I have been talking a lot about acceptance, surrender, and gratitude. Some people have expressed to me that they are having a difficult time with the concept of acceptance surrender, and gratitude because of their body’s constant reminder of symptoms. This is unnecessary. You are healing. Be grateful…for everything!
In the middle of Parkinson’s symptoms’ discomforts, people may struggle with their ability to express gratitude. Some have told me that they see nothing for which to be grateful. Let’s talk about that.
Gratitude for everything. It is there for the giving. Let’s see where we can take this.
If you are reading this post, please give gratitude to your eyes and for your eyesight.
If somebody else is reading this post to you, please give gratitude to the person, to your ears, and for your hearing.
If you are doing any of Parkinson’s Recipe for Recovery®, please give gratitude to your liver, gallbladder, kidneys, bladder, stomach, spleen, small intestine, large intestine, heart, lungs, and brain.
If your hands are struggling to do your buttons, please give gratitude to your hands for trying, have compassion for their weakened state, and offer them this healing: Put hot water, not too hot, in your sink. Submerge your hands for 2 minutes. While your hands are submerged, for 1 minute alternate making fists and stretching your fingers. Leave your hands submerged for 2 more minutes (total time 5 minutes).
If your feet are struggling with numbness or cramping, please give gratitude to your feet for doing their best with your walking, have compassion for their weakened state, and offer them this healing: Put hot water, not too hot, in a bucket or tub. Submerge your feet for 2 minutes. While your feet are submerged, for 1 minute alternate clenching your toes and stretching your toes. Leave your feet submerged for 2 more minutes (total time 5 minutes). Also, massage your coccyx, your tailbone, for one minute.
If you are breathing deeply (click here for instructions on how to breathe deeply), please give gratitude to the Mother Nature for filling your lungs with fresh oxygen to feed your cells and help you recover, and please give gratitude to you lungs for participating in the process.
If you are sitting zazen or other meditation, practicing acceptance, getting rid of negative emotions, refraining from self-judgment, self-criticism, not having guilt and regret, and working to get rid of fear and anxiety, please give gratitude to your mind.
If you are feeling love, joy, compassion, forgiveness, gratitude, happiness, and contentment, and if you are smiling more, please give gratitude to your soul for opening your heart and uplifting your spirits.
Are you getting the picture? Every one of your organs and every one of your limbs is doing its best to help you in your life and in your recovery, and your mind is getting quiet while your soul is shining brightly. If you are doing the Recipe, you are supplying your soul, your mind, and your body all of the tools they need to bring you to your full recovery, your cure.
Gratitude is your way of saying to them: “Your best is good enough. I am compassionate to your situation, and I am grateful that you are working so hard on this journey to my cure.”
When you are consumed with your symptoms, it is like being ungrateful to your soul, your mind, and your body. You are sending a message that says, “Your best is not good enough and I am disappointed in you.” I think all of you know how that feels, when somebody indicates to you that your best is not good enough and that they are disappointed in you. It is debilitating, and so is your Parkinson’s if you are not grateful for how hard your soul, mind and body are working to cure you.
Instead, find a place of true compassion and gratitude. Gratitude is your way of saying:
“I am grateful for being alive, even in a Parkinson’s body. My best is good enough. I am bringing my life back into balance. I am recovery. I am worth it!”
Every day, I begin my day giving gratitude for being alive and for me, spirit-being me, being in a human being. I began doing this gratitude when I had Parkinson’s. I was healing my body and calming my mind, and it was gratitude that helped open my heart and soul. I became so truly grateful for my life, even in a Parkinson’s body, that I became overwhelmed with joy.
The joy was powerful. I completely stopped caring about the Parkinson’s. I knew my full recovery would come one day, so I just accepted it as true and continued doing the Recipe every day. But I was different and I knew it…I was experiencing joy from the inside, and it was overwhelming.
Your symptoms are nothing more than a notification system to let you know that you have Parkinson’s. That is all. Why be ungrateful or bitter because you have symptoms? You have the Recipe, so be grateful that you have in your hands the one thing so far that has been proven to slow, halt, reverse, and even cure Parkinson’s Disease.
Don’t look back with guilt and regret…don’t look forward with fear and worry and stress…adjust your thinking…see your recovery in in everything you do. See your full recovery in your future and be grateful for where you are going. You are on the path to your recovery. See it. Be it. You are your own cure…be grateful for that!
Oh, yes. Every morning I give gratitude for all of you. I give compassion to all of you and gratitude to all of you for your hard work and dedication doing the Recipe and working on your recovery. Also, I give gratitude to all of you for allowing me the privilege of serving you. Thank you. I am grateful!
Keep developing your attitude of gratitude. Be grateful for everything. It will change your life and your recovery.
You are worth it!!!
All my best,
Howard
Oh dear:
Deep deep deep compassion where the faking mind has no influence. So when I feel sorry for myself: it’s the mind talking to me, not the heart.
Thank you Howard for pointing to the smallest things and being grateful to it.
Watch the mind. If my mind is talking, it’s never positive or maybe positive in disguise.
Course in miracles says: choose again (out of the heart) ❤️❤️❤️
Petra,
Thanks so much for this most useful rule of thumb. If it’s negative, it’s the mind talking: pay it no mind!
