Blogs

Daily OM – Clinging to the Core


May 21, 2010

Clinging to the Core

When Our World Falls Apart

When it feels as if your world is falling apart, know at your core that you are a strong being of light.


There are times when our whole world seems to be falling apart around us, and we are not sure what to hold onto anymore. Sometimes our relationships crumble and sometimes it’s our physical environment. At other times, we can’t put our finger on it, but we feel as if all the walls have fallen down around us and we are standing with nothing to lean on, exposed and vulnerable. These are the times in our lives when we are given an opportunity to see where we have established our sense of identity, safety, and well-being. And while it is perfectly natural and part of our process to locate our sense of self in externals, any time those external factors shift, we have an opportunity to rediscover and move closer to our core, which is the only truly safe place to call home.

The core of our being is not affected by the shifting winds of circumstance or subject to the cycles of change that govern physical reality. It is as steady and consistent as the sun, which is why the great mystics and mystical poets often reference the sun in their odes to the self. Like the sun, there are times when our core seems to be inaccessible to us, but this is just a misperception. We know that when the sun goes behind a cloud or sets for the night, it has not disappeared but is simply temporarily out of sight. In the same way, we can trust that our inner core is always shining brightly, even when we cannot quite see it.

We can cling to this core when things around us are falling apart, knowing that an inexhaustible light shines from within ourselves. Times of external darkness can be a great gift in that they provide an opportunity to remember this inner light that shines regardless of the circumstances of our lives. When our external lives begin to come back together, we are able to lean a bit more lightly on the structures we used to call home, knowing more clearly than ever that our true home is that bright sun shining in our core.

Letting Go of Attachments

The essence of spirituality can be summed up in one term: non-clinging.

Most human problems and every stumbling block along the path to spiritual fulfillment are the result of one thing: clinging to attachments. For example, rather than seeing anger as a simple temporary feeling that will pass, we cling to it and don’t let go. It can quickly consume our entire lives, blocking the way to any type of peace or enlightenment. We consider desire to be an internal desire that must be acted upon, rather than seeing it as a simple feeling or thought that will pass if we only let it go. All of our thoughts and reactions to feelings become serious burdens, and we wrap ourselves totally up in those things, in essence making them part of ourselves. When we can’t let go of these attachments, we become them.

In order to achieve spiritual freedom, you must let go of everything that you consider to be part of yourself, especially the negative things. One of the greatest benefits of non-clinging is that even early in your path, you will recognize partial results and accomplishments. Learning not to internally identify with just a few emotions or thoughts will allow you to experience a little bit of lightness of foot, more joy and freedom walking through your life. Non-clinging will soon become its own reward, when you realize the benefits it affords.

However, be careful not to confuse non-attachment with detachment. Non-attachment is actually the opposite of detachment, because you must consciously focus on a thought or emotion in order to release the attachment you have to it. Through non-attachment you can be free to love others, to be completely engaged in your life, your friends, your family, and your career. Through non-attachment you can detach yourself from the barriers in place that separate you from others and from the things that will complete you and fulfill you. By comparison, detachment serves to strengthen the cold, unfeeling barriers that separate you from your life. Read more on about attachment.

If you feel hurt or slighted in some way, an entire army of emotions and negative thoughts may arise and persist for hours or even days. If you stop and observe your reactions to those thoughts, you will quickly see how you cling to them and how they affect your life. Through that observation you will be able to release the hold your reactions have on you by releasing your grip on them, and then they will go away all on their own. You will breathe easier, and you will feel free to respond or not respond do the situation that led to the thoughts in the first place. Your energies will be saved for more productive uses, such as seeking joy and nurturing mindfulness.

According to the Buddha, non-clinging is very valuable to all stages of achieving spiritual depth - the beginning, the middle, and the end of the path. The single price you have to pay to be fully unconditioned, open to the presence of God, is to give up all the things we are clinging to. We may actually catch a glimpse, if even for a moment, of the Divine power that can complete us - if we are able to relinquish our attachments to things that do not matter.

