Fighting Parkinson’s, and faith….

Faith. It is something we cannot see or touch, but we can feel it. Faith. It is something we cannot describe, but we know it is there. Faith. It is that something that we feel and experience, and we just know. And what do we know? We know that with faith, we are safe and secure, courageous and unwavering, balanced and not afraid. We are recovering!

Here is an excerpt from a previous post on faith that seems timely in light of the recent discussions we have been having about faith versus fear, and believing in ourselves and our recoveries.

“Parkinson’s knocks us off balance physically, mentally, and spiritually. Last week in “Fighting Parkinson’s, and awareness of our balance” and “Fighting Parkinson’s, and awareness of our balance, part 2,” I focused on physical and mental balance, including making certain our feet are pointing straight forward when we walk and making certain we work on less self-consciousness. Today, our focus is the issue of spiritual balance.

How to heal our soul. Faith.

This is a difficult subject because everybody has a different idea of faith and different beliefs in a Higher Power, or God, or the Divine, or the Greater Consciousness, or the Greater Cosmos, etc. And some do not believe there is anything out there to connect to in order to get assistance with our recovery. With people from nearly 80 countries reading this blog on a regular basis, I want to make certain I am clear about one thing regarding spiritual balance…everybody is included in this opportunity for Parkinson’s recovery…EVERYBODY! Parkinson’s does not differentiate on whom it unleashes its wrath, and I do not differentiate on who can recover…nobody is excluded from embracing the path to recovery, grabbing on to your faith, arming yourself with the Recipe for Recovery, and going to battle.

If you are feeling alone, talk to your Higher Power, talk to a family member or friend, read the comments posted by your fellow travelers, send me an email, howard@fightingparkinsonsdrugfree.com. YOU ARE NOT ALONE!

How does faith fit in? First, we need to look at how we fit into Parkinson’s.

Physically, you are off balance. You move slowly and cautiously, often looking down instead of forward. What does that do? It puts your body in a posture that makes it virtually impossible to walk balanced. Your neck is bent, your spine is bent, the fluid in your semicircular canals is moved, and your visual frame of reference (important for balance) is your legs or the floor, and you acquire what is often referred to as a Parkinson’s gait. Mentally, you then become off balance because you are afraid of falling or freezing, and you are afraid of the future with Parkinson’s. This is right where Parkinson’s wants you…not living in the moment, but instead living in the past (getting Parkinson’s) and being fearful of the future (life with long-term Parkinson’s). Spiritually, you give up hope that you ever will get better. At that point Parkinson’s is winning.

Essentially, when you stare at your legs and feel unbalanced, you are looking at the past. When you feel unbalanced, you fear the future (walker, wheelchair, etc.). How can you move forward in life in a balanced manner if you are staring backwards and it makes you fearful of where you are going? Hope. But hope is not enough. You have to KNOW. You have to know in your heart of hearts and your soul of souls that you will get better. That’s how faith fits in!

I knew I would get better. I knew it as fact. I did not know when, but I knew I would get better. I got my body ready, I got my mind ready, but spiritually, I was still looking outside myself. I had the order incorrect (first, heal the soul, and the mind and body will follow). Ultimately, to heal my soul, I had to go to the scariest place of all and look inside. It is where fear lurks behind every corner. And, it is where faith trumps fear!

I meditated and prayed and looked inside myself for answers rather than outside myself. Through meditating and praying and praising and giving gratitude to my Higher Power, I began to heal my soul. And then I felt it. That spark inside of me, that old friend who used to help me when I had to reach down deep inside when occasionally faced with life’s most difficult events, it was still there. And I nurtured that spark, my Inner Divine, and connected with my Higher Power.

In the end, that connection brought me into the moment…no looking back…no looking forward…just being. And a sensation came upon me that I can only describe like this: I was in the moment and I was not afraid. My old-Howard-perception-of-who-I-was kept fading away and my new-Howard-however-that-ends-up-me was appearing…and deep inside me I realized however it came out it was okay…I was not afraid…and I let go and let it happen.

Faith is easy when life is easy. Faith is not easy with Parkinson’s. Faith got me through. Please keep faith in yourself, in your Higher Power, and in your recovery path with the Recipe for Recovery.

Faith will help your regain your life’s balance.”

Have faith in yourself, “I have the power to heal myself!”
Have faith in the process, “I have the power to heal myself and I have the Recipe for Recovery.”
Have faith in your Higher Power, “I have the power to heal myself and I have the Recipe for Recovery. When I look inside myself and find the true me, I also find my Higher Power and make a re-connection. Together we are unwavering and indestructible.”

Faith. “I reject fear. I choose faith.”

I choose RECOVERY!!!

You are worth it!

All my best,

Howard

& nbsp;