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Here I'm singin' happy birthday, better think about the the wish I make This year gone by ain't been a piece of cake Everyday's a revolution, pull it together and it comes undone Just one more candle and a trip around the sun
I'm just hangin' on while this old world keeps spinnin' And it's good to know it's out of my control If there's one thing that I've learned from all this livin' Is that it wouldn't change a thing if I let go
No, you never see it comin', always wind up wonderin' where it went Only time will tell if it was time well spent It's another revelation, celebrating what I should have done With these souvenirs of my trip around the sun
I'm just hangin' on while this old world keeps spinnin' And it's good to know it's out of my control If there's one thing that I've learned from all this livin' Is that it wouldn't change a thing if I let go
Yes, I'll make a resolution That I'll never make another one Just enjoy this ride on my trip around the sun Just enjoy this ride till it's done
At the beginning of the
treatment portion of an acupuncture session, Erin tells me to do three things:
relax, accept the love of the needles as they work to heal my body, and follow
the Spirit where it takes me.This week
I began to think about the Spirit I follow and found out that it is something I
have experienced a couple of times before in my life, but somehow let it get
away from me.It is known as the Aloha
Spirit.
Today we are going to delve into the
meaning of the Aloha Spirit and how it can be a model, or a beacon if you will,
on how we can make this world a better place to live.Hawai'i is my all time favorite state to
visit.Not only does it embody a true
sense of paradise, but it also holds great healing powers or Mana just by
setting foot on its lands.Aloha holds
such great meaning for the People of Hawai'i that it is encoded in section
5-7.5 of the Revised Statutes and is known as The Aloha Spirit Law "and acknowledges that The Aloha Spirit
was the working philosophy of native Hawaiians and was presented as a gift to
the people of Hawai'i" (2014).
All citizens,
government officials, and visitors to the state must follow the precepts of the
law in both the performance of their duties as well as day-to-day living.The law was founded on the intent that it can
serve as a model for the world to do the greatest good for the greatest number
of people. Here is what the Aloha Spirit Law says verbatim:
A-
Akahai, meaning kindness to be expressed with tenderness;
L-
Lokahi, meaning unity, to be expressed with harmony;
O-Olu'olu,
meaning agreeable, to be expressed with pleasantness;
H-
Ha'aha'a, meaning humility, to be expressed with modesty;
A-
Ahonui, meaning patience, to be expressed with perseverance.
Furthermore, the law states that aloha
means "mutual regard and affection
and extends warmth in caring with no obligation in return"(2014).When we do something for others, it should be
done without expecting anything in return.
After my first trip to the Islands I decided to explore a little bit
more about the Aloha Spirit and found a book written by a poet and philosopher
named Robert James titled What is this
thing called Aloha (2002). On every other page of this book, the author
relates what he believes and feels is the meaning of Aloha.I will now share a few select quotes that
will help to better define this wonderful gift:
"And once found,
aloha makes our lives whole, gives power to our words, fills our actions with
purpose, and assures that our every thought is of benefit to each other and to
the world around us."
"Like seeds on the
wind, let your aloha find a home in every soul you meet."
"The existence of
aloha in not an abstraction.Feel it
now. It is in your blood. It is in your bones.It is in your mind, heart, and soul.Find it in the silent wonder of yourself."
"It is easy to
love those most dear to you. Aloha makes
it possible for you to love your larger family, humanity."
"We have two
voices within ourselves. One is in our head, the other is in our heart.One says, "I want!","I need!",I must have this!"It is filled with greed, envy, anger, and
plotting.Aloha, the other voice, says,
"If I have, let me share it with others.If I dream, may it serve the greater good."
"Aloha is found in
silence, lived in peace, and passed on in love" (2002).
All too often in this world we get caught
up in a sense of entitlement and end up losing our Aloha Spirit along the
way.I should know because I have been
there and done that.If the people of
Hawai'i can harness the wonders of Aloha, then why not us all?As Erin tells me, follow the Spirit (Aloha)
where it takes you.In my case it is
leading me down the path of peace, inner harmony, and a more balanced life.
