This summer seems to bring climate change and global warming more into our everyday reality as it’s hotter than ever and the air quality is worse than ever in the Northeast and all over. I have asthma so every morning now I have to check the air quality in my area and if unhealthy I keep my windows closed, turn on a.c. (which I’m blessed to have) and sometimes fans as well. With global warming and hotter summers, all will have to have a.c. very soon as our planet heats up or we will have people suffering from heat exhaustion and heat stroke and many dying as a result. I don’t like living in a bubble, but we are left with no choice. When I go outside I wear a mask to help protect me from breathing in the poor quality of the air. Then I check the local weather. If a heat alert, I may not go out or if I do go out, I don’t stay outside for long. The air and the weather were never such a prominent part of my everyday life; things have changed a lot this summer! I no longer can go out without checking on air and heat outside, no longer can take longer walks. I’m lucky if the air is okay for me to take a short walk and lucky if the temperature is low enough to walk outside without getting heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Things have surely changed for all of us.

When in one’s senior years it’s fairly easy to keep from being alone too much of the time with unstructured days. Being able to be alone and comfortable with that and even enjoying one’s alone time is as essential as the need for companionship and friendship at times. One needs to find the right balance. In this country we are fortunate enough to have senior centers and Y’s with all kinds of activities that are a great blessing giving retired folks some structure in their days when they no longer go to 9 to 5 jobs. There are physical activities like Tai Chi, chair yoga, dancing, swimming, and activities for the mind like discussion groups, current events classes, language classes. If you enjoy sharing your lunch time with others most senior centers offer a low cost lunch. There is ample choice in the kinds of activities offered by both Y’s and senior centers. And Y’s often give a discount to seniors in the yearly membership fee. One has more time in their senior years to have coffee or lunch with a friend, take walks, go shopping, connecting with a spiritual group if so inclined, or watching films with a group at senior centers, and trips which the senior centers organize. Other ways to put structure in one’s life are: volunteer work, p/t work, watching one’s grandchildren (but there comes a time when that is no longer needed and once again you must figure out how to put meaningful structure in one’s life), working on one’s own projects, entreprenurial ventures, or teaching a class at a senior center (something you enjoy and are experienced at, and want to share).

The difficulty arises when one is not well for a prolonged time and must stay inside your home for a time. This can be a very challenging time. If friends and family live at a distance and can’t visit, then you are alone day in and day out and that is pretty isolating after a couple of months. Texts, emails, calls, zoom can only help somewhat, but nothing takes the place of being near and with people you know and enjoy. This happened to me recently when I developed vestibular vertigo causing dizziness and balance problems. After two months of staying in the house, when it was finally safe to me to go outside by myself, it was so great to see the outside world again and be near or with people again, or go for short walks around the block or go to a nearby cafe, etc. At first I used a walker in case I got dizzy or my balance was compromised, then I was able to go out only using a cane, and now I don’t need either and was even able to travel again and go back to my once a week job teaching a dance class at a senior center. I’m not out of the woods yet and still get dizzy at times when bending down, moving my head and neck certain ways or when getting up from bed – but this vertigo condition has much improved and I am grateful for that, and grateful I’m able to rejoin the world! It was a God-send that I was able to order food online during this time in the house. Also, if one has cats, they are good company during a period of confinement in one’s home; they give one some company and their purring is a comfort.

I have a friend who worked on into her ’70s and when she finally retired she said it was depressing waking up early each day out of habit with nothing planned, nothing to do each day. She did find structure after awhile by taking French lessons, studying Tai Chi, enjoying dance classes, performing with a group of seniors, and helping a family member when she assistance is needed, and taking long visits twice a year with family who live in another country. So she worked it out and created satisfactory structured days for herself.

Being a retired senior is a time to figure out how you’d like to structure your life, where you want to live, how you want to spend your days, and how you’d like to contribute. Also you may want to put a plan in place for such time as you may be confined in the house for a time of illness. There are visiting nurses, Medicare may provide a housekeeper, and/or a cook two or three times a week, and perhaps you can get a family member or friend to visit every so often.

