Health

Health, medicine, and illness are big business. We pat ourselves on the back for curing polio and plagues, but has progress actually helped us become healthier people? Early humans didn’t have illnesses. Human disease started as a result of agriculture and the domestication of animals.* Over a period of time some animal diseases adapted to the point that they were transferable to humans. As smug as we are about our discoveries, we may never know the cost we pay for progress. The quality of our air, water, and food has greatly diminished. We sit too many hours – at the computer, watching television, or at work. We even have a new kind of research for this problem, called inactivity research. Walking uses four times as much energy as sitting, but people would rather ride the elevator than climb one fight of stairs. Can you imagine an early human needing an exercise class? Today we almost have to coerce people to move.

We tout the use of milk, cheese, and dairy products to ward off osteoporosis, yet countries that have the highest incidence of osteoporosis are the ones that have the highest dairy consumption!

We have strayed from our roots. Technology brings as many problems as it has solved. We are biologically off. Humans had a very different sleep pattern before the use of artificial lighting. They would sleep from 8 PM to 12 Midnight, get up for four hours, and then return to sleep from 4 AM to 8 AM. If they got sleepy during the day, they took a nap. How many people take sleeping pills because they wake up in the middle of the night and can’t get back to sleep?

More and more people are waking up to the disconnection between our culture and our bodies. They listen to a deeper voice, that of the inner physician. Years ago I went on a speaking trip. I drove from town to town along the Gulf Coast to speak and ended up in Florida. One night I camped in a beautiful natural setting by the water. When I awakened I heard an internal thought from out of the blue – the thought, “breast cancer.” It was so prominent that it seemed like someone was speaking out loud to me.

I call this the voice. It shows up from time to time and usually occurs when I first wake up. The voice often warns me about events in the future and gives me sound advice. Today the voice was speaking for my body. I asked for more information, but heard nothing. I told my body, “I will not worry about this, but if I need more information, I assume you will give it to me.” Later that morning, as I canoed down a clear river, I melted into nature. The air was crisp, the sun strong, the water still, and I was alone. The voice spoke, “You don’t think you are a candidate for breast cancer, but if you continue to push yourself as you have for the past few weeks, you will develop breast cancer.” That was the last long speaking tour I ever took. I love to speak, but I had to do it in a way that enhanced my aliveness, not diminished it. I’ve learned it is best to listen to the voice.

Most people don’t have such a clear voice, but we all have that inner nudge or knowing. We know when we are not taking care of ourselves. We know when to listen to the doctor and when not to take his or her advice. Technology, with all its wonders and greatness, brings a mechanistic aspect that is taking over our lives and our bodies. More that ever, it is imperative that we learn to listen for and to those inner urges and natural advice. Our lives depend on it. Progress may catapult us to a brave new world, but inner wisdom must be the guiding force to prevent annihilation.

*Origins of Major Human Infectious Diseases, The National Center for Biotechnology Information.

  Health Tip: Scents

I love essential oils and this is my favorite blend. For years I made and sold this under the label of EZosophy Formula. People could feel the effect almost immediately when they used it. The EZosophy Formula reduces stress and promotes relaxation.

I save my small brown one ounce glass bottles for my EZ oil. If you don’t have a one ounce glass bottle, maybe you have an old glass vitamin bottle. I don’t use plastic bottles so that the plastic won’t leach into the oil. Fill the bottle with carrier oil, such as apricot oil, almond oil, or odorless sesame oil. Leave a little room at the top of the bottle for the oil drops. Add the following drops to the oil and roll the bottle between your hands to mix it. Do not shake.

2 drops basil
4 drops bergamot
2 drops Roman chamomile
3 drops neroli

Apply oil when needed. I love to put it on my hands before I go to sleep and drift off to its comforting smell. It works well to apply before meditation. I put a little under my nose so I can smell it. Use it any time when you feel stressed. The artificial fragrances in air fresheners or colognes are toxic. Essential oils offer a safe alternative if you love scents. It makes sense to use natural scents.

  What is EZosophy?

What is EZosophy? Click the graphic to find out.

