I would imagine that many of you have faced, as did I, the look of ”are you crazy?“ when announcing that you were going to recover from Parkinson’s. So, today, I ask you to explore with me, are you crazy?
In a passage from Suzuki’s Not Always So, he states, “So whatever you do, just do it, without expecting anyone’s help. Don’t spoil your effort by seeking for shelter. Protect yourself and grow upright to the sky; that is all. That’s all, but it is a little bit unusual, isn’t it? Maybe we are crazy. Some people may think that we are crazy, and we may think they are crazy. It’s okay. We will find out pretty soon who is crazy.”
This sounds like some attitudes regarding you and you working on your recovery from Parkinson’s…are you crazy or are you bringing balance back to your life by taking responsibility and getting back in control of your life?
Are you crazy? Have you lost your mind thinking you can recover from Parkinson’s Disease? Dan Millman answers these questions quite well in the Peaceful Warrior: “Sometimes you have to lose your mind before you come to your senses.”
I think Suzuki and Millman are heading to the same place: Although you constantly are being told to “think outside the box,” as soon as you “think outside the Parkinson’s-conventional-Western-Medicine-approach box,” people tell you that you are crazy and have lost your minds. I say, “Good. Now that you have lost your mind, you can take responsibility and come to your senses!”
In the Suzuki passage, he spends time explaining to his students that he can provide them with the tools for sitting zazen, such as correct posture, correct mudra (special way of holding your hands), how to relax their minds, and how to breathe. However, he cannot sit zazen for them and he cannot guess how well they will do until they actually give it a try.
So he tells them, “Whatever you do, just do it, without expecting anyone’s help.” After they give it a try and confer with him, he gives them pointers on how to improve. However, he constantly reminds them that although he has provided them with the tools and he provides continual guidance, each person has the responsibility to do the activity.
This is the approach I have taken with the Parkinson’s Recipe for Recovery®. I have provided all of the tools to do the Recipe. For those involved in Parkinson’s Coaching, I provide continual feedback and encouragement to assist in the Recipe helping you in the best way possible. However, the bottom line is this: each person has the responsibility to do the Recipe…the soul healing, mind healing, and body healing parts of the Recipe…nobody can do it for you.
To use Suzuki’s words, “That’s all, but it is a little bit unusual, isn’t it? Maybe we are crazy. Some people may think that we are crazy, and we may think they are crazy. It’s okay. We will find out pretty soon who is crazy.”
Okay. We are coming up on the weekend, so let’s be crazy together and chant for the entire world to hear:
If knowing I can recover from Parkinson’s makes me crazy, then count me in.
If doing Qigong exercises to heal my organs and cleanse my body makes me crazy, then count me in.
If changing my diet to heal and strengthen my body makes me crazy, then count me in.
If praying and meditating and reciting affirmations to calm my mind and awaken and center my spirit makes me crazy, then count me in.
If being crazy actually means coming to my senses and taking responsibility for balancing my life and recovering from Parkinson’s, then count me in.
If hanging out on this website and blog with the coolest and most courageous warriors in the world all sharing love, encouragement, compassion, joy and gratitude makes me crazy, then count me in, count me in, count me in!!!
That’s how I see it. How about you?
You are worth it!
All my best,
Howard
Your real stories and real experience are so important to the emergent discovery, how to retreat from stagnation. Thank you for continuing this serious and important work.
Maybe we are not crazy but we are a small percentage that think outside the box and there are very few of us , I reckon that’s a gift! When people find out I’m not following the western system, I get that frown, that look, lol. As far as I’m concerned, Howard has done the hard yards with all his research and all we have to do is follow a Winning formula, making this all possible 😀😀😀
Hello Mr Howard and fellow warriors. Yes, I have got that look that what is she talking about ‘recover from Parkinson’s a degenerative illness that has no cure.‘ Well, I don’t care what look you give me, but I have faith in the recipe for recovery and faith in God and with his blessings I will recover .. Inshallah (God willing). Happy Friday and stay always happy and blessed..🙏🏼💕🙏🏼
I have recovered almost completely from 10 years of pd. No one will take me serious, it is almost that I am ignored. I took my last L-dopa medication 2 years ago and I feel better than ever, happy, full of energy and no pd symptoms left except for a mild tremor in one arm. I have done a lot of hard work with myself in order to heal, focus on the mental aspects but also a lot of consciously movements. It is very sad that the messeges how to really get better dont get through since so many people would be so much better.
Wow Anne, that is AWESOME, thank you for sharing. Everyone’s story is so different, this is so encouraging!!!!!
Word gets out by hearing stories such as yours again and again!
Godbless, and wishing you full recovery soon.
Love and blessings,
Margaret
Thank you for sharing. ❤
Anne, Just now reading your message. Thank you for posting it. It’s been a hard day! Very encouraging.
Felicia
Здравствуйте! Что вы делали, для того чтобы исцелиться от болезни Паркинсона?
У меня 2 стадия, болею с 2015 года.
Буду благодарна за ответ.
Елена
Translation:
Hello! What did you do to heal from Parkinson’s disease?
I have stage 2, I have been sick since 2015.
I will be grateful for the answer.
Elena
Thank you Howard. In the immortal words of Noddy Holder and Slade “oh mamma we’re all crazy now.” Love to all.
Yes, I’m C R A Z Y with all capitals and would not dream of being another way!!!!! My family has known this for quite some time now …Lol !!!!!!!!!!
Shortly after my diagnosis, my crazy sister who is one of my best advocates gave me a little card with the following:
“Faith is the ability to see the invisible and believe in the incredible, and that is what enables people to receive what the masses think is impossible.”
Thank you to our incredibly crazy Howard for paving this beautiful path of hope for us all. Much love and blessings to all my fellow crazy warriors xoxox
I feel good today! Thank you
I really needed to hear this. Even though I feel alone in this fight here at home ,there is this global community plodding along on this journey with me.
Thank you Howard for your continued encouragement!
Love and Blessings,
Richard
Thank you Howard and Anne for all your encouragement.
We can all use a group chuckle! Even better that it carries such truth. Back to levity, there’s a children’s song called Boom Boom, Ain’t It Great to be Crazy??!! I say “Yes, definitely!!!” Thanks, Howard!
Thanks again for another wonderful piece of advice!
Sometimes I feel so down when people keep saying I must be insane to travel the path
that western medicine says booo to. I have to be alert that this does not creep into my
subconscious and sabotage my thinking…
now I feel proud that I am crazy and dear Howard you have given me that strength.
My love to all
To be crazy in the eyes of a crazy world may not be so bad after all!
Howard, it is your craziness that lead us to your Parkinson’s Recipe for recovery, that has lead to 7 warriors to recover and for us present warriors on to the road towards recovery. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks Howard!
For the recipe, for the encouragement, for everything!!!!
I’d rather be thought crazy and go on the road to recovery than be normal with symptoms and meds….This prescription needs to be introduced and recognized on a global level!!!!
Hi Howard, I have been crazy most of my life, so it is nice to be in such good company of like minded crazy people. 😊💕.
Happy Independence Day to you and Sally and ALL our American warriors and may you all experience joy in this holiday season with no stress or pressure. Enjoy enjoy enjoy!
Big Love to all. Val it is noted that you were absent for role call this week. 😊
Karen xx💕
What a wonderful post of wisdom and truths!! Thank you thank you thank you!!
Thank you Howard and all, and each for the feeling of mutual support that lives here. This post and the responses recall for me a line from the American poet Emily Dickinson: “Much Madness is divinest Sense…”
Thanks to Howard and all you warriors who are in this battle for your encouragement and support. I’m relatively new here.
Lynn