We must all figure out how we want to spend our time, our days, and our lives in our senior years. And they can be very fulfilling and enjoyable times!

Check out my spiritual poetry podcasts on YouTube at:

Part 1: https://youtu.be/Jo1K1w6Y-1w

Part 2: https://youtu.be/8rcDeO26kn4

Check out my dance videos on YouTube (joy christena gordon dance)

Has anyone tried looking for an apartment in the crazy high real estate market of the present time? The average 1 bedroom or studio is renting for anywhere from $1,800 a month to much higher! I’m a senior and this would take my entire S.S. check! This is the situation I’m in today and it’s very frustrating. I’ve had to move around a lot in my life for various jobs and other reasons and I never had a problem renting an apartment fairly quickly and at a reasonable rent. Recently, I’ve gone on Craigslist, Googled for apartments all over NYC and NJ and it’s the same high rental market everywhere. When there’s an occasional apartment available at a lower rent, there are also a multitude of applicants for these rentals. I’ve gone into real estate offices and they don’t even take your info once they find out the rental range you are looking for. Or they say they will get back to you and never do. This is happening to me over and over again. I can’t stay in the apartment I’m in as I must vacate asap as this rental will be sky high very soon. It’s very frustrating to say the least. But I keep looking, keep hoping, and keep praying for an apartment to come up that I can afford!

Check out my spiritual poetry podcasts on YouTube at:

Part 1: https://youtu.be/Jo1K1w6Y-1w

Part 2: https://youtu.be/8rcDeO26kn4

Check out my dance videos on YouTube (joy christena gordon dance)

In this blog I’m starting to write more about herbs and plants and their usefulness in bringing us back to health and helping to maintain health along with a healthy diet, plenty of water, stretching and aerobic exercise, and healthy thinking and living! There will be more about herbs in future blogs I write. In India, Tibet, and China, and among many indigenous peoples, plants and herbs have been used for medicinal purposes for thousands of years. Modern man thinks he can do better than nature with his drugs which sometimes hurt us with their side effects, or kill before the disease they are supposed to cure. We would be wise to first look to more natural treatments with little or no side effects.

The Most Powerful Medicinal Plants:

Grapeseed extract, Lavender, Turmeric, Evening Primrose oil, Flaxseed, Chamomile, Tea Tree oil, and Echinacea.

The Ten Best Herbs to Boost Energy and Focus:

Ginseng, Sage oil, Peppermint, Rosemary, Rhodiola Rosea, Ashwagandha, and Maca.

Herbal Supplements and Their Uses:

Aloe Vera – used for burns, psoriasis, osteoarthritis, orally for digestive issues like gastritis or constipation.

Black Cohosh – used to treat hot flashes, night sweats, and menopausal symptoms.

Chamomile – treats sleeplessness, anxiety, upset stomach, gas, diarrhea, and topically for skin conditions. Caution: people with ragweed allergy should not use chamomile.

Echinacea – treats colds and flu symptoms.

Flaxseed – lowers cholesterol, good source of fiber and omega-3 fatty acids, lowers risk of some cancers.

Gingko – treats memory problems, tinnitus (ringing in ears), can be used with some antidepressants to enhance sex drive and performance. Caution: people taking blood thinners.

Peppermint Oil – treats digestion problems, nausea, indigestion and stomach problems, and bowel conditions.

Soy – treats menopausal symptoms, memory problems, and high cholesterol. (Organic, whole soy food preferable to soy supplements and processed soy foods like soy hot dogs.)

St. John’s Wort – treats depression, anxiety, and sleep disorders. (This herb has many other drug and herb interactions – consult a healthcare provider before using.)

Tea Tree Oil – treats acne, athlete’s foot, nail fungus, wounds, infections, lice, oral yeast infection (thrush), cold sores, and dandruff.

