers of our pre-occupations, we do not notice this; if we do not have such a spirit of discernment, then we are diminished.
Support circles generate, as any true community can, that gift-dimension that transcends the gifts of all the participants combined.... At the center of such a circle, is a person who has invited others to share his/her journey; to dream with him, to build bridges, to share insights, to celebrate, to suffer, to plan, to grow. If, through a handicapping condition, the person is unable to invite others herself, then someone close to her may begin to surround her with people who wish to share in her life.
Whether it is the handicap itself, or the vulnerability implicit in the condition and the openness of the central figure - either through innocence or necessity - the support circle has at its centre a natural ìgroundî. Like a lightning rod that attracts the electricity in the air and channels it, a handicapped person who shares his/her life ends up sharing much more than his life. To love and to ìgo withî such a person is to be alive in a special way. It is to be invited to a feast; to find a pearl at a great price; a treasure hidden in a field. It is to have the source and meaning of oneís life revealed.
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THE ADULT WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES
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Prepared by: Learning Disabilities Association of Canada, 323 Chapel Street, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, March 1997
Many adults with learning disabilities are not aware that the difficulties they encountered in school, and the problems in their relationships or their jobs, are due to learning disabilities. It was once believed that learning disabilities was a childhood disorder. We now know that this is not true - learning disabilities are lifelong and can affect friendships, school, work, self-esteem, and daily life.
Many adults with learning disabilities lead very productive and successful lives. But for many, success is not easy. Even though they have average or above average intelligence, some adults with learning disabilities are conditioned to believe that they are stupid and lazy. Their defeated efforts often result in frustrations, disappointment, low self-esteem and failure.
WHAT IS A LEARNING DISABILITY?
A learning disability is a disorder that affects people's ability to either interpret what they see and hear or to link information from different parts of the brain. Although the individual with a learning disability has an average or above-average IQ, the disability becomes evident in both academic and social situations. Learning disabilities may be divided into five categories:
1. Visual Problems: poor visual memory, reversals in writing.
2. Auditory Problems: poor auditory memory, speech problems.
3. Motor Problems: poor hand-eye coordination.
4. Organizational Problems: poor ability in organizing time or space.
5. Conceptual Problems: poor social skills and peer relations, difficulty correctly interpreting non-verbal language.Learning disabilities need not prevent an individual from leading a productive and happy life. Individuals with learning disabilities can be found in all walks of life. Success may depend on many factors - severity of disability, early identification, remediation, career choice, support from family, friends and employers, etc.
HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE A LEARNING DISABILITY?
You are not alone! Learning disabilities affect approximately 10 percent of the population.
COMMON SIGNS AND CHARACTERISTICS
No individual will manifest all of the difficulties listed below.
- Difficulty reading, writing, spelling. Inability to complete a job application form.
- Cannot follow written direction and/or remember several verbal directions.
- Problems putting thoughts down on paper.
- Feelings of anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem.
- Difficulty finding or keeping a job.
- Difficulty budgeting and managing money.
- Time management difficulties.
- Short attention span, restlessness or hyperactivity.
- Difficulty in remembering and following the sequence of instructions.
- Difficulty in understanding social behaviour.
- Poor coordination and spatial disorientation.
- Difficulty with problem solving strategies.It is important to note that these characteristics are often balanced by the presence of significant strengths and creativity.
USEFUL SUCCESSFUL COPING STRATEGIES
Coping strategies are methods, systems, or tricks people use to help themselves accomplish what they want/need to do.
Examples include:
- Identifying and recognizing strengths and weaknesses.
- Setting realistic goals based on abilities.
- Using technology to compensate for weaknesses (word processor, spell checker, calculator, books on tape, etc.)
- Accepting the disability and knowing that it's quite OK.
- Being flexible - finding other ways of getting information.
- Joining activity-centered groups to make friends.
- Breaking down large tasks into small ones.
- Identifying deadlines for small manageable tasks.
- Making to-do lists rather than procrastinating.IF THESE ARE NOT ENOUGH
If solid coping skills and compensatory strategies are not developed, the learning disability may continue to interfere with work, education, social relations and basic daily activities. Some suggestions are:
- Being assessed by a professional trained to assess learning disabilities, a neuro-psychologist, an educational psychologist, etc.
- Finding other adults with learning disabilities for sharing strategies, information and support.
- Seeking counselling from a professional with knowledge about learning disabilities.THINGS TO REMEMBER
- Having a learning disability is a life-long condition.
- You are not alone.
- Support and information is available.
- Celebrate your uniqueness.
- Remember, it is never too late to ask for help!
- Never give up!*****************************************************
CHILDREN WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES
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Taken from the website of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at www.aacap.org/publications/factsfam/ld.htm, 1999. This article is printed with permission.
Parents are often worried when their child has learning problems in school. There are many reasons for school failure, but a common one is a specific learning disability. Children with learning disabilities usually have a normal range of intelligence. They try very hard to follow instructions, concentrate, and "be good" at home and in school. Yet, despite this effort, he or she is not mastering school tasks and falls behind. Learning disabilities affect at least 1 in 10 schoolchildren.
It is believed that learning disabilities are caused by a difficulty with the nervous system that affects receiving, processing, or communicating information. They may also run in families. Some children with learning disabilities are also hyperactive; unable to sit still, easily distracted, and have a short attention span.
Child and adolescent psychiatrists point out that learning disabilities are treatable. If not detected and treated early, however, they can have a tragic "snowballing" effect. For instance, a child who does not learn addition in elementary school cannot understand algebra in high school. The child, trying very hard to learn, becomes more and more frustrated, and develops emotional problems such as low self-esteem in the face of repeated failure. Some learning disabled children misbehave in school because they would rather be seen as "bad" than "stupid".
Parents should be aware of the most frequent signals of learning disabilities, when a child:
- has difficulty understanding and following instructions.
- has trouble remembering what someone just told him or her.
- fails to master reading, spelling, writing, and/or math skills, and thus fails schoolwork.
- has difficulty distinguishing right from left; difficulty identifying words or a tendency to reverse letters, words, or numbers; (for example, confusing 25 with 52, "b" with "d," or "on" with "no").
- lacks coordination in walking, sports, or small activities such as holding a pencil or tying a shoelace.
- easily loses or misplaces homework, schoolbooks, or other items.
- cannot understand the concept of time; is confused by "yesterday," "today," "tomorrow."Such problems deserve a comprehensive evaluation by an expert who can assess all of the different issues affecting the child. A child and adolescent psychiatrist can help coordinate the evaluation, and work with school professionals and others to have the evaluation and educational testing done to clarify if a learning disability exists. This includes talking with the child and family, evaluating their situation, reviewing the educational testing, and consulting with the school. The child and adolescent psychiatrist will then make recommendations on appropriate school placement, the need for special help such as special educational services or speech-language therapy and help parents assist their child in maximizing his or her learning potential. Sometimes individual or family psychotherapy will be recommended. Medication may be prescribed for hyperactivity or distractibility. It is important to strengthen the child's self-confidence, so vital for healthy development, and also help parents and other family members better understand and cope with the realities of living with a child with learning disabilities.
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If a pupil is told that his intelligence is less than his fellow pupils, it is a very great drawback and handicap to his progress. He must be encouraged to advance by the statement, "You are most capable, and if you endeavor, you will attain the highest degree." (ëAbdu'l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, pp. 76-77)
The child must not be oppressed or censured because it is undeveloped; it must be patiently trained. (ëAbdu'l-Baha, Baha'i Marriage and Family Life, p. 50, #161)
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DEALING WITH VISIBLE AND NON-VISIBLE DISABILITIES
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By Foster M. Buckner, California, U.S.A.
When I was a baby of 20 months old (December 1942) I had developed Croup. My parents took me to the hospital and a doctor on duty did not come to see me and ordered a shot of Codeine, which closed me completely up (in other words I almost died). They had to resuscitate me and do a tracheotomy. It took a while for the hole in my throat to heal up. This created a lot of problems for me while I was growing up because it affected my manual dexterity and I developed learning disabilities.
About 9 years ago, I started having breathing problems. It took a while for the doctors and others to get to the root of my problems. Finally one doctor told me that I possibly had a block in my throat. I gagged easily so they had to admit me to the hospital to run camera tubes down my throat. They found that I had a 6 cm scar tissue in my wind pipe. I was diagnosed with "chronic obstructive lung disease with asthmatic bronchitis, also emphysema". The doctors could not remove the scar tissue out because they did not have the technology to go in and guarantee that it would improve my condition.
Over the years I have had a lot of difficulty working things out. When I would try to explain what was happening, I could not find a way to express myself adequately on what was troubling me. There was a lack of information on what had created my condition which created a lot of problems in dealing with people and situations. I went pioneering to the Central Pacific in Tuvalu and had to return after about 2 years for medical reasons. Shortly after my return I was led to investigate learning disabilities and through my investigation doors started opening up for me. I was able to receive reports from one of the schools I attended and it showed things leading to learning disabilities. When I showed this report to a Bahaíi friend who has a masters degree in special education, she told me that she had known that I had learning disabilities and that the time was not right until 1985-6 to tell me about it. By learning more about learning disabilities has helped me to understand and learn new things.
In regards to my "chronic obstructive lung disease with asthmatic bronchitis, also emphysemaî condition, the doctors put in a tracheotomy tube and my breathing has improved. I need to take medication (pills and aerosols) which has helped a great deal and has allowed me to handle my situation a little bit better.
However dealing with this condition has been a big concern to whom I come in contact with because I can talk near normal by plugging the tracheotomy tube. This surprises a lot of people because they relate the tube to cancer of the throat. Also I have a lot of coughing spells, which are sometimes dry, but mostly are helping me get mucus out of my throat. This creates problems in relating to people because they donít understand my situation. Also employers donít want to hire me because I might be a liability and so they shy away from employing me.
No matter where I go and with whom I deal with I have learned to expect surprises in dealing with people. It used to surprise me with their reactions, but as time passes it gets easier to deal with what other people do in regards to my condition. It takes a lot of courage, patience and understanding on my part to be able to deal with people with my visible disability. It is something one can not hide. It takes a lot of fortitude to be able to stand up and work with a visible disability.
How I cope and try to keep going is difficult but being a Bahaíi makes it easier because we have wonderful prayers and writings to help us through our difficulties. In addition in being active in community events, I have found that being in a smaller community (membership of 15 to 20) helps because one has to become involved with the activities of the community. Also finding a way to be of service to your community or a neighboring community. Some examples are: if there is a fireside where they need help in setting up refreshments, books, etc; serving a Bahaíi school with their book store, as well as many other ways to be of service to your own Bahaíi Community or neighboring community. We all have things that we can do. By doing this we can keep feeling that we are of some use and not getting caught up in our own frailties, shortcomings, etc.
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THE EXCHANGE
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Here are comments from the readers on various subjects:
1) I found the section on coping with hearing loss benefited me since my hearing is failing. I remember my mother's responses to hearing loss and see it in others so it's good to get good information on adapting to a prevailing loss in abilities.
I would like to continue into ways to accommodate our older Baha'is who give up on attending events. For example we use a conference phone to include one grateful servant here whose eyesight doesn't allow night driving... macular degeneration seems rampant! Hearing her appreciation expressed makes the Feast dearer to all present.
Please remember an item I'm considering in case you expand your features on coping - finding microphones that can pick up from a group of readers - a very inexpensive short range FM broadcast unit, so anyone can use a walkman radio to pickup what's being said. You often see this technique at conferences for translations.
I manage the center here on St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, and we have an echo in the room that soon tires everyone's hearing at social events, so there are many facets.
- Bill Thompson, Virgin Islands
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2) I have severe asthma which is triggered by allergens. When people have indoor animals I am unable to attend Baha'i functions in their homes. I recognize and appreciate why they have animals, but for me and others with that kind of allergies it is a major problem.
- Pat Jacobsen, Oregon, U.S.
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3) I know that it has been difficult in the past for diabetic individuals to find suitable food choices at most of our Baha'i events. I think we've come a long way to ensure that, most of the time, there are healthy choices on the tables.
At the same time, why do we so often insist on providing mostly unhealthy choices at feasts, holy days, study circles, etc.? Is it necessary that we focus on cakes, pies, candy, and other items that are detrimental to our health? Perhaps when we learn to eat for better health, as 'Abdu'l Baha recommended, we'll also be more kind and compassionate to the friends struggling with eating disorders, such as compulsive eating, and demonstrate more respect for our own "Thrones of the Inner Temples." I know it's been a struggle for me to try to eat better when faced with the choice of fresh apples vs. apple pie, for example. I've sabotaged my own best efforts by attending Baha'i events where my will power won't hold up. I hope for a world where we'll have only the healthy offerings for each other.
Now--that's love.J. Sandler
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4) Bill, my husband and I, lived in Ukraine and Belarus. I had a heart defect; two openings to aortic valve, not three; wasn't discovered until I was in late 50s. Before that someone recommended the herb Hawthorne and COQ10 which helped immensely. I had surgery in 1995 and am doing well. I find service to the Cause of God the most healing and strengthening thing!
Esther Bradley-DeTally, U.S.
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GUIDANCE FROM THE BAHA'I WRITINGS
ON ORGAN TRANSPLANTS
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In the November, 2002 issue, a person requested guidance on the spiritual and ethical considerations regarding organ transplants. Here are a few Baha'i quotes on this subject:
Heart/Kidney Transplant:
"We have your letter of September 13, 1968, making inquiry about instructions which may apply to organ transplants such as the heart or kidney. On September 18, 1968, we wrote to the National Spiritual Assembly of Argentina as follows:
We have not come across anything specific in the writings on transplants of hearts and other organs or regarding the time of death, and the Universal House of Justice does not wish to make any statements on these points at this time." (Letter from the Universal House of Justice to the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States, September 23,1968, Lights of Guidance, p. 280)
Organ Donor for Parts of the Body Including the Eyes
"In reply to your letter of October 1st inquiring about organ transplants and Baha'is acting as donors for parts of the body we refer you first of all to our letter of March 3rd 1967 in which we quoted to you a passage from one of the beloved Guardian's letters on this subject. We are also able to give you the following from a letter of the beloved Guardian's secretary: "There is nothing in the teachings which would forbid a Baha'i to bequeath his eyes to another person or for a hospital; on the contrary it seems a noble thing to do." (From letter of the Universal House of Justice to the National Spiritual Assembly of the British Isles, October 16, 1969)
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A READER IS REQUESTING ASSISTANCE
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"Can anyone help me find approaches to treating kidney dysfunction, in particular extremely high protein leakage in the urine? My mother has had this condition for several years and it's worsening. She does not have access to much holistic or alternative approaches from where she lives, a rather conservative town. The Western doctors she has seen have not helped, in neither the diagnosis nor any treatment. They only suggest a biopsy. If anyone can direct me to practioners, methods, websites, etc. that specifically deals with this health condition, I would be very grateful." Please send your responses to the newsletter at: fmezei@sentex.net and I will pass them on to the writer requesting assistance.
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NEWSLETTER SEEKS ASSISTANCE
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Dear Friends:
I am looking for one person to help out with the mailouts and updating of the mailing list of the newsletter. This person would be responsible to send the newsletter to the readers each month (10 issues per year; it is not published during July or August), updating email addresses and adding/deleting subscribers. Presently, I use Microsoft Outlook 2000 which works well for this purpose. It would be helpful if this person has good computer skills and is well-organized, orderly, and efficient. This assistance would help me greatly to make it more manageable to work on the newsletter. If you are interested to serve in this voluntary position for the newsletter, please contact me at fmezei@sentex.net. Thank you!
Frances Mezei
Editor
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BAHA'I WORLD CENTRE NEEDS
HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS
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The Health Care Provider provides daily patient care including: First Aid; immunizations; individual consultation (in person and via email); and preventative counselling. Accompanies staff to emergency rooms and hospitals; makes referral to health care providers; schedules tests; maintains patient records and dispenses over-the-counter drugs. Needs to be qualified as a Physician's Assistant, Nurse Practitioner or Registered Nurse. Requires outpatient skills with at least 10 years' experience in nursing. This position requires good computer skills. Good health and a high level of energy are essential. https://bahai.bwc.org/service/needs/ You can reply directly on-line with an application for the positions in Haifa, Israel.
************************************
QUESTION OF THE MONTH
************************************
The focus for the upcoming issues will be on how to improve accessibility in the Baha'i and surrounding communities for persons with disabilities, illnesses and diseases of various kinds. This may include removing physical barriers, changing our attitudes and providing relevant support or available technology to ensure that everyone is a part of community life. Working together to provide basic information and accommodations as well as typical solutions will hopefully enable those struggling with a disability or illness to be involved in the community. After all, we all have disabilities/struggles of various forms. This information may also apply to the workplace. We will continue this consultative process.
Some of the disabilities/illnesses we will consult about are (if there are others missing, please let us know):
1) Hearing Impairment
2) Visual Impairment
3) Mobility/Physical disability
4) Learning Disabilities /Attention Deficit Disorder
5) Developmental Disabilities
6) Brain Injuries
7) Physical Illnesses such as cancer, arthritis, heart condition, back impairment, alzheimer's, etc.
8) Psychiatric Disabilities/Mental Illness
9) EmotionalFor the January issue, we will focus on exploring coping strategies in dealing with brain injuries and physical illnesses such as cancer, arthritis, heart condition, alzheimers, etc. We may only be able to cover a few illnesses. Please share your experiences, stories and comments on this subject. We look forward to learning from you!
****************
WEB SITE
****************
You can visit the website, obtain back issues and the Healing Through Unity Course at: http://www.healingthroughunity.org.
********************************************
PURPOSE OF THE NEWSLETTER
********************************************
"Healing Through Unity" is published for the purpose of sharing thoughts, comments and experiences on how the teachings of the Baha'i Faith are being applied to physical and spiritual health. Other than the quoted Holy Writings, the material in this newsletter represents the thoughts and opinions of the writers and has no authority. You are free to copy articles, provided you indicate the source of the article. There are 10 issues per year; it is not published during July and August. The newsletter is produced in Ontario, Canada.
Please send your stories, comments, suggestions or "Question for the Month" ideas to Frances Mezei by e-mail: fmezei@sentex.net.
PLEASE NOTE:
Many thanks to all of you who send such wonderful contributions for "Healing Through Unity" Newsletter. The decision to select and edit material submitted for publication is determined by the editor.
If you have a change of e-mail address, please inform me with your old and new email addresses. To cancel the subscription, please send message to: --
HEALING THROUGH UNITY
January, 2003
A monthly newsletter dedicated to serving the principles of
physical and spiritual health envisioned in the Baha'i Teachings.
Volume 6, Issue #5
______________________________________________________
Contents
---------------
- Stories of 'Abdu'l-Baha
- Some Thoughts on the Needs of Alzheimer Patients
- Organ Donation
- Dealing With Kidney Dysfunction
- Information
- Question of the Month
- Website
- Purpose of the Newsletter
*****************************************
STORIES OF 'ABDU'L-BAHA
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"'Abdu'l-Baha's kind heart went out to those who were ill. If He could alleviate a pain or discomfort, he set about to do so. We are told that one old couple who were ill in bed for a month had twenty visits from the Master during that time in Akka. He daily sent a servant to inquire about the welfare of the ill, and as there was no hospital in town, He paid a doctor a regular salary to look after the poor. The doctor was instructed not to tell Who provided this service. When a poor and crippled woman was shunned on contracting measles, the Master, on being informed, 'immediately engaged a woman to care for her; took a room, put comfortable bedding (His own) into it, called the doctor, sent food and everything she needed. He went to see that she had every attention, and when she died in peace and comfort, He it was Who arranged her simple funeral, paying all charges.'" (Honnold, Vignettes from the Life of 'Abdu'l-Baha, p. 43-4)
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Lua Gestinger, one of the early Baha'is of America, tells of an experience she had in Akka. She had made the pilgrimage to the prison-city to see 'Abdu'l-Baha. One day He said to her that He was too busy today to call upon a friend of His who was very poor and sick. He wished Lua to go in His place. He told her to take food to the sick man and care for him as He had been doing.
Lua learned the address and immediately went to do as 'Abdu'l-Baha had asked. She felt proud that 'Abdu'l-Baha had trusted her with some of His own work. But soon she returned to 'Abdu'l-Baha in a state of excitement. "Master," she exclaimed, "You sent me to a very terrible place! I almost fainted from the awful smell, the dirty rooms, the degrading condition of that man and his house. I left quickly before I could catch some terrible disease."
Sadly and sternly, 'Abdu'l-Baha gazed at her. If she wanted to serve God, He told her, she would have to serve her fellow man, because in every person she should see the image and likeness of God. Then He told her to go back to the man's house. If the house was dirty, she should clean it. If the man was dirty, she should bathe him. If he was hungry, she should feed him. He asked her not to come back until all of this was done. 'Abdu'l-Baha has done these things many times for this man, and he told Lua Getsinger that she should be able to do them once. This is how 'Abdu'l-Baha taught Lua to serve her fellow man. (Teaching Children's Classes, Ruhi Institute, Book 3, Columbia)
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SOME THOUGHTS ON THE NEEDS OF ALZHEIMER PATIENTS
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By Elizabeth Rochester, St. John's, Newfoundland
This article is written as a tribute to my mother, who survives in my memory, a witty, charming, intelligent and capable woman, who was interested in everyone and everything, and who in the closing years of her life, suffered the ravages of Alzheimer's disease. It is dedicated to the nursing staff that impressed me with their kindness and concern during the brief periods when my mother was hospitalized.
SYNOPSIS OF MY MOTHER'S MEDICAL HISTORY
In July of 1984, after several bad falls, my almost blind mother, then 78 years of age, moved from Toronto to St. John's, Newfoundland to live within easy walking distance of our home. Extensive testing resulted in the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease, confirming what had been strenuously denied by my mother: the need for her to be taken care of. After much loving, gentle, but persistent persuasion, my mother agreed to move into an apartment that had been constructed for her in our home. In February 1987, she had surgery to remove a malignant ovarian cyst, and on August 31 she died at home, quite suddenly, of cancer.
BASIC PREMISES
1. It is not my intention to imply, however subtly, that Alzheimer patients ought to be cared for in the home. I say this because I know how easy it is to feel guilty in relation to Alzheimer patients, and I do not want to add, in the slightest, to anyone's sense of guilt. I regard it as a privilege, although there were times when it didn't feel like a privilege, to have been able to care for my mother. There were several important factors that made this possible. My children were willing and my husband supported and assisted me throughout the entire period. Our home was big enough to make privacy possible both for my mother and for our family. I fully realize that, for many others, what worked for us might not be desirable, or even possible, for others.
2. There is a need for research and more information which could be very helpful in the education of the care-giver, thus facilitating the care of the patient in the early stages of the disease. Throughout the last three years of my mother's life, I was struggling to understand what was happening to her and to us. I was gradually gaining insight into the emotional, social, and spiritual challenges facing us, and discovering ways of living constructively with this dreadful illness. As my mother's memory steadily declined and her physical energy and strength diminished, I had to fight a tendency to lament that I had not understood, from the beginning, what had taken three years to learn.
THE BEGINNING
The beginning was very, very difficult. It would be a whole year before the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease cast light on what was happening. I was bewildered and quite frightened - having no idea of what was in store for us, and found my mother's behaviour incomprehensible.
It is often said that Alzheimer's disease affects everyone differently. I am sure that this is true, because the manner in which a person tackles the problems of life depends so much on his personality and character. A less independent person, who liked to be looked after, would not have had to struggle in the same way my mother struggled. For a person, once so independent, so well able to give direction and definition to her own life, to lose these characteristics, must be devastating. In such a situation, I think anger, rebelliousness, suspicion, even paranoia are understandable responses.
Understandable or not, they are not easy characteristics to live with. And, while it was not easy, I did find it possible to help my mother, over quite a long period of time, to accept what was happening to her.
As a result of my experiences, I would make the following suggestions:
* As often as possible, think of and speak to the soul behind the clouds, the person you glimpse in moments of insight.
* Reminisce frequently about the patient's past accomplishments and the continuing results of the work he/she has done. Make a connection between the present accomplishments of grown children, and the training and example the parent once gave them as children. It is their turn, now, to shoulder responsibilities the patient once carried.
* Continually assure the patient that he is not responsible for the loss of powers, but that he is responsible when he chooses to blame others rather than acknowledge such loss. With my mother, I would continually repeat: "You have a choice, Mom. You can believe that you live with a mean and hateful person who deprives you of the information you need, or you can accept that you forget. There is no other explanation." Two weeks before she died, she made a definite choice: "No, I don't want to hate you."
Good care of the patient requires a lot of time, but it is important that the time be "given". When there is nothing left to give, it is important that there be protection from unending demands. The patient's greatest enemy is the exhaustion of the caregiver and her family.
My greatest problem, as the primary care giver, was not only exhaustion but also the total absence of privacy. My mother was very suspicious of any conversation I had with anyone, so she would sneak around, listening in to visitors and telephone conversations, always assuming that she was the subject being discussed, and usually totally misinterpreting what was being said. It was excruciating.
As a result, I strongly recommend that locks be put on a number of doors, preferably before the patient moves into the home. * Ensure that there is some private place where the caregiver can rest, read without interruption, and where the family can interact without the hazard of being misunderstood, or of arousing the patient's jealousy.
* Put locks on the kitchen. It is amazing how many ways a mischievous or "helpful" Alzheimer patient can disrupt plans or endanger her own welfare.
* When people visit the home, most of the time the patient should be present; otherwise her life will be bereft of substance and meaning. Nonetheless, there are times when it is inappropriate for the patient to be present. Make it possible to visit in private; that is, place locks so that the patient cannot stand just outside the door to listen in; a paranoid patient can sometimes do astonishing things with a perfectly simple conversation. This is particularly true of telephone calls that are even easier to misinterpret.
* Alzheimer's disease need not be the only cause of problems. I strongly recommend that the caregiver consider other possible causes of problems. The following descriptions of our experiences, give some example of what I mean.
By the end of the period when my mother lived alone in a senior citizen's apartment, I was running two households: one for my husband and children, and one for my mother. Despite my best efforts, my mother ate so little that her weight (never more than approx. 100 lbs.) dropped to approx. 80 lbs.
It took several weeks before I began to suspect that my mother was heavily addicted to sugar and caffeine, and extremely sensitive to the aspirin in 222's. Associated with her deteriorating eyesight, she suffered from quite severe and chronic headaches.
Whatever "other" problems my mother had, Alzheimer's always managed to be mixed in with them. It was challenging to try to unscramble such interacting reactions as those that follow.
In the daytime, she was quarrelsome - always wanting to move back to Toronto and get a job. At night, she prowled around, restless as a cat in a strange environment. At 3 a.m., our bedroom light snapped on:
"Who is that in bed with you", she demanded to know.
My poor dignified mother would have been horrified at such conduct.
"Michael", I replied, wondering what was coming next.
"Who else", muttered my husband, under the covers.
The light went off and so did she. We listened. I got up and guided her back to her apartment, wondering how we would manage, assuming that this would get more and more frequent.
At that time, she was eating less than a teaspoonful of food at any one time, so I was constantly giving her something to eat. Like an infant, she couldn't make it through the night. Once I organized myself to prepare all her sweet foods with artificial sweeteners, made huge quantities of her favorite home-made soups and stews, and got a pain-killer with no aspirin, she began to settle down. A couple of times she went hunting for some cake or ice-cream left over from entertaining, and once she found a tin of icing. Each time she gorged herself - totally uncharacteristic behaviour - and each time she became totally disoriented, ferociously paranoid and viciously angry. Her behaviour proved that we were on track.
Later, the addiction to sugar wore off and she was able to eat a cookie or have some ice cream without having a reaction. As she improved, so did her appetite and she began to have more energy, and the headaches were less severe. She still wanted to move back to Toronto and get a job, but she wasn't so likely to be awake to worry about it at 3 a.m. We were over the worst.
HINDSIGHT AND FORESIGHT
In reviewing our experience, I realize that my greatest problem was my total inability to know that a great many difficulties were temporary. As soon as we began to suspect, in consultation with the doctors, that my mother had Alzheimer's disease, we did as much reading as possible. As a result, I "recognized" much of my mother's very difficult behaviour as symptomatic of the disease. This, of course, led me to expect that it was permanent.
When a person loses a limb, or eyesight, or has a heart attack, we know that, along with physical care, help will be needed to enable the patient to deal with the non-physical consequences of the disease. In the case of Alzheimer's disease, it is that part of the person, the brain, which helps the patient "deal with" any other disaster, which is, itself, debilitated. No doubt it is because of this, that little or no effort is made to help the Alzheimer patient come to terms with the most devastating experience of all: consciousness that he is losing the use of his most precious power, the power which seems to distinguish him from an animal, the power to think clearly.
When I consider the many thousands of people who are now living through some variation of the trauma which we experienced, I feel I must struggle to express our experience and the conviction which derives from it, that help is both needed and possible; that behind the brain there is a soul which is not handicapped and which, despite its disabled instrument, manages to learn, to grow, to change.
Medical people, experienced with Alzheimer patients, commonly refer to "flashes of insight". I came to think of these precious moments as the parting of dark clouds that permits a brief burst of brilliant sunshine. In those moments, I saw my mother as she had always been. In addition, as we struggled with her problems, gradually her behaviour did change: the night wandering stopped, the rage abated, rebelliousness subsided.
REPETITION
Along with loss of memory goes the loss of the means for monitoring one's own behaviour. Everything is, in a sense, happening for the first time. Repetition is the natural consequence and must simply be accepted. There is, however, a kind of repetition that is different, which is symptomatic of a need. I discovered that, if my mother repeated the same question over and over in quick succession, it meant that there was something that was troubling her. It was usually not easy to figure out what was the real need. It required an investigative approach. The following story is an illustration.
While I was packing my mother's things in preparation for her move to St. John's, she told me a story that I had heard, once a year, all my life. My mother liked to tell stories about her family, and I had always accepted these stories as a kind of reminiscing that gave her pleasure. This time, however, she told it every five minutes, seven times in a row. I became worried, then desperate, then curious: what is she after? What does this story really mean to her? What is the problem?
The story took place during the First World War. Her father had already died, and the family doctor blocked her eldest brother's attempt to enlist because he felt that their mother needed him to help look after the family. One day, a woman on the street put a white feather, the symbol of cowardice, in his lapel. Each time my mother finished telling the story, she always said she didn't think the doctor had the right to interfere in her brother's life like that. It was the repetition of this objection that made me realize, after all those years, that my mother was still deeply troubled by this experience.
Knowing that my mother had absolutely no awareness of the repetitions, nor any memory of my previous responses, I became more and more daring in my attempt to set her heart at rest. Finally, it occurred to me to challenge her:
"Mom, who do you think you are? God? How do you know what would have happened to your brother if he had enlisted? What if he had been wallowing in the mud in the trenches? Now she was absolutely still, quiet, and intently listening. What if he had lost a leg, or had been blinded?
She jumped. Her own recently deteriorated eyesight was a dreadful trial to her.
"Oh no! That would NOT have been better."
My mother never again told that story. Through thinking about the experience differently, the source of the upset was removed. Once my mother had reconciled herself to her brother's experience, she could let go of it. How many of us have negative experiences that we cling to, never doing the work necessary to let go of them?
MY VIEW OF MEMORY
Gradually, I came to think of memory as a lake from which we draw what we need as we need it. When we are healthy, this process happens so quickly and easily that we are totally unaware of it taking place. We "understand" without consciousness of how many memories supplied us with the necessary information with which to understand.
I never gave much thought to the function of memory until I was involved, daily and intensively, with the care of my Mother. Her memory was already failing and this was a cause of embarrassment, even humiliation. With consummate skill she hid her declining power. On occasion, she would attack the one who observed that she had "forgotten", would project that it was a handy way for her to be "blamed" for everything. The issue of blame became central; it was important to "blame" others who came into her apartment and "took" or misplaced things. Paranoia is the defense of the defenseless, passionately wanting "out" of the responsibility for this terrible situation.
When memory fails, independence becomes impossible. With Alzheimer's disease, it becomes difficult to think; judgment is impaired through lack of available information. But the reality of a person is his thought, not his body. If his capacity to think is undermined, what remains? Of what use is he? How can he communicate, sustain relationships, know how to be?
Imagine what it must feel like to apprehend that the lake that you have always relied upon is slowly abandoning you. Imagine trying, with impaired capacity, to think about your declining power to think. Imagine not being able to remember what it is you couldn't remember. Is it not reasonable to expect emotional and social disturbances to erupt as the patient struggles, helplessly and miserably, to live with this terrifying disability?
And what about the caregiver in all this? She, for usually the caregiver is a she, is the one who claims to "know" and who, by remembering, makes you conscious of all that you have forgotten. The first choice is so obvious: her or me. Unable to bear the responsibility, feeling that everything is going wrong and is terribly unfair, you choose to blame "her" and "them". Bewildered and upset, the care giver needs help; the professionals understand; everyone who has ever cared for Alzheimer patients understands: it's the illness; don't pay any attention; the patients often go through severe character changes; just try to be patient; don't confront them; lie to them if you need to - they won't remember anyway...
It is entirely understandable, well-meaning, kind; but this sort of advice doesn't help. Not in my experience anyway.
Does anything help? Well, there were things that helped me. It took months, even years sometimes, to figure out some of the simplest things.
Caregivers, we need to talk to one another in a new way, trying to answer different questions: Is there any way to make up for the lake when it starts to drain? Is there any way to escape from the habits of defensiveness and blame? What helps both patient and caregiver to deal with painful emotions such as helplessness, anger, loss, loneliness, and confusion?
PROVIDE A RIVER OF INFORMATION
Gradually, I came to understand my most important service to my mother: to replace that lake of memories with a river of relevant information. How do you decide what information is relevant? This is an important skill; one that takes effort, reflection, practice and time to develop. It is one of the ways in which Caregivers could learn from one another. The loss of memory generates a forest of fears; most of those fears must be common to a great many Alzheimer patients. Perhaps the most common one derives from having forgotten where you are.
LOST
I find the following story particularly encouraging because it indicates that what I have learned from working with my own mother, is also effective for others, working in a hospital setting, on occasional visits.
One September, in the company of two young friends, I visited a woman in an advanced stage of Alzheimer's disease, her body rock-hard with tension, her face anxious, and her manner angry. I watched, as the two young women visited her, and noticed, immediately, the repetition:
"I don't know where my home is."
Immediately I set to work to try to understand the real meaning of the question and to discover the needed "real answer". This woman once owned a beautiful home; it had been sold. She now lives in a hospital that will never be her home. Her memory has peeled back into childhood; her emotional responses are often those most characteristic of a child. When a child does not know "where my home is", that child is LOST.
My first thought was that this woman no longer had a home. This woman, a Bahaíi, had a picture by her bed of 'Abduí-Baha, the Son of the founder of the Bah·íÌ Faith, for whom she felt great love and trust. Had she been a believing Hindu, Buddhist, Jew, Christian, or Muslim, I would have chosen some other appropriate religious figure. Had she had no faith, I would have chosen a relative. For her, I chose `Abduíl-Baha.
When I was leaving, I did what I had learned to do with my mother; I gave her all the information she needed:
"Laura, I am Elizabeth Rochester. I have known you for forty years. I am going home to Newfoundland, which is a long way away. I want to say good-bye."
She watched me with rapt, motionless attention.
"I don't know where my home is."
"I know, and it is all right. `Abduíl-Baha knows where you are and, when the time is right, He will come for you and take you home."
She watched me with the same intentness I had so often seen in my mother's face and I had the sense that she understood.
Six months later, I saw those same young women at a meeting. I asked if the woman's body was still rock-hard. Apparently, she had relaxed. Following my example, these two had repeatedly responded in the same manner. Recently the woman's teeth had to be extracted and her gums stitched; she was in misery; she turned to the picture and said:
"It is time now. It is time for me to go into the picture."
The soul makes its own accommodation. It may not be accomplished as we would accomplish it, or expressed as we would express it. Nonetheless, this woman has relaxed; she is ready now to welcome death. Is this not better than the anxiety, fear and endless tension of being lost? Is it not possible that "wandering" is not so much a symptom of Alzheimer's disease, as a symptom of what happens emotionally when the brain can no longer remember where home is, and the feet take over the unending search?
The following is another example of how loss of memory can affect behaviour. My mother, who had always been a very sociable person, soon began to refuse to receive visitors or to go out of the house. It is commonplace to explain such a change of behaviour as being a symptom of the illness. But changes in behaviour may be reversible if they are simply symptoms of unmet needs. As I became better at anticipating and meeting my mother's needs, she became more able to behave.
For instance, whenever we were going out to a meeting, I would explain, frequently more than once, that everyone knew that she couldn't see very well, that no-one would expect her to recognize them or to know their names, and that, to the best of my ability, I would let her know what she needed to know. This gave her enough assurance that she stopped refusing to go out.
My mother developed wonderful ways of disguising her loss of memory: she referred to everyone as "our friend". This included our daughter, Fiona, who lived at home. Fiona developed the easy habit of introducing herself to her grandmother every time she approached her:
"Hello, Nanma, this is Fiona."
Gradually, we taught close friends of the family to take the same approach. Later people marvelled at the graciousness with which my mother welcomed people to our home.
One very sad advertisement about Alzheimer's disease ends with a child gloomily looking out at the camera and saying: "Grandma doesn't know me any more". Undoubtedly, such lack of recognition must be a deep sorrow for any child, but if the child is taught how to understand the nature of the illness and to help the grandparent in a variety of ways, both child and grandparent could be much happier, and become able to relate to the problem very differently.
CONCLUSION
In the early stages of the illness, there are a great many ways in which a river of information makes it possible for the patient to continue to understand, to think, to choose. It is in these early stages that trust needs to be established, that the patient needs to learn how to depend on others, to accept help, to find a new basis for self-respect, and a new commitment to make the kind of efforts that will make love, laughter, and happiness possible.
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How often do we see a man, poor, sick, miserably clad, and with no means of support, yet spiritually strong. Whatever his body has to suffer, his spirit is free and well! Again, how often do we see a rich man, physically strong and healthy, but with a soul sick unto death. It is quite apparent to the seeing mind that a man's spirit is something very different from his physical body. The spirit is changeless, indestructible. The progress and development of the soul, the joy and sorrow of the soul, are independent of the physical body. (ëAbdu'l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 65)
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ORGAN DONATION
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By Susan Gammage, Labrador, Canada
I was interested to see the section in the December, 2002 issue of the newsletter on organ donation. I've always wanted to donate my organs on my death, but when I was living in a small community three hours north of a major medical centre, I learned that if I died there, they would keep my body on life supports, ship me three hours away, harvest the organs and then ship me back for burial. This called into question where the location of death would be, and could I actually do this, given the fact that the body would be moved for more than an hour. I wrote to the National Centre (of Canada) for their guidance and this is their response:
"On the matter of donation of one's body for medical research after death, Shoghi Effendi stated the following in a letter written on his behalf on 22 March 1957. . .
"As many people make arrangements to leave their bodies to medical science for investigation, he suggests that you inquire, either through some lawyer friend or through some hospital, how you could do this, and then make the necessary provision in your Will, stipulating that you wish your body be of service to mankind in death, and that, being a Baha'i, you request that your remains not be cremated and not be taken more than an hour's journey from the place you die."
They also said "In light of the guidance and your understanding of the transportation of the body at the time organs are harvested, your decision regarding [withdrawing] your organ donor card would seem to be sound.
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DEALING WITH KIDNEY DYSFUNCTION
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By Jean Owen, Wales, United Kingdom
I wish to reply to the reader whose mother has kidney disease (December, 2002 issue) as I think she may have the same problem as me which is called IgA Nephropathy. There is information about this condition on the web but it is frightening in that it says there is no cure. However it gives some good advice in recommending lots of fish oil, vitamin E, medication to reduce blood pressure and sometimes tonsillectomy. The condition is caused by too much pressure in the kidneys which forces large protein molecules through the tiny filtering system in the kidneys, thereby causing more and more damage. You know if you have this particular disease if you have very dark, almost black urine during an upper respiratory tract infection.
I am taking both the conservative and complimentary approach by taking Trandolapril, 1mg daily for blood pressure, (this actually reduces the pressure in the kidneys and thereby reduces damage as much as possible), 5 high potency fish oil capsules, Vitamin E capsule as well as herbal medicine prescribed by a herbalist. All this seems to have made a good improvement in the condition. It is extremely important to avoid getting colds and flu as this has a detrimental effect on kidneys so I take Echinacea, a good multi vitamin in the winter and lots of vitamin C at the first sign of a cold, however vitamin C can cause damage to kidneys so it is best taken only when needed. It goes against my principles to take any kind of drugs but in this case I feel that the blood pressure pills are necessary.
By using Albu Sticks (little sticks which test for protein in urine) I have found that cutting down on meat and lentils is of benefit which means using dairy products and eggs for protein. I have had this illness for about 4 years now and have tried many different remedies but have settled for this combination.
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INFORMATION
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WEBSITES
Alzheimer Society of Canada www.alzheimer.ca
Canadian Down Syndrome Society http://www.cdss.ca/
Disability Weblinks (Programs, services and contacts across Canada)
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Introducing...CMT...today!
In the summer of 2002, The Disability Resource Council, Guelph, Ontario, Canada produced a new publication! The international newsletter CMT...today will hopefully pick up where retired publisher Linda Crabtree left off. As the founder/editor of CMT International and the CMT newsletter, Linda was devoted to creating a global community of those with CMT (Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease), and sought to keep them updated on new research and developments. Editor-in-chief and DRC founder Susan Wheeler who lives with CMT was a long-time subscriber of Linda's newsletter, and decided that the continuation of such a resource was necessary in order to keep individuals with CMT informed and connected. Thus far, reader response has been nothing but supportive! If you wish to be added to our mailing list, write to: cmt.today@sympatico.ca.
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Report of Community-Based Rehabilitation (CBR) by the World Health Organization (WHO) http://www.who.int/ncd/disability
CBR seeks to achieve rehabilitation, equalization of opportunities and social integration of children and adults with physical, sensorial, psychological and mental disabilities. It also aims to eliminate stigma and increase the recognition of disabled persons as resourceful members of societies. It is implemented through the combined efforts of disabled people, their families and communities and the appropriate health, education, vocational and social services.
The CBR assessment calls for increased participation of disabled persons as role models, self-advocates and employed experts in CBR programmes. According to the assessment, "...CBR programmes largely continue to regard persons with disabilities as beneficiaries and not as participants with a voice and a choice."
"We hope that this report will be used as a source of inspiration and support. It is through the participation and involvement of disabled persons in CBR programmes that their quality of life can be improved," said Dr Enrico Pupulin, Co-ordinator, Disability and Rehabilitation Team, World Health Organization.
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The Meaning of Life Course
Study Course entitled -The Meaning of Life - which is available in 14 three hour Video Tapes with 218 page Course Support Notes was approved by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of U.K. Contact for more information: Mr. Khosro Deihim, http://www.jenks.demon.co.uk/gt.htm, email: khosro@deihim.freeserve.co.uk
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QUESTION OF THE MONTH
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The focus for the upcoming issues will be on how to improve accessibility in the Baha'i and surrounding communities for persons with disabilities, illnesses and diseases of various kinds. This may include removing physical barriers, changing our attitudes and providing relevant support or available technology to ensure that everyone is a part of community life. Working together to provide basic information and accommodations as well as typical solutions will hopefully enable those struggling with a disability or illness to be involved in the community. After all, we all have disabilities/struggles of various forms. This information may also apply to the workplace. We will continue this consultative process.
Some of the disabilities/illnesses we will consult about are (if there are others missing, please let us know):
- Hearing Impairment
- Visual Impairment
- Mobility/Physical disability
- Learning Disabilities /Attention Deficit Disorder
- Developmental Disabilities
- Brain Injuries
- Physical Illnesses such as cancer, arthritis, heart condition, back impairment, Alzheimer's, etc.
- Psychiatric Disabilities/Mental Illness
- Emotional
For the February issue, we will focus on Psychiatric Disabilities/Mental Illness. We will cover the topic of Borderline Personality. Please share your experiences, stories and comments on this subject. We look forward to learning from you!
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WEB SITE
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You can visit the website, obtain back issues and the Healing Through Unity Course at: http://www.healingthroughunity.org.
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PURPOSE OF THE NEWSLETTER
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"Healing Through Unity" is published for the purpose of sharing thoughts, comments and experiences on how the teachings of the Baha'i Faith are being applied to physical and spiritual health. Other than the quoted Holy Writings, the material in this newsletter represents the thoughts and opinions of the writers and has no authority. You are free to copy articles, provided you indicate the source of the article.
There are 10 issues per year; it is not published during July and August. The newsletter is produced in Ontario, Canada. Please send your stories, comments, suggestions or "Question for the Month" ideas to Frances Mezei by e-mail: -- .
PLEASE NOTE:
Many thanks to all of you who send such wonderful contributions for "Healing Through Unity" Newsletter. The decision to select and edit material submitted for publication is determined by the editor.
HEALING THROUGH UNITY
February, 2003
A monthly newsletter dedicated to serving the principles of
physical and spiritual health envisioned in the Baha'i Teachings.
Volume 6, Issue #6
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Contents
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- Borderline Personality Disorder
- The Exchange
- Baha'i Writings on Mental Illness
- Resources for Borderline Personality Disorder
- Conferences
- Fasting
- Question of the Month
- Website
- Purpose of the Newsletter****************************************************
BORDERLINE PERSONALITY DISORDER
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By Michael H. Stone "The Fate of Borderline Patients", The Harvard Mental Health Letter, March 1992 (taken from the website: www.recovery-man.com/abusive/bpd.htm.
What is Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)?
Borderline Personality Disorder is a form of mental illness that is often found in survivors of childhood sexual, physical and emotional abuse. Some abused parties develop BPD and some do not for reasons that are unclear. BPD seems to run in families, but it is not yet known if this is due to genetic or environmental factors. BPD is very common but frequently undiagnosed or misdiagnosed as Bipolar Disorder.
American Psychiatric Association Definition of BPD (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition, 1994. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association) (My notes are bracketed by parenthesis)
A pervasive pattern of instability of interpersonal relationships, self-image, and affect (mood swings), and marked impulsivity beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts, as indicated by five (or more) of the following:
1. Frantic efforts to avoid real or imagined abandonment. Note: Do not include suicidal or self-mutilating behavior covered in (5). (Desperation/rage if they think they are being abandoned, intense feelings of sadness, loss and fear when their partner is away, a need to have access to the partner at all times, inability to allow their partner their own life and friends, a belief that healthy independence in their partner is a threat to them.)
2. A pattern of unstable and intense interpersonal relationships characterized by alternating between extremes of idealization and devaluation. (The partner of the person with BPD, friends, coworkers or the person with BPD themselves is seen as wonderful or perfect, or as evil and rotten. People and things are seen as rigidly black and white by people with BPD - there is no normal middle ground.) People with BPD are highly intolerant of / unable to deal with the gray areas in life. This is called "splitting."
3. Identity disturbance: markedly and persistently unstable self-image or sense of self. (Confusion about goals, career, life choices, sexuality or sexual orientation. Persistent questions and discomfort with their perceived role in life. Pervasive issues related to "who am I" and "what is my role in the world". Many people with BPD change careers frequently or enter careers that give them a clearly defined framework and sense of identity, like large corporations or the military. Others fall prey to cults or fundamentalist religions that control all aspects of their life. Fundamentalism can be comforting for people with BPD since the "black and white" nature of these religions give them a framework that fits their world view.)
4. Impulsivity in at least two areas that are potentially self-damaging e.g., uncontrolled spending, reckless driving, substance abuse, dangerous sexual acts or unsafe sex, binge eating, thrill seeking or risk taking behaviors.
5. Recurrent suicidal behavior, gestures, or threats, or self-mutilating behavior. This can be manifested as overt suicide attempts, drug or alcohol abuse, unsafe sexual behavior, or as a pattern of "living dangerously"; this also includes cutting, burning, piercing, and sexual self mutilation.
6. Affective instability due to a marked reactivity of mood e.g., intense episodic dysphoria, irritability, or anxiety usually lasting a few hours and only rarely more than a few days. (People with BPD are intensely moody and volatile emotionally - mood swings and huge shifts occur seemingly "out of nowhere". This is why people with BPD are often misdiagnosed as having Bipolar disorder, and therefore improperly medicated.)
7. Chronic feelings of emptiness. (Generally manifested as sadness, loneliness, isolation, aimlessness, feeling empty without a project or relationship to distract them. People with BPD's low self esteem is often masked by public displays of ego, feelings of superiority or an intense need to control themselves, other people, places and events.)
8. Inappropriate, intense anger or difficulty controlling anger e.g., frequent displays of temper, uncontrolled anger, violent rages, recurrent physical fights, threats, sexualized expression of anger through violent or abusive sex.
9. Transient, stress-related paranoid ideation or severe dissociative symptoms. (BPD may manifest as a belief that those who love them wish to hurt, control or destroy them. This is especially common in times of stress. Ongoing belief that they are being followed, threatened, observed or are always at risk. BPD's see the world as a dangerous and frightening place and remain constantly on guard, even in safe environments and with safe people.)
Though BPD affects nearly as many people as schizophrenia and bipolar COMBINED; it is greatly misunderstood by lay people and therapists alike. Few mental health professionals receive enough preparation in school to be effective in treating patients with this disorder. Few clinicians are aware of non-BP issues. People who work in the legal system and other institutions desperately need to be better educated about BPD.
People with BPD often "mask" well - meaning that they present a "I have it all together" face to the world, at work and to their therapists. People with BPD are often very charming, funny and engaging when they are not suicidal or raging. They work hard at covering their tracks; generally only those who are very close to them are aware of the emotional roller coaster going on inside. People with BPD frequently project their issues onto others. ("I don't have a problem - YOU have a problem.") As a result, people with BPD often live lives of misery, remaining undiagnosed or misdiagnosed. (and therefore improperly treated.) Borderline personality disorder is very painful for both the person with BP and the people in their life.
Borderline Personality Disorder is treatable with conventional therapy, geared toward impulse control, anger management and behavior modification, and also responds well to proper medication. Sadly - the overwhelming internal chaos, fear and shame often result in people with BPD refusing treatment. Treatment for BPD is a long term process, but can lead to a much better quality of life for the person with BPD and their partners and families.
Statistics about BPD
- 2% of the general population
- 10% of all mental health outpatients
- 20% of psychiatric inpatients
- 75% of those diagnosed are women (Note that this does not mean 75 % of people with BPD are women!)
- 75% have been physically or sexually abused
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THE EXCHANGE
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The following responses are about dealing with Psychiatric Disabilities/Mental Illness. Because the topic of Borderline Personality Disorder is the focus for this issue, most responses below relate to this topic.
For the past 8 years, I have had the pleasure of working in the mental health field as a social worker, providing services to clients in the Jewish community. Most of my clients suffer from schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. What I have found most useful is allowing my clients to define their own goals and needs, giving them the tools to become self-sufficient, incorporating the use of peer support, and really listening to what they are saying. Many of my clients have a great interest in religion and spirituality. On many occasions, they present me with questions about the Faith that are so well thought out and detailed I often have to do research and get back to them. Many of them are familiar with the Faith before meeting with me. Needless to say, I am kept on my toes.
- Cynthia Homayun, Ontario, Canada**********
All my life, I have been crippled by depression but I always knew it was not the primary illness. That was because when I was not depressed I was still very unhappy with daily life.
When I received the diagnosis of borderline personality disability, I began to read extensively. The connection I made with the symptoms was almost joyful. I no longer was alone, others had these feelings and survived.
Through work with my psychotherapist, I began to integrate these parts which I had so long felt were "wrong" and "bad". I realized that these parts just were, with no judgment. It has been the most important part of my healing. I don't have to struggle with communicating, internally and externally, my thoughts and feelings any longer. I am finally achieving some peace in my life.
- Anonymous**********
In my experience with my girlfriend with BPD, I am aware of 8 of the 9 symptoms (all but #5) as outlined by the American Psychiatric Association Definition of BPD (see above). But I wasn't "really" aware until afterwards, because this "thing" starts to make itself apparent to the uninformed only gradually at first, and I'd never heard of it. It's hard to explain, but in my case I just thought she was "quirky", or to use a male chauvinist description; "high-maintenance." After all, in any kind of seemingly desirable interpersonal relationship, one's natural inclination is to hope for it to be successful. So, when you notice things, little things, you overlook them and pass them off because you're still getting to know this person and don't want to be hasty in your judgment... A BPD (of the "high-functioning" type at least) can be almost unbelievably charming at times, which makes you seriously doubt any negative signals you think you've been picking up. My BPD girlfriend was the most wonderful person to be with when things were going "well". I couldn't believe how good I felt when I was with her - especially since this was just two years after the death of my wife and I was still grieving hard when we met. But the thing I learned, was that the "good" times were an illusion. This person suffered from the disorder at all times, not just when there was some inexplicable blow-up -- the blow-ups, it was obvious later, were brewing constantly during the good times. This well-developed capability to ingratiate themselves with others I found to be reported by many, and ties in with the "intense" nature of the usually short-lived relationships they form.
In my opinion, if a spouse suffers from BPD, in one sense "fulfilling" the promise of the "fortress for well-being" is almost as unlikely as a double amputee re - growing his limbs. Generally a BPD lacks the basic capability to feel responsible for his/her actions - they've simply never developed that far emotionally, although they usually are haunted by a chronic sense of unworthiness because of it - despite this they "project" all negativity onto those closest to them ("others" are the source of all their problems), because grappling with the emotional turmoil (for them) of a truly intimate/spiritual relationship is just too much - again due to their lack of "normal" emotional maturation. The process of "projecting" can take on some truly mind-bending forms, leaving the non-BPD partner questioning their own culpability in the whole mess.
In my relationship with my girlfriend, more than once I was accused of either using violence, or making this person fearful for her safety because I "was in a bad mood", when all that had happened is that I had not concurred with something she had said. That's all it takes sometimes for a BPD to start "acting out" Also, it was very typical for her to not remember things. I was told on one occasion by my girlfriend that terrible things had happened to her when she was little - -later on she denied any knowledge of such events or of having said anything to me about it.
I was so traumatized by my whole experience with this that I kept searching for an explanation and finally stumbled across the clinical description of BPD online at a mental heath site. It intrigued me though the language used was not really clear to a layman. Upon further investigation - following links to simpler explanations of what the clinical language meant, it sounded like I was reading transcripts of my time spent with my girlfriend. It was like a light being turned on in a dark cellar.
BDP people suffer terribly (as do those close to them), and what's really sad is that what they suffer from is part of their normal state of being, the basic structure of their personality. Some people say that love is the answer, but, as Baha'u'llah says in Hidden Words, Arabic #5: "Love me that I may love thee. If thou lovest me not, My love can in no wise reach thee." The thing to remember, as one "recovered" BPD has written, is that when a BPD says "I love you", he/she doesn't mean the same thing that the rest of us mean. They tend to find after a while what I'll call the generally accepted concept of "love", an attempt to manipulate them...they start to feel "suffocated" by an intimate relationship, and that's when they push the "loved one" away. You get the very real sense of having been pushed out and walled off from them - when all you've done is to show the tenderness, consideration, your own love. Knowing how to deal with - or reciprocate - that love is a either a skill a BPD doesn't have or has to a severely limited degree, and so it becomes difficult or almost impossible for our love to reach them. I really believe that in this life there is little that can be done.
I think that it is for future Baha'i healthcare professionals, investigating and acting in the light of the Divine Teachings to find a way to adequately deal with this, because just good intentions and saying lots of prayers isn't going to be enough for those that already are suffering. And whatever the causes of it are, they will largely be eliminated as the Teachings become more widely integrated into the lives of the generality of humankind. "The well-being of mankind, its peace and security, are unattainable unless and until its unity is firmly established." (Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 286)
- Anonymous***************************************************
BAHA'I WRITINGS ON MENTAL ILLNESS
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It is not easy to be burdened with long years of mental illness such as you describe. And plainly you have sought aid from many persons of scientific and non-scientific training backgrounds, apparently to little avail over the years of your prolonged illness. Possibly you should consider, if it is feasible, consulting the best specialists in a medical centre in one of the major cities, where the most advanced diagnosis and treatment can be obtained. The science of the mind, of normality and of the disabilities from which it may suffer, is in its relative infancy, but much may be possible to aid you to minimize your suffering and make possible an active life. The last ten years in the therapy of mental disorders has seen important advances from which you may well benefit.
Your discovery of the Faith, of its healing Writings and its great purposes for the individual and for all mankind, have indeed brought to you a powerful force toward a healthy life which will sustain you on a higher level, whatever your ailment may be. The best results for the healing process are to combine the spiritual with the physical, for it should be possible for you to overcome your illness through the combined and sustained power of prayer and of determined effort. (From a letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer, July 23, 1984, Lights of Guidance, pp. 283-284)
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"In the Baha'i Teachings it is made quite clear that when one is ill, one should seek the best available medical advice. This naturally leaves a person free to choose what they consider good in medical opinion. If you and ...'s mother feel that she is improving under the care of your own doctor, and...is willing to wait and be patient and see if she goes on making progress, there can surely be no objection to her doing this. There are a great many as you know mental diseases and troubles at present, and the one thing Baha'is must not do is take defeatist attitude toward them. The power in the Faith is such that it can sustain us on a much higher level in spite of whatever our ailments might be, than other people are who denied it. This however does not mean that we should ignore medical opinion and treatment. On the contrary, we should do our best to procure the opinion of specialists and competent doctors. (From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, January 12, 1967. Lights of Guidance, p. 284)
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RESOURCES ON BORDERLINE PERSONALITY DISORDER
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WEBSITES
http://www.mhnet.org/poc/center_index.php?id=8
http://www.mhnet.org/poc/view_doc.php?type=doc&id=517&cn=8
http://www.recovery-man.com/abusive/bpd.htm
http://www.mhsanctuary.com/borderline/anon.htm
http://www.soulselfhelp.on.ca/bspeak.html
BOOKS
"Stop Walking on Eggshells, Taking your life back when someone you care about has Borderline Personality Disorder", by Randi Kreger and Paul T. Mason
"I Hate You - Don't Leave Me" by Jerold J. Kreisman, MD & Hal Straus
The books are available at places like Amazon.com if you can't find them in a local bookstore.
"Some Guidance for Spiritual Assemblies Related to Mental Illness and Its Treatment" by Mary K. Radpour, Images International Publisher, 5010 Austin Road, Chattanooga, TN 37343 U.S.A., www.images-international.com , images@chattanooga.net
ASSOCIATION OF BAHA'I MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
In August 2000, the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States approved the incorporation of the newly formed Association of Baha'i Mental Health Professionals. Membership in the Association is not limited to psychotherapists but all those who have an interest in mental health and its treatment. It welcomes educators, psychologists, nurses, physicians, counsellors, administrators of programs for the developmentally disabled and chronically mentally ill, substance abuse counsellors, vocational counsellors, volunteers in service to the mentally ill, and anyone who has an interest in a fuller understanding of the application of the Baha'i teachings to matters of mental health. Visit the website of Association of Baha'i Mental Health Professionals - www.bamhp.org.
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CONFERENCES
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BAHA'I MEDICAL ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE
The Baha'i Medical Association of Canada will be holding its annual conference on April 11, 12 and 13, 2003 at the Toronto Baha'i Centre. The theme is "Moral Education and Health" and will feature the work of Dr. Farzin Davachi, Dr. Brian O'Toole in HIV/AIDS prevention, and Counsellor Dr. David Smith. Dr. Gopi Menon will speak on the proposed health project near the Baha'i temple in Uganda.
Roundtable discussions, poster presentations, and a gala dinner make the Baha'i Medical Association Conference 2003 a unique opportunity for Baha'i physicians and health care professionals to get to know each other, network, share goals, and develop plans of action.
Registration forms can be completed online at www.bahaimedicalassociation.ca .
Email conference@bahaimedicalassociation.ca for more information. The conference is open to individuals of all backgrounds.
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HEALTH CONFERENCE AT DESERT ROSE BAHA'I INSTITUTE
Our theme this year is "Choosing Happiness, Our Health Depends On It." Psychologist, teacher, counselor and author are among the adjectives that describe our keynote speaker Dr. Homayoun Mahmoudi. He will be our opening speaker on Friday at 3:15 P.M. so be sure to come early!
Presenters include Katherine Christensen, Mary-Lela Gilbert, Louise E. Ingraham, Barbara Nakai, Dr. Joel Orona, Dr. Hannah Rishel, and Dr. Robert Waters who will present diverse subjects such as: "How our emotions affect our health", "Nutrition and addiction", "Enhancing our life through the joy of music", "Unbusying - Finding Balance When the World's Equilibrium Hath Been Upset", "Community Prosperity through Spiritual Health" and much more. We will offer an opportunity for Pilates exercise to tone our bodies. A special treat will include performing artists Steve and Makhosuzanna Fletcher, delighting us with music, dance, and stories. Mrs. Marguerite Sears will share with us her insights on happiness.
The conference will be starting on Feb. 7th at 2:00 P.M. for registration and ending on Sunday, Feb. 9th following consultation at 3:00 P.M. The registration fee for all three days which includes 6 meals is $70 for adults and $54 for children 4-14. For more information or to register for BCHH 2003, please email drbi@cgmailbox.com. Desert Rose Baha'i Institute, Inc., 5688 Tweedy Road, Eloy, AZ 85231-9611 (520) 466-7961
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FASTING
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During the Baha'i month of Loftiness which begins March 2nd, Baha'is 15 years of age and older fast from sunrise to sunset for nineteen days. Exempted from the Fast are children under 15, those who are ill, over 70, traveling, pregnant or nursing women, women in their courses or those doing heavy labour. The Fast ends at sunset March 20, Naw-Ruz (Baha'i New Year).
"These are the days of the Fast. Blessed is the one who through the heat generated by the Fast increaseth his love, and who, with joy and radiance, ariseth to perform worthy deeds. Verily, He guideth whomsoever He willeth to the straight path." (Baha'u'llah, The Importance of Obligatory Prayer and Fasting, by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice, p. 7)
"Verily, I say, fasting is the supreme remedy and the most great healing for the disease of self and passion." (Baha'u'llah, ibid, p. 8)
"Well is it with you, as you have followed the Law of God and arisen to observe the Fast during these blessed days, for this physical fast is a symbol of the spiritual fast. This Fast leadeth to the cleansing of the soul from all selfish desires, the acquisition of spiritual attributes, attraction to the breezes of the All-Merciful, and enkindlement with the fire of divine love." ('Abdu'l-Baha, ibid, p. 22)
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QUESTION OF THE MONTH
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The focus for the upcoming issues will be on how to improve accessibility in the Baha'i and surrounding communities for persons with disabilities, illnesses and diseases of various kinds. This may include removing physical barriers, changing our attitudes and providing relevant support or available technology to ensure that everyone is a part of community life. Working together to provide basic information and accommodations as well as typical solutions will hopefully enable those struggling with a disability or illness to be involved in the community. After all, we all have disabilities/struggles of various forms. This information may also apply to the workplace. We will continue this consultative process.
Some of the disabilities/illnesses we will consult about are (if there are others missing, please let us know):
- Hearing Impairment
- Visual Impairment
- Mobility/Physical disability
- Learning Disabilities /Attention Deficit Disorder
- Developmental Disabilities
- Brain Injuries
- Physical Illnesses such as cancer, arthritis, heart condition, back impairment, Alzheimer's, etc.
- Psychiatric Disabilities/Mental Illness
- Emotional
For the February issue, we will focus on dealing with our emotions. How does being aware of our emotions affect our health and well-being? What are some practical ways to recognize our feelings/emotions?
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WEB SITE
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You can visit the website, obtain back issues and the Healing Through Unity
Course at: http://www.healingthroughunity.org.
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PURPOSE OF THE NEWSLETTER
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"Healing Through Unity" is published for the purpose of sharing thoughts, comments and experiences on how the teachings of the Baha'i Faith are being applied to physical and spiritual health. Other than the quoted Holy Writings, the material in this newsletter represents the thoughts and opinions of the writers and has no authority. You are free to copy articles, provided you indicate the source of the article. There are 10 issues per year; it is not published during July and August. The newsletter is produced in Ontario, Canada.
Please send your stories, comments, suggestions or "Question for the Month" ideas to Frances Mezei by e-mail: fmezei@sentex.net.
PLEASE NOTE:
Many thanks to all of you who send such wonderful contributions for "Healing Through Unity" Newsletter. The decision to select and edit material submitted for publication is determined by the editor.
If you have a change of e-mail address, please inform me with your old and new email addresses. To cancel the subscription, please send message to: fmezei@sentex.net
HEALING THROUGH UNITY
March, 2003
A monthly newsletter dedicated to serving the principles of
physical and spiritual health envisioned in the Baha'i Teachings.
Volume 6, Issue #7
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Contents
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- Call Carol Leish Capable: She Hustles with Chutzpah
- Emotional Intelligence - The Missing Link to Unity for Mankind
- How Confident are You?
- Responses to Borderline Personality Disorders
- Website Changes
- Question of the Month
- Website
- Purpose of the Newsletter***********************************************************
CALL CAROL LEISH CAPABLE: SHE HUSTLES
WITH CHUTZPAH
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By Beverly Kelley, a professor in the Communication Department at California Lutheran University, December 16, 2002, Ventura County Star
What is the best-selling board game in the world? If you guessed "Monopoly," you must be sitting pretty with a hotel on Boardwalk. Two hundred million "Monopoly" sets have literally flown off store shelves since 1935. Monopoly is currently available in 26 languages---including Croatian and Icelandic.
This holiday season, however, Oxnard native Carol Leish would like you to consider her "Call Me Capable" (www.callmecapable.com) as you select the perfect present for your favorite teacher. The purpose of the educational game, according to the forty-year old Leish, is to eliminate or eradicate some of the prejudice commonly exhibited toward people with disabilities.
Leish knows of what she speaks. In 1963, at the tender age of 10 months, she was slumbering serenely in the back of her family's VW when a drunk driver careened into the vehicle and left the infant girl with brain stem trauma. Unconscious for ten days, she awakened to permanent damage on the right side of her brain, blindness in her left eye, and speech difficulties that continue to this day. Even after years of therapy, thoughtless individuals presume her slow, deliberate way of talking (even though every word is enunciated distinctly) is the result of hearing loss or, even more inaccurately (she's a whiz kid), mental retardation. She's even been asked, point blank, on more than one occasion, "what's wrong with you?"
Her antidote for the justifiable anger that boils up after such insensitive remarks is to just express amusement. While "I may be physically disabled," she says, some folks reveal themselves to be "disabled from the neck up." A rabid-to-the-max Star Trek fan (as the bumper of her car attests) she claims to have inherited her sense of humor from her father. It's obvious, however, that Leish has carefully cultivated a drollness that can only be described as deliciously wicked. Her wry wit has even worked itself into some multiple choice questions found in "Call Me Capable." For example, "some newer wheelchairs help disabled people get around by using a) electric motors, b) gasoline motors, c) jet engines, or d) mice on a treadmill" may not be politically correct but gives non-disabled players permission to laugh as they learn.
In study after study, education experts report that empathy is a particularly difficult concept to get across to students of any age. "Call Me Capable" poses open-ended questions that fire-up players to reconsider preconceived ideas and knee-jerk responses. As they are invited to think about those who face physical, mental and learning challenges---"If you go out to dinner with a friend who is blind and the waiter asks you for your friend's order, what do you say?"---Leish has discovered that the light eventually dawns.
When a financially-challenged Charles B. Darrow showed the prototype of "Monopoly" to executives at Parker Brothers, it was the height of the Depression. The assembled big shots unceremoniously rejected his game, citing 52 so-called "design errors." Darrow wasn't daunted.
Neither was Leish. Her bright idea arrived in 1987 while she was working on a Master's degree in Education and Counseling at California State University, San Bernardino. As she toiled in the trenches as a substitute teacher, "Call Me Capable" started to evolve. The opportunity for further "field studies" arrived as a part of her in-service training for teachers, medical personnel, social workers, and other professionals dealing with the disabled on a daily basis.
Finally, in 1997, when the game was as finely tuned as it was going to get--- it was time for a marketing plan. As Zen practitioners will attest, "When the student is ready, the teacher arrives." Membership in the Ventura County Professional Women's Network provided her with the education and encouragement she needed to realize her heart's desire. The last duck to queue up was Franklin Learning Systems. Just in time for the Yuletide season, the company
(www.franklinlearning.com) stands ready, willing, and able to distribute "Call Me Capable" world-wide via the web.
Call Carol Leish "capable." "Irresistible, too," she adds impishly. Leish considers herself someone "who hustles with chutzpah" and hustle she does. Her first "Call Me Capable" royalty check has been duly framed and accorded a place of honor alongside a sparkling tiara, her VCPWN Spirit of Networking Award, and her recognition as an Outstanding Young American by the California Junior Chamber of Commerce.
All of us will face disability someday. Quite uninvited, it will arrive in various guises ---courtesy of old age. How will we want to be treated?
In 1970, Parker Brothers came out with the Braille edition of "Monopoly." Interestingly enough, those who play "Call Me Capable" seem to find a new way of seeing.
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EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE -
THE MISSING LINK FOR MANKIND
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By Johanna Vanderpol, Ontario, Canada (Johanna Vanderpol is an Emotional Intelligence Consultant, Coach, Speaker and Author. For more information about Emotional Intelligence or Johanna's services visit her website at www.johannavanderpol.com or email at info@johannavanderpol.com)
If we are truly to enjoy the benefits of being human, the most basic challenge facing us now is unity of mankind. With unity, other goals can be achieved. As we reduce human suffering, we will be able to manifest and enjoy our true potential. We are currently caught up in maintenance activities and "fighting fires". The path to unity for mankind is the most important of the many quests for mankind and one of the basic quests yet to be accomplished. Emotional Intelligence is part of that path.
What is Emotional Intelligence?
Emotional Intelligence is the ability to recognize, honour, understand, manage and express our emotions in ways that are respectful of self and others. The reward for developing these attributes in ourselves ranges from the basics to higher level of joys: freedom from a host of physical illnesses (migraines, ulcers, high blood pressure, even heart disease) and addictions (eating disorders, substance abuse, self-abuse) and violence. Be sure that shootings at schools like Columbine would not happen with a higher level of emotional intelligence in individuals and organizational climates. The higher level rewards include harmonious and joyous relationships with other people on the planet from intrapersonal to family to friends to community to nation. After pouring over the current exciting research for the last four years, the implications of focusing on developing our emotional intelligence are exciting and staggering in its positive effects for mankind. We were built to experience the emotions of joy and happiness. 'Abdul-Baha always asked people, "Are you happy?" It is our pleasant task to find out what it will take for us to experience these emotions as an overall state of being rather than the exception.
The word "emotion" is from Latin "emovere" and French which means ëto be moved by'. Emotions are what move us to action. The emotion of anger at injustice can move us to positive action of creating justice where none exists. The emotion of fear can move us to protect ourselves. The emotions of joy "gives us wings". In the Baha'i writings we are encouraged to take the steps of ëknowledge, volition and action' in our endeavours. Volition is the emotional element that moves us to action. Think about it. Everything we undertake is motivated by some underlying emotional state.
It's OK to have emotions To ignore a large facet of our fundamental nature is to bring fragmentation to the individual and hence to the well-being of society. It will also limit us in developing and expressing our full capacity as a human being and, therefore, limit the potential contributions we can give in service to the Cause or any other endeavour. Emotions are part of being human in a physical world and in a spiritual world. This is acknowledged in the Baha'i
writings: "In this world we are influenced by two sentiments, Joy and Pain. Joy gives us wings! In times of joy our strength is more vital, our intellect keener, and our understanding less clouded. We seem better able to cope with the world and to find our sphere of usefulness. But when sadness visits us we become weak, our strength leaves us, our comprehension is dim and our intelligence veiled. The actualities of life seem to elude our grasp, the eyes of our spirits fail to discover the sacred mysteries, and we become even as dead beings. There is no human being untouched by these two influences; but all the sorrow and the grief that exist come from the world of matter - the spiritual world bestows only the joy!" (`Abdu'l-Baha: Paris Talks, pp. 109-10)
Emotions are not bad. They just are. Nowhere in the Baha'i Writings does it say that we should judge ourselves negatively when we have an unpleasant emotion. It does, however, give us guidance on how to manage emotions and the framework for them. That is part of emotional management. What is important is the attitude we have towards our emotions and the way we manage them. With improper attitude and management of emotions comes results that promote ill-health in all its various forms - spiritual, physical, psychological. Emotions used in the way for which they were created are the driving force that brings innovation and creativity out of the individual in all areas of human endeavour including progress and problem-solving. Emotions that are denied or not accepted drive us to behaviours that are unhealthy.
Emotions are theopathic in nature. Kevin Ryerson in his article, Emotions that Heal says: "Theopathy constitutes the use of feeling in relationship to our knowledge or sense of the divine. Our emotions are the fibers that lead us to the direct experience of the soul. They are part of our human expression. We cannot be completely devoid of our emotions; they are not a source of defeat. Emotions should not be repressed or denied, but rather observed and allowed to serve us in perspective. We can learn to trust our feelings and emotions, particularly when we come to understand them from a spiritual perspective."
Research shows that one of the prime ingredients of Emotional Intelligence is Self Awareness. Yet many of the Baha'i writings advise us to forget about self and to be constantly of service to others. This may lead us to believe that we should not take a look at ourselves or that to do so would be selfish. This is not a contradiction. If we look closer, we will see that we are also told to observe our self which is made evident by the following passages from
Baha'u'llah:
"True loss is for him whose days have been spent in utter ignorance of his self "(Baha'u'llah, Tablet of Baha'u'llah, 156) and "Öman should know his own self and recognize that which leadeath unto loftiness or lowliness, glory or abasement, wealth or poverty." (Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, pp. 34-5)
Part of knowing ourselves includes the process of recognizing, understanding and honouring our emotions as well as managing and expressing them in a way that is respectful of ourselves and others. This is an essential skill set that anyone can develop. This is emotional literacy. Without it, we cannot manifest our God-given potential that is unique to every one of us. This implies a knowledge of ourselves, an area in which the writings are clear: "O my Servants! Could ye apprehend with what wonders of My munificence and bounty I have willed to entrust your souls, ye would, of a truth, rid yourselves of attachment to all created things, and would gain a true knowledge of your own selvesóa knowledge which is the same as the comprehension of Mine own Being." (Baha'u'llah Gleanings pp. 326-327.)
I encourage you to find out more about this new evolutionary development of emotional intelligence. The research is bearing exciting results and revealing a path already confirmed by religion. So, what can you do to become aware of and honour your emotions? A systematic approach is the best way to have new learning become an automatic part of your enhanced self through coaching or other programs. However, for the purposes of this article, here are a few of what I believe to be the most useful and crucial things you can do to start honouring your emotions and through that bring more harmony and unity into your life and to the lives of other people:
1. Treat yourself with compassion as you would treat another soul. No negative self-dialogue. 2. Feel in your body what is going on so that you may become aware of how you truly feel. The body is a wonderfully designed instrument to give us accurate information about what is going on with ourselves. 3. Say a prayer for spiritual qualities. 4. Ask yourself the question during various parts of your day in regards to specific events you are experiencing: How am I feeling about this? What does my body say about how am I feeling? This question will bring the answers forth to gain more clarity about how you are responding and will allow you to make better decisions about how to respond ñ more conscious choice. 5. Explore further resources. Read a book on what it means to be emotionally intelligent and visit a few websites. Look at the links on my website for this information. The Baha'i writings make it clear that we should make every effort to know ourselves. A large part of that knowing begins with recognizing and understanding our emotions. Let's take action and develop this area of ourselves so that we may make our unique contributions to the well being of mankind and so that you may live a happier life. Enjoy your explorations!
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HOW CONFIDENT ARE YOU?
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Taken from "Healthy Woman" (In Partnership with the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada), July/June 2002, by Hilary Davidson, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Are you always apologizing?
Putting yourself down?
Feeling nervous in social situations?
Anyone can increase their confidence, Hilary Davidson explains how.
How many intelligent, caring and over-achieving women do you know who are critical of themselves on a routine basis; who think that if only they were a few pounds thinner or a couple of inches taller, they'd be happier? Women whose days are filled with balancing childcare households, jobs and social calendars, and yet they curse themselves for not accomplishing more? Sounds familiar? Perhaps you're one of these women.
One of the biggest obstacles to confidence is the belief that if you don't do everything just right, you're a failure in some aspect of your life. "Women aim for perfection," says Dr. Christine Derzko, an assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Toronto. "Women who accomplish great things are still bothered by the small things like the one hair that's out of place."
Here's good news: confidence is a skill that you can learn. Forget the idea that some people are born with it, while others aren't so lucky. Confidence is a birthright we are all entitled to. If your confidence is wavering, here are some of the roadblocks that may be standing in your way.
It all starts with self-esteem
Self-confidence and self-esteem are terms that are often used interchangeably, but they actually mean different things. Self-esteem refers to the opinion you hold of yourself and the belief that you're a worthy person. You can be shy and still have heaps of self-esteem. Self-confidence is more about how you approach the world: how you carry yourself when you enter a room, whether you look a person in the eye and offer a firm handshake. You might feel butterflies in your stomach, but you proceed in spite of them.
"Low self-esteem can lead to problems in relationships, problems with body image and self-image," says Dr. Verinder Sharma, a psychiatrist in the faculty of medicine and dentistry at the University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario. "It's the underlying cause behind depression." Women, from puberty until menopause, are twice as likely to become clinically depressed as men, although no one has been able to satisfactorily explain why. It can be due to hormones or a chemical imbalance in the brain. It can also be argued that some women are so busy worrying about how others feel that they neglect their own feelings. According to Dr. Sharma, low self-esteem can have a biological cause, but it also results from feeling unappreciated and from internalizing criticism. People with low self-esteem can create cycles that are hard to break out of. For example, if a partner constantly criticizes you, instead of leaving the relationship you may cling to it because you start to think that no one else will ever want you. "You must recognize the cause of low self-esteem before you can deal with it, " says Dr. Sharma.
The beauty myth
Everywhere they go, women are bombarded by the distorted images of beautiful ideals that can make them feel inadequate. We can't resist comparing ourselves to those glossy images of airbrushed models and cosmetically enhanced actresses. When we measure ourselves against these unrealistic images, we inevitably come up short. "Many women look in the mirror and almost hate what's there," says Sue Augustine, a motivational speaker and author based in St. Catherines, Ontario. "We see ourselves as ornaments."
We also endlessly compare ourselves to other women. "We compare how flat our stomachs are; we compare everything." says Toronto chiropractor and speaker Elaine Dembe, author of 'Use the Good Dishes: Finding Joy in Everyday Life.' "Perfectionists have a distorted self-image." Envy is normal sometimes, but it can be crippling. What does it do for us? Either it makes us feel bad because someone has something we don't, or else we nit-pick another woman to pieces. It's hard to feel good about yourself when you're tearing someone else down.
