This recovery from Parkinson’s is a soul, mind, and body cure. It is not focused on symptom relief or disease management. It is focused on people becoming cured of Parkinson’s Disease. As you have seen in my last two posts, there are many things you can observe to know how well your body is recovering, and if you are willing to lose your Adrenaline-driven mind, then you can clearly see how much calmer your life is and your symptoms are. Today, we look at the necessity of opening your heart.
Quick references for the last two posts, since today is really part three. If you have not read them, this would be a good time to read them:
Click here for “Fighting Parkinson’s, and you are doing well in your recovery.”
Click here for “Fighting Parkinson’s, and the necessity of losing your mind.”
The necessity of opening your heart. Okay! What exactly is opening your heart, and why is it necessary? I will begin with the second question. It is necessary because it is what releases your dopamine. As you know, I have been saying from the beginning that your dopamine is not depleted, just blocked, and following the Parkinson’s Recipe for Recovery® unblocks it.
Last year, a scientific study came out of Denmark confirming my “dopamine not depleted, only blocked” theory and refuting the current “dopamine depleted, brain cells dead and dying” theory while pointing out that the current theory never has been proven in a scientific study. Click here for the Denmark study.
So now we get down to the crux of what this recovery journey needs…you to open your heart. Opening your heart means deeply accepting yourself. Understanding that you hold all the keys to all the doors inside you. Deciding that you are so important a being in your own life that you are willing to throw convention to the side and love yourself, feel joy, accept your life, surrender that anybody owes you an explanation for what is going on in your life, have compassion for yourself and others, have forgiveness for yourself and others, and truly understand that this life is a gift and that you are going to make the most of it every day, even with Parkinson’s…true gratitude for the gift of this life!
That is opening your heart. I am certain that each of you will feel the dopamine release each time you experience love, joy, compassion, forgiveness, acceptance, surrender, contentment, and gratitude. And, each time the dopamine releases, you inch closer to your cure.
Think about this: When you are feeling anger, frustration, resentment, emotional stress, anxiety, depression, worry, and fear, does it make your symptoms appear worse? Of course it does. Why? For two reasons. First, you are closing your heart…close your heart, close your dopamine flow, increase your symptoms. Second, the energy that has been holding your symptoms in check has left your body and gone to your mind. As a result, there is not enough energy in your body to hold the symptoms in check, so they exhibit themselves in a worse way.
Now that you know what is meant by opening your heart and why it is necessary, here is some assistance to help you accomplish the task at hand:
Click here for instructions on opening the heart.
Click here for more instructions on opening the heart.
Click here for even instructions on opening the heart. (Yes, it is that important!)
My friends, join me in opening your hearts…open them to yourselves and to the others. You are not your Parkinson’s symptoms. You are so much more than a bunch of symptoms. You are beautiful, special beings, filled with love, joy, compassion, forgiveness, acceptance, surrender, contentment, and gratitude. Opening your heart unleashes these emotions as your dopamine cascades through your body and you start to see your light at the end of the tunnel.
Mahatma Gandhi said, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” In the Parkinson’s world, this equates to “Be the cure you wish to see in yourself.” Do not wait. Live your life as if you already are cured. Be that change, be that cure. Open your heart, let your dopamine flow, and be your real self.
You can do this!
You are worth it!!!
All my best,
Howard
Thank you Howard. Your posts are always so timely, relevant and full of wisdom. I know I still have much work to do but will keep going because I know that one day I will recover.
Thank you Howard … this opening of the heart is so very vital…when my heart is open and I surrender to the joy within me, endless possibilities arise. My limbs relax, my busy mind is liberated, and my ability to enjoy movement is enhanced. I go for daily walks, alternating the distance (one day a longer uphill walk…the next day a shorter one). My muscles are becoming more firm..overall stamina enhanced. I’m much more in touch with the love of my family and friends. I love and accept myself. I respond to and soak in the wonder and beauty of nature. There is so very much to celebrate and be thankful for …I am truly grateful to be alive! Thank you for illuminating the way and providing inspiration, support, and love with these wonderful blog posts and our coaching calls.
I agree thank you Howard. I feel so much gratitude for this time having Parkinson’s has provided. For one it slowed me down enough to look at myself in all ways. To come out of that with gratitude grace and love of myself , life and others and the moments by moment depth of feeling life holds. Much love and gratitude for this gift of life and heart. I am recovering and grateful. Love n hi to all of you, Us.
