Fighting Parkinson’s, and following your heart

If you have not read my last post, Fighting Parkinson’s, and your viewpoint of reality, this would be a good time to take a look at the post and the comments. There are beautiful, heart-felt comments, and I am grateful to be with all of you on this Parkinson’s recovery path. Two people said something quite similar, “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he,” and “Where the mind goes, the man follows.” Of course, this applies to woman as well. So, my friends, why not choose recovery as your reality and then follow your heart to your cure.

Think about this:

Suppose every thought you had sent a vibration out to the Universe, like a ripple in the pond when you drop a stone. Then suppose that the Universe did not interpret whether you liked or disliked your thought vibrations, but instead merely viewed them as: “Whatever this person is thinking about the most, he or she must want, so I will give him or her more.” Then, all of the thoughts of symptoms would bring you more symptoms, even if your were thinking how much you did not like your symptoms.

In my recovery, whatever misery I was facing, I looked at it and accepted it as necessary for my recovery. Using the same analogy, the Universe said, “Whatever Howard is thinking about the most, he must want, so I will give him more.” Since the symptoms always were there and always were changing, I constantly was thinking and saying “this is necessary for my recovery,” “this is part of my recovery,” and “this is my recovery happening,” and I knew this to be true. Changes in the symptoms (often in them looking worse) was nothing more than changes in my internal vibrations or internal changes in my electrical flow.

I was on my way to my recovery, so everything that was happening was necessary for my recovery, plain and simple. And, the Universe delivered recovery, recovery, recovery. If you are consumed with your symptoms, then chances are the Universe is delivering to you symptoms, symptoms, symptoms.

When you get angry or frustrated or fearful that your symptoms are getting worse, does it make them get better? NO! They get even worse, which kind of proves the point that focusing on your symptoms with negative emotions and fear does nothing more than bring about even worse symptoms.

It is hard for some people to understand that the more you let go of your attachment to your symptoms, the more you accept what is going on in your recovery, and the more you surrender that anybody owes you an explanation as to why your symptoms seem exacerbated that day, the better you get and the better things go for you in life. It is the release of the ego, the drama, the lack of trust in yourself, and the self-criticisms that sets you free. It is getting out of your mind and into your heart that calms your symptoms and releases your dopamine.

Let’s all take a lesson from our friend Susana’s comment on my last blog post:
“Reality – I have the power to heal myself.
Reality – I am my own cure.
Reality – I ascribe to compassion and joy – not gloom and doom.
Reality – I am grateful for Howard.
Reality – I am grateful for the bright sunlight he shares with each of us.
Reality – I am grateful for the Recipe.
Reality – Positivity, Gratitude, Healing, Faith, Love.
Reality – Blessings to each one of you for the daily increments of your Recovery.”

As you can see, everything that Susana chooses as her view of reality is a positive feeling from her heart. She is choosing to follow her heart to her recovery, not let her mind talk her out of her recovery. This is quite beautiful, and it works. I know many of you who also are doing this and I am seeing it work for you, too. When you choose to view your reality from your heart, you feel your recovery in your life and you feel your Parkinson’s recovery in everything you say and everything you do.

When you follow your heart in choosing how to view your reality, you become consumed with faith, hope, love, compassion, forgiveness, acceptance, surrender, happiness, joyfulness, contentment, and gratitude. These positive, heart-felt emotions send a beam of healing light from your heart to your head and open the dopamine faucet so you can, as our friend Marie suggests, “give your brain a lovely dopamine bath!”

Take a moment and sit with that: “give your brain a lovely dopamine bath!” Aaaahhhh….

Follow your heart to your cure…it knows the way!

You are worth it!!!

All my best,

Howard

 

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39 Responses to Fighting Parkinson’s, and following your heart

  1. Susanne says:

    Howard,
    Thank you for your words of faith and hope. I recently had a setback so this comes at a good time for me to remember all the good things that are possible and real.
    Susanne & MJ

  2. Beautifully said, Howard….and as always very timely….THANK YOU!

  3. Helen says:

    Once again thank you Howard for your encouragement yes the heart is where I want to live. And to enjoy the grace and blessings of this life Much love to all. Helen

  4. Aneta says:

    Thank you Howard.
    It s a battle everyday. I have a question: what about when you feel alone and a burden, and not loved in your family and that is the main obstacle to feel pitty and sorrow, and that prevents u from trying to stay focus on recovery, instead u r in that grey , ugly zone. How do u change that? Is there a way?
    U may use personal email, if that is unapropriate here.

