You have heard me say many times that Parkinson’s is an electrical issue, not a chemical one, and solving Parkinson’s involves looking at your electrical impulses flowing through your bodies…when there are blockages, there are tremors, and as the blockages are opened, usually there is pain. Let’s take a look at your electricity. So, how is your electricity flowing?
To begin our discussion, here is a thought about pain: Feeling pain means you are feeling something. In a non-Parkinson’s sufferer, I believe the thought process is like this: “I feel okay, and when I feel pain, then something is wrong.” I learned, as a Parkinson’s sufferer, that the thought process had taken on a whole new life: “There are areas where I feel nothing, but I know that something is wrong with me. When I feel pain, at least I know the electrical impulses are alive and going to an area where I have been feeling nothing.” Much to many of your regret, I also see this as “good” pain.
It means that the electrical impulses are alive and prepared to carry the messages. That is very good news, albeit in some cases, painfully good news. My most overwhelming experience with this was the morning I felt horrible pain in my left side. My initial panic was that the Parkinson’s was getting worse. Once I settled down, I remembered years ago I had pulled a muscle doing side bends, and this pain was remarkably similar to that pain.
After moving around a little to see when the pain would become pronounced, it hit me: As a result of having no feeling in my left hip and surrounding muscles, I had pulled a muscle doing the Medical Qigong for Liver, and NOW, for the first time, I was experiencing the pain. As I am certain all of you have experienced, this is a doubled-edged sword. “Yes, I am feeling pain where I have felt nothing for months so I am happy to know the nerves are working, BUT this really hurts.”
However, I still viewed the horrible pain as “good” pain. But, let’s back up a little to your tremors. Here is what many are facing and how some are viewing it: “I had a tremor and started doing the Recipe and my tremor increased, and so did my pain. I feel like the Recipe is making my symptoms worse.” Usually this is more pronounced during Standing and Brain Vibration Chanting. In actuality, these temporarily increased tremors and the temporarily increased pain are excellent signs that you are healing yourself.
If you take a look at the Recipe and my explanations for why I selected certain things, you will find the following:
“Here is a Qigong exercise I did called “standing.” That’s all you do…stand. It is a very powerful exercise because it opens channels, lubricates joints and gets balance back where it should be.” And, “I did the brain vibration chanting to increase the energy in my brain.”
When you are doing the Qigong that involves movement, your awareness is focused on the movement and doing the Qigong itself. Tremors tend to decrease when you are moving…or maybe you are just less aware of them because you are involved in an activity that requires your attention to be diverted from your tremors. Standing, whether you like it or not, forces you to be aware of everything that is going on with your body, and you become more aware if your tremors increase.
The wonderful thing is that these increased tremors mean that you have created increased electrical impulses and that these increased electrical impulses are smashing the energy blockages trying to locate a passageway to connect “normal” energy flow in your body…and this smashing into the blockages causes your tremors to increase, temporarily. Any other understanding is fear-based…fear that says, “Any time tremors increase, my Parkinson’s is getting worse.” Fight the fear — two minutes ago when you were doing a moving Qigong, your tremors were the same…your disease did not take an enormous downturn in the last two minutes while standing.
Fight the fear because fear will make you stop. It is the same thing with Brain Vibration Chanting. Brain Vibration Chanting is to increase energy in your brain…your energy-weakened Parkinson’s brain. If you are doing Brain Vibration Chanting and your tremors start to increase, this is cause for celebration — clearly you are being successful in increasing your brain energy which translates into sending more, and stronger, electrical impulses into your body, and when these increased and more powerful electrical impulses hit the blockages that are causing you to tremor in the first place, you tremor more! Excellent! This is success.
And with continued success of this kind, the increased and more powerful electrical impulses eventually break through and open the blockages and the tremors begin to subside. How delightful is that?
However, this process requires dedication, faith in yourself, your Higher Power, and the process, and it requires the ability to realize that the fear you are facing is FEAR — False Evidence Appearing Real — the Parkinson’s inside you thrives on this kind of FEAR as it is the only way for the Parkinson’s inside you to survive. Fight the fear and the FEAR and you disarm your Parkinson’s. Fight the fear and the FEAR and you experience liberation from Parkinson’s grip.
Let’s look at the biggest fear. It starts at the beginning with the definition of Parkinson’s…incurable, progressively degenerative disease. I accept that Parkinson’s is an incurable, progressively degenerative disease if you do nothing to fight it or if you take medications and do nothing else to fight it. History shows this clearly, so it is not difficult to accept: People who have done nothing to fight the disease and people who have taken medications and done nothing else to fight the disease, all suffer from an incurable, progressively degenerative disease. So fear is very real for these two groups.
However, I refuse to accept that Parkinson’s is incurable if you are doing something to fight it, and I refuse to accept that Parkinson’s is a progressively degenerative disease if you are doing something to fight it! And this “doing something to fight it” disarms Parkinson’s and makes fear and FEAR very false. Why?