  Quotes

“Stillness reveals presence of Being. You are that presence of Being. Receive your Self. Drink your Self. Begin your exploration of That. I do not mean explore your thoughts, your emotions, your feelings, your sensations, or your circumstances. Explore your Self. That which is before, during, and after all objects of awareness."
-- Gangaji

"The mind will steal your insights. It will pick at them until it brings you back to the state you were in before the revelation. Don't let the mind take your truth."
– Anne Sermons Gillis

"Don't let your fear plunder your thunder. Don't let your intellect steal your zeal."
– Anne Sermons Gillis

  NEW: Video Bits of Wisdom

A while back I recorded a series of 21 short inspirational videos on a wide range of topics. Most of them are under 2 minutes. I'll be spotlighting a different Video Bit each week in this space, with a link to it below this message. When you go to that page, click the Play button to start the video.

Click Here for This Week's Video Bit

Click the graphic above to see all of the Video Bits.

  Anne Art

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  Anne's Schedule

April 27, 2013
"Buddha at the Gaspump"
Interview by Rick Archer
http://batgap.com/

We will post a link when it's online.

May 26, 2013
"Celebrating Life"
11:00 AM
Unity of Webster, Texas

  Ask Annie G

Dear Annie G,

We are gearing up for "retirement" years but don't want to use the word "retirement." We thought about saying we are planning the "re-invention" of the next quarter or "re-creation" of the next quarter might work better. Wondering what an EZosophist might say about the subject. In short, Bob is talking about letting his part time job go so we are free to travel without having limits on us when we "have to be back."

Phina Flowers

Dear Phina,

I like the way you reframe the word retirement to re-invention and re-creation – how clever. As children we all sat perched on the edge of our seats counting down the seconds until recess. Recess meant it was time for fun. Retirement, for you, will be like recess. The preceding is your blessing. Receive it.

Personally I like the word retirement. When I was younger and people told me they were retired, I was so impressed. Retirement meant they had enough money to live and not work. What an accomplishment. When one is sleepy they might say, “I think I’ll retire.” Doesn’t that sound cozy? But when you do whatever you call whatever you are going to do, be sure to support your decision. Go with full sail into life, on your terms. And forget the term limits. You can change your mind whenever you want. It’s allowed.

I decided to semi-retire several years ago because I thought I worked too much. Maybe if I thought of myself as part-time, I would not be concerned about how much I worked or didn’t work. The idea worked so well I decided to retire full time. That way, anything I did was more than enough.

Retirement and Income

Many people think of retiring as not working to receive paycheck. That may be technically true, but it’s not a great idea to keep in your mind. So if Bob quits his job, be sure to focus on continuing to receive income, rather than the loss of income. Embrace the idea of receiving expected and unexpected income, regardless of what either of you are doing with your time.

Quitting a job when you can afford to is a great luxury. It opens doors and allows one’s life to flow in new directions. It takes courage to make a change in habits – and quitting a job is a big change. My husband quit his job without much forethought. His company downsized and gave him an opportunity to continue to work at a reduced salary. It wasn’t worth it. He quit and he has never been happier. He feels as if each day is a gift.

Unfortunately, freedom of the body, as in not having to be at a job, does not ensure the direct experience of freedom. Anyone who has not healed aspects of themselves that feel trapped, carries these feelings into their lives, regardless of any external change. This is not good or bad; it’s just important to know that some decisions we make do not end with the results we expect.

Retirement and Ease

You asked about an EZosophist's take on retirement, so, to be succinct and direct, it doesn’t matter what you do as long as you take the idea of ease into every situation. When you give away your burdens and become the embodiment of ease, every phase of your life contains a unique beauty – whether it’s the first steps of a toddler or the first words spoken by someone recovering from a stroke – all of it becomes Grist for the Mill of enlightenment. Thanks, Ram Dass. (In case you don’t know, that was the title of one of Ram Dass’ books.)

Keep this question “How can I make this easier?” by your side as you continue to live the principles of EZosophy. Congratulations on your upcoming re-creation.

Anne

NOTE: Send your questions on life, health, food, spirituality, and relationships to Annie G.

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Editor: Charles David Heineke of TheDoorway and TheDoorwayBlog