Breaking Boundaries: How Karen Darke Redefined Possibilities After 25 Years of Paralysis - Episode 209
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What is healthy energy? Join Jeffrey Gladden and Karen Darke in this episode of Gladden Longevity. Karen Darkes started her working life as a geologist in the Bolivian Andes, researching gold, but a life changing accident left her paralyzed from the chest down. She moved from being a ‘rock-doctor’ to exploring both outside and within. She loves discovering and finding ways to align her mind, body, and spirit to do extraordinary things. This has led her to ski across icecaps, kayak at extreme latitudes of the planet, and handcycle the world’s biggest mountain ranges and longest rivers. She believes we create results and happiness from the inside out. Utilizing our thoughts – the language of our mind, and our emotions – the language of our body, we can create health and freedom. She believes that with desire, awareness, resources, and permission to unleash who we truly want to be, anything is possible. This episode discusses how ability is a state of mind, not a state of body, how creating the right environment, which includes better narratives for ourselves, is key, and how our body wants to heal if we can give it the optimal conditions.

Listen to this episode to learn about making a hundred the new thirty, living beyond 120, and Living Young for a Lifetime!

Dr. Gladden says this is an incredible story directly related to living young. (00:43)

Steve says he is going to a conference in November. (1:59)

Dr. Gladden asks Karen to share about her athletic history. (4:09)

Karen recollects her trip to China, which was transformational. (6:12)

When difficult things happen to us, we tend to toughen up. (8:47)

Karen advises that we should mind the gap as we always aim for what we are not.(11:20)

Dr. Gladden said he has distilled life down to two things - connecting and creating. (13:39)

Karen shares how she got into athletics.(16:10)

Dr. Gladden speaks about the difference between winning and losing. (18:54)

Visualizing and creating the future and how it applies to aging. (21:24)

It takes about four to six weeks to adapt to training. (23:46)

Karen thanks Dr. Gladden for learning new things on the show. (26:35)

Dr. Gladden wants to know how Karen applies some of her rhythmic processes to her healing journey. (29:57)

We hold traumas in different parts of our body. (32:01)

Karen highlights the effect an accident had on her. (34:35)

The right mindset and an understanding that we are made up of energy are important in our healing process. (37:05)

Mindset shifts working on physiology are all important for healing. (39:32)

Learn to believe something before you affirm it. (41:42)

Dr. Gladden shares some of the amazing things Karen has done in recent times. (43:48)

Karen has been listening to the podcast and then reached out. (46:25)

Dr. Gladden asks Karen how people can reach out to her. (48:07)

Dr. Gladden questions Karen about what she would be doing differently three to five years from now. (51:10)

Karen touches on her interest in the healing of the spinal cord and the robotics of it. (53:27) 

Dr. Gladden wants to know the top three hacks Karen uses to live young for a lifetime. (55:02)

Karen says she wanted to explore more of herself and help others. (58:18)

To learn more about Karen:

Email: [email protected])

Website: https://www.karendarke.com/)

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/karenquest79 (@Karen Quest 79)

Instagram: https:/ /www.instagram.com/handbikedarke/ (@handbikedarke)

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kdarke (@kdarke)

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karen-darke-317b0a7lipi=urn%3Ali%3Apage%3Ad_flagship3_profile_view_base_contact_details%3B4GQH%2BGEtSjWilKGRd9aA8w%3D%3D (@Karen Darke)

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUmsZ7LrAEdURv19M1QlpqQ/videos (@quest7939)