Guest Blog: Eduardo Xol Speaks about Balance and Lupus

Today's guest blog comes from Eduardo Xol, Walk for Lupus Now Grand Marshal.

Back in the Spring of this year, Lupus Now magazine did a cover story on my sister, Monica, and on how our family has rallied around her in light of her lupus diagnosis. The article talked about the Zen garden I started for my sister while shooting a web series last Summer. Well, almost a year later, I was able to ask my sister to take the time to work with me in completing the garden. With the help family and friends, we added a large Buddha-head water feature, a rock garden, an additional lawn area, as well as plants and trees commonly found in Asian style landscape designs.

Monica's completed Zen garden

Even before my sister was diagnosed with lupus more than ten years ago, my father would always talk to us about the importance of personal balance in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. This message became even more important to my sister after her diagnosis. It has become clear to my entire family that the task of maintaining balance for someone dealing with a chronic condition becomes a situation unique from others.

At the beginning of this Summer, while in the planning stages of finishing my sister’s garden, I released my first collection of original music in almost ten years. My sister had been diagnosed with lupus shortly before my work on this record. I asked my sister to assist me on the project, and she did by writing and performing on a few of the pieces. The project is called equilibrio, which means “balance” in Spanish. Appropriate right? It’s a combination of lounge, ethnic, electronic and meditative music meant to assist the listener in reaching a state of balanced relaxation. One of the pieces, “Terrestrial Anthem”, one of my most important musical compositions to date, was co-written Monica and also features her vocals. To purchase equilibrio, please visit my online store.

As I complete my ambassadorship with the LFA this year and prepare for the Walk in Los Angeles, I ask all of you, whether you have been diagnosed with lupus, or are a friend or family member of someone who is affected by lupus, to remember to stay balanced any way you can. Whether you are sitting in your own garden, or laying down to listen to your favorite piece of music, taking the time to find your personal balance will make your life just a little bit easier.

Lupus Now Spring 2011 Cover Story - Family Ties

As a member of the design team on the popular series Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Eduardo Xol helps improve the lives of a family in need every week for ABC TV. Off camera, Xol, the eldest of three siblings in a close-knit Mexican-American family, is helping his sister, Monica Cajayon, cope with lupus. He not only provides an understanding ear and a strong shoulder, but also has put his landscaping talents to work by designing a relaxing Zen garden retreat in her backyard.

“We’ve always been there for each other, not only as brother and sister, but as friends, with moral support and understanding,” says Xol, who, at 45, is five years older than Cajayon. “There have been moments when she has felt awful, and like nobody really understands. She calls me, and I just allow her to vent.” In turn, he says, “She’s let me lean on her shoulder if need be. We’ve been close our whole lives. I think it comes from our parents and relatives who taught us how important family bonds are, and the love and respect we were taught from a very young age that reinforced our relationship. Friends can come and go, but family is always there for you if you nurture that relationship.”

Read more at Lupus Now Magazine.

Video: Eduardo Xol Creates Garden Oasis with Lupus in Mind

Check out avid LFA supporter and designer Eduardo Xol from ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. In the video below, he discusses helping his sister, who has lupus, relax and relieve stress by creating a garden oasis designed with sun sensitivity in mind. You can also read the accompanying blog here.