Learning to Bootstrap My Way Through Life

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I had a serious fall from a tree  (see www.redha.net) at the end of year three elementary or at the beginning of year four.  It disturbed the alignment of my right side and caused a lot of pain when walking. Even though I had no illusions about my father's care for me, I still ventured a request to be sent and picked up from school.  After all, he sent my sisters all the time.  Predictably, all he said was: concentrate on your breathing and be very quiet and still till you could hear your own heartbeat.  That way your pain would become secondary.  


Maybe there was something in his suggestion.  After all the eavesdropping that I had done, I concluded that he was somewhat of a warrior in his younger days.  I was determined to go to school.  Thus I walked to school and back, completely still, focused on my breathing, listening intently to my heartbeat.  I also decided that no one who did not love me had any right to hurt me.


Words that hurt were completely ignored.  I also tried my best to run away from any beatings.  Once he was angry and wanted to cane me, but I jumped out of a window and broke my left thumb.  But at least I hurt myself, not somebody else who did it.  I practiced my escapes, choosing which trees to climb and hide in.


He used to call me "Lembik! Lemah semangat!" (Somewhat like useless sissy).  Later he changed to "Hati keras macam batu!" (Your heart is as hard as stone).  That gave me great satisfaction, it felt like I had been promoted to a higher rank :-)


Even though I still managed to walk and run, my walk was no longer right.  For two or three years, till I went to boarding school, I had to contend with the chanting of "Tonggek! Tonggek!" (The buttocks protruded to the back).  The breathing technique I learned from my father allowed me to get by.


It turns out that focusing on one’s breathing is an ancient technique used in many cultures to quell stress and bring on the parasympathetic central nervous system on board.  Therapists, healers, yogis still rely on slow rhythmic breathing in helping clients manage stress.  


https://youtu.be/_xQJ2O4b5TMd


https://youtu.be/gz4G31LGyog


And here is the intriguing “Iceman “ Wim Hof, who claims that you can heal any disease through his method of breathing 


https://youtu.be/0BNejY1e9ik



Websites: www.distilledmoment.com

                 www.redha.net

Email.    : distilledmoment@gmail.com

Instagram username : halijah.mohd

Twitter handle: @distilledmom



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