Re: + EDIT Re: Garlic & Echinacea tincture internally Re: Herbs for external draining wound?

Greetings Water & Joe (and everyone) --

I've been squished between many a "rock and a hard place" in my years, but I don't think I've ever been squished quite this tightly from so many directions.  And let the very most important thing be said & known right up front...at the root & foundation of this I am 100% to blame, I hold myself accountable for my lacks & failures (both perceived & actual), and I accept full responsibility for them all.

Why am I responsible?  Because if...

--if I would have closed the forum the day it was opened (so I could create the 'book's worth' of FAQs that are necessary for this forums smooth operation), instead of underestimating how fast it would grow and overestimating my abilities...

--if I would have accurately gauged how rapidly the forum would grow...

--if I would have accurately perceived how VASTLY the knowledge of truly natural healing has been degraded (or forgotten or dismissed) in the minds of the average CureZone poster or seeker of health...

--if I would have stopped assuming that just because something is simple and 'self evident' to me, that means it is for others...and once I became aware of that, I would have helped others to stop doing the same (with things like linking to long/detailed posts while expecting 'newbies' and those that are compromised to 'find their own answers')...

--if I'd created a 'guidebook' for Water & Willowley (and all those that selflessly give tons of hours, support & assistance to others here - without ANY kind of training, guidelines or feedback)...

--if there was just some way I could predict 'order volume' and 'order problems'...

--if I was able to handle the dozens of unexpected time-vampires daily/weekly (that take many different forms, some which still take me by surprise)...that come from people that have diligently researched, know what they need to do & order, but run into all kinds of snafus with Paypal and placing orders.

...if only I was able to prevent the vast amount of forum 'attacks' (attacks on me personally, my credibility and on natural healing), that I sometimes spend 'days worth of hours' dealing with weekly behind the scenes

--and if I would have had the time to respond to Joe's posts (in this thread) with the "briefly" explanation that he requested...

If all of those things (that are definitely MY responsibility) would have been tackled & handled more efficiently & effectively, it's VERY likely that Water (or anyone else) would not have felt the need to "defend me", "protect me", take responsibility for what is "healthy" for this forum, or find it necessary to judge whether someone's posts are an appropriate or inappropriate use of my time.  And that is the truth....and everybody reading this has my most humble and most sincere apology for my lacks and my faults - and the many different ways they've combined to cause the formation of this situation.

>>> I fear that if his behavior is not acknowledged it will open a door to further disrespect and open rudeness. If I am out of line, I do apologize. <<<  

I honestly do feel that you were out of line, Water (explanation below) and I do accept your apology...and I am sure my various lacks played a significant role in this situation, so I apologize to you, too.  Your statement above (along with the content of your post) causes me to feel as though I have no choice but to "acknowledge" this situation openly (when I would have preferred you contact me privately with your concerns as they related to me and the forum).  When someone makes derogatory public accusations about another forum member (whether true, untrue, or perceived to be true), and want 'that' behavior publicly acknowledged, addressed & corrected, then that turns the spotlight on both the accuser and the accusee. 

In every school or hospital there are many kinds of 'jobs', ALL of them integral to the function of the school/hospital.  In the best of situations, an employee would get to choose their own job (since everyone knows what they're best at, that would be the best way to staff a school/hospital).  You've said before (paraphrasing) that what you're best at is compiling information and offering it to others...and I agree, you're definitely "better than the best" when you're doing that.  The very sad (and very frustrating) thing is, that the largest majority of posters on CZ are not able to read through several posts, find the pertinent information that applies to them, 'put the puzzle pieces together' (how all the information relates to their situation, symptoms and bodies "specifically") and then have the confidence to take action & apply it to themselves.  The vast amount of people are terrified to even try to be their own doctor and take their life/health into their own hands - as well they should be when they've been brainwashed all their life to "k-n-o-w know" that they are not capable of doing that and it's very dangerous for them to try.  If you've ever experienced that brainwashing or fear, you appear to be totally over it (which is awesome).  But that doesn't mean that everyone else has all the compendium of knowledge and the advanced attributes that you have.  So many times, even though you're searching, compiling, posting links and doing your best to selflessly help others...after posting your links for them, they simply don't have the foundation they need and they 'can't put it together', and many of them 'wander away' or repeat the question in a different way.  And of course, people that haven't gotten what they needed aren't likely to offer much thanks.  While none of that is your fault, it is a fact...and you are left to deal with what likely feels like a lack of appreciation for your selfless efforts and a lot of (understandable) frustration.

 'No doubt about it, it's not easy to help people via Natural Healing with their health issues - "they" are always expecting 'prescriptions & easy answers' (like they've been conditioned to expect), while "we" are always wanting them to educate themselves fully & completely in order to make their OWN decisions.  A certain percentage (me, Rocky, you, Willowley and others), grasp the entire concept of Natural Healing like a child chugging down a glass of fresh orange juice...but for most, it's scary, uncertain, and very difficult (and it may require them to utilize critical thinking skills or areas of their 'brain' that they've never learned how to use). So they will be making a lot of mistakes as they learn, expressing their frustration in different ways (ways that may be foreign to us), and maybe even failing an exam or two along the way.  Progress is a process, and what we're looking for is that "steady upward trend".  (And I can clearly see that Joe is "steadily upward trending" quite effectively & beautifully, and he's been working very diligently to achieve this...and he's expressed his frustrations too - sometimes not quite as nicely as I'd appreciate, and when that has happened I have said what I felt needed to be said).

Those of us in the school/hospital that are 'in the trenches' (teaching or working with patients directly) must accept the fact that we ARE in a position to be the 'stronger one', and we must not use our strength in a negative manner.  Patience must become an integral part of our name & being.

