The real saints are ordinary people

"Saint" is a word that generally has religious overtones. For example, I used to belong to an organization, Radha Soami Satsang Beas (RSSB), that was part of the Sant Mat movement, which means "teaching of saints."

The RSSB saints were gurus who supposedly were God in Human Form, something I now deeply doubt. The Catholic church has a more expansive view of saints:

The saints of the church are a diverse group of people with varied and interesting stories. Their ranks include martyrs, kings and queens, missionaries, widows, theologians, parents, nuns and priests, and “everyday people” who dedicated their lives to the loving pursuit of God.

Religious and nonreligious people alike have found inspiration from their lives, particularly in the stories of saints who devoted themselves in service to the poor, sick, and disenfranchised, such as St. Mother Teresa and St. Vincent de Paul, among others.

Many of the saints who were persecuted for their faith, such as St. Stephen and St. Perpetua, showed remarkable forgiveness and patiently suffered through their trials and tortures. Some are revered for their simplicity and humility, including St. Francis of Assisi and St. Thérèse of Lisieux. Several, notably St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Augustine, were writers and thinkers who shaped Western thought for centuries.

Then there's the Urban Dictionary definition, my favorite.

I like this because it doesn't have any sort of religious connotation. Indeed, to me the most impressive saints are, as this definition says, ordinary people who put others' needs before their own. Sure, not always, as this doesn't seem to be possible. But frequently.

That opens the door to sainthood for lots of people, probably most people. Which is as it should be. Genuine saints, not the fake saints revered by religions disconnected from reality by supernatural B.S., are usually little known, though greatly appreciated by those they serve.

Caregivers to those afflicted by dementia. Teachers who are overworked and underpaid. Sanitation workers. Advocates for the homeless. Immigrants who do the tough jobs Americans dislike, then send much of their money to relatives in their native country. So many others.

Sainthood isn't an either-or proposition. It's a sliding scale. Everybody possesses the capacity of acting in a saintly fashion. Some just are able to be compassionate and self-sacrificing to a greater degree than others. 

I'm definitely average when it comes to saintliness. There's nothing special about me in this regard.

But last Friday I had an appointment with the nurse practitioner who serves as my primary care provider. We talked about how to handle the sciatica in my right leg, which has gotten much more painful the past few months.

Since this was my first visit with the nurse practitioner after my doctor left the clinic and I needed a new provider, I told her about how the sciatica began four years ago, in early 2020. In the beginning it was super painful. Nothing could help the pain appreciably. The pain would laugh at the couple of Tylenol pills I'd take.

I'd cry out loud with the pain, and I'm normally not big on crying. I was determined to keep on doing what needed done around our non-easy-care house on ten rural acres. Back then we had a walk-behind mower. I'd mow the grass with tears streaming down my cheeks, the pain would be so bad. I got the grass cut, though.

Every day I'd walk our dog in the late afternoon, just as I'd done before the sciatica started. Some days I'd wonder if I could make the mile-and-a-half loop on roads in our neighborhood, which is quite hilly. Just as with the mowing, I'd hold the dog's leash while I cried out in pain, one step at a time. I'd want to quit and go home, but I never did.

In no way is what I did exceptionally saintly. I mention it just to give a personal example of how people can push through extreme discomfort because they want to feel useful and do something that benefits others. In my case, a wife and dog. 

Given my substantial ego, I'm proud of many things that I've done in my 75 years of living. However, doing household duties while I was racked with severe pain is something that especially pleases me, when I remember it. 

(That said, I'm still looking for ways to relieve my sciatica, since I'd prefer to be of service to others in ways that don't involve a lot of pain, even if that reduces my saintly rating.)

Comments

[Appreciative Reader]

"Saint" may be a bit over the top to describe that kind of thing, if taken literally; but leaving details of terminology aside, absolutely, *respect*, for that kind of courage and fortitude. Without a doubt most would have simply not made that effort every day, given how *much* effort and endurance that seems to require. Very cool!

...wow, though, this sciatica thing, it seems like a completely horrible thing! ...don't painkillers help? (I remember, my grandmother used to have very painful knees --- arthritis in her case, she was much older, early nineties, and too brittle for more aggressive intervention, her knees I mean --- and needed painkillers, except taking them everyday would mess up her gastro-inestinal plumbing, so the doctor would bypass that route and directly inject her .......I'm sure your docs know best, but it's a shame, having to endure that kind of pain on a daily basis!)

[sant64]

https://www.reddit.com/r/carnivore/comments/fdn348/sciatica_almost_gone_after_4_days/

[Ron E.]

As we have no free will, being a saint or saintly or being some selfish or downright nasty sort of per-son, it seems that we have no choice. Maybe our upbringing, genes or social environment determined whether we become a caring nurse or a non-caring sociopath.

Apparently, one’s genetic make-up can determine how different people experience levels of pain and tolerance. What Brian seems able to tolerate others may not and also, others cannot appreciate the level of pain someone else feels.

Our circumstances, particularly early life experiences go a long way in determining whether one turns out to be caring or non-caring. Some people have a need to be loved and appreciated taking up careers that fulfill their needs while others couldn’t care less and are okay with making unpopular decisions.

There is it would seem, a multitude of conditions that make us who/what we are and how we experience life. Perhaps it is possible to tinker with our biological and mental processes to enable a saner and fulfilling life – but who’s to say one way is better than another. Many a right-wing sociopath would have no doubt that his/her take on life is the correct one.

[umami]

Hey, Brian.

