PD Revelation

This post pertains primarily to the first of the “new exercises,” the dialogue with the “other.” You may be wondering what you're supposed to talk about. Janice Walton-Hadlock (JWH) provides the essential guidance (Search PDFs for the quotes given. Recovery from Parkinson's, 2019 = RFP, Stuck on Pause, 2017 = SOP):

“Treat all thoughts and spoken words throughout the day as if they were part of a silent two-way conversation with a 'friend': a deceased beloved friend or relative, a 'higher power,' some saint or sage, or even a beloved, deceased pet.” (RFP)

So the idea is to turn everything you think about, everything you might otherwise talk to yourself about, into conversation with the “other.”

“Every person’s experience in turning off pause has been different, other than the fact that they were talking to God and really being open about some things that they’d never been open about before.” (SOP)

So... emotional openness. This is key, so much so that I'll write a whole post on it soon. Suffice it to say for now that you want to talk from the heart. (See SOP.) In my view, that tends to shape what you talk about. That is, if you are talking from the heart, you're probably talking about things that tend toward important emotional issues for you. Still, whatever is going through your mind should be directed to the “other.” For many of us this is much easier said than done. Nevertheless, that is the goal.

In sum, whatever would be going through your mind otherwise, whatever the internal monologue or dialogue, it should now become talking to the “other.” I've kept this to the gist, but let me know if it seems I've left out anything important.