1a.
Mission
Note: the original edition of this website was published in 2003, long before the global expansion of the Corona family. So the story presented here (along with its complementary book bLISs) seems today probably (at least at the first, superficial glance) completely uninteresting. A bizarre collapse of a single castle vs. a dreadful global earthquake. A lonely personal experience of losing the ground beneath feet due to a rather rare disorder—against the ubiquitous general dismay of millions of individuals, scores of countries (essentially, all of humanity), shaken
- Directly: by illness
(which is only to a certain extent related to this site that is spurred by a different disease)
OR
- Indirectly (and, sadly, even stronger) by:
- the dramatic economic and political consequences of the pandemic;
- overall anxiety that initially manifests itself only as a condition. But gets quickly channeled into an objective fear of uncertainty, of the unknown in the new normal! Over time, it mostly develops (if it hasn’t already started at that stage) into a permanent disorder, which too often includes some unpleasant, even debilitating conditions, e.g., panic or depression;
- a sudden distortion of the system of values. For example, irrational exaggeration of some media-exposed threats while at the same time ignoring many threats that are not talked about (i.e., they have only been heard about in the media margins—just enough that they (the media) can’t be accused of “not saying that”);
- general loss of compass and integrity;
(present at all levels: from ordinary citizens to political elites!) - … the list could go on and on…
(and which fully relates to this site – the resulting circumstances are quite similar).
I don’t intend to mention the pandemic here anymore! I only touched on it as a globally recognizable example of a sudden change in existential circumstances. A reversal of the life paradigm…
Unfortunately, humanity is now facing a rapidly growing series of challenges that have the potential to limit the strategies presented here.
E.g., at the time of writing these lines, said pandemic is abating, but the outbreak of some new pandemic shouldn’t be surprising! (I don’t intend to speculate the probability of such a possible disaster, nor the nature of its possible outbreak! The point is that it could again substantially restrict individual freedoms!) Besides, a new scourge has ravaged directly a European country (Ukraine) and threatens the whole of Europe (possibly the whole world)—war! Potential opportunity for further limiting (directly or indirectly) the said freedoms, i.e. ability to live normally.
The entries listed in the previous box also fit into this box, and I won’t list them again!
I see the strokes that ravaged me as a kind of educational slap. And I am aware that similar slaps (each time in a different form, not necessarily as a stroke or some other disorder) have jumped, are jumping, and will jump out at countless women and men of various ages worldwide! They vary in strength and duration of consternation that arises in their directly or indirectly slapped victims’ lives. However, they have a message in common that appears and echoes in consciousness during said consternation:
“You can’t escape this very skin; let’s see what can be done within”!
(Whatever it may look like…)
Many times, its appearance goes unnoticed either because of its short duration or because of the too noisy surrounding life. Among the multitude of different slaps pelting down from everywhere, this one is barely discernible! If it does get some attention, it makes no comforting impression at first because it implies an intense personal engagement! (And this with an uncertain outcome). Also, frequent departures from the comfort zone and drastic ignoring of self-pity are implied (more about that in Chapter 2.3. Rehabilitation)… Sadly, many people give up fighting (possible rehabilitation included) before they enter the ring! (I, myself, almost succumbed after a rough night in the ICU, but fortunately, the trial was very short (albeit fierce), and I could quickly return to my usual balanced positivity!)
Well, I want to clear and pave the way for such a slap; prepare a welcome to it! Print its message on the brightly lit billboard!
I sincerely hope that this recomposed mixture of descriptions of what has been experienced and what has been done can indirectly inspire someone: 1. to rearrange the bricks in their castle, to live in it happily and well (simultaneously preparing it for rocking instead of collapsing!) and 2. to reinforce foundations and load-bearing walls in new, young castlets…