Open your heart to the true you and the dopamine will flow like champagne on new years and what you will be celebrating will not be the new year But the new you! thank you always Howard
Thank you again Howard, I feel more and more committed every single day to calm my mind continually, knowing that in doing so, my body will eventually catch up and my movements will become easier as I become my own cure. As I open my heart, the dopamine begins to flow, making it easier to control my emotions, keeping the fear, anxiety and depression at bay. I am trying to notice every little improvement, even minute ones drawing me closer and closer to the finish line. I feel I have turned the corner in my recovery, heading towards the Finish Line. Thank you dear Howard for keeping me heading in the right direction toward my recovery ! With much love and overwhelming gratitude for all you do. Thank you everyone, for your love and support and willingness to share in this positive energy!
Hi Howard and fellow warriors, great post. The three links above very powerful. My favourite (along with the iceberg 🙂 ) has to be the shiny teapot. I still have the polish cloth on mine as I still have work to do. My “okay” attitude is very strong which means I am exercising ” acceptance ” and thanks to Debbie I am doing my ten daily gratitude list again. What I have also started is counting steps. Well you all have heard me whinge that I stagger and throw myself around the place but if I stop and relax and breath, I manage the odd baby step. I can mainly manage them first thing in the morning. Anyway every step is a gift and even if I only do 3 baby steps in a day, it’s progress. Last night I did 3 at my bedside and had the most glorious dream of me walking again and was in tears in the dream with joy. It felt very real. 🙂
Staying in my heart takes so much awareness and each day I get opportunities to ” react” as was my old way…. Or ” act” from my heart. Chip chip chipping away. 🙂
Big Love to Everyone!
Karen xx
Three baby steps, what fabulous news, Karen!
And your Higher Self responds with an appropriate dream, to let you know you are on the right track: keep going, girl!
Love,
Helen C.
Yes Helen, that’s what I think too. How are you doing?
Karen xx
Thank you, Karen, for asking.
My first instinct was not to answer. My second was to say, ‘fine’ or some such platitude. But then I thought, as part of my healing, I’d tell the truth.
I’m suffering terribly from a loneliness like I never experienced before. I always thought I liked my own company and that other people were usually rather bothersome (strangers were always ‘guilty until proved innocent’…) But now I feel like a beautiful old wooden house that’s been boarded up for decades and now the shutters are being pulled off and the light let in.
So yes, Karen, thanks for asking. How are you?
Hi Helen C. How wonderful the light is pouring into your heart. Three cheers for your truthfulness. Love Helen Australia
🙂 🙂 This is no hill for a climber and you dear Karen are a climber !!! Have a wonderful day 🙂
Sending love and blessings
Debbie
Bless you Debbie, you’ll be proud of how well I am doing with my ten a day gratitude list. 🙂
Karen xx
Today is my husband and mine 45th Wedding Anniversary ! We have been blessed with beautiful children and lots and lots of beautiful grandchildren. I have SO MUCH to be grateful for. My heart is filled with love and gratitude . I am also filled with love and gratitude for my Recipe for Recovery family. A big thanks to Howard and each of you for sharing so freely with me.
Have a wonderful day !
Smiles, love and blessings
Debbie
Happy happy wedding anniversary! Wow Debbie 45 years! Magnificent! I thought you were near my age ( I’m 51) You are young at heart! May you both have many many more happy years together. God Bless you both.
Karen xx
🙂 Thanks Karen,
I am around your age………It is just a big around !!
FELICIDADES DEBBIE
Thanks Jimmy 🙂
Congratulations Debbie on you and your husbands 45 years shared together. Helen Australia
Dear Howard and all my fellow friends
Today is my first comment on Howards’ Blog. I am grateful to Howard for showing me the path towards recovery. For last 12 months, I have been working hard inching closer towards my recovery as per Recipe Manual. I would like to express my gratitude towards Howard as he has acted as a beacon of hope for me. For me, he is nothing less than GOD. After striving so hard, I felt that I was missing something as I have kept myself away from everyone since the inception of PD. So, I felt that it would be Best to interact with everyone of you and gather inspiration as I have been reading the blogs as well as all comments for last 12 months. Now, it’s time to unveil myself and release the faucet of dopamine. I wish all of you including Karen, Debbie, Tony, Penny, Jimmy, Helen, Melany, Waseema and all others with a mesmerizing healing journey.
Thank you Howard, once again for such a Wonderful Blog. You are truly an inspiration for all of us.
