Hello to all the Prosumers,
Janet asked me to share with you what my inspiration and intention was in creating the Light A Candle website.
I was a Catholic missionary for 10 years in Mexico working as a nurse with Maryknoll. One Maryknoll mission is called "Light A Candle" based on the Chinese proverb, "It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness". (Maryknoll was the first American Catholic mission to China). I have been fascinated with the proverb ever since.
I have lived experiences of mental illness that have felt very dark indeed. I have come through those experiences, without medication, by means of personal and spiritual medicine, lighting little candles in my heart here and there wherever I could. I would get an acquarium and stare at it for hours. I would go for long walks and pray like hell, cuz that was how I felt. I would listen to wonderful music, dance myself silly, watch inspiring movies, etc... I would reach out to others, to re-ignite the fire in my heart.
And I didn't even know what I was doing, or that anyone else was doing it or even that there was a name for it.
I have been studying mental health and illness for over 30 years now and have collected a few degrees and alot of knowledge about medical interventions. I remain most inspired by the living breathing flames of those people around me who have triumphed over mental pain by their will, their audacious choices, and their connections to the divine.
This website is an invitation to others who would like to share themselves and their lives, stories and personal medicine. All too often people with mental illness are not empowered to live beyond the label/the diagnosis and are not considered a resource for the healing of their afflictions, for themselves and others. All too often, full healing is not even considered possible. It is time for that to change. It is time for all of us to be pro-active in our recovery and to share whatever we can in service to others. It is time we made a difference.
There is no such thing as a person who does not struggle with mental illness. Those who have gone more deeply into this arena of human suffering and lived to tell the tale are the champions who deserve to be heard. It is my opinion that they can lead the way to the enlightenment of the entire race. Light a candle. Be one.
Thanks Elizabeth
Here is my candle analogy:
In my philosophy, we are the candles that are either lit or not.
LIT (Life in Spirit) |
NOT LIT (Life in Ego) |
1. Expose yourself |
1. Protect yourself (Hide) Live in your comfort zone. Live on default settings. |
2. Practice Acceptance, what is, is. What is not, is not. |
2. Practice Resistance (It should or should not be) All negative emotions reside here. |
3. All flows through you, but you keep only Love and the Virtues of Love in your heart. |
3. Anything that flows to you gets stuck in you. Your past is your future, your soul is cluttered. |
4. You let go/die. You truly live by dying. A lit candle dies used up. |
4. You survive. You die without having ever lived. You are the living dead. |
We all have moments in our lives when we step out, reveal ourselves, live on fire and live to give.
We all have moments when our light has been snuffed out. Tis better to light a candle that curse the darkness and the candle is you. Go light yourself up. You can borrow light from anyone who is lit at the moment. Don't forget to return the favor when it is their turn to suffer "Blow Out"! Go be the light you are!
If you can love what you hate you can conquer the world. Love conquers all. You already love what you love....so now the only thing left is to love what you hate,,,and you have arrived.
If you cannot love what you hate, look to see if you can laugh at it. Joy is the access is Love.
If you cannot laugh at what you hate, see if you can be grateful for it. Gratitude is the access to Joy.
If you cannnot be grateful for it, see if you can trust it, or the divine...somehow. Trust is an access to gratitude.
If you cannot trust, then pray like hell. I say hell, because if you can't trust your prayer probably sounds hellish.
Don't worry, God can take it...just get your truth out into the universe... There is a chance you could get over it and give up being right....even when you are.
If you cannot pray, then ask for others to pray for you. Actually, that works all along the way!!!