    • bailey says:

      Aneta, I am sending you warm, loving hugs!

    • Helen Gill says:

      Big love and wishes to you Anete from Australia Helen

    • Pat in FL says:

      Dear Aneta,
      Reality is – you are loved with an everlasting love by the One Who created you. He even put many of His own traits in you, as you are made in God’s image. Here is one of His promises to you:
      “The Eternal One will never leave you; He will lead you in the way that you should go. When you feel dried up and worthless, God will nourish you and give you strength. And you will grow like a garden lovingly tended; you will be like a spring whose water never runs out.” Isaiah 58:11
      I, too, have experienced feeling alone, a burden and unloved. But I have learned that loving and accepting yourself changes other people’s perspective of you. Viewing people with compassion helps me see that they simply do not understand and do not know how to help you. 
      Keep reading the uplifting counsel that Howard consistently provides. Choose to believe that each day we are one day closer to recovery. Know that there are many in this FPDF community who understand what you’re going through and who love you!
      I, for one, am praying for you.
      You are worth it! (to borrow a much loved salutation 🙂

    • Debbie says:

      Dear Aneta,
      As one fellow traveler to another, I love you and appreciate all your efforts. You are not alone on this journey. Your desire to get better and to lead with your heart is a great place to begin to chance how you are feeling and thinking. I, like so many others on this journey, have experienced first hand what a beautiful difference it makes when I choose to feel Gods great and constant love for me. In November, i took on Howard’s gratitude challenge. I wrote down 10 different things that I was grateful for that very day and in that moment in time in my life. I did this for the whole month of November. I can tell you that it change my way of thinking for the better. I found myself looking for all the good around me and as I looked I found. Before the month was over, my poor habits of dwelling on the negatives in my life were gone .I now am constantly looking for the good and finding all the good that is in my life. There is so much and I am so grateful.
      When I did this challenge I shared it with a friend. It helped me to be consistent with my lists. I would be honored to be your friend that you share your list with, if that works for you. I was amazed at how I looked at life and my situation in it so differently by the end of the month.
      My friend that I was sharing my list with went to a seminar while we were doing the challenge. When the seminar started everyone was asked to look around the room and find all the red items that they could find. Everyone took a few minutes and did this. Then they were asked to shut their eyes and tell all the red things they had seen in the room. They were all very excited and proudly listed a long accurate list. Then they were asked to shut their eyes and tell all the blue things in the room…. no one even remembered seeing anything that was blue. Why was this, because they were looking for the red and so that is what they found. It was as if the blue didn’t even exist. It was not part of their reality. This was what was happening to me while doing the gratitude challenge. As I looked for the good in the people and blessing in my life, that is what I became and could now see and dwell on.
      I hope you can get what I am saying in this post. As I took a step and acted on my desire to change for the better, I was blessed in just the right way for me. As I let fear go and led with a desire for love in my heart beautiful things happened.
      Thanks for sharing yourself with me. Let me know if your want to share your list with me.
      Love and blessing
      Debbie

  5. Lohren says:

    Howard, you are so on target that I can hardly believe my good fortune in finding you! I believe that we create our own reality and to accept that reality we can say to ourselves, if it is an obstacle, “I forgive myself for creating this and I forgive those who are involved” and then mentally send love to those involved. It always releases a burden of resentment which only hurts us. My favorite mantra is “My life is so easy, I am so happy” therefore I am creating a new life. It works! We do create by our thoughts. Thanks so much for this opportunity to express ourselves. Blessings,

    Lohren

  6. judy says:

    Thanx once again, Howard, for the clarity, encouragement, hope, sanity in a sometimes seemingly insane existence! To Aneta, I say: “Remember, Parkinson’s is temporary, the cure is real, you are worth it!!”

