I'm currently reading a book entitled, "Cry Pain, Cry Hope" by Elizabeth O'Connor. the book was published in the late 1980's and is a wonderful read from the author's spiritual journal. Chapter 24 is entitled, "Learnings from an Illness". She quotes a book by Norman Cousins (Anatomy of an Illness) that speaks volumes about the non-physiologic aspects of disease - especially chronic illness. My post today is a sharing of this, as I believe it will resonate with many. Future posts will unpack it a bit more, but for today, here are Mr. Cousins' thoughts:
"There was first of all the feeling of helplessness - a serious disease in itself. There was the subconscious fear of never being able to function normally again - and it produced a wall of separation between us and the world of open movement, open sounds, open expectations. There was the reluctance to be thought a complainer. There was the desire not to add to the already great burden of apprehension felt by one's family; this added to the isolation. There was the conflict between the terror of loneliness and the desire to be left alone. There was the lack of self-esteem, the subconscious feeling perhaps that our illness was a manifestation of our inadequacy. There was the fear that decisions were being made behind our backs, that not everything was made known that we wanted to know, yet dreaded knowing.
There was the morbid fear of intrusive technology, fear of being metabolized by a data base, never to regain our faces again. There was resentment of strangers who came to us with needles and vials - some of which put supposedly magic substances in our veins, and others, which took more blood than we thought we could afford to lose. There was the distress of being wheeled through white corridors to laboratories for all sorts of strange encounters with compact machines and blinking lights and whirling discs.
And there was the utter void created by the longing - ineradicable, unremitting, pervasive - for warmth of human contact. A warm smile and an outstretched hand were valued even above the offerings of modern science, but the latter were far more accessible than the former."
I believe this is true for all persons who experience illness and gets to the powerful issues that are not physiologic - but are truly spiritual in nature. Modern medicine can not "cure" these issues; there is "no pill for this ill". We can, however, address them one person and one caring community to another.
Peace in your dis-ease,
Dan
Monday, February 28, 2011
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Congregational Health Network
Today's post is brought to you from Memphis, TN. No, I'm not physically there (firmly ensconced in Northern Virginia) but I've been transported via the wonders of the internet to a truly revolutionary partnership between a large hospital system and faith communities in the Memphis area. If you haven't yet read, "Leading Causes of Life" by Gary Gunderson and Larry Pray, I urge you to purchase it and read it. The book was the impetus for me to have the courage to create and run Possibilities Journey, Inc (www.possjrny.org).
The Congregational Health Network is a wonderfully evolving model of research and practice which focuses on the health needs of the community. It then leverages the second most trusted professionals for health communication/advocacy (the clergy) to affect change. This is the vision that I've had as well for Virgnia, and it's already being done by a United Methodist hospital! This is too cool!
The mechanism is both simple and quite challenging - how to engage an health care provider (hospitals and system) along with faith communities to improve the health of both? I encourage you to follow this link: (https://secure.lebonheur.org/methodist/About%20Us/Faith%20and%20Health/Community) to see more about what they are doing in Memphis. It is truly revolutionary and G-d sized in its scope and mission. See also the covenant that they employ - what a wonderful document that shows good faith support from all involved!
So, whenever you get feeling that there's no end in sight of the troubles of the world - take heart, the Spirit is moving and doing and building. The question is...do we have eyes to see it and the courage to act on that vision?
Peace and grace,
Dan
The Congregational Health Network is a wonderfully evolving model of research and practice which focuses on the health needs of the community. It then leverages the second most trusted professionals for health communication/advocacy (the clergy) to affect change. This is the vision that I've had as well for Virgnia, and it's already being done by a United Methodist hospital! This is too cool!
The mechanism is both simple and quite challenging - how to engage an health care provider (hospitals and system) along with faith communities to improve the health of both? I encourage you to follow this link: (https://secure.lebonheur.org/methodist/About%20Us/Faith%20and%20Health/Community) to see more about what they are doing in Memphis. It is truly revolutionary and G-d sized in its scope and mission. See also the covenant that they employ - what a wonderful document that shows good faith support from all involved!
