Absolving Your History

A Course in Tranquility – Lesson 6 of 14 – Absolving Your History

“Forget the past. The vanished lives of all men are dark with many shames. Human conduct is ever unreliable until anchored in the Divine. Everything in future will improve if you are making a spiritual effort now.”

-Swami Sri Yukteswar

The universe is vast, both in time and in space. We cannot know with one hundred percent certainty whether the judgments we pronounce on our own and others actions are correct, because we cannot see all the results of an action as it stretches through time. You may have noticed that sometimes, terrible events turn out to lead to a very positive result, while sometimes events that we deem as good and wholesome lead to ruin. Our ideal is to live the best we can in the present, and let the infinite divine consciousness take care of the rest.

There is an intelligence that permeates all, that is beyond the mind, that is beyond our imagined (although useful) moral codes. We cannot know it with the mind. We can only experience it directly. Tuned into and responsive to this intelligence, there is no need for thought. We function at a level of subtler development. In this way, there are no mistakes, only the working of the divine consciousness. Releasing attachment to the past, clears the mental radio, so we can more easily tune our dial to the divine consciousness.

When we consider this from a ‘human’ level, it seems preposterous. That is only because, when we are identified with a human point of view, we experience limitation. That is the nature of human consciousness, to work from a limited view point, through a finite personality. Anyone caught in the trap of intellectualism or philosophy will have great difficulty processing the concept that there is a power and intelligence beyond the mind.

The solution is not to throw out philosophy or intellectualism or reason or the ability to use common sense. All of these have their place just as a fork is used to eat salad and a spoon for eating soup. The main solution is to accept the usefulness and limitations of our minds and then learn to step out of the mind. Done properly, this brings us into direct experience of the creative intelligence that successfully animates all life while simultaneously spinning the cosmos, all at once. (Which, you know, is quite a feat if you’ve ever tried it!) We are then free of our history and free to live spontaneously in the divine consciousness.

What is the Use of Remembering Our History

Our past experiences and our history are very useful when properly digested. Having memories of the past enables us to function in this time-space continuum as an individual. It allows us to play a role, and to accomplish our purposes. We remember where we have been, what we have done, who we have met. From this we are able to learn what promotes our worth while purposes, and what hinders our purposes. We can then choose the proper path in life, knowing what to avoid and what to seek out.

If our ‘mental’ digestion is off, then we become confused. Memories of past actions, thoughts, and feelings become a jumble. We then feel we have to keep thinking about these confusing bits of information until we can make sense of them. All the while, we are still moving through time and space and accumulating even more thoughts, memories, feelings, etc. The mental indigestion just keeps getting worse, because we never stop the incoming flow of impressions!

This is a difficult state of affairs, because everything we experience is based on how the divine light of consciousness projects through the film reel of the mind. The more chaotic, bloated, and uncomfortable the mind becomes, so too does our life experience. When the mind can no longer manage, it breaks down. Mental distress becomes pronounced, and more difficulties arise in the life situation.

There are a number of ways to remedy this. One is daily internalized meditation. By giving attention to the breath or a mantra for 20 minutes a day, while ignoring all else, the mind has a chance to digest and clear out old data. The second most helpful way of dealing with mental indigestion is to have an intentional conscious review of your most immediate past once a day, or at least two-three times a week. The third technique, which can be done at all times is being fully in the present with out judgment.

How Meditation Clears Up Mental Indigestion

You may have noticed by now that when you sit to meditate, often you do not sit down, and then instantly you are in a quiet space. You may find that the song you heard two hours ago, or the email your mother sent last night, or the big project you have at work, or the current credit card balance are all on your mind. You may even find that you are still having flashes of incidents that occurred twenty years ago, or are still thinking the same repetitious negative self-talk you had going through your head since you were ten years old.

What you are experiencing is the vast reservoir of the past that you have been storing in your attic all this time. When you sit to meditate, essentially, you are pulling down the steps that lead up the attic and are becoming aware of just how much junk you’ve been stowing away. As you meditate, you remove bits and pieces of this junk, one day at a time.

Some people store more than others, and so it takes different amounts of time for everyone to clean out their inner space. The thing you need to know, is that it’s never going to get cleaned up until you start taking the time to do it. Your time is 20 minutes a day of meditation, and if you can sit comfortably for longer, sit for longer.

