Day 3 Exercise

On Day 3 we are supposed to write about exercise. I had bilateral knee replacements about a year ago so I am still doing strengthening exercises with a thera-band every morning. I questioned whether I was continuing to over-emphasize the structural rather than the emotional by doing these exercises, but decided that I did indeed have some structural issues and that strengthening the affected muscles, tendons, etc. was still necessary. Right or wrong?

When I am back home in the States (we've been out of the country for over two months now), I regularly attend dance classes and had been gradually moving more easily, but I have been afraid to jump or turn or do complicated steps. Maybe I should try?

When out of the country, I haven't found dance classes yet, but I walk as much as possible, ride a stationary recumbent bike, use some strengthening machines at the gym, and just dance to my playlist in our apartment. I am aware of the sensation of steel bands around my knees and am also aware of areas that normally are painful (back, hips, shoulders, elbows, heels, and thumbs), but I think this awareness is really fear. Soon the joy of moving overcomes the fear and I just have fun. Certainly not ready for prime time - and the perfectionist overachiever in me is not happy about that! - but I'm grateful I'm able to move at all.

 

i, Emma. I think you are doing great. Exercise and dancing are wonderful for healing pain. You are following TMS healing guidelines by doing both, so long as you keep believing the pain is from emotions and is not structural. I love it that you say you exercising and dancing overcomes the fear and you just have fun. Don't worry about not being Ginger Rogers for now. You soon will be dancing like her! Prime time will come!

 

Thanks, Walt! That's very reassuring.

I'm convinced all my pains have their origins in my repressed emotions. The evidence: (1) I can get rid of the pain by yelling at it to release its grip and then imagining the blood flowing to the painful area (but not at night); (2) I realized that the onset of each of my pain issues (IBS, lower back pain, fibromyalgia, plantar fasciitis, bilateral hip bursitis, meniscus tears in both knees, and ultimately knee replacements) closely followed some major change/loss in my life; (3) The pain moves around so when I'm able to quiet one area, something else starts to hurt; (4) I have survived severe life traumas with resulting anger, fear, guilt, and shame (and pride) and so am a very likely candidate for developing TMS; and (5) My perfectionist and "goodist" personality fits the TMS profile.

I'm fascinated by what I'm learning about myself via the reading I'm doing and the memories and insights the readings inspire.