So, whenever you get feeling that there's no end in sight of the troubles of the world - take heart, the Spirit is moving and doing and building. The question is...do we have eyes to see it and the courage to act on that vision?
Peace and grace,
Dan
Monday, February 21, 2011
The Health Effects of Idolatry
Today's post is brought to you by none other than Joe Scarborough from "Morning Joe" on MSNBC - thanks to my friend Rev. Charles Reynolds. Last Friday, there was a segment (see link) that was really powerful. The 8-minute segment brought together a Rabbi and Pastor who were asked what they were preaching about this weekend. The dialogue started with the prevalence and impact of idolatry, went to demonization and it's link to the former, and ended with truths. I highly recommend that you watch it - more than once. If you lost the link you can find it again on the Possibilities Journey website (www.possjrny.org) under the "Prayer for You" - "God Moments" tab and sub-tab.
I wanted to focus today on the health effects of idolatry - and specifically the impact on wellness and wholeness. Humans make things idols almost without thinking. Sporting games and teams, jobs, fame and fortune, relationships, worldviews, military might, our healthcare system, Medicare and Medicaid, the federal government, etc. Seemingly everything we do can be turned into an idol - that which becomes all encompassing. Thus, money in and of itself is necessary to live and thrive. However, when pursuit of money becomes all important and the primary focus of one's life, then it has turned into an idol.
Funny thing about idols - they are never satisfied with our offerings, they always want more. More time, more effort, etc, until they are an all consuming way of life. Think about how much you are working right now. My wife and I had a discussion yesterday morning about trying to bring some sanity to the worklife of our pastors (asking them to take comp time for working evening meetings, and have a Sabbath). My wife stated that the expectation is that managers work a 60 hour week! My response was, is that really what we want, or has that expectation become an idol?! Idols desire blood sacrifice (and sweat and tears) and will often consume our families along the way.
The Pastor noted that demonization only happens when we engage in idol worship. Thus, the world's expectation that we work longer and longer hours to get ahead, means that if we don't, people look down on us and we don't climb the corporate ladder. People don't even realize that they are performing idol worship, because they've lost the words and the wisdom of the Book since they've left the faith communities behind in their pursuit of wealth and the "American Dream".
Idols don't care about our health, wellness or wholeness (HW2) - in fact, they thrive on our brokenness. We find ourselves more and more broken, and we don't know how to get ourselves out of the trap. Our idols keep promising us that we will be better off next year, but they lie (another truth about idols). It's only when we let G-d be G-d that things begin to get back into balance. Once we name our idol(s) and ask for help in overcoming them, we find a peace that we've never known. We are now on the way to healing and balancing our lives.
What are your idols - what controls your life? How is your idol worship affecting your HW2? Let us know what you find and how we might be of service in your path away from idol worship. Enjoy your week and the 8 minutes of life changing program.
Peace,
Dan
I wanted to focus today on the health effects of idolatry - and specifically the impact on wellness and wholeness. Humans make things idols almost without thinking. Sporting games and teams, jobs, fame and fortune, relationships, worldviews, military might, our healthcare system, Medicare and Medicaid, the federal government, etc. Seemingly everything we do can be turned into an idol - that which becomes all encompassing. Thus, money in and of itself is necessary to live and thrive. However, when pursuit of money becomes all important and the primary focus of one's life, then it has turned into an idol.
Funny thing about idols - they are never satisfied with our offerings, they always want more. More time, more effort, etc, until they are an all consuming way of life. Think about how much you are working right now. My wife and I had a discussion yesterday morning about trying to bring some sanity to the worklife of our pastors (asking them to take comp time for working evening meetings, and have a Sabbath). My wife stated that the expectation is that managers work a 60 hour week! My response was, is that really what we want, or has that expectation become an idol?! Idols desire blood sacrifice (and sweat and tears) and will often consume our families along the way.
