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A wake up call, that's what suffering offers us, according to the poet and writer, Scott Cairns.  Suffering is not about the pain and hardship, per se - we need to look past suffering to what is beyond.  "The End of Suffering: Finding Purpose in Pain" is a highly insightful and deeply spiritual guide that I found very moving and helpful. I heartily recommend it to you.

Using illustrations and examples of his life, the events of September 11th, and quotes and aphorisms from the Bible and such luminaries as Simon Weil, Emily Dickenson, Saint Isaac of Syria, W.H. Auden, Saint Simeon the New Theologian and a carefully-selected array of others, Cairns reminds us that pain and suffering grab our attention: sometimes gently, often intensely.  Through suffering, God shows us what needs to be attended to.  He writes,

Under most circumstances, then, the occasions of our suffering are capable of revealing what our habitual illusions often obscure, keeping us from knowing. Our afflictions drag us--more or less kicking--into a fresh and vivid awareness that we are not in control of our circumstances, that we are not quite whole, that our days are salted with affliction.

What do we do with suffering and affliction?  Endure it? Let go of it?  Give it to God?  Cairns suggests the first step is to set ourselves aside; let the ego be suspended for a moment, allowing grace to enter and inform.  Ultimately, though, what we need to learn is how to live, but most importantly, how to die.  Cairns encourages us to learn and live gently, almost effortlessly towards the inevitable, using our afflictions as tools.

...we must come to recognize our suffering as a means, a circumstance of our common journey that can offer us a clearer view of the task at hand. Along that journey, our afflictions and our suffering may also provide to us a glimpse of what actual virtue might require.

Virtue?  In the sense of goodness, chastity, worth, or is it to make the most of something bad or unmanageable that is inevitable, employing logic and reason as Plato taught us?  God only knows.

Cairns is a Christian, an Orthodox Christian to be precise, who has written and taught on the many frontiers and salvations available with Christ.  He has had the occasion, several times, to visit the Holy Mountain, Mount Athos in Greece, where monks have lived for over a thousand years.  Taking time in total wilderness and seclusion, Cairns has personally lived a life of ceaseless prayer and contemplation, yet returning to the challenging world of family, job, and responsibility.  On his last visit there, he reflects,

I realized--experienced, even--that the body of Christ is a good deal more than a figure of speech; it is an appalling truth and mystery, uniting us beyond our knowing with one another, and uniting us with an ever-greater mystery, the perichóresis--the circling dance--of the Holy Trinity Who is our One God.

I do not expect to comprehend--much less ever to explain--the particular mystery of, as I come to speak of it, One Holy Essence Whose Mystery is expressed in relational, interpersonal terms, but I do hope to share something glimpsed among the struggling monks on their Holy Mountain, something gleaned from their ongoing, written tradition, and something I have labored to acquire as my own.

Looking for an answer to his toil and suffering, Cairns looks to God, in the tangible humanity of Christ.  He toils to be like Christ, an adventurous, endless, joyous yet arduous pursuit seeking to comprehend and apprehend himself, bathed in the mysterious Image of God.  The point is to be like Christ, to not only follow Him, but to merge into His infinite grace; to be "at one" with Him.

Our familiar English word atonement (which, believe it or not, comes of combining at-one-ment) was coined in the sixteenth century for the express purpose of reinfusing our theologies with a more vivid awareness of how it is that Christ saves us--He joins Himself to us.

Alas, most of us squander our opportunities, Cairns laments.  We do our best, yet pain and suffering are still with us.  We get distracted.  We become perplexed, tired, uncertain, and even hopeless at times.  These are also opportunities.  Perplexity may also be grace.  Weakness becomes a virtue.  These vacillations, Cairns teaches, are the tools of God, they lead us to Him and our pain and suffering become doorways to our healing and ultimate forgiveness and salvation.

A mixture of poetry, anecdote, intelligent research, memoir and meditation, Scott Cairns' "The End of Suffering: Finding Purpose in Pain" is itself a means to an end.  This is a deeply good and beautiful essay; a useful handbook to true love and infinite care through and in God's magnificence.