  7. Aneta says:

    I have had the symptoms for more than 6 years. Due to my young age 34 now, nobody ( regular doctors could not tell me whats going on, is it normal to experience pain, spasm, burning unnder the skin with PD. , plus i do have all the other symptoms, lost balance, big time, i cannot concentrate , my brain is foggy, unclear, tremor out and internal, dragging my foot, stoop position. I m starting to ask myself – is my parkinsons or. Anything else and parkinsons.
    I m so greatful i found Howard, and his positive aproach toward all and everything.
    You r a blessing.
    Thank you.

    • Helen Gill says:

      Yes I had and have some of those symptoms too, darling. Keep on keeping on and love yourself your heart. Wish you faith and love in recovery Helen Aust.

    • Lohren says:

      Don’t give up Aneta, you are loved! Lohren

    • Debbie says:

      Dear Aneta,

      You are not alone in experiencing pain, spasm, and burning under the skin. Sometimes terrible pain. I too, wondered because they didn’t seem to be common symptoms of Parkinson’s. I too have internal as well as external tremors. I am so grateful to have found Howard’s blog and to be able to follow the recipe. I can see and feel myself healing. Howard was the first person that I heard say that he had internal tremors. I love this recovery program and know that it is the right path for me to take. I know that it will led to my full recovery. I am my own recovery and I am worth it. So are you. I can feel your sweet spirit as I read your post. You are not alone on this journey.
      Have a marvelous healing day.
      Debbie

      • Aneta says:

        Yes Debbie, i want to be friend with you

        • Debbie says:

          Thank you Aneta, Of course I am your friend. When and if you want to do and then share your gratitude list with me… just let me know. Like I said, I would be honored.
          Debbie

      • Aneta says:

        Thank you all, for the great great support. Thank u. Thank u Howard.
        I need so much love now in my llife, unfortunately- i feel alone in this path in my familly.
        And the pain, negative thoughts, selfpitiness r aggravating my symptoms.

        I hope , i wish i can overcome this.
        Sending love to all.

        • Debbie says:

          Thank you Aneta, Of course I am your friend. When and if you want to do and then share your gratitude list with me… just let me know. Like I said, I would be honored.
          Debbie
          ps I have found that how and what I feel is only my reality for that moment. It will change. By letting the negatives and the things that I have no control over go, and then by using my energies for positive things, I am changing for the better. As Howard has said. I control the one thing that I can control..and that is my efforts. I turn everything else over to God. I do my best, knowing that my best is Always good enough.
          Love Debbie

  8. Aneta says:

    Thnks Helen,
    Does it go away? Do u take medication?

  9. Melanie says:

    Anita, I’ve had symptoms for 10 years and found Howard 2 years ago by the grace of God!!!!!!! Have total faith in him and his recipe! God has lead you here, it’s the only way to recovery! We are all here for you and love you and understand what you are going through! There is something very theraputic about being understood!

    Howard, as always, great blog and so timely, just what I needed to hear! You’re the best ever!!!!!! Much love and gratitude! Melanie

  10. Leontina says:

    draga aneta,Eu cred ca ar trebui sa-i intelegem uneori si pe cei din familie,,noi am avut un rol important aici si acum le-am lasat toate pe umerii lor.suntem nervosi si le este si lorr greu cu noi.In ce privvesc simtomele si eu le am dar nu tot timpul depinde si de starea psihica, am redus pastilele dar nu am putut renunta.Dumnezeu fie cu tine Leo

    Translation:
    Aneta dear, I think we should understand them sometimes and the family, we had an important role here and now we have left all on their shoulders. We are angry and it is hard for us. In respect of the symptoms and I have them but not all the time depends on the mood, we reduced the pills but I could not give up. God be with you, Leo

  11. Howard says:

    Hi All. Thank you for your comments and for your support of Aneta with what you have written to her.

    Aneta. Everybody exhibits symptoms in a different way. It is how you approach your life, and your Parkinson’s as part of life, that makes the difference in how you do. Please read what the others have written to you, and focus on how you feel on the inside. Most people will tell you, as I wrote in this post, the more you are focused on the symptoms, the worse they will be. Yes, if family and friends do not believe in recovery it is more difficult.

    Please do your best to understand that they are filled with fear about your Parkinson’s. Please have compassion for them and compassion for their fear. It will open your heart, and theirs, and it will assist with your recovery.

