EXPO Orlando Florida 2011 Mixed Ability Dance

Merry Lynn Morris, Choreographer/Designer w/ REVolutions Dance EXPOSE 2011 Orlando Florida Orange County Schools Dr.Phillips High School Mixed Ability Dance Performance & USF College of The Arts Dance Chair Innovation & Design

Last Friday culminated an incredible interdisciplinary dance event a year in the making! Orange County Public Schools presented in Orlando Florida an EXPOSE 2011 at Dr. Phillips High School - a Magnet & Performing Arts School with a great Dance Department. Last year, Ashley Sherman contacted Merry Lynn Morris for her community work as choreographer/artistic development in Mixed Ability Dance - with an idea to spotlight the amazing work of REVolutions Dance Inc. and the use of technology/creativity via The Rolling Dance Chair Project and the USF College of The Arts . The innovative new class by Merry Lynn & Architect Steve Cook earlier this summer, also played a part as creative props were designed and made by Steve Cook with graduate student of Architecture - David Zawko (Pictures of their creative & interactive designer stage "boxes" to follow). Two dance works were performed with Dwayne Scheuneman-Artistic Director of REVolutions Dance, Troy Jansen-Artistic Director of Jansen Dance Project, Jessica Stroh, Della Thompson, Jasmine Jones, Beaudau Banks, Christine Soto & 3 students of Dr. Phillips HS. THANK YOU! Beautiful Dancers!

This fantastic opportunity was enabled by a grant awarded to Merry Lynn from the Irma Dobkin Universal Design Grant for her design patent innovation in the Rolling Dance Chair Project. Special thanks also to Dr. Phillips High School for contributing a $700 stipend for the dancers! With these grants and support, Mixed Ability Dance has greater opportunity to enhance and open the ways for new innovations of dance to include everyone who wants it. In fact, REVolutions Dance will be performing these pieces again in the future at Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater, Florida. THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR MAKING THIS EXCITING FUTURE TO CONTINUE! 


{For the Facebook Page references:  http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=227611443975107&set=o.163162663706498&type=1 }




{Further pictures & video to follow upon completion by Videographer, etc. ... as soon as available.... }

Three Conferences and One Honor Guard !

The month of October 2011 was filled with themes of legacy, honor, history, education, and the future.  I spent over two weeks in three different conferences around the country.  I also was honored to be present at the memorial passing of my Grandfather and his interment with an Honor Guard at his side to see us all through this.


IADMS - International Association of Dance Medicine and Science.... 2011 Annual Conference in Washington D.C. this year.  With my colleague from University of South Florida, we presented the metabolism efficiency of the Dance Chair.  It was incredible to share new knowledge & research of dancers' health & well-being. The legacy of our Nation's history was ever present.

IADMS- International Association of Dance Medicine & Science - 2011 Annual Conference
Washington DC / Merry Lynn Morris Dance Chair Presentation

Then on to Minneapolis for the NDEO National Dance Education Organization Annual Conference with more Dance Chair sharing and presentations.  One of the highlights for me was taking the Dalcroze Eurhythmics class.  Eurhythmics methodology was invented by a Swiss musician and teacher Émile Jaques-Dalcroze in the early 1900's.  Dalcroze left another legacy from a long time ago - and influenced Martha Graham and others in rhythm, timing & how to hear things.

NDEO National Dance Education Organization 2011 Annual Conference
Minneapolis, Minnesota / Merry Lynn Morris Dance Chair

Finally the FDEO Florida Dance Education Organization had their Annual Conference in Miami this year - October 27-29, 2011. The National Honor Society of dance arts audition class was a high point for me in seeing young students who were possibly looking to attend different Universities for dance..  There was a question & answer time for them for their futures - & I was glad to be a part... once again to pass on the legacy of education.. Legacy & Literacy was the theme of the conference.

FDEO Florida Dance Education Organization 2011 Annual Conference
Miami, Florida / with Merry Lynn Morris

The passing of my Grandfather at 93 years young touches me greatly as he leaves a legacy to us all in his faith, service, and love to all and our futures. He passed in March of this year, but his interment was in October with full Honor Guard and most of our family present....   May God continue to bless us.