Everything in life eventually ends. Our bodies, and the bodies of people we love, grow older, grow ill, slowly age, and eventually die. All of our material possessions are ultimately consumed by time. By the same token, passing emotions and situations that cause them will be entirely forgotten eventually. However, equanimity opens up our minds to timelessness, where there is no death. Equanimity is created by our contact with the part of our soul that exists outside of the constraints of time. The peace that exists outside of the world of time helps us to embrace the world without the constraints of time.

Life itself can help you learn to release attachments and stop clinging. For example, when anger takes control of your mind, take the time to identify it, consider why you are angry, become aware of how much control it has over you, and simply let it go. Doing so can be extremely hard, and especially so when the anger is great, but firmly taking control and releasing your hold on the emotion is necessary if your goal is to free yourself and approach the Divine. Letting go of clinging to anger, fear, and greed is an essential part of respecting yourself. Non-clinging is a spiritual practice that allows you to relax the ties that drag you down, relax your attitude, and release your grip on the bottom in order to reach for the top.

By Buzzle Staff and Agencies

Two-Legged Dog to Inspire British Troops Wounded in Afghanistan
BY MARC HERTZ

A dog named Faith inspires others simply by being able to walk with just her two hind legs.


There are some things you have to see to believe, and Faith is one of those. She's a labrador-chow mix born without one front leg and another that was severely deformed, only to be removed when Faith was seven months old due to atrophy. What's truly amazing about Faith is that, despite having only her two hind legs, she can still walk on them, as you can see in the video below.

Faith is something of a celebrity, having appeared on Oprah a few years ago, and according to The Sun, she's actually an honorary sergeant. The US Army gave her that title because she's helped disabled veterans trying to overcome injuries they sustained in war zones, even donning a military jacket when she visits bases or hospitals. As her owner, Jude Stringfellow, was quoted, "Faith seems to inspire these young men. It's very emotional watching them respond to her. She shows what can be achieved against great odds."

Now, she's planning to go international. Stringfellow wants to bring Faith to the UK, so she can bring her own brand of inspiration to those troops wounded in Afghanistan. Before she can do so, though, quarantine rules will have to be met. For the sake of those wounded soldiers, let's hope they have the chance to see Faith "marching" their way.


First Person: Faith the Dog Inspires With Two Legs


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqplI66cHsI

Benefits of Prayer

Kenneth Cooper, author of ‘it’s Better to Believe’, says that having deep personal convictions and values can do wonders for almost every aspect of your physical and emotional well-being. He listed several specific enhancements to health that have been linked to firm, inner commitments to moral principles, social values, God, or even oneself.

Less Depression, Smoking, And Alcohol Abuse

In a study of more than five hundred African-American men conducted by Wayne State University in Detroit, significant correlation between the participants' religious involvement and their health. The researchers identified a number of indicators of true religious commitment, including overall religiosity and church attendance. They found these were linked to various beneficial health effects, such as less depression, little or no smoking, and infrequency of alcohol consumption.
(Source: November 1994 issue of the Journal of the National Medical Association)

Healthier Mothers And Babies

Maternity patients with a strong religious commitment, and their newborns, who were studied at the Department of Family Medicine, East Carolina University, had fewer medical complications than maternity patients without a religious affiliation.

(Source: November 1994 issue of Southern Medical Journal)

Protection From Colon And Rectal Cancer

In an Australian study of patients with cancer of the colon or rectum, 715 cancer patients were compared with 727 "controls" without cancer.

The researchers found that the respondents who saw themselves as most religious were less likely to have cancer than those who were not as religious. In other words, self-perceived "religiousness" was a statistically significant protective factor against the disease!

Another interesting finding in this study was that self-reported or perceived religiousness was associated with median survival times of sixty-two months. In contrast, those patients who reported themselves as "non-religious" had a median survival time of only fifty-two months.

(Source: November 1993 issue of the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine)

Improved Coping With Breast Cancer

A number of studies have associated a deep religious faith with an ability to cope more effectively with cancer, including breast cancer.

Researchers at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio published a study about the impact of deep faith on the condition of women with breast cancer. They found that with a group of Anglo-American patients, "intrinsic religiousness" was a strong predictor of spiritual well-being and hope- both of which are important factors for successfully coping with cancer.

