Kristene's Story

I had been a Special Education teacher for 25 years, helping children learn to walk, talk and learn. However, in 2001 I was diagnosed with a rare Auto-Immune disease (Myasthenia Gravis), affecting my ability to speak, walk and see clearly. So, though   only 48years old, I was  medically retired.  I was devastated. Teaching was my life -  it had totally absorbed my time to the detriment of all other activities.

我過去曾經擔任特殊教育的老師有25年之久，這項工作是幫助孩童學習如何走路、說話和學習功課。但是在2001年，我突然被診斷出罹患一種罕見的自體免疫系統病症(重度肌無力症)，這個病症影響到我說話、走路和清楚視覺的能力。因此，才四十八歲的我，卻因健康問題而被迫退休。頓時我感覺到身心交瘁，因為教學是我的生命，我一生幾乎所有的歲月都投注在教學上。

My unexpected early retirement thus led to deep depression and a feeling of hopelessness. As a result, I was admitted to a Mental Health Unit at the local hospital.  This was a new program and it offered  Tai chi classes to help relieve our anxiety and become calm.

非我所願的提早退休，使我覺得非常沮喪，人生也失去了希望而陷入極度憂鬱之中。因此，我被送進當地一家醫院精神病的部門去治療，這是一項新的治療計畫，其中有安排太極拳的課程以幫助病患減少焦慮煩惱而讓心靈平靜下來。

The Tai Chi expert they employed happened to be a member of Tao, so after each class he would talk to us about “Life Skills”. Tai Chi helped me to calm my mind and sleep. It also was a gentle exercise I could do that helped my Osteo Arthritis.

這位教太極的專家適巧是一位修行人，每當課程結束後，他會告訴我們一些”如何讓人生過得更好的技能”。太極幫助我能平靜我的心靈而得到良好的睡眠，這項溫和的運動也幫助我改善我的骨關節炎。

After leaving hospital I continued with weekly Tai Chi classes.  Tai chi helped my body to relax and the talks helped my mind.  The talks covered topics such as: our desires, our conscience, cause and effect and how Tao can help. I learnt to let go of past attachments and desires through learning about Benevolence, Righteousness, Propriety, Wisdom and Trust = the 5 Constant Virtues. I learnt that things that seem bad are not always so. If I had not been in hospital at that time I would not have met this person nor learnt about Tai chi and Tao. 

離開醫院後，我仍然繼續參加每個星期的太極課程，太極幫助我放鬆身體，太極老師的談話更是幫助我心靈的成長，太極課程中談到我們的慾望、良心、因緣果報和道如何能幫助我們過一生。從學習仁義禮智信等五常之德中，我開始學習放下過去的執著和慾望…

透過這事讓我學到”塞翁失馬，焉知非福”，就像我這次生病看來是不好的事，其實並非如此，如果那時我沒有因為生病住進醫院，我想我就沒有機會遇到我的貴人，沒有機會接觸太極拳，更沒有機會了解到道的寶貴。

A few months later, in 2008, I received Tao and have continued attending classes to learn, understand and grow in my knowledge of Tao.  Depression is an illness that can take away your desire to live life to the full, makes you scared, feel incompetent and self centred. Tao gave me a purpose for living, also strength and knowledge, so I could then begin to look outwards to how I could help others.

幾個月後(2008年)，我求了道，繼續參班學習、了解並增長我對道的認識。我發覺憂鬱是一種疾病，讓你失去了全心全意過一生的動力，憂鬱使你感到害怕，感到無助且變得以自我為中心而罔顧他人。透過道的學習，使我知道了生命的目的，道給了我力量和知識，因此我開始向外擴充視野而學習去幫助他人。

A year later  (2009) I became Vegetarian. This fact, coupled with Tai Chi, has greatly helped my Osteo Arthritis.  I have recently read that:  Researchers have found that green tea, exercise and a diet high in vegetables (especially green leafy vegetables), olive oil, unrefined cereals, nuts and fruit is a natural way to fight inflammation without the use of drugs.  Over the past 6 years I have gradually eliminated most medications I had been taking for my illnesses – from 30 a day down to 3 a day.  I am fitter, more active and agile than I have been in years.

又過一年後(2009)，我成為素食者，加上太極拳的學習，這兩者大大地改善我原本骨關節炎的症狀。最近我閱讀到一篇文章，這篇研究發現綠茶、運動及食用大量蔬菜(特別是有葉的綠色蔬菜) 、橄欖油、未精緻加工的豰物、堅果及水果是一種對抗發炎的自然療法。超過六年的時間，對於我的病症，我已經逐漸減少大部分的藥物治療，從原本一天服用30顆藥丸減到3 顆。我現在比過去變得更健康，體態變得更好，身體變得更為敏捷，更有活力。

Besides these physical changes, spiritual changes are necessary. I had ignored my spiritual side for years. The Psychiatrist at the Mental Health Unit said he found that those who had a spiritual foundation were more likely to recover from depression than those without. Tao is my spiritual foundation, my daily source of strength and guidance. I have accepted the challenges of Vegetarian, being a speaker and travelling to other countries for Tao because of my faith and foundation in Tao. I no longer suffer from Depression,  but have a brighter outlook on life. I aim to continually learn more in Tao to help me be a more complete person.

經過這些事，我學到要達到健康除了身體的改變以外，心靈的改變更是必要的。我才發覺過去多年來我竟然忽略了我的心靈。我住院時的精神病房精神病醫生說過：有心靈基礎的人，在遭受憂鬱症時，比一般人較有可能恢復。

道是我心靈的基礎，是我每天生活力量的泉源，是我人生的指南針。因為對道堅定的信念和基礎，我現在已經持齋，學習做講員，為了道也到其他國家去學習分享修道的心得。我已經不再憂鬱，具備更光明的願景來面對我的人生，我的目標是繼續道程上的學習，祈使自己成為一位更美好的人。

Kristene Smith – Australia

Kristene Smith-澳洲