This has been a very meaningful month for me .... full of reflections.  I wish for everyone a future built on the best for all!
 ~ w/love Merry Lynn Morris

Dance Chair Innovation - Patent Receives International Notice

USF Dance Professor Merry Lynn Morris invented a wheelchair  that allows people to express themselves through movements such as dancing.
{Jim Reed - Photographer Tampa Tribune Staff - Copyright 2011}
http://www2.tbo.com/news/education-news/2011/jul/30/menewso1-usf-gains-international-notice-for-record-ar-247333/

Recently, the Dance Chair with Merry Lynn Morris was featured by Channel 8 & also made the front page of the Tampa Tribune.  The above link is the News Article link with Photos & the Video link. The News Video from Tampa Tribune Video is embedded below.  We are very grateful for the notice & the continuing publicity on our project!  The following is a selected excerpt from the full article which can be found at:  http://www2.tbo.com/news/education-news/2011/jul/30/menewso1-usf-gains-international-notice-for-record-ar-247333/ 

http://www2.tbo.com/news/2011/aug/09/1/usf-patents-reflect-studentsx2019-inn-76341-vi-23646/

{Selected Excerpt from Tampa Tribune Article - Published / Copyright 7/30/2011}

Six years ago, University of South Florida dance professor Merry Lynn Morris approached a couple of engineering professors with an idea.

How can you make a wheelchair move more like a human?

Today, Morris and six former USF engineering students hold a patent on her idea. It's one of 83 last year that put the school at No. 9 among universities worldwide earning U.S. patents.

"It's a huge validation of the work you do, which can take years," Morris said.

The ranking comes from the Intellectual Property Owners Association's annual list of the Top 300 U.S. patent recipients in the world. IBM had the most for 2010, with 5,866.

USF was one of 14 universities on the list. The University of California Regents led that pack, with 349 patents.

"We've really worked to change the culture here," said USF's Paul Sanberg, holder of about 30 U.S. patents, including the first for using cord blood and bone marrow for stem cells used in brain repair.

Two years ago, Sanberg launched the National Academy of Inventors at USF, to recognize patent-holders and their work.

Patenting is a key step in turning a discovery into something people can use, Sanberg said. But the process hasn't traditionally been part of universities' academic mission.

That's changing.

"Universities are having to become more focused on real-world economics, so you're seeing more of them trying to take advantage of their intellectual property," he said.

With its 83, USF received more than twice as many patents last year as it did three years ago.

The 2010 patent list shows a breadth of inventions, from wheelchairs for disabled dancers to new ways to test the acidy of seawater to a self-guided roller coaster ride.

Morris had been rolling her idea over in her mind for years before she visited College of Engineering professors...

Her father was disabled in a car accident when she was 12, and Morris helped take care of him, so she was intimately familiar with the limits of life in a wheelchair. Some were societal, but many existed because of the chair's clunky design.

Always a dancer, Morris began to envision a chair that would allow someone to express themselves through movement, freeing hands and arms from having to push a wheel or joystick.

The USF engineers were intrigued. So in 2006, {her project} was assigned to several students to work with Morris. It took about a year to develop a working prototype. In June 2008, USF filed for the patent, which came through last summer.

The invention is a system that uses sensors on the seat that tell the chair to move forward, backward or sideways with small upper-body shifts.

Morris knew the discovery process would be a challenge, but she had no idea of how legalistic it would get, she said.

In the end, though, that process was useful.

"You have to put everything on paper and show what role this person played and what role that person played. You have to be really clear."

Those credits really matter when the invention gets to where the dance chair is now, with a potential manufacturer showing interest.

The patent belongs to USF, which filed the application, but as one of the listed inventors, Morris would share any income from product sales, as would the six others named in the application.

Right now, Morris is focused not so much on sales but getting the chairs to people who could use them.

She's been corresponding with a woman who has a disabled child and started a dance studio to help her. She's also working with injured war veterans.

As Morris and the engineers find further refinements, they're likely to get more patents.

