Viewpoint

By: Omar-Allan Osmil
January, 2002

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The issue concerning the Palestine-Israel conflict somewhat brings us into the labyrinth of confusion and needless to say has already divided the people of one world from their varying philosophical views and principles to an idea of what is wrong and what is right along the mysteries it encompasses.

This war over the possession of land is already an epic and the seem-to-be endless feud has already inflicted millions of wounds and taken away countless of lives. The crisis, also being dramatic and emotional, even created a so-called suicide bombers willing to sacrifice their lives like waving the flags of their own patriotic legacy in the toil of hopelessness and despair. The issue halved the world. It halved the thoughts of each and every nation watching. It hoisted heroes and martyrs of their own ways. It designed clothed beasts.

Questions are echoing in every corner of the earth. Who is wrong? Who is right? Should we ask one Palestinian, he will say they hold the truth. Should we ask one Israeli, he will surely say they are the ones right. Each holds a strong idea of standing alongside the pillar of truth and justice, willing to fight and die for it. And if that is the case, nobody is wrong and nobody is right in either way. The crisis would never ever come to an end. So, what could we expect in the parents of those innocent children of Palestine fighting against the armed forces of Israel with mere stones in their hands as their absolute weapons? Likewise, what could we expect in the people of Israel with a whitewashed idea that killing the Palestinians as their prime enemies has never been a big deal? What could we expect in the esoteric lines of suicide bombers, young or old of any gender, ready to have their bodies blown into nasty pieces as a sign of their immeasurable love for their families and country?

The event of September 11 has added fuel in the fire of this true-life-life drama (or should I say vice versa?). The issue became more complicated than it was before. The world stood still, breathless. And unfortunately, it placed the Muslims in general in the pit of persecution. Undeniably, many Muslims really rejoiced for that sad event but what the world didn’t know, there are also Muslims who defied and condemned the tragedy as immoral, cowardly and inhuman.

I don’t know so much about this issue but as far as I am concerned, every nation and every citizen of the world is a part of it. It has not only been a battle now between Palestine and Israel over a piece of land but a global battle of religious faith going astray and blind --- a battle that is nowhere to go --- a battle that has lost its essence.

The videos we see in our TV screens cannot tell lie how cruel the Israel is. Anybody who wouldn’t sympathize with the sufferings of Palestine has no heart. They are helpless, but yet, they should fight for their rights and dignity in any way --- and this is how the suicide bombers formed into a reality of horror.

The world stood hard to believe. How could even such a pretty teenage girl do it? Where did she get her courage and determination? Yet, we could not see regret in the eyes of her parents but tears of pride and a fragment of victory and a little hope that this courageous act would have been, somehow, build a tiny bridge across salvation. In the contrary, this ordeal surges bitter hostility to millions of others for it depicts no difference to a widely condemned September 11 event. For them, it has no spiritual value. It’s just another version of bestiality and brutality worth of condemnation. And again, it puts the Muslims in a troublesome situation of being abhorred.

One good thing in Islam is the strong “bonding” --- the willingness to support the brothers in faith and the consistency in their belief that binds everybody as one. But the beauty of this bonding is also oftentimes the reason that they tend to diverge out of proportion. This bonding sometimes makes them blind and deaf of other existing realities.

I don’t say all, but Muslims now apparently hate America. Ostensibly, the weapons that the Israel is using to destroy the Palestine come from the USA. They detest the USA because they help augment the sufferings of the Muslims in Palestine.

How about the Abu Sayyaf in the Philippines? Who supplies them with the ammunitions to spread havoc in that country? They engage in kidnap-for-ransom and extortion, captivate innocent people as hostages, torture them and brutally kill them if they wish to! Yet, the fellow Muslims (but I don’t say all) would merely say they are also fighting for their rights (and this is what I mean of blindness and deafness to a reality caused by a strong bonding).

Yes. Many are killed in Palestine. But the death of countless has no indicative difference in the death of one innocent being because every life has its own essence and it stands alone. Every life is precious. One life taken from Palestine is precious. One life taken by the internationally known Abu Sayyaf is precious. Every life is sacred for our only One Creator.

