Everyone experiences pain. Illness, aging, and emotional distress touch all of our lives. Each of us has a soul, or Higher self, that has come into human form to have life experiences. These experiences are designed to provide us opportunities to learn the lessons we need for our spiritual growth. It's from pain that we grow. Rather than being afraid or overwhelmed by life's challenges, we can learn how to connect with our Higher self, using our intuitive mind. Making the leap of faith to use our sixth sense to bypass our rational mind and receive inner guidance promotes improved health, greater happiness, and peace of mind. Using case histories accumulated over forty years of practicing family medicine, Dr. Millman discusses many different illnesses and emotional issues and the specifi c lessons each one presents. He uses his holistic and spiritual approach to healing to make sense of the death of our physical body and the transition of our spirit to the other side.
Leap of Faith
Transforming Physical and Emotional Pain into Spiritual GrowthBy Jeffrey D. MillmanBalboa Press
Copyright © 2012 Jeffrey D. Millman, M.D.
All right reserved.ISBN: 978-1-4525-4705-3Contents
Introduction..............................ixChapter 1: Becoming.......................1Chapter 2: Pain...........................7Chapter 3: Illness........................13Chapter 4: Connecting.....................63Chapter 5: Lessons........................90Chapter 6: Transition.....................173Author's Note.............................189Recommended Reading.......................191
Chapter One
Becoming
Where does a life's journey begin? At the physical level, sperm meets egg and we are born. Somewhere along the way, we realize another subtle, intangible aspect to our lives. Our consciousness is awakened; we search for answers. We begin a spiritual quest.
Becoming requires periodic life-altering experiences. As we evolve from nebulous masses of potential to actualized human beings, we go through stages of transformation throughout our lifetimes. During these challenging periods when circumstances hit us squarely between our eyes, we are compelled to consider questions we are ordinarily too busy to confront. Pain has a way of quickly getting our attention, shaking us free from the mesmerizing mundaneness of daily routines. Be it physical or emotional, pain is a strong signal that something is wrong. It may be ignored initially, persistent enough to seek medical assistance, or treated symptomatically, but eventually it will be serious enough to stop us dead in our tracks and begin the process of asking these kinds of questions:
What's it all about? Why am I here? Is there a purpose to my life? Is there a Higher Power? Why is there so much pain? Why is there so much suffering? What happens when I die?
These are questions asked by a mind seeking meaning to one's life. It's getting the answers that's a bit tricky. They are not always readily apparent. We get so caught up in the pain and our desire to alleviate it that we are distracted from receiving the answers. Only by accepting the pain as part of life can anything positive come from the suffering. The choice is simple: grow and learn from the pain so that you may benefit; or ignore, blame, and feel victimized by it.
Pain is a necessary part of the human experience. Some people have more than others, but no one is spared. There is no avoiding pain. Trying to resist it only increases the suffering. Illness is a gift, not a curse. Unrequested to be sure, it is an opportunity for personal (mental and emotional) and spiritual growth. Illness is our teacher, sometimes benevolent in wanting to help us learn our lesson, and sometimes a taskmaster forcing us to face the unknown and wrestle with the challenges presented. The lessons offered by the occurrence of disease, or dis-ease, in our lives and the style in which we deal with them, reveal our degree of mastery of human melodrama. Because pain and aging are unavoidable, I urge you to embrace them. Determine the lesson to be learned, learn it (the hard part), and watch the suffering subside. While treating illness at the physical or psychological level with medication, counseling, body work, surgery, and so on, we can go beyond the limits of three-dimensional reality to identify and deal with the underlying growth issues being offered. We can choose awareness and growth over obliviousness and stagnation.
Becoming is ongoing. Spiritual growth develops as we progress from youth to maturity. Evolving brings a willingness to expand our spirituality by accepting the possibility of new concepts. Our viewpoint becomes transformed—beyond belief, beyond hope—to a place of knowing.
I believe with my mind I hope with my heart I know with my soul
Faith is a bridge that allows us to cross over to the spiritual realm. For some of you, faith in a Higher Power is a given, a belief beyond the shadow of doubt. You are blessed. For the rest, uncertainty resides in the recesses of our minds. Only a leap of faith can catapult us over the abyss of doubt. Until and unless we can acknowledge energy beyond five-sense perception, we can progress no further in our spiritual exploration. Until and unless we understand that not everything we were taught is true, that there are possibilities previously not considered, the opportunity for growth will escape us.
My perception of truth includes a Higher Power. That term is vague in its connotation, which is my intention. The source of my spiritual guidance is not related to a specific religion, but rather to this amorphous energy that I, as a limited human being, cannot even begin to comprehend. God is a word most of us can relate to. Know that whenever I say God, I imply simultaneously Allah, Adonai, Ram, Lord, Grandfather, etc. Religion as a means to connect with Higher Power is no longer necessary for me. Anyone can plug into God consciousness without an intermediary. I view religion as a way for groups of human beings with similar values and beliefs to join in fellowship to connect with Spirit. I see religion and spirituality as mutually harmonious avenues toward individual spiritual growth. Each of us will find the right blend that suits our personal way of looking at the world. Take delight in your choice, allowing others to freely follow their own paths. It is all about love.
