Such a great article and so true! I had chronic pain for years and thought it was from an old car accident. Turns out it was from suppressing my emotions and my nervous system was full of trauma. The Body Keeps the Score is what led me to explore yoga and that’s when everything began to change. I’ve been free from chronic pain for over 4 years now. Thank you for sharing such an informative and inspiring article…your words will help a lot of people 🙏🌻
What a fascinating journey from chronic pain to a car accident to healing through yoga. I'm thrilled that you haven't experienced chronic pain in over four years. My path is similar to yours, from chronic pain in my early 20s to a car accident to various healing modalities, including yoga. Most people have no idea how great it is to be pain-free every day or that it's even possible, thus the ubiquity of pain relievers and opiates.
Loved how you described “pain”. I recently wrote about the Chamomile Method — my own method how to manage time as each hour as a petal, golden or faded.
Hi Ryan many thanks for this essay. Having read the Body Keeps the Score several years ago I have put the theory to the test many times and found it to be true. I have in fact only last week lent the book to a friend who is a senior nurse working at a large hospital. I am awaiting her thoughts with interest. I have tried on several times to explain it to friends with chronic pain unfortunately without much success as Western medicine too often advocates pills or surgery to cure symptoms instead of the cause.
I love how you're spreading the word to help others realize freedom from physical pain. And it's surprising and disheartening to hear that you haven't had much success explaining to friends. I figured it's mainstream knowledge by now. Apparently not. I admire you; keep up the good work, Lynda.
Ryan. We have some new trauma people on Twitter. Remember the PhD therapist? He said creativity is so helpful for people recovering from trauma. I’m so excited. My work was everything creative. WO work, I realized I need something. I think my creativity has gone into personal photos.
Therefore, the important part, when I am doing nothing I risk sadness. I am scared to death to be sad, because I might become depressed. 😔 If I become depressed, I might hurt myself. A few years ago, I had flashbacks in my sleep and when I awakened, I wanted to die. I made no attempts, just jokes about jumping onto the patio which was flat to the door wall. My MDs office at UM was available to me all day and my insurance company thru the night. I want to sit with sadness, but, I panic. Any way, happy to find out about creativity.
Hi Ruby, sorry to hear of your suffering and happy to hear of your creativity. Sadness is hard to sit with ( I also have ptsd). I find listening to Tara Brach ‘ Light Rain meditation very helpful. The one where she wearing a cobalt blue top. ( I wind it back as many times as I need to get to the underling feeling. She is v compassionate and tender and helps you care for the vunerable part. I find if I can cry it actually releases the low feeling. Clearing the block.
You might also find Bach Flower Rescue Remedy helpful. Great for panic terror and loss and also fear of cracking up. Totally safe.
I worked with women and children experiencing domestic violence. Bach flowers were very helpful and totally safe. All the best. Deb
( my ptsd not from therapy was from a terrible sinus op …
At 78, having read Bessel decades ago, attended his workshops nationally, written an adolescent support group , presented support group nationally, I highly recommend Dr Gabor Mate’s videos and books. I’ve changed my mind and my thinking more in a year than in 10 years.
Ryan. A little story about Peter. I was going down to the conference room via elevator. Elevator stopped, I exited. He entered. I re-entered. He said, I don’t have time to talk. I answered, I don’t intend to talk. Then, of course, I went to the microphone to make a comment. I started by saying that I didn’t follow the rules; I listened in my car.
When my friend and I wrote an awesome Adventure activity adolescent support group, we saw Bessel again and shared with him. He mentioned it in a writing and has developed the concept into something bigger, maybe a book. I also followed Peter Levine at the same time. I attended his expanded training at Berkeley University of. I was in hippie heaven. A famous rock star was outside my hotel. Ryan, I I think they were two of the original trainers. I started maybe 40 years ago getting training from the gurus around the country in issues impacting our youth. Substance abuse was Claudia Black and Jon Bradshaw covered substance abuse and children from alcoholism.
