Paralysis, Loss of Movement

Paraplegia 

(Paralysis, Loss of Movement) 

Pronounced: Pehr-ah-PLEE-jah

 

Definition 

Paraplegia is the term used to describe the body's loss of movement and/or feeling as a result of damage or trauma to the nervous system. The condition involves complete or partial paralysis of the legs and/or the trunk of the body, but not the arms. The location of the paralysis and the extent of the paralysis depend on the severity and location of the damage to the nervous system.

Paraplegia describes paralysis only on the lower half of the body. In patients who suffer from paralysis of the entire body, including arms, the condition is called quadriplegia.

 

 

Depending on the location and severity of the damage to the nervous system, some types of paraplegia may be reversed, and patients may resume some function. Many types of paraplegia are permanent, though.

 

Paraplegia 

 

 

Causes 

Injury to the nervous system is the most common cause of paraplegia. Common injuries and other causes include:

• Broken neck
• Broken back
• stroke
• Spinal cord injury
• Genetic disorder (hereditary spastic paraplegia)
• Congenital (present at birth)
• Infection
• Autoimmune diseases
• Tumor
• Syrinx

Symptoms 

 

Symptoms will depend on how much of the spinal cord is involved. By definition, paraplegia only occurs in people who have lower spinal cord involvement. Symptoms include:

• Loss of movement or muscle control in the legs, feet, toes, or trunk
• Loss of sensation in the legs, feet, toes, or trunk
• Tingling in the legs, feet, toes, or trunk
• Loss of bowel and bladder control
• Sexual dysfunction

Diagnosis 

Your doctor will ask about your symptoms and medical history, and perform a physical exam.

Most often, neurosurgeons, orthopedists and neurologists are involved in diagnosis after a paralytic injury has occurred.

Tests may include the following:

• CT scan—a type of x-ray that uses a computer to make pictures of structures inside the body, in this case the head or spine
• MRI scan—a test that uses magnetic waves to make pictures of structures inside the body, in this case the head or spine
• Myelography—a type of x-ray that uses an injection of a contrast medium to view the spinal cord
• Blood tests, including complete blood count (CBC)
• Evoked potential nerve tests
• Lumbar puncture to obtain spinal fluid for diagnostic testing

Treatment 

Talk with your doctor about the best treatment plan for you. Treatment options include:

Emergency Medical Treatment 

If an injury has been sustained that causes paraplegia, emergency medical treatment is needed to prevent further damage to the nervous system. Once an evaluation has been performed and the severity of the damage has been determined, a doctor will determine what therapies are needed to prevent additional injury and maximize recovery. Steroids may be used to minimize the swelling of the spinal cord if it has been injured. Surgery may be performed to help stabilize the spine. If a tumor is causing compression of the spinal cord surgery to remove it may be of benefit. Radiation therapy is another possible treatment which may be considered.

Therapy and Rehabilitation 

In most patients, physical therapy and rehabilitation may help restore muscle function. Occupational and speech therapy may also be beneficial.

Prevention 

Although paraplegia is most often caused by injury or accident, the chance of injury resulting in paraplegia may be lessened by paying careful attention to environmental factors. Using safety equipment when playing sports and wearing seatbelts when driving will help reduce the chance that an accident will cause serious injury. Avoidance of risk taking activities, such driving while under the influence or driving when tired, will also reduce the likelihood of accidents that can cause paraplegia.

 

RESOURCES:

Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation

 

IT MAKES YOU STRONGER....... LOOK AHEAD......

It Makes You Stronger

As the years roll by, as the days take their place in time; I stop to look back… look ahead… and look within… a snapshot into my soul.

Looking Back

It's been said that those who do not learn from their past mistakes are condemned to repeat them. Soberly reflecting, I cast my mind back to the many lessons I had to learn not once, not twice, but several times over, because I simply refused to let go. It gets to a point where you stop running, stop crying, stop lying to yourself - you face reality. It's a struggle at times, but my, my! I look back and realize it does get easier, with each passing day.

It takes me a while to close doors because I believe doors open for a reason, but sometimes we are so bent on keeping that door open, that we fail to see when God closes it and opens another. The ghost of the past can be a lurking shadow chasing our sunrises but with God's help - break that hold! Embrace the dawn of a new morning! It's never easy but you reflect, you accept and you learn…and it makes you stronger.

Looking Ahead

In finding myself, I discover my future with all its beauty and promise and hope. We cannot change the past but we can shape the future and that's the beautiful thing about life. The rain will fall, the unexpected will occur but it's your attitude about what card life deals you that makes the difference. Will you see the clouds or the sky? Will you see problems or solutions?

I claim the promises of God in believing that He'll never leave me nor forsake me and trust in the plan He has for my life. I am bound to make mistakes, but I will learn from them; I am bound to go through trials and tribulations but they will make me stronger; I am bound to hurt people dear to me, consciously or unconsciously, but I will ask for forgiveness. The world is my playground and the best is yet to come. Tomorrow is not granted, but my attitude can be and that powerful realization…it makes you stronger.

Looking Within

Life can be cruel in its harsh reality. I've learned and continue to learn some hard facts. Situations and circumstances have revealed my strengths and also my weaknesses. At the height of good fortune, a human can be vulnerable to misdirection and mistakes. In the rough times, I've learned more about myself than at any other time in my life. I must accept my imperfections and overcome them.

Life also reveals the different shades of human nature. When the lightning strikes and the storms come, the rainbow reveals who your true friends really are. Roses have thorns, people change, and most friendships are fleeting. Learn to seek happiness alone, have some me time, love yourself and through that you can truly love others. Forgive, not for the person but for yourself. Let God carry your burdens, sometimes it's just too heavy to carry them all by yourself. Look within and discover your passions, your soul, discover you…it makes you stronger!

