Trauma, Disability, and Social Isolation

Reblogged from Trauma, Violence, and Human Rights:

Robert E. Murphy describes his own experience with social isolation after becoming a paraplegic in this selection, titled, “The Damaged Self.” He uses words like “stranger,” “aliens,” and “exiles,” to describe a new condition of being in the world. There is much trauma attached to disability. Murphy describes an “us vs. them” mentality when he speaks of being “one of ‘them’… somewhat apart from American culture, making in many ways a stranger” (Murphy, pg. 323, 329). Disability and low self-esteem …

MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS A BOOSTER by Dr. Adele McDowell

THE ESSENTIAL PIECE TO HEALING TRAUMA

FORGIVENESS.

But, what does it really mean to forgive?

What I’ve learned for myself and working with others as a qigong healer/psychotherapist is that “forgiveness” is one of the most difficult things to do. Yet, it is ABSOLUTELY necessary in the healing of trauma – whether it is to forgive another, forgive your “God”, or forgive yourself.

In fact, forgiveness is essential to our overall health and well-being, whether or not we’ve been traumatized.

Forgiveness, first and foremost, is a process – an often times lengthy one at that. It is NOT a one-shot deal! Sometimes, it takes doing it over and over, each time letting go of a little more anger, pain, and sadness.

It’s also not about just saying the words, “I forgive you”.  Forgiveness does not come from the mind. It comes from the heart. The heart is the entry way into our souls.

However, our hearts can harbor the angst for a long time, a sharp or dull ache that we keep close inside us.

The first thing we need to understand about forgiveness is that it’s NOT about excusing another for whatever pain they caused or you think they’ve caused.  It is about releasing the toxic emotions that will make you or keep you sick because you’ve somehow stuffed all the pain in your heart.

You need to let your heart break .  It is in the breaking that begins the process of healing. When your heart breaks, it opens the floodgates for the emotions to flow out.

It is this very out pouring of feelings that leads to forgiveness.

SACRED ACTIVISM W/ANDREW HARVEY

My good friend, Chairani, sent me this link. Finally, someone is talking about how to combine spiritual mysticism with social/political activism.

Sounds like a match made in heaven.

Click the link below to see what Andrew Harvey has to say about how this is the critical time for us to  take back our country our POWER and how we can do it.

http://www.liloumace.com/Occupy-Wall-street-facing-the-crising-Sacred-Activism-Andrew-Harvey_a1671.html.

I for one am grateful that someone is giving us a plan to combine the spiritual with action, that it’s not enough for us to simply meditate, that we must also do something. And, that we must do it together, for that is where the power comes from – ALL OF US!

DEEP TRUTH by Gregg Braden

I find synergy amazing !

Right after I finished blogging about “survival of the fittest” and the mind-set of competition that it sets up worldwide, I receive a link from Lisa Garr’s The Aware Radio Talk show in which she interviews Gregg Braden who speaks to this very concept in his new book, Deep Truth.

Gregg is a spiritual teacher who is also a trained scientist. He, therefore, bridges for us the gap between science and spirituality.

DALAI LAMA AND MANKIND – What Does It Mean to Live?

Now, that is a very interesting question. I find that particularly so after reading what the Dalai Lama says about humanity.

We are taught to survive, but is that living?

Don’t think we can answer that question until we look at the concept from which our society is built – SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST – Herbert Spencer coined this phrase following Charles Darwin’s work on “natural selection” of the species, stating “let the strongest live and the weakest die”.   Although Darwin was referring to those w ho could adapt best to the local environment, “survival of the fittest” came to mean “survival of the most physically fit”.

Now that we are more advanced, it doesn’t seem to mean the most physically fit, but to mean the ones who excel in competition, who supposedly start out with a “silver spoon” in their mouth – family money and connections which means the best education, health care, transportation, etc.  With this wealth and these connections, they learn from an early age that they are entitled, that money buys status and power, even the power to sidestep laws that bind the masses.

Inadvertently, this concept has produced a culture of competitiveness carried to extremes – a society based on exclusivity (if one is not seen as one of the fittest), a society built on the belief that we must fight for our survival, so when one is not part of the “fittest”, one is seen as “the other” or those who are the dredges of society and, therefore, not fit to receive the benefits of those who are fit.