As they say in the Yoga Sutras, “Spiritual progress is in accord with one’s level of intensity, and this can be mild, medium, or very intensive.” By intensity I am not encouraging you to be a fanatic, and thinking you have to meditate all the time. I am encouraging you to practice all three of the techniques listed in this lesson regularly, so you can move from cleaning up your mess, to being a clear vessel for the divine consciousness to flow through you.

Once you can leave your past behind, you can focus on what you can do in the present. This is what it means to be anchored in the divine. The divine is not in the past, it is only now.

The Intentional Conscious Thought Review

When we try to meditate or even when we are going to bed at night, the flurry of thoughts can be very annoying and persistent. The thoughts can prevent you from getting a good night’s sleep. They can prevent you from having a deep and powerful meditation.

This occurs because there is a part of you that thinks these thoughts are very important, and that you really should be thinking about them rather than wasting your time sleeping or trying to experience the divine presence within through meditation. If you have this problem, the best thing you can do is take some time to intentionally think about everything that’s on your mind, rather than letting the thoughts think you!

What does this look like? When you are going to bed, and you notice the flurry of thoughts, acknowledge that they are there. Then lay in bed and stare at the ceiling or close your eyes, and rather than letting the thoughts run wild, use your will power to actively think about what you’ve got running through your mind.

Here is an example to help show what I mean:

Chuck is lying in bed trying to sleep. Here are the thoughts that are running wild through his head…

“I hope Audrey doesn’t find that credit card bill…When was the last time I changed the oil in the car…I can’t believe Sally got fired…Maybe we can have crab legs tomorrow…I have to remember to cut the grass…That investment is doing really well…What’s that noise…We can go camping this weekend…That chicken didn’t sit well with me…It’s been five years, and I still haven’t heard from my uncle Bill…When I get back to the office I’m not going to take crap from anyone anymore…”

This is an example of passive thinking.  In this situation, the thoughts are thinking Chuck, and so Chuck suffers at their hands.

An alternative situation would be if, while lying in bed, Chuck became aware of all of this mental indigestion, and then decided he wanted to get a really good nights sleep.  He would then do the following…

“OK. Enough of all this useless chatter. Let’s think about this stuff and then let it go. All this stuff is going through my head, so a part of me thinks I need to think about it. So I’m going to think about it with intention.

“I will pay off the credit card and shred the bill first thing tomorrow morning.”

“Next.”

“Let’s see, there are 46,000 miles on the car. I got the oil changed at 45,000. So I’ve got 2,000 more miles to go.”

“Next thought.”

“Sally got fired. So what. She was lazy anyway.”

“Next.”

“No more fried chicken before bed. Crab legs will be good for dinner tomorrow.”

“Next.”

“Uncle Bill was crazy. Who cares that I haven’t seen him in five years.”

“Ok mind, what else do you want to think about?”

–No thoughts arise–

“Are you sure? It’s only been 45 seconds, and I’m not tired yet.”

“Did you order flowers for your anniversary?” Thinks the mind.

“Oh crap…oops…I mean, tomorrow at lunch I will order flowers for Audrey.”

–No thoughts arise–

“Ok. Now we’ve thought about everything you thought was important, I’m going to sleep.”

(Chuck then falls quickly to sleep.)

This activity moves one from the endless stream of consciousness thoughts, to actively, one by one, thinking about what is on one’s mind. Then when it has been thought about, the mind can relax and sleep can happen without all of that mental clutter.   If you are going to be thinking, do it actively. The more actively you think, the less unconscious baggage will you create. The mind will become sharper and a better tool for you. Rather than running like an old clunker, that hardly ever gets any attention, and makes all kinds of noise, it will run like a fancy sports car that is well cared for.

The same applies to meditation. If you find you have a stream of thoughts that never quit. Pay attention to what you are thinking about. Then say to your self, “Ok. I’m going to actively think about this stuff right now, so I don’t have to think about it during meditation.” Once you have, then move on to meditation practice.

A final point that might be helpful for you, is to have a note book beside your meditation spot, or beside your bed. I’ve often found that when I start to meditate, the thoughts that get in my way, are all the things I have to accomplish through out the day. Or sometimes I get lots of ideas about new projects in meditation. I then continue thinking about these things, as though I’m going to forget. So by having a notebook beside me, I can immediately write down what’s on my mind, and I know it’s there for when I’m done meditating or to review tomorrow morning. This way I don’t have to keep thinking about it. I can then meditate freely.