    The negative emotions lead to negative results. The positive emotions lead to positive results, and they assist you in your faith and hope along the way while you are waiting for the positive results to show on the surface…first, you will feel them inside.

    Wishing all of you the best!

    With gratitude, love and blessings,
    Howard

  12. Karen in Ireland says:

    Hi Howard and fellow warriors.
    Wow, what an amazing post. Firstly heartfelt wishes to Anita. I can’t say anything better than Howard and the others have said above. Sending you love Anita.
    Howard, my father has a saying ” you are listening but you are not receiving” I FINALLY RECEIVED in my soul, your message from the words in today’s post. The Universe sending to me MORE of what I was sending it through whatever I am MOSTLY focused on was Massive. It hit home finally. Something inside me has shifted. I get it. Animals receive the signals we send by a thought. I have no routine but if I am upstairs and decide I might try a walk, downstairs my dogs get excited and start letting me know, they know, we are heading out. I am now choosing to view EVERYTHING from the point of view of my soul. I have let go of all the physical and mental JUNK. I am my soul. Everything physically is happening as it is necessary for my recovery. Hooray hooray hooray! I get it! Tee hee hee!
    I love you Howard Shifke. Watch this space! I am recovery in motion. I have The Recipe as my Roadmap and my Soul as The Navigator. Hooray hooray hooray!
    Thank you Howard. 🙂
    With Love to All.
    Karen xx

    • Bailey says:

      Rock on sister Karen!

      • Debbie says:

        Hi Bailey,
        It is so great to hear from you. I have thought about you often since I met you at the workshop. I hope you are doing great. Thanks for sharing you with me. Have a great day. Debbie

    • Pat in Florida says:

      Karen, what a splendid explanation of your breakthrough in understanding! I am so excited for you and I am inspired by what you said. I am my soul. How wonderful is that!
      It never ceases to amaze me how these concepts are woven into my daily reading. Here’s an excerpt from January 20. “you must be careful to think of and desire only that which will help your spiritual growth, not hinder it. Think love, and love surrounds you and all those people you think about. If you think thoughts of ill will, then misery surrounds you and all those you think about. Think health, and health comes. The physical reflects the mental and the spiritual.”
      Yesterday I read “If a gray day is not a thankful day, the lesson has to be repeated until it is.”
      Good stuff!

    • Debbie says:

      Hi Karen,
      I have been out of town and just got back on the computer this AM. I am so excited for you and your progression forward. I love reading your posts. Thanks so much for sharing with me. I too am doing great. I am getting healthier and happier everyday. How great it will be to cross this finish line. (I have found that the journey is amazing and I am so grateful for it.) Life is good. Have a great day.
      Love and Blessings
      Debbie

  13. jimmy says:

    Hola Aneta , hola a todos , yo tambien tuve mis primeros sintomas sutiles que apenas se percibian a una edad muy joven, 35 años .
    Hasta hace 6 o 7 años fueron mas evidentes y fue hace casi 4 años cuando tuve el diagnostico de un neurologo, actualmente tengo 50 años , no he tomado medicamento, encontre a Howard hace año y medio, desde entonnces sigo la receta , y afirmo , siento y se definitivamente que la receta es el camino, cada uno de nosotros tiene sintomas parecidos y otros diferentes.
    Es verdad que el parkinson nos recuerda que esta ahi en cada actividad que realizamos , al comer , al caminar , al cepillarse los dientes, al abrocharse las agujetas, al vestirse. inclusive al escribir esta nota.
    Pero tambien es verdad, que no es con miedo como SOBRELLEVAR los sintomas , eso depende del significado que le demos, como dice Howard el significado es que son necesarios para nuestra recuperaccion, los sintomas no es mas que una experiencia que esta viviendo nuestro cuerpo, no es nuestro cuerpo, no es nuestra mente , tampoco es nuestra alma , los sintomas son un mensaje de nuestra conciencia pidiendonos que veamos algo que esta descolocado, sin embargo nosotros somos mucho mas que los sintomas nosotros somos esa escencia a lo que llamamos espiritu, que es mas poderosa ya que contiene la chispa de divina,
    la curacion en resumen se da en 4 pasos que ya Howard ha mencionado
    1.- dejar de resistir a los sintomas , liberando nuestro apego, dandoles la bienvenida, es decir , aceptandolos
    2.-dejar de etiquetarlos,
    3.-dejar todo lo negativo de nuestra vida , emociones y pensamientos destructivos, ira , miedo, culpa, resentimiento , frustracion , dolor emocional , sufrimiento autocritica etc.
    4.- vivir en estado de resonancia con la creacion, vivir en armonia , vivir en paz , en gratitud , felicidad , compasion .perdonar a los demas y a uno mismo , dejar de juzgar y criticar , todo esto automaticamente cura.

