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Warrior Work
Week 52
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The Power of Presence
By Peter Hill
Never underestimate the power of your presence! Every thought, word and action you send forth ripples out in ways you may not see
but those waves, whether small or big, have a powerful impact. You are brushing on the canvas of eternity every moment with your
thoughts, feelings, words and actions and you are a being more infinite than your reason can know. I am going to share with you a true
story of presence. You may wish to reread the “Tao of Humility” but this energetic experience stands on it’s own.
The training Jeanette references is the 20 hour volunteer training for the twilight brigade: www.thetwilightbrigade.com and it is great
for anyone wishing to explore the field of death, dying and being a loving presence throughout that very energetic process. In the realm of
taichi, yoga and any meditation arts, learning to be present and listening to the energetics and intent that are the underpinnings of the
forms all around us is an intentful process in itself. The name of the patient has been changed to protect their identity. Enjoy the story and
be present wherever you are. Make willful conscious intentional choices believing that what is best will manifest through the power of your
love and actions.
“No matter where you go, there you are.”
“Be the change you want to see in the world.”
Gandhi
Hello Everyone,
Just wanted to touch base with you all and tell you about what had happened to me the three days following when we were together.
If you remember, I am an RN working in a hospital, (YRMC-on the medical/telemetry/pediatric floor), and I come across death/dying most
days that I work. As a nurse, it is my job to advocate for the patient when he/she is unable to do so. I have never had a problem standing
up to doctors, other nurses, or family if necessary. But one area that I was not effectively/actively advocating for, was the patient's right to
die...I discovered.
Martha had been fighting cancer for the past few years, aggressively for the past few months. Cancer had explored and conquered most
of Martha’s body, including lymph nodes and bones. She also had picked up nasty infections that mostly settled in her lungs, (as a result
of the radiation killing the good cells off as well as the bad.)
The night that she first became my patient, was the day the doctors decided to put a chest tube in. (If you don't know about chest tubes,
you are awake when they put them in, and it hurts like hell!) This one particularly was a tough one, as Martha was so full of infection in her
lung, that the doctor had to be extra forceful when inserting the tube. That night I was giving her morphine around the clock, every hour or
two. And wondering why in the hell they were being so aggressive in this stage of Martha's cancer! But I didn't say anything, just kept
giving her drugs and trying to keep her comfortable. This was the day before I came to the workshop...
When I got back to work, (Monday night), I took care of Martha again. They had just removed the chest tube that day. And although she
was more lucid, and less painful, she was tired. Bone tired. Her son never left her side during all of this. He slept by her bedside, night
after night. Calling for help if she woke uncomfortable or needing anything. It was a beautiful relationship to witness between a mother
and son.
The next night, Tuesday, when I walked into the room I sensed an anxiety that wasn't there before. I asked what had happened that day
and was told that Martha had asked about going home. The doctor had told her that she "needs to eat more to get stronger, and start
exercising to increase her stamina." He also told her that her lungs had "pockets of infection" that he wanted to drain off before she left.
Maybe even put in another chest tube. As she told me all of this, with her son helping in parts, she couldn't look me in the eyes. The son
kept saying, "We just got to get you a little stronger Mom. Are you hungry?" She would just shake her head "no". The son also had a
hard time making eye contact. I knew that they didn't want to go ahead with this course of action, and needed to talk, but as I had 5 other
very sick patients to look after, I didn't have the time to spend with them, so I told them to think about what choices they have and gave her
anti-anxiety medicine (I know, sad but true) and looked in on everyone else.
Around 3 am, Martha was asking for pain medicine and she said that she was still having a hard time sleeping. Her son again was
repeating what the doctor had told them ("Gotta get stronger", etc.), and so I got her some pain medicine and then asked the son to step
out of the room with me. At this point I had some time, my other patients were all sleeping. I asked him what he thought was going on
with his mom. And what he thought was going to happen with his mom. For the next hour and half he talked and I listened (just listened,
unless I was asked a direct question). By the end he was sitting down across from me in the hall and looking me straight in the eyes.
Through tears (his and mine) laughter, and honest soul seeking he told me he was going to bring his mom home with hospice. He went
into the room and I didn't see them both until an hour later. They were both smiling and holding hands. Martha looked me in the eye and
said, "I am going home. Thank you."
Wednesday morning I made sure that she was going to get home. By the time I got back to work Wednesday night, she had left. The day
nurse told me that the doctor tried to change her mind, but once Martha was able to speak her truth, nobody could stop her.
My lesson learned?
I have been empowered with the knowledge of how to help my fellow man in all of the aspects of dying. I realize that we all are
interconnected and if we just stop and listen, really listen, with our hearts full of love, we cannot hurt another human. We can let them know
that they are loved and not alone. Which in turn empowers them.
Thank you Peter and everyone!
