Good advice. I like the message - getting out of our own way; the 'have to do something' approach where time and relaxation - or 'stop doing' really works wonders.
A walk in the woods, reading a book by a river in the sun - always makes me feel better.
Agree to both suggestions. Comedy - like also reading some PG Wodehouse, like the Psmith series - his detective, whose name starts with a silent P - that is such a loosener, a relaxer. And the romantic - it opens the heart, is one way of getting love to flow. And just now a musical came to mind - the scene of "Singing in the Rain." singing in the rain, singing in the rain, what a (something-or-other) feeling, I'm happy again.
Great writing. Yes, I'm increasingly of the opinion that, actually, all we really need to do is to expand and regain our interoception - literally to feel our body more.
Most other strategies are the mind trying to control it's own healing, I find, though they may be needed to get to the point where our capacity to feel our body is sufficient to catalyse and direct spontaneous healing.
It's like an ability that our ancestors may well have had but which has been lost to us as our mind expanded its capacity to conceptualise and got excited about working with memes.
Agree. Have you seen [will have to dig up her name] theories that all the soft furnishing we use is really bad for our connective tissue/proprioception/interoception and that lying on hard and uneven surfaces is health giving.
I have never faced what you are right now. A year ago I had sudden hearing loss from an acoustic neuroma, then a month later Vertigo moved in and took over my physical life. Being vigilantly conscious of maintaining balance is tiring. Fortunately, I have only fallen twice, that during the first week after onset. I am learning what you are describing. You have provided some direction for my thoughts going forward.
For the first two months, it was at 7 on a 10 scale. Then it went to a 3 or 4 most days. When you speak of neuromodulation, I know what you mean. I've have observed how my brain has adapted to the loss of hearing and the decline of balance. The first change was the management of dizziness. That happened almost immediately, within the first week. When I lost the hearing, my fear that I would lose it in my other ear. My life is built upon listening to people. The thought that I would lose it all was devastating. It was the lowest point of my life. When I finally got to see an ENT after two months, he assured me that I would have hearing the rest of my life. So, life is really a process of adapting to change, even when the inevitable is that we never fully overcome the limitations that our physical bodies present to us. The other piece to understand is that my grandfather's last ten years, he was totally deaf and blind. I watched him go into isolation. I have the potential for glaucoma, so my grandfather's fate may well be mine. I'm preparing for the worst, knowing that I will fight this state of life to the end, which should be past my 100th birthday.
Thank you for the amazing article and guidance! I was diagnosed with a condition similar to Parkinson’s and MS about 7 years ago and now I’ve really started to struggle with the condition deteriorating and not being able to do what I used to do. I always thought if I kept going and doing the exercises quickly it would help but all it does is tire me out more. I wanted to ask, I’ve been trying to remind myself not to do this and slow down and take it easy and sometimes it works sometimes not, does the positive message eventually get the brain to listen?
It gets easier, the more evidence you can gather from experience that a little is better than a lot. It is still a lesson I have to keep learning though, as whenever one sees progress and feels better, it becomes tempting to overdo things again.
Thank you. I am thinking of all sorts of therapies we might do for reducing symptoms, from meditation, to dancing and singing, to body work [massage, fascial release], vibration and sound therapies, sport or art therapies, various devices, light therapies... Basically, anything which works on the nervous system is likely to have a dose dependent effect [hormesis?] - a little is a good thing, too much is bad thing. There is usually a need to titrate with these too, start slowly, and gradually build up over time...
At the same time, my experience is that “peak experiences” (eg retreats, bodywork workshops), which are typically quite long, can produce shifts that complement daily “neural exercises”. And are significantly more impactful. Despite gentle daily practices are still needed both to integrate more intense activities and for general “maintenance”.
Striking the balance between the two type of practices is not easy, though. And peak experiences can also be too much all at once, depending on the situation.
What is your experience on peak experiences? And on finding the right balance with ordinary activities?
Good advice. I like the message - getting out of our own way; the 'have to do something' approach where time and relaxation - or 'stop doing' really works wonders.
A walk in the woods, reading a book by a river in the sun - always makes me feel better.
Thanks, Gary. Nice.
Yes, being in nature is vital. Apparently, green is the most right hemisphere activating colour.
Interesting. Danka.
Agreed, Stop hammering ourselves! This "stop hammering ourselves" may go with "laugh." Laughing is one way to stop hammering ourselves.
Yes, very good point, I recommend folks with chronic conditions watch comedy and romantic movies and tv shows instead of horror and thrillers!