Ironically, it's often as women grow older that they begin to appreciate their own unique beauty. "I tell my daughter, "Don't believe what all of these people
say: that growing old is horrible and the best years of your life are when you're young," says 50-year-old Toronto travel writer Kate Pocok. "For the first time, I can look at myself in the mirror and be happy with the person who looks back - and that's a wonderful feeling."
The imposter syndrome
It can be a bumpy road to get to the level of self-acceptance that Pocok speaks of. "The interesting thing is that so many of us out there, we've achieved a level of success and yet we feel that we're faking it, like we've just landed here by accident," says Augustine. This is a problem shared by many women. When I asked one of the calmest, most assured women I know about where she gets her confidence, she responded: "You're asking me? My mom says we're both like ducks: calm on the surface, paddling like hell underneath."
That is, of course, part of the secret: just about everybody is paddling like mad, no matter what image they may project from the surface. "I hate to say 'fake it till you make it," says Dembe. "But if you act as if you can do something, you actually fool your brain into thinking you can."
There's nothing wrong with faking confidence. During a famous reading in World War II London, the English poet Edith Sitwell appeared nonplussed when the room she was in began to rattle from near-by bombs. She simply kept reading her poems, seemingly oblivious to the enormous noise and potential danger. Later, one guest commented on her composure. "The great point of wearing long skirts," the poet responded, " is that people can't see when one's knees are knocking together."
SELF ESTEEM BOOSTERS
Practical steps to take to feel better about yourself.
* Practise self-censorship. "Your words are seeds you're planting into the soil of your life, and you reap what you sow," say motivational speaker Sue Augustine who has just published "5-Minute Retreats for Busy Women: 101 Ways to Add Delight to Every Day" (Harvest House). Words have power: telling yourself you're no good at something will only fulfill that opinion and crush your confidence. When you catch yourself in negative self-talk, make yourself stop. Instead of saying "I'm so forgetful", tell yourself. "I have a great memory." The point is to be realistic but positive. "This isn't self-deception, it's a tool for redirection", say Augustine.
* Remember: your opinion is the one that really counts. When Danyael Halprin of Calgary, Alberta, decided to quit her magazine-editing job and travel throughout southeast Asia for a year, she was surprised at the negative comments this elicited from one co-worker. "She basically said I would never get a job when I came back," remembers Halprin, who was able to keep things in perspective by realizing that her co-worker's comments were really rooted in her own fears. It's important to hear others out, but don't think that they should have the last word on what you can and can't do. Your opinion is what's most important.
* Develop physical confidence. So what if you're not a supermodel. Who is? Besides, even supermodels have body issues! You can make your body stronger and more toned and flexible by exercising regularly. Making the time to care of yourself will make you feel better on the inside and the outside.
* Drop the comparisons. "You're always going to find someone who's a little taller, a little smarter, more beautiful, more charming" says Dr. Christine Derzko, assistant professor of ob/gyn at the University of Toronto. Life is not a zero-sum game in which someone weighing five pounds less than you do has all the advantages. "Things aren't always what they seem, "says chiropractor and author Elaine Dembe, pointing out that while you may admire a woman's appearance, she may well be obsessing about other problems or perceived imperfections.
* Project an image of confidence. Breathe deeply, stand straight and pull back your shoulders. Your posture speaks volumes.
* Keep a record of your accomplishments. Include thank-you letters, photographs, certificates, performance reviews, whatever signifies an achievement of you. Be sure to review these from time to time.
* Know that there will always be moments when you feel somewhat insecure. "Perhaps it's not a bad thing to feel just a little insecure, "says Augustine. "That keeps us from getting complacent." Everyone has moments of doubt and while no one feels 100% confident all the time, the more you work at it, the easier it will become. "Confidence is really about feeling in control of your life," says Augustine. "The more you take back control, the more confidence you'll have."
TEST YOUR CONFIDENCE
Rate the following statements from 1 to 5, with 1 indicating that you don't agree at all and 5 meaning you agree completely.
* I am an interesting person.
* I am good at the work I do.
* When I am in a group, I feel comfortable sharing my opinions and ideas.
* I can hold my own in an argument.
* I stand for the things I believe in.
* I feel positive about the future.
* When I look in the mirror, I generally like what I see.
* In conversation, I look people in the eye.
* I am comfortable with my own company.
* I know I can overcome obstacles.
* Change is inevitable and I know I can adapt to it.
* I believe the glass is half-full, not half-empty.
* I am happy in my close relationships.
* I like meeting new people.
* I can count on the support of friends.
* I like the person I am.
How did you do?
You may have confidence in some areas of your life, but less confident in others. And that is perfectly normal. "Women can have a global sense of confidence, but pockets of insecurity about certain things" says Sue Augustine. However, if you answered mostly 1's, 2's and 3's, you would benefit from developing higher self-confidence.
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RESPONSES TO BORDERLINE
PERSONALITIES DISORDER
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I read with interest the recent issue on Borderline Personality Disorder in the February, 2003 issue. I have long been bothered by a case which came to a Local Spiritual Assembly on which I served. Without giving details, which would be inappropriate, a couple came to the Assembly for marital counselling. Although the Assembly prayed and discussed the issue and made several recommendations, as an Assembly member it was very hard to understand what was happening. Even for myself, a trained counsellor, I was confused and really unsure. I have limited training in personality disorders but BPD came to my mind when the couple discussed their struggles and now reading the indicators I am even more convinced that this may have been the trouble. I would like to hear how others on Assemblies have handled situations like this when our best sense of what is happening is not clear and when personality disorders are involved what is happening doesn't fit with our usual expectations. What I am trying to ask is how do we as Assembly members begin to recognize disorders such as these when individuals come to the Assembly for guidance and how do we know when to refer them to psychiatric services? -Anonymous
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The subject of Borderline Personality Disorders, BPD is one that I tried to raise eight years ago with the auxiliary board. Perhaps your insight in publishing this will both educate and alert the community or start the friends thinking. You are doing the right thing!!! Most kind hearted, relatively healthy folks simply do not understand problems or the dangers involved with BPD. I think your newsletter is a good beginning. It takes great maturation to begin to deal with "situations" that will likely increase (everywhere and including) within the Faith.
-Anonymous
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WEBSITES CHANGES
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Two websites have changed and the addresses in the February issue under resources are not correct. The Images International website address is now www.images-international.com and the Baha'i Association of Mental Health Professionals website is www.bamhp.org. Sorry for this error.
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QUESTION OF THE MONTH
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A reader asks about dealing with anorexia:
My niece who is not a Baha'i aged 22 has an eating disorder; she has not eaten for more than 6 months. She can only drink liquids which my sister tries to make as nutritious as she can. This began after a broken engagement, but went further back from childhood in Swaziland when she had to attend boarding school in South Africa and she tried to cut herself and took an overdose of aspirin. My sister brought her back home and she was better for a while but then began the distressing symptoms again. No one seems able to help her. She has been under medical supervision for years and has counselling but still is not able to eat. In fact she tries even a tiny morsel but gags and becomes panic stricken and over breathes. My poor sister is out of her mind with worry about her daughter and she has resorted to taking her to spiritual healers and various other healing sessions which donít help at all. Does anyone else have this same illness? If so how did they deal with it?
Please email your suggestions and tips regarding the question of the month to: --
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WEB SITE
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You can visit the website, obtain back issues and the Healing Through Unity Course at: http://www.healingthroughunity.org.
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PURPOSE OF THE NEWSLETTER
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"Healing Through Unity" is published for the purpose of sharing thoughts, comments and experiences on how the teachings of the Baha'i Faith are being applied to physical and spiritual health. Other than the quoted Holy Writings, the material in this newsletter represents the thoughts and opinions of the writers and has no authority. You are free to copy articles, provided you indicate the source of the article. There are 10 issues per year; it is not published during July and August. The newsletter is produced in Ontario, Canada.
Please send your stories, comments, suggestions or "Question for the Month" ideas to Frances Mezei by e-mail: fmezei@sentex.net.
PLEASE NOTE:
Many thanks to all of you who send such wonderful contributions for "Healing Through Unity" Newsletter. The decision to select and edit material submitted for publication is determined by the editor.
If you have a change of e-mail address, please inform me with your old and new email addresses. To cancel the subscription, please send message to: --
HEALING THROUGH UNITY
April, 2003
A monthly newsletter dedicated to serving the principles of
physical and spiritual health envisioned in the Baha'i Teachings.Volume 6, Issue #8
_____________________________________Contents
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-The Purple Hat
- Eating Disorders
- The Exchange
- Eating Disorder Resources
- Gentle Touch Produces Results
- A Reader is Requesting Assistance
- Question of the Month
- Website
- Purpose of the Newsletter************************
THE PURPLE HAT
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Author Unknown
A woman looks in the mirror:
Age 3 - Looks at herself and sees a Queen!
Age 8 - Looks at herself and sees herself as Cinderella/Sleeping Beauty/Cheerleader,
Age 14 - Looks at herself and if she is PMS'ing sees Fat/Pimples/Ugly, "Mom I can't go to school looking like this!"
Age 20 - Looks at herself and sees "too fat/thin, too short/tall, too straight/curly" - but decides she's going anyway.
Age 30 - Looks at herself and sees "too fat/thin, too short/tall, too straight/curly" - but decides she doesn't have time to fix it so she's going anyway.
Age 40 - Looks at herself and sees "too fat/too thin, too short/tall, too straight/curly" - but says, "at least, I'm clean" and goes anyway.
Age 50 - Looks at herself and sees "I am" and goes wherever she wants to go.
Age 60 - Looks at herself and reminds herself of all the people who can't even see themselves in the mirror anymore. Goes out and conquers the world.
Age 70 - Looks at herself and sees wisdom, laughter and ability, goes out and enjoy life.
Age 80 - Doesn't bother to look. Just puts on a purple hat and goes out to have fun with the world.
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EATING DISORDERS
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Prepared by Marilyn Carey who works as a Mental Health Clinician at Powell River Youth and Family Services, British Columbia, Canada. (Editor's note: Marilyn has been generous in sharing her expertise and skills in the field of children and youth in mental health. Her first article "Depression and Suicide Intervention for Children and Youth" appeared in Vol. 4, Issue # 8, April, 2001; her second article "Children and Stress" appeared in Vol. 5, Issue #3, November, 2001 as a supplementary issue; and her third article "Keeping Our Youth Close to our Hearts" appeared in Vol. 6, Issue #1, September 2002. These articles can be found at the website: www.healingthroughunity.org)
What do you think about when you hear the words, ìeating disorderî? That itís about food, perhaps women who are thin, that there are ìgood foodsî and ìbad foodsî, that only those with no will power succumb? There are so many myths, half-truths and misconceptions surrounding this very complex and fast growing disorder, which is clouded with secrecy and shame, that it is difficult for people to seek help. When they do gather the courage to tell someone what is happening, they may be met with disgust, with trite advice, or the person may avoid or become overly solicitous - all guaranteed to increase the sufferer's feelings of isolation and shame. Most adults have experienced a time when they were dissatisfied with their weight - men and women. Most of us have also eaten too much or too little. This is not an eating disorder.
ìAn eating disorder exists when oneís attitude toward food and weight has gone awry - when oneís feelings about work, school, relationships, day-to-day activities, and oneís experience of emotional well-being are determined by what has or has not been eaten or by a number on the scaleî (Seigal, Brisman and Weinshel, p. 9)
This is not new. Women at the turn of the century would have stays pulled so tightly, that their ribs became deformed. Remember the gentle women who fainted at the least exertion? Some think that this is because their corsets were so tight that they were suffering from a lack of oxygen. Some women were so despera te to lose weight that they would actually swallow a live tapeworm, which really creeps me out. Usually, eating disorders refers to anorexia nervosa, bulimia, or compulsive overeating - or combinations of all three.
ANOREXIA NERVOSA
Anorexia Nervosa is characterized by drastic weight loss from restricting food intake. This person is intensely afraid of getting fat, and often has a distorted body image, i.e. sees him or herself as fat even when they are grossly underweight. This results in starvation effects - loss of periods, fine hair growth on the face and body, thinning of hair on the head, bluish skin, feeling cold, dizziness, fainting, inability to concentrate, stunted growth, muscle wasting and irregular or slower heartbeats. Both men and women are afflicted, although it is more common in women.
BULIMIA NERVOSA
Bulimia Nervosa is characterized by fluctuations in weight because of periods of uncontrollable binge eating followed by purging to prevent weight gain. This purging may include induced vomiting, laxatives, diuretics and excessive exercise. This may result in swollen glands in the cheeks, sore throat, damaged enamel on the teeth, broken blood vessels around the eyes or cheeks, fluid in the ears, damage to the lining of the bowels and electrolyte imbalance which interferes with the heartís electrical impulses. Again, both genders have this disorder, but it is more common in women.
COMPULSIVE OVEREATING
Compulsive overeating is characterized by uncontrollable eating followed by guilt, feelings of shame and weight gain. Usually food is used as a reward or to alleviate stress. This is also sometimes called non-compensatory bulimia. Gender is more equally represented in this disorder.
WHAT CAN WE DO?
FOR THOSE WITH AN EATING DISORDER?
* Stop pretending nothing is wrong
* Be honest with who you are
* Cooperate with others who can help
* Talk with your Doctor. Have a complete medical check-up
* Seek professional help - a Mental Health Professional, a therapist. Join a
self-help group (overeaters anonymous for example)
* Educate yourself
FOR THOSE AFFECTED BY SOMEONE WITH AN EATING DISORDER.
* Examine your own weight prejudices
* Donít focus on why
* Avoid commenting on his/her appearance
* Avoid power struggles around food and eating
* Get support for yourself
* Be patient
* Donít let conversations focus on food and weight
* Donít tempt with high calorie foods (or suggest low calorie foods)
* Educate yourself
Actually, it is important to start educating early, and this can be done by helping our children challenge the current view of bodies, sexuality and self-worth. Talk with your children about the way that magazines air brush bodies to make them appear perfect. Encourage them to view people of all shapes, sizes and degrees of attractiveness with love and acceptance. Do not encourage them to diet, or talk about your need to diet or make references to anotherís need to diet. Do not talk about good and bad foods, or yourself or them as being good or bad for resisting or not resisting a food. Teach moderation, offer healthy foods, teach nutrition and enjoy mealtimes. Watch that those who are always striving for perfection understand that excellence means being able to be patient with learning and gracious with failure.
Books I would highly recommend for pre-teen girls are:
"When Girls Feel Fat" by Sandra Susan Friedman. It is an excellent book for parents to help their girls deal with the stresses of growing up. Remember that boys are also vulnerable. They usually want to ìbulk upî, so are at risk for steroid use and obesity. Another excellent book is "Surviving an Eating Disorder" by Micelle Siegal, Judith Brisman and Margot Weinshel. I have their 1988 version, but I understand that there is an updated version which is excellent. Our beloved Universal House of Justice, Haifa, Israel who has its finger on the pulse of society, encouraged us to inform ourselves about social matters in its 1986 Ridvan message. This is one of the fastest growing social issues, and we al l need to become well informed.
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THE EXCHANGE
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The following responses are about dealing with Anorexia.
There has been some success with Anorexic girls through Holding Therapy which
appears to be re-parenting. There is an early and fundamental step in
emotional growth mis-fired in many of those who suffer from Anorexia -- it is my humble and individual opinion that it happens within the first 3 years of life, and has to do with Attachment and Identity.
There is much information out there on Attachment Parenting such as the internet (we have four step-children who suffer this disorder).
Some years ago there was a program on television -- either 20/20 or 60 Minutes -- about a woman who pioneered a very successful treatment program. Basically girls lived with her in groups and she appeared to re-parent them from babyhood...feeding them by hand, and so on. They were not allowed to 'care' for themselves for a period of time. The success was long-term.
- Anonymous
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My daughter always had the kind of "too good to be true personality." She did everything right, was an excellent student, a perfectionist, a volunteer, and a mother's helper. She never had to be told to clean up, her room was impeccable and neat. She was organized in everything and loved beautiful things. She was well-liked and very popular. She did all kinds of things for the student council, taught children's classes, loved all sports and then all of a sudden out of the blue.. .BOOM...she didn't want to go out. She didn't want to see people and spent all her free time running and exercising alone, refused to eat meals at the table and started becoming aggressive.
She developed a form of anorexia which was chronic. She went from 105 lbs to 84 lbs and lost it all in two months. She begged me to buy her laxatives because she hadn't had a bowel movement in over a week. I pleaded with her and told her that she had not eaten enough to even have a bowel movement? Fortunately, she accepted to take vitamins and I gave her whatever I could get in vitamin form such as Calcium, etc in megadoses. This is not as good as real food, but it was better than nothing.
While she could still walk, we sent her away for treatment. She was threatened to be hospitalized if she didn't make an effort. Since she had no intention of being confined to a hospital bed, she made the effort. She had a wonderful doctor and had lots of people praying for her. During that time her period stopped, her hair was falling out, couldn't sleep or eat. She looked like someone out of a concentration camp. The doctor couldn't feel her pulse when she went in for her first check up. I did everything I could. I prayed for guidance, read everything I could about the condition in books and on the Website. I sent her to a psychologist who talked to her about fashion and charged me $50.00 an hour. I talked to my friend who is a nurse and whose husband is a doctor in disease control and they saw the signs immediately. They were the life savers. She said," Get her on a plane ASAP while she can still walk or else she will be medicated on a stretcher. My daughter didn't see the terrible weight she had lost and found she was looking good. When she saw us both breakdown in tears, she did try to make an effort to eat but by then she was in dire pain. Her stomach couldn't take it since it had shrunk so much.
When we told her what we planned, she was at first scared to death of being put in a hospital. Our friends that had experience with this condition told her," But what if your heart stops first?" Then she started to think and tried to eat a little at a time. She wanted to get better. She told me so and then I cried from relief. After we explained the treatment, she was ready to go. It was only then that she admitted she needed help and told people she was going away for treatment. With all the prayer and treatment, by July 2001 she was back on track. I think if we hadn't intervened as quickly as we did, I think she could have died.
In that ward they had about 80 young girls between the ages of 14 and 17 undergoing therapy for anorexia. She did art therapy which worked, and I think that the prayers also helped a great deal as well as the wonderful rapport she had with the team of experts that were looking after her. She was never hospitalized. She went once a week for her check ups. She gained a bit too quickly which caused a hormonal imbalance and she developed hairy arms. Her weight came back to normal but I think there are still some emotional scars and the brain shrinks too. When you lose that much weight, the brain loses brain tissue too which accounts for some of the strange behavioral patterns.
She is completely cured physically after her art therapy treatment. She gained back her weight. The psychological aspect takes a lot longer. She didn't talk to me for a whole year after that. But finally she changed boyfriends and it made a world of difference. She is back on good terms with us. She is working and studying in a field she loves. She eats healthy, exercises and keeps in touch with her friends and us.
She is very beautiful and has a world winning smile, but during that awful time she had no smile at all. -Anonymous
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BAHA'I QUOTES ON HEALING
O Befriended Stranger!
The candle of thine heart is lighted by the hand of My power, quench it not with the contrary winds of self and passion. The healer of all thine ills is remembrance of Me, forget it not. Make My love thy treasure and cherish it even as thy very sight and life. (Baha'u'llah, The Hidden Words of Baha'u'llah, Persian no. 32)
Verily the most necessary thing is contentment under all circumstances; by this one is preserved from morbid conditions and from lassitude. Yield not to grief and sorrow: they cause the greatest misery. Jealousy consumeth the body and anger doth burn the liver: avoid these two as you would a lion. (Baha'u'llah - cited in Baha'u'llah and the New Era, p. 108)
The sick must not be neglected because they are ailing; nay, rather, we must have compassion upon them and bring them healing. (`Abdu'l-Baha, Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 181)
If we are sick and in distress let us implore God's healing, and He will answer our prayer. (`Abdu'l-Baha, Paris Talks, p.111)
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EATING DISORDER RESOURCES
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National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders (ANAD)
P.O. Box 7 Highland Park, IL 60035
Telephone: 847-831-3438
Internet address: http://www.anad.orgEating Disorders Awareness and Prevention (EDAP)
603 Stewart Street, Suite 803
Seattle, WA 98101
Telephone: 800-931-2237
Internet address: http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.orgAnorexia Nervosa and Related Eating Disorders, Inc. (ANRED)
(A clearinghouse for information about eating disorders)
P.O. 5102
Eugene, OR 97405
Telephone: 541-344-1144
Internet address: http://www.anred.com**************************************************
GENTLE TOUCH PRODUCES RESULTS
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By Gerri Shapiro, MS Ed, Maui, Hawaii, USA (Gerri Shapiro is a health educator and Bowen practitioner who has worked with the World Health Organization, Asian Development Bank, USAID and Management Sciences for Health in the areas of alternative and traditional medicine. She is a member of the American Massage Therapy and American Holistic Health Associations. She is the editor of www.boweninfo.com, a Bowen information and resource site, and is the producer of the self-help video Miracle Pain Relief - The Gentle Power of Bowen For Family and Friends, www.miraclepainrelief.com, designed for lay people who do not have access to a Bowen practitioner.)
For as long as I can remember, I've suffered from back pain. Although I have experienced some relief using heat, cold, massage, chiropractic and acupuncture, invariably the pain has always returned. Until one day I visited a friend in California who had similar back problems. She told me she had some body work done called Bowen. Her back and hip pain were gone after just one session!
I was definitely intrigued. I couldn't wait to find out more. When I arrived back home I got on the internet and learned that the Bowen Technique involves a series of very gentle rolling moves on the body using thumbs and fingers. It was developed in Australia in the 1950's by Thomas Bowen, a gifted healer who devised a simple but powerful method for releasing pain.
Hoping to find a Bowen practitioner near me, I emailed close to 40 practitioners around the U.S. and asked if they could refer me to someone. After 39 "no's" I got one "yes!" I arranged to have three Bowen sessions. After the third session, my back pain and sciatica were "history!" I got so excited I decided to train to become a Bowen practitioner.
History
Tom Bowen was a gifted natural healer from Australia. Late in life he discovered he had an unusual gift that allowed him to intuitively know what was ailing people and how to help them relieve their pain. His healing technique is unique in that it was developed without him having had any previous medical or healthcare training.
He claimed he could feel tiny vibrations in peopleís muscles that helped him find the exact location to work on. He spoke of his skill with great humility and frequently stated that his work was ìsimply a gift from God.î
Tom had the capacity to quickly assess what was wrong with someone and where they were out of balance. He could look into a room full of people, glance at them for about 20 seconds, and know what their problems were. Although he never advertised, it was estimated that he treated over 13,000 people in the course of one year, and he claimed a success rate of about 88%!
Like Palmer (Chiropractic), Rolf, (Rolfing), Feldenkrais (Feldenkrais Technique) and Usui (Reiki), Tom Bowen had a unique talent. He dedicated his life to turning his gift into a practical application that has proven to be of great benefit to thousands of people all over the world.
The Bowen Technique is quite unique. There are several features that set it apart from other modalities:
* It is so gentle that you hardly notice youíre being touched. People usually become very relaxed right away, and often fall asleep during a session.
* Rapid pain relief is common. Most pain and injury will respond within two or three sessions.
* People often experience a deep and long-lasting relief. Two to three sessions spaced one week apart are usually enough to achieve lasting relief, even from long-standing pain or injury.
* There is no one who cannot be treated safely with Bowen. It is so gentle, it can be used on babies, pregnant women, the elderly and the disabled. It is not dangerous to those suffering from chronic illness and it is ideal for treating children because it is non-invasive and non-threatening.
* It is a unique feature of the Bowen Technique that there are two minute breaks in which the practitioner actually leaves the room. These pauses are crucial as they allow the body time to absorb the ìmessagesî presented by the moves.
* There is no cracking, no force and no needles. There is little discomfort or pain involved because there is no heavy pressure or hard probing into sensitive muscles or joints.
* The practitioner does the minimum needed to bring about a healing response in the body. The more acute the pain, the less they do. The less they do, the more profound the effect on the body.
* When you apply the Bowen Technique right after a fall, injury or accident, the release of tension acts in a preventive way to help correct any imbalance before it can adversely affect the body.
How Does Bowen Work?
The gentle yet powerful Bowen moves send neurological impulses to the brain resulting in immediate responses of muscle relaxation and pain reduction. The moves create energy surges which are concentrated in specific areas of the body using "blockers" or "stoppers." These are released when you stand up.
The Bowen Technique helps the body remember how to heal itself. Electrical impulses sent to the nervous system remind the body to regain normal movement in joints, muscles and tendons. This helps relieve muscle spasms and increase blood and lymph flow. Several of the moves are located along acupuncture meridians or on specific acupuncture points which are known to stimulate and balance the bodyís energy.
A Bowen Session
A Bowen treatment lasts about 30-45 minutes. No oils are used. Treatment can be done through clothing or directly on the skin. The practitioner "rolls" over the muscles with her fingers, which causes the muscles to relax. The moves are done in groups. Between sets, the practitioner leaves the room for at least two minutes to allow the body to relax and make its own adjustments.
The moves send out signals which:
* stimulate energy flow;
* facilitate lymphatic drainage of toxins and waste;
* promote good circulation;
* release tension;
* increase mobility;
* encourage the body to relax, realign and heal itself.
Some people feel shifts in their bodies during and after a Bowen session. While many experience immediate pain relief, improvement is just as likely to unfold over the next few days to a week. Two or three treatments are usually enough to achieve long-lasting relief. Even long-term conditions may respond very quickly.
The ideal situation is to give the Bowen Technique a try for 3 sessions, once per week, without having any other kind of bodywork in between.
Surprising and Unexpected Recoveries
People with chronic disabilities such as chronic fatigue syndrome, MS, fibromyalgia, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy and arthritis have been known to show a gradual improvement in the condition and quality of life. If someone has not responded to other forms of treatment, it is always worth trying the Bowen Technique because in many cases it has been known to trigger sometimes surprising and unexpected recoveries when nothing else has worked.
Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue - One Woman's Story
Exhaustion had become a stable part of her life, as had the pain. During a visit to a new doctor, a brief mention of the Bowen Technique was made and she was referred to a practitioner. She had no idea what to expect and she was very nervous during her first visit. The therapy was explained in a very reassuring way, even though she didn't really understand the part about "energy flow" and she found the whole thing a little weird. But she had come this far, so she thought she might as well give it a try.
The treatment itself was very relaxing. In fact, she almost fell asleep several times. Since she was accustomed to a life of conventional drug therapy, she tried to rationalize how Bowen could possibly help, especially after nothing else had worked. The week after her first session she remained skeptical, and so it was to her surprise that within a few days she began to feel different. Her pain was still there, but she felt different. Like she could do more. She decided it was probably a coincidence.
Over the next few weeks she began to take regular walks and without even noticing it, she slowly developed less reliance on pain killers. Gradually the time between Bowen treatments grew longer. It is now months since her last treatment and she still doesn't understand the whole process, but what does that matter? When did she ever understand how conventional medicine worked?
All she knows is that without the aid of prescription drugs, she is slowly regaining much of the life she had lost for so long.
The main difference between Bowen and other modalities is how fast it works, how gentle it feels and how long the pain relief lasts. Anyone can learn how to do the Bowen Technique: there is only one basic move.
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A READER IS REQUESTING ASSISTANCE
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I am an American pioneer in Asia who is doing very well on the Atkins Diet. I would like to correspond with anyone who is also on this diet for mutual support and encouragement.
(Editor's note: This person would like you to send your responses to fmezei@sentex.net and then your messages will be passed on to the person requesting assistance.)
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QUESTION OF THE MONTH
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In the May issue we will focus on work stress which can be an health issue in our time. In what ways can we deal with stress constructively in the work place? How can we deal with the competing demands? How can we establish healthy relationships with our co-workers, supervisors and customers?
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WEB SITE
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You can visit the website, obtain back issues and the Healing Through Unity Course at: http://www.healingthroughunity.org.
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PURPOSE OF THE NEWSLETTER
********************************************
"Healing Through Unity" is published for the purpose of sharing thoughts, comments and experiences on how the teachings of the Baha'i Faith are being applied to physical and spiritual health. Other than the quoted Holy Writings, the material in this newsletter represents the thoughts and opinions of the writers and has no authority. You are free to copy articles, provided you indicate the source of the article. There are 10 issues per year; it is not published during July and August. The newsletter is produced in Ontario, Canada.
Please send your stories, comments, suggestions or "Question for the Month" ideas to Frances Mezei by e-mail: fmezei@sentex.net.
PLEASE NOTE:
Many thanks to all of you who send such wonderful contributions for "Healing Through Unity" Newsletter. The decision to select and edit material submitted for publication is determined by the editor.
If you have a change of e-mail address, please inform me with your old and new email addresses. To cancel the subscription, please send message to: fmezei@sentex.net _____________________________________
HEALING THROUGH UNITY
May, 2003
A monthly newsletter dedicated to serving the principles of
physical and spiritual health envisioned in the Baha'i Teachings.Volume 6, Issue #9
____________________________________Contents
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- Working with the Will to do Service
- Is Work Getting More Stressful?
- Eating Disorders and Contentment
- Readers Requesting Assistance
- Question of the Month
- Website
- Purpose of the Newsletter********************************************************
WORKING WITH THE WILL TO DO SERVICE
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Taken from article "Reflections on Work and the Meaning of Career" by Marie Scheffer, pp. 12 to 13
"It is enjoined upon everyone of you to engage in some form of occupation, such as crafts, trades and the like. We have graciously exalted your engagement in such work to the rank of worship unto God, the True One." (Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 26)
"Ruhiyyuk Rabbani (wife of Shoghi Effendi, the Guardian of the Baha'i Faith), a world traveler and writer, gave a vivid description of an example of work performed with 'the will to do service to humanity' and assessed its impact, both on the recipients of the service and the service provider. In 'Prescription for Living', pp. 91-3, she recounted a 'remarkable and never-to-be-forgotten lesson in how to work' that she had experienced on a streetcar in Brussels:
I only rode on it fifteen or twenty minutes and that was many, many years ago. But the conductor on it taught me more than any other human being ever has. He seemed to feel that he owned that street car, that it was just as if someone entered his home when they got on it, that every person in it was his responsibility, that he was their host. He was entirely unconscious of this. He has just, somehow, put himself into his work. The duties of a street car conductor are strictly confined in nature, he has to sell tickets and give change and see the company is not cheated...But this man - perhaps he had never been made aware that all that was required of him was to finger dirty money and blow his horn - helped old men and women and children on and off the car; he handed their bundles to them; he held the baby till the mother got off; he walked up the car, like a man in his drawing-room, and seated some tired person comfortably or invited others to make a little space for a woman;...he smiled, he looked at you with an expression as much as to say, 'So you're here, I wonder what I can do for you?'
It was like a miracle. I could not help wondering what this world would be like if all people did their jobs this way...What is much more important, I am sure he was happy. Putting all he had into such a very unpromising job, he got a rich return of contentment; it was written on his face, a plain, tired, ordinary face but with an expression of almost luminous happiness. He had found the secret of work, which is service - the golden talisman that changes drudgery into pleasure and fatigue into contentment and boredom into interest. Can anyone say his efforts were wasted, that he was foolish? I was one of the man's passengers, yet I shall never forget him as long as I live.'
Ruhiyyih Rabbani's description of one man's service and similar calls to serve touch on a delicate point: society's ambivalent feelings about service. The words 'service' and 'servant' spring from the same root work; but while many find the concept of 'service' noble in the abstract, fewer aspire to being a servant of another person, much less of humanity as a whole. ...Perhaps more have experienced the pleasures of being a service recipient than have savored the joy felt by the streetcar conductor as a service provider. The result is that being a servant or service provider is not regarded as a highly desirable or honorable station in Western culture. Service jobs are frequently low paying and low status. Moreover, unpaid service in the home - caring for children, the disabled, the elderly - is often not accorded recognition at all as 'real' work in a legal or economic sense. Such attitudes about service and those who provide it must be reexamined. If, heretofore, people have found a job, almost any job, of intrinsic value in establishing a sense of self-worth, as common experience and academic studies have suggested, how much more an expanded concept of work such as that offered by the Baha'i Faith can contribute to that sense of well-being. This new concept of work leads us to consider redefining the concept of 'career.'
'Abdu'l-Baha's comments in Paris Talks on work highlights three elements that combine to elevate work to an act of worship. The first is performing the task to the best of one's ability; striving for excellence. The second is investing one's whole being in the task: working from the fullness of the heart. The third is the motive or intention one has while performing the task: the desire to be of service to others. It is thought-provoking to note that all three elements are brought to the task by the individual. They are not the domain of any particular form of work. The become part of work through the deliberate choice of the individual.
"O My Servant! The best of men are they that earn a livelihood by their calling and spend upon themselves and upon their kindred for the love of God, the Lord of all worlds." (Baha'u'llah, Hidden Words, p. 82)
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IS WORK GETTING MORE STRESSFUL?
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-- By Christiane Fontaine, health promotion consultant, Ontario Prevention Clearinghouse, christiane@opc.on.ca. Reprinted by permission with Ontario Health Promotion Bulletin #287, http://www.ohpe.ca/ebulletin/.
We think that the topic of work stress is very appropriate for health promotion practitioners. Both in the front-lines and as knowledge workers, we are confronted with stressful situations, co-workers and clients under stress, and organizations struggling to meet competing demands. As employers and employees, advisors and practitioners, we need to be as informed and prepared as possible to respond to stress constructively.
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Is working getting more stressful?
Both your daily work hours and your weeks are getting longer. You are no longer taking breaks; you don't have time. Lunch? You quickly eat a sandwich at your desk. You've got stomach problems, backaches and the boss is asking you to do more and more. Once at home, you are still rushing to get things done. You are having trouble sleeping, you are eating less, and you are losing interest in your work.
This is the overall picture that is emerging in the workplace. We have to do more with a lot less, responding mainly to what is most "urgent." There is less and less time to sort out our priorities and values. We are living in the fast lane. It is not surprising therefore, to encounter many people who feel out of breath and stressed out.
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What is stress?
Stress can be both good and bad. Having a certain amount of stress in our lives is normal. Positive stress gives us the energy and motivation that we need to tackle the daily challenges at home or at work. It helps us deal with the difficulties we encounter in our lives, and it helps us work towards meeting our goals. However, stress can also yield negative consequences when it becomes a source of exhaustion, frustration or dissatisfaction.
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Can stress affect our health?
One out of two workers reports being very stressed because of their job. According to the Canadian Mental Health Association's (CMHA) COMPAS survey, the number of people reporting high work-related stress went from 47% in 2000 to 62% in 2001.(1) Furthermore, the CMHA estimates that "stress on the job and related illnesses costs the Canadian economy five billion a year." (2)
Being subjected to stress over a long period of time--negative stress--affects our health. Negative stress is experienced when there is an imbalance between imposed pressures and our ability to deal with them. In order to fight stress, our body causes some physiological changes. These are biochemical changes that we feel physically: panic attacks, chest pain, asthma, heart palpitations, nausea, indigestion, ulcers, itching, diarrhea, neck stiffness, cramps, headaches, sleeping problems, etc. These symptoms may appear harmless but they can cause illnesses. Studies show that with prolonged stress, the body produces chemicals that weaken the immune system, potentially resulting in illnesses such as chronic fatigue syndrome, depression, phobias, panic disorders, anxiety disorders. (3)
Initial stress can lead to secondary stress, which further increases stress levels, creating a vicious circle. For example, following a stressful event, you develop panic attacks. Your initial stress (being overworked) is intensified by a secondary stress (your worry about how you reacted to the stress of being overworked).
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Overcoming stress
The causes of stress on the job vary widely, as do the strategies to reduce or prevent these causes. Employers and employees need to work together to find solutions.
A) Solutions for Employers:
* Reduce workloads. The most frequently reported reasons for mental health problems in the workplace are the demands.(4) Many studies show a significant correlation between heavy workloads and mental health problems as well as physical health problems such as coronary heart diseases and high cholesterol levels.
* Involve employees in the decision-making process. Participation is related to the psychological well being of employees. Some researchers have found that a lack of employee participation in decisions affecting them is correlated with high levels of psychological tension leading to alcohol abuse, depression, poor overall physical health, low self-esteem and low satisfaction levels on the job. By increasing employee involvement in decisions that affect them, you give them more with control over their work environment and consequently lower their feelings of insecurity and tension. Furthermore, increasing employee involvement encourages interaction among members of the organization, thus improving communication and encouraging social support within the organization. (5)
* Identify the cause of stress. It could be that the environment at work is very noisy. You then need to eliminate or control the noise level. Or perhaps employees experience pain because of repetitive movements. Rotating employees between different tasks can prevent this problem.
* Offer flexible working hours. In Canada, only 24% of the workforce has a flexible work schedule. According to the University of Guelph's Centre for Families, Work and Well-being, flexible working hours are associated with a decrease in lost time at work.(6)
* Offer employees anti-stress activities. Some Canadian organizations are helping their employees manage stress by creating anti-stress days. Others have created exercise rooms in the work setting or have paid for their employees' health club memberships. This helps employees relax and keep fit. These organizations realize that a stressed out employee is more likely to become ill and perform less efficiently on the job. These companies have acted in their own best interest as well as in the employees'.
* Change the structure, the politics and the values of the organization. An organization with a centralized structure where decisions are made by top management, leaves little room for autonomy at work. Some studies show that in decentralized organizations, employees are much more satisfied at work and perform better on the job. Organizational policies concerning remuneration, promotions, transfers or training can also affect the mental health of employees in positive or negatives ways.
* Create a Just Organization. Employee perception of organizational justice is determined by three factors.(8) First, employees look at how distribution of resources (money, perks) is related to employee contributions. Second, justice perception is influenced by the way in which the organization makes decisions. Employees feel that they are treated fairly when they see that decisions are ethical, in their own best interest and that they have been included in the decision making process. Finally, justice perception is related to relationships between managers and employees. Employees see themselves as being treated fairly when managers appropriately inform them about upcoming changes, give them the reasons why, and treat them with dignity and respect. Studies have shown that organizational justice has a positive influence on satisfaction, motivation, energy and commitment. Inversely, employees that perceive injustice tend to be more hostile towards the organization and experience a wide range of
frustrations.(7)
B) Solutions for Employees:
We can make small changes to help ourselves deal with stress and to improve our overall mental and physical health. Bruno Fortin, psychologist and animator of workshops on stress management, offers five strategies to manage our stress:(8)
* Pause. We need to try to understand our stress. Becoming aware of how we react to stress and how we feel is one of the first steps. It's important to periodically evaluate our health, our quality of life and our stress levels. Going faster won't help us accomplish more.
* Redefine priorities. We can work on our stress by having a more balanced life. We need to take the time, even if it is once a year, to clarify our values and set some priorities. Our stress levels depend on our perceptions, and by recognizing signs of tension, we can then modify the way we react.
* Explore the room that is available for maneuvering. We have to learn how to say no when circumstances permit it.
* Find an outlet - An outlet can be confiding in someone you feel comfortable with, writing about how you feel, expressing your "build up", taking up a sport, doing exercises or deep breathing.
* Take into account your capacities. We need to find ways to act within our capacities. You cannot change everything all at once. It is preferable to incorporate changes gradually.
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Conclusion
Even though stress can stimulate us day by day, helping us be more productive and constructive, it can also become destructive. Stress, mainly from the workplace, is one of the major health hazards of our time. If we want to change this situation, employees and employers must rally together to improve quality of life at work. In doing this, both will come out as winners: employees will be more productive and employers will see their businesses or organizations become more profitable.
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References
1. Canadian Mental Health Association COMPAS Survey on Stress and Depression. Toronto, Ontario, 2001. Available on the Internet at http://www.cmha.ca/english/research/compas_survey.htm#_Toc512618119.
2. Canadian Mental Health Association. En francais: La Semaine de la santÈ mentale cible le stress en milieu de travail. 1999. Press release available at http://www.icomm.ca/cmhacan/french/mediafre.htm In English: See Ontario CMHA Network magazine special issue on "Stress in the Workplace." Fall 1999. Available at http://www.ontario.cmha.ca/admin_ver2/maps/fall%5F1999%2Epdf.
3. Canadian Centre for Occupational Health & Safety (CCOHS). Workplace Stress Available at http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/psychosocial/stress.html.
Health Canada - Workplace Health Bureau. "Best Advice on Stress Risk Management in the Workplace." Available at http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hecs-sesc/workplace/pdf/stress_risk_management_1.pdf.
4. CMHA Ontario Mental Health Works. "Managing mental health in the workplace: How to talk to employees, deal with problems and assess risks." 2002. Available at http://www.ontario.cmha.ca/images/mhw/mhw_employers_booklet.pdf.
5. CPRN Work Networks. "JobQuality Indicators Participation & Influence." 2001. Available at http://www.jobquality.ca/indicator_e/com001.stm
6. Centre for Families, Work and Well-Being. The Work-Life Compendium. 2001. Available from the University of Guelph at http://www.uoguelph.ca/atguelph/01-10-03/articles/stress.html
7. Folger, R. & Cropanzano, R. Organizational justice and human resource management. Thousand Oaks: Sage. 1998.
8. Fortin, Bruno. Available at http://www.chez.com/brunofortin/Stress.html
(only available in French)
Similar English sources on dealing with work stress are available from the Canadian Centre on Occupational Health & Safety (CCOHS) and CMHA http://www.cmha.ca/english/coping_with_stress.
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EATING DISORDERS AND CONTENTMENT
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By James.R. Snyder, Ontario, Canada
I was moved by reading the recent issue of Healing Through Unity (Volume 6, Issue #8) to offer a few comments about eating disorders, based on personal experience. There is often more going on behind eating disorders than most people recognize, since almost all of the focus is on weight issues and body image distortions. Although victims of anorexia, for example, are principally concerned with weight control and body image, that does not mean that weight is the central issue, any more than gambling is the central issue for a gambling addict. Anorexia often affects teens and young adults, often very highly achievement-oriented individuals. These individuals sometimes feel that their lives are spiraling out of their control. The demands on them feel too great, and their worlds feel chaotic. Often, they feel that the only thing that they can control is their bodies, and what they put into them.
The obsession with diet and the rigorous control they exert over themselves lends a sense of order and control to their lives, no matter how dangerous the consequences. And the distortion of body image is, in many ways, very similar to other types of denial that are enacted by others with self-destructive obsessions, like addicts of all descriptions--against all evidence to the contrary, the addict continues to insist, "I'm alright.". It may even be useful to describe an anorexic as someone who is addicted to weight loss and control, since the disorder shares so many similarities with features of addiction models.
Even some of the negative effects of anorexia are experienced by the individual as elements of regaining control over their lives. The loss of body fat and the cessation of menstruation, for example, relieves the individual of the new, disordering, and sometimes unwelcome burdens of adolescent sexuality, artificially maintaining for them a kind of permanent childhood.
Similarly, bulimics are also often characterized as being wholly obsessed with weight and body issues. But this is not uniformly so. Also like other addicts, the bulimic derives comfort and solace through eating (a not unusual symptom) and carries this to extremes. That is, sometimes the "purging" that takes place is not solely designed to avoid weight gain, but also to allow the individual to continue eating even after the stomach is filled. This is comparable, perhaps, to an alcoholic who takes amphetamines so that he or she can continue drinking, countering the very effect of the alcohol so that the pleasurable activity of drinking can continue.
Again, it is the effect on the individual's emotional state that is paramount, not the effect on the body, in terms of assessing and understanding the disorder. The person eats or chooses not to eat principally to change how he or she feels about himself or herself, to effect a higher degree of safety, security, and control in the world he or she inhabits. So it is misleading to continue to focus only on the external features of the disorder--the relationship to food and body image--and so potentially miss the deeper concerns, which have to do with the individual's relationship with the world around him or her, and his or her internal balance and stability.
That is why I thought it was particularly appropriate and useful that the newsletter included Baha'ullah's comment that, "Verily the most necessary thing is contentment under all circumstances" ( cited in Baha'u'llah and the New Era, p. 108) I suffered with bulimia for almost twenty years, and I can tell you from my own experience that it had, finally, very little to do with food, and a great deal to do with a lack of contentment in myself and in my world. Thank you.
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READERS REQUESTING ASSISTANCE
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My daughter who lives in Los Angeles lost her baby to SIDS (Sudden Infant Death
Syndrome) this past January 6th and her husband and herself are having a very hard time dealing with the grieving. I would love to see a newsletter dedicated to this subject, if it has not already been done and also I would appreciate people who have had the same kind of experience in dealing with this subject email me with their comments and advise. (Please send your responses to fmezei@sentex.net and then your messages will be passed on to the person requesting assistance)
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Should anyone who is experiencing hyper thyroid and knowing its many symptoms especially the unbearable skin rashes/itchiness and the usual two types of medication with its side effects wish to contribute information to counter/cure these effects and the disease itself, please send your responses to: nurlth@tm.net.my
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QUESTION OF THE MONTH
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June will be the last issue of the sixth year of the newsletter and it will resume in September, 2003 for its seventh year. There will be no question of the month for the June issue; however please send any stories, experiences, thoughts, insights, ideas, and information on any topic that you would like to share with the readers. Thank you!
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WEB SITE
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You can visit the website, obtain back issues and the Healing Through Unity Course at: http://www.healingthroughunity.org.
********************************************
PURPOSE OF THE NEWSLETTER
********************************************
"Healing Through Unity" is published for the purpose of sharing thoughts, comments and experiences on how the teachings of the Baha'i Faith are being applied to physical and spiritual health. Other than the quoted Holy Writings, the material in this newsletter represents the thoughts and opinions of the writers and has no authority. You are free to copy articles, provided you indicate the source of the article. There are 10 issues per year; it is not published during July and August. The newsletter is produced in Ontario, Canada.
Please send your stories, comments, suggestions or "Question for the Month" ideas to Frances Mezei by e-mail: fmezei@sentex.net.
PLEASE NOTE:
Many thanks to all of you who send such wonderful contributions for "Healing Through Unity" Newsletter. The decision to select and edit material submitted for publication is determined by the editor.
If you have a change of e-mail address, please inform me with your old and new email addresses. To cancel the subscription, please send message to: fmezei@sentex.net
HEALING THROUGH UNITY
June, 2003
A monthly newsletter dedicated to serving the principles of
physical and spiritual health envisioned in the Baha'i Teachings.Volume 6, Issue #10
___________________________________Contents
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- Put Your Hands Together
- The Healing Power of Prayer
- The Importance of the Nervous System
- A Song In Response to Infant Death
- A Reader is Requesting Assistance
- Announcements
- Letter From the Editor
- Website
- Purpose of the Newsletter**************************************************
PUT YOUR HANDS TOGETHER -
THE HEALING POWER OF PRAYER
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By Ellen Rosenberg, taken from "Healthy Woman" June/July 2002, pp. 13 - 14 (In partnership with the society of obstetricians and gynaecologists of Canada).
When Julie Payo was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in 1997 she relied on the prayers of her community to bring her the strength to heal. "Knowing that my friends and family were praying for me helped me through my illness," says 44-year-old Roman Catholic medical secretary from Toronto, Ontario. Today, with her body in full remission, Payo is convinced that those prayers played a role in her healing.
Does prayer really work? A landmark study published in 'The Southern Medical Journal' tested the effectiveness of prayer among 393 patients in a hospital's cardiac ward. Half the patients were prayed for, the other half were not. The controversial result? The patients who were prayed for had fewer complications and better health outcomes.
The study supports an age-old belief that a link exists between prayer and health. Today, more and more people are turning to religious and spiritual activities, including prayer, to gain comfort and strength in times of illness.
In Judaism, prayer is the pouring out of the soul. "We pray because we hope that it will help, but we must realize full-well that it may not," says Rabbi Reuven Bulka of Machzikei Hadas Congregation in Ottawa, Ontario. If prayer is genuine and authentic, it can bring inner peace, which gives us the strength to face adversity, says Rabbi Bulka.
"Simply going through the mechanical exercise of prayer to fulfill an obligation won't do much," adds Rev. Harry Oussoren, a minister at Shaughnessy Heights United Church in Vancouver, B.C. A helpful prayer, he explains, is one that opens you up to a greater understanding of God, the life force. This, he says, is the role of prayer in sickness. As you feel yourself being drawn into this larger spirit, "the life force and the person praying merge and become one, which then brings peace." That, he says, is a sign of healing.
Prayer offers relaxation, hope, catharsis and peace. It also promotes love. This creates harmony and an appreciation for the natural cycle of the world, an understanding that everything that lives must die. "If you have faith," explains Dr. Chandrakant Sha, professor emeritus in the department of public health sciences at the University of Toronto, "you have positive emotion, contentment and acceptance - and sustaining strength."
Of course, prayer does not ensure a cure, no matter how strong your faith may be. Why some people get better while others remain sick or die is what Rev. Oussoren calls "one of the unresolved dilemmas of human existence."
Sometimes healing is simply a matter of coming to terms with the reality of the illness that you are facing. Rev. Oussoren often prays with the sick members of his congregation, either in the church or at the hospital. "Later on, they often come up to me and say, "It was so helpful to have you pray with me, because afterward I felt at peace." To him, this means they have been touched by prayer's healing power.
Rev. Oussoren says when he prays for the sick, he also includes the patient's health care workers. After all, he says, "they bring their expertise to the patient. I see them as part of God's instrument in healing."
COMMUNITY THROUGH PRAYER
There are many different ways to pray. Praying en masse in your house of worship is actually good for your health; studies prove that people with strong social networks are healthier and have lower mortality rates and more advanced coping mechanisms that those who face the day alone. Prayers of intercession, or praying for others, are a common practice as well, one that is clearly reflected in the widespread presence of chapels in hospitals.
Only one in five Canadians regularly visit their house of worship, so it's likely that many people pray in their own home or wherever they find solace; says Dr. Shah. Similarly, instead of citing prayers by rote, people often use their own words to help express what's in their hearts. Composing your own prayer can have a greater impact on you, whether or not the object of your prayer is realized. "The idea alone, that there is an address out there that you can talk to, is very therapeutic," Rabbi Bulka.
While health professionals don't dispute prayer's ability to bring comfort, most challenge the idea that prayer can actually heal the sick. One skeptic of the study in 'The Southern Medical Journal' says a generally accepted motto of science is that extraordinary claims (particularly miraculous ones) require proportionately extraordinary proof, which no study on prayer has been able to offer definitively to date.
Dr. Jan Christilaw, president of The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada notes that "we don't have a scientific explanation why prayer seems to help some people." She adds, 'While prayer can be a useful adjunct, it does not replace established, accepted medical practices in mainstream medicine." Dr. Christilaw cautions against women declining medical care in the belief that they will get well through prayer alone when they are viable medical alternatives available (e.g., forgoing chemotherapy for cancer treatment, believing that prayer will heal them.)
Dr. Shah argues in favour of integrating prayer along with medicine right from the get-go. "What's best for the patient is to accept that, although we can't cure everything, we do have a hand in healing."
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"Supplication and prayer on behalf of others will surely be effective." (Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 151)
"There are two ways of healing sickness, material means and spiritual means. The first is by the treatment of physicians; the second consisteth in prayers offered by the spiritual ones to God and in turning to Him. Both means should be used and practised." (Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 151)
"It behooveth the servant to pray to and seek assistance from God, and to supplicate and implore His aid. Such becometh the rank of servitude, and the Lord will decree whatsoever he desireth, in accordance with His consummate wisdom." (Abdu'l-Baha, Spiritual Foundation: Prayer, Meditation and the Devotional Attitude, p. 9)
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IMPORTANCE OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM
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By Sue Emmel, U.S.A
When I first became a Baha'i, in the principles of oneness and the harmony of science and religion, I realized that one must apply the principle of independent investigation of truth in the field of health just as much as in the field of religion. I saw that we must be open to all fields of health - ancient and modern, Eastern and Western - perhaps synthesizing the truth throughout the ages into a new field of medicine that is all-inclusive and providing for the whole person/human race, as in "Regard ye the world as a man's body..."(Baha'u'llah, page 55-56, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf)
Having had a near-death experience due to chronic illness and complications of major surgery the year before I became a Baha'i, and upon reading the Tablet to a Physician by Baha'u'llah in which He said, among other things, "Search for the cause of disease...." (Lawh-i-Tibb/Tablet of Medicine, Star of the West, Volume 13, page 252), I became highly motivated to go beyond mere symptomatic treatment to do just that: discover the cause of disease. A search that has spanned the last 30 years led me to find, among other methods, Ayurveda - the science of life and longevity - from the pre-Hindu Vedas
(truths) dating back 5,000 to 6,000 years. To me, Ayurveda (in which I am now a certified consultant, taught by Dr. Vasant Lad in Albuquerque, NM), considered the "Mother of All Healing", is like the Ancient Root, mentioned by Baha'u'llah, from which many forms and approaches - branches, leaves and fruit - have stemmed, but which are all part of the same one Tree of Life. Since Ayurveda and the Baha'i Writings both recommend addressing both physical and the spiritual aspects of health, I became fascinated with a quote by 'Abdu'l-Baha on the powers of the nervous system:
"The powers of the sympathetic nerve are neither entirely physical nor entirely spiritual, but are between the two (systems). The nerve is connected with both. Its phenomena shall be perfect when its spiritual and physical relations are normal.
When the material world and the divine world are well correlated, when the hearts become heavenly and the aspirations grow pure and divine, perfect connection shall take place. Then shall this power produce a perfect manifestation. Physical and spiritual diseases will then receive absolute healing. " ('Abdu'l-Baha, Baha'i Scriptures, Chapter 8, #836)
Praise be to God, there is now not only a resurgence in ancient knowledge, there are also several types of bodywork available which are effective in restoring the nervous system to the state that is needed to fully experience physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health, especially when combined with prayer, meditation, adequate nutrition, correct bodymind consciousness, and healthy relationships.
In the early 90's I worked with a chiropractor in New Mexico (Dr. Robert Lupowitz, Corrales, NM) who specializes in Network Chiropractic which focuses on "light force" adjustments to the nervous system along the spinal column from the base of the skull to the base of the spine. These release the content of information - the impressions that accumulate from life's experiences - contained in the nervous system, thus allowing an unimpaired flow of nervous energy (from the spiritual world to the physical world), with its own innate intelligence, to nourish and vitalize all the parts and members of the body. It's a relatively new, fascinating and amazing science - you can probably learn more about it by searching for "Network Chiropractic" on Google.com. It doesn't deal with the skeletal structure directly in the theory that when the content of information is released from the nervous system, the bones will go back into place normally without force. Getting "bent out of shape" is literally true when viewed with an eye to the tension and stress that is held in the nervous system, impairing a healthy experience of life.
Other effective bodymind work that restores the nervous system to health includes Reiki (a totally gentle, non-invasive hands-on energy technique) and Connective Tissue Therapy, another gentle hands-on technique taught by Donald Van Howten in New Mexico where I lived for 16 years before moving to western New York in 2000. The theory is that if the connective tissue, with its rudimentary consciousness, perceives any threat - whether that threat is spiritual, mental, emotional or physical, real or imagined - it will tighten and harden in an effort to protect the vital organs underneath. Like a "watchdog" with a singular purpose, it may not be able to "relax" unless given a signal that the organism is no longer in danger. Sometimes that doesn't happen without intervention. Talking alone doesn't help; in fact, it may reinforce and increase the effects of the experience in the body in the principle that "the reality of man is his thought." ('Abdu'l-Baha, The Reality of Man page 9). This type of bodywork, performed in an atmosphere of safety and support generated by the therapist, provides the signal that the bodymind needs: "re-minding" it that it is "okay." Eventually, the individual "forgets" the experience and "remembers" his/her true reality... "The healer of all thine ills is remembrance of Me, forget it not." (Baha'u'llah, Hidden Words Persian #32) and "Thy Name is my healing, O my God, and remembrance of Thee is my remedy." (Baha'u'llah, Baha'i Prayers page 87, 1991 edition).
Personally, I have not only experienced some of my own healing in several traumatic instances with these methods but I have also studied them and used them effectively with others. In light of the Writings about the nervous system and its importance in experiencing true life, (there are other references, too, which you can access at http://www.bahai-library.org by putting "nervous system" or "nerves" in the search), it is certainly a most vital component in life.
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A SONG IN RESPONSE TO INFANT DEATH
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Song written by Diane Kerr, U.S.A., copyright 2002
Here is a song I wrote for a little baby I knew who died last Thanksgiving. This song was sung at his funeral. I feel that these little ones have a very special purpose and the lessons they bring from the other side are so important that grief can cloud what they are. Sometimes the grief must clear to get what the gifts really were and therefore make that child's mission worthwhile. Just some thoughts from spending much time with this child and his mother. Hope the song speaks to you.
NAVARRO
You took me on your wings
To a higher place where angels sing
They say you are not right
A part of you left in the night
They say you are not rightOh Navarro
Sometimes your eyes find mine
Sometimes you look into another time
Oh baby where do you wander to?
When you leave this world of fools
I know it must be hard
It is us who are truly scarred
To spend your time both night and day
Lovingly teaching us the wayWhen your angels come to you
I feel them tell you what to do
All confusion is instantly gone
To not listen would be wrong
Some may think you always slumber
They don't recognize a soul unencumbered
If they only knew the love you bring
It would free their hearts to truly sing
This funny world is upside down
Black and white go round and round
Like two small identical twins
They may wrestle but they never win
They may wrestle but they never winOh Navarro
The gift of wisdom sometimes arrives
In the darkest times when hope almost dies
That's when the angels hover close
And blessings surround us the most
Little child lying in your mothers arms
We will protect you from all harm
But we know that you are so very strong
As you journey through the worlds of God
You took me on your wings
To a higher place where angels sing
They say you are not right
A part of you left in the night
They say you are not right
Oh Navarro*******************************************************
A READER IS REQUESTING ASSISTANCE
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I am 46 years old and have had Rheumatoid Arthritis for 6 years. Please pray for me that something will come along and help me. I can barely walk or stand-up. I have no energy. If there are others that have RA I would like to correspond with them. Also most people do not understand RA because when you tell them you have arthritis, they will say "Oh I have arthritis also, some days I am so stiff with my fingers or other joints" It is much more than a little stiffness; it is a very systemic disorder. It is very hard and depressing for me to deal with. Thank you and please pray for me and others who have been stricken with this. (Please send your responses to fmezei@sentex.net and then your messages will be passed on to the person requesting assistance.)
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
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"A JOURNEY OF COURAGE: FROM DISABILITY TO SPIRITUAL ABILITY": A NEW PUBLICATION Compiled by Linda Bishop, Beverley Davis, Frances Mezei and Shirlee Smith Foreword by Member of the Continental Board of Counsellor, Dr. David Smith and Auxiliary Board Member, Meim Smith
This book is a celebration of life, where disability becomes ability, where struggle becomes strength, and where the effort to fully participate in the building of all that is noble and good is rewarded with victory after victory. As such, it is destined to serve as a wonderful source of insight and comfort to individuals, families and health care providers alike, assisting all who read it to understand what it means to truly embrace, in unity, the diversity of humankind. The compilers of this publication, all of whom are intimately aware of the ways in which society perceives disability, celebrate, in their own lives, the freedom of the human spirit to express itself in service to humanity. This compilation is an example of their devotion to such freedom. Contains many revealing and empowering passages from the Bah·íÌ Sacred texts as well as touching excerpts from stories and biographies about the Holy family and others. Comes complete with guidelines for creating an accessible environment for those with physical disabilities.
5.5îX8.5î, 160 pages, Unity Arts Inc. - Nine Pines Publishing 9-945 Middlefield Rd Toronto, ON Canada M1V 5E1
Tel: 416-609-9900 Fax: 416-609-9600
ORDER DESK: 1-800-465-3287
EMAIL: orders@bahaibooksonline.com
WEB: www.bahaibooksonline.com
Item No.: B6-290 Suggested Retail: $12.95 USD $16.95 CAD
(You can check your local Baha'i distributor for this book)***************
CONFERENCE
The Bahaíi Association of Mental Health Professionals (BAMHP) will be having its 5th annual conference, ìTranscending Adversity and Oppression," September 25 ñ 28, 2003 at Louhelen Bah·íÌ School in Davison, Michigan, U.S.. Students investigating or planning careers in helping professions are particularly encouraged to attend.
The program so far will include:
* Dr. Joy DeGruy Leary, who is a lecturer on Post-Traumatic Slave Syndrome
* Dr. Fereshteh Bethel on ìThe Dynamics of the Relationship Between Experiences of Childhood and Adolescence/Adult Development: Examining it from Scientific and Bahaíi Perspectivesî
* Gayle Gonzalez-Johnson on ìPsychotherapy as an Act of Serviceî
* a panel on ethical issues with Beverly Davis, Jane Faily, Lawrence McCullough and Vida Wachob
* artist-in-residence Eric Dozier, who will create a choral presentation from among the participants. Arts will be incorporated throughout the program. Submissions of proposals for presentations are still being accepted (email atstengel@yahoo.com).
BAMHP seeks to combine the highest scientific and professional knowledge in the field of mental health with insights from the Baha'i Writings to apply to clinical mental health practice and everyday human interactions.
For more conference details, previous conference reports, and information on BAMHP, go to the BAMHP website at www.bamhp.org. For information on conference site, accommodations and costs, go to www.louhelen.org.
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ABILITY ONLINE
Ability OnLine is a computer network designed to enhance the lives of children and youth with disabilities or illness as well as their families, caregivers and friends by providing an online community of friendship and support. Over the past ten years, we have helped millions to make contact with others in a monitored environment where safety and respect are primary concerns. Please check us out at www.abilityonline.org. Michelle McClure, Executive Director, michelle.mcclure@ablelink.org
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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
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The sixth year of the Healing Through Unity newsletter covered many topics and issues on disabilities such as: human rights and disabilities, hearing impairment, visual impairment, physical disabilities, learning disabilities, Alzheimer disease, borderline personality disorder, emotional intelligence, eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa, organ transplants, cholesterol, emphysema, and dealing with stress in the workplace. It is encouraging to read the wealth of knowledge and experience on the diversity of health issues, struggles and victories in the application of the principles of the Baha'i Faith in everyday life. It occurred to me that we have just scratched the surface in sharing about disabilities since there are many more that we have not yet covered.
Since the newsletter is not published during July and August, this is our last issue of the sixth year, until September 2003. On behalf of the reviewers and myself, thank you for your wonderful and excellent contributions of articles, stories, and letters of the past year. Your efforts for this newsletter as well as your words of encouragement that you have sent us are heartwarming. Please write to us over the summer and share your thoughts and ideas. Hope you have a wonderful summer and look forward to your participation in the newsletter in September.
Frances Mezei, Editor
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WEB SITE
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You can visit the website, obtain back issues and the Healing Through Unity Course at: http://www.healingthroughunity.org.
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PURPOSE OF THE NEWSLETTER
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"Healing Through Unity" is published for the purpose of sharing thoughts, comments and experiences on how the teachings of the Baha'i Faith are being applied to physical and spiritual health. Other than the quoted Holy Writings, the material in this newsletter represents the thoughts and opinions of the writers and has no authority. You are free to copy articles, provided you indicate the source of the article. There are 10 issues per year; it is not published during July and August. The newsletter is produced in Ontario, Canada.
Please send your stories, comments, suggestions or "Question for the Month" ideas to Frances Mezei by e-mail: fmezei@sentex.net.
PLEASE NOTE:
Many thanks to all of you who send such wonderful contributions for "Healing Through Unity" Newsletter. The decision to select and edit material submitted for publication is determined by the editor.
If you have a change of e-mail address, please inform me with your old and new email addresses. To cancel the subscription, please send message to: fmezei@sentex.net
HEALING THROUGH UNITY
September, 2003
A monthly newsletter dedicated to serving the principles of
physical and spiritual health envisioned in the Baha'i Teachings.Volume 7, Issue #1
______________________________________________________Contents
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- Letter from Editor
- The Exchange
- A Unique Approach to Devotional Gathering
- A Reader Requesting Assistance
- Question of the Month
- Website
- Purpose of Newsletter**********************************
LETTER FROM EDITOR
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Dear Friends,
I hope you all had a wonderful and restful summer. I am writing to share with you my thoughts about the "Healing Through Unity" newsletter.
The newsletter began six and half years ago, in July 1997, after I took it over from Dr. William Saunders, Georgia, Atlanta, United States. At that time, we felt that there was a need to create a newsletter in which we could share thoughts and experiences on how the teachings of the Baha'i Faith on health issues can assist us with our health and everyday lives. We discovered there was a wealth of knowledge and experience on this important subject and a means was required to share this with others.
The newsletter began with about 50 subscribers and grew quickly to over 2,000 subscribers residing in over 115 countries. Because of this, we were able to hear from people living in different parts of the world and dealing with entirely different circumstances. We were able to learn from each other. We are grateful to our readers and all those who have sent articles, stories, words of encouragement, and poems which enriched the newsletter.
It has been with some reflection that I will be unable to continue to publish this newsletter due to increasing commitments and responsibilities in my life. My life is moving in a new direction. I will be sad to no longer be the editor of the newsletter as I enjoyed this service tremendously. I have communicated with many wonderful people and learned a great deal from you.
It is my hope that a new editor will be interested and motivated to continue the newsletter on email. It will be useful to have someone who is interested in the field of health. The use of email does greatly reduce the amount of administration involved. The newsletter is still a much needed service and I do hope it will be continued. If you are interested in being the editor of the newsletter, please let me know. I will be happy to assist the new editor to get started and to serve as an advisor.
I would like to thank all the helpful reviewers over the years who have patiently reviewed the newsletter - Dr. William Saunders, Bill Sims, Dale Sims, Patricia Coles, Mary Hougham, Kim Bowden-Kerby, and Meryl Cook. Many thanks to Russ Novak for designing and maintaining a beautiful website and for patiently answering my computer questions.
I will continue to publish the newsletter until the end of the year and December, 2003 will be my last issue. I will need to say good-bye to all the wonderful, loyal and encouraging readers. Thank you very much for everything you have taught me.
With Baha'i love and prayers to all
Frances Mezei
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THE EXCHANGE
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QUESTIONS
"I am 46 years old and have had Rheumatoid Arthritis for 6 years. Please pray for me that something will come along and help me. I can barely walk or stand-up. I have no energy. If there are others that have RA I would like to correspond with them. Also most people do not understand RA because when you tell them you have arthritis, they will say "Oh I have arthritis also, some days I am so stiff with my fingers or other joints" It is much more than a little stiffness; it is a very systemic disorder. It is very hard and depressing for me to deal with. Thank you and please pray for me and others who have been stricken with this.
Editor's Note: I hope the readers will respond further to this request about rheumatoid arthritis, however it the meantime it may be helpful to share with all the readers these earlier responses about arthritis.
ANSWERS
There is a Baha'i woman in Bothell, Washington that I gave this to -- a naturopath gave me this combination of herbs and minerals. This woman (at age 66) was in a study at the University of Washington to find a "cure" for her Rheumatoid arthritis. After six weeks on this regimen, she sold her scooter, gave away her walker, and could drive, walk, climb stairs with ease. She is still on this regimen.
For 100 lbs of weight--take 1000 mg of Chondriten; 500 mg of Glucosomine Sulfate. Add to that 1 Yucca capsule, and the smallest dose of B6 you can find. Take this once a day with food.
Six years later she is still active and walking up a storm and for a few minor aches and pains, she is not cured, but able to live a full life and play with her grandchildren.
- Cheryl Martin, U.S.
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I will suggest that you try Noni Juice to see if it will help you. This has helped many people in different ways. Below is a testimonial from someone with RA. And you may wish to read others on that site. http://www.incc.org/sfs/testimonials/testimonial_509.htm
Noni juice can be bought directly from distributors. If you are buying a single bottle I would suggest that you find a distributor in your area. I am a distributor also (located in west central Florida), if you buy by the case (4 bottles) I can have it shipped to you.
I do not sell Noni juice commercially, I mostly buy it for my family's consumption - so don't think this is a sales pitch. I recommend you read more information on the websites and try it as it has helped MANY. Here is the site for Morinda which claims to be the best... http://www.nonijuice.us/index.htm
- Janice Gadelha, U.S.
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A woman in England, Kathryn Lausevic, has investigated all kinds of remedies for rheumatoid arthritis. You can read her story and advice in her book "The Long Search, Managing Rheumatoid Arthritis without the Use of Drugs - a Personal Story", published by Cromwell Publishers, 405 Kings Road, Chelsea, London SW10 0BB at £5.99. The ISBN is 1-901679-13-6.
- Oliver Christopherson, United Kingdom
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I was on sabbatical at the University of Bridgeport College of Naturopathic Medicine and met Eugene Zampieron, naturopathic doctor and author of a recent book on arthritis. I also met a patient he cured who had ankylosing spondylitis. I have a great deal of respect for Dr. Z and his work and suggest you have your patient contact him. His email is Ezkpz@aol.com
- Debra Kirchhof-Glazier, Ph.D., Professor of Biology, Director of the Health Professions Program
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I have read a lot about and also experienced myself a great improvement in health from following Dr. Hulda Clark's recommendations and protocol. Her website is www.drclark.net ( I think) She has several books out the main one being "The Cure for all Diseases"... It is all very strange sounding if you have never heard of this type of protocol or approach to healing before, but I can assure you she is very advanced in her approach to healing and wellness.
The first thing that she would recommend doing probably is getting a "Zapper" and using it daily at least once a day and doing a "parasite cleanse" which to ingredients for are on her website and can be purchased through her or other recommended suppliers.
It has been found by very progressive practioners that RA is almost always caused by certain organisms that have taken up residence in the joints, cause inflammation and then deposits form etc.
If you can afford to have your spit analyzed by someone that works with the Dr. Clark group that would be a big start in finding out what organisms and or chemicals are affecting your joints.
- anonymous
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I do not suffer from Rheumatoid Arthritis but I do have arthritic knees and a year ago I had trouble with every set of stairs that I met. In addition, I suffer from back problems - a form of scoliosis that has resulted in a rather knocked- nee condition and a lot of knee pain. During the last year, I have received some special chiropractic care, adopted the Anti-Arthritis diet, continued my yoga practice, and prayers. The combination has worked very well - now I expect to be able to climb and descend stairs without difficulty. I have very little knee pain, and my mobility has increased.
I got information on the Anti-Arthritis diet from "The Anti-Arthritis Diet" a book by Joseph Kandel & David Sudderth. I understand the personal variation on the effectiveness of various treatments, but this approach has been helpful for me.
- Donna Pickel, U.S.
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I would like to suggest a book, "Be Your Own Doctor - A Positive Guide to Natural Living," by Ann Wigmore, who founded the Hippocrates Health Institute, 25 Exeter St., Boston, MA 02116. 617-267-9525, and published by: Avery Publishing Group, Wayne, New Jersey, copyright 1982. She has developed a wonderful program for healing using raw and living foods (sprouts).
- Sandy Jasnau, Georgia, USA
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I would like to suggest the book "Let's Get Well" by the late Adele Davis. There is a chapter on Arthritis and one of the things she mentions is that sometimes this illness can be helped through diet.
Adele Davis also mentions that this illness can be caused or made worse by unreleased anger. I remember that she had a person with this kind of arthritis (as described by the reader). This patient was raised in a time when a person was trained from childhood not to show emotions, especially the negative ones. The patient who could hardly walk and was in constant pain was given a pillow to kick. After having done this a few times, the patient was able to get up and walk with less pain. The patient was amazed that she could do this sort of action. This sort of therapy continued along with certain changes in diet and within a month, the patient was relatively pain free.
- Vivian Lee White Baravalle
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One of the ideas that comes to my mind when reading the Baha'i quote (see below) about food and a single substance healing is classical homeopathy. In classical homeopathy, all of a person's symptoms (not just the RA for example) are closely matched to a single remedy that is given in a very minute dose to stimulate the body to heal. Symptoms are seen as an expression of the vital force indicating a lack of balance. The goal in homeopathy is to assist the body to restore balance on all levels - physical, emotional and spiritual, rather than just to treat specific disorders.
- anonymous
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Do not neglect medical treatment when it is necessary, but leave it off when health has been restored.... Treat disease through diet, by preference, refraining from the use of drugs; and if you find what is required in a single herb, do not resort to a compounded medicament. Abstain from drugs when the health is good, but administer them when necessary. (Cited in J. E. Esslemont, "Baha'u'llah and the New Era", 5th rev. ed. (Baha'u'llah, Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1987), p. 106)
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It is, therefore, evident that it is possible to cure by foods, aliments and fruits; but as today the science of medicine is imperfect, this fact is not yet fully grasped. When the science of medicine reaches perfection, treatment will be given by foods, aliments, fragrant fruits and vegetables, and by various waters, hot and cold in temperature.
This discourse is brief; but, if God wills, at another time, when the occasion is suitable, this question will be more fully explained. ( 'Abd'l-Baha, "Some Answered Questions", pp. 257-59)
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A UNIQUE APPROACH TO DEVOTIONAL GATHERINGS
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By Rae Smith and Susan Gammage, Canada
"What they desperately need is to know how to live their lives - they need to know who they are, to what purpose they exist, and how they should act towards one another; and, once they know the answers to these questions they need to be helped to gradually apply these answers to everyday behaviour. It is to the solution of this basic problem of mankind that the greater part of all our energy and resources should be directed". (From a letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bah·'Ìs of Italy, November 19, 1974.)
Rae's initial goal when he contacted some friends to form a prayer circle was simple. He wanted an ongoing group to meet for prayers. He wanted the group not only to experience the benefits of prayer, but also to experiment with the dynamics of prayer, in particular, as it relates to transformation. The process we use has proved to be both simple and profound.
For a year and a half now a fairly consistent core group of people has met to pray together and to support each other's efforts. We usually open with a piece of music, used as transition from the material world to the spiritual. This allows us to let go of whatever we might be bringing in, so that we can focus our attention on what we are doing.
Then we do a round of prayers, followed by a check in (How were your prayers answered?). The check in is handled like a sharing circle: no interruptions, cross talk, comments etc. We then go around the circle again, and identify in one sentence, what we want prayed for in the coming week. If people aren't quite sure how to pare it down to one sentence, or even what to pray for, the group can give guidance if requested.
Each of us writes down what we are praying for, so that we can all be praying for each other during the course of the week. We go around the circle a third time, identifying friends or family members, or issues in the larger community or in the world, which we'd like to add to the prayer list.
We then do another round of prayers, focusing our attention on the issues we have identified. In some groups, we end there, but in others, we identify a specific action step to take, which emerges during the last round of prayer, and commit to doing it through the week. When we come together the following week, we answer the question, "How were my prayers answered?"
This group is about changing our perceptions. Trusting that our prayers will be answered. They always are, but we don't always like the answer so we tell ourselves that God didn't hear our prayers.
This process does not allow us to be victims. When we focus on how our prayer has been answered, we see that God is constantly giving us just exactly what we need. It changes our way of seeing and being. It changes how we deal with the world.
A variation to this process sprung up when one of our members pioneered to a virgin territory where there were no other Baha'is. She wanted to stay in touch with the Baha'i world, so we hooked her up to our gathering via speaker phone.
>From there, the idea was born to start other devotional gatherings, held over the phone, using 3 way calling and speaker-phones. Each gathering is unique to the participants but they tend to focus on the 5 Steps of Prayer for solving problems, outlined by Shoghi Effendi. These gatherings have attracted as many as 9 people at a time, linked to a maximum of 4 locations from one coast of Canada to the other.
The groups have been highly successful in assisting people through major life transitions. We have watched and shared with others as they experience both the miracle of changing perceptions and the support and strength to take new actions in their lives. Some of them are going to share their stories with you. We hope it will inspire the readers to start similar groups among their friends (names to remain anonymous).
"The healing prayer group has been my only source of much needed connection with the Baha'i Community. I am not well and don't do anything in the evenings, so this group meets at my house. I don't feel so isolated, and feel I am doing some service: hosting, praying, and consulting. Also the power of regularly praying in a group is so inspiring. It lifts my spirit, keeps me focused on God's Will whatever my physical situation, and so gives me comfort and hope. Also here is a group to consult with on problems who get to know me well, and I can, in turn, support them. This group is a lifeline for me personally, and I feel I am serving in some small way. I am so grateful to Baha'u'llah for providing this gift".
"Our prayer circle has served as an anchor, as a cord to the covenant along side my daily, personal prayer habit. It is a constant reminder that prayers are answered and manifested in my world and where I can see myself receiving the bounties and blessings of Baha'u'llah that constantly are provided by Him."
"These gatherings feed my soul and keep me in touch with the Baha'i world. Those who for reasons of isolation, busy schedules or illness find it difficult to participate in gatherings in their own communities are able to participate from their own homes, taking advantage of technology. I like to think they keep the Concourse on High busy, in all of the host locations and everything geographically between, up and down the phone lines! It's a wonderful format! The group in London has been going for about a year and a half, and they include me every week, via speaker phone. Thank God for long distance phone plans!"
"I'm used to praying regularly and do sometimes get to see and feel the power of prayer in my life. However, I get that and more from the prayer-problem-solving tele-meetings that are held on a weekly basis. For example, I have been going through a major crisis recently. The combination of prayers, focus on a problem to solve or quality to improve on (e.g. faith, service, patience, etc), and personal/moral support from the group members has helped me to move through that crisis quickly and in what I hope is a mature and responsible manner. All this from only two to three sessions. I highly recommend this process to those who are isolated or otherwise unable to get face-to-face contact with others.
"The reason I like doing prayers? I find it healthy. When I say prayers for something, I get help. When I don't get to do them, I feel like something's missing. When I stop saying prayers for a long time, bad things happen to me. I need the protection. It's nice to do them in a group. When you can't get people together in your own community, at least there are people on the phone, committed to doing them together."
"To pray is something I enjoy, but this type of prayer allows me to concentrate my thoughts on the prayers more. I'm more focused. By praying over the phone, I like to think that some people, somewhere along the phone line, will hear our voices and that we will be a force for teaching this way. I'm always thinking about our Friday night prayers, and when we donít have it, I notice that something important is missing from my life. Often we say the long healing prayer together, each of us reading a paragraph. This gets into my heart more than when I say it by myself. The process doesn't have to be complicated. Just get together. Be together and say prayers. So much is happening everywhere.
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A READER REQUESTING ASSISTANCE
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I am living with a compulsive gambler as this is my predicament at the moment (and for the past two years). I have been a Baha'i for 15 years and have been through the whole gamut of emotions with this problem, finally leaving everything in the hands of Baha'u'llah as to the outcome, and managing to act with compassion instead of rage and recrimination towards my husband. He is turning to God now, so I can see how my role should be to help that process. At the same time, he is continuing to gamble and is really in the most desperate of circumstances. There is a great deal of shame attached to this - for various reasons I am not able to talk to very many people about it. I do wonder how to help others in such circumstances to cope. I have found reading "Fire and Gold" - a compilation of quotations to do with tests and adversity, very helpful. Perhaps a focus on this problem in your newsletter would be helpful for others, as I do view it as a disease (more spiritual than anything else, but also a result of social conditions and upbringing, I think).
- Anonymous
(Editor's note - please send your responses to -- . Thank you.)
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QUESTION OF THE MONTH
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The topic for the October issue will be about forgiveness. Forgiveness seems to be a powerful source of healing. Please share your insights, thoughts and stories re forgiveness.