The Pastor noted that demonization only happens when we engage in idol worship. Thus, the world's expectation that we work longer and longer hours to get ahead, means that if we don't, people look down on us and we don't climb the corporate ladder. People don't even realize that they are performing idol worship, because they've lost the words and the wisdom of the Book since they've left the faith communities behind in their pursuit of wealth and the "American Dream".
Idols don't care about our health, wellness or wholeness (HW2) - in fact, they thrive on our brokenness. We find ourselves more and more broken, and we don't know how to get ourselves out of the trap. Our idols keep promising us that we will be better off next year, but they lie (another truth about idols). It's only when we let G-d be G-d that things begin to get back into balance. Once we name our idol(s) and ask for help in overcoming them, we find a peace that we've never known. We are now on the way to healing and balancing our lives.
What are your idols - what controls your life? How is your idol worship affecting your HW2? Let us know what you find and how we might be of service in your path away from idol worship. Enjoy your week and the 8 minutes of life changing program.
Peace,
Dan
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Disturbed Sleep...
Today's post is the result of a sentence in a book by Dean Brackley on discernment. In it he states that we're called to be in community with those persons and situations that make us uncomfortable, that "disturb our sleep". Hmmm, I find that there are situations of social injustice and human behavior that are currently disturbing not only my sleep, but my awake time.
The charity I founded and am running, Possibilities Journey, Inc, (www.possjrny.org) is engaged in trying to empower faith communities to return to their historic role as enablers and empowerers of healthy individual and communal behavior. One of those healthy behaviors is welcoming the downtrodden - or to put it in Christian discipleship terms, to defend the weak and challenge injustice. Most faith communities, including my own, are very far from this teaching and action.
On Monday, there was a man who came to the church. He is homeless and has both mental illness and alcohol use challenges. He is disheveled and doesn't have the best personal hygeine (primarily a lack of access issue). He asked to have something to eat (we had some cold pizza from the night before) which he welcomed. He then sat outside the Office and conversed with himself, he also took a small carpet sweeper and swept the floor. One of our Office volunteers was uncomfortable and afraid of him - she came into the office where I was having a meeting and said that the man was muttering and she was concerned for the kids in our Preschool. I pointed out that those two things had nothing to do with each other, and she became very defensive and angry with me. The Associate Pastor walked out and had a delightful conversation with the man and he ultimately went out into his day.
I have been haunted by that interaction and the level of misunderstanding of most people for those who are different in any way. Each of us has our challenges and our brokenness - most of the latter we learn to hide so that we appear to the outside world to be "perfect" or at the very least "normal". Folks with significant mental illness do not have this ability - nor do they often have the insight. In the past I have wondered why the mentally ill always seem to be angry and upset - I now have some insight myself. People treat them very poorly and get rid of them as soon as possible in order that they won't feel uncomfortable or have their sleep disturbed by them.
Our health, wellness and wholeness (HW2) is predicated on creating a healthy and whole environment (habitat?) for all persons. We are called as people of faith to care for the widow and orphan and those less fortunate - especially those that disturb our sleep. What or whom disturbs your sleep today? What are you being called to do about it? Come join the discussion with Possibilities Journey. It is not a smooth road that we travel, but it is a vitally important one.
Peace in your discomfort and discernment,
Dan
The charity I founded and am running, Possibilities Journey, Inc, (www.possjrny.org) is engaged in trying to empower faith communities to return to their historic role as enablers and empowerers of healthy individual and communal behavior. One of those healthy behaviors is welcoming the downtrodden - or to put it in Christian discipleship terms, to defend the weak and challenge injustice. Most faith communities, including my own, are very far from this teaching and action.
On Monday, there was a man who came to the church. He is homeless and has both mental illness and alcohol use challenges. He is disheveled and doesn't have the best personal hygeine (primarily a lack of access issue). He asked to have something to eat (we had some cold pizza from the night before) which he welcomed. He then sat outside the Office and conversed with himself, he also took a small carpet sweeper and swept the floor. One of our Office volunteers was uncomfortable and afraid of him - she came into the office where I was having a meeting and said that the man was muttering and she was concerned for the kids in our Preschool. I pointed out that those two things had nothing to do with each other, and she became very defensive and angry with me. The Associate Pastor walked out and had a delightful conversation with the man and he ultimately went out into his day.