 

EASY ....... DIFFICULT.....

EASY ....... DIFFICULT......

Easy is to get a place is someone's address book.
Difficult is to get a place in someone's heart.

Easy is to judge the mistakes of others
Difficult is to recognize our own mistakes

Easy is to talk without thinking
Difficult is to refrain the tongue

Easy is to hurt someone who loves us.
Difficult is to heal the wound...

Easy is to forgive others
Difficult is to ask for forgiveness

Easy is to set rules.
Difficult is to follow them...

Easy is to dream every night.
Difficult is to fight for a dream...

Easy is to show victory.
Difficult is to assume defeat with dignity...

Easy is to admire a full moon.
Difficult to see the other side...

Easy is to stumble with a stone.
Difficult is to get up...

Easy is to enjoy life every day.
Difficult to give its real value...

Easy is to promise something to someone.
Difficult is to fulfill that promise...

Easy is to say we love.
Difficult is to show it every day...

Easy is to criticize others.
Difficult is to improve oneself...

Easy is to make mistakes.
Difficult is to learn from them...

Easy is to weep for a lost love.
Difficult is to take care of it so not to lose it.

Easy is to think about improving.
Difficult is to stop thinking it and put it into action...

Easy is to think bad of others
Difficult is to give them the benefit of the doubt...

Easy is to receive
Difficult is to give

Easy to read this
Difficult to follow

Easy is keep the friendship with words
Difficult is to keep it with meanings.

Warrior of The Light - and renunciation

The Warrior of Light and renunciation

“In any activity, we have to know what to expect, the means to reach our objective, and the capacity we possess for the proposed task.” “The only one who can say that he has renounced the fruits is he who, being thus equipped, feels no desire for the results of the conquest, and remains absorbed in combat.” "You can renounce the fruit, but this renunciation does not mean indifference towards the result.” This strategy belongs to Mahatma Gandhi. The Warrior of Light listens with respect and does not allow himself to be confused by people who are incapable of reaching any result and always preach renunciation.   Renouncing vengeance The Warrior of Light holds the sword in his hands. He is the one who decides what he is going to do, and what he will not do in any circumstances. There are moments when life leads him to a crisis: he is forced to divorce himself from things he has always loved. Then the Warrior reflects. He assesses whether he is fulfilling God’s will or if he is acting through egoism. If separation is really the path he must follow, he accepts it without complaining. However, if this separation is provoked by the perversity of others, then he implacable in his answer. The Warrior possesses the art of the blow and the art of pardon. He knows how to use both with equal skill.   Renouncing provocation The experienced fighter endures insults; he knows the strength of his fist and the efficacy of his blows. In front of the ill-prepared opponent, he merely contemplates and shows his strength through his look. He wins without needing to take the fight to the physical level. As the Warrior of Light learns from his spiritual master, the light of faith also shines in his eyes and he does not need to prove anything to anyone. The aggressive arguments presented by the opponent - saying that God is superstition, that miracles are tricks, that believing in angels is fleeing from reality – are of no importance. Like the fighter, the Warrior of Light is aware of his immense strength, and will never fight with anyone who does not deserve the honor of combat.   Renouncing time The Warrior of Light listens to Lao Tzu when he says that we must detach ourselves from the idea of days and hours and pay more and more attention to the minutes. Only in this way will he manage to resolve certain problems before they happen. By paying attention to the small things, he manages to protect himself from the great calamities. But to think about the small things does not mean to think small. The Warrior knows that a great dream is made of many different things, just as the light of the sun is the sum of its millions of beams.   Renouncing comfort The Warrior of Light contemplates the two columns beside the door he plans to open. One is called Fear, the other Desire. The Warrior looks at the column of Fear, where he reads: "you are about to enter an unknown and dangerous world where all that you have learned up to now will be of no use whatsoever.” The Warrior of Light looks at the column of Desire, where he reads: "you are about to leave a known world where all the things you always wanted and all that you have fought so hard for are kept.” The Warrior smiles, because nothing can frighten him and nothing can hold him. With the confidence of those who know what they want, he opens the door.

 

Living In All Realms: Bear Medicine

When the image of a bear enters our consciousness, we may first notice their size, strength, and power, but beyond their physical attributes lay many traits that can guide us deeper into our experience of life. Their abilities as hunters and powerful protectors of their loved ones are well known, but you may also envision them on a quest for variety as they seek out the flavors and scents of the world, first fishing, then enjoying berries, or braving angry bees to indulge in honey. But their hidden strength lies in the bear’s ability to travel between the physical and spiritual worlds, a talent that is recognized all around the world by those who live in harmony with nature.

One way that bears access their inner world is during hibernation when they find a safe and womblike environment to let their physical bodies rest while their spirit travels. They travel through time, mentally digesting and learning from their experiences, but they also travel beyond the realm of mind and body into the dreamtime, where they are able to create their goals and then be rejuvenated by the source of all life. In this sacred space, they are connected to physical, mental, and spiritual realms all at once and can find the balance that they need to reenter the and continue successfully in the world.

Polar bears don’t enter a deep state of hibernation like other bears, but instead fluidly cross between realms on the physical plane as well the spiritual. Their reflective, translucent fur makes them difficult to see as they move across the frozen ice, blending into terrain covered with snow, making them seem like they are shimmering between dimensions. They move as easily in water as on land, agile and able in both worlds. They can remind us that we are one with our environment, inseparable from it. They teach us that while we can take time apart to connect with spirit, we can also carry that awareness with us as we move through life, making the spiritual indistinguishable from the material. By aligning ourselves with bear energy, we fully embody the best of all worlds.