Agree to both suggestions. Comedy - like also reading some PG Wodehouse, like the Psmith series - his detective, whose name starts with a silent P - that is such a loosener, a relaxer. And the romantic - it opens the heart, is one way of getting love to flow. And just now a musical came to mind - the scene of "Singing in the Rain." singing in the rain, singing in the rain, what a (something-or-other) feeling, I'm happy again.
Just listening and watching: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0asbGJbLKc Gene Kelly with Singing in the Rain. And then, more of the dance sequence here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5yoDpAb7V4 Even better - the full dance sequence - yes, I am a searcher: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swloMVFALXw And there are still more ahead. Love this!!! And here, the reason why he's singing in the rain - also full dance sequence: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1ZYhVpdXbQ
Great writing. Yes, I'm increasingly of the opinion that, actually, all we really need to do is to expand and regain our interoception - literally to feel our body more.
Most other strategies are the mind trying to control it's own healing, I find, though they may be needed to get to the point where our capacity to feel our body is sufficient to catalyse and direct spontaneous healing.
It's like an ability that our ancestors may well have had but which has been lost to us as our mind expanded its capacity to conceptualise and got excited about working with memes.
Agree. Have you seen [will have to dig up her name] theories that all the soft furnishing we use is really bad for our connective tissue/proprioception/interoception and that lying on hard and uneven surfaces is health giving.
Hi Gary, no I haven't seen that. Please do post it if you come across it again. I'd love to give it a read.
Found it! It is Kay Bowman... https://www.nutritiousmovement.com/pressure-deforming-movements
I have never faced what you are right now. A year ago I had sudden hearing loss from an acoustic neuroma, then a month later Vertigo moved in and took over my physical life. Being vigilantly conscious of maintaining balance is tiring. Fortunately, I have only fallen twice, that during the first week after onset. I am learning what you are describing. You have provided some direction for my thoughts going forward.
I can only imagine how tiring this would be.
For the first two months, it was at 7 on a 10 scale. Then it went to a 3 or 4 most days. When you speak of neuromodulation, I know what you mean. I've have observed how my brain has adapted to the loss of hearing and the decline of balance. The first change was the management of dizziness. That happened almost immediately, within the first week. When I lost the hearing, my fear that I would lose it in my other ear. My life is built upon listening to people. The thought that I would lose it all was devastating. It was the lowest point of my life. When I finally got to see an ENT after two months, he assured me that I would have hearing the rest of my life. So, life is really a process of adapting to change, even when the inevitable is that we never fully overcome the limitations that our physical bodies present to us. The other piece to understand is that my grandfather's last ten years, he was totally deaf and blind. I watched him go into isolation. I have the potential for glaucoma, so my grandfather's fate may well be mine. I'm preparing for the worst, knowing that I will fight this state of life to the end, which should be past my 100th birthday.
Lovely!
Thank you.
Thank you for the amazing article and guidance! I was diagnosed with a condition similar to Parkinson’s and MS about 7 years ago and now I’ve really started to struggle with the condition deteriorating and not being able to do what I used to do. I always thought if I kept going and doing the exercises quickly it would help but all it does is tire me out more. I wanted to ask, I’ve been trying to remind myself not to do this and slow down and take it easy and sometimes it works sometimes not, does the positive message eventually get the brain to listen?
It gets easier, the more evidence you can gather from experience that a little is better than a lot. It is still a lesson I have to keep learning though, as whenever one sees progress and feels better, it becomes tempting to overdo things again.
Hiya, yes sleep is vitally important I wrote about just recently x https://georgiedonny.substack.com/p/brainwashing-about-contagion-is-a
🐒
Really interesting concept.
Great article. “It takes the time that needs to take.”
Can you list some examples of neural exercises?
Thank you. I am thinking of all sorts of therapies we might do for reducing symptoms, from meditation, to dancing and singing, to body work [massage, fascial release], vibration and sound therapies, sport or art therapies, various devices, light therapies... Basically, anything which works on the nervous system is likely to have a dose dependent effect [hormesis?] - a little is a good thing, too much is bad thing. There is usually a need to titrate with these too, start slowly, and gradually build up over time...
Yeah.
At the same time, my experience is that “peak experiences” (eg retreats, bodywork workshops), which are typically quite long, can produce shifts that complement daily “neural exercises”. And are significantly more impactful. Despite gentle daily practices are still needed both to integrate more intense activities and for general “maintenance”.
Striking the balance between the two type of practices is not easy, though. And peak experiences can also be too much all at once, depending on the situation.
What is your experience on peak experiences? And on finding the right balance with ordinary activities?
I drove it like I stole it ☺️