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WEB SITE
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You can visit the website, obtain back issues and the Healing Through Unity Course at: http://www.healingthroughunity.org.
********************************************
PURPOSE OF THE NEWSLETTER
********************************************
"Healing Through Unity" is published for the purpose of sharing thoughts, comments and experiences on how the teachings of the Baha'i Faith are being applied to physical and spiritual health. Other than the quoted Holy Writings, the material in this newsletter represents the thoughts and opinions of the writers and has no authority. You are free to copy articles, provided you indicate the source of the article. There are 10 issues per year; it is not published during July and August. The newsletter is produced in Ontario, Canada.
Please send your stories, comments, suggestions or "Question for the Month" ideas to Frances Mezei by e-mail: fmezei@sentex.net.
PLEASE NOTE:
Many thanks to all of you who send such wonderful contributions for "Healing Through Unity" Newsletter. The decision to select and edit material submitted for publication is determined by the editor.
If you have a change of e-mail address, please inform me with your old and new email addresses. To cancel the subscription, please send message to: --
HEALING THROUGH UNITY
October, 2003
A monthly newsletter dedicated to serving the principles of
physical and spiritual health envisioned in the Baha'i Teachings.Volume 7, Issue #2
______________________________________________________Contents
---------------
- Announcement of New Editor of the Healing Through Unity Newsletter
- Forgiveness is a Bold Choice: Don't Waste Precious Time Carrying Around Anger
- The Exchange
- More Responses to Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Responses to Gambling
- A Reader is Requesting for Assistance
- Question of the Month
- Website
- Purpose of the Newsletter***************************************************************
ANNOUNCEMENT OF NEW EDITOR OF THE
HEALING THROUGH UNITY NEWSLETTER
***************************************************************
I am pleased to share that there is a new editor for the Healing Through Unity Newsletter. Lynn Ascrizzi from Maine, United States has kindly offered to take on this volunteer job of newsletter editor.
She has been a Baha'i since 1973. She has been an editor and feature writer for 23 years, and also has a network of supporters in the medical field who can review subject matter. She is well connected with alternative health and holistic issues.
Currently Lynn is a staff writer for Central Maine Newspapers, based in Augusta, Maine where she has worked as an editor and feature writer for about 18 years. She has come up with many innovative columns, story ideas and story packages for the Life and Leisure weekend feature section for which she writes.
She was also associate and senior editor for five years for Farmstead Magazine, a once-successful, but no-longer-in-circulation, publication for home gardening and small farming. It had an organic gardening and farming perspective.
And, she taught art and English for five-and-a-half years in Maine, Connecticut and New York. Lynn was awarded the 1999 Robert Hayden Poetry Fellowship, sponsored by Louhelen Baha'i School. She also has done free-lance book editing and page design.
I received many comments from people who indicated that they hope the newsletter will continue, since it helps many people and is a valuable service. Many thanks to Lynn Ascrizzi for taking on this new role, and we wish her well! Lynn will take over the editorship in January, 2004. It is a great joy knowing that the newsletter will continue.
Frances Mezei
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FORGIVENESS IS A BOLD CHOICE
DON"T WASTE PRECIOUS TIME CARRYING
AROUND ANGER
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By Father Joseph Sica (Father Joe Sica is a priest from Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, and coauthor of the book 'Embracing Change, 10 Ways to Grow Spiritually and Emotionally.')
http://www.beliefnet.com/nlrd.asp?to=st&sid=13158&bid=62960 Submitted by
Leslie Mezei, Ontario, Canada.
I recently visited a friend in the hospice unit at one of our local hospitals. As I was talking with Bill, a gentleman walked into the room. Bill began to cry and so did the gentleman. The gentleman leaned over the bed to embrace Bill. After a few moments the gentleman, Ken, said to me, "He's my brother. We haven't spoken in over 25 years."
Caught by surprise by his comment, I said, "You're kidding me?"
"No," replied Ken. "We had an argument over a piece of property and have been estranged from each other."
Bill said, "Ken, you haven't met my children."
Then Bill introduced his children to their uncle. I left the hospice unit thinking, there's something wrong when we can't forgive. Life is short and it's difficult to make up for all the time that has been lost.
This experience caused me to think the power of forgiveness and the need for it in our lives. Sure, when someone says something or does something to cause us harm, it hurts. But we need to move beyond the hurt, to healing, which comes from forgiveness.
I like to think of forgiveness as the bold choice we make to clear out of our lives resentment, bitterness, anger, hatred, and revenge. We need to ask ourselves, "Do I want to waste precious time and energy carrying around these nasty feelings?"
It's the unfinished business we may have with a spouse, parent, child, brother or sister, or friend which we need to take care of before it's too late. Holding on to the past only weakens the relationship and keeps us from mending it and putting it back together.
When we refuse to forgive, the other person owns us. Often forgiveness is not for the other person, it's for usóto let it go and begin again.
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THE EXCHANGE
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Question:
Forgiveness seems to be a powerful source of healing. Please share your insights, thoughts and stories re: forgiveness.
Responses:
A few years ago, I wrote to the Universal House of Justice (Governing body of the Baha'i Faith in Haifa, Israel) about this topic (among others) and thought you might be interested in their reply.
"As a devoted believer you are urged to strive to develop forgiveness in your heart toward your parents who have abused you in so disgraceful a manner, and to attain a level of insight which sees them as captives of their lower nature, whose actions can only lead them deeper into unhappiness and separation from God. By this means, you can liberate yourself from the anger to which you refer in your letter." ( From a letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer, 9 September, 1992.)
I found it particularly interesting that they said I was to "strive to develop", which suggested I may never get there in my lifetime, and as long as I kept trying, this was as much as would be expected of me.
It was also interesting that they said I was to strive to develop forgiveness "in my heart", which suggested that I didn't need to do it with them physically present.
- anonymous
*********
This excerpt is taken from "Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom" written by Dr. Christiane Northup (obstetrician and gynecologist), pp. 630 - 631
"Forgiveness frees us. It heals our bodies and our lives. But it is also the most difficult step we must take in our healing process. It takes a great deal of energy to keep someone out of our hearts...Forgiveness and making amends are completely linked. Holding a grudge and maintaining hatred or resentment hurts us as least as much as the other person.
Forgiveness moves our energy to the heart area. When the body's energy moves there, we don't take our wounds so personally - and we can heal. Forgiveness is the intitiation of the heart, and it is very powerful. Scientific studies have shown, for example, that when we think with our hearts by taking a moment to focus on someone or something that we love unconditionally - like a puppy or a young child - the rhythm of our hearts evens out and becomes healthier. When people are taught to think with their hearts regularly, they can even reverse heart disease and other related conditions. The electromagnetic field of the heart is forty times stronger than the electromagnetic field produced by the brain; to me, this means that every cell in our bodies - and in the bodies of those around us - can be positively influenced by the quality of our hearts when they are beating in synchrony with the energy of appreciation."
"To get to forgiveness, we first have to work through the painful experiences that require it. Forgiveness doesn't mean that what happened to us was okay. It simply means that we are no longer willing to allow that experience to adversely affect our lives. Forgiveness is something we do, ultimately, for ourselves."
********
BAHA'I QUOTES
Pray to be forgiven, O people, for having failed in your duty towards God...and be not of the foolish. (Baha'u'llah, Gleanings, p. 105)
...O my Lord...I have made haste to attain unto the ocean of Thy forgiveness, and have sought shelter beneath the shadow of Thy most gracious favor. (Baha'u'llah, Gleanings, p. 114)
If someone commits an error and wrong toward you, you must instantly forgive him. (Abdu'l-Baha, Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 453)
Do not look at the shortcomings of anybody; see with the sight of forgiveness. The imperfect eye beholds imperfections. The eye that covers faults looks toward the Creator of souls. (Abdu'l-Baha, Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 93)
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MORE RESPONSES TO RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS
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I have some form of arthritis. I have not bothered to have it diagnosed officially. However there was a point where it was extremely painful affecting almost every joint. I would just ache when trying to move after sitting still for any little length of time. I was referred by a friend to an intuitive healer who also had studied under Hannah Kroeger and she helped me immensely to get rid of much of the achiness. First, the comment about the inflammatory process being a certain parasite living in the joints is correct because Arthritis is associated with coxaccie and protozoa. With the healer's help I was able to take a homeopathic remedy for the coxaccie. After that I felt much better, but then noticed that my achiness was very much aggravated by certain foods - tomatoes, green peppers, chile (peppers), eggplant, all the same family of veggies. My healer pointed out that protozoa which likes all the pepper-related family of vegetables, tends to swarm close to the time of the full moon. I had to take another treatment which was a herbal for the protozoa timed with the moon phases (at this time I don't remember which
phase.) I was somewhat skeptical about this but went along with it, and, to my amazement, the achiness thing that plagued every joint especially after sitting still for a while totally disappeared. I also find that there is something about beef especially beef fat that tends to activate the arthritic condition so I have eliminated beef and milk and butter (cheese) from my diet as well as wheat. I can be sure, whenever I eat any cheese or butter that within 24 hrs I will feel aches in my joints. Keeping wheat out of my diet definitely seems to help as well, but not as obviously. The funny thing is that my healer used spit balls (soaking a cotton ball in your mouth 1st thing after rising before eating or drinking anything so that you get the essence of your own saliva on it) for doing the diagnosis. I have been relatively pain free for 2 years now. I garden and it is quite likely that I get re-infected during the summers as a result. I can eat those tomatoes and peppers with no problem now. Taking glucosamine and chondroitin have also helped keep it at bay. I have now become trained myself in Hannah's method of checking spit balls.
- Phyllis Janeway
********
About arthritis: a combination of different aspects is important I think.
1. Diet - a cleansing of the body to rid itself of toxic substances to begin
with. Cutting out fat and refined sugar and reducing the intake of meat. Also
check for allergies such as milk (many people are allergic to milk and milk products and do not know it) It causes mucus buildup in our system. I personally have noticed that I have less sore joints and feel much more energetic since I have been following this diet. A good book where this is mentioned is "Living Foods" by Brian Clement (ISBN 0-7615-1448-1).
Quote: "The Arthritis Foundation insists there is no relation between diet and arthritis. I predict they will change their position in the very near future since the facts are too strong to ignore." pg. 59. ..." Six arthritis patients went on a fat free diet and their symptoms disappeared within seven weeks. When fat was reintroduced into their diets, it took only three days for the symptoms to reappear. .. Through removal of dairy products all symptoms disappeared within four months...." (pg. 59) I feel that this is in accordance with the Baha'i teachings of curing diseases with diet.
Cleansing the body of toxins is the first step.
2. According to the polarity teachings of Randolf Stone, joints are connected
to the ether element. When one is not able to take in his/her own space, to exist and be able to say I AM then the joints may become affected. One must be able to love one's own self first before one is able to give love to someone else. Many times in the role of mother, wife, teacher, etc we are so busy caring for others that we forget to take care of ourselves. I share the experiences of my own mother as an example. My mother was so busy caring for other people that she had no space for herself. Her rheumatoid arthritis totally crippled her and left her an invalid. Every summer vacation as a child, I remember that she was in the hospital having an operation: on her fingers, feet, knees, hip replacement. The cortisone treatment weakened her bones so that when she fell and broke her leg it took 9 months to heal.
Emotions: repressed, unexpressed anger turns itself into disease in the body, and can manifest itself in various ways, among others, arthritis. Learning to express oneself is vital. Gestalt, NLP, or general psychology courses can be helpful for expression. Also massage such as polarity can be a contributing factor to restoring balance in the body. It basically is aimed at removing energy stoppages so that the energy can move freely. According to eastern medical practices, disease begins at the energy level and that is where it can be most effectively cured.
- Terry Pratt, The Netherlands
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RESPONSES TO GAMBLING
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There are so many things that we can become addicted to, and tastes are so different! My sister has a friend whose addiction is to jaywalking -- and, although he is run over by vehicles rather regularly, keeps on doing it...
1. Alcoholics Anonymous works extremely well for people quitting drinking, and I understand that there are similar organizations for people with other addictions. (I want to look for or found a Backbiters Anonymous so we can learn not to backbite!) If available (and since the gambler is willing to make an effort and has acknowledged the problem) Gamblers Anonymous ought to be a good option.
2. Why would God make us with the capacity to become addicted to things? I think that the addiction response / reflex / propensity may be related to the capacity to become contemplatively devoted to God. Teaching as hard as Dr. Muhajir (Hand of the Cause of God for the Baha'i Faith), who told us years ago: "Destroy your lives for the Faith", is quite like ending up on Skid Row, just healthier and saner. In psychoanalysis, there is what they call the Rumpelstiltskin response, in which, once one can name the problem, it goes away. There may be barriers to turning one's life over to God that are not so strong against giving every minute and dollar to the casino -- but, this drive to follow one craving may be a sign of a profound capacity to leave everything and develop spiritually just as doggedly!
- Bernarda & Sam DuBois-Bravo
**********
This is something a Local Spiritual Assembly could advise on. They might send you to Gamblers Anonymous. In any case you would have the authority of the Local Spiritual Assembly to help you make the decisions you must make.
You say he is "turning to God" and "continuing to gamble". Which? Gamblers Anonymous - 1-800-GAM1234 - knows the difference. You will not win this one without them.
- Nancy Walker
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A READER IS REQUESTING ASSISTANCE
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"Does anyone with diabetes, and insulin-dependent, have experience of other treatments (e.g. particular foods, a specific therapy, a type of exercise, a particularly meaningful prayer or meditation etc.) that have definitely lowered blood sugar or reduced insulin intake. I want firsthand experiences and not theory."
(Editor's note: Please send your responses to -- and then your messages will be passed on to the person requesting assistance.)
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QUESTION OF THE MONTH
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The steps for staying healthy which are excerpts from "Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom" written by Dr. Christiane Northup will be reprinted in the November issue. Please share your steps for staying healthy.
****************
WEB SITE
****************
You can visit the website, obtain back issues and the Healing Through Unity Course at: http://www.healingthroughunity.org.
********************************************
PURPOSE OF THE NEWSLETTER
********************************************
"Healing Through Unity" is published for the purpose of sharing thoughts, comments and experiences on how the teachings of the Baha'i Faith are being applied to physical and spiritual health. Other than the quoted Holy Writings, the material in this newsletter represents the thoughts and opinions of the writers and has no authority. You are free to copy articles, provided you indicate the source of the article. There are 10 issues per year; it is not published during July and August. The newsletter is produced in Ontario, Canada.
Please send your stories, comments, suggestions or "Question for the Month" ideas to Frances Mezei by e-mail: fmezei@sentex.net.
PLEASE NOTE:
Many thanks to all of you who send such wonderful contributions for "Healing Through Unity" Newsletter. The decision to select and edit material submitted for publication is determined by the editor.
HEALING THROUGH UNITY
November, 2003
A monthly newsletter dedicated to serving the principles of
physical and spiritual health envisioned in the Baha'i Teachings.Volume 7, Issue #3
______________________________________________________Contents
---------------
- Editor's Message
- Steps For Healing
- Dynamics of Prayer for Solving Problems
- More responses to Arthritis
- Website
- Purpose of the Newsletter***************************
EDITOR'S MESSAGE
***************************
The November issue will be my last issue. Lynn Ascrizzi, the new editor of the "Healing Through Unity" newsletter, will send out her first issue in January, 2004. There will be no December issue to allow for the transition of the newsletter. I am delighted that the newsletter will continue to grow consistently and strongly into the future. Lynn is eager and enthusiastic about her new role and is looking forward to hearing from you.
Please send all your articles, responses, letters and stories to Lynn Ascrizzi
The newsletter needs one person to be the 'Production and Circulation Assistant' to help with the mailouts and updating of the mailing list. This person would be responsible to send the newsletter to the readers each month (10 issues per year; it is not published during July or August), updating email addresses and adding/deleting subscribers. I use Microsoft Outlook 2000 which works well for this purpose. It would be helpful if this person has good computer skills and is well-organized, orderly, and efficient. It will be important that the program used will receive continual antivirus updating to keep it secure against virus/worm/trojan vulnerabilities. If you are interested to serve in this voluntary position for the newsletter, please contact me at -- . Thank you!
Many thanks for all your articles, letters, and stories which were a balm to so many people.
Warmest regards
Frances Mezei
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STEPS FOR HEALING
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This is being reprinted from the May, 1999 issue of the Healing Through Unity newsletter.
The following excerpts from "Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom" written by Dr. Christiane Northup (obstetrician and gynecologist) outlines 12 practical steps for healing. They are taken from chapter 15, pages 579 - 641. Although it's written for women, men could benefit just as well from it. "These steps have proved helpful to women who want to become more deeply in tune with the inner guidance of their bodies, minds and spirits. By going through the steps mindfully, you will be practicing preventive medicine at its best, whether or not you are currently being treated for anything. I'd recommend that you use a journal to write down your responses to these steps and record whatever material comes up for you." (ibid, 579)
Imagine Your Future: Change Your Consciousness, Change Your Cells
"For years, I had my patients begin their health journeys by exploring their pasts to find clues to how they were creating their present conditions...It is really our vision and hope for the future that heals us and draws us forward. Our cells keep replacing themselves daily, and we create a whole new body every seven years. So it is not really accurate to say that our pasts are locked in our bodies. What is really going on is that the consciousness that is creating our cells is often locked in the past - and that consciousness keeps re-creating the same old patterns. If, however, we can change the consciousness that creates our cells, then our cells and lives improve automatically. The easiest and fastest way to do this is to imagine your future self in as much detail as you possibly can. You can ask yourself this question: 'If you were in optimal health, what would your life look like?'" (ibid, pp. 579-80)
Step One: Get Your History Straight
"It is helpful for each woman to get her medical, social, and family history straight.." Dr. Northrup has "each patient fill out an extensive questionnaire that covers not only their medical history but their family history and a "daily living profile' in which they check off the effects of their living situation, job, relationships, and other factors on their health. Many of our patients find that taking the time to pull all this information together enables them to see patterns that they had not seen before." (ibid, p. 582)
Step Two: Sort Through Your Beliefs
Dr. Northrup asks us these questions suggesting that we consult them with a friend, and then write down the responses.
"Do you understand how inherited cultural attitudes toward our female physiological processes such as menstruation and menopause have contributed to the illnesses suffered by our female bodies?"
"Do you believe you can be healthy?"
"What challenges were part of your childhood?"
"What purpose does your illness serve? What does it mean to you?"
"Are you willing to be open to any messages that your symptoms or illness may have for you?"
"When faced with an illness, what is your usual reaction?"
"What is preventing you from healing yourself?"
"Do you still take on everyone else's problems and put yourself last? This is the classic dilemma for women. Feeling the need to be the healer and peacemaker for our entire family or place of work is a pattern that many of us learn in childhood. To create health, a woman must face this tendency squarely and commit to changing it."
"Do you fully understand the workings of your female body and how intimately your thoughts and feelings are connected to your physical health?"
"Are you following your life's purpose?
Our bodies are designed to function best when we're involved in activities and work that feel exactly right to us." (ibid, pp. 590-601)
Step Three: Respect and Release Your Emotions
"Emotions are a vital part of our inner guidance. Like our illnesses, our dreams, and our lives, our emotions are ours, and we must own them and pay attention to them. We must learn to feel our emotions, release our judgements about them, and be grateful for their guidance. They let us know how we are directing our life-energy. Chronic anger or sadness, by the law of attraction, tends to attract situations to us that are filled with anger or sadness. Daily doses of joy and appreciation of ourselves and others tend to attract joy and appreciation into our lives.
Children automatically know how to feel their emotions and then let go. When they're hurt, they stop and cry. After just a short time, they're back out playing again. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross points out that a child's natural anger and emotional outburst around it lasts about fifteen seconds. Shaming or blaming the child for that anger, however, blocks its natural release. The child's natural emotion may get stuck and become a form of self-pity that remains with the person for years! Kubler-Ross points out that people who weren't allowed a natural expression of anger are often 'marinated in self-pity' as adults and are difficult to be around...It takes a great deal of energy to hold in our natural emotions. In fact, it's exhausting. If we haven't felt our feelings regularly during a period of personal crisis or change, we often have a backlog of sealed-off emotion stored up in our bodies.
Emotional suppression is a pattern that gets passed down from generation to generation. Many women have a natural rage that's been held in check for decades. They hold in oceans of tears that are yet to be shed." (ibid, pp.
601-602)
Step Four: Learn to Listen to Your Body
"Learning to listen to and respect your body is a process that requires patience and compassion.
* Make a note of those things in your life that are difficult, painful, joyful, etc. As these things come up, notice your breathing, your heart rate, and your bodily sensation.
* Pay attention to what your body feels like. Do you feel like crying?
* What is your image of yourself?
* Notice how you routinely talk to your body. What happens when you look in the mirror each morning? Do you criticize your face, your legs, your hair?
* Pay attention to your thoughts and observe how they affect your body.
* Notice what your body needs on a daily basis.
* Notice whether there are parts of your body that you have disowned.
* When you experience a bodily sensation such as back pain, "a gut reaction", a headache, or abdominal pain, pay attention to it and see if you can pinpoint the emotional situation that may have triggered it.
* Stand in front of a mirror regularly, and thank your body for all it has done for you. (ibid, pp. 604-606)
Step Five: Learn to Respect Your Body
"Almost all women in the United States have a body image distortion because of the millions of images of 'perfect' airbrushed women that the media flash at us continually. We begin comparing ourselves with these icons of perfection even before puberty. Thus, we often relate to our bodies via negative comparisons: "My hips are too fat, my knees are ugly, my hair is too thin." (ibid, p. 607)
"Our approach to dressing, makeup, hair, and personal care can be well served by the wisdom of Dolly Parton, who said, 'Find out who you are, then do it on purpose.' If we can find out who we are on the inside, we can then express it on the outside." (ibid, p. 609)
Step Six: Acknowledge a Higher Power or Inner Wisdom
"Our bodies are permeated and nourished by spiritual energy and guidance. Having faith and trust in this reality is an important part of creating health. When a woman has faith in something greater than her intellect or her present circumstances, she is in touch with her inner source of power." (ibid, p. 610)
"When we invite the sacred into our lives by sincerely asking our inner wisdom, or higher power, or God for guidance in our lives, we're invoking great power. This can't be taken lightly. The reason people are cynical about this and make fun of it is that they are afraid. When you sincerely invite in the sacred to assist you with your life, you are granting permission for your life to change." (ibid, p. 611-612)
Editor's comment: Here are quotes from the Baha'i Writings that states, "All true healing comes from God" (Abdu'l-Baha, Paris Talks, p.19) and "Turn thy sight unto thyself, that thou mayest find Me standing within thee, mighty, powerful and self-subsisting." (Baha'u'llah, Hidden Words, Arabic #13)
Step Seven: Reclaim the Fullness of Your Mind
"If we are to reclaim the wisdom of our bodies, we must also reclaim our intellects, our minds, and our ability to think. Once we have experienced how intimately our thoughts and bodily symptoms are related and how intelligent we are, our thinking is less distracted by cultural hypnosis and we trust our inner voice.
Journal writing, writing practice, and meditation are methods that many have used to successfully get in touch with their inner voices and get to know their minds...I learned through my writing that my thoughts have order, direction, and intelligence, and that these are all related to my well being.
To become free of thoughts and beliefs that don't serve you, you must be able to hear them as they arise. Writing practice is a profound tool for learning how to hear ourselves and to appreciate the multi model nature of our thoughts. Everyone has this ability, but it is devalued and therefore underdeveloped in our culture....For years, the word 'worthy' came up in my writing because on some deep level I didn't feel 'worthy'. I spent hours asking myself what I meant by this word. Images of school, authorities, and tests always arose around this word. Eventually, my meditation on the word 'worthy' led me to a breakthrough understanding of the original sin of being female. How could I have felt worthy, given my cultural programming?
If a word or phrase continually comes into your mind, it is important - it has meaning for you. Explore it. Write about it. Meditate on it. It will have meaning for you, no matter what it is.
I often ask patients to carry out a dialogue with their bodily symptoms or with the organ that is giving them problems, through writing, meditation, or drawing. Sitting with your journal open while being receptive to your thoughts, ask your body what it needs or what it is trying to tell you." (ibid, p. 615-618)
Editor's note: Abdu'l-Baha explains the effects of emptying our minds: "I now assure thee...that if thy mind become empty and pure from every mention and thought and thy heart attracted wholly to the Kingdom of God, forget all else besides God and come in communion with the Spirit of God, then the Holy Spirit will assist thee with a power which will enable thee to penetrate all things, and a Dazzling Spark which enlightens all sides, a Brilliant Flame in the zenith of the heaven, will teach thee that which thou dost not know of the facts of the universe and of the divine doctrine." (Abdu'l-Baha, Baha'i World Faith, p. 369)
Step Eight: Get Help
"Asking for help does not mean that we are weak or incompetent. It usually indicates an advanced level of honesty and intelligence." -Anne Wilson Schaef (ibid, p. 622)
"Setting aside time and money to go and talk with a skilled listener can be invaluable....Many therapists have helped people begin to look at their lives differently and effect change. A good therapist should be like a midwife, standing by while someone gives birth to what's best in themselves." (ibid, p. 622)
"There are many different kinds of therapists. The entire field has been changing in response to evolving knowledge about addiction, recovery and the influence of childhood trauma. Therapy is not something that should go on for years, in my view. When it does, it can become an addictive process in and of itself. All relationships, therapeutic or otherwise, work best when the participants see each other as essentially whole beings with inner resources and strengths, though sometimes in temporary need of assistance.
Though individual therapy is often a first step for many women, group work of some kind can be powerful in that this setting helps us see that our problems are shared by so many others." (ibid, p 624)
"It has been my experience that women with histories of trauma recover most effectively in a type of group therapy known as DBT (Dialective Behavioral Therapy). This form of therapy focuses not exclusively on the past trauma, but on helping people develop the skills necessary to live productive, healthy lives in the present. I have found that it is not generally helpful to these women to spend a great deal of time revisiting the past, where it is too easy to get stuck in pain and immobility. Instead, women with trauma histories need to learn to develop the skills that they never developed in childhood. In DBT training, women learn to answer the following questions and then take effective, balanced action.
* What am I feeling?
* What is the purpose of this feeling?
* What do I need to do for myself to deal effectively with this feeling?
I have seen more improvement in women's lives with this model than with any of the others. These skills are practical and helpful for everyone, not just those with histories of trauma." (ibid, 625)
Step Nine: Work with Your Body
"For some women, talking things out is simply not enough. 'I know all of the things that happened to me as a child and with my husband,' said one woman, 'but talking about it just doesn't change a thing. I seem to be going in circles.' When this happens, we often obsess and seem to spin our wheels. It's easy to get locked into 'thought addiction' - a kind of gerbil wheel in the brain that keeps us going around in circles.
Much of the information we need to heal is locked in our muscles and other body parts. Getting a good massage will often release old energy blockages and help us cry or get rid of chronic pain for 'holding the world on our shoulders'. There are many types of bodywork such as Reiki, acupuncture, therapeutic touch, Rolfing, etc.
Work on and with the body can be an opportunity for understanding and experiencing the unity of our bodymind. These therapies are often deeply relaxing and give our bodies a chance to rest and sleep, a time when much of the body's repair work goes on." (ibid, p. 628)
Step Ten: Gather Information
"Currently, more books of interest to women are available than at any other time in history....I recommend going to your bookstore or library and using your inner guidance to help you make a choice. Acknowledge that you have the wisdom to choose the right book at the right time. Just sit with the books for a while and look over a few titles. See which ones speak to you. Choose the ones that feel right and have appeal. You cannot make a mistake....It is a powerful experience for women to begin to reclaim our forgotten history by reading about our bodies, menstruation and childbirth, all written from a women's point of view." (ibid, p. 629)
Step Eleven: Forgive
"Forgiveness frees us. It heals our bodies and our lives. But it is also the most difficult step we must take in our healing process. It takes a great deal of energy to keep someone out of our hearts...Forgiveness and making amends are completely linked. Holding a grudge and maintaining hatred or resentment hurts us as least as much as the other person.
"To get to forgiveness, we first have to work through the painful experiences that require it. Forgiveness doesn't mean that what happened to us was okay. It simply means that we are no longer willing to allow that experience to adversely affect our lives. Forgiveness is something we do, ultimately, for ourselves." (ibid, p. 631)
Step Twelve: Actively Participate in Your Life
"Watch children for a while and you will begin to see what qualities you need to embody to wake up your soul and your immune system regularly. Most young children know exactly what they want. We are all born with an innate ability to know what we want. We are then socialized to believe that we can't have what we want, and so gradually dismiss our innermost desires, our life's passion, to avoid disappointment.
Get out a piece of paper and write on the top of it, 'I intend to receive...', or 'I choose...' Then write in what you want. For example, "I intend to receive a strong, healthy body'. Notice that the word receive and choose indicates that you don't have to work for this. You just have to allow it to come. Now write down exactly why you want what you want, so that you can literally feel the excitement generated by your enthusiasm. In one example: ' I intend to receive this because I want to feel powerful. I want my body to be an instrument that is highly attuned to my needs. I want a body that is a reflection of the beauty that is inside me. I want a body that is capable of getting me where I want to go.' The positive emotional energy generated by this experience literally begins to draw the experience of health to you." (ibid, p. 638)
"Write down your lifetime goals. Over the past ten years, I've written down my goals for each year. I have written down a five-year plan and a ten-year plan at the same time. When I look back, the amazing thing is that I've accomplished almost every one of my goals - even the ones I later forgot about. The very process of writing them down and thinking about them sets something magical into motion." (ibid, p. 640)
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DYNAMICS OF PRAYER FOR SOLVING PROBLEMS
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"The five steps were suggested by the beloved Guardian Shoghi Effendi to a believer as a means of finding a solution through the use of prayer. This statement belongs to the category of statements known as "pilgrims notes", and has such as no authority, but since it seems to be particularly helpful and clear it was felt that believers should not be deprived of it.
1st step:
Pray and meditate about it. Use the prayers of the Manifestations as they have the greatest power. Then remain in the silence of contemplation for a few minutes.
2nd step:
Arrive at a decision and hold this. This decision is usually born during the contemplation. It may seem almost impossible of accomplishment but if it seems to be an answer to a prayer or a way of solving the problem, then immediately take the next step.
3rd step:
Have determination to carry the decision through. Many fail here. The decision, budding into determination, is blighted and instead becomes a wish or a vague longing. When determination is born, immediately take the next step.
4th step:
Have faith and confidence that the power will flow through you, the right way will appear, the door will open, the right thought, the right message, the right principle, or the right book will be given to you. Have confidence and the right thing will come to your need. Then, as you rise from prayer, take at once the 5th step.
5th step:
Act as though it had all been answered. Then act with tireless, ceaseless energy. And as you act, you, yourself, will become a magnet, which will attract more power to your being, until you become an unobstructed channel for the Divine power to flow through you.
Many pray but do not remain for the last half of the first step. Some who meditate arrive at a decision, but fail to hold it. Few have the determination to carry the decision through, still fewer have the confidence that the right thing will come to their need. But how many remember to act as though it had all been answered? How true are these words "Greater than the prayer is the spirit in which it is uttered" and greater than the way it is uttered is the spirit in which it is carried out." (Baha'i Prayers, Baha'i Publishing Trust of the Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Malaysia, p. 127)
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MORE RESPONSES TO ARTHRITIS
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I would suggest that any information gathered from personal experiences should carry a disclaimer regarding such a debilitating disease such as arthritis. In reading the article, there is no separation or distinction between two of the most common types of arthritis: osteoarthrhritis and rheumatoid arthritis. There are many more types that occur less frequently.
RA (rheumatoid arthritis) is very serious and is an autoimmune disease. That is the body attacks itself in the joints. Osteoarthritis or OA is found more as people age and what people usually associate with arthritis. There is some evidence that diet does have an effect on RA including adding Omega 3 fatty acids, flax seed oil and vitamin E to the diet but any addition should be done under supervision of a doctor as the medicine's used to treat RA can cause serious side effects.
- Joye Le Beau
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I suffer from arthritis in almost every joint. My wonderful medical doctor has arranged free regular massage for me which helps, but I also take glucosomine and MSN ( a natural sulphur product - methlysulfonylmethane) and gain great benefit from these. Diet is important too, having replaced most dairy products with soy (which has other benefits also including the fact I never seem to get a cold these days) A natural and almost vegetarian diet helps, and I am often reminded how Abdu'l-Baha spoke of how in the future the world will exist on mainly vegetarian foods.
- Polly Nash, New Zealand
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WEB SITE
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You can visit the website, obtain back issues and the Healing Through Unity Course at: http://www.healingthroughunity.org.
********************************************
PURPOSE OF THE NEWSLETTER
********************************************
"Healing Through Unity" is published for the purpose of sharing thoughts, comments and experiences on how the teachings of the Baha'i Faith are being applied to physical and spiritual health. Other than the quoted Holy Writings, the material in this newsletter represents the thoughts and opinions of the writers and has no authority. You are free to copy articles, provided you indicate the source of the article. There are 10 issues per year; it is not published during July and August. The newsletter is produced in Ontario, Canada.
Please send your stories, comments, suggestions or "Question for the Month" ideas to dreams@uninets.net
PLEASE NOTE:
Many thanks to all of you who send such wonderful contributions for "Healing Through Unity" Newsletter. The decision to select and edit material submitted for publication is determined by the editor.
HEALING THROUGH UNITY
January, 2004
A monthly newsletter dedicated to serving the principles of
physical and spiritual health envisioned in the Bahaíi TeachingsVolume 8, Issue No.1
_______________________________________________________Contents
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ó Greetings from Editor
ó Healing Touch
ó Putting the Heart Back Into Nursing
ó Learn More About Healing Touch
ó Healing Through the Holy Spirit
ó Reflections (A column)
ó Question of the Month
ó Web site
ó Purpose of the Newsletter******************************************
GREETINGS FROM THE EDITOR
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Here in rural Maine, United States, winter has well settled in. Outside the home my husband and I built ourselves years ago, vegetable and perennial flower gardens are sleeping under snow, confident of approaching spring. This fall, I planted at least 100 garlic bulbs in nicely turned, rich soil, which are now hidden beneath a beech-leaf and hay mulch.
Likewise, tulips, crocuses and other spring bulbs planted in autumn are also filled with secret life, waiting for their release into the spring sun. By now, they have put down little roots in preparation for a new season, which in this neck of the woods, might arrive in April, if we are lucky.
For all of you blessed with a fertile patch of ground or a sunny windowsill lined with clay pots, gardening is a source of physical and spiritual health. My garden gives me fresh greens, herbs, beans, onions, carrots, tomatoes and other wholesome foods, all of which are grown organically (without pesticides or chemicals).
Then, there is the marvelous physical exercise that comes from turning a pitch fork or pushing a garden cart filled with compost. What to some of you may sound like hard labor, to me, is a veritable oasis, a welcome complement to long hours spent sitting at a desk, writing features for the local newspaper. Above all, there is the incomparable natural beauty found in the seasonal progression of flowers and birds.
Gardens feed the soul. One small seed can feed multitudes.
..
One of my favorite prayers, penned by Bahaíuíllah, the prophet-founder of the Bahaíi faith begins: ìI am O my God but a tiny seed that Thou hast sown in the soil of Thy love, and caused to spring forth by the hand of Thy bounty.î (ìBahaíi Prayers,î pg. 150)
This newsletter is like a tiny but potent seed. Hopefully, you will continue to water this publication with your good thoughts, hard-won wisdom, experience and inspiration, and thereby, help bring encouragement and even better health to others.
In this issue, I am sharing an article about a therapy called Healing Touch and the Bahaíi practitioner who uses this hands-on therapy as an adjunct to her nursing practice. I wrote about her work with healing touch about a year ago. At the time, she lived in Maine but has since moved to Hawaii.
The newsletter is still in need of one person to be the Production and Circulation Assistant to help with mailouts and updating of the mailing list. There is more information regarding this position at the end of the newsletter.
I am grateful for this opportunity to be your new editor. I am deeply indebted to the newsletterís founder and former editor Frances Mezei for her guidance and inspiration. Please let me know what you think of this issue and what you would like to see in its future pages. ó Lynn Ascrizzi
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HANDS FOR HEALING
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By Lynn Ascrizzi
Traditions more than 5,000 years old have described a universal energy that flows through centers in the human spine and activates the life force.
To the Chinese, this basic energy is ìchíiî; to the Christian, ìspiritusî; to Jewish teachings, ìastral light.î
It has been long believed that an imbalance in this energetic system caused illness. Even now, when feeling well, we speak in terms of being ìcharged,î ìin tuneî or ìenergized.î When out of sorts, we say we feel ìlow,î ìunpluggedî or ìdepleted.î
The idea that healing has an energetic connection is older than Hippocrates ó the ìfather of medicineî ó who acknowledged a force-flow from peopleís hands.
ìWe can feel it with our hands. It has cool or no energy, or it emanates as warmth,î said certified Healing Touch practitioner Deanna Starinieri, formerly of Maine, who now lives in Hawaii, USA.
ìNothing is really new,î said Starinieri, a woman with a gentle voice, calm demeanor and vibrant, hazel eyes. ìThis is an old method. In ancient Egypt, they used hands-on healing ó and in Christís time. It is a noninvasive, natural method.î
Starinieri, a registered nurse for 30 years and a member of the Bahaíi faith, is also a certified holistic nurse. While living in Maine, she worked with Dr. Diane Gable in Waterville and assisted Gable with the holistic, bioenergetic healing work begun by Starinieriís husband, the late Dr. H.D. Wong-Ken, D.O.
SEEKING BALANCE
Today, healing touch is a recognized modality, Starinieri said, one intended to be a complementary practice to mainstream medicine.
ìThe current trend is toward integrating mainstream and nonconventional therapies,î she said.
Healing touch originated in the 1980s by Janet Mentgen, R.N., B.S.N. and has since been developed through the American Holistic Nursesí Association. The therapy is used by more than 30,000 nurses and health-care practitioners, according to the healing touch Web site: www.healthingtouch.net
In healing touch, a practitioner seeks to balance what is termed the human energy field and open blocked energy centers (chakras) through various techniques that involve the application of the hands. The method is similar to therapeutic touch, said Starinieri, but it encompasses several different techniques, including therapeutic touch.
Other methods of balancing the energy field are reiki and polarity therapy, she said.
The practitioner uses a series of therapeutic maneuvers and seeks to balance any imbalance or dysfunction in four, interactive energy field layers ó vital, emotional, mental and spiritual ó believed to enfold in a hierarchic fashion about the human body, she said.
ìTraining for healing touch is a very rigorous program,î said Starinieri, who began taking courses in Hawaii in 1995. ìIt took me two-and-a-half years to become certified. It takes a year to do the classes. You have to master the techniques of each level, and there is a yearís mentorship between the last two levels.î
COMING UNDER FIRE
In recent years, however, touch therapy has come under stinging criticism. In part, it reflects the longstanding tension that has existed between alternative and mainstream medicine. Critics have labeled touch therapies as a ìpseudoscienceî and ìthe rough equivalent of the ëlaying on of handsí by tent preachers and televangelists.î
Proponents of alternative therapies, however, point out that mega-drug companies with highly competitive agendas aggressively market drugs with dangerous side-effects, known and unknown. A Jan. 31, 2002 ì60 Minutesî American television program reported that 100,000 people die in the U.S. every year from adverse prescription drug reactions.
Today, the most current research trend in universities and medical centers, like Harvardís Mind/Body Medical Institute, is moving beyond terms like ìalternativeî and ìmainstreamî toward ìintegrativeî medicine, attempting to incorporate the best from every modality that research proves to be effective.
In the transition, an array of alternative methods are being shaken out and scrutinized as never before. The complete results of this research are not known at this time.
Starinieri believes both systems ó mainstream medicine and holistic methods of healing ó are valid. ìWe need to integrate them more. Itís best for the patient. Why not use everything we have?î
HUMAN ENERGY FIELD
Is there a ìhuman energy field,î as healing touch proponents claim? Has it been proven scientifically? And can a person feel or alter this alleged energy with their hands?
Critics, citing a 1998 article in the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA) that debunked touch therapies, insist that no such field exists.
Proponents, like Dorothea Hover-Kramer, Ed.D., R.N., author of ìHealing
Touch: A Resource for Health Care Professionals,î argue that breakthroughs into detecting human energy fields began in the 1950s with Kirlian photography that uses sensitive film, making it possible to photograph a direct image of etheric energy that appears like a corona around the body.
In the late 1970s, coronal discharge photography demonstrated that acupuncture points exist, Hover-Kramer reports in her book.
She also notes that in the 1980s, Japanese physicist Motoyama developed electrode devices that measure the human bioelectrical field at various distances from the surface of the body. He found ìa strong correlation between meridians that are electrically out of balance and the presence of an underlying disease.î
ìWhen we do healing touch, researchers have measured the vibrations that come from the hands of healers,î said Starinieri, referring to a study by nuclear physicist Dr. Robert Beck. ìThey measure at 7.8 to 8 Hertz, the same magnetic field resonance as the earthís,î she said.
BALANCING BLOCKED ENERGY
Starinieri begins a healing touch session with ìcentering,î similar to a brief period of meditation. ìHealing intention is extremely important,î she said.
Then, she sweeps her hands about 2-to-4 inches over the patientís body to assess if there are any energy imbalances or blocks, she explained. In the third phase, she uses her hands with the intent to open the patientís energy blockages or repattern them.
ìWe put our hands on certain energy centers or chakras to unblock them,î she said. ìThen we ëunruffleí the energy field by smoothing it with our hands. You do not have to touch the body; you can work above the energy center.î
She said her hands often become very heated during a session.
ìIt relieves anxiety and decreases stress,î she said, of the hands-on technique. ìIf a person is not anxious, they have a better chance of healing and of activating the healing mechanism within.î
According to Starinieri, Healing Touch techniques have relieved headaches and stress-related symptoms, comforted pre-and post-operative patients, reduced pain and assisted the dying in Hospice programs.
ìYou can see how much more relaxed and peaceful they are. Thatís what healing is ó helping people to be more at peace with themselves and their families. All healing is self-healing. Weíre just facilitators.î
Starinieri did healing touch on a man diagnosed with cancer. Healing touch makes no claims to heal cancer, she noted.
ìThe treatment was to open his energy centers so he can receive universal energy to help with his healing. It also reduces anxiety and relieves pain,î she said.
ìItís a terrific system; it works real well,î said Paul Peters of Winslow, Maine, of his healing touch sessions, while he was recovering from cancer surgery at Maine Medical Center in Portland, Maine.
ìShe did three treatments at my home prior to my operation and one after. It was more than relaxing. I felt more energy ó it was unsurpassable ó from my toes to the top of head. She works on the energy of the individual, by energizing all the chakras. My family couldnít believe the energy I had,î he said.
Starinieri was also asked to do healing touch for a young mother in a coma caused by head injuries sustained in an automobile accident.
ìThere had been no appreciable change in five weeks,î Starinieri said.
She explained her techniques to the family. ìThey stayed in during the session and observed what I did. I demonstrated the change in her energy centers before and after the treatment,î she said.
The next day, she received a phone call from a family member.
ìShe (the young mother) had moved her right leg and hand, opened her eyes for five-and-a-half hours and she smiled. She is now in a rehab program in Boston,î she said. Was it a coincidence?
Starinieri is convinced healing touch had a hand in the response,
ìWhen energy centers (chakras) open, we can be nourished by universal energy. When blocked, we canít receive energy, and so we get sick. Energy is the life force. Our thought forms affect our way of perception. We tend to live our lives the way we see the world.î
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PUTTING THE HEART
BACK INTO NURSING
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By Lynn Ascrizzi
After being a registered nurse for 30 years, Deanna Starinieri of Waterville trained to become a certified holistic nurse. That training opened the way for her to learn Healing Touch, she said, two practices that go hand in hand.
ìHolistic nursing is putting the heart back into nursing,î she said. ìIn nursing schools, weíre told to consider the whole person and their spiritual side. But when you get out into the real nursing world, thatís not how it is. There are so many functions, and a lot of paperwork, medications, supervisory tasks and meetings.î
Holistic nursing puts the focus back on the spiritual, emotional, and mental aspects of the patient, not just their physical being, she said.
ìIf you center yourself to where youíre grounded, and focus on the person, they can feel that and will relate to you differently. Holistic nursing teaches you a different way to relate with people.
ìYou really try to make eye contact. See how they are feeling. If you keep yourself centered, they will feel comfortable with you. When the heart is grounded, you are not scattered but fully present with that person, in the moment.î
Starinieri takes time every morning to center herself using techniques she learned from her Healing Touch courses.
First, she visualizes a beam of light from a point two inches below the navel called the ìtantienî that she believes goes to the center of the earth and comes back up to the tantien point, she said.
She also visualizes a beam of light going to the heart center and up to a point along the crown of the head, an energy center called the ìcrown chakra.î
A second centering technique is to visualize roots coming down from the bottom of her feet, grounding her to the earth.
ìThis grounding technique has been proven; people who are grounded stay firm on their feet when you push against them,î she said.
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LEARN MORE ABOUT
HEALING TOUCH
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ï ìHealing Touch: A Resource for Health Care Professionals,î by Dorothea Hover-Kramer, Ed.D, R.N., with Janet Mentgen, B.S.N., R.N., and Sharon Scandrett-Hibdon (Delmar Publishers, 1996), Nurse-as-Healer series. Basic concepts, describes layers of human energy field and energy centers, Healing Touch applications used in clinical settings, case examples, self-help techniques and developing a practice.
ï For the Healing Touch Web site: www.healingtouch.net
ï For a Web site that covers both sides of the Healing Touch controversy ó favorable and skeptical: www.phact.org/e/tt
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HEALING WITH HOLY SPIRIT
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ëAbdu'l-Baha says:
"He who is filled with love of Baha, and forgets all things, the Holy Spirit will be heard from his lips and the spirit of life will fill his heart....Words will issue from his lips in strands of pearls, and all sickness and disease will be healed by the laying on of the hands." ( Cited in "Baha'u'llah and the New Era", by J.E.Esselmont, pg. 112)
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REFLECTIONS
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By Claire Cline
Our reality is that we are a soul. Our soul does not exist in the physical world that our bodies inhabit; therefore, we need to think about the terms ìhealthî and ìhealingî in two different ways.
I think we are all aware that there are physical and spiritual illnesses and that they can often be interrelated. Sometimes the cause of a physical illness is due to a lack of a spiritual condition. Even the world as a whole is sick ó environmentally and sociologically ó i.e., the interactions and behaviors between individuals and nations.
So, sickness can be that of the body or of the body politic. In both cases, disease can come from both a physical and a spiritual imbalance. Unhealthy living conditions cause sickness, but allowing those conditions to exist is a spiritual (moral and ethical) illness.
The culture we see reflected in the media is compulsive on the subject of the physical body. It reflects little about our spiritual health. One ad I saw for body lotion had the audacity to relate the use of its cream to a spiritual experience!
Whether the body is ill from a purely physical cause or because the individual is living a spiritually deficient existence, the illness needs both a medical healing and a spiritual (prayerful) healing. To heal only the body is not sufficient.
It is inevitable, however, that despite our best efforts to keep healthy, and not withstanding the efforts of the most enlightened physicians and their medicines and potions, we will get sick. We may also be healed.
Some significant thoughts for me on healing and health center around the Bahaíi healing prayer that says: ìThy mercy to me is my healing and my succor in both this world and the world to come.î (Bahaíuíllah, Bahaíi Prayers, pg. 87)
A woman told ëAbduíl-Baha that she was afraid of death. (The ultimate illness, some might think!) He said to her, ìThen do something that will keep you from dying; that will instead, day by day, make you more alive and bring you everlasting life. . . . ëthose who enter the Kingdom of God will never die.í Then enter the Divine Kingdom, and fear death no more.î (ìVignettes From the Life of ëAbduíl-Baha,î collected and edited by Annamarie Honnold, pg. 59)
ìBahaíuíllah is the real Physician. He has diagnosed human conditions and indicated the necessary treatment. The essential principles of His healing remedies are the knowledge and love of God, severance from all else save God, turning our faces in sincerity toward the kingdom of God, implicit faith, firmness and fidelity, loving-kindness toward all creatures and the acquisition of divine virtues. . . . These are the secret of everlasting health, the remedy and healing of man.î (íAbduíl-Baha, Promulgation of Universal Peace, pg. 205)
One last thought: ëAbdu'lí-Baha said that the above-mentioned conditions are ìindicated for the human world and are fundamental principles of progress, civilization, international peace and the unity of mankind.î
Claire Cline lives in Augusta, Maine, USA
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A READER RESPONDS
TO SUBJECT OF DIABETES
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On Dr. Hulda Clark's Web site, there is a protocol she has used for diabetics that includes many testimonials. My husband has had diabetes for several years and has only treated it holistically, as that is the type of health care we use.
The name of Clark's book is ìA Cure For All Disease.î Her Web site is www.drclark.net If you have any questions, e-mail me, at: mikliag@juno.com ó Kim Polk
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QUESTION OF THE MONTH
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ìAnimal food is not forbidden, but ëAbduíl-Baha says: ëThe food of the future will be fruits and grains. The time will come when meat will no longer be eaten. Medical science is only in its infancy, yet it has shown that our natural food is that which grows out of the ground.í î(ìTen Days in the Light of Akkaî by Julia M. Grundy)
ìIt is therefore evident, that it is possible to cure by foods, aliments, and fruits; but as today the science of medicine is imperfect, this fact is not yet fully grasped. When the science of medicine reaches perfection, treatment will be given by foods, aliments, fragrant fruits, and vegetables and by various waters, hot and cold in temperature.îó ëAbduíl-Baha (ìSome Answered Questionsî, 258-9)
QUESTION: I am convinced that simplifying my diet is necessary for my well-being and health. But how do you prepare simple foods well and make them appetizing? Does anyone have whole-foods recipes to share using grains, vegetables and fruits? I am looking for ways to make whole-grain breads (no refined white flour or yeast), hearty soups, casseroles, stews, salads and the like ó recipes that use basic, easy-to-find, FRESH ingredients (nothing canned or frozen), are easy to prepare, have NO refined sugar, use only unsaturated fats like olive oil ó yet, will taste delicious.
EDITORíS NOTE: If we get enough whole-foods recipes, we could start an, ongoing, reader-recipe-swap column within this newsletter. Please make sure your recipes are kitchen-tested and double-check all ingredients before submitting.
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PLEASE SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS
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All of us have had healing experiences ó physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual. Please share your stories and other ideas about staying healthy in a stressful world. Your articles do not have to be long ó just a few paragraphs will suffice. Encouragement is a big part of a healthy lifestyle and sharing stories and ideas that work for you brings encouragement to others.
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WEB SITE
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You can visit the web site, obtain back issues and the Healing Through Unity Course at: http://www.healingthroughunity.org.
********************************************
PURPOSE OF THE NEWSLETTER
********************************************
"Healing Through Unity" is published for the purpose of sharing thoughts, comments and experiences on how the teachings of the Baha'i Faith are being applied to physical and spiritual health. Other than the quoted Holy Writings, the material in this newsletter represents the thoughts and opinions of the writers and has no authority. None of the material published in this newsletter is intended to be a substitute for the advice of your physician. You are free to copy articles, provided you indicate the source of the article. There are 10 issues per year; it is not published during July and August. The newsletter is produced in Freedom, Maine, USA.
WHERE TO SEND STORIES:
Many thanks to all of you who share helpful ideas for "Healing Through Unity" Newsletter. The decision to select and edit material submitted for publication is determined by the editor.
Please e-mail your stories, comments, suggestions or "Question for the Month" ideas to newsletter editor Lynn Ascrizzi, at: dreams@uninets.net
SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION:
Please e-mail all new subscriptions, subscription cancellations and e-mail address changes (please include old address along with new one) to --
LOOKING FOR NEW CIRCULATION
AND PRODUCTION ASSISTANT
The newsletter is still in need of one person to be the Production and Circulation Assistant to help with mailouts and updating of the mailing list. This person would be responsible for sending the newsletter to readers each month (10 issues per year; it is not published during July or August), updating e-mail addresses and adding/deleting subscribers. This person must have Microsoft Outlook 2000 or an upgraded version, should have good computer skills and be well-organized, orderly, and efficient. If you are interested to serve in this voluntary position for the newsletter, please contact -- Thank you!
HEALING THROUGH UNITY
February, 2004
A monthly newsletter dedicated to serving the principles of
physical and spiritual health envisioned in the Bahaíi TeachingsVolume 8, Issue No.2
_______________________________________________________CONTENTS
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ó Herbal Recipes for Five Senses
--- Still Looking for Production Assistant
ó Counsels on Eating Simply
ó Readers Respond to Question of the Month
ï Cookbook Confidence
ï Virtues of Virgin Coconut Oil
ó Whole Foods Recipe Swap
ó Buckwheat and Your Blood Sugar
ó Whittle Waistline with High Fiber and Whole Grains
---- Baha'i Conference on Health and Healing
ó Readers Request Assistance
ó Question of the Month
ó Letters
ó Web site
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HERBAL RECIPES
FOR THE FIVE SENSES
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By Pat Blake
Ever since I was young, I have been very excited and involved in the healing methods involving herbs and foods that grew near me. I truly believe those herbaceous neighbors living right under our feet are there to protect us, feed us and keep us well.
Almost every day, we hear in the media about some new discovery in the ethno-botanical world. Sometimes the claims are a bit outrageous, such as the huge amounts of weight we can lose by sipping the newest wonder tea. Hopefully, we are all sensible enough to be wary of such miraculous claims. We must realize, that ultimately, we are all responsible for the choices we make. When you look to make choices from plants that grow close to the earth, you know you are on the right track to wellness.
The idea that herbs and other plants have healthful properties has always been an integral part of my lifestyle, so when I became a Bahaíi many years ago, I was not surprised to learn that the teachings in my chosen faith state: ìTreat disease through diet; and if you find what is required in a single herb, do not resort to compounded medication." (ëAbduíl-Baha, ìBahaíuíllah and the New Era,î p. 106).
And: "The people of Baha must develop the science of medicine to such a high degree that they will heal illnesses by means of foods." (ëAbduíl-Baha, ìSelections from the Writings of ëAbduíl-Baha,î p. 153.)
Along with a dear friend, I developed a five-class, herbal series devoted to our senses. Did you know that there are herbs to support and protect those senses?
In most studies, herbalists concentrate on our bodyís systems, so it is a bit of a twist to think in terms of sight, smell, taste, touch and hearing and the herbs that go with each.
The following are recipes to suit each sense.
TASTE
Rosemary Cookies
One-half cup butter
1 cup raw sugar *
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or rose water
1 and one-half cups flour
One-quarter teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
One-half teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
Cream the butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla until fluffy. Sift flour with the salt, baking powder, rosemary and lemon peel. Stir in the creamed mixture.
Place dough on waxed paper or foil sheet and roll into log. Refrigerate 4-12 hours or freeze for 1 hour. Slice one-quarter inch thick and place on ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 8-10 minutes.
What a taste surprise to find a healing herb such as rosemary in a cookie.
* Note: For those who do not want to use sugar, I would not rule out trying honey in the same amount to see what happens, then adding a bit more flour to make the dough dry enough to handle. I suggest fig powder instead of raw sugar. It has a very different flavor, but the rosemary should still come through. We are talking about the ìspiritî of taste after all. Do not be afraid to experiment. I say there are no failures when cooking ó just variations.
SIGHT
Dr. Dukeís Soup for the Eyes
(Adapted from James Duke, Ph.D., ìGreen Pharmacyî)
2 cups fresh or canned pumpkin
2 cups fresh orange sections
1 cup carrots
1 cup sweet potato
2 teaspoons grated fresh orange rind
Put all ingredients in a saucepan with 1 and one-half cups pink grapefruit juice (add a little sweetener if you must) along with turmeric and paprika. Cook until the vegetables are tender. Put through a food processor and serve hot with a sprinkle of coconut.
Your mother always told you, "Bunnies can see at night because they eat their carrots". She was right.
SMELL
Dr. Dukeís Sinus Soup
(Adapted from James Duke, Ph.D., ìGreen Pharmacy.î)
Start with your favorite, basic minestrone soup and add heaping helpings of:
Garlic and/or onions
Horseradish
Hot peppers
Ginger
This soup ìwarms the soul while it opens the sinuses!î
HEARING
Garlic Oil
This recipe is for earaches, swimmerís ear or hearing loss due to a buildup of wax. Mullein flower may be added.
Crush a clove of fresh garlic in 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Warm it on the stove. Let it cool to room temperature or slightly warmer. Place a few drops of the oil in the affected ear and gently put a cotton ball in the ear to keep the oil from running out.
Note: If there is any sign of perforated eardrum, do NOT put anything in the ear and call your health-care provider.
This recipe smells so good that you may be tempted to use it in your next stir-fry.
TOUCH
Basic Salve
Combine 4 parts oil with 1 part beeswax. (Add more beeswax for a stiffer salve.) Heat together just enough to blend ingredients. Pour into small containers.
The oil can be a blend of herbal oils, such as calendula, comfrey and St. Johnís wort. Vitamin E can be added as a preservative and healing property.
Use on chapped lips, rough hands, scrapes, simple rashes or wind-burned skin. This is safe for use on pets and partners.
Some of these recipes come from a good friend and teacher, Dr. James Duke, with whom I studied at the Humboldt Institute* in Steuben, Maine. There are times a week-long workshop can change the direction of oneís life. This was one of these classes. If you are at all interested in the healing art of herbs, I encourage you to look into this institute.
Enjoy making these recipes, and I wish you the best of health always.
Pat Blake is a master gardener, herbalist and co-producer of the periodical Herbal News. For more about her newsletter: www.nativeway.net
(* Humboldt Field Research Institute, Eagle Hill Foundation, PO Box 9, 59 Eagle Hill Road, Steuben, Maine 04680-0009 Phone: 207-546-2821; FAX 207-546-3042 Web
site: www.eaglehill.us e-mail: office@eaglehill.us)
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STILL LOOKING FOR
A PRODUCTION ASSISTANT
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The newsletter is still in need of one person to be the Production and Circulation Assistant to help with mailouts and updating of the mailing list. There is more information about this position at the end of this newsletter.
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COUNSELS ON EATING SIMPLY
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"He who overeats, his illness will become severe." (Attributed to Baha'u'llah, in Star of the West, Vol. 21, p. 299)
ìThe Master kept little clothing ó one coat at a time was ample. He ate little food. He was known to begin His day with tea, goatís milk cheese and wheat bread. And at the evening meal a cup of milk and a piece of bread might suffice. He considered the latter a healthy meal. Had not Bahaíuíllah, while at Sulaymaniyyih, subsisted mostly on milk? (Sometimes Bahaíuíllah ate rice and milk cooked together.) ëAbduíl-Bahaís sparse diet also included herbs and olives ó it rarely included meat.î ó (ìVignettes From the Life of ëAbduíl-Baha,î collected and edited by Annamarie Honnold, p. 23.)
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READERS RESPOND
TO QUESTION OF THE MONTH
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Editorís Note: Last month, a reader requested simple, whole-food recipes using grains, vegetables and fruits that use fresh ingredients, no refined products, no sugar, unsaturated oils and taste great.
COOKBOOK CONFIDENCE
I have 25 years experience in alternative healing methods, nutrition, energy work, fitness/personal training, rehabilitation/intensive recoveries, etc. As to the request for healthy recipes, I can lead your readers to the following:
1. "Empty Harvest" by Mark Anderson, Dr. Bernard Jensen
2. "Food Is Your Best Medicine" by Norman Bieler, M.D.
3. "Laurel's Kitchen" by Laurel Robertson
4 "Allergy Cooking With Ease" by Nicolette Dumke
5. "Anatomy Of An Illness" by Norman Cousins
6. "Cooking With Brooke" by Melane Lohmann
7. "Deaf Smith Country Cookbook" by Arrowhead Press
8. "Everyone Is An Athlete" by Phillip Maffetone, D.C.
9. "Sugar Blues" by William Dufty
10. "Tired Of Being Tired" by Michael Schmidt, D.C.
11. "The Yeast Connection" by William Crook, M.D.
12. "The Healer Within" by Stephen Locke
13. "No Milk" by Dan Twogood, D.C.
14. "Recipes From An Ecological Kitchen" by Lorna J. Sass
15. "Smart Medicine For A Healthier Child" by Bob Roundtree, M.D.
These are all books in which our friends can have complete confidence. A million thanks for all your efforts, and I love the opening dialogue of the fertile earth waiting to give again to us all in the fragrant breezes of spring. (Jan. 2004 issue) ó Special Baha'i greetings, ó Dede
VIRTUES OF VIRGIN COCONUT OIL
By Glenn Darling
As a 15-year vegan, you can expect that I am very pleased to see the request for healthy recipes in the newsletter. You mentioned using "only unsaturated fats like olive oil." May I suggest the following:
You may have heard the statement "that the fat you eat is the fat you wear." This, with only a couple of exceptions, is very true. It matters not if you use cotton seed or olive oil or anything in between. Almost all of the vegetable oils are composed of LCFAs.... Long Chain Fatty Acids. Your body will store them as fat, if they are not needed by the process of making energy. Which means, that most of it gets stored, because we eat as much as 40 percent of our daily food as vegetable oils.
One particular "saturated" oil, however, is mostly MCFA... Medium Chain Fatty Acids. It is Virgin Coconut oil, and it will actually help a body lose weight, not pack it on. But for some time now, coconut oil has been touted as one of those oils that are bad for you.
Another reason people believe that coconut oil must be bad for you is misguided
association: It is a saturated fat and "saturated fats are all supposed to be bad for you." Dietary guidelines inevitably fail to distinguish between different kinds of saturated fats and insist that saturated fats (meaning all saturated fats) are harmful.
This is not just misleading. It is bad science. Leading scientists now recognize that just as there is good cholesterol, there are also good saturated fats.
Fats are classified as short-, medium- or long-chain based on the number of carbon molecules they contain. Nearly two-thirds of the saturated fat in coconut oil consists of medium-chain fatty acids.
When we eat long-chain fatty acids, they must be emulsified by bile salts in the small intestine before they can be absorbed into our body. Short- and medium-chain fatty acids, such as those in coconut oil, are absorbed directly through the portal vein to the liver, where they are immediately available to the body. In other words, most of the saturated fat in coconut oil is easily digestible and converted into quick energy. And these types of fatty acids are less likely to cause obesity because they are immediately used by the body and have no opportunity to be stored.
Traditionally, polyunsaturated oils such as soybean oil have been used for livestock feed because they cause the animals to gain weight. These oils are made up of what is known as long chain fatty acidsó the kind of fatty acids that promote weight gain. Coconut oil, on the other hand, is a saturated fat made up primarily of medium chain fatty acids. Also known as medium chain triglycerides (MCTs), medium chain fatty acids are known to increase metabolism and promote weight loss. Coconut oil can also raise basal body temperatures while increasing metabolism. This is good news for people who suffer with low thyroid function.
Furthermore, nearly 50 percent of the fatty acid in natural coconut oil is lauric acid, which converts to the fatty acid monolaurin in the body. Lauric acid has adverse effects on a variety of microorganisms including bacteria, yeast, fungi, and enveloped viruses. It destroys the lipid membrane of such enveloped viruses as HIV, measles, Herpes simplex virus (HSV-1), influenza and cytomegalovirus (CMV). Its usefulness in treating AIDS is currently under investigation. It is a main component of human breast milk and helps protect children from illness during infancy.
There is much you can learn about the benefits of coconut oil at: www.tropicaltraditions.com
Create a nice day.
Glenn Darling lives in Sidney, BC, Canada
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WHOLE FOODS
RECIPE SWAP
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I always enjoy your newsletter. I would love to see a whole-foods recipe swap! I especially love soups, and this one is a favorite of mine. It was published in the LA Times food section a while back as a "classic dish for Succot." The following recipe is written as a stew, but it can be made into a soup by adding more water. I add a lot more cilantro. Keep up the good work. ó Chris Hendershot, Redondo Beach, California
SPICED RED LENTIL STEW
Active work time: 30 minutes;
Total prep time: 1.5 hours
1 cup red lentils, picked over
1 carrot, coarsely chopped
1 onion, coarsely chopped
2 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoons turmeric
1 to 2 teaspoons chopped parsley or cilantro
Cover the lentils with water in a bowl and stir. Drain, rinse and repeat the process until the water is clear. Drain.
Place the lentils in a pot with 3 cups of water, and bring to a boil, skimming off any foam that develops on top. Reduce heat and add the carrot, onion, squash, salt, cumin, garlic and turmeric. Partially cover, and cook over low heat until the stew is thick and the lentils are soft ó 45 to 60 minutes. Garnish with the parsley or cilantro and serve. Makes 4 servings.
* Editorís Note: Thanks Chris for sharing this wholesome recipe. I have made a similar dish served with steamed, brown basmati rice. Lentils are easy to digest and are high in protein and other vitamins, such as niacin.
Meanwhile, your wish is granted. You are starting off our new column, ìWhole Foods Recipe Swapî created in response to ëAbduíl-Bahaís counsel regarding healing through simple foods, cited in the Jan. 2004 issue.
There is room for at least one recipe per month in this newsletter, depending upon how long it is. Make sure recipes are checked twice before sending, so there are no missing ingredients or incorrect amounts. Looking forward to your recipes!
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BUCKWHEAT AND
YOUR BLOOD SUGAR
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Most people probably only know buckwheat as a hearty grain sometimes used in pancakes. This nutty-flavored, nutrient-rich grain, also used in making soba noodles, may help diabetics control their blood sugar, according to researchers at the University of Manitoba in Canada.
Extracts from hulled, ground buckwheat groats (buckwheat kernels with inedible husks removed) lowered blood sugar levels 12 to 19 percent among rats with Type 1 diabetes, compared with a placebo.
Buckwheat is rich in chiro-inositol, a chemical that plays a role in the breakdown of sugar. The new research has shown that this chemical is the active component in buckwheat responsible for the grainís ability to lower levels of blood glucose.
Researchers said that buckwheat could be used as a dietary supplement or functional food to help control Type 1 diabetes, an immune disorder in which the pancreas stops producing insulin. Buckwheat may also help with Type 2 diabetes, in which the body still makes insulin.
(Source: Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry , Dec. 3, 2003)
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WHITTLE WAISTLINE WITH
HIGH-FIBER AND WHOLE GRAINS
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Want to whittle your waistline? Boost your consumption of fiber and whole-grain foods. The findings of the Nursesí Health Study of nearly 75,000 women, first published in the November 2003 issue of American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, said that eating more fiber and whole grains can help cut the risk of obesity in half.
Also, men who ate just 12 grams of fiber than other participants per day, trimmed their waistlines by up to half an inch over a decade.
ìEating more fiber is one of the best things you can do for your health,î said JoAnn E. Manson, chief of preventive medicine at Brigham and Womenís Hospital in Boston and co-author of the study. Foods rich in fiber and whole grains ìincrease satiety ó you feel fuller ó and that may lead to consuming fewer calories, which can help with weight control,î she said.
In Mansonís study, women who increased fiber by about eight grams per day ó roughly equivalent to eating a bowl of whole-grain cereal and a slice of whole-grain bread a day ó ate 150 fewer calories per day than those who decreased their fiber intake by three grams daily during the study. Women with the highest fiber intake shed about eight pounds during the 12-year study, compared with the nearly 20-pound weight gain for women who cut fiber intake during the study.
Overall, the higher the fiber intake, the higher the intake of whole-grain foods and the lower the intake of refined carbohydrates, the less the weight gain and the lower the risk of obesity, Manson said.
To boost fiber intake, aim for the 25 to 38 grams per day recommended by the National Academy of Sciences.
Tips to boost fiber
* Start the day with whole-grain cereal and berries. Adding a half-cup of berries gives you three more grams of fiber.
* Switch to whole-grain bread, crackers, pasta and rice. They have double the fiber to their paler counterparts. Rye, pumpernickel and other whole-grain breads have about three grams of fiber per slice. Wild rice and brown rice have about three grams per cup.
* Snack on popcorn, fruit or vegetables. Popcorn has one gram of fiber per one-cup portion. Banana, two grams; medium apple with skin, 3 grams; half-cup cooked broccoli, three grams.
* Eat beans. Beans, lentils and legumes have about 17 grams of fiber per cup, are high in protein and rich in complex carbohydrates.
(Source: The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition)
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BAHA'I CONFERENCE
ON HEALTH AND HEALING
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The Desert Rose Baha'i Institute, located halfway between Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona, USA, will be holding their 5TH ANNUAL BAHA'I CONFERENCE ON HEALTH AND HEALING, Friday, Feb. 6 through Sunday, Feb. 8, 2004, followed by a Health Fair from 1 to 3 p.m.
THEME: "Are you well? Are you happy?" "Happiness is a great healer to those who are ill." ó'Abdu'l-Baha This year, the health and healing focus is HAPPINESS: The effects of joy, happiness, sadness, and other emotions on health; treatment for depression suggested in the Baha'i Writings; the spiritual, mental, and physical effects of happiness.
REGISTRATION: 4 p.m., Friday, Feb. 6. For a registration form, e-mail: drbi@cgmailbox.com or call: 520-466-7961. Conference registration fees: $60 adults; $54 children ages 4-12. Includes six meals from Friday dinner to Sunday lunch.
ACCOMMODATIONS: To reserve a bunk bed at the Desert Rose dormitories for this session @ $25 per bed for two nights, call Jeanne or Joyce at: 520-466-7961 or e-mail drbi@cgmailbox.com. There are 20 bunk beds on each side ó for men and woman. Please specify which side. A list of local motels is also available.
Registration is confirmed when check is received. Make check payable to: Desert Rose Baha'i Institute. Mail to: Desert Rose Baha'i Institute, 5688 Tweedy Road, Eloy, AZ 85231-9611. To reserve by Visa or MasterCard, call the Desert Rose
office: 520-466-7961.
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READERS REQUEST ASSISTANCE
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Needs Help with Underweight Problem
I have been reading the last couple of newsletters of Healing Through Unity and must admit they are very informative. Most of the material presented doesn't apply to me, because tests show I don't suffer from any illness. However, I am underweight. That is also a serious problem. I would appreciate helpful suggestions from readers. Thank you. ó Joseito S.
Seeking Solution for Neuropathic Pain
Could I please ask for some help for my dear wife who has been suffering for over seven years with a trapped nerve, through a botched operation for varicose veins in the leg. She has non-stop neuropathic pain. We have tried many medical solutions, all to no avail. Maybe someone, somewhere will suggest a solution. ó Arthur, United Kingdom
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QUESTION OF THE MONTH???
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I have a second question regarding vaccination: There are a lot of debate in Germany as whether it is necessary to vaccinate or give injections to small babies, starting by the age of 4 months, as it is common in Germany.
In Germany it is no longer compulsory to have injections. After reading some material on the side effects of the vaccines, and reading about the homeopathic point of view, I decided not to vaccinate my child, who is now 10 months old, at least until he is two and half years old. I would like to know: What are the opinions in other countries, and what are other readers' experiences regarding this vaccination issue? Thank you. ó Mojgan Agahi, Germany
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LETTERS
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Sees Need for Healing Arts
Thanks for a great newsletter (Jan. 2004). Alternative medicines are becoming more and more popular as medical sciences begin to mature. There will always be vested interests, professional jealousies and ignorance that will oppose "new ideas" in the healing arts, but they will gradually be overcome in time. Our current medical systems are breaking down, and there is going to be a growing need for more and more people to learn alternative healing methods to help others. ó John Giffin, New Zealand
Believes Healing Hands Works
A marvelous job. I certainly look forward to the articles and share with my friends. The article on ìHands For Healingî (Healing Touch) is one which I strongly believe works.
My brother-in-law had a hernia operation, and the drip needle was painful in his hands. I just prayed, held my palm like a satellite dish, and in no time he felt relieved and a great heat flowing from my hand. It works well when I just pray and really concentrate on a spot. I want to learn the science of it, but do not know where and when. Thanks again for the great service you are doing. ó Thina
* Editorís Note: Perhaps some readers know where one can study the traditional art of healing called ìlaying on of handsî or ìhealing with the Holy Spirit.î
Put Our Hands In Soil
Thanks for the lovely editor's note regarding her garden (Jan. 2004). We all need to put our hands in the soil and reconnect! Warmest greetings. ó Winnie Merritt
Enjoys Garden Analogies
Thank you for this newsletter, which always contains such gems of delightful information. I enjoyed reading your introduction (Jan. 2004), for various reasons. Keen gardeners certainly like such analogies. All the best. ó Peter Seery
Avoided pain killers
I would like to thank Kim Polk for recommending Dr Hulda Clark's book "A Cure for all Diseases." I am now in my 80s and beginning to have digestive problems, which the doctor shrugs off as something I have to learn to live with. A browse through Dr Clark's Web site gave me lots of better ideas. I have ordered the book and look forward to having information about all kinds of looming health problems.
I had a very positive experience with another form of therapy, which I would like to share. A couple of years ago, I began to have pain in my hips, particularly when I first wakened. I bought a new mattress, and then another, but it continued to get worse. I finally went to the doctor who had every kind of test done but could not find the cause. Walking was getting more and more difficult for me, and the only suggestion from the doctor was to take pain-killers. This I still refused to do. For me pain is an indication that there is something wrong and it is my business to find out what that is.
All along, I had a feeling that I should see a chiropractor, but I have had some bad experiences with them and so hesitated to try again. But, having reached the stage of having to use a walker, I finally made the decision I found one in my neighbourhood and went (hanging on to my son's arm) to see him. This chiropractor was highly professional in his approach ó examined me very carefully before deciding that he could help me ó and then proceeded to give me three, very gentle treatments on consecutive days.
He treated me again one week later, then once more, and that was it! It took me many weeks to regain strength and my confidence in my body. At first, I would lie in bed praying that it was real and that I would find I was still OK when I got up.
That was six months ago. I can't beleve I was so close to being an invalid for the rest of my life. I had told my doctor that I was going to a chiropractor, and his response was: "Their treatment has not been proved to be effective." When I went back to him for something else, he congratulated me for taking the initiative to see the chiropractor, but I wonder whether he ever recommends it to other people he is not able to help except by prescribing drugs.
I am so happy to get good information about alternative therapies through the newsletter. ó Loving Baha'i greetings, Meg
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PLEASE SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS
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All of us have had healing experiences ó physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual. Please share your stories and other ideas about staying healthy in a stressful world. Your articles do not have to be long ó just a few paragraphs will suffice. Encouragement is a big part of a healthy lifestyle, and sharing stories and ideas that work for you brings encouragement to others.
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WEB SITE
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You can visit the web site, obtain back issues and the Healing Through Unity Course at: http://www.healingthroughunity.org.
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PURPOSE OF THE NEWSLETTER
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"Healing Through Unity" is published for the purpose of sharing thoughts, comments and experiences on how the teachings of the Baha'i Faith are being applied to physical and spiritual health. Other than the quoted Holy Writings, the material in this newsletter represents the thoughts and opinions of the writers and has no authority. None of the material published in this newsletter is intended to be a substitute for the advice of your physician. You are free to copy articles, provided you indicate the source of the article. There are 10 issues per year; it is not published during July and August. The newsletter is produced in Freedom, Maine, USA.
WHERE TO SEND STORIES:
Many thanks to all of you who share helpful ideas for "Healing Through Unity" Newsletter. We welcome submissions from everyone. The decision to select and edit material submitted for publication is determined by the editor.
Please e-mail your stories, comments, suggestions or "Question for the Month" ideas to newsletter editor Lynn Ascrizzi, at: dreams@uninets.net
SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION:
Please e-mail all new subscriptions, subscription cancellations and e-mail address changes (please include old address along with new one) to --
LOOKING FOR NEW CIRCULATION
AND PRODUCTION ASSISTANT
The newsletter is still in need of one person to be the Production and Circulation Assistant to help with mailouts and updating of the mailing list. This person would be responsible for sending the newsletter to readers each month (10 issues per year; it is not published during July or August), updating e-mail addresses and adding/deleting subscribers. This person must know Microsoft Outlook 2000, should have good computer skills and be well-organized, orderly, and efficient. This task requires about 4 to 5 hours per month. If you are interested to serve in this voluntary position for the newsletter, please contact -- Thank you!
HEALING THROUGH UNITY
March, 2004
A monthly newsletter dedicated to serving the principles of
physical and spiritual health envisioned in the Bahaíi TeachingsVolume 8, Issue No. 3
_______________________________________________________CONTENTS
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ó Religion as 'Spiritual Spinach'
ó Well-being and the Baha'i Life
ó Observance of Baha'i Fast
ó Looking for Production Assistant
ó Readers Respond to Questions of the Month
ó Whole Foods Recipe Swap
ó Readers Request Assistance
ó Question of the Month
ó Letters
ó Purpose of the Newsletter/Subscriptions*************************
RELIGION AS
'SPIRITUAL SPINACH'
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So, you are eating more veggies, taking daily ginkgo supplements and going for longer walks around the neighborhood, all in the quest for better health.
Great! But have you checked out the "R-Factor"? That is, have you tried religion? Recent studies show that practicing one's religion is a means of living longer and healthier.
"God is good for you," wrote Ron Csillag in his wry but informational article titled, "God is Good Medicine." ( Globe and Mail, Toronto, Ontario, April 2, 2002).
"People who follow a religious/spiritual path are more likely to enjoy greater longevity and superior overall health than those who do not. And prayer, meditation and other mind-body approaches, whether from the Eastern or Western religious models, appear to be beneficial to the healing process," he said.
Medical science is slowly coming around to a mix of health and spirituality, he said. "At least 80 of 125 medical schools in the United States offer courses in religion and medicine."
Spiritual engagement and healthy behavior are decidedly linked, he noted.
Even atheists are skeptically joining the mind-body-spirit bandwagon. The author cites Canada's best-known atheist, Dr. Robert Buckman, president of the Humanist Association of Canada and author of: "Can We Be Good Without God?" According to Buckman, membership in a religious group, or any group, gives a healthy sense of belonging that he calls "herd glue."
"Having a genuine communal life is probably good for you," Dr. Buckman said, "whether it's stamp collecting, trainspotting or a religion." However, "the idea that the (benefit) comes from an external god remains unproven," he said.
Today, new fields of research termed, "the epidemiology of religion, or theosomatic medicine" are opening a floodgate of information.
"At last count, more than 1,200 studies and 400 reviews, from Canada, Europe and the United States, show that: Those who regularly attend a house of worship have demonstrably lower rates of illness and death than do infrequent or non-attenders," the article said.
People who report a religious affiliation have lower rates of heart disease, cancer and hypertension ( the three leading causes of death in North America) and higher rates of recovery.
"Older adults who participate in private and congregational worship exhibit fewer symptoms, less disability and lower rates of depression, chronic anxiety, and dementia than those who do not.
"Actively religious people live longer, on average, than the non-religious (up to seven years longer, say some studies). This holds true even when controlling for the fact that religious people tend to avoid health risks such as smoking, drinking and promiscuity.
"Among African-Americans, religious participation has been found to be the single strongest determinant of psychological well-being -- more so than physical health or financial status.