(Source: Oncologocial Nurse's Forum, September 1993)

A Healthier Emotional Balance

A study at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, ranked participating young men and women as high, medium, or low in the quality of their personal religious commitment. Those in the high religious category, regardless of their religious denomination, scored highest for self-esteem, emotional maturity, and nondepression.

(Source: June 1993 issue of Psychological Reports)

Lower Blood Pressure, Healthier Cardiovascular System And Reduced Stress

A commitment to maintain significant social ties, including marriage and religious community involvements -and a willingness to act on such commitments-can have tremendous beneficial effects on health.

A study on this issue, involving more than 1,100 healthy men and women aged seventy to seventy-nine, was reported by Yale epidemiologist Lisa Berkman at a January 1995 meeting of the American Medical Association. She confirmed that strong emotional support and social ties can help lower blood pressure and enhance survival after a heart attack.

Berkman also found that significant social ties, including close friendships and family relationships, improved the levels in the brain of the chemicals norepinephrine and cortisol, which have been associated with excessive stress.

Stronger Marriage Ties

Religious compatibility between spouses at the time of marriage has a large influence on marital stability. A study, conducted by E. L. Lehrer and C. U Chiswick of the Economics Department of the University of Illinois at Chicago, also found that spouses of different faiths generally break up more often than those with a common faith.

(Source: August 1993 issue of the journal Demography)

A commitment to a meaningful marriage-rather than just cohabiting with a partner or remaining single-has also been linked in scientific studies to some specific health benefits. Researchers from the University of Chicago found that divorced men had twice the rate of alcohol abuse as married men. Divorced women also had more problems with alcohol than their married counterparts. Other researchers reported that those who live together before marriage have higher divorce rates, are more likely to be sexually disloyal, and are generally less happy than married couples.

(Source: Conferences of the Population Association of America, April 1995)

DailyOm – Inner Spring Cleaning
August 2, 2010


Inner Spring Cleaning


Detoxing Your Body

Our bodies move with the cycles of life and even the healthiest need a cleansing detox to renew and regenerate.


When you want to start with a clean slate in life, one way is to cleanse your body. Detoxifying can be done in many ways and for many reasons, depending on your specific goals. You may feel a physical need for cleansing, or a spiritual one where you would cleanse the areas of the body that correspond to your current life challenges. If you feel, for instance, that your inner self is not shining through as you would like, you may want to do a bathing detox to clean the skin of impurities so that you can radiate your inner health like a newly washed stained-glass window that lets the light shine through more brilliantly.

No matter how healthy and conscious our habits are, our bodies move with the cycles of life, which means that our cells sometimes need to fall like leaves from the trees before they can regenerate and be renewed.

Just as we need to wash our bodies to remove the buildup of natural processes and contact with the world around us, we need to clean our bodies from the inside as well. So you may want to detoxify your blood or digestive system, or target specific buildup such as plaque or metals. Our bodies are the vessels that allow us to move through life, but we can treat them like wild gardens that need our attention to reach their full potential of beauty and balance in their ecosystem.

The first days of a detoxification process may bring to mind an image of the dust that gets stirred up during spring cleaning. You may feel a little worse before you feel better, but that may indeed be the universe’s way of showing us the benefits by contrast. We live in a world of dualities, so we may need to experience both sides of a situation in order to find our perfect balance. Once the impurities have been cleansed, you could experience a sense of lightness or clarity of vision and purpose. You will know it worked when you feel enhanced ease as you move through the world toward your goals.

A man from Norfolk , VA called a local radio station to share this on Sept 11th, 2003, TWO YEARS AFTER THE TRAGEDIES OF 9/11/2001.

His name was Robert Matthews. These are his words:

A few weeks before Sept. 11th, my wife and I found out we were going to have our first child. She planned a trip out to California to visit her sister. On our way to the airport, we prayed that God would grant my wife a safe trip and be with her. Shortly after I said 'amen,' we both heard a loud pop and the car shook violently. We had blown out a tire. I replaced the tire as quickly as I could, but we still missed her flight. Both very upset, we drove home.

I received a call from my father who was retired NYFD. He asked what my wife's flight number was, but I explained that we missed the flight.

My father informed me that her flight was the one that crashed into the southern tower. I was too shocked to speak. My father also had more news for me; he was going to help. 'This is not something I can't just sit by for; I have to do something.'

