For the past couple of weeks, I've been going through a rather interesting period. I really think, or rather, I feel it's a period of immense transition. Through it, there have been lots of ups and downs in the situations surrounding me. The one constant, which is incredible, has been my attitude towards everything. That is pretty incredible for me to write and say. To actually admit and understand that in the midst of all that's happening around me, I have been able to remain positive, smiling and filled with joy . . . it's absolutely miraculous!
This wasn't really evident to me until last Thursday evening. I was visiting dear friends that live out of town and had a lovely and delicious dinner with them. After thoroughly enjoying my pasta dinner, even going back for seconds, I learned that the sauce in the pasta was a pesto sauce. Well, I am allergic to pine nuts. Not allergic in the sense that my throat closes up or anything like that but, I do get extremely sick. This also doesn't happen immediately. Symptoms start about 2 to 3 hours after I've eaten whatever the pine nut filled food was. So, once I found out about the pesto, I calmly told my hosts that I would most likely be getting very sick, but not to worry. I would keep them informed as to my condition and if it escalated to a need to get rushed to the hospital, I would let them know.
I then proceeded to have my delicious dessert, homemade ice-cream, and continued enjoying their company. There was absolutely no need to worry about what was coming because it wasn't there yet. I didn't try to get the food out of my system prematurely . . . well, there was no chance of that happening. It had tasted too good! I had a choice. Either I was going to continue to spend a good time with friends or I was going to worry about what was going to happen. I chose the first option. For as long as I could, I remained present and in the moment. Then, when the first signs of the reaction began, I prepared to go to bed and took each minute as it came.
The sicker I felt, the more focused on wellness I became. I had very little hope of not actually getting sick so I knew that the inevitable was going to happen. But, I made it a point to see what would happen if I at least was able to reach for better-feeling thoughts. What would happen if in the middle of the nausea and stomach cramps, I would continue to infuse my mind with thoughts of healing and beautiful things? I knew that my body was reacting to what it considers a poison, but I also wanted to try and use a positive antidote to that poison. As my body was working and preparing to get rid of that which was making it sick, I spent every single second focused on healthy thoughts. I refused to feel sorry for myself or scared about what could happen. No matter what, I knew that I would be alright. Whatever the outcome of my allergic reaction, I was going to be fine.
The moment came and I was lucky enough to make it to the bathroom in time. The closest I can get to describing the experience is that it feels like I'm being kicked in the pit of my stomach repeatedly by a powerfully strong opponent wearing combat boots. I'm kicked over and over and over again. Before I can take a breath, another kick comes in to join the last one. And again! And again! And again! All the way to the end. Once my body feels that the supposed intruder is out of my system, then and only then, do the kicks stop . . . Usually, I go through this about three or four times during an allergic episode. This time, everything happened just the one time. I was spared hours of this pain and torture. I was so, so grateful.
Through the entire process I've just described, I was fully present. But, in an interesting way, I was also able to distance myself from what my body was going through. It's hard to put into words but as my body was convulsing and the kicks kept on coming, I continued focusing my thoughts on Well-Being. That Well-Being that is a constant stream in our lives. If I honestly believe that All Is Well, then even in times of great physical pain, am I still connected to that stream? I found out that I am. Through the entire experience, I remained in what felt like two separate states. One, was the absolute physical, the one that felt every single thing that was happening to my body. The other, was the mental state that kept its connection to wellness. The wellness that was and the wellness that I would return to. I remember walking out of the bathroom and barely seeing my worried friends waiting for me outside. I can't imagine what they were thinking. I believe I said something like, "I think I'm done" and giving them the thumbs up as I headed downstairs to bed.
The next morning I awoke to a beautiful day full of sunshine. I felt fine and ready to face the day and concentrate on wonderful and creative things. It wasn't until I was on the bus back into Manhattan that I saw the connection between how I dealt with my being sick and some of the challenges I had been experiencing. Through it all, I've been focused on feeling good, feeling happy, being connected to well being. The more I've focused on that, the better things have gotten. And that's the trick. It's really that simple. Everything goes back to our ability to choose what we want to focus on and think about. In times of stress or disease, why focus on the cause of the stress or the disease? Although it's easy to get caught up in those feelings, if we just take a second and make that shift . . . that will make all the difference. It's just as easy to think about things that make you feel GOOD and at EASE as it is to keep beating the drum of sickness or lack or stress. At every given moment, we hold that power to feel better, think better, do better. Why choose otherwise?
All is indeed . . . WELL!
Peace and light to you and KEEP DREAMING!