"Meditation and prayer have been found to improve patients' overall well-being," the article said.
In April 2002, the International Journal of Psychiatry in Medicine, published a study that found "that people who didn't attend services regularly were twice as likely to die of noncancerous digestive diseases, 21 per cent more likely to die of cardiovascular disease, including heart and stroke, and 66 percent more likely to die to respiratory diseases, other than cancer, according to the article.
"High, even moderate, levels of religious faith and/or spiritual awareness are associated with greater resilience to stress, lower levels of anxiety, better coping skills, a greater sense of belonging, and generally, a sunnier, more serene, take on life," the study said,
The article does not suggest that any one religious faith is better than another for guaranteeing the best health. It does clearly state, however, that if people practice the basic tenets of most religions, whether Mormon, Buddhist, Seventh-Day Adventist, Baptist, Islam, Judaism, and the like, studies show dramatic health benefits.
Two groundbreaking books on the subject are recommended: ìThe Handbook of Religion and Health,î a 712-page book that analyzes the studies linking religious practice with health, and an easier-to-read ìGod, Faith and Healthî by Dr. Jeff Levin, a noted North American chronicler of this new field of study.
According to the article, Dr. Levin noted that the best health results are seen in religions that make "the strictest behavioral demands of its adherents." These might include diet, physical activity, meditation, sexual activity, hygiene, and tobacco, alcohol and drug use. These teachings can be found in nearly every religion.
Among the most protected religions, according to Dr. Levin: "Amish, Buddhist monks, Roman Catholic nuns, Hindus, Hutterites, Jains, Jews, Mormons, Seventh-day Adventists, Zoroastrians, Protestant clergy and Trappist monks.
"Not surprisingly, these groups most explicitly promote ó and abjure ó certain behavior. Mormons, for example, abstain from smoking, drinking alcohol and consuming caffeine. Officially, Seventh-day Adventists don't smoke, drink alcohol and follow a strict lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet. The Amish and Hutterites discourage tobacco use and have very low levels of pre-and extramarital sex. Jains are strict vegetarians and are urged to practice monogamy," the article said.
The following article summaries looks at a number of religions and the incidence of major diseases in those groups:
Heart Disease
"Three United States studies that looked at the Old Order Amish in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Indiana found that males aged 40 to 69 had a 35-per-cent lower rate of circulatory diseases than non-Amish men the same age. Researchers also found that Mormons and Seventh-day Adventists are respectively 35-per-cent and 57-per-cent less likely to die of ischemic heart disease than those outside those faiths."
Cancer
"Studies at UCLA, the University of Utah and the University of Alberta have shown lower overall death rates from cancer among Mormons of both sexes. Mormons also get cancer in far fewer numbers. A Danish study shows that Adventist men have a significant advantage when it comes to cancers of the colon and bladder, while Adventist women have an advantage surviving breast cancer."
The University of Alberta study found a big advantage among Canadian Hutterites, both in cancer mortality and morbidity.
"Dr. Jeff Levin cites scholarly articles published early in the 20th century that noted lower rates of cervical cancer in Jewish women, attributed, it was believed, to the hygienic benefit of circumcision of their partners. Lending credence to that assumption is modern research showing what Dr. Levin calls "an enormously higher" rate of penile cancer in Hindus, who are not typically circumcised, relative to Muslims, who are, and in whom such cancers are almost unheard of."
"Dutch and American studies have revealed notably lower rates of different cancers in Jews, including stomach, bile passages, lungs, pharynx, prostate and bladder. A University of Texas study found that death rates due to lung cancer were 60-per-cent lower in Jewish men than gentile men."
Blood Pressure/Hypertension
"Adventists do well, both in lower systolic and diastolic readings. An Australian study found half the rates of hypertension in Adventists versus the general population.
"A California study of adults with Chinese, Japanese and Filipino ancestry found a 29-per-cent rate of hypertension in religiously unaffiliated people ó fully twice that of the religiously non-affiliated. The rate among practicing Buddhists was even lower, at 10.9 per cent.
"British researchers have found a strong correlation between the so-called Protestant ethic and Type A behavior. Type A tendencies ó competitiveness, aggressiveness, haste, impatience ó were found linked to higher occurrences of illness, but only among some Protestants. Type A behavior was also associated with greater alcohol consumption, but again, only among Protestants. Among frequently churchgoing Catholics, Type A behavior was actually associated with less alcohol consumption.
"A Georgetown University study showed that being ordained helps. It found that American Baptist clergy were 40 per cent less likely to die of hypertension complicated by heart disease than the general population.
"For Pastors of other denominations: The mortality advantage for hypertension was found to be 41 per cent for Lutherans and Episcopalians (Anglicans), and 29 per cent for Presbyterian clergy. In Japan, priests of the Rinzai sect of Zen Buddhism were exactly half as likely to die from hypertension as other Japanese men.
"While there's no empirical evidence to hold out one faith group as the healthiest, the big overall winner may well be Seventh-day Adventists, who lead in nearly all categories, including fewer respiratory symptoms, better cardiovascular health, lower mortality and higher life expectancy."
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WELL-BEING &
THE BAHAíI LIFE
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ìThe essential oneness of all the myriad forms and grades of life is one of the fundamental teachings of Bahaíuíllah. Our physical health is so linked up with our mental, moral, and spiritual health, and also with the individual and social health of our fellowmen, nay, even with the life of the animals and plants, that each of these is affected by the others to a far greater extent than is usually realized.
ìThere is no command of the Prophet, therefore, to whatever department of life it may primarily refer, which does not concern bodily health.î ( J.E. Esselmont, ìBahaíuíllah and the New Era,î Page 111.)
The following excerpts from the Bahaíi writings touch on some of these health-enhancing teachings:
Moderation
"Whatsoever passeth beyond the limits of moderation will cease to exert a beneficial influence.î (Bahaíuíllah, ìThe Pattern of Bahaíi Life: A Compilation," Page 16.)
"The Bahaíi teaching is based on moderation, not on asceticism. Enjoyment of the good and beautiful things of life, both material and spiritual, is not only encouraged but enjoined. Bahaíuíllah says: ìDeprive not yourselves of that which has been created for you.î (J.E. Esselmont, "Bahaíuíllah and the New Era," Page
112.)
Temperance
"The drinking of wine is, according to the text of the Most Holy Book, forbidden; for it is the cause of chronic diseases, weakeneth the nerves and consumeth the mind.î (ë'Abduíl-Baha, ìThe Pattern of Bahaíi Life: A Compilation,î Page 20.)
"The use of narcotics and intoxicants of any kind, except as remedies in case of illness, is strictly forbidden by Bahaíuíllah.î (J.E. Esselmont, ìBahaíuíllah and the New Era," Page 112.)
Cleanliness
"Wings that are besmirched with mire can never soar." (Bahaíuíllah, ìThe Pattern of Bahaíi Life: A Compilation," Page 12.)
Chastity
"Were the commands of the Prophets concerning chastity in sexual relations generally observed, another fertile cause of disease would be eliminated. The loathsome venereal diseases, which wreck the health of so many thousands today, innocent as well as guilty, babes as well as parents, would very soon be entirely a thing of the past. . . .
"Simple obedience to the hygienic and moral commands of Moses, Buddha, Christ, Mohammed or Bahaíuíllah would do more in preventing disease than all the doctors and all the public health regulations in the world have been able to accomplish.î (J.E. Esselmont, ìBahaíuíllah and the New Era," Pages 114-115)
Tobacco
". . . the smoking of tobacco, which is unclean, malodorous, disagreeable and vulgar and of which the gradual harmfulness is universally recognized. .. . . Besides, it is a cause of expense and of loss of time and it is a harmful habit." ('Abdu'l-Baha, "Tablet on Purity," "Baha'i World Faith," Page 333.
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OBSERVING THE BAHA'I FAST
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This month, from March 2 through the March equinox is the period of the Baha'i Fast. For 19 days, the fast is observed by abstaining from food and drink from sunrise to sunset. It always falls in the spring in the Northern, and in autumn in the Southern Hemisphere, which are temperate seasons. The interval between sunrise and sunset is approximately the same all over the inhabited part of the earth ó from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Children, the old or weak or ill or women during their menses or who are pregnant or nursing are exempt from the fast.
The Baha'i Fast is a spiritual observance, a symbol. Special prayers have been revealed for this observance, such as the following excerpt:
"These are, O my Lord, the days in which Thou hast bidden Thy servants to observe the fast. Blessed is he who observes the fast wholly for Thy sake and with absolute detachment from all things except Thee." (Baha'u'llah, "Baha'i Prayers," Page 246.)
Although there is evidence that periods of fasting can have a physical benefit, mere abstinence from food does not produce a spiritual effect. The reality of the Baha'i Fast is the remembrance of God. (Source: "Baha'u'llah and the New Era," J.E. Esslemont, Page 189.)
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STILL LOOKING FOR
A PRODUCTION ASSISTANT
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The newsletter is still in need of one person to be the Production and Circulation Assistant to help with mailouts and updating of the mailing list. There is more information about this position at the end of this newsletter.
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READERS RESPOND
TO QUESTIONS OF THE MONTH
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About Vaccinating Children
Editor's Note: The following letters are in response to a reader from Germany wanting to hear more opinions about vaccinating children, who wrote: "There are a lot of debate in Germany as whether it is necessary to vaccinate or give injections to small babies, starting by the age of 4 months, as it is common in Germany. In Germany it is no longer compulsory to have injections. After reading about the side effects of the vaccines and about the homeopathic point of view, I decided not to vaccinate my child, who is now 10 months old, at least until he is 2 1/2 years old." ó Mojgan Agahi
Dear Mojgan:
I have three children, ages 15, 13 and 9. Our family has used homeopathy as our primary source of medicine, with great success. Our present homeopath is a board-certified internist. Every other homeopath we have used has also been a medical doctor.
After extensive, independent investigation of truth and scientific research on the increasingly complex issue of routine vaccination, we made the decision not to vaccinate our children. One thing to consider is that anything routine means basically without thought. We put a lot of thought into it initially and continue to do so.
Most people do not know anything about vaccination. They just take the kid to the doctor, get the shots and believe that they are being good parents by doing so. I thought that too, until I began my ongoing investigation.
The primary motivation for vaccination is fear, fear that your precious child will catch one of these diseases and die. I think that making decisions based on fear is not a healthy place from which to operate. Decisions are best made when you have as much information as you can get, and you are functioning from a position of strength and clarity.
Fifteen years ago, I was considered a bit of a kook for not vaccinating my children, but there is much information coming out now supporting my decision, as independent studies are being done about the effects and myths of vaccination. Our family doctor did not vaccinate his children, and I know many other medical professionals who have made the same decision.
I am a teacher and work with elementary school-aged children with learning disabilities and emotional problems. Many school nurses and teachers are very concerned about the cumulative effect of vaccinations on developing (or
not-developing) children.
It is so easy to do independent research on just about any subject these days and this is one that bears close scrutiny, especially for a parent who is trying to give their child the best nutrition and raising them to be peaceful beings.
Think about how carefully we read the ingredients in food as we feed our children, then take a peek at an insert for vaccination. You will realize that you are injecting diseased animal tissues and toxic chemicals directly into your child's bloodstream with a thing called a "shot," with the best intention of keeping them healthy. I read a vaccine insert in the pediatrician's office while holding my beloved first baby in my lap and decided, at that moment, to hold off on the vaccination.
Then I went home and began my investigation.
Mothering Magazine (www.mothering.com) is a good resource for information about vaccination; in fact, they publish a book called "Vaccination, the Decision of our Times." There is also an organization called National Vaccine Information
Center.* They have a Web site. ó Victoria O'Neill
* The National Vaccine Information Center (NVIC) is a national, non-profit, educational organization founded in 1982 that attempts to educate parents about the risks of immunizing their children. Their Web site is: www.909shot.com
Immunization of Small babies.
Dear Mojgan:
I am a nurse. My boss, also a Nurse, sits on the County Immunization Coalition, in Fresno, California. I have asked her to obtain a clinical response to this question.
My immediate response is that we are told to follow the advice of trained physicians. Their advice, which the Pediatric Medical Associations have agreed upon, here in the United States, is to begin vaccination at 2 months, then 4 months, 6 months. And so on. ó Margaret McLane de Jovel, RN, MPH, Care Manager, Health Net Medi-Cal, California, USA
Laying On of Hands
Dear Editor:
I've discovered there are a lot of places and people who train in the traditional art of healing called "laying on of hands" or "healing with the Holy Spirit" on the Internet. One needs to read and make decisions about what level you are comfortable with. After some investigation, you will come to know what questions to ask. If you search with terms such as "Intuitive Healing," "Distance Healing,""Energy Work," or "Energy Healing," lots of sites come up.
Here are some links:
* http://energy-spiritual-healing.com/resources-links.htm (She works long distance: phone and e-mail.)
* Energy & Spiritual Healing Center, a Virtual Support Center, with Marlana and Forrist Lytehaause. Phone: (800) 460-1882 to schedule sessions or (503) 636-1671 for client support and questions, Hours: 10 a.m. - 9 p.m. Pacific Time in the Portland, Oregon, USA area. E-mail: ClientSupport@AnswersWithin.net
* http://www.insideedge.org/Speakers/DiaNorth.htm
* http://www.intuitionmedicine.com/practitioners.htm ó Intuition MedicineÆ model developed at the Academy of Intuitive Studies and Intuition Medicine in Sausalito, California. (My certification, Master of Intuition Medicine, was earned through participation in and graduation from AISIM.) Dia North teaches a class there, via distance learning. Also at the site, are listed Master of Intuition MedicineÆ Practitioners, from the Academy of Intuitive Studies and Intuition MedicineÆ, throughout the United States and one in Australia.
Hope this helps. ó Margaret McLane de Jovel, RN, MPH, Care Manager, Health Net Medi-Cal, California, USA
Responses to Neuropathic Pain
Editor's Note: The following letters are in response to a reader named Arthur from the United Kingdom whose wife is seeking a solution for non-stop, neuropathic pain in a trapped nerve.
Dear Arthur:
I am a chiropractor; however, I am not going to recommend typical chiropractic services for this particular nerve entrapment, as it sounds as though the nerve is being trapped by scar tissue. That being likely, there are other possible
approaches:
1. Injected normal saline solution can often free nerves trapped by scar tissue. This would have to be done very carefully, so as not to nick the nerve itself.
2. It appears that stem cells do a good job of cutting through scar tissue and restoring tissues to normal. According to John McDonald, M.D., one of the doctors helping Christopher Reeve make his astounding progress, reported that information in a talk he gave in Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Most medical use of stem cells is highly expensive and controversial, unless the cells come from umbilical cord blood. What is not well known, though, is that we all have reservoirs of stem cells in our sternum (breast bone). Some people in the healing field have found that they can place a hand over the sternum and the other over the area needing rebuilding (or scar eradication) and in a meditative state of mind, "ask" the stem cells to help in the area indicated. This is actually followed by warming in the sternum and the target area and often by relief of symptoms. It can't hurt to try, strange as it may sound. Just visualize scar tissue being dissolved and things getting back to normal.
Other effective treatments for freeing up scars are visceral manipulation and Lymph Drainage Therapy, both of which are taught in the United States through the Upledger Institute: (www.upledger.com). For a delicate condition like this, though, I would try the zero-pressure treatment first. ó George Loud, Jr., D.C., Atlanta, Georgia USA
Dear Arthur:
I quote Sebastian Kneipp, the "Father of Hydrotherapy," who once said that with the correct combination of water and herbs, almost any illness could be treated. Today this statement has become a reality.
A machine using a German design, combined with Japanese and Taiwanese technology dubbed, "Ultrasonic Bubble Bath," using ultra-sound and infra-red technology is able to "advance healing." All that a person has to do is take a 10-15 minutes bubble bath (once or twice a day) combined with special bath oils, and it can reduce the pain. I dare not say it can "cure" a person, but it will reduce the pain considerably and may cure in the medium-and-long term.
More details of this apparatus can be found at a Web site: http://ubbhkg.tripod.com I am a transportation editor. ó Wong Joon San, Hong Kong.
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WHOLE FOODS
RECIPE SWAP
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I feel enthusiastic for the recipe swap, so I have selected a couple of my favorites which I think would interest other readers. I hope that you enjoy the following. I have never grown tired of it. ó Johnson Maxey (Fredericksburg, Virginia, USA)
(Mexican) Panbread
3/4 cup dry beans (kidney or pinto)
1 or 2 large, chopped onions
2 cloves, minced garlic,
oil for sautÈing (corn, canola, safflower)
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup (1/4 pound) tofu
1.5 cups water
1.5 tablespoons vinegar
2 tablespoons oil
Rinse the beans and soak in water, to cover, for several hours. Discard soaking water, transfer to a saucepan, cover with fresh water and simmer just until tender. Drain.
Chop enough onion to cover the bottom of a 10-inch iron skillet. Place approximately 2 tablespoons of oil in skillet, add onions and garlic and sautÈ until soft. Remove from heat. Spread the cooked beans on top of the onions.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda, and if desired, chili powder and cumin. Mix well. In an electric blender, thoroughly combine the tofu, water, vinegar and 2 tablespoons of oil.
Pour this into the dry ingredients, and stir it into a smooth batter quickly but with as few strokes as possible. Immediately pour this into the skillet of onions and beans. Do not stir. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.
This monthly recipe swap is for sharing healthy recipes that use whole foods, fresh, low-fat ingredients and that have little or no sugar. One recipe per month will be used in this newsletter, depending upon length. Please make sure recipes are checked twice before sending, so there are no missing ingredients or incorrect amounts. Looking forward to your recipes!
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READERS REQUEST ASSISTANCE
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Looking for article on personality disorder
Thank you so much for the service you provide. It is a wonderful newsletter. Last year, you ran an article on borderline personality disorder. Is there a way I could get a copy of that? I am dealing with a person who is afflicted with this disorder. The article would help me know better what to do. Thank you, in advance, for any help you can give. ó Ms. Pat Jacobsen, Rufus, Oregon, USA
Dear Ms. Jacobsen:
The issue you are looking for is Volume 6, Issue No. 6 (Feb. 2003). We are happy to resend you a copy of that issue. That back issue and others can also be found at our Web site at: http://www.healingthroughunity.org.
Editor's Note: We are still waiting for readers to respond to the following
request:
Needs Help with Underweight Problem
I have been reading the last couple of newsletters of Healing Through Unity and must admit they are very informative. Most of the material presented doesn't apply to me, because tests show I don't suffer from any illness. However, I am underweight. That is also a serious problem. I would appreciate helpful suggestions from readers. Thank you. ó Joseito S.
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QUESTIONS OF THE MONTH
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Care and Feeding of the Soul?
I have arrived at the realization that my SOUL is the most valuable asset I possess. Naturally, if the most important property which I can ever own is my soul, I am going to be highly concerned with prizing it, nourishing it and protecting it. I am going to be very eager indeed to take the best possible care of it.
Kindly let me know how you take care of your SOUL. ó Ardeshir
Why Can't Routine Physical Exercise Be More Fun?
There is a lot to be said for physical exercise, whether walking, exercises at home, or in formal training program and how it adds to one's overall health and well-being. There are many benefits here, including weight loss, lower blood pressure. This is often a neglected area, possibly because we hate the discipline of doing it consistently and regularly. How can we make routine physical exercise more pleasant and fun? ó Dick
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LETTERS
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Prefers Term, 'Healing Touch'
Dear Editor:
You published a letter from Thina who asked about the healing effects of using her hands to help her relative with the intravenous drip. You suggested "laying on of hands." I would like to suggest she look into "Healing Touch." To me, "laying on of hands" sounds Christian, but Healing Touch seems multi-faith and ecumenical. Thanks for a wonderful newsletter. ó Cathy Rasekh
Editor's Note: Actually, Thina shared a story in last issue about how Healing Touch worked for her. It was I who asked: "Perhaps some readers know where one can study the traditional art of healing called "laying on of hands" or "healing with the Holy Spirit." Please see the "Readers Respond to Questions of the Month" segment of this newsletter for a response.
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PLEASE SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS
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All of us have had healing experiences ó physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual. Please share your stories and other ideas about staying healthy in a stressful world. Your articles do not have to be long ó just a few paragraphs will suffice. Encouragement is a big part of a healthy lifestyle, and sharing stories and ideas that work for you benefits others.
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WEB SITE
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You can visit the web site, obtain back issues and the Healing Through Unity Course at: http://www.healingthroughunity.org.
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PURPOSE OF THE NEWSLETTER
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"Healing Through Unity" is published for the purpose of sharing thoughts, comments and experiences on how the teachings of the Baha'i Faith are being applied to physical and spiritual health. Other than the quoted Holy Writings, the material in this newsletter represents the thoughts and opinions of the writers and has no authority. None of the material published in this newsletter is intended to be a substitute for the advice of your physician. You are free to copy articles, provided you indicate the source of the article. There are 10 issues per year; it is not published during July and August. The newsletter is produced in Freedom, Maine, USA.
WHERE TO SEND STORIES:
Many thanks to all of you who share helpful ideas for "Healing Through Unity" Newsletter. We welcome submissions from everyone. The decision to select and edit material submitted for publication is determined by the editor.
Please e-mail your stories, comments, suggestions or "Question for the Month" ideas to newsletter editor Lynn Ascrizzi, at: dreams@uninets.net
SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION:
Please e-mail all new subscriptions, subscription cancellations and e-mail address changes (please include old address along with new one) to --
LOOKING FOR NEW CIRCULATION
AND PRODUCTION ASSISTANT
The newsletter is still in need of one person to be the Production and Circulation Assistant to help with mailouts and updating of the mailing list. This person would be responsible for sending the newsletter to readers each month (10 issues per year; it is not published during July or August), updating e-mail addresses and adding/deleting subscribers. This person must know Microsoft Outlook 2000, should have good computer skills and be well-organized, orderly, and efficient. This task requires about 4 to 5 hours per month. If you are interested to serve in this voluntary position for the newsletter, please contact -- Thank you!
HEALING THROUGH UNITY
April, 2004
A monthly newsletter dedicated to serving the principles of
physical and spiritual health envisioned in the Bahaíi TeachingsVolume 8, Issue No.4
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CONTENTS
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ó Celebrating the Earth
ó Nature and the Divine Will
ó Valerian: Nature's Herbal Tranquilizer
ó Stumping for Low-Impact Forestry
ó Looking for Production Assistant
ó Readers Respond to Questions
ó Whole Foods Recipe Swap
ó Readers Request Assistance
ó Question of the Month
ó Letters
ó Purpose of the Newsletter/Subscriptions************************************
CELEBRATING THE EARTH
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"The Earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens." ó Baha'u'llah ("Gleanings From the Writings of Baha'u'llah," page 250.)
Earth Day is celebrated in the United States and Canada on April 22. Therefore, an April issue dedicated to honoring the Earth's healing gifts and to protecting the environment seems more than timely.
First, you will find an article on the benefits of the herb Valerian (garden heliotrope) written by a master gardener and herbalist.
Then, we offer a story about an environmentally conscious logger who promotes high standards of land stewardship by using low-impact forestry. This method of wood harvesting treads lightly on the forest floor, does not damage neighboring trees, and unlike high-impact industrial methods, leaves behind a recognizable, diverse forest.
Regarding the natural world, it should be mentioned that all the major religions make a fundamental connection between the Creator and creation. Therefore, nature is fundamentally sacred, not to be recklessly exploited. This too, is the essence of Bah·'Ì belief.
The environment is given distinctive emphasis among the worldwide, diverse Baha'i communities, both large and small. The source for this unique focus is implicit in the Baha'i pivotal principle ó the oneness of humanity. This unifying principle generates a unique and dynamic worldview that seeks cooperation, not competition, among the world's peoples and urges the creation of innovative, sustainable ways to renew and to share the world's resources for the benefit of all, including the planet itself.
This topic is beyond the scope of this small newsletter, but the following sources clearly indicate the leadership that Baha'i communities demonstrate, in both word and deed, regarding environmental concerns and raising the general consciousness of people around the globe:
"International Environmental Forum," started by the Bahaíis: http://www.bcca.org/ief/aboutief.htm and http://www.bcca.org/ief/bicnat.htm
Also: updated position statements on the environment from the Baha'i International Community (BIC):
http://www.bic-un.bahai.org/92-0305.htm
http://www.bic-un.bahai.org/95-0406.htm http://www.bcca.org/ief/orlnet99.htm (There are many more links here, such asthese: http://www.earthcharter.org/ and http://www.onecountry.org/listenv.html )
http://www.bcca.org/ief/dadri98c.htm
http://www.bcca.org/ief/genass5.htmSources submitted by Greg Kagira-Watson
www.homestead.com/watsongregory/files
<greg_watson@post.harvard.edu>
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NATURE AND THE DIVINE WILL
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"Nature in its essence is the embodiment of My Name, the Maker, the Creator. Its manifestations are diversified by varying causes, and in this diversity there are signs for men of discernment. Nature is God's Will and is its expression in and through the contingent world. It is a dispensation of Providence ordained by the Ordainer, the All-Wise." ó (Baha'u'llah, "Tablets of Baha'u'llah," page 141)
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VALERIAN: NATURE'S TRANQUILIZER
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By PAT BLAKE
In today's world of instant pharmaceutical fixes for every ailment imaginable, it is good to remember the marvelous properties of herbs. Their remedies, often regarded as folklore, are truly healing miracles. A prescribed medication may work wonders and have immediate results, but for each pill we take, there is an effective remedy from Mother Nature.
>From personal experience, I know I am not alone in the belief that a cure for what ails us often grows right where we live. Certain herbs under our feet or growing in our flower gardens have been healers long before the apothecary ground up ingredients and marketed them as potions.
As the Baha'i writings remind us: "... if you find what is required in a single herb, do not resort to a compounded medication...." ("Baha'u'llah and the New Era," J.E. Esslemont, Page 106)
Our lives are becoming more harried with each passing year. Doctors routinely prescribe pills to help us unwind, and take them unthinkingly, because society has taught us that popping pills is acceptable. There is another, more ancient way to relieve stress.
Valerian (Valeriana officialis), is also known as garden heliotrope. Now and then, I have sipped a beverage steeped from the root of this plant at moments when I am unable to unwind.
Valerian is a peculiarly scented tea. Some have described the smell as offensive as old, sweaty socks, so take this into consideration before you visualize yourself sitting down to a relaxing, pleasantly fragrant cup of steaming tea.
This old-fashioned perennial has a distinctive, overpowering sweet aroma that some may find offensive. The stem is erect, grooved, hollow, hairy near the base and sometimes branched above, with four-to-eight pairs of dark green leaves that resemble Jacob's Ladder, a plant cousin. The white-to-pinkish flowers can grow 4-inches across and expand as they open. The plant can grow up to 5-feet tall.
Valerian blooms in June. It likes rich soil with plenty of water and prefers damp meadowland, grassland or stream banks. It does best in full sun to partial shade and will grow at sea level to 6,600-foot altitudes.
Valerian makes a beautiful background planting for the flower or herb garden. It grows wild in many places in North America and has naturalized in parts of the northeastern United States. It is propagated by crown division in the spring or fall. Set plants in the garden, 1 foot apart. The plant is hardy to Zone 4. It tolerates a wide range of soil Ph.
Harvesting the roots in the spring or fall saves the healing "virtues" of valerian. At this time, the vitality of the plant is in the root, not the herb or flower. Dry the clean root quickly in your oven at 120 degrees Fahrenheit, until brittle. Or, chop the roots into small pieces and put them in herb baskets in a cool dark place to dry.
When roots are completely dry, store them in glass jars out of the sun. The fresh root can also be tinctured in alcohol. Herbalist John Lust says use only fresh root stock. (It needs to be dried to preserve it for use all year.)
To prepare a calming tea, infuse 1 teaspoon of root in 1 pint of water. It should be taken cold over the course of the day. It is very bitter. Adding honey or another sweetener makes it easier to swallow.
Valerian is a "does everything" herb. Some historic and anecdotal uses are: reduction of mucus from colds; improvement of the circulation; reduction of anxiety, fatigue, high-blood pressure and insomnia. It is also reputed to help level out irritable bowel syndrome, menstrual cramps, muscle cramps, nervous pain, spasms, stress and ulcers.
In Roman times, this plant was used for heart palpitations and irregular heart beat. James A. Duke, in his book, "The Green Pharmacy: The Ultimate Compendium of Natural Remedies from the World's Foremost Authorities on Healing Herbs," says it also lowers blood pressure, increases blood flow to the heart and improves pumping ability.
On a much lighter note, cats are attracted to valerian. You may find them rolling in your garden, enthralled by this plant. You might want to make your furry friend a valerian pillow and watch your pet unwind.
NOTE: As always, I must remind you that the use of healing herbs should be undertaken with great consideration and thought. If you are on a medication, please consult with your doctor before adding or changing any prescriptions. Herbs used willy-nilly are not completely harmless and often can be downright harmful.
Valerian has the potential side-effect of increasing the effect of any medication that causes central nervous system depression. If you are taking a medication that causes drowsiness, such as a muscle relaxant, sleeping pills or anti-depressant, valerian will increase the effect of that medication, including alcohol.
Pat Blake is a master gardener and herbalist who runs a naturescaping business, Native Way, that specializes in gardens in ecologically sensitive areas. Her designs use indigenous healing and edible plants that keep conservation, wildlife and people in mind. Along with her husband, Bob, she runs a therapeutic foster home. She finds that the very act of gardening is healing to the body and spirit. A member of the Baha'i faith, she consults and speaks regularly to groups on a variety of topics pertaining to healing herbs and gardening. You can reach her at: patrice9@adelphia.net
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STUMPING FOR LOW-IMPACT FORESTRY
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By LYNN ASCRIZZI
As morning mist began to lift, dozens of people in small bands slowly wended their way up a wooded, pine-scented slope at Ray Brusila's 80-acre farmstead in Warren, Maine USA.
Traveling from distant towns, they came to watch an on-site, low-impact forestry demonstration given by logger Sam Brown.
One visitor that morning was Mitch Lansky of Wytopitlock, Maine, author of "Beyond the Beauty Strip: Saving Whatís Left of Our Forests." Like his friend, Brown, Lansky is an advocate of sustainable forestry and a keen critic of Maineí s industrial forestry practices.
Brown, a long-time member of the Baha'i faith, lives in rural Cambridge, Maine, at the edge of the stateís heavy logging industry. A dairy farmer turned full-time logger, he has been stumping for the Low-Impact Forestry Project (LIFP) for many years.
To him, advancing sustainable forestry is critical to the future of both the state's and the world's woodlands. It means managing the woods as if the forest matters. Low-impact forestry is just like it sounds ó a system of wood harvesting that has a low impact on the environment. The system also aims at boosting local labor and markets and at cultivating high-quality forest management.
"This is an alternative to the whole hysteria of the clear-cutting issue," Brown said. "Itís another way to look at the forest. There are not just two basic choices ó clearcutting or preservation. Low-impact is long-term, selection harvesting."
Or, as Lansky summed it up, ". . . after the cutting is done, there is still a recognizable and functional forest. . . . A gradual removal of select trees permits the forest to develop in height, volume and diversity."
'Forwarder' to the Future
Brown, who stands about 6-foot-5-inches tall with his steel-toed boots on, was wearing the pine-sap-stained chaps, sweaty cotton work shirt and bright-orange hard hat with ear protectors characteristic of the logging breed. His deep voice carried well above the breeze and murmuring crowd.
His star attraction that morning was his custom-rigged, tracked Dion forwarder and trailer, a Canadian/ Scandavian logging machine-hybrid with low ground pressure. This machinery creates far less environmental impact than a cable skidder used by many commercial loggers.
The Dion forwarder was as magnetic as Brownís message to the mostly male crowd. They edged nearer for the sheer thrill of watching metal and grease, gears and levers, work with amazing grace.
The forwarder is not yet a common method of logging in the northeastern United States. But Brown is not selling equipment. Itís not really the machine, itís who is behind it, he believes. There is no one technology that epitomizes low-impact forestry. That wood-harvesting method could use a small skidder or a four-wheel-drive tractor, a radio-controlled winch or even a draft horse. The idea is to match the technology to the location, he said.
"This is not a ëno-impactí system; itís low-impact. This machine will leave a mark on the land. But itís minimal," he said.
Brownís laid-back nature and dedication to what he believes are higher standards of land stewardship, are qualities that seem part of the low-impact project, as a whole. LIFP advocates, however, are quick to point out that low-impact forestry is not a get-rich-quick scheme.
"This is long-term, not short-term economics. It involves landowner, logger and forester. You use permanent woods trails and less skidder roads. Minimum damage to soil and remaining crop trees takes top priority," Brown said.
The Dion forwarder is part of a short-wood system, he explained. Trees marked out by a forester are felled and limbed by a chain-saw operator. Wood is typically bucked at the stump and carefully winched (usually as a single stem) through the remaining crop trees to a woods trail instead of being dragged, tree-length, through the woods.
"This reduces damage to trees alongside the roads. Soil damage is confined to the woods trails," he said. Skilled directional felling ógetting a tree to fall where you want it to ó is also critical in preventing nearby tree damage.
The forwarder is designed to maneuver on relatively narrow trails. These trails are laid out in an intensive system, approximately 150 feet apart (as opposed to 40 feet apart in other systems), he explained. Permanent trail systems allow easy access to every tree. This in turn, allows for long-term flexibility in harvesting and marketing.
By way of contrast, in high-impact operations, heavy skidders travel over almost every square foot of forest to gather all the trees. High-cost, big machinery is designed to move huge volumes of wood all at once, forcing the operator to focus on production and quantity rather than quality.
"It (high-impact logging) relies on brute power, using a conventional winch operated from a cab that pulls many stems at once,î Brown says.
Brownís relatively small, low-built forwarder crawls along on tracks like a mechanical lizard. When empty, a forwarder has about the same ground pressure as an 180-pound person. When loaded, tracks reduce soil compaction. The forwarderís excellent traction enables it to climb steep hills and to glide over boggy spots without chewing up terrain.
But Does It Pay?
Unlike the "cut-and-run" mode of wood harvesting, low-impact forestry will not make the wood lot owner or logger a quick buck. But it pays well in the long run.
"Low-impact produces half as much volume per hour as conventional systems; therefore, the costs are greater. I can make money this way, if I can find landowners who want to do it. In the long-term, once youíve got your land set up with large trees and quality wood, you can cut fewer trees and generate more dollars per acre," Brown said.
Lansky described a 600-acre wood lot owned and selectively cut by Mel Ames of Atkinson, Maine.
The land, growing large hemlock, oak, spruce and other trees, and managed conservatively for nearly half a century, has allowed "an average volume of around 15 cords per acre in 1960 to rise to more than 35 cords per acre today," Lansky said.
Ames was able to minimize skid-trail size and damage to residual trees by using a small, narrow 1970 International tracked skidder.
"The quality of the wood has improved, so that sawlogs make up 65 percent of the total volume, and some of that volume includes high-value veneer. The 'retired' Ames "only needs to cut three cords a day in the morning to make an average of $300. His woods average more than a cord per acre per year of growth ó and some of his better sites average up to three cords per acre per year of growth," Lansky said.
"Melís early 'investment' cuts more than broke even, but now they are paying off handsomely. This compares favorably with the very best yields expected from
(high-impact) intensive management based on clearcuts, planting, pre-commercial thinning and herbicide spraying," Lansky said.
But what about larger commercial logging operations? Does the low-impact system apply there?
Professional forester Barbara "Barrie" Brusila of Warren, Maine, believes that the low-impact system "definitely applies" to the industrial forest areas of the state, as well.
"The potential is there. It would require a lot of changes, some sociological. They need to have a different kind of road system. Youíd have to be using different equipment, like the kind of forwarder Sam Brown is using," she said.
For more information about the Low-Impact Forestry Project, e-mail Sam Brown at: sambrown@juno.com An informative, recent book by Mitch Lansky is: "Low-Impact Forestry: As If The Future Mattered," published by the Maine Environmental Institute.
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STILL LOOKING FOR
A PRODUCTION ASSISTANT
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The newsletter is still in need of one person to be the Production and Circulation Assistant to help with mailouts and updating of the mailing list. There is more information about this position at the end of this newsletter.
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READERS RESPOND
TO QUESTIONS OF THE MONTH
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The following responses are for Ardeshir who asked about how to take care of the
soul:
Care and Feeding of the Soul
Dear Ardeshir:
To my way of thinking, the soul is fed best on a light diet. Hyacinths alone would suffice, if we take the advice of the 12th-century Muslim poet and sheik who said, "Buy hyacinths to feed thy soul."
Perhaps he had an intimation of what Baha'u'llah later refers to as, "the fragrant, the holy and multicolored hyacinths of My knowledge." ("Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah," page 322.)
From such verses, I would surmise that spiritual fragrance, truth and beauty are perfectly suited to the tastes of the soul longing for substance.
Perhaps that is also what the Japanese poet Ryokan implied when he wrote: "Abandon this fleeting world, abandon yourself. Then the moon and the flowers will guide you along the Way." But who knows what a Zen poet might mean? Perhaps he is suggesting that the soul grows from listening to silence. After all, the moon and flowers are speechless.
The soul, being mysterious, delights in mystery. It finds refreshment in gazing at the stars and dwelling on infinity. It stretches and grows by questioning things. It is filled by the pure flame of a candle glowing in the dark; it feeds on the milk of morning light.
Rumi, the mystic poet, says that being hungry for all things spiritual is good for the soul: "Being hungry is better / than the maladies that come with satiety."
The soul, he says, thrives on love and laughter.
"When you go to buy a pomegranate, / pick the one that's laughing, / that has its rind cleft, / so that through its broken-open-ness / you get some information / about the seeds. . . .
"Keep the love of holy laughing in you. / Don't visit sad neighborhoods. Let / laughter lead you to the right people."
Eat and enjoy! ó Anonymous
Acquiring Perfections
Dear Ardeshir:
"Moral life" 'Abdu'l-Baha is reported to have said, "consists in the government of one's self." "Immortality" ó that is, the spiritual life ó "is government of a human soul by the Divine Will.î (1)
Taking care of my soul includes daily prayer, and once a year, fasting. Bahaíuí llah reminds us that prayer and fasting are the twin pillars of every religion.(2)
I also contribute to the Bahaíi Fund. The majority of the worldís religions include tithing of one kind or another, or admonitions to give to the poor.
I strive to acquire virtues, as Christ said ñ "build up treasures in heaven."
(3) Doing good deeds and acquiring the attributes of God (virtues) fulfills, in part, our purpose in life. We are also created to know and to worship God. (4)
Life in this world is a preparation for the life to come:
"That world beyond is a world of sanctity and radiance; therefore, it is necessary that in this world we should acquire these divine attributes. That divine world is manifestly a world of lights; therefore, man has need of illumination here. That is a world of love; the love of God is essential. It is the world of perfections; virtues Ö must be acquired. That world is vivified by the breaths of the Holy Spirit; in this world we must seek them." (5)
'Abdu'l-Baha explains how to go about acquiring divine attributes:
"To gain entrance into the Divine Kingdom ó knowledge of God ó love of God ñ faith ó philanthropic deeds ó self-sacrifice ó severance from this world ó and sanctity and holiness." (6) ó Claire Cline, Augusta, Maine USA
Quotes in order:
(1) Love, Power and Justice ó W.S. Hatcher, page xxviii
(2) Synopsis and Codification of the Laws and Ordinances of the Kitab-i-Aqdas, the Most Holy Book of Baha'u'llah, page 13
(3) Matthew 6:19
(4) Baha'i Prayers (National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United States), page 4
(5) Foundations of World Unity ó 'Abdu'l-Baha, page 63
(6) The Promulgation of Universal Peace ó 'Abdu'l-Baha, page 226
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WHOLE FOODS
RECIPE SWAP
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Millet Cakes
2 cups millet
Water for steaming
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
2 tablespoons tahini (sesame butter)
1 tablespoon Tamari soy sauce
Vegetable oil
Wash 2 cups of millet. Put millet in a medium-sized, heavy-bottomed pot. Cover grain with about 1-inch of cold water (about the length of the first joint of your index finger.) Add salt. Cover pot and bring to boil. Lower immediately, and let steam for about 40 minutes, until millet is thoroughly cooked, light and fluffy. A "pot saver" used under the pot keeps the millet from browning and sticking.
Meanwhile, chop parsley. Prepare a side dish such as steamed greens or salad.
When millet is done, place it into a large bowl. Let steamed grain cool a bit. Add chopped parsley, tahini and soy sauce. Mix ingredients with a wooden spoon, and for a few minutes, "knead" the mixture inside the bowl with your hands. It will be a bit sticky. Squeezing the millet mixture will blend it into a more cohesive consistency.
Form mixture into small, roundish cakes, roughly 1 1/4-inches thick. Make sure they are firmly packed, so they don't fall apart during cooking. Pour enough vegetable oil in a large skillet to cover bottom of the pan. Don't use too much oil, or cakes get greasy. Heat skillet until oil is hot and add millet cakes. Fry golden brown on each side. Wait until one side has a crispy crust before turning wth spatula. They're delicious sprinkled with a little extra soy sauce and a few are surprisingly filling and satisfying.
This monthly recipe swap is for sharing healthy recipes that use whole foods, fresh, low-fat ingredients and that have little or no sugar. One recipe per month will be used in this newsletter, depending upon length. Please make sure recipes are checked twice before sending, so there are no missing ingredients or incorrect amounts. Looking forward to your recipes!
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READERS REQUEST ASSISTANCE
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Looking For Remedy for Inflammation
I fell out of the back of a bus in February and have injured both legs so severely, that I have been pretty much bedridden and in pain. Does anyone know of any remedies for inflammation? It is most painful on my left leg. I fractured my right ankle, and it is still swollen, but I have to lean on that one to get around. Inflammation is the worst. It burns all the time. ó Joan, New York City, USA
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QUESTION OF THE MONTH
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Someone I know is in the early stages of Parkinson's Disease. Are there successful, alternative treatments that can replace or supplement the powerful drugs that produce side effects? The disease is allegedly incurable and progressive. Has anyone ever heard of a recovery? Or, of it being slowed or halted? If so, I hope you can supply specific information and sources, rather than generalities. Thank you! ó Inquiring Reader
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LETTERS
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Thanks for 'Hands for Healing'
Dear Editor:
Thank you for providing such an excellent health resource ("Healing Through Unity").
Only today did I read the January 2004 issue, but not because of disinterest. In December and January, I was recovering from surgery, and other personal demands interfered with timely attention to e-mail. I have read issues since January, and now I see the material that prompted subsequent reader responses.
I want you to know that I considered the article "Hands for Healing," a valuable, informative article. You clearly had no promotional agenda but simply gave a balanced overview of the method.
I also liked (the sidebar) "Putting the Heart Back into Nursing." I felt excited to know that nurses seek to offer warmth and personal interest in patients. I truly received that sort of care in my hospitalization after my surgery at West Virginia University Medical Center (Morgantown).
When I awoke in the surgical intensive care unit, I knew where I was and why, but I felt pathetic. I still had the breathing tube in my throat, an arterial line in one arm, an intravenous line in the other and a urinary catheter. Because of the nature of the surgery to my brain, I had a tendency to feel off balance and nauseated; therefore, a couple of times just shifting my position slightly in the bed resulted in vomiting.
The staff readily and cheerfully cleaned me and the bedclothes; thus, I did not feel at all embarrassed nor ashamed. The nurses and doctors had pleasant demeanors each time they came to check me or to do something to me.
The next day, I went to a regular room in hospital, and I experienced a rapid recovery. That made me very happy and optimistic, and my continuing experience with the good-natured staff gave me a favorable view of human nature. I realized the betterment of my health intended by the surgery, even though I got some other problems in the bargain. Still I can function much better than I could a year ago.
I thought of my medical experience when I read an article in the Washington Post this winter, concerning the objection (maybe even resentment) by the nursing profession that television and movies have not depicted nurses as true skilled professionals but rather as laborers. ó Johnson Maxey (Fredericksburg, Virginia,
USA)
A More Helpful Web Site
Dear Editor:
I would like to thank you for printing the letter that I wrote in response to a request from Arthur regarding a possible solution for his wife's trapped neuropathic pain. However, I was just informed that the suggested Web site: http://ubbhkg.tripod.com that was printed in the newsletter can only be viewed by Hong Kong readers, so I am afraid Arthur will not get the benefit of learning more about this apparatus. The Web site where he will be able to view the particulars, if he so desires, is: http://ubbhkg.newtech-network.com
Thank you for your kind assistance. I sincerely hope Arthur will find a remedy for his wife. And I wish to thank all of you for the wonderful articles and the work you are doing to help people around the world. Our prayers are with all of you. ó J.S. Wong, Hong Kong
Wants Clearer References
Dear Editor:
I was just rereading the January 2004 issue. Regarding Baha'i prayers, I noticed that on two separate occasions, the reference only mentioned the page number. I went to my prayer book (printed in the United States), and neither selection from the (newsletter) text corresponded with prayers from the prayer book.
I would like to ask that fuller elucidation on references be given; such as: What prayer book is being referred to, what section, i.e. healing, forgiveness, etc., so that we can refer to the proper prayers and make use of them if we wish. The references in other articles seem to be in order and need no adjusting. Thank you. ó Foster M. Buckner, California, USA
Dear Foster:
You are right. There are a number of different Baha'i prayer books, and that can cause confusion. Your suggestion is greatly appreciated. ó Editor
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PLEASE SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS
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All of us have had healing experiences ó physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual. Please share your stories and other ideas about staying healthy in a stressful world. Your articles do not have to be long ó just a few paragraphs will suffice. Encouragement is a big part of a healthy lifestyle, and sharing stories and ideas that work for you brings encouragement to others.
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WEB SITE
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You can visit the web site, obtain back issues and the Healing Through Unity Course at: http://www.healingthroughunity.org.
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PURPOSE OF THE NEWSLETTER
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"Healing Through Unity" is published for the purpose of sharing thoughts, comments and experiences on how the teachings of the Baha'i Faith are being applied to physical and spiritual health. Other than the quoted Holy Writings, the material in this newsletter represents the thoughts and opinions of the writers and has no authority. None of the material published in this newsletter is intended to be a substitute for the advice of your physician. You are free to copy articles, provided you indicate the source of the article. There are 10 issues per year; it is not published during July and August. The newsletter is produced in Freedom, Maine, USA.
WHERE TO SEND STORIES:
Many thanks to all of you who share helpful ideas for "Healing Through Unity" Newsletter. We welcome submissions from everyone. The decision to select and edit material submitted for publication is determined by the editor.
Please e-mail your stories, comments, suggestions or "Question for the Month" ideas to newsletter editor Lynn Ascrizzi, at: dreams@uninets.net
SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION:
Please e-mail all new subscriptions, subscription cancellations and e-mail address changes (please include old address along with new one) to --
LOOKING FOR NEW CIRCULATION
AND PRODUCTION ASSISTANT
The newsletter is still in need of one person to be the Production and Circulation Assistant to help with mailouts and updating of the mailing list. This person would be responsible for sending the newsletter to readers each month (10 issues per year; it is not published during July or August), updating e-mail addresses and adding/deleting subscribers. This person must know Microsoft Outlook 2000, should have good computer skills and be well-organized, orderly, and efficient. This task requires about 4 to 5 hours per month. If you are interested to serve in this voluntary position for the newsletter, please contact -- Thank you!
HEALING THROUGH UNITY
May, 2004
A monthly newsletter dedicated to serving the principles of
physical and spiritual health envisioned in the Baha'i TeachingsVolume 8, Issue No.5
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CONTENTS
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ó Natural Therapy for Parkinson's Disease
ó Parkinson's Web Site Sources
ó How to Avoid Parkinson's Disease
ó Readers Respond to Questions
ó Blessing for Physicians
ó Coenzyme Q10
ó Soul Unaffected By Bodily Ailments
ó Attitude Is All
ó Looking for Production Assistant
ó Health for Humanity: Upcoming Conference
ó Whole Foods Recipe Swap
ó Readers Request Assistance
ó Question of the Month
ó Letters
ó Purpose of the Newsletter/Subscriptions*******************************************************
NATURAL THERAPY FOR PARKINSON'S DISEASE
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By LYNN ASCRIZZI
At age 65, Mary Ann Sandt of Lake Crystal, Minnesota USA., was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. Her first symptom had been a weakness in her right hand.
The disease slowly progressed and her symptoms worsened. "I couldn't dress myself, put on my earrings or roll over in bed," she said.
Parkinson's disease (PD) is described as a neurodegenerative disease whose symptoms are progressive tremor, rigidity, slowness of movement, changes in posture and difficulties with walking. Typically, tremor begins on one side and often begins with the hand. It is a common disease. In the United States, alone, more than 1 million people have been diagnosed with the disease ó about 1 to 2 cases per 1,000 individuals. The average age of onset is about 60, but it can be diagnosed as early as the third decade.
Sandt's neurologist prescribed the mainstay drug of treatment, the dopamine derivative, L-dopa (Sinemet). She got along well on that drug for about two years, she said.
"Then, dyskinesia set in," she said, referring to erratic, involuntary muscle spasms,. "For me, it was a side effect of the drug" Her neurologists wanted to give her more medications. "I couldnít take them. My body reacted to the medications. . . ."
In 2000, she started a new, alternative treatment that had just begun to make inroads in some clinics and alternative healing centers. Pioneered by neurologist Dr. David Perlmutter of the Perlmutter Health Center in Naples, Florida USA., it involves high doses of a potent antioxidant called glutathione, a dietary supplement given intravenously.
Glutathione is a naturally occurring chemical that recent studies have shown is greatly diminished in PD patients. Until now, the deficiency attracted little attention. For decades, the loss of dopamine in the area of the brain called the substantia nigra has been the primary focus of research and has led to an array of medications to provide symptomatic relief.
Perlmutter's anecdotal accounts of success with injectable glutathione can be found in his book, "BrainRecovery.com: Powerful Therapy for Challenging Brain Disorders." Besides PD, he also discusses alternative treatments for Alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis, memory loss, stroke, post-polio syndrome, ALS, and others.
"Glutathione is . . . . one of the most important brain antioxidants. .. . . glutathione helps to preserve brain tissue by preventing damage from free radicals ó destructive chemicals formed by the normal process of metabolism, toxic elements in the environment, and as a normal response of the body to challenges by infectious agents or other stresses. . . . glutathione also acts to recycle vitamin C and E, which, because of their antioxidant activity, also reduce free radicals in the brain,î Perlmutter said in "Brain Recovery.com"
PD is "characterized by excessive free radical production coupled with deficient antioxidant defenses," he said.
Originally, Perlmutter used glutathione to treat chronic fatigue syndrome. When one of his CFS patients, who also had PD, showed dramatic improvements in his symptoms after receiving glutathione, Perlmutter researched the subject and found that a small study in Italy showed similar benefits. He began to administer glutathione to PD patients at the Naples, Fla. clinic.
"Since that time, we've amplified the protocol, increased the dosage and have now treated hundreds of Parkinson's patients successfully," Perlmutter said, in an article published at the Web site: www.wholehealthmd.com His definition of success is that PD symptoms improve and many patients can reduce the dosage of dopamine-boosting drugs. Perlmutter received the Linus Pauling Award in May 2002 by the Institute for Functional Medicine on the basis of his research.
Other nutritional supplements Perlmutter recommends as part of the PD therapy regimen are alpha lipoic acid, vitamins E and C (two vitamins that have been shown to dramatically slow the diseaseís onset), coenzyme Q-10, ginkgo biloba, N-Acetyl-Cysteine (NAC), N-acetyl-L-carnitine and phosphatidylserine, vitamin D, vitamin B-12, magnesium, folic acid, pyridoxine and niacin (as niacinamide, vitamin B3).
"Before I noticed a big change, it took about eight months,î Sandt said, of her glutathione treatments. She also continued taking Sinemet. "I think my husband saw more (improvement), but I was impatient. I could dress myself and was gradually improving. Every month was better. I was able to tolerate the medications."
"She used to just sit in a chair and shake. She was depressed," her husband, Robert Sandt, 73, said.
Treatments at the local chiropractor cost her $80 a session, and she received about two treatments per week. Medicare or health insurance does not cover the costs of treatments, she said. Then, in 2001, she and her husband decided to go to The Perlmutter Health Center.
"We thought it might improve it a little bit," she said. Because of the trip, she didn't take glutathione for 13 days but was still on her other medications.
"I started having trouble with tremors," she said, referring to the time period when she stopped taking glutathione. She was treated for two weeks at the health center. Each week she received three infusions, of 1,000 mg. per infusion.
Since then, "her progress has been remarkable," her husband said.
"There is no comparison. I'm even better than before. I can function and do everything I want to. I used to have trouble turning over in bed. Now, there is no tremor in my right hand and only a slight tremor in my left. People who see me don't know I have Parkinson's,î she said.
Sandt said about 75 percent of people with PD respond to glutathione. "Not everyone responds. People respond at different rates," she said.
It was not possible by publication date to obtain more than anecdotal information from staff at the Perlmutter center regarding percentages of patients who responded positively to glutathione. A receptionist said that 85 to 90 percent of their patients with PD responded positively and that 50 percent showed strong improvement.
Later, an office manager said: "Seventy percent of patients have some relief of symptoms and 30 percent showed improvement without relief of symptoms." When asked what that improvement consisted of, she pointed to the general benefits of the antioxidant, glutathione.
Currently, a double-blind study on the effects of glutathione in treating PD is being conducted at the University of Florida in Tampa, she said. The study is in its first year.
Sandt's initial costs for glutathione have reduced because her husband, who was trained at the Perlmutter center, now gives her the 15-minute intravenous treatments twice a week.
"I'm glad we can do it. If we want to go on vacation, we take the medication with us," she said. "It's not that hard. But I wish they had a patch."
An oral formulation of glutathione is currently being developed, according to Dr. Perlmutter, who was cited in a recent article published at www.wholehealthmd.com
Perlmutter recommends that liquid glutathione should be administered, at least initially, by a qualified health care practitioner. He gives instructions for using glutathione in his book, as well as a source for the supplement. An instructional video for glutathione administration is available by calling iNutritionals at (800) 530-1982 or by visiting www.BrainRecovery.com
The Sandts order injectable glutathione, a relatively inexpensive supplement, from Wellness Health and Pharmaceuticals in Birmingham, Ala.
(1-800-227-2627.) It must be refrigerated. Treatments cost her $26 per treatment, or roughly, $200 per month, she said, which include 20 cc syringes, short infusion needles and medication. The supplies are all sterile and for one-time use.
Today, Sandt is doing glutathione treatments twice a week and takes a special nutritional supplement called Brain Sustain, manufactured by NuHealth Manufacturing of Gig Harbor, Wash., which contains the above-mentioned supplements. She also remains on two drugs, Sinemet and Mirapax. Because of the glutathione, she has been able to reduce the more expensive Mirapax from nine pills to four pills per day, she said.
"I go dancing. I do more than people with arthritis. I very seldom feel tired,"î said Sandt, who also has a pacemaker. "I thank the Lord every day."
Another book by Dr. Perlmutter, "The Better Brain Book," will be available in August 2004.
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BLESSING FOR PHYSICIANS
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"Well is it with the physician who cureth ailments in My hallowed and dearly-cherished Name." ó (Baha'u'llah, from a Tablet, translated from the Arabic: Source: "Compilation of Compilations")
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COENZYME Q10
New Hope for People With Parkinson's
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By Dr. CLARK HANSEN
A powerful over-the-counter antioxidant, Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) has demonstrated significant potential in several disease areas from cardiology to cataracts to cancer. And now new research suggests it could help bring new hope to those with Parkinson's disease (PD), the devastating neurodegenerative disease.
A study published in the journal Archives of Neurology suggests that coenzyme CoQ10 may be able to accomplish what current treatments for PD cannot; slow its progression. The ailment afflicts between one-million and 1 1?2 million Americans with 50,000 new cases reported every year.
PD causes tremor, muscle rigidity and movement problems. The underlying cause is the slow loss of neurons that produce dopamine, a brain chemical involved in movement. It usually starts with small tremors, then progresses to a shuffling gait and increasing weakness. There is no cure, and drug therapy tends to lose effectiveness over time.
Coenzyme Q10 is a naturally occurring compound produced within the body. CoQ10 (also known as Vitamin Q10) is biosynthesized from the amino acid Tyrosine and eight vitamins, which are tetrahydrobiopterin, vitamins B6, C, B2, B12, folic acid, niacin, and pantothenic acid. CoQ10 works by neutralizing molecules known as free radicals. Free radicals are present in high levels in the energy-producing components of cells and can cause cell damage and death.
In PD, research has shown that this free radical damage is greater in the area of the brain responsible for movement control, which leads to cell death and development of the disease.
NOTE: Dr. Flint Beal, professor and chair of neurology at the Weill Medical College of Cornell University in New York said: "The dose that was used in the Parkinson's trial that shows the biggest effect is 1,200 milligrams per day."
Dr. Clark Hansen is President and Medical Director of the Arizona Institute of Natural Medicine. For more information go to www.drhansen.com
Source: www.cave.creek.info/health/coq103.cfm
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HOW TO AVOID PARKINSON'S DISEASE
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By DR. JOSEPH MERCOLA
with RACHEL DROEGE
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurological disorder in which neurons in a region of the brain that controls movement deteriorate. The deterioration of the neurons results in a shortage of dopamine, a brain-signaling chemical, which causes problems with movement.
It is bad enough that we are using medications to control PD. Now, those who use them need to be concerned about gambling their life savings away in a real although rare side effect reported in the current issue of Neurology.
PD affects close to 1 million Americans. Symptoms, which typically progress over time, include tremor (trembling or shaking), slow movement, rigid limbs, stooped posture, an inability to move, reduced facial expressions and a shuffling gait. The condition can also cause depression, dementia, speech impairments, personality changes and sexual difficulties.
Most patients with PD are treated with drugs that can result in a range of side effects including:
Nausea
Vomiting
Low blood pressure
Jerky movements
Paranoia
Hallucinations
Confusion
An inability to sleep
Dry mouth
Constipation
Memory loss
Blurred vision
Skin rash
About five to 10 percent of patients with PD are prescribed antimuscarinic drugs to help control tremors, bladder problems and depression. According to one study, patients who had been on these drugs for more than two years had twice the level of brain protein clumps and tangles, which are characteristic of Alzheimerís patients, as patients not taking the drugs. The finding has raised concern among scientists that antimuscarinic drugs could increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease.
Prevention is clearly the best option with Parkinson's disease. There are several steps you can take to minimize your chances of developing the disease.
Eat Fresh, Raw Vegetables
Studies have found that inadequate amounts of the B vitamin folate, known as folic acid, may raise the risk of Parkinson's disease. Fresh, raw vegetables are an excellent source of folic acid, and itís easy to incorporate plenty of veggies into your diet if you try vegetable juicing.
Avoid Pesticides and Petrochemical Solvents
Exposure to pesticides, insecticides and herbicides have all been linked to Parkinson's disease, along with exposure to common petroleum-based hydrocarbon solvents such as paints and glues. If you live in an area that is conducting mosquito fogging for West Nile Virus, be sure to stay indoors to avoid getting a massive dose of pesticides.
When painting rooms in your house, use low-volatile paints and be sure you keep the windows open and have proper ventilation.
Avoid Excess Iron
Eating a diet too high in iron puts you at an increased risk of developing PD. While iron is a necessary part of staying healthy, too much iron can be devastating. Aside from the excess iron that can result from taking iron supplements, iron overload, or hemochromatosis, is actually the most common inherited disease.
Iron can contribute to oxidative stress, which results when cells release toxic substances known as free radicals. Oxidative stress can contribute to the degeneration of brain cells found in PD.
Measuring iron levels is a very important part of optimizing your health, especially for men and postmenopausal women since excess iron is most common among these groups. However, simply measuring serum iron is a poor way to do this because frequently the serum iron will be normal. The most useful of the indirect measures of iron status in the body is through a measure of the serum ferritin level in conjunction with a total iron binding level.
Avoid Excess Manganese
Manganese is similar to iron in that it can be harmful at excessive levels and can contribute to oxidative stress in the body. High amounts of manganese down-regulates serotonin and dopamine and high levels of manganese are often found in learning disabled or violent individuals. Although it has the potential to create major problems, the medical community pays very little attention to manganese toxicity.
By the time someone comes down with the disease, treatment can become more difficult. While I am not a fan of using supplements, it appears that CoQ10 may be useful for people with this disease.
Source: www.mercola.com
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READERS RESPOND
TO QUESTIONS OF THE MONTH
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Parkinson's Web-Site Sources
The following are Web site information sources for Parkinson's disease. Some are for nutrition and supplements; some have other information. I got this list from other dietitians. I haven't checked them out myself. ó Janet DeLoughery
http://cc.ucsf.edu/crc/nutrition_multivitamins.asp
http://fcs.okstate.edu/cnep/news/archive/vitamins_minerals.htm http://www.fcs.okstate.edu/food/topics/akdri.htm****************
http://www.newhopeforparkinsons.com/a/
click "Living with Parkinson's"
click "Nutrition" to read past articles on fava beans and B-vitamin supplements as well as a column for the quarterly National Parkinson's Foundation ìParkinson's Report."
click the graphic for "Parkinson's Report"
click on Fall 2002 and forward, click on "Patient Services" also Fava Beans, levodopa and Parkinson's http://www.parkinson.org/fava.htm
Hormone Replacement Therapy for Women with Parkinson's Disease: Yes or No? http://www.parkinson.org/hrt_pd.htm
You or your client can also join my online forum "Ask the Parkinson's Dietitian." Go to: http://www.parkinson.org/ Locate "Online Forums" and click on Ask the Parkinsonís Dietitian
Benefits of Tai Chi For People With Parkinson's
I am writing in response to the question about alternative Parkinson's treatments.
I used to play Tai Chi in Toronto with a Taoist Master. He had one person who had rather advanced Parkinson's disease ó and she was fully mobile and agile well beyond her doctor's expectations.
I would recommend that the person with Parkinson's seek the tutelage of a master teacher ó there are many less qualified instructors out there. But even with a "run of the mill" instructor, the person with Parkinson's would benefit from the gentle stretching and strengthening exercises that Tai Chi offers! In addition, there is tremendous benefit to the individual's balance.
I hope that this person is able to find support in living with this potentially difficult condition. ó Sincerely, Susan Ludwig
Read "Lucky Man"
I suggest that the person with Parkinson's read "Lucky Man: A Memoir" by the award-winning actor, Michael J. Fox. He writes about the last 10 years, since he has been diagnosed with PD. The author's profits are donated to The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research. Visit: www.michaeljfox.org
Help For Inflammation
Regarding the person seeking relief for inflammation: Try bromelain. I've found the brand Albi is the best and the strongest. If I use another brand, I have to use two (tablets) to get the same result that I get from Albi's one. It is made from pineapple and is also great for arthritis where there is swelling. And, it is great for sinuses. But it is absolutely fantastic for swellings.
Another remedy: The Chinese liquid rub, White Flower. It can help bones to knit and heal. ó Adele Southall, Quesnel, BC
Editor's Note:
According to an Internet source, bromelain is the name of a group of powerful protein-digesting, or proteolytic, enzymes that are found in the pineapple plant (Ananas comosus). Discovered in 1957, and widely studied since then, bromelain is particularly useful for reducing muscle and tissue inflammation and as a digestive aid. Supplements are made from enzymes found in the pineapple stem.
Bromelain is a natural blood thinner and anti-inflammatory. It works by breaking down fibrin, a blood-clotting protein that can impede good circulation and prevent tissues from draining properly. Bromelain also blocks the production of compounds that can cause swelling and pain.
More Help For Inflammation
For inflammation, try vitamin D and omega 3 fatty acids found together in cod liver oil (use the Carlson's brand). For burning nerve pain try homeopathic Hypericum. ó Linda from Wichita, Kansas USA
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SOUL UNAFFECTED BY BODILY AILMENTS
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"Know thou that the soul of man is exalted above, and is independent of all infirmities of body or mind. That a sick person showeth signs of weakness is due to the hindrances that interpose themselves between his soul and his body, for the soul itself remaineth unaffected by any bodily ailments. Consider the light of the lamp. Though an external object may interfere with its radiance, the light itself continueth to shine with undiminished power. In like manner, every malady afflicting the body of man is an impediment that preventeth the soul from manifesting its inherent might and power. When it leaveth the body, however, it will evince such ascendancy, and reveal such influence as no force on earth can equal. Every pure, every refined and sanctified soul will be endowed with tremendous power, and shall rejoice with exceeding gladness." ó "Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah", rev. ed. (Wilmette: Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1983), sec. 80, pp. 153-54)
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ATTITUDE IS ALL
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The following list was sent by a friend; we are not sure of the source.
The most destructive habit..................................Worry
The greatest joy..................................................Giving
The greatest loss.............................Loss of self-respect
The most satisfying work.......................Helping others
The ugliest personality trait..........................Selfishness
The most endangered species.............Dedicated leaders
Our greatest natural resource.........................Our youth
The greatest "shot in the arm"...............Encouragement
The greatest problem to overcome..........................Fear
The most effective sleeping pill................Peace of mind
The most crippling failure disease.....................Excuses
The most powerful force in life..............................Love
The most dangerous pariah...........................A gossiper
The world's most incredible computer.............The brain
The worst thing to be without.... ...................... ....Hope
The deadliest weapon...................................The tongue
The two most power-filled words......................."I Can"
The greatest asset..................................................Faith
The most worthless emotion.............................Self-pity
The most beautiful attire................................ A SMILE
The most prized possession............................. Integrity
The most powerful channel of communication....Prayer
The most contagious spirit...........................Enthusiasm
Everyone needs this list to live by. Pass it along!
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STILL LOOKING FOR
A PRODUCTION ASSISTANT
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The newsletter is still in need of one person to be the Production and Circulation Assistant to help with mailouts and updating of the mailing list. There is more information about this position at the end of this newsletter.
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HEALTH FOR HUMANITY
UPCOMING CONFERENCE:
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The 2004 Health for Humanity Conference will be held June 17 - 20 on the campus of the National Louis University, Evanston, Illinois USA. All Health for Humanity members, members-in-training, supporters, and anyone interested in health development in the US and around the world, are welcome. Registration is extended to May 28.
Link to their Web site's on-line registration page, at http://development.healthforhumanity.org/hh_conference.pdf Print and fax the registration form to us at 847-425-7901. Or, send an e-mail with your registration information to them at health@usbnc.org.
Editor's Note: Health for Humanity (HH), a volunteer-based organization, is a not-for-profit charitable corporation created to enable all interested professionals to offer their services for the promotion of community health throughout the world. Their Web site is at: www.healthforhumanity.org
Established in 1992, the HH founders are inspired by the vision of the organic oneness of humankind upheld by the Baha'i Faith. HH seeks world-embracing solutions for the economic, environmental, political, social and spiritual crises of our times.
The major goal of HH is to facilitate grassroots health development through partnership with local institutions focused on training and building capacity. The human and financial resources of HH come from members, supporters and partners throughout the world.
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WHOLE FOODS
RECIPE SWAP
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A Simple Salad Dressing
Here is a simple, light salad dressing to make in a jiffy. It should be plenty for a medium-sized salad that might serve four people.
1/4 cup olive
1 tablespoon water
Juice from 1/2 fresh lemon
Herb salt (I like Herba Mare brand) or sea salt, to taste Coarse or fine black pepper, to taste 1 garlic glove, pressed Pinch of crushed, dried basil (optional)
Pour olive oil in bowl or liquid measuring cup, and add water. Whisk oil and water with a whisk or fork. Add lemon juice, herb salt, pepper, garlic (squeezed in a garlic press) and dried basil. I grow and dry my own basil, and the flavor is superior to store-bought kinds. Sometimes I add a touch of Tamari soy sauce, but not too much. You may want to use more or less lemon juice and garlic, as you prefer. You can add other herbs if you like. I make it fresh each time. Nothing fancy, but we love it. ó Salad Lover
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READERS REQUEST ASSISTANCE
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Recently I've read and heard about the following three diet supplements that aid in improving brain function: alpha lipoic acid, acetyl-L-carnitine and phosphatidyl serine complex. Does anyone know if these supplements are effective, do any harm, or anything else about them? ó Louis Offstein
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QUESTION OF THE MONTH
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Obesity is a huge problem in the United States and elsewhere. Countless programs and articles have been written about this illness that causes so many health problems like diabetes and heart disease. There are so many conflicting diets. Would someone share their story about their personal struggles with beign obese/overweight and what did or didn't work for you? Thank you!
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LETTERS
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Dear Editor:
Thank you for keeping the newsletter going. You are doing a very, very good job! ó Adele Southall, Quesnel, BC
Dear Adele:
And, thank you for your contribution in this issue, regarding inflammation and bromelain. Readers like you make this newsletter responsive and a service to others. ó L.A
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PLEASE SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS
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All of us have had healing experiences ó physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual. Please share your stories and other ideas about staying healthy in a stressful world. Your articles do not have to be long ó just a few paragraphs will suffice. Encouragement is a big part of a healthy lifestyle, and sharing stories and ideas that work for you brings encouragement to others.
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WEB SITE
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You can visit the web site, obtain back issues and the Healing Through Unity Course at: http://www.healingthroughunity.org.
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PURPOSE OF THE NEWSLETTER
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"Healing Through Unity" is published for the purpose of sharing thoughts, comments and experiences on how the teachings of the Baha'i Faith are being applied to physical and spiritual health. Other than the quoted Holy Writings, the material in this newsletter represents the thoughts and opinions of the writers and has no authority. None of the material published in this newsletter is intended to be a substitute for the advice of your physician. You are free to copy articles, provided you indicate the source of the article. There are 10 issues per year; it is not published during July and August. The newsletter is produced in Freedom, Maine, USA.
WHERE TO SEND STORIES:
Many thanks to all of you who share helpful ideas for "Healing Through Unity" Newsletter. We welcome submissions from everyone. The decision to select and edit material submitted for publication is determined by the editor.
Please e-mail your stories, comments, suggestions or "Question for the Month" ideas to newsletter editor Lynn Ascrizzi, at: dreams@uninets.net
SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION:
Please e-mail all new subscriptions, subscription cancellations and e-mail address changes (please include old address along with new one) to --
LOOKING FOR NEW CIRCULATION
AND PRODUCTION ASSISTANT
The newsletter is still in need of one person to be the Production and Circulation Assistant to help with mailouts and updating of the mailing list. This person would be responsible for sending the newsletter to readers each month (10 issues per year; it is not published during July or August), updating e-mail addresses and adding/deleting subscribers. This person must know Microsoft Outlook 2000, should have good computer skills and be well-organized, orderly, and efficient. This task requires about four to five hours per month. If you are interested to serve in this voluntary position for the newsletter, please contact -- Thank you!.
HEALING THROUGH UNITY
June, 2004
A monthly newsletter dedicated to serving the principles of
physical and spiritual health envisioned in the Baha'i TeachingsVolume 8, Issue No.6
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CONTENTS
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ó Waging the War on Fat
ó Seek Capacity
ó Health Notesï New Weapon Against Bone Loss
ï Echinacea Is Not For Everyone
ï Vitamin B-12 Levels Affect Treatments for Depression ó The Power of Prayer-Sharing ó Blessing for Those Who Work in Groups ó Turn to the Holy Spirit ó Whole Foods Recipe Swap ó Readers Request Assistance ó Question of the Month ó Letters ó Purpose of the Newsletter/Subscriptions********************************
WAGING THE WAR ON FAT
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Today, more than ever before, people are swept up in a dieting-exercise craze.
Fitness clubs and weight-loss groups have sprung up in every town. People jump on exercise machines, sweat out aerobic regimes and agonize over a riot of diets. They measure out fish, fruit, veggies and chips, count calories and otherwise obsess over what they can eat and what they can't.
Why the frenetic focus on body fat?
The answer is as plain as people's profiles in the mirror. In the United States alone, about 64 percent of adults are overweight; 30.5 percent are obese and 9 million severely obese. That bulging figure is a big cause for concern. Obesity is rising at an epidemic rate. What's more, weight issues impact our health, and all that extra bulk is costing the country millions in extra health care costs.
In a world where millions suffer from malnutrition and hunger, how sad and ironic, that in the United States and in other affluent countries, a rising number of people are overweight and obese.
Fortunately, many folks are trying to buck the tide, and some are winning. If you are waging the "battle of the bulge," you will take heart from the success story of Jenny, who lives in a small town in Maine, USA.
In the state where she lives, 54 percent of adults are overweight and obese according to 2000 data. Obesity-related health care costs Maine almost 1 billion a year, according to the Centre of Science in the Public Interest.
About two years ago, Jenny, who is 5-feet, 5-1/2-inches tall, weighed a whopping 383 pounds.
Her obesity problems were compounded when she caught a devastating staph (staphylococcus) infection after the C-section birth of her second son, now age 4. The dangerous, flesh-eating infection took two years to heal and left her bedridden and disabled.
"We moved in with my parents, who took care of the kids. I couldn't do much; I was too sick. And, of course, I got bigger and bigger. I had to heal from the inside, out. I had nursing care come in for two years," she said.
Her husband, who works as a heating and ventilating specialist, helped dress her bandages. He had extra child-care duties with the new baby and their older son, now age 11.
Today, Jenny weighs 155 pounds, a figure which keeps her within the health guidelines for her height, she said. She went down from a dress size 5X to size 8 -10.
"I have a lot more energy. I can move around. Before, I'd like to sit around and not do anything. I do activities with the kids. We go bowling. The youngest likes to ice skate. We walk the rail trail ,"(a nature trail along an abandoned railroad bed).
Jenny is a new woman, in every sense of the word.
What brought about the dramatic turn-around? In a nutshell, it was her desperation to feel better coupled with the capacity to change.
After her incisions healed two years ago, she joined a local diet group in a nearby town. In one year, she lost 176 pounds. She watched her food portions and followed the group's guidelines. She worked out on a home treadmill.
"I started doing the treadmill for 5 minutes, and my knees killed me.
But, I built it up," she said.
Then, about a year ago, she went to a local fitness center.
"When I started, I weighed 207 pounds. In one year, I lost 36 pounds of body fat and 34 inches all around. I plan to go back (to the diet group), but I'm staying with the fitness center."
Currently, she goes five days a week for 30-minute workouts doing "resistance training" on hydraulic machines."
"They work every part of your body. They start you out at 30 minutes, and you don't get sore at all. I work hard, but you just don't hurt."
After exercising on the machines, she does special stretching exercises.
"You stretch every part of your body; it helps you from getting sore. You have so much energy when you leave. It is unbelievable." She pays $29.99 per month for use of the facility.
Meanwhile, Jenny is still following her food-portion-control regime at home and has also changed her cooking habits. "I don't use much fat. I don't fry; I bake and broil. I buy light bread. I have more fruit in the refrigerator and we do fruit and veggie dips and low-fat yogurt. I don't eat a lot of red meat.
Her husband is more than pleased at her new lease on health and life.
"He thinks it's wonderful," she said.
A cautionary note. It is not easy to fight food addictions and a lifetime of harmful eating habits. The bad news is, after taking it off, nine out of 10 dieters put it all back on, according to recent statistics.
The good news is, people are making efforts to live healthier lives. And, many succeed. ó Lynn Ascrizzi
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SEEK CAPACITY
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"Man must seek capacity and develop readiness. As long as he lacks susceptibility to divine influences, he is incapable of reflecting the light and assimilating its benefits. Sterile soil will produce nothing, even if the cloud of mercy pours rain upon it a thousand years. We must make the soil of our hearts receptive and fertile by tilling in order that the rain of divine mercy may refresh them and bring forth roses and hyacinths of heavenly planting.
"As long as we lack susceptibility, the beauties and bounties of God cannot penetrate." ó 'Abdu'l-Baha, ("Promulgation of Universal Peace, Page 143.)
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SEE YOU IN SEPTEMBER
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There will be no issues of Healing Through Unity newsletter in July and August. Although you will be preoccupied with enjoying the season, I do hope you keeping sending your thoughts, ideas and questions to this newsletter.
Thank you all for helping to make the past six issues rewarding ones.
Wishing you all a great summer and see you in September. ó Lynn Ascrizzi
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HEALTH NOTES
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ó New Weapon Against Bone Loss
A compound called strontium ranelate, a medication made from the mineral strontium, has been found to prevent bone loss and contribute to bone strength, according to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Bone loss, or osteoporosis, is the cause of fracture of the spine, hip and other skeletal fractures that afflict millions of older people.
Strontium was discovered in European lead mines more than a century ago.
Chemically similar to calcium, it is found in seawater and soil and in tiny amounts in some foods and in bones and teeth. Doctors stopped using it the 1950s, because it was feared it interfered with the synthesis of vitamin D, fears which have proven unfounded.
The French drug company, Servier, conducted a study of 1,649 post-menopausal women with osteoporosis to receive either strontium ranelate as a powder mixed with water, or a placebo, for three years. Both groups received calcium and vitamin D supplements.
Women who took strontium ranelate, showed an increase in bone density and were far less likely to have vertebral fractures. It appeared to prevent bone loss while helping to build bone. The placebo group had no increase in bone density.
The study did not show whether the compound helped protect bones other than the spine from fracture. Unlike other osteoporosis drugs on the market like Fosamax, Raloxifene, Forteo and estrogen, that can cause side-effects like nausea, stroke and blood clots, strontium ranelate is easily absorbed and free of side-effects other than diarrhea, experienced in 6 percent of patients in the study. The compound may be suitable for people who cannot tolerate or who are concerned about side effects in other drugs.
Strontium ranelate is a patented substance that is not yet marketed. It should not be confused with over-the-counter strontium supplements.
Source: New England Journal of Medicine, January 2004
ó Echinacea Is Not For Everyone
The herbal remedy echinacea is a popular, over-the-counter remedy for treating the common cold. Yet it is not for everyone. Many brands do not carry adequate warning labels. Do not use echinacea products if you fall into the following categories:
ó Autoimmune disease: Don't use if you suffer from disorders such as
Type-1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis or multiple sclerosis. The supplement could further stimulate improper immune-system responses.
ó Suppressed immune systems: Don't use if you suffer from AIDS or are taking drugs to suppress your immune system such as after an organ transplant.
ó Allergies: Avoid echinacea if you are allergic to flowers in the aster family, such as daisies, sunflowers or weeds including ragweed.
ó Pregnancy or breast-feeding: Avoid if pregnant or nursing a baby, says the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
ó Children: Don't bother giving echinacea to children. A study in the Journal of American Medical Association found that the herb is not effective in young children.
Source: Consumers Union
ó Vitamin B-12 Levels Affect Treatments for Depression
People suffering from major depression appear to respond better to antidepressants and therapy if they have higher levels of vitamin B-12 in their blood. The study, conducted by researchers from Kuopio University Hospital in Kuopio, Finland, found a link between normal to high levels of B-12 and successful treatments.
The study suggests that supplements or a diet high in B-12 might help successfully battle depression.
The researchers measured blood levels of vitamin B-12 in 115 depressed outpatients as they began treatment and again six months later. Those patients who responded to treatment had higher levels of the vitamin at the beginning and end of the study than those whose treatment didn't work.
