Up From
Paralysis
a true story
Joseph Seiler
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Copyright 2013 Joseph Seiler.
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The author of this book does not dispense medical advice or prescribe the use of any technique as a form of treatment for physical, emotional, or medical problems without the advice of a physician, either directly or indirectly. The intent of the author is only to offer information of a general nature to help you in your quest for emotional and spiritual well-being. In the event you use any of the information in this book for yourself, which is your constitutional right, the author and the publisher assume no responsibility for your actions.
Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.
Certain stock imagery Thinkstock.
Name of Editor; Nancy Roberts, Dartmouth Nova Scotia
ISBN: 978-1-4525-7478-3 (sc)
ISBN: 978-1-4525-7480-6 (hc)
ISBN: 978-1-4525-7479-0 (e)
Library of Congress Control Number: 2013909466
Balboa Press rev. date: 6/5/2013
Table of Contents
Dedicated to
Barb
My life partner
Who endured and stayed
Even though as helpless as I
To do anything about it
Thank you, dear Barb
J oseph has been a friend for close to twenty years now. It was our professional careers that first brought us together. Here we were, two electrical engineers collaborating on a project to be the first in the world to use satellite technology for reading utility meters. We thought we were on the precipice of technology. Yet, looking back, neither of us owned a cell phone, let alone would have predicted the unbelievable functionality that exists in them today.
Joe and I clicked. And since the early 90s we have gone overnight wilderness camping together, run together in the blistering heat and the freezing cold. We attended the same church, my wife and I attended the Seilers amazing themed charity dinner parties and for three years, Joe was my coach. During this time we talked for fifteen minutes to an hour every single week.
From all of these adventures, there is one thing about Joseph Seiler for which I am most grateful he made me look at myself differently and look at my role in the world differently. Thank you for that, Joe. And thank you for not forcing this self-reflection upon me. Thank you for your gentle nudges instead, disguised as insightful questions.
In Up From Paralysis , Joe shares a very personal experience that has deeply touched him. He has taken this experience and invited us to join in his journey to seek and to wonder what it all means. You will never hear him telling you what you should do or think, but youll feel some gentle nudges.
Joes unique perspective on the world is empowering. He offers some thoughts and insights, and in his true humble fashion would not think that what he has learned would absolutely apply to you or to me. Further, he confesses that he has much to learn and does not purport to have it all figured out.
I respect his humility, but frankly, this book does have something for you.
You will see the world differently after sharing in Joes journey. I am not sure what you will take away from his surreal GBS experience but you cannot read this story and be unchanged.
You might find rekindled hope or pick up a neat trick to help you sleep instead of tossing and turning. Joe is a master at noticing what is invisible to others and then revealing it to them. He does not disappoint. Watch him as you read .
I know the next time I pick up this book I will find something totally new in the pages as if it had not been there when I read it last. As you read, take from Joes experience what is there for you and enjoy getting to know yourself better through the experiences of this courageous man and wonderful human being (and enjoy getting to know Joseph).
Steve Foran
The Gratitude Guy
Halifax, Nova Scotia
www.steveforan.com
Up From Paralysis
T he probability of experiencing the disease GBS, twice in a lifetime, is less than 1 in 1,000,000. It happened to me.
I became severely paralyzed and my mind became ultra aware of receiving messages in the form of dreams and words and felt sense, from what I believe is the Divine speaking directly to me. The two events of paralysis occurred over a period of 13 years, during which I continued to gain clarity in the interpretation of those messages. The second instance of GBS occurred in 2013 and it greatly enhanced and solidified my understanding. The paramount message is that there is a way to communicate, receive Guidance, from a Source greater than human, that is available to all. My experience of learning about this is shared in these pages.
I have come up from paralysis in both the physical sense and in my clarity about what Divine is and how It works. I am no guru, but rather a fellow human being who had an extraordinary experience that increased my clarity and my happiness in life. One of the messages to me was that I write this book to share my discoveries with you.
Up From Paralysis is about getting really clear about what I am (you are).
About getting really clear about what I (you) want.
About getting ever more clear about how to go and get what I (you) want.
About living my (your) life viewed through the lens of clarity gained through the Guidance available to us all.
And about the GBS journeys wherein I twice experienced paralysis and recovery, in a strangely joyful way.
I was born of immigrant parents and spoke other than English for the first five years of my life. My father passed when I was only thirteen years old. We lived on welfare and the kind assistance of others until I left home to join the Navy as an ROTP graduate in engineering. Until then I had little understanding or regard or time for things spiritual. I mowed lawns, shoveled snow, delivered flyers and shared a paper route in order to keep up with friends who got an allowance of a massive $5 every week. I started smoking at age eleven and had been to juvenile court three times by the time I was fifteen, plus, once spent a few nights in a juvenile detention center (that was a game-changing bad place and I am grateful now that I was sent there).
My school marks were generally excellent. School was easy, almost boring at times. I had a lot of spare capacity to use for getting myself into trouble. I finally changed and became a better contributor to the family. I was the oldest of four and my European Mom really was not comfortable without a man around to do the man stuff, though she was one tough person, a real she-bear, when it came to going to bat for her children.
Once married, Barb and I moved to the other end of the country and began parenting three beautiful girls (Carmen, Cathy, Leslie) in our new home together. I became curious about all this religion stuff at age twenty-six. Actually, I became quite inconvenienced that I had to strip out of my coveralls, get washed up and go to church in the middle of my enjoyments working on cars. Yet, as a logical type and somewhat practical, even if not always careful, I decided that I ought to check out this God thing, just in case there was something to it. I was having this thought walking down the road on a bright clear day and formed the idea of asking for a sign. A drop of water landed squarely on my head. No, not a bird, I wiped it and smelled it. It was water. No overhead wires or tree branches, no source for this large water droplet. Wow, ask for a sign, boom, sign delivered. What was this?
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