BECAUSE YOU ARE DIFFERENT. YOU ARE SCREAMING FROM THE MOUNTAINTOPS ACROSS THE WORLD, “I HAVE THE POWER TO HEAL MYSELF.” AND YOU ARE ACTIVELY DOING SOMETHING ABOUT IT!!! YOU ARE DOING THE PARKINSON’S RECIPE FOR RECOVERY®.
So when you are doing the Recipe and your tremors temporarily increase or your pain temporarily increases, and you start to experience the fear that things are getting worse, be AWARE of where that fear is coming from. Put it through the FEAR test — “1. It is Appearing Real that my Parkinson’s is getting worse. 2. However, this is False Evidence.”
And then you realize, “I know this fear is actually FEAR (False Evidence Appearing Real) because I am fighting my Parkinson’s on my path toward my cure and I am winning. My fear cannot pass the FEAR test. My fear is not real.”
Let go of the fear and the FEAR and stay on your path toward your cure.
You are worth it!
All my best,
Howard
Howard my friend, you are such a gift. I was writing down yesterday evening a list of all my blessings from God and the ways he has minded me since developing this cruel condition, your name was on the list. It’s such a thorough teacher, old Parkinson’s.
Today’s post is a fabulous gift as my tremors are out to play with avengance. Bless you. Surrender and Acceptance are massive for me at the moment. Trying to FEEL the inner me and truly connecting with that is my quest. The Holy Grail lol 🙂 xx
Big Love to ALL my amazing warrior friends. We are SO STRONG! ( says she who cries these days at the drop of a hat 🙂 ) xx
Dearest Karen,
You are an amazing individual and you enrich our lives by sharing your vulnerability so authentically. Can I just remind you that being STRONG and crying are not mutually exclusive. When you cry you’re being self-expressed and doing yourself a favour by letting of something. So my friend, next time you cry you can also rejoice knowing that your heart is alive and speaking.
Looking forward to the hopscotch!
Love and blessings,
Waseema
xxx
Waseema, what a gorgeous message, thank you. Your words warmed my heart. 🙂 Bless you my friend. xx
I’m working on producing more tears myself!
Waseema and Helen C, we have a saying here :-
” that ones bladder is very close to her eyes” lol I’ve always been soft, but these days it’s self pity and exhaustion . Delighted you are enjoying your tears. I agree with you, there is great healing in tears, an emotional release. 🙂 . I know I share all my downs but I’m strong most of the time. When I hit low, Howard gets a call and puts me back on track again. I do feel the love of the Warriors greatly. xx
Beautifully put, Waseema!
Karen, I’m doing lots of belated crying too – isn’t it wonderful?
Thinking of you and your new wheels,
Helen C.
Take heart, Karen. In us is the power to heal ourselves. Everything is progress in recovery. (that’s your quote, isn’t it, Howard?) Don’t be afraid. Parkinson’s is afraid of you!
Bless you Judy. We have such a loving supportive community of warriors, all cheering each other on. Wouldn’t it be amazing if one day we could all meet together with Howard and each other. There would be as many tears of joy as well as laughter. 🙂 xx
Howard, thanks!
I take this as having been written for me.
Yes, yes, yes, Howard! I think/feel ultimately healing my PD is substantially about vibrational, continuous energy, and maintaining vibrational consistency with the higher vibrational (and deeper) pattern of my Essential Self. The lower vibrational pattern of my small “s” self is immobilizing. It has been the focus of my healing work for the last six months, with significant reduction in the amount of afternoon fatigue, which I previously experienced.
Great post Howard Its all about getting the roads clear, Parkinson’s causing major traffic on broken roads. Everyday we do the recipe we are fixing those roads and working our way through traffic we must keep going till the roads are open highways. Which brings me to my favorite childhood song. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vq25ZJwZJzU
Love it Tony.Thanks for sharing!
Me too! Thanks Tony x
Oh Man Howard you struck at the heart of all my fears and you scattered them like the whimpering cowards they are. As much as I say to myself that my tremors are my body trying to heal myself I can now own that emotionally. I feel it alive in my body now. Thank you so much from the bottom of my now unshackled heart! x
Thank you once again, Howard…I’ve just come back from a lovely walk and yes, I was experiencing challenge, and yes, for a moment I was frustrated because I had to stop to adjust my body so I could be certain I would stay upright. But each time I stopped, I discovered something I wouldn’t have otherwise seen…2 deer crossing the road above me, and then, the vibrantly pink and first salmonberry bush flowers of the season, then a couple of mallard ducks…and so on…it was such a joy to be alive!…thank you, dear friend, to help me appreciate life’s beauty and to support me to feel the energy of gratitude through the absence of fear or FEAR.
Howard
Great post. Thought I’d share my Huffington Post blog… since you helped inspire it!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/steve-alten/why-i-refuse-to-give-in-t_b_9440936.html
–Steve
Great article Steve, well done you! xx
Thank you Howard for believing in us and having faith in what you are doing. Your constant guidance and encouragement is greatly appreciated. Whenever I feel myself wavering at all, I just lean on your faith until mine kicks in full force again. I will continue to move forward, having faith in the healing power of the Recipe, having faith in my ability to do it, and having faith in God and his love for me.