Source: BMC Psychiatry www.biomedcentral.com/bmcpsychiatry/
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THE POWER OF PRAYER-SHARING
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EDITOR'S NOTE:
The following correspondence was shared recently on a listserve for the Baha'is of Unit One, USA (Maine and part of New Hampshire). On the e-mail list, members often request prayers of assistance or healing for themselves or family members. Other members often write back directly to the person, assuring them of their prayers. I have used this list for this purpose a number of times, and from my experience, this service is a most comforting, reassuring and powerful spiritual tool.
The sacred writings of the Baha'i Faith make it clear that, when ill, Baha'is must refer to competent, conscientious physicians, and then follow the advice given them. However, healing is seen to consist of both material and spiritual processes, both being essential and complementary; the Baha'i patient will therefore also use such means as prayer and meditation to assist the healing process.
Here are the two letters regarding prayer requests.
Dear Friends:
I asked for prayers for my father and family prior to my going to northern Wisconsin (USA) to attend what I thought was my father's last days on earth.
He had congestive heart failure which caused a fluid build up in his lungs, a systemic blood infection from a non-healing sore on his remaining foot ( amputation was considered ), diabetic shock and a vein transplanted from his right arm to his leg to bring circulation back to his leg. In the middle of a procedure to insert a probe into his heart to evaluate his condition, he had a small heart attack. This is why I thought his days were closing.
The day after I arrived, and the next two days, brought a complete turn-around in his condition. His leg is now warm for the first time in 12 years, his lungs have cleared up, the infection was cleared, he was removed from the respirator, and later from the oxygen tube, his diabetes is more regulated and his appetite returned. He has now been transferred from intensive care to a rehab hospital for further wound care and physical therapy. Your prayers were answered with a BANG that could not have come from another source than the grace of God.
Thank you with all my heart for your prayers.
I just returned home and am back to organizing my new profession as a motorcycle airbrush and pinstripe artist. ó Joe Keller
* * *
Thanks Joe Keller for your account of the power of prayer.
Though this mail list is mostly used to keep us informed of activities of interest to the Unit One Baha'is, I think its most powerful advantage is that it is able to unite us in prayer, at once.
I am becoming convinced that our united, selfless, sincere, prayers may be our most powerful tool for imbuing this world with the spiritual energy it so desperately needs to accomplish mankind's transcendence from adolescence to adulthood. And the blessings we have experienced from our prayerful activity are God's confirmation and encouragement to bring our prayer-mindfulness into our daily activities.
Recently, my sister asked me if I had gained the habit of saying the Greatest Name (Allah'u'Abha ó God is Most Glorious) 95 times a day.
"No, I have not," I replied.
"Neither have I," she said, dejectedly.
"Do you understand the principal behind this activity?", I asked.
"I don't think so," she said.
I said: "It's not just a ritual that you rattle off the Greatest Name 95 times in a row at some point during the day. If you divided our time awake each day by 95, the interval would be about 10 minutes. If we were to go throughout the day remembering to say the Greatest Name about every 10 minutes, then God would not be far from our mind in everything we do during the day. That would make a real difference in how we operated in our daily life, and the blessings would flow from all that."
Dearest friends, keep the prayers coming. Pray for each other and all things that concern you. And be sure to use this list for prayer requests when you want that power of prayer to be magnified. Warmest regards.ó Bill Stearn
EDITOR'S NOTE:
The address of the Unit One Baha'i list cannot be disseminated, to insure privacy. But I invite readers to send their prayer requests for future publication to Healing Through Unity newsletter.
In this newsletter, prayer requests can only be published on a monthly and not on a daily basis. Nonetheless, I believe the power of prayer is timeless; that is, our prayers affect the past as well as our present and future events. No heartfelt prayer arrives too late.
So, if you have prayer requests for yourself or others that you would like published in Healing Through Unity newsletter, please send them to the editor at: dreams@uninets.net
One last note: Bill Stearn, who manages the list for Baha'i Unit One, said he hopes other groups will be inspired to start e-mail lists for prayer requests. If they need technical assistance, they can refer to him, he said. You can reach him at: wstearn1@maine.rr.com
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BLESSING FOR THOSE WHO WORK IN GROUPS
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"O ye friends of God! Today is the day of union and this age is the age of harmony in the world of existence. 'Verily, God loveth those who are working in His path in groups, for they are a solid foundation.'
Consider ye that he says 'in groups,' united and bound together, supporting one another. 'To work,' mentioned in this holy verse, does not mean, in this greatest age, to perform it with swords, spears, shafts and arrows, but rather with sincere intentions, good designs, useful advices, divine moralities, beautiful actions, spiritual qualities, educating the public, guiding the souls of mankind, diffusing spiritual fragrances, explaining divine illustrations, showing convincing proofs and doing charitable deeds." ó 'Abdu'l-Baha, 'Baha'i World Faith: Selected Writings of Baha'u'llah and 'Abdu'l-Baha, Page 401, Baha'i Publishing Trust, Fourth Printing 1969.
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TURN TO THE HOLY SPIRIT
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"Know thou, that letter sent to thee by me, was only because of my perfect love for thee and my pity upon thee, for I had the desire that the fragrance of the Holy Spirit, which hath perfumed all regions and imbued the entire body of the world with the Spirit of Life, should pass over thee and abide with thee. Notwithstanding the high position it occupieth, still, with an eloquent tongue, through which the Spirit moveth, hearts are attracted and bosoms burn, it speaketh to the pure hearts and to the good and righteous souls in every spot of the earth.
This is the powerful Spirit, the dazzling light, the brilliant star and the overwhelming and universal abundance. And, from its traces, spread and divulged everywhere, thou wilt know and realize its influence and comprehend its radiance. I ask God to expose thee to its fragrance, move thee by its breeze, enkindle thee by its coals of fire and illuminate thee by its brightness. Turn thyself wholly to it ó thus thou shalt be enabled to ascertain it influence and power, the strength of its life and the greatness of its confirmation. Verily, I say unto thee, that if for the appearance of that Divine Essence thou desirest to have a definite proof, an indisputable testimony and a strong, convincing evidence, thou must prepare thyself to make thy heart empty and thine eye ready to look only toward the Kingdom of God. ó 'Abdu'l-Baha, "Baha'i World Faith: Selected Writing of Baha'u'llah and 'Abdu'l-Baha, Pages 368 & 369, (Baha'i Publishing Trust, Wilmette, USA, Third Printing, 1969).
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READERS RESPOND
TO QUESTIONS OF THE MONTH
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More About Parkinson's Disease
I am very appreciative of receiving the newsletter on a relay through the Thailand Baha'i network.
In reading through the May 2004 issue devoted to Parkinson's, I noticed that you have not included Dr. Lieberman at National Parkinson's Foundation as a reliable source of information. Go in through the NPF home page. There is a place there to sign up for various daily updates, one with Dr. Lieberman, one with a dietitian, and a few others. It also has a good reference base. These services are all free.
My wife has suffered from PD for 24 years, and I am her primary (and sole) caretaker. The information that I gain from his daily e-mails has helped us, as best as possible, to live a normal life. Please inform your readers of this valuable source of information on PD.
It is: askthedoctor@www.parkinson.org Thank you. ó Dr. John Bruha, Canberra, Australia
Reduced Form of Oral Glutathione Available
I have used the reduced form of oral glutathione in my practice successfully. Also whey protein powder is a strong dietary precursor of glutathione. I have developed a 90 percent whey protein powder for my clients.
Also the strongest anti-inflammatory supplement is a combination of protelytic enzymes. Before starting any supplement program, a hair analysis and /or a saliva test for hormones should be performed first.
My Web site is:www.nutritionevaluation.com ó Carl
EDITOR'S NOTE:
Reduced glutathione, a powerful antioxidant used as a supportive treatment for Parkinson's Disease was the subject of the cover article in the May 2004 issue. The treatment, pioneered by neurologist Dr. Perlmutter of the Perlmutter Center in Naples, Florida USA, uses a liquid form of reduced glutathione administered intravenously. Recent information from the center said that an oral form was in the process of being developed.
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WHOLE FOODS
RECIPE SWAP
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Here is a muffin recipe taken from the book "Breaking the Vicious Cycle:
Intestinal Health Through Diet" by Elaine Gottschall. This book has some excellent recipes for people suffering from intestinal disorders such as Crohn's Disease, Colitis, Celiac Disease, etc. It can be ordered from Kirton Press Ltd, 396 Grills Road, RR #2 Baltimore, Ontario, KOK 1C0.
Honey Nut Muffins
(I have only made it with almonds)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2 1/2 cups ground nuts (almonds, walnuts, pecans, hazel nuts)
1/4 cup melted butter
1/2 cup honey (more or less as desired)
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 eggs (use pureed fruit to avoid eggs)
Place eggs and honey into blender and mix thoroughly. Add the egg mixture to the nuts and blend by hand or with an electric beater. Add the melted butter as needed to bring it to a muffin batter. Blend in baking soda and salt.
Line cupcakes tins with paper cupcake liners. Spoon batter into cupcake tins filling about 1/2 full. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes.
* * *
Curried Chick Peas and Tofu
1 medium onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced or pressed
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Pinch of cayenne (optional)
1 cake tofu (3/4 pound), cut into 1/2 inch cubes
2 cups undrained, cooked chick peas (16-ounce can)
2 tomatoes, chopped (about 1-1/2 cups)
Pinch of salt (or more to taste)
Chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
Plain yogurt (optional)
Saute the onion and garlic in the oil, until the onions are translucent, stirring occasionally. Stir in the cumin, coriander, turmeric, black pepper and optional cayenne. Add the cubed tofu and cook for a minute or so, stirring constantly.
Add the chick peas and about 1/2 cup of their liquid, and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and continue to cook until thoroughly heated.
Add salt to taste. Serve topped with cilantro and/or yogurt if you like.
Serve over rice.
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READERS REQUEST ASSISTANCE
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I do have a question which I believe is relevant to health.
The question is: what are the teachings on energy fields, chakras and the like? I would also be interested in anyone's experience regarding this, and if prayer helps to 'clean' our chakras in the way that others say visualisation and meditation can.
Thank you so much for such a needed and well delivered resource. ó Warm Baha'i greetings. ó Louise Russell
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QUESTION OF THE MONTH
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How Do You Wean Kids From Watching Too Much TV and Videos?
Excessive television viewing has been linked to childhood ills, including lower grades, obesity and increased violence. Some statistics say children spend 10 to 14 hours a week watching TV and videos.
How do you get preschoolers and older kids to change their viewing habits and turn off the TV? Any suggestions?
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LETTERS
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We often blame certain foods or substances for our conditions and then it becomes the cure all of the day. What works for one person may not work for the another. So why is this? It is all about balance. As everything manifests from the subtle to the gross then so this is the path of disease.
We all have a basic elemental constitution or make up that comes into being at the moment of creation ( conception) and is with us for the duration of our physical life. While we fit into major categories individuality exists. Not enough emphasis is placed on that uniqueness when it comes to health.
Coming to understand our elemental make-up is the first step to living in harmony with our bodies and the world we inhabit. The basic, elemental intelligence that governs our bodies also is found in all the realms of nature, in our universe and indeed, in fact in all creation.
This then, is the key to identifying the foods that will support us or create imbalance and those that can be eaten to re-establish balance.
'Abdu'l Baha stated that the physicians of the future would use diet to cure the ills of his patients.* Guess what? The future is here! It always was. This is not a startling new discovery. It is as old as humanity and was the basis of all cultures in a time when we accepted and lived closer to nature.
This was not an intellectual understanding but was usually woven into our social structure, religious beliefs, customs and even legend and mythology. Diet can effect huge changes in as little as one week.
Our modern medical system is very good for what it was designed for ó a curative treatment as opposed to preventative ó it is very effective when imbalance has existed for so long that the disease needs strong and invasive intervention.
On the other hand preventative living removes the cause and prevents the manifestation of diseases ó the result of imbalance. Our bodies are very forgiving and can repair itself as long as we give it the best building blocks to use. Most of us are more aware and concerned about preventive maintenance and the correct fuel for our cars than we are about our primary vehicle - our bodies. ó Merlin
* The exact quote is: "It is certain that in this wonderful new age the development of medical science will lead to the doctors' healing their patients with foods. For the sense of sight, the sense of hearing, of taste, of smell, of touch ó all these are discriminative faculties, their purpose being to separate the beneficial from whatever causeth harm. ó 'Abdu'l-Baha ("Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Baha, Page 155.)
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PLEASE SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS
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All of us have had healing experiences ó physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual. Please share your stories and other ideas about staying healthy in a stressful world. Your articles do not have to be long ó just a few paragraphs will suffice. Encouragement is a big part of a healthy lifestyle, and sharing stories and ideas that work for you brings encouragement to others.
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WHERE TO SEND STORIES & CORRESPONDENCE:
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Many thanks to all of you who share helpful ideas for "Healing Through Unity" newsletter. We welcome submissions from everyone. The decision to select and edit material submitted for publication is determined by the editor.
Please e-mail your stories, comments, suggestions or "Question for the Month" ideas to newsletter editor Lynn Ascrizzi, at: dreams@uninets.net
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WEB SITE
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You can visit the web site, obtain back issues and the Healing Through Unity Course at: http://www.healingthroughunity.org.
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PURPOSE OF THE NEWSLETTER
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"Healing Through Unity" is published for the purpose of sharing thoughts, comments and experiences on how the teachings of the Baha'i Faith are being applied to physical and spiritual health. Other than the quoted Holy Writings, the material in this newsletter represents the thoughts and opinions of the writers and has no authority. None of the material published in this newsletter is intended to be a substitute for the advice of your physician.
You are free to copy articles, provided you indicate the source of the article. There are 10 issues per year; it is not published during July and August. The newsletter is produced in Freedom, Maine, USA.
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SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION:
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Please e-mail all new subscriptions, subscription cancellations and e-mail address changes (please include old address along with new one) to --
HEALING THROUGH UNITY
September, 2004
A monthly newsletter dedicated to serving the principles of
physical and spiritual health envisioned in the Baha'i TeachingsVolume 8, Issue No.7
_______________________________________________________
CONTENTS
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ó Help Through Heavy Weights
ó Faith is the Standard
ó On Being Extraordinary
ó Introducing New Production Assistant
ó Health Note
ï Hope for Migraine Prevention
ó Book Corner
ï "Stories Told By 'Abdu'l-Baha"
ó Readers Request Assistance
ó Whole Foods Recipe Swap
ï Chopped Zucchini, Mexican Style
ó Mental Health Conference
ó Question of the Month
ó Letters
ó Purpose of the Newsletter/Subscriptions**************************************************
HELP THROUGH HEAVY WEIGHTS
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By NANCY MARKOVITCH
One Monday morning at the end of January of this year, I awoke with a pain in the heart area. This was something I had never experienced, and having just celebrated my 60th birthday, and having a very stressful job, and having heard Monday mornings were the time for most heart attacks, I immediately telephoned my chiropractor to see about an adjustment.
He said: "No, my dear. You are to go straight to the emergency room. I don't care if you are in your pajamas or if you have to call 911. You go straight to the ER and get checked out!"
Not the answer I wanted. I pulled myself together and drove, through Atlanta, Georgia (USA) traffic to Emory University Hospital, because I knew how to get there, more than any other reason. I was admitted to the ER, and they began the cardiac screening.
All kinds of tests, oxygen, digitalis, a million questions, at least 30 doctors probing and prodding and asking questions. Finally, they decided to admit me, even though the pain was gone. Since there were no rooms available, they sent me to an available bed in ICU. I noticed that instead of "Cardiology" on the shirts of the doctors, they had begun to read:
"Hematology/Oncology."
I knew what that meant. One young doctor came in, and was very nervous as he asked me a few questions. Being straight to the point, I said: "OK Doc. I see the label on your coat. Tell me what you suspect."
He wanted to talk a bit, until he could "get to know me a little better," he said.
I assured him I was not going to freak out. "Just give me the facts." I said.
As it turned out, they had ruled out any cardiac problem. But oh my, look what they found! Chronic lymphocytic leukemia. I was to make an appointment with the hematology department for more tests, since I insisted that I be released and sent home.
"I can do tests as an outpatient, and even the best insurance is bad insurance when you are in a hospital bed," I said. They sent me home.
As requested, I went to the clinic for more blood work. The doctor who got me, or was it the other way around, is the head of Hematology/Oncology at the Winship Cancer Institute at Emory University. I call him
(affectionately) Dr. Blood.
My white cell count was 12,000, enough above the high of 11,000, which caused the diagnosis. He very carefully explained what this meant, even drawing me a picture. In a nutshell, the white cells were cloning themselves, would eventually clump up and dump into the lymph system, liver and spleen, clogging up the works.
"What can I do, Doc?" I asked.
"Nothing. There is no cure, but of course we are making strides daily," he said. My reaction has been discussed repeatedly at the hospital:
"Gee Doc, I have a really lousy retirement plan. This may just be my answer."
He was quite taken aback, not accustomed to that type of reaction from a newly diagnosed cancer patient.
Well. The first thing I did, of course, was to put out a call for prayers, and having had the bounty of serving at the Baha'i World Center in Haifa, Israel, that meant my call went out internationally.
The next thing I did was consult with two different chiropractors, one here in Atlanta, who is my regular doctor of chiropractic (DC), and one in Monroe, Louisiana (USA), a much-loved Baha'i sister who is also a DC. Off I started on a program of colon hydrotherapy, juicing and general detoxification. They put me on digestive enzymes, probiotics, natural vitamins for women, selenium, MSM (methylsulphonylmethane) and vitamin C.
And did I mention Juice Plus?
I went back for more tests on March 18. The blood count was up to 15,000.
"A blip on the radar screen," Dr. Blood said.
Then I heard of another system, through a former cancer patient, one of my boss's clients. Turns out he had been struggling with Hodgkinís Disease since he was in his 20s, had lost a lung and spleen to radiation therapy and finally found the Anatoly Gravitational System. This is a system whereby you stress your bones through heavy-duty weights at various points of the body, a method believed to regenerate stem cells and thereby enhance the immune function.
I subsequently talked to another man who had gone through this system, who had literally been sent home to die. His cancer had metastasized throughout his body, and there was nothing that could be done. He went through the Anatoly Gravitational System and has been declared cancer FREE for over three years now.
I decided I had to try it. The colonics were expensive at $70 a week, but this was going to be $100 a week, and did I mention I am a secretary? Let me say I have very loving and kind friends.
I began the treatments, feeling like an idiot, because a gymnast I am not.
What I found out through the actual experience, is that I was under the direct supervision of one Russian man, who made sure I was in proper gear, in proper position. He manages the weights that you lift with the use of a belt or strap, all with special boots, braces and techniques that were developed in Russia.
There is one place in the United States where you can do this treatment, and it is in Atlanta, Ga. I never could figure out how I ended up in Atlanta after Haifa, but now I know.
My blood work on April 29 showed a white count of 12,500. Beginning stages.
Not only had I not increased, I had gone backwards by a number of points. A mere blip on the radar screen.
In June 2004, I went for more blood work. The count is down again, to 12,300. Another blip. I am a mere 1,300 points from them having to readjust the diagnosis.
In the meantime, the prayers are flowing from all around the world. (Thank you very much to those who know about all this and are praying for me.) And, I am continuing with my detox program, drinking loads of pure water, eating lots of fresh vegetables, including cultured veggies. (Read: "The Body Ecology Diet" by Donna Gates, a system that nourishes the growth of microorganisms in the digestive tract.)
I have dropped 20 pounds, look better, feel better and am stronger than I have been for years, mentally and physically, emotionally and spiritually.
The Anatoly Gravitational System is not as yet researched. There is information about it on-line, at: www.anatolysystem.com
I highly encourage people to check it out, especially if you are dealing with any kind of health issues. Read the testimonials. Arthritis, fybromyalgia, (immune dysfunctions, by the way). Also, you can download William D. Kelly's book called, "One Answer to Cancer," chock full of interesting information. Do a Googol Internet search for William D. Kelly, DDS.
I met a young woman who is going through the gravitational system for panic attacks and has been virtually cured. I met a man who was shot in the day- trading incident here in Buckhead several years ago. He had a gunshot wound to the head and was told he would never walk or talk again. Well, he walked in, did the treatments, walked out and said thank you.
This method would certainly be considered an alternative treatment, but when a bona fide, certified MD tells you that there is "nothing" you can do, sometimes we have to be proactive and search for "something" that just might work. I believe Baha'u'llah gives us that latitude.
Nancy Markovich lives in Atlanta, Ga., USA
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FAITH IS THE STANDARD
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."As ye have faith so shall your powers and blessings be. This is the standard ó this is the standard ó this is the standard." ó "Compilations, Baha'i Scriptures," pages 504 - 505
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ON BEING EXTRAORDINARY:
The Art and Practice of Living From Possibility
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When you are extraordinary, not only does life take on a new level of excitement and possibility, the people around you are called to be everything they can be, as well.
Each of us would like to be extraordinary, to have our lives matter, to make a difference in the world. Access to that, however, often seems accidental or out of our reach, as if it were a matter of being born with the qualities or characteristics that would make us extraordinary.
Take the opportunity to examine, to create, and to get hands-on access to what it means to design and live an extraordinary life, a life that invites the unexpected and that which is possible beyond the ordinary.
Integrityó Being your word. Giving up reasons and justifications for not being your word. Being responsible for where integrity has been absent or missing in your life.
Racket-free ó Creating an early warning system for being present to "rackets." Giving up being right. Being responsible. Cleaning up damage.
Powerful ó Being straight in communication and taking what you get.
Giving up force and manipulation as a way of producing results.
Courageous ó Being in action in the face of your fear. Giving up not acting because you are afraid.
Peaceful ó Being accepting. Giving up "there is something wrong here."
Charismatic ó Being fulfilled now. Giving up "in order to."
Enrolling ó Sharing possibilities with the intention of communicating and sharing so that others are present to being moved, touched and inspired by your having gotten that possibility. Giving up cynicism and resignation.
Breakdowns ó This side of Breakthrough. When breakdowns are seen as the path, as stepping stones to a breakthrough, something that was not predictable can happen, something new becomes possible. Breakdowns only occur against a background of commitment to make something happen. They are an integral and critical part of any breakthrough, an occasion for extraordinary action for making something happen that would not have happened otherwise. Discover the technology of breakdowns, a technology that gives you direct access to generating breakthroughs, where creating and resolving breakdowns keeps taking you to new levels of ability and performance.
Commitment ó "Commitment is what transforms a promise into reality. It is the words that speak boldly of your intentions. And the actions which speak louder than words. It is making the time when there is none." (Shearson Lehman, American Express)
Relationship ó Love, genuinely and authentically expressed, is enormously powerful. It can connect us profoundly and intimately.
Integrity: The Bottom Line ó "The soul is dyed the color of its thoughts. Think only on those things that are in line with your principles and can bear the full light of day. The content of your character is your choice. Day by day, what you choose, what you think and what you do is who you become. Your integrity is your destiny. . . it is the light that guides your way." (Heraclitus, Greek poet and philosopher)
Attitude ó "We cannot change our past, we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our Attitude.
I am convinced that life is 10 percent what happens to me and 90 percent how I react to it." (Charles Swindoll)
(Source: The Landmark Forum: http://www.landmarkeducation.com/ )
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OUR NEW PRODUCTION ASSISTANT
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I am happy to introduce our new production assistant, Kathy Yonash. She lives with her husband, Leo, in a little town of 420 people, in southwest Wisconsin.
"It is quiet and fits our lifestyle, but can be a bit isolated," she said.
It can be very difficult for me to participate in Baha'i activities, which is one of the reasons why I wanted to help out with the newsletter."
She and her husband own an auto repair business and have also started a natural-healing business "to take us into the next stage of our lives," she said. It was the natural healing business that ultimately brought her to Healing Through Unity Newsletter.
"I have always liked the idea that the Internet can connect people living so far away. I feel that this is the major avenue for the common people to create a global society. One of my greatest pleasures is helping people.
What is so nice, is the universal appeal of these articles. While they are written from the Baha'i point of view, anyone can utilize their message.
But, this doesn't surprise me, since the Baha'i message is inherently universal," she said.
Subscription information and her e-mail address can be found at the end of this newsletter.
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HEALTH NOTE
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HOPE FOR MIGRAINE PREVENTION
If you are looking for a safe alternative to migraine medication, you may find it in relatively inexpensive, over-the-counter dietary supplements which have few if any side effects.
One promising supplement is coenzyme Q10. Joan Rozen, of Binghamton, N.Y.
(USA), a migraine sufferer who lived on over-the-counter pain medications, began taking 150 milligrams of CoQ10 daily, at the advice of her neurologist son, Dr. Todd Rozen. She was told the medication would take a few months to work.
Then, one day, "I realized I wasn't getting these daily headaches," Rozen said. "I cannot tell you what a tremendous difference it has made in my life."
Coenzyme Q10 is among a number of dietary supplements showing promise in preventing or reducing the severity of migraines suffered by an estimated 28 million Americans. Powerful drugs called triptans have proven effective at aborting migraines, but patients want a way to avert the attacks.
Daily doses of some prescription blood pressure drugs, antidepressants and anti-seizure drugs can be taken as preventives, but have significant side effects and don't help everyone.
"The bottom line is that there are safe alternatives with a firm scientific basis for preventing migraine for people who don't want to take prescription drugs, that also can be used to complement prescription drugs," said Dr.
Richard B. Lipton, a neurology professor at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx, N.Y. They include:
Coenzyme Q10 ó Swiss researchers reported at the American Academy of Neurology's annual meeting in April 2004 that 300 milligrams daily, halved the incidence of migraines compared with dummy pills.
Magnesium ó Several studies have shown that magnesium prevents migraines in about half of cases. Dr. Alexander Mauskop, director of the New York Headache Center, who has long studied magnesium, believes about 50 percent of migraine patients have an underlying magnesium deficiency. Recommended doses range from 360 milligrams to 1 gram. Magnesium can cause diarrhea if taken on an empty stomach and should be taken with nondairy meals, because it interferes with calcium absorption. It shouldn't be used by people with serious kidney problems.
Riboflavin ó Also called vitamin B-2, it has been shown in several studies to work better than a placebo in the prevention of migraines. The usual dose is 400 milligrams. Riboflavin acts on energy production within mitochondria.
Feverfew ó This herbal relative of the daisy may prevent some of the blood vessel dilation associated with migraine pain. One major caution: Feverfew can interact with Coumadin and other blood thinners.
Magnesium-riboflavin-feverfew combinations ó Sold under the brand names MigreLief and MigraHealth, two pills pack 300 milligrams of magnesium, 400 milligrams of riboflavin and 100 milligrams of feverfew.
Butterburr root extract ó Sold under the brand name Petadolex, the soft gel tablets have been shown in several studies, including one published in the February issue of the journal European Neurology, to halve migraine frequency.
(Source: Los Angeles Times)
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BOOK CORNER
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STORIES FROM THE MASTER
By LYNN ASCRIZZI
All summer, I have been slowly reading a gem of a book compiled by Dr. Amir Badiei, "Stories Told By 'Abdu'l-Baha' (George Ronald, Oxford, 2003).
Ordinarily, it would not take me a summer to read a paperback only 183 pages long. These simple stories, however, are spiritually informative, words to be slowly savored. They teach volumes about the heart and give precious glimpses into the remarkable, endearing personality of the Master.
In the afternoon after work, or during the weekends, I would take a moment to sit in a wicker chair out on the porch, catch the warmth of the sun and read a few stories. Any moment to learn more from 'Abdu'l-Baha is a blessed one, but these profound glimpses into his life and teachings cause one to pause and reflect. I never wanted the book to end.
Now, I realize that these anecdotes are ageless. Their meanings will never be exhausted. I could read them all over again tomorrow and learn more, the hallmark of a classic compilation. Thank you Dr. Badiei for bringing together under one cover stories gleaned from written records told over a period of many years.
We know that 'Abdu'l-Baha (1844-1921), the eldest son of Baha'u'llah, was always serving humanity. Among many other selfless deeds, he gave alms to and fed the poor, nursed the sick, revealed prayers, welcomed and interviewed guests who came to see his father, endured prison and persecution, answered difficult questions posed by learned Sufi leaders, doctors and religious teachers, wrote copiously on spiritual subjects, assumed full responsibility to erect the shrine of the Bab on Mount Carmel in Haifa, Israel, had great love for children, flowers and the beauties of nature, and by his life and example demonstrated how one should "live the life."
Lucky for us, for more than a century, many people have written down stories about 'Abdu'l-Baha.
"It is indeed a blessing to have access to these accounts about the Christ-like life of one who is the Perfect Exemplar of the teachings of Baha'u'llah and whose way of life provides a noble example for all to follow," Badiei writes.
Badiei's compilation, however, is unique in that the stories presented in his book "are not about 'Abdu'l-Baha ó they are written or told by Him," he says.
Because the stories are now separated from the context of the spontaneous moment in which they were told, at the end of some stories, Badiei adds a brief description of the topic of discussion at the time they were shared.
Each story has a title and is followed by a relevant quote from the Baha'i writings. Extensive footnotes and references are listed in the back of the book.
In parables and stories, hidden meanings are preserved for centuries. These pithy tales reveal 'Abdu'l-Baha's erudition, his humor, his earthiness, his spiritual nobility. I was particularly fascinated by the stories that showed his great curiosity and powers of observation and how he related everything he saw to a spiritual principle. Here is an example:
"Cooperation is Practiced Even Among the Insects
"There is brotherhood natal in mankind because all are elements of one human society subject to the necessity of agreement and cooperation. There is brotherhood intended in humanity because all are waves of one sea, leaves and fruit of one tree." ('Abdu'l-Baha, "Promulgation of World Peace," page 129)
"One day, I was standing by a creek and observed that a swarm of small locusts whose wings had not yet developed wanted to go to the other side of the creek to find food. To make this possible for them, some of the adult locusts rushed forward, each one trying to get ahead of the others. They threw themselves into the water to establish a bridge from one side of the creek to the other. Then the small ones crossed the creek by walking on this bridge.
"All the locusts that formed this bridge lost their own lives in the process." (Translated and adapted from "Khatirat-i Mirza 'Isa Isfahani, pp. 18-21.)
" 'Abdu'l-Baha was talking about the necessity of cooperation among all the peoples of the world. He told this story to show that cooperation is practiced even among animals."
NOTE: "Book Corner" will be a regular feature in this newsletter. Here is a chance for you to tell the world about books that have inspired your life.
We welcome your book stories, long or short. Please send them to the editor of this newsletter at: dreams@uninets.net
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READERS RESPOND
TO QUESTION OF THE MONTH
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(NOTE: Last issue's question was: "How Do You Wean Kids From Watching Too Much TV and Videos?")
CUT THE CABLE
The most immediate effective way to cut down TV consumption is to stop having cable, if you have it. If you still have problems after that, it is very simple. Unplug it and remove it from your house. ó Victoria O'Neill
REMOVE IT FROM THE HOUSE
The best way to control TV watching by toddlers is to remove the TV from the house. We have not had a TV in the house since our children were born. I read to them, give them plenty of age-appropriate activities that they can do themselves or do activities with them. They do watch TV when we are on vacation or visiting family and friends, so they are not completely isolated from it.
They are now ages 10 and 8 and are avid readers. My 8 year old is reading "Lord of the Rings." When the subject of getting a TV came up, the 10 year old pleaded to NOT get one. She said she wouldn't read as much and wouldn't be as smart if we got a TV.
As a teacher, I strongly feel that many of the attention difficulties some of my students have are associated with watching television. Honestly, there is so much more to life than watching TV. Get rid of it! You will be thankful. Peace ó Vania
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WHOLE FOODS
RECIPE SWAP
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CHOPPED ZUCCHINI
Calabacitas is an extremely easy recipe to make. If the cooking time seems unduly long, this is because the acid in the tomatoes slows down the cooking of the zucchini.
2 tablespoons corn oil
1 pound young zucchini, sliced
1 onion finely chopped
1 pound tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
2 drained canned jalapeno chilies, rinsed, seeded and chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
salt
fresh cilantro sprigs to garnish
Heat the oil in a flameproof casserole and add all the remaining ingredients, except the salt and cilantro sprigs.
Bring to a simmer, cover and cook over low heat for 30 minutes, or until the zucchini is tender. Check occasionally to make sure that the dish is not drying out; if it is, add a little tomato juice, stock or water.
Season with salt and serve the Mexican way ó as a separate course.
Alternatively, serve accompanied by any simply cooked meat or poultry dish.
Garnish with fresh cilantro sprigs.
(Source: "Classic Mexican: Hot and Spicy Recipes from All Over Mexico" by Elisabeth Lambert Ortiz Arness Publishing, 1997.)
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MENTAL HEALTH CONFERENCE
SET FOR NOV. 4 ó 7, 2004
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On Nov. 4-7, the Baha'i Association of Mental Health Professionals
(http://www.bamhp.org) will be holding its Sixth Annual Conference: "The Brain and the Spirit: In Search of the Whole Self," at the Bosch Baha'i School, Santa Cruz, California (http://www.bosch.org).
The event is open to all. Program highlights include:
ï Patricia Romano-McGraw, author of "It's Not Your Fault: How Healing Relationships Change Your Brain and Can Help You Overcome a Painful Past"
(http://www.trauma-recovery.com/) will present a full-day workshop on Saturday, Nov. 5.
ï Hal Williamson, founder and CEO of Hope Unlimited, will present "These Amazing Brains."
ï Bruce Lipton, a cellular biologist, acclaimed researcher, author and speaker will explore "The Biology of Belief."
ï James Bartee will speak on "Spirituality and Psychology: An Emerging Partnership." Dr. Bartee served as consulting psychologist at the Baha'i World Centre for the past 13 years.
ï Jane Faily will offer "A Baha'i Perspective on the Spirit-Brain Connection."
Musical presentations will also be part of the conference. Space is limited; register early. Contact: Bosch Baha'i School at http://www.bosch.org or (831) 423-3387. To offer a brief paper presentation, contact Michael Penn at:
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READERS REQUEST ASSISTANCE
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I have been plagued by lower back pain for about five months. It is a dull, sometimes burning ache that by the end of the day becomes a "prickly heat" sensation in my buttocks and upper thighs. Sitting gets very uncomfortable.
Sometimes, the ache jumps briefly to my shoulders and neck. By nighttime, bending or standing in one place is vexing. Moist heat gives it relief. Some days are better than others, and I have had a number of pain-free days.
At age 59, I do have osteopenia, a preliminary form of osteoporosis. I take calcium supplements but have read that the wrong kinds of calcium can actually induce arthritis. So far, I have had manipulations and other treatments from two medical doctors. I suspect that it may be a form of osteoarthritis. Any suggestions, please, for relief, treatment or remedy? ó A Friend
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QUESTION OF THE MONTH
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How does one comfort people who have been devastated by the shocking tragedy of a loved one who has committed suicide? What can you say to survivors? Are there any books one can read or suggest? Support groups?
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LETTERS
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GIVE TITLES FOR HEALTH-CARE PRACTITIONERS
Thank you for all the time and energy you obviously devote to carrying on Healing Through Unity. Your articles are well written. Do you have a background in a healing science/practice?
It would be helpful for authors or citations if just a bit of credentials are cited. When articles name a "doctor," the title often carries a certain authority ó despite the disclaimer at the end of the newsletter about "authority." Since doctors are of many different disciplines (Ph.D. in numerous fields not connected with health care, Chiropractor, ND., Homeopathic Physician, MD, etc.), it helps to state the title or discipline.
I am an MD and am aware of the training and perspective instilled and usually practiced by MDs. Out of interest in "unifying the paths to healing" over the past 14 years, I've become familiar with the training and practice of various other doctors who practice health care. Since 'Abdu'l-Baha enjoined us to get care from "highly qualified physicians" who practice a "scientific" method of healing, I'm always looking for scientifically supported approaches and health findings.
Anyway, it would help me, as well as other readers, for titles or disciplines to be stated when people write or are cited as health practitioners. Again, thank you for your work. With warmest Baha'i greetings ó Hannah Rishel, pediatrician
(EDITOR'S NOTE): I do not have a background in health or science, but as an editor and feature writer for 23 years, I have researched and written many stories on health and science. Thank you for your good advice about giving titles for health-care practitioners.)
ABOUT THE OBLIGATORY PRAYER
The repetition of All·h-u-Abh· ("God is Most Glorious") 95 times each day is obligatory for Baha'is, and how to do it correctly is prescribed in the Kit·b-I-Aqdas ( Baha'u'llah, K18). Although it differs from the obligatory recitation of 95 times a day, the suggestion of also reciting All·h-u-Abh· every 10 minutes of my waking time is a splendid idea. I will try to adopt this habit. Warm regards ó Barbara Stephan.
(EDITOR'S NOTE: The above letter was a response to a comment made in the June 2004 issue about the power of prayer and developing the practice of reciting the Greatest Name (All·h-u-Abh·) 95 times daily.)
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PLEASE SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS
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All of us have had healing experiences ó physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual. Please share your stories and other ideas about staying healthy in a stressful world. Your articles do not have to be long ó just a few paragraphs will suffice. Encouragement is a big part of a healthy lifestyle, and sharing stories and ideas that work for you brings encouragement to others.
*******************************************
WHERE TO SEND STORIES & CORRESPONDENCE:
*******************************************
Many thanks to all of you who share helpful ideas for "Healing Through Unity" Newsletter. We welcome submissions from everyone. The decision to select and edit material submitted for publication is determined by the editor.
Please e-mail your stories, comments, suggestions or "Question for the Month" ideas to newsletter editor Lynn Ascrizzi, at: dreams@uninets.net
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WEB SITE
**************
You can visit our Web site, obtain back issues and the Healing Through Unity Course at: http://www.healingthroughunity.org.
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PURPOSE OF THE NEWSLETTER
***********************************
"Healing Through Unity" is published for the purpose of sharing thoughts, comments and experiences on how the teachings of the Baha'i Faith are being applied to physical and spiritual health. Other than the quoted Holy Writings, the material in this newsletter represents the thoughts and opinions of the writers and has no authority. None of the material published in this newsletter is intended to be a substitute for the advice of your physician. You are free to copy articles, provided you indicate the source of the article. There are 10 issues per year; it is not published during July and August. The newsletter is produced in Freedom, Maine, USA.
HEALING THROUGH UNITY
October, 2004
A monthly newsletter dedicated to serving the principles of
physical and spiritual health envisioned in the Baha'i TeachingsVolume 8, Issue No.8
_______________________________________________________
CONTENTS
-------------------
ó Look Into All Things
ó Healing the Family Conference
ó Health Note
ó Book Corner
ó A Woman's Worth
ó Two Wings Of One Bird
ó Readers Respond to Question of the Month
ó Whole Foods Recipe Swap
ó Readers Request Assistance
ó A Prayer for Tests & Difficulties
ó Question of the Month
ó Letters
ï Baha'i Author To Appear on TV
ó Purpose of the Newsletter/Subscriptions************************************
LOOK INTO ALL THINGS
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"The essence of all that We have revealed for thee is Justice, is for man to free himself from idle fancy and imitation, discern with the eye of oneness His glorious handiwork, and look into all things with a searching eye." ó Baha'u'llah, "Tablets of Baha'u'llah," pages 155-157.
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HEALING THE HUMAN FAMILY CONFERENCE
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The Healing Ourselves, Healing the Human Family International Conference, cohosted by the Squamish Nation, will be held in Vancouver, BC, November 18 - 21, 2004.
For more information about the conference, contact: Phil Lane, Jr.
International Coordinator, Tele: (403) 320-7144, Fax: (403) 329-8383.
E-Mail: 4worlds@uleth.ca Web sites: http://home.uleth.ca/~4worlds and www.4worlds.org
The Four Worlds International Institute For Human and Community Development, is located at 347 Fairmont Blvd. , Lethbridge, AB. T1K 7J8
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HEALTH NOTE
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TEEN USE OF DRUGS/ALCOHOL
CARRIED INTO ADULTHOOD
If you think that hard-drinking and drug-taking teens will outgrow their habits by middle age, think again. Only the youngest baby boomers will hold to this illusion. Big indulgers in high school tend to stay that way.
"The foundation for later substance use is set for most people by the time they finish high school," said Alicia Merline, a University of Michigan psychologist who studied men and women who graduated from high school between 1977 and 1983.
She and her colleagues found that those who drank heavily in school were three times more likely to drink heavily at age 35 than those who were high school teetotalers. Those who had tried marijuana in school were eight times more likely to be using marijuana at age 35 than those who hadn't tried it by graduation.
The report, published in January 2004 American Journal of Public Health was based on responses from 7,541 people to the Monitoring the Future study conducted at the University of Michigan Institute for Social Research and funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
Source: Los Angeles Times
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BOOK CORNER
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EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS FOR SOCIAL
AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS
Phyllis K. Peterson, of Machesney Park, Illinois (USA) is the author of "Assisting the Traumatized Soul: Healing the Wounded Talisman" published by the Baha'i Publishng Trust and offered by BDS 800-999-9019.
Her company, "Skylark Publishing" carries many Baha'i products that can be used in Social and Economic Development projects, especially the newly published DVD, "Protective Behaviors: Safety and Courage for Children", a one-hour workshop utilizing arts and crafts for Kindergarten through grades 6 (and younger). This is a helpful tool for organizations implementing SED Programs for those infected with HIV/AIDS.
This DVD comes with an outline, two coloring sets and the list of skills.
The most practical way to conduct this workshop is to combine parents and children. That way both will learn the language and skills together. Parents can then review and reinforce what the child has learned.
The workshop has been used in public settings in the United States and in Thailand schools and orphanages. It can also be used at home in a family setting and can be conducted by parents, babysitters, teachers, therapists, counselors, women's organizations, parent-teacher associations, boys and girls clubs, and other groups.
Kindergarten through sixth grade students can learn from "Protective Behaviors: Safety and Courage for Children." available in DVD or video.
Other items available from Skylark: "An Afternoon of Storytelling: Women and Girls as Heroes" DVD; "The Boundary Sculpting Game: Firm Boundaries make Unity Possible!"; "Children and TV Violence.
For more information or a free catalog write: Phyllis K. Peterson, Skylark Publishing Company, 7945 Coopers Hawk Trail, Machesney Park, IL 61115.
Phone: (815)-633-0492. E-mail: skylarkpp@aol.com Web site: www.edsed.net
SACRED LITERATURE CATALOG NOW ON-LINE
A comprehensive catalog of Baha'i sacred literature as well as Baha'i books on history, social teachings, and other aspects of the Baha'i Faith, is now available on the World Wide Web.
For more on this story see the Baha'i World News Service site http://www.bahaiworldnews.org/
NOTE: "Book Corner" is a regular feature in this newsletter. Here is a chance for you to tell the world about books (and other educational materials) that have inspired your life. We welcome your book stories.
Please send them to the editor of this newsletter at: dreams@uninets.net
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A WOMAN'S WORTH
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The following was written in the Talmud, a book where sayings of rabbis are compiled, throughout the ages. The book closes by saying:
"Be very careful in making a Woman cry... because God counts her tears! The Woman came out from the man's rib; not from the feet to be stepped on; not from the head to be superior. But from your side... to be equal; under the arm, to be protected. And at the heart's side, to be loved."
Submitted by: Bahiyyih Tabrizi
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TWO WINGS OF ONE BIRD
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"And among the teachings of His Holiness Baha'u'llah is the equality of women and men. The world of humanity has two wings ó one is women and the other men. Not until both wings are equally developed can the bird fly.
Should one wing remain weak, flight is impossible. Not until the world of women becomes equal to the world of men in the acquisition of virtues and perfections, can success and prosperity be attained as they ought to be." ó Abdu'l-Baha, "Baha'i World Faith," Page 288
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READERS RESPOND
TO QUESTIONS OF THE MONTH
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INFORMATION ABOUT BACK PAIN
This is in response to the reader who has lower back pain. Dr. John Sarno has written a couple of books about back pain (such as "Healing Back Pain") in which he has pointed out that the root cause of virtually all back pain (and many other conditions for that matter) is unresolved anger/rage.
He finds that once people accept this fact, their back pain starts resolving on its own without any additional treatment. This has worked for thousands of patients, even many who have had multiple surgeries and other aggressive treatments.
If you want to get to the root cause even quicker, check out emofree.com and learn a simple technique to resolve deeply held emotions through rebalancing the acupuncture meridian system. It's called EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique). My husband is a physician (M.D.) who uses this in his practice, and it's very effective. ó Linda, Wichita, Kansas USA
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WHOLE FOODS
RECIPE SWAP
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FEAST DAY COOKIES
2 cups whole wheat flour
4 cups white flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups shortening
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4-1 cup water
1 cup shelled pinon nuts
Mix dry ingredients thoroughly. In another bowl, blend shortening and sugar until fluffy. Gradually add flour to this mix. Gradually add water until non-sticky dough is formed. Add pinon nuts. Roll out on lightly floured board until 1/2 inch thick. Cut into fancy shapes and dip into a mixture of sugar and cinnamon. Bake in 375 - 400 degree Fahrenheit oven until crisp.
INDIAN CORN PUDDING
3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 cups milk
2 tablespoons honey
6 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 scant teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup raisins
Heat milk to scalding. Mix cornmeal and salt and stir slowly into hot milk until smooth. Add honey-sugar mixture, stir in raisins and cinnamon. Bake at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for 1 3/4 hours. Serve hot with cream.
Source: Pueblo Indian Cookbook (Museum of New Mexico Press)
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ON PRAYING FOR EACH OTHER
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By BILL STEARNS
Though no requests for prayers have appeared in this newsletter, I did get a few e-mails regarding what I had written in the June 2004 issue about the effectiveness of requesting prayers on the Maine Baha'i e-mail list, and saying prayers for others.
One letter was about setting up an e-mail prayer list. In another, a Bah·'Ì youth in Canada asked about my interpretation of saying the Greatest Name 95 times a day.
My sister just returned from pilgrimage. While there, she prayed for me at all the holiest places. I called her when she got back recently, and she wanted to know what effect her prayers had.
I said, "Well, God works in mysterious ways." It is obvious to me that what I am going through is for my own spiritual growth. But the human side of me wishes I didn't have to go through all this. I was joking with my sister that I must need to gain more humility in God's eyes, because I have have been laid low as of late. I'm sure there are other lessons in the works with all this.
Since I last wrote about the power of prayer via e-mail, I have become even more convinced that we need to constantly pray for each other. I have recently encountered many people whose tests and difficulties are at least obvious to me, and probably even greater than my own. So I say a quick, silent prayer for them, and whenever I think of them and their situation. I hope that I may be present in the prayers of others. As in the prayer of the Bab, I would cherish remembrance of God far more than anything this material world has to offer. So all I ask is that you pray that God may lead me down the correct path.
I have been enduring some difficult times. I am putting the following prayer out there in an effort to deal with my troubles. I am so thankful that God has provided us with these wonderful prayers and writings to strengthen and encourage us.
"Thou knowest full well, O my God, that tribulations have showered upon me from all directions and that no one can dispel or transmute them except Thee. I know of a certainty, by virtue of my love for Thee, that Thou wilt never cause tribulations to befall any soul unless Thou desirest to exalt his station in Thy earthly life with the bulwark of Thine all-compelling power, that it may not become inclined toward the vanities of this world.
Indeed Thou art well aware that under all conditions I would cherish the remembrance of Thee far more than the ownership of all that is in the heavens and on the earth.
"Strengthen my heart, O my God, in Thine obedience and in Thy love, and grant that I may be clear of the entire company of Thine adversaries.
Verily, I swear by Thy glory that I yearn for naught besides Thyself, nor do I desire anything except Thy mercy, nor am I apprehensive of aught save Thy justice. I beg Thee to forgive me as well as those whom Thou lovest, howsoever Thou pleasest. Verily, Thou art the Almighty, the Bountiful.
"Immensely exalted art Thou, O Lord of the heavens and earth, above the praise of all men, and may peace be upon Thy faithful servants and glory be unto God, the Lord of all the worlds." ó The B·b (Compilations, Baha'i Prayers, page 193.)
Bill Stearns lives in Maine, USA and handles the Maine Baha'i e-mail list.
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READERS REQUEST ASSISTANCE
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Flu season is coming, and every year I wonder if flu shots are always advisable for people who are healthy and not elderly, such as myself? I have heard that they may not be effective against all strains of the flu. ó An Inquiring Reader
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QUESTION OF THE MONTH
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What are the teachings on energy fields, chakras and the like? I would also be interested in anyone's experience regarding this, and if prayer helps to "clean" our chakras in the way that others say visualisation and meditation can. ó Louise Russell, health promotion consultant, Australia
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LETTERS
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GRATEFUL FOR REVIEW
I was glad to read in your newsletter an excellent review of my book, "Stories Told By Abdu'l-Baha." Thank you for the attractive and generous review of the book. A friend of mine who receives this newsletter forwarded it to me. Otherwise, I would have never had a chance to see the review, or to know about it. In turn, I forwarded it to the editor of my book and to the manager of George Ronald Publisher. They were very appreciative of the fine article.
Has there been a review of "God Speaks Again" by Kenneth Bowers? If not, it might be a good one for your next article. ó Kindest regards, Amir Badiei
BAHA'I AUTHOR TO APPEAR ON TV
EDITOR'S NOTE: There has not yet been a review in this newsletter of the recently released book, "God Speaks Again:An Introduction to the Baha'i Faith (2004)." Readers in the United States will be interested to know that, according to a release from Baha'i Publishing, an imprint of the U.S. Baha'i Publishing Trust, the book's author, Ken Bowers, will appear on a new cable television program called "Faith Under Fire," on a segment exploring Baha'i and evangelical Christian perspectives on the question: Do All Paths Lead to God?
The program will be broadcast on the PAX-TV network at 10 p.m. EST/PST on Saturday, Oct. 9 and at 9 p.m., CST, MST.
"Faith Under Fire" is described by its producers as a "provocative program that takes an unflinching look at the most controversial issues involving religion, spirituality and morality." PAX-TV has local station affiliates in over 90 U.S. cities. To find the channel of your nearest station, go to www.paxtv.com
According to the show's producers, books featured on "Faith Under Fire" will appear for a limited time on a "Faith Under Fire" display shelf at Barnes & Noble Booksellers stores across the United States. Books will be displayed during the month in which they are featured on the program. Accordingly, "God Speaks Again" (ISBN 1-931847-12-6) will be part of the "Faith Under Fire" display during the month of October.
If someone would like to review "God Speaks Again" for this newsletter, please contact the editor, Lynn Ascrizzi at: dreams@uninets.net
**************************************
PLEASE SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS
**************************************
All of us have had healing experiences ó physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual. Please share your stories and other ideas about staying healthy in a stressful world. Your articles do not have to be long ó just a few paragraphs will suffice. Encouragement is a big part of a healthy lifestyle, and sharing stories and ideas that work for you brings encouragement to others.
*******************************************
WHERE TO SEND STORIES & CORRESPONDENCE:
*******************************************
Many thanks to all of you who share helpful ideas for "Healing Through Unity" Newsletter. We welcome submissions from everyone. The decision to select and edit material submitted for publication is determined by the editor.
Please e-mail your stories, comments, suggestions or "Question for the Month" ideas to newsletter editor Lynn Ascrizzi, at: dreams@uninets.net
**************
WEB SITE
**************
You can visit our Web site, obtain back issues and the Healing Through Unity Course at: http://www.healingthroughunity.org.
***********************************
PURPOSE OF THE NEWSLETTER
***********************************
"Healing Through Unity" is published for the purpose of sharing thoughts, comments and experiences on how the teachings of the Baha'i Faith are being applied to physical and spiritual health. Other than the quoted Holy Writings, the material in this newsletter represents the thoughts and opinions of the writers and has no authority. None of the material published in this newsletter is intended to be a substitute for the advice of your physician.
You are free to copy articles, provided you indicate the source of the article. There are 10 issues per year; it is not published during July and August. The newsletter is produced in Freedom, Maine, USA.
**************************************
SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION:
**************************************
Please e-mail all new subscriptions, subscription cancellations and e-mail address changes (please include old address along with new one) to rocketman@mwt.net
HEALING THROUGH UNITY
November, 2004
A monthly newsletter dedicated to serving the principles of
physical and spiritual health envisioned in the Baha'i TeachingsVolume 8, Issue No 9
_______________________________________________________
CONTENTS
-------------------
ó Help for Survivors of Suicide
ï Additional Resources & Support Groups
ó Book Corner
ó Prayers for Christopher Reeve
ó Update on Readerís Path to Healing
ó Reader Responds to Request for Assistance
ó Whole Foods Recipe Swap
ó Question of the Month
ó Readers Request Assistance
ó Seeking New Editor for Newsletter
ó Letters
ó Purpose of the Newsletter/SubscriptionsEDITOR'S NOTE:
The following article was written in response to our Question of the Month:
"How does one comfort people who have been devastated by the shocking tragedy of a loved one who has committed suicide? What can you say to survivors? Are there any books one can read or suggest? Support groups?"
Because the following information is so in-depth, it has been run as the main article.
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HELP FOR SURVIVORS OF SUICIDE
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BY KAREN FALLAHI
I do not doubt for a moment, that along with the majority of world opinion, Baha'is are justified in deploring suicide as understood in the context of suicide bombings carried out by present-day militant Hamas and Islamic Jihad.
For those families and friends who are survivors of such, whose fanaticism has led them to commit such acts, I must reserve my observations and suggestions for another time, since they do not fall in line with the other form of suicide with which I am certainly more familiar and to which as a Baha'i, I feel I must speak.
What I have learned over the years as executive director of the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance of Colorado Springs, is that suicidal ideation is very often symptomatic of those suffering from mood disorders such as major depression and bipolar disorder. It is also prevalent among those with schizophrenia, which is a more devastating form of mental illness. Indeed, current statistics show that suicide can kill up to 18 percent of those who do not get treatment. We are talking about real painful, medical disorders that can also affect both the brain and other organs of the body.
Indeed, physical disorders such as diabetes and heart disease may be complicated by depression, which in turn needs to be addressed by a medical specialist in that particular field as well. Such brain illnesses are not to be confused with "situational depressions" which many of us experience from time to time and usually recover from within one or two days.
Because of the ignorance and stigma still associated with these illnesses, many people still remain fearful and equate such with shame. I happen to be one of those who believes the root cause of all prejudice, discrimination and fear is ignorance. And fortunately, I can back up much of my reasoning through the current upsurge in scientific research and development that is pointing more and more towards a biological basis for a good many of these chronic mental conditions.
To my knowledge, there are not too many (if any at all) family survivors of suicide bombings living in our country, but there are of those who have died by suicide brought on in part by neurobiological changes taking place in the brain at the time, which very well may have originated through an identifiable mental (brain) disorder.
Understanding the dynamics involved can be of great help to those who have difficulty in coming to terms with death in this form, which in turn will lead one to find great solace in the writings of Baha'u'llah and 'Abdu'l-Baha, who wrote extensively on the soul and the physical condition of man's existence in this world and his progress into the next.
Both Baha'u'llah and 'Abdu'l-Baha spoke eloquently and in great depth on the soul of man and its progress through this world and into the next.
One of the most profound of Baha'i teachings is that science and religion must agree. Baha'u'llah was explicit when He spoke of how the soul of man is "exalted above and is independent of all infirmities of body and mind."
(Gleanings, pp. 140-41)
In the same passage He says: "That a sick person showeth signs of weakness is due to the hindrances that interpose themselves between his soul and his body, for the soul itself remaineth unaffected by any bodily ailments". . .
"When it leaveth the body, however, it will evince such ascendancy, and reveal such influence as no force on earth can equal."
Further, in Gleanings, (pp.153-55), Baha'u'llah states, "And now concerning the soul of man and its survival after death. Know thou of a truth that the soul, after its separation from the body, will continue to progress until it attaineth the presence of God" ...
"It will manifest the signs of God and His attributes, and will reveal His loving-kindness and bounty."
Nowhere in the Baha'i Writings have I found either Baha'u'llah or 'Abdu'l-Baha condemning or excluding any soul from attaining the presence of his Beloved because of physical infirmities suffered in this mortal world.
Baha'i prayers for the deceased ask forgiveness from God for the sins of the departed. Following is a very beautiful response by 'Abdu'l-Baha to a woman who lost her husband through suicide:
"Thou has written of the severe calamity that hath befallen thee ó the death of thy respected husband. That honorable man hath been so subjected to the stress and strain of this world that his greatest wish was for deliverance from it. Such is this mortal abode: a storehouse of afflictions and suffering. It is ignorance that binds man to it, for no comfort can be secured by any soul in this world, from monarch down to the most humble commoner. If once this life should offer a man a sweet cup, a hundred bitter ones will follow; such is the condition of this world. The wise man, therefore, doth not attach himself to this mortal life and doth not depend upon it; at some moments, even, he eagerly wisheth for death that he may thereby be freed of these sorrows and afflictions. Thus it is seen that some, under extreme pressure of anguish, have committed suicide.
ìAs to thy husband, rest assured. He will be immersed in the ocean of pardon and forgiveness and will become the recipient of bounty and favor. Strive thine utmost to give his child a Baha'i training so that when he attaineth maturity he may be merciful, illumined and heavenly." (Tablets of the Divine Plan: Revealed by 'Abdu'l-Baha to the North American Baha'is, p. 102)
Through these last passages, I believe there is a great gift of insight 'Abdu'l-Baha offers to the rest of us. Note the words, "calamity," "honorable,","deliverance," "anguish" and "merciful". Note the sequence as well.
All of the above quotes I found in the lovely book, "Unto Him Shall We
Return: Selections from the Baha'i Writings on Reality and Immortality of the Human Soul," compiled by Hushidar Motlagh, Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1985. This is a priceless book and the finest I've found for helping those Baha'is and non-Baha'is alike who've lost a loved one to suicide.
* * *
Karen Fallahi is executive director of the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance of Colorado Springs, one of DBSAís over 1,200 chapters and groups, the nation's leading illness-specific, patient-directed organization focusing on the most prevalent mental illnesses.
DBSA brochures sent on request. For more information write: DBSA, 825 E. Pikes Peak Ave., Suite 301 Colorado Springs, CO 80903 Phone: 719-477-1515 Web site: www.dbsacoloradosprings.org
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ADDITIONAL RESOURCES AND SUPPORT GROUPS
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It is my hope that the following resources will be of help to survivors of suicide who are currently going through or have been through such a devastating loss:
Heartbeat: Mutual support for those who have lost a loved one through suicide. Phone: 719-596-2575; e-mail: archlj@msn.com
SOLOS: Offers various e-mail support groups for persons affected by suicide.
E-mail: solos@1000deaths.com; Web site: http://www.1000deaths.com
American Association of Suicidology: Provides referrals to local self-help groups for survivors of suicide; educational materials available.
Phone: 202-237-2280; e-mail: info@suicidology.org; Web site: http://www.suicidology.org
American Foundation of Suicide Prevention: Provides state-to-state directories of survivor support groups for families and friends of a suicide. Phone: 1-888-333-2377; e-mail: inquiry@afsp.org; Web site: http://www.afsp.org
Ray of Hope, Inc.: Provides mutual support for after suicide bereavement, educational materials, books on after suicide grief. Phone: 319-337-9890
ó Compiled by Karen Fallahi
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BOOK CORNER
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When we feel that life's tests are getting the best of us, take a moment to appreciate the life and heart of a remarkable child as told in, "A Child of Tender Years: Hayden's Journey," by Joyce Jackson.
This moving new book looks at the life of a Baha'i child named Hayden Block who was born "different." It examines Haydenís life, a soul born with achondroplasia, or dwarfism, destined to live his life in the "tall" world.
A young heart, but spiritually mature beyond his years, Hayden offered life lessons to every person who came in contact with him. He persevered through physical pain, and sometimes, emotional hurts. He learned to cope with a body that didn't look like other kids. And yet his sensitive, loving heart and ebullient spirit attracted many friends and admirers wherever he went.
The author draws from the Baha'i writings as they relate to the nature of the soul and life after death in her attempt to come to terms with all that happens to Hayden. Her goal in writing this book is not only to memorialize a special child, but to convey a sense of hope to the reader ó that the tests we face in life can be overcome, that hardships offer opportunities for spiritual growth and help us tap into our latent talents and potentialities.
This is a story about sacrifice and letting go, of being completely reliant on God and radiantly acquiescing to all that He asks of us. It is a story about faith.
One reader said of this book: "After reading it, I feel so touched by Hayden, in words, feeling and thoughts ó I just can't express it."
Another reader said: "Not only did this book open my eyes to a precious person but it also introduced me to a new and interesting faith. One particular piece that really hit me was the belief of spiritual 'appendages.' When I read that passage I was floored. It made complete sense.
"A Child of Tender Years," is available from the author by writing: Joyce Jackson, 421 Westfield Dr., Nashville TN 37221. The cost is $20 (U.S.) ($16 for the book plus $4 shipping costs in the U.S.) Please indicate whether you would like a signed copy.
The book is also available from Special Ideas at: (http://www.special-ideas.com).
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PRAYERS FOR CHRISTOPHER REEVE
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I have been passionately involved with people who have disabilities for about 15 years. The news of the passing of actor Chris Reeve has given me such mixed feelings. This remarkable soul, whom God blessed with fame and then with a phenomenal challenge, spiritually rose to meet that challenge and demonstrated to the world what can be accomplished with an indomitable will.
Reeve, who was a quadriplegic, challenged the world to devote its energies to helping each other. His challenge has accomplished great strides thus far. He has returned to his Creator and has been released from the physical limitations that first stirred his soul in its amazing progress. He will be sorely missed by those of us who felt very close to him and derived inspiration from his courage and will.
Please pray for the progress of this great soul. Pray that the Concourse on High may multiply and bring his wonderful energy to us, that we may continue to be inspired, to strive to help each other reach our greatest potential. ó Warmest regards, Bill Stearns
Bill Stearns manages the Maine Baha'i e-mail list and lives in Maine, USA
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UPDATE ON READERíS PATH TO HEALING
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EDITOR'S NOTE: The following letter is an update from Nancy Markovitch, who wrote a spunky and spirited article in the Sept. 2004 issue about her use of the Anatoly Gravitational System (www.anatolysystem.com) to help in her fight against chronic lymphocytic leukemia, .
* * *
Since I wrote the last letter, I have taken myself to a naturopathic physician to get some guidance on my detoxing and diet, and I went to my regular medical doctor for a physical exam. The doctor checked me out, very apologetic that they had missed the CLL. She said "all the symptoms were there," meaning the high white cell count and lymphocytes were high, but .... they hadn't asked the right questions.
I reminded myself they are "practicing medicine." She did the normal annual stuff, said everything was fine, but wanted me to go have a mammogram and a colonoscopy. She explained that when there was one form of cancer, that often a secondary cancer will present itself.
Just what I needed to hear.
So, knowing that the Baha'i teachings on health say to follow the instructions of a competent physician, I made the proper appointments and went for the tests the doctor ordered. I am continuing my basic detox diet, (fruits, veggies, nuts, beans) consuming quantities of water and going for the gravitational therapy about every three weeks.
The tests revealed a couple of precancerous polyps in the colon, which they snipped. They congratulated me for going through this test, teased me for telling the same stories a couple of times when I was under light anesthesia for the test, but I had them all laughing.
The mammogram turned up a couple of "blips" ó but the radiologist said he didn't think there was anything to worry about. I am confident he is right.
As I mentioned, I have taken myself to a naturopathic physician for some real guidance on diet/detox and lifestyle changes to facilitate healing.
He tells me that when there is disease, it is usually from an excess of mucous in the body.
What causes mucous? Toxins. Illness. Medications. Meat. Dairy products. Not enough pure water. Not enough exercise.
How do you get rid of it? Fasting and selective eating, drinking water and exercising.
He is convinced we can beat it, and I have taken him on as a coach. You can actually look up my naturopathic doctor, Dr. Stephen Tates, on the Internet.
Dr. Tates is a nutritionist, master herbalist, lifestyle consultant, fasting and detox specialist, and a diplomat in integrative medicine. You can locate him at www.drtates.com
He is the chief chemist of: Dr. Tates Herbal Tinctures and Tonics, and though I had purchased one and taken it, it was without his specific instructions to me, which included: the addition of liquid forms of various herbs and vitamins (for absorption), a specific clay which pulls toxins from your body and instructions to locate and read a book called "Rational Fasting" by Arnold Ehret. A very interesting reprint of an old article that advocates a very simple diet of fruit, loads of water, and exercise ó all designed to clean out the system after a lifetime of neglect.
He (Tates) also said he believed the leukemia could be traced back to having had hepatitis and jaundice in 1974 at my Bahaíi pioneering post in South Carolina. There was an epidemic at that time, and many people got it. I was just one of the lucky ones. I know he isn't the only naturopath; he is just the one I was led to. Did I tell you that he looks like a kid, when in actuality, he is 53 years old?
What can I say at this point? I feel great, I have dropped about 25 pounds, have gone down three sizes. People who know me will love to hear that I have quit smoking. I believe I am going to enjoy a quality of life I might not have enjoyed had I not had these bumps in the road to get me serious about my health. I don't know what is coming down the pike, but I will handle it.
Did I tell you that another of my "secret weapons" is The Long Healing Prayer put to music by Allen Johnson? I have it on a CD, and should have it memorized soon.
My next scheduled blood test is not until December. I will keep you posted as to the progress. ó With loving greetings, Nancy Markovich
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READER RESPONDS TO REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE
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EDITORíS NOTE: In the Oct. 2004 issue, a reader asked whether or not flu shots are always advisable for people who are healthy and not elderly, and whether or not flu shots are effective against all strains of the flu. This question was asked before it was announced that there would be a limited supply of flu vaccine this season in the United States.
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FLU SHOTS:
Are They Effective Against All Flu Strains?
Last year, I was involved with preventive health care, providing flu shots to various groups of Hong Kong people due to the SARS incident that took away over 300 lives worldwide. After speaking to various doctors, we agree that the flu shots may not be effective against all strains of the flu.
Since people can come down with flu if their immune system is weak, whether they are young or old, we have actively looked at other alternatives. As such, we have been persuaded to promote a bio-tech product which balances a personís immune system. The product is developed from hyperimmune eggs produced by extensive stimulation of chickens with more than two dozen inactivated bacteria. Such exposure results in the product of specific antibodies.
So, when we consume hyperimmune egg products, we passively acquire the same antibodies and immune factors the hens developed, and in that way, we foster our immune systems and keep away the flu bug, no matter what sort of strain.
We have tested various groups of people, young and old in Hong Kong over the past two months, and the results are very encouraging.
Those interested for more information about this product to ìbalance their immune systemî can contact me at: wongjoonsan@yahoo.com
Tel: 852 9120 5927 fax:: 852 2106 1206 ó Wong Joon San
P.S. You are doing such a wonderful service. Keep up the good work. Much appreciated.
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WHOLE FOODS
RECIPE SWAP
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MUSHROOM BARLEY SOUP
Here is a mushroom soup that the kids will eat, since most of the mushrooms go incognito; some of them are sliced and sauteed separately so they can be added to individual portions if your kids don't want them. The soup is delicious, the broth light, fragrant and restorative, just the sort of thing you need when feeling under the weather. You neednít make a separate stock either, because with a full pound of fresh mushrooms in the soup, there's plenty of good flavor here already. If your kids have never tried barley before, this is a good introduction; it softens right up in the hot broth, like the noodles in alphabet soup.
1 cup pearl barley
10 cups water
1 pound mushrooms
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onions
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
2 bay leaves
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons tamari (a naturally fermented soy sauce) freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/8 teaspoon cayenne (optional)
Cook the barley: Combine the barley and 2 cups of the water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover, cook over very low heat for 30 to 35 minutes, until all of the water is absorbed. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Put about 3/4 pound of the mushrooms in the bowl of a food processor and finely chop them, scraping down the sides if necessary. Reserve. Thinly slice the remaining mushrooms and set them aside.
Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large soup pot. Stir in the onions, celery and bay leaves and saute over medium-high heat for about 7 minutes, until the onions are translucent. Stir in the garlic, then add the finely chopped mushrooms. Saute the mushrooms for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring often, then add the remaining 8 cups of water, salt, tamari, black pepper and reserved barley. Bring the soup to a near boil, then simmer for 10 minutes.
While the soup simmers, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in a medium skillet. Stir in the sliced mushrooms and saute them for 3 to 4 minutes until theyíre nicely browned. Stir the mushrooms, parsley and cayenne into the soup about 5 minutes before serving. Or, stir the mushrooms into individual portions if your kids don't eat them.
(Source:"Feeding the Healthy Vegetarian Family: A Sumptuous Guide to Delicious, Nutritious Vegetarian Cooking Family-Style." By Ken Haedrick (author of "Country Baking." Bantam Books, 1998.)
EDITOR'S NOTE: I have tried the above recipe using shitake mushrooms, which are rich in three glyconutrients. They may be too strongly flavored for some tastes, but my family thought it was delicious.
By the way, Haedrick's vegetarian cookbook is warmly and beautifully written and turns vegetarian eating from a chore and a bore to ìMore! More!î
Haedrick writes: "It is actually possible to raise a happy, healthy, well-fed family on a vegetarian diet." He offers 10 helpful rules for feeding your vegetarian family, such as "start slowly," "seek variety"
"don't pressure," and "encourage input." His words about creating a peaceful home food environment are also valuable.
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QUESTION OF THE MONTH
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Are dental amalgams safe or do they raise mercury levels in the body?
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READER REQUESTS ASSISTANCE
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Help! I am going through menopause and have heard that eating soy is helpful in reducing symptoms. Also, eating soy foods is supposed to reduce the risk for certain cancers and protect against heart disease. I get a lot of my soy protein by drinking soy milk, to which calcium carbonate has been added.
Does soy milk have the same effect as tofu or other soy foods, like tempeh in preventing disease? And, is calcium carbonate a kind of calcium that can be readily absorbed by the body?
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SEEKING NEW EDITOR FOR NEWSLETTER
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Dear Readers:
I have thoroughly enjoyed being the editor of Healing Through Unity Newsletter. I am grateful for your generous input, encouraging words and praise.
However, because of a persistent problem with chronic lower back pain, it will not be possible for me to continue on as editor past the January 2005 issue. Sitting and standing for long periods has grown difficult for me, and doing the newsletter adds to the stress I have from my work as a journalist, where I sit for long hours at a computer and drive at least 1 1/2 hours as part of my daily commute.
Finding the right "body mechanic" in a local chiropractor and also reading Dr. John E. Sarno's book, "Healing Back Pain: The Mind-Body Connection" has given me a lot of relief. However, I know that the hours I spend sitting at the computer are far too many.
Therefore, I hope that someone with excellent editing skills will step forward to take over the job as volunteer editor for this monthly newsletter. I will be happy to "coach" this person for some time, so there will be plenty of support along the way. As you know, this newsletter is dedicated to serving the principles of physical and spiritual health envisioned in the Baha'i teachings. It is a great service and the newsletter is international. It has a simple format, reader response is good, and issues can be put together fairly quickly and simply.
If you are interested, please contact me at dreams@uninets.net Thank you. ó Sincerely, Lynn Ascrizzi, editor
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LETTERS
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RESPONSE TO GLYCONUTRIENT ARTICLE
I would like to respond to Dr. Iain MacRobert's article on glyconutrients. I was glad to see the article in your newsletter. I also use glyconutritional supplements personally, and I am beginning to integrate them into my practice. I agree there is a lot of evidence to support their use.
The principles by which glyconutritionals help the health of an individual are very much a parallel to how chiropractic care helps the health of an individual. I feel that glyconutritionals are not the language of communication but rather the medium of communication. These sugars are used for building the receptors on the cell membrane surface which monitor the outside environment of the cell and then send signals inside the cell to let the cell know what is going on, so it can then make the decision of what needs to be done next.
It is much like the way an antenna receives the signal from the radio station, and then the radio can convert this signal into the sound waves we enjoy. Without the antenna, the radio can't work, even though there is nothing else wrong with the radio.
Chiropractic works with communication as well, but instead of focusing on the cellular level, we focus on the whole body level. The master communications system in the body is the nervous system. The brain is the master processor of information. It gathers information through the vast network of nerves that monitor the function of every cell in the body.
Without proper communication in the body, the body will not function properly. At the cellular level, the membrane receptors are responsible for carrying the messages; at the body level, it is the nervous system that carries the messages. If the nervous system causes a distortion of the message, the cells will act accordingly, even if it means their own destruction. This has been demonstrated by removing diseased cells from the body, putting them into a petri dish and seeing them flourish. There was nothing wrong with the cells; they were just living in a unhealthy environment and getting very bad messages.
Dr. MacRobert has done a great job of sharing the importance of glyconutrients in our health. They certainly play a role. I think it should be mentioned that glyconutritionals are only one part of the communication chain of commands, and we need to remember that all communication is important. Missing any one component can be devastating to our health.
Having ALL components present and functioning at 100 percent is essential for our optimal health.
The Baha'i writings have a few references to the importance of our nervous system. Two of my favorite quotes are the following:
"For the provoking cause of disease ó that is to say, the cause of the entrance of disease into the human body ó is either a physical one or is the effect of excitement of the nerves." ó (Abdu'l-Baha, ìSome Answered Questions,î p. 257)
"The powers of the sympathetic nerve are neither entirely physical nor spiritual but are between the two (systems). The nerve is connected with both. Its phenomena shall be perfect when its spiritual and physical relations are normal."ó (Abdu'l-Baha, ìTablets of Abdu'l-Baha,î p. 309)
One last comment in regards to Dr. MacRobert is to point out that he has misquoted Thomas Edison and somewhat changed the meaning in the process.
The actual quote should read: "The doctor of the future will give no medicine, but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, in diet, and in the cause and prevention of disease."
Thanks for all the work you do with this newsletter. ó Dan Boyle, D.C. (Doctor of Chiropractic)
SWEET PRAISE
What a great issue (Oct. 2004). Thanks so much for the article on sugars (glyconutrients). What wonderful benefits we could all get. ó With best regards, Donna Pickel
WHO HAS TAKEN GLYCONUTRIENTS?
Have you had any personal experience with the glyconutrients products, or know anyone who has? It looks as if there is only one source existing for purchasing them. I am interested in trying these products but would like to hear from someone who has been taking them. ó Lisa Janti
A CAUTIONARY NOTE
Regarding your article on "Glyconutrients: Sugars that Healî: There is indeed reason to think that glyconutrients are important in certain respects, but there are also major concerns about Mannatech, the company which promotes them. Their sales methods involve a "pyramid" of people, all of whom have a financial and psychological stake in the success of Mannatech products.
I suspect that many good-hearted and enthusiastic Baha'is have been drawn into Mannatech or some similar organization, and persuade themselves that the time they give to it (which is often considerable) is not really for themselves, but for the benefit of mankind.
I would humbly ask your readers to beware of these organizations. Don't make the mistake of looking only at the Web sites their advocates direct you to.
Check them out by searching the Web using an ordinary search engine. These organizations are quasi-religions ó they can take hold of you to the extent that you won't want to hear anything that may cause you to have second thoughts. ó Oliver Christopherson, Stevenage, England
ANOTHER MIRACLE CURE?
I have always enjoyed the Healing through Unity Newsletter, and I fully appreciate your commitment to this worthwhile venture.
I would like to comment about the sugars article. I read it and was thoroughly entranced by the claims, so I went to all the Web sites. I must say that I was disappointed that it is just another "miracle" cure and the only way a person can get the "sugars" is through an agent, rather than off the shelf.
I wondered if you had known this before you published the article? I think you probably didn't, because the article was terrific.
Just to let you know where I am coming from: Our daughter had MS and we treated it the best way we could. Along our pathway, we found many "miracle" cures. Some of them worked for a while, but nothing was long lasting (except submission to the Will of God). The warning signal we had about these cures was the claim that it would cure/help many many ailments, from acne to MS. And obviously this just isn't true.
Anyway, again thank you for your wonderful newsletter. ó Barbara
EDITOR'S NOTE:
Before the Oct. 2004 issue was published, I took the time to check out some of the resources given for glyconutrients. I also ordered a copy of "Sugars That Heal," but it arrived after the issue was published. Suffice it to say, I have spent a good part of last month reading more about glyconutrients and following up contacts, and I hope to have answers for the above readers' questions regarding the marketing structure of Mannatech and to share what I have learned about the effectiveness of these products from people who are taking them.
Unfortunately, there was no time to prepare all this information for this issue. I, too, believe that we must exercise healthy skepticism about all health products, treatments and claims, and I thank you for your candid letters. They are most helpful.
I also hope that readers who have taken glyconutrient supplements, and who are not affiliated with any company that sells such supplements, will tell us about their results.
APPRECIATES NEWSLETTER
This is great. Thanks for doing it! ó Londa McCullough
WORDS SPOKE TO HER
I am just getting around to thanking you for the newsletter (Sept. 2004). I particularly enjoyed: "Faith is the Standard" and "On Being Extraordinary."
At this particular moment, those were the words that spoke most directly to me. ó Rhoda-Neshama Clark, New York City / Freedom, Maine, USA
RICH AND INFORMATIVE
I just wanted to thank you for sending me the Healing Through Unity Newsletter. It gives me great pleasure to read and digest the very rich and informative articles. What makes it so special is the spiritual part which adorns your wonderful newsletter. ó Farideh Sohrab
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PLEASE SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS
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All of us have had healing experiences ó physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual. Please share your stories and other ideas about staying healthy in a stressful world. Your articles do not have to be long ó just a few paragraphs will suffice. Encouragement is a big part of a healthy lifestyle, and sharing stories and ideas that work for you brings encouragement to others.
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WHERE TO SEND STORIES & CORRESPONDENCE:
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Many thanks to all of you who share helpful ideas for "Healing Through Unity" Newsletter. We welcome submissions from everyone. The decision to select and edit material submitted for publication is determined by the editor.
Please e-mail your stories, comments, suggestions or "Question for the Month" ideas to newsletter editor Lynn Ascrizzi, at: dreams@uninets.net
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WEB SITE
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You can visit our Web site, obtain back issues and the Healing Through Unity Course at: http://www.healingthroughunity.org.
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PURPOSE OF THE NEWSLETTER
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"Healing Through Unity" is published for the purpose of sharing thoughts, comments and experiences on how the teachings of the Baha'i Faith are being applied to physical and spiritual health. Other than the quoted Holy Writings, the material in this newsletter represents the thoughts and opinions of the writers and has no authority. None of the material published in this newsletter is intended to be a substitute for the advice of your physician.
You are free to copy articles, provided you indicate the source of the article. There are 10 issues per year; it is not published during July and August. The newsletter is produced in Freedom, Maine, USA.
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SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION:
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Please e-mail all new subscriptions, subscription cancellations and e-mail address changes (please include old address along with new one) to rocketman@mwt.net
HEALING THROUGH UNITY
December, 2004
A monthly newsletter dedicated to serving the principles of
physical and spiritual health envisioned in the Baha'i TeachingsVolume 8, Issue No 10
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CONTENTS
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SPECIAL ISSUE
ó Glyconutrients: Hype or Hope?
