In the spring of 1986, in Vail, Colorado, John was inspired with another view of the original paradigm. Sharing his thoughts about what he had seen, Regina immediately concurred, and we proceeded to flesh out the image.

What we saw was that the key difference between illness and wellness - regardless of the point on the continuum at which a person may be physically - is the direction in which they are facing: toward high-level wellness or toward premature death.

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Think of the continuum as a pathway. People can be going in either direction on the path. A person who is physically in good health, but always complaining or worrying may be on the right of the neutral point, but definitely facing toward the left - toward premature death. Conversely, another person, whose body is handicapped physically or mentally, can still have a genuinely positive outlook, be cultivating love instead of fear and, consequently, be facing to the right, in the direction of high-level wellness.

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