We don’t really know what was in the mind of the culprits behind the September 11 tragedy. If that was their kind of revenge, did it do anything good? The bad fate just extended to Afghanistan. Another poor, innocent country suffered because of some other people’s bended principle. But America is still The America. It even just strengthened the solidarity of that country in a way. Another innocent lives were wasted, but did it change a thing for the sake of revenge? America is still moving strong. They just gained more international support and sympathy.

It should teach us (not only the Muslims) a lesson that revenge has no beauty in any of its facets. If it hurts us to see the precious lives wasted, why should we go and take another precious lives in the same way? If we do the same, it means that we don’t actually see the real value of life. We don’t have the consistency in understanding it if we wish another lives taken away.

I condemn how Israel is treating the Palestine. It breaks my heart to see in the TV screen one Palestinian killed mercilessly. But I also condemn the act of suicide bombing (and the like) because I believe that this is not the least thing to do for a solution. One Palestinian doing this somewhat equals himself to a heartless Israeli. They seem to have no difference anymore.

The Mighty Creator gave us the power of Hope and suicide bombing means not only losing hope but also losing the faith and courage to face the realities of life. It means revenge. It means giving up. It means defeat.

I condemn suicide bombing because I also feel sorry to the lost of its doer. He might have gone farther than ending his life for what he believed was right. Likewise, the suicide bombers don’t actually know what’s actually in the heart of their victims. Sometimes, the children are counted too.

There are many Israeli soldiers now who are starting to realize their misguided policies. They deter the scourge in Palestine, awakened by their conscience. They refuse now to serve the military in fighting for what they call the “UNJUST WAR” in sympathy for the poor Palestinians and now facing the painstaking consequences of their act. Being rejected (by their respective families and friends) is one. They are increasing in number formed by signing to a so-called OMETZ LE’S AREV (Courage to Refuse) and the world is starting to know about this. This must be one of the shining hopes for the Palestinians long awaited.

Many Muslims still feel honored by suicide bombing. This must be stopped and discouraged. It can only be compared to a pail of dirty water throwing itself into a river with a hope of ruining it. But the river is too big to be ruined. It will ruin not the river but the pail of water itself, vanishing it away.

Moreover, there is no precise target in suicide bombing. What if one of the victims is a “REFUSER” Israeli soldier? They might be wiping away one of the Hope’s rays for their own survival.

I am telling this because I am a Muslim too. I can’t blame my brothers who grip the sharp edges of the knife caused by severe sufferings. I can understand how depression can change a thing and it can happen to anyone. I believe in the TRUTH that ISLAM holds but suicide bombing, inflicting the innocent people, gives a misleading picture of the religion. I feel so sad for that.

If feeling hopeless, everybody should always cling to HOPE, FAITH and COURAGE and stand firm over the fundamentals of the true teachings of the Book. Letting the Palestinian children fight the Israeli troop deprives them of their childhood and parents deem responsible for that. The time of the Prophet Mohammad had already done that for us. In my own opinion, very few youngsters used to fight before because they were so less in number and that was the time that Islam was in the verge of promulgation, and anything, for the sake of spreading the truth, must be done. There was no choice. We should not teach children of the new generation hatred for hatred brings them NEVER to a boundary of inner peace. Children deserve the beauty of their youth even in the midst of war. How? There could be no answer as long as hatred lives in the heart.

In the length of this writing, I want to say again that I truly believe in Islam. I believe in true PEACE that Qur’an constantly mentions. There could be no happiest man on this planet than a man who lives love and peace in his heart even at the hardest times of trial. A tooth for a tooth and an eye for an eye give different meaning for me. It doesn’t mean to commit crime just the same when somebody did against us. Time is ever changing and it should make us more knowledgeable as it passes by. The world is so small now. Everybody can see anybody from different sides of the earth. We don’t need to stain our own hands with somebody else’s blood, but instead, show the world that is watching that we stay JUST even in the hardness of our adversaries. We have the right to fight but not to the extent of ruining our souls. Let us fight by making the enemy’s heart soft if we seem so helpless. Let the world see. Let the world decide. And then, in the long run, I believe that justice will come out just like the silver lining spreading the rays of Hope on everyone.