 

Co-Creating with Nature: Conscious Gardening

Gardens offer us a perfect opportunity to reconnect to our true selves and remember our place in the natural world. Rather than approach our gardens as mere investments of energy, we can look at the entire process of gardening, from planting seeds to harvesting food, as a way of deepening our conscious relationship with the creative force of the universe. If we are willing to shift our intention from dominating, or at least directing nature, to co-creating with nature instead, we may discover a deep peace and renewed sense of wonder.

To co-create we must first begin with a foundation of mutual respect. As you create your garden in partnership with nature, you can respect the earth, water, insects and animals by using organic seeds, soil and fertilizers. You can also communicate with the plants, insects and elements involved in your garden, and create a regular practice of stillness to listen for any messages they may have for you. When it comes time for harvesting fresh vegetables or picking beautiful blooms, you might even ask permission first. If you ask with an open heart, you will always receive an answer.

Imagine what it would be like to surrender certain aspects of your human world to the precision and surety of the natural environment. You might decide, for example, to forego your calendar and plant in rhythm with the cycles of the moon. Or, you might choose to ignore clock time and water your garden when the sun hits a certain position in the sky. By opening your garden experience to more of nature’s input, you can become available to witness a whole universe of miracles, while engendering a greater sense of honor between the two worlds.

When we recognize ourselves as allies, co-creators, with the earth and the natural world, our relationship to our environment begins to change. We no longer feel the need to control the circumstances around us and can relish in the perfection of all that is.

 

The Energy of Collective Consciousness

What is meant by the term "collective consciousness?" It is a collection of thoughts shared by all beings that has as its source the oneness of the universe. Other terms for collective consciousness are "mass consciousness," "collected thought forms," or "universal consciousness"..

Mass consciousness grows from energy-the energy that is accumulated from every thought or word spoken by every person. We all contribute. All thoughts are energy-powerful energy-and energy attracts like energy. Love attracts love; fear attracts fear. Remember that whatever you add energy to multiplies-it does not add, it multiplies. It multiplies because it grows not only from your own energy, but also from the contribution of what other people are thinking. This collection of thoughts creates a "collective consciousness." Every thought contributes to this pool, actually creating an energy form, which is otherwise known as a "thought form." The thought form is real-people who are attuned to and can see energy fields usually describe it as a cloudlike formation, varying in color and sometimes accompanied by a sound or smell..

VISUAL ANALOGY - A visual analogy of the creation of thought forms and their attraction of like forms is found in outer space. Have you ever seen pictures of astronauts in space trying to eat or drink? Because of the lack of gravity, liquids are covered so they do not float out of their containers. Imagine there are two astronauts trying to drink two juices-one grape and the other orange. They knock into one another, spilling their juices into the empty space of the cockpit. Since there is no gravity, the splash of juices separate into individual droplets and float around the cockpit. As the individual droplets float, they begin to merge with other droplets. Eventually a mass of juice floats in the cockpit, a puddle suspended in space. Amazingly, all of the grape juice droplets merge together and all of the orange juice droplets merge together, each attracted to their like and creating two complete puddles of juice. This is a visual representation of the law of attraction,
the process by which energy is attracted to like energy..

POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE - Every thought you think or word you speak is like those individual droplets of juice. All float into space and go somewhere. The word and thought energies connect with similar thoughts and words. This collection of thought and word energy grows and grows as it is fed by more individuals' thoughts and words. This energy manifests and creates a reality of some sort. There are positive and negative realities created in this process. Fear, worry, hatred, greed, and dishonesty all create incredibly negative thought forms, with many people continually feeding them and contributing to their manifestation. We have examples of negative realities all over our planet..

EXAMPLES of ACCUMULATED ENERGIES - Let me share some examples that may coincide with your own experiences and give you a more tangible connection with the concept of collective consciousness. Take a moment to think about some of the cities you have visited. Cities usually have a distinctive feel to them. You may have felt energized, nervous, scared, or enveloped in the history of a particular city you have visited. I remember a client of mine saying, "I do not know what happened to me. I was driving on the highway in Los Angeles and I found myself honking my horn and flipping people off. That is just not like me. I have never acted like that before. It is totally against my principles." What happened? The collective consciousness lingering around that highway affected her. The accumulation of negative energy generated in that area by continual driving irritation, frustration, and rudeness entered her own consciousness, and she responded in a like manner..

Places hold collective consciousness in them. When you walk into buildings, they each have a "feel," especially the old ones. I was nearly brought to my knees when I walked into the Sistine Chapel in Italy. The magnificence of that place was truly overwhelming. I was only 22 years old, with absolutely no wisdom concerning spiritual matters, and had not entered looking for or expecting spiritual energy. Yet when I walked in, my knees started to buckle and I got goose bumps all over my entire body. I was awestruck. Millions of people had walked into that chapel before me and shared their awe, their prayers, and their love of God. The energy of those feelings lingers and grows. I had a very different experience when I visited the concentration camps in Germany. I cried uncontrollably. The terror, sadness, and depth of despair still linger there; it was a horrific experience..

UNDERSTANDING ENERGY - Although these are examples of two extremes in accumulated energies, they describe the phenomenon. All places have an energy to them-even your home or the individual rooms of your home. Become aware of what the energy of places feels like. As you tune in to these feelings and understand them in terms of energy, you enhance your work with energy..

Thought forms can control behavior and influence thinking because, knowingly or unknowingly, individuals tap into a collective consciousness, which actually exists. Even though you may not be able to see it, it is there. Remember, we are made of energy and are affected by the energy around us. Ideas, concepts, experiences, events, issues, cultures, and spiritual doctrines all have prevailing thought forms connected to them, which may represent hundreds of years of accumulated energy..

LAWS OF ENERGY - Thought forms follow the laws of energy. When you look at all-encompassing attitudes such as hatred, you can understand how massive some thought forms are and why they seem so impossible to heal. However, since all thought forms follow the laws of energy, it is entirely possible to change general attitudes and realities based in hatred or fear..