VERLEZZA DANCE COMPANY DEBUTS NEW DANCE CHAIR WITH MERRY LYNN MORRIS

Sabatino Verlezza w/ Verlezza Dance Company Dancers

Tracy Pattison / Amara Romano / Marcie Ryan & w/ Merry Lynn Morris

Verlezza Dance Company in Theatre2 USF
with Merry Lynn Morris

Sabatino Verlezza with Verlezza Dance Company Dancers
Tracy Pattison / Marcie Ryan / Amara Romano

Dream-like Weekend with Verlezza Dance Company
Dancing with Prototypes I & II  (Debut) w/ Merry Lynn Morris


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1Y84Fgto_E

It was a very dream-like weekend with the incredible debut of the Hands-Free Dance Chair of the Rolling Dance Chair Project - initiated from 2005 by me as Design Patent Inventor - with my work in mixed-ability dance & also from the inspiration of my disabled Father.

Verlezza Dance Company of Ohio flew down to "debut" the new somewhat "working" Dance Chair.  We all held our breath to hope nothing technical would go wrong for the long but lovely weekend!  The Dance Chairs kept being "tweaked" while we all ventured into some amazing ideas of balance & movement with the chairs - including double-ups & standing-up!  Interviews & news coverage attempted to document the project to this point - but which never succeeded in the true understanding of the fact that it has been way too long in making anything work for those who are "waiting in the wings"  - ask Verlezza Dancers - Sabatino Verlezza, Marcie Ryan, & Amara Romano!  Recently, however, I have made an Artistic as well as Financial Decision - to fast-track the manufacture of this wonderful DANCE CHAIR - to make "dreaming" - a REALITY! - after almost 12 years! - I think it is time!  Thank you God!

Looking forward to working soon again with the very wonderful Sabatino Verlezza & his gifted Assistant Artistic Director - Tracy Pattison!  Verlezza Company Dancers - Amara Romano & Marcie Ryan gave incredible feedback to our moving dimensional goals!

Thank You ALL who made this weekend possible.  It has taken years, but I am glad to have made it this far - definitely feels like I am dreaming!  .... The manufacture of three more hands-free dance chairs - is very close to happening!

God Bless to all - and hope to keep dreaming!

w/love - Merry Lynn Morris

Interdisciplinary Passages - A New Creative Collaboration Class at USF

http://youtu.be/0eGOjExAFXM

Architecture + Dance + Video Collaborative

This is a new class at USF about Creative Collaboration between 3 professors of Architecture, Dance, & Art (Steve Cooke, Merry Lynn Morris, Anat Pollack.) The Graduate Architect Students explore spatial forms of light, movement, measurement/drawing. The Dancers interact with ideas of shape, form, measurement & environmental interaction .... all under the watchful eye of Art Students of Video - recording everything from every conceivable angle. All the Students interchange & overlap their ideas & their roles - Dancers draw, Architect Students dance, & everyone is encouraged to Video with an artistic eye. Various groups will culminate in performances with interactive sets / environment / - & music..... (Note - Music Students will be part of this collaboration in the future!) The creativity awareness is enormous! By: Merry Lynn Morris On Friday, June10 in Theatre 2/USF the Architecture + Dance + Video Collaborative presented: the final work-in-progress performances called:  Passages.... A mixed media performance event with four compelling works presented by USF’s dance, video, and architecture students. Celebrating the integration of Body, Movement, and Structural elements, this intriguing collaboration will propel the viewer into a kaleidoscopic journey, engaging and stimulating multi-sensory relationships and inviting new perceptions. This performance is the outgrowth of three combined courses in the College of The Arts: Dance Improvisation, Intermediate Video, and a first time elective offering in Architecture, “Architecture, Dance and Video”. Each work is unique in vision, design and collaborative choices, yet, all four works retain the criteria of merging video with dance with architecture. Common to all works is also an original “source” motivation which was to investigate and question the relationships of body, movement and structure in and through one’s environment in relation to a list of “cue” concepts such as: restriction, extension, temporality, and weight. Students worked separately on some days and collaboratively on others to create their final presentation.  Each group was composed of 3-4 architecture students, 2 dance students and 1-2 video students. Groups were then merged to develop a final product and groups had choices in terms of how much overlap would occur at that point.