Life Review

Beyond the level of repetitious simple thoughts, one thing that can really hinder our movement into a state of tranquility is obsession with the past. This can come in the form of longing for the good times that have faded away, to still harboring confusion about something terrible that was done to you or that you did to someone else.

We have to remember, that we cannot do anything at all about the past. We cannot change what occurred. We cannot bring back what has been lost. No matter how hard we try, even if we could align the external environment to mimic something we remembered long ago, our internal states are different and so we would still lack fulfillment. Terrible deeds cannot be altered, nor can we change a person’s behavior toward us because it was unjust.

We can, however, make peace with reality. To think that something shouldn’t have happened, or to wish it hadn’t happened, does not change the fact that it did. Thinking things should’ve been different and wishing for a different past is one of the biggest wastes of time any of us can engage in. We do this, because on some level, we have a fantasy in our head that says, “Life should have happened this way, because that’s how all the fairy tales go…” What is missing in this process, is the acknowledgment that we don’t live in a fairy tale.

You made a mistake and hurt someone. You were young and stupid. That’s not an excuse, but it is a reality. If you regret it, and do it again, then you are still stupid. That’s a reality. If you reflect on the situation, realize you were young and stupid, admit that you learned from your mistake, and that you know better now, then all you can do is live with that wisdom. Living from this wisdom, your future is much better than the past. Besides, we are not walking into the past, we are walking into the future. So if you are going to focus on something, making a better future, is the way to go, and this is based on your present choices, not your past.

If someone has been terrible to us, we can forgive them, and then decide that we will not subject ourselves to that kind of treatment anymore. Most of the excessive thoughts that come from being mistreated, usually, seem to stem from a fear that it will happen again. If we have been mistreated, the best way to not waste anymore of your thought force is to decide with finality. “Yes, that was a bad situation. And I’m not going to repeat it. If someone starts to do that to me again, I will either stop them, or leave.” Now that you’ve made a decision, you don’t have to think about it anymore. Once again, your future is better because of the action you are taking in the present, that was based on a learning experience from the past.

Since we are focusing on being realistic, we do have to remember that certain thoughts or activities have been entertained for so long, that sometimes there is a delay between when we decide to start thinking and living differently in the present and the results of our new, useful, choices. If you have been eating a bag of chips every night and drinking four cans of soda a day for forty years, chances are that deciding to drink water and eat celery instead is going to take a little while to show its results. Similarly if you have been thinking thoughts of poverty, or dwelling on traumas for decades, you can decide to stop immediately, but it may take some time for the life to adjust to the new input of feeling “provided for” and that relationships can be fun and joyful. However, the other option is to continue doing what you’ve been doing and thereby prolonging the problems you may have.

You can use the following technique to help digest your past history. It can be used before a meditation session, or even two to three times a week before you go to sleep.

Step 1 – Bring your attention to your third eye center, the space between your eyebrows. With your eyes closed, slightly look up into your skull, as though you are looking into your mind.

Step 2 – Begin breathing steadily. Your breath can be a little deeper than usual, but you want to be breathing comfortably. The consistency and steadiness is the key.

Step 3 – You are now going to review your past 24-48 hours. Start with where you are right now. Right now you are sitting in your chair getting ready to meditate.

Step 4 – Actively think about the last thing you did. If it was brushing your teeth. Remember brushing your teeth, and mentally say, “I brushed my teeth”.

Step 5 – Rewind again, thinking about what you did before brushing your teeth. “I watched the news.” Now remember the images that stuck out in your brain from the news program. Just acknowledge them and then keep going.

Step 6 – Rewind again.  What did you do before that. State what you did, mentally. Then review the memories that come up for you around that activity.

Step 7 – Continue this process until you have thought about everything you can over the last 24-48 hours.  Then proceed with your meditation practice.

Every now and again, you may need to take some time to sit for even longer and then review your entire life, as much as you can remember. Start with where you are in this very moment, and begin rewinding the picture show of your day, reviewing each incident, until you lose the ability to remember little details, then start moving back in bigger chunks. Review weeks that stick out in your mind, certain days and experiences, etc, until you can’t remember anything else. Just do your best to move backwards in chronological order. Then let it go, and continue with your meditation.