Love,
Jeannette
By Peter Hill, Copyright 2004
www.getittogether.net
www.worldtaichi.com
Warrior Week Home >>
Week 52
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Power of Presence
By Peter Hill
Never underestimate the power of your presence! Every thought, word and action you send forth ripples out in ways you may not see
but those waves, whether small or big, have a powerful impact. You are brushing on the canvas of eternity every moment with your
thoughts, feelings, words and actions and you are a being more infinite than your reason can know. I am going to share with you a true
story of presence. You may wish to reread the “Tao of Humility” but this energetic experience stands on it’s own.
The training Jeanette references is the 20 hour volunteer training for the twilight brigade: www.thetwilightbrigade.com and it is great
for anyone wishing to explore the field of death, dying and being a loving presence throughout that very energetic process. In the realm of
taichi, yoga and any meditation arts, learning to be present and listening to the energetics and intent that are the underpinnings of the
forms all around us is an intentful process in itself. The name of the patient has been changed to protect their identity. Enjoy the story and
be present wherever you are. Make willful conscious intentional choices believing that what is best will manifest through the power of your
love and actions.
“No matter where you go, there you are.”
“Be the change you want to see in the world.”
Gandhi
Hello Everyone,
Just wanted to touch base with you all and tell you about what had happened to me the three days following when we were together.
If you remember, I am an RN working in a hospital, (YRMC-on the medical/telemetry/pediatric floor), and I come across death/dying most
days that I work. As a nurse, it is my job to advocate for the patient when he/she is unable to do so. I have never had a problem standing
up to doctors, other nurses, or family if necessary. But one area that I was not effectively/actively advocating for, was the patient's right to
die...I discovered.
Martha had been fighting cancer for the past few years, aggressively for the past few months. Cancer had explored and conquered most
of Martha’s body, including lymph nodes and bones. She also had picked up nasty infections that mostly settled in her lungs, (as a result
of the radiation killing the good cells off as well as the bad.)
The night that she first became my patient, was the day the doctors decided to put a chest tube in. (If you don't know about chest tubes,
you are awake when they put them in, and it hurts like hell!) This one particularly was a tough one, as Martha was so full of infection in her
lung, that the doctor had to be extra forceful when inserting the tube. That night I was giving her morphine around the clock, every hour or
two. And wondering why in the hell they were being so aggressive in this stage of Martha's cancer! But I didn't say anything, just kept
giving her drugs and trying to keep her comfortable. This was the day before I came to the workshop...
When I got back to work, (Monday night), I took care of Martha again. They had just removed the chest tube that day. And although she
was more lucid, and less painful, she was tired. Bone tired. Her son never left her side during all of this. He slept by her bedside, night
after night. Calling for help if she woke uncomfortable or needing anything. It was a beautiful relationship to witness between a mother
and son.
The next night, Tuesday, when I walked into the room I sensed an anxiety that wasn't there before. I asked what had happened that day
and was told that Martha had asked about going home. The doctor had told her that she "needs to eat more to get stronger, and start
exercising to increase her stamina." He also told her that her lungs had "pockets of infection" that he wanted to drain off before she left.
Maybe even put in another chest tube. As she told me all of this, with her son helping in parts, she couldn't look me in the eyes. The son
kept saying, "We just got to get you a little stronger Mom. Are you hungry?" She would just shake her head "no". The son also had a
hard time making eye contact. I knew that they didn't want to go ahead with this course of action, and needed to talk, but as I had 5 other
very sick patients to look after, I didn't have the time to spend with them, so I told them to think about what choices they have and gave her
anti-anxiety medicine (I know, sad but true) and looked in on everyone else.
Around 3 am, Martha was asking for pain medicine and she said that she was still having a hard time sleeping. Her son again was
repeating what the doctor had told them ("Gotta get stronger", etc.), and so I got her some pain medicine and then asked the son to step
out of the room with me. At this point I had some time, my other patients were all sleeping. I asked him what he thought was going on
with his mom. And what he thought was going to happen with his mom. For the next hour and half he talked and I listened (just listened,
unless I was asked a direct question). By the end he was sitting down across from me in the hall and looking me straight in the eyes.
Through tears (his and mine) laughter, and honest soul seeking he told me he was going to bring his mom home with hospice. He went
into the room and I didn't see them both until an hour later. They were both smiling and holding hands. Martha looked me in the eye and
said, "I am going home. Thank you."
Wednesday morning I made sure that she was going to get home. By the time I got back to work Wednesday night, she had left. The day
nurse told me that the doctor tried to change her mind, but once Martha was able to speak her truth, nobody could stop her.
My lesson learned?
I have been empowered with the knowledge of how to help my fellow man in all of the aspects of dying. I realize that we all are
interconnected and if we just stop and listen, really listen, with our hearts full of love, we cannot hurt another human. We can let them know
that they are loved and not alone. Which in turn empowers them.
Thank you Peter and everyone!
Love,
Jeannette
By Peter Hill, Copyright 2004
www.getittogether.net
www.worldtaichi.com
Warrior Week Home >>