Order a copy today.  Better yet, give it for the Holy Days coming soon.  Here's a link to it at the Publisher, Paraclete Press.

I can't believe how great this hot (or cold) drink is!  Sweet, tasty, no calories, no caffeine, and helps me curb hunger and lose weight.

Ever been at a bar and heard someone say to the bartender, "make it a double?"  That's what this drink is about.  Double flavor, doubly sweet. NO alcohol, fat, or sugar, though.

Here's the very simple recipe:

Dr. Norris Chumley's Double Sweet Tea

8 ounces boiling hot water
2 tea bags of berry herbal tea (I like Celestial Seasoning's Black Cherry or Raspberry)
2 packets of Stevia no-calorie sweetener

Add all the ingredients at one time.  Let it steep double the time (6 minutes or so).  This makes the tea rather strong; the flavor is doubled and very candy-like.  If you want it iced, let it steep a little longer and add some ice cubes, or better yet -- let it cool in the fridge overnight (perhaps make a lot more, in a pitcher).

This tea is amazing!  I'm drinking it every night: the times when I so strongly wanted carbs or sweets, difficult to handle threats to throw my weight loss and/or maintenance off-track.  This tea satisfies my sweet-tooth in a big way, with no calories.

It's healthy as it hydrates the body.  It curbs hunger pangs.  It helps one get a full-feeling.

Try it, you'll like it!  Let me know what you think by commenting below.

Please share this treat with your friends.  Email it to them by clicking the email button below.  Or tell them to go to www.beliefnet.com/drnorris every day!

Today, All Saint's Day, I'm thankful for the wind, today. I love how it blows life into everything - especially me! I love how the wind moves the clouds, and the leaves on the trees, and how the birds ride on it. Invisible, yet there, giving life and moving life. Just like God. I think of the Hebrew word for Spirit - Ruach - which means wind. I think of the Hindu idea of Prana, the breath of life that courses through our bodies and minds. The Christian concept of Pneuma, of air, of Spirit, which Jesus gave up when he died on the cross--it is the air, the wind that breathes life. It is the air that goes out of us when it's time to leave this life.

We know Halloween comes every year on October 31, and it's Hallowe'en - short for All Hallow's Eve.  Halloween is actually an old Pagan feast, a Celtic New Year called Samhain, or "summer's end."  What is it all about, other than Halloween costumes, candy, treats or tricks?

Halloween is a celebration of the spirits of the dead coming to visit the living.  It's like inviting all your ancestors over for a party, in celebration of their lives, and the lives they gave to us.

These days, it's not really tied to any religion.  Rather, it's a huge commercialized event, with gigantic sales second only to Christmas.  Interesting culturally, as so many people are really into hanging decorations of skeletons, jack-o-lanterns, and ghosts, and spend lots of time and money on costumes and parties.

Some people think that having any celebration of Halloween is anti-biblical, or anti-Christian in that it's feasting around dark, dead, hellish and ghoulish symbols.  I think just the opposite:  it's about renewal of faith and celebration of the living, especially with All Saints Day following.

Further, I think that honoring the "dark" shadow-side of ourselves is realistic and actually healthy.  Accepting that we're not perfect; that we make mistakes and mess up, and sin, is part of being able to resurrect and move on with living, doing the best we can.  One of my favorite psychologists, Carl Jung wrote extensively on embracing our shadow; the dark part of our being.  If we repress it, ignore or fake our shadow existence, we are inauthentic. Not being wholly ourselves can lead to illness, he taught.  His theories have been expanded upon and used now for many years, with great affect.

So be a little dark and scary.  Let that wild, dark, bad self have its day.  Just don't be too bad, and don't forget to thank God for your life.  Happy Halloween!

What dark, forgotten, scary side of YOU are you allowing to live this Halloween?  Please comment.

Join me on Twitter, too, please!  twitter.com/drnorris

Halloween is about food and candy, I always believed.  Halloween recipes for treats like Halloween scary body parts and Halloween frightening bugs, spiders and goblins are a lot of fun.  Would you serve vegetables?  Would you give fruit like apples...