IMPACT - Remember, manifestation comes about from an accumulation of energy. Thus, when you pray for global peace, visualize a healed planet, or speak of brotherly love. The energy of these actions has a powerful impact. Positive ideology and prayer adds positive energy to the collective consciousness, creating the possibility for hopeful change... The more people who add to this consciousness, the greater the likelihood for positive change!

Be the Rainbow

What you resist is given strength by your resistance. What you fear is given form through your fear. What you accept with grace as simply being what it is can become an opening door into new worlds..

You may fear a future event, but what you fear is not truly that event, but rather the consequences you believe will flow from it. The event you fear may in fact happen. But the consequences of the event, which are the true root of your fear, are completely unknown and completely malleable..

And even the most feared consequences, if they were actually to come, would not be what you think. It is only resistance and judgment that make something unbearable. Within every moment, no matter what the circumstances, there is grace, there is beauty and wonder, and there is love. And within the deepest presence of each moment, there is always peace..

Open, open. Drop the walls of resistance and fear. Drop the blinders that are keeping you from seeing what is all around you, right now. Turn your head. Look up. Look down. See the world through clear eyes. Feel the love that flows in, around and within you. Feel the help and love that surround you like a warm blanket. Go deep within and listen to the river of love and peace that always flows through the center of your heart and through all that is, right now..

Open, open and connect with what is. And in the next moment, connect with what is then. And on and on through the moments of your life. Be deeply present. Inhabit this place of power, the only place where action is possible, the only place where anything is possible, this moment, right now..

Feel the energy in your body; feel its tingling aliveness. Feel the clarity of your mind in this moment. See the doors and windows flying open and feel the wind blowing through, clearing away the fear, the judgment, the doubt..

And now, look down at your feet. See that you are standing on fertile ground and little shoots of grass are pushing up through the soil all around you. Millions and millions of possibilities, growing and pushing toward the sun of faith, watered by the gentle rain of love. And now lift your face to that sun and see the rainbow that forms in the gentle shower of love that is always there. You are that rainbow. You are that mixture of sun and rain that makes up life. You are the beauty that forms when everything is shining with what it actually is, when you allow yourself simply to be..

Stand now within that sun, that rain. Be the rainbow of peace and beauty, joy and love and declare yourself to the world, right now, in this moment, exactly as you are, exactly as all is... I am!

THE TRUTH ABOUT FAILURE

Failure doesn't mean you are a failure...
it does mean you haven't succeeded yet

Failure doesn't mean you have accomplished nothing...
it does mean you have learned something

Failure doesn't mean you have been a fool...
it does mean you had a lot of faith

Failure doesn't mean you have been disgraced...
it does mean you were willing to try

Failure doesn't mean you don't have it...
it does mean you have to do something in a different way

Failure doesn't mean you are inferior...
it does mean you are not perfect

Failure doesn't mean you've wasted your life...
it does mean you've got a reason to start afresh

Failure doesn't mean you should give up...
it does mean you should try harder

Failure doesn't mean you'll never make it...
it does mean it will take a little longer.

 

When God Made Fathers

When the good Lord was creating Fathers, he started with a tall frame.

A female angel nearby said, "What kind of a Father is that? If you're going to make children so close to the ground, why have you put the Father up so high? He won't be able to shoot marbles without kneeling, tuck a child in bed without bending, or even kiss a child without stooping"

God smiled and said, "Yes, but if I make him child size, who would children have to look up to?"

And when God made a Father's hands, they were large. The angel shook her head and said,"Large hands can't manage diaper pins, small buttons, rubber bands on pony tails, or even remove splinters caused from baseball bats."

Again God smiled and said, "I know, but they're large enough to hold everything a small boy empties from his pockets, yet small enough to cup a child's face in them."

Then God molded long slim legs and broad shoulders, "Do you realize you just made a Father without a lap?" The angel chuckled.

God said, "A Mother needs a lap. A Father needs strong shoulders to pull a sled, to balance a boy on a bicycle, or to hold a sleepy head on the way home from the circus."

When God was in the middle of creating the biggest feet any one had ever seen, the angel could not contain herself any longer. "That's not fair. Do you honestly think those feet are going to get out of bed early in the morning when the baby cries, or walk through a birthday party without crushing one or two of the guests?"

God again smiled and said, "They will work. You will see. They will support a small child who wants to ride to Branbury Cross or scare mice away from a summer cabin, or display shoes that will be a challenge to fill." God worked throughout the night, giving the Father few words, but a firm authoritative voice; eyes that see everything, but remain calm and tolerant.

Finally, almost as an after thought, He added tears. Then he turned to the angel and said, "Now are you satisfied he can love as much as a Mother can?"

The angel said nothing more.

 

A Beautiful Morning Prayer

Life is too short to wake up with regrets. So love the people who treat you right. Forget about the ones who don't. Believe everything happens for a reason. If you get a second chance, grab it with both hands.   If it changes your life, let it.   Nobody said life would be easy, they just promised it would be worth it.  

Relax your mind and humble your heart to focus on Christ. Allow God to be the only person on your mind while you read this prayer. If we can take the time to read long jokes , st ori es, etc., we should give the same respect to this prayer. Friends, who pray together, stay together.
If you pray this prayer, change the number in the subject box before forwarding the message so people can SEE how many people have done so.

Dear Lord, I thank you for this day. I thank You for my being able to see and to hear this morning. I'm blessed because You are a forgiving God and an understanding God. You have done so much for me and You keep on blessing me. Forgive me this day for everything I have done, said or thought that was not pleasing to you. I ask now for Your forgiveness.

Please keep me safe from all danger and harm. Help me to start this day with a new attitude and plenty of gratitude. Let me make the best of each and every day to clear my mind so tha t I can hear from You.

