I hope it's okay to repost these. I am doing this because i thought they were so valuable i kept a copy in my email but also I TRIED one today and it WORKED.
I was having a flare and i focused on how good my hands felt (instead of where the flare was.) I was even dubious, but what the hey, my hands do feel good, so here goes. In about ten minutes (i was walking) i got into my car, and went into the store. Flare still sort of there. Long story short. In the store noticed wasn't even thinking about flare. Basically took flare from a 5 to a 1. Way cool. Certainly inspiring.
PS I see so many versions of the Jacobsen technique online. I learned a yoga nidra version where you just imagine tensing and releasing which is really nice for going to sleep or meditating. Other versions have you really tensing up vigorously. It seems there are lots of versions of this technique.
From SteveO's earlier post:
Try this:
1) Increase your daily relaxation to one more time per day. If you do the Jacobson technique (the recommended one) then do it one more time each day, either first thing, or nighttime. The SNS is locking and unlocking, "flighting" unnecessarily. Slow your thoughts down much more than you imagine. As Ace may say, "unrev" your brain even more.
2) I don't know where your pain is, but it doesn't matter. If your feet hurt use guided imagery to see yourself running. My pain stopped every time I imagined myself ready to take off and run. It's as though the brain can't do both, ready for its activity and hold your attention with pain. But you have to really feel that you are going to take off running and do it in your mind, see it, actually get ready to go in your mind and see yourself running freely. Of course if your pain is in your hands you have to guide yourself through some type of difficult hand movement. The idea is to engage your brain to "survive." I explained the discharge of the freeze response months ago in a post.
3) Think of the area in pain, and concentrate hard while thinking, "the pain is not there, it's not there, it's not there..." Repeatedly believe this and feel it. I felt that the pain my pain had been there so long that my brain was creating it even though it had no physical purpose in survival. So you can think of the pain as a "thumbprint" of what once was there, much like phantom limb pain. Tell yourself that it's no longer there, eventually your brain acquiesces to your thoughts.
4) Whenever you do anything, force your mind's eye on another body area that feels good, hold all your attention particles on the feel-good area. Never allow your brain to fall back into its comfort zone of pain. Deny it safe haven.
5)Close your eyes in quiet, and notice that your pain is no longer there, your brain will release the area in tension right then, right now. This is close to #3 but slightly different. You can, any one can, release your pain with your mind in a split second because you created it in your mind. You also can release it...right...now...
Good luck, be happy first and you don't have to do any of these. The pain is there due to conflict, a deep anger/fear that cannot be let go. If you just decide to let go of desires and cravings, and goals, the conflict will fade, eventually. Then you become more appreciative for what you have. If you have a job be happy that you can work. If you can stand up be happy that you have legs. I was married to a paraplegic so I saw the daily struggles. If you can see, or breath, or talk, or sit, then be very happy, even if you have unmet desires.
Reduce all the snags of things you feel you must do to be a good person, things you were once guilted or shamed into feeling, or doing. You're already ok, and a good person, you don't need to hurt yourself for praise or to feel self worth.
As always, it's not about getting rid of pain, it's about taking the reason for its existence away. If a bully attacks you, you can fight, which TMSers rarely do, or you can flee, which they aren't normally able to do, or you can take the stick away from the bully.
Happiness...
Stevee |
SteveO's tips - and a ? on the Jacobsen technique
Posted - 09/11/2012 : 17:39:20