I was concerned for his safety, of course, but more because he had never given his life to Christ. After a brief debate, I knew his mind was made up. Before he got off of the phone, he said, 'take good care of my grandchild. Those were the last words I ever heard my father say; he died while helping in the rescue effort.

My joy that my prayer of safety for my wife had been answered quickly became anger. I was angry at God, at my father, and at myself. I had gone for nearly two years blaming God for taking my father away. My son would never know his grandfather, my father had never accepted Christ, and I never got to say good-bye.

Then something happened. About two months ago, I was sitting at home with my wife and my son, when there was a knock on the door. I looked at my wife, but I could tell she wasn't expecting anyone. I opened the door to a couple with a small child.

The man looked at me and asked if my father's name was Jake Matthews. I told him it was. He quickly grabbed my hand and said, 'I never got the chance to meet your father, but it is an honor to meet his son.'

He explained to me that his wife had worked in the World Trade Center and had been caught inside after the attack. She was pregnant and had been caught under debris. He then explained that my father had been the one to find his wife and free her. My eyes welled up with tears as I thought of my father giving his life for people like this. He then said, 'there is something else you need to know.'

His wife then told me that as my father worked to free her, she talked to him and led him to Christ. I began sobbing at the news.

Now I know that when I get to Heaven, my father will be standing beside Jesus to welcome me, and that this family would be able to thank him themselves.

When their baby boy was born, they named him Jacob Matthew, in honor of the man who gave his life so that a mother and baby could live.

This story should help us to realize this: God is always in control.

We may not see the reason behind things, and we may never know this side of heaven, but God is ALWAYS in control.

Please take time to share this amazing story. You may never know the impact it may have on someone. God doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called.

Give thanks to the Lord for He is good. His love endures Forever. Psalm 136:1

David

SIX Natural Cures for Cancer?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEGKT6UqzFs

1- Sodium bicarbonate, a natural way to treat the cancer


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npgyZMaewuE

The 7 Archangels

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPNf0GrhST4

Arhanghelii celor 7 raze Archangels of the seven rays)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MG3I_2Lpwno

Seven Archangels of MARY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4pYYvn4oyY

Nine Orders of Angels

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0QAyHF00f4

How to Find Inner Peace

Are you in a very disturbed state of mind and are longing for some inner peace? Read on to know about how to find inner peace.

Today the whole world is in a state of conflict and so are we. There are conflicts within us and outside us. External conflicts are a dime a dozen and of seemingly gigantic proportions. However, what's funny is that the ones inside our heads are really the conflicts that trouble us the most. We have forever been obsessed with materialistic desires and we think (yes, we think) that fulfilling these desires is the key to true happiness.

But is that really so? Sure, a new car, the latest state-of-the-art gadget, a swanky apartment, (for some, a new wife or a new husband falls into this category), will provide a feeling of happiness and content. However, this kind of 'happiness' is superficial and short lived. Does this happiness translate into inner peace? No, it doesn't. Well, then how to find inner peace? Read on to know the answer to this question.

What is Inner Peace?
Before you go about finding inner peace, you should know what inner peace is. Only then will you realize that you have found it, if and when you find it. Inner peace is a state of being, a state of mind. It is when you are oblivious of everything else around you and are one with the universe. When you are at peace with yourself, nothing, and no other thing around you matters any more. It is a spiritual connection between your body, your mind, your soul and the soul of the universe. Finding inner peace is an integral part of spirituality and it plays a major role in a person's spiritual growth. Nobody can give you inner peace, it is something that you must discover on your own.

How to Find Inner Peace and Happiness
There is no formula as such for finding inner peace and happiness. It is not something that you can get at the press of a button or in exchange for a hundred dollar bill. It is about managing your mind and your energies. Inner peace is a state where your mind is absolutely still, a state where your whole body and soul experiences a newfound freedom, a state of being bathed in a sea of positive energy, a state where you are cleansed of all traces of negativity. Achieving such a state is something that is rarer than the rarest of happenings. To understand what I'm talking about, here's a simple exercise for you to do.

