Archive for October, 2005

Aging…

Wednesday, October 19th, 2005

Well, today I turned 30. Wowee. At first, the impending arrival of that famed number filled me with some unease. Was I ready to be 30? Would I be thinking when I realized that 3 decades had gone by: “Damn, what have I been doing with my time?”
Where were you supposed to be when you reached 30?

But by now, I am very relaxed about it. 30, as they say, is the new 20. It suits me fine, it suits the stage where I am in my life. Just starting to mature.

Funny how your life perspective changes when you move along. Those moments when you realize that life not just an open road that stretches ahead of you, but it is a road that you have been traveling on for some distance, and there may not be that much further to go on it before it ends. The road of this human life, anyway. So the older you get, the more time you spend looking back, as well as looking forward.

These roads they walk, they are something else huh? One thing I learned this year, life is no holds barred, that is for sure. It is no watered down, sugary concoction made for family viewing. It can be as rough and difficult as it is possible to imagine or endure. It can also be more glorious than we could ever expect.

One thing it always is, is real. And unique. Each of us have a life that is uniquely shaped to fit us, our specific stage of development, our unique turn or character. So easy to forget how priceless and deep an experience it really is.

Oh well, I am off to Brazil to relax. Going to write about traveling soon…

Posted in Life, The lighter side | 3 Comments »

Health and healing

Sunday, October 2nd, 2005

Someone asked me a few days ago why I dislike Western medicine and doctors. I thought about it, and the answer is that I don’t believe that they understand enough to give good advice.

The body is not merely a mechanical system, nor is it only the biochemical processes involved. Often, diagnosis focuses on what it wrong with the mechanical system, and tries to fix that in a mechanical manner, or uses drugs to alter a biochemical process.

On a purely physical level, this is already wrong. The first thing a doctor should ask when you walk into their office is: “What is your diet?” But how many times have you heard that asked? Your body is a system that must be used in the manner that it was designed. If you treat it properly, it will generally be in a healthy condition. So treatment should focus on the way you handle your body. I think that the healing practice most in tune with nature is naturopathy.

Naturopathy is based on the idea of wholeness and natural well-being. It combines several healing methods to restore the natural energy flow of the body to its natural state of good health. Naturopaths believe that the body has the power, or ‘life force’ to heal itself. They use a variety of techniques to help the life force flow efficiently.

A naturopath begins with a consultation by taking a detailed history from their patient. They ask them about their health problems, lifestyle and then carry out a physical examination.

Treatments can include massage, hydrotherapy, diet and lifestyle changes and detoxification. Educating patients to take responsibility for their own health is very important.

But there is something else even more important. Our body is a manifestation of our spirit. While a healthy body houses a healthy mind (and soul), there is flow in both directions. If you, your spirit, is depressed and negative and sick and stressed, it will show in damage to your body. A positive, healthy attitude, is the first step towards a healthy body.

Posted in Life | 3 Comments »