If one advances confidently in the direction of their dream, endeavoring to live the life they are imagining, he will put somethings behind. He will pass the invisible boundary. ~Emerson I dream of being whole. I dream of healing. I dream of living with passion and with purpose and without pain. I am not there yet, but I am headed confidently in that direction. After one month of yoga teacher training, I am certain I am on the right path. In this short time I have learned that although suffering exists, so too does happiness, and I have the ability to nurture my happiness, which in turn … [Read more...]
Why I Keep Showing Up
There are times in this journey of mine that I am simply tired and depleted, and I have brief moments of defeat when I think - "What is this all about? Why do I bother? Who am I kidding?" Sometimes they happen when, after several days of feeling good, I wake up in the kind of pain that is impossible to reason. Or they happen when I reflect on how long I have been sick, and how long it is going to take me to heal. Sometimes they happen for no specific reason at all. I just get tired of the work, tired of the journey, and I just want to stop. But I don't stop - for too long anyway. And … [Read more...]
Today I Celebrated My Toes!
Six days ago, over twenty members of FibroHaven's Facebook community began a 21 day meditation challenge. The Chopra Center is hosting the challenge, with the thought being, it takes roughly 21 days to develop a ritual. From davidji, Dean of The Chopra Center University: "Rituals are powerful behaviors. And when you combine ritual with meaning, amazing things happen – you get transformation. And transformation is a form of evolution. So by adding meditation into your daily set of rituals, it will effortlessly become a part of you." Each morning we wake up to a new guided meditation in … [Read more...]
Is it Time to Rethink the Fibromyalgia Doctor-Patient Relationship?
As a fibromyalgia patient, what are your expectations when you arrive for your doctor appointments? Do you arrive prepared to work with your doctor on how best to manage the troubling symptoms of fibromyalgia, or do you arrive hopeful that he/she will have some treatment, some answer that will once and for all end your suffering? One of the first things I tell new members of FibroHaven support group - above everything - we need to learn to be our own best health advocates. Fibromyalgia is a condition with no known cure. There is not, and likely never will be, a single approach to treat and … [Read more...]
Find the Space Between Pleasure and Pain, and Rest There
Recently a great conversation began on the FibroHaven Facebook page when I asked this: What do you do when you are having a relatively good day, but suddenly hit a wall? Do you push through, or do you slow down and give in to it? There is a BIG brick wall looming just ahead of me. Can't decide if I want to try and hurdle it or lay down before I smash my face into it! Let's discuss. I would love to know how you manage. There were many great responses that are worth taking the time to read. After reading them I knew I wanted to continue the conversation with a new blog post, and as often … [Read more...]