Stop all other activities that you may be doing right now. Lean back into your chair and close your eyes. Let your breathing remain normal. Listen to the sound of your breathing. As you inhale, feel the purity of oxygen entering your lungs and spreading to each and every part of your body. As you exhale, visualize all the negativities and impurities leaving your body in the form of carbon dioxide. Now slowly, start clearing your mind of all thoughts. It's difficult and it requires a considerable amount of patience, practice and mind control.

In technical terms, just format your mind and shut down your brain. Remain still and let your body go about doing its involuntary functions. Experience the sudden stillness and the silence that you hear. I bet you have never known silence to be so loud. Experience a state of oneness with the universe. Break all the mental chains that may be holding you back. Accept yourself as being someone special in the Creator's scheme of things. The state that you now find yourself in is known as inner peace. It is known as inner peace because you are at peace with yourself.

In addition to the above exercise, keep the following things in mind. They too contribute in the pursuit of inner peace.

• Be grateful. Stop cribbing about what you don't have. Be grateful for all that you have, for all that the Almighty has blessed you with. Look around you. There are millions of people who are less fortunate than you.

Gratefulness has a special connection with peace within.

• Accept yourself the way you are. You are what you are, for a reason. Don't complain. Be comfortable with yourself, your body, your mind, your soul. It will help in lessening your internal conflicts.

• Meditate more frequently. Regular meditation as well as certain yoga meditation techniques help in getting control over the mind in a positive way. Connect with nature. If possible, take time out and visit a quiet place - it could be a park, a lake, a hilltop or somewhere in the countryside. Close your eyes, disconnect yourself from the world and connect with nature. It is an amazing way of discovering inner peace.

These were some things you should keep in mind if you wish to find inner peace. Once again, nobody can give it to you. It is something for you to discover and cherish.

By Tintin

DailyOm – A New Approach
August 16, 2010


A New Approach


Taking a Break from What You Are Doing

Sometimes we need to step back from what occupies our minds and take a break much like touching the reset button.


Sometimes we can get so wrapped up in our thoughts that we wind up going round in round in circles, finding it difficult to concentrate on things and, because we are so distracted, not really accomplishing much. There may be signals—mental, emotional, and physical—that tell us we need to slow down and relax. Since we are so involved in things that are external to us, however, we may easily overlook what is really going on inside of us. It is during these times that we need to step back from the things that occupy our minds and take time out to connect with our inner self, giving our minds, bodies, and spirits the time they need to reenergize and heal.

At first it may seem that by taking a break we may not be as productive as we would initially like. In reality, a healthy period of rest is something that gives us a real sense of the unlimited nature of our true potential.

Spending a couple of minutes walking outside, doing a few yoga poses, meditating, or simply becoming attuned to the rising and falling of our breath enables us to let go of our worries. This act brings our focus back to the things that are truly essential for us, such as our sense of oneness with the universe and our inner peace and well-being. As we begin to get in touch with this part of ourselves, we will find that our usual everyday troubles and worries become less critical and that we not only have much more room in our lives to really reflect on the issues that mean the most to us, but we are also able bring to all the situations we encounter a much more positive and healthy outlook.

Giving ourselves respite from our daily concerns is like giving a gift to ourselves. By stepping away from the problems that seem to saturate our thoughts, we lessen the weight of our troubles and instead become more receptive to the wisdom and answers the universe has to offer us.

DailyOm – Return and Reclaim
July 30, 2010


Return and Reclaim


Returning to Creative Dreams

Our creativity is an important part of being a well-rounded human being. For many of us, this has been shut down.


As children, many of us entertained fantasies or even goals of being an actor, singer, dancer, artist, or musician. In some cases, we received enough encouragement to develop our abilities in those creative arenas, but somewhere along the way we stopped. This stopping may have been due to circumstances beyond our control or to our own unconscious acts of self-sabotage. Being creative can be scary in a world that seems to value logic over imagination and practicality over dreaming. We can forgive ourselves for shutting down or turning our attention away from our inner artist, but perhaps we can also take steps to reclaim our dreams.

In certain times and places, developing a creative ability was considered an important part of being a well-rounded human being. It was not necessary to be a professional or a masterly genius, because the act of creativity was valued in and of itself. It gifts are manifold—from the sheer pleasure of allowing our imaginations free reign to sharing and enjoying the fruits of our labor.