Higher Power, creator of all that exists, is so powerful that human beings would simply disintegrate if we actually "touched" God. We need our Higher self, the part of us that is capable of connecting with Higher Power, to receive intuitive guidance and wisdom. Each self, without exception, possesses a Higher self that knows God and all that is "God-ly." Our Higher self is always with us. It is a constant source of assistance as we deal with the issues or illnesses in our lives.
By accessing Invisible Energy via our Higher selves, a connection is established that facilitates healing and provides spiritual insight.
Beware of those who claim to know what's best for you. Indeed, our most worthy teachers are those who do not give us the answers but teach us how to find them. No one outside of ourselves can know our truth or determine the path we need to follow. Others can point us in a positive direction or illuminate possibilities previously unexamined, but ultimately we must look inward, trust our intuition, and know that our Higher self is the source of truth for us. If we learn how to plug in, we will have an ally for life.
Spiritual expansion implies transcendence from our ordinary reality. Life is filled with pain, suffering, boredom, and unpleasantness. Comfort is attainable, however. Help is available. To you. Yes, you. As you open yourself to new possibilities, the roadblocks to happiness and improved health are removed. Learning how to connect with your Higher self provides advice and wisdom when facing life's challenges. An intention is made to seek advice from your Higher self, and using techniques described in subsequent chapters, your answers will be forthcoming. Solutions to dilemmas and difficulties become apparent. There is less fear and more hope. You begin to experience moments of equanimity and serenity. Everyone is capable of plugging in. There are no exceptions. We are all equal in our opportunity to connect with our Higher self, and ultimately our Higher Power. It may be easier for some than others, but success will be achieved with concentration, determination, and patience.
Life minus Spirit equals Suffering Life plus Spirit equals Hope
* * *
Have you noticed that everything is speeding up? We are in a period of expansion. New information and ideas are stretching our customary ways of viewing the world. Cosmically speaking, we are being caught up in a vortex of change. Everything is becoming more intense. Chaos is prominent. The written Chinese character for chaos combines two symbols representing both danger and opportunity, and that epitomizes this moment in history. What may appear scary at first can be seen instead with excitement. We are on the cutting edge of a shift in consciousness that requires us to be alert and aware. Being bombarded with rapidly transforming technology and current events makes it necessary for us to assimilate new information at a faster rate than our parents had to.
Just as the times are changing more quickly, so is the learning curve. Let's say it takes me twenty years to learn something. I teach it to person B. B learns it in ten years and then teaches person C. C learns it in five years and teaches person D, and so forth. We humans are capable of accelerated learning and growth when full attention is put to the effort. Change begins at the individual level. After a sufficient number of people accept the change as valid and real, it becomes generally agreed upon among the masses.
Ken Keyes Jr. relates the story of the hundredth monkey, which demonstrates how transformation on a large scale can occur quickly once critical mass has been achieved. He reports that scientists observing an island colony of monkeys saw one young member learn an efficient way to wash the sand from sweet potatoes. Starting with one innovative monkey, others gradually began to imitate the technique. Once the hundredth monkey learned it, it spread rapidly, within twenty-four hours, throughout the entire tribe. Mysteriously, this new concept was transmitted to other populations of monkeys on other islands many miles away. At some intangible level, knowledge was communicated between groups that was beneficial to all. Once an adequate, albeit not large, number of monkeys (or individuals) learns something, a sharing of information occurs that dramatically alters any previously accepted patterns of thought or behavior. Computers, books, magazines, television, and interpersonal networking are facilitating the shift. We are all part of it, whether consciously or unconsciously. You are not alone in your personal search for answers. Many of us see chaos permeating the whole planet, yet we hope, indeed intuitively know, that a higher purpose for human suffering exists.
Facing the pain of illness, whether our own or that of those we love—physical or emotional, acute or chronic, life threatening or life detracting—we have a need to make sense of it so that we may endure. Transcending the physical into the realm of the metaphysical, taking a leap of faith into the vagueness of that which human beings only partially understand, not only reduces suffering, but even more important, facilitates our souls' evolution to a Higher place. Regardless of the details of our individual lives, we are all here on this earthly plane with a common purpose. Each of us is a spiritual being on a human quest for knowledge and spiritual growth. We are here to learn about love.
Chapter Two
Pain
As a clinician I have witnessed terrible pain and suffering—physical pain that narcotic analgesics can barely relieve, and emotional suffering manifested as severe anxiety and suicidal depression. I have seen death come gently in one's sleep at the end of a long life, and I've seen it rob a ten-year-old child of experiencing a normal life span. Illness often has an unceremonious way of taking us by surprise, seemingly for no apparent reason, altering our lives forever.