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Thanks to all who have been commenting.  It's so fun and full-filling to read what you write!  Your comments make me happy, even the tough ones.  So PLEASE keep them coming.  Also, tell your friends about this amazing, growing online...

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How would your life be different if you were able to lose 10, 20, 50 or 100 pounds?  I'm sure you've thought about that a lot, but I believe it's a good idea to "keep it fresh" as they say...

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I really like what FouFou wrote in her comment this week, in response to my "Fat and What is Behind it" article.Here it is:"Physical, emotional and spiritual is the guide to us those who are seeking to loose weight. I...

I want to assure you that it is possible to change, and make your life the best it can be with spiritual help and committed action. ALL IT TAKES IS THE DESIRE TO CHANGE, FOLLOWED BY ACTION. That combination is...

I just want to take a moment to say that I care about you.  Sure, it's true, I may not know you directly, or even by name.  I care about you, though, dear reader.That's why I write this daily message.I...

Let me ask you: are your overeating habits and pleasure more important than your life?It really comes down to that life or death question.Is the brownie ice-cream sundae dessert, and regular daily desserts worth a heart attack or stroke because...

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What's your family genetic history? We all have good genes, and not-so-good genes. It's best to be informed and aware, so that you can make choices to have the best, longest life possible. Knowing your genetic tendencies allows you to...

This comment brought tears to my eyes; tears of love for God, and appreciation for all that I have.I don't know who wrote it, but thank you so much.  It's eloquent."I watched as Stevie Wonder sang that hauntingly beautiful song,...

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My favorite comment this week is by Pam."I met J5 and spoke with them briefly when Michael was around 11/12. I was impressed with how soft spoken and well mannered they all were. Although I did not care for the...

I was totally shocked at a hotel breakfast bar last weekend.  More than half the customers were morbidly obese, and having plate-after-plate of food.  One couple who could barely fit into their seats was particularly sad: the man had four...

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A lot of readers have been asking why the lost weight comes back, despite diligent efforts.  While I cannot answer everybody's specific problems, and it would be inappropriate for me to do that, I do often try to generally address...

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I just joined the ranks of those who Twitter. www.twitter.com    drnorrischumley (my Twitter nickname).Sign up for my latest weight loss and wellbeing news, my personal (insider) comments, and lots of prayers and praises.I'd love to have you as a...

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I highly recommend that you confide in someone today.  Telling someone your problems can really help you feel relief, and also get a fresh perspective.  Please tell us your problems, anonymously if you like, by posting below.  We are in...

Forgive me, but I'm just so happy that a childhood favorite of mine is coming back into popularity.  The whoopie pie, a chocolate (or pumpkin!) set of soft cookies with frosting in the center, purportedly from Pennsylvania, the Amish, and/or...

Just a short thought for your day:  When you put your faith in God, you let go of your problems.  They're not all up to you anymore.  The act of faith of putting your problems into God's hands is itself,...

What blessings are there in your life?  What's really going well and right that you are thankful for?  Please tell us below by posting a comment.  I have found that counting my blessings and sharing them with others really helps...

You know there sometimes comes a time when you need to stop planning, thinking about, and worrying about what needs to be done.  There comes a time when you just have to start.Johann Wolfgang von Goethe said, "Whatever you can...

This has been a wonderful week, although difficult in many ways, wonderful here as so many people are in our community, and posting really inspiring, encouraging words.  Two of the most commented upon had to do with troubled times, fear,...

My wife brought home a small jasmine tree last year.  The whole family loved its beautiful green leaves and heavenly fragrances.  It spent springtime happy as can be on our kitchen windowsill.  Then in the summer it resided outdoors, thriving...

This past week has been a very active one on this website, and I for one am impressed and inspired.  There have been quite a few comments posted, especially in response to my articles on Scales, Fasting, and the major...

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This morning I was all flustered because I had to pay bills.  Gosh, those expenses are high!  It's an exercise in stretching, moving money from one place to another, shuffling, leaping and moving forward.  Kind of like dancing: you stretch,...

I just got an email from a longtime friend in Indiana, Michael White, who is a very talented singer and composer.  He and another friend made a really moving video at Christmas about having "A Wonderful Life."Please take a look...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eUZBQ0L_EYThere...