The interactive set with some of the dancers will be part of the USF Art Gallery Exhibition starting Friday, June 17,2011 6:00PM  and running for two weeks.

Also - see the USF News Article http://news.usf.edu/article/templates/?a=3491&z=119

DISABILITY HORIZONS - Takes Off OnLine !

Here is the link for the new OnLine Magazine DISABILITY HORIZONS - created by Martyn Sibley and Srin Madipalli : http://disabilityhorizons.com  .  The very first edition (April 2011) featured the Rolling Dance Chair Project with an article written by (me) Sonshine on the ramifications of disability within our family - and the outcome of creative inventions through our daughter Merry Lynn Morris:  Here is the permanent link for the story which is also reprinted here:  http://disabilityhorizons.com/2011/04/10/dancing-on-wheels/

DANCING ON WHEELS (from online magazine DISABILITY HORIZONS 1st Edition April 2011 Copyright of Srin Madipalli and Martyn Sibley)

Sonshine Morris, an artist from Florida, USA shares with us a story about their personal experience with disability as a result of her husband’s injury and how it inspired her daughter Merry Lynn, a choreographer and dance teacher at the University of South Florida to help develop a hands-free wheelchair to allow people with disabilities to learn to dance :

Let me describe how I came to be inspired with technology as a gift graced with life and love. I am experiencing a rather atypical life which began from a fairly typical USA formative youth and family. My husband experienced the same. It was the Vietnam War years of the early 1970′s when both of us met at an avant-garde prayer meeting after questioning the value systems of basically everything (we still question almost everything!). God became a reality to us and we both were new Christians. We fell in love and married within two years.

Life does not always seem to be measured out quite fairly in a general and especially global sort of way. We always felt that, and wondered with everyone else the big “Why?” That was our beginning and the story continues in hope of never ending! When Merry Lynn was 12 years old, her dad went up to the store to buy yellow paint to finish her room design. Not five minutes from our house, two 18 year-old boys crossed the centreline and hit my husband head-on flipping his car in the air. On a respirator and brain shunt from surgery, his mangled body was somehow being kept “alive.” The thread of his being hung on comatose while he remained severely brain-injured with a broken hip, crushed knee, blind in one eye, pneumonia, paralysis and seizures. The unbelievable picture of this is all the worse as one realizes he was such a very strong-boned six foot three (6’3″) man in the prime of his life. I find it is still hard to imagine it all. He resembled a broken puppet with all the strings of life cut. And, so began our years of suffering in disability which has a ripple effect felt like that of a tsunami.

We became a working embodiment to free or relieve my husband from his disability. Out of all his needs spanning over years, came incredible invention! As Merry Lynn aged, she became the design inventor of a hands-free wheelchair called the Rolling Dance Chair to allow the freedom of movement and access we wanted in both his care and for him and for those who we worked with who also had disabilities. CNN recently featured the wheelchair and work of Merry Lynn in this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQaYyjgGjBg

At present, the recently patented accessible hands-free wheelchair is now in Phase Prototype 2 and soon to be in market. Other inventions are at different stages or on the drawing table. Recently, the University of South Florida documented the continuing significance of Merry Lynn’s project in reaching many people from all areas of life in this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHyE4zXLOL8

The blessing of the internet has finally connected everyone globally. We really all can effect a life of someone with disability from afar. By staying linked we are working together to “get the info out.” Just last week, Merry Lynn had the privilege of meeting Aleksej Talai, who is an inspirational speaker in spite of his quad-amputee status from the explosion of an old WWII land mine in Belarus when he was sixteen. His interest in the hands-free chair is keen with enthusiasm for even dancing!

Disability effects everyone globally without regard to country, race, religion, age, sex, etc. It has taken every possible thing we are in talent, spirit, breath, and money to come up to its challenges. As it crosses all barriers, we are thankful that the global technology is gracefully crossing all barriers, too. May God bless us all and continue to grace the technology!

