Parkinsons recovery on untrodden path

I want to share how/what I benefitted from the view of Raja yoga(RY) ‘s philosophy of cyclic time. The philosophy is a tool for spiritual growth, personal strength, fearlessness to face situations, and coolness to accept what is happening.

RY views time is cyclic and repeats identically every 5000 years. The world is a stage on which we souls play our roles as per fixed script in a divine drama. Hence the world drama cycle is the term used to refer to the events of the cyclic time.

The fixed script is unknown when it comes to future, and is known when it comes to the past. There is scope for creativity and growth by our actions in the present. Since we don’t know the outcomes of our present actions, we need to be positive, enthusiastic, and with zeal to do better.

The world drama cycle is how the universe is organised both temporally and spatially. It is divine cosmic play. Whatever happens in it is fair and for its own reasons which we do not understand. What happened is good. What is happening is good. What will be happening is also good. This is because the drama is designed that way.

For those, who are used to believing in linear time, evolution, and free will, the above ideas look to be of resignation. But, I find easy surrender and acceptance of what is with gratitude, without imposing my own expectations and control.

When we try to control based on our expectations, and things don’t go in our way, we have negative emotions of fear, anger, frustrations, depressions, hopelessness, dejectedness, etc.

I usually don’t have fears of uncertainties in life due to the faith in the world drama cycle as I believe it to be beneficial. When my faith in the drama wavers, I get into negative thoughts and emotions. Then, I gain my coolness by getting my faith firm in the drama cycle.

When I was first diagnosed with PD in late October, 2018, I immediately thought of its divine gift to me and has a greater purpose, while my neurologist was explaining to my wife that PD is a progressive disease without a cure and is due to certain dopamine producing brain cells decaying. Then, I did not have a question of why PD to me. I immediately accepted the diagnosis. This was due to my faith in the world drama.

I did not know a way out of the predicament of Western medicine in the first 10 days after my PD diagnosis. There were uncertainties of the future. But I did not fear much due to the faith in the world drama.

Later when I found Howard Shifke’s autobiography on how he cured from PD without drugs, I found a way out of the western science view on PD. In the meanwhile, I told myself, PD is not for my soul, but for my body.

I keep thanking the PD symptoms. I tell that these are gifts. Thereby I gain emotional control. PD symptoms are messages that things are not in order spiritually and physically. These signal that I need to work to improve or better my situation.

In February 2020, I started exploring Janice W Hadlock’s research work on PD recovery. I got some new ideas to practice. Though the drama cycle is fixed at some level, our efforts do not cease. What is to unfold is fixed. But we try our best with positive mind to welcome new possibilities. As I practice JWH’s method, I find a newer way of engaging with God, which is by having two way conversation with him. That engagement is making me closer to God. I am discovering new experiences.

I play this part of PD countless times every 5000 years for eternity into past, present, and future. Nothing is new. This is the gist of the world drama cycle that gives me confidence to face uncertainties due to PD because I went through it countless times. In fact, I focus on the current moment than about the uncertainties of the future.

Accepting without the questions of why, what happened and what is happening is a surrender. Thereby I avoid negative emotions. I say, I am grateful to the wonderful drama for whatever it offered, it is offering, and it will be offering. My focus in the present moment is what needs to be done to take things forward.