STROKE death & rebirth
Stroke Death & Rebirth.
Four years ago while sitting at my desk reviewing the speakers I would finalize for my TEDx Talks Event as a TEDx Licensee and organizer, my life ended and a new one immediately began. I had a severe left brain stroke that destroyed most of my left brain. My left brain went still and quiet, but right brain immediately opened and I was alive again, but now a totally different being.
As they say when one door closes, another door opens .
A Soul Awakens
As I sit here reflecting on the wonder of life I am reminded of how reason logic and words have shaped my journey—how they have both abandoned me and returned to me with renewed purpose. Four years ago, my life changed forever. I experienced a shift of Consciousness that would redefine my understanding of human and divine communication and connection.
It began with a strange sensation coursing through my brain. Moments later, I found myself unable to speak. My world shifted in an instant as I uttered one solitary word: "hospital." Over the next three months, I suffered two more strokes that left me speechless, partially blind in one eye, and struggling to walk straight.
In silence deep, a truth unfolds—
A language is lost but still it holds.
The heart speaks loudly when lips grow still;
Connection blooms through quiet will.
Vulnerability and Connection
In those silent days, I learned the true weight of words—not just their absence but their essence as bridges to others. Vulnerability became my teacher. It courage to expose our inner world to others, yet it is in these moments that true connection is forged.
I recall the desperation of being unable to express myself—the yearning for even one word to escape my lips—and the profound relief when speech started to return. I still struggle to say words. I see them, and remember them, but just see them pass by. This journey taught me that every word carries meaning; every conversation is an opportunity for connection.
In this new consciousness and world I was drawn to meditation. From that I was led further to the teachings of the Ancients of life, and have become a Buddhist yogi, and still a Christian as well. I learned the truths of all religions are the same and although all lead us via different paths to different doors, to the same One Divine Creator.
To bare one's soul in fragile speech,
Is courage rare within our reach.
Through trembling words or silent gaze,
We find connection's healing rays.
The creative power of words and faith.
In ancient India, Greece, and Rome words were revered as tools of democracy and unity. Oratory was not merely an art; it was the lifeblood of civic engagement. Great thinkers like Demosthenes and Pericles wielded language to inspire action and bridge divides within their communities. Their legacy reminds us that effective communication is a timeless force capable of shaping societies.
The Challenges of Modern Communication
Today’s world poses new challenges for communication. Technology has given us unprecedented reach but often at the expense of depth and intimacy. Digital platforms encourage brevity over substance, leading to misunderstandings and polarization—a far cry from the meaningful dialogue practiced by ancient sages.
We speak in fragments short and brief;
Connection fades amidst belief.
Yet still within each fleeting word—
A chance remains to heal what's blurred.
A New Way of Thinking: Right Brain Living
Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor’s Whole Brain Living offers profound insights into right-brain thinking—the intuitive hemisphere that fosters creativity, peace, and interconnectedness. After her own stroke experience, she discovered what she calls the "higher nirvana brain," which transcends linear logic and taps into a state of oneness with all life.
Within the mind's creative stream,
A world unfolds—a lucid dream.
No boundaries bind this sacred space;
Here joy resides in life's embrace.
My Journey Home
Three years after my strokes, I live mostly in my right brain state of consciousness where intuition guides each moment and peace is ever-present. This shift has taught me that we are all capable of living seamlessly connected to divine power, the creative force behind all life.
Eckhart Tolle once said "We must die before we die" to awaken fully into life's wonder. My strokes were my awakening—a death of the human ego-driven existence that gave birth to a higher consciousness rooted in awe and unity with The Word. The Word is not just language; it is creation itself—the eternal force that binds us all.
Steve Monahan
stroke death & rebirth available late fall 2025
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Steve Monahan, Ahimsa Humanitarian Executive Director, Founder .
Beyond zero sum thinking - A Call to Higher Thinking
Inflation, Interest Rate Debates, and the Path to a Better Humanity.
A Balanced Perspective for Today’s America.
