[rd42]

We experiment with supplements, exercises, food, I was curious about the other side of things the non-physical, types of meditation, thought patterns, prayer, state of mind. I wonder if there are any white rat studies to be done there. It certainly less concrete, but the results are measurable.

Any ideas?

[Bob Dawson]

"....the other side of things the non-physical, types of meditation, thought patterns, prayer, state of mind...."

I think that is a huge item. I was negligent with myself and did nothing but take the pills; now i know what I was missing. I accidentally started taking weekly lessons in something called the Continuum Method. It is first of all physical - breathing, searching for senses inside myself - which also has a lot of spiritual / meditation possibilities. It sure helps me a lot. It is very mobile so I can make use of it anywhere, anytime. And I do. Many times a day.
There are lots of other good methods out there. Physical therapy and mind / soul / persona or whatever the heck that all is - both are extremely helpful. It's also why dance works - a combination of physical and joyous spirit. And claw your way back to faith. At least in the sense of believing in the Majesty of Creation, the wonderment that surrounds us and that we ignore in our busy and hectic lives --- and then along comes mighty Parkinson's, and we see things and meet people and suffer things we never imagined before. Belief in something good, searching for beauty even when in pain; I am sure that for each of us, there is much to be gained in dealing with our absurd situation, if we work hard to be as strong and as free as we can muster, physically, spiritually, the whole kit.
And RD42 is right - there are studies that should be done - a lot is being missed when PWP are given pills and not told to get with the scene, Dean. As it says in the Scriptures, Man does not live by Mirapex alone.
It would be a great help if some scientists looked closely at the difference it makes, to involve the body and mind of the patient, and not just the chemical mixture to be passively swallowed.
But don't wait for the scientists or the health industry; we have to take action for ourselves; for one thing, the therapies we are talking about here generally cannot be patented, so Pharma can't make money on them, so these alternatives are usually never mentioned to PWP at all.
In my own case, for whatever reason, the method I am learning has had a positive effect on me that I refer to as "stunning". Same disease and all - I do not expect a cure in my lifetime - but in addition to feeling bad with the disease, I also feel good with the universe; I've got them both; and I taste those moments of happiness like the finest wine in the world.

Tis the melodious hue of beauty thrown
Athwart the darkness and the glare of pain
Which humanize and harmonize the strain.

- Percy Bysshe Shelley (1819)

[rd42]

Bob,

Do you have any links for the continuum method?

Robert

[Bob Dawson]

Continuum Movement:
http://www.continuummovement.com/index.html

list of teachers:
http://www.continuummovement.com/cm-teachers.htm

my teacher:
http://www.continuummovement.com/teachers/rabin.html

But i never would have made sense of it from the website. It is very experiential - you have to experience it. You have to be open to something unexpected. It is very simple in concept (very doable) and very powerful in real.

If you really want to know what I think about it, fasten your seatbelt and read this:

Chapter 28: Butterfly Typhoon

http://parkinsonsdance.blogspot.com/...hapter-28.html

[rd42]

I have been experiencing some forceful serendipitous occurrences as well. Fortuntely, haven't had the change colour scheme.

Thanks for the links I'm going to check them out.

[Bob Dawson]

Originally Posted by rd42

I have been experiencing some forceful serendipitous occurrences as well. Fortuntely, haven't had the change colour scheme.

Thanks for the links I'm going to check them out.

The colour scheme exists, but i pushed it a bit further to make it funny. In fact, you can't have black saliva and red sweat at the same time, as I pretended. Your saliva, sweat and urine become red, brown or black -- which already impresses people greatly, but there is no option to have different colours for different bodily fluids. Further research is required to give PWP the full range of designer excretions, so popular with the in-crowd these days.

[trixiedee]

Originally Posted by Bob Dawson

Continuum Movement:
http://www.continuummovement.com/index.html

I looked at this website thinking 'surely theere won't be anyone teaching near me', only to find a workshop at the end of July in my town and the contact number is a good friend of mine - how strange!

Thanks

Trixiedee

[trixiedee]

Originally Posted by Bob Dawson

If you really want to know what I think about it, fasten your seatbelt and read this:

Chapter 28: Butterfly Typhoon

http://parkinsonsdance.blogspot.com/...hapter-28.html

Thanks for the seatbelt warning - what a ride! I LOVE your blog, so well written and funny, even if it is all plagiarised

Trixiedee

[paula_w]

Originally Posted by trixiedee

Thanks for the seatbelt warning - what a ride! I LOVE your blog, so well written and funny, even if it is all plagiarised

Trixiedee

i agree trixiedee. Bob, you have some seriously talented people around you and including you. Thanks for the true entertainment.

[Bob Dawson]

Fighting PD, and many other maladies, is partly a question of choosing the battleground and the weapons. Treatment related to the body and the mind, the whole person, moves the battle to a different field of action, where Pharma will always be absent because they cannot get a patent on hope or beauty or human kindness. We are almost always reacting to the excesses of the medical industry on their turf; they keep us busy reacting to their actions; so they define the terms and conditions of the battle; and as we have seen with the "world-wide sinemet shortage" it is not possible for us to even find out what is going on; the medical industry makes the rules and sells the pills and anything we want to say about it drives us up against the weapons of multi-billionaires who have already factored the cost of lawsuits and criminal penalties into the cost of the drugs. Fighting Pharma on Pharma's turf also exposes us to the demoralizing darkness of Pharma-World, where everything is calculated for profit, and where the simple human values are scorned. Just contemplating what was done, in detail, to the Amgen GDNF volunteers, can actually make you feel sick and hopeless, just when, in your illness, you need information, support and love.
As much as possible, I would like to turn my back and walk away from those who are just pushing pills and work at it from a different angle. As is being done more and more - dance, exercise, art, human care, meditation; there is something out there that can be made to work for you, if you step outside the enclosure that Pharma has built around us.