Children share drawings and songs freely, without self-consciousness, and there is no reason why we cannot do the same thing. You may already be remembering some lost form of expression, such as making jewelry or writing songs. Your soul may be responding with an energetic lift as it feels its way back to a time when it was allowed to express itself freely. Your brain, on the other hand, may be throwing up obstacles, like the idea that you are too old or do not have the time.

The truth is, you are not too old, and if you have time to pick up a pen, you have time to make a doodle or write a haiku. Recognize that the obstacles you find before you have arisen from a place of fear and that they will wane in power every time you do something creative. Each creative act takes you deeper into a realm of beauty and magic, a realm that you have every right to return to and reclaim.

A man from Norfolk , VA called a local radio station to share this on Sept 11th, 2003, TWO YEARS AFTER THE TRAGEDIES OF 9/11/2001.

His name was Robert Matthews. These are his words:

A few weeks before Sept. 11th, my wife and I found out we were going to have our first child. She planned a trip out to California to visit her sister. On our way to the airport, we prayed that God would grant my wife a safe trip and be with her. Shortly after I said 'amen,' we both heard a loud pop and the car shook violently. We had blown out a tire. I replaced the tire as quickly as I could, but we still missed her flight. Both very upset, we drove home.

I received a call from my father who was retired NYFD. He asked what my wife's flight number was, but I explained that we missed the flight.

My father informed me that her flight was the one that crashed into the southern tower. I was too shocked to speak. My father also had more news for me; he was going to help. 'This is not something I can't just sit by for; I have to do something.'

I was concerned for his safety, of course, but more because he had never given his life to Christ. After a brief debate, I knew his mind was made up. Before he got off of the phone, he said, 'take good care of my grandchild. Those were the last words I ever heard my father say; he died while helping in the rescue effort.

My joy that my prayer of safety for my wife had been answered quickly became anger. I was angry at God, at my father, and at myself. I had gone for nearly two years blaming God for taking my father away. My son would never know his grandfather, my father had never accepted Christ, and I never got to say good-bye.

Then something happened. About two months ago, I was sitting at home with my wife and my son, when there was a knock on the door. I looked at my wife, but I could tell she wasn't expecting anyone. I opened the door to a couple with a small child.

The man looked at me and asked if my father's name was Jake Matthews. I told him it was. He quickly grabbed my hand and said, 'I never got the chance to meet your father, but it is an honor to meet his son.'

He explained to me that his wife had worked in the World Trade Center and had been caught inside after the attack. She was pregnant and had been caught under debris. He then explained that my father had been the one to find his wife and free her. My eyes welled up with tears as I thought of my father giving his life for people like this. He then said, 'there is something else you need to know.'

His wife then told me that as my father worked to free her, she talked to him and led him to Christ. I began sobbing at the news.

Now I know that when I get to Heaven, my father will be standing beside Jesus to welcome me, and that this family would be able to thank him themselves.

When their baby boy was born, they named him Jacob Matthew, in honor of the man who gave his life so that a mother and baby could live.

This story should help us to realize this: God is always in control.

We may not see the reason behind things, and we may never know this side of heaven, but God is ALWAYS in control.

Please take time to share this amazing story. You may never know the impact it may have on someone. God doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called.

Give thanks to the Lord for He is good. His love endures Forever. Psalm 136:1

David

Archangels Meditation

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsOWr_v_grk

Clearing and Shielding with Archangel Michael

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FTigPVCgV8

Angel Meditation - Archangel Michael - Removes negativity from your life

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7soa1EY44M

The Secret Surgeon – Dr. Hamilton Naki

This story is in Wikipedia, and it seems to be a true one. At some places, however, the truth of the story is doubted, telling he was not doing surgery on humans but agreeing that “Mr Naki assisted with the experimental work that preceded…the historic first heart transplant.”

Nevertheless, here it is:

“Hamilton Naki, a black South African of 78 years, died in May 2005. The news did not appear in the newspapers, but his history is one of the most extraordinary ones of the 20th century. Naki was a great surgeon!

