LOVE IS THE TOUCH OF INTANGIBLE JOY:
Love is the touch of intangible joy;
love is the force that no fear can destroy;
love is the goodness we gladly applaud;
God is where love is, for love is of God.
AMAZING GRACE
"Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me....
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now, I see.
T'was Grace that taught...
my heart to fear.
And Grace, my fears relieved.
How precious did that Grace appear...
the hour I first believed.
Through many dangers, toils and snares...
we have already come.
T'was Grace that brought us safe thus far...
and Grace will lead us home.
The Lord has promised good to me...
His word my hope secures.
He will my shield and portion be...
as long as life endures.
Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
and mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess within the veil,
a life of joy and peace.
When we've been here ten thousand years...
bright shining as the sun.
We've no less days to sing God's praise...
then when we've first begun.
"Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me....
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now, I see.
Monday, May 31, 2010
Saturday, May 15, 2010
thoughts...just thoughts along the way
We visited yet another castles in Scotland and my mind is still stucked with the church that housed one of Englishmen from a Lord family in the 1st boers wars. The hurt of wars really hit home with me when we read about his death as an act of kindness at the 'close of victory'. I feel really stupidified and rage just surge in me - "WHO'S VICTORY WAS THAT??" It is hardly victory that one man is killing another no matter how seemingly 'good' reasons you had going into war!! And what victory do you think you have had, when so many more of your men were killed by the Boers. How selectively self deceiving can we get?
Men, you dare to say you are the smartest on earth and that you are made in the image of God. How can you be so blinded to the ways of the devil, playing us one against another while laughing at our foolish act that is fatal sometimes. And there are causalities, innocent lives are lost too.
I have to say my thoughts into the universe as I cannot hold it in as I understand how each family had members in the wars (WWI & WWII) in Scotland. There are just as many of other people that was in the wars, can we ever see the other human in the persons on the opposite side? Here, I remember my 3 grandfathers who were in the wars. two of which were soliders on different sides and one carried dead bodies as a young teenager, the irony and tragedies in all 3's situations is hardly victory at all for anybody.
Men, you dare to say you are the smartest on earth and that you are made in the image of God. How can you be so blinded to the ways of the devil, playing us one against another while laughing at our foolish act that is fatal sometimes. And there are causalities, innocent lives are lost too.
I have to say my thoughts into the universe as I cannot hold it in as I understand how each family had members in the wars (WWI & WWII) in Scotland. There are just as many of other people that was in the wars, can we ever see the other human in the persons on the opposite side? Here, I remember my 3 grandfathers who were in the wars. two of which were soliders on different sides and one carried dead bodies as a young teenager, the irony and tragedies in all 3's situations is hardly victory at all for anybody.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
A spiritual visit to the Isle of Iona & Staffa Island
Aaron and I went on a 12 hour island visit today with his folks, we went to Iona and Staffa Island. I still find the experience unreal as the islands are un-humanily beautiful and untouched by pollution. I felt that I had entered heaven and was absent from being on Earth while sightseeing there.
On Iona, we visited the birth place of English Christianity where it landed 635AD on the coast of Iona. What is left of this spiritual and histronical event are ancient buildings of church and where the nun and monk lived. There was something spiritual about visiting these monuments. It amazed me that people lived and died believing in their faith in the old days. I couldn't help myself but asked, why is it so hard to do the same in the modern days? I wished my faith about what I believe in can be so stable, so unquestionable and so 'of course, this is the way it has to be.' Bridgid's said something interesting when we chatted about this, she said that modern day people have more emphasis on this life on earth than before when I expressed how shocked I was that Saint Oran got sacrificed (willingly or not) for a tiny plain building that is now known as the Saint Oran's Chapel next to the big church on Iona. I really wondered is it worth it to die like flies? Yet Oran didn't die like flies, for he is still remembered and visited by us on Iona... How interesting and ironic, I sometimes wondered what is God trying to tell us?
