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Merry-go-rounds, roundabouts, carousels, whirlwinds, flurry, and tumult are some of the names it also goes by, and it started back in the Middle Ages to train knights for battle. Did you know the attraction didn’t become popular until Catherine de Medici’s husband was killed during a jousting competition in 1559? The Merry-go-ground became a new way knights prepared without injury of the knight to-knight jousting and was called the “little war.” Riding this later became an honored tradition, but many people still wrestle with how to get off their merry-go-rounds. Through this article, I will share more about the evolution of merry-go-rounds and how to get off one.

Knights would circle on a wooden plank, attempting to joust with their spears/lance at images depicting specific people and other ideas representing hate. They also would hang rings that the knights had to “spear,” which means to pick up with the tip of their weapon while riding around. By the 1600s, the French upgraded the carousel, and thus, they replaced the wooden planks with delicately carved, painted horses. Shortly after, this tradition faded as many spectators wanted their chance to ride on the painted horses and ponies. To pay tribute to the middle times, many rider operators in Paris still hang rings and give out plastic swords to allow people to experience it the way it all started.

Carousels have also become iconic since they represent youth, innocence, and consistency. Carousels have become something everyone wants to ride, and the NCA (National Carousel Association) created an official day on July 25 to celebrate the first patent design for one that started in 1871 by William Schneider. When NCA Day comes up, the best way to celebrate is to visit a local amusement park, ride a carousel, take in all the beauty from the surroundings, and enjoy the feeling.

People ride merry-go-rounds to sightsee, relax, and enjoy the experience, but they are no fun when it’s one’s life merry-ground as we don’t know how to get off. Sometimes people put themselves on this type of merry-go-round; other times, they are placed on it. A merry-go-ground of life may be described as a situation where you feel overwhelmed. Other times you have tasks to complete that don’t get done, and the harder you try, the more backtracking and confusion become inevitable. 

Many people ask how I make it stop or how I get off. First, we need to accept that we are on a merry-go-round and that our life is out of control or out of balance to our self. Signs of being on a merry-go-round may include but are limited to headaches, dizziness, fatigue, stomach aches, weight gain, and many others. Next, I think you should sit in a chair and take three deep breaths in the following manner. You will start by inhaling to fill your entire belly for a count of three, visualize the number three in your mind, hold your breath for three seconds, and then exhale for three seconds from the base of your belly. Then proceed to do this with two and then one, respectively, while noticing how relaxed you are starting to feel. Please close your eyes and count back slowly from fifty to one while mentally visualizing each number and erasing it with an eraser until you have erased the number one.

While relaxed, get clear on the first thing you want to accomplish and focus on that one task or goal you are trying to achieve. Remember, it is easy to get confused when we need clarification on what we want to accomplish. If your goals do not reflect our true intentions, you will be put back on the same or another merry-go-round. Also, it is vital to change things in your life to bring you inner peace and inspire education.