It was he who took from the donor’s body the heart which was then transplanted into Louis Washkanky in 1967, at Cape Town, during the first surgery of human cardiac transplantation with positive exit. It was a very delicate work: the heart had to be removed and had to be kept with the biggest care.

Naki was the second most important man of the team which made the first transplantation of history. But he could not appear in public in the country of apartheid because he was black.

The chief surgeon of the team, the white Christian Barnard, became immediately a celebrity.

But Hamilton Naki could not appear on the team photos. In case he was on one by mistake the hospital said that it was a member of the housekeeping service.

Naki carried the surgeon’s hat and the mask but had never studied neither medicine nor surgery: he had left the school at the age of 14… He was a gardener of the school of Medicine at Cape Town.

He started cleaning the classes. But he was curious and learned quickly. He learned the surgical technique while seeing the white physicians practicing the transplantation techniques on dogs and pigs.

He started cleaning the classes. But he was curious and learned quickly. He learned the surgical technique while seeing the white physicians practicing the transplantation techniques on dogs and pigs.

He became such an exceptional surgeon that Dr Barnard wanted him as a team member.

It was a problem from the viewpoint of the laws of South Africa. Naki, a Negro, was not allowed to operate the patients nor could he touch the blood of the whites.

But the hospital considered him so valid that it made an exception for him. They made him a surgeon… but in secret.

But this didn’t interest him. He continued to study and to give the best of himself, regardless of the discrimination.

He was the best. He gave lessons to the white students but had the salary of a laboratory technician: the maximum that a hospital could pay to a Negro.

He lived in a shack without light nor flowing water, in a ghetto at the periphery as it suited to a Negro.

Hamilton Naki taught surgery during 40 years and left to retirement as a gardener, with 275 dollars per month.

When the apartheid ended they offered him a decoration and the title of physician honoris causa.

No one had noticed the injustices that he had to endure during all his life.
Dr Naki, thank you for everything that you made for humanity beyond your own interests.

May it become known that Hamilton Naki was a magnificent physician and an exceptional man.”

May this story be a rose in memory of Hamilton Naki

DailyOm – Beyond Counting Blessings
August 13, 2010


Beyond Counting Blessings



Being Truly Thankful


In a deep state of gratitude we recognize the purity of the experience of being, in and of itself.


Often when we practice being thankful, we go through the process of counting our blessings, acknowledging the wonderful people, things and places that make up our reality. While it is fine to be grateful for the good fortune we have accumulated, true thankfulness stems from a powerful comprehension of the gift of simply being alive, and when we feel it, we feel it regardless of our circumstances. In this deep state of gratitude, we recognize the purity of the experience of being, in and of itself, and our thankfulness is part and parcel of our awareness that we are one with this great mystery that is life.

It is difficult for most of us to access this level of consciousness as we are very caught up in the ups and downs of our individual experiences in the world. The thing to remember about the world, though, is that it ebbs and flows, expands and contracts, gives and takes, and is by its very nature somewhat unreliable. If we only feel gratitude when it serves our desires, this is not true thankfulness. No one is exempt from the twists and turns of fate, which may, at any time, take the possessions, situations, and people we love away from us. Ironically, it is sometimes this kind of loss that awakens us to a thankfulness that goes deeper than just being grateful when things go our way. Illness and near-miss accidents can also serve as wake-up calls to the deeper realization that we are truly lucky to be alive.

We do not have to wait to be shaken to experience this state of being truly thankful for our lives. Tuning in to our breath and making an effort to be fully present for a set period of time each day can do wonders for our ability to connect with true gratitude. We can also awaken ourselves with the intention to be more aware of the unconditional generosity of the life force that flows through us regardless of our circumstances.

DailyOm – In the Presence of Difficulty
July 29, 2010


In the Presence of Difficulty

Compassion

True compassion recognizes that all the boundaries we perceive between ourselves and others are an illusion.


Compassion is the ability to see the deep connectedness between ourselves and others. Moreover, true compassion recognizes that all the boundaries we perceive between ourselves and others are an illusion.

When we first begin to practice compassion, this very deep level of understanding may elude us, but we can have faith that if we start where we are, we will eventually feel our way toward it. We move closer to it every time we see past our own self-concern to accommodate concern for others. And, as with any skill, our compassion grows most in the presence of difficulty.

