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If
understood, life is simply a jest;
If misunderstood, life becomes a pest.
Once overcome, life is ever at rest.
For pilgrims of the Path, life is a test.
When relinquished through love,
Life is at its best.
Meher Baba
~~~
Does the Natural Health movements, with all their organic wisdom give us a modal for solving problems of a worldly nature? My thinking on this follows:
In the natural health field when a problem arises, natural and organic solutions are investigated and used. The problems of the physical are not viewed as things to ‘cut out’ or get rid of by medical means. We are aware that in the medical modal, which more often then not, earns the phrase; “the cure can be worse then the illness”, views what it calls ‘physical problems as something that 'ain’t ought to be there'. When something arises for us naturalists we listen to the body and explore with organic forms of nutrition, as well as movement, how to deal with what is currently asking for some of our attention. In this way we often find solutions for our body problems with greater ease. Just a simple focus of our attention on solving problems brings spirit medicine to us and Walla, we heal & learn.
Treating the external world with a similar approach for solving problems might be very useful. For instance; the current problems that religious dogmas present to us. If we observe that when you try to ‘cut out’ or get rid of the problems of clashing beliefs, by blowing them up or numbing their development, bigger problems may arise. While taking the natural path, of applying natural loving-kindness that focuses on understanding the inflammations and resolving them with modern day organic solutions, like hands on therapy or kissing and recognizing we are all members of the same human family on earth, could be less costly all around. Traditional measures need to be integrated with current findings to solve present day dilemmas, I say. Where are the Statesmen that can integrate wisdoms and administer them to worldly problems?
This is a link to an artful and informative look at Islam. http://www.integralworld.net/index.html?harris21.html
This article indicates to me a problem that many people suffer from; INFLEXIBILITY. One of the easiest ways to handle this problem is to introduce breathing practices. This is a great way to bring flexibility to any system. A Moslem friend told me that Muhammad loved breathing practices, maybe this is just a rumor but, if true, we should send in Yogi’s instead of solders to help solve this problem of inflexibility. A host of problems come from inflexibility like arrogance, stubbornness, bad backs, intestinal maladies, and a lack of a sense of humor to name a few. I find that breathing consciously makes the intolerable even more intolerable and the body will energetically move to remove the injustice.
~~~~~~~~~~
“In this century we have made remarkable material progress, but basically we are
the same as we were thousands of years ago.
Our spiritual needs are still very great.” ~Dalai Lama~
We already resonate with what is true and when it shows up we
feel intuitively, yes that’s true, I sense it. Conscious breathing promotes our
resonate nature because, it keeps our attention grounded to what is. We know the
body is! We know the body is a miracle of evolutionary magic that can help us
fashion a life of love, community and playfully rugged living as it is. “Give me
the field to till and I will plant the seeds for nourishment” a Sufi saying.
Nourishment is transformative energy fulfilling the inspirations of higher
influences. An energy we can dream about but not phantom, yet, we access this
with each breath we take.
When people come to me to solve problems I observe their body and how they handle the physical. I will introduce breathing and help them feel internal spaces in order to be more comfortable. Then the discomfort they are feeling changes and may even pass. Because we tend to relate to internal discomfort as externally caused, there is no end to the things we can blame. This doesn’t mean a persons problem may not be a bad relationship or undermining forces, but breathing practices can change perspectives to a more physically direct action that can resolve external conflicts.
The problem I find, with many intellectual problem solving ideas is that it tends to exclude the body from helping to solve problems. A shift actually occurred in psychology in the last 40 years as both body work and spirituality became included in problem solving modalities. Seems we are still working on what is natural body? When we consider such a question we need to include 3 forms; Soul being, mental being, and physical being. Now you see the subject just expands for us. By honoring a three forms approach, perhaps we can find what is natural for the body that we are already doing. From there we can examine the many gifts of past and present masters that help us evolve our form, while coming home to our most divine nature or our forth form. The forth form is our everpresent awareness that gets a kick out of being alive, in my humble opinion.
We could say that the mind body and spirit are inseparable, a well accepted notion of the mystic scholars and practitioners of planet earth. The medical establishment, bless their hearts, has a hard time catching up to this 3 in one nature and politically may find it financially uncomfortable. I know there are some who use medical knowledge for progressing our human condition, but a large percentage I believe, become corrupted by the medical industries that haven’t a clue about natural health or just choose to ignore the subject.
In terms of evolution of the human form we have just scratched the surface, with what is natural for the form. A big question I run into a lot is can we exercise with out all the paraphernalia? Can we maintain some degree of fitness without becoming jocks? In fact, what is exercise? If we equate exercise with movement, then the daily actions of being in the body breathing and working with what is going on in the body while we go through the day can provide a lot of exercise. If we go out and dance or move around following the body’s natural impulses, we are doing a fun kind of activity that provides forms of grace and dignity, as animals display, in motion. Problem is; most people have been hood winked out of natural motion and would be hard pressed to follow a natural intuitive pattern. This indicates to me that we do have a lot of ground to cover before we can harness all the potentials of the human form.
In thinking of fitness I would divide people of different ages in to three groups at least, young-midage-wiseage. Each age has different interests and inclinations. The approach to health is different for each age group and what will be considered fruitful for each age group also differs. Wise-age people generally are warm to solving problems directly with out to much dialogue. After all, picking up truths for the body is very direct and doesn’t need a lot of explanation. Once you understand how to use tools for body evolution you can advance on your own and even add insights to this growing field.
~~~~~~~~
February 17, 2006 from OCEAN OF DHARMA QUOTES OF THE WEEK
NEVER TRAPPED IN LIFE
We are never
trapped in life, because there are constant opportunities for
creativity, challenges for improvisation. Ironically, by seeing clearly and
acknowledging our egolessness, we may discover that suffering contains
bliss, impermanence contains continuity or eternity, and egolessness
contains the earth quality of solid being. But this transcendental bliss,
continuity, and beingness is not based on fantasies, ideas, or fears.
From THE MYTH OF
FREEDOM and the Way of Meditation, Shambhala Library
Edition, page 21. by Chogyam Trungpa
Have a good day.
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