In Hope always, by Sonshine (& Merry Lynn) Morris

Reprinted from DISABILITY HORIZONS April 2011 1st Edition OnLine Magazine - Martyn Sibley and Srin Madipalli - http://disabilityhorizons.com/2011/04/10/dancing-on-wheels/

INNOVATION CELEBRATION!

On February 11, 2011 schools from the Tampa Bay area celebrated their students who had submitted INVENTIONS of all kinds!  Elementary to Middle Schools to High Schools thought of very imaginative devices and innovative ideas to share.  University of South Florida sponsored the Young Innovator event with almost 500 entries.  The finalists did receive $1,000 each, but it was the incredible atmosphere and experience which is invaluable in creative endeavor.  Everyone wins when we all share in innovative ideas!  I was asked to showcase my Rolling Dance Chair Project for the final celebration on the last evening of the event.  It was really a privilege to be part of this great program!  Some of the smaller children were terrific in their sense of wonder as they tried the Dance Chair or watched!  

Looking forward to next year!

Merry Lynn Morris

For the complete list & coverage:  http://www.innovationexpress.org/Default.aspx


http://youtu.be/eklwJUaTgrM

SHADOW EFFECTS

http://youtu.be/NUQ_PgIuDBc

This was from some of our time spent at several Assisted Living Facilities where I was the Art Director and Merry Lynn the Movement & Dance Therapist.  The lead in to the Shadow Effect was to transition everyone into the transcendent qualities of life and to ultimately lead everyone into spiritual aspects of life - love, feelings, and of course belief in God.  The Art Study was both stimulating to their tactile senses as well as philosophically challenging.  The respect I had for these elders was very deep - and I was always surprised and delighted with the experiences and wisdom they had.  This particular Facility was, in fact, a religious center - so everyone was on board with the deeply spiritual aspects of life.  I went on to develop a brief discussion to others who question the Evidence on God.... and that one may be able to find the evidence they truly seek in the effects - shadow & otherwise.  (This is on my other blog and on my FaceBook Page in a note http://www.facebook.com/note.php?saved&&note_id=131010676971228&id=105444339527862  )  

 Love - His Sonshine

Florida Waterways Dance Project

Florida Waterways Dance Project - Eco Awareness 3/5/2011

The Florida Waterways Dance project is a STATEWIDE DANCE EVENT on Ecological Awareness Collaboration - to be performed throughout 8 regions in the State of Florida on March 5, 2011 at 4PM - all will be simultaneously live streaming through a new techno feature.  Merry Lynn Morris is the coordinator and choreographer for the region of Tampa Bay / St. Petersburg, Florida.  Everyone is invited to participate and be involved on Saturday, March 5th on the boardwalk and beach of St. Petersburg ......  JOIN US at the Beach - Boardwalk live streaming 4PM (Pass-A-Grille) by Paradise Grille.  Between 10th & 1st Streets.

http://youtu.be/2QJmdpJKwe0

This 1 minute video with photo takes - is from the 2/28/11 Dress Rehearsal at the University of South Florida - with Merry Lynn Morris' Movement Analysis Class.  These are just a few of the dancers involved.  Other dancers who are also rehearsing the same dance phrase - include:  New World School of Arts / University of Tampa / Moving Current Dance Collective / All Out Rep / Shoes at the Door / Forever Moving Company / Blake HS / Orange Grove Middle School / & Others. Live streaming will be seen around the globe with a new techno feature. Lynne Wimmer will be producing a video documentary. Dale Andree - Miami New World School of the Arts - is Director. Other sites include: Miami-Jose Marti Park / Niceville-DeFuniak Springs/ Boca Raton-FAU Campus / Gainesville-Earl Powers Park / Ft.Lauderdale-Nova Campus / Jacksonville-St.Johns River / Daytona Beach-Halifax River. For more information go to the website: http://www.floridawaterwaysdanceproject.com/ FEEL FREE TO JOIN US ANYWHERE - OR ON LIVE STREAMING !

