Atonement and The Power to Forgive

Emotional wellness is defined by Dr. Bill Hettler as: "...a person being both aware of and accepting of a wide range of feelings in him/herself and others. He/She is able to freely express feeling and manage feeling effectively to arrive at personal choices/decisions based upon the integration of feelings, cognition and behavior." Emotional wellness is also described as self-awareness or self-acceptance. The definition by Dr. Bill Hettler, co-founder of the National Wellness Institute, Inc, on his web page goes on to say that an emotionally well person can function autonomously but is aware of personal limitations and the value of seeking interpersonal support and assistance.

Emotional wellness extends beyond oneself as it encompasses the health of our
relationships with ourselves, others, and our God. Inside each and every one of us lies the ability to let go of old hurts, anger, and despair. Forgiveness is defined by Merriam-Webster as : "Giving up resentment of; pardoning; absolving; willingness to allow room for error or weakness." Atonement is a process for making amends for a fault or wrongdoing. This process, if applied with a sincere spirit, can heal all wounds including broken marriages (http://www.finalcall.com/columns/mlf/mlf-infidelity.html), childhood abuses, overfeeding/abusing the body with food, drugs, and alcohol, and more.

In recognition of the 13th Anniversary of the Million Man March and the Holy Day of Atonement (October 16, 1995), I would like to share with you the Eight Steps of Atonement.

In order to resolve our problems with one another, we must follow these steps:

1. Point Out Wrong or Fault – Let it be known that a wrong was committed.
2. Acknowledge the Wrong – No matter who brings it to your attention, if you were at fault, admit it.
3. Confession – Confess your wrongdoing to your Creator and to the person whom you wronged.
4. Repentance – Show remorse for your actions and sincerely promise to change.
5. Atonement – If you can, do something to make up for your actions.
6. Forgiveness – Seek forgiveness from the individual wronged and your Creator. Remember, also, to forgive yourself for your transgressions.
7. Reconciliation –Settle differences and make peace with yourself and with
those whom you have wronged.
8. Perfect Union – Oneness with your Creator, family and friends.

Here are some tips for ensuring a productive atonement session:


CONFLICT RESOLUTION

(Adapted from Youth Leadership Development Workbook written and published by New Light Leadership Coalition, 2001-2003, pages 62-63.)

In order to work well with other people, leaders must be good at resolving conflict.
A conflict is a situation causing disunity or discord between two individuals or
groups. Conflicts are usually caused by perceived feelings of hurt, insult, or injury. To resolve a conflict, it is important to maintain control of emotions.
Use the following steps to approach solving conflicts with others peacefully:

STEPS TO SOLVING A CONFLICT

1. ADOPT A PEACEFUL ATTITUDE
You should never be the aggressor or the cause of a conflict. Try to avoid
physical confrontations if possible.
2. LISTEN, LISTEN, LISTEN
The main problem during conflict is that both parties want to get their point
across. This causes them to want to speak before the other person is heard. It is
important to LISTEN in order to resolve a conflict.
3. STATE YOUR DESIRE TO WORK THINGS OUT
The other party must know that you are willing to compromise. A compromise
is the process of give and take that leads to a middle ground where BOTH PARTIES
are content.
4. BE A MODEL OF SUPPORT & COOPERATION
Be sincere in your attempt to reconcile with another party.

GUIDELINES TO RESOLVING CONFLICT

√ Never approach an individual in front of other people as this will only cause
defensiveness.The person will likely retaliate instead of cooperating with you.

√ Do not insult the other party.Tell him what he is doing that is hurting you and
ask him to stop.

√ Do not provoke the other person or group.This will only lead to further conflict
and, potentially, violence.

√ Be calm! Instead of approaching the situation emotionally, give yourself a moment
to cool down before trying to deal with the conflict. Emotion can cause unnecessary
confusion, leaving the root of the problem neither discovered nor solved.

I wish you all peace and success in your attempts to achieve total wellness!

Getting "Well"

The next time that you watch a TV commercial ad about the newest prescription drug, pay attention to how much time is spent on detailing the SIDE EFFECTS that may result from taking it. Basically, taking the drug can alleviate the old illness while replacing it with a new one. The average American has long-suffered with disparities in the quality and accessibility of health care coverage and treatment coupled with the rising costs of medications. In the present economy, or what's left of it, people can neither afford to sick much less get well. What's the solution? Here are some options.

1) Clean up your diet and start exercising. Almost all sickness is a direct result of poor nutrition: obesity, diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, high blood pressure, etc. Stop eating so much. Look at food as fuel for the body. Proper fasting will cure many ills. Take care of your nutrition and your body will take care of itself.If you have a weakness for soda and candy bars (sugar, sugar, sugar) and spend $3.00 per day, you could pocket about $90.00 per month and lose some weight.

2) Stop smoking and drinking and save that money. Not only are these habits detrimental to your health, they are expensive. If cigarettes cost $4.00 per pack, and you smoke 2 packs per day, then (by quitting) in a month's time you will have saved at least $224.00. (How much is your insurance premium again?)

3) Practice preventive medicine. See your doctor once a year for a check up. Your treatment options are broader when an ailment is detected in its early stages and it will be a lot less expensive. Don't put it off until tomorrow--tomorrow is not promised. If you have ever had a full-blown toothache, then you know the penalty for putting off dental checkups (compare $75-100 for x-ray and cleaning to $350-500+ for fillings, extractions, root canals and/or crowns plus pain medications and/or antibiotics). Ouch! You might want to see your dentist every six months as well.

