Inspiring quote

[veronica73]

One of my friends shared this quote with me back in December and it helped me be more open to where I was, and that was when I found out about Dr. Sarno's books and was actually ready to work through them in a way I don't think I would have been a year ago.

Do not try to become anything.
Do not make yourself into anything.
Do not be a meditator.
Do not become enlightened.
When you sit, let it be.
What you walk, let it be.
Grasp at nothing.
Resist nothing.

If you haven't wept deeply, you haven't begun to meditate.

~Ajhan Chah​

 

[Forest]

The forum has been so busy recently that I haven't had time to read everything, but I love this quote, because I've seen it applied to many friends with TMS, particularly ones who struggled with it for the longest times. These people are often like coiled springs, they want so badly to get out of pain. They are always looking for the next thing... what is the magical trick that will deliver them from their pain? I think of one friend in particular, Skizzik, who, for years, journaled so intensely that he cried his eyes out every day.

In the end, what Skizzik needed to do was to "allow" more and fight less. Once he uncoiled and his preoccupation with the pain went down, he could be more natural and actually live his life again. I think that Alan Gordon expresses this very well in his essay, Breaking the Pain Cycle. In it, he argues that the real distraction comes from our preoccupation with the pain and overcoming it. What we need to do is relax. To unwind. To "allow".

I hear reflections of this idea in the quote: "Do not try to become anything. Do not make yourself into anything. ... let it be. Grasp at nothing."

Don't force yourself to relax. Allow yourself to relax. It's a deep distinction and one that sometimes takes people a very long time to get. And why wouldn't it? We want out of our pain yesterday.

Of course, there is no way to skip steps. To achieve the peace that you need, FIRST, you must explore those deep down emotions. That's where some pretty intense journaling is crucial. Then, you can focus on finding peace, as part of what Monte Hueftle might call "thinking clean."

 

[brianleejackson]

Great quote Veronica!

Here is one of my favorites. I love this quote because before my pain, I took so much for granted.

"Pain is a holy angel which shows treasure to man which otherwise remains forever hidden." Adalbert Stifter

 

[veronica73]

I like that quote too, Brian. I am trying to see now that the pain had some value, some lessons in it

 

[Beach-Girl]

Just found this today......it reminded me of this journey:

"There is something 'wrong' with everything. No matter what you are looking at, you can find something wrong with it, something imperfect, something that is not okay with you. Don't worry, if you look hard enough you'll find it.​

There is also something 'right' with everything. No matter what you are looking at, you can find something right with it, something perfect.​

There remains, then, only one question: What are you going to look at? What are you choosing to notice? What is your perspective? (I'll bet you already know what God's perspective is...)" ~ Neale Donald Walsch​

 

[Endless luke]

There were a number of lines from the Presence Process that really stuck with me.

One of the most influential I can't find but it was something like: Every want is a distraction from an emotion we don't want to face.
Here are some others that are exact quotes:

The mental body is the voice that whispers “better the devil you know,” ushering us away from authentic change. Though it initially encourages us when we ask for change, it’s bluffing. It pretends to be on our side so we don’t perceive its ploy. It pretends because the mental body not only prefers familiarity, but is addicted to familiarity.

The Presence Process may well be the first time we have done anything authentic for ourselves. To some extent, everyone who enters this process struggles with this. We all bear the scars of taking the cue for our behavior, our appearance, and our expectations of life from others