Bhaktin Marie: Following a presentation to healthcare professionals in North Florida in February of this year, Dr. D. B. Wolf (Dhira Govinda dasa), founder of Satvatove Institute, was asked to be the keynote speaker at the annual conference of the Florida Nurses Association- South Region. Below are excerpts of his talk, on April 13, 2013, in Davie, Florida, with more than 300 attendees.<\/p>\n
Dr. Wolf: \u201cThe title of the presentation is Conscious Communication in Healthcare. When I think of \u2018healthcare\u2019, the first thing that comes to mind is \u2018Who are we caring for?\u2019\u2026 If I say, \u2018I hurt my finger\u2019\u2026Are you caring for my finger, or are you caring for the owner of the finger? \u2018My finger.\u2019 \u2018My leg.\u2019 These words indicate that there is the leg, and the owner of the leg. Who are we caring for? That\u2019s a key question.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn Satvatove Institute, – (Some may ask, \u2018What\u2019s Satvatove\u2019\u2026Satvatove is a word I made up about 12 years ago. It\u2019s composed of two words from ancient languages. \u2018Sattva\u2019, from the ancient Sanskrit, means \u2018goodness\u2019, or \u2018enlightenment\u2019. And \u2018tov\u2019, like \u2018Mazel tov\u2019, means something similar in Biblical Hebrew. So, we are endeavoring to bring goodness and enlightenment to the world through the programs of Satvatove Institute.) The programs of Satvatove Institute- Spiritually-based personal and group transformation through empowered communication, courageous introspection and purposeful action- We start with \u2018spiritually-based\u2019. That\u2019s like the \u20181\u2019 in front of a string of \u20180s\u2019. Let\u2019s say that we have a string of \u20180\u2019s. Twenty 0s. What\u2019s it worth? What\u2019s the value? \u20180\u2019. Now, if we put the 1 in front, then the 0s take on value. We can conceive of the 0s as different areas of life- like physical fitness, or economic development; and the \u20181\u2019 is the self-realization element. It\u2019s realizing who we are, as the owner of the finger, who we are as the owner of the leg.<\/p>\n
\u2018Spiritual\u2019, for some, can have various mystical, or vague connotations. So, to get a solid understanding of what we mean, by \u2018spiritual\u2019, is vital, in healthcare, because if we\u2019re talking about healing, the healing force, the healing power- it\u2019s not the finger, it\u2019s not the leg, it\u2019s not in the parts of matter. It\u2019s in that non-material component.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019d like you to imagine that you\u2019re looking at a picture of yourself, at a photo of yourself, from when you were five years old. So, when you\u2019re looking at this picture, do you say, \u2018Who is this person? Who is this stranger?\u2019 No. You say \u2018That\u2019s me, when I was 5\u2019. \u2018That\u2019s David when I was 5. That\u2019s Brenda, that\u2019s Beverly, That\u2019s Jim, That\u2019s Carol. That\u2019s Robert. That\u2019s me, when I was 5.\u2019 Now, we know from science, from chemistry, that there\u2019s not one molecule that was there in the body when you were 5, that\u2019s part of your body now. Still, we say \u2018Oh, that\u2019s me.\u2019 That indicates that the body is completely changed, the physical has completely changed. And still, there\u2019s some constant identity that I call \u2018me\u2019, that is completely, intrinsically non-physical. And it is this non-physical self that is the focus, in our Satvatove programs- it is that entity that remains constant through all the physical changes, that remains constant- that\u2019s the essence, that\u2019s the \u20181\u2019 in front of the 0s. Whether we\u2019re talking about finances, or healthcare, or career, that\u2019s the \u20181\u2019 that gives meaning\u2026..<\/p>\n
\u201cA few weeks ago I visited the Philadelphia area with my daughter Sita. It was the unveiling of my father. The unveiling is a ceremony at the gravesite, one year after someone passes away. So we went, and visited my sister, and cousins. On the plane ride, my daughter and I, we were speaking. And we were speaking that one year ago, almost to the day, I had received a call, from one of the Hospice nurses, and she said \u2018Come up. Your dad\u2019s about to pass away.\u2019 So, we got on a plane. We live in North Florida. Gainesville, Florida, to Philadelphia. And, when we went up this time, we were speaking about that time, a year ago\u2026And we got to my father\u2019s room\u2026.And everyone there, family, medical staff, everyone was saying, \u2018He was supposed to pass away 12, 15 hours ago\u2026but even though he was incapacitated, he was waiting for you (Sita and David).\u2019 \u2018It\u2019s phenomenal\u2019, they were saying, \u2018miraculous..\u2019 So, we came in, and immediately we made a beeline to his bed. There he was, lying on his bed. Incapacitated, apparently. Apparently not conscious. And actually we chanted some ancient mantras, from ancient wisdom traditions\u2026\u2019Mantra\u2019 means a sound vibration that is meant to deliver the mind and consciousness from material entanglement, and connect us with our process of self-realization, realizing who we are, as the owner of the finger, with ourselves, as the inhabitant of the body.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, these were mantras especially intended for the time when the self passes away from the body. Actually, the place was called the Abramson House, outside of Philadelphia, and, even though the Abramson House is from the Jewish community, many of the medical staff were not from that community, and they went to Sita, my daughter, who is in her early 20s, and they assumed, and asked, whether she was saying some Jewish prayers. She was chanting these mantras from the Vedic tradition. \u2018Veda\u2019 means knowledge, relating to universal spiritual principles. We were chanting these mantras intensely for about 45 minutes.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd my father, even though he was incapacitated, he turned to us, he turned to us, consciously and deliberately, and he looked at Sita, and he gave acknowledgement that this is what he was waiting for, and then he turned back, and then, and then, he left his body. And so, my daughter and I we were talking about that time, as we were travelling up to Philadelphia for the unveiling. And so we were saying, \u2018Grandpop was there. Grandpop was there. And then he wasn\u2019t there. He was gone. But he was right there, he was right there. He was still on the bed. He was right there. No, he wasn\u2019t there anymore. The finger was there. The arms and legs were there. But he wasn\u2019t there. Something left.