The more often you do this, while objectively observing the process, admitting all the good and bad stuff that happened in your life, the wiser you will become. Your mental baggage will become lighter and lighter. Your meditations will become deeper. Your sleep will become easier. Your interactions with the world will become more pleasant, because on each review of your life, you will see what went well and what went wrong, and you will avoid the problematic components more readily.

Our history only defines us so much as we identify with it. Whatever we identify with, that is what we will become. If we identify with the past, we will repeat it, and we will become a relic. If we have a vision of how we’d like to be, and we identify with that in the present, our past can only hold us back so long, until the force of our present actions overcomes the force of choices we have left behind.

Being Present Without Judgment

One of the hardest things for people to do, is to exist in a situation while remaining internally quiet. Even if we are only going for a walk down the hill and back, we can’t help but to keep up the mental chatter. “Oh look, that’s a blue bird. How wonderful that flower smells. Who forgot to scoop their dog’s poop? I bet it was Jim from down the street. Isn’t the sun hot!” And so it goes. Put us in a situation that runs counter to our beliefs and just watch the mind jump into action! “Can you believe that person cut me off like that? It’s just not right that Paul makes more money than me even though we do the same amount of work! That mugger didn’t have to hit me in the face. I bet Michelle wears that perfume just to irritate me!” Here we are labeling everything.

The real beauty of the divine in every moment comes forth more readily when we are quiet and watching. Then we see the life that animates the blue bird. We feel the essence of the flower.  We watch the human drama unfold in its ever changing array of activities, some pleasant, others not so.

This is hard to do, because everything that happens, happens to us. If we stop labeling and judging everything, then there is nothing happening to us. We start to lose identification with our personality. This can be very scary, and hence why so few people ever try to be in the present moment. The wonderful thing is, that when you can be fully present, witnessing what happens around you, acting appropriately without attachment to the results of your actions, then you experience wholeness and the fullness of life. Gone is the feeling that you are a little insignificant person in an endless universe, and what washes over you is the feeling that you are completely attuned to the perfection of the divine drama.

Here is how you practice being present:

Step 1 – Choose a time period for your practice. It can be 15 minutes or an hour. Pick a time when you are interacting with the world in your usual ways. So don’t pick it at 6 AM in the morning when no one is awake. You want to make sure you are fully in the activity of the day.

Step 2 – Once your allotted time begins, become acutely aware of your environment and the thoughts your environment promotes.

Example 1: You are walking to the water cooler to get a drink. A coworker steps in front of you and fills her cup up first. In this situation you are aware of what is happening, and then you become aware of your assessment of this situation. “How rude. She saw me walking towards the cooler first.” Acknowledge your judgment. Then drop your judgment. Be aware of only what is really happening.

You walked to the water cooler.

Someone stepped out in front of you.

You get your drink after they do.

That’s it. Your judgment is useless, so don’t waste your time.

Example 2: You are walking down the street. You see a beautiful flower in a streak of sunlight, shining through the space between two buildings. Just see the colors and the light. Don’t say, “Oh my, isn’t that iris lovely!” If you can just see what is there, you will see more deeply into the experience, and begin to realize just how alive the present really is with divine consciousness!

Step 3 – Always acknowledge, and then drop the judgment. Assess whether your judgment adds anything to the situation. I bet it doesn’t. Then decide to stop wasting your energy on judgment.

Step 4 – Decide if it is appropriate to do anything about the situation. If action is appropriate, take it. If it’s not. Move on with your day. Decide at that moment if action is important, and don’t keep judging if you made the right decision. Your decision is in the past. See what happens. If your decision caused a problem, decide to make a different choice next time. Then move on.

Continue this practice for your allotted time. The purpose of this exercise isn’t to “stop your thoughts”, although that will occur. It is to point out the uselessness of these thoughts. Once you experience that your judgments don’t really change anything, it will be easier for you to let go of them.   Try this at least once a day for the next two weeks.

