As simply as I could put it, I shared with him my personal belief...
Essentially...
That One is All and All is One. That one Intelligent Substance manifests itself as what appears to be many elements of the material world.
Simply put...
We're all made from the same Stuff, a Thinking Stuff.
After I finished my simplified explanation of this concept, he sat there quietly for a moment or two, staring out the car window, then he looked at me and said...
"Daddy, that makes sense!"
And...
With "ah-ha" written all over his face...
He added...
"So that's why you're always telling me to love my neighbor as myself and to treat other people the way I want to be treated, because we're all one, right Daddy?"
At age five...
He got it! :-)
Not long after our "God talk", as he likes to refer to it, impressed by his insight and "feeling my oats", I guess, I decided to tackle a very simplified version of the concept of gratitude to the Formless (the one Intelligent Substance from which all things are made), the importance of expressing gratitude to the Formless, and the various ways in which we might express our gratitude to the Formless, with him.
As I was enthusiastically waning on and on (I guess I got a little carried away :-)) about how to express gratitude to the Formless, he sat there with a puzzled look on his face (okay, actually it was his "you idiot" look :-)).
Finally...
Obviously unable to take it anymore...
He piped up and said...
"Daddy..."
"Since we're all made from the same stuff, isn't saying thank you to someone else the same thing as saying thank you to the stuff?"
Hmmmmmm...
Hmmm...
Hmmm...
Hmmm...
Out of the mouths of babes. :-)
You know what?
He was absolutely right!
I frequently see folks going to great lengths in their effort to develop and incorporate an "attitude of gratitude" into their lives, lugging around special gratitude crystals, rocks, or stones, keeping special gratitude journals, and/or resorting to all sorts of other "props and crutches" as I like to refer to them, when *all* that's *really* required is developing the simple habit of saying "thank you".
I believe it was Meister Eckhart, the influential fourteenth century German theologian, philosopher, and mystic, who once wrote:
"If the only prayer you ever say in your whole life is 'thank you,' that would suffice."
No doubt about it!
And...
As I learned from my five-year-old...
We can continuously express that prayer of gratitude to the Supreme, for *all* we have and enjoy, by simply developing the habit of consistently saying "thank you" to one another.
Once again...
Thank you son! :-)
Copyright (c) 2008 Tony Mase
When you get sick, you go to the doctor. Upon diagnosis, the doctor prescribes medicines. You buy medicines, take these, and hope that you get well. This is how the health profession goes on nowadays a cycle of diagnosis and prescription.
Before, if anyone were to give you herbal medicine, you would probably assume that he was a quack doctor. However, studies are now being conducted to see if there is any merit to what is commonly called natural medicine.
Natural medicine is the use of natural methods, herbal medicines, and traditional practices to heal ailments. Every culture has its own version of natural medicine. In ancient cultures, village medicine men served as the doctors of the community who passed on medical knowledge to apprentices who followed them.
A number of healing methods fall under natural medicine. Among these are traditional medicine, complementary medicine, and alternative medicine.
Natural medicine is the precursor of modern medicine. This includes herbal medicine and phytotherapy, which is prevalent in Chinese, Ayurvedic (or Indian), and Greek medicine.
The advent of modern medicine led many professionals to discard the use of herbs in favor of man-made synthetic medicine. Soon enough people forget the healing properties of some herbs. Did you know that opium, digitalis, quinine, and aspirin all have their roots in traditional medicine?
Natural medicine is considered a lost art that needs to be rediscovered. In some cases, natural therapy is actually better than modern medicine. Some doctors seriously consider and study selected uses of natural medicine. This is especially true for medicines that have been thoroughly studied and considered risk-free.
Take herbal medicine for example. There are many well-documented herbal remedies available. However, only herbal medicines that deal with minor ailments such as cough, colds, fever, skin rashes, and others are likely to be recommended by health professionals. This is because herbal medicines are less likely to cause negative side effects.
Currently, there are numerous organizations that advocate the use of natural medicine, specifically, herbal medicine. Some governments and health agencies openly advocate the use of natural methods since they are inexpensive and readily available to all.
It is also through rigorous research that scientists learn that some herbs have been misused to produce fake medicines. This represents a challenge for both the user and regulatory agencies to be very careful in discerning the use and promotion of natural remedies.
Today, many alternative medical treatments fall under natural medicine. However, not all of them have been proven effective. Among these are homeopathy, aromatherapy, acupuncture, and other alternative medical treatments. To play safe, consult experts as to the legitimacy of these treatments.
Right now, current collective medical thought suggests the use of natural medicine as a supplement to accepted modern medical practices. The practice of modern medicine revolves around diagnosing an illness and prescribing treatments for such. The approach of natural medicine is considered more holistic.
Natural medicine is not necessarily given only when the patient is sick. It encourages the patient to embrace good health habits. These habits include good diet, healthy living, and the regular natural treatment. A healthy lifestyle is the foundation of natural medicine.
Isn't it ironic that science leads us to the knowledge of sages in the past? It leads us back to remedies that nature can offer. The possibility of finding natural remedies to everyday illnesses is encouraging. These natural therapies may truly help improve your health and society.
Both Tony Mase & Abbas Abedi are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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