AND THANK YOU MY DANCERS!  Really lovely & stunning work on some very different terrain!  - Best, Merry Lynn Morris

Directing & Co-ordinating all the Video & Dances / Choreography for the Florida Waterways Dance Project On the Beach at St. Petersburg / Tampa Bay Pass-A-Grille 

http://www.twitvid.com/MDEXN

ALEKSEY TALAI - THE DREAM, MY PURPOSE ..... Overcoming the Impossible!




Aleksey Talai with Merry Lynn Morris/USF w/Hands-Free Dance Chair

 

I spent some time this week with Aleksey Talai who exemplifies all that life can be. In spite of his enormous quad-amputee status he is an incredible & beautiful person. At 16 years old in the late nineties - he became the last World War II casualty by trying to stop some children from messing with old WWII land mines in his native Belarus (near Minsk). The explosion immediately caused him to lose his arms and legs - he was never expected to survive - yet he lives and inspires eleven years later! His present day mission can be found in his website - THE DREAM - MY PURPOSE at http://www.cafeindependence.webs.com/ .

This is a global cause, wonder & support! Should anyone have used or new Power Chairs to donate to his orphanage - he would see to this. He speaks English super! - and is an incredible & charming inspirational speaker to all who would be interested. He came to the US to assist in all the stages of support for his DREAM which is really being "realized"!- an inspirational place of love for children & an orphanage with disabilities. Alex has managed to triumph - and he now (globally) encourages! His beautiful family with his wife and two incredible children - continue to bless him, always. Alex has been such a sport to try our dance chair - and to certainly be wanting to be ready for Prototype 2! Looking Forward! Thank you, Alex! (Alex is here until May/2011 for Inspirational Speaking ----- (on FB http://www.facebook.com/aleksey.talai ) -or on his website which gives all his contact info & here in the U.S. even after May/2011 http://cafeindependence.webs.com/contactus.htm WISHING THE GLOBAL SUPPORT TO ASSIST ALEX'S DREAM - WHAT AN INSPIRATION YOU & YOUR FAMILY ARE TO US!

(Be sure to view the videos on his website:  http://cafeindependence.webs.com/  - we will be updating here with video and pics as will happen.... looking so forward!!!  THANK YOU, ALEX!)

Best to all - & in Appreciation!

Merry Lynn Morris

2nd View: Christopher "Kit" Lowe Test Trials Hands-Free Chair with Merry Lynn Morris & a Hint of Prototype 2

http://youtu.be/_UeFA3_jaVY

This is a little more footage of Sergeant Kit Lowe (wounded Veteran) learning about ways to move on the Hands-Free Chair - including the interactive component with dance and a small hint of Prototype 2 from last Thursday!  Prototype 2 is definitely very smooth and responsive - can't wait to see it develop more!

Kit, who I knew was very patient - and determined, put huge efforts into mastering the push/pull and weighted responsiveness of the Hands-Free Chair- at USF College of the Arts - Theatre & Dance Department.

Kit you are absolutely a great trooper with this and I appreciate all you did so much.  The next prototype will not involve the same problems on the seat tilt, that you had to master.  Thank you, again Kit.  And, Liisa Temple and Bobbie O'Brien - my sincere appreciaton. And, everyone in engineering - always!

Looking Forward,

Merry Lynn Morris

WAYS TO HEAL - From A - Z

Merry Lynn and I have conducted many Wellness Seminars over the past fourteen years for various organizations, employees, and assisted-living facilities.  With so much information, however, I decided to simplify this post - and then re-edit as time goes on with pertinent information as blogging allows for this wonderful feature.

Healing is an Art.  It is unique to an individual.  To attempt to address a "one size fits all" pattern, would be the first mistake any of us could make.  Other than the few human similarities of needing clean air, clean water, pure foods - the healing process varies with each individual in infinite ways.  That uniqueness needs to be addressed, recorded, and understood by each person. 