Sincerely, Ryan Kurczak 2010

Considerations on Health

A Course in Tranquility – Lesson 3 of 14 – Considerations on Health

Vitality, strength, proper hormonal balance, an effective immune system,
psychological and mental poise, good digestion, and proportional body mass all
contribute to good health. They are also the indicators of good health. While a person can
be spiritually awake and peaceful inside while lacking on or more of these characteristics,
the happier we become, the easier it will be for us to manifest radiant health in all ways.
Conversely, the more we direct our intention to manifesting these characteristics, our
joyousness in life grows too.

To move towards tranquility, requires that we do what is necessary to provide the
proper field for the seeds of tranquility to sprout. The area of health is not something to
be lightly overlooked in this regard. When we have health, we are free to direct our
attention to other areas of life, such as doing the divine work that we are here to manifest.
(which is where our real joy comes from anyway, believe it or not)

An unhealthy mind and body, is distraction from the ultimate task at hand, and
many people make the study of health, or their own fixation on health issues a vocation
that perpetually gets in the way of serving and living in the highest way. This is why I say,
we must give our attention to doing what we must to maintain our health, but we do need
to avoid our fixation on health.

There are certain things we can do to ensure health. They are:
1) Exercise
2) Get plenty of sleep
3) Eat a nutrition rich diet
4) Get some sunshine every day
5) Meditate daily to cleanse the mental field
6) Keep a positive and forward looking attitude
7) Be a possibility thinker, rather than some one who expects the worse
8) Surround your self with happy and successful people

Speaking of the people you surround your self with…
If you are not happy or successful, you will have to learn that skill by experience
to fit in with those folks who are happy and successful. You have spent a considerable
amount of time learning to be the way you are. Be patient and use your common sense to
begin acting and reshaping your choices to reflect your ideal.

Many sages advise the company of “holy” people as a supreme source of positive
growth. This is because you will become like those people you surround your self with.
What do you want to be like? Find those individuals and jump on the wagon! It
won’t take long and you will soon be a totally different person.

Personal Exercise Example:
I have found that when I exercise, I always seem to find my self working out with
the Ex-Air Force officer who likes to mountain bike like a professional, peddling straight
up a mountain for 5 miles. I am huffing and puffing all the way up, but I want to do it,
because strength is useful and gives me more options in life, and less chance of injuring
my self during normal living.

I also have noticed I frequently befriend the intense aerobics instructor who likes
to push her self to the limits during our workouts together. Meanwhile I feel like I’m on
my third heart attack before the session is even half over. What effect does that have on
me?

I either learn to be like these people or I doubt they would keep me around that
long. I then become a more fit and healthy person. And eventually I will be able to peddle
straight up that mountain, or exercise my heart for an hour straight without getting
winded!

Now I am not encouraging you to be extreme. For me, its fun, because I used to
be weak and sickly. That wasn’t any fun.

Just pay special attention to the people you surround your self with and their
attitudes towards fitness. If you pay attention you will find your own attitudes reflected.

In regards to psychological health, when it comes to friendships and
acquaintances, I make sure that those people I spend my time with are drama free and
creative in some way. They are also often very giving and in some form of service to the
world. What influence does this have on me? I become that way too. I become a better
person. I would rather be alone than to waste my time with problem centered, small
minded, petty people. Wouldn’t you? It’s a lonelier path for certain, but a much happier
one.

I gave the previous examples because earlier in my life I thought exercise was a
waste of time. I also found my self cavorting with less than desirable individuals. The
result was that I was unhealthy, unhappy and had a bad attitude about life. Now I realize
that I feel a heck of a lot better about my self and the world when I maintain my current
choices to be fit and in an uplifting crowd of people.

Rule #1
“Be aware of those people, places, attitudes, and actions that get in the way of healthy
happy living. Then do your best to avoid them.”

Considerations on a Proper Attitude for Healing
Remember always that you are not taking action to strengthen your health only to
prevent, or fight off potential disease. You are exercising, meditating, eating fresh whole
foods, and surrounding your self with positive people, because you are here to enjoy a
life affirming existence! You are here to love being alive and feeling your own vitality,
the spirit of the divine moving through you. You are here to give your gifts to the world
joyfully! That is why you take action for perfect health.

Why do I bring this up? I’ve worked with A LOT of people in the past ten years
in my healing practice. I’ve also spent a fair amount of time focusing on healing and
strengthening my own body. I’ve seen what gets in the way of healing, and believe it or
not, aside from the poor diet, lack of exercise, etc. It is really the attitude behind the
process that makes all the difference.

