I have come to realize that what I encourage for people trying to get well is NOT very medical. In fact, it is the opposite of medical. Medical has come to mean "a medicine" or a "medical procedure" that changes your physiology, anatomy or chemistry in a way that makes you better than you were before. While this approach can be miraculous and beautiful, it requires an outside source of power to make you ok. This is what our medical world is built on -- external power; an authority figure outside of you "fixing" you. That gift is so great for the ACUTE medical model (treating acute disease and injury). However, it does NOT work for ongoing life and chronic living. It is not possible to depend on an external source to sustain us through all of the days and challenges of our lives. That self-sustaining force must be inside of us, part of us and accessible within ourselves otherwise we are always looking for our "life raft" and, therefore, dependent on the power of another being or a pill or a "fix" of some sort to make us ok.
Now, I fully realize I am proposing the "power of the group" and interaction with our fellow humans to connect, empower and heal. Thus, I am proposing that we immerse ourselves with other humans to gain power, confidence and strength. However, these groups which I envision and plan to run as part of the Pando Method are NOT just support groups. They are NOT "stitch and bitch" sessions. They are "live" training opportunities for participants to learn and experience speaking their truth, being their authentic selves and being in the moment with other humans also attempting to be themselves in a real and genuine way. Out of this dynamic with an underlying devotion and discipline to respect and non-judgmental acceptance of others coupled with openness and truth, participants learn and become masters of real communication and connection. The benefit is nothing short of miraculous and paves the way for an entirely new way of being which brings power from within (as opposed to depending on it from outside).
This is not at all traditional healing and healthcare as practiced in this country. It does not replace standard healthcare with a doctor. It simply is another avenue which CAN make traditional healthcare more effective, easier to access and less frustrating to work with. Pando provides a venue for filling the gaps missing in the "system"(communication, connection, time, lifestyle support and camaraderie) along with that feeling of support and being known that can only come with a true partner that one has shared themselves with in a real and true way. This is medicine PLUS. This is holistic care -- care of the individual NOT care the way it has to be because of an overburdened, overworked system. This is medicine in combination with psychosocial support and a deep respect for an individual's uniqueness and authenticity. This is what it is to be fully human and fully alive.
Now, I fully realize I am proposing the "power of the group" and interaction with our fellow humans to connect, empower and heal. Thus, I am proposing that we immerse ourselves with other humans to gain power, confidence and strength. However, these groups which I envision and plan to run as part of the Pando Method are NOT just support groups. They are NOT "stitch and bitch" sessions. They are "live" training opportunities for participants to learn and experience speaking their truth, being their authentic selves and being in the moment with other humans also attempting to be themselves in a real and genuine way. Out of this dynamic with an underlying devotion and discipline to respect and non-judgmental acceptance of others coupled with openness and truth, participants learn and become masters of real communication and connection. The benefit is nothing short of miraculous and paves the way for an entirely new way of being which brings power from within (as opposed to depending on it from outside).
This is not at all traditional healing and healthcare as practiced in this country. It does not replace standard healthcare with a doctor. It simply is another avenue which CAN make traditional healthcare more effective, easier to access and less frustrating to work with. Pando provides a venue for filling the gaps missing in the "system"(communication, connection, time, lifestyle support and camaraderie) along with that feeling of support and being known that can only come with a true partner that one has shared themselves with in a real and true way. This is medicine PLUS. This is holistic care -- care of the individual NOT care the way it has to be because of an overburdened, overworked system. This is medicine in combination with psychosocial support and a deep respect for an individual's uniqueness and authenticity. This is what it is to be fully human and fully alive.
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