 I am always surprised when I get sick - with even a "simple" cold - that I cease to think very clearly.  It is the nature of our own ego thought which believes, while being relatively healthy, that mortality issues within ourselves would be handled well.  After all (our thoughts tell us) - I would KNOW to do this and that, etc.... when I get sick or in a crisis.  WRONG!  I have found that the FIRST thing to go - is clear thinking.  To correct this flaw,  (which I have had to deal with too many times), I developed a "Blue Book" - over the years, which is an index written when I am healthy and clear-headed regarding my specific and unique health issues and suggested treatments which have helped or cured me in the past.  When one is sick, it is not the time to be researching how to get well.  Plan ahead.  For there have been times so bad for me, that I could not even remember to look in my own "Blue Book!"  On those occasions, thankfully, someone else caring for me - thought of it and started looking through it.  It is like one's own personal medical history and it is something one could even take to a hospital or doctor, if necessary.  It can relate the simplest remedy - like maybe trying some carbonated water or alka-seltzer for a queasy stomach - to a major alert from an allergic response.  There are many remedies for me on both - since having a nervous stomach and allergic responses have been re-occurring lifetime problems unique to me and unique in their remedies at times.  So, this is the main point:  I really cannot share too much on my nervous stomach - as to what may be my remedy or cure, because it could be harmful to someone else.  The old adage that "one man's food is another man's poison" - is very true.

 With that thought in mind, I want to encourage each of you as you age, to individually keep and index well your own "Blue Book" remedies.  To get you going - we have a list to consider from A-Z which you may want to think about as you write about your own body and its health needs.  I am amazed, sometimes, that when I have been ill, I start to panic about just being ill!  Then, I realize that there are "WAYS TO HEAL" - and I start to remember that I have recovered in the past from such and such, etc...... by utilizing some of the tools or remedies which work for me.  I would never hesitate to use a doctor's advice, but I have to remind myself that healing of "my" body is ultimately with me.  Even though the doctor takes my health seriously, it is still my life and my body - not his.  For me, personally, I believe all healing and life is a miracle of God's energy instinctively guiding us in right paths to health and wellness.  Without fully trying to document this faith idea - as many believe it is subjective or anecdotal - there is one well-documented "proof" of thoughts assisting, sometimes dramatically, in the healing process.  It is called the placebo effect.  It is such a huge effect and has been studied so much - in double-blind studies over time and more - that one merely needs to look and research it on the Internet to realize that the effect is very real!  The placebo effect is usually acting 80% or more of the time. One study states:  "The placebo effect proves to be good medicine in twelve month study; mind/body medicine is more powerful than drugs and surgery."(  http://www.naturalnews.com/001125.html#ixzz1BznQZizo  & http://www.naturalnews.com/031451_drug_trials_placebo_effect.html)  But, please look into this powerful effect for yourself to realize the impact our thoughts and mind-body connection can have on our health, healing, and continued wellness.  OUR BEST TO ALL IN STAYING WELL, HEALTHY, HAPPY, & WISE! & May God Bless!   Sonshine (& Merry Lynn Morris)

__________________________________________________

 WELLNESS THOUGHTS ON WAYS TO HEAL - FROM A -  Z

__________________________________________________

ACT, BREATHE, MOVE, Relax , Sleep.. ZZZ !

 ACTIVE THERAPY:    Movement, conditioning (isometrics), stretching and active stimulation - to aid circulation.

AFFIRMATIONS:     Beautiful words, pictures, ideas, thoughts & remembrance - surround your work environment that have meaning to you.

AROMATHERAPY:     Air Quality #1 priority!    Environmental chemicals and poor air circulation effect motivation, alertness, and stress.  Consider personal clean air machines and/or natural pure oil scents that contribute to environment - not with contaminants, chemicals, or even heavy perfumes.

AUTOGENIC:     "Self-generated" training of the mind/body connection so that good habits are an automatic response to stress (i.e., training yourself to take a "one-minute moment" each hour throughout the workday.)  Also, see Placebo Effect below.

BREATHE:       Deep breathing sets posture automatically and enhances circulation - increasing brain alertness & all physiological responses of the body.

CIRCULATION:      This is the #1 stress-relief!    Apply active therapy (movement) with passive therapy (relaxation) to balance the best possible circulation to sustain energy for your workday.  Breathe, Move! - Do not sink into a still chair and stagnate.