Sciatica:

1) Stretch piriformis on the affected side. It can be done seated, standing and lying down. I prefer seated and standing.
• Seated:
https://youtu.be/8up6_8Ryzgo?si=0gqSXgeModSd4PfP
Also aim over the bent leg and pressed down on the knee.
• Standing: https://www.rocketcitychiropractic.com/10-piriformis-stretches-to-get-rid-of-sciatica-hip-and-lower-back-pain/
It's the second one. I steady myself with the wall or a doorframe instead of a chair back.

2) You might also self-massage the piriformis and nearby hip rotators by sitting or lying with a ball (tennis or lacrosse possibly) pressing into the muscle, or lean into the armrest of a sofa with a sharp edge or corner.

3) Do you have a foam roller? Same principle. Place it on the floor and lay your leg on top so that its weight causes pressure in the muscle tissue. Think of the cross section of your thigh as a clock with your knee at 12:00. Target 12:00 to 6:00, the anteriolateral, lateral and posteriolateral aspects. You use arm and core strength to lift off the floor and rock. Foam rollers are pretty cheap, about $25. For example, white PE foam 6" x 36" looks like the one I have and is wide enough to roll your back too.
https://a.co/d/2CMzG9o

[um]

Interesting links Umami
Thank you.

[um]

@ Umami

https://www.alfonsgrabher.com/study-and-support/

[Brian Hines]

umami, thanks for the advice and links. I've got a set of exercises from my physical therapists that address most of the suggestions you sent, though sometimes in a modified form. So this shows that your suggestions are sound.

My first physical therapist, who I saw in 2020, believed in dynamic stretching (stretching via slow movements) versus holding a stretch in a stationary position. I've tried both, but have the impression that dynamic stretching works a bit better for me. So what I've been doing is pressing into one of the stretches you shared ten times, taking about 3-5 seconds for each press. That way I get around 30 seconds of stretch, just in a dynamic fashion.

Haven't tried a foam roller yet. My wife has one. I'll borrow it and give it a try.

[umami]

Good luck with it, Brian!

[umami]

Hey, um.

Feldenkrais Method, I've heard of it. Alfons Grabher is on youtube, so I'll look at a few videos.

[Kranvir]

LOL , RSSB gurus are god in human form. RSSB gurus are in fact KAAL in human form.

Gurinder Singh dhillon wants others to see him as a guru but the reality is that his true nature represents the devil which he hides. To judge him, just look at his own actions: he threw his own nephew's under the bus just so he could get their billions (and he shows no remorse); he murdered his wife so as to save his own skin; hes a land grabber and bullied farmers around dera to get his wicked ways. He also has a massive overinflated ego and has his eyes on becoming the super guru of a world wide conglomerate of cults, while we are told to be humble. Gurinder your a liar, a hypocrite, and cold hearted. You want to own everything and everyone to satisfy your own lust for power. Stop pretending to be a god in human form - this is truly blasphemous and god will get his justice. Gsd you will face your karma for deceiving and fooling mankind.

[um]

@ Sant 64

Whether somebody etas meat or not is of no interest to me.

And ..Yes, some that become vegetarian or vegan for this of that ideal, practice or whatever, might suffer an health set back as their digestive system has problems digesting beat.

And... yes there are those that change their diet to a vegetarian or vegan variant and benefit from that chance

The point is the argumentation that is used to justify to themselves and others what IMHO does no need any justification.

If I look outside te window, walk in the countryside, is see, that all animals, can feed themselves. They borh have the means to gather what they need and what they need is available in their environment.

THAT is natural state of affairs.

Humans, for that same reason, cannot live on and from meat. They need those tools that had to turn them in to predators, knives, guns, fire and hunting skills.

When young we would with a couple of friends try to catch ducks by hand ...great fun I can guarantee you but we always failed ...fortunate for us there was always food on the table on turning home.

Only recently we start to be interested in what we CONSUME and the effect of it not only on the Body but also on the mind ..psycho dietetics

https://www.nutritional-psychology.org/what-is-nutritional-psychology/

As far as I understand those practices that demand vegetarian food, and abstention from mind altering products, stresses mostly the karmic effects.

Personally I consider these practices as mind-body-manipulations and these abstentions born from the insight that they are contra-productive to the imagined goal.
Here and there one might find advises to use these "forbidden" products to consume in order to have a certain effect., probably related to body heat and kundalini. Personally I prepared meat for days during an retreat in which a high ranking Tibetan monk transmitted a rare initiation .. only to him and quite a bit I must say ... and not to the other monks.

Many a time I have also heard that certain people were given the advise to eat some meat in order to anchor themselves more and/or to get rid of telepathic negative forsights,

We are what6 we CONSUME

[Bodhi]

A true “saint” is careful not to cause harm or suffering to any living being.

Whatever it takes and whatever sacrifices one has to make, just make sure to do no harm.

[s*]

Idd Bodhi,
Agreed!
Not always easy but very good to make sacrifices here and there to try not to harm others.
Thank you!

[Trez]

RADHA SEEDY SOAMI AND GURINDER SINGH DHILION

SAINT a person having the qualities of always having good intentions

Hahaha lol can never be Gurinder Singh Dhilion

Just look at all the sick and bad things he's done to all, even his very own family

Gurinder Singh Dhillon is a Coward and Hides after he's done so much bad to others, because he might get a good hiding for it too.

He's no Saint but someone who's lost his Sanity

His love for Power, money and women is absurd if anything he needs hospitalization for these sick acts which make no sense of his seedy nature.

He needs help he really believes he's a God and he's got people believing that too.

Come on Wake up he's a Lying Little Donkey ripping people out of pocket and land

Nearly over Gurinder Singh Dhilion you're EXPOSED laugh a little, not for long buddy

[um]

@ Trez

All over the world common people tell their children:
"You will reap, what you have sowed"

Every time you type these messages and post them here, something happens in your brain and in the world that will reflect on you.