Mindfulness approach/TMS approach - confused

Hi all, having made really good progress reducing my carpal tunnel-like symptoms, I'm still suffering with daily lightheadedness/tension headaches/vision problems/tiredness.

I've read a lot about how breathing incorrectly can lead to these symptoms and been doing a few breathing exercises. I've also been getting into meditation more which led me to discover more about mindfulness and the book 'the power of now' by eckhart tolle.

The confusion I'm experiencing is this - power of now/mindfulness tells you to observe thoughts, 'watch the thinker' and not attach to anything. BUT some of the most compelling posts in this forum tell you to talk to your pain and challenge it for example by telling your brain that you don't need to create pain, I can feel all my emotions etc. I find these two approaches really at odds with each other.. surely by challenging a thought I am attaching to it, and not just observing it without judgement.

I KNOW that my symptoms are all 'mind-body' symptoms but there seem to be so many approaches I don't know where to start. What worked for my hand pain was saying to myself repetitively 'TMS is real, my pain is emotional' perhaps 1000 times a day! But that doesn't work for the lightheadedness...

Help!

 

Go with the approach of non attachment. Identifying with it and even acknowledging it gives it reality. We strengthen it (create it) by observing and recording it.

The rejecting of it is simply a first step of repudiation of the physical, the end goal is to reduce thinking to the point of deepening awareness.

The breathing is important but if you get to the thought process the breathing changes. Things like Kapalbhati are great tools in the rebalancing act of the CNS but your goal is always to discipline your mind in its thinking. At that point you have a good life of health and harmony with your surroundings.

Good luck.

SteveO

 

Thanks. That's really helpful. Appreciate your reply! X

 

Yeah, it's easy to get confused and overwhelmed with all the info. In my opinion, when you are new and recovering, you should focus on the principals that Dr. Sarno teaches. It's a full-time job all by itself and doesn't need to be watered down and confused with other programs.

Mindfulness is a nice supplement to a TMS program, but it is also a very challenging discipline in it's own right. Again, my $0.02 is to focus on Sarno and TMS first and once you feel like you've made satisfactory progress you can start incorporating other things like mindfulness.

 

The above.

 

I agree with the advise above but kind of don't at the same time. You said "I've read a lot about how breathing incorrectly can lead to these symptoms and been doing a few breathing exercises." That's not the root cause of headaches. It's you unconscious rage/emotions.

You're intuitively on to something with your question. You are already observing yourself because you are already aware that your breathing has changed, tension is rising, then boom headache. From my experience, by practicing being the observer and watching my thoughts and physical symptoms I am confirming the mind-body connection. Every time you do that you strengthen the belief in TMS and the symptoms lose power. That's how observing has worked for me and supplements the TMS approach.

In regards to the second part of your post, I agree with Steve O. and Tennis Tom, if you're just starting out stick with the TMS approaches. There will be times though when your brain knows you are listening because you are trying to find what the unconscious cause of your physical problems are. Your brain can adapt. It can use your dreams, fear and overactive thoughts to trick you. (Ekhart calls it pain-body). Use your gut and intuition and you will know. Then, you can pull back, breathe and observe this happening. It will eventually lose it's power and stop trying to trick you.

That's how 'The Power of Now' has helped me and it has helped. Everyone is different though.

 

Thank you guys, that's what I've done over the last few days - gone back to basics with Sarno's teachings. I think I was trying to do too many things at once. I re-read the mindbody prescription, made some notes to make sure I was clear on the mechanics and the steps I need to take. And I feel much better and more focused! Thank you all so much for your help x

 

I thought these two approaches although different they both seeking the same goal, which is eliminate your fear of your symptoms. Meditation taught us to be an observer and not to react to any emotion or symptoms. While talk to our pain our challenging it so we can overcome our fear of our symptoms. Two different approaches, the same goal.
Some pray, some meditate, some use positive talk, some just keep exercising and exercising .... and then as soon as we can relax our body and stop our fear, we cure.