I have been haunted by that interaction and the level of misunderstanding of most people for those who are different in any way. Each of us has our challenges and our brokenness - most of the latter we learn to hide so that we appear to the outside world to be "perfect" or at the very least "normal". Folks with significant mental illness do not have this ability - nor do they often have the insight. In the past I have wondered why the mentally ill always seem to be angry and upset - I now have some insight myself. People treat them very poorly and get rid of them as soon as possible in order that they won't feel uncomfortable or have their sleep disturbed by them.
Our health, wellness and wholeness (HW2) is predicated on creating a healthy and whole environment (habitat?) for all persons. We are called as people of faith to care for the widow and orphan and those less fortunate - especially those that disturb our sleep. What or whom disturbs your sleep today? What are you being called to do about it? Come join the discussion with Possibilities Journey. It is not a smooth road that we travel, but it is a vitally important one.
Peace in your discomfort and discernment,
Dan
Monday, February 14, 2011
Unconditional Love
A key component of discovering health, wellness and wholeness (HW2) is unconditional love. When we seek this, the world becomes a different place, more welcoming and healing. I can't think of a better way to wish you all Happy Valentine's Day than the message below. Please send it on and create the world that you want to live in.
Peace,
Dan
"For God so loVed the world,
that He gAve
His onLy
begottEn
SoN,
That whosoever
believeth In Him
should Not perish,
but have Everlasting life."
John 3:16
Peace,
Dan
"For God so loVed the world,
that He gAve
His onLy
begottEn
SoN,
That whosoever
believeth In Him
should Not perish,
but have Everlasting life."
John 3:16
Friday, February 11, 2011
Scarcity Language and our Fearful Natures
I was working this week with a friend, a pastor, and while we were working on a joint project we entered into a dialogue on scarcity versus abundance language. We came to this conversation through a reflection on how our collective worldview is colored by the words that are employed. I told him that scarcity language permeates all that we do and that one of the reasons for our fear and our greed (looking out primarily for ourselves and loved ones) is due to this.
Let me illustrate some scarcity versus abundance word pairs and see what reaction you have. "Directive" versus "Dialogue"; "Institution" versus "Habitat"; "Hoard" versus "Share"; "Mine" versus "Ours"; "Competition" versus "Collaboration"; "Fear" versus "Peace". How does the first word "feel" versus the second word? Which feels more inviting - a habitat or an institution? These diametrically opposed words form the basis for our worldview - which words appear more frequently in our current lexicon? Not sure, pick up this morning's newspaper or listen closely to CNN or another program. Write down the scarcity language and the abundance language - which has the longer list?
Nothing in our world will change until we change the language that we use to communicate our views. Pundits decry the loss of civil debate - our ability to listen to opposing views without becoming irate and irrational. Wars are fostered and fueled by scarcity language ("we have to protect our interests"). How does scarcity language affect our health, wellness and wholeness (HW2)? It's not a stretch to say that we're in the state that we're in due in signficant measure to how we've chosen to communicate our needs.
HW2 requires community - right community. Abundant life can only be attained when we operate within the bounds of sharing and collaboration. As long as we dictate to one another what it is that "I" need over what it is that you need, we only widen the chasm between us and deepen the lack of understanding. So, pay attention to the wors that you and others are using. When you speak, use words of abundance - see what the reaction is in yourself and in the person(s) you are addressing. Every word can heal or hurt.
Peace,
Dan
Let me illustrate some scarcity versus abundance word pairs and see what reaction you have. "Directive" versus "Dialogue"; "Institution" versus "Habitat"; "Hoard" versus "Share"; "Mine" versus "Ours"; "Competition" versus "Collaboration"; "Fear" versus "Peace". How does the first word "feel" versus the second word? Which feels more inviting - a habitat or an institution? These diametrically opposed words form the basis for our worldview - which words appear more frequently in our current lexicon? Not sure, pick up this morning's newspaper or listen closely to CNN or another program. Write down the scarcity language and the abundance language - which has the longer list?
