Interstitial Cystitis Advice

It seems these days Zen has become something of a five-dollar word, used for a vast and almost dizzying array of subjects. The computer programming community was quick to adopt it, as was the online dating world, and a bevy of other groups, organizations, and individuals. But what is Zen? And what role can it play in your daily life, and even how you manage your IC?

To begin with this article is not intended to give religious instruction, but to show how many of the principles of Zen can prove beneficial to everybody. From a spiritual and historical viewpoint Zen is a sect of Mahayana Buddhism that is thought to have developed in India around the sixth century AD before spreading to other parts of Asia, namely Japan and China. This importation of Zen is first accredited to a Zen practitioner named Bodhidharma. Zen in further split into two main schools of thought, Soto Zen and Rinzai Zen. The focal aspect of religious Zen is a form of meditation called zazen. Zazen is aimed at freeing the mind from its thoughts and conceptions and burdens. As well Zen places high importance on enlightenment, and rational and concise thought derived from religious and intellectual study and ritual. Zen Buddhism is big on a concept called “koan”. A koan is an enigmatic saying, short story or riddle (often a paradox) that is given to students of Zen to ponder and meditate on.

Koans are designed to cause the thinker to go beyond their normal way of viewing things, to expand their realm of logic and help one to become more open minded. Perhaps the most famous koan is “What is the sound of one hand clapping”, in deciphering and reflecting on the koans the aim is to become more insightful. As they have no correct or wrong answer, the ideology behind koans is to expand your mind and look at things from new perspectives.

I particularly like the modern day description of Zen that I came across on (which is actually a site for a company that makes musical equipment) it states that:

“[Zen is] Something so different, no one could predict it
It transcends language and communication
And affects the most basic instincts and being
Allowing you to truly be yourself and be at one with all the universe”



Before this turns into a history lesson, let's ponder the root of what Zen stands for - to enlighten one’s mind and to find inner peace and wisdom (essentially the same principles behind Buddhism in general). Whether you view Zen as a religion or a philosophy it’s ways of observing the world and living your daily life can be inspiration and thought provoking to all of us.

Many stories and koans abound in Zen and it is wise to take some time and read though some of them, just by focusing your thoughts on a question which is out side of your normal thought process it will give you a chance to hone your mind on things other than the problems/concerns/worries/etc that you may be dealing with.

But life is not as simple as green tea and calm thoughts, and many things will come along and disrupt whatever sense of balance you have in your life. This is normal, this life after all and no one can see any further into the future than the moment we are living in now. So in this moment it is often a good idea to try and create as much calm and serenity as is possible. I know, I know not so easy when you’re in massive amounts of pain and you are forever going to the bathroom, as well as dealing with a host of other ICC symptoms. And sometimes no matter how hard you try you can’t “Ohmmm” your way out of a rough moment or feeling or day, that’ alright.

When I can though, I like to take a few moments and calmly meditate. Meditation can be whatever you want it to be. You don’t have to be in a Buddhist temple or surrounded by lotus blossoms, or even sitting with your legs crossed in that pretzel like fashion (be especially careful when trying this, the stretching and bending required might hurt your bladder). Mediation can be as simple as secluding yourself in quiet spot, closing your eyes and relaxing your breathing. Try not to focus on what your body feels or the scads upon scads of thoughts that will inevitably try to bombard your tranquillity. As each thought comes in I like to breath in deeply and exhale, focusing on the rhythm of my breathing and how it reverberates through out my body. I try to do this for at least ten minutes a day, often when I wake and when I go to bed. It is remarkably simple and remarkably calming; on nights of insomnia it has sometimes even gotten me to sleep.

I find that if I am stressed to the hills, reflecting on serenity can put things in better perspective and often charge my depleted energy levels (as anybody with one or more chronic illnesses will tell you, energy is a very precious commodity).

If it helps you to relax and focus your attention away from the traffic for your mind, you may want to ponder a koan or a small question/riddle, Zen or otherwise. Originally koans came from a book called “Shaseki-shu” or in English, the “Collection of Stone and Sand”, written in the 13th century by a Japanese Zen instructor named Muju. Many sites online and many books can be found with these traditional koans but (with all do respect to the traditional koans and Zen teachings) I have written some of my own, for those of us with IC, perhaps you too will find them worth thinking over as you seek serenity and inner peace.

IC Koans:

-A new ICer approached a veteran ICer and asked why this (IC) had happened to them? What had they done to deserve this?
“ You are not the recipient of punishment,” replied the senior ICer “IC has happened to you, and now you must discover why.”

-If a roll of toilet paper falls in the bathroom and no one is there to hear it, does it make a sound?

-If all we know is in our mind, where does our heart exist?

-Sometimes the loudest sound in the universe is silence.

-An ICer told each of their four closest friends about his/her IC and this is what each friend replied:

Friend one: “Will you still be able to go partying with me?”
Friend two: “ Does this mean you can’t play on my softball team any more”
Friend three: “If you’re sick all the time, can you hold down a job?”
Friend four: “Do you think you will be able to date anymore?”

To each question the ICer shock their head and said “perhaps”.
A stranger over heard the conversation and approached the IC, “May I give you a hug?” the stranger asked.
“Yes”, the ICer said nodding his/her head, for it took someone who did not know them to understand what the ICer really needed to hear.

-The body develops IC and the soul learns new ways to say, “I see”.

Perhaps you have your own koans, your own ways of being Zen. For Zen does not have to mean that you reach some mythical plain of enlightenment but that you take time to be at peace with yourself and to reflect deeply on the basic ways we all think and feel. Try to look at each new obstacle and challenge as something from which you will learn and prosper in terms of wisdom and experience. Embrace Zen where and when you can, for each of needs all the serenity that we can discover.