Please broaden my mind that I can accept all things.

Let me not whine and whimper over things I have no control over. Let me continue to see sin through God's eyes and acknowledge it as evil. And when I sin, let me repent, and confess with my mouth my wrongdoing, and receive the forgiveness of God.

And when this world closes in on me, let me remember Jesus' example -- to slip away and find a quiet place to pray. It's the best response when I'm pushed beyond my limits. I know that when I can't pray, You listen to my heart. Continue to use me to do Your will.

Continue to bless me that I may be a blessing to others. Keep me strong that I may help the weak. Keep me uplifted that I may have words of encouragement for others. I pray for those who are lost and can't find their way. I pray for those who are misjudged and misunderstood. I pray for those who don't know You intimately. I pray for those who will delete this without sharing it w ith others. I pray for those who don't believe. But I thank you that I believe.

I believe that God changes people and God changes things. I pray for all my sisters and brothers. For each and every family member in their households. I pray for peace, love and joy in their homes that they are out of debt and all their needs are met.

I pray that every eye that reads this knows there is no problem, circumstance, or situation greater than God. Every battle is in Your hands for You to fight. I pray that these words be received into the hearts of every eye that sees them and every mouth that confesses them willingly..

This is my prayer.
In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Pass this message
Don't ignore and God will bless you. Know that you are already blessed by the person who sent this to you    

 

Be A Lake !!

The old Master instructed the unhappy young man to put a handful of salt in a glass of water and then to drink it.

"How does it taste?" the Master asked.


"Awful," spat the apprentice.


The Master chuckled and then asked the young man to take another handful of salt and put it in the lake.



The two walked in silence to the nearby lake and when the apprentice swirled his handful of salt into the lake,


the old man said, "Now drink from the lake."



As the water dripped down the young man's chin, the Master asked, "How does it taste?"


"Good!" remarked the apprentice. "Do you taste the salt?" asked the Master. "No," said the young man.


The Master sat beside this troubled young man, took his hands, and said,


"The pain of life is pure salt; no more, no less.


The amount of pain in life remains the same, exactly the same. But the amount we taste the 'pain' depends on the container we put it into.



So when you are in pain, the only thing you can do is to enlarge your sense of things .....


Stop being a glass. Become a lake!"

Living In All Realms: Bear Medicine

When the image of a bear enters our consciousness, we may first notice their size, strength, and power, but beyond their physical attributes lay many traits that can guide us deeper into our experience of life. Their abilities as hunters and powerful protectors of their loved ones are well known, but you may also envision them on a quest for variety as they seek out the flavors and scents of the world, first fishing, then enjoying berries, or braving angry bees to indulge in honey. But their hidden strength lies in the bear’s ability to travel between the physical and spiritual worlds, a talent that is recognized all around the world by those who live in harmony with nature.

One way that bears access their inner world is during hibernation when they find a safe and womblike environment to let their physical bodies rest while their spirit travels. They travel through time, mentally digesting and learning from their experiences, but they also travel beyond the realm of mind and body into the dreamtime, where they are able to create their goals and then be rejuvenated by the source of all life. In this sacred space, they are connected to physical, mental, and spiritual realms all at once and can find the balance that they need to reenter the and continue successfully in the world.

Polar bears don’t enter a deep state of hibernation like other bears, but instead fluidly cross between realms on the physical plane as well the spiritual. Their reflective, translucent fur makes them difficult to see as they move across the frozen ice, blending into terrain covered with snow, making them seem like they are shimmering between dimensions. They move as easily in water as on land, agile and able in both worlds. They can remind us that we are one with our environment, inseparable from it. They teach us that while we can take time apart to connect with spirit, we can also carry that awareness with us as we move through life, making the spiritual indistinguishable from the material. By aligning ourselves with bear energy, we fully embody the best of all worlds.

 

Bill Gates' 11 Rules of Life...

Gates' Rules     Bill Gates recently gave a speech at a High School about 11 things they did not and will not learn in school . He talks about how feel-good, politically correct teachings created a generation of kids with no concept of reality and how this concept set them up for failure in the real world.   Rule 1 : Life is not fair - get used to it! Rule 2 : The world won't care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.

Rule 3

: You will NOT make $60,000 a year right out of high school. You won't be a vice-president with a car phone until you earn both.

Rule 4

: If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss.

Rule 5

: Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your Grandparents had a different word for burger flipping: they called it opportunity.

Rule 6

: If you mess up, it's not your parents' fault, so don't whine about your mistakes, learn from them.

Rule 7

: Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk about how cool you thought you were. So before you save the rain forest from the parasites of your parent's generation, try delousing the closet in your own room.

Rule 8

: Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life HAS NOT. In some schools, they have abolished failing grades and they'll give you as MANY TIMES as you want to get the right answer. This doesn't bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.

Rule 9

: Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you FIND YOURSELF. Do that on your own time.

Rule 10

: Television is NOT real life. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.

Rule 11

: Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one.

 

Who's Driving Your Bus ?

Who's Driving Your Bus ?

If we think about our own lives as being a journey on a bus, surrounded by a great variety of people, all with particular positions on our bus that relate to where they fit into our lives. Some are right there next to us; some behind us; some in front of us... but all are important in playing some role in how we are "positioned" in their lives, and they in ours.

As I write this I am reminded of the movie " Speed " with Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves - where they were all on a bus being controlled by a maniac demanding a ransom. The truth is that all too often our lives can be like that; out of control, with someone else doing the driving. A fearful situation ? Of course it is !

The brutal truth is that so many people are living-out that nightmare bus-ride right now! Out of control - and don't know what they can do about it.

OK, now you've got the scene in your mind. In order to get some perspective on our own lives, we need to move to the back seat of the bus for a while, and become the observer of what is really going on.