One more thing about Hawai'i.Every year before Judy and I go on vacation
we ask for a travel blessing from our pastor,Father Barrett.When we returned
from our last trip to Hawai'i (four years ago) Father Barrett asked me how it
was and I said "awesome".However, over the days following I really thought about the answer to
his question.When I saw him the next
week,I better defined my experience and told
him:"On the seventh day when God
rested, he settled over the Hawaiian Islands and said "I am going to leave
them a snapshot of what Heaven is like."That to me is what the Aloha Spirit is all about.
References
The Aloha Spirit Law. Retrieved from http://www.atchawaii.com/LocalInfo/alohaspirit.html
on 5/22/2014.
James, R. (2002). What is this thing called Aloha.Waipahu, Hawai'i: Island Heritage
Publishing.
Water, it covers the face of the Earth and
comprises over 60% of our body's weight.Without it, we would cease to exist as a human race.Water has also been used for centuries for
its healing properties in a practice known as hydrotherapy.Today, I am going to introduce you to Father
Sebastian Kneipp "The Father of Hydrotherapy" who used water to cure
thousands of people of many ailments including tuberculosis.Then, we will visit a modern day spa that
continues to follow the precepts laid out by Father Kneipp more than one-hundred
years ago
Sebastian Kneipp was a Bavarian priest who
lived and worked in Bad Worishofen, Germany.During his 28th year of life, a young Sebastian contracted tuberculosis,
which was considered fatal in the 19th century.Kneipp stumbled upon a book written by Dr. Johann Hahn, that described
the healing power of water.Sebastian
extracted enough information from the book and created his own protocol to cure
himself of his tuberculosis.Several
times a week Father Kneipp would run down to the Danube River, strip off his
clothes, and dive into its icy waters.He
would then redress and re-warm his body.By all accounts the intermittent exposure to this cold water had boosted
his immune system and returned him to good health (2014).
Over the course of the next 25 years,
Father Kneipp continued to experiment on himself as well as others
who were either turned away from, or could not afford to see a doctor.His treatments included the following
methods: full cold water immersion, alternating hot and cold half-baths, steam
and herbal baths, hot/cold compresses, water stepping and wet packs (2006).Father Kneipp, at the urging of others,
passed along these healing methods in a book titled My Water Cure which sold by the thousands over several printed
editions.Father Kneipp died on June
17th, 1897 at the age of 76 in Bad Worishofen, Germany (2014).
So, what is hydrotherapy?The website About.com defines this natural healing modality as " The use
of water to revitalize, maintain, and restore health" (2014).Types of hydrotherapy include: saunas, steam
baths, whirlpools, and hot and cold compresses.This website also noted that Father Kneipp believed that disease could
be cured by removing toxins from the body via alternating hot and cold water
therapy.This modality creates a
distinct physiological response in the body.Cold water causes the superficial blood vessels of the skin to constrict
thereby redirecting blood to the internal organs where it is filtered by the
liver and kidneys.Hot water will dilate
these same blood vessels which aids in removing the toxins via sweat and
perspiration.This method will also
decrease general inflammation (2014).Let us now take a look at a modern example of Father Kneipp's water cure
in action.
Over the past several years, as part of my
wellness regimen, I take an annual trip to the Kohler Waters Spa in Burr Ridge,
Illinois.No matter what type of spa
treatment that one receives, each guest has the opportunity to experience the
Circle of Tranquility.All you need is to
wear a bathing suit and have the courage to follow in Father Kneipp's footsteps,
because this "Circle" provides a complete hydrotherapy experience.
As I entered the area, I moved to the
left of the room into the first of 3 distinct open shower areas.Each one provides the user with different
methods of pulsating or deluging water that alternates between hot and
cold.After the final deluge, I
continued around the circle and chose the steam room on this day (Kohler also
has a 160 degree sauna).For the next 15
minutes I sat, with my eyes closed, and practiced relaxation breathing.I inhaled deeply to receive the distinct
aroma of eucalyptus which opened my lungs and cleared my mind.The steam also opened my pores and I could
feel the toxic load leave my body in each droplet of sweat.
I then exited the steam room and stood
before my ultimate nemesis: the 8 foot deep cold water plunge pool.I am not a member of a Polar Plunge Club, nor
ever will be.However, I did not shy
away from this part of the circle as the rewards reaped outweighed my discomfort
with extremely cold temperatures.Once
you commit to the jump, there is no way to turn back or chicken out.As I submerged into the nearly 64 degrees of
cold water, I felt immediate relief to my aching joints.I surfaced, exited, and then entered the
final leg of the Circle:the whirlpool
with an 8 foot high waterfall.