Nothing in our world will change until we change the language that we use to communicate our views. Pundits decry the loss of civil debate - our ability to listen to opposing views without becoming irate and irrational. Wars are fostered and fueled by scarcity language ("we have to protect our interests"). How does scarcity language affect our health, wellness and wholeness (HW2)? It's not a stretch to say that we're in the state that we're in due in signficant measure to how we've chosen to communicate our needs.
HW2 requires community - right community. Abundant life can only be attained when we operate within the bounds of sharing and collaboration. As long as we dictate to one another what it is that "I" need over what it is that you need, we only widen the chasm between us and deepen the lack of understanding. So, pay attention to the wors that you and others are using. When you speak, use words of abundance - see what the reaction is in yourself and in the person(s) you are addressing. Every word can heal or hurt.
Peace,
Dan
Monday, February 7, 2011
Invitation
Today's post is brought to you by some things that are happening in my faith community. For quite a while now, the community has been lead by persons who have interpreted their leadership roles in a way that has created an operational model of control and structure. Things have been predictable and persons have had to conform to the "ways we've always done things". It has paid some dividends in that the church is on strong financial ground (even while the rest of the denomination isn't) and the church is growing. However, something has been missing in the life of the church.
It has taken me a while to be able to name that which is missing - invitation. When one invites, one hopes that the recipient will view the message with favor, and will attend the event. The inviter also asks for the "favor of a response" or RSVP, to allow for plans to be made. Invitation therefore is an act of hope, an act of community building, an act which is risky (what if the invitation is turned down?), an act whichs gives up control of the situation - or actually offers control to the invitee.
By giving up control, we make ourselves vulnerable - open to the whims of the other. This can be anxiety producing if we don't have a firm relationship with the invitee; but it produces joy when we receive an affirmation of attendance.
So it is with communities. When one tries to control everything, or run a faith community like a secular business, then there is no invitation to free participation. Participation comes with rules and structure and regulations that seek to control and conform. Faith communities which trust in the movement of an all powerful deity, on the other hand, invite that power into their deliberations and listen for leading. Invitational communities give up power (and the need to accomplish a certain amount in a given space of time) and control and wait results in patient expectation.
My community is at a crossroad - between a directive approach to community and a Spirit-lead approach. There is a role for both, and I'm in prayer that we will find our way to balance our human need for control and success and the infinite potential of invitation. May you find in your week an opportunity to invite that infinite power into your deliberations - it's uncomfortable, but oh so satisfying.
Peace,
Dan
It has taken me a while to be able to name that which is missing - invitation. When one invites, one hopes that the recipient will view the message with favor, and will attend the event. The inviter also asks for the "favor of a response" or RSVP, to allow for plans to be made. Invitation therefore is an act of hope, an act of community building, an act which is risky (what if the invitation is turned down?), an act whichs gives up control of the situation - or actually offers control to the invitee.
By giving up control, we make ourselves vulnerable - open to the whims of the other. This can be anxiety producing if we don't have a firm relationship with the invitee; but it produces joy when we receive an affirmation of attendance.
So it is with communities. When one tries to control everything, or run a faith community like a secular business, then there is no invitation to free participation. Participation comes with rules and structure and regulations that seek to control and conform. Faith communities which trust in the movement of an all powerful deity, on the other hand, invite that power into their deliberations and listen for leading. Invitational communities give up power (and the need to accomplish a certain amount in a given space of time) and control and wait results in patient expectation.
My community is at a crossroad - between a directive approach to community and a Spirit-lead approach. There is a role for both, and I'm in prayer that we will find our way to balance our human need for control and success and the infinite potential of invitation. May you find in your week an opportunity to invite that infinite power into your deliberations - it's uncomfortable, but oh so satisfying.