We've now gone through a long period of economic woes, and we are making it through.  Yes times are hard, harder than we've ever known or experienced.  It's true it is not over, but there is hope and we're going...

Sometimes everyone needs a little break. Perhaps you need to take a day off or do something different with your weekend. Recharge yourself; do something invigorating, restorative, or restful. Take an afternoon to go to a history museum and check...

Alas, the meal is done.  I've reached my limit and it is time to stop eating.Pity it is.  A sad moment that I dreaded would come with each bite, but I ignored the inevitable in favor of flavor.Now it is...

The other day was a big birthday for a cherished family member.  I asked what gift he wanted and the reply was "make me a German Chocolate Cake!"  Knowing how delicious they are, and a favorite of mine since I...

So you slipped off your food plan, and had a few ice-cream sundaes, or a bag of chips or cookies. I know you regretted it! Use this episode and learn from it. Study how you felt afterward:Did you feel stuffed,...

Did you make a mistake? No problem. No surprise. Everyone makes mistakes. Admit it. Correct it with God's assistance. Learn from it. Mistake gone. No problem. Problems arise when we cling tight to OUR way, not God's way, or fail...

(revised -- thanks for the comments and questions!)Nothing says "I Love You" more than taking good care of yourself and the one you love.  Here's a menu, shopping list and some recipes for a special, romantic dinner that's also very...

Spring is almost here, and love is in the air!  Valentine's Day is upon us, hooray!Valentine's Day, as we know it, is a celebration of love.  Love is itself a celebration of others.  To love one another is to treasure,...

I'm finding Janice Taylor and my online blog conversation very, very revealing!  Janice and I have gone in just four little days from hunger for weight loss, brownies, to diets, carbohydrates, to grandmothers and mothers, to hungry, starving people that...

I think you will love this:  Janice Taylor and I are beginning an online, blog conversation.  This is the beginning.  We will talk back and forth between our Beliefnet blogs from time-to-time.  Our conversations will be about specific themes and...

Hello.  This is Day 30 of my 30 Tips to start your New Year.  Of course, it's only a beginning!  You don't need the beginning of a new year to make resolutions to be healthy and happy.  I suggest you...

Do you forget from Who and where everything in life comes from?  It comes from God.  Do you forget the good things you have, and about the good things that you are?  You are very worthy of some recognition, being...

Just as we humans are made up of a lot of different parts, our digestive system is too.  If we don't use every part of ourselves, we short-change ourselves from experiences and opportunities.  Just like in digestion if we don't...

Yesterday I wrote about cutting your portion in half immediately when served at restaurants and taking it home.  Eat the remaining half very slowly, and enjoy every bite, along with the atmosphere and your companion's company.  Then take the other...

A lot of people are looking at life dramas these days.  President Obama wants "no drama,"  and Mary K. Blige says "No More Dramas" in her song by the same title.Are you in the middle of a drama?  Is life...

I know from working with many weight loss clients, individually and in groups, helping with diet, nutrition, exercise, emotions and spiritual practices - that a lot of overweight and obesity problems are greatly relieved through relationships.  If you're happy and...

I know it's sooooo 80's, but do you remember those exercise videos you used to workout in front of the TV with?  Jane Fonda? Richard Simmons? Dancercize?Why not get them out, dust them off, and give them a spin again? ...

I just want to say THANK YOU for those of you who reached out, posted your feelings and needs, and for those who responded.We're a truly remarkable, caring, and loving group.  I'm honored to be a part of this wonderful...

If you are an emotional overeater, or if you eat to change moods such as feeling upset, stressed, or a bit down - try giving yourself some peace and comfort by meditating.  What is meditation?  There are many forms, some...

This country was founded on the principle that we are "One Nation, Under God, Indivisible."  To me that means we work together and celebrate each other, our individuality, independence, and interdependence.There's a really cool, new initiative a lot of us...

Sometimes, it's easy to get all wrapped-up in your problems.  You may be thinking a million thoughts: things you have to do, problems weighing on you, people to see, work, family, friends, your own misery and suffering, finding energy to...

