You Are Strong & Resilient! - May '09

Please remember, you are strong and resilient beyond your wildest dreams.
What your body defends against and heals from is incredible.
You were designed that way.

I just returned from a Hakomi Training in Maui Hawaii and it was held in a very beautiful space (Rinzai Zen Mission) where you could see the ocean and hear the waves washing the beach. It was a very nice gathering of people of all ability levels who wished to learn more about the Hakomi method of Psychotherapy and those wishing to deepen their knowledge from many years of prior training. I am always touched by the beauty of the student’s desire to learn more and their openness to explore those areas that may be causing them unnecessary suffering in their lives.

It has been said, "Pain is inevitable but suffering is optional”.

Pain is when you are in a car accident and are hurt and injured or when you trip and fall down and hurt yourself. Pain is felt in the moment, like when you are young and are criticized by those you love and told what your are feeling is not “real” or “true” or that your dreams are “unreal” and to forget about them. You immediately feel the pain of their criticism or immediately feel pain at being told to deny your true feelings and to forget about your ideas or dreams. Suffering is when you go through life remembering the pain of long ago and feeling it anew each day. Suffering is living a life unconsciously reacting to the world around you from all the ways you developed to adapt and cope with the pain you felt as a child.

You are older and wiser now. You can choose to let go of suffering or keep it alive in each day. There are many pathways, tools and techniques to become more conscious of how we are holding on to suffering and then to let suffering go. One pathway is to continually be aware of your feelings and to orient yourself into feeling a little better, a little more hopeful, a little more joyful a little more loving in each moment and in every choice you make. Choose to think thoughts that help you to feel better and happier. Choose to love and be honoring of yourself first and you will be able to share your love with others freely.

Please remember, you are strong and resilient beyond your wildest dreams. What your body defends against and heals from is incredible. You were designed that way. When you find joy, passion, excitement, love and creativity in your daily life and live from your heart you allow your body to be strong and to prosper. When your body is strong and prospering your spiritual life and guidance will be more easily accessed. When you are in a state of being loving your life flows and works beautifully and gracefully.

Khalil Gibran in his famous, articulate and brilliant book, “The Prophet”, speaks very eloquently and beautifully about love and I would like to share it with you:

Then said Almitra, Speak to us of Love. 
And he raised his head and looked upon the people, and there fell a great stillness upon them.

And with a great voice he said: When love beckons to you follow him, though his ways are hard and steep. And when his wings enfold you yield to him, 
Though the sword hidden among his pinions may wound you. And when he speaks to you believe in him, though his voice may shatter your dreams as the north wind lays waste the garden.

For even as love crowns you so shall he crucify you. Even as he is for your growth so is he for your pruning. 
Even as he ascends to your height and caresses your tenderest branches that quiver in the sun, 
So shall he descend to your roots and shake them in their clinging to the earth.

Like sheaves of corn he gathers you unto himself. 
He threshes you to make you naked. 
He sifts you to free you from your husks. He grinds you to whiteness. 
He kneads you until you are pliant; and then he assigns you to his sacred fire, that you may become sacred bread for God's sacred feast. 


All these things shall love do unto you that you may know the secrets of your heart, and in that knowledge become a fragment of Life's heart.

But if in your fear you would seek only love's peace and love's pleasure, Then it is better for you that you cover your nakedness and pass out of love's threshing floor, Into the seasonless world where you shall laugh, but not all of your laughter, and weep, but not all of your tears. 


Love gives naught but itself and takes naught but from itself. Love possesses not nor would it be possessed; for love is sufficient unto love.

When you love you should not say, "God is in my heart," but rather, "I am in the heart of God.” And think not you can direct the course of love, for love, if it finds you worthy, directs your course. 


Love has no other desire but to fulfill itself. But if you love and must needs have desires, let these be your desires: To melt and be like a running brook that sings its melody to the night. To know the pain of too much tenderness. To be wounded by your own understanding of love; And to bleed willingly and joyfully. To wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving; To rest at the noon hour and meditate love's ecstasy; To return home at eventide with gratitude; And then to sleep with a prayer for the beloved in your heart and a song of praise upon your lips.

Khalil Gibran (1883 - 1931) Source: The Prophet pp.11-14 (On Love)

Wishing you much Love in your life,
Adama