Amongst the interesting artifacts, there were many tomb stones. A set of four knight looking one really drew me to them, it drew me into thinking how all of us what to exit this world in a honourable way and in a glorified way, but in the end - what does it matters? We still goes, honourable or ordinary... It seems pointless to hold onto the material things we have access to if that's not going to have any meaning for our souls when we leave our bodies at the end of this life. This made me sad as I read what people wrote that they feel would end poverty inside the church of Iona. So many said, 'end this war..', 'share things' and etc. But poverty, it is so much so much more than the have's and have not's. If ordinary people's understanding is only on the superifical level of materials, who is really poor and how are the real poor people really ever going to get the 'help' they should receive?
God bless us with a deep inner understanding of what you intended for us to learn in our lives, in this life before we meet you face to face.
On Iona, we visited the birth place of English Christianity where it landed 635AD on the coast of Iona. What is left of this spiritual and histronical event are ancient buildings of church and where the nun and monk lived. There was something spiritual about visiting these monuments. It amazed me that people lived and died believing in their faith in the old days. I couldn't help myself but asked, why is it so hard to do the same in the modern days? I wished my faith about what I believe in can be so stable, so unquestionable and so 'of course, this is the way it has to be.' Bridgid's said something interesting when we chatted about this, she said that modern day people have more emphasis on this life on earth than before when I expressed how shocked I was that Saint Oran got sacrificed (willingly or not) for a tiny plain building that is now known as the Saint Oran's Chapel next to the big church on Iona. I really wondered is it worth it to die like flies? Yet Oran didn't die like flies, for he is still remembered and visited by us on Iona... How interesting and ironic, I sometimes wondered what is God trying to tell us?
Amongst the interesting artifacts, there were many tomb stones. A set of four knight looking one really drew me to them, it drew me into thinking how all of us what to exit this world in a honourable way and in a glorified way, but in the end - what does it matters? We still goes, honourable or ordinary... It seems pointless to hold onto the material things we have access to if that's not going to have any meaning for our souls when we leave our bodies at the end of this life. This made me sad as I read what people wrote that they feel would end poverty inside the church of Iona. So many said, 'end this war..', 'share things' and etc. But poverty, it is so much so much more than the have's and have not's. If ordinary people's understanding is only on the superifical level of materials, who is really poor and how are the real poor people really ever going to get the 'help' they should receive?
God bless us with a deep inner understanding of what you intended for us to learn in our lives, in this life before we meet you face to face.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Antisocial personalities - cancer to the human nature?
I have had a frustrating day with unable to feel sympathetic towards antisocial personalities. Recently, 'antisocial personalities' have dominated my mind for a bit... I guess it's because I am not lack of contact of it recently - on tv and at work etc.
It is hard to believe anybody is able to be so self righteous and self centred. As if that is just the way it should be and why do you people keep thinking I am wrong. I fear slightly for myself as I am about to move into an area full with psychopaths and sociopaths at work this year. It's horrible the stories I have heard, not that I can tell anyone about them and if I did it would scare the hell out of anybody.
I laugh at myself for putting myself into a work setting where it is probably only a notch down from working as medic on a war zone. Colleagues of mine had been injured before too even through I know they are well respected by the clients they see. Working in that setting to come is going to be testing of what I am taught through my formal training as a therapist and as a person who had been brought up in a Eastern culture of compassion and love of the Budha.
Sometimes you just want to tell them 'come on, get yourself together... stop feeling sorry for yourself you are not winning with me!'... I wonder what has psychiatry turn me into? I like psych because it challenges your reality everyday every moment, it challenges your idea of normality and society all the time but at times I wish for the simplicity and unquestionableness of what to do in physical therapy settings.
Do I go for where it is easier to flow or do I struggle for what may potentially be fruitful? For a big part of my life it had never been a question worth thinking - of course I will struggle till my last breath for what I think is right or I should do... when reality is multiple in versions and perspectives, can I really do so sure anymore?