ó Book Corner
ï ìSugars That Heal: The New Healing Science of Glyconutrients
ó The Power of Acquiescence and Amity
ó Live Foods and Rheumatoid Arthritis
ó 2004 Baha'i Conference on Social and Economic Development
ó Whole Foods Recipe Swap
ó Question of the Month
ó Reader Requests Assistance
ó Seeking New Editor for Newsletter
ó Letters
ó Purpose of the Newsletter/Subscriptions**************************************
GLYCONUTRIENTS: HYPE OR HOPE?
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By LYNN ASCRIZZI
EDITOR'S NOTE: In the Oct. 2004 issue, we published an article by Dr. Iain MacRobert that praised the benefits of glyconutrients, eight essential sugars or monosaccharides responsible for the ability of cells to communicate and cohere. Glyconutrients have been shown to offer remarkable health benefits for a number of diseases, MacRobert said. Informational Web sites about glyconutrients were also offered, to help readers search further.
The article elicited a number of readers' letters, positive and negative, which were published in the Nov. 2004 issue. Several more letters on the subject can be found in this month's Letters section. Because of the questions raised, we thought a special feature on glyconutrients, including interviews with people who have taken them, and more information about the company that dominates the glyconutrient supplement market, would help interested readers delve deeper into an important subject.
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Dr. Rayburne Goen, 90, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA, practiced medicine for 60 years and retired at age 80. An alert, astute and good-natured "doc," when he first heard about glyconutrients a number of years ago.
"I was closed-minded ó call it skeptical, dubious, or cynical. . . . I was, however, receptive enough to read the pertinent medical journals offered to me, and I must admit, I was a little jarred at the implications of what I read. I began to look into what turned out to be an overwhelming amount of related literature: Carbohydrate ("glyco") metabolism is suddenly a hot subject ó over 20,000 papers in Medline ( 1996-1998), and a greater number since. . . . case reports of a series of patients with a major disease, and with suspiciously high percentages of positive results," he said.
Finally, as a personal experiment, he decided to try glyconutrients manufactured by Mannatech, Inc. After all, what did he have to lose? he thought. He identified 21 of his own ailments and rated them on a scale of one to 10, all of which he had attributed to old age, such as: arthritis of the knees, peripheral neuropathy (which impaired his balance, walking and sleep because of restless legs), rotator cuff wear, low back pain, inflammatory osteoarthritis of the hands (he could not shake hands without hurting), urinary urgency incontinence, prostate cancer, cataracts, etc.
"Within four months I became symptom free of 19 of the 21 complaints," he said, in a phone interview. He discontinued eight prescribed drugs and all over-the-counter drugs except one baby aspirin daily. Yet, he still thought the results were a "fluke," he said.
He began to prescribe glyconutrients to former patients with diseases ranging from diabetes to cerebral palsy and cancer. One of his articles describes the benefits these former patients derived.
"We are noting that one-third of those taking glyco-supplements show striking improvement; one-third require longer, or larger amounts, and one-third may not respond. Such results as these I have not seen before in my 65 years as a doctor," he said.
Goen does not sell Mannatech products, but he is an associate and gives talks on the subject for the company. You can read one of his articles about glyconutrients at the Web site:
http://studentsforlife.net/GlycoDoctors.html Or, e-mail him at: ljoesmith@cox.net
THE COMPANY
Part of the difficulty in separating hype from hope regarding glyconutrients, is that many people and physicians like Goen who testify about the benefits of Mannatech supplements also sell the products or are affiliated with the company in some way. Much of this has to do with the way Mannatech's multilevel marketing system is structured.
If you type "glyconutrients" into a search window, one of Web sites likely to pop up is that of full-time, independent Mannatech associate Steve Brown, a sales rep whose customer base is 600 to 700 people. Brown has sold Mannatech products for 2 1/2 years.
Brown operates five, glyconutritional Web sites, such as www.glycodiscovery.net, which gives an overall understanding of glyconutrition and what he calls "the wellness revolution."
His site, www.mannapages.com/stevebrown offers corporate, product and business information about the company.
Mannatech, he said, is a publicly traded company under the NASDAQ symbol MTEX and has grossed sales of over $1 billion in its 10 years. A multi-level marketing company based outside Dallas, in Coppell, Texas USA, Mannatech is a member of the Direct Sales Association and complies with their bylaws and rules. The company has more than 125,000 active business associates (sales people), but about 2 million people worldwide who use their glyconutrients are not involved in the business, he said.
Mannatech is not a pyramid scheme, he said. "It offers a real product and is the world's number-one glyconutrient supplement technology.
"It is recognized for its research and development and supplements created to pharmaceutical standards. . . . By using a multilevel marketing system, Mannatech is able to compensate not only business builders but individuals who use its supplements on a regular basis. Many users actually receive their supplements free each month simply by bringing on another six folks who use the Mannatech products each month. This way, it is the end-product user who benefits from the multilevel marketing plan," he said.
Many people become Mannatech associates because they have benefited from the product and become enthused about it, he said. Associates get a discount, if they buy $400 or more products per month. "I get a tiny commission off any one person. If they sign up for $99 worth of products, I get a one-time, direct bonus of $20," he said.
Every Monday evening, health-care professionals share Mannatech product knowledge directly through the life experiences of their guests, Brown said:
You can connect with this program at: 9 p.m.,EST; 8 p.m., CST, 6 p.m.; PST.
Phone: (Toll Free) (877) 626-6246
"It is not a miracle drug by any means," Brown said, of the company's products that he represents.
EVIE: A TESTIMONIAL
Posted on Brownís Web site, www.glycoexpert.com, are a number of customer testimonials. We thought we would check one out. Once again, it was difficult to find a testimonial given by someone not directly affiliated with Mannatech. Readers will have to judge for themselves as to the sincerity of the following, personal interviews.
I first asked Brown to put me in touch with Jay Underhill of Delta Junction, Alaska, USA. The Mannatech supplement, Ambrotose, significantly helped her aged father with his Parkinson's symptoms, she said. Her father went from having difficulty getting in and out of chairs, keeping his balance and speaking, to a far more animated person who could speak clearer and was able to join in at the local bowling alley. She also weaned him off his arthritis medicine, she said.
It became clear, however, that she also sold the product. Brown was asked if he could supply a testimonial from someone unaffiliated with Mannatech.
He obligingly set up an interview with Evie, age 80, who lives in Omaha, Nebraska, USA. Evie does not sell the supplements, but her daughter does.
Her daughter first bought the supplements for Evie's husband, who is a diabetic,
A woman of faith, Evie was an unbeliever at first about the supplements, she said. But when she saw the improvements her husband was making after taking Ambrotose for six months, she thought she'd give it a try. Moreover, about a year ago, Evie was diagnosed with Parkinson's.
"It started with a draggy leg and a tremor in my right hand. I couldn't turn over in bed. I couldnít get up or down. I felt stiff. I couldn't reach down and pick up stuff," she said.
"After about a year, (of taking supplements) I started noticing changes. I still drag my leg. I still have a slight tremor in my hand. But I definitely have no trouble turning around in bed. Now, I have no trouble picking stuff up. I still have trouble getting up. When I scrub the floor, I can't get up without pulling myself up on a chair."
She takes one teaspoon of Ambrotose in the morning and evening and also takes Phyt-Aloe, another Mannatech supplement.
"I feel better. I used to get up in the morning and dread the day. Normally, I lay down every 15 minutes. I was tired and worn out and felt half sick.
But I would fight it. Now, I get up and have a normal day. I take a 15-minute nap twice a day. I used to be in bed by 7:30 p.m. I'd be worn out.
I can stay up now and decide when I go to bed.
"I've been feeling like a new person. I used to have kidney stones once a year. No more kidney stones," she said. Evie does not take any prescribed Parkinson's drugs .
Her husband, 80, a diabetic for more than 10 years, has been taking the supplements for one-and-a-half years.
"About a year ago, the doctor took him off pills. He never goes over 120 (blood sugar level)," she said.
Evie does not sell the product and wouldn't have taken them on her own.
"When you are blessed, you want to be a blessing to someone else," she said.
A SUBSTANTIAL HELP
Dr. Goen provided another contact, retired Tulsa lawyer, Larry J. Smith, who has had Parkinson's for more than five years.
"I trudged around for 40 months taking a full amount of PD drugs; i.e., Sinemet, Mirapex, Amantadine and Comtan, then Stalevo and several others from time to time. The retail value of these drugs calculated at the frequency and strength prescribed was $1,000 per month," Smith said.
"I have used the glyconutrient products as complimentary and supplemental to the pharmaceuticals indicated above. As a result, I now have a strong sense of well-being. . . . It is now so difficult to express the joy which flows from feeling well after having previously asked the daily question, 'Am I ever going to have a good day again?'
"The last 16 months, I have been using a line of products which absolutely have been of substantial help in reducing a number of Parkinson's symptoms, even with a full compliment of PD medications for the first 40 months," he said, in a letter written to a physician.
Before taking glyconutrients, Smith, 63, said he had suffered from "a general malaise and depression for about four years. I had poor posture and poor motor skills, such as cutting meat on a plate, trouble rolling over in bed. I was stone-faced with little or no expression. Basically, all that
(symptoms) has abated and gone. I can smile just like the pretty girls now.
I can roll over in bed."
Smith takes a broad range of Mannatech products, including Ambrotose, Phyt-Aloe, Sport, Em-pact, Catalyst (vitamins), Ambrotose AO, an antioxidant, and Mannatonin (a natural sleeping aide), all of which cost him $300 a month. He also takes granulated soy lecithin produced by Lewis Labs.
"I feel awfully good. But I have plateaued. I have to increase my Ambrotose.
I have had no progression of symptoms in the 16 months of taking glyconutrients. I take 40 percent less of the PD drugs like Sinemet," he said, a reduction that saves him about $400 per month.
Like many people who use Mannatech products, Smith is affiliated with the company. He has a Mannatech associate's number, can attend company meetings and owns stock. "I don't sell the product or make any personal income from the product," he said.
He buys the supplements, however, through his wife, Jackie, an active Mannatech associate.
"He still has some of the PD characteristics show up but not as severe," she said, during the phone interview. "Itís getting better, rather than declining. He is not deteriorating. His gait has speeded up. He used to shuffle. He used to dangle his arms, and now he moves them. We know it isn't the drugs. He couldn't button his shirt. Now he can button his shirt."
Larry Smith's private agenda is to seek out other doctors in the hopes of forming a pilot study.
"I am totally convinced that we are on the verge of bringing a large amount of relief to the Parkinson's disease community," Smith said, of glyconutrients.
He has also put together a VHS tape, "Targeting Neurology with Glyconutrients," which consists of testimonials given by seven individuals, Goen included, who have had positive responses to the symptoms of their health challenges, which besides Parkinson's include: essential tremor, Alzheimer's disease, tourrettes syndrome, vertigo, muscular dystrophy and cerebral palsy. The $8 tape is available at: www.glycotools.com
MORE INFORMATION
When researching glyconutrients, one has to make a distinction between scientific research on essential saccharides and glyconutrient products offered through Mannatech or some other company.
Glycoscience is, indeed, attracting great scientific interest, but this does not necessarily reflect the virtue of commercial supplements, unless those studies are related to them. Furthermore, the science Web site, www.glycoscience.org is affiliated with Mannatech, which of course, has a vested interested in the discoveries of glycobiology and in new glyconutrient research.
Mannatech associate Laurie LeMay, whose family uses the products, offered more information.
"I understand that www.glycoscience.org has a connection to Mannatech, but many of the articles it archives have nothing to do with any Mannatech doctor or researcher. If you see the linked article is from PubMed, then it doesn't likely have any connection to Mannatech," she said.
If you search on-line, check out the following keywords, she said:
glycoscience, glycobiology, glycomics glycosylation (the act of sugars joining to proteins, fats, etc.), glycoproteins (when sugars join with proteins).
"Many diseases have been shown to have sugar or glycosylation problems, like cystic fibrosis. If you add "conference" to the first three keywords, you'll probably find groups not associated with Mannatech," she said. LeMay suggested the following sites:
Oxford University has created a department of glycobiology with about 60 staff persons.
Check them out on-line, at: http://www.bioch.ox.ac.uk/glycob/
Searching "glycobiology conference" on-line gives you the following link:
December 2003 - San Diego California
http://www.mhecoalition.com/Glycobiology_Conference_Research_Update.html
If your research budget allows for $25, LeMay recommends the report: "Stem Cell/FAS (fetal alcohol syndrome) Learning and Behavior Problems In Children With Maternal Alcohol Damage (FAS) Led To Benefits Reported in Infants and Youth Responsive To Micronutrients," available from:
http://www.fisherinstitute.org/ordering/OrderForm.asp
"The report goes beyond FAS, as research seems to be showing that an increased intake of glyconutrients allows the body to make more of its own stem cells. The report states that this knowledge has perhaps solved a 10 year mystery ó why people with brain damage thought to be permanent got a return of brain function," she said.
LeMay has a Web site of her favorite on-line articles, titled: "Researching Glyconutrients with Doctors," at:
http://studentsforlife.net/GlycoDoctors.html
The site includes a glyconutrient testimony by Dr. Omelchuk who speaks of remarkable results after suffering from the painful aftermaths of a stroke for 12 years. Omelchuck, it should be noted, travels widely as a Mannatech consultant. His tape includes an audio link, at the end of which, he discusses an elderly lady bedridden with Parkinson's, who after 10 months of doing glyconutrients, was out doing community volunteer work, he said.
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BOOK CORNER
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'SUGARS THAT HEAL'
"Sugars That Heal: The New Healing Science of Glyconutrients," By Emil I.
Mondoa, M.D. and Mindy Kitei, Ballantine Books (2001).
This book discusses eight simple or essential sugars, six of which are hard to come by in the typical Western diet, according to the authors.
"Only two (essential saccharides), glucose and galactose, are commonly found in our limited, overprocessed diets,î Mondoa and Kitei said.
According to the book, the benefits of adding simple sugars such as fucose, xylose and mannose to our diets, is because they are the basis for cellular communication and have powerful effects on the immune system..Research has shown essential saccharides to "lower cholesterol, increase lean muscle mass, decrease body fat, accelerate wound healing, ease allergy symptoms, and allay autoimmune diseases such as arthritis, psoriasis and diabetes," the authors said.
The research the authors cite claims that bacterial infections, common cold, flue, herpes, HIV, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia and Gulf War syndrome respond remarkably to these essential saccharides, which also mitigate toxic effects of radiation and chemotherapy, thus improving survivor rates.
This well-researched book has a scientifically technical side which may be steep going to some readers. Yet, the information is clearly presented and many studies, personal anecdotes, medical advice regarding various illnesses and also cautionary notes, should be accessible to the lay reader.
For instance, the book notes that some people are allergic to mushrooms, some of which, like shitake, are naturally rich in glyconutrients. Aloe vera extracts and mushrooms are potent immune boosters, but if you are adding them to your diet, first consult your doctor. Reishi mushrooms thin the blood and can cause bleeding. Do not take them if you have a bleeding disorder.
In the first chapter, Mondoa mentions Ambrotose, a product manufactured by Mannatech, Inc. of Coppell, Texas USA. He had served as a company consultant for several years. Many other manufacturer's supplement products, however, are listed in the book's extensive resources section.
"Sugars That Heal" presents information in a moderate, scientific way and states that glyconutrients are intended "to complement your current medical treatments."
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THE POWER OF ACQUIESCENCE
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The spiritual act of acceptance and fostering a "quiet awareness" releases spiritual and healing energy in our lives. Being angry, unaccepting and impatient depresses the immune system, stresses oneís body and mind and that of others around us and does not help in the progress of the soul.
The following quotations should be illuminating:
"We ought to show something greater than forgiveness in meeting the cruelties and stricture in our lives. To be hurt and to forgive is saintly, but far beyond this is the power to comprehend and not be hurt. This power we may have ó acceptance without complaint ó and it should become associated with our name. We ought never to be known to complain or lament. It is not that we make the best of things, but that we may find in everything, even in calamity itself, the germ of enduring wisdom. We ought not to resist the shocks and upheavals of life, nor run counter to obstacles, we ought never to be impatient. We ought to be as incapable of impatience as we would to revolt. This is not being so much 'long suffering' as a quiet awareness of the forces that operate in the hours, days or years of waiting and inactivity. Always we ought to move with the larger rhythm, the wider sweep towards our ultimate goal, in that complete acquiescence, that perfect accord which underlies the spirit of the Faith itself." ó Attributed to Bahiyyah Khanum( "The Passing of Bahiyyah Khanum" by Marjorie Morton in "Crystalizations," page 174).
The above quotation is also on a drawing at the following site:
http://www.myheartsart.com/drawing.html The creator of the poster is Jameelah Sheridan.
Here is a prayer that seems to fit with this guidance:
"If any differences arise amongst you, behold Me standing before your face, and overlook the faults of one another for My name's sake and as a token of your love for My manifest and resplendent Cause. We love to see you at all times consorting in amity and concord within the paradise of My good-pleasure, and to inhale from your acts the fragrance of friendliness and unity, of loving-kindness and fellowship. ó Baha'u'llah (Gleanings From the Writings of Baha'u'llah, page 315)
Quotations on acquiescence and amity compiled by Claire and Dennis Cline of Augusta, Maine USA
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LIVE FOODS AND RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS
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By DAVIS EDGY
I have rheumatoid arthritis and have been in constant, severe pain in all the joints in my arms, legs and neck for the past two-and-one-half years..
It stopped my life, and I thank God every day that I didn't get this when I was younger, as so many people do.
I was on three different drugs for two years, but the disease was still very painful day and night, and progressing. Then, I found a naturopathic doctor in Vancouver and began a complete detoxification program. I went off the drugs gradually, began eating only live foods, raw organic fruits and vegetables, brown rice, whole grains and raw nuts. I did a three-month parasite cleanse, went for colonics hydrotherapy and had my colon cleansed.
Then I moved in with the doctor and did a 21-day fast of just purified water and total rest.
What an incredible difference it made. My fingers straightened out, the knobs on my feet receded, and I am able to wear shoes again. The pain backed off about 70 percent, and my energy level was better, not to mention the weight loss ó a bonus.
Now I continue with a diet of live foods, with some fish, farm chicken and wild meat, prayer, exercise and lots of rest. This ongoing detoxifying process has given me my life back again. I am gradually working on decreasing the pain further as I detoxify, doing strength exercises and getting back to complete health.
Hygiene has helped thousands of patients with all kinds of diseases, such as AIDS, cancer, arthritis, diabetes, MS (multiple sclerosis) and fibromyalgia, and I believe it is definitely worth investigating if you have health issues. The Internet is a good place to begin, as well as Dr. Herbert Shelton's books, which you can find at health food stores.
I pray that this gives hope to some of your readers, and a place to start or continue their own research for health.
ó Davis Edgy lives in Red Deer, Alberta, Canada
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2004 BAHAíI CONFERENCE
ON SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
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This year's Baha'i Conference on Social and Economic Development (SUED) is being held December 16-19 in Orlando, Florida, USA.
Conference workshop sessions are related to the theme: "Developing Greater Capacity to Address Humanity's Urgent Needs." Other workshops are aimed especially at youth and deal with monitoring and life planning.
Speakers will include counselor Roebuck Murphy (U.S.), counselor David R.
Smith (Canada), Forebears Samba (Canada), and Robert C. Henderson, National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United States.
Click on the following link for a complete program overview:
http://www.rabbanitrust.org/program_overview.hum
Click on this link for full conference and online registration details:
(http://www.rabbanitrust.org/Bahaíi_sued_conference.hum)
NOTE: If you are a health professional with an interest in serving humanity, check out the details of the Dec. 16 "Health for Humanity"
mini-Conference in Orlando, Florida USA at:
http://www.healthforhumanity.org/content
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WHOLE FOODS
RECIPE SWAP
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CABBAGE IN TOMATO SAUCE
Ah, the lowly cabbage! This inexpensive vegetable becomes a prince when prepared with tomato sauce, olive oil and garlic. And remember. The nutritional benefits of cabbage makes it a royal superstar among veggies.
3 tablespoons of olive oil
1/2 cup thinly sliced onions
1 1/2 pounds cabbage, cut into 1/4-inch strips (about 8 cups)
3 large tomatoes, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped, or a large can of chopped tomatoes
2 teaspoons salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 or 2 cloves of pressed garlic (to taste)
Heat the olive oil and pressed garlic in a heavy, Tunisia skillet, add the onions and cook them over moderate heat, stirring constantly for 2 or 3 minutes. When they are transparent but not brown, stir in the cabbage, tomatoes, salt and a few grindings of pepper.
Simmer uncovered, stirring frequently, for 20 minutes or until the cabbage is tender. Serve in a heated bowl. This recipe can be served with pasta or rice (cook separately), as a separate dish, or to accompany a fish or meat course.
(Please share your favorite, healthy recipes with this column. Send them to the editor of this newsletter at: dreams@uninets.net)
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QUESTION OF THE MONTH
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What do the Baha'i writings say on breast feeding and how long a baby should be breast fed? We would also love to hear about the experiences of our dear friends in this regard. ó Very sincerely, Hidayatullah Neakakhtar, Pakistan
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READER REQUESTS ASSISTANCE
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I have a 3-year-old daughter whose favorite word is "no." She will often pout, cry and stubbornly refuse to do many things I ask. I have tried various ways to get her to cooperate, but she seems to be getting the upper hand. I do not believe in spanking a child. I hope she is just going through a phase. I hope some experienced parents can help. ó Frustrated Mom
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NEW EDITOR FOR NEWSLETTER
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We are happy to announce that we have found a new editor for this newsletter. Her name is Cheryll S. McCarty Schuette of Ann Arbor, Michigan USA.. We will be working together on the January 2005 issue during this transition. More information about our new editor will follow in the January issue.
I am planning to stay on as contributing editor. Thank you for all your beautiful, caring support this year. ó Sincerely, Lynn Ascrizzi
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LETTERS
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MAKE YOUR OWN GLYCONUTRIENTS
In response to the Mannatech debate, you can actually make your own glyconutrient supplement. The following link explains how. It is written by Dr. David Bird MbChB, Dip Clinical Nutrition, FACNEM:
http://www.lit.net.a/~bird/glyconutrients.hum ó Loran
LOOK WITH AN UNBIASED EYE
This is in response to some of the questions about glyconutritionals as expressed by individuals who read your newsletter.
I have taken glyconutrients for six years, and they were the only thing that helped me lift out of the oppressive fog and pain caused by chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia. I had been ill and off work for six months and was desperate, yet extremely skeptical.
I am an instructor of nursing and needed to see some independent scientific evidence. I researched the Internet for scientific support and found many studies on glyconutrients had been done, most of them in Europe over the past 20 years. Some studies were on individual, simple glyconutrients; others used several glyconutrients together. All the studies were conducted apart from any company selling the product. The results were so positive, I decided to try the glyconutrient products from Mannatech, Inc.
To learn more about the actual science behind the products, go to www.glycoscience.com Yes, this Web site is Mannatech-sponsored, but much of the quoted research is based on independent studies. This Web site has been recognized and honored by HO (Health on the Net) a foundation and non-governmental organization founded in 1996, in consultation with UNESCO.
The Mannatech Company does not make any claims to curing disease but bases its work on the science of glycobiology or glycomics, as outlined in Chapter
25 of Harper's Biochemistry textbook, Third edition.
The basic principle, is that our body cells have protein receptors on their outer surfaces which are designed to fit with certain simple sugars
(glyconutrients) to promote optimum cellular function and communication.
When these sugars are missing, the cell is limited in its ability to function, and over time, this can result in disease. Replacing the missing sugars seems to provide body cells with nutrients needed to gradually return to a more normal function, and, in many cases, reverse the disease process.
This reversal is not immediate and not even complete for many people, but the science behind it indicates something of importance is happening.
In last year's February 2003 issue of Technology Review magazine, an MIT enterprise, glycomics was named in its annual innovation issue as one of the "10 Emerging Technologies That Will Change the World." Glycomics is a discipline of biology that deals with the structure and function of oligosaccharides (chain of sugar).
Mannatech was invited to participate in the Second Annual Emerging Technologies Conference at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) on Sept. 29-30, 2004. It was one of 25 exhibitors selected from a pool of 120 showcase applicants by Technology Review. Companies present their technology to an international audience of entrepreneurs, inventors and investors.
Mannatech was the only dietary supplement company that participated in this event.
Mannatech distributes its products through networking. The company has a branch that raises money for research and product purchase to give products free of charge to needy children throughout the world. To learn more, go to:
If you make an unbiased investigation into people's life experiences with glyconutrients, you will see a pattern of healing. Not everyone benefits from them, and of those who do respond, not all have a complete recovery.
But, for many people, glyconutrients seem to provide the body with what it is lacking to rebuild health. ó Nan Hsieh
DISSATISFIED CUSTOMER
I have lived with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome for the past seven years. In that time I have had any number of medications, diets, supplements and treatments recommended to me by friends who sincerely believed that my cure was at hand. I tried each one, from the ordinary to the bizarre.
Glyconutrients might be helpful for some people, but for me, they were not effective. And, no, I did not take them for six months, much to the dismay of the two friends who recommended them, who know of two others with my disease who have been cured. To me, that always sends up a red flag. Cured. Hmmm.
I prayed for guidance in the decision to try them. Glyconutrients are expensive. If they worked for me I would not mind. They must be ordered from a company representative, and I was encouraged to become such a rep myself.
I absolutely balked at that idea. I may have continued if I could have bought the supplements at a local health food store. So, I felt guided to try them and equally guided to stop.
Frankly, I believe that many people experience good results due to the simple increase in water consumption that taking them gives and not due to the substance itself. Vitamin usage, as recommended by the company, would be helpful for any person. Is the improvement due to the glyconutrients or to the vitamins?
I personally know two families who swear that their own health has dramatically improved from taking glyconutrients. I also know another lady who tried them for a significant period of time and felt no improvement. The glyconutrient story sounds the same to me as all the other wonder treatments and miracle cures that have come my way and have left me disappointed.
I do not wish to judge for anyone other than myself. I pray for continued guidance to make sound choices for better health. Recently a physical therapist has given me an exercise and movement routine which has been quite effective. We must all keep trying.óJoyce in Arizona
PRAISE FOR MARKOVITCH
What a fabulous article by Nancy Markovitch! What a woman of courage and faith. ó Linda Javelin Popov
(Editor's Note: Nancy Markovitch's stories about her positive struggles with leukemia were published in the October and November 2004 issues.)
A THANK YOU
I'm sorry to hear that Lynn Ascrizzi has to retire from doing this newsletter. I love how she incorporates Bahaíi writings in each newsletter.
I hope whoever takes over this newsletter does the same. I look forward to each newsletter and see I'm not alone in that feeling. I want to thank her for all she has done, all she has given to making this a successful, informative newsletter. ó Sincerely, Jacqueline
P.S. Reach high for the stars hidden in your soul. Dream deep, for every dream precedes the goal.
Editor's Note: Thank you for your kind thoughts. The wonderful tradition of using Baha'i quotations in each issue began with the newsletter's founder, Frances Mezei.
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PLEASE SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS
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All of us have had healing experiences ó physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual. Please share your stories and other ideas about staying healthy in a stressful world. Your articles do not have to be long ó just a few paragraphs will suffice. Encouragement is a big part of a healthy lifestyle, and sharing stories and ideas that work for you brings encouragement to others.
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WHERE TO SEND STORIES & CORRESPONDENCE
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Many thanks to all of you who share helpful ideas for "Healing Through Unity" Newsletter. We welcome submissions from everyone. The decision to select and edit material submitted for publication is determined by the editor.
Please e-mail your stories, comments, suggestions or "Question for the Month" ideas to newsletter editor Lynn ASCRIZZI, at: dreams@uninets.net
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WEB SITE
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You can visit our Web site, obtain back issues and the Healing Through Unity Course at: http://www.healingthroughunity.org.
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PURPOSE OF THE NEWSLETTER
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"Healing Through Unity" is published for the purpose of sharing thoughts, comments and experiences on how the teachings of the Baha'i Faith are being applied to physical and spiritual health. Other than the quoted Holy Writings, the material in this newsletter represents the thoughts and opinions of the writers and has no authority. None of the material published in this newsletter is intended to be a substitute for the advice of your physician.
All materials provided on this site are for informational and educational purposes only. Although the methods described are primarily lifestyle changes, it is important to let your health care provider know of any changes you are making, especially if you are taking any medication.
You are free to copy articles, provided you indicate the source of the article. There are 10 issues per year; it is not published during July and August. The newsletter is produced in Freedom, Maine, USA.
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SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION:
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Please e-mail all new subscriptions, subscription cancellations and e-mail address changes (please include old address along with new one) to rocketman@mwt.net
HEALING THROUGH UNITY
January 2005
A monthly newsletter dedicated to serving the principles of
physical and spiritual health envisioned in the Baha'i Teachings.Volume 9, Issue No. 1
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Contents
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- Quote of the month
- From the Editor: An Introduction
- This Month's Theme: Breastfeeding
- Response to Last Month's Question
- Benefits of Breastfeeding
- Breastfeeding and Parenting Links
- Whole Foods Recipe Swap
- Book Corner
- Question of the Month
- Letters
- Web Site
- Purpose of the Newsletter
- Subscription Information
- Next Month's theme: Beating Fatigue.***********************************
QUOTE OF THE MONTH
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"You live to do good and to bring happiness to others. Your greatest longing is to comfort those who mourn, to strengthen the weak, and to be the cause of hope to the despairing soul. Day and night your thoughts are turned to the Kingdom, and your hearts are full of the Love of God.
"Thus you know neither opposition, dislike, nor hatred, for every living creature is dear to you and the good of each is sought."
('Abdu'l-Baha, Paris Talks, pp. 112-113)
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FROM THE NEW EDITOR
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Greetings from Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA. My name is Cheryll Schuette, and this is my introduction and first editorial as the new editor of Healing Through Unity Newsletter. I want to share with you a little about myself and why I wanted to be a part of this project.
I come from a family of readers and thinkers, people who were among the first generation in their families who had access to free public education all the way through high school. My mother was the first and only member of her generation to attend college. All of us children were expected to follow suit.
While they were not religious in the sense of belonging to an organized church, my parents were always very clear how we kids were to behave and to treat others, that we were responsible for our behavior ó true to ourselves, to our family, to the world. Prayer and worship in general were a vital but private personal part of those behavioral choices. Discussion was allowed, but not proselytizing, no matter the subject. Children were encouraged to ask questions and be part of the family mealtime forum.
It never occurred to me that my family was different from the norm until I entered public school at age 10. Looking back, however, I can see that it gave me a uniquely powerful beginning upon which to base future independent thinking.
I encountered the Baha'i Faith in the late 1960s and found it was the first organized religion into which I could fit both my love of science and questioning reality and my deep longing for a spiritual connection. The ensuing years have provided me with a wonderful community without whom I would be a much narrower, emotionally and intellectually impoverished person. The Baha'i writings have given me insights and a yardstick by which to measure my experiences and my study.
Trained as a research scientist and as an educator, enriched by the Baha'i teachings and its worldwide community, I am now closing in on menopause with the deepening conviction that human beings cannot be healthy as islands unto themselves. I don't hold with the current notion that insights and personal growth can only be reached independently of society, or that codependence is wholly dysfunctional. I think it's okay to love parents, friends and mentors, and that their advice ó even when it proves wrong ó is generally better for me than that provided by marketing companies and professional politicians.
I believe that we humans are a tribe, with each member's experiences and insights vital to the health and growth of all. In the past, tribe was defined very narrowly, by geography or by family, for instance. Today, Baha'u'llah tells us that the entire planet constitutes our borders.
Thanks to the Internet, we have a tool which can for the first time allow direct contact with the far flung members of our tribe ó and with this connection, the hundredfold enrichment of our lives. We can build our own supportive "family" even if our birth family might be short of like-minded folks. The Healing through Unity Newsletter is at the beginnings of that world tribal support.
Baha'u'llah, Prophet-founder of the Baha'i Faith, tells us that every atom of creation is there to educate us in this plane of existence, and no one of us can encompass it all. He gave us the pattern for a social order designed to enhance our perception and provide a nurturing environment for learning and growth. For the first time in human history, this pattern is not limited by boundaries like language, nationality, caste, or even time. Healing through Unity is one window through which we can catch a glimpse of the future He promised: one world and one caring human family.
Every one of us has gifts of talent, experience, insight and commitment to share ó gems mined and polished by life on this plane ó virtues upon which we are working. The ultimate goal is the same for all of us, but each of us has a path, and our place on that path. Those who have gone before can reach back to help others along. We can extend a hand to encourage our brothers and sisters as they step along with us ó and reach forward for assistance from those who have passed our place before us.
We will all achieve our goals, with a little help from each other. I look forward to sharing, caring and building community with all of you, as editor of this newsletter.
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THIS MONTH'S THEME: Breastfeeding
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The Baha'i writings do not specifically endorse a particular method of feeding children, except in a metaphorical way that can reveal remarkable depths of spiritual meaning when we meditate on it. The period of time spent feeding a child at the breast seems peculiarly conducive of meditation. And there are fathers who report similar experiences when feeding a baby, even though they had to use a bottle, which suggests that the method and source of nourishment are less important than the chance to be part of the metaphysical moment.
Here are some nuggets from the Baha'i writings about the care, feeding and training of children:
"...in this New Cycle, education and training are recorded in the Book of God as obligatory and not voluntary. That is, it is enjoined upon the father and mother, as a duty, to strive with all effort to train the daughter and the son, to nurse them from the breast of knowledge and to rear them in the bosom of sciences and arts. Should they neglect this matter, they shall be held responsible and worthy of reproach in the presence of the stern Lord."
(Abdu'l-Baha, Baha'i World Faith - Abdu'l-Baha Section, p. 398)
"BAHA'O'LLAH [sic] declares the education of woman to be of more importance than that of man. If the mother be ignorant, even if the father have great knowledge, the child's education will be at fault, for education begins with the milk. A child at the breast is like a tender branch that the gardener can train as he wills."
('Abdu'l-Baha, Divine Philosophy, p. 86)
"As to thy question concerning training children: It is incumbent upon thee to nurture them from the breast of the love of God, to urge them towards spiritual matters, to turn unto God and to acquire good manners, best characteristics and praiseworthy virtues and qualities in the world of humanity, and to study sciences with the utmost diligence; so that they may become spiritual, heavenly and attracted to the fragrances of sanctity from their childhood and be reared in a religious, spiritual and heavenly training. Verily, I beg of God to confirm them therein."
(Abdu'l-Baha, Baha'i World Faith - Abdu'l-Baha Section, p. 383)
"These children must be reared with infinite, loving care, and tenderly fostered in the embraces of mercy, so that they may taste the spiritual honey-sweetness of God's love; that they may become like unto candles shedding their beams across this darksome world, and may clearly perceive what blazing crowns of glory the Most Great Name, the Ancient Beauty, hath set on the brows of His beloved, what bounties He hath bestowed on the hearts of those He holdeth dear, what a love He hath cast into the breasts of humankind, and what treasures of friendship He hath made to appear amongst all men."
(Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 21)
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READER RESPONDS TO LAST MONTH'S QUESTION
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Regarding breastfeeding, I breastfed both our children, now ages 10 (Liana) and 16 (Karl). This was before I became a Baha'i, so I do not know what the Baha'i writings say on the subject. However, I thought I would share my experiences and perhaps it will help someone.
When our son was born, he was three weeks late and born by C-section. He had inhaled meconium (baby's first bowel movement) while in utero, so was sick when he was born and put into intensive care. Meanwhile, I was incapable of doing anything for several days. After that, I started pumping breast milk, which was bottlefed to him by the nurses in the ICU. Excess milk was frozen and used when needed. We brought him home a week later. He was hungry a lot, and I breastfed often. I decided to supplement with formula, but when he was
3 months old, decided to give up the formula and just give it my best effort to breastfeed. Everything was fine, and I was able to produce enough milk.
The lesson here: Feed the baby as often as necessary, even if it is every hour and a half, or whatever it takes. A schedule is difficult to try and establish; it's what the baby needs.
I decided to let Karl self-wean; I had read that is the preferred method. He did not totally give up his nursing until he was almost age 4, but that was just a quick "sip" right before bed. I had also read that in native cultures, 4 years old is not an uncommon age to wean a child, so I didn't worry about it. He is now a robust 16 year old making straight "A's" in school and plays the trombone in the band, as well as having won several scholarships.
Our other child, Liana, was born with a heart defect, Transposition of the Great Arteries or TGA. All the "plumbing" in her heart was backwards. Again, I had a C-section. So she underwent open-heart surgery at 9 days old. Again, while she was in the hospital, I got a room at a nearby hotel and started pumping milk again. I also would go to the hospital and breastfeed her when possible before the surgery. After the surgery, I roomed in with her in the children's wing (this was in Charlotte, North Carolina, at the Carolinas Medical Center; Sanger Heart Institute was connected). She had to be tube-fed immediately after and during recovery, so they were able to use the milk I pumped.
We came home when she was 3 weeks old, and we never stopped breastfeeding. I also joined a La Leche League group, which I highly recommend to any nursing mother, regardless if you are having trouble or not. The support is wonderful, or even just the camaraderie. At any rate, Liana self-weaned at
18 months. I was amazed, and admittedly, somewhat disappointed. I enjoyed nursing our children, but knew that it was natural. Liana is gifted artistically and also doing very well in school. She is also very healthy now and has had no further problems. Her heart doctor has told me she is one of the healthiest patients he has. She still goes in every three years for a checkup.
The interesting thing is that Karl is not a risk-taker, so it seems clear to me that nursing gave him the comfort he needed. Liana is very outgoing, lively, and although very attached to me, is of a much more independent nature. I think those traits are reflected in their early experiences with breastfeeding.
I hope this has helped, and if anyone has any questions for me, I would be more than happy to help. Just e-mail me at: rstadelmann@charter.net.
With Warm Baha'i Love and Prayers,
Lynnea Stadelmann
Landrum, South Carolina, USA
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BENEFITS OF BREASTFEEDING
A Report from the Front Lines
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By LYNN ASCRIZZI, Staff Writer
Katherine Kollman has her arms full. A stay-at-home mom, she is nursing her newborn baby girl, Piper, and also taking care of little Chloe, age 3 1/2.
It's hectic, but Kollman, a former retail manager, is glad to have this time at home to spend with her children.
"Absolutely. It's hard work, but it's so important," she said, of mothering.
"It's such a brief time."
Kollman, 34, is a proponent of breastfeeding and a member of the La Leche League of Augusta/Gardiner, Maine USA, a local support group for breastfeeding.
"There are health benefits for the child," Kollman said. "Studies show it greatly reduces the risk of childhood asthma, obesity and ear infections.
The body metabolizes breast milk so much better than formula. Breast-fed babies can get ear infections, but it is much less likely. Chloe has never had one.
"The milk is a living substance. The cells in the milk are alive. The babies are getting lots of antibodies from their mom," she added.
Kollman has learned a lot of what she knows about nursing from the local La Leche League group.
The Augusta/Gardiner group is a local chapter of La Leche League International, a support group for breastfeeding since 1956, a time when only 20 percent of U.S. mothers were breastfeeding. "Leche" means milk in Spanish; the name was coined at a time when the word, breast, made people feel squeamish.
And for some people it still does, said La Leche League co-leader Jill Greenlaw of East Pittston, Maine. The local chapter, organized by Greenlaw and Rosie Curtis of Washington, Maine, has grown since it first got started several years ago, Greenlaw said.
"When we started, we had only one or two mothers; now, we're up to about 10.
We've also grown from two leaders to six leaders." Kollman and about 12 current members learn about the art of breastfeeding and also field the questions and anxieties of new mothers.
Greenlaw and Curtis first had joined a La Leche League group in Damariscotta. "Two years later, we became leaders. It's a year long application process. We do training and studying to become a certified La Leche League leader," Greenlaw said.
"La Leche believes mother-to-mother support is best. If a mother has a baby that is fussy or not sleeping well, she may wonder if that is because her baby is breastfeeding, and another mother may offer up what she has done.
There is a lot of shared parenting."
Their local chapter grew rapidly and a dozen or more members at a meeting is commonplace, Greenlaw said.
For "toddler's meetings," members meet in each other's homes. "A lot of mothers breastfeed their child into toddler age. We have others that come for a couple of months and go back to work, and we never see them again."
"Morning meetings" are held at the Lithgow Public Library in Augusta, in a downstairs room next to the children's library. "This is usually for mothers with babies. At morning meetings, we stick to the topic of breastfeeding for an hour and a half. Every mother is in charge of her own baby, toddler or child. If held at a home, there is usually a playroom," she said.
Topics might include: "At home with your baby," "Adjustments for the father and siblings," and "Benefits of human milk."
"We have a huge lending library with lots of books on breastfeeding and parenting. The benefits of breastfeeding are really tremendous. Besides information, Kollman and other group members find friendship.
"After La Leche gets you over your breastfeeding hurdles, you find a group of like-minded women. The kids play together. You find things in common,"
Kollman said.
-----------------
Lynn Ascrizzi is contributing editor of this newsletter, has been an editor and feature writer for more than 20 years and lives in Freedom, Maine, USA
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BREASTFEEDING AND PARENTING INFORMATION LINKS
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- La Leche League ó www.lalecheleague.org, these folks have been supporting mother and baby health for a while
- Breastfeeding info & products ó www.breastfeeding.com
- National Woman's Health Information Center ó www.4woman.gov/breastfeeding
- Baha'i Parenting eMagazine ó www.bahaiparent.com, a bimonthly electronic newsletter dedicated to raising families with strong spiritual values
- Virtues Gazette ó www.virtuesconsulting.com, a free monthly e-zine that brings the virtues to life
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LETTERS
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Enjoyed Even-Handed Reporting
I appreciated the handling of the subject of "Glyconutrients." I enjoyed reading comments pro and con about the potential benefits. Such even-handed non-strident reporting is welcomed by me at least. Thanks and keep up the good work.
Don
Eating Healthy is Cheaper
I can't find it now, but somewhere in the last newsletter, someone mentioned that many of the healthy sugars we need are not present in our overprocessed diets. Hence the need for supplements. I would suggest that a cheaper and more enjoyable way to get the appropriate nutrients is to eat fewer and less processed foods. Another reader had commented on how they had done a cleanse and diet alteration to alleviate symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. Since the Baha'i writings say that the foods of the future will be fruits and grains and that healing would be accomplished through diet and treatments of waters hot and cold (could this include colonics?), I believe that that is more in line with what we should be doing than spending exorbitant amounts of money on something that may or may not work.
Eating healthily will benefit your body, and you have to eat anyway, so why not give that a try first? I have read some of Dr. Herbert Shelton's books and was for a while a vegan and enjoyed a much healthier existence when I was following those principles. I do it now as much as possible, but not as strictly. I tend to be the healthiest person in my family, and I wonder if it is because I eat very little meat and try to eat at least some raw food every day. It's hard to believe that many people eat no raw food on a daily basis. Raw food is full of live enzymes that our bodies need to repair cells. Just my two cents worth.
Lynn Capps, Asheville, North Carolina, USA
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WHOLE FOODS RECIPE SWAP
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Here are a couple of simple recipes for good things children could help
prepare:
*JUICY JELLIES
------------------------
4 envelopes unflavored gelatin
(equals 4 Tablespoons)
1+1/4 Cup cold water
1 6-ounce can frozen concentrated juice, thawed, undiluted
Sprinkle gelatin over water in a medium sized saucepan (or in microwave safe bowl). Stir over moderately low heat for about 5 minutes, until gelatin is completely dissolved. (Or microwave on high for 2 minutes, stopping every 30 seconds to stir, until you can't see any tiny gelatin flecks any more.)
Remove from heat and stir in juice. Pour into an 8-inch square baking pan and refrigerate 2 hours or more, until firm. Cut into 36 squares. Covered, jellies will keep several days in the refrigerator.
Per cube: 14 calories, 0 grams protein, 0 grams fat, 3 grams carbohydrate.
Frozen juice concentrates I have used: cranberry, cherry, pink lemonade, orange, grapefruit, white and purple grape.
--------------------------
*IMPOSSIBLE GERMAN CHOCOLATE PIE
Makes its own crust!
(This is the dairy-and gluten-free version. You can substitute milk and wheat flour for soy and rice.)
--------------------------
1+1/2 cups non-dairy liquid (soy milk, nut milk)
4 oz German sweet chocolate, melted
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup rice flour
3 eggs
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 cup shredded coconut
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F. Blend everything but nuts and coconut in blender for about 3 minutes. Stir in nuts and coconut. Pour into deep, greased, 9-inch pie pan.
Bake 30-35 minutes, or till knife inserted in center comes out clean. Chill before serving.
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BOOK CORNER
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In honor of our first snow of the season here in Ann Arbor, Michigan, here is a book about the health benefits of snowshoeing. The big winter play equipment this year appears to be snowboards and snowshoes and not the bent wood and leather thongs of old Hollywood movies, either.
As a winter sports activity, snowshoeing doesn't have the high profile of downhill skiing or snowboarding. But along with allowing one to commune with nature away from lift lines and crowds, snowshoeing can provide a terrific cardio and leg workout, according to the author of "The Snowshoe Experience"
(Storey Publishing, 2004).
This comprehensive guide to snowshoeing offers a wealth of information about the sport, from gear and clothing to snowshoeing techniques, precautions for being outdoors, and exercise benefits. There are listings of snowshoe trails at resorts and national parks across the country, as well as various competitive events for those who get serious.
Colorado-based author Claire Walter writes that snowshoeing, on average, burns 25 percent more calories than a comparable exercise on dry land. And, she adds, it's fairly easy to learn.
"Walking on snow has a cushioning effect," says Walter, who's been snowshoeing for a decade, "so it's very kind on the joints. And you're really working the leg and (gluteus) muscles. You're also often in beautiful scenery, which is healthy for the mind and spirit as well as the body."
"The Snowshoe Experience," $9.95, is available at bookstores.
Source: Los Angeles Times, 2004
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QUESTION OF THE MONTH
************************************
Sandeep from Nepal writes:
"I am suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome for more than 15 years. The main symptom of this illness is debilitating and extreme fatigue with slight exertion of the body. I don't know where to ask for help. My problem is misunderstood everywhere; the isolation and despair is too much. Nobody can feel the pain I am going through. Getting the daily necessity stuffs is hard here and treatment of illness is a distant thing, but I am in desperate need of help. Will you please help me some way to cure my condition?"
It is hoped that among our readers there are people dealing with this challenging disease, and who would be willing to share their information and experiences, especially in how they found the Baha'i teachings to be of assistance. Please send info to the editor: cheryll@gotypist.com
**********************************
NEXT MONTH'S THEME
**********************************
The February issue of Healing Through Unity Newsletter will be exploring ways to deal with fatigue, including Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and burnout.
Send your favorite remedies ó physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual.
**********************************************
PURPOSE OF THE NEWSLETTER
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"Healing Through Unity" is published for the purpose of sharing thoughts, comments and experiences on how the teachings of the Baha'i Faith are being applied to physical and spiritual health. Other than the quoted Holy Writings, the material in this newsletter represents the thoughts and opinions of the writers and has no authority.
You are free to copy articles, provided you indicate the source of the article. There are 10 issues per year; it is not published during July and August. The newsletter is produced in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
*************************************
SUBCRIPTION INFORMATION
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Distribution of this newsletter is free by email. Please email requests for all new subscriptions, subscription cancellations and email address changes (please include old address along with new one) to rocketman@mwt.net.
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PLEASE SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS
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All of us have had healing experiences, as well as climbed out of low points along life's way -- physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual. Please share your stories, tips, useful links, and quotes from the Baha'i Writings about staying healthy in a stressful world. Your articles do not have to be long -- even a few paragraphs in length is helpful. Baha'u'llah gave us each other as a big part of a healthy lifestyle, and sharing stories and ideas that work for you brings encouragement to others. Asking for information and support from others can bring encouragement to you!
WHERE TO SEND STORIES AND CORRESPONDENCE: Many thanks to all of you who share helpful ideas for "Healing Through Unity Newsletter." We welcome submissions from everyone, and hope you will continue to share with the new editor as generously as you have in the past with founding editor Frances Mezei and former editor Lynn Ascrizzi, who is now contributing editor.
Please email your stories, comments, suggestions or "Question for the Month"
ideas to the newsletter editor, Cheryll Schuette, at: cheryll@gotypist.com.
*****************************************************
HEALING THROUGH UNITY NEWSLETTER
Founding Editor ó Frances Mezei
Editor ó Cheryll Schuette
Medical Reviewer ó Dr. Diane Kent
Contributing Editor ó Lynn Ascrizzi
Circulation Assistant ó Kathy Yonash
Web Master ó Russ Novak
*******************************************************
HEALING THROUGH UNITY
February 2005
A monthly newsletter dedicated to serving the principles of
physical and spiritual health envisioned in the Baha'i Teachings.Volume 9, Issue No. 2
____________________________________________________________________
----------------------
Contents
----------------------
- Quotes of the month
- From the Editor
- This Month's Theme: Beating Fatigue
- Readers Response to Last Month's Question
- Useful Links on Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
- Useful Links on Fatigue
- Whole Foods Recipe Swap
- Book Corner
- Seeking for Assistance To Prepare a Table of Contents
- Letters
- Web Site
- Purpose of the Newsletter
- Subscription Information
- Next Month's Theme: Setting Goals and Preparing for Success*********************************
QUOTES OF THE MONTH
*********************************
"Life is short and we do not have too much time to gladden the hearts of those who travel with us, so be swift to love and make haste to be kind."
(Henri-Frederic Amiel, "Balanced Living for Busy Baha'is")
ìLet each one of Godís loved ones center his attention on this: to be the Lordís mercy to man; to be the Lordís grace. Let him do some good to every
person whose path he crosseth, and be of some benefit to him. (Abduíl-Baha, "Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha", p.3)
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FROM THE EDITOR
**************************
Thank you all for the very warm welcome! I am just so jazzed to be part of this project with you, the readers of this e-newsletter.
The theme for this issue is in response to a reader's question on how to deal with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), but fatigue from many sources is also a daily challenge for all of us. All sorts of things ó physical, mental and spiritual ó make us tired. In the long run, the wrong moral compass can be just as debilitating as residual neural damage from a viral infection.
Where do we draw the line, for instance, between necessary and excessive activity? How do we say no? Can we say no and still be good people? Is fatigue a healthy response, that in the extreme, is a disease? If so, why should fatigue even be a part of the good life? What can we do about it, and why should we? Should we consider physical, spiritual or psychological intervention ó and how do we decide which?
In this issue you will find articles from the readers who have been dealing with CFS, including information on ways to provide treatment for this debilitating disease.
******************************************
THIS MONTH'S THEME: Dealing with Fatigue
******************************************
There are as many ways to define fatigue, as there are people. The point at which being tired is considered a disease varies in every culture and there are differences of opinion with medical and scientific sources .
Many physicians do not even consider chronic fatigue to be a specific illness, and those who do, differ on whether it is physical, psychological or a good example of psychosomatic interaction. All of them, however, consider feeling tired to be a common symptom of something amiss in our lives, whether it is lack of sleep, the onset of infection, nutritional imbalance, improper exercise of mind or body, or the result of injury or emotional stress.
Whatever it is, if we arenít dealing with it, the body gets tired and tells us so!
The Gale Encyclopedia of Mental Disorders (The authors have moved into a new understanding that body and mind are part of one feedback loop) lists the following major sources of chronic fatigue:
- Disease, often the first symptom
- Circulatory or respiratory impairment
- Infection, especially chronic and low-grade
- Nutritional disorders such as bulimia, anorexia, diabetes, deficiencies and starvation
- Dehydration
- Deconditioning, generally resulting from bed rest or lack of exercise
- Pain, especially chronic pain
- Stress, meaning emotional or mental
- Sleep disorders, as well as just plain sleep deprivation
- Fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue immune dysfunction syndrome, which Gale classifies as diseases and gives an entire chapter separate from fatigue as a general symptom of disease
- Psychological disorders, such as generalized anxiety and depressionSome evidence that a tired and run-down feeling has been an age-old human complaint, is that most religious writings have addressed the problem.
Ancient Egyptian, Mediterranean and Chinese civilizations recorded not only advice for dealing with fatigue but also extensive evidence of various forms of rest and recuperation.
Hindus, for example, were exhorted to care for their personal health in this way: "Having eaten there something for the second time (in the day), and having been recreated by the sound of music, let him go to rest and rise at the proper time, free from fatigue." (Laws of Manu)
Even acts of religious piety can be tiring, so tiring in fact, that mendicancy (such as friars, living on alms) was generally restricted to a small subset of believers. Historically, sainthood was not for all, but salvation for the masses could be achieved without those extremes.
The Bahaíi faith, the newest of the worldís independent religions, expressly warns its followers against over-doing, exhorting them to moderation in all things spiritual and physical.
ìTake heed lest excessive reading and too many acts of piety in the daytime and in the night season make you vainglorious. Should a person recite but a single verse from the Holy Writings in a spirit of joy and radiance, this would be better for him than reciting wearily all the Scriptures of God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.
ìRecite ye the verses of God in such measure that ye be not overtaken with fatigue or boredom. Burden not your souls so as to cause exhaustion and weigh them down, but rather endeavour to lighten them, that they may soar on the wings of revealed Verses unto the dawning-place of His signs. This is conducive to nearer access unto God, were ye to comprehend.î (Bahaíuíllah, The Compilation of Compilations, Vol II, p. 225)
Apart from moderation in mental and physical activities, general treatment for fatigue (as recommended by Galeís above, and by most of the Healing Through Unity readersí letters) is as follows:
- Aerobic exercise
- Hydration
- Improving sleep
- Medications
- Psychotherapy
- Physical interventions, such as nutrition, massage, chemotherapy or surgery
- Support groups**************************************************
READERS RESPONSE TO LAST MONTH'S QUESTION
**************************************************
THE QUESTION:
"I am suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome for more than 15 years. The main symptom of this illness is debilitating and extreme fatigue with slight exertion of the body. I don't know where to ask for help. My problem is misunderstood everywhere; the isolation and despair is too much. Nobody can feel the pain I am going through. Getting the daily necessity stuffs is hard here and treatment of illness is a distant thing, but I am in desperate need of help. Will you please help me some way to cure my condition?" ó Sandeep, Nepal
-----------------------------
RESPONSES:
I developed chronic fatigue syndrome in the early 1980s after a severe bout of flu, and its worst symptoms lasted for nine years. I tried different many things for it, foods, supplements, prayers, meditation, and some things worked better than others.
But gradually I tried to increase regular light exercise (even though I felt often that I had lead boots on!), tried to eat a balanced wholesome diet with as many organic foods as possible, made sure I got adequate sleep. I did daily prayer and meditation and visualization, tried not to get over-fatigued or tired out or overly stressed.
Gradually, things came back to normal for me. But even today, I still have to pace myself and watch my energy and stress levels, as symptoms will come back, if I get too stressed or tired out.
Certain practices helped me, such as massage, Reiki, or following the advice of a good naturopathic doctor. I don't think CFS is a debilitating life sentence but something that can be managed well enough to enjoy most of life's pleasures. An optimistic attitude is essential, and especially daily prayer and meditation.
I hope (Sandeep) can find some things to ameliorate (the) condition.
ó Marilyn in Ontario
-------------------------
The following points have been helpful to me in dealing with
CFS/fibromyalgia:
1. Praying ó especially for assistance from God (asking friends who had been ill while alive to help carry me forward).
2. Walking and using light hand weights or Thera-bands every day to get blood flowing.
3. Making a "to-do" list with priorities and taking advantage of my better days to accomplish what I can. Feeling grateful for any accomplishments.
Repelling guilt.
4. Affirming that horrible days ARE followed by better days.
5. Engaging in teaching and Baha'i service whenever possible.
6. Taking medications that improve my sleep.
7. Each breath in, is Allah (God), and each breath out is Abha (Glory).î
ó Joyce
-------------------------
One great helper is The Long Healing Prayer (found in many Bahaíi prayer books, such as: Bahaíi Prayers," Bahaíi Publishing Trust, Wilmette, Illinois USA.
The prayer is no instant cure, but it cures the soul. It helps you understand life better and makes you a little prepared for the eternal life to come.
Something that helped me was "The Journey". It is a special technique, emotional and psychological, to go through emotions and memories and clear out what blocks us. It is simple. You can ask a friend to do it with you, a friend whom you can trust, because it is very emotional. The Journey is written by Brandon Bays, who cured herself from severe cancer and now travels in many countries and give seminars about it. (Brandonís Journey Web site: http://www.thejourney.com )
I was very weak, and this is what helped me.
ó Margaretha Garp, Sweden
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I'd like to share some info with Sandeep. After a surprise diagnosis, I began to get help with my chronic fatigue and compromised immune system from an herbal doctor. First, we cleaned the digestive tract, and then I took some strong vitamins. Later a homeopath helped to boost my system with different remedies.
GNLD makes excellent vitamins ó pharmaceutical grade ó but they're a bit expensive. If you can afford it, they're great. I recommend you keep looking, especially from alternative health practitioners ó they helped me more than my allopathic (general practitioner) doctor. And remember, you are not alone. If your community doesn't have a chronic fatigue/fibromyalgia support group, I'm sure there are some on the Internet.
Good luck!
ó C.R. in Canada
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I am a counselor who uses cognitive-based therapies and meridian-based therapies to assist clients to overcome anxiety and depression. Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) is a readily available therapy for practitioners and clients to learn at low or no cost over the Internet via the site:
Emotional, energy and spiritual disruptions can affect the physical. I have been using EFT for three years with remarkable results, especially in the area of treating chronic general anxiety disorder.
I am including some responses here from the EFT Web site that the readers may find interesting. On the Web site, they can order the manual and CD-based training materials and learn the technique for themselves. I would also be available for phone consultation.
ó Jim Woodbridge, Stress Reduction Therapist
Editorís Note: Since this material is too extensive for inclusion in the newsletter, it will be made available and forwarded upon reader request.
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WHEN YOU LIVE WITH SOMEONE WHO HAS CFS: A SPECIAL RESOURCE
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CFS-CARE is an Internet discussion group for caregivers of people with chronic-fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia and other chronic illnesses. Topics include emotional support, communication, research, diagnosis and treatment, related illnesses, supports mechanisms, community and humor.
The discussion is conducted by electronic mail, so all you need is an Internet account with e-mail privileges. The discussion is unmediated, the atmosphere is supportive and no topic is off-limits or ìincorrect.î There is no charge to participate, and you can join or drop the list at any time.
(Note: In order to encourage free expression on sensitive topics, the discussion is currently limited to caregivers.)
For more information, or to join, write to Greg Ross at cfscare@mindspring.com Their Web site is: http://wwcoco.com/cfs-care
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CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME INFORMATION LINKS
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Current issues/research: http://www.cfs-news.org Resources for caregivers: http://wwcoco.com/cfs-care A good, Frequently Asked Questions sheet:
http://wwcoco.com/cfs-care/faq.html
Recognition that it is indeed a disease ó the U.S. Center for Disease Control site:
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/cfs
And many more Web sites available if you search on CFIDS
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GENERAL FATIGUE INFORMATION
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Of interest to women, fatigue as a symptom of hormonal imbalances:
http://www.womentowomen.com (They are selling stuff, too, but the info is good.) Current research: http://www.usmedicalresearch.org Especially good for HIV/AIDS, but includes on line access to experts in various fields,
including treatment of fatigue: http://www.thebody.com/ "How You Feel Is Up To You: The Power of Emotional Choice", 2nd Edition.
Gary D. McKay, Ph.D. and Don Dinkmeyer, Ph.D. Price: $14.95 (Book has an extended section on dealing with what makes you tired, tired, tired.)
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WHOLE FOODS RECIPE SWAP
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Red palm oil is a rich source for carotenoids (precursors of vitamin A), vitamin E and Coenzyme Q10 ñ and itís free of cholesterol and transfats.
The following recipes are from the Web site of one U.S. supplier. Carotino Cooking Oil is a beautiful rosy color with a slightly fruity aroma and very light flavor. It is a blend of red palm and canola oils.
The company claims that one tablespoonful equals the USDA requirements for vitamins A and E, and sites several clinical studies of red palm oil diet supplementation showing remarkable improvement in blood serum levels of vitamin A in women and children from areas of the world where this deficiency is common and leads to blindness and death.
The recipes on the site suggest Carotino oil can be used for baking, sautÈing and stir frying, and also in salad dressings.
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STIR-FRIED CHICKEN
400 gms (14 ounces) lean chicken meat (cubed)
3 cm (~1 inch) ginger (sliced round thinly)
2 large onions (wedged and separated)
3 pips (cloves) garlic (chopped finely)
1 red capsicum (cubed)
1 green capsicum (cubed)
1 stalk celery (sliced diagonally)
4 to 5 medium size Chinese mushrooms (soaked and sliced)
2 level teaspoons corn flour (cornstarch) mixed with 4 teaspoons of water
1 teaspoon light soya sauce
2 tablespoons Carotino Oil
1/4 cup water
Marinate chicken with soya sauce for 15 minutes. Heat a non-stick wok, add Carotino Oil.
When hot, add garlic, ginger and onions and fry until brown. Add marinated chicken and stir-fry for 3 minutes until lightly brown. Add 1/4 cup water.
Cook till chicken is done.
Add mushrooms, capsicums (bell peppers work), celery and stir-fry over hot fire for 3 minutes.
Add blended corn flour and stir well until sauce in thickened. Garnish and serve hot.
Serves 5.
Recipe courtesy of: Mary Easaw, chief dietician, National Health Institute, Kuala Lumpur. Malaysia
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MAYONNAISE WITH PASTA SALAD
Ingredients for mayonnaise:
125ml (1/2 cup) Carotino Oil
1 egg yolk
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon mustard powder
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 tablespoon vinegar
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons chili sauce
3 - 4 tablespoons tomato sauce
1 tablespoon honey
Salt to taste
Salad ingredients:
250g (8-9 ounces) cooked macaroni
1 big onion, sliced
1 green apple, sliced
16 grapes
100g (3.5 ounces) carrot, sliced, par-boiled and refreshed 50g (2 ounces) toasted almonds/walnuts
1 small mango, sliced
1/2 cucumber, sliced
Lettuce for decoration
Put egg yolk and seasonings in a blender and blend for a few seconds until thick.
Pour in Carotino Oil gradually and continue blending until half the oil is used up.
Add vinegar and continue slowly adding oil till all has been used up. Mix mayonnaise with ingredients. Arrange ingredients on a salad bowl or a serving plate Serve with mayonnaise on the side.
Source: Global Palm Products Sdn Bhd.
For more information and recipes: http://www.carotino.com
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BOOK CORNER
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EDITORíS NOTE: In the United States, February is Black History Month. The following book story aims to honor this occasion.
Widow of Slain Civil Rights Leader Tells Her Story
By LYNN ASCRIZZI
"Watch Me Fly: What I Learned On The Way To Becoming The Woman I Was Meant To Be." By Myrlie Evers-Williams and Melinda Blau, Little, Brown & Company, New York, 1999, $23, hardcover.
On the night of June 12, 1963, civil rights leader Medgar Evers lay dying in his driveway in Jackson, Mississippi USA., shot in the back by white supremacist Byron De La Beckwith, his life blood oozing into an armful of white "Jim Crow must go" T-shirts.
"I wanted to die too," writes Myrlie Evers-Williams, 65, in her moving autobiography, "Watch Me Fly."
Left with three children to raise, and at the time, pregnant with a fourth child, later lost through miscarriage, she came dangerously close to suicide, driving recklessly and almost swallowing a handful of sleeping pills carefully hoarded from doctorís prescriptions.
Ironically, Medgar Evers, whom the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People called their "man in Mississippi," who investigated murders and lynchings, planned voter registration drives, organized boycotts and fought for representation, did not live to see the civil rights advances his death galvanized.
But, looking back over her successful, high-profile career, Evers-Williams knows now that his death was an irrevocable force that brought to her life painful but positive change.
Her book does not begin with her husbandís murder, however. Instead, it opens with the most triumphant chapter in her life, winning the court battle that brought Beckwith to justice, in a retrial held 31 years later in 1994.
It was a fight for justice that took guts, vigilance, careful strategy and facing down death threats, hate letters and mail bombs.
Evers-Williams calls her book an "instructive autobiography." In it, she shares down-home wisdom gleaned from childhood and from lifeís deepest lessons.
"It would take Medgarís death and the experience of many years for me to learn the truth: No one, no matter how much he loves you or you love him, can make you feel confident and secure. You have to feel that way about yourself."
Yet, her book is also two love stories, one about Medgar Evers, the man she married at age 18, and the other, about Walter Williams, a longshoreman and union activist whom Evers married in 1976.
It is difficult to read "Watch Me Fly" without gasping, almost in disbelief.
How did she do it? Not just once but so many times, rise above mountainous obstacles that would daunt any man, much less a black woman born in hard times, in Vicksburg, Miss.
Yet, again and again, she draws strength from the roots of early childhood ó from the aunt and paternal grandmother who raised her, two independent women who taught discipline, dignity and how to "pinch pennies until they screamed."
Born in 1933, she grew up during the Depression in a segregated South, where blacks entered side doors of public buildings and sent their children to third-rate schools. Her first 10 years were spent in her grandmotherís one-story, white-washed house on Magnolia Street, with a yard big enough for washing and hanging clothes, for visitors, fruit trees, ìcackling laying hens,î and a sizable garden, where they raised corn, tomatoes, string beans, crowder peas and collards.
Here, under the strict tutelage of "Mama" and her Aunt Myrlie, a schoolteacher, she first learned to "make a way out of no way." And, in a lifetime that seemed to embrace three lifetimes, that nitty-gritty lesson came in handy.
Her heartbreaking yet rewarding life is nothing short of a miracle. She rises out the grave of grief and moves to Claremont, Calif. While raising three children, she earns a degree from Pomona College. She becomes a sought-after lecturer and publishes her first book, "For Us, the Living," in which she tells the story of Medgar Evers and the civil rights movement. She becomes a contributing editor at Ladies Home Journal.
Then, she gets a full-time job with the Center for Educational Opportunity at Pomona College. Later, she rises to become an accomplished businesswoman and finds her place in the halls of power as a national civic and political leader. All along the way, she carries with her "Mamaís" down-to-earth life strategies and her invincible faith.
Her work comes full circle, when in 1995, she is named full-time chairman of the NAACP at time it was threatened with extinction, collapsing under the weight of a $4.7 million debt.
"Medgar died for the NAACP," she told reporters. "I will live for the NAACP."
Her second husband, her beloved Walter, died of prostate cancer just three days after she was elected to the post he urged her to take. Yet, drawing upon her expertise, in three years, she wipes out the NAACPís debt and increases its membership.
"Activism has been one of the defining forces of my life," she says. ". . .
My satisfaction always has come from putting myself out there, laying my values on the line, committing myself to a cause."
Although her book covers a dramatic chapter in American history, it is primarily a womanís story, dealing with issues of single parenting, sexism, corporate glass ceilings, family, friends and relationships.
Along the way, she learns how to cope with her perfectionism, let go of hatred, and at last, trusts her wings to fly.
"In the end, itís not what happens to you that matters; itís how you deal with it," she writes."
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GOD CREATED ONE HUMAN RACE
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"Concerning the prejudice of race; it is an illusion, a superstition pure and simple, for God created us all of one race . . . . In the sight of God there is no difference between the various races. Why should man invent such a prejudice?" (ëAbduíl-Baha, "Bahaíuíllah and the New Era," p. 160.)
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SEEKING FOR ASSISTANCE TO PREPARE A TABLE OF CONTENTS
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I would like to suggest that you invite someone, possibly a youth with the intention of studying medicine, to do a comprehensive Table of Contents for all the issues... I suspect that this might also be an assistance to your editing board to see where the weight of focus has been in the past. ó Elizabeth Rochester
EDITORíS NOTE: For your information, there is a list of table of contents in the Healing Through Unity Website www.healingthroughunity.org; however it needs to be updated. The last table of contents was prepared 2001. If you are interested in performing this task, please send an email to the editor.
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NEXT MONTH'S THEME
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Having goals is good for you! It makes you live longer and healthier, or so says the U.S. National Institutes for Health and the World Health Organization. With the advent of the New Year many of us evaluate our personal progress and make new resolutions for the coming year. Since the Bahaíi New Year falls in March of the Gregorian calendar, the theme for the March issue of Healing Through Unity will be goal setting and achieving success, with a little help from our friends. Send your favorite strategies ó physical, mental and spiritual ñ to the editor:
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LETTERS
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Comments On Breastfeeding Article
(January 2005 issue)
As a former breastfeeding mom and current La Leche Leader and Trainer, I was happy to see the issue on breastfeeding. I have always appreciated the various Baha'i Writings on the subject, some metaphorical but some very specific. ó Karen in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
EDITORíS NOTE: Both Karen in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa and Susan in Texas, USA, shared the following favorite quotation:
ìO SON OF BOUNTY!
ìOut of the wastes of nothingness, with the clay of My command I made thee to appear, and have ordained for thy training every atom in existence and the essence of all created things. Thus, ere thou didst issue from thy mother's womb, I destined for thee two founts of gleaming milk, eyes to watch over thee, and hearts to love thee. . . .î
(The Hidden Words of Baha'u'llah, Persian, verse 29)
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WEB SITE
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You can visit the web site, obtain back issues and the Healing Through Unity Course at: http://www.healingthroughunity.org
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PURPOSE OF THE NEWSLETTER
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"Healing Through Unity" is published for the purpose of sharing thoughts, comments and experiences on how the teachings of the Baha'i Faith are being applied to physical and spiritual health. Other than the quoted Holy Writings, the material in this newsletter represents the thoughts and opinions of the writers and has no authority.
You are free to copy articles, provided you indicate the source of the article. There are 10 issues per year; it is not published during July and August. The newsletter is produced in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
***********************************
SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION
***********************************
Distribution of this newsletter is free by e-mail. Please e-mail requests for all new subscriptions, subscription cancellations and email address changes (please include old address along with new one) to rocketman@mwt.net.
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PLEASE SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS
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All of us have had healing experiences, as well as climbed out of low points along life's way -- physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual.
Please share your stories, tips, useful links, and quotes from the Baha'i Writings about staying healthy in a stressful world. Your articles do not have to be long -- even a few paragraphs in length is fine. Baha'u'llah gave us each other as a big part of a healthy lifestyle, and sharing stories and ideas that work for you brings encouragement to others. Asking for information and support from others can bring encouragement to you!
WHERE TO SEND STORIES AND CORRESPONDENCE: Many thanks to all of you who share helpful ideas for "Healing Through Unity Newsletter." We welcome submissions for everyone, and hope you will continue to share with the new editor as generously as you have in the past with founding editor Frances Mezei and former editor Lynn Ascrizzi, who is now contributing editor.
Please email your stories, comments, suggestions or "Question for the Month"
ideas to the newsletter editor, Cheryll Schuette, at: cheryll@gotypist.com.
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HEALING THROUGH UNITY NEWSLETTER:
Founding Editor ó Frances Mezei
Editor ó Cheryll Schuette
Medical Reviewer óDiane Gable, M.D.
Contributing Editor ó Lynn Ascrizzi
Circulation Assistant ó Kathy Yonash
Web Master ó Russ Novak
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HEALING THROUGH UNITY
March 2005
A monthly newsletter dedicated to serving the principles of
physical and spiritual health envisioned in the Baha'i Teachings.Volume 9, Issue No. 3
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Contents
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- Quote of the month
- From the Editor
- This Month's Theme: Setting Goals and Preparing for Success
- Useful Links
- 'Abdu'l-Baha's prayer for Removal of addictions
- 25 Ways to Activate Your Life
- Walking Meditation
- Whole Foods recipe Swap
- Health in the News
- Question of the Month
- Letters
- Web Site
- Purpose of the Newsletter
- Subscription Information
- Next Moth's Theme: Fitness: Defining and Achieving It*****************************
QUOTES OF THE MONTH
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"They have not properly understood that man's supreme honor and real happiness lie in self-respect, in high resolves and noble purposes, in integrity and moral quality, in immaculacy of mind. They have, rather, imagined that their greatness consists in the accumulation, by whatever means may offer, of worldly goods.
(Abdu'l-Baha, "The Secret of Divine Civilization, p. 18)
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FROM THE EDITOR
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Dear Friends,
The last month of the Baha'i year, which occurs in March of the Gregorian calendar, is set aside for fasting and preparation for the New Year (March 21). It is a time of prayer and meditation, of spiritual cleansing, of personal reflection, evaluation of goals and often the setting of new goals.
The theme for the March issue of Healing Through Unity Newsletter is therefore devoted to setting goals and making plans that will assure success in achieving those goals.
One key requirement of success is having a support group, people who know what you want to achieve and who care about you. Having someone else to talk to, to share concerns, to provide information and empathy can be absolutely critical for many health related goals. Healing Through Unity is about building those bridges.
I wish you all success is defining, setting and achieving your goals for the new year!
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A QUICK COURSE IN GOALS SETTING
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First: define who you want to be.
Make a "To Be List." You can divide goals into specific areas, such as spiritual, material, physical, career, etc., but be sure that the goal is concrete and measurable, not vague or philosophical.
New York University researchers report in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology that when you contrast your fantasies about the future to your present reality, it leads you to act and achieve the future expectations. They found this not only helps you set goals but makes them stronger and more binding, since your commitment arises from the promise of favorable expectations.
Why we are doing stuff is more important than what the tasks are, or at least comes first. So, who do you want to be? What do you want to do in life? What passionate longing drives you?
Second: develop an action plan.
This involves dividing your goals into manageable steps and devising methods to measure progress. So, where do you want to be, how many steps to get there, how will you tell if you made it?
Third: decide where to put your resources.
Resolve to recognize that you can't do everything, so what you can do counts. Saying no is part of your action plan.
Make a To Do List: Divide it as most convenient for you. Planning calendars often divide tasks daily, weekly, monthly, and larger segments.
From all the directions provided by family, career, religion, play, etc., choose only those activities that will best assist you in achieving your "To Be list". (It is okay to divide them into phases over time, if you just can't face giving up something forever.)
One important tool in building an action plan -- and in deciding which activities you will pass over -- is to assess your energy sources and drains. What activities (people, places, attitudes) bring you joy? How can you maximize the effect? Be specific so you can repeat the experience.
Do the same analysis on what drains you. How can you minimize this loss?
Again, be specific, so you can build the strategies into your "To Do" lists
Fourth: Plug into the Power:
You can't do it alone. Ask for help from the Holy Spirit:
"Know thou of a certainty that thy Lord will come to thine aid with a company of the Concourse on high and hosts of the Abh· Kingdom." ("Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bah·," sec. 19, p. 43)
Ask for help from those around you: mentors, friends, relatives and others who share your goals.
Practice balance in living: mood, forgiveness, service, physical needs (rest, food, exercise).
No matter what your goals, this last requirement to stay balanced is important. Driving yourself into ill health to make some pinnacle is not succeeding. Success comes not from rigid perfection or wonderfully high goals. It arrives in snips and pinches, flashes of light and insight, small victories that don't have a brass band trumpeting your achievement. Over time, all these little bits of progress add up.
As 'Abdu'l-Baha often said: "Kam, kam; Ruz be Ruz. Little by little; day by day."
"You should not neglect your health, but consider it the means which enables you to serve. It - the body - is like a horse which carries the personality and spirit, and as such should be well cared for so it can do its work! You should certainly safeguard your nerves, and force yourself to take time, and not only for prayer and meditation, but for real rest and relaxation." (From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, November 23, 1947, Lights of Guidance, p. 297)
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LINKS FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
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Personal Goal Setting - Planning to Live Your Life Your Way http://www.mindtools.com/page6.html
Mind Tools on the Web has a very nice outline, very similar to the one presented here, in that first you set who you want to be, and then make your "To Do" list. They also offer a free newsletter, and career coaching services which are not free.
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For much more detailed assistance, where you do not have to design your plan from the ground up, you can sign up on http://www.myGoals.com
myGoals.com walks you through a simple, step-by-step goal-setting process for any goal, whether it's short-term or long-term, easy or difficult, practical or lofty. They also provide pre-made GoalPlans(r) for popular goals, to get you started even faster.
Once you've set a goal, they will send email reminders that arrive precisely when needed for each task. myGoals.com keeps you focused and on track until you accomplish your goal.
The drawback is that you have to fit one of the plans they provide, but given the wide variety, might be just right. Samples include:
Health & Fitness Goals: Exercise, Nutrition, Weight-Loss, Peak Performance, Cosmetic Surgery...
Family & Relationship Goals: Friends, Romance & Marriage, Family, People Skills, Family Goals...
Personal Finance Goals: Investing, Paying Off Debt, Cutting Expenses, Charity & Philanthropy...
Career Goals: Job Seeking, Education & Skills, Entrepreneurship, Promotions...
And a great many more than can be listed here.
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PRAYER FOR REMOVAL OF ADDICTIONS
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O Divine Providence! Bestow Thou in all things purity and cleanliness upon the people of Baha. Grant that they be freed from all defilement, and released from all addictions. Save them from committing any repugnant act, unbind them from the chains of every evil habit, that they may live pure and free, wholesome and cleanly, worthy to serve at Thy Sacred Threshold and fit to be related to their Lord. Deliver them from intoxicating drinks and tobacco, save them, rescue them, from this opium that bringeth on madness, suffer them to enjoy the sweet savours of holiness, that they may drink deep of the mystic cup of heavenly love and know the rapture of being drawn ever closer unto the Realm of the All-Glorious. For it is even as Thou hast said: `All that thou hast in thy cellar will not appease the thirst of my love--bring me, O cup-bearer, of the wine of the spirit a cup full as the sea!'
("Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Baha," pp.149-50)
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25 WAYS TO ACTIVATE YOUR LIFE
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From "Healing Moves, How to Cure, relieve, and Prevent Common Ailments with Exercise" by Carol Krucoff & Mitchell Krucoff, M.D., Harmony Books 2000. pp. 46-47
1. Don't use the nearest bathroom. Use one that requires you to walk a bit, preferably up or down a flight or two of stairs.
2. Balance on one foot while you're brushing your teeth. Balance on the other foot while you're combing your hair.
3. Park in the farthest space.
4. Play actively with your kids. Strap on a pair of in-line skates, join in their karate class, get off your bench and swing, climb, hang, slide.
5. Hide your TV remote. Get up and walk across the room when you want to change the channel, increase the volume, or turn the TV on or off.
6. Never take the elevator when you're going fewer than three flights; take the stairs.
7. Get rid of your electric can opener and use a manual one.
8. Turn your coffee break into a walk break. Walk to a distant vending machine, cafeteria, or coffee shop to get your snack instead of using the closest one.
9. Stretch or walk while you're talking on the (cordless) phone.
10. Set an "activity" timer or program your computer to remind you to take brief walking and/or stretching breaks periodically.
11. Wait actively. If you're forced to wait for an airplane, hairdresser, dentist, doctor, or restaurant table, take a walk.
