Brian’s Reflection: Monday, July 6, 2009

[The] vital force, which supports and sustains all life, has been given many names. The
Chinese call it `chi'i', the Hindus call it `prana', the Hebrews call it `ruach', and the
American Indians name it `the Great Spirit'….. Some people call this power-that-connects
LOVE, or divine energy. According to these theories, we are healthy when this energy is
flowing through us in a balanced and unrestricted fashion. When the energy is blocked
in some way, be it through poor life-style habits, stress, or negative emotions,
then in time these constrictions manifest as physical or mental disease. The energy is blocked
by "swimming against the Tao" ….. "the essence of health is to fall in with the patterns of
life. To be in harmony with the Tao".

- Chop Wood, Carry Water, pg 186

“Poor lifestyle habits, stress, or negative emotions”. Uh oh. I have a terrible craving for good bread slathered with olive oil, and roasted Yukon gold mini-potatoes in garlic, fresh rosemary, and ….. olive oil ….. and English crumpets infused with a good “spread” and Bonne Mama Three-berry jam. (I know, I know: the olive oil is ok!). Stress? I can’t imagine that there is anything stressful about 27 years as a parish priest, 11 of them pasturing two congregations at a time ….. is there??? Negative emotions?? Surely 40 years of rage at being discriminated against and scapegoated by church and state as a Gay person while trying to behave as a follower of Jesus ….. surely that wouldn’t generate “negative emotions”??? Ah ….. would it??

In seven years: Aortic valve replacement; gall bladder removal (very diseased); cyst removed from throat; burst colon and colostomy; e-coli bacterial infection for months; reversal of colostomy and abscess to bowel reversed 6 months later; double hernia repaired; hole in heart repaired. You don’t suppose that not being in “harmony with the Tao”, or “divine energy”, has anything to do with this ….. do you???

How ….. dumb.

OK. I get the message. I’ll get to work on this.

Maybe an object lesson here for any of you??

Brian+