Peace,
Dan
Thursday, February 3, 2011
The Power of Power...
I was looking back over the last few post titles and noticed a theme - "power". It struck me that I should post something about the role of power in our lives - specifically our quest for it and our worship of it.
It is a well known aphorism that "power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely". My younger son read "Lord of the Flies" in the fall, and I once again confronted this truth. He missed the point, at 14 years of age, but maybe it will stick with him as it has stuck with me since I read that book some 35 years ago. Social truths like this one about how power, and our love of it, wrecks the social fabric of our communities are potent. They need to be honored and respected, because when we lose sight of them (the truths) we fall into the same traps and suffer needlessly.
Why is it, do you suppose, that more than 45 million persons in the U.S. are living below the poverty line? Why is it that African American males in some areas of the country have a life expectancy the same as in sub-Saharan Africa? Why is it that in South Dakota a Native American has a life expectancy of 58 years on average, whereas an Asian female in New Jersey has a life expectancy of 91 years on average?
Love of power corrupts...look at the debate about whether or not there needs to be health insurance reform. In an article by Carolina Reid on the RWJF website, she notes that for those persons at the Federal poverty level, insurance premiums have risen 87%, while income has risen just 18%. Thus, most poor are priced out of health insurance. Perhaps your Senators could use this information as they look to make "informed" decisions, not just "popular" or powerful ones.
The Constitution was written in a manner that understood that no branch of government should be more powerful than anyother. Checks and balances are important, as is the input of the "common person". Ending health disparities begins with health insurance reform, but it doesn't stop there. There needs to be Tort Reform and a realization that the current "Episodic Intervention Portal" (my term for our healthcare system) needs to be scrapped for one that is more responsive to the needs of those served. With the percent of lawyers in government currently, is it any wonder that Tort Reform is not even considered an option? With powerful and well monied lobbies in healthcare, is it any wonder that true reform of the "system" isn't on anyone's radar screen?
Our love of power corrupts our best intentions. Look to something more powerful than us in order to get a handle on where to go from here. The game is not lost - far from it. However, the time is now to refocus on that which can truly make all things new.
Peace,
Dan
It is a well known aphorism that "power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely". My younger son read "Lord of the Flies" in the fall, and I once again confronted this truth. He missed the point, at 14 years of age, but maybe it will stick with him as it has stuck with me since I read that book some 35 years ago. Social truths like this one about how power, and our love of it, wrecks the social fabric of our communities are potent. They need to be honored and respected, because when we lose sight of them (the truths) we fall into the same traps and suffer needlessly.
Why is it, do you suppose, that more than 45 million persons in the U.S. are living below the poverty line? Why is it that African American males in some areas of the country have a life expectancy the same as in sub-Saharan Africa? Why is it that in South Dakota a Native American has a life expectancy of 58 years on average, whereas an Asian female in New Jersey has a life expectancy of 91 years on average?
Love of power corrupts...look at the debate about whether or not there needs to be health insurance reform. In an article by Carolina Reid on the RWJF website, she notes that for those persons at the Federal poverty level, insurance premiums have risen 87%, while income has risen just 18%. Thus, most poor are priced out of health insurance. Perhaps your Senators could use this information as they look to make "informed" decisions, not just "popular" or powerful ones.
The Constitution was written in a manner that understood that no branch of government should be more powerful than anyother. Checks and balances are important, as is the input of the "common person". Ending health disparities begins with health insurance reform, but it doesn't stop there. There needs to be Tort Reform and a realization that the current "Episodic Intervention Portal" (my term for our healthcare system) needs to be scrapped for one that is more responsive to the needs of those served. With the percent of lawyers in government currently, is it any wonder that Tort Reform is not even considered an option? With powerful and well monied lobbies in healthcare, is it any wonder that true reform of the "system" isn't on anyone's radar screen?
Our love of power corrupts our best intentions. Look to something more powerful than us in order to get a handle on where to go from here. The game is not lost - far from it. However, the time is now to refocus on that which can truly make all things new.
Peace,
Dan
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