--- In [email protected], "Al" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > This year it seemed like I had one health problem after another one, and I > remember that around March I did not think I would live out this year. Sure, > I guess I can still die in the next three days, but otherwise it looks like > I will make it into 2006. > > Has anyone here ever had one of those years where it really looked like > health or some other situation would definitely be the end of you? > > I would like to say that I learned some spiritual insights, but all I really > learned was how to deal with my Health Insurance company and how to get my > case escalated to the Customer Service Director when they did not want to > pay for my two surgeries. I also learned to deal with constant pain. Maybe I > have not learned to deal with it, as much as to live with it. As the saying > goes, what's the alternative? > > I may not be wiser, but at least I am still alive. Thank you God, Buddha, > Jesus, Crom, Odin, Zeus, or whomever may have helped, if anyone. > > Al > Older, if not wiser.
I can relate to this, as I have to deal with chronic pain. It was one motivation of many for taking up zazen in the first place, to learn how to change my relationship to pain and be released from suffering. But being released from suffering is not the same as being released from the pain. The latter is an unrealistic expectation but the former is supposedly attainable. Let's hope that the new year will bring some progress in our zazen practice in this regard. ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Join modern day disciples reach the disfigured and poor with hope and healing http://us.click.yahoo.com/lMct6A/Vp3LAA/i1hLAA/S27xlB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Current Book Discussion: Appreciate Your Life by Taizan Maezumi Roshi Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZenForum/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