CONTROL:     What can anyone CONTROL?  There are 4  Components to the Body:  (NOTE: the first three have minimal if any control at all) 1) Physiological (heart, respiration, etc..)  2) Emotional (reactions to anything from stress to joy / flight or fight)  3) Thoughts (vivid imagery, mind-popping or random thoughts)  4) ACTIONS - THIS IS THE ONE ABSOLUTE THING YOU CAN CONTROL!  You do not have to bring the fork to the mouth, you do not have to DO something based on your anger, desire or emotion - including engaging your tongue/voice/writing in harmful words.  You do not have to continue to ENTERTAIN a thought and/or carry it out.  DOING usually engages muscle - and this alone is the one impulse that anyone can control or that one would strive to control ideally. Try to control what you can as far as you "acting out."

INTERACTIVE THERAPY:      Use touch cues to enhance relaxation, circulation & reflexive response/relief through sustained pressure and/or kneading/massage.  Crossover technique works the best (the left side takes care of the right side).

MOVEMENT:       Keep everything in motion for increased circulation - use vibration, air / water / gel cushions, muscle stimulation and applied tightening with release (isometric).  Patterns and natural flow of movement increase efficiency in anything you do.

MUSCLES:       Reminder - a muscle engaged cannot also be relaxed.  For balance of your own body - always crossover left side to work on a relaxed right side or reverse.  Circulation results in a series of ebbs and flows and not a constant exercise push nor is it total muscular relaxation.

PASSIVE THERAPY:    Passive therapy may include massage therapy, music, visual, and environmental changes or enhancements (i.e., correct chair position, aromatherapy, etc.)

PLACEBO EFFECT:      or PAY ATTENTION TO YOURSELF FIRST!  Deep breathing is a proven physiological effect on the body and is measurable.  However, some things you do by just paying attention to the needs of your body - enhance responses, also.  If your break includes something special to you - and/or you just stopped to consider the needs of your own body - it will become automatic, more efficient, less stressed.  "Love your neighbor (associate) as yourself" - first begins with you!  Before assisting others - you need your health and well-being - body, mind, spirit connected.  Thoughts manifest - and you must realize the powerful effect of your beliefs.  If you do and believe in something special for yourself  - unique to you - it will become part of the healing / wellness process.

PRAYER:      This is very much our connection to God, personally and unique.  It is divine loving kindness and better than gold!

RELAXATION RESPONSE:      Another unique tool which is individualized.  Only you know what makes you happy and/or gives you a deep relaxation response.  Adrenaline rushes can make certain people happy, but adrenaline does not give a true relaxation response which involves the release of other natural chemicals in the body - like serotonin.


VITAMINS & MINERALS:     This can include specific doctor prescribed supplements, medications, etc...  It is again - as unique as each individual.  A multi-vitamin, fish oil, low dose aspirin, vitamin C, D, & E - should be looked into with Calcium/Magnesium combination tablets.  (Follow your doctor's specific guidelines on this as - I cannot take VitaminE! I know of two people allergic to Fish Oils, and aspirin - even in low doses can be a lethal combination with other medications or diseases. So - WARNING -check out what may apply directly to you or not!)

ZZZZZZZ's .......... SLEEP!  Resting well and having deep REM sleep is very healing.  The body must complete one full cycle to have full benefits.  This would involve a minimum of five undisturbed hours.  After that, the perfect sleep time becomes individualized and changes with age, illness, or circumstance - usually from 8 - 10 hours.  Dreaming is also important and healing, whether you can always remember the dreams or not.

BALANCE IS BEST!

THE ART OF DISABILITY DIVING UNDERWATER - IN BALI !

Srin Madipalli in Bali

THE ART OF DISABILITY DIVING - IN BALI ! This is an absolutely incredible 1 minute moment to watch! Srin Madipalli is a guest blogger to our friend Martyn Sibley. ( http://MartynSibley.com ).  Srin & Martyn do these incredible things AROUND THE WORLD! I could only dream of! {Both Srin & Martyn have SMA (spinal/muscle atrophy)} Super Blog Post with incredible detail on all the ins & outs of Diving in Bali over the Holiday!  http://martynsibley.com/guest-blog-by-srinivas-madipalli-disability-diving

http://youtu.be/gFDETicgipw