Mindfulness Can Help the Chronically Ill

 “Achieving mindfulness is important for everyone but especially for the chronically ill patient. A diagnosis of a chronic condition at any age, such as cancer, diabetes, stroke, neurological disease, or debilitating injury, unleashes a flood of negative emotions and concerns that can overwhelm and immobilize the patient” says author Richard Cheu, author of Living Well with Chronic Illness: a Practical and Spiritual Guide. Typical emotions, including fear, grief, anxiety, anger and despair, only make things worst. He defines mindfulness as “a calm mind and a peaceful heart” which can counteract these concerns and improve the patient’s mental, physical and spiritual health. It gives the patient courage and strength to focus on achieving the important things in life.

In his book, CHEU shows the reader how to overcome limiting thoughts and feelings and expand life beyond chronic illness. Specific actions to achieve mindfulness include:

• Take charge of your emotions and thoughts
• Let go of negative emotional baggage that is holding you back
• Develop a new perspective and plan for the future
• Use your illness for personal transformation.

A chronically ill patient, like a wounded warrior, is often times in shock and unable to take even the smallest step forward. If, however, the patient will ask, “What do I do now?” others will reach out to help. If it takes a proverbial village to raise a child, it takes a virtual army to support a patient with a chronic condition. The patient’s helpers can includes an ever-changing cast of healthcare providers (doctors, therapists, nurses, aides, and social workers), support groups, caregivers, family members and friends.

Achieving mindfulness is not a do-it-yourself project. The patient who says “I’ll take care of myself” is like a ship’s captain without a crew. The ship is headed for a disaster. The path to mindfulness begins with an openness to change and a willingness to acknowledge that accepting help is a sign of strength and not weakness.  Only then can others reach out and accompany the patient on a journey to a calm mind and a peaceful heart.


The Author

Richard Cheu is an author, ordained deacon and hospital chaplain in the Archdiocese of New York, stress-management consultant, and caregiver. He provides pastoral counseling at Bellevue Hospital, the Visiting Nurse Service inpatient hospice, and other New York City medical facilities. He formerly was a neurophysiologist and Emergency Medical Technician.

His new book, Living Well with Chronic Illness: a Practical and Spiritual Guide, will be released on April 2, 2013. For additional information visit www.ChronicLivingWell.com

Please comment below with your experience of 

Living Well with Chronic Illness by Richard Cheu.

Ancient Healing

Part I

Many ancient cultures have been know to pass down their healing rituals verbally from generation to generation. If there was written knowledge it had been destroyed by the process of nature or the destruction of man. Rarely has there been survival of the ancient secrets of time.  

Ayurveda is one of these ancient methods that has survived many wars and prejudices and natural disasters over thousands and thousands of years. Ayurveda is known as one of the oldest healing methods, if not the oldest know to modern man. Much of it's teachings are of holistic care. The word "Ayurveda" is a Sanskrit word meaning "Knowledge of Life". Ayurveda is an ancient Indian system of holistic medicine that seeks to bring balance specific to each individual, instead of a generic fix. It is a practice of both curative and preventive measures, encouraging optimal physical, mental and spiritual well-being. It aims to prevent unnecessary suffering and encourages us to live a long, healthy lifestyle. Ayurveda ranges in healing philosophies from surgery to energy work and everything in between.

In fact there are eight branches of Ayurveda: 

1. Káyachikitsá ~ Internal Medicine: Focus is on the body, mind and soul connection as a whole. Psychosomatic theory recognizes that the mind can create illness in the body and vice versa.
2. Shálákya Tantra ~ Ears, Nose, and Throat: A study of approximately 72 eye diseases, surgical procedures for all eye disorders such as cataracts and eyelid diseases, and also diseases of the ears, nose, and throat. 
3. Vishagara–Vairodh ~ Tantra Toxicology: Pertains to air and water pollution, toxins in animals, minerals, vegetables, and epidemics, as well as study of their antidotes.
4. Kaumára Bhritya ~ Pediatrics: This branch of medicine focuses on prenatal and postnatal care of the baby and mother. Including the methods of conception, choosing the child’s gender, intelligence, constitution, childhood diseases, and midwifery.
5. Shalyá Tantra ~ Surgery: Yes, surgery has been in practice for thousands of years. It is not a recent practice although many old practices were lost or hidden. Allowing western medical philosophy to rebirth this practice. We are only touching the surface of what is in the ancient Ayurvedic practice.
6. Bhúta Vidyá ~ Psychiatry: This entire philosophy analyses the mind and it's diseases as well as the alterations with herbs, diet, yogic therapies of breathing and mantras, and even demonic possession.
7. Vájikarana ~ Aphrodisiacs: This is the branch of fertility, infertility, sexual energy, spiritual development and their common ground.
8. Rasáyana ~ Rejuvenation: The practice of prevention and longevity. In order to develop longevity, ethics and virtuous living must be embraced.

As you can see Ayurveda is a whole body, mind and soul practice. It is not a religion, although many times confused as such because of the connection with spirituality and medicine. 

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