12. Walk or bike to do errands instead of driving.
13. Take a minute to stretch your arms, legs, back shoulders, and neck whenever you get up from sitting or lying down.
14. Sweep your floors, patio, and/or front walk every day.
15. During TV commercials, get up and walk or get down and stretch.
16. Socialize actively. Instead of sitting and talking with friends and/or family, try walking and talking. Go bowling or line dancing, or play Ping-Pong, basketball, or boccie ball.
17. Put your favorite mug on a very low shelf, so you'll have to squat down to get it out and put it back.
18. Take your dog for a walk every day. If you don't have a dog, borrow your neighbor's, or just walk you "inner dog."
19. Practice "aerobic shopping" by talking a lap around the mall or grocery store before you go into a shop or put an item in your cart.
20. Avoid "drive-through." Park your car and walk in.
21. Practice good posture when you're forced to wait in line. Stand firmly on both feet and try to raise the top of your head to touch an imaginary hand held a quarter inch above you. Let your spine extend, shoulder relax, and arms fall at your sides.
22. Don't automatically drive. If the dry cleaner is across the parking lot from the bank, walk there. (Wear decent walking shoes or keep a good pair in your car.) 23. Install a chin-up bar in a convenient doorway, then use it often to do chin-ups, pull-ups, or simply hang.
24. Try musical housework. Put on dancing music and sweep, vacuum, or wash windows to the beat.
25. Every time you hear a bell ring (for example, a phone bell, doorbell, or church bell) take a deep breath and smile. Think of it as "mouth yoga" that relaxes hundreds of muscles in your face. And it's contagious, so pass it on.
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WALKING MEDITATION
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In our hurried world, it seems no matter how much we rush about armed with our long to-do lists and anxiously clock-watch, there are just too many things to do and not enough time to do them all. Especially those things on our goals list which are purely personal -- such as meditation, or exercise.
Well, how about combining the two?
"The purpose of walking meditation is to enjoy each step," writes Vietnamese Zen master Thich Nhat Hahn in his classic guide to mindful meditation, "Peace Is Every Step."
In his pocket guide to walking meditation, "The Long Road Turns to Joy," he tells us that, "walking meditation is like eating. With each step, we nourish our body and our spirit. When we walk with anxiety and sorrow, it is a kind of junk food. The food of walking meditation should be of a higher quality. Just walk slowly and enjoy a banquet of peace."
The co-authors Krucoff, offer some useful suggestions to enhance your walking meditation in their book, "Healing Moves," under the heading of ways to heal the mind-body-spirit:
1. Smile. Although it sounds simple, or even silly, mindfully adding a smile to the end of a breath has profound effects.
2. Keep your mind in the present. If past anxieties or future worries pop into your head, gently dismiss them and return your mind to the present moment.
3. Feel free to stop to look at something beautiful -- leaves changing color, a bird flying, children playing.
4. Imagine that in every one of your footsteps a flower blooms. Remember, each step is a miracle.
5. Carry yourself with dignity, an upright posture, and an expression of calm joy -- as if you were royalty -- because you are.
6. Don't worry about whether you are doing your walking meditation "right."
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WHOLE FOODS RECIPE SWAP
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[The following links are for our reader's information only, and are not an endorsement of the web sites or the particular raw food diet regimen. That said, many people have found relief from chronic illnesses when they switched to such a diet.]
For info and great tips on utilizing raw foods, check out Dale Wing's "His Healing Ways" web site. He posts instructions to the VitaMix list to help people using that particular machine, but most of his tips pages deal with very basic methods of producing live whole foods.
http://hishealingways.com/tutorials.html
Another page of links to information on the raw food diets:
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O handmaid of God! The prayers which were revealed to ask for healing apply both to physical and spiritual healing. Recite them, then, to heal both the soul and the body. If healing is right for the patient, it will certainly be granted (Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Baha, Pages: 161-162)
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HEALTH IN THE NEWS QUICK NOTES
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Drinking and Strokes Linked
A recent study funded by the National Institutes of Health (USA) suggests that heavy drinkers may have a higher risk of stroke than those who drink moderately or not at all.
Researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and the Harvard School of Public Health found that middle-aged and older men who consume more than two alcoholic drinks a day over several years are more likely than non drinkers to have an ischemic stroke.
People who drink moderately have the same or a slightly lower risk than teetotalers. The findings were taken from a large pool of men.
The report follows findings from the same large group, that those who drink moderately or not at all had a lower risk of heart disease and diabetes, said lead researcher Dr. Kenneth Mukamal, a Beth Israel internist and assistant professor at Harvard Medical School.
About 412 - or 1 percent - of the 38,156 male health professionals who returned questionnaires biennially over 14 years of the study reported having strokes (family members reported fatalities). The heavier drinkers had a relative stroke risk that was 20 percent to 40 percent higher than those who abstained.
Researchers are not sure why excessive drinking may raise the risk of stroke. Alcohol may be a factor because it tends to raise blood pressure and adds to atrial fibrillation, in which blood isn't properly pumped through the heart's upper chambers, Mukami said.
(Source: Jan. 4, 2005 issue of "Annals of Internal Medicine")
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Keep Active; Stay Healthier
- Adults who want to reduce the risk of chronic disease should engage in at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity, above usual amounts, on most days of the week. Most people will see greater health benefits by working out harder or longer than the minimum.
- To help manage weight and prevent gradual, unhealthy weight gain, get about 60 minutes of moderate- to vigorous-intensity activity on most days of the week while not exceeding calorie intake limits.
- To sustain weight loss in adulthood: Get at least 60 to 90 minutes of daily moderate-intensity physical activity while not exceeding calorie limits. Some people may need to consult with a health-care provider first.
- For physical fitness, include cardiovascular conditioning, resistance exercises or calisthenics, and stretching.
(Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture)
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Red Meat Consumption Raises Risk of Colon Cancer
A long-term study involving 148,610 adults who provided information on the foods they ate over a 10-year period, found that eating too much red meat may raise a person's risk of disease and may affect the risk of colorectal cancer.
Colon cancer occurred in 1,197 participants and rectal cancer in 470. Those who reported having eaten the most red meat were 43 percent more likely to develop rectal cancer than those who ate the least (89 cases versus. 65).
People who ate the most processed meat (salted, smoked or preserved with nitrites or nitrates) had a 50 percent higher risk of developing colon cancer than those who ate the least (79 cases versus 56).
The study defined prolonged high consumption as at least three ounces daily for men, two ounces for women, for 10 years.
The study suggests that people who eat a lot of meat may want to focus more on plant-based foods. To learn more about colorectal cancer, go to:
www.cancer.org and www.cancer.gov.
(Source: Jan. 12, 2005 issue, Journal of the American Medical Association; abstract available at www.jama.com)
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Curry and Cancer
Can Curry Combat Cancer? Well not exactly. Several components of curry spice do, however, have discrete effects on tumor growth. For the full story: http://pubs.acs.org/cen/topstory/8135/8135notw7.html
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Benefits of Licorice Root
Licorice root can be helpful in treating Chronic Fatigue Syndrome:
http://www.licorice.org/Health___History/Health_2/body_health_2.htm
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QUESTION OF THE MONTH
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What is fitness, really? With all the news lately about obesity and general lack of physical fitness, not to mention the multi-billion dollar industry built around personal change and improvement, how does one sort through it all and decide what to do? And having picked a plan, set some goals and stiffened our resolve, how do we keep going in the face of all obstacles?
What has worked for you, our readers? Please share your insights and advice for April's issue of Healing Through Unity Newsletter.
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LETTERS
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On promoting health with food combining
Dear Friends:
My name is Victoria Leith and I am a Bah·'Ì living and working in Northampton, England. I am writing to let you know of a new initiative called 'Little Guru'. It's an online magazine which promotes food combining for health and a healthy lifestyle, mind, body and soul.
All of our team are either Baha'is (five of us) or good friends of Baha'is (two of us!) Our aim is to bring health, inspiration and positivity to everyone - there is no celebrity gossip or ill-informed news - just great articles and interviews, reviews and ways to improve your lifestyle.
Our address is http://www.littleguru.co.uk Victoria Leith (Editor)
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PLEASE SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS
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All of us have had healing experiences, as well as climbed out of low points along life's way -- physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual.
Please share your stories, tips, useful links, and quotes from the Baha'i Writings about staying healthy in a stressful world. Your articles do not have to be long -- even a few paragraphs in length is fine. Baha'u'llah gave us each other as a big part of a healthy lifestyle, and sharing stories and ideas that work for you brings encouragement to others. Asking for information and support from others can bring encouragement to you!
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WHERE TO SEND STORIES AND CORRESPONDENCE
********************************************
Many thanks to all of you who share helpful ideas for "Healing Through Unity Newsletter." We welcome submissions for everyone. The decision to select and edit material submitted for publication is determined by the editor.
Please email your stories, comments, suggestions or "Question for the Month"
ideas to the newsletter editor, Cheryll Schuette, at: cheryll@gotypist.com.
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WEB SITE
**************
You can visit our Web site, obtain back issues and the Healing Through Unity Course at: http://www.healingthroughunity.org.
******************************
PURPOSE OF THE NEWSLETTER
******************************
"Healing Through Unity" is published for the purpose of sharing thoughts, comments and experiences on how the teachings of the Baha'i Faith are being applied to physical and spiritual health. Other than the quoted Holy Writings, the material in this newsletter represents the thoughts and opinions of the writers and has no authority.
You are free to copy articles, provided you indicate the source of the article. There are 10 issues per year; it is not published during July and August. The newsletter is produced in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
*******************************
SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION
*******************************
Distribution of this newsletter is free by email. Please email requests for all new subscriptions, subscription cancellations and email address changes (please include old address along with new one) to rocketman@mwt.net.
*****************************************************
HEALING THROUGH UNITY NEWSLETTER
Founding Editor - Frances Mezei
Editor - Cheryll Schuette
Medical Reviewer - Dr. Diane Kent
Contributing Editor - Lynn Ascrizzi
Circulation Assistant - Kathy Yonash
Web Master - Russ Novak
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HEALING THROUGH UNITY
April 2005
A monthly newsletter dedicated to serving the principles of
physical and spiritual health envisioned in the Baha'i Teachings.Volume 9, Issue No. 4
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Contents
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- Quotes of the Month
- From the Editor
- This Month's Theme: Fitness and Health
- Useful Links for Further Information
- Falan Dafa: High-Level Meditation
- Reduce the Risk of Most Aging-related Diseases
- Want to Lose Weight? Adjust Your Sleep Patterns.
- Whole Foods Recipe Swap
- A Quickening Vitality
- Health in the News
- Book Corner
- Letters
- Questions of the Month
- Purpose of the Newsletter
- Subscription Information
- Web SiteNext Month's Theme: The Importance of Friendship
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QUOTES OF THE MONTH
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"If the health and well-being of the body be expended in the path of the Kingdom, this is very acceptable and praiseworthy; and if it is expended to the benefit of the human world in general ó even though it be to their material benefit and be a means of doing good ó that is also acceptable. But if the health and welfare of man be spent in sensual desires, in a life on the animal plane, and in devilish pursuits ó then disease is better than such health; nay, death itself is preferable to such a life."
('Abdu'l-Baha, Baha'i World Faith, p. 376)
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Elder's Meditation of the Day: "Everything's so simple, and we make everything so complicated. That's why we're confused."
ó Vickie Downey, TEWA/Tesuque Pueblo
The Creator designed a very simple set of Laws for us to follow. If we follow these simple things, we'll be happy. If we don't follow these simple things, our lives become complicated. For example:
Respect Mother Earth
Love one another
Be truthful
Give to your brothers and sisters
Be gentle with each other
Be happy
Following these simple Laws will have great rewards.
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FROM THE EDITOR
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Dear Friends,
The United States government has just recently discovered that many of us living in that country are obese. Though born and raised here, I had not really noticed fatness until the early 1990s, after returning from a year on the South Pacific island of Guadalcanal.
While living in a city of about 40,000 people, I rarely saw anyone who might have been called overweight. But I never thought about it until returning to the United States, to a small town in New Mexico, where it seemed that everyone was overweight by comparison to those I had lived with most recently.
While in the tropics, both my husband and I lost about 30 pounds, not because we intended to, but because we walked everywhere, and it was too hot to eat all day. We had little access to Western foods and lived on fish, chicken, cassava, many kinds of sweet potatoes, green coconuts and the tropical vegetables we found at the Chinese market.
How different that lifestyle than the one I'm living now in the Midwestern United States! Finding truly fresh fruits and vegetables during the winter months is difficult, and exercise must be planned for, since simply walking everywhere is often impossible due to the extreme weather. Needless to say, I have gained back that 30 pounds.
Even with the publicity about obesity and health and the new government guidelines on nutrition and physical activity published in "The Nation's Health", the official newspaper of the American Public Health Association, I still wonder how much of my concern is actually about fitness.
I could be more motivated by an attempt to deny or reverse certain facts of aging, alas. My equipment just isn't factory new any more, and there is little I can do to change that. I can, however, be "fit" at any age, and with any size and shape of muscles, wrinkles and all. At least, that is what my favorite books and magazines tell me.
So, how do we define fitness? Who do we ask? What works and what doesn't?
Are men different from women in regard to both fitness and the process of developing fitness? Is fitness a cultural definition? How do we figure out what is a problem we can change for the better and what might be something we can't change, because our bodies eventually and inevitably wear out?
According to author Suzanne Braun Levine in the book, "Inventing the Rest of Our Lives: What Matters, What Works, What's Next," (Viking, 2005) we need to make sure that what is known about the condition is based on research on a physiology like ours.
For instance, if we are Chinese post-menopausal women, was our favorite fitness routine really developed for us, or was it designed and tested on 18-25 year old college males?
We will need to develop our expertise by tapping into (trustworthy) Internet resources, in addition to consulting the old reliable network of informed friends, magazines and books.
Readers of this newsletter span the globe and have varied cultures, ages, languages, educational and career paths. Let us share our experiences, and be wary of both definitions and processes that are being touted as one size fits all.
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WHAT IS FITNESS?
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Enter the word fitness in the Google search engine, and it will bring back 95,300,000 hits in about a tenth of a second.
Popular women's magazines (and some men's periodicals, as well) have diet, weight loss, fitness and energy boosting articles in every issue, often right next to the latest, extreme dessert recipes.
More money is spent on health care of one kind or another in the United States than has been spent on the last several wars put together. Health and fitness are clearly big business in so-called, first-world countries.
Yet, we are being told, daily of late, that our health and fitness are in decline.
What does that mean? How can that be? In many parts of the world, we have more food, more infrastructure to distribute it and more systems in place to maintain basic health care, sanitation and clean water than ever in the history of mankind. And in urbanized centers, we even have an abundance of pills, procedures, plans and equipment purported to make and keep us fit.
Something is missing. Maybe moderation?
"The civilization, so often vaunted by the learned exponents of arts and sciences, will, if allowed to overleap the bounds of moderation, bring great evil upon men. Thus warneth you He Who is the All-Knowing. If carried to excess, civilization will prove as prolific a source of evil as it had been of goodness when kept within the restraints of moderation."
(Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 342)
"... man hath perversely continued to serve his lustful appetites, and he would not content himself with simple foods. Rather, he prepared for himself food that was compounded of many ingredients, of substances differing one from the other. With this, and with the perpetrating of vile and ignoble acts, his attention was engrossed, and he abandoned the temperance and moderation of a natural way of life. The result was the engendering of diseases both violent and diverse.
('Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 152)
Even if the world achieves equitable distribution of food, clean water, sanitation and health care, will that guarantee good health? It doesn't look like it. Perhaps we need to revisit the idea that health and fitness are a purely physical reality.
The Baha'i Writings tell us that disease is of two kinds: physical and spiritual. Therefore, health and fitness must encompass both those aspects of human life.
"There are two ways of healing sickness, material means and spiritual means.
The first is by the use of remedies, of medicines; the second consists in praying to God and in turning to Him. Both means should be used and practiced."
('Abdu'l-Baha, Baha'i World Faith, p. 375)
"There is but one power which heals ó that is God. The state or condition through which the healing takes place is the confidence of the heart. By some this state is reached through pills, powders, and physicians. By others through hygiene, fasting, and prayer. By others through direct perception."
('Abdu'l-Baha, "'Abdu'l-Baha in London," p. 95)
Many fitness and weight-control programs now stress the mental and emotional content of personal goals. Simply starving ourselves thin or training for marathon runs will not guarantee health, if we have not changed the attitudes and met the emotional needs which may have caused our ill health in the first place.
Health is about the whole person. The Baha'i Writings stress that human beings are dual in nature; both physical and spiritual components must be developed and maintained for true health.
This month's Healing Through Unity Newsletter has several articles on fitness, both material and spiritual, including very interesting ideas contributed by our readers.
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LINKS FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
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For more on the new dietary guidelines for the United States:
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The American Heart Association Web site has all the latest information and guidelines popular in the United States and includes links to other resources, an exercise diary and a helpful page called My Fitness to help define personal goals. http://www.justmove.org
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TV talk show hostess, Oprah Winfry, has a page devoted to a fairly extreme fitness program developed for her that she offers free to anyone interested.
Oprah's Boot Camp is a strenuous 12-week program, but probably not for anyone who is unready to commit. Besides information on diet and exercise, the site offers good advice on motivating yourself, staying with the program and even help in finding an exercise buddy. Questions and answers are encouraged and Oprah herself gives a weekly pep talk.
One Caveat: The program was designed for women and is focused on female physiology and sociology. That said, some men are using the program with success. http://www.oprah.com/presents/2005/bootcamp/bootcamp_main.jhtml
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A great site for young people is one developed for students with psychiatric disabilities, and includes a comprehensive on-line resource compiled by the Canadian Mental Health Association: http://osca.ca/health.htm
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http://www.wannalearn.com/Fitness_and_Health offers a wide variety of articles, links, products and opinion on the importance and inter-relatedness of emotional and physical health and fitness. For information on just about anything else in the world, go to the Wannalearn home page!
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Public Broadcasting Corporation Teacher Source Web pages offer a whole section on social and mental health lesson plans, many utilizing the Virtues Book, at: http://www.pbs.org/teachersource/health_fitness/3-5_social.shtm
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FALAN DAFA: HIGH-LEVEL MEDITATION
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By LYNN ASCRIZZI
Since the late 1990s, an easy-to-learn, self-cultivation practice with origins in ancient China has been finding enthusiastic adherents in the West.
Called Falun Dafa, its practitioners claim its simple exercises improve physical wellness and deepen spiritual awareness, as well. Falun Dafa means "greatlaw wheel."
At the core of its five-step, physical and meditative exercises are the concepts zhen-shan-ren - which mean truthfulness, compassion and forbearance - universal principles drawn from Buddhist teachings.
But you don't have to be a Buddhist to practice.
"It is a cultivation of body and mind. It cultivates and heals the body and works as high-level meditation," said Falun Dafa practitioner June Kirk of Waterville, Maine USA.
The Kirks first learned of Falun Dafa, also called Falun Gong, when they attended a 1999 holistic health exposition in Manchester, New Hampshire, USA.
For many years, she had studied tai chi, a meditative discipline that uses slow body movements and numerous steps. Kirk was interested in becoming a tai-chi instructor, so as to earn retirement income, she said.
At the expo, they met Falun Dafa teachers Dayong ("David") Liu and his wife Min Ming of Portsmouth, N.H.
"Everything was free of charge. We couldn't believe it. Later, they came to our house in Portland and gave a class every Thursday night to teach Falun Dafa - with no fee," June Kirk said.
Falun Dafa activities are always free of charge, she explained.
"It (Falun Dafa) is easy to learn. It's easier than tai chi," she said.
Kirk now gives informal Falun Dafa evening classes in her home once a week.
She teaches the exercises using a specially prepared cassette tape of Chinese music.
"We do not accept donations of any kind," she said.
In the practice, there are five sets of gentle and slow exercises - four standing and one sitting - each of which takes about six-to-10 minutes.
"Mentally and physically, your whole body changes. Your stress goes down.
You become calmer. You become healthier. There are things I am more able to do, like physical work outside, such as gardening, walking. My legs are stronger," she said.
The practice brings inner changes too, she said.
In a book on Falun Dafa, titled "Zhuan Falun," (The Universe Publishing Co., 1999), author and master teacher Li Hongzhi, writes:
"The human moral standard is declining tremendously and human moral values are deteriorating daily. People only pursue self-interest and will harm others for a tiny bit of personal gain. They compete and struggle against each other by resorting to all means."
The practice of Falun Dafa, he said, will help reverse this trend through the cultivation of zhen-shan-ren, principles which he believes are a characteristic of the universe - not the standard of everyday people.
Originally taught in private, Li Hongzhi first introduced Falun Dafa to the Chinese people in 1992.
"By the late 1990s, Falun Dafa became widely popular among the Chinese people, with 70 to 100 million people practicing in China . . . . It is currently practiced in 50 countries," a brochure on the practice, stated.
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REDUCE THE RISK OF MOST AGING-RELATED DISEASES
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The power of simple lifestyle changes goes a long way in disease prevention.
Here are some tips:
1. Be Active
- Walking and Dementia: A September 2004 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) found that elderly women who walked at least six hours a week or did similar activities had a 20-percent lower risk of cognitive impairment than their least active peers. Another September JAMA study found that older men who walked less than a quarter-mile per day had almost twice the risk of developing dementia as men who walked at least two miles per day.
- Exercise and Diabetes: The Diabetes Prevention Program clinical trial published in 2002 found that people at high risk for type 2 diabetes cut their risk by almost 60 percent by exercising (about 30 minutes a day) and losing weight (5 to 7 percent of body weight).
- Exercise and Osteoporosis Aerobics: Walking, weight-bearing or resistance exercises, particularly if they're performed for more than two years, can improve osteoporosis and reduce fractures in women after menopause, according to a 2004 review of literature by the Cochrane Library. Endurance exercise programs lasting six months to two years can prevent or reverse bone loss in postmenopausal women by almost 1 percent per year, according to a 1999 analysis of published studies appearing in Osteoporosis International.
- Exercise and Breast Cancer: According to a 2003 JAMA report based on the Women's Health Initiative study, increased physical activity for a few hours per week, regardless of intensity, is associated with lowered risk of breast cancer in post-menopausal women.
- Exercise and Colon Cancer: The Surgeon General's 1996 report on physical activity and health, citing more than 30 studies, concluded that physical activity has a protective effect against the risk of colon cancer. While the association is strong, whether it is due to the activity or the resulting weight loss is unclear.
- Exercise and High Blood Pressure: The same Surgeon General's report, based on studies on men and women, estimates that those who exercise least face a 30 percent greater risk of high blood pressure compared to those who exercise regularly.
2. Eat Smart
- Diet and High Blood Pressure: A federal study showed that a reduced-salt diet and the DASH diet - rich in fruits, vegetables, fiber and lowfat dairy, and lower in fats, saturated fats, red meats, sweets and sugared beverages than a typical American diet - both reduced blood pressure substantially in all demographic groups studied. The two diets together were even more powerful.
- Calcium and Colon Cancer: A July 2004 National Cancer Institute analysis of 10 previous studies concluded that people who get about 1,100 milligrams per day of calcium from food and supplements were 21 percent less likely to get colon cancer than those getting 500 milligrams per day. Among foods alone, drinking more than eight ounces of milk every day was associated with a reduced risk of colon cancer, too.
- Diet and Heart Disease: A diet composed of seven types of food - fruit, vegetables, garlic, wine, fish, dark chocolate and almonds - among people 50 and over was linked to a 76 percent reduction in cardiovascular disease, according to a study in the December issue of the British Medical Journal.
The meal plan added an average of 6.6 years to life expectancies.
- Fruit and Heart-Related Death: Men who eat more fruit live longer and have fewer cardiovascular deaths, suggests a 2000 European Journal of Clinical Nutrition study. Researchers found that eating fruit daily seemed to lengthen life independent of such other risk factors as high blood pressure, smoking and high cholesterol.
- Fruit, Vegetables and Bone Loss: Eating alkaline-producing foods - potassium, magnesium and fruit and vegetables - helps protect your bones, says a 1999 study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Researchers found that eating more of these foods increased the hip and forearm bone density of elderly participants taking part in a heart study.
- Calcium, Vitamin D and Bone Loss: Taking calcium and vitamin D supplements protected women from bone loss in a study published in the December 2004 issue of Pharmacological Research.
- Diet and Diabetes: The Finnish Diabetes Prevention Study found that a healthy diet plays a major role (along with regular exercise and maintaining a healthy weight) in reducing the risk for type 2 diabetes. Participants taking part in the large clinical trial lowered their intake of fat and saturated fat and increased their intake of fiber, according to findings published in 2001 in the New England Journal of Medicine. Those in the lifestyle change group had a 50 percent reduction in the number of new diabetes cases after four years.
3. Control Your Weight
- Obesity and Heart Disease: Framingham Heart Study researchers found that obese men were one-and-a-half times more likely to develop coronary heart disease than lean men; obese women were twice as likely to develop heart disease as lean women, according to findings published in the American Journal of Cardiology in 2002.
- Excess Body Weight and Heart Disease: A December 2004 study in the International Journal of Obesity and Related Metabolic Disorders found that 47 percent of men's high coronary heart disease risk could be attributed to excess body weight, making it the dominant risk factor for heart disease among men, the authors wrote.
4. Don't Smoke
- Smoking and Cancer, Heart Disease and Death: Tobacco accounts for an estimated 30 percent of U.S. cancer deaths, including the vast majority of lung cancer fatalities. Smoking increases the risk for cancers of the throat, mouth, pancreas, kidney, bladder, cervix and more. Smokers' risk of developing coronary heart disease is two-to-four times that of nonsmokers.
Smokers have twice the risk of sudden cardiac death as nonsmokers.
5. Get Enough Sleep
- Sleep and Heart Disease: Harvard researchers, publishing in the Archives of Internal Medicine in 2003, reported that women who got eight hours of sleep per night had the lowest rates of coronary heart disease among studied groups. Those who slept five hours or less per night had a 30 percent greater risk than the eight-hour group; six hours was linked to an 18 percent increased risk.
6. Control Your Stress
- Stress and Heart Disease: A 2002 study of older adults published in Psychosomatic Medicine found that men with the chronic stress of caregiving for an ailing spouse were twice as likely to develop heart disease as other men.
7. Live Well
- Healthy Eating, Regular Exercise, Smoking and Heart Disease: Researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School found that a healthy diet, regular exercise and not smoking were associated with a lower risk of coronary heart disease among women, according to findings from the Nurses' Health Study, published in 2000 in the New England Journal of Medicine. Eighty-two percent of coronary problems that the participants developed were attributed to not following the prescribed diet and exercise habits.
Source: The Washington Post
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WANT TO LOSE WEIGHT? TRY CATCHING SOME ZZZZS
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Are you struggling to shed some pounds or working hard to maintain your current weight? The answer may be as easy as making some slight adjustments to your sleep patterns. A recent study showed that sleep deprivation may be linked to the hormones responsible for controlling hunger.
Researchers studied 12 healthy men for two consecutive nights in which sleep was limited to four hours and two consecutive nights in which participants were allowed to sleep for 10 hours. Volunteers reported feeling hungrier after sleeping for only four hours compared to sleeping for 10 hours.
Researchers believe the connection is related to leptin and ghrelin, two hormones responsible for regulating appetite. Leptin signals the brain that the body is full, while ghrelin triggers feelings of hunger. Following the four-hour nights, participants showed an 18 percent decrease in leptin and a 28 percent increase in ghrelin. Although the authors acknowledge study limitations, namely the sample size, they do note that "Additional studies should examine the possible role of chronic sleep curtailment as a previously unrecognized risk factor for obesity."
Clearly, a good night's sleep is important whether you're trying to lose weight or simply want to take better care of yourself. Experts suggest no fewer than seven hours a night. For more information on general health visit www.chiroweb.com/find/archives/general.
(From the March Your Health ChiroWeb Newsletter, Reference: Spiegel K, Tasali E, Penev P, Van Cauter E. Sleep duration and levels of hormones that influence hunger. Annals of Internal Medicine 2004; 141:846-50.)
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WHOLE FOODS RECIPE SWAP
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A juice extract that relaxes the muscles and calms the mind, from Helen G. (Tom Price, Western Australia)
In a juicer that separates the fiber from the juice, use a mixture of 1/3 greens, 1/3 celery, 1/3 carrots. This works out to about:
4 spinach leaves (Fordhook giant)
all the outside leaves of a cos lettuce
5 long celery sticks
5 large carrots.
You can add some apples, or just apple juice, to sweeten this slightly bitter drink.
Put the spinach and lettuce in the juicer with the carrot and celery to stop them sticking.
You need to take at least 1 litre to have a good effect.
I would recommend it before going to bed or in times of anxiety or stress. I have found this drink more effective than vitamin tablets and herbal remedies, and makes you feel great.
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- Turnip 'Fries'
from LJ & GV Wilde
Cut a large turnip (rutabaga) into 1/2-inch slices.
Peel off the waxed skin.
Slice the turnip rounds into "fries".
Toss in a large bowl with 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil.
Sprinkle on some paprika and garlic powder if you like.
Bake on a cookie sheet at 375 degrees F for 10 minutes. Flip "fries" over and bake till just tender (about another 5 minutes).
Enjoy!
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A QUICKENING VITALITY
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"There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and it will be lost. The world will not have it. It is not your business to determine how good it is or how valuable nor how it compares with other expressions. It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open."
(Martha Graham, quoted in "Inventing the Rest of Our Lives: Women in Second Adulthood: What Matters, What Works, What's Next," p. 106)
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HEALTH IN THE NEWS
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Keep active; stay healthier
- Adults who want to reduce the risk of chronic disease should engage in at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity, above usual amounts, on most days of the week. Most people will see greater health benefits by working out harder or longer than the minimum.
- To help manage weight and prevent gradual, unhealthy weight gain, get about 60 minutes of moderate- to vigorous-intensity activity on most days of the week while not exceeding calorie intake limits.
- To sustain weight loss in adulthood: Get at least 60 to 90 minutes of daily moderate-intensity physical activity while not exceeding calorie limits. Some people may need to consult with a health-care provider first.
- For physical fitness, include cardiovascular conditioning, resistance exercises or calisthenics, and stretching.
Source: United States Department of Agriculture
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BOOK CORNER
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New Book On Diet and Lifestyle
"I'll Have the Fruit and Grains, Please!" by Victoria Leith, the Internet Magazine Little Guru. Illustrated by Charlotte Summer.
This book is an exploration of what the Baha'i writings say about health, food, sleep, simplicity and moderation. Its intent is to inspire people everywhere to make healthier choices in life, as well as set a good example for others. The book also contains several recipes to entice readers further down the path of healthy living.
What will be the food of the future? "Fruit and grains. The time will come when meat will no longer be eaten." ('Abdu'l-Baha, from Pilgrim's notes, "Ten Days in the Light of 'Akka," 1979 ed., pp. 8-9)
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LETTERS
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Thank you, friends, for your continually inspiring words. Unfortunately, as a "PWD" (person with a disability) ó I have hereditary cerebellar ataxia, which severely affects my balance, my walking, and certain other neuromuscular functions ó I am unable to practice many of the Krucoffs' 25 WAYS TO ACTIVATE YOUR LIFE (except in my dreams). However, I was able to pat myself on the back (figuratively) when I got to Number 7: "Get rid of your electric can opener and use a manual one."
Faithfully, Bill
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I thought you might like to share the following with your e-mail group:
When I meditated on the word GUIDANCE, I kept seeing "dance" at the end of the word. I remember reading that doing God's will is a lot like dancing.
When two people try to lead, nothing feels right. The movement doesn't flow with the music and everything is quite uncomfortable and jerky.
When one person realizes and lets the other lead, both bodies begin to flow with the music. One gives gentle cues, perhaps with a nudge to the back or by pressing lightly in one direction or another. It's as if two become one, moving beautifully. The dance takes surrender, willingness, and attentiveness from one person and gentle guidance and skill from the other.
My eyes drew back to the word GUIDANCE. When I saw "G," I thought of God, followed by "U" and "I". "God, "U" and "I" DANCE." God, you, and I dance.
This statement is what guidance means to me. As I lowered my head, I became willing to trust that I would get guidance about my life. Once again, I became willing to let God lead.
ó Kamran K., Afghanistan
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I've added a Raw Vegan Recipe Program to His Healing Ways (my Web site). I felt there was a need for a central location for people to add raw-food recipes. You can support this effort by simply starting to add recipes to the recipe book. Please make sure you give people credit for their recipes.
I will start adding my own as I get time.
Some of the functions of the database:
- Users may enter their own recipes
- Users may add a picture to their recipe
- Search for recipe by ingredients
- Users may rate recipes.
- Users may review recipes.
- Display recipe categories by type and ethnic/regional cuisine.
- Function for users to email friends about the recipe book.
You can view it here: http://hishealingways.com/cookbook2/
Let's make this recipe database the one stop place to find all raw-food recipes.
ó Dale Wing, Utah, USA
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QUESTIONS OF THE MONTH
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I would like to suggest/request that in an upcoming issue the subject of anxiety-related disorders be discussed, including social phobias, OCD etc.
with the view to soliciting input from readers on how they manage these disorders including the effect of faith on treatment, etc. ó Susan Yazdanmehr
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I was wondering if the newsletter could write about the social scourge of alcoholism. I have been reading some material about this subject, but there isn't many written from Baha'is. There are some materials written such as A-M Ghadirian, M-D "Substance Abuse: A Baha'i Perspective" (from Unity Arts, Toronto, Canada). There is another one by Mitchell, Bahia Deloomy called "Alcohol and Alcoholism: An Overview." Originally published in World Order magazine, 8: 3 ed., 27-47, Wilmette, National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United States, 1975. Thought I found this piece of information under this website http://bahai-library.org/uhj/sin-covering.gaze.html.
There is a book called "From the Heart' which is an biography about Angus Cowan and written by Patricia Verge. This book says that Angus was an alcoholic but the book is not about alcoholism.
In her letter addressed to Baha'i youth, Ruhiyyih Khanum said that alcohol, "is the commonest social custom of the age." This letter can be found at this Web site http://bahai-library.org/letters/khanum.letter.1948.html
There is a loving letter written 30, March 1997 by the Universal House of Justice addressed to the African Community about the subject of alcohol. The letter is found at this Web site address http://bahai-library.org/uhj/alcohol.htm which gives general guidance about alcohol With regards to Alcoholics Anonymous, this Web site http://bahai-library.org/uhj/alcoholics.anonymous.html also says: "The Universal House of Justice...has instructed us to say that there is no objection to Baha'is being members of Alcoholics Anonymous, which is an association that does a great deal of good in assisting alcoholics to overcome their lamentable condition. The sharing of experiences which the members undertake does not conflict with the Baha'i prohibition on the confession of sins; it is more in the nature of the therapeutic relationship between a patient and a psychiatrist.
(From a letter to an individual believer dated 26, August 1986)
I once said to a friend, who wanted to see if there was a solid reason for alcohol to be abstained from and asked why should anyone stop drinking if they drink "moderately" (a vague term), that alcohol affects judgment, which I heard from another Baha'i. I am a regular attendant of Alcohol Anonymous and have been going for seven years. Alcoholism is a heavy social scourge in my community. I am personally trying to find more information on this subject from other Baha'is.
- Stan Nochasak
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NEXT MONTH'S THEME
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EDITOR'S NOTE: Next month's theme is on the importance of friendship in building and maintaining good health. Both the above questions deal with aspects of social life that are very important to individual and community health. I hope that many of our readers will share experiences and suggestions of resources and methods that have worked for them.
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PURPOSE OF THE NEWSLETTER
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"Healing Through Unity" is published for the purpose of sharing thoughts, comments and experiences on how the teachings of the Baha'i Faith are being applied to physical and spiritual health. Other than the quoted Holy Writings, the material in this newsletter represents the thoughts and opinions of the writers and has no authority.
You are free to copy articles, provided you indicate the source of the article. There are 10 issues per year; it is not published during July and August. The newsletter is produced in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
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SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION
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Distribution of this newsletter is free by email. Please e-mail requests for all new subscriptions, subscription cancellations and e-mail address changes (please include old address along with new one) to rocketman@mwt.net.
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WEB SITE
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You can visit our Web site, obtain back issues and the Healing Through Unity Course at: http://www.healingthroughunity.org.
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PLEASE SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS
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All of us have had healing experiences, as well as climbed out of low points along life's way ó physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual. Please share your stories, tips, useful links, and quotes from the Baha'i Writings about staying healthy in a stressful world. Your articles do not have to be long ó even a few paragraphs in length is fine. Baha'u'llah gave us each other as a big part of a healthy lifestyle, and sharing stories and ideas that work for you brings encouragement to others. Asking for information and support from others can bring encouragement to you!
WHERE TO SEND STORIES AND CORRESPONDENCE: Many thanks to all of you who share helpful ideas for "Healing Through Unity Newsletter." We welcome submissions from everyone. The decision to select and edit material submitted for publication is determined by the editor.
Please e-mail your stories, comments, suggestions or "Question for the Month" ideas to the newsletter editor, Cheryll Schuette, at: cheryll@gotypist.com.
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HEALING THROUGH UNITY NEWSLETTER
Founding Editor - Frances Mezei
Editor - Cheryll Schuette
Medical Reviewer - Diane Kent, M.D.
Contributing Editor - Lynn Ascrizzi
Circulation Assistant - Kathy Yonash
Web Master - Russ Novak
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HEALING THROUGH UNITY
May 2005
A monthly newsletter dedicated to serving the principles of
physical and spiritual health envisioned in the Baha'i Teachings.Volume 9, Issue No. 5
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Contents
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- Quote of the month
- From the Editor
- This Month's Theme: The Importance of Friendship on Health
- Get Out and Mingle
- Links for further information
- Book Review: It's Not Your Fault
- Courtesy, An Essential for Good Relationships
- And In Business as Well as Health Care...
- A Perspective from 12 Step Programs
- And for the Things We Cannot Change
- Whole Foods recipe Swap
- Health in the News
- Letters
- Question of the Month
- Purpose of the Newsletter
- Subscription Information
- Web SiteNext Month's Theme: The Positive Effects of Marriage on Health
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QUOTES OF THE MONTH
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"Sacrifice thyself for the well-being of the people and be thou a kind comforter to all the inhabitants of the world. Ask and pray to God that thou mayest become an enkindled lamp, to shed light upon the assembly, to become a lover of men and a well-wisher of human kind; nay, rather, thou mayest become the manifestation of the divine providence, finding out the heavenly gifts, enlisting thyself among the soldiers of the kingdom of peace and reconciliation, delivering the people as far as possible from war and carnage, spreading righteousness and friendship and becoming the cause of tranquility and composure to the world of humanity."
('Abdu'l-Baha, Tablets of 'Abdu'l-Baha V3, p. 546)
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"O my God! Assist Thou all of them and pour upon them the showers of Thy Supreme Confirmations; so that they may become the cause of the tranquility of the world of creation; to be the servants of the human race; to become, with all their hearts and souls, the real friends of all nations; to become with the utmost joy ›575› and fragrance, the spiritual companions of the adherents of all religions; to dispel the darkness of strangeness and to spread the lights of friendship in this transitory world!
"O God! Grant Thou to all them an Asylum in Thy Neighborhood and gladden their hearts and impart to them rejoicing through Thine Incomparable Bounties! Thou are the Omnipotent and the Mighty!
Thou art the Seer and the Hearer!"
('Abdu'l-Baha, Tablets of 'Abdu'l-Baha V3, p. 574)
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FROM THE EDITOR
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Dear Friends,
The purpose of Healing Through Unity newsletter is to draw upon the very qualities inherent in the word 'friend' as the most efficient and effective way to improve individual health. We are each an expert in our own ways, on how our own body and spirit experience this life. And more importantly, we are also part of one greater Whole, made up of parts more like us than unlike.
To use the simile of individual cells in the human body, we are at once unaware of the larger body and acutely important to its function.
Cells that lose contact with healthy cells around them cease to behave in ways that are healthy for themselves and for the body as a whole. The converse of that is also true: cancerous liver cells placed individually into a medium containing only healthy liver tissue, reverse their cancerous ways and behave like good citizens, even though they still contain damaged genetic code which should prevent them from doing so.
Curiosity about the processes by which complex systems operate has spawned a new science, part biology, part sociology. It is exploring how it is that multi-celled organisms (or multi-layered systems such as corporations) communicate with the much smaller subparts that are mostly unaware of the bigger whole.
The most stunning revelation is that cells in a body pay close attention to what the cells around them are doing. Stem cells (a type of unspecialized cell) will become functioning members of whatever tissue in which they are placed. The need to know what neighboring cells are doing is so important that there is a specialized process built into every cell, called apoptosis, that deals with the problem of alienation and the resulting unhealthy behavior.
A cell self-destructs when it no longer 'knows'
its primary functions because it has lost touch with its neighbors! On those statistically rare occasions when apoptosis does not work, the cell proliferates and poisons itself and the body of which it is a part.
The point I want to make is that each of us is important to the function of all of us. Whether it is by sharing our knowledge, lifting a load, moving a mountain - or by providing a moment of empathy, a smile or a kind word - we not only boost the health of those around us, we improve our own health as well.
The Healing Through Unity Newsletter is about building this connection between people so that we can pay better attention to each other. We can all live happier, healthier lives...with a little help from our friends!
Cheryll Schuette, Michigan, USA
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"A true friend never gets in your way -- unless you happen to be on your way down."
(Arnold H. Glasow, Family Circle Magazine, April 1, 2005, p.12)
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THE IMPORTANCE OF FRIENDSHIP ON HEALTH
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There is a growing body of information in the health and scientific communities on the importance of friendship in maintaining good health. Even though friendship is a feedback loop that the most popular statistical models fail to deal with, researchers are beginning to include something called social capital in their conclusions, particularly where health outcomes need to be predicted. The biostatisticians may not see it in their figures, but health workers and their patients see the importance of good relationships on a daily basis.
Dr. Dean Ornish, in his book, "Love and
Survival," [Harper Books, 1998] addresses this aspect of healing which he laments that both physicians and the media want to discount. He is best known for his amazing medical breakthrough in not only halting but actually reversing cardiopathology in heart attack victims. While everyone seems to know about the diet and exercise regimens in his plan, few pay much attention to the 'touchy-feely' part: the counseling and support groups. He devotes an entire chapter to a comprehensive review of literature and research that supports friendship as a critical need in managing and maintaining good health.
He says, "Love and intimacy are at the root of what makes us sick and what makes us well, what cause sadness and what brings happiness, what makes us suffer and what leads to healing. If a new drug had the same impact, virtually every doctor in the country would be recommending it for their patients. It would be mal-practice not to prescribe it -- yet, with few exceptions, we doctors do not learn much about the healing power of love, intimacy, and transformation in our medical training." (p.3)
Psychologists regularly take account of their clients' social lives, and sociologists and politicians also pay attention to how people relate to each other. Only recently have medical researchers begun to look at this apparently metaphysical aspect of health.
Religion has always addressed the importance of love, intimacy and spiritual capital - defining, guiding and even providing instructions as to the behaviors necessary to spiritual health. It was only with the Age of Reason and the industrial revolution that mankind turned to less spiritual means of achieving happiness. Success has been patchy, at best, and the bankruptcy of material satisfaction is revealing itself more every day.
Individual happiness and health are not the only gain from learning how to be a good friend.
Families, working groups, neighborhoods, communities, countries, are affected by a person's commitment to spiritual growth and developing true friendships. Most of the crises in the world, be they political, medical, or environmental, could be reversed by developing a strong base of social capital. Friends don't damage friends.
"The spiritual growth generated by individual devotions is reinforced by loving association among the friends in every locality, by worship as a community and by service to the Faith and to one's fellow human beings...the holding of regular meetings for worship open to all and the involvement of Bah·'Ì communities in projects of humanitarian service are expressions of this element of Bah·'Ì life and a further step in the implementation of the Law of God.
(Letter of The Universal House of Justice to the Bah·'Ìs of the World,
Dec 28,1999)
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GET OUT AND MINGLE
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Friends help us succeed with our goals in a variety of ways, directly and indirectly. Bruce Rabin, M.D., medical director of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Health Enhancement Program, comments on their web site: "Being optimistic, having a sense of humor, being physically fit, and being religious or spiritual are all part of the [anti-stress] package--and none is more important than another. It's a lifestyle that combines all these factors that will help you in the long run... The more types of friends you have, the better... Seek out friends from a variety of settings, including your family, your workplace, and your place of worship. It doesn't matter much where, so long as you get out there and mingle."
Gerald Ellison, Ph.D., director of Psychoneuroimmunology Services at Cancer Treatment Centers of America in Tulsa, Oklahoma, observed in an article on their web site, "Friends keep us from becoming isolated and lonely; they offer encouragement and support; and they help keep our thinking in line with the real world... When we're missing friendship, we experience isolation and loneliness. These feelings are associated with illness, discomfort, and general ineffectiveness as a person... Having friends can also be especially helpful if you're already seriously ill... Friends - if supportive and encouraging - can increase our hope when dealing with illness and trauma. And increased hope is associated with higher levels of immune system functioning."
One caveat: merely having friends is not enough, according to Dr. Ornish. Quoting the work of James Pennebaker, "If you have had a trauma that you have not talked about with anyone, the number of friends you have is unrelated to your health.
Social support only protects your health if you use it wisely." (Love and Survival, p. 125)
If you are shy about burdening others, or worry about appearing weak or needy, consider this: by not asking for help, even if all you need is a sympathetic ear, you are denying someone the chance to be of service. You are not only jeopardizing your own health, but you could be harming theirs as well!
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LINKS FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
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150 things you can do to build social capital, from Better Together, an initiative of the Saguaro Seminar: Civic Engagement in America, Kennedy School of Government:
http://www.bettertogether.org/150ways.htm
The Ideal Lives Project - Special Needs Practical Support has a page with a list of links to some interesting sites with the words friends and friendship in them.
http://www.family-friendly-fun.com/files/friendsfriendship.html
The Friends' Health Connection, whose motto is 'Friends make all the difference,' facilitates one-to-one support for people with health problems and their families. For a small fee ($19.95/first half year and $9.95/semi-annually thereafter), they host a web interface that connects people with similar health problems for the purpose of mutual support. There are actually two separate networks, one for the patients and one for the caregivers. Also, there is a good deal of information about the importance of friendship and support on the site that can be accessed for free.
http://www.48friends.org/index.php
The US Department of Health and Human Services National Health Information Center has a publication up for free called, "Making and Keeping Friends: a Self-Help Guide."
http://www.mentalhealth.org/publications/allpubs/SMA-3716/default.asp
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BOOK CORNER
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IT'S NOT YOUR FAULT: How Healing Relationships Change Your Brain and Can Help You Overcome a Painful Past
There is a new book out on the way the brain processes traumatic events, written by Patricia Romano McGraw, a Baha'i psychologist. A description of the book from her website says:
"Relationships both good and bad change the way your brain and emotional system [work]. Like it or not, others have a huge impact on our ability to be happy, productive people. For instance, if you have had the benefit of caring, supportive parents who gave you the loving attention you needed during your years of growth and development, you are probably well on your way to emotional health and happiness. But, if you have not had this advantage, or if you have suffered emotional traumas along the way, you may find that you feel chronically unhappy, or anxious, or "out of control."
"It's Not Your Fault" makes it clear that if neglect or emotional traumas have left their marks on your life, it is NOT YOUR FAULT. But it is up to you to heal. But how? Can you "go it alone?" Can you "just pull yourself up by your bootstraps" and "get over it?"
"No. You really can't and this book explains the science behind the how and the why. Despite the popular cultural idea that we are all just responsible for ourselves, the fact is, we are all connected, spiritually and emotionally. Each of us carries within us the capacity to help others or hurt others. Each of carries within us the capacity to reach out and attune with love or to strike out with rage and anger."
For more information: http://trauma-recovery.com/index.html
Provided by Susan Gammage, Canada
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COURTESY, AN ESSENTIAL FOR GOOD RELATIONSHIPS
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While chastity and holiness are principles which guide Bah·'Ì conduct, courtesy is a set of attitudes which is reflected in social interactions. Among those attitudes is a respect for each person as a spiritual being created by God. Courtesy tempers every social action and is reflected in the manner in which one carries out actions. Other attributes which one strives to acquire, such as truthfulness, honesty, patience, and compassion, should, when expressed in action, be adorned with courtesy; for a lack of courtesy diminishes their effectiveness. For example, one may be honest but cruel, patient but gloomy, helpful but patronizing, compassionate but annoying. Bah·'u'll·h indicated the high station of courtesy by naming it "the lord of all virtues":
"O people of God! I exhort you to courtesy.
Courtesy is, in the primary station, the lord of all virtues. Blessed is he who is illumined with the light of courtesy, and is adorned with the mantle of uprightness! He who is endowed with courtesy is endowed with a great station. It is hoped that this oppressed One, and all, will attain to it, adhere to it, hold unto it, and observe it. This is the irrefutable command which hath flowed and is revealed from the Pen of the Greatest Name."
(Bah·'u'll·h, "Bah·'Ì World Faith," p. 175)
Courtesy is based on a fundamental respect and reverence for the humanity of others. It causes one to base his actions toward others on their reality as creations of God rather than on their personalities. Because its expression is not dependent on another's attitudes or actions, courtesy enables one to rise above the limitations which personal likes and dislikes may impose. Viewed from this perspective the reason behind Bah·'u'll·h's exhortation to be courteous to all people, including those whom we do not know and those who may be rude or insulting, is clear.
Nowhere is courtesy more important than in one's home. Because one is apt to take for granted those with whom he lives, he may become careless and relate to them in discourteous ways which communicate indifference or lack of respect.
Courtesy protects the integrity of each family member and helps maintain a spirit of loving kindness essential for family unity.
Courtesy also helps establish and maintain unity in any group. Because it is based on a respect for man's high station, courtesy puts one in touch with his true self. When consistently practiced, it facilitates the release of potential and draws out the best in others. When all demonstrate courtesy, the group becomes spiritualized and unified. A failure to act courteously disrupts this spiritual climate. Such a negative expression of ego puts the self before others, shows a lack of respect, and is likely to be intrusive or presumptuous-all of which undermine the unity of a group.
The following incident illustrates how 'Abdu'l-Bah· exemplified courtesy and describes the powerful effect of His actions. May Maxwell, who had fallen ill during the course of her first pilgrimage, wrote:
"On Sunday morning we awakened with the joy and hope of the meeting on Mount Carmel. The Master arrived quite early and after looking at me, touching my head and counting my pulse, still holding my hand He said to the believers present: "There will be no meeting on Mount Carmel to-day. We shall meet elsewhere, Insha'allah, [sic] in a few days, but we could not go and leave one of the beloved of God alone and sick. We could none of us be happy unless all the beloved were happy." We were astonished. That anything so important as this meeting in that blessed spot should be cancelled because one person was ill and could not go seemed incredible. It was so contrary to all ordinary habits of thought and action, so different from the life of the world where daily events and material circumstances are supreme in importance that it gave us a genuine shock of surprise, and in that shock the foundations of the old order began to totter and fall. The Master's words had opened wide the door of God's Kingdom and given us a vision of that infinite world whose only law is love. This was but one of many times that we saw 'Abdu'l-Bah· place above every consideration the love and kindness, the sympathy and compassion due to every soul.
(May Maxwell, "An Early Pilgrimage," pp. 15-16)
Provided by Kathy Gilbert, New Zealand, from a study guide
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AND IN BUSINESS, AS WELL AS HEALTH CARE...
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By Wade Schuette
NOTE: On the importance of relationships in the successful outcomes any kind of planning, but especially in health behaviors...this might be a fair additional summary. The author would love to hear some debate.
1) For a human to sustain peak performance, it is not enough to engage the brain; we have to engage the heart.
2) We're very social animals, always watching each other for clues; to sustain a value, we need to see constant reaffirmation from others that it is still a value today.
3) We are each other's context, and have to proactively make an effort daily to give that reaffirmation of our shared values and positive feedback/encouragement for the right thing, not just criticism of the wrong thing.
4) Sustaining that shared spirit is what makes the daily pain tolerable; to paraphrase old wisdom: the spirit can survive any illness, but a broken spirit - who can bear?
5) The side-conversation of any "business" decision has to be a human conversation that says: "We share a goal, we share these values. I really like you. Now, what was it we were arguing over/deciding?"
6) If it doesn't have a spirit, create one; if it has a Spirit, treat that as if it were a living being, with its own "health" and "fitness," and make sure that there's a program to keep it healthy.
7) Beware of solutions based on technology or "systems" that neglect compassion. Compassion is the strongest suit there is, the strength to build on - "He ain't heavy, Father, he's my brother." The "caring" in "health care" is what makes it work. Not caring will kill any business model, cold. We don't build cars. We don't entertain. We care about people and do something about it. And that's what defines us and gets us up in the morning and holds us up 36 hours later.
8) Spiritual issues (above) have a dramatic impact on the bottom line, clinically and financially. I see this daily in software design and performance outcomes our IT shop produces, something that at first looks 100% technical.
A story is told of two stone-masons working on a huge church in Europe, one with great work and one with sloppy work that needed to be torn down and redone. When asked what they were doing, the poor one said: "I'm building a wall." The other said: "I'm building a cathedral." The spiritual issue matters so much it hurts, in ways science doesn't begin to grasp at the moment.
Wade Schuette, MBA, is an epidemiology student at Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health, USA
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A PERSPECTIVE FROM 12 STEP PROGRAMS
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This is a wonderful list of Al-Anon principles linked to Baha'i Writings, submitted by a Baha'i friend in Scarsdale, New York, USA.
KEEP IT SIMPLE
God is sufficient unto me; He verily is the All-sufficing! In Him let the trusting trust.
(Shoghi effendi, "The Dawn-Breakers," p. 632)
BUT FOR THE GRACE OF GOD
Breathe not the sins of others so long as thou art thyself a sinner. Shouldst thou transgress this command, accursed wouldst thou be, and to this I bear witness.
(Baha'u'llah, "The Arabic Hidden Words," #27)
EASY DOES IT
Be patient under all conditions, and place your whole trust and confidence in God.
(Baha'u'llah, "Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah," p. 296)
FIRST THINGS FIRST
Forget all save Me and commune with My spirit. This is of the essence of My command, therefore turn unto it.
(Baha'u'llah, "The Arabic Hidden Words," #16)
JUST FOR TODAY
Free thyself from the fetters of this world, and loose thy soul from the prison of self. Seize thy chance, for it will come to thee no more.
(Baha'u'llah, "The Persian Hidden Words," #40)
LET IT BEGIN WITH ME
How couldst thou forget thine own faults and busy thyself with the faults of others? Whoso doeth this is accursed of Me.
(Baha'u'llah, "The Arabic Hidden Words," #26)
HOW IMPORTANT IS IT?
Sorrow not save that thou art far from Us. Rejoice not save that thou art drawing near and returning unto Us.
(Baha'u'llah, "The Arabic Hidden Words," #35)
THINK!
At the outset of every endeavour, it is incumbent to look to the end of it.
(Baha'u'llah, "Tablets of Baha'u'llah," p. 168)
ONE DAY AT A TIME
Wert thou to speed through the immensity of space and traverse the expanse of heaven, yet thou wouldst find no rest save in submission to Our command and humbleness before Our Face.
(Baha'u'llah, "The Arabic Hidden Words," #40)
KEEP AN OPEN MIND
Close one eye and open the other. Close one to the world and all that is therein, and open the other to the hallowed beauty of the Beloved.
(Baha'u'llah, "The Persian Hidden Words," #12)
LIVE AND LET LIVE
Noble have I created thee, yet thou hast abased thyself. Rise then unto that for which thou wast created.
(Baha'u'llah, "The Arabic Hidden Words," #22)
LET GO AND LET GOD
Is there any Remover of difficulties save God? Say: Praised be God! He is God! All are His servants and all abide by His bidding!
(The Bab, "Baha'i Prayers," p. 27)
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AND FOR THOSE THINGS WE CANNOT CHANGE...
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"...this body becomes weak, or heavy, or sick, or it finds health; it becomes tired or rested; sometimes the hand or leg is amputated, or its physical power is crippled; it becomes blind or deaf or dumb; its limbs may become paralyzed; briefly, the body may have all the imperfections.
Nevertheless, the spirit in its original state, in its own spiritual perception, will be eternal and perpetual; it neither finds any imperfection nor will it become crippled. But when the body is wholly subjected to disease and misfortune,... like a mirror which, when it becomes broken, or dirty, or dusty, cannot reflect the rays of the sun, nor any longer show its bounties.
('Abdu'l-Baha, Baha'i World Faith, p. 327)
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WHOLE FOODS RECIPE SWAP
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We found a neat web site on the new dietary guidelines from the US government. Free information, plus a personalized on-line tracker, many tips and tricks for changing one's diet and succeeding over time, plus general and specific details of caloric use for more than 600 activities and over 8000 foods.
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Update on Carotino Fruit Oil
Our family has found that this combination of red palm and canola oils is very nice for salad dressings and baking, but not so good for a light sautÈ, as the canola oil denatures at high temperatures and stinks!
This is very disappointing, as the choices left are olive, which is good when you don't mind the strong flavor it provides, or peanut, which is supposed to be less good for our arteries. Palm oil by itself might be better. Does anyone know of a brand?
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HEALTH IN THE NEWS
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Drinking and strokes linked
A recent study funded by the National Institutes of Health (USA) suggests that heavy drinkers may have a higher risk of stroke than those who drink moderately or not at all.
Researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and the Harvard School of Public Health found that middle-aged and older men who consume more than two alcoholic drinks a day over several years are more likely than nondrinkers to have an ischemic stroke.
People who drink moderately have the same or a slightly lower risk than teetotalers. The findings were taken from a large pool of men.
The report follows findings from the same large group, that those who drink moderately or not at all had a lower risk of heart disease and diabetes, said lead researcher Dr. Kenneth Mukamal, a Beth Israel internist and assistant professor at Harvard Medical School.
About 412 - or 1 percent - of the 38,156 male health professionals who returned questionnaires biennially over 14 years of the study reported having strokes (family members reported fatalities). The heavier drinkers had a relative stroke risk that was 20 percent to 40 percent higher than those who abstained.
Researchers are not sure why excessive drinking may raise the risk of stroke. Alcohol may be a factor because it tends to raise blood pressure and adds to atrial fibrillation, in which blood isn't properly pumped through the heart's upper chambers, Mukami said.
Source: Jan. 4, 2005 issue of Annals of Internal Medicine
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LETTERS
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Thoughts on Alcoholism
I am a family practitioner with the Indian Health Service currently on the Navajo reservation. I have worked for most of my career as a family physician among Native Tribes and in areas with very high rates of alcoholism. It also has proved devastating in my family of origin, where I lost an uncle and great uncle from alcoholism and my father and all my aunts and uncles were affected by it. I have read reams of professional literature.
Stan's request for alcoholism thoughts inspired me to write down these thoughts. I think it is too long for the magazine. Please forward it to him.
- Cindy Nielsen, D.O.
EDITOR'S NOTE: A complete version of this excellent six-page article will be sent to anyone requesting it from the Newsletter Editor at: cheryll@gotypist.com.
Another Resource for Dealing with Alcoholism
To add to your list of resources on alcoholism:
The Baha'i Network on AIDS, Sexuality, Addictions and Abuse (BNASAA) has been providing cutting edge conferences and workshops in the US and Canada for over 10 years. BNASAA is a committee appointed by and under the guidance of the NSA of Canada. Their website is at:
- Susan Gammage, Canada
Offer a Different Newsletter Format?
For a number of years I've been receiving the Newsletter ... Occasionally, when there's time, I've reformatted the Newsletter from "Text" to "MSWord" for my personal convenience of referencing and readability, as well as for easy retrieval of the hard copy from my file cabinet.
Likewise, it's easier for friends to read when I pass the Newsletter around. This reformatting, however, does require quite a substantial amount of time.
Thus, I've been hoping the HTU Admin-Office might begin offering a down-loadable MSWord version - or PDF version (much like the HTU Course which is offered in two formats) - with standardized page heading inclusive of page-numbering?
When this downloadable format option is made available, be assured I will be a regular user.
- John Schwerin
EDITOR'S NOTE: We are exploring the possibility of providing the newsletter in multiple formats.
Presently, the newsletter is sent as part of the body of an e-mail message, as that was the easiest and most universal way for people to receive it.
However, for those who can receive attachments, the newsletter could be sent as a pdf document, which could allow for improved formatting and even occasional graphics. It would also be easier for those who want to print out and distribute copies.
Please contact the editor (cheryll@gotypist.com) and let us know if you would like to:
a) receive the newsletter in pdf as an attachment instead of in the body of the email message,
or
b) would prefer to continue to receive the newsletter as is, and to download a pdf or Microsoft Word document version from the website when you need it,
or,
c) keep it simple just the way it is.
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QUESTION OF THE MONTH
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Request for Info about Anxiety Disorders
I would like to suggest/request that in an upcoming issue the subject of anxiety related disorders be discussed including social phobias, OCD etc. with the view to soliciting input from readers on how they manage these disorders including the effect of faith on treatment, etc.
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PURPOSE OF THE NEWSLETTER
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"Healing Through Unity" is published for the purpose of sharing thoughts, comments and experiences on how the teachings of the Baha'i Faith are being applied to physical and spiritual health. Other than the quoted Holy Writings, the material in this newsletter represents the thoughts and opinions of the writers and has no authority. None of the material published in this newsletter is intended to be a substitute for the advice of your physician.
You are free to copy articles, provided you indicate the source of the article. There are 10 issues per year; it is not published during July and August. The newsletter is produced in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
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SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION
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Distribution of this newsletter is free by email.
Please email requests for all new subscriptions, subscription cancellations and email address changes (please include old address along with new one) to rocketman@mwt.net.
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WEB SITE
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You can visit our Web site, obtain back issues and the Healing Through Unity Course at:
http://www.healingthroughunity.org.
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PLEASE SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS
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All of us have had healing experiences, as well as climbed out of low points along life's way - physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual.
Please share your stories, tips, useful links, and quotes from the Baha'i Writings about staying healthy in a stressful world. Your articles do not have to be long - even a few paragraphs in length is fine. Baha'u'llah gave us each other as a big part of a healthy lifestyle, and sharing stories and ideas that work for you brings encouragement to others. Asking for information and support from others can bring encouragement to you!
WHERE TO SEND STORIES AND CORRESPONDENCE:
Many thinks to all of you who share helpful ideas for the Healing Through Unity Newsletter. The decision to select and edit material submitted for publication is determined by the editor. We welcome submissions from everyone.
Please e-mail your stories, comments, suggestions or "Question for the Month" ideas to the newsletter editor, Cheryll Schuette, at: cheryll@gotypist.com.
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HEALING THROUGH UNITY NEWSLETTER
Founding Editor - Frances Mezei
Editor - Cheryll Schuette
Medical Reviewer - Dr. Diane Kent
Contributing Editor - Lynn Ascrizzi
Circulation Assistant - Kathy Yonash
Web Master - Russ Novak
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HEALING THROUGH UNITY
June 2005
A monthly newsletter dedicated to serving the principles of physical and spiritual health envisioned in the Baha'i Teachings.
Volume 9, Issue No. 6
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Contents
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- Quote of the month
- From the Editor
- This Month's Theme: The Positive Effects of Marriage on Health
- Links for further information
- Tips to Talk Yourself beyond Anger
- The Power of Words/Love and Thanks to Water
- Vice or Virtue?
- Book Review: Pure Gold
- Health in the News
- Letters
- Newsletter format question...
- Purpose of the Newsletter
- Subscription Information
- Web Site
September's Theme (remember, no July or August issues): Education and Health
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QUOTE OF THE MONTH
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"...when divers shades of thought, temperament and character, are brought together under the power and influence of one central agency, the beauty and glory of human perfection will be revealed and made manifest. Nought but the celestial potency of the Word of God, which ruleth and transcendeth the realities of all things, is capable of harmonizing the divergent thoughts, sentiments, ideas and convictions of the children of men."
('Abdu'l-Baha, quoted in "the World Order of Baha'u'llah," p. 42)
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FROM THE EDITOR
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Dear Readers,
Perception is everything. In matters of health especially, reality is much less important than what we think is going on. How often has the placebo effect provided improvement, and even sometimes cures?
'Abdu'l-Baha, the son of the Prophet-Founder of the Baha'i Faith, said: "There is but one power which heals -- that is God. The state or condition through which the healing takes place is the confidence of the heart. By some this state is reached through pills, powders, and physicians. By others through hygiene, fasting, and prayer. By others through direct perception."
On another occasion He said, with regard to the same subject, "All that we see around us is the work of mind. It is mind in the herb and in the mineral that acts on the human body, and changes its condition."
('Abdu'l-Baha, "'Abdu'l-Baha in London," p. 95)
Adjusting our view of the world can be challenging, since it is often not a conscious choice in the first place, and may be of long standing habit. The good news is that it is much easier to change our own attitudes and self-talk than to make the people around us conform to our expectations!
That very act of choosing the way we perceive and respond to what happens to us is seen by some modern medical thinkers as key to improving overall health, as well as treating specific physical and mental illnesses. It has been the focal point of religious instruction on how to be a happy and healthy person for millennia.
Nowhere is the ability to place a positive spin on distressing events more necessary than in building and maintaining a marriage. We can be intensely irritated with our spouse's flaws, or we can reflect on his/her virtues. We can view that dirty sock on the bedroom floor as a personal affront, or we can remember that the culprit spent all day single handedly filling out income tax forms for the whole family.
For Baha'is, learning to change negative thoughts and attitudes into positive ones is part of the purpose of life.
"I charge you all that each one of you concentrate all the thoughts of your heart on love and unity. When a thought of war comes, oppose it by a stronger thought of peace. A thought of hatred must be destroyed by a more powerful thought of love. Thoughts of war bring destruction to all harmony, well-being, restfulness and content. Thoughts of love are constructive of brotherhood, peace, friendship, and happiness."
('Abdu'l-Baha, "Paris Talks," p. 29)
In my own experience (I have been married nearly 50 years, so far, with children, step-children, fosters and others in looser arrangements), the ability to view my family with the eyes of love instead of judgment and criticism is a great challenge. (If they would only do things MY way, we could live in perfect unity!)
As you will see from the studies and articles included in this month's Healing Through Unity Newsletter, building a good marriage is not only beneficial to your health, but can also be critical. Further, a good marriage can have ripple health effects on family, friends and community.
And meanwhile, I wish you all a great summer (winter!) break over July and August. The next issue of Healing Through Unity Newsletter will be for September, with the theme: The Role of Education in Healing and Continuing Health.
Please consider the ways that your health has improved with access to and integration of information, and become a part of the system by passing this wisdom and advice along through this newsletter.
Remember, we are each important to the whole, because the greater our shared experience, the better our individual and collective health will be!
Cheryll Schuette, Michigan, USA
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"Happiness is a choice."
(Source: anonymous restaurant placemat, (c) SPRINGPRINT/MEDALLION(r))
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THE POSITIVE EFFECTS OF MARRIAGE ON HEALTH
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"A marriage between two souls, alive to the Message of God in this day, dedicated to the service of His Cause, working for the good humanity, can be a potent force in the lives of others and an example and inspiration ..."
(Shoghi Effendi, "Lights of Guidance," p. 378)
The Rand Center for the Study of Aging published a research brief in 1998 reporting on a study whose intended purpose was to clarify the exact details of how marital status related to health and mortality. Its focus was on men and included a review of longevity studies covering 140 years, and they concluded:
"The relationship between marriage and longevity is more complex than had been generally believed. Clearly, the longer life of married men cannot be explained by pointing exclusively to either protection from ill health or selection into marriage on the basis of good health. What the findings confirm for the first time is that the self-reported health status of men does affect marriage decisions--but not in ways that support the notion of positive selection. Since good health discourages marriage, and poorer health encourages marriage, the connection between marriage and better health can be explained by individual habits and preferences that promote both health and marriage."
A newer report, from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suggests that married adults are healthier than divorced, widowed or never married adults. This report was based on interviews with 127,545 adults aged 18 and over as part of the National Health Interview Survey, conducted by CDC's National Center for Health Statistics. The study looked at health status and limitations, health conditions, health related behaviors according to marital status and also by age, race/ethnicity and socioeconomic factors such as education and poverty status.
Among their findings:
- Married adults are less likely than other adults to be in fair or poor health, and are less likely to suffer from health conditions such as headaches and serious psychological distress.
- Married adults are less likely to be limited in various activities, including work and other activities of daily living.
- Married adults are less likely to smoke, drink heavily or be physically inactive. However, married men are more likely to be overweight or obese than other men.
- Adults who live in cohabiting relationships are more likely to have health problems than married adults and more closely resemble divorced and separated adults.
- The association between marital status and health is most striking in the youngest age group although it persists throughout the age groups studied.
("Marital Status and Health: United States, 1999-2002"(Advance Data, Number 351. 33 pp. (PHS) 2004-1250) To read the entire report, go to the CDC/NCHS Web site: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs )
Neither of these prestigious groups of investigators offered an explanation for why marriage might affect health. Others are not so reticent.
Dr. Dean Ornish, Clinical Professor of Medicine at the School of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, established the Preventive Medicine Research Institute to study and provide methods of intervention specific to heart disease. He is famous for having proved that heart attack victims reverse coronary disease by making changes in diet, exercise, and patterns of emotional and spiritual behavior.
Dr. Ornish considers the metaphysical aspects of healing as important, if not more so, than the physical, and has collected huge amounts of data in support of the importance of altruism, love and compassion. Specifically, he credits the development of strong and intimate relationships as the basis of ongoing physical health, as well as preventing and healing heart disease.
For instance, his researchers asked patients if they had anyone who really cared for them, who felt close to them, who loved them, who wanted to help them, in whom they could confide. If the answers were no, there was a three to five times higher risk of premature death and disease from all causes. ("Love and Survival," p. 28)
On the other hand, Psychologist John Gottman of the University of Washington has found that a bad marriage increases your chances of getting sick by 35 percent. ("The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work," p. 6)
Dr. Gottman believes a good marriage is even more important for your health than regular exercise. He told The Toronto Sun, "Working on your marriage every day will do more for your health and longevity than working out at a health club."
What would such a workout look like?
Here again, religion has historically provided goals and behaviors to enhance health. The specific activities along the path to developing character might vary, but the virtues they develop transcend the boundaries of language and time. It is less about what one chooses to eat or do, for instance, than the fact that the act of choosing empowers and makes sacred the choice.
A sampling of virtues such as compassion, honesty, love, trustworthiness, commitment, perseverance, patience, and steadfastness would all be found in religious teaching, and a growing body of research is showing that they are necessary spiritual characteristics for building a good marriage - and thereby, improving health.
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LINKS FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
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The National Marriage Project web site: the mission is to provide research and analysis on the state of marriage in America and to educate the public on the social, economic and cultural conditions affecting marital success and child wellbeing.
http://marriage.rutgers.edu/
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US Department of Health & Human Services: Healthy Marriage Initiative has a nice web site: "Our emphasis is on healthy marriages - not marriage for the sake of marriage, not marriage at any cost - but healthy marriages that provide a strong and stable environment for raising children. It is about helping couples who choose marriage for themselves gain access to the skills and knowledge necessary to form and sustain healthy marriages." - Wade F. Horn, Ph.D., Assistant Secretary of the Administration for Children and Families.
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/healthymarriage/
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The Marriage Transformation Project (publisher of "Pure Gold: Encouraging Character Qualities in Marriage," reviewed below) has a free e-newsletter. To view a graphical, html version of this month's issue:
http://www.marriagetransformation.com/mediacenter_newsletters_May2005.htm
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TIPS TO TALK YOURSELF BEYOND ANGER
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Both research and experience show that when people change their self talk, their anger de-escalates and they regain control. When you feel yourself starting to get angry, take a TIME OUT and read these statements to yourself. Transfer them to 3x5 note cards and read them several times a day as well as during your Time Outs.
- People put erasers on the ends of pencils for a reason. It's OK to make mistakes.
- People are going to act the way they want to, not the way I want.
- It's impossible to control other people and situations. The only thing I can control is myself and how I express my feelings.
- If I'm feeling angry, that must mean I have been hurt or scared.
- My anger is a signal. Time to talk to myself and to relax. What is really happening here?
- Most things we argue about are stupid and insignificant. If I'm angry, I can recognize when it's just old bad feelings being re-stimulated, and it's OK to walk away from this fight.
- I don't need to prove myself in this situation. I can stay calm.
- As long as I keep my cool, I'm in control of myself.
- No need to doubt myself, what other people say doesn't matter. I'm the only person who can make me mad or keep me calm.
- Time to relax and slow things down. I can take a time out if getting up tight.
- I don't need to feel threatened. I can relax and stay cool.
- Nothing says I have to be competent and strong all the time. It's OK to feel unsure or confused.
- It's OK to be uncertain or insecure sometimes. I don't need to be in control of everything and everybody.
- If people criticize me, I can survive that. Nothing say I have to be perfect.
- If this person wants to go off the wall, that's their thing. I don't need to respond to their anger or feel threatened.
- When I get into an argument, I can stick to my plan and know what to do. I can take a Time Out.
- It's nice to have other people's love and approval, but even without it, I can still accept and like myself.
(Source: Learning Assistance Center, California Polytechnic State University, (c) 1976, by permission)
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THE POWER OF WORDS/Love and thanks to water...
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Contributed by Alyce Blue
I suffered an injury at the end of February, causing ... restrictions to my activities. While I have been restricted, I have been reading and studying healing from different cultures and viewpoints.
The most amazing book in this series was ... called THE HIDDEN MESSAGES IN WATER by Dr. Masaru Emoto, who has discovered and proved in his research that molecules of water are affected by our thoughts, words, and feelings.
Since humans and all other living things, and the Earth itself, are composed mostly of water, his message is revolutionary to all of us in our personal and our combined ability to renew and heal the Earth and all that dwell on it.
I promise if you read this book that you will never again want to say or even think a negative word about anyone or anything. Water molecules that are exposed to negative thoughts will not form crystals, but forms that are deformed and misshapen, reflecting the energy of the negative word or thought.
Imagine what the impact of these negative thoughts and images have on us, our loved ones, the earth, and humanity! Then imagine what power we have to change the negative with beautiful thoughts.
Dr. Emoto discovered that the most powerful emotions and thoughts are gratitude and love; with gratitude actually being about twice as powerful as love. Dr. Emoto feels that today's materialism has somewhat destroyed our ability to feel gratitude, because the feeling we have in a sea of materialism is always wanting more, and not being able to feel grateful for what we already have.
I think he is right, but I agree with him that we all have the power to reverse this trend, especially if we do it together. I observed the beautiful jewel-like crystals that were formed under beautiful words, music, and prayers, and from water that was taken from natural clear springs and other natural sources. It is unbelievable!
I encourage you to get and read this book. It will change your perspective no matter what culture or faith you are from.
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EDITOR'S NOTE: Dr. Emoto's research was included in the recent movie, "What the Bleep Do We Know!?" The physics and math experts in my family were not much impressed by the allegories used in the movie, but the rest of us were, and all of us loved the lush and loving attention to creation and how human beings make our reality and then respond to it. For more information, and to view some of his great photographs, go to:
http://www.thank-water.net/english/index.html
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VICE OR VIRTUE?
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What if you had a spouse would could not be trusted to take care of his/her clothes? What if you were constantly having to buy replacements? What if it got so bad that there wasn't even a clean pajama to change into on his/her deathbed?
Vice? Such carelessness can certainly be vexing and frustrating. Especially when you have told him/her over and over that it drives you crazy!
Or Virtue? What if the reason you had to keep making new clothes was because your spouse insisted on literally giving the shirt off his/her back to anyone who needed it?
Aha, you say! It was a trick question.
Not really. It just shows that we can change our point of view. With added information, or by just concentrating on possible virtues, a piece of really annoying behavior in a loved one can become understandable, and maybe even exemplary.
'Abdu'l-Baha's wife, Munirih Khanum, had this very problem with His constant practice of giving away His pants -- not to mention His coat, His bed, the family dinner, and even, at the last, His spare nightshirt. **
As the Exemplar of the virtues Baha'is are exhorted to develop in themselves, 'Abdu'l-Baha actions studied as a guide to daily living. He patiently explained to His distraught family that He only needed one of anything, but that if they provided extras, it would make Him happy because then He could continue to help others less fortunate.
Always, His purpose was to be of service. He defined himself as the servant of others, and put their material needs before His own.
That perspective is far different from where we started with a spouse who couldn't be trusted to take care of business, isn't it? We didn't change the behavior, but we changed the way we looked at the problem, so that it became one we could live with, and even admire.
Now, not everything someone does that drives us mad can be easily converted into a benefit. Sometimes, a dirty sock is just going to be a dirty sock!
But, could we not benefit in other ways by rethinking our attitudes? Could we find a way of improving both our own and others' health, simply by trying to change our response instead of their behavior?
For a good resource on ways to achieve such a goal, see the book review below.
(**Source of the anecdote: "Vignettes from the Life of 'Abdu'l-Baha," collected and annotated by Annamarie Honnold. George Ronald, 1982, p. 63)
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BOOK CORNER
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"Pure Gold: Encouraging Character Qualities in Marriage (Second Edition)" by Susanne M. Alexander, Craig A. Farnsworth, and John S. Miller.
Here is a resource for ways to strengthen marriage by influencing one another's character (virtues) development. Its purpose is to support couples who are working to strengthen their marriages by encouraging and supporting one another's character qualities, as well as building their communication skills. It provides a structured and realistic framework for turning good intentions into a happy, lasting marriage.
Author Susanne M. Alexander says, "Researchers have found that character attacks, such as saying your spouse is irresponsible or untrustworthy, are distressingly common and seriously disrupt relationships. We're giving them the tools to effectively build their marriages with qualities such as love, trustworthiness, faithfulness, and more instead."
Character coach and coauthor John S. Miller shares vital insights from his character-based Solving Conflicts(tm) system. Miller, of Lincoln, Nebraska, assists couples to identify and appropriately use their dominant character strengths.
Cleveland-based Alexander is a marriage educator, character expert, journalist, coauthor of "Marriage Can Be Forever-Preparation Counts!" and author of "What's Character Got To Do With It?" She and coauthor/husband, Craig A. Farnsworth, facilitate marriage preparation and marriage enrichment workshops internationally.
Alexander and Farnsworth founded and operate Marriage Transformation LLC, a global social and economic development project committed to marriage education and relationship skill building.
For more information visit their web site: http://www.marriagetransformation.com
For more on John and Cindy Miller's Solving Conflicts(tm) program: http://solvingconflicts.com/Index.htm
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HEALTH IN THE NEWS
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- Downsize Me
An editorial in the May 21-25, 2005, issue of 'New Scientist' makes some comments about two new drugs whose developers hope will help to stem the tide of obesity in 'Western' cultures. "One is a vaccine against ghrelin, a hormone that tells the brain you are hungry. The second is a drug that binds to cannabinoid receptors in the brain, blocking the craving for food. [See page 9 of that issue for a more detailed article.] Both demonstrate our new found expertise in targeting individual circuits within the brain."