We need to observe who the most significant people are, and how they are positioned in our lives.

Are they standing over us because they feel superior ? Are they moving forward in their own lives and leaving us behind ? Are they falling behind us because we've chosen to move forward ?

So now we are faced with an important question, " Who's driving your bus" ?

Is it someone from your past who has dominated you and what you do, even though they may not still be present in your life now ? Are they taking you where you want to go ? Do you feel like you would like to the bus to stop and let you off ? Now here comes the challenge...

From this rear seat of observation, we need to start to move closer to the driver's seat. It doesn't matter how long this takes, and it doesn't matter how much we are challenged by the people who may be trying to block our progress forward. We have to do this for ourselves... starting right now!

Our goal is to be in the driver's seat of our own lives !

It is inevitable that we are going to be challenged, and that's when we need courage !

Yes - we will all take different lengths of time to move forward... that's when we need persistence, and patience with ourselves !

Most certainly we will feel daunted at times by this process... that's when we need to have determination

We are going to have to ask people to vacate their seats (which can possibly be their dominant positions in our lives) so that we can move forward towards that front seat we wish to occupy. We are going to have to sit in the middle of the bus at times while we learn to muster more courage and determination to move forward again. This is all part of the process, so stick with it because this is all for YOU !

During this process of moving forward we must remain conscious of where the bus is now, and think about where we really want to take it once we're up front, and in control.

One very important point! At no stage in this process do we tread on someone if they get in our way (as we move forward), simply step around them and move on.

OK - you've made it ! You have asked the driver to step aside and let you have your turn, and now you're in the seat. It's all up to you now!

If you're not too sure of what to do and how to do it, just stop and park for a while. It doesn't matter what you do and how long it takes, because this is your game now - so play it your way !

Get crystal clear on where you choose to take your bus now, and very clear on who you wish to accompany you on this new journey. The rest is a process of trusting your own judgement and decisions.

Good luck... and always remember - " What other people do or say is their stuff ; how we react is our stuff."

 

Personal Satisfaction: Doing Our Best

We often come into contact with the idea that our best isn’t good enough, as if this were actually possible. If you examine this notion, you will begin to see that it doesn’t make much sense. Your best is always good enough, because it comes from you, and you are always good enough. You may not be able to deliver someone else’s idea of the best, but the good news is that’s not your burden. You only need to fulfill your own potential, and as long as you remain true to that calling, and always do your best to fulfill your purpose, you don’t need to expect anything more from yourself.

It’s easy to get tangled up with the idea of trying to be the best—the best parent, the best employee, the best child, or best friend. If we try to be the best, we run the risk of short-circuiting our originality because we are striving to fit into someone else’s vision of success. In addition, if everyone is striving for the same outcome, we lose out on creativity, diversity, and visionary alternatives to the way things are done. On another note, there is nothing wrong with wanting to improve, but examining where this feeling comes from is important because wanting to be better than others is our ego coming into play.

Letting go of the tendency to hold ourselves up to other people’s standards, and letting go of the belief that we need to compete and win, doesn’t mean we don’t believe in doing the best job we can. We always strive to do our best, because when we do we create a life free of regret, knowing we have performed to the best of our ability. This allows us to feel great personal satisfaction in all of our efforts, regardless of how others perceive the outcome.

Pearls of Wisdom

Pearls of Wisdom

Don't love the Heart that hurts you and don't hurt the Heart that loves you.

Don't cry over anyone who won't cry over you.

Good friends are hard to find, harder to leave, and impossible to forget.

Most people walk in and out of your life, but only friend's leave footprints in your heart.

True friendship "never" ends. Friends are forever.

People are lonely because they build walls instead of bridges.

If we are incapable of finding peace in ourselves, it is pointless to search elsewhere.

The bond that links your true family is not one of blood, but of respect and joy in each other's life. Rarely do members of one

 

family grow up under the same roof.

A change of heart changes everything.

Our greatest glory is not in ever falling, but in rising every time we fall.

You only live once - but if you work it right, once is enough.

One generation plants trees, and the next enjoys the shade.

It is difficult to live in the present, ridiculous to live in the future, and impossible to live in the past. Nothing is as far away as one

 

minute ago.

That crazy little thing called Love

That crazy little thing called love

 

 

 

Every popular song is about it, half our books and films obsess over it, everybody wants it. But when we come to ask what love is, we are overwhelmed by a myriad different ideas and experiences. On the one hand, love can lift us up; on the other, it can destroy us. The problem is further compounded because we generally also feel tremendous love for our mothers, our children, our friends - even chocolate. Or maybe especially chocolate. How can one little word cover so many different nuances of feeling? More importantly, if love means different things to different people, how can we ever effectively communicate it?

Scientists have been trying to define love according to their frame of reference for a very long time. The pioneering sexologist Havelock Ellis provided a famous but entirely incorrect mathematical formula: love equals a physical relationship plus friendship. Freud dismissed romantic love as the sex urge, blocked. Social biologists have scanned our brains and identified three chemicals— dopamine, phenyl ethylamine and oxytocin — which they claim attract us exclusively to our mates for long enough, in their opinion, to conceive and give the offspring a secure start.

All of this is mildly diverting, but of no use when someone looks into your eyes and tells you that they love you.

Dictionaries are not much help either. They list almost two dozen definitions — including affection, fondness, caring, liking, concern, attraction, desire and infatuation. We all instinctively agree there is a huge difference between liking and complete infatuation. What we need is a new lexicon, something to help us negotiate and understand all the different types of love.

Psychologist Dorothy Tennov has already taken the first step towards this goal. She interviewed 500 people from different backgrounds and age groups, both gay and straight, about falling in love, and found a startling similarity in how each respondent described their feelings.