Suja
“Inspire us towards Recovery”
Hi and welcome Suja
So glad you posted on this blog. I’m truly enjoying the courageous and expanding community of people focused on recovery and willing to share our experiences with one another…we are stronger for it! Together, with our wonderful mentor, Howard Shifke, we are contributing to awareness and endless possibilities beyond the diagnosis of PD
Welcome Suja, always lovely to have a new personality join Howard’s Warriors. We are a lovable bunch I think 🙂 and really look out and are compassionate with each other. 🙂 You are in good company.
Karen xx
bienvenida suja . Dios nos ha puesto en este camino
Thank you Penny, Karen, Jimmy and all others for such a delightful warm welcome. I am grateful to all of you for accepting me in this blog. I absolutely agree with Penny that Howard is more than a mentor for all of us. I also agree with Karen that as a warrior, we will strive hard to succeed in our goals by defeating PD. Lastly, thank you Jimmy for such a wonderful message.
Cuando Dios nos ha puesto en este camino, entonces Dios tiene que quitar nuestros obstáculos
Suja
“Inspire us towards Recovery”
Welcome to the family Suja. Together we are strong and we generate a beautiful energy that keeps our intention and belief alive. We know that this journey is challenging but with the amazing Howard at the helm, we know that we have every opportunity to recover fully. By sharing, the fellow warriors also inspire and lead and so we have a very dynamic community here that is truly empowering. I love it and everybody that is involved! Thank you family.
Love and blessings
Waseema
X
Thank you Waseema for your thoughtful message. It is truly stimulating to see Howard leading all of us towards recovery. His inspiration has kept us all motivated towards recovery. I only hope that we recover soon from PD. Thereby, leading a life being compassionate towards others.
Suja
“Inspire us towards Recovery”
Hello Suja Welcome here. Love to you, Helen Astralia
Hi Helen Thanks for your charming message. It seems great to be part of such a dynamic community from worldwide. Lots of Love!!
Suja
“Inspire us towards Recovery”
Dear Suja,
Welcome to our group (although you are hardly new after one year.) I believe that by sharing yourself with us on this blog, you are getting just that much closer to your recovery, plus you are helping others along the way 🙂 As you become vulnerable and let the real you shine through you are adding great dimension to the recovery program. You are helping me along on my journey to recovery. Thank you.
As Howard has said, ” I ask you to cast aside your fear of being the real you. Yes, many people will not recognize you. That’s okay. In fact, at first, you may not even recognize yourself. That’s okay, too! However, you have a worldwide community of people right here who already love you and accept you and appreciate you, and we all want you to be the real you and be liberated…each and every one of you.”
I hope you have a wonderful day.
Congratulations for working so hard on the Recipe….Keep up the good work……………
And thanks for sharing !!
Debbie
Thank you Debbie for such an inspiring delight. I really feel blessed being in a company of such a wonderful worldwide community. It is amazing to see Howard leading us towards our journey to recovery. I believe that our faith and the feeling of being compassionate towards each other would heal us from PD. It’s true that I kept myself away from everyone thinking that it won’t be worthwhile to reveal myself until I am cured permanently. But, it seems that I was wrong as after working hard for so many months, I realized that I was missing the love, acceptance & appreciation of such a glorious community. Thank you Debbie for your message and congratulations for your Wedding Anniversary with wishes & love.
Lastly, I am grateful to Howard for inspiring all of us.
Suja
“Inspire us towards Recovery”
Welcome Suja, we are happy to have you join us on this blog, joining us in our quest to cross the finish line to recovery. We all help each other on this journey to the cure. I am reading a book that has been a tremendous help to me in my attitude towards having PD, it is entitled “living life as a thank you”, it is all about the power of gratitude and how it unlocks the key to healing. A book worth reading for sure . Remember, slow and steady wins the race. We are all Worth the cure !
Thank you Melanie for accepting me in this blog. Life with PD is quite challenging but I never lost my hope. I know that patience is the only key towards recovery. But, it’s sometime hard to sustain the momentum of patience till the finish line to recovery. I am just waiting for my external symptoms to disappear as I believe that I am cured internally. Thank you for sharing the book with all of us. Thank You for such a wonderful message. I hope that we heal ourselves soon as we all are worth the cure.
Suja
“Inspire us towards Recovery”
Hi Suja,
“I am just waiting for my external symptoms to disappear as I believe that I am cured internally.” Love how you put that!
Best wishes,
Helen C.
Thanks Helen for your inspiring comment. I am grateful to Howard for guiding me and all others towards recovery. If I am cured permanently, then it would be only due to Howard. Keeping up with patience till full recovery is the most challenging & daunting task for me. Thank you for your message.
Suja
“Inspire us towards Recovery”