'Penel's posting on 'genetics'

[Guest guest]

My opinion about what 'Penel' has stated about genetics - is that I

have met few people in life that do not suffer 'inherited'

limitations some of these are truly genetic and some are simply

inherited tendencies that we get from our mothers. Our mother's

physical condition – the status of her health etc. affects us in our

development phases in the womb as well as it might

create `inclinations' that might last a lifetime although our mother

did not have that genetic disease. To clarify this – research in

Endocrinology indicates that every (100%) of all women suffering

from stress disorder while they are pregnant deliver babies who are

also suffering from stress disorder. Many serious deficiency

diseases like CFS and FM occur in people who were born with Adrenal

stress – these are the cases that have had health problems

throughout their lives –often these cases start full-fledged stress

in adolescence since they can not adapt to the changes happening in

their endocrine system – most such cases get diagnosed as depression

by Allopaths – this disease can go through many phases and devastate

the lives of the individual. But this is not a genetic disease

although we got it from our mothers.

 

I have an inherited disease from my mother that is genetic – I have

inherited thyroid deficiency – this runs in my mother's family and

many on her side have thyroid disease – my sister also had thyroid

disease and her children and mine have thyroid disease. My father

has the gift of good genetics – and life has always been easy for

him – he has always lived an intuitive life that has kept him in

excellent health throughout his life – he has never suffered

physical distress – he has never even had an accident – it amazes

everyone.

 

As a youth I started with many problems of adolescence – `growth

pains' – this was unacceptable to my father and he set his mind to

solving my mother's, sister's, and my thyroid disease problems – he

had already used many `natural' techniques and we all had benefited

but my father could not accept that I would be `limited' in life.

When I was 13 the concept of using thyroid extracts from animals to

treat hypothyroidism came to India. My father studied the subject in

depth and discussed it with several great minds including the late

great Yogi Swami Sivinanda Saraswati – who all encouraged him to

give it a try after studying the issues of dosing in depth. So

against everything my father had ever believed (he is a lifetime

vegetarian – and a Naturopath) he gave us all extract of pigs

thyroid glands – it totally transformed our lives. Without going

into details I will say that just as life has come easy for my

father it has never been `easy' for me – I have excellent health at

66 but I have always had to work at it. Actually I feel my `genetic'

disease has been a blessing in disguise, as I am sure that it is

what created my great interest in modern medicine. I knew when I was

a boy I wanted to be an Endocrinologist because of the study I did

on thyroid function. Another thing my `genetic' disease gave me was

an understanding of those millions of people who often feel they are

running up hill while everybody else gets to run on even ground – it

can be frustrating and depressive.

 

My fathers teaching to my sister and I on this issue was – whatever

challenges one may have in life they still must function to their

best ability – our DNA is wired so as to moment by moment create

homeostasis – so each person can achieve to higher levels of

themselves. The discovery of ourselves and our personal needs and

limitations – is in my opinion – the goal of life – this process of

coming to know ourselves has been called by those who have done so –

as `Self Realization' – meaning the achievement of our personal

perfection – regardless of who we are. One can not stop this

process it is our very nature to be as healthy as we possibly can.

 

We can achieve mental clarity even if we do not have `perfect' human

physiology (who does? – very few). In Chinese this is related to

Shen development – development of the `Spirit'. There are no

limitations on how far the `Spirit' can grow – even in physically

challenged people. I once met the great American Astrologer,

composer, poet, and philosopher Dane Rudyar – he was a genius of

very high achievement – yet when I met him he had been an invalid

for many years – confined to bed and a wheelchair – he had been

physically weak all of his life – he told me that he was sure that

his physical limitations had forced him into an active mental life.

Many millions have lived happy lives in the face of unbelievable

challenges. Perhaps we all can not become Olympic athletes – but we

can become Olympians of the Shen.

 

One of the Zen masters I was recently visiting and interviewing – is

studying the aging process (the ultimate limiting state). His take

on these issues is – we all must give up the Qi as the energy

producing functions drain away with the declining Yin – so better

work on the Yin and the Shen if we would live a successful life – to

the end.