Growth Through Adversity

[Lion Spirit Walker]

I believe that we as a species are moving toward a day when we all might share in the growth which comes from the experiences of one another, without the need to have the experience itself. I also believe this already occurs in a very subtle manner.
Adversity is one of our greatest opportunities for growth. But the adversities can also cause some to 'break'.
I, as I'm certain we all have had our experience with adversity that we would never wish upon others. And yet these experiences have left us with a wealth of greater understanding and wisdom.
In presenting this thread it is my hope that we may share with one another that understanding and wisdom through our individual experiences of adversity.
I'll return later to post my own experiences and how they've help me to better understand Life.

[Lion Spirit Walker]

From early childhood up through my mid twenties I experienced extreme, long lasting migraine headaches. During these headache experiences in my early childhood my father would tell me to go into a dark room, close the door and be by myself. I did this and in so doing I began my own form of meditation.
I actively sought to quiet my mind, as this was the only way in which I could achieve relief.
As the years passed, I became more adept at meditation and applied it to other areas of my life.
Having had lung cancer and reperitory complications through-out the past 11 years, I've found the meditation to be of great bennifit. From calming my breathing to remaining calm while various proceedures were being done on myself (broncocapies, intubation, etc.).
The adversity of having had migraine headaches as I once did (lol. I don't have them as I use to) brought forth bennifits no one could have predicted. Bennifits I am truly grateful for.

[Rana]

isnt that always a way to learning ..ive had many a dark moment too my friend where thru it (later on) ive thought " change /embrace/ realise /learn " i share in your spirit i know this optimism to be be true ..here here lets spread the word once again !!! we WILL rise above our physical selves and recognise our true natures and rise to our true form ..thankyou xxxxx

[Kiran]

As written in another thread I have posted some of what I have experienced in my life and I finally realised that the Universe never gives us anymore than we can cope with (even if it doesn't seem that way at the time!!). Its just enough to push our limits, our boundaries to allow us to expand and grow.