Such a great article and so true! I had chronic pain for years and thought it was from an old car accident. Turns out it was from suppressing my emotions and my nervous system was full of trauma. The Body Keeps the Score is what led me to explore yoga and that’s when everything began to change. I’ve been free from chronic pain for over 4 years now. Thank you for sharing such an informative and inspiring article…your words will help a lot of people 🙏🌻
What a fascinating journey from chronic pain to a car accident to healing through yoga. I'm thrilled that you haven't experienced chronic pain in over four years. My path is similar to yours, from chronic pain in my early 20s to a car accident to various healing modalities, including yoga. Most people have no idea how great it is to be pain-free every day or that it's even possible, thus the ubiquity of pain relievers and opiates.
Loved how you described “pain”. I recently wrote about the Chamomile Method — my own method how to manage time as each hour as a petal, golden or faded.
Thank you. I like that. The Chamomile Method sounds interesting.
Hi Ryan many thanks for this essay. Having read the Body Keeps the Score several years ago I have put the theory to the test many times and found it to be true. I have in fact only last week lent the book to a friend who is a senior nurse working at a large hospital. I am awaiting her thoughts with interest. I have tried on several times to explain it to friends with chronic pain unfortunately without much success as Western medicine too often advocates pills or surgery to cure symptoms instead of the cause.
I love how you're spreading the word to help others realize freedom from physical pain. And it's surprising and disheartening to hear that you haven't had much success explaining to friends. I figured it's mainstream knowledge by now. Apparently not. I admire you; keep up the good work, Lynda.
So very true! Was good to read today after being with some very uncomfortable feelings! Is such a relief when we get there. Grounding.
I’ll try your technique as many more trouble spots have manifested since turning 70!
Ryan. We have some new trauma people on Twitter. Remember the PhD therapist? He said creativity is so helpful for people recovering from trauma. I’m so excited. My work was everything creative. WO work, I realized I need something. I think my creativity has gone into personal photos.
Therefore, the important part, when I am doing nothing I risk sadness. I am scared to death to be sad, because I might become depressed. 😔 If I become depressed, I might hurt myself. A few years ago, I had flashbacks in my sleep and when I awakened, I wanted to die. I made no attempts, just jokes about jumping onto the patio which was flat to the door wall. My MDs office at UM was available to me all day and my insurance company thru the night. I want to sit with sadness, but, I panic. Any way, happy to find out about creativity.
I'm glad you're on the path, Ruby.
Thanks, Ryan
Hi Ruby, sorry to hear of your suffering and happy to hear of your creativity. Sadness is hard to sit with ( I also have ptsd). I find listening to Tara Brach ‘ Light Rain meditation very helpful. The one where she wearing a cobalt blue top. ( I wind it back as many times as I need to get to the underling feeling. She is v compassionate and tender and helps you care for the vunerable part. I find if I can cry it actually releases the low feeling. Clearing the block.
You might also find Bach Flower Rescue Remedy helpful. Great for panic terror and loss and also fear of cracking up. Totally safe.
I worked with women and children experiencing domestic violence. Bach flowers were very helpful and totally safe. All the best. Deb
( my ptsd not from therapy was from a terrible sinus op …
I will check her out. Thank you.
At 78, having read Bessel decades ago, attended his workshops nationally, written an adolescent support group , presented support group nationally, I highly recommend Dr Gabor Mate’s videos and books. I’ve changed my mind and my thinking more in a year than in 10 years.
How wonderful that you've known Bessel for decades, Ruby!
Ryan. A little story about Peter. I was going down to the conference room via elevator. Elevator stopped, I exited. He entered. I re-entered. He said, I don’t have time to talk. I answered, I don’t intend to talk. Then, of course, I went to the microphone to make a comment. I started by saying that I didn’t follow the rules; I listened in my car.
When my friend and I wrote an awesome Adventure activity adolescent support group, we saw Bessel again and shared with him. He mentioned it in a writing and has developed the concept into something bigger, maybe a book. I also followed Peter Levine at the same time. I attended his expanded training at Berkeley University of. I was in hippie heaven. A famous rock star was outside my hotel. Ryan, I I think they were two of the original trainers. I started maybe 40 years ago getting training from the gurus around the country in issues impacting our youth. Substance abuse was Claudia Black and Jon Bradshaw covered substance abuse and children from alcoholism.
I love this, Ruby. I'm finally reading Peter Levine's Waking the Tiger. It's brilliant so far.