Have you ever thought that the excess weight you're carrying may be due to something very heavy that's weighing on you?  It's not just the fat.Have you ever really, truly, told someone about your true feelings and needs when they...

Confide your problems and worries to a clergy member or trusted friend.  You've probably heard the adage, "it's not just what you're eating, it's what's eating you."Are you letting the weight of your body become an emotional weight on your...

This little book, "The Soulmate Secret," written by Arielle Ford (January 2009, HarperOne), could bring miracles in your love life, as it did for her and her BIG LOVE soulmate, Brian Hilliard.The ancient Law of Attraction is at play here...

As much as we need food to nurture our bodies and minds, we need emotional and spiritual food for the psyche and soul, too.  It may seem odd, but to lose weight and maintain healthy changes, make sure to nourish...

It is deep winter and it has been very cold up north.  There is lots of snow on the ground; ice on the roads and sidewalks make moving treacherous.  The trees are bare.  The birds are searching non-stop for scarce...

I love the comments everyone made this week.  So many great thoughts and experiences on detoxing, fasting, sugar addiction, nighttime eating, Spirit, Reasons for the Season, and on and on.  Wow!  We have such a great community here.  Please return...

If you overate yesterday, I have some suggestions.Appreciate: Say thanks to God for your life, and for your family and beloved friends.Have enough: Appreciate what you have, the gifts you gave and ones you received. Be enough:  Know that you...

As a Christian, a follower of Christ, I love the Christmas holiday not only because it is a time of celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, but also that it is a time of hope and transcendence.  If you...

I've been baking some Christmas cookies this morning and afternoon: some butterscotch oatmeal, and whole wheat sugar cookies for decorating.Always baking, especially for holidays, Christmas cookies are a favorite of mine.  It's just not the holidays without them!  This year,...

As snow begins to fall and the deep freeze of winter sets in, we again gather with family and friends, singing and dancing around the Christmas tree or lighting the menorah or Kwanzaa candles. All will be well as we...

We'd probably all love to hear what hopes, joys, challenges and gratitude you are experiencing this Holiday Season.Please comment below, right now, and I'll pull a few together and add my own in an article shortly.Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Good...

I want to give you my eclectic list of recommendations for great books on religion, spiritual practice, and health. In no particular order, just a short list of books that came out or that I discovered this year, 2008, that...

I am SO delighted today.Not just because I am alive again today (yes, God woke me up this morning and I thank Him).  Not just because it is a beautiful day.  Not just because I am so lucky to be...

Instead of a big lunch or dinner, have only one sandwich or small plate of food. Then use the extra time to get full from something else -- like being in nature or having a good conversation with friends. Or...

Life is really very simple. Love God with everything you've got, in every way, and stop worrying. That may sound too simple, but if you test it day by day in your own life, as I have, you'll find that...

Science finally caught up with what I've suspected for years: sugar is definitely, conclusively addictive, and causes permanent brain changes.  It has the same negative effect on the brain as heroin or cocaine!At the annual American College of Neuropsychopharmacology meeting...

First, I would never be so presumptuous to claim that I know God, or am with God.  In an attempt to honor Him and to remain humble at the same time, I acknowledge God's grace in my life, and I...

How do you experience, or know God?  Or perhaps you don't feel you do.  Please tell us in a comment by posting below.Perhaps you pray out loud, or in silence. May be you know God in church, or at home,...

Announcing my new endeavor.  Each week on Monday I'll pick the COMMENT OF THE WEEK from the previous week.The weekly most insightful, experiential, authentic posting by you, our readers!This is a badge of honor, a place of distinction for helping...

Go out bird watching today. See how many birds you can find, and make a list. Listen to their sweet songs. Hear how many different sounds the birds make, and see if you can identify the bird with her song....

The only successful method for losing weight is to start new healthy habits and keep them going, not just quickly drop a bunch of poundage on a crash diet. This is not new information!  I'm sure you know this.  What's...

It snowed last night, so this morning the kids and I went sledding down our hill.  I rousted them out of bed, so we could go out before it melted.Once out the door and gathering and dragging the sleds up...