"It would be premature to get too excited about these compounds until they have been more widely tested...[but]...one thing sets these substances apart [from previous experiments]. Almost all past weight-loss drugs have worked by stopping the absorption of nutrients in the gut or by boosting metabolism to burn off fat. Both allowed people to eat pretty much as usual. By contrast, the new approaches are designed to lower the desire for food."
"If the drugs do prove safe for large numbers of people the consequences could be ... [that] demand for food would fall, which would ease pressure to increase production down on the farm. 'Supersize' meals would fall from fashion as smaller portions became a virtue. It might even signal the beginning of the end of the obesogenic environment."
However, "...hunger and greed are such central human impulses that manipulating them at this most basic level is bound to have major ramifications."
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LETTERS
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- Correction
I always enjoy this publication and too infrequently write to tell you so. This time is no different.
However, I am writing a correction this time. In the section: A PERSPECTIVE FROM 12 STEP PROGRAMS, there is a prayer of the Baha'u'llah's attributed to Shoghi Effendi:
"God is sufficient unto me; He verily is the All-sufficing! In Him let the trusting trust."
Thank you for your important and continuing service.
Loving greetings,
Elizabeth R
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EDITOR'S NOTE: Thanks Elizabeth; we should have caught that. Shoghi Effendi is the translator of 'Nabil's Narrative: The Dawn-Breakers', and one of the stories in it quotes the prayer revealed by Baha'u'llah while imprisoned in the Siyah-Chal of Tehran, Persia, in 1853.
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- Margins!
I enjoy your newsletter very much and share it with those who do not have a computer. However, may I suggest that you adjust your margins as this last letter was 19 pages long and I cannot afford to run off more than one copy. I am able to forward it on to those who do have a computer.
Thank you,
Isobel W., New Brunswick, Canada
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EDITOR'S NOTE: a techie explained that this narrowing of margins is a function of the email client software. The Healing Through Unity Newsletter is formatted to have word wrap so that it could adjust to whatever window size without messy short sentence tags. If you cannot convince your email software to widen its window, you can convert the file and make some changes by hand, which is tedious, but do-able. To make the margins wider and shorten the resulting length, save the message to a text file and open it in a word processor. Set the margins you want and the screen to show all the hard carriage returns the email software puts at the end of the lines, then remove them till you have only one per paragraph (assuming you have word wrap turned on).
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NEWSLETTER FORMAT...
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So far, responses to last month's question of providing the Healing Through Unity Newsletter in a different format have shown some interest in having a pdf version on the Web site, but keeping the e-mail version text only.
Please take a moment to let us know your preference, or it will be assumed that you like things just the way they are!
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EDITOR'S NOTE from May: We are exploring the possibility of providing the newsletter in multiple formats. Presently, the newsletter is sent as part of the body of an e-mail message, as that was the easiest and most universal way for people to receive it.
However, for those who can receive attachments, the newsletter could be sent as a pdf document, which could allow for improved formatting and even occasional graphics. It would also be easier for those who want to print out and distribute copies.
Please contact the editor (cheryll@gotypist.com) and let us know if you would like to:
a) receive the newsletter in pdf as an attachment instead of in the body of the email message,
or
b) would prefer to continue to receive the newsletter as is, and to download a pdf or Microsoft Word document version from the website when you need it,
or,
c) keep it simple just the way it is.
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PURPOSE OF THE NEWSLETTER
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"Healing Through Unity" is published for the purpose of sharing thoughts, comments and experiences on how the teachings of the Baha'i Faith are being applied to physical and spiritual health. Other than the quoted Holy Writings, the material in this newsletter represents the thoughts and opinions of the writers and has no authority. None of the material published in this newsletter is intended to be a substitute for the advice of your physician.
You are free to copy articles, provided you indicate the source of the article. There are 10 issues per year; it is not published during July and August. The newsletter is produced in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
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SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION
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Distribution of this newsletter is free by email. Please email requests for all new subscriptions, subscription cancellations and email address changes (please include old address along with new one) to rocketman@mwt.net.
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WEB SITE
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You can visit our Web site, obtain back issues and the Healing Through Unity Course at: http://www.healingthroughunity.org.
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PLEASE SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS
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All of us have had healing experiences, as well as climbed out of low points along life's way - physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual. Please share your stories, tips, useful links, and quotes from the Baha'i Writings about staying healthy in a stressful world. Your articles do not have to be long - even a few paragraphs in length is fine. Baha'u'llah gave us each other as a big part of a healthy lifestyle, and sharing stories and ideas that work for you brings encouragement to others. Asking for information and support from others can bring encouragement to you!
WHERE TO SEND STORIES AND CORRESPONDENCE:
Many thinks to all of you who share helpful ideas for the Healing Through Unity Newsletter. The decision to select and edit material submitted for publication is determined by the editor. We welcome submissions from everyone.
Please e-mail your stories, comments, suggestions or "Question for the Month" ideas to the newsletter editor, Cheryll Schuette, at: cheryll@gotypist.com.
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HEALING THROUGH UNITY NEWSLETTER
Founding Editor - Frances Mezei
Editor - Cheryll Schuette
Medical Reviewer - Dr. Diane Kent
Contributing Editor - Lynn Ascrizzi
Circulation Assistant - Kathy Yonash
Web Master - Russ Novak
*******************************************************HEALING THROUGH UNITY NEWSLETTER
September/October 2005
A monthly newsletter dedicated to serving the principles of physical and spiritual health envisioned in the Baha'i Teachings.
Volume 9, Issue Nos. 7 & 8
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Contents
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- Quote of the month
- From the Editor
- This Month's Theme: The Importance of Lifelong Learning
- Links for further information
- Things about Life I Learned from a Jigsaw Puzzle
- Exploring the Principles of "Health Eternal"
- Book Reviews: "We Learned to Listen"
- Health in the News
- Truth in Humor Corner
- Letters
- Question of the Month
- Purpose of the Newsletter
- Subscription Information
- Web Site
UPCOMING THEMES
November: Dealing with Loss
December: Living, and Healing, with Chronic or Catastrophic Illness
January: The Healing Powers of Pets
February: Music - Sustenance for the Soul
March: The Importance of Celebrations
April: Feed the Creative to Heal the Body and Mind
May: Nurture the Spirit for Better Health
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QUOTE OF THE MONTH
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"Education must be considered as most important, for as diseases in the world of bodies are extremely contagious, so, in the same way, qualities of spirit and heart are extremely contagious. Education has a universal influence, and the differences caused by it are very great."
('Abdu'l-Baha, "Some Answered Questions," p. 214)
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FROM THE EDITOR
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Dear Readers,
Due to some unforeseen obstacles presented by the hurricane season, it was not possible to send out September's issue. Accordingly, some parts of both issues have been combined, resulting in this slightly longer newsletter.
During the summer break, your editor has done a bit more than take a vacation. In fact, so much happened that it doesn't feel like much of a break! Due to family and personal health issues, physical activity was limited, but there was plenty of time to read and surf the 'Net.
It was also a time to evaluate progress and set some new goals for the newsletter. You will note in the next few months some format and thematic changes.
There was time to look further into means to use the Internet in some more interactive ways. Potentially, some exciting new collaborative tools will soon be a part of the Healing Through Unity Newsletter.
Meanwhile, Healing Through Unity will continue as a text only document, circulated in the body of an e-mail message, because that is what most people prefer. However, it will soon be available for download from the web site in either PDF or Word format.
Further, the upcoming themes will be published several months in advance, because it can take a while before busy people have time to read all the way through the newsletter AND formulate ideas to send in.
We have so much to share with one another, and to be healthy we need a little help from our friends! I look forward to the next nine months with anticipation and gratitude.
Cheryll Schuette, Michigan, USA
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LIFE LESSONS: STUDYING EDUCATION'S EFFECT ON HEALTH
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Lately, in the United States at least, the news media have spent much time on the disagreement of Science and Religion, notably over a few highly politicized issues, but in some arenas these two disciplines have been drawing nearer to each other.
Since the beginning of Rationalism and the Industrial Revolution, study of health and healing has been pursued in rather mechanical ways. The older emphasis on emotional and spiritual cleansing and healing were discounted and discarded, at least as far as research funding was concerned.
Science and medical research have become interested again in the mind body connection and begun to spend time and money investigating it. The following excerpts are from a 30 page paper, titled, 'Facts of Life: Issue Briefings for Health Reporters, Vol. 7, No. 12,' published by the Center for the Advancement of Health.
"Education has been shown to be a powerful and unique predictor of health outcomes - lower levels of education are associated with poor health and higher levels of education are associated with better health. Questions remain, however, about which aspects of education may relate to health, the pathways or mechanisms through which education would exert an effect on specific health outcomes, and whether there may be other characteristics or factors that affect both educational attainment and health outcomes."
Here is what is known, so far:
"* Mortality rates overall and for specific diseases (including heart disease and cancer) are higher in the United States for individuals with lower educational or income status. Exceptions to this include death rates for breast cancer and external causes in women.
"* In 1995, the death rate from chronic diseases for men with less than 12 years of education was 2.5 times the rate for more educated men. Women were slightly more than twice as likely to die if they had less than 12 years of education.
"* The number of people who smoked cigarettes, the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the United States, declined substantially between 1974 and 1995, but the rates of decline differed significantly for people with different levels of education. By 1995, people who had not completed high school were more than twice as likely to smoke as those with at least a college degree.
"* Diabetes, hypertension and heart disease are more common in individuals with lower levels of education. The prevalence of these diseases varies also by income, race and gender.
"* The rates at which excess body weight and obesity have increased differ by level of educational attainment and gender. In general, however, individuals with lower levels of education are more likely to be overweight or obese than better-educated individuals.
"* Data from 2001 indicate that among adults ages 25-44 with less than a high school education, the death rate (per 100,000 people) from motor vehicle crashes was 27.3; for high school graduates, the rate was 20.7, and for those with at least some college, the rate was 8.7.
"* In 1995, low birth weight and infant mortality were more common among children born to less-educated mothers. Relationships between maternal education and child health outcomes vary somewhat by racial and ethnic group.
"* Mothers with less than 12 years of education are less likely to have received care in the first trimester of pregnancy than mothers with 16 or more years of education. Also, women with less than a high school diploma are almost 10 times more likely to smoke during pregnancy.
"* In other countries around the world - both developed and developing - a strong positive relationship exists between education and health: Better health is associated with higher levels of education, regardless of whether health is measured using morbidity and mortality rates or self-reports of health status.
"There are many factors that have led to more research in the United States on the role socioeconomic status (SES) plays in health. Many researchers were intrigued and challenged by the findings from the Whitehall Study of British civil servants begun by Michael Marmot and colleagues in the 1980s.
"This study indicated that health improved with increasing civil service status all the way to the highest occupational levels. This flew in the face of assumptions that effects of socioeconomic status on health were due solely to the adversities of poverty.
"The study also made it clear that it was not possible to explain the relationship between civil service status (an indicator of socioeconomic
status) through biology alone. The study prompted a lot of research on psychological and social influences on health and illness.
"Dr. Len Syme, emeritus professor of epidemiology at the University of California, Berkeley, [was] asked him what he would want to know if he had to predict a person's health status.
"His response was that he would need just one piece of information: The most powerful predictor of health status was SES, so this is what he would want to know.
"One critical step was to find out whether the relationship between SES and health shown in the Whitehall studies existed in the United States also. We found that enough studies had been conducted looking at SES and health in the United States to demonstrate that socioeconomic status predicted health at all levels.
"... with health behaviors, which include behaviors such as smoking, physical inactivity and a variety of other behaviors that affect health...
The frequency of almost every health behavior differs by level of education.
For example, the decline in smoking has been much steeper for college-educated individuals than for people with less education. As a result, we are beginning to see a relationship between education and lung cancer rates, with increases for individuals with less education."
The paper makes some tentative conclusions, more as directions for study than as cause and effect relationships.
"Education may make it possible to avoid stress and cope with stress better when it happens. In terms of environmental exposures, individuals with less education are more likely to have more hazardous jobs and, because they have less money, to live in areas where they are exposed to toxins (such as emissions from factories or freeways) and pathogens (disease-causing organisms). The focus in the environmental justice movement has been on unequal environmental exposure for poor and minority communities, but education plays a role in occupation and therefore in income.
"Education may cause changes in intellectual flexibility, leading to better skills in using and evaluating information. In a highly technical health and health care environment, this could mean that increasing the average level of education would also lead to improved population health.
"Education may also act as a kind of super-resource - an avenue to achieve what is good and avoid what is bad in any particular social context. For instance, education leads to credentials and skills that provide access to prestige, jobs and money. On the negative side, disease may not be as avoidable among people who have lower levels of education. Education can also be viewed as a flexible resource.
"One area of research that holds promise is examining the relationships among education, stress and health. Chronic stress has been shown to have a negative effect on health. Recent research suggests that education may have a protective effect among adults who have a child being treated for pediatric cancer. Researchers found that parents with higher levels of education were less likely to experience the types of changes in immune functioning experienced by parents with lower levels of education."
From a Religious perspective, it makes sense that certain types of education can indeed, affect health. Religious teachings emphasize the importance of self-knowledge, as well as spiritual understanding, as a pathway to happiness and health. Moral education and faithful commitment to ethical standards can result in changed behaviors (for instance, abstinence from mind altering drugs) which will improve both individual and societal health.
According to 'Abdu'l-Baha, "Personality is obtained through the conscious effort of man by training and education. A fruitless tree under the influence of a wise gardener becomes fruitful; a slab of marble under the hand of a sculptor becomes a beautiful statue. The ruined places are built up by captains of industry; the ignorant children learn the secrets of phenomena under the tutelage of a wise teacher. The crooked branch becomes straight through cultivation."
(Divine Philosophy, p. 132)
"One wing is not enough. Every religion which does not concern itself with Science is mere tradition, and that is not the essential. Therefore science, education and civilization are most important necessities for the full religious life."
('Abdu'l-Baha in London, p. 28)
Further, both Science and Religion agree that simply 'knowing' is not enough. The individual must make efforts to use that knowledge, as well as pursue it:
"Knowledge is the first step; resolve, the second step; action, its fulfillment, is the third step."
(Abdu'l-Baha, Abdu'l-Baha in London, p. 54)
So it looks like Science is catching up in awareness of the importance of both lifelong education, and how critical individual commitment and action are to healing and health. Some leaders of scientific thought are even going so far as to assert that a spiritual life may be a necessary component for such commitment and action to take place.
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LINKS FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
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* To read the Facts of Life paper in its entirety, go to the web site of The Center for the Advancement of Health, an independent nonprofit organization that promotes greater recognition of how psychological, social, behavioral, economic and environmental factors influence health and illness. The fundamental aim of the Center is to translate into policy and practice the growing body of evidence that can lead to the improvement and maintenance of the health of individuals and the public. http://www.cfah.org
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* For information about the Whitehall Study: http://www.workhealth.org
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* To explore further what the Baha'i Writings have to say about the importance of education, as well as the importance of individual commitment to healthy attitudes on behaviors:
http://bahai-library.com/compilations/health.healing.html and
http://www.planetbahai.org/cgi-bin/linklibrary.pl?pageid=412
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THINGS ABOUT LIFE I LEARNED FROM A JIGSAW PUZZLE
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°Esto me llegÛ de un buen amigo, vÈanlo pues es muy interesante! Got this from a good friend, thought it would be very interesting. -- Cris, Peru
1. Don't force a fit. If something is meant to be, it will come together naturally.
2. When things aren't going so well, take a break. Everything will look different when you return.
3. Be sure to look at the big picture. Getting hung up on the little pieces only leads to frustration.
4. Perseverance pays off. Every important puzzle went together bit by bit, piece by piece.
5. When one spot stops working, move to another. But be sure to come back later (see #4).
6. The creator of the puzzle gave you a picture as a guidebook.
7. Variety is the spice of life. It's the different colors and patterns that make the puzzle interesting.
8. Working together with friends and family makes any task fun.
9. Establish the border first. Boundaries give a sense of security and order.
10. Don't be afraid to try different combinations. Some matches are surprising.
11. Take time often to celebrate your successes (even little ones).
12. Anything worth doing takes time and effort. A great puzzle can't be rushed.
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EXPLORING THE PRINCIPLES OF 'HEALTH ETERNAL'
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By LYNN ASCRIZZI
The marvelous medical innovations and discoveries of the 21st century are accelerating at an unprecedented pace. Yet, it is important not to forget the 19th century's pioneer discoveries, when medicine was first establishing itself on a scientific basis.
In this golden era, when the divine revelation of Baha'u'llah was dawning, an upsurge of spiritual power was released as its rays "moved like lightning from East to West." During that century, immense progress was made in the arts and sciences and in social reforms.
"In every age and cycle He hath, through the splendourous light shed by the Manifestations of His wondrous essence, recreated all things, so that whatsoever reflecteth in the heavens or on the earth the signs of His Glory, may not be deprived of the outpourings of His Mercy nor despair of the showers of His favors."
("Gleanings," Baha'u'llah, p. 61).
In that century, America witnessed, in the world of letters, the emergence of brilliant minds, such as Emerson, Whitman, Dickinson and Thoreau. In the sciences, many medical doctors and health educators, like Jennings, Kellogg and Page arose to shed new light on the art of healing and health.
Unfortunately, their discoveries about the fundamentals of healing through natural means and proper nutrition were overtaken in the next century by the reliance on medical technology and prescription drugs.
Now, the 21st century is beginning to validate the wisdom of these so-called, alternative concepts.
In "Health Eternal" (Baha'i Publishing Trust, Malaysia) written by nutritionist Dr. Evelyn Pritchard, these pioneer 19th-and-early-20th-century physicians and researchers and their counsel on nutrition, physiology, mind-body connections and hygiene, is re-examined in the light of the Baha'i teachings.
Citing hundreds of sources, Pritchard aptly demonstrates how individual responsibility, proper nutrition, service to humanity, keeping in harmony with nature and maintaining a positive spiritual outlook, all help to create health.
One notable physician of the 1800s, she cites, was Dr. William Alcott, president of the American Vegetarian Society and author of over 100 health books. He the uncle mentioned in Louisa May Alcott's story, "Little Women."
"His book, 'The Vegetable Diet,' is a classic in the field of health literature," Pritchard writes. [He] "advocated the living of a simple life that was in harmony with our environment. Our goals should be to live not for ourselves but for others."
Dr. Alcott believed that "the killing of animals was cruel and deadened our moral sensibilities," she writes. On the benefits of a vegetarian diet, Alcott wrote: "...there is nothing better for the brain than a temperate diet of well-selected vegetables."
Her book, however, moves beyond a mere history lesson. In later chapters, she demonstrates how the preservation of health is based on simple ideas that can be applied today, such as eating simple, whole foods, avoiding habit-forming substances like tobacco and alcohol, maintaining the body's proper pH and strengthening the immune system.
Each chapter is supported with relevant quotes from the Baha'i writings that support the benefits of rehabilitation, fasting and living a purposeful, spiritually based life.
In her chapter, "Science and Religion," she discusses negative emotions.
"The use of negative emotions such as hate, envy, suspicion and fear are destructive, spiritually, emotionally and physically... John Diamond, a nutritional counselor ... asserts that: 'benevolent love, faith, trust, courage and gratitude -- these positive feelings -- are the deepest and most beautiful emotions there are.' He warns that destructive thoughts can deplete our vital force whereas positive, loving and nurturing thoughts can increase it.... Diamond further states: 'Now, I'm not suggesting that we suppress our negative thoughts; rather, that we turn them into positive ones.... It is a matter of changing our attitudes. We are doing this for our own benefit as well as for others.'
"Diamond warns us that talking about negative matters can create debilitation and decrease the vital force of our thymus gland..." Pritchard notes. In the same vein, she cites Dr. Henry A. Weil, author of "Closer Than Your Life Vein."
"He admonishes us to be 'gentle instead of less harsh, fair instead of less-prejudiced, loving instead of less hateful, honest instead of dishonest, patient instead of less angry.' " Then, she cites the words of
Baha'u'llah:
"Hear no evil, and see no evil, abase not thyself, neither sigh and weep.
Speak no evil, that thou mayest not hear it spoken unto thee, and magnify not the faults of others that thine own faults may not appear great; and wish not the abasement of anyone, that thine own abasement be not exposed.
Live then the days of thy life, that are less than a fleeting moment, with thy mind stainless, thy heart unsullied, thy thoughts pure, and thy nature sanctified, so that free and content, thou mayest put away this mortal frame and repair unto the mystic paradise and abide in the eternal kingdom for evermore."
("The Hidden Words," Persian, number 44)
"Health Eternal" discloses the 19th-century concepts that foreshadowed a new level of healing to humanity. It sheds a unique light on time-tested principles of health. Her chapters echo the sage advice of Hippocrates who espoused that the expenditure of 95 percent of all our resources should be used toward prevention and only 5 percent toward chronic treatment.
Today, integrative medicine -- the combining of mainstream and alternative/complementary medicine -- is emerging into medical practices worldwide. By helping us understand the transition phase of this integrative shift from both a scientific and spiritual perspective, Pritchard provides exhaustless insights into well-being.
For more information about "Health Eternal": http://www.bahaipublishing.com
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BOOK CORNER
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'WE LEARNED TO LISTEN'... edited by Warren Estabrooks, M.Ed., Dip.Ed., Cert.
AVT(R), Director of the Auditory Learning Centre at the Learning to Listen Foundation, North York General Hospital, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Nine authors share their stories of growing up hearing impaired, and Frances Mezei, Healing Through Unity Newsletter's founding editor, is one of them!
"I also shared my experience with the cochlear implant which I received 2 years ago. The newsletter [and] a few Baha'i quotes and other references to the Faith are included in my story," she says.
"Many people assume that a diagnosis of deafness signals a life of silence and sign language. 'We Learned to Listen,' a new book of personal stories published by the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (AG Bell), follows the journeys of nine individuals who are deaf as they strive to become part of a ìhearingî world. 'We Learned to Listen'
explores their triumphs and struggles as they learn to listen, talk and achieve success along with their hearing peers."
ì'We Learned to Listen' highlights the important role parents and professionals in the field of deafness play in helping children who are deaf or hard of hearing learn language,î said K. Todd Houston, Ph.D., Executive Director/CEO of AG Bell. ìToday, children with hearing loss identified at birth, fitted with hearing aids or cochlear implants, and enrolled in an early intervention program can develop language skills comparable to their hearing peers by age five.î
The Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing is a lifelong resource, support network, and advocate for listening, learning, talking, and living independently with hearing loss. Through publications, outreach, training, scholarships, and financial aid, AG Bell promotes the use of spoken language and hearing technology. For more information, contact AG Bell at (202) 337- 5220 or visit the AG Bell website at http://www.agbell.org
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HEALTH IN THE NEWS
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- Proof that Ice Cream Therapy Really Works!
David Adam, science correspondent for the British newspaper, The Guardian, reports in the April that, "Eating ice cream really does make you happy.
Scientists have found that a spoonful of the cold stuff lights up the same pleasure centre in the brain as winning money or listening to your favourite music."
Neuroscientists at the Institute of Psychiatry in London scanned the brains of people eating vanilla ice cream. They found an immediate effect on parts of the brain known to activate when people enjoy themselves; these include the orbitofrontal cortex, the "processing" area at the front of the brain."
The research was carried out by Unilever, using ice cream made by a company it owns, so naturally they are publishing this latest information far and wide. [One assumes one's own favorite ice cream brand could work as well... -Ed]
Those of us who are parents have known about ice cream therapy for years, having found it to be a very effective pain killer for scraped knees, as well as stress relief for ourselves!
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- Proof that Placebos Have a Real, Not Imagined, Effect
At least when it comes to pain reduction. The August 27, 2005 issue of New Scientist Magazine comments on the work of Jon-Kar Zubieta's team of researchers at the University of Michigan, which has confirmed that placebos relieve pain by boosting the release of endorphins.
Placebos, which are substances with no active ingredient, often work to reduce pain when people are told that they contain an active painkiller.
This effect has been considered psychological, but now researchers are closing in on possible physical pathways.
So, perhaps we really are what we think we are...but it isn't all in our minds!
To read the New Scientist commentary: p. 12, 27 August 2005. To read Zubieta's formal publication in full, see The Journal of Neuroscience, Vol 25, p. 7754.
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TRUTH IN HUMOR CORNER
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The History of Medication:
2000 B.C. - Here, eat this root.
1000 A.D. - That root is heathen. Here, say this prayer.
1850 A.D. - That prayer is superstition. Here, drink this potion.
1940 A.D. - That potion is snake oil. Here, swallow this pill.
1980 A.D. - That pill is ineffective. Here, take this antibiotic.
2005 A.D. - That antibiotic is unhealthy. Here, eat this root.
(From Suzanne in Malawi)
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LETTERS
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- Glyconutrients -
I read the article on glyconutrients in the October 2004 issue. Yet another new wonder-system that costs hundreds of dollars - I've checked the web sites given.
However, it is hard to find articles or information about glyconutrients in any of the established nutrition magazines so there are many questions to be asked before buying glyconutrients as endorsed by Dr. Iain Macrobert in your article.
I feel uneasy about the claims made for glyconutrients after talking with a few skeptical naturopaths so I recommend much research and many questions before contacting one of the distributors. (You can't buy these nutrients in health-stores in my district.)
By the way, the basic ingredients of glyconutrients are: Aloe vera, Astagalus, Kelp and Reishi mushroom. Cheaper to buy, by far, than glyconutrients.
In the November edition of 'Healing Through Unity' (I think) one letter cited the web site of a Dr. Bird who gives recipes for making one's own glyconutrients. I have been in contact with Dr. Bird who is currently updating his web site but his original article is well worth researching because it can save readers a lot of money rather than buying the grossly expensive Manatech products. I commend it to your readers:
http://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.lis.net.au/~dbird/glyconutrients.htm
Give it a go and save yourself a lot of money.
-- RB, Australia
[Editor's Note: In the Dec. 2004 issue, an in-depth, follow-up article
"Glyconutrients: Hype or Hope" was written by contributing editor Lynn Ascrizzi, in response to readers' questions, such as yours. You may want to check it out on the web site.]
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- An Idea for keeping children's school papers organized
[A] lot of you have children going back to school, I thought I would pass on my wonderful find---if I do say so myself...
Four years ago, I had come up with a binder method to hold school papers---well it was working fine when I only had ONE in school, but now that I have THREE in school...it just isn't cutting it!! Too time-consuming to punch holes, etc. etc.
Sooooo---my new solution this year has been to get three of those plastic letter accordion holders---they come with a handle & in different colors.
Each child picked their color, we put their name on the top & we used the monthly tab inserts that came with the holders & inserted them into the tabs. Started with Aug since mine went back to school a couple of weeks ago.
Now when they bring home papers that don't have to be sent back to school, we put them in their holder behind the appropriate month. I use the very front slot that doesn't have a tab for the "General" Papers---the intro letter from the teacher, etc.
I plan to have them each go through their holders at the end of the month & help them choose what are keepers & what we can get rid of. With my daughters... EVERYTHING is a keeper to them, so I will have to wait a couple of months & let them go through the holder again & purge.
This has worked out sooooo great & takes up such a small amount of space.
It's wonderful not to have school papers all over the house & they will have all of their "memorable" work for the year in one convenient place.
-- Kelli, Tennessee, USA
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- Free Health Care Transitions workbooks
We recently completed work on a booklet for youth and families entitled Envisioning My Future: A Young Person's Guide to Health Care Transition.
We also developed a set of three health care transition workbooks for youth & families; and tailored the workbooks for use by those served through CMS - Florida Children's Medical Services Program. The workbooks (for ages 12-14; 15-17; and 18+) are designed to help families and youth think about future goals, to identify things that the young person is doing currently to be independent in health care; and help figure out what needs to be done to assure that the young person's future transition from pediatric to adult-oriented health care goes smoothly.
While these workbooks can be done independently, by a young person and family, I think that it would be best if families, youth and providers worked together to identify current strengths and needs; identify priorities; and develop and implement a plan for addressing current and future needs.
These materials are available on our health care transitions web site.
Any comments you might have on these materials are most appreciated.
To access these materials, go to:
http://hctransitions.ichp.edu/resources.html
John Reiss, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics Chief, Div Policy & Program Affairs Institute for Child Health Policy PO Box 100147, University of Florida Gainesville, Florida 32608
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QUESTION OF THE MONTH
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How do I help grown children leave home?
I have two adult children, ages from 20 and 29, neither of whom is showing the least inclination either to move out on his own or to take up residency as a responsible adult. How can I encourage them to grow more independent and stop expecting me to pay all their bills and house and feed them, not to mention funding 'family' vacations?
They do have part time jobs and are in college, but they don't pay rent or help keep up the house or yard.
Obviously, I didn't teach them something they needed as small children, but that is water down the river. Right now, I could use some advice on ways to break them out of helpless behaviors, and encourage them to be confident of themselves.
On the other hand, I'm worried about the mistakes they will make if I just kick them out, and the fact that the world is a scarier place than it was when I left home to go to college. I don't want them to be hurt, but there has to be a limit to how long I need to protect them.
Thanks for any advice!
-- LS, Indiana, USA
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PURPOSE OF THE NEWSLETTER
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"Healing Through Unity" is published for the purpose of sharing thoughts, comments and experiences on how the teachings of the Baha'i Faith are being applied to physical and spiritual health. Other than the quoted Holy Writings, the material in this newsletter represents the thoughts and opinions of the writers and has no authority. None of the material published in this newsletter is intended to be a substitute for the advice of a physician.
You are free to copy articles, provided you indicate the source of the article. There are 10 issues per year; it is not published during July and August. The newsletter is produced in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
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SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION
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Distribution of this newsletter is free by email. Please email requests for all new subscriptions, subscription cancellations and email address changes (please include old address along with new one) to rocketman@mwt.net.
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WEB SITE
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You can visit our Web site, obtain back issues and the Healing Through Unity Course at: http://www.healingthroughunity.org.
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PLEASE SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS
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All of us have had healing experiences, as well as climbed out of low points along life's way - physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual. Please share your stories, tips, useful links, and quotes from the Baha'i Writings about staying healthy in a stressful world. Your articles do not have to be long - even a few paragraphs in length is fine. Baha'u'llah gave us each other as a big part of a healthy lifestyle, and sharing stories and ideas that work for you brings encouragement to others. Asking for information and support from others can bring encouragement to you!
WHERE TO SEND STORIES AND CORRESPONDENCE:
Many thanks to all of you who share helpful ideas for the Healing Through Unity Newsletter. The decision to select and edit material submitted for publication is determined by the editor. We welcome submissions from everyone.
Please e-mail your stories, comments, suggestions or "Question for the Month" ideas to the newsletter editor, Cheryll Schuette, at:
cheryll@gotypist.com.
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HEALING THROUGH UNITY NEWSLETTER
Editor - Cheryll Schuette
Contributing Editor - Lynn Ascrizzi
Founding Editor - Frances Mezei
Medical Reviewer - Dr. Diane Kent
Circulation Assistant - Kathy Yonash
Web Master - Russ Novak
*******************************************************HEALING THROUGH UNITY NEWSLETTER
November, 2005
A monthly newsletter dedicated to serving the principles of
physical and spiritual health envisioned in the Baha'i Teachings.Volume 9, Issue No. 9, Theme: Dealing with Loss
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Contents
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- Quote of the month
- From the Editor
- This Month's Theme: Resources for Dealing with Loss
- Links for further information
- Happiness Is...All in Your Head?
- A Prayer for Assistance
- Good Advice Floating about the Internet
- Book Reviews: 'Adopting Alyosha'
- Health in the News
- Letters
- Purpose of the Newsletter
- Subscription Information
- Web Site
- Web Log
UPCOMING THEMES
December: Living, and Healing, with Chronic Illness. Please share what inspiration and activities work for you.
January: The Healing Powers of Pets. Do you have a story to tell?
February: Music - Sustenance for the Soul. How has music improved your health? Send your recommendations and experiences.
March: The Importance of Celebrations. What kinds and how do you and your family use them to make life better?
April: Feed the Creative to Heal the Body and Mind. What arts and activities inspire you?
May: Nurture the Spirit for Better Health. Retreats, walks, music, poetry, prayer: what makes you feel refreshed and energized?
June: Coping with Catastrophe. Share spiritual resources.
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QUOTES OF THE MONTH
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"The divine messengers come to bring joy to this earth, for this is the planet of tribulation and torment and the mission of the great masters is to turn men away from these anxieties and to infuse life with infinite joy.
"When the divine message is understood, all troubles will vanish. Shadows disappear when the universal lamp is lighted, for whosoever becomes illumined thereby no longer knows grief; he realizes that his stay on this planet is temporary and that life is eternal. When once he has found reality he will no longer retreat into darkness."
(Abdu'l-Baha, Divine Philosophy, p. 69)
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"[Life] brings each one of us crises as well as victories. Our own lives and even the lives of the central Figures of the Faith have been fraught with agony as well as blessing, with failure and frustration and grief, as frequently as with progress. This is the nature of life.
(Baha'i Universal House of Justice, "Quickeners of Mankind," p. 117)
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FROM THE EDITOR
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Dear Readers,
The Newsletter theme this month is of great interest to me personally because I am presently dealing with some loss of both physical and mental faculties, which turns out to be as difficult for me as losing my loved ones. It is clear that I never prepared for the inevitable aspects of aging to be visited upon me!
The struggle to find information and support for my transition, not to mention acceptance to this new reality has been challenging. What is particularly encouraging is the extent to which the world of electronic communication can provide so much more than just a mind-boggling amount of information to help.
The Internet gives us access to a support network of people who actually care about the same things we do. The new direction that this interconnectedness can take us is no less than the vision of a true, grassroots democracy.
Even as the printing press presaged access for Everyman to all knowledge of that day long before the average person had learned to read, so the next step for the Internet -- the interactive Internet, or Web2 -- one person, one voice -- makes the technology available to facilitate one world, when the mass of humankind decides to make it happen.
'It' being a globally connected, aware and concerned human family dedicated to solving the major and minor issues of this Day, and building God's Kingdom on Earth.
Healing Through Unity was a forerunner when it made a beginning almost ten years ago using the Read Only Web to connect people around the world to improve health. And now it will be moving into the Read/Write Web2 with our very own weblog, or 'Blog.'
Healing Through Unity Weblog will allow for both content and comment on a daily basis, and lots of information and interaction that the format of an email newsletter does not allow. It will also provide for a greater diversity of content and reader comment, for which there is never space in the Newsletter.
Of course, right now, this infant weblog is mostly a collection of "Look what neat stuff I found on the 'Net today that probably won't fit in the newsletter," instead of a conversation or set of conversations.
You, our readers, can change that state by posting comments, suggesting links, asking questions and telling us what you liked, what worked -- about the weblog and the newsletter both. In this way, the Healing Through Unity Weblog will grow up and be shaped by its participants -- like any good conversation.
The monthly email newsletter will continue, enriched by more a timely chance to make comment and communicate with one another. Interesting links to topics on the weblog will show up in the newsletter format for those who do not yet have easy access to the Internet other than email.
I'm looking forward to greater collaboration of thought and development in the months ahead!
Cheryll Schuette, Michigan, USA
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RESOURCES FOR DEALING WITH LOSS
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"Real life is the collision -- day in, day out -- of the improbable with the impossible. [The poet] Longfellow believed that situations that call forth our coping abilities are "celestial benedictions" in dark disguises, sent not to try our souls, but to enlarge them. Just as dough rises in a bowl, expanding before it becomes bread, we become larger than we ever thought possible when we rise to occasions, performing miracles with good humor and grace. Coping well enables you to see beyond the circumference of circumstance, so that the Real in the center of your daily round is not hidden by happenstance."
(Sarah Ban Breathnach, "Simple Abundance: a daybook of comfort and joy," November 6)
According to prominent researchers and mental health counsellors, grief is the normal and natural reaction to loss of any kind. It is comprised of a conflicting set of feelings caused by the end of or change in a familiar pattern of behavior -- that aching sense of personal loss, loneliness, and limbo that so often results when life goes a different way than planned.
Dealing with loss means first acknowledging and then dealing with the emotions that roil about and make up grief.
These are normal and natural feelings, say John James and Russelll Friedman, authors of "The Grief Recovery Handbook." The problem is that in modern cultures, people are socialized to think these feelings are abnormal and unnatural. Grievers are encouraged to 'get over it,' or 'get on with life,' or to replace the dog/job/car/house/parent figure/significant other.
According to Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, one of the most well-known researchers on death and dying, "Grief is the intense emotional response to the pain of a loss. It is the reflection of a connection that has been broken. Most important, grief is an emotional, spiritual and psychological journey to healing...Grief alone has the power to heal...Grief always works...Grief always heals." ("On Grief and Grieving," See book listed below.)
When people do not accept and deal with their feelings, and especially those feelings attendant on losses of various kinds, all the experts agree that their health will suffer.
Fatigue can be the first symptom, the first hint that there is something that needs attention. "Unresolved grief consumes tremendous amounts of energy. Most commonly, the grief stays buried under the surface, and only the symptoms are treated. Many people, including mental health professionals, misunderstand the fact that unresolved loss is cumulative and cumulatively negative." (James and Friedman, see below.)
Kubler-Ross comments, "Many problems in our lives stem from grief unresolved and unhealed. When we do not work through our grief, we lose an opportunity to heal our soul, psyche, and heart. In today's culture there are so few models of grief. It is invisible to the untrained eye. We don't teach our children how to cope with loss."
In the last few years, a number of good books have been published dealing specifically with loss, grieving and recovery. The number of resource sites on the Internet has also expanded, and many offer ongoing support and often real time interaction. (See the links below for some starting points.)
Throughout history, however, it is religion that has provided guidance for understanding and working through losses.
"There is no human being untouched by these two influences [sorrow and joy]; but all the sorrow and the grief that exist come from the world of matter -- the spiritual world bestows only the joy!
"If we suffer it is the outcome of material things, and all the trials and troubles come from this world of illusion.
"For instance, a merchant may lose his trade and depression ensues. A workman is dismissed and starvation stares him in the face. A farmer has a bad harvest, anxiety fills his mind. A man builds a house which is burnt to the ground and he is straightway homeless, ruined, and in despair.
"All these examples are to show you that the trials which beset our every step, all our sorrow, pain, shame and grief, are born in the world of matter; whereas the spiritual Kingdom never causes sadness. A man living with his thoughts in this Kingdom knows perpetual joy. The ills all flesh is heir to do not pass him by, but they only touch the surface of his life, the depths are calm and serene."
(Abdu'l-Baha, "Paris Talks," p. 110)
It is the compounding of these big and little losses, unmourned, unprocessed, that builds up into health shattering crisis, according to John James and Russell Friedman, who founded the Grief Recovery Center after they couldn't find the resources they needed to deal with their own losses.
Their Grief Recovery program is particularly action based, not just spending time talking to a counselor or group, but a step by step plan to help identify the emotions and their sources. Their process is neither mystical, nor technically complex -- but they do not claim it to be easy, either.
Stephen Levine, in the introduction to his book, "Unattended Sorrow," says that in 25 years of working with concentration camp survivors and their children, Vietnam War veterans, and victims of sexual abuse, he has observed that the long-range impact of unresolved grief was painfully evident in every area of these lives. "Over the years it became increasingly obvious that grief and the spirit were the two common denominators, the two underlying characteristics of all people, the ever-present potential for hell or heaven at any moment." (See book below)
Common health issues that can be symptoms of grief include the big stuff, like Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and a galaxy of smaller ones (fatigue, for instance) that can build over time into major problems. Diseases have an emotional component, as newer research into the mind body connection is discovering.
"Despite what we learn daily about healthy exercise practices, healthy diets, and good medical care, the bottom line is that the most significant way of contributing to our own good health is through the quality of our thought processes." Dr. Christiane Northrup, recognized expert on women's health issues, from "The Wisdom of Menopause," p. 65.
Religion has over the ages, sought to teach the practice of acceptance and faith in the purpose of life, even when the understanding was not there. This is the ultimate in changing the way one thinks.
"Today, humanity is bowed down with trouble, sorrow and grief, no one escapes; the world is wet with tears; but, thank God, the remedy is at our doors. Let us turn our hearts away from the world of matter and live in the spiritual world! It alone can give us freedom! If we are hemmed in by difficulties we have only to call upon God, and by His great Mercy we shall be helped.
"If sorrow and adversity visit us, let us turn our faces to the Kingdom and heavenly consolation will be outpoured.
"If we are sick and in distress let us implore God's healing, and He will answer our prayer.
"When our thoughts are filled with the bitterness of this world, let us turn our eyes to the sweetness of God's compassion and He will send us heavenly calm! If we are imprisoned in the material world, our spirit can soar into the Heavens and we shall be free indeed!
"When our days are drawing to a close let us think of the eternal worlds, and we shall be full of joy!
"You see all round you proofs of the inadequacy of material things -- how joy, comfort, peace and consolation are not to be found in the transitory things of the world. Is it not then foolishness to refuse to seek these treasures where they may be found? The doors of the spiritual Kingdom are open to all, and without is absolute darkness."
(Abdu'l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 111)
For specifics on building a personal recovery system, especially for those physical ailments most closely associated with unresolved grief, the following links and books are starting points.
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LINKS FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
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* The Grief Recovery Program information, training and handbook: http://www.grief-recovery.com/
* Grief and Loss Resource Center web site is a good starting place to explore resources available on the Web. It lists many, many links sorted by type of loss in three main categories: Grief links, Other loss links, and memorials (which area provides insight into how other people are dealing with their losses). http://www.rockies.net/~spirit/grief/grief.html
------------------------------* US national Mental Health Association has a short fact sheet on coping with loss, bereavement and grief on their site: http://www.nmha.org/infoctr/factsheets/42.cfm
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Books:
"How to Survive the Loss of a Love: 58 things to do when there is nothing to be done," which the authors describe as a different kind of guide to overcoming all your emotional hurts, written by a medical doctor, a psychologist and a poet: Melba Colgrove, Ph.D., Harold H. Bloomfield, M.D. and Peter McWilliams. Bantom Books, probably in about its 50th printing since the first in 1976.
"Unattended Sorrow: recovering from loss and reviving the heart," Stephen Levine, Rodale Books, 2005.
"The Grief Recovery Handbook: the action program for moving beyond death, divorce, and other losses," John W. James and Russell Friedman. Harper Perennial, 1998.
"On Grief and Grieving," Elisabeth Kubler-Ross and David Kessler. Scribner, 2005. The last book from an established expert on death and dying and helping the living go on.
"Fire and Gold: benefiting from life's tests," compiled by Brian Kurzius. George Ronald, 1995 (from the Baha'i Writings)
"Divine Therapy: pearls of wisdom from the Baha'i Writings," compiled by Annamarie Honnold. George Ronald, 1986
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HAPPINESS IS...
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"Our notion of the brain is roughly that described by Rene Descartes in 1694. He said the body communicates with the brain by nerves, like a bell ringer pulling on a cord to ring the bell. And, as Quasimodo knew, the bell can also ring the ringer. That notion was elaborated to the recent view of the brain as an intricate computer: a hundred billion nerves, each of them connected with up to two hundred thousand others. It gets mind-bogglingly complex. Like a computer, happiness is programmed, sort of, and it you could fix the circuit, you could fix the lack-of-happiness problem.
"Some neurophysiologists have explored the basis of happiness in the brain. The latest view of the brain differs from this image of a fixed wiring diagram. It turns out that nerves change in response to stimuli and their environment. Signals sent to the brain are not just received; they actually alter the brain. That explains the effect of exercise or playing with puppies--the physical act also affects the brain. Signals entirely within the brain change it, too. "a happy thought, amazingly, causes a physical change. So simply by pretending to be happy, you can truly become happy. The happiness ability of the brain is like a muscle--work it long and hard enough and you can become the Schwarzenegger of ecstasy.
"So, if feeling blue is a matter of chemistry, and we can change brain chemistry by sheer thought alone, then it seems logical to stop feeling blue just by deciding to do so."
(Paul Gahlinger, quoted in "100 Ways to Beat the Blues" p. 152-153)M.D., Ph.D., M.P.H., FACOEM, professor in the Faculty of Medicine, University of Utah.
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"The spirit is changeless, indestructible. The progress and development of the soul, the joy and sorrow of the soul, are independent of the physical body.
"If we are caused joy or pain by a friend, if a love prove true or false, it is the soul that is affected. If our dear ones are far from us -- it is the soul that grieves, and the grief or trouble of the soul may react on the body.
"Thus, when the spirit is fed with holy virtues, then is the body joyous; if the soul falls into sin, the body is in torment!
(Abdu'l-Baha, "Paris Talks," p. 65)
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A PRAYER FOR ASSISTANCE
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"Dispel my grief by Thy bounty and Thy generosity, O God, my God, and banish mine anguish through Thy sovereignty and Thy might. Thou seest me, O my God, with my face set towards Thee at a time when sorrows have compassed me on every side. I implore Thee, O Thou Who art the Lord of all being, and overshadowest all things visible and invisible, by Thy Name whereby Thou hast subdued the hearts and the souls of men, and by the billows of the Ocean of Thy mercy and the splendors of the Day-Star of Thy bounty, to number me with them whom nothing whatsoever hath deterred from setting their faces toward Thee, O Thou Lord of all names and Maker of the heavens!"
(Baha'u'llah, "Prayers and Meditations," p. 247)
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BOOK CORNER: 'Adopting Alyosha'
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By LYNN ASCRIZZI
Adopting Alyosha: A Single Man Finds a Son in Russia. By Robert Klose; University Press of Mississippi; 1999; hardcover; $22.
In writing his deeply personal story, biology professor Robert Klose of Orono, [Maine, USA] may very well have taken a giant step for mankind.
No, he didn't walk on the moon or map every canal on Mars, although in some ways, it might have been easier.
Instead, Klose opted to adopt a son from Russia.
When first hit by the hunger to raise a child, Klose was in a perfect position to adopt. In his late 30s at the time, he had a good teaching job at the University College of Bangor in Bangor, Maine USA, health insurance, a home with raspberry gardens, a view of "silver maples sweeping the bank" of the Penobscot, and a canoe to go with the idyllic scene.
"God, what a wonderful place to raise a child," he writes.
Although he told few people of his plans, his parents and siblings had supported the idea. He had even built all his future son's bedroom furniture, draped a superheroes comforter on the bed and hung "dinosaur curtains" on the windows.
But, there was a hitch: He was a single man.
What follows, is a witty, well-crafted tale, the first book to be written by a single male adopting from abroad.
Klose's journey into fatherhood is uncommon, to say the least. Single women far outnumber single men in the adoption circuit.
"There are certain fixed phrases in our culture," he said." You'll hear, 'motherless child,' or 'mother and child,' but you don't hear 'father and child.'"
His ordeal took large amounts of tenacity, time and money. One less-than-honest agent cheated him out of $4,000.
To wannabe, adoptive dads, Klose offers terse words of advice: "Persistence ... patience.... Even if things are perfect in every way, it's still not the smoothest process in the world. You have to have a willingness to believe. It's easy to get discouraged."
A Bayonne, N.J. native and Fulbright scholar, Klose first came to Maine in the early 1980s to earn a graduate degree at the University of Maine in Orono.
It took Klose almost three long years to finally adopt a 7-year-old boy from an orphanage in Russia. The adoption process normally takes a year. Along the way, he learned that boys are far less likely to be adopted than girls. Handicapped and older children are also deemed less desirable.
"The American agencies in Maine, and other agencies, were working with me, but they had limited, or no experience working with single men. Klose says. "My case was not a priority. There were so many traditional families. It was so much easier to fill their needs."
He describes in detail the interview process. The sexual preference question inevitably came up.
"I'm a heterosexual," Klose said. "They almost apologize for asking this. But they need to know what they're working with. Homosexual individuals and couples have adopted, but it's almost the kiss of death if you say you're gay and want to adopt overseas."
An agent asked why he had never married.
"It's not as if I've shut the door to the possibility," he wrote. "What could I tell him? I am a very independent man who is attracted to very independent women. It is not a recipe for success."
Klose's honest storytelling fills a neglected literary niche. Not enough is heard from fathers of any type or stripe -- single or married. It's as if a code of silence keeps males from pounding their chests and publicly proclaiming the pangs and pride of fatherhood.
"I had not grown up until, at the age of 39, I had adopted a child," he wrote.
His easy narrative style, wry humor and upbeat tone are never mawkish. He does not lapse into bitterness, despite false leads, frustrations, painful days, sleepless nights, endless fees and dashed expectations.
He is, however, quick to brush off any applause.
"I didn't intend to be a standard bearer for single men who want to adopt. I don't want to be a leader of the movement, or a resource, because I am a writer, first. I saw it as a unique story, an interesting story, and along with that -- a neat testament for my son. I wrote it as a special gift for my son.
"This is not my first writing. I've contributed essays to the Christian Science Monitor for more than 10 years. I write human interest stories -- about teaching school, life in Maine, raising my son -- his first allowance, first dance, my learning about soccer through his eyes."
"Adopting Alyosha" will deeply interest anyone seeking to adopt a child. But Klose's multidimensional book is also a travelogue, keen social commentary and overall, an excellent read. In it, we get a heartbreaking glimpse into foreign adoptions. Countless children pine away in orphanages overseas, yet the adoption process remains desperately mired.
"Interestingly enough, Aloysha bucked the post-adoption profile," he said "Normally, they (children) are in state of euphoria. Once they feel secure enough -- they have an emotional crash, until they slowly gain emotional footing. Alyosha came here on a high, and always stayed on a high. He's secure in his own skin. I'm very lucky."
Transitions, however, are never easy.
"The language barrier was a difficulty, but not insuperable. There were quite a few Russians in the area -- a real resource. For several months, he would cry at school. I'd have to sit with him for a half hour, until got himself collected and I was able to leave him on his own. It was hard to see him unhappy."
In "Adopting Alyosha," readers will hear a rare voice -- the primal yearning of the father -- a lament that fortunately for Klose, turns into a song of triumph. And though we know his story has a happy ending, nothing can prepare us for its final burst of joy -- for a father's hard-won epiphany.
"The advent of my son has suddenly forced me to lean into the future, like the figurehead of a tall ship," he writes.
For more information about "Adopting Alyosha" go to: http://www.upress.state.ms.us/books/a/adopting_alyosha.html
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GOOD ADVICE FLOATING ABOUT THE INTERNET
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(Attributed to Mother Theresa, but good even if she didn't say it)
People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self centered.
-Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives.
-Be kind anyway.
If you are successful you will win some false friends and some true enemies.
-Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you.
-Be honest and frank anyway.
What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight.
-Build anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous.
-Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, people will often forget about tomorrow.
-Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have, and it may not be enough.
-Give the world the best you have anyway.
You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God;
It was never between you and them anyway...
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"Verily the most necessary thing is contentment under all circumstances; by this one is preserved from morbid conditions and from lassitude. Yield not to grief and sorrow; they cause the greatest misery. Jealousy consumeth the body and anger doth burn the liver; avoid these two as you would a lion."
(Baha'u'llah, "The Compilation of Compilations, Vol I," p.460)
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HEALTH IN THE NEWS
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- Eating just a few calorie-packed fast foods per week really add up.
After 15 years, healthy, young adults who ate fast-food meals two or more times a week gained approximately 10 more pounds and had twice the increase in insulin resistance compared with people who ate fast food less than once per week, researchers have found. (Insulin resistance is a condition that can precede diabetes and heart disease.)
Besides being packed with calories, sometimes 50 percent to 100 percent of a person's daily energy needs, fast foods are deficient in fiber and other nutrients, and are high in trans fat, saturated fat, sugar and starch. Also, people tend to overeat fast food or eat the food too quickly; and the large, sugary soft drinks that often go with the meals, cause health problems.
A previous study in children showed that kids who consume a fast-food meal don't compensate for the extra calories by eating less for the rest of the day. Studies on soft-drink consumption show that the more calories people consume from liquids, the more likely they are to overeat throughout the day.
The study appeared in the January, 2005 issue of Lancet.
(from Los Angeles Times)
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LETTERS
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- 'Health Eternal'
What a joy it was to read the wonderful review of Lynn Ascrizzi of "Health Eternal" written by Dr. Evelyn Pritchard. My Mother, will be 93 years old in a few months and she is such an example of a vibrant, spiritual, and energetic person. She walks and swims everyday and as you can imagine her nutritional diet reflects the principles of health that she espouses in her book. "Health Eternal" also provides an excellent opportunity to teach The Baha'i Faith to those individuals interested in alternative medicine, science and spiritual health.
I wanted ask if you would kindly inform your readers that ìHealth Eternalî can be purchased in the United States through Special Ideas. To order the book call 800-326-1197 or e-mail: orders@special-ideas.com
Thanks so much again for your excellent publication of Healing through Unity, and your laudable efforts to promote the science of good health.
-- Carole, Maryland, USA
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- Parenting email newsletter
BAHA'I PARENTING is a bi-monthly email newsletter dedicated to raising families with strong spiritual values. If you are interested, please email: bahaiparent@caribsurf.com or check out the website at: http://www.bahaiparent.com
-- Nima & Negin Anvar [pioneers living in Grenada and serving as editors of 'Baha'i Parenting']
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PURPOSE OF THE NEWSLETTER
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"Healing Through Unity" is published for the purpose of sharing thoughts, comments and experiences on how the teachings of the Baha'i Faith are being applied to physical and spiritual health. Other than the quoted Holy Writings, the material in this newsletter represents the thoughts and opinions of the writers and has no authority. None of the material published in this newsletter is intended to be a substitute for the advice of a physician.
You are free to copy articles, provided you indicate the source of the article. There are 10 issues per year; it is not published during July and August. The newsletter is produced in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
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SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION
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Distribution of this newsletter is free by email. Please email requests for all new subscriptions, subscription cancellations and email address changes (please include old address along with new one) to rocketman@mwt.net.
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WEB SITE
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You can visit our Web site, obtain back issues and the Healing Through Unity Course at: http://www.healingthroughunity.org
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WEBLOG SITE
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Visit and post comments to the Healing Through Unity Weblog: http://www.healingunity.blogspot.com
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PLEASE SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS
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All of us have had healing experiences, as well as climbed out of low points along life's way - physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual. Please share your stories, tips, useful links, and quotes from the Baha'i Writings about staying healthy in a stressful world. Your articles do not have to be long - even a few paragraphs in length is fine. Baha'u'llah gave us each other as a big part of a healthy lifestyle, and sharing stories and ideas that work for you brings encouragement to others. Asking for information and support from others can bring encouragement to you!
WHERE TO SEND STORIES AND CORRESPONDENCE:
Many thanks to all of you who share helpful ideas for the Healing Through Unity Newsletter. The decision to select and edit material submitted for publication is determined by the editor. We welcome submissions from everyone.
Please e-mail your stories, comments, suggestions or "Question for the Month" ideas to the newsletter editor, Cheryll Schuette, at: cheryll@gotypist.com.
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HEALING THROUGH UNITY NEWSLETTER
Editor - Cheryll Schuette
Contributing Editor - Lynn Ascrizzi
Founding Editor - Frances Mezei
Medical Reviewer - Dr. Diane Kent
Circulation Assistant - Kathy Yonash
Web Master - Russ Novak
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HEALING THROUGH UNITY NEWSLETTER
December 2005
A monthly newsletter dedicated to serving the principles of
physical and spiritual health envisioned in the Baha'i Teachings.
Volume 9, Issue No. 10, Theme: Living & Healing with Chronic Illness
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Contents
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- Quote of the month
- From the Editor
- This Month's Theme: Living, and Healing, with Chronic Illness
- Links for further information
- Welcome to Holland
- Stress Management
- Health in the News
- Letters
- Purpose of the Newsletter
- Subscription Information
- Web Site
- Web Log
UPCOMING THEMES
January: The Healing Powers of Pets. Do you have a story to tell?
February: Music - Sustenance for the Soul. How has music improved your health? Send your recommendations and experiences.
March: The Importance of Celebrations. What kinds and how do you and your family use them to make life better?
April: Feed the Creative to Heal the Body and Mind. What arts and activities inspire you?
May: Nurture the Spirit for Better Health. Retreats, walks, music, poetry,
prayer: what makes you feel refreshed and energized?
June: Coping with Catastrophe. Share spiritual resources.
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QUOTE OF THE MONTH
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"The afflictions which come to humanity sometimes tend to center the consciousness upon the limitations. This is a veritable prison. Release comes by making of the will a door through which the confirmations of the spirit come. They come to a man or woman who accepts his life with Radiant Acquiescence."
(Abdu'l-Baha, Divine Philosophy, p. 69)
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FROM THE EDITOR
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Dear Readers,
Patience and acceptance have never been my personal strong points. So the inevitable changes and challenges of an aging body are providing me with plenty of opportunities for spiritual growth!
Among the most interesting (because it was unexpected) is the amount of grief that must be dealt with in order to accept a reality that differs from my plan.
I want, for instance, to continue to be able to do everything I could do when I was 20...but a body considerably older than that is unable to follow through. No amount of fussing, praying, extreme medical treatments, or denial is going to change the inevitable.
In other words, giving up MY will and accepting God's will means accepting some very painful losses, especially in giving up some of my favorite vain imaginings. So, okay, I can accept that it is probably too late to be a ballerina when I grow up...but admitting that I might experience the same physical (and mental!) challenges as other mortals? Impossibly difficult!
Since a great deal of religious teaching seems to deal with exactly this conflict between personal and divine will, I must assume that my difficulties aren't unique!
And because of that circumstance, there are many resources available to me, especially (and I think most importantly) the experience and support of others who have passed this way before.
The Internet and this newsletter are tools that help me connect with experience and support that is not limited to my immediate family and coworkers.
One thing advancing age has provided is the hindsight: I have always had whatever I needed, when I needed it -- even when I might not have immediately realized it.
The essence of faith is recognizing that we are never alone, AND that we are surrounded by a Creation whose purpose is to nurture and train our characters -- when we allow it to work in the way it was designed.
May you all discover this goodness and richness in Creation -- but perhaps sooner and with less fussing than I have!
Cheryll Schuette, Michigan, USA
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LIVING, AND HEALING, WITH CHRONIC ILLNESS
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The overall impression one develops after researching (or living with) a chronic illness, is that treatment recommendations largely center on the coping, emotional and social rather than the strictly physical aspects of disease.
This realization is surprising in the world of modern Western medicine, with its emphasis on a very mechanical treatment of illness in terms of isolated individuals and/or diseases, without respect for the larger context of family and community that make up real life, not to mention the upstream/downstream causes and effects.
Living with chronic illness, whether immediately life-threatening or not, will shape both victim and caregiver, the individual and the community around him/her.
There are some, not all of them philosophers or saints, who would say that 'victim' is not even the right word -- that such experiences (most of us would refer to them as woes) are in the long run good for both the individual and the species.
"O Son of Man! My calamity is My providence, outwardly it is fire and vengeance, but inwardly it is light and mercy. Hasten thereunto that thou mayest become an eternal light and an immortal spirit. This is My command unto thee, do thou observe it." (Baha'u'llah, Arabic "Hidden Words," #51)
Rachel Naomi Remen, M.D., is the founder and director of the Institute for the Study of Health and Illness at Commonweal and medical director and cofounder of the Commonweal Cancer Program. She is Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine and author of the book "Kitchen Table Wisdom."
She comments, "Many of us are living lives that have profound meaning, but we have not yet opened our hearts, so we can't see this meaning and be strengthened by it...sometimes the angel [messenger] is a disease.
Sometimes the angel that brings us the gift of meaning is loss and suffering. You know, sometimes our heart needs to be broken open before we can know what really matters in life." (quoted by Dean Ornish in "Love and Survival", p. 205)
W. Brugh Joy, M.D., author of "Joy's Way" and "Avalanche," goes even further on this theme:
"There is no question, to me, of the sublime value of suffering. The more deeply one has experienced the mystery of suffering, the more deeply one truly understands its transformational power. I believe it transforms the infantile power-drive, which has sense of unlimitedness, immediacy, self-centeredness, into the mystery of compassion, a sense of 'us,' rather than a sense of 'me versus another.' There is also the mystery of sacrifice, which is a form of suffering in which one gives up one's personal, willful way to something that can only be called transcendent. The experience of this is that the transcendent showers the individual with resources -- which may be a healing, or it may be illumination, or it may be compassion. But something that transcends the ordinary comes out of such sacrifices and suffering, which are interwoven." (quoted by Dean Ornish in "Love and Survival," p. 246)
Advice, from the medical establishment, based on medical and sociological research, tends to define the coping process in stages, and offer tools and skills for getting on with one's life to the fullest and richest extent possible. The tools considered most important are mostly not material or physical.
Denial/Shock, learning/empowerment, and acceptance are the three stages most commonly experienced with any illness or loss, but the chronically ill will go through them repeatedly -- especially when there is no cure for the disease.
Chronic illness may involve repeated episodes of deterioration, requiring confrontation and adjustment to each new level.
After working through the normal responses to loss, many people are able to find meaning despite being in a physical condition which, prior to the onset of their illness, they would have deemed intolerable and unacceptable.
These people handle the burden of chronic illness with amazing fortitude and are able to find meaning and value even when extremely disabled.
Individuals who are able to successfully cope with chronic illness share certain characteristics:
* They generally have good self-esteem and a realistic understanding of their own strengths and weaknesses.
* They retain an ability to define personal goals and to find gratification in their accomplishments.
* They retain some sense of control over their own destiny--a belief that they can still influence their world, including the course or symptoms of their illness.
* They are able to maintain hope.
One truly important aspect of coping with chronic illness is that hope shifts from waiting for the cure to coping daily to make the best life possible in the now. And many of the physicians who specialize in treatment and research have found that a measure of healing is always possible, irrespective of whether the outcome of the disease can be changed. Much of the work done in hospice care, for instance, is about healing, not just dying.
Increasingly, researchers are noting that people who cope successfully with any disease or injury, whether acute or chronic, typically have strong support from family or significant others. These important supporters may not even be geographically close, thanks to the Web.
The wealth of information, advice, counseling, support (and sheer marketing) available, especially on the Internet, is just staggering. Both in general and for specific illnesses, information (and misinformation) is overflowing -- at least for those in industrialized countries.
Developing nations, however, are not without resources -- particularly of extended family and community -- which may be of more importance than sheer medical knowledge. Where a person can have neighbors and family members to share their burdens, they may have less need to search the 'Net for a compassionate ear, for instance.
Lisa F. Berkman, Ph.D., is chair and professor of the department of health and social behavior and professor of epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health. Along with Drs. Len Syme, James House, and Kristina Orth-Gomer, she has conducted some of the most important research demonstrating the importance of social support and community. When asked to summarize her feelings, she tells this story:
"I gave a fellow researcher and his wife chicken soup when their baby was born at home, and they sent me a thank-you note that said, 'I never did know whether chicken soup was emotional or instrumental support.' It is the epitome of both. It's love incarnate." (quoted by Dean Ornish, in "Love and Survival", p.200)
Disease always has multiple causes and influences, among them lifestyle and habits of thought, as well as emotional and spiritual health. For the purposes of this brief article, the treatment of the physical components seemed less important and easier for most readers to access than the emotional and spiritual aspects of coping with a chronic illness.
In mankind's past, healers addressed spiritual even more heavily than physical healing. In the Solomon Islands, for instance, custom doctors have practiced their skills for about 4000 years. Their duties encompass health, religion and law, since they functioned as judges and spiritual leaders, as well as healers.
Religion has served humankind far longer than 'medicine', and can still offer much of value when learning to cope with chronic illnesses. People get tired over time, and discouraged, and angry. Acute illnesses come and go, but asthma or diabetes can be there for a lifetime.
Learning to cope, then, requires not only developing all the information, skills and positive attitude, but also building a support network to keep one going over time. It requires an equally knowledgeable community, a social structure to provide not only the assistance with treatment, but also the emotional nurturing to make the effort worthwhile.
Linda Kavelin Popov, psychologist and counselor and author of the Virtues Projects is polio survivor and was struck down in mid career with post-polio syndrome. She recently published a book on her healing experiences that is an excellent workbook for anyone dealing with a chronic illness: "A Pace of
Grace: the virtues of a sustainable life."
She recommends going beyond just our family and community and asking for help from the spiritual realm, as well:
"Experts say that most of us use only 10 percent of our intelligence. I believe we use only 1 percent of spiritual powers. The sacred traditions of the world teach that there is a spiritual dimension that is more real and more abiding than the material world.
"In my study of sacred traditions, and in my own experience, a vast array of helpers are available to us at every moment. They are the greatest untapped source of power, help and inspiration in the world... There is an entire team of beings whose fervent wish is to be of service to you, to guide you and help you get the very most out of your short span on earth: angels, ancestors, and advisors...," what she refers to as her A-team.
"The meaning of angel is messenger," she continues. "I do believe it is part of God's design that spiritual beings are part of our lives and that from a spiritual perspective we are always capable of living in both worlds."
Accessing and processing assistance from any source, and especially from our own inner voice, requires being able to sit still and listen. Prayer and meditation have a history of providing insight and knowledge. Medicine is now echoing the recommendation that quiet meditation is a useful tool for dealing with chronic illness.
Sri Swami Satchidananda, founder and director of the Integral yoga Institutes and the Light of Truth Universal Shrine (LOTUS) in Buckingham, Virginia, USA, when asked what was the root of healing, said:
"Contentment. Contentment comes by quieting down the mind and body enough -- whether through meditations, yoga, or prayer -- to experience an inner sense of peace and joy and well-being, and ultimately, to experience God within." (quoted by Dean Ornish in "Love and Survival," p. 210)
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LINKS FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
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Web:
* My favorite site for overall assistance that isn't trying to sell something, and includes online support group links:
http://www.chronicillness.org
* A nice selection of current articles, both personal and technical:
http://www.mindpub.com/topic16.htm
* A good info site designed for children to access information about chronic illness and how they can help themselves and others deal with it:
http://www.lehman.cuny.edu/faculty/jfleitas/bandaides
* S.T.A.R. site for teens dealing with chronic illness. Great personal stories from teens themselves - former US Surgeon General C. Everett Koop's
page: http://dms.dartmouth.edu/koop/resources/chronic_illness/chronic.shtml
Books:
"Love & Survival: 8 pathways to intimacy and health," by Dean Ornish, M.D.
Harper Perennial, 1998.
"A Pace of Grace: the virtues of a sustainable life," by Linda Kavelin Popov. Plume, 2004
"Minding the Body, Mending the Mind," by Joan Borysenko, Ph.D. Bantam Books, 1987
"Overcoming Difficulties," by Ginny Tod. George Ronald, 2003
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WELCOME TO HOLLAND
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By Emily Perl Kingsley
I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability - to try to help people who have not shared that unique experience to understand it, to imagine how it would feel. It's like this......
When you're going to have a baby, it's like planning a fabulous vacation trip - to Italy. You buy a bunch of guide books and make your wonderful plans. The Coliseum. The Michelangelo David. The gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It's all very exciting.
After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, "Welcome to Holland."
"Holland?!?" you say. "What do you mean Holland?? I signed up for Italy! I'm supposed to be in Italy. All my life I've dreamed of going to Italy."
But there's been a change in the flight plan. They've landed in Holland and there you must stay.
The important thing is that they haven't taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It's just a different place.
So you must go out and buy new guide books. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met.
It's just a different place. It's slower-paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you've been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around...and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills...and Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandts.
But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy... and they're all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life, you will say, "Yes, that's where I was supposed to go. That's what I had planned."
And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away...because the loss of that dream is a very, very significant loss.
But...if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn't get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things...about Holland.
(c1987 by Emily Perl Kingsley. All rights reserved)
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STRESS MANAGEMENT
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A lecturer, when explaining stress management to an audience, raised a glass of water and asked, "How heavy is this glass of water?"
Answers called out ranged from 20g to 500g.
The lecturer replied, "The absolute weight doesn't matter. It depends on how long you try to hold it. If I hold it for a minute, that's not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my right arm. If I hold it for a day, you'll have to call an ambulance. In each case, it's the same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes."
He continued, "And that's the way it is with stress management. If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, as the burden becomes increasingly heavy, we won't be able to carry on. As with the glass of water, you have to put it down for a while Refreshed, we can carry on with the burden."
"So, before you return home tonight, put the burden of work down. Don't carry it home. You can pick it up tomorrow. Whatever burdens you're carrying now, set them down for a moment if you can."
So, my friend, why not take a while to just simply RELAX. Put down anything that may be a burden to you right now. Don't pick it up again until after you've rested a while. Life is short. Enjoy it!
Here are some great ways of dealing with the burdens of life:
Accept that some days you're the pigeon, and some days you're the statue.
Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them.
Drive carefully. It's not only cars that can be recalled by their maker.
If you can't be kind, at least have the decency to be vague.
If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was probably worth it Never put both feet in your mouth at the same time, because then you won't have a leg to stand on.
Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance.
Since it's the early worm that gets eaten by the bird, sleep late.
The second mouse gets the cheese.
When everything's coming your way, you're in the wrong lane.
Birthdays are good for you. The more you have, the longer you live.
You may be only one person in the world, but you may also be the world to one person.
Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once.
We could learn a lot from crayons...Some are sharp, some are pretty and some are dull. Some have weird names, and all are different colors, but they all have to live in the same box.
A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour.
(from a Yahoo Groups list, on the Web)
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HUMOR
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Just came across this exercise suggested for seniors, to build muscle strength in the arms and shoulders. It seems so easy, so I thought I'd pass it on to some of my friends and family. The article suggested doing it three days a week.
Begin by standing on a comfortable surface, where you have plenty of room at each side. With a 5-lb potato sack in each hand, extend your arms straight out from your sides and hold them there as long as you can.
Try to reach a full minute, then relax. Each day, you'll find that you can hold this position for just a bit longer. After a couple of weeks, move up to 10-lb potato sacks. Then 50-lb potato sacks and then eventually try to get to where you can lift a 100-lb potato sack in each hand and hold your arms straight for more than a full minute.
After you feel confident at that level, put a potato in each of the sacks.
(Rick in Florida, USA, shared this)
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BOOK CORNER: SUPERPARENTING, Child Rearing for the New Millennium, by Dr.
William Maxwell, Mary E. Maxwell, Ruth Leilani Smith and Jim Pearce
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What are the unique characteristics of families that produce the world's most successful men and women? How do parents within all societies prepare their children to become morally strong and professionally successful? How should young people prepare themselves for parenthood? What birthing procedures should couples adopt that best protect the infant? What should the parent's priorities be in the first three years of their child's life?
Professor William Maxwell and his co-authors have skillfully woven together the collective wisdom of the world's longest-lasting and most successful cultures and modern child- development research studies to produce a book that will help revolutionize the way humankind parents its children. From pre-natal practices in southeastern Nigeria, to post-natal infant-care in Fiji, to Scotland's "family hour" practices, this book distills the experiences of all human cultures into over 50 powerful prescriptions for raising children who will "carry forward an ever-advancing civilization."
"This illuminating handbook on how to raise a child has been written by two experts in the fields of education and health. It is conveniently organized so that a parent can read through it step- by-step as the child grows. The approach is practical and is a beautiful combination of the spiritual and the scientific, with emphasis on such matters as calmness of spirit; being natural; good habits, including courtesy and tidiness; on the encouragement of curiosity. This book is a must for all parents and potential parents. I wish it had been available fourteen years ago when we began our family." - John Huddleston, Chief, Budget and Planning Division, International Monetary Fund.
Dr. Maxwell, earned his doctorate from Harvard University and has authored numerous books and research studies focusing on the intellectual development of children. He has been an astute observer of child rearing practices throughout his life and for over twenty-five years of pioneering, teaching and research experiences on all continents and within the cultures of Korea, Nigeria, Fiji, Japan, and the United States. He has lectured and studied in more than forty nations. Dr. Maxwell has been a professor since 1955 and was among the first contingent of Continental Counselors for Northwest Africa and has served on many local and national spiritual assemblies, including in North East Asia, Nigeria, Korea, Fiji, and the United States.
The book is available from Badi Publishing Corp., PO Box 39651, Phoenix, Arizona 85069 USA --E badi@badipublishing.com Web:
http://www.badipublishing.com
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HEALTH IN THE NEWS
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- If Meditation is good, God makes it better
"God can help you relax, according to a study of meditation. People practicing spiritual meditation were more relaxed and better able to withstand pain than those performing secular meditation." College students were randomly assigned to one of three groups, regardless of their spiritual beliefs. Each group was to practice their technique for 20 a day for two weeks. Those in the spiritual group were told to concentrate on a phrase such as 'God is love' or 'God is peace.' The secular group meditated on a phrase such as 'I am happy' or 'I am joyful,' while the third group was simply told to relax. Results showed those practicing spiritual meditation showered greater reductions in anxiety that the other two groups and were able to keep their hands in freezing water for nearly twice as long.
(Journal of Behavioral Medicine, DOI: 10.1007/s10865-005-9008-5)
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- For a Good Night's Sleep: Eat Breakfast for Supper
Sleep researcher Ahmad Afaghi of Sydney University told the Australasian Sleep Association conference held the first week of October this year that men in his study who ate a high glycemic index meal before retiring fell asleep faster and deeper than did men who ate a low GI meal before bed. He thinks this might be because high GI meals raise blood sugar levels, leading to a potentially higher concentration of tryptophan, an amino acid that induces sleep. But he has yet to finish testing that...
(Reported in the 15 October 2005 issue of New Scientist Magazine)
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- Ionizing Air Cleaners May Not
Popular and expensive ionizing air cleaners could expose users to lung-damaging levels of ozone, and they do a poor job of actually cleaning the air, according to an article in the May 2005 issue of Consumer Reports Magazine. They tested six popular ionizing cleaners and one HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filter, and found that two of the ionizing cleaners emit 150 to 300 parts per billion of ozone in samples taken 2 inches from the machine, while three other ionizing cleaners are in the 26-to-48-ppb range. The US Environmental Protection Agency's standards for outdoor ozone concentration exposure is 80 parts per billion over eight hours. Most machines tested did more harm than good, producing potentially harmful ozone while doing a poor job of removing dust, smoke and pollen.
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LETTERS
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- (Kurt H., USA) says: To keep my mind and soul refreshed and focused, I read (and share) some of these every day... [a couple pages of good stuff; samples included here]
"Nothing is too much trouble when one loves, and there is always time."
--'Abdu'l-Bah· (cited in Portals to Freedom, p. 52)
"He that can't endure the bad will not live to see the good."
--Yiddish proverb
"Sometimes we're forced into directions that we ought to have found for ourselves."
--Maid in Manhattan
"Pila-mahya" (Lakota). Literally: "Thank You." Behind that interpretation is "You have honoured me." And, behind that is "...because you have allowed me to experience a true manifestation of God's presence, which is: (in this
case) the Generosity, Compassion, and Understanding which adorns our relationship."
--Jacob Bighorn
"Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, "I will try again tomorrow.""
--Mary Ann Radmacher
"Is it so small a thing to have enjoyed the sun, to have lived light in the spring, to have loved, to have thought, to have done?"
--Matthew Arnold
"If I can stop one heart from breaking, I shall not live in vain:
"If I can ease one life the aching,
"Or cool one pain,
"Or help one fainting robin
"Unto his nest again,
"I shall not live in vain."
--Emily Dickinson
"To be the champ, you have to believe you are the champ even when no one else does."
--Sugar Ray Robinson
"In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends."
-- Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
"If you're going through hell, keep going."
--Winston Churchill
"Little by little the veil is lifting, grief tore it in two. And grief was also a step leading me ever nearer truth; therefore do I not cry out against grief!"
--Queen Marie of Rumania
"Trust in God. Let nothing disturb you, let nothing frighten you; all things
pass: God never changes. Patience achieves all it strives for. You who have God lack nothing, God alone suffices."
--Teresa of Avila
"Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand that thou mayest believe, but believe that thou mayest understand."
-- Aurelius Augustinus
"We have not come into the world to be a number; we have been created for a purpose, for great things: To love and to be loved."
--Mother Teresa
"People are like stained glass windows: they sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light within."
--Elizabeth Kubler-Ross
"...When first diagnosed with M.S., I felt very discouraged. I liked to drive and owned a jazzy new sports car. On a mid-winter nighttime trip through the dangerous Fraser Canyon, I was driving erratically.
"Obviously the disease was taking over. My eyesight was failing and my driving days were at an end.
"Stopping with great reluctance and grief I gave up driving. My wife and I sat for a long time in silence while snow slowly covered the car. We were parkedÇ in the unknownÇ emotionally adrift and indistinguishable from any other snowdrift somewhere on the Trans Canada.
"Suddenly panicked by this realization, we frantically changed seats. As my wife ran round the front of the car, her thigh brushed the muck from the headlamp. Light shot down the road.
"I could see clearly!
"Relentless, irrevocable tragedy was only "mud on the headlights."
-- Ray Walker
"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that."
--Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
"Namaste - The soul in me recognizes the soul in you."
--India greeting
"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate - our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, "Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?" Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are born to make manifest the Glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."
--Marianne Williamson
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PURPOSE OF THE NEWSLETTER
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"Healing Through Unity" is published for the purpose of sharing thoughts, comments and experiences on how the teachings of the Baha'i Faith are being applied to physical and spiritual health. Other than the quoted Holy Writings, the material in this newsletter represents the thoughts and opinions of the writers and has no authority. None of the material published in this newsletter is intended to be a substitute for the advice of a physician.
You are free to copy articles, provided you indicate the source of the article. There are 10 issues per year; it is not published during July and August. The newsletter is produced in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
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SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION
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Distribution of this newsletter is free by email. Please email requests for all new subscriptions, subscription cancellations and email address changes (please include old address along with new one) to rocketman@mwt.net.
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WEB SITE
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You can visit our Web site, obtain back issues and the Healing Through Unity Course at: http://www.healingthroughunity.org
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WEBLOG SITE
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Visit and post comments to the Healing Through Unity Weblog:
http://www.healingunity.blogspot.com
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PLEASE SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS
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All of us have had healing experiences, as well as climbed out of low points along life's way - physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual. Please share your stories, tips, useful links, and quotes from the Baha'i Writings about staying healthy in a stressful world. Your articles do not have to be long - even a few paragraphs in length is fine. Baha'u'llah gave us each other as a big part of a healthy lifestyle, and sharing stories and ideas that work for you brings encouragement to others. Asking for information and support from others can bring encouragement to you!
WHERE TO SEND STORIES AND CORRESPONDENCE:
Many thanks to all of you who share helpful ideas for the Healing Through Unity Newsletter. The decision to select and edit material submitted for publication is determined by the editor. We welcome submissions from everyone.
Please e-mail your stories, comments, suggestions or "Question for the Month" ideas to the newsletter editor, Cheryll Schuette, at:
cheryll@gotypist.com.
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HEALING THROUGH UNITY NEWSLETTER
Editor - Cheryll Schuette
Contributing Editor - Lynn Ascrizzi
Founding Editor - Frances Mezei
Medical Reviewer - Dr. Diane Kent
Circulation Assistant - Kathy Yonash
Web Master - Russ Novak
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