    bendiciones para todos

    Translation:
    Hello Aneta, hello everyone, I also had my first subtle symptoms that were hardly noticeable at a very young age, 35 years.
    Up to 6 or 7 years ago were more evident and was almost four years ago when I had the diagnosis of a neurologist, now I have 50 years, I have not taken medication, I met Howard last year and half, from then I follow the recipe, and affirm, and definitely feel that the recipe is the way, each of us has similar and various other symptoms.
    Parkinson’s true that reminds us that is there in every activity we do, eating, walking, brushing teeth, to fasten shoelaces, to dress. even to write this note.
    But it is also true, to be not afraid to COPE with symptoms, it depends on the meaning we give, as Howard says the meaning is that are necessary for our recuperation, symptoms are but an experience that is living body, is not our body, our mind is not, nor is our soul, the symptoms are a message from our conscience asking us to see something that is misplaced, however we are much more than the symptoms we are the essence of what we call spirit, which is more powerful because it contains the divine spark,
    In summary healing occurs in 4 steps already mentioned Howard
    1. stop resisting symptoms, releasing our attachment, giving them welcome, ie accepting them
    2.-stop labeling,
    3.-leave anything negative in our lives, emotions and destructive thoughts, anger, fear, guilt, resentment, frustration, emotional pain, suffering, self-criticism etc.
    4. live in a state of resonance with the creation, live in harmony, to live in peace, gratitude, happiness, compassion . forgiveness to others and oneself, stop judging and criticizing all this automatically cure.

    blessings to all

  14. Karen in Ireland says:

    Hi Bailey and Pat, thanks for giving me back my ” I Rock Bailey, lol, you get that it’s one of my endearments. I think we all ROCK in this community and are solid as a rock to each other.
    Pat, I love the way you write, poetically biblical is how I would describe your writing. Beautiful. I love what you wrote to Anita. I have to acknowledge that my aha moment came purely because of Howard and his words. I truly feel God reaches us through him. Parkinson’s is a MASSIVE signpost from our soul to say we are physically, emotionally, spiritually and mentally out of balance. God in his love sent us an even Bigger Signpost to Recovery in Howard. My new awareness of my soul being in charge, takes my focus off the physical symptoms and mental negative chat. It’s very freeing. My soul has the bigger picture and is of Gods power, so who am I to get in the way. I focus now on following my bliss and The Recipe daily in the KNOWING that it is not forever. With every nudge from Parkinson’s telling me it is still there, my mantra is ” this too shall pass” 😉
    Love and Blessings to you too Pat. I love the exchange between all of us here. 🙂
    Karen

  15. Karen in Ireland says:

    Jimmy I love your explanation to Anita. The translation was not here when I wrote here this morning ( Irish time 😉 )
    Karen x

    • jimmy says:

      gracias Karen, es importante sentir el amor de nuestros compañeros de viaje, a mi tambien me encantan tus palabras , son muy alentadoras y gracias a todos los demas compañeros

      Translation:
      Thanks Karen, it is important to feel the love of our fellow travelers, I do also love your words are very encouraging and thanks to all other colleagues.

  16. Karen in Ireland says:

    Gracias por sus amables palabras que me dijo Jimmy . Salud. Karen

    Translation:
    Thank you for your kind words Jimmy. God Bless You. Karen

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  18. Ainsley says:

    Thank you Howard for your insightful words.
    Lohren, I just love your mantra
    ‘my life is so easy, I am so happy’.
    Thank you for sharing it.

    Love
    Ainsley

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