Note from Peter. Monte Hueftle had a very serious case of TMS and has fully recovered using the work of Dr. Sarno as a model. He publishes a monthly newsletter online and here is his latest.
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Hello Everyone;
This month we are discussing the dynamic of Fear, Change and how they affect our Choices. Words of wisdom are provided by: James Allen and Caroline Myss,
“We cannot heal serious or chronic illnesses without changing some part of our life pattern, and change is, without a doubt, the most frightening challenge of healing…Fear doesn’t kick in until the level of change enters the individual realm…then we have to investigate what isn’t working for us emotionally, psychologically, and spiritually.” Caroline Myss
When experiencing tension induced pain fear plays out in a few different ways—Social Stigma, Fear of Activity, Fear and Choices.
Social Stigma – This fear is coming from our ego, our self-image. We are afraid of what others will think about us if they know that we are experiencing physical pain that is caused by some type of psychological dynamic. Some of us have a challenge admitting this cause to our-self let alone someone else. Realize that it is not necessary in most cases to explain this disorder and its integrate strategy to everyone. It usually is our “victim” ego that wants to share our “wounds” with others. If you need to share your “pain” with others, ask yourself why? What is motivating you to feel compelled to do this? It is not right or wrong, just helpful for you to understand why. What if you want to share your “pain”, however, you are afraid to tell the truth. Meaning you know you are experiencing tension induced pain-you feel a need to share it and yet you cannot truthfully tell someone what the real cause is? This is fear at work--giving you the choice to be truthful with yourself or work around it a little. Again, not right or wrong, but I suspect allowing this fear to guide you into the un-truthful area keeps you in pain—keeps the pain strategy working. My suggestion would be to investigate why you need to “fib” about the real cause of your pain. If you cannot be honest about what this disorder with yourself or someone else then this is probably a good indicator that you do not need to share what’s going on. Also try to avoid putting your own “special twist” about how this dynamic is playing out in your body—Remember, the pain strategy keeps working when you are not accepting of it and/or truthful with yourself.
"Doubt and fear are the great enemies of knowledge, and she who encourages them, who does not slay them, thwarts herself at every step…a doubtful mind will be as unsettled as the wave of the sea that is tossed and driven by the wind; and every decision you then make will be uncertain, as you turn first this way, and then that." James Allen
Fear of Activity – This is a conditioned response. It can put us in a “waiting or non-active” mode. Realize again that you are always, with every thought, feeling and action communicating something to the pain strategy. You intention should be to communicate acceptance and honesty. You do this by standing up to the conditioned response. Challenge the pain strategy by doing the activity---running, walking, bending over, sitting, ect. in a mindful,-present moment awarness way. Communicate to this disorder that you do not accept the pain strategy. Now, are you still going to feel the pain sensations? Sure, yes. This is the process though. This is the transformation. We have to change the inner dynamics of stuck and blocked energy (restricted blood/oxygen flow to muscle/nerve tissue) to open and flowing (natural and normal dilation “un-constricted” blood vessels). Accepting that cause, knowing that you are not “hurting” yourself more, and communicating this to the disorder by your activity action is an important step in this transformation. Again, it is about being truthful to yourself and the disorder and doing this even though the conditioned fear response is present in your consciousness. You may need to take “baby steps” in this process as you build your confidence---so realize that is ok. There will be occasions that it is going to be more appropriate to Not do the activity. Maybe the pain is there and you are tired of experiencing the pain while in the activity. Know that when you have this feeling that maybe something is telling you to spend your time (energy) (being present, journaling, practicing guided imagery, ect.) If you know your mind is fragmented and scattered because of pain don’t force yourself to continue on. Give your mind the opportunity to become balanced, more peaceful and open. Again, you have a choice, so investigate what motivation (fear) may be behind a certain choice.
“Faith in anything, be it positive or negative, produces results. Putting faith in fear generates destructive results, beginning with the disintegration of our ability to relate confidently to the external world.”
