Thirty years ago, Michael Lerner, a Harvard- and Yale-trained political scientist, left a promising academic career to start Common Weal that would serve at-risk children, help adults with environmentally related health problems and promote public education about environmental health. Today, Commonweal is perhaps best known for its Cancer Help Program, which Lerner began when his father was diagnosed with cancer. With intellectual brilliance and spiritual sensitivity, Michael Lerner has helped thousands of people, in small groups of 10 participants, explore how to live with a life-threatening illness. In 1993, millions of Americans discovered this remarkable program when they watched Bill Moyers' documentary, "Wounded Healers," the fifth part of his award-winning PBS series,"Healing and the Mind."
To tune into a live-conversation with Michael, join his Awakin Call this Saturday (Feb 7, 2015).
SEED QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION: How do you reconcile the practice of equanimity with allowing feelings to come up and express themselves? Can you share an experience of feeling rebirth due to an illness? What helps you live with the "ongoing stresses and strains of life" in a way that makes you feel whole?
If you are suffering from cancer or any other diseases just follow this.
Find out big trees which are available milk when we scratch bark. Start to treat these trees such as put water morning and evening. Do it affectionately to the environment. If possible keep touch your both hands to that trees and wish as follows " My all pain and symptoms of diseases be absorb and give me healing power to my diseases " Be sure spend religious life what ever religion you are.
Gamini Wijesinghe
Sri Lanka
I was diagnosed with blood clots on December 9 and placed on drugs and had a screening yesterday that saw it clear and gone and not reforming despite an opening statement that "you cannot heal in 2 months", I lay on my back and said silently "yes I can". The lungs and clots were about resentment, heavy, broken, grieving, burdensome resentment. Spending time in fertile solitude allowed me to feel this and see it and reform the areas that i perceived resentment, where I created the experience of resentment. How beautiful is the body to lead me there and how beautiful was its responsiveness when this was turned off. I live each day embracing my body, mind and soul messages - seeing that all the answers lie within - mindful body knowing and innocent lean into self care.
It seems to me healing is not only about ourselves, but also about "coming home" to the world and relationships we live in. Part of this is using our experience to benefit others. Sometimes I think we can become selfish in our attempts to feel and process through every emotion we encounter. We need to allow others the same freedom to process the pain they share with us as we demand they allow us. Sometimes just the conscious decision to consider others and put ourselves aside can offer healing that no amount of internal processing can.
We need to give ourselves permission to process every feeling we have, but also permission to let those feelings pass by if that seems best.
Having a close group of friends helps me in the practice of equanimity. In the embrace of friends I am allowed to feel and express my emotions so they do not overwhelm me. In my circle of friends is nature which offers tremendous, non-judgmental healing. I find being gentle with myself and honoring what I am feeling allows me to create a safe haven within myself so that I am capable of assisting my own healing. Shalom, Jayne
As in all things, balance. It is helpful to have a positive attitude. At the same time is is healing and helpful to feel all feelings as they come, but not to be overcome by them. The phrase, "this too shall pass" has been most helpful in life. Not sure I would call it rebirth, but I have episodic Depression and what I can share is that when the darkness passes and light again shines, I appreciate the light much more than perhaps I did in the past. The most helpful phrase in living w ongoing stress and strain in life is honestly, "this too shall pass." It is freeing. Hugs from my heart to all of yours. Kristin