Just think of this:
Israel is spreading blood in Palestine but there are also Israelis who take it as unjust and wish to stop it. Muslims believe that America helps the Israel but I believe that there are still Americans who love and sympathize with Palestine and not with Israel. Muslims feel satisfied by the death of the Israelis caused by suicide bombing but there are also plenty of Muslims who detest it. Muslims hate the Israeli killing the Palestinians but they don’t seem to recognize the Muslim bandits killing the innocent people. Some Muslims do. They want to ban the American products but they don’t seem to notice the pleasure, the help and the convenience of using one when they do. Some Muslims do. There are still plenty of Americans who got Muslim friends. There are still people from different religions helping each other. SO TO SPEAK, THERE IS A “COMMON DENOMINATOR” IN ALL OF THESE THINGS. Two impossible things can still meet at a certain point. And that “common denominator” is LOVE. With this, we could be able to understand both sides, just and sublime. And without the real understanding of love, peace will really be impossible to attain. This is what I mean of HOPE.

Finally, I also want to share, in this writing, words from the Prophet Mohammad:

“Strong is not he who knocks the other down. Indeed, strong is he who controls himself in the fit of anger.”

The picture above is Rachel Corrie, 23 years old AMERICAN peace activist from the state of Washington,who was killed while she was trying to prevent Israeli army bulldozers from destroying a Palestinian home. PRESIDENT ARAFAT DECLARED HER "A PALESTINIAN MARTYR." (Electronic Intifada, 3/16/03).

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT RACHEL

PHOTOS SHOWING HOW RACHEL WAS KILLED MERCILESSLY

MORE PICTURES OF PALESTINIAN SUFFERINGS

CLICK HERE FOR MORE RELEVANT ISSUES

Ang Isip na Gumagamot at ang AIDS

ANG ISIP NA GUMAGAMOT AT ANG AIDS
(The Healing Mind and AIDS)

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Ni: Maria Gwen Reyes
Isinalin sa Tagalog ni: Allan Osmil, 1992

Si Ernie Siegel, M.D., patnugot at presidente ng American Holistic Medical Association ay naniniwala na ang tao ay may tinatawag na “Live Mechanism” at “Die Mechanism” sa kanyang sarili (sariling mekanismo para manghina o gumaling at lumakas kung gugustuhin niya).

Ang mga medikal na mananaliksik at ang sarili niyang mga klinikal na karanasan sa pang-araw-araw ang kumumbinsi sa kanya sa kung ano ang sinasabi ng mga psychiatrists at teologo (theologians) : NA ANG KONDISYON NG ISIP AY NAKAKAAPEKTO O NAKAPAGBABAGO NG KONDISYON NG KATAWAN.

Ayon kay Dr. Sigel, ang katiwasayan ng isip ay nagpapadala sa katawan ng mensahe para “mabuhay” samantalang ang depresyon, takot, negatibong pananaw at suliranin ay naghahatid naman sa katawan ng mensahe para “mamatay.” Ang mga mensaheng ito ay naipapadala sa pamamagitan ng central nervous system, endocrine system at immune system. “Sa gayong paraan, ang lahat ng proseso ng paggaling ay maka-agham,” ani Dr. Siegel sa kanyang best-selling book na Love, Medicine and Miracles. “Kahit na ang agham ay hindi lubos na maipaliwanag ang mga hindi inaasahang milagrong ito,” dugtong pa niya.

Nagpatuloy siya sa pagsabi na ang mga eksepsiyonal na pasyente ay nagpapamalas ng hangarin na mabuhay sa pinakamabisang paraan. “Isinasa-sariling-bahala nila ang kanilang buhay na kahit noon ay hindi nila nasubukan at ginagawa ang lahat ng kanilang makakaya para muling maabot ang mabuting kalusugan at katiwasayan ng isipan.

Naipamalas ito sa pamamagitan ng inobatibong pamamaraan ng pakikipag-ugnayan sa mga biktima ng kanser na ipinormola ni Dr. Carl Simonton at ng kanyang asawang si Stephanie. Ang Simonton’s ay kumbinasyon ng normal o standard na pamamaraan ng paggamot sa kanser (katulad ng radiation therapy at chemotherapy) at PSYCHOTHERAPY. Ang naging karaniwang tagumpay ng paggaling sa Simonton’s ay halos dalawa at kalahating ulit kumpara sa mga pasyente na sumailalim lamang sa standard na pamamaraan ng paggamot (radiation at chemotherapy lamang). Sampung porsiyento ang nabuhay nang higit na matagal kaysa sa pinaniniwalaan at inaasahang limang taon lamang. Karaniwan, ang mga pasyenteng ito ay may mataas na motibasyon (highly motivated), nakarating sa iba’t ibang sulok para lumahok sa programa at nagbuhos ng maraming enerhiya para dito.