\u2019<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, \u2018healthcare\u2019. Who are we caring for? Who are we caring for? If we\u2019re not conscious of that, it can be a bunch of 0s, a string of 0s. A similar example we can give- I drove here today, with my assistant Marie\u2026I drove here in a Toyota. Let\u2019s say, I\u2019m driving in a Toyota, here in Davie, Florida, and I\u2019m thinking \u2018I\u2019m Japanese\u2019, because this body, this vehicle, was made in Japan\u2026and let\u2019s say that tomorrow, we drive back to Gainesvlle, Florida, and we rent a Volkswagen, and we think \u2018We\u2019re German\u2019. We get to Gainesville and we get into a Ford, and I think \u2018I\u2019m American\u2019. So, we might think, \u2018That\u2019s kind of ridiculous, David\u2019. But I\u2019m asserting that that\u2019s what we\u2019re doing. That\u2019s what we\u2019re doing. If I\u2019m thinking I\u2019m white, I\u2019m black, I\u2019m woman, I\u2019m man, I\u2019m Jew, I\u2019m an Arab, I\u2019m American, I\u2019m Russian, I\u2019m five foot 10- well, five foot nine to be more honest- so, that\u2019s identifying with the temporary. It\u2019s the same as if I\u2019m identifying that this car is red, and so I\u2019m red. Not that we want to neglect the body. We take care of our car so it can support me in a smooth ride from, south Florida to north Florida, ..and if in taking care of the car and if in using the car to take me to my destination- If in taking care of it and using it, I think that I am the car, or anything connected with it, \u2018I\u2019m a 4-door; I\u2019m a 2-door\u2019. That\u2019s illusion, and how much happiness is possible, if it\u2019s based in illusion? In the Satvatove environment, in all of our programs, whether it\u2019s our books, or our keynote presentation, or seminars\u2026we do everything from 45 minute presentations to 11 day intensive self-realization seminars. This is the focus of our endeavors.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur stance is that this process to understand who we are; this process of self-realization- This represents the most sublime purpose of human life. An example- let\u2019s say that I was to purchase a state of the art computer\u2026I spend a lot of money and I get this big desktop computer\u2026 You come to my house, and you see that I\u2019m using the computer as a doorstop. So you say, \u2018Uh, David, what\u2019s going on there?\u2019 I say, \u2018Look, it works great, because if the door wants to close, it won\u2019t close, because the computer\u2019s there.\u2019 You say, \u2018Yeah, well, you can use the computer for that. But you know, you can use this thing for much higher level functions. You can use it to write a book, for desktop publishing, for so many things\u2026\u2019<\/p>\n
\u201cTeilhard de Chardin said \u2018We\u2019re not human beings having a spiritual experience; we\u2019re spiritual beings having a human experience.\u2019 As spiritual beings having a human experience, we get to use this form, this human form and intelligence, for the process of self-realization, and if we use it only for stuff that, say, animals and plants can do- different forms of eating, sleeping, defending..maybe an animal defends with its claws, and we defend with a clever rationalization, or a thermonuclear device, qualitatively it\u2019s the same activity. So, how effectively, efficiently, are we using this special, human form? To what extent might we be using the computer as a doorstop?<\/p>\n
\u201cIn Satvatove, we focus on communication. The book out there is called Relationships That Work: The Power of Conscious Living- How Transformative Communication Can Change Your Life. Transformative Communication, not just a set of communication skills or techniques. It\u2019s a communication-based approach to self-realization, to supporting ourselves, in our internal conversation, and in our relationships, creating an environment, that\u2019s conducive for putting the 1 in front of the 0s, in all areas of our life. It is said, the quality of our communication is the quality of our life. Communication with others, in every area, whether it\u2019s where we play, where we pray, where we work, where we serve\u2026and communication with ourselves\u2026the spiritual principle is that things go from subtle to gross, from subtle to external. So, if I\u2019m communicating with myself \u2018I\u2019m not lovable\u2019, I\u2019ll make that true\u2026things go from subtle to external. \u2018See, he rejected me. She doesn\u2019t like me.\u2019<\/p>\n
\u201cThe non-material entity, that living force, the owner of the finger- that\u2019s the healing potency. The body is made of dead matter. The healing potency is in the living force. That\u2019s the healing potency. So, we get to learn to be touchstones for transformation; touchstones for consciousness transformation\u2026by learning the art of transformative communication, so that in any interaction, the healing potency of the self comes out\u2026and research has shown, that when that healing potency goes from dormant to active, whether it\u2019s in regards to cancer, or heart disease, then healing happens, because we\u2019re unleashing the nature of spirit to heal and grow.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur opportunity is to not let expertise replace empathy\u2026to use each situation to see the opportunity to bring out the actual healing potency, that\u2019s the spiritual potency, that cit potency, the healing potency within each individual.\u201d<\/p>\n
After Dr. Wolf\u2019s talk, one hospital administrator approached him and exclaimed, \u201cThat was beyond awesome!!\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Bhaktin Marie: Our opportunity is to not let expertise replace empathy\u2026to use each situation to see the opportunity to bring out the actual healing potency, that\u2019s the spiritual potency, that cit potency, the healing potency within each individual<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[93],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11560","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-blog-thoughts"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11560","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=11560"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11560\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=11560"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=11560"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=11560"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}