It sets us up to fight – something that violence and wars have shown throughout history.

We, in short, don’t know what living means, let alone know how to live.

WU DONG LONG MEN QIGONG SAVED MY LIFE!

Connection is Real. Healing is Real. Miracle is Real

Is this email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser.

FEATURE OF THE MONTHWu Dong Long Men Qigong Saved My Life!This ancient Chinese self-healing module built up my depleted immune system following my bout with cancer.After 16 years, I am still cancer free!Aside from cancer, qigong also helped me to heal from the traumatic experiences of physical, emotional and sexual abuse.  I discovered this healing power when I first worked with other abuse survivors in my psychotherapy practice. Using qigong to help them calm down, I quickly realized it was also lessening and, in many instances, eliminating their symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).Their flashbacks and nightmares reenacting their trauma decreased or disappeared completely. It did the same for my symptoms.

QIGONG CLASS – NEW VENUE, NEW TIME, NEW LOCATION – SEE BELOW!

Connection is Real. Healing is Real. Miracle is Real

Is this email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser.

Friend on Facebook Follow on Twitter Forward to a Friend FACILITATOR John Wong (Chief Facilitator)) Gayook Wong Qigong Master (Guest Coach) VENUE Gaia Life International Pte Ltd Blk 102E, Pasir Panjang Road #05-10 Singaore 118529 (8-10 mins walk from Pasir Panjang MRT Station) DATES 18 & 25 October 2011 (Tuesdays) 20 & 27 October 2011 (Thursdays) TIME 7pm to 8:30pm INVESTMENT: S$60 per session S$220 for 4 sessions. No GST PAYMENT: Cash Email to enquire and register:  ask@gaialifeinternational.com Tel : 6274 0141 www.gaialifeinternational.com WU DONG SPIRITUAL QIGONG: Master the Rare Secret Art of Void Element Healing ENDORSEMENTS “Donna, my mother’s friend collapsed with a pain in her stomach, and the virus got everywhere, critical stage in Dec/ Jan, John taught the family how to awaken her when all the doctors gave nothing but datelines. Now she woke up and is back home! Thank you, John!” – ISAAC KK LOONG, inventor, architect, London Gayook is a vessel of healing energy-she is an individual with compassion and has the ability of transferring the light to others. I cannot recommend her enough. Caroline Myss, Ph.D, N.Y Times best selling author COURSE SYLLABUS Learning Wu Dong Long Men Qigong, leading to a spiritual path Focusing on filling the void with qi, leading towards developing/enhancing intuition Learning exercises to prevent illness and heal oneself JOHN WONGCW (CHIEF FACILITATOR) Termed as a Medical Mystery, John Wong is a scientific professional involved in regional water and food Safety Community . By Transcendental Connection, he self regenerated from total paralysis and blindness even when his nerves and its core were severely damaged or gone. He is the Founder and Author of Transcendental Connection. He is a USA NLP certified practitioner and is also serving as the Director of National Neurological Foundation (NNF). His book “Awaken Your Healing Power” is distributed internationally with Real Stories, Real people and Real Scientific Findings. GAYOOK WONG (GUEST COACH) Gayook Wong comes from a family of qigong practitioners dating back to the Han dynasty. Raised up in New York, she offers a unique East/West approach to qigong. Gayook healed herself from cancer and post traumatic stress disorder from physical and sexual abuse. Her training and experience include 30 years of clinical psychotherapy and consultant at AT&T and Lucent Technology. She is also co-authors with Deepak Chopra and Wayne Dyer in Amazon Top Ten List, Wake Up and Live the Life You Love, Seizing Your Success. Who should sign up? Those who wish to learn qigong Those who wish to learn to walk a practical spiritual life Those who wish to learn about themselves to prevent illness Those who wish to heal themselves

follow on Twitter | friend on Facebook | forward to a friend Copyright © 2011 Gaia Life International Pte Ltd, All rights reserved. Thank you for attanding Gaia Life International and Transcendental Connection workshops and events. For more information, please visit our website at www.gaialifeinternational.com or our facebook. Our mailing address is: Gaia Life International Pte Ltd Blk 102E Pasir Panjang Road #05-10 Singapore 118529 Add us to your address book  unsubscribe from this list | update subscription preferences