Much love and appreciation,
Chris
Dear Howard
Very kind for your deep words and support we can learn a lot, thank you very much🙏
My best doing the recipe even though it is not much is good enough.
Hi Howard and all,
I love gratitude. At first it was a struggle, especially for my life, which seemed so compromised with symptoms. I can say that after practicing this it has become natural and normal. I really do feel grateful for life and even for my symptoms. Without them I would have continued living a life out of balance. Thanking god or the universe for each thing that comes has the amazing ability to transform it. That’s my true experience.
Love to all of you, Anne in beautiful Portland, Oregon USA
I give gratitude to you Howard for the recipe and your continued support. Last night I had to make a two hour drive alone in the dark to hospital for an MRI scan on my knee. I was able to relax during the uncomfortable 15 min. scan by counting my breaths thanks to my daily zazen. The drive home was also relaxed and with no symptoms unlike the nervous outbound journey. My dopamine was flowing. Today I coninued my recipe+ training and give thanks for today’s tremors as I KNOW I am healing. 3 months and 2 weeks of daily recipe+
Ray
Hi Howard,
I began praying and expressing my gratitude every morning a few years ago and it has made my life with Parkinson’s an easier journey. It helps lower the voice of the mind and gives you some space to express those precious moments of feeling peaceful. Giving praise and showing gratitude is an act of unconditional love and that sets the pace for the day. Thank you Howard for being so giving and knowledgeable. Your presence on zoom and your input is much appreciated,
Thank you Howard for keeping us looking forward with faith and knowing. Anxiety and fear is a constant battle for me. I fight it over and over. Even when I can release it, it comes back and never seems gone for good, not yet anyway. But I am not giving up.
Wonderful post/reminder Thank you Howard ♥️
Grateful to GOD that I was able to find Howard on internet, Grateful to Howard for the selfless service to the entire community fighting PD, Grateful to fellow warriors for setting examples through their fighting spirits, Grateful, Grateful, Grateful, So much to be Grateful!
Streaming of blessings wrapped with love and gratitude!!!!
Stella words, thank you,
Jan UK
Thank you, thank you, thank you for reminding us of how to be grateful in spite of whatever tests PD presents us with. I am very grateful to you for your wise and encouraging council.
Thanks Howard for the powerful post and the reminder for what it’s all about . I also have got in giving gratitude every time I’m doing the recipe through your teaching and by doing this I’m feeling changes in my soul in a good way . A big thank you and love to everyone, Rick from Australia
Thanks, Howard, for the excellent exposition on gratitude practice.
Thanks to all for your loving and helpful comments.
Love and best wishes to all,
Chris
Thank you for reminding us to give gratitude to all our organs! Yes they are doing their best and we need to thank and bless them for doing their very best. The mind tunes in. Many thanks for your helping suggestions and support
Hi Howard. Do you have any suggestions for dealing with balance issues?
Hi Liz,
This should help:
https://www.fightingparkinsonsdrugfree.com/2017/07/28/fighting-parkinsons-and-assistance-for-your-neck-back-and-balance/
Love and blessings,
Howard
Thank you Howard.
Thank you for your inspiration every week! There is a concept in Judaism that joy breaks all barriers. Thank you for the reminder that this also applies to Parkinson’s!
I am grateful for the blue sky and the rain that just fell. I am grateful for my pug dog Bella, and my arm that’s around her. I’m grateful to you Howard and the blog. And the people supporting it and each other. I am grateful for so much. Thank you for this life!
Thanks for being there. I feel lucky and grateful for being able to do the recipe. Thank you Howard
Thanks Howard…very insightful. As you know Shazam’s main problem is still his “brain fog”. He wants to know how long to hold his head under??😉😉 (and never lose your sense of humor)😁
Wow! I’m grateful for everything you said Howard! I really like your comment that you simply stopped caring about the Parkinson’s. I’m getting there. There is so much to be grateful for and joyful about. I’d rather enjoy my life symptoms or not!
Thank you Howard. Love and blessings to all the warriors here. Grateful for each of you.
I am grateful for the blog and the encouragement you give us every week. Howard, you are sincere motivator and helps us in lifting our spirits on this journey.
Dear Howard,
You are a truly gracious person. We are grateful to YOU for developing the Recipe
and making it available too all of us still suffering from the symptoms of
Parkinson’s. It seems to me that another benefit to a mind of gratitude is that when we are grateful we are temporarily removed from the grasp of ego.
Thank you Sir,
Glen Roberts
Hi Howard – practicing ‘attitude of gratitude’ does not come to me naturally. I have to be very mindful and not allow my negative ego mind to jump in first!!
I absolutely adore this … “I am grateful for being alive, even in a Parkinson’s body. My best is good enough. I am bringing my life back into balance. I am recovery. I am worth it!”… this is my new good morning with closed eyes. My second good morning with open eyes is what I learned from you in our coaching sessisons is “I am failing Parkinson’s and I am Happy” LOL!!
I went to see my General Practicioner (not for my PD, just a checkup) and when he asked me how are things, I responded “I am failing my PD” …. he said “you are my hero!” … I said I am worth it!! 💗
Thank you Howard! I am grateful!
Love to All,
Ola
Dear Howard…this is the greatest prayer you have reminded us of. We all need a little reminder of what’s important in life. It is so easy to take our life for granted. Thank you dear friend. I will be in touch again soon.
Love and blessings
Veronica