Imagine a person exercising on a treadmill every day. The thoughts that go
through the mind as this person slugs through another hour of heart pumping footwork,
usually goes something like this:
“My dad died of a heart attack.”
“My doctor says I have high cholesterol.”
“I don’t want to die!”
“I’m tired of looking fat in my jeans.”
“I hate my body…”
All the while, with each step, they are really affirming the fear they want to avoid.
Now imagine someone who is getting the most benefit out of their exercise
routine and actually extending the life. They wake up in the morning and say:
“I can’t wait to get to the gym!”
“It feels so great to get my blood pumping!”
“I love feeling alive.”
“I love being able to walk up steep mountain trails and the stairs at my work with out a
sweat”
“This body is great and allows me to live and do so much!”
“Isn’t it nice that if someone asks for help I can volunteer without complaining about my
back, or my shoulders? Sure I can lift that couch for you!”
“My body let’s me be of service to this world.”

That is quite a different attitude. You see, one person is affirming life and the fact
that a healthy body allows them to live all the more fully. The other is acting out of fear
and strengthening the negative energy she is so trying to avoid.

Rule #2
“If you are going to exercise, love it because it makes you stronger, and better able to live
your life freely. Really bring up a sense of joy with each activity you undertake that
strengthens your body.”

The same goes for food. Think of all the people you know who avoid certain
foods like the plague or claim they are allergic to everything. I do believe there is a
biologic reason for this. However, interestingly enough, I have paid close attention to the
attitudes of people with food and digestion problems, and they are very similar. They do
not feel safe in the world. Also, they are usually (unconsciously of course) either like the
attention they get by needing a special diet, or they are simply putting their problems onto
food, to avoid dealing with the real issues behind their disturbance.

Imagine the following. Every time person A eats, he thinks:
“Is there something bad for me in this food?”
“Is this going to make me sick?”
“Am I too sensitive to this?”
“Is there too much food coloring in this?”
“Did they buy organic when they made this salad?”
“Did they grill my sandwich on the same surface that hamburger was grilled on?!”

Every time person B eats, she thinks:
“I love how healthy this fresh fruit makes me with all its wonderful enzymes.”
“I love the strength these grains and this cheese gives my body.”
“I love giving my body this fresh life force through my food so I can live my best life for
God!”
“Even though I don’t normally eat meat, I appreciate the love this person put into the
food.”
Which one of those folks do you imagine is going to have the healthier body, as
well as, be able to eat just about whatever they want (within reason of course)?

Rule #3

“Eat whole foods. With each bite, feel fresh life and divine energy entering your body.
Think positively about the food you eat, even if its not your ideal dietary choices.”

Believe it or not, your feelings about those things you do to support your health
make a HUGE difference as to whether or not they really support your health. I’ve seen
plenty of health fanatics who take tons of supplements and go to all the right experts, still
have serious health problems. Why? Because they make a big deal about health, and
don’t make a big deal about living. This is about LIFE, remember. You are here to live,
not to try and line up every possibility perfectly. Do your best, and let the divine take care
of the rest, and most of all feel good about what you do for your self and others,
otherwise, what’s the use in doing it?

I’m not saying it’s easy if you are used to thinking negatively, but the only person
that can change that is you. You got your self into that place to begin with. Only you can
get your self out. The sooner you accept that, the better! Should your will falter, always
remember the following quote: “There is nothing wrong with you that changing your self
completely couldn’t fix!” And if that doesn’t work, give me a call and I’ll give you a pep
talk.

Rule #4

“Don’t make health your primary focus in life, otherwise that is what it will become.
Make living and contributing to the world your focus. Do what you know is good for
your health, and then let it go, and live!”

Who to Trust when You Need Healing
Even people who do their best and think positively and genuinely enjoy living
have health issues to deal with from time to time. It’s not a sign of failure, just part of the
process of being alive. If you keep your goals in front of you and you have a vision and a
reason to live, you will, and you will do it in good health most of the time.

