Lesson 12 My comments

[richard landry]

Investigate how you are doing emotionally since starting this program. How have you been handling uncovering emotions and issues? I've listed about 15 issues on the TMS List, but I'm not coming up with new items for my TMS list. I would like to know how to effectively discover repressed emotions if such emotions are hidden in the unconscious. I thought that just being aware of the TMS process eliminated the need to know specifically which emotions are being suppressed

When you are in pain, what strategies do you use to focus your mind on positive thoughts? I rehearse the TMS Daily Reminders. I chant a mantra. I pray. I watch TV.

And lastly, does deliberately trying to think positively prevent us from recognizing our suppressed emotions, which are the cause of TMS, and actually prevent us from overcoming TMS? ... or is it possible to do both at the same time? I believe I can do both. Both the negative function (recognizing the possibility of suppressed emotions) and the positive function (thinking positively) contribute to insight. Being aware of both the positive and the negative contributes to honestly knowing the whole picture. I don't want to delude myself by concentrating on the positive at the expense of not considering the negative.

 

[Beach-Girl]

Investigate how you are doing emotionally since starting this program. How have you been handling uncovering emotions and issues? I've listed about 15 issues on the TMS List, but I'm not coming up with new items for my TMS list. I would like to know how to effectively discover repressed emotions if such emotions are hidden in the unconscious. I thought that just being aware of the TMS process eliminated the need to know specifically which emotions are being suppressed

Hi Richard:

I did the Structured Program and Dr. Schubiner's program. About 2 weeks later, I discovered through traditional journaling I had left out some major issues in my life. I think if you stay aware and keep writing, the answers you seek will come to you. If you work at it too hard, they won't reveal themselves for a long time.

When you are in pain, what strategies do you use to focus your mind on positive thoughts? I rehearse the TMS Daily Reminders. I chant a mantra. I pray. I watch TV.

All of these are good strategies. Just stay open to perhaps meditation, sitting outdoors and enjoying nature, or a host of other things that are practices of being "mindful". I sit outdoors every morning now and simply listen to the birds. It's a nice way to start the day and I can sometimes remain pain free this way. It's journey! That's for sure.

And lastly, does deliberately trying to think positively prevent us from recognizing our suppressed emotions, which are the cause of TMS, and actually prevent us from overcoming TMS? ... or is it possible to do both at the same time? I believe I can do both. Both the negative function (recognizing the possibility of suppressed emotions) and the positive function (thinking positively) contribute to insight. Being aware of both the positive and the negative contributes to honestly knowing the whole picture. I don't want to delude myself by concentrating on the positive at the expense of not considering the negative.

If you relearn how to stay positive, any more suppressed negative emotions may simply "show themselves" as they never have before. You can investigate them, watch them go by, or write about them. Sounds like you're doing well. Are the program and your new distractions helping?

BG

 

[Forest]

Hiya Richard,

You touch upon a lot of really good questions. If you think you are missing some from the list, start exploring other areas of life. If you have focused a lot on your past, try focusing on present stressors, i.e. work, family life, and relationships. There is not a certain number of items you need to have on the list. Simply start by exploring the big main issues, and then in time other issues will pop up. If you journal and keep exploring other issues will pop up. A lot of times you do just need to understand the TMS process, but other times you may need to gain more understanding of these emotions.

Your second question really goes hand in hand with this. Thinking positively doesn't necessarily mean that you are repressing your emotions. I would argue that you can only really think positively once you have have a clear understand of your emotions and stressors. The first step to Thinking Postively is to identify your negative emotions when you are activated and symptomatic. This can be boiled down to, I am currently in pain. What am I feeling right now. Once you have identified these emotions you can then attempt to turn this negative emotion into a positive one. Monte writes a lot about how to do this. It is not really repressing emotions, because inherent to the entire process is having a clear understanding of our emotions at a giving time.

The strategies you are using to do this are really good, and I encourage you to continue this. As Beach-Girl mentioned you could try to do some meditation as well. I would just add that you might want to do something active that you enjoy. For me, exercising really helped boost my confidence and allowed me to overcome fear that I was disabled. Beach-Girl mentioned she enjoyed being in nature. When we do something that we love to do, we can bring that positivity into our recovery.

It sounds like you are doing great and I encourage you to keep up the good work.

Best,

Forest

 

[richard landry]

thank you for your thread reply to my Lesson 12 forum post. I included your remark: "The first step to Thinking Postively is to identify your negative emotions when you are activated and symptomatic. This can be boiled down to, I am currently in pain. What am I feeling right now." in my notes which I use to review important points.

 

[Forest]

I'm glad you found that helpful Richard. I like your idea of having a little notepad of TMS reminders that you can review throughout the day. Repeating this information over and over again can really help it sink into our subconscious and allow us to recondition our autonomic nervous system. I'm curious, what other points do you have in your notes?