Gayon pa man, naniniwala si Dr. Siegel na ang sampung porsiyento itinaas sa Simonton’s sa siguraduhang paggaling (na pinaniniwalaang mataas na) ay maari pang maging mas mataas --- kung ang programang ispiritwal at iba pang therapy programs ay mailalaan sa iba pang mga biktima ng kanser.

Ang isa pang interesanteng posibilidad ay magiging matagumpay din ang paraang ito sa iba pang “incurable” o walang lunas na sakit gaya ng AIDS.

Magagawa nito. At ito ang naging kaso ni William Calderon, ang unang dokumentadong kaso na gumaling mula sa sakit na AIDS. Sinabihan na siya ng mga duktor na anim na buwan na lamang ang ilalagi niya. Nagugulumihanan, si Calderon ay naging matamlay, at halos kaalinsunod ay nagkaroon siya KAPOSIS CARCINOMA, ang klase ng kanser na karaniwang dumadapo sa may sakit na AIDS. Kumalat ito hanggang sa kanyang gastrointestinal tract.

Halos nasa ganitong sitwasyon nang mabalitaan ni Calderon ang tungkol sa Simonton’s mula sa isa ring pasyente, at sumailalim siya rito hindi bilang isang biktima ng AIDS kundi ng kanser. Ang programa ay naging tipikal na parte ng kanyang mga gawain na nakapagpabago sa kanya.

Ang aspetong PSYCHOTHERAPY ng Simonton’s tulad ng mga heswitang pari na sina Matthew at Dennis Linn ay nag-uugnay sa pagtulong sa mga pasyente sa pamamagitan ng limang krusyal na estado: Ang DENIAL (pagtanggi sa sakit), ANGER (galit), BARGAINING (pakikipagtawaran; halimbawa: “Lord bakit ako?), DEPRESSION (depresyon) at ACCEPTANCE (pagtanggap).

Ang lungkot, takot, galit at pagkakasala ay naipatutungo sa matalas na konsentrasyon dahil ang apat na ito ang ugat ng lahat ng posibleng nakasisirang emosyon gaya ng matinding sama ng loob at depresyon. Ito ang mga pakiramdam na nagdadala ng “die messages” sa central nervous system upang ang tao ay lalong manghina at tuluyang tanggapin ng katawan ang iba’t ibang manipestasyon ng karamdaman. Sa epekto, ang Simonton’s at ang Linn’s ay nagbibigay sa mga pasyente ng bagong pananaw sa “wala nang pag-asa” nilang sitwasyon nang sa gayon ay mabigyan sila ng bagong motivation para mabuhay. At paanong ang biktima ng AIDS na si Calderon ay nagresponde sa muling pagprograma ng kanyang isipan…?

“Si Calderon ay naniwalang gagaling sa sarili niyang kagustuhan sa dikta ng kanyang isipan,” ani Dr. Siegel. “…tinanggihan niya na magpatalo sa kanyang sakit. Sa halip ay nag-umpisa siyang magnilay gamit ang mental niyang kakayahan na labanan ito. Nagsikap siyang ibalik ang normal na pakikisalamuha sa pamilya at maabot ang katiwasayan ng isipan sa pamamagitan ng pagpapatawad sa mga nagkasala sa kanya. Minahal niya ang sarili sa pamamagitan ng ehersisyo, magandang nutrisyon at bitamina. Sa ganoong punto ay nagpadala ang kanyang isipan ng live messages sa kanyang katawan. Gumandang muli ang takbo ng kanyang immune system at ang kanyang tumor ay unti-unting lumiit. Dalawang taon pagkatapos na ideklara ang kayang karamdaman, si Calderon ay nagpakita ng walang sintomas ng AIDS.”

