For those on the Northern Hemisphere, this has been a rough winter (freezing temperatures, snow, and ice), and for those on the Southern Hemisphere, this has been a rough summer (extremely hot temperatures and flooding).
Many have discussed with me not only the feeling of elevated symptoms this past winter and summer, but also, the lack of feeling connected to the Universe from a lack of being able to leave their homes. Today, I am throwing springtime renewal, autumn renewal, and getting connected all into one simple post.
A wonderful way to get re-connected with the Universe is in your approach to nature. Whether you have thought about it in a while or not does not matter, but we have a very unique connection to nature — the plants and tress need our carbon dioxide to breathe, and we need their oxygen to breathe — together, we share life.
Here is a way to re-connect with nature:
1. After you have an inhale, start to focus on your exhale, but think of it as service. As the breath is leaving you, offer it as serving nature with a gift of life’s breath to all of the plants and trees that need your carbon dioxide.
2. Then, do not “take” a breath on the next inhale, but instead, receive the inhale with gratitude for Mother Nature’s plants and trees providing you a gift of life’s breath of oxygen that you need.
Serve nature on the exhale, and receive the gift from nature on the inhale. Connect to your relationship with nature and the Universe.
That’s it!
Spring and autumn renewal and connectedness with nature by doing nothing more than breathing with grateful intention.
I know you can do this.
You are worth it!!!
All my best,
Howard
Absolutely beautiful.
We try to get out into nature here on Vancouver Island quite often.
Thank you my friend
Tuesdays and Fridays I do a short 15 to 20 min walk in a nature reserve close by after my recipe! My walk doesn’t come easy. I don’t fight it, but I try my best to go with flow but I find it refreshing, it’s a reminder for my mind, soul, and body we can still manage it. Surprisingly, my walk gets slightly better towards the end. To steady my left arm from shaking I carry very light hand weights, if I hold my shaking arm in the air my walk is steady, if I put my shaking arm behind my back my walk is also steady, if I walk backwards I walk naturally! I feel grateful I can even walk even though it’s a bit tricky but it feels great taking in the fresh air doing a bush walk! Thanks Howard, and thinking of you all fighting for that win 😊😊😊😊😊
Rick, thanks for all the cool ideas to try, Your refreshing posts are always welcome reading.
Up in Wisconsin, the March lion is set to retire next Sunday and the lamb will come bounding forth! I look forward to hanging out with all my plant buddies in the yard.
It’s wonderful to think of Mother Nature and the Universe as a grand benevolent being that we are all a part of and that has our backs; how can we fail??
Thank you, Howard, for bringing up this subject!!!
Best regards to all,
Chris
Hi Rick your post reminded me that I can walk backwards lol . I was in hospital for a while and when I was being assessed by the physio department, they all shouted “ nooooooo” as I demonstrated that I can walk backwards lol
It’s amazing the things we discover as we navigate through this journey. Lol
I would do it again in a heartbeat just to get that reaction. Lol
A gal has to get her kicks whatever way she can 😇xx
Hi Karen , there’s a chap in the states that has Parkinson’s, he did a whole marathon walking backwards, interesting how the body works xxxx 😊😊😊 another thing I do when I mow the lawn I do it barefoot as it’s supposed to have good health benefits ( earthing)
Receive inhale as a gift exhale as offering your service to Mother Nature is a beautiful concept and very much in tune with the ancient Indian concept! I love it!
Thank you Howard!
Good Morning fellow warriors. Let’s welcome spring and connect with nature to enjoy the fresh air, sunlight and the beauty of beautiful Mother Nature, and doing the recipe of recovery. Thank you Mr Howard for another beautiful analogy of Mother Nature and build a relationship with nature and universe. Happy Friday and have a great weekend. May the good lord give us the strength to continue doing the recipe for recovery and heal ourselves. Stay blessed.
Hi Howard, I love this post. It’s the main thing I miss with old parky, nature. I have promised myself, if I have to crawl, I am getting out to my garden this summer. 😊. I am blessed that when I get to sit outside the back door, my view is trees. 🥰.
I was only explaining yesterday, to my beautiful Nigerian lady who helps me every day, how my many houseplants give out oxygen during the day while taking our carbon dioxide which they need. I have resurrected many house plants over the years for friends and family simply by talking to them and watching them for their water needs. 😊. The one I pass the most every day ( outside my bathroom door lol ) I say “ hey beautiful “ and I swear she understands because she is thriving lol.
Thanks Howard and much love to all.
Karen xx 💕
Thanks for the message dear Howard
Puts me to shame as I have forgotten how I share life with nature. Now I shall get out of my pd mentality and play more with my plants.