I am so grateful for the health and life that I have been given . I am grateful for the opportunity of living another beautiful day. I will live it to my fullest, doing my best, learning and growing. Thank you to all of you for being such a loving, positive part of my journey.
Have a beautiful day.
Sending love and smiles out to all of you,
Debbie
Thanks Howard, so true. Pain and tears are indeed a sign of recovery. I am numb still caught in fears which seem to have a life of their own even though I try to talk them down.
Today was practising little pigeon steps trying to find balance instead of my trying to push myself as I normally would.
Look forward to being able to feel again
I am sure you will soon be recovered Karen, tears like pain are a great sign. Keep on in there friend, we are all worthy and deserving of that recovery. I hope you have lovely people around you to help.
Mayarita you hang in there too my friend. I think muscle tone will return once the muscles start receiving the messages from the brain again. When we are recovered we will have more energy and they say muscle has memory. Don’t be worrying about it Mayarita, being positive about your recovery is more important. Remember with God all things are possible. It’s my new mantra and it helps when I freeze or am challenged, gives me strength as God dwells in all of us and his love is with us every wee step at a time. Big love. xx
I wonder what about losing muscle will we be able to regain this and movement even when its been a long time.?
I hope you are all doing ok x
I wonder about that sometimes, too, Mayarita…
Hi mayarita i hope you are ok,
the symptoms of Parkinson’s begin to ease up as soon as the injury is gone. Several months might be needed for healing of problems such as long-term nerve dormancy (such as loss of sense of taste and smell) and muscle atrophy (particularly in the biceps). Even so, while these areas are healing, it is obvious that the person no longer has Parkinson’s disease
However, even when the dopamine-release does become available again, and large motor function immediately becomes fluid and normal, other symptoms of Parkinson’s, such as long-term nerve dormancy (such as loss of sense of taste and smell) and muscle atrophy (particularly in the bicep), may require several months to completely heal.
Dra
Janice W.
Hi
Howard … Thank you again for your encouragement.
You are so right … Parkinson’s is not degenerative for us … We are working on changing things.
God bless
Barbara
Love love love to you all. Helen Australia
Thank you Helen Bless you. Love to you too
Thank you very much for all of these insights and information. Without these I don’t know where I’m heading to. Increased tremors does not bother me as much as before as I know these are signs that the recipe works. With the symptoms fluctuates, I know I’m healing inside and this is good enough to continue the journey. I’m healing and we’re all healing!
Thanks jimmy, how are you? That sounds logical.
I seem to have a conflict between doing the recipe and going out and about for little trips as dont have energy at moment for both and become so down at home all day.
I know the recipe should be the priority. Love to all
Hi mayarita,I internally feel good, even the symptoms are there.
.in my opinion, your inner wisdom will guide you to make a decision, I also think the recipe Should be the priority. be happy …….love to all
I’m feeling lots of gratitude today and lots of dopamine flowing. Like Karen, I decided it was time to get some wheels. After several weeks of research I’ve finally taken delivery of a pavement (sidewalk) mobility scooter. This morning my partner put it together for me and we went for a “walk” to Crystal Palace Park – a big park near where we live, which I absolutely love but which I haven’t been able to walk to for a year or so. I’d almost forgotten how lovely the views are from the top ridge of the park out across the Kent countryside.
I’m very grateful for
– all the information I was able to gather from the internet and from various dealers which enabled me to make my choice of which scooter would be suitable for me
– the positive response of family, friends and neighbours to whom I’d mentioned that I was thinking of getting one
– the friendliness of the young woman who took my order
– the helpfulness of the man who delivered it
– my partner for unpacking it and putting it together for me and for being so supportive during my first outing
– all the lowered kerbs and ramps in my neighbourhood which made it possible for me to get to the park
– the fact that the scooter managed so well on the steep inclines, of which there are many around here, and on the rough ground in the park.
– the fact that I live in such a lovely neighbourhood, where I can enjoy both London living and large open green spaces.
And, as ever, I’m grateful to Howard and to all my fellow pilgrims for your warmth and support. I send much love to you all.
Anita, my wife and I just relocated from California to East Dulwich, just down the road from you so to speak! We were living in Crystal Palace off Farquahr Road. If you’re interested in getting together some time for a coffee and a chat, we’d love to do this. I’m the one currently with symptoms of Parkinson’s and a big supporter of the drug free program from Howard.
P.S. The scooter has a dial by which the rider can set the maximum speed. The symbols on it to indicate fast and slow are a hare and a tortoise! Naturally I’ve set it nearer to the tortoise than to the hare!
Anita, I’m laughing at you setting it nearer to the tortoise 🙂 Good for you friend. I know the park you talk about, I lived near there for a few months in early 1994 when I was pregnant with my son, it’s beautiful. Delighted you enjoying your wheels. Mine are going to be more ” audience participation wheels” but my cousin has promised me they are going to be sexy looking lol. 🙂 xx
When we no longer need our wheels and we’ve given them away, maybe we could meet up in Crystal Palace Park for hopscotch!
Take care of your precious self. xx
happy birthday Howard, God bless you