Beyond zero sum thinking: A call to a higher thinking
Inflation is more than just prices rising mysteriously—it reflects deep economic forces that affect every American’s daily life and future. Coupled with political debates over interest rates, these issues often seem like a battle with winners and losers. Yet, true progress lies in appreciating multiplicity in viewpoints and fostering open dialogue inspired by the wisdom of ancient orators.
Why Prices Go Up—and Sometimes Down
Inflation means your dollar buys less. Prices rise primarily because:
· Costs increase: Raw materials, energy, and wages go up, pushing businesses to raise prices.
· Demand surpasses supply: If people want more than businesses can provide, prices rise.
· Money supply expansion: When governments inject money or keep interest rates very low, more money chases the same goods.
· External disruptions: Wars, pandemics, or global shocks strain supply chains and increase costs.
Conversely, prices may fall due to oversupply, technological advances improving efficiency, or economic slowdowns reducing demand. However, once prices rise, they seldom return to prior lows, making inflation’s impact persistent.
For many Americans, especially low- and middle-income families and those on fixed incomes, inflation erodes purchasing power, making everyday essentials less affordable. It helps debtors with fixed-rate loans but penalizes savers, undermining financial security.
The Interest Rate Duel: Trump vs. Powell
Recently, the debate between President Trump’s push for deep interest rate cuts and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell’s cautionary stance to hold rates steady epitomizes the tension between short-term relief and long-term stability.
If Trump’s approach wins (lower rates):
· Pros: Cheaper loans, stimulus to the housing market, business investment, and stock prices.
· Cons: Risks reigniting inflation, creating asset bubbles, and damaging Fed credibility if politically influenced.
If Powell’s approach prevails (steady or higher rates):
· Pros: Controls inflation, preserves Fed independence, and maintains long-term economic health.
· Cons: Slower growth, higher borrowing costs, potential job losses, and political backlash.
Balancing inflation risks with growth concerns is a delicate act crucial for America’s economic future.
Historical Lessons: When Rate Policies Harm and Heal
America’s history reveals lessons from past duels between presidents and the Fed:
· Truman vs. Fed (1950s): Fed gained independence, ending damaging inflation and setting modern policy norms.
· Nixon’s era (1970s): Political pressure to keep rates low unleashed “The Great Inflation,” eventually requiring painful recessions to correct.
· Recent Trump vs. Powell tensions: Highlight the ongoing struggle between politics and economic prudence.
Yet, raising or holding rates too high has also caused harm:
· Early 1980s tightening: Stopped inflation but triggered severe recessions and widespread hardship.
· Recent times (2024–2025): Elevated rates slowed job growth, raised unemployment, reduced spending, and squeezed households and businesses.
The key is finding balance—avoiding inflation spirals without crashing growth and jobs.
Beyond Zero-Sum Thinking: A Call to Higher Wisdom
As founder of the Ahimsa Humanitarian Society, you recognize that today’s humanitarian efforts must move beyond lofty ideals to embrace real-world complexities. Likewise, economic debates should transcend the narrow “winner-loser” mindset that traps public discourse.
We must reclaim the ancient Greek ideal of the agora—a respectful space where thinkers debate, explore, and grow together. This cultivates wisdom and solutions that no single viewpoint could achieve alone.
Thoughts to guide us:
· “It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.” — Aristotle
· “When the debate is lost, slander becomes the tool of the loser.” — Socrates
· “Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field. I’ll meet you there.” — Rumi
· “To disagree, one doesn’t have to be disagreeable.” — Barry Goldwater
Embracing these principles fosters empathy, collaborative problem-solving, and a stronger, more resilient society.
Conclusion: Toward a Flourishing Humanity
The dynamics of inflation, interest rates, and political debates profoundly shape American lives. Yet, framing these challenges as battles with absolute winners and losers blinds us to shared truths and potential.
By honoring diverse perspectives, engaging in open, respectful dialogue, and learning from history and timeless wisdom, we build a foundation for policies and actions that enhance both economic stability and human dignity.
True leadership—and humanitarianism—calls for rising above divisiveness to embrace complexity, dialogue, and compassionate understanding. Only then can we nurture an America and a world where every person’s well-being flourishes.
Steve Monahan, Director, Ahimsa Humanitarian Society