WUGONG SPIRITUAL QIGONG CLASS

Friend on Facebook Follow on Twitter Forward to a Friend FACILITATOR John Wong (Chief Facilitator)) Gayook Wong Qigong Master (Guest Coach) VENUE Gaia Life International Pte Ltd Blk 102E, Pasir Panjang Road #05-10 Singaore 118529 (8-10 mins walk from Pasir Panjang MRT Station) DATES 25 October 2011 (Tuesday) 27 October 2011 (Thursday) TIME 7pm to 8:30pm INVESTMENT: $60 per session $220 for 4 sessions. No GST PAYMENT: Cash Email to enquire and register:  ask@gaialifeinternational.com Tel : 6274 0141 www.gaialifeinternational.com WU DONG SPIRITUAL QIGONG: Master the Rare Secret Art of Void Element Healing ENDORSEMENTS “Donna, my mother’s friend collapsed with a pain in her stomach, and the virus got everywhere, critical stage in Dec/ Jan, John taught the family how to awaken her when all the doctors gave nothing but datelines. Now she woke up and is back home! Thank you, John!” – ISAAC KK LOONG, inventor, architect, London Gayook is a vessel of healing energy-she is an individual with compassion and has the ability of transferring the light to others. I cannot recommend her enough. Caroline Myss, Ph.D, N.Y Times best selling author COURSE SYLLABUS Learning Wu Dong Long Men Qigong, leading to a spiritual path Focusing on filling the void with qi, leading towards developing/enhancing intuition Learning exercises to prevent illness and heal oneself JOHN WONGCW (CHIEF FACILITATOR) Termed as a Medical Mystery, John Wong is a scientific professional involved in regional water and food Safety Community . By Transcendental Connection, he self regenerated from total paralysis and blindness even when his nerves and its core were severely damaged or gone. He is the Founder and Author of Transcendental Connection. He is a USA NLP certified practitioner and is also serving as the Director of National Neurological Foundation (NNF). His book “Awaken Your Healing Power” is distributed internationally with Real Stories, Real people and Real Scientific Findings. GAYOOK WONG (GUEST COACH) Gayook Wong comes from a family of qigong practitioners dating back to the Han dynasty. Raised up in New York, she offers a unique East/West approach to qigong. Gayook healed herself from cancer and post traumatic stress disorder from physical and sexual abuse. Her training and experience include 30 years of clinical psychotherapy and consultant at AT&T and Lucent Technology. She is also co-authors with Deepak Chopra and Wayne Dyer in Amazon Top Ten List, Wake Up and Live the Life You Love, Seizing Your Success. Who should sign up? Those who wish to learn qigong Those who wish to learn to walk a practical spiritual life Those who wish to learn about themselves to prevent illness Those who wish to heal themselves

follow on Twitter | friend on Facebook | forward to a friend Copyright © 2011 Gaia Life International Pte Ltd, All rights reserved. Thank you for attanding Gaia Life International and Transcendental Connection workshops and events. For more information, please visit our website at www.gaialifeinternational.com or our facebook. Our mailing address is: Gaia Life International Pte Ltd Blk 102E Pasir Panjang Road #05-10 Singapore 118529 Add us to your address book  unsubscribe from this list | update subscription preferences

Reply

Forward

THE HELP – THE TRAUMA OF RACISM

I just returned from seeing an excellent film entitled “The Help”. It is a portrayal of how African-Americans are treated by Southern Whites in the early 1960′s when the Civil Rights Movement was gaining momentum for equal rights for persons of all races.

While I’m sure that the film only touched on the atrocities perpetrated against African-Americans, I felt that the personal portrayals of emotions were poignant and heartbreaking.

I am not reviewing the film, but blogging about what the film brought up for me in terms of the racism I faced growing up Chinese-American in NYC, starting in the late ’40′s. It was the time after WWII where Americans were still smarting from the Japanese invasion of Pearl Harbor. One of the first stereotypes I faced is that all Asians look alike – “Jap” is what they hurtled at me! Then, in the early ’50′s with the advent of McCarthyism, Americans believed I was Communist.

I view racism as a trauma. Trauma is any incident that renders a person powerless. Racism is systematic trauma perpetrated on people who  did not ask to be born into a minority race,  and there is nothing a person can do to change the color of his/her skin.