At the beginning of 2019, I declared it 2019…the year of calming your mind! Today is the first day of the second half of the year, so I decided to repost the first post of the year and ask at the mid year: How are you doing with calming your mind?
Here is my January 1, 2019 post:
“Happy New Year, 2019!!! As we wound down 2018 chanting our affirmations together, the sun began to rise and awaken us to 2019 and the wonderment of all of the possibilities that lie ahead. For each and every one of you, this is a new year, a new breath of fresh air, and a new outlook: 2019…the year of calming your mind!
As you know, the Parkinson’s Recipe for Recovery® is a soul, mind, and body recovery protocol. If you do not calm your mind and get control over your mind, your adrenaline-driven-self-criticizing-anxious-fearful-mind (yes, THAT mind), then your mind will substantially interfere with the soul and body recovery.
Your mind says, “Why have faith in the recovery and learn to love yourself? (soul healing). Weren’t you paying attention at the neurologist’s office? You cannot be cured. You cannot even slow or halt the disease. And by the way, your best is not good enough, so no matter how hard you try to get better, you will not ever do enough to be worthy and deserving of the recovery.” Can you see how your mind undermines your soul recovery?
Your mind says, “Why do you think your body is getting better? (body healing). Who cares that you got your sense of smell back, that your fingernails are growing long, strong, and fast, that your energy has improved, that you are sleeping better, that your urgent urination has subsided, that your constipation has subsided, that your indigestion has gone away, and that people are telling you how much better you look? You are shaking a little more or are a little stiffer or slower? You are getting worse.” Can you see how your mind undermines your body recovery?
How do you calm THAT mind? Well, my friends, to begin 2019, help is right here in a larger way than you can imagine. As I am certain you have seen in the blog post comments, a regular contributor is “Jan — UK.”
Jan’s husband Alex is a musician. He narrated a guided meditation with affirmations for Jan and they shared it with me. When we were on our next coaching call, Alex joined Jan and me and explained that if I felt it would be beneficial, he would remove the affirmations/meditations personal to Jan and re-record a similar guided affirmation/meditation audio for all of you as a gift.
I was overwhelmed and told them that it would be a wonderful way to start the new year, calming the mind. So, my friends, here is the gift from Jan and Alex in the UK:
Thank you Jan and Alex for your hard work on Jan’s recovery and for your willingness to assist our world-wide recovery community. I am grateful for you.
2019…the year of calming your mind!
I am grateful for all of you!
Happy New Year 2019!”
Okay. It has been half of a year. How are you doing with calming your mind? Have you noticed that six months have passed? Are you calmer? Is your mind quieter?
Okay. It has been half a year. If you have made progress in calming your mind, good for you. If you have not made progress in calming your mind, listen to the audio above and start today. You can do it!
Happy mid-year of 2019…the year of calming your mind!
YOU ARE WORTH IT!!!
All my best,
Howard
I am gradually learning to CALM MY MIND .. I’ve a fair way to go but remain DRUG FREE and gain confidence (if only a micro step) each day. Howard is such an inspiration and has faith in all of us to achieve our own FULL RECOVERY .. SO …. stay calm and carry on !
This is my 6 month anniversary with you and the recipe. I am especially grateful that I have met you and have this opportunity to metamorphosize into something new, happy and now very much on the road to recovery. Thank you Howard!
Karen from WI
Dear Howard, thank you very much, your reminding is wonderful and gives confidence toward recovery, THANKS🙏🙏
Hi Howard and everyone
Something that I have found helpful to calm both my mind and my body are somatic movements created by Thomas Hanna (also Moshe Feldenkrais). These are slow movements which help improve connections between the brain and muscles. Hanna somatic “pandiculations” are movements where muscles are contracted, then slowly and fully released. This helps the brain to “reset” them. It’s important to focus without distraction while doing somatics, so I find myself much calmer as well as much more flexible after a session.
The book by Thomas Hanna is great, although the illustrations are not brilliant. Martha Peterson has many free videos demonstrating the moves.
Thank you Deb. Also, a note to the group. I am not familiar with what is being shared here, so posting this comment should not be seen as an endorsement of what is mentioned. Love and blessings, Howard
Thank you Howard! You caught my weakness: I could not have a calming mind everyday. You remind me how important that calming mind for recovery. It also causes my insomnia too. I will keep to read this post again and again, it will help me to fighting with my anxiety.
I want to thank Jan and Alex for their generous donation of this wonderful affirmation soundtrack. I have been using it daily to calm my mind and guide my thinking since January. I share your faith.
Love,
Tim
Thank you so very much Jan and Alex for this positive affirmation, meditation. It is so calming, it’s fabulous, I really appreciate your kindness in sharing it. Helen Australia
Jan and Alex, thank you for this beautiful meditation. I tried it today and towards the end of the meditation my tremors stopped, as well as my mind, and my stomach started gurgling which is a sure sign for me that I have relaxed! I will use the meditation often. You are so kind to have shared it. Karol