Transforming adversity
Cheri Langston 
On Taking Illness Onto the Path 
Feb 6, 2021 
The following is extracted and lightly edited from an email we received from one of the Abbey’s volunteers. For years she helped us by sending books and writing to incarcerated people. When she became ill, she had to resign, but you can see by this email that her Dharma practice is excelling.
I’m not going to write a long message because I can’t. The vestibular/ hemiplegic complex migraine problems really complicate life. And it is now an every-single-day occurrence. Some moments are more intense than others. But all of them are good. Really. I have to say that this sickness has been a real, true, absolute blessing because it has enabled me to practice all the teachings.
Only because of the teachings, it’s a joy to me that I am able to work with my mind so very well even when anxiety/fear/reactions rise with unbelievable force in the body as they often do when my legs go limp, or my heart starts racing, or my vision goes, or I hit a wall, or I can’t sit with neck pain. It’s all a fiesta of sorts. < smiles>. I never really know what’s going to show up. But I am ready.
As I say, this is all thanks to the Dharma, thanks to amazing teachers like Venerable, His Holiness, all of you at the Abbey, and so many more wonderful Dharma teachers.
I just wanted to give you a deep thank you. I watch the YouTube talks on the TV, so I can stay mostly away from the computer. And every single talk—the short ones you give before lunch and the longer ones on a Dharma text—is very much appreciated.
Thank you so much for your friendship over the years and for your wisdom and love and kindness! What a treasure!
Cheri Langston
Cheri Langston was born in South Africa in 1956. She is a mother and grandmother. She moved to America in 1997. Shortly thereafter, she began searching for more information on reincarnation and how life worked. She found teachings by His Holiness the Dalai Lama on dependent origination and began to read everything she could get her hands on by him. She took refuge in 2005 with Khensur Rinpoche Lobsang Chonjor Pal Sangpo and has been studying and practicing Buddhism ever since. Later, she moved to Spokane to be near Sravasti Abbey and Venerable Chodron, whose teachings have guided her ever since. She has also studied with other wonderful Dharma teachers and feels unbelievably fortunate to have such precious opportunities ripen in her life.
