Adaptation to the difficulties of life…sickness

I overheard two people talking in the cave next to me.  As I put my ear up to the wall, what follows is what I heard.

“Perhaps this would do better as a twitter post, but I wished to express this in more permanence.  It is actively taught in various schools of religion, most noticeably in Buddhism, but some lessons are only valued when encountered on a personal level.  In becoming sick, many times people will put off happiness and the things that might include in favor of the “search” for health.

“I will be happy and content once I recapture my health”.  Perhaps we never recapture our health.  Sometimes you need to feel the search is over, it is as it is, and not as it was.  That does not mean you do not pursue your health anymore, but that you approach life as you are and not as you were, and see it as a transition, a change, a flux.  Be happy for change, life IS change, the ability we have to grow in attachment to things means we can be happy IN change.We see life as a stream, we the water, rocks in our paths, life’s tribulations.  Be the water, and flow around.  Life changes, so must we.

In that, I feel you gain a gentle acceptance and appreciation for the present, for what IS.  Yes, perhaps recapturing your health will make you happy again or happier, but one of the most valuable things to learn about illness, I feel, is the ability to seperate “you” and “illness”.  You are not your illness.  Your happiness is not fully dependent on it and you can be happy without recapturing your health fully.  It’s not easy, but I do believe it can be done.  It can be cultivated, I feel.

How to begin?  It is said God created the earth with words, before words come thoughts.  Stop putting out negativity on your illness, on your life.

To detail that, stop labeling your life, events, and illness as negative things.  Consciously change your vocabulary and a viewpoint will begin to emerge.  I’m not GOD, but maybe I’m god, and maybe you are too.  He created the universe with the “Word” in the beginning (referring to the book of John), maybe today is your beginning and you begin to create your’s too (universe).

I love you. Yes……you(listener)”

Gosh, I just hate having neighbors getting all mushy and such at 1:00 Am.

Po Chu a Great Ancient Chinese Poet

As I walked through the woods in Zing Zhou province in China some guy was yelling this poem to echo off the mountains.

“Night on the West River

ANY_CHARACTER_HERE

No moon

To light my way upon the stair,

Cold comfort

In the wine I drink alone.

ANY_CHARACTER_HERE

Black clouds,

Rain,

The hurried flight of birds,

Water flowing grayly

In the dusk.

ANY_CHARACTER_HERE

A rising storm,

Boats tugging at their mooring ropes.

Or sails full-spread

To take advantage of the wind.

ANY_CHARACTER_HERE

A moving point of fire

In the dark,

The distant lantern

Of a passing boat.

ANY_CHARACTER_HERE

Translated by Henry Hart

To read more of this great poet go here.

Several of the ancient Chinese poets had amazing use of imagery.”

Sheesh, poetry who needs it, especially chinese.  Heaven forbid somebody might like what you are saying when you speak if all you speak is poetry.