The Yoga Sutras

(I write this as I wait for paint to dry on some final touches of a painting I'm working on..)

The Yoga Sutras by Patanjali sit in the corner of my belief foundation like a thick granite block. So many versions are out there, translations that is, and one of them particularly sticks out... but I can't seem to find it anymore. ARG. I printed it out, so luckily I have a copy of this favoured version, and I intend to publish my own interpretation of it.

Here are some free online versions you can peruse. Some of them have completely been changed to house different schools of thought.. I don't know if I agree with that, but I want to give variety here.
The Yoga Aphorisms of Patanjali
The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali translated by Charles Johnston
The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali as translated by "BonGiovanni"
The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali-Yoga.Org
The Yoga Sutras as translated by Chester Messenger
The Yoga Sutras as translated by Sanderson Beck
The Yoga Sutras as translated by Tibetan Master Djwhal Kuhl (I Really like this one)

Ok that's enough example ;)

Now, I hope to interpret it without using Gods or Psychic phenomena.. No new age flare, just basic and concise. To make it available to anyone, not just those who've studied the Sutras.

Invisible Illness Links

Here are the links that were on my retired fibro website :) (I'm incorporating the site into this blog, I just don't have the energy for too many blogs)

FMS/CFS/Invisible Illness Links:

(ever growing!)

• FMS/CFS Foothold


• Open Letter to Those Without FMS/CFS the letter that started the watershed of other fms/cfs letters.


• Ten Resolutions is an essential read, an excellent site. Make sure you read this.


• A Hummingbirds Guide To M.E. (FMS)


• FMS-CFS Canada "Compassion in Action" has great information and resources.


• Fibro/Myofascial Pain Syndrome/TMJ at the Invisible Disabilities Association of Canada.


• Advice to a New Patient By Bruce Campbell (no, not Ash)


• Immune Support.com FMS/CFS News, articles, chat, etc. Great!


• Chronic Pain Haven - articles on chronic pain.


• Paintracking.Com is an excellent guide to FMS. It also has links to warn you again questionable products and services/treatments. Excellent.



• Quackwatch is an essential site that talks about dubious treatments, products, etc. Good to check out weird therapies.



• Pain.Com This page will be profiled on the blog when I have time, but if you need to find a pain clinic - this is the place. A must for pain sufferers, visit the Site Map to take full advantages of this site..


• CFS and The Alexander Technique by Martin Finnegan


• Friends and Kindness By Mary Campbell


• Managing My Fibromyalgia also visit the "Flare-Up Management article here which has good ideas.



Fibro Weblogs



• Pain News and Updates super!


• Fibromyalgia weblog by Gambling Housewife is a great fibro blog with news, personal experience, and more. Love it.


• Borg of Space is a cool blog about Ingeborg, who has severe ME in the Netherlands.


• Girl Interrupted is a sweet weblog written by a girl in her late twenties. She has a good proactive attitude, too!


• Fibromyalgia Weekly is a new weekly Podcast (audio, you can download the mp3 files) on FMS and CFS. A must-hear.

ProHealth Newsletter FM Edition AND new links to go to the sidebar

Hey All,

I love the Prohealth newsletters. I suggest you enroll. They also have a great CFS Newsletter that I get. It's often, informative, and reminds you to keep on researching, reading, and hoping.

Click here to visit Prohealth

Here's a great "coping corner" at Immune support too:

Click here to visit the Coping Corner

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"Critical New Piece of Fibromyalgia Puzzle Found?

Pieces of the Fibromyalgia puzzle are slowly falling into place, and researchers are moving toward a unified theory that explains the etiology and pathogenesis of the disease.

While the conviction among the majority of Fibromyalgia researchers is that Fibromyalgia represents a significant sensitization of the brain and spinal cord, some leading researchers have recently formed a theory that takes the "Sensitization Theory" a step further, to what can be called the "Hippocampus Hypothesis" or "Dopamine Hypothesis." This fascinating theory states that FM is primarily a brain dysfunction resulting from stress-induced physiological changes to a part of the brain called the hippocampus and to the important neurotransmitter that it regulates - dopamine.