Check out my spiritual poetry podcasts on YouTube at:

Part 1: https://youtu.be/Jo1K1w6Y-1w

Part 2: https://youtu.be/8rcDeO26kn4

Check out my dance videos on YouTube (joy christena gordon dance)

I have mixed feelings regarding watching the news lately, even on PBS. Listening to the reports of all the negativity and craziness going on in the world can and does hurt us whether we realize it or not. So what to do? I don’t want to be completely cut off from what’s happening in the world; so the only thing to do is go on a news diet! Cut down on how much negativity you allow into your mental diet. Maybe just watch once or twice a week – find your own number that suits you, but do cut down. There are many positive and wonderful things going on in our world but they rarely get reported. I watch my news on YouTube so I’m able to skip parts of news stories that are just expounding further on details of the violence, the wars, etc. I don’t feel I’m missing much once I get the gist of the news account, as the same madness seems to go on day after day, year after year. I do look for news on the climate and global warming, even though negative I feel I want to know what’s happening and where. If there is any good news in science, health, education, culture, etc., to me that is worth watching. When will the world grow up and become functional and peaceful? Perhaps when each individual works on becoming functional and peaceful!

Check out my spiritual poetry podcasts on YouTube at:

Part 1: https://youtu.be/Jo1K1w6Y-1w

Part 2: https://youtu.be/8rcDeO26kn4

I was so absorbed in my own life, my passions and responsibilities earlier in my life, that I’m afraid I didn’t always value and nurture friends and relationships as I should have. Now that I’m a senior, retired and managing my own time (and with more free time), I’ve come to realize how very precious and what a gift family and friends are in our lives. I’m one of those people who come to certain realizations late in life unlike those who seem to have been born wise! To have family and a few good friends in one’s life makes life fuller in so many ways. We will always have the things we are passionate about in our lives and our responsibilities – but to have people to love and share your life with, this is the icing on the cake!

Check out my spiritual poetry podcasts on YouTube at:

Part 1: https://youtu.be/Jo1K1w6Y-1w

Part 2: https://youtu.be/8rcDeO26kn4

I watched a show on PBS called Ancient Remedies with Dr. Josh Axe. He included diet, recipes, herbs, spices, essential oils, supplements, etc., to help with many common ailments and diseases. It was a wonderful program for maintaining health and regaining health. He has written books with this information. I’ve suffered with pain from arthritis, nerve pain, allergies, and asthma and all these conditions have improved since following a more natural diet, not eating processed foods, taking natural supplements and dancing and exercising. I firmly believe many ailments can be overcome when we understand our individual body and mind and what is causing these symptoms.

Energy Centers and Fields

We have energy centers within us called chakras and also an energy field around us called an aura. When we balance, align, and heal our chakras and aura we are helped in the healing of the body and mind. There are ways of doing this; one way is to listen to frequencies on YouTube that align, balance, and help heal our chakras and auras. Our ailments and diseases start with imbalances and disturbances in our energy fields and then manifest physically. Nikola Tesla stated “If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency and vibration.” He believed that the universe was actually a mass of energy vibrating at different frequencies. Albert Einstein also believed that “Everything in life is vibration.” Einstein wrote “Everything is energy and that’s all there is to it. Match the frequency of the reality you want, and you cannot help but get that reality. It can be no other way. This is not philosophy, this is physics”.

Near-Death Experiences

I read Embraced By the Light and have read a few other similar books over the years. Most are Christian oriented, but not all. Here is my take on this phenomenon, these near-death experiences. There’s a saying “as you believe, so it is.” I believe this fully explains what people experience after death. If you’re a Hindu or Buddhist, or Islam, Jewish, Christian, an atheist, etc., your beliefs and expectations determine the guides and even the prophet that shows up (or not) to explain things and ease your apprehensions, guide you to your loved ones, etc. If you are good and kind, high vibrational but have no particular religious beliefs, I also believe you are met by a spiritual guide and helped in this other dimension, in your transitioning. Or if you are extremely negative, low vibration, and believe there is nothing after earth life, I think you find yourself in a drab, lifeless atmosphere until you raise your vibration and are helped out of this state of mind, of being. Like in this earth life, there are angels and spirit guides who will help you, but you must ask for help as Source, God or whatever you call Life, gave you free choice and won’t interfere or break this law, unless we ask for help. Those who have spiritual beliefs seem to experience similar phenomenon like going through a tunnel, seeing light, like a beautiful being surrounded by light, comforting them and guiding them. It’s mainly their religious background and expectations that I believe calls in/attracts who they meet as their guides and affects where they are led. This is what makes sense to me. Of course, I won’t be sure until I get there! LOL