As I entered the whirlpool, my body was
treated with an immediate contrasting warm water soak.My favorite part is spending almost the next
20 minutes under the cascading power of the waterfall which kneads my head,
shoulders, back, and legs much in the same way as a massage therapist uses
his/her hands to the same effect.Tight
muscles become more elastic which is a nice precursor to any spa treatment, be
it bodywork or additional hydrotherapy modalities.I may journey to Kohler only once a year, but
the resulting holistic bliss is priceles
I leave you with the words of one of
Father Kneipp's most prolific students, Dr. Benedict Lust (pronounced Loost),
known as the "Father of Naturopathic Medicine", who best summed up
this healing priest's philosophy:"Know how to live, do not overdo anything, lead a clean life, trust
in God, and let nature cure you" (2006, p. 31).In a spin on milk commercials: water, it does
the body good.
References
About.com (2014).Different
Types of Hydrotherapy. Retrieved from http://altmedicine.about.com/od/therapiesfrometol/a/hydrotherapy.htmon 5/5/2014.
Sebastian Kneipp. Retrieved from http://kneippus.com/sebastian-kneipp.html on 5/5/2014.
The Life of Sebastian Kneipp. Retrieved from
http://www.kneipp.com/kneipp_philosophy/sebastian_kneipp/the_life_of_sebstian_kneipp.html
on 5/5/2014.
Boyd, A. & Yarnell,
E. (2006). Collected Works of Dr.
Benedict Lust. Seattle: Healing
Mountain Publishing.
In my post titled Life's Happenstance Can Open Doors to True Healing (3/4/14) I
chronicled how by happenstance I discovered that my PTSD was hindering Vino's
progress via negative energy.As you may
remember, that was the call to action when I made the decision to write my own
holistic protocol. Through a combination of acupuncture and professional
counseling, I now face the demons that have dwelled within me for over 16
years.It has been over a month since I
started the acupuncture and the results have been amazing.My first counseling session was this past
Saturday.I am journaling my progress to
share with you in future posts.My goal
is to reach out to as many people with similar circumstances: be it military,
fire, police or the public- at- large, to let them know they are not alone in
their struggle.If you reach out to me I
will walk you through your own journey.
I made the conscious decision to revisit
life's happenstance to check on my progress.Today,Vino had another Nutrition
Response Testing (NRT) evaluation with Dr. Cutright at Lepar Animal Hospital.During his re-exam, I asked
Dr. Cutright if I could place my hands on my furry friend to see if our energy
pathways have become more compatible.She agreed, and we found that I am no longer creating a strong energetic
weakness in Vino.True healing really is
measured in small steps, and even though our current weather patterns may
indicate otherwise,hope springs eternal.After
walking out of my first counseling session I have become more introspective and
can now look in the proverbial mirror to see within myself.I left that office and realized I had just
began the first day of the "new" rest of my life.I said it before and I will say it
again:I love life's happenstance.
I leave you with a tune by one of my
favorite recording artists, Jimmy Buffett sung along with his friend Alan
Jackson.It has become my new anthem
(metaphor) for life, enjoy.
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Boats To Build
It's time for a change
I'm tired of that same old same
The same old words, the same old lines
The same old tricks and the same old rhymes
Days, precious days
Roll in and out like waves
I got boards to bend, I got planks to nail
I got charts to make, I got seas to sail
I'm gonna build me a boat with these two hands
She'll be a fair curve from a noble plan
Let the chips fall where they will
'Cause I've got boats to build
Sails are just like wings
The wind can make them sing
Songs of life, songs of hope
Songs to keep your dreams afloat
I'm gonna build me a boat with these two hands
She'll be a fair curve from a noble plan
Let the chips fall where they will
'Cause I've got boats to build
Shores, distant shores
There's where I'm headed for
I got the stars to guide my way
To sail into the light of day
I'm gonna build me a boat with these two hands
She'll be a fair curve from a noble plan
Let the chips fall where they will
'Cause I'm gonna build me a boat with these two hands
She'll be a fair curve from a noble plan
Let the chips fall where they will
'Cause I've got boats to build, I've got boats to build
I've got boats to build
