Yoga is a wonderful tool to regain or maintain serenity in your life, even when all around you are bent on working havoc.

Travis Eliot told a Zen story during my practice this morning. It is about a student who was holding onto pain. The Zen Master handed him a cup and poured boiling hot tea inside. The Teacher told the student to hold the cup; do not let go.

Eventually, the boiling hot water in the cup burned the student’s hands so badly, he dropped the cup. It hit the floor, smashing into pieces.

The Zen Master said, “see, it is not so difficult to let go.”

The story is well taken; but I don’t think “letting go” is the answer to the pain that corrupt judges and lawyers cause.

There is a way to set the cup down gently, and let it cool off. Then you can sip in the often-medicinal brew.

There is a paradox created when Corporate America causes angst in the common person, the kind of person who can’t afford an attorney.

The commoner must represent himself in court but is stressed out already.

My experience is that judges won’t give pro se litigant’s time to recover from mental or physical illness before proceeding. If an attorney for the moneyed elite falls ill, no problem. There are other attorneys in the firm that can step in. Sometimes the judge will allow an attorney time to recover from illness or even to handle family issues. Judge Lee P. Rudofsky did not heed my pleas for time to heal, but when attorney James Trefil’s wife was in the hospital, the judge allowed him an extension without a motion (just email), reasoning Mr. Trefil knew the case better than his co-counsel from Troutman Pepper and Rose Law Firm. I once asked Judge Linda Lopez for an extension by email, because I was extremely ill. Judge Lopez said she was ignoring the request because I did not file a proper motion.

My suggestion to pro se litigants who are struggling with stress or debilitating fatigue is to make a formal motion for a stay. I know, how can you write even a simple one paragraph document if you can’t lift your head off the pillow? I don’t know if the law will allow for the stay, but I know that you should document each issue to preserve it for appeal.

Maybe a pro se litigant can bring the question up to the Supreme Court. Is a mentally or physically ill pro se litigant represented by incompetent counsel?

Much health. Much wealth. Much love.

Laura