Anger and Symptoms

[subtlecollision2]

Since TMS theory states that we should not act bothered by our symptoms and we should express our repressed anger-- what do you do if you have anger about your symptoms? Should I express it or ignore it? Haven't seen this addressed in all I've read about TMS. Mostly they talk about being afraid of symptoms, not being angered by them.

I am not afraid of my symptoms. They just make me very angry. Whenever I think about them, I feel anger in my shoulders. Should I express it per the 'expressing anger component' of TMS theory or should I bring myself into a state of peace about my symptoms per the 'not being bothered by your symptoms' component of TMS theory?

 

[Andy Bayliss]

I think you can't go wrong getting angry at the symptoms. What I hear you saying is very basic. You're angry. So be angry!!

Like in expressing anger at others, or God, or the lawnmower, or whatever, the practice of "doing anger" should be very clean when applied to symptoms. Often, we might feel resentment, victimhood while expressing anger, and this is not being clean in my experience. With symptoms, it can get sticky because if you're not careful you express a sense of entanglement, that "if only this would happen then I could be _____." No. This can generate a familiar sense of collapse and disempowerment.

You want to be able to express anger as a means of being yourself fully in the moment, regardless of how what you're angry at responds --be it your lawnmower, or your pain.

It might help to practice anger on something outside of yourself, something you feel very cleanly angry about first, then go right to the symptoms in short order, maintaining the energetic sense of anger --the enjoyment of annihilating something.

Other times you sound drawn to not engage the symptoms, to "not be bothered." This also has a deep place in practice, and can be done often. Being angry is where you are now, it seems, so I suggest you go there.