Lifting Your Spirits E-Book

Jan Alcoe

• Herausgeber: The Janki Foundation for Spirituality in Healthcare
• Kategorie: Ratgeber
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 57

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2023

Beschreibung

A unique e book providing 7 self-help tools and audio tracks for coping with the physical and emotional challenge of illness.  it introduces seven simple tools to develop inner strength and enhance well-being on all levels, along with uplifting audio relaxations, meditations and song.

Leseprobe

Lifting Your Spirits

Seven Tools for Coping with Illness

Copyright © The Janki Foundation for Spirituality in Healthcare 2021

978-0-9548386-5-2

All rights reserved. No part of this book or the accompanying audio recordings may be reproduced by any mechanical, photographic or electronic process, or in the form of a photographic or audio recording, nor may it be stored in a retrieval system, transmitted or otherwise copied for public or private use without the written permission of the publisher. Requests for permission should be addressed to:

The Janki Foundation for Spirituality in Healthcare T [phone] Email: [email protected] Web: www.jankifoundation.org

Cover and interior design: karenhobden.com

Illustrations: © Lou Beckerman

eBook creation: eBookConversionExperts.co.uk

Audio recordings: see end of book

A print version of this book is also available with CDs and access to mp3 tracks

DISCLAIMER: Important note for the reader

The suggestions, exercises and audio recordings presented in this book are not intended as a substitute for a consultation with, or advice from, qualified medical and healthcare professionals. The author and publishers cannot be held responsible for any loss, claim or damage arising from the use or misuse of materials in the book, or failure to take medical advice.

Many of the audio tracks are designed to induce deep relaxation and should not be played when the listener needs to maintain full concentration, for example, while driving.

Dedication

To Dadi Janki, Founding President of The Janki Foundation for Spirituality in Healthcare, for her inspiration and dedication to the improvement of patient care in the UK and worldwide.

Author: Jan Alcoe

Jan Alcoe is a writer, publisher and facilitator in health and social care, and publishing adviser to The Janki Foundation for Spirituality in Healthcare. During treatment for cancer, she used the seven tools for her own sustenance and self-healing. She was inspired to write Lifting Your Spirits because of the benefits she derived and the lack of any guide of this kind for people who have been diagnosed with serious illness. She draws on the insights of friends who shared their own stories of coping with illness, and of healthcare colleagues and practitioners who supported her on her journey.

Edited by: Dr Craig Brown

Contributors from The Janki Foundation for Spirituality in Healthcare:

Dr Craig Brown Dr Kala Mistry Arnold Desser Bhavna Patani Dr Sarah Eagger Joy Rendell

Acknowledgements

The seven tools were first developed by a Janki Foundation healthcare group, including the author, as the basis for a personal and team development programme for healthcare professionals called Values in Healthcare: a spiritual approach (The Janki Foundation for Spirituality in Healthcare, 2004 www.jankifoundation.org).

With sincere thanks to the following for their additional contributions to the book and audio recordings:

Susan Balmforth, Lou Beckerman, Michal Curry, Dr David Goodman, Suman Kalra, Margaret McCathie, Michelle Melon, Maggie Parle, Jana Stanfield, Matthew Stephenson, Chris Wilson, Simon Wong and Dr Harvey Zarren

and to all those who have given feedback, advice and support, including Margaret Barron, Maureen Goodman, Neville Hodgkinson, Himanshu Panchal, Jaymini Patel and Ruth Sewell.

With special thanks from the author to the following for their healing and guiding wisdom: Lou Beckerman, Rex Brangwyn, Dr Craig Brown, Peter Dale, Dr Neil Hodson, Dottie Hook, Sister Jayanti, Derin Waller, Chris Wilson, Dr Harvey Zarren and my children, Dan, Steph and Charly.

Foreword

When sickness comes, many people experience that they no longer ‘feel themselves’. It is as though the body, sensing an emergency, draws thoughts and feelings towards itself, such that our normal human ability to relate with kindness to others is reduced. Worry and irritability may increase. Our spiritual reserves tend to be diminished. Paradoxically, this process is the exact opposite of what the body really needs to become well. Worry is not a healing feeling – it is the biggest sickness in the world today. It drains us of strength.

Lifting Your Spirits is a wonderful guide because in it, Jan Alcoe shares practical strategies aimed at countering worry and increasing well-being, even in the face of serious illness. The reason these strategies work is that they all address the “real me” as a spiritual being, distinct from the body. When the inner being is properly understood, the experience lifts the burden of worry. It is as with the relationship between a driver and a car. Of course, the car does need servicing from time to time. But if the driver does not take proper care of herself or himself, and becomes filled with worry, anger, and exhaustion, a serious accident becomes likely.

The quality of our thoughts, words and actions affects our health. If we cause sorrow to others, that negativity will at some point rebound on us. Conversely, when we act with kindness and compassion, the feelings of goodwill that reach us from others help our health and healing. We get blessings when we serve with love and sincerity.

I have had illness periodically throughout a long life, but I have always taken it as an opportunity to strengthen my awareness of the inner being, and deepen my relationship with God, the source of all goodness and spiritual power. Seeing our honesty and courage, God helps us too. This remembrance brings patience, and a deep peace that is healing for the body, mind and spirit. This experience creates trust in the benevolence of destiny, such that even when the time comes, as it must, for me to leave this body, my final moments will be good ones.

BK JankiFounding PresidentThe Janki Foundation for Spirituality in Healthcare

Contents

Introduction

How to use this guide

Tool 1 – Meditation: discovering the power of peace

Tool 2 – Visualisation: picturing good health

Tool 3 – Appreciation: giving thanks

Tool 4 – Creativity: learning to express ourselves

Tool 5 – Listening: deepening our connection with others

Tool 6 – Play: enjoying the benefits of fun and laughter

Tool 7 – Reflection: making time for metting ourselves

Going forwards

Audio recordings acknowledgements

About the Janki Foundation

Introduction

This guide has been developed to offer practical tools for self-help during times of illness. The contents are based on the experiences and insights of people who have coped with serious illness and treatments, with contributions from a range of healthcare practitioners.

When serious illness or disability occurs in our life, it may seem as if we have no control over what is happening and that our well-being lies in the hands of others. However, within ourselves we have a vast capacity to build our resilience on a physical, emotional, mental and spiritual level.