Check out my spiritual poetry podcasts on YouTube at:

Part 1: https://youtu.be/Jo1K1w6Y-1w

Part 2: https://youtu.be/8rcDeO26kn4

Check out my spiritual poetry podcasts on YouTube at:

Part 1: https://youtu.be/Jo1K1w6Y-1w

Part 2: https://youtu.be/8rcDeO26kn4

I have strived towards eliminating much from my life (and still working on it), giving things away, sharing, giving to charities, recycling, etc. There were times I had way too much clutter around in my rooms, even too many rooms. I was keeping every beautiful piece I had in my possession and finally came to the realization that I was not a museum and could not keep everything just because I thought it was beautiful. Now I realize that neither stark minimalism nor too many things around a room (and on the walls) are what I want. Too much in a room is a distracting factor, not conducive to a peaceful atmosphere, and makes more work for us. Too little in a room is not warm, homey, nor aesthetically pleasing. So now what I want is the minimum of furniture I need and want, plus a few lovely pieces here and there that make me happy. For me, photos of family and friends displayed (and places we’ve been), a few items around that I enjoy that were created by family, friends or me that I feel add to the room, some favorite books, plants, flowers, are enough and not too much more is needed. Having a few things around that add to the warmth, interest and beauty of a room is what I now strive for. Most of all, make it your own unique room and home with neither too much nor too little around.

Check out my spiritual poetry podcasts on YouTube at:

Part 1: https://youtu.be/Jo1K1w6Y-1w

Part 2: https://youtu.be/8rcDeO26kn4

I’m not always living as balanced a life as I would like, so I’ve been thinking about this lately. I’ve learned over my many years that one can’t have freedom/liberty without discipline and some amount of organization in our lives. And the first order of business is to make sure we are working on self-care and self-love in our lives. Without these our health runs down and we aren’t able to give to others. The balance here is caring for ourselves and caring for others. Caring for others includes kindness and empathy for others and doing what we can to help, if help is needed. It does not mean enabling another or feeling responsible for their happiness which is clearly their job.

Work/learning versus having fun – both are needed. If we don’t full up our fun bucket we are in an unbalanced state. This leads to a workaholic way of life and to ill health. So put some fun in your life each day if you can, or as often as possible.

Another balance we need is alone time and spending time in the company of others (socializing). Alone time can include walks in nature, meditation and prayer, reading, listening to music, creative work. While socializing can include time with family, with friends, going out to cafes and spending time near people while doing your own thing like writing, texting, reading, and finally going to classes/groups, etc. is a great way to be with others.

Be balanced by having principles and standards, but not always having to be right in a conversation and valuing people and their right to their own truths while still honoring your own truths. Being flexible, and able to compromise for the good of the majority is much needed in our world. Being civil and respectful of others no matter where they are in life or what their work or views are crucial to world peace.

Being organized versus relaxing at times and letting things be for a time until you can organize again. Being relaxed and letting go of stress and tension is a must for one’s health.

Another balance is eating healthy most of the time, let’s say 90% of the time, and 10% of the time giving yourself a treat now and then. Find your own balance, but remember that your emotional and psychological health is important as well.

The above are some ways to make sure you are staying balanced and putting balance back in your life.

Check out my spiritual poetry podcasts on YouTube at:

Part 1: https://youtu.be/Jo1K1w6Y-1w

Part 2: https://youtu.be/8rcDeO26kn4