That aside, there are so many theories, ideas, teachers, healers, and health systems
that it can be hard to know which one to utilize. Some even contradict each other, which
makes matters worse. So how do you know where to get good information?
You are a unique mind/body/spirit unit. What works for you might not work for
your neighbor. Your personality may respond better to certain treatments. Some people
need allopathic medical treatments to get well, while others may heal beautifully by
taking a concoction of Chinese herbs for six months. Some people have a biologic or
genetic issue causing their lack of health, while others, demonstrating the same symptoms,
may be suffering from a psychic or psychological disturbance. There is no ultimate right
way to heal. There is only your way.

It is good to research various systems to find the one that resonates with you.
However, just like on the spiritual path, it is not advised to mix practices frivolously. If
you find a system that works, stick with it, even if you occasionally have set backs using
it. Some things take time and persistence, and if you have something that works, that
feels right, and is getting results, there is no need to be impatient.

Rule #5

“Healing takes commitment. Find a system that works for you and stick with it. To think
that there is a better one out there, is the “Grass is always” greener syndrome. Health is a
way of life, whether Ayurvedic, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Allopathic, etc. Where
you put your faith, you will find your power.”

A health professional should inspire you to wellness, not shock you with fear, or
generate anxiety, worry or depression of any kind. They will be truthful, but not fatal. A
health professional with a trust in the divine power, and a peaceful countenance are most
beneficial. They can be allopathic doctors, or acupuncturists, or practice any proven
method of healing. Admittedly rare, a health care provider with heightened spiritual
awareness is the best.

Again, second opinions etc are good, but if you find a wellness provider that you
trust, has provided good service to you in the past, and is competent, it is best to maintain
a consistent relationship rather than bouncing around from one person to the next. As the
years go by, the health care provider gets to know your health and disease tendencies and
so can work with you specifically out of past experience. You also benefit by getting to
know how your health care provider works, and so trust develops. If there is no trust or
rapport, it is hard to develop a healing relationship.

Rule #6
“Be discerning about who you interact with on a healing basis. Remember, that the
person who gets the lowest passing score in medical school, still gets the title doctor!”

Health and Other People
Finally, when it comes to health and healing, don’t talk to your family, friends
and acquaintances about health issues. They have their own weird ideas, which usually
have no validity. Also, by talking about your issues with others you strengthen and affirm
the disease process. You may have noticed how people like to talk about their problems?
Well, if that is the case, they will need to have problems to talk about. You can see what
that will lead to? More problems.

Keep your health concerns private between your health care provider and/or
possibly your spiritual mentor. You don’t want to give it more energy than it needs. And
if you just find that you simply HAVE to talk about your problems with everyone,
consider, there may be something else going on, than just a physical symptom.
Now on the flip side, if you have friends, family and acquaintances who are
motivating and inspiring about fitness, enjoy their company and strengthen your bodies
together.

Rule #7
“Keep your health concerns private. Speak about them only to your health care provider
or spiritual mentor. If you need something to talk about with peers, talk about the joyous
possibilities that life holds! (Note: You’ll make better friends that way too!)”

Personal Healing Exercises
When you have a health challenge and you’d like to do something on your own to
work through it, here are three very useful exercises.

Exercise #1
1) At night before you go to sleep, think about your health challenge. Acknowledge it,
and note how it makes you feel that you have it. Do you feel scared, angry, anxious,
depressed, hopeless, etc.? Isolate the predominant feeling and where you feel it in your
body. Is it in your chest, throat, belly, limbs, head, etc.?
2) As you are falling asleep feel the emotion in your body.
3) With each exhale ask your self “What is this all about?”
4) Maintain your awareness on the emotion the problem generates and your body. Relax
on each exhale asking, “What is this all about?”
5) Repeat this process for 3-5 days.

You will find that the more you do this and the better you get at it, the real cause
of the problem will be more easily revealed. It may come through in a dream, or in an
“aha!” moment over the next few days. Or you may even find that you are naturally led
to the right information or the right person to take care of it. Pay attention, and let the
answers be revealed.

This works, not just for physical issues, but also emotional, psychological,
psychic and spiritual problems as well. I have also seen many people actually feel better
and heal on their own, just by having the revelation of the cause of their problems. It’s
quite amazing.

Exercise #2
The following exercise is the first step in consciously opening the channels in your body
in order to let life force flow freely for the purpose of healing. It utilizes simple breathing
and visualization techniques that anyone can do.

