For people like me it is illness that calls us to wellness and waking up.
Thank god for Dr. Google. Seriously. And to hell with those who glance side-ways at those of us who’ve learned to doctor ourselves.
We commit *science* via observations of our own bodies everyday. We learn by coming up with hypothesis and then utilizing trial and error fueled by ever-growing body-felt sense intuition. Our discernment of what we need in order to heal grows in this fashion.
Since it was pharmaceuticals that gravely injured me it’s easy for me to make the choice for non-pharma solutions whenever possible. Indeed, I actually no longer tolerate virtually all pharmaceuticals. My body gets sick — in its wisdom of what it needs it rejects that which poisoned it now. It’s far bigger than “me.” It’s my DNA being allowed to express itself (or something like that anyway…I tread lightly around belief and know I know nothing really).
In any case, the more I learn about chronic illness in general (in the population at large as well as in my own body), the more I see how much of it correlates with choices we make as a society and a collective. So even when symptoms of illness seem to appear radically diverse there are actually often many root similarities.
I don’t wish this journey on others so I now speak out that people might be aware of their choices before they might otherwise become ill or more ill.
This doesn’t mean there are not times when pharma is appropriate … it means that becoming conscious of options allows for better outcomes in the long run. In this world of kaleidoscopic reality what might be right for me may be poison for you and vice versa…we need only learn to trust our own experience…and then trust that of others too. Live and let live. Let life unfold. Let the mystery reveal itself.
Yes, the body will reveal all sorts of things when we learn to listen. It’s got millions of years of stored knowledge in it’s DNA. Allow the mystery and we learn so much more than we can by only reading and studying by conventional means. I find that doing both…listening mindfully to the body AND conventional study make a much more effective pairing. When we allow intuition to guide our more conventional study there is no stopping us.
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On another somewhat related note I am sharing an article from Phys.org — Gut bacteria tell the brain what animals should eat
A friend shared the above article with me. I responded with this:
Yes, we are animals too. I feel my microbiome. Both the good and bad bacteria. I’ve learned to listen and discern what my gut is saying to me in order to continue healing my entire being…nervous system and brain too. I have some weirdly acute interoceptive capacities. I’ve not yet met anyone else who can keep up with that I’m experiencing though I’m sure I’m not the only one. I’ve written to academics who’ve written papers on interoception but I get the feeling even they don’t know what I’m talking about. I imagine I’ll meet others who do at some point. I meet more and more people everywhere that help me figure all that is happening on this healing journey when the time is right, it seems. (articles on gut and gut healing here)
More on related topics:
- Expertly guided by the genius of my DNA
- The somatic imperative and meditation
- I experience my life now as far better than ever before…
- Healing, awakening: freedom from pharma
- The emotional, physical, mental, spiritual, social, political and ecological…(must be viewed as a whole if we hope to heal)
An earlier collection too: Information and inspiration for the chronically ill
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*it is potentially dangerous to come off medications without careful planning. Please be sure to be well educated before undertaking any sort of discontinuation of medications. If your MD agrees to help you do so, do not assume they know how to do it well even if they claim to have experience. They are generally not trained in discontinuation and may not know how to recognize withdrawal issues. A lot of withdrawal issues are misdiagnosed to be psychiatric problems. This is why it’s good to educate oneself and find a doctor who is willing to learn with you as your partner in care. Really all doctors should always be willing to do this as we are all individuals and need to be treated as such. See: Psychiatric drug withdrawal and protracted withdrawal syndrome round-up
It’s become clear to me that whenever it’s possible that it’s helpful for folks who’ve not begun withdrawal and have the time to consider a carefully thought out plan to attempt to bring greater well-being to your body before starting the withdrawal. That means learning how to profoundly nourish your body/mind and spirit prior to beginning a withdrawal. For suggestions on how to go about doing that check the drop-down menus on this blog for ideas. Anything that helps you learn how to live well can be part of your plan. That plan will look different for everyone as we learn to follow our hearts and find our own unique paths in the world. Things to begin considering are diet, exercise and movement, meditation/contemplation etc. Paying attention to all these things as you do them helps too. The body will start letting us know what it needs as we learn to pay attention.
For a multitude of ideas about how to create a life filled with safe alternatives to psychiatric drugs visit the drop-down menus at the top of this page.
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It really is true. Everything matters.