Chronic Illness | TINA FRISCO

Many thanks to my friend Chris Graham, The Story Reading Ape, for once again hosting me on his supportive and informative blog ❤

Visit Chris’ blog HERE. He has so much to offer.

The opportunity to learn presents itself more often than most of us recognize. We ignore or do not hear the knock on the door to our hearts and minds. We become outraged or sickened when engaging with or reacting to someone whose behavior strikes fear in us. We allow our attention to divert to the trivial when facing something that makes us uneasy. Yet everyone and everything we encounter is a mirror, a reflection of ourselves.

I have been off line for most of the past six weeks, coping with a flareup of fibromyalgia/chronic fatigue. When homebound and at times bedridden, it is a challenge to feel connected to the outside world and not slip into depression. I constantly have to remind myself that I am not alone. My shaman teacher told me this early on:

The first lesson of power is that we are alone.
The last lesson of power is that we are one.

Recognizing and engaging with the numerous mirrors always before us requires mindful awareness. Any emotion that disrupts inner peace and union with The Divine provides an opportunity to grow. This could be a personal encounter, a memory, a TV program, a disquieting sound or smell, a visual image…

While in the throes of pain and fatigue, it can be difficult to focus one’s intention. Yet the most exacting circumstances offer the most potential for growth. Remaining aware of this, I have learned many things from chronic illness.

Growth occurs in stages. When we find ourselves in a recurrent situation and feeling frustrated/angry/disgusted, it is important to remember that we merely are peeling away another layer of the onion, the façade we believe to be our true nature. But we must not stop at this realization. We must dive deep and search for the cause, knowing full well we might encounter more illusions along the way. However, with each diving and resurfacing, we discover a piece of the Self we are dying to know. And yes, we are dying. We are shedding the relative–the illusion–and being reborn, moving closer to the absolute.

We move in and out of emotion until we reach
enlightenment . . .

Continue reading…

One year ago, I published a post on Chronic Illness and Self-Acceptance. I wanted my fellow bloggers to understand when I wasn’t unable to visit their blogs as often as they did mine. I wanted my fellow authors to understand when I was unable to read and review their books as quickly as they did mine.

My condition hasn’t changed, but the state of affairs in my country (U.S.) has. I mention this because stress has a profound effect on inducing flareups. Not knowing from one day to the next if I’ll continue to have health insurance or a roof over my head has challenged my inherent optimistic perspective on life. Also, the cold of winter tends to exacerbate symptoms.

So I’m writing this to let all of you know I might be a little scarce over the next couple of months. But truly, I just don’t know. I never know when I’ll have a flareup or how long it will last. What I do know is that the everyday stress of dreading what havoc my government will wreak next upon its citizens is threatening to take a toll on my health.

Believe me when I tell you that living in the U.S. right now is like being on a nonstop roller coaster ride, minus the thrill. I don’t understand the mindset of those who think our current POTUS is America’s savior. Perhaps they’re not dependent on healthcare for their lives. Perhaps they don’t live paycheck-to-paycheck. Perhaps they’ve never experienced having the rug pulled out from under them. Or perhaps they’ve experienced all of these and are so desperate for change that they cannot see through all the lies.

One has only to read how Hitler came to power in 1930’s Germany to see the analogous framework already established here in the U.S. Denying this or accepting it as a benign trade-off is extremely dangerous. Our democracy wasn’t built in a day, but it could be destroyed swiftly and imperceptibly. However, I remain hopeful.

I know the old patriarchal world order is dying; and as with anything facing imminent death, it’s digging in its heels for a last stand. Conditions might even get worse before the beast takes its final breath. Yet I will not be daunted. I won’t allow the power elite to rob me of hope; or worse yet, scare me into questioning what I know to be true.

Humankind is skating on the edge of heightened consciousness. But in order to fully know and appreciate expansion, one must experience constriction. We are germinating in the rich soil of explosive growth. The challenge is keeping our wits about us while embroiled in chaos. Which brings me back to my reason for writing this.

Maintaining a positive healthy attitude amid the confusion and uncertainty in my country is a demanding exercise. Coping with a chronic illness while riding this wave necessitates an ever-refueling energy reserve. I’m finding myself inordinately fatigued and requiring more sleep.

So please know that while you might not see me around very much over the next couple of months, I have not forgotten you. I hope you understand and will remember me 😊 Much love to you, my friends. Hope reigns. Namaste ❤

Original post: Chronic Illness and Self-Acceptance

Inspiration, Author Promotion, Various Musings