ADDENDUM for My 2 cents on...WORLD AIDS DAY! This symbol represents the past where death was quickly experienced by many and where death was undiscriminating. It was a holocaust for us in the gay community and nearly wiped us all out in the 80s. Today it exists in countries and locations that do not have access to medications or in countries where individuals can not afford it. Otherwise, AIDS no longer exists and this is thankfully due to many factors such as medication, healthcare management and lifestyle/spiritual management. At this point in time and as of 2014 THREE MAJOR HIGHLIGHTS in the light of progress exists on this front: 1) UNDETECTABLE (being HIV poz but unable to detect the virus in the blood stream) is where HIV infected individuals are encouraged to be within their health status. This is a success as far as HIV is concerned and numerous studies approved by the CDC have been filtered through the media to encourage this level of education. Undetectable individuals are as normal as everyone else and virtually unable to transfer the virus, with or without condoms. 2) PrEP (Truvada, the PreExposure Prophylaxis) has been the star of the year in regards to being able to prevent infection from HIV Positive individuals WHO ARE INFECTIOUS AND MAY NOT KNOW THEIR STATUS. This is where the saying SILENCE = DEATH applies today. 3)HIV is a manageable disease and no different than having to manage diabetes or heart disease, especially once #1 has been accomplished. In Ayurveda/Yoga, we say that diseases are specific to the individuals karma/journey in life and serves as an important opportunity for growth and transformation. We also say in Ayurveda, not what type of disease does a person get but what type of person gets a disease. It has brought us a lesson as a disguised gift in remembering what life is and how we should cherish it, regardless of what the disease is. For many, it becomes/became a Scarlet letter and for others it becomes/became a badge of honor, a calling to those few who would rise up to it and learn from it as a teacher in how to live life fully embodied. Death, for everyone and not just positive individuals, is and has always been the best teacher of how to embrace life within each breath. Lets all remember that its not love that kills but fear that does! Let us all take a moment to acknowledge those who have sacrificed their lives so that many others can live today. Let us remember to enjoy the gift of life every day, regardless of this or other circumstances but simply because it is our divine right to do so as long as we are in these bodies, which are our vehicles for joy, pleasure, celebration of the spirit in a body. Let us also be gentle with one another and in this case lets try not to scorn or ostracize people with HIV and remember that we are all people and deserve love. Its more than enough of a struggle for coming to terms with what it means to be poz and doesnt help when others look as though positive people are diseased, broken, condemned, being punished etc. The gay community itself has created its own means of separation, as has the rest of the world, where HIV Poz individuals, individuals that are Undetectable and/or individuals that are on PrEP are looked down upon and made to feel shameful. The power resides in non-judgment which is non-violent. Any means of separation is another means of creating violence when we hurt someone else. When we hurt someone else intentionally, in essence, we are hurting ourselves. This is primarily a result of a lack of education and complete understanding. This is primarily a result of a lack of self-love. Love heals and lifts us all up. Love brings in Godly/Divine consciousness and anything else is simply rooted in fear which creates separation, which doesnt help anyone. Let us invite in love and let it heal the world! Blessings, health and life filled with love to all of us!
Posted on: Mon, 01 Dec 2014 12:47:37 +0000