Si Dr. Siegel ay kumbinsido na ang sikreto sa mabuting kalusugan ay hindi lamang nakasalalay sa kakayahan ng mga duktor, gayong ito ay napaka-importante. Nakasalalay ito sa tao na rin mismo, lalo’t higit sa dikta ng kanyang isip.

“Sa loob natin ay mayroong liwanag,” sabi niya. “Tawagin ninyo itong Divine spark kung gusto ninyo, pero naroon talaga ito upang umilaw sa daan ng ating kalusugan.”

Sa huli, naniniwala si Dr. Siegel na WALANG SAKIT NA HINDI NAGAGAMOT kundi TAONG HINDI NAGAGAMOT.



REAKSIYON

Ni: Allan S. Osmil


“ANG ISIP AY LAHAT-LAHAT”

Marami pa rin sa atin ang hindi nakakaalam o sadyang nagbibingi-bingihan sa kung ano talaga ang kakayahan ng ating isipan. Ang positibong pananaw ng isang tao ay sadyang napakahalaga na nagrereplika ito hindi lamang sa pisikal na kabuuan kundi maging sa pangkalahatang personalidad. Sabi nga ni Og Mandino, ang may-akda ng maraming inspirational novels katulad ng A Better Way to Live at The Gift of Acabar, “All that we are is the result of what we have thought. The mind is everything. What you think, you become.”

Binibigyang-diin niya dito ang kapangyarihan ng isip na dominahin ang kung ano ang naipapakita ng katawan at pangkalahatang katauhan. Ang isip ay lahat-lahat! Ang isip ang nagdidikta kung kailan ilalabas ang ihi mula sa loob ng bladder sa pamamagitan ng mensaheng ipinadadala ng urinary system. Ang isip ang nagsasabi kung kailan mo kailangang matulog sa pamamagitan ng sensation na ipinadadala ng antok. Ang isip ang nagdidikta kung ano ang mamumutawi sa iyong bibig. Ang isip at hindi ang tiyan ang nagsasabi kung kailan ka nagugutom. Ang isip din ang nagpoproseso ng pisikal na sakit (gaya ng sugat) at hindi nakapagtatakang makontrol ito kung gagawin lamang.

Sa ospital, ang mga pasyenteng may nadaramang matinding sakit ay tinuturukan ng pain killer. Mayroong iba na kahit sapat na ang naibigay ay patuloy pa rin sa pag-angal at pamimilipit. Upang maiwasan ang over-dosage o pagiging dependent sa gamot, ang pasyente sa halip ay binibigyan ng PLACEBO. Aakalain niya na ito rin ang regular na gamot na itinuturok sa kanya ngunit ang katotohan ay wala itong epekto (water for injection lamang). Pagkatapos ay karaniwang nang sasabihin ng pasyente na naginhawaan na siya. Ngunit bakit nawala ang sakit? Dahil inisip niya na totoong gamot ang ibinigay sa kanya at naroon ang paniniwalang idinikta ng isip na ang nararamdamang sakit ay mawawala. Ito rin ang LIVE MESSAGE na tinutukoy ni Dr. Siegel sa kanyang libro.

Sa ospital pa rin, ang pasyenteng nilalagnat o may nadarama pa ring masakit sa kabila ng naibigay na gamot ay binibigyan sa halip ng “diversional activities.” Pinanonood ng television, pakikipagkwentuhan o pakikipaglaro sa bantay (gaya ng Pictionary o Millionaire’s Game, etc.) na ikasasaya niya. Sa proseso ay dokumentadong naida-divert ng pasyente ang nadaramang sakit sa paglalaro o pagtuon ng concentration sa pinapanood. Hindi na niya mamalayan na may masakit pala sa kanya hanggang sa tuluyan na ngang mawala. Bakit? Dahil muli sa LIVE MESSAGE. Napapalitan ng sigla at kasiyahan ang takot at pangamba na nadarama niya na siyang mga pangunahing dahilan upang maituon niya ang pansin sa sakit at manatili ito. Ang emosyong iyon ang tinutukoy na DIE MESSAGE, muli ni Dr. Siegel.