The basic components were: intrusive thinking (you can’t stop daydreaming about them); an aching in the heart; an acute sensitivity to any act or thought which can be interpreted favourably; fear of rejection and unsettling shyness in their presence; intensification through adversity (at least up to a point) and a disregard for all other concerns.

Tennov also discovered ‘a remarkable ability to emphasize what is truly admirable and avoid dwelling on the negative’. Love is, in other words, blind, deaf and completely oblivious to foolishness.

To distinguish between these overwhelming emotions and the more stable, domestic feelings experienced by long-term couples who are only too aware of their partner’s failings, Tennov coined a new term: limerence.

The obsessive, intrusive nature of limerence would be immediately recognizable to Martin: ‘I met her at a salsa class, the attraction was instant and we ended up exchanging telephone numbers, even though I knew she was married.

‘It was impossible to get down to work until we’d had our morning talk. I’d ache if she didn’t call.’ Twelve months later, when the affair had ended, Martin realized that they had little in common. He put the attraction down to ‘lust’, yet the affair had been mostly non-intimate.

Tennov confirms: ‘Sexual attraction is not enough. Selection standards for limerence are, according to my informants, not identical to those according to which mere sexual partners are evaluated, and intimacy is seldom the main focus for limerence. However, the potential for mating is felt to be there, or the state described is not limerence.’

When someone is under the spell of limerence, not even being rejected dampens down the madness. If limerence is returned, the feelings intensify and the couple end up ignoring their friends. Sadly, these intense feelings never last.

Tennov puts the duration somewhere between six months and two years. This is a very similar figure to that proposed by social biologist Cindy Hayman of Cornell University, who tracked the brain chemicals of 5,000 subjects in 37 different cultures, and found this phase lasted between 18 months and three years.

It is important to have a new word for these intense feelings, for two reasons. First, it recognizes the normality of borderline crazy behaviour in the first stages of love, which could easily be stigmatized as stalking, or pathologized as too much in self-help books such as Women Who Love Too Much, by Robin Norwood. Secondly, when limerence wears off, some people fear they are falling out of love.

In reality, love has just moved on to a new phase, and many people use limerence as a springboard for a long-term relationship. Arguably, we need this temporary madness, to convince us to set up home and intertwine our destinies with relative strangers.

While scientists have not researched precisely what it is that makes us choose one person over another, they have looked at what makes a good long-term partnership. At this stage we pick people who are like us, or who complement us in some hidden way.

Often, we search for other people with whom we can act out the issues we were unable to resolve as children. Our partners have to speak the same language, or there is simply no connection. I call this kind of deep, intertwined love ‘loving attachment’. Unlike limerence it is based on rational ‘eyes open’ choices about compatibility. Unlike limerence, loving attachment dies if it is not reciprocated, especially physically. Unlike limerence, loving attachment can last forever.

To truly understand loving attachment, it is necessary to clarify the difference between the love for our partner and that for our children and our parents. Popular romance feeds us the idea of unconditional love, and during the limerence something approaching this is often achieved. However, once a couple has moved on to loving attachment, unconditional love becomes a distant memory.

Most couples end up in my office because one half feels that their love is not returned, and because of that, over time, they have detached themselves from the relationship. In contrast, the love for our children or parents is seldom conditional. I call this bond loving affection, because affection exists largely independently of how the recipient responds.

The confusion between loving attachment and loving affection can cause just as much misery as the confusion over limerence. Love is a source of tremendous joy and comfort. However, it will also be the source of untold pain, until we begin to differentiate between the three strands contained in just one four-letter word. Maybe this new lexicon can help us understand each other better. — 

 

Learning to let go !!!!!!

Learning to let go

 

Life is filled with stress. Any disappointment or family dispute may generate stress or a mild degree of anxiety that results in muscle tension, body aches, insomnia and poor concentration. Routinely everyone has to endure worries and stress.

Changes in one’s life are mostly not threatening and they don’t affect the quality of life. Once stress starts it persists as the person is unable to get rid of it completely. Things can easily go wrong when people are under stress. Thus learning to relax will help them to deal with stress more confidently.

Mild degrees of stress may emerge in various situations of our daily life that may include a job interview, performing on stage or a critical test. These are only a few examples of the challenging situations when most people feel a little anxious which is considered normal if it does not result in any harm.

Stress generally responds well to both pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment. The majority of people who receive treatment experience significant relief from their symptoms. But many people with stress disorders do not seek treatment because they do not recognize their symptoms as a sign of illness or they fear the reactions of co-workers, family members, or friends. Only a few people who are upset by stress learn to manage it through self-help while the majority of sufferers remain upset with the painful emotions.

People under stress are advised to relax. Most of them ask how they should relax. Relaxation is a state of doing absolutely nothing and being at ease and peace. Relaxation exercises are very simple and do not need expensive equipment or a special place. They may take time so people should not feel disheartened if they do not notice favourable changes.

When a person is relaxing, physical, mental and emotional changes take place. Physically body muscles let go of tension, breathing becomes more regular, blood pressure drops, and the heart beats more slowly. Other organs slow down their activity so a person feels at ease.

Mental relaxation results in the return of the ability to concentrate, decision making becomes easier and thinking becomes clearer. Emotionally one feels quieter, calmer and more confident, and able to take life as it comes without overreacting. After relaxation many people find that they can get things back into perspective and the difficulties which they had perceived as huge appear much smaller.

Simple relaxation

There is one rule in relaxation and that is to find the appropriate time and place. Find only a few minutes, preferably two or three times a day, when you can sit down in a comfortable chair where no one will disturb you. Settle your body into the chair, rest your head on the back of the chair, and put your arms and hands where they are comfortable. Place your feet, a little apart, on the floor.

