MS Insights: A better life starts with one decision, one action!

Written on 12th October 2014 by Shulamit Lando

Everything I know and everything I have learned came thanks to the surprise that life had in store for me: MS (Multiple Sclerosis), a supposedly incurable and degenerative disease. All of what I write, even if it is not specifically related to it, came from the broadening of awareness that I got in and through the process of learning to deal and eventually heal from illness.

 

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I woke up depressed again. It was heavily raining, making a racket on the glass roof of my study in the “City of Eternal Spring”, Cuernavaca.

I had finally started getting better form the last episode of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) that had me bounded for the last couple of months. My depressed feelings were, even medically, justified.

It was grey and nasty.

I have heard of Anita’s Yoga class. It was happening at her garden. Anita lived in a gorgeous Cuernavaca residence that used to be a children’s camp I attended to when I was a child. My first important experiences dealing with fear —boys and tarantulas— happened there. And my first kiss, under the water in the pool.

The Yoga class was surprisingly nice. I have never done yoga before; it was relaxing and challenging for everyone there, not only for my weakened body. The class was held under a huge old tree, the same one that once held the swing where I flirted with Andre. The breeze was cool. I breathed deeply. Life was good!

After class I was invited to stay for breakfast with Anita’s family. A delicious Mexican feast was served at the tiled terrace. It had stopped raining; the sun was shining through the now empty clouds.

It was not the yoga.

It was not Anita.

It was not the garden under the huge tree of my childhood.

It was the accumulative effect of all those little decisions, blessings at that particular time, that lifted me up completely and changed my life that day. I had found a new routine, new friends, a new life… and I wasn’t even looking for all that! I just wanted to feel a little less depressed.
Take one step today, step up in that place where you feel stuck, limited or overwhelmed. One step, one action…. no matter what.
Just do it!I woke up depressed again. It was heavily raining, making a racket on the glass roof of my study in the “City of Eternal Spring”, Cuernavaca.

I had finally started getting better form the last episode of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) that had me bounded for the last couple of months. My depressed feelings were, even medically, justified.

It was grey and nasty.

I have heard of Anita’s Yoga class. It was happening at her garden. Anita lived in a gorgeous Cuernavaca residence that used to be a children’s camp I attended to when I was a child. My first important experiences dealing with fear —boys and tarantulas— happened there. And my first kiss, under the water in the pool.

The Yoga class was surprisingly nice. I have never done yoga before; it was relaxing and challenging for everyone there, not only for my weakened body. The class was held under a huge old tree, the same one that once held the swing where I flirted with Andre. The breeze was cool. I breathed deeply. Life was good!

After class I was invited to stay for breakfast with Anita’s family. A delicious Mexican feast was served at the tiled terrace. It had stopped raining; the sun was shining through the now empty clouds.

It was not the yoga.

It was not Anita.

It was not the garden under the huge tree of my childhood.

It was the accumulative effect of all those little decisions, blessings at that particular time, that lifted me up completely and changed my life that day. I had found a new routine, new friends, a new life… and I wasn’t even looking for all that! I just wanted to feel a little less depressed.

Take one step today, step up in that place where you feel stuck, limited or overwhelmed. One step, one action…. no matter what.

Just do it!

Rachel Long says:

Hi Shulamit
I love your writing it’s so inspirational! I don’t have MS but I do get very depressed . Consequently I am a Wellness Coach and I’m particularly interested in working with people with Long Term Conditions using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy . Would be great to stay in touch and I will share your work with others .

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Shuli's Blog

Shuli

One day I found my spiritual path and the next day an incurable illness, MS (Multiple Sclerosis), found me. This brought me my life's greatest lesson: How was I going to find this to be a gift from God, the Universe, The Source, the cosmic soup, or from some higher sphere? What was my new-found spirituality and awareness supposed to teach me with this!?

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