Pg 77, P77, the 77th page and Pg. 77. of Healing Back Pain.
That is "I suggest to my patients..when becoming aware of the pain to consciously and forcefully shift attention.... a chronic family OR financial problem, a recurrent source of irritation...."
I have done pg 77 until my eyes have teared up. I'm not a puker, but I have almost puked from the pain before.
However, that is the one thing I have always stood by. I feel a twinge at work and just ignoring it doesn't abort it in 2 minutes? Pg 77.
After reading Sarno and learning that we are pretty much indestructible and having a long history of him not only being right, but I think even a little too conservative, any weird new thing instantly gets pg 77'd. If I am in Public, in the middle of a game (Baseball) It is harder because I have to focus on the game....so I go and do alone challenges where me mumbling to myself isn't gonna freak out too many people. It is hard to concentrate when you're in pain and scared but it is THEE most effective tool I know of....
If I am driving I turn off the radio and talk to it out loud!
If I am at work, I go and get involved in a task alone. Lifting weights, pushups, hitting in the cages or off a tee. Running sprints in the park. Alone...ok, maybe with my dog. But no distractions
Sarno compared it to a contest of will in Mindbody prescription ..it's You vs The Pain.
When I first went back to activity, I was stuck. I wasn't getting better. