Category Archives: tai chi

Foot Whisperer

chi mat, foot baths, Meditation, skelatoes, tai chi

Angela gave me permission to post her story and pictures below on recent therapies she has found have offered relief from the symptoms of Parkinsons she currently experiences offered by foot whisperer Randy Eady.

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Founder 2004
Parkinsons Recovery
Road to Recovery from Parkinsons Disease

I met the author, Randy Eady, in Delray Beach, Florida, where he is known as the “Foot Whisperer” for his promotion of whole body health through treatment of the feet. I was intrigued as he had apparently had the same insight as Janice Walton-Hadlock in that PD is related to a blockage of Chi energy in the foot. I saw Randy for several sessions over the period of a month. He calls his work Ancient Walking to Primal Rhythms, a form of “movement meditation.” Each session began with a soak of my feet in a mini hot tub, followed by a foot massage concentrating on acupressure points particularly K1 (kidney 1). He had me try a number of different modalities:

Walking on a pebble mat (also called a Chi mat). At first this hurt a lot like walking on stones but I have become used to it. Randy gave me a pebble mat to take home with me and I use it faithfully every day.

foot whisperer

 

 Wearing shoes with individual toe sleeves. Randy got me a pair of Fila “skelatoes” shoes that are the next best thing to going barefoot. Shoes of this type are all the rage right now in the world of running. I find them exceptionally comfortable and superior to any walking shoe that I have ever owned.

Non-focused eye movement. He gave me a number of exercises to do that help train the sides of the brain to do tasks that formerly the other side had done (at least this is my interpretation of the exercises). -Tai chi. Randy instructed me in the first half dozen movements of tai chi, both sitting and standing. I am afraid I am a slow learner (could never learn to dance either) but feel that tai chi is one of the keys to solving the PD problem which I am coming more and more to believe is an electrical problem that can be corrected.

Counterrotating arms. At least this is something I can do quite easily: rotate one arm clockwise and the other arm counterclockwise. Again, I feel that this is about training the brain and creating new neural pathways.

– Vibroacoustic lounge and vest. Randy obtained both of these on loan and I was able to try both. I had previously used a vibroacoustic lounge at Robert Rodgers “Jump Start to Wellness” workshop in December 2009. In my opinion, the vibroacoustic vest was just as effective. The deep vibrations produced by the vest or lounge seem to entrain the tremors of PD, offering considerable relief. The sessions I had were highly relaxing; indeed, I fell asleep.
It is interesting how a tuning fork held against acupressure points, particularly the one on the top of the head, feels so very good.

Walking in nature. Randy introduced me to Delray Oaks, an incredible nature preserve that was less than half a mile from our condo.  Walking through that park was one of the most joyous experiences I have ever had and I was literally overflowing with gratitude.

And so much more. Foot whisperer Randy Eady is a true Renaissance man for the 21st-century who has something significant to offer to people with movement disorders such as PD.

Blessings from the blessed,

Angela

How to Improve Gait and Balance

mobility challenges, tai chi

Question:

Can you recommend any techniques for how to improve gait and balance? At present I tend to drag my right leg. If I go for a walk I am OK after about half a mile. I tend to drag my leg on short runs and around the house

John

Response:

First, Consider doing Tai Chi on a regular basis. It is a good idea to connect with a teacher who is proficient. There are excellent DVDs on Tai Chi that also extremely helpful if accessed on a regular basis.

Second, listen to the inspiring interview with Dancer Pamela Quinn who offers a variety of dynamite suggestions that provide suggestions for how to improve gait and balance.

One suggestion (among others from Pamela Quinn) for how to improve gait and balance

Third, Pamela offers a number of suggestions to persons with mobility challenges. She suggested for example that you practice kicking a soccer ball using the leg that drags. It helps to wake up that lazy leg.

You obviously do not want to kick a soccer ball while going to work or doing errands. Instead – you simply pretend that you are kicking the soccer ball as you walk from one place to the next. It works just as well as if you were actually kicking it.

Try bouncing a ball as you walk – just as you did when you were a boy. Your foot is dragging because your body is navigating through neural pathways that are dysfunctional. When you bounce a ball while you walk – you create new neural networks. This short circuits the old pathways that are presently hindering that lazy leg’s functionality.

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Founder 2004
Parkinsons Recovery

Books
Road to Recovery from Parkinsons Disease
Pioneers of Recovery
Five Steps to Recovery

Resources
Dehydration Therapy: Aquas
Parkinsons Recovery Membership
Eye Drops for Cataracts

 

Two Ancient Practices Show Promise for Parkinsons

Qigong, tai chi

Two ancient practices show promise for Parkinsons: Qigong and Tai Chi. Two individuals in particular have experienced profound symptom relief . One embraced Qigong. The other embraced Tai Chi. Both methods quiet the mind and reduce day to day stresses that are problematic for persons diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease.

The first approach which proved successful for Bianca Molle is Qigong. The second which proved successful for Daniel Loney is Tai chi. Each  method originated in the East many, many years ago. Qigong and Tai Chi are both tried and true methods that have obviousy survived the test of time.

Some of the therapies that people place the most confidence in have emerged within only the past few decades and have not yet passed the acid test of time. In my “book” of successful therapies, continuous use of a therapy for centuries on end counts for something. When people across the continents practice methods like Qigong and Tai Chi for hundreds of years they must be worthwhile, eh?

I am personally dazzled at the success these two individuals have manifested. They are true pioneers of natural methods that are helping more and more people across the globe reverse Parkinson’s symptoms. Techniques of Qigong and Tai Chi obviously differ but the end result is similar. They both help to bring the delicate balance of hormones that are critical to neurological health back to their natural state.

QiGong

You can obtain more information about my interview with Bianca Molle who finds Qigong to be the therapy that worked for her by visiting:

 

 

Qigong for Parkinson’s Disease

 

 

There is also a video of Bianca’s presentation on Qigong on the Parkinsons Recovery Santa Fe Summit. Visit the Parkinsons Recovery Summit website to order the DVD of Bianca’a presentation.

Tai Chi

Daniel Loney has clearly found profound relief from his symptoms through a systematic practice of Tai Chi. He is now an active proponent of Tai Chi. He says it has helped him and other people with Parkinson’s Disease enormously.

You can discover more information about my interview with Daniel Loney by visiting the book website:

Tai Chi for Parkinson’s DiseaseTai_Chi_for_Parkinso_Cover_for_Kindle

 

 

 

These Two Ancient Practices Show Promise for Parkinsons as demonstrated by these two remarkable individuals who have been traveling down the road to recovery.

Robert Rodgers PhD
Road to Recovery from Parkinsons Disease
www.parkinsonsdisease.me

 

Parkinsons Tai Chi

Dancing and Parkinson's, recovery, tai chi

Tai Chi Master Daniel Loney gave me permission to post his inspiration account of his Parkinsons Tai Chi visit to the USA. His story, which he titled Incredible People, follows.

Robert Rodgers PhD
Founder 2004
Parkinsons Recovery

I recently returned from a fantastic five week visit to the U.S. I had been invited by the Parkinsons Recovery organization to give a series of Tai Chi workshops to Parkinsons people during an eight day cruise to Alaska. After the cruise, I gave several workshops in Washington and Oregon on behalf of the Northwest Parkinsons Foundation. And then, before returning to Israel, I spent a week in New York where I attended some dance sessions for Parkinsons people, sponsored by the Mark Morris Dance Group.

One evening during the cruise, my brother and I were having dinner with Robert Rodgers and Deborah Russell, the founders of Parkinsons Recovery. In the course of our conversation, Robert turned to me and said,

Danny, all week long people have been coming up to me and saying that the Tai Chi is great, but Danny is incredible.

His words went straight to my heart. I was fighting to keep back tears. Robert continued,

When you do your Parkinsons Tai Chi, you do it with such passion that the room just explodes with a high frequency energy that draws other people in, prompting them to be involved.

I was overwhelmed that I had such an impact on others. Tai Chi is one of my passions in life. When I am doing Tai Chi, I feel at my best. I go deep into myself, to a place where Parkinsons symptoms melt away. Just as a painter expresses his inner most self through his painting, and a poet through his poetry; I express my inner most self through my Tai Chi.

This frequency explosion or whatever you want to call it, repeated itself with every subsequent Parkinsons Tai Chi workshop that I did. Participant faces would light up with smiles as they followed my movements. At the conclusion of the Mercer Island workshop near Seattle, people were standing around in small groups, discussing the workshop. In one group, Bill Bell, president of the Northwest Parkinsons Foundation was commenting to others that the energy level in the room was so high that people could not keep from participating. One woman in the group said that when we were doing our Qi Gong exercises, she felt as if I were lifting her hands for her.

There is certainly nothing special about me. If I am incredible, then it must be because I am surrounded by incredible people. In fact, the Parkinsons group on the cruise was filled with many incredible people who were taking active roles in finding relief and healing from their Parkinsons symptoms.

One such incredible person is Dave Yonce. Talking with Dave is a wonderful experience. He has a gentle personality and his life is packed with adventures. He related to me how, in his younger years, he had walked and hitch hiked across North Africa and had tried to enter Israel. But, because there was no peace agreement at that time between Egypt and Israel, he was not permitted to cross the border. Dave recently completed a walk across the Olympian Peninsula in the state of Washington, a trek of more than fifty miles (80 kilometers). I looked at Dave wondering how on earth he had accomplished that task, as Dave had marked trembling in both hands and certainly did not look able to do such a feat.

The next morning I understood how he had walked such a distance. As the ship docked at Ketchikan, my brother and I disembarked to walk around and see the town. After walking some distance, we stopped to rest and take some pictures. Suddenly, I noticed Dave and his wife walking in our direction. As a Tai Chi instructor, I pay particular attention to peoples posture, how they move their bodies and how they walk. As I watched Dave approach, I was witnessing one of the most astounding acts of movement I have ever seen. Dave was gliding along, with big strides, effortlessly and efficiently moving his body. As he floated by, he moved like a graceful crane as if he was skimming on top of water. Dave smiled at us as he passed and I turned my head staring at him as he disappeared off in the distance. Later, we managed to catch up with Dave. I noticed him through the window of a small cafe comfortably parked at a table having a bite to eat. He looked relaxed, comfortable, and energized as he smiled through the window at me. By that time, I was sweaty and exhausted after clomping along trying to keep pace with my brother. I have since tried many times to replicate Daves walk, but to no success. I hope that I will see Dave again so that I can study his walk in greater detail.

While I was at a Parkinsons dance class in New York, I met another incredible person, Pamela Quinn. Pamela is a professional dancer who developed the symptoms of Parkinsons at a young age. She is currently 55 years old and has had Parkinsons for fifteen years. As she started teaching her class, there was that same explosion of energy that Robert had described about my classes. Participants were smiling and laughing and enjoying themselves. I was deeply moved as I watched her guide the class through her routines. She had such grace and poise. Pam is extremely innovative in her approach and has developed many exercises that address specific Parkinsons symptoms. I had taken my camera along, but I was so mesmerized by Pams passion and positive energy that I completely forgot to take the pictures.

So what made my visit to the States so special? It was special because I discovered that each one and every one of us has the opportunity to become incredible. I learned that we become incredible by living and investing ourselves to the fullest of our abilities in pursuit of our passions in life. And when we begin to share our passion with others, we release explosive high frequency energy that brings healing, encouragement, comfort, and joy to everyone around us.

Links:

Parkinsons Recovery Home

https://www.parkinsonsrecovery.com

Parkinsons Recovery Radio Blog https://www.blogtalkradio.com/parkinsons-recovery

Pamela Quinn:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHXP0xjxnq8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhxtqwHO9Tg

Tai Ji Tears

poem, tai chi

Below I have posted a marvelous poem (Tai Ji Tears) written by Daniel Loney who is virtually symptom free from Parkinson’s today thanks to his practice and dedication to Tai Chi. You can hear my interview with Daniel Loney here:

His marvelous poem is posted below.

Robert Rodgers Ph.D.
Parkinsons Recovery
https://www.parkinsonsrecovery.com

Below is the poem from Daniel Loney.

Tai Ji Tears

Exhausted from the fight
And weary of the journey,
I find rest upon a city bench
Parked, like a statue in the square.
Ignored and invisible to passersby
Who scurry through their lives,
They move with quickness and with ease,
A pace I can no longer keep.

Yet, there is still a hidden place
Where I am king.
A world where every move
Becomes a gift of praise.
A place where tears flow freely
In thanks for heaven’s grace.

Stillness is my solace,
And slowness is my sanctuary
Where every muscle, joint, and sinew seeks its rightful place,
And every limb and organ finds harmony in the whole.
Where I am quiet as a mountain,
Yet, flowing like a river great.

With the grace of a white crane spreading wings,
I move,
And with the firmness of a golden pheasant on one leg,
I stand.
Using the guile of a snake creeping down,
I fight,
And with the stealth of a tiger seeking prey,
I conquer.
Like a horse jumping over a stream,
I soar in victory,
And with the surety of a sparrow returning to its nest,
In triumph I fly.

So, if in your daily journey
Rushing from place to place,
You happen upon a man
Dancing an ancient dance,
And diamond drops rest on his cheeks

Know that he is immersed in tai ji prayer,
Crying tai ji tears of faith,
Worshiping through movement in awe of his Creator.

Daniel Loney

Tai Chi for Parkinsons

tai chi

The inspirational e-mail posted below about tai chi for Parkinsons was sent by Danny Loney

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Founder 2004
Parkinsons Recovery

Hi Robert. This past week concluded the conference of the Israel Parkinsons Association held at the Dead Sea. I spent most of the last night of the conference laying in my bed with tears in my eyes as I thought about the experiences that I had encountered over the previous four days. For me personally, it was emotionally overwhelming as I did not expect to experience such an outpouring of warmth, acceptance, and love. Most of the participants I had known from past conferences and other Parkinsons events, but this time I was able to connect to others and get to know them in a very personal way. I felt like a lost puppy that had found a warm and accepting home.

I was amazed at the many compliments that I received from my tai chi workshops and felt a bit uncomfortable with all of the attention. There is a tremendous amount of creative talent in our Parkinsons Association, whether it be paintings, woodwork, organizational skills, poems, music, counseling, or just a word of encouragement and a warm smile. And I am only one of many who want to make a contribution; a guy uses tai chi for Parkinsons to help a few other people with Parkinsons  improve the quality of their lives.

Danny