Love to all,
Maree
Respected Howard sir,
When one is suffering from a strange disease like PD, there are fluctuations in symptoms, specially when one is on medications, like me. Along with this symptom fluctuations, there are mood fluctuations too.
At one point, I feel my existence worthless. And then this weekend booster doses of yours come to my rescue. Whatever I am, because of this disease, I can be a supporting life partner to my husband, a caring mother for my daughters, a loving daughter to my mother..a doctor giving proper guidance to my patients..
,a person emitting Carbon dioxide for plants surrounding me…And then this analogy makes me feel that I am worth it.
I have made up my routine to water plants in my small garden. I fill up the bird bath with water for birds and feel better.
I would suggest my fellow warriors to try to spend at least few minutes with mother nature in their daily chores..
Once again thank you Howard sir for being there for me.
Regards, Mona
Hi Mona, your post is much appreciated for me as you point out, that you get fluctuations in symptoms and mood because of the drugs you are on. I agree with you strongly. The medication I take in the morning really affects my headspace, like you say, you can feel worthless. I feel overwhelmed and even get panic attacks which I can control with awareness and deep breathing. The rest of the day the meds settle down my system. I admire your thoughts on things you can do like being a better mother, wife, daughter and doctor. You can only do your best but I would say you are probably an inspiration to your patients and family.
Thank you for sharing. Please God we will get there in the end. I have a favourite line from the movie “ The Great Marigold Hotel “when a young Indian man says “everything will be alright in the end, if it’s not alright, it’s because it’s not the end.” 😊 xx
Thanks Howard for the mother nature post.
Every evening I am in the garden attending either to the vegetables that I planted or to the flowers and say thank you for the oxygen they produce and the harvest the family gets. That’s the connectivity with nature.
Our symbiotic relationship with the plants and trees is of a piece with the idea that the body is a microcosm of the universe – like, when we are connecting with our snow mountain area, we are also connecting with the Andes and the Himalayas and the Alps. I live in an urban area but I have a municipal park close by, with a river running through it, and when I think about all that’s going on over there while I’m sitting indoors, it’s amazing. There are ducks bobbing along, parakeets flying around, squirrels chasing up trees, flowers nodding in the breeze, weeping willows dipping in the water or being whipped up by the wind like they’re having a bad hair day … sometimes, if I close my eyes to imagine it, it’s almost like being there. But I miss being able to walk properly and take myself off to secluded places to be alone with nature. Since having to give up driving in 2018 because of Parkinson’s, my range has dramatically shrunk but I’m grateful for what I’ve got on the doorstep. One of the loveliest things is suddenly hearing a lone blackbird or robin singing when I’m writing in my room.
Rick, I saw a beautiful blue Jacaranda tree when I was visiting my sister in Australia years ago.
Karen, I have a south-facing windowsill where virtually any plant will go bananas. But I’ve given up keeping indoor plants because as soon as I see any thrips or red spider mites, I want rid! How nice of you to run a plant hospital for your family and friends. I had a friend like that (she died a few months ago) and I came to the conclusion that people who nurture plants also nurture people and animals.
DO crawl into the garden and gaze at the trees. I’m sure they’ll love you back.
Hi Val, you write so eloquently. I love the picture you painted of the activity of nature in your nearby park. I feel sad that you avoid it because of old man parky.
I get it though, especially if you are anything like me,, I shake like a rag doll around people. I digress. You mentioned weeping willow trees. I remember a long time ago someone saying something I found to be bittersweet, yet poetic . “They say the wood of a willow tree, was used to make the cross that Jesus died upon, and that is why their branches hang down in shame ever since ” . I know it’s ridiculous, what are the chances of a willow tree in Jerusalem lol but I liked the sentiment behind it. I am a sucker for quotes and sayings. 😇
Glad to hear that you are hearing birds, while you are WRITING in your room.
😊😊😊 xx
Hi everybody, thanks for your wonderful comments. ……continuing to Ricks great comment….I figured out for myself that everything the brain does not know, or what is normal… does not work. Try new things and I tell you it works fab. Example: Walking and juggling to tennis balls works, or walking backwards singing a song works, even brushing teeth with other hand on one leg does work. Everything your old PD Brain does not know, it cannot interfere.
Topic Worthless: Before my prayers, meditation and qui gong in the morning, I hug myself big time and tell my body: I love you exactly the way you are.
Thanks to all of you and Howard for all you give. We are all connected and we are already cured. Our egomind just does not know yet.
Love Uwe