We practice small acts of compassion every day, when our loved ones are short-tempered or another driver cuts us off in traffic. We extend our forgiveness by trying to understand their point of view; we know how it is to feel stressed out or irritable. The practice of compassion becomes more difficult when we find ourselves unable to understand the actions of the person who offends us.

These are the situations that ask us to look more deeply into ourselves, into parts of our psyches that we may want to deny, parts that we have repressed because society has labeled them bad or wrong. For example, acts of violence are often well beyond anything we ourselves have perpetuated, so when we are on the receiving end of such acts, we are often at a loss. This is where the real potential for growth begins, because we are called to shine a light inside ourselves and take responsibility for what we have disowned. It is at this juncture that we have the opportunity to transform from with! in.

This can seem like a very tall order, but when life presents us with circumstances that require our compassion, no matter how difficult, we can trust that we are ready. We can call upon all the light we have cultivated so far, allowing it to lead the way into the darkest parts of our own hearts, connecting us to the hearts of others in the understanding that is true compassion.

DailyOM – A Magical Potion

today@dailyom.com

June 10, 2010


A Magical Potion


Morning Dew

The world awakens each day from its nightly slumber, transformed by a sparkling layer of morning dew on the grass.


The world awakens each day from its nightly slumber, transformed by a sparkling layer of morning dew on the grass, on flower petals and leaves, on cars and car windows.

These glistening droplets last only a little while, an integral part of what imbues the early morning with its aura of magic. If we sleep too late, we miss the magnificent display of sunlight playing upon an infinite amount of tiny crystal balls.

To step onto the dew-covered grass is to anoint our feet with a form of water that comes only once a day for a short time, a rarefied gift of the night air that will soon evaporate in the full light of the sun. If we inhale slowly and consciously enough, it is almost as if we are drinking in this magical elixir formed in the boundary between darkness and light.

In one myth, morning dew is believed to be tears from heaven, and in another, the droplets are poured from the vessel of the goddess of dawn. When we see the earth draped with these shimmering drops, it is easy to imagine fairies bathing in the water, or a sky god weeping from a longing to be closer to his beloved earth goddess. Seeing the sparkling beauty of the earth emerging from darkness, we may understand this longing in terms of our own gratitude; how blessed we are to be here.

Perhaps heaven really does long to be here on earth, and perhaps that is why we are here—as conduits between the divine and the earthbound. As we drink the morning dew in with our eyes, our skin, our breath, it is easy to imagine that it really is a magical potion, a gift from heaven, a reminder of our true purpose, and a daily opportunity to be transformed.

DailyOM – The Weight of the Past

July 1, 2010

The Weight of the Past


Regret

Holding onto regret is like dragging the weight of the past with us everywhere. It drains our energy, leaving less available for life now.


Holding onto regret is like dragging the weight of the past with us everywhere we go. It drains our energy, leaving less available for life in the present because we are constantly feeding an old issue. This attachment can cause illness the same way watering a dead plant creates decay. We know that something new and beautiful can grow in its place if we only prepare the soil and plant the right seeds. We also know that we create our lives from our thoughts, so dwelling on the past may actually recreate a situation in our lives where we are forced to make the choice again and again. We can choose to move on right now by applying what we have learned to the present and perhaps even sharing with others, transforming the energy into something that is constructive and creative for ourselves and others.

Forgiveness is the soothing balm that can heal regret. In meditation, we can imagine discussing the issue with the self of our past and offering our forgiveness for the choice. In return, we can ask for our selves’ forgiveness for keeping them locked in that space of judgment for so long. We may also want to ask forgiveness from anyone else who may have been affected and perhaps offer our forgiveness. By replaying the event in our minds, we can choose a new ending using all that we now know. Imagine that you have actually gone back into the past and made this change, and then say goodbye to it. Release your former self with a hug and bring the forgiveness and love back with you to the present. Since we are usually our harshest critics, it is amazing how powerfully healing it can be to offer ourselves love.

Keeping our minds and our energy fully in the present allows us to fuel our physical and emotional healing and well-being today. This action frees our energy to create the dreams we dream for the future. By taking responsibility and action in the present, we can release our hold on the past.