It is hard to believe anybody is able to be so self righteous and self centred. As if that is just the way it should be and why do you people keep thinking I am wrong. I fear slightly for myself as I am about to move into an area full with psychopaths and sociopaths at work this year. It's horrible the stories I have heard, not that I can tell anyone about them and if I did it would scare the hell out of anybody.
I laugh at myself for putting myself into a work setting where it is probably only a notch down from working as medic on a war zone. Colleagues of mine had been injured before too even through I know they are well respected by the clients they see. Working in that setting to come is going to be testing of what I am taught through my formal training as a therapist and as a person who had been brought up in a Eastern culture of compassion and love of the Budha.
Sometimes you just want to tell them 'come on, get yourself together... stop feeling sorry for yourself you are not winning with me!'... I wonder what has psychiatry turn me into? I like psych because it challenges your reality everyday every moment, it challenges your idea of normality and society all the time but at times I wish for the simplicity and unquestionableness of what to do in physical therapy settings.
Do I go for where it is easier to flow or do I struggle for what may potentially be fruitful? For a big part of my life it had never been a question worth thinking - of course I will struggle till my last breath for what I think is right or I should do... when reality is multiple in versions and perspectives, can I really do so sure anymore?
Friday, January 15, 2010
Day one at the Silk Road lecture series of 3
I was amazed by the level of enthusiasm there was for the silk road - it was one of the biggest lecture hall you can find in the university and it was FULL of old people (and yes they were mostly Europeans).
As I listen to the expert (the teacher) talk about things and places and people that I had known since I was a child, I felt ashamed of not knowing more about my own country - my motherland!!! It filled me with quite a bit of sadness to see in one picture from the thousand budha caves that foreigners from the west (possibly a missionary) were given the equal (or at least high) honour of being drew as a close follower of the Budha. It sadden me to think that diverse people used to be that nice to one another - what happened to us? Why all these division now while our ancestors had find ways of getting along? God, where did we go wrong?
I have heard the lecturer saying that invaluable books from a library cave in the thousand budha caves were sold to a foreigner as a way to raise funds to maintain it while Chinese information suggested they were stolen. It sadden me that the truth is so hard to find - perhaps it was a bit of both? Or it was bought at first and then stolen when people wanted more pieces of China?
God, Budha, the almighty being high above; teach us to get along again - please do not let us to forget the humanity that we need to see in each other... I pray that we see the humanity in others and see ourselves in it through our actions
As I listen to the expert (the teacher) talk about things and places and people that I had known since I was a child, I felt ashamed of not knowing more about my own country - my motherland!!! It filled me with quite a bit of sadness to see in one picture from the thousand budha caves that foreigners from the west (possibly a missionary) were given the equal (or at least high) honour of being drew as a close follower of the Budha. It sadden me to think that diverse people used to be that nice to one another - what happened to us? Why all these division now while our ancestors had find ways of getting along? God, where did we go wrong?
I have heard the lecturer saying that invaluable books from a library cave in the thousand budha caves were sold to a foreigner as a way to raise funds to maintain it while Chinese information suggested they were stolen. It sadden me that the truth is so hard to find - perhaps it was a bit of both? Or it was bought at first and then stolen when people wanted more pieces of China?
God, Budha, the almighty being high above; teach us to get along again - please do not let us to forget the humanity that we need to see in each other... I pray that we see the humanity in others and see ourselves in it through our actions
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Spiritual experience at work (at least I see it that way)
I had often wondered upon OTs seemingly denial of their involvements in spirituality at work, even through what I had observed today at work was not about the patients as such; spirituality as a topic is still very much a part of our lives as professions and as people.