Gene-Manuel
This wasn't really evident to me until last Thursday evening. I was visiting dear friends that live out of town and had a lovely and delicious dinner with them. After thoroughly enjoying my pasta dinner, even going back for seconds, I learned that the sauce in the pasta was a pesto sauce. Well, I am allergic to pine nuts. Not allergic in the sense that my throat closes up or anything like that but, I do get extremely sick. This also doesn't happen immediately. Symptoms start about 2 to 3 hours after I've eaten whatever the pine nut filled food was. So, once I found out about the pesto, I calmly told my hosts that I would most likely be getting very sick, but not to worry. I would keep them informed as to my condition and if it escalated to a need to get rushed to the hospital, I would let them know.
I then proceeded to have my delicious dessert, homemade ice-cream, and continued enjoying their company. There was absolutely no need to worry about what was coming because it wasn't there yet. I didn't try to get the food out of my system prematurely . . . well, there was no chance of that happening. It had tasted too good! I had a choice. Either I was going to continue to spend a good time with friends or I was going to worry about what was going to happen. I chose the first option. For as long as I could, I remained present and in the moment. Then, when the first signs of the reaction began, I prepared to go to bed and took each minute as it came.
The sicker I felt, the more focused on wellness I became. I had very little hope of not actually getting sick so I knew that the inevitable was going to happen. But, I made it a point to see what would happen if I at least was able to reach for better-feeling thoughts. What would happen if in the middle of the nausea and stomach cramps, I would continue to infuse my mind with thoughts of healing and beautiful things? I knew that my body was reacting to what it considers a poison, but I also wanted to try and use a positive antidote to that poison. As my body was working and preparing to get rid of that which was making it sick, I spent every single second focused on healthy thoughts. I refused to feel sorry for myself or scared about what could happen. No matter what, I knew that I would be alright. Whatever the outcome of my allergic reaction, I was going to be fine.
The moment came and I was lucky enough to make it to the bathroom in time. The closest I can get to describing the experience is that it feels like I'm being kicked in the pit of my stomach repeatedly by a powerfully strong opponent wearing combat boots. I'm kicked over and over and over again. Before I can take a breath, another kick comes in to join the last one. And again! And again! And again! All the way to the end. Once my body feels that the supposed intruder is out of my system, then and only then, do the kicks stop . . . Usually, I go through this about three or four times during an allergic episode. This time, everything happened just the one time. I was spared hours of this pain and torture. I was so, so grateful.
Through the entire process I've just described, I was fully present. But, in an interesting way, I was also able to distance myself from what my body was going through. It's hard to put into words but as my body was convulsing and the kicks kept on coming, I continued focusing my thoughts on Well-Being. That Well-Being that is a constant stream in our lives. If I honestly believe that All Is Well, then even in times of great physical pain, am I still connected to that stream? I found out that I am. Through the entire experience, I remained in what felt like two separate states. One, was the absolute physical, the one that felt every single thing that was happening to my body. The other, was the mental state that kept its connection to wellness. The wellness that was and the wellness that I would return to. I remember walking out of the bathroom and barely seeing my worried friends waiting for me outside. I can't imagine what they were thinking. I believe I said something like, "I think I'm done" and giving them the thumbs up as I headed downstairs to bed.
The next morning I awoke to a beautiful day full of sunshine. I felt fine and ready to face the day and concentrate on wonderful and creative things. It wasn't until I was on the bus back into Manhattan that I saw the connection between how I dealt with my being sick and some of the challenges I had been experiencing. Through it all, I've been focused on feeling good, feeling happy, being connected to well being. The more I've focused on that, the better things have gotten. And that's the trick. It's really that simple. Everything goes back to our ability to choose what we want to focus on and think about. In times of stress or disease, why focus on the cause of the stress or the disease? Although it's easy to get caught up in those feelings, if we just take a second and make that shift . . . that will make all the difference. It's just as easy to think about things that make you feel GOOD and at EASE as it is to keep beating the drum of sickness or lack or stress. At every given moment, we hold that power to feel better, think better, do better. Why choose otherwise?
All is indeed . . . WELL!
Peace and light to you and KEEP DREAMING!
Gene-Manuel
This is a very inspiring story! I have been trying to do this sort of thing when I get excruciating headaches. It is very hard and challenging indeed to stay focused on positive healing thoughts instead of the immense pain you are feeling. I love hearing that you were able to do it AND change the outcome of your situation and lessen your pain overall. I will think of you next time a headache comes on and stay inspired by your story.
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