The Art of Relaxation

I mentioned earlier that I believe our thoughts have a a strong influence on our physical manifestations and that they are powerful enough to create injury and pain. With this notion we can deduce that they are powerful enough to dismiss this injury and pain. Recently I began reading the book Healing Back Pain by Dr. John Sarno. His philosophy is that most back, neck and glute pain stems from TMS (Tension Mysositis Syndrome). This can lead to symptoms such as sciatica, nerve disruption in the arms and chest pains that mimic heart attacks. The cause of all of this is tension held in the body. This tension restricts circulation, deprives our cells of oxygen and can bring about a great deal of pain even without a physical trigger such as a fall or sport injury. 

Since I have vocalized that I have been dealing with this pain due to disc herniations in my low back many people have reached out to me to share their story. I am amazed how many people have suffered from disc herniations and back spasms to the point of not being able to move. I learned their mode of treatment, the mechanism of injury and how they are doing now.  Everyone`s story is different but each person sheds light on my whole experience. When one is in pain I believe it is so important to detach a story to it and to not fall a victim. I think it is a time of deep reflection and a time of releasing repressed anger or anxiety. 

Dr. John Sarno also touches on going through the medical system to get a diagnosis for one`s back pain. When you go through the western system Dr. Sarno mentions that a lot of the time people leave their doctor in fear of what they were just told. If someone leaves a doctor and they are told they need back surgery, their fear and anxiety will increase which will increase their pain. I can attest to this as I have been misdiagnosed with a large ovarian cyst and the first thing the doctor said was this needs surgery. Over time and a few other tests it was found that this was not the case and I left with the doctor saying ``Let`s pretend this never happened``. My trust in the western system of invasive therapy and pharmaceutical drugs diminished even further from where it was (which was small to begin with). However I do respect that this philosophy has it`s time and place for some people. This is a whole other topic that I will further divulge at another time. 

At this time in my life I am continuing to learn how to really relax. I have always been such a go-go, multitasking person who is hard working, driven and always scheming up plans and now I am beginning to change my patterns. This is tough because these traits have become a part of my identity. I find that society rewards this type of success oriented, burn-out behaviour. I hear people almost bragging about how late they stayed at the office last night finishing their work as if they are searching for that gold star that they would have received in elementary school. For me learning to relax doesn`t mean that I am going to check out of society or not take pride in my work as I believe one can still be successful without being compulsive. And so far the breathing, visualization, physio work and connection/support from others have eased my pain tremendously and I am grateful for it! All is well.