During the usual breakfast scene in the morning, a friendly group of OTs sit together and have general conversation about life and everything. Speaking about attending a wedding, to how different cultures are, to how some people may compliant about living next to a religious worship place that are not of their own one making too much noise with their means of worshipping (e.g. praying or bell ringing). Came out of that was a beautiful example of what spirituality can do for people...... One of the OTs was describing a TV show that she had saw describing how prisoner in a miltary jail of another country were denied of their human rights to strave strike as they will force feed the prisoners. The prisoners tell of how their singing of prayers in their isolated cells together collectively was what kept them going and was their means of protest. The OTs listening were all from the same religion of these prisoners and the story teller drew silent, almost in acknowledgement of the power and almost as if that story also touched them.
As the observing person who is the only person not in the same religion/spiritual orientation, I felt the power of those prisoners prayers, the triumph of human spirit and ability to find meaning and create meaning in the most inhumane and unjust situation. I cried a silent tear in solidarity with them just like those colleagues who grew silent in acknowledgement of the same power.
What an amazing awakening at work!!! Spirituality is all around us... it is above us, within us and amongst us.
During the usual breakfast scene in the morning, a friendly group of OTs sit together and have general conversation about life and everything. Speaking about attending a wedding, to how different cultures are, to how some people may compliant about living next to a religious worship place that are not of their own one making too much noise with their means of worshipping (e.g. praying or bell ringing). Came out of that was a beautiful example of what spirituality can do for people...... One of the OTs was describing a TV show that she had saw describing how prisoner in a miltary jail of another country were denied of their human rights to strave strike as they will force feed the prisoners. The prisoners tell of how their singing of prayers in their isolated cells together collectively was what kept them going and was their means of protest. The OTs listening were all from the same religion of these prisoners and the story teller drew silent, almost in acknowledgement of the power and almost as if that story also touched them.
As the observing person who is the only person not in the same religion/spiritual orientation, I felt the power of those prisoners prayers, the triumph of human spirit and ability to find meaning and create meaning in the most inhumane and unjust situation. I cried a silent tear in solidarity with them just like those colleagues who grew silent in acknowledgement of the same power.
What an amazing awakening at work!!! Spirituality is all around us... it is above us, within us and amongst us.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Occupational Therapy is a very spirited profession
Today I heard somebody saying that OTs are incredibly spiritual people - they hold on to something bigger because we can hardly identify completely with the purely 'simply magical powerful medicine' or 'science' or 'physiotherapy'.
I found this an interesting statement about OTs - we are about meaning, we want to help our clients do things that means to them. This make our pathways to health and wellbeing so different to other conventional health professionals - instead of 'intervening' to make them better, we believe in by doing and being in the basic everyday live activities and roles contributes to health. In fact, I think OTs find what is meaningful to themselves through helping others finding theirs in the everyday stuff.
What boggled my mind is this: if we are such a spiritual natured profession, why do we run from spirituality? Why is it that there are hardly anybody that is comfortable to just be in a therapeutic relationship with their client & feel their spirituality with them? Why are we afraid in challenging others (OTs, other HPs and clients) about the health giving and health damaging spiritual typed occupations?
OTs, you cannot run away from this mission that is yours!! You understand the link between meaning and spirituality as well as that with health, to be holistic in your work with the clients you have gotten; you got to deal with it!!
I found this an interesting statement about OTs - we are about meaning, we want to help our clients do things that means to them. This make our pathways to health and wellbeing so different to other conventional health professionals - instead of 'intervening' to make them better, we believe in by doing and being in the basic everyday live activities and roles contributes to health. In fact, I think OTs find what is meaningful to themselves through helping others finding theirs in the everyday stuff.
What boggled my mind is this: if we are such a spiritual natured profession, why do we run from spirituality? Why is it that there are hardly anybody that is comfortable to just be in a therapeutic relationship with their client & feel their spirituality with them? Why are we afraid in challenging others (OTs, other HPs and clients) about the health giving and health damaging spiritual typed occupations?
OTs, you cannot run away from this mission that is yours!! You understand the link between meaning and spirituality as well as that with health, to be holistic in your work with the clients you have gotten; you got to deal with it!!
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