And of top of all of that, we have our own perceptions of others and the fact that we humans typically 'make up our minds' about something/someone and then send everything we 'get' about that someone/something through our "minds-already-made-up-first-impression filters".  And if that's not hard enough for all of us  to 'undo', then there's trying to accurately discern what someone really means when we're not actually communicating with them in a normal/natural way (in person, weaker yet on the phone, and most deceptive of all - on a monitor on a computer). 

Above all, we must "First, Physician, do no harm".

As you know, health involves our mind, emotions, body and our spirit.  We're all blessed & cursed with different benefits & challenges.  Joe has explained many times (paraphrase) that his father was abusive; he had some type of ADHD symptoms throughout school (likely not diagnosed or dealt with adequately, especially back then); his teachers and schoolmates tormented him emotionally & physically, and that he has difficulty sorting through large amounts of information.  These 'symptoms' are no less real (and no more of a reflection of who he really is) than someone with muscular dystrophy, joints with osteoarthritis, or their face half eaten away with cancer.  And if you've been reading my posts to him, you are aware at how negatively the hydrocortisone affects his symptoms. 

So this all being the case...in having reviewed the entire thread several times, I discern that a vast majority of the accusations posted had very real potential to cause harm to Joe (and likely have hurt him).  I also believe that his comment about wishing he 'had a wife that was up on all this stuff', was simply a single person that has recently been hit by a car wishing the same thing all of us would wish (for a mate that understands natural healing), if we were alone after being smashed by car before we'd had a chance to learn how to utilize natural healing for our fastest and safest healing.  The reason I discern that Joe was not 'shirking responsibility' or making some kind of a sexist remark, is that we've all seen by his pictures that his home is spotlessly clean (as are his kitties), his yard is well kept, and he has obviously spent a LOT of time in the kitchen learning to prepare very complex vegan meals & juice combinations.  This is certainly not something I'd expect from a sexist/chauvinist or someone not willing to take responsibility for his own health.

On the other hand, Joe is not 'free of responsibility' in this situation.  Although recently he has been very respectful and helpful on the forum, in the past there have been times when he has been very accusatory, rude and hurtful to others (myself included).  He has contributed to the negative impressions & filters which you/others may be running his current posts through.  Even though Joe's forum presence recently (to me) shows vast improvement and excellent 'intent', he still has to live with the consequences of his previous actions (like we all do).  And I realize his past posts have some bearing on your feelings and what you've posted, Water...and I truly do understand your frustrations.

None of us are perfect; all of us HAVE posted in ways that have harmed others and harmed the forum.  I've made promises I've been unable to keep, and my lack of consistency (and lack of response) has given others the impression that Natural Healing is unreliable, or that Natural Healing has nothing that can solve their problem; your posts have (at times) come across as harsh & intolerant to 'newbies' that have no idea what Natural Healing is about (when they have innocently posted their supplement list), and that gives others a negative first impression (which doesn't exactly sooth their fears & make them feel comfortable).   But when we're up against the PTB, a totally tilted playing field, our hospital/classroom has less than 1/50th of the 'staff' that is required, and the very 'building' we're in (CZ) has changed to primarily alternative-allopaths that feed the brainwashing of so many...well, we are GOING to make mistakes and have very serious frustrations.  We're not 10-20-30-50 years into our experience here (like the great healers we're trying to emulate and espouse), we're only 2 1/2 years into this learning curve...and we have to make our mistakes in front of the whole friggin' internet...not one-on-one in a quiet office where we're truly communicating adequately with those we're trying to teach & help, and with each other.

So let's focus on our very important goals and not the mistakes of others (and let's be sure to pick the boards out of our own eyes before picking the splinters out of others).  I understand your frustration when you see something happening or someone posting that you feel is harmful to the forum...but I think the best solution is for you to contact me privately before attacking someone publicly.  And I hope & pray you can understand and respect that.

Water, this post really is the 'hardest rock & a hard place' I've ever been in since the beginning of the forum.  This forum NEEDS you (desperately); I need you, and the thousands of people 'yet to learn' need you.  When I read this post/thread and found myself seeing your frustration (which is certainly understandable yet is partially based on my lacks), and then saw your (apparent) demand that your accusations be 'acknowledged'...I knew that I must address this publicly and do my best to rectify this situation, ensure a very vital member of the forum doesn't try to shoulder & carry MY burdens, and in frustration lose sight of the most fundamental rule of healing (to do no harm)...and hopefully, somehow appease everyone involved.

Suggestions?  Sure thing (if you'd care to look at them :)  If you're experiencing frustration with people that don't have your level of knowlege, experience, confidence and expertise and/or feeling unappreciated, then take a break to "ground & center".  If you're discerning that someone is abusing me or hurting the forum, then contact me and I'll do my best to share my understanding of the situation (yes, I want you to contact me even though I don't seem to have the time...the squeaky wheel, and all that :)  Always try to accurately discern people's true intent...is their goal & intent to be disruptive? waste time? harm others/themselves? or are they just not 'getting it' (in the way the you/I may want them to 'get it'). 

At this point what I would like to do (after 24-48 hours and you/Joe/everyone having time to read this) is to delete both this and your post above it.  And I ask that if you and Joe want to continue discussing this situation, that you do it privately.  Please let me know if this is not acceptable (and why) and I'll respectfully consider it.

Again, I'm sorry for what I've done (and haven't done) that has helped to cause this situation.  And as always, my intent IS pure and devoted to spreading the word about Natural Healing in the best way I know how.

Blessings ALWAYS!

Unyquity