We've been discussing the problem of nighttime eating, and NES (Nighttime Eating Syndrome) several times in the last couple of weeks here.  It seems a lot of us experience this. I read and really appreciate your comments. It's good to...

Just a quick post, with a question and a comment.  How are you feeling a few days after the holiday?  Please make me and all our readers very happy, and post a comment below, and let us all know we're...

Turns out, our family already has plenty.  We don't need much more for the holidays.  So why spend a lot of money and buy more "stuff?"  I think we should spend less money, use what we have, be less "materially...

I've always said that you don't have to work out at the gym all day in order to control your weight. All you need is a minimum of 30 minutes a day filled with consistent, moderate movement or activity. And...

Here's my "after Thanksgiving" list of how to get through the day and the weekend, and keep that warm glowing love and appreciation of relatives and friends.1.    Hold your temper.  Don't let anybody bother you or upset your equilibrium.2.    If...

For those of us Americans, we have much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving holiday.  For those readers in other countries, please join us in celebrating all that God has given us.  Here is a prayer for your consideration, today.God,We...

Quite simply, Thanksgiving Day is a time of appreciation for a bountiful harvest.First celebrated at the Plymouth Plantation in 1621 (debatable) by the Pilgrims and the Native American Wampanoag tribe in North America, it was a meal shared by all. ...

This week, I will be writing about several aspects of the celebration of Thanksgiving. From recipes, to prayers, family and relative survival tips, and things to do: this week is all about counting our blessings together, and celebrating the abundance...

This morning, on the bus, I overheard another man saying he'd been sick, in the hospital, and he was really, really glad to be back. His friend smiled and said, "Yup! God woke me up this morning too!" God wakes...

I meant to go to my gym over last weekend, but didn't.  So I went on some walks and a fast hike.Start of the week, gym in mind, work demands got in the way.  So I did a yoga video...

It is so cold now where we live.  Yet, I am warm with summer memories.My friend, the talented Bowie Snodgrass sent me some pictures of her New York City Harlem rooftop garden.  I visited her and her wonderful husband George...

~ Daily Voting Begins November 17th and Continues Through December 5th ~  We at Beliefnet are excited to announce today - November 17, 2008 - ten nominees for the eighth annual Most Inspiring Person of the Year award.   The nomination...

Here's a start-of-the-week wake up call.Ask yourself, how bad are things?  How much do I need to cut back: spend less, eat less, save more, take time to do things well, be good to myself?  The list can go on...

Here's a recipe that's so fast and so healthy.  It's become one of my favorite dishes.  You may add some cooked chicken pieces, or shrimp, or beef slices, as you like.  This recipe serves two, or is good for leftovers. ...

Here's a quick discussion starter for you:What's your favorite fast food restaurant, and what do you like to order?Yes, I believe in fast food once in a rare while (don't forget there is nothing forbidden on my Joy of Weight...

Yes, I know I need to exercise, but I hate to exercise!I do, however, love to move because it makes me feel so good.  It's become a daily habit; a discipline, just like flossing and brushing my teeth.I feel good...

From time to time, I'll share a prayer I pray with you, to help you through your day.  This one is about facing the realities of what needs to be done, not only to make a living, but also to...

What's some easy limit that you could experiment with today?  Try one, only one limitation, and see what happens.If you are used to having seconds after your first helping of something, skip it.  Just say to yourself, "I'm satisfied with...

Congratulations are in store for all of us this morning.  We're alive and well today, even thriving, and there's work to be done!This is the morning of hope's survival.  We are ripe with the possibility of real change.  Love is...

Welcome.  You've come to the right place.  Let me assure you that you are valuable, and that everything in your life is just fine - although things may not appear to be so fine right now.  As a matter of...

BEFORE - at 400 poundsPeople said I was the nicest, happiest guy they knew when I was 18 years old and 400 pounds.  Inside, though, I was terribly unhappy.  I felt completely unsatisfied, and no amount of food filled me...

After decades of being told such things like "reach for the stars," "you can do anything," and "you can have it all!" from an all-pervasive consumer advertising-driven culture, perhaps it's time to rethink those ideas.  A lot of us are...