Some more notes from my class last Monday with Dr. Bernie Siegel.
- Water is an incredible role model.The ocean waves never complain about smashing up against the shore. A river never whines about having to flow over rocks. A pond never gets annoyed because it is so small and still.
- Actors immune systems respond to the role they are playing. Comedy increases healthy immune response measurements. Tragedy lowers immune system health. Be careful what roles you choose to play.
- Act and behave as the person you want to be.
- Decide who you want to be. Wake up tomorrow morning and be that person.
- Do what makes you happy.Bernie Siegel’s mom said that all the time. He “got” it.
- He had a cancer patient who said, “My mother’s words have been eating away at me for 30 years…” Eventually he manifested what was festering inside.
- Bring forth what is within. Stop holding back emotions. Stop stopping yourself. Express. Flow.
- Losing track of time is the healthiest state you can be in.
- If you lose your health, go look for it.
- When asking or even confronting a patient about the true cause of their dis-ease, asking them “what does this illness do for you?” What does this illness mean to you? What are the benefits you drive from your illness? What is the blessing in the curse? This is ASKING the patient it is not blaming them. Asking a person to acknowledge that their illness has meaning for them is not blaming them for having the illness. It does give them the power to change and may even save their life.
- Death is not the horrible thing to be afraid of. Bernie choked to death as a young child. He saw himself lying on the bed. When his windpipe cleared and he was sucked back into his body he was “Mad as hell!” Most people who have experienced being clinically dead and then brought back express deep annoyance. What a drag! Life is hard.
- Someone called Bernie to tell him he was going to kill himself. Bernie said “If you kill yourself I’ll never speak to you again!” and hung up the phone. His friend was really ticked off and showed up the next day furious. Bernie pointed out, “We’ll since you’re here yelling at me I guess you didn’t kill yourself afterall!”
Any thoughts? Leave a comment below! More next week.