Step 1.
Find a nice quiet place where you can sit comfortably for 5-10 minutes. Sit up straight.
Keep your spine erect and take 2-3 slow deep breaths. On each exhale let your body
relax and release any tension. Let your body relax, but keep your spine straight. It may
help to imagine all the tension you may have slipping out of your body like water flowing
into the ground.
Step 2.
Place your hands palms down facing your body. You may rest them on your thighs,
abdomen, or place one on your abdomen and one on your heart. Sit for a moment or two,
becoming aware of what your hands feel like resting against your body.
Step 3.
Take a slow deep breath. As you inhale, feel a current of energy rushing into your
nostrils and flowing down into your lower abdomen. Feel the current filling up your
lower abdomen. When you are halfway full of air, feel and visualize the current flowing
up into your heart, filling your heart with a radiant light. Once your breath is full hold it
for only a second or two. Then begin to exhale.

As you exhale feel the radiant light pouring down your arms from your heart and exiting
through the palms of your hands. When you exhale, just let your breath empty out
naturally. Notice any sensations you feel in the palms of your hands as you do this.
Pause for a second or two and repeat. Practice gently and slowly for five minutes. Avoid
strain and just flow with the breathing and sensations.

Step 4.
After you’ve practiced in this way for five minutes, simply sit and take note of your body
and your mental state. Enjoy the effects for another few minutes.
The more you do this exercise the easier it will be for you to allow a healing force
to flow and the more sensitive you will become to the life force of your surroundings. It
has the added benefits of creating a state of relaxation and clearer thinking, which helps
you do everything more effectively, and it just might improve your energy levels and
overall health.

Exercise #3 – (Ultimately, this is best done, following a hatha yoga routine.)
1) Find a place where you can lie down and have fifteen to twenty minutes without
being disturbed. Put on comfortable clothing, preferably natural fibers, and lay
down on your back with your legs and arms slightly away from the midline of
your body.
2) Take two to three slow and even breaths. On each exhale let your body release
the breath without strain. As the air flows out of your body feel gravity pulling
your weight into the ground. Just let your body melt into the floor.
3) Now bring your attention down to your feet. All you have to do is become aware
of any sensations in the vicinity of your feet. Feel the floor and the clothing
against your skin. Note any temperature sensations within your feet. Pay
attention to the state of your muscles and how they feel. If you can feel your
pulse or the movement of the body with your breath, give that attention. If any
thoughts or judgments come up about anything that is felt, let them slip away.
What you are concerned with is experiencing the feeling and nothing more.
4) Move your attention to your calves, shins and knees, following the same process.
5) Move your attention to your thighs, hips and lower abdomen.
6) Become aware of your belly and chest as they rise and fall with each breath. Feel
your back against the floor and try to note the beating of your heart in your torso.
7) Move your attention down your arms into your hands. Take your attention up
into your head. Feel the air moving in and out of your nose. Is there any taste in
your mouth? What sounds do you hear and what sights do you see behind your
closed eyelids?
8) Once you have brought your attention to all areas of your body, feel your body as
a whole. First bring your attention to the skin that covers all of you. What do you
notice? Then bring your attention to your muscles and bones. How do they feel?
If you can feel your internal organs note them. Bring your attention to your heart.
Feel the beat and pulse. Try to feel the pulse of blood as it moves through your
body. Draw your attention deeper into your spine and brain. Feel these areas and
see if you can sense any nervous impulses or sensations. Finally try to feel all
levels at once.
9) Maintain this awareness for five minutes or so. If you find this practice
enjoyable, try to take it deeper. Bring yourself fully into the experience of your
body. When you are ready slowly take some deep breaths and begin to gently
move your body one section at a time. How does it feel after doing this?

If you have ever been caught doing something you weren’t supposed to and somebody
starts watching you, what happens? In most cases you would probably feel a little
dissonance and stop doing it. Body awareness works in a similar way. If something was
malfunctioning, your awareness is the first step to correct the problem. The vast
intelligence of the body is reawakened when attention is given to it. Directing your
attention to the body is like flipping on a light switch. Whereas before the body was
doing its best to function in the dark, now it can see what it needs to do. Your attention
links the inner life force of the body back up with universal harmonizing source.

Sincerely, Ryan Kurczak 2010