Now tell your muscles to relax. Either start from the head and go downwards to the toes or upwards from the toes to the head. Concentrate on those areas of the body where you feel tension. Say loudly: “Relax, I am in control.” It is important to spend no longer than a few minutes to do this exercise, and when it is complete sit quietly for few moments and enjoy being still and at ease. Then you can get up and carry on with your routine work.

It is best if you choose particular times for this exercise. Do not worry if you do not achieve much at first, relaxation has to be learned slowly, only a small step at a time. Be gentle to yourself and never put extra burden on yourself that might result in stress. After this try to relax for a few minutes daily at various times, for instance, while having tea in the evening, or as you sit in the car, or are at the library or before going to bed.

Breathing exercise

Breathing is something that you tend to take very much for granted. From time to time concentrate on your breathing. Just feel it as air enters and leaves your body. Notice the gentle rhythm that comes easily and effortlessly with the action. Now try to slow your breath by taking three or four slow breaths in and out through your nose (or take the breath in from your nose and out from your mouth). Try to breathe in for the same amount of time as you breathe out. As you breathe out let go of the tension, particularly in your jaw, neck, shoulders and abdomen. This is calming and can be combined with walking.

Another exercise that you can do is to breathe in and out and then hold your breath for as long as you can. Notice the space between that breath and the next. Let no strain enter the body, just breathe in again when you feel the need. This will help you control and slow down your breathing for a couple of minutes, and this will also keep all your worries away from you.

Now close your eyes and spend a minute or two noticing your breath entering your body and then leaving it. As you breathe out tell yourself to let go. Do this a number of times, saying to yourself: “Relax, let go”, each time you breathe out. In the same way that you notice your breathing, also begin to notice your feelings and thoughts, but try not to become involved with them.

If you find your attention wandering to some other thing then firmly bring your concentration back to the exercise. Check that your body has not tightened up because of these intrusive thoughts. Never try to judge how well you are relaxing, just enjoy it. No effort is required from your side. If you let go, all your stresses, worries, anxieties and tension will leave your body and mind.

The beauty of the breathing exercise is that you can perform it anywhere, at any time and in any posture. Slowly and gradually as you get better in breathing exercises you will be able to extend them and start using your abdominal muscles to help you control your breathing. Practice this exercise when you feel relaxed and stress free, so that when you feel stressed, with the help of this exercise you will be able to restore peace and calmness almost automatically with minimal effort in only a few moments.

Deep muscle therapy

If you want to learn to relax more deeply then you will need some more time. You should try to practice these exercises twice or thrice a week, but even practising just once a week will also be beneficial. Ideally, you should spend at least 15 minutes with the aim to reach a point when your body feels as though it is hardly a part of you and your mind feels relaxed.

First make sure you are comfortable and that you are not going to be disturbed. The place chosen should be peaceful. Lie down or sit in a relaxing way. If you find background music helpful, play music at a low volume. Relax the muscles in each part of your body working from the head to your toes, or from your toes to your head, paying particular attention to the tense areas.

If you have been practising the simple relaxation exercise you will be able to do this quite naturally. If you feel any muscle to be extra tense then gently stretch them and let them move back into a comfortable position. This will help you to relax even more deeply. With continued practice you will be able to bring on a state of deep muscle relaxation at will.

It should be kept in mind that relaxation is an exercise that needs to be practiced regularly. No one is able to become an expert in relaxation overnight. If you can learn to use only the muscles and energy that is necessary to sit, or to walk, or in any other activity, the rest of your body can relax so that you can preserve more energy.

Breaking the circle

Now be relaxed and think carefully. Do you still find yourself sometimes going round in circles despite all your efforts to calm down and stay cheerful? If you feel everything requires much more effort to cope with. Maybe you are worrying about something or someone that uses up a lot of your energy that results in tiredness, disturbed sleep and decreased appetite.

If you can recognize that this is happening to you then you have made the first important step towards preventing this circle. Now all you need to do is to break the circle and replace it with a good relaxing one. Try the following:

1) First relax your body musculature, start from your shoulders and jaw.

2) Next take a few slow, even, quiet but deep breaths.

3) Feel that you are taking control of the situation, speak loudly, “I am going to control this situation easily and as quickly as possible.”

4) At this moment start feeling yourself become calm, this will result in your increased ability to cope with matters that make you tense.

5) After regaining confidence, you will find that you can do everything to make you more relaxed.

Imagination

For more deep relaxation you can use your powers of imagination that are a wonderful tool to help you to create feelings of well being. You are probably already pretty good at imagining the worst that can happen, now use the same ability positively to imagine the best possible scenario.

Start by imagining yourself in the most beautiful place where you feel completely calm and totally at ease, this may be your favourite spot, park, garden, zoo, restaurant or somewhere you have visited on your honeymoon or on your holiday.

Try to make the scene as complete as possible, so pay full attention to all the details of colours, shapes, sounds, smells and tastes. Maybe you are sitting near by some water, imagine dipping your hand in it and feeling how cool, hot or fresh it is. Maybe you are on a beach, and you can hear the waves and feel them gently lapping over your feet, and feel the sand between your toes. Maybe you are in a garden, and the smell and sight of flowers is overwhelming.

Work on imagination several times so that it becomes clearer and you become more familiar. Add more details as you get better at using your imagination. Learn to link the images with feelings of calm, comfort, happiness, strength, security, harmony and well being.

Gradually without any effort on your part, your body and mind will relax, and you will feel peace in yourself and with the surrounding environment. With practice the images will come more easily and quickly so that eventually you will be able to transport yourself to this wonderful place instantly and feel yourself relaxing immediately. You will then be able to recreate the feelings that you have in this special place at other times during your daily routine. When you find yourself becoming unnecessarily tense, worried, angry or frustrated you will be able to bring your special place to your thinking and the unhappy feelings will fade away. It really does work. So it is time to start your journey, and let go.