Blog Archives
Nature on Netflix To Wake To, Sleep To, and Enjoy
Bring a bit of peace and beauty into your home! If you are a nature lover and need a calming force that mesmerizes, might I suggest you turn on the captivating vistas of NatureVision TV now on Netflix. Season 3 unveils about 10 hours and 10 episodes of natural world diversity from ocean to jungle.
Whether you meditate with the video and soothing music softly playing in the background or choose to mute the sound just to appreciate the awe of the bounty of creatures and places, this video collection would be great for parties and get togethers. Try using this marvelous collection just as TV art, instead of your TV just being a blank canvas.
If you are a Netflix subscriber and want something unique and attractive to play throughout the day, like moving art, or just want peaceful television to wake and go to bed to, consider this wonderful collection of our planet’s gifts.
I will report more, soon, on other Netflix finds, both nature-related, and not, very soon.
“Let It Go” – Reprise
Clinging on to that which does not serve us only weighs us down. Rather than control our emotions, if not monitored closely, they may control us. I have seen anger and resentment consume the strongest of men and seen it bring them to their knees. I have seen a quick temper ruin friendships as well as careers. I have seen jealousy and greed destroy the trust of what appeared to be the most solid of marriages. Retaining negative emotions can do nothing positive. Why do we hold what we don’t need?
If you can make yourself sick, can you make yourself well? How often did your parents tell you that you were going to make yourself sick because of worry? Whether it was guilt, worry, anger, hate, anticipation, anxiety, or some other emotion, maybe we have the same ability to make ourselves well, if not better! We probably didn’t get ill overnight, so it is unlikely to think that we will get well overnight.
Letting go takes practice, discipline, and intuition. It takes timing. Knowing what to keep and what to release sometimes takes a leap of faith into the unknown. It requires bravery and will.
Not everyone is prepared to or immediately willing to release years of pent up anger, bitterness, hurt, or bad memories. Some of us are better than others at avoiding confrontation, forgetting our pasts, and discarding the regrets and losses of of our lives. Depending upon the severity of our emotional challenges, professional counsel may be required to realize what is necessary to move forward. I have little doubt that our emotions have a direct connection to entire body’s well-being.
Remember to let go of what you don’t need or just what doesn’t benefit you. That’s what I’m hoping to do.
–Reprise January 2012 – re-edited 2017
Travel Time!
Some travel tips!
Where are you going, what are you doing, how will you get there? Slow it down. You’ll get there–when you get there.
Travelling with or without an illness these days can and often will try your patience, up your stress level, and test your sanity. Taking on the travel challenge might just be a little more peaceful and serene if you follow some of these tips:
1) If you are flying or are forced to be at a determined destination like a train or bus station, allow yourself even an extra hour of time to avoid the feeling of being rushed or stressed. The more self-induced pressure that you add to the event, the more energy you waste, and in a crowded airport, we all need to conserve our energy.
2) When we travel, it is easy to get distracted and lose focus. Deep breathing and meditation may help you keep on track and stay sharp. Something as simple as using an app like, Headspace, or sitting quietly and gathering your thoughts for a few moments a day, may improve concentration.
3) Make a special travel CD or playlist of of music that you look forward to hearing either in the car or once you get to the plane.
Some planning ahead and staying flexible can go a long way in your travels.
Check out my past postings in my archive, on travel tips for more ideas.
Headspace – The App that nudged me back on track.
Technology for the Mind
There are stories with morals and themes of those searching the world for vast fortunes of gold, diamonds, and silver. Explorers canvas the world for glory, fame, and fortune. There are those of us who seek more in our daily life who just want to be productive, healthy, and functional. True discovery is that we have the capability to achieve, attain, and succeed with what we have without searching all over the world for knowledge that is in our own backyard. We have the tools to draw from in our kit if we take the time realize that the tool is there.
Dorothy had the power all of the time but didn’t knowingly realize it until she was leaving Oz. Realizing that you are more capable and able takes some reminding.
I have a good idea of what I am supposed to do and be able to do. Â When I deviate from the direction that I know that I need to go, I can falter. It took the assistance of a simple App on my iPhone called, Headspace: Meditation techniques for mindfulness, stress relief & peace of mind, to bring me back to balance, focus, and my path. For someone who preached the benefits of meditation, I had taken the tool out of the kit, only to leave a huge void in taking care of myself. Thanks to the App, I have regained focus and have re-constructed my daily practice.
Who would have that thought a piece of technology, like Headspace, could be so instrumental in reviving my peace and calm. I didn’t see it coming, but the App reminded me that I had the power all along and that I needed a nudge to return to my path. If you are interested in exploring Headspace, click on the link or look in your App store for more information.
You can try it for 10 10-minute sessions, before you decide if you want to pay the monthly fee. I plan to stay with the product and see the benefits that it offers. This is a daily practice that I think that I can follow. You might look into it.
It’s A Fast-Paced World
We live in a world of faster is better: food-service, information and news, data/technology, and most everything else. In a society expecting speed and instant gratification, someone with Parkinson’s disease (PD) or any neurological disorder is at a distinct disadvantage. When time is considered money and faster is better, the individual with PD suffers because he or she may lack the ability to move into fifth gear. What the person with PD does receive is the opportunity and challenge of learning true patience and the ability to learn to live in the moment.
Part of living with PD is the act of acceptance. This does not mean that you don’t continue to seek bettering yourself and finding therapies, but it means accepting that you are different and finding comfort in your own skin.  Finding the balance in one’s life is a constant challenge. When illness is involved, if not put into perspective, can compound the stress and anxiety of basic daily living.
Coming to grips with your illness may take time and effort. In many cases it may seem impossible, but it isn’t. Seek out the part of you that is able to navigate the inner workings of your mind, body, and soul (spirit) to realize that this is a challenge, but one that you can meet. We are stronger and more capable than we know. Adversity can bring out the very best in us and release strengths that we forgot we ever had. Part of accepting an illness is keeping up the necessary search for relief and bettering oneself through proper nutrition, exercise, medical care, good drug management, and willingness to explore non-invasive complimentary therapies that may potentially improve one’s condition. An open and flexible mind may serve you well in seeking answers and solutions concerning your condition.