Physicians and other caregivers face this daily. Learning how to cope with pain is essential for our emotional sanity and physical well-being. In moments of contemplation I have asked why pain is so integral to the human existence. Are we sinners and doomed to suffer? Are we foolish creatures bent on making self-destructive or unwise choices in life? Is there a God, and if so, why would a Higher Power allow so much pain?
My quest for an answer was rather fruitless at first. Observing my physician mentors, I tried the standard coping mechanism of detachment. Don't get too close. Shrugging my shoulders, accepting the belief that some questions are not meant to have logical answers, and avoiding asking the question worked for many years. When the pain became personal—my father's death—ignoring the issue was impossible. Why should I suffer, have difficulties, experience disappointments? I'm a good person. It's not fair. It just didn't make sense.
As a medical doctor trained to objectively assess information gathered by my five senses, computed through my logical brain to arrive at a rational explanation for observed phenomena, I felt ill equipped to tackle the philosophical issues of pain and death. My scientific mind could not provide the answers I was seeking. Coincidental to my personal search I began to notice an aspect to my practice of medicine that I hadn't paid much attention to previously, although it was always there. At some point during a medical workup an intuitive flash would come to me about a specific diagnosis or treatment. Experience has since taught me to notice my hunches and trust these gut feelings. The process of opening myself to my intuitive sixth sense facilitated greater clarity and insight. After a while the merging of the scientific with the intuitive resulted in my personal transition from physician to healer.
Life is composed of innumerable dualities: good/bad, day/night, male/female, and so on. Things are seldom black or white, but rather are shades of gray. The blending of the two aspects of any dyad is more powerful than either alone. Otherwise it becomes lopsided. Balance is the key. Not too much, not too little, somewhere in between. Within the context of health and illness, the joining of science and intuition results in more satisfactory healing. The best of both worlds. Merging the physical with the intangible.
With the conundrum of making sense of all the pain and suffering still looming before me, and dissatisfied with logical approaches, I resumed my quest by going straight to the Source. In meditation I asked, "Dear God, do you exist?" The answer I received was clear. I would have to spend more time being still to find out. I made a commitment to awaken earlier and extend my time with my Higher self and Higher Power to an hour or more every morning and five to ten minutes before lunch. I vowed to replace snatches of sleeplessness with actively connecting to Invisible Energy.
The biggest hurdle was doubt. It became apparent that nothing short of a leap of faith would allow me to accept the existence of an Energy, powerful and truly unknowable, that would make some sense of the painful difficulties all human beings experience.
Time and contemplation provided access to intuitive confirmation of God's existence. In meditation, the response I received when asking about God's existence was clear:
The choice is yours to make
Because of inherent free will, each human being must make this decision independently. Since I reasoned that the existence of a Higher Power cannot be proved or disproved, the power of the rational mind was useless in this situation. All I could rely on was my intuition, my sixth sense. Quieting my mind and body allowed my five senses to be less dominant. Slow, deep breathing with eyes closed and body at rest permitted my conscious mind to recede, focusing instead on the subtle energy of the sixth sense. As I patiently repeated this process, asking for insight, and actively releasing doubt, a telepathic answer finally came to me:
Where love exists, fear cannot thrive Where faith exists, doubt fades away
Doubt is relentless. Its constant presence can be overwhelming, closing our minds and hearts to new possibilities. Only by choosing to make the leap of faith to believe in something unprovable, just because it intuitively feels correct, can doubt be overcome. The pervasiveness of doubt makes belief in Invisible Energy an almost daily challenge. With time the strength of faith makes doubt less prominent. The existence of a Higher Power becomes truth, a genuine knowing, a daily presence, a constant companion.
Grappling with the issue of God's existence was difficult enough, but I was still left asking the original question. Why? Why the pain and suffering? Given that I choose to believe in a Higher Power, is this entity benign or vengeful? If it is vengeful, I and all of us are doomed to suffer. There is no hope there. Thus the second leap of faith presented itself. I decided to choose to believe that God cares about me, indeed loves me. The pure love from God is unconditional. Unlike parental love or religious blessing that requires me to be "good" before being rewarded with approval, I sense Higher love to be forthcoming no matter what. God's love for me is a constant. Can I prove this? No. Hence the leap of faith.
Doubt being the persistent nag it is, complete acceptance of God's existence and unconditional love for me, and for all living beings, does not come easily. To this day doubt still lingers, but less and less. As the doubt has been evaporating, replaced by a knowing, I have observed in myself the following changes: I am healthier, happier, and calmer. The more I connect with my Higher self, the less angry, worried, and sad I am. My suffering is diminished. Not that difficulties don't occur— they do so with ceaseless irregularity. What has changed is my attitude about the challenges being presented. The buoyancy of hope, inflated by God's love for me, has lessened my pains.
Pain. Why? With the question still unanswered, I continued to ask my Higher Power. One morning like a bolt of lightning the telepathic message became crystal clear:
The pain is here to facilitate growth
(Continues...)
Excerpted from Leap of Faithby Jeffrey D. Millman Copyright © 2012 by Jeffrey D. Millman, M.D.. Excerpted by permission of Balboa Press. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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