Caroline Myss
Fear, Change & Choices - Our most expensive energy ramifications come from acting out of fear. Choices made from fear may bring us what we desire, but they also provide un-welcomed side effects. You may choose a career for money and power and all the material stuff that it can provide, however, with the material success comes broken relationships, excessive stress and chronic pain. You may have a strong inclination at some point to leave this career—you continue to desire something else, but you ignore the signs because you are not sure how you would ever replace the income. You keep telling yourself that if only you knew what would happen if you followed your hearts passion, then you could make the jump. As time goes by tension mounts within you as you desire more and more to do something else with your life, however, you resist those urges with the rationalizations that when you have a little more money saved then you can make the change. Or you say, I’ll learn to handle the stress better, I’ll start to be more balanced and spend more time with my family, then my miserable career will still be worth it. Except nothing really changes but the escalating tension that is turning into a deep-seated anger at your job which you believe is causing the tension and more so at yourself for not having the Courage/Faith to make the change. The energy behind dynamics like this is Fear. It may be disguised as anger, jealousy, or resentment but these disguises may be covering up a fear of rejection, fear of failure or fear of not living up to someone’s expectations. What we want to become aware of is the underlying emotion of fear. This is what we need to become aware of, investigate and get to know. We can use
our awareness to become mindful of when anger or resentment or jealousy is present and realize that this is a signal to go inside and connect with these feelings.
What do your choices cost you?
Living with your thoughts dominating the past or future is a Choice. Living in present moment awareness-becoming conscious of your feelings and aware of your choices is also a Choice.
If your energy is stuck in the past, or future, you don't have it to use in the present. Imagine you are a light bulb and you are using 10% of your energy worrying about a project you need completed in two weeks; and you are giving 20% to your career in general because you are so frustrated you really want to be doing something else; 10% goes to your parents for the way they treated you 30 years ago; 15% to your spouse/friend for not supporting you; 10% goes back to not taking that “perfect” opportunity 10 years ago that would have assuredly changed your life for the better; 20% goes to wondering how you are going to get rid of these chronic injuries someday; and another 10% worries about why you worry so much... So you wind up with a whopping grand total of 5% of your energy to use in present time. That's not a lot of juice to put into creating in the present time. And now realize that healing is a present time activity and you can pretty easily figure out why you may still be stuck!
Answers to a couple of questions. (Q?) Someone brought up a good point about Beryl Bender Birch’s Power Yoga book that I recommend. In her book she comes from a pain is caused by injury philosophy and yoga is a way to fix these injuries and this seems to fly in opposition to how to heal from tension induced pain. I agree with that and if you read her book you need to ignore some of her injury theories. However, what I have always said is that if you use Power Yoga as a Mindful-Conscious Practice and not as an Exercise Treatment it is absolutely phenomenal in it’s transformation.
(Q?) Many wanted to know why and how Imagery & Hypnosis help end pain and connect with feelings?
Studies, research and results show us that images and suggestions in our subconscious mind are real events to the body. This is an important key to understanding and realizing how imagery and hypnosis positively impact our mind, our body and certain autonomic responses that it has. The second key is
that successful imagery and hypnosis are practiced in an altered state where our mind and body are capable of dynamic, effective and rapid learning, change and healing. By altered state I mean Relaxed, yet focused, a state of being calm with a heightened attention. The 3rd key, one that we all can
appreciate, that enhances imagery and hypnosis and their effectiveness is Being in Control. Both practices allow us to experience a sense of mastery over what is happening to us. They are practices that we can employ when, how and where we choose to and this in and of itself is very beneficial to our overall sense of well being. It allows us to experience higher levels of
confidence and increased optimism, which leads too more personal effectiveness in all areas of our life.
Visit http://www.runningpain.com for New research. A great article in Prevention Magazine on positive effects of Hypnosis and also a New Study showing positive results treating Fibromyalgia with Guided Imagery. Also check out the new Guided Imagery and Hypnosis audio programs for Peak Performance Any Activity, Eliminating Allergic Reactions and Weight Loss.
Best Regards In Running & Healing;
Monte Hueftle
monte@runningpain.com |
Monte Hueftle's latest newsletter March 2006
Posted - 03/12/2006 : 12:09:41
