Comments on: Spiritual Lessons from the Flu

By: Spiral Energies

Spiral Energies — Sat, 15 Feb 2014 21:42:22 +0000

In reply to Luci Adams. Sounds like you did some good listening to your self, Luci -- your symptoms, the advice you remembered, your desire not to get sick in your usual pattern-way. Super!

By: Luci Adams

Luci Adams — Sat, 15 Feb 2014 19:35:38 +0000

Excellent piece. I should have read it when I first got it. I started with runny nose and sneezing and couldn’t stop. That was Wednesday (storm) and Thursday I said, no, I can’t be sick. I remembered someone saying to drink baking soda in water every hour or so; I did that and my symptoms didn’t develop into my pattern of throaty-voice-change-and-miserable-cough-for-weeks. I’d rather learn to listen without being sick too. However, it did remind me I really do need to sit and listen.

By: Spiral Energies

Spiral Energies — Thu, 06 Feb 2014 01:07:19 +0000

In reply to Judy Tsafrir. Thanks for your thoughtful response, Judy. The blessing of the non-toothache really hit home when the flu was at its most intense -- what a contrast to my normal state of (blessed!) good health. And, yes, I know I need a lot more of the allowing/receptive/listening mode. I'd like to cultivate a true rest and personal Sabbath day to bring more of that into my life.

By: Judy Tsafrir

Judy Tsafrir — Thu, 06 Feb 2014 00:22:50 +0000

Hi Janet.
I liked this piece. It reminded me of a lecture I heard by Thich Nhat Hanh , the Vietnamese monk, who talked about the blessing of the non-toothache. When you have a tooth ache or the flu, it takes up so much psychic space that there is little room for anything else. We so often take our state of non-toothache for granted.
I liked what you wrote about feeling like you had little to offer so instead you listened. It would be great if we could give ourselves a break from constant offering/contributing and instead were more frequently in an allowing/receptive mode. In our culture, activity is so much valued over passivity. I think we are afraid of it. Its inspiring to me how you discerned the gifts in this period of enforced quiet. We are all so busy. That’s where the idea of a day of rest in the traditional notion of the Sabbath has real value.