Specifically, the hippocampus is extremely sensitive to stress, and in fact is the brain organ that enables us to respond to environmental stressors in a way that helps us avoid danger. The best example of the beneficial stress response is when our ancestors crossed paths with a saber tooth tiger - an immediate "fight or flight" response was mandatory to ensure survival. Studies have shown that chronic stress, however, can contribute to a disruption of normal hippocampus function. The hippocampus plays a major role in pain perception and memory formation, and it is involved in controlling the production of that crucial brain neurotransmitter, dopamine. Dopamine abnormalities have been linked to "restless leg syndrome," increased pain, and feelings of self doubt, anxiety, and problems with memory formation.

If the "Dopamine Hypothesis" is correct, then it is reasonable to assume that drugs that restore normal dopamine levels and activity in the brain should have a therapeutic effect when administered to Fibromyalgia patients.

And this is where the "Dopamine Hypothesis" picks up steam. Andrew Holman, MD, recently conducted a controlled, double blind study of the drug pramipexole with several Fibromyalgia patients. Pramipexole, sold under the brand name Mirapex™, is approved for treatment for Parkinson's disease - a primary dopamine disorder. Patients experienced significant improvement in their symptoms. Another drug that affects dopamine and has been approved by the FDA as a treatment for restless legs syndrome - ropinirole - also met with remarkable success in another recent Fibromyalgia study conducted by Dr. Holman.

All told, the Dopamine Hypothesis looks promising for several reasons. It ties in nicely to the pathogenesis of the disease - that the onset of Fibromyalgia frequently occurs during times of prolonged or intense emotional or physical stress, when the hippocampus may become overworked and become dysfunctional as a result. And it ties into the fact that dopamine, which is largely regulated by the hippocampus, may cause many of the symptoms of Fibromyalgia when its levels are unregulated.

I would like to acknowledge Patrick B. Wood, MD, and Dr. Holman for their brilliant work with brain imaging, neurotransmitter physiology, and creative pharmaceutical approaches to normalizing/regulating dopamine in Fibromyalgia. Their work has proven beneficial to many Fibromyalgia patients and may hold promise for treatment of millions more. I applaud their bold, creative, and compassionate work.

Dr. Wood explains the Dopamine Hypothesis in easy-to-understand language, using computer generated graphics and patient and doctor interviews in the acclaimed Fibromyalgia DVD "Fibromyalgia: Show Me Where It Hurts" To purchase a copy of this DVD, please visit the ProHealth store.

Wishing you health and hope,

Rich Carson
ProHealth Founder and CFS Patient"

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Fibro: links for coping with invisible illnesses

Part of this site will be about how to network a support team and create a healing synergy with this web of information. The most important part of your team is you, the patient, as you have to deal with your illness 24/7/365.
I want to provide you with the links I have found in my research, as well as topic-specific sites to broaden your own search. These link posts will be ever-growing, as I find more links and as you suggest more links.

Specific Topic: Coping with Invisible Illnesses

Ten Resolutions (as featured in the sidebar links) has a great article about Coping with Invisible Illness which I see as a wonderful springboard for working out several issues in this category. It is a thought-provoking read, but also offers steps to help the patient. Love it.

Invisible Illnesses, Visible Stereotypes is a touching article about prejudice against patients suffering from Invisible Illness. The author suffers from several invisible illnesses and has experience in the matter.

Invisible Illness and Handicapped Parking is an important look at what some of us with I.Illnesses face: sometimes we need handicapped parking, but we "LOOK" fine! A very important article. In the same subject, and equally as good, Privilege and Prejudice: Disabled Parking with an Invisible Illness is an excellent article.

Invisible Illnesses @ Mychronicillness.com is jam packed with great articles, and if you navigate to Invisible Chronic Illness Week outreach you can find ways to help bring about awareness. See the banner below? That's from said website.

Invisible Disabilities Association of Canada has events, articles, and a cute turtle mascot ;)

A poem about invisible illnesses. Very touching, sad, and yet still remains hopeful. I believe that knowing others know exactly how you feel helps you know that you have an army of other people behind you. It's important to feel that empowerment.

ButYouDontLookSick.com is a site all about ivisible illnesses that includes an extensive and helpful Forum/Message Board.

Invisible Illnesses and Disabilities is a great article about one woman's struggle with the prejudice surrounding Invisible Illnesses, and the wisdom she accumulated from that struggle. This is also a good article for so-called "normals" who need to understand what we go through (as are all of the links in this post).

For Christians with invisible illnesses, here is an e-list support group just for you, Christians with Invisible Illness, a Yahoo! Group.

K, I need to rest and take my own advice! I'll post more later :)