Bihira, ngunit sa surgical operation, ang pasyenteng allergic sa anesthesia ay sumasailalim sa tinatawag na HYPNOSIS kapalit nito. At ang hypnosis ay hindi ginagamitan ng ano mang gamot upang hindi maramdaman ng pasyente ang sakit habang inoopera. At ano ang pinagagana rito? Ang isip!

Kaugnay nito, bakit marami rin sa ating mga kababayan ang gumagaling sa albularyo sa pamamagitan lamang ng pag-ihip at pagpahid ng langis? Ito ay walang ikinaiba sa unang tinukoy na PLACEBO sa mga ospital. Naniniwala ang mga nagtutungo sa albularyo sa tila kapangyarihan nito na makapanggamot. Ang hindi nila alam, ang paniniwalang ito ang siyang nagpapalabas ng kanilang LIVE MESSAGES upang dalhin ito sa utak --- tataas ang paniniwala na gagaling dahil sa ihip ng albularyo at madodomina ang pangamba --- mababawasan ang DIE MESSAGES. Doon lumilitaw ang tinatawag ng mga psychologists na SELF-HEALING POWER. Ang self-healing power na ito ay yaon ding mga LIVE MESSAGES na ikaw mismo ang gumagawa. Gagaling ka hindi dahil sa kapangyarihan (daw) ng albularyo kundi sa kapangyarihan ng isip mo.

Ayon din sa pag-aaral, 70% ng mga krusyal na pasyente na sumailalim sa religious activity at spiritual growth program ay nakaka-recover kumpara sa 30% na sumailalim lamang sa standard na pamamaraan ng paggamot. Maaaring ngayon ay alam na ninyo kung bakit…

Base na rin sa sarili kong obserbasyon at karanasan, ang kapangyarihan ng isip ay napapatunayan hindi lamang sa tao kundi maging sa mababang uri ng hayop. Kailan lamang ay may nakapasok na bubwit sa loob ng aming bahay. Hindi ko ito tinantanan at ilang minuto rin kaming naghabulan. Ang bubwit ay maliksing kumilos ngunit hindi ito makalayo dahil napunta sa “dead-end” at todo-bantay ang aking ginawa. Humanap ako ng paraan para lalo pa itong mapunta sa pinaka-sulok at lumiit ang espasyo na kanyang ginagalawan. Kitang-kita ang takot sa kaanyuan ng maliit na daga. Nang “malaman” nito na hindi na siya makakawala, bigla na lamang itong humandusay at hindi na kumilos. Ni hindi ko ito sinaktan o dinampian man lang. Ngunit ano ang pumatay dito? Takot? At ano ang kumukontrol sa takot? Hindi ba ang isip?

Ang kapangyarihan ng isip at proseso ng paggaling ay laging magkasama. Halimbawa, punahin ang dalawang tao na parehong nilalagnat (common fever). Ang isang laging umiinom ng gamot ngunit lagi naming nakahiga ay mas mabagal ang paggaling kumpara sa isa na kahit walang ano mang iniinom ay pinananatili ang normal na gawain at pakikisalamuha. Bakit gano’n?

Ang common fever, katulad ng sipon ay self-limiting. Kung sipon lamang o lagnat ay kusa itong mawawala sa loob lamang ng ilang araw. Ang taong laging nakahiga kapag nilalagnat ay nangangahulugang “dinidibdib” niya ang karamdaman at nagkakaroon ng pagkakataon ang DIE MESSAGES na mamayani. Sa siyentipikong eksplanasyon, kapag nakahiga lamang o matamlay ang isang tao ay bumabagal ang metabolism. Bumabagal ang tibok ng puso at daloy ng dugo sa katawan kaya bumabagal din ang proseso ng paggaling.

Marami pa rin sa atin ang tila espinghe kapag nagkakasakit na nagpapakita sa kahinaan ng motivation at kapangyarihan ng isip. Natural na sipon lamang o lagnat ay tila pasan na ang mundo. Kung ang AIDS nga na pinaniniwalaang walang lunas ay gumaling sa tulong ng positibong pananaw, ano pa kaya ang mga ito?

Sa huling dako ay sumasang-ayon ako sa sinabi ni Dr. Siegel: WALANG SAKIT NA HINDI NAGAGAMOT. TAO LAMANG AY SIYANG HINDI NAGAGAMOT.

Isa ba kayo sa mga ito?



/1992