4) Explore alternative medicine. Long before HMO's came on the scene, people treated their ailments with items found in their kitchens--often picked right out of their own gardens. Here are some excerpts from an article entitled, "Understanding Naturopathic Medicine:Medicine with a Natural Focus" by Beth Farrell (http://www.mindbodysanctuary.com/item/understanding-naturopathic-medicine)


"With natural healing becoming more and more popular, one of the terms you may commonly hear is naturopath. But, you may wonder, what exactly is a naturopath?

"Simply put, a naturopath is a health professional trained in the practice of natural medicine and healing through an accredited institution. Also known as a Naturopathic Doctor or N.D., a naturopath believes that the human body strives to be well and balanced and, when experiencing illness or pain, it can be encouraged to be healthy through natural methods. Doctors of naturopathy are not traditional medical doctors but they are extensively trained in such subjects as anatomy, homeopathy, nutrition, physiology and counseling.

What do they treat?

"Because naturopaths believe in treating the whole person, they will focus on all aspects of a person's health and wellness, which include the mind, emotions and spirit as well as the physical. They will gear their treatment of the person by addressing not only the illness but all the underlying causes of the illness. For this reason treatments can be very diverse and may include such things as herbal remedies, aromatherapy, massage, nutritional counseling, biofeedback or acupressure, depending upon the needs of the person they are treating. There is also a strong focus on preventive medicine by keeping the body healthy through proper nutrition, physical activity and stress management..."

5) Do something for your mind and your spirit. Start journaling. Practice prayer and/or meditation. Get proper rest. Help a friend in need. Pay attention to the negative noise in your head and replace every negative thought with 7 positive ones.

I challenge you to make at least one of these changes and email me your results in 30 days. I think that you will be better for it! (smile)

Got Milk? That's What You Think...

(*Publisher's Note: This post was inspired by a message I heard by Dr. Alim Abdul Muhammad on Sunday, October 5, 2008. Dr. Muhammad has operated the Abundant Life Clinic in Washington, D.C. since 1986. Visit his site at http://www.abundantlifeclinic.org. Look for future posts to notify you once the DVD is available for this lecture as well as his upcoming publication entitled, "The Problem Is Nutrition.")


Don't you just love the "Got Milk?" ads featuring gorgeous celebrities donning milk mustaches? These ads recommend drinking milk daily and many have done so in the quest to emulate the images projected by these personalities. Milk has been touted as the cure-all for strong bones and teeth, postponing osteoporosis, and even cancer prevention. I am sure that this campaign has done much to boost sales in the dairy industry. It has also been helpful in teaching the general public about one aspect of nutrition. The only problem is that the milk readily available on the market cannot provide the many benefits of drinking it. Why? Milk and dairy products are pasteurized and/or homogenized. In other words, everything good has been removed.

WHAT DOES PASTEURIZED MEAN?

To pasteurize means "to sterilize a substance by heat or radiation." (Webster 1997) According to Dr. Joseph Mercola, "Raw milk is an outstanding source of nutrients including beneficial bacteria such as lactobacillus acidolphilus, vitamins and enzmes, and it is, in my estimation, the finest source of calcium available.

"The pasteurization process, which entails heating the milk to a temperature of 145 degrees to 150 degrees F and keeping it there for at least half an hour and then reducing the temperature to not more than 55 degrees F, completely changes the structure of the milk proteins (denaturization) into something far less than healthy. While the process certainly destroys germs and bad bacteria, it also destroys the milk's beneficial bacteria along with many of its nutritious components.

"Pasteurizing milk destroys enzymes, diminishes vitamin, denatures fragile milk proteins, destroys vitamin B12, and vitamin B6, kills beneficial bacteria and promotes pathogens. You may notice that raw milk left out will sour naturally but pasteurized milk will rot. This is because the beneficial bacteria in the raw milk helps to keep putrefactive bacteria under control. Pasteurized milk, however, does not have any of the beneficial bacteria left to keep it from rotting.

"Then, of course there is the issue of the antibiotics, pesticides and growth hormones and the fact that nearly all commercial dairy cows are raised on grains, not grass, like they were designed to. This will change the composition of the fats in the milk, especially the CLA content.

"Pasteurized cow's milk is the number one allergic food in this country. It has been associated with a number of symptoms and illnesses including:

* Diarrhea
* Cramps
* Bloating
* Gas
* Gastrointestinal bleeding
* Iron-deficiency anemia
* Skin rashes
* Allergies
* Colic in infants
* Osteoporosis
* Increased tooth decay
* Arthritis
* Increased tooth decay
* Growth problems in children
* Heart disease
* Cancer
* Atherosclerosis
* Acne
* Recurrent ear infections in children
* Type 1 diabetes
* Rheumatoid arthritis
* Infertility
* Leukemia
* Autism

"Raw milk, on the other hand, is not associated with any of these problems, and even people who have been allergic to pasteurized milk for many years can typically tolerate and even thrive on raw milk.

"Raw milk is truly one of the most profoundly healthy foods you can consume, and you'll feel the difference once you start to drink it."(http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2004/04/24/raw-milk.aspx)



Find a raw milk cooperative near you: www.realmilk.com

If you reside in the Houston area, I recommend 45 Farms:
Alvin: 45 Farms, 5825 County Road 182, Alvin, Texas 77511. kelvin119@sbcglobal.net . (713) 261-6409, 30 minutes south of Houston. Sells raw milk from a family herd of grass-fed Jersey cows and eggs from free roaming chickens NO anitbotics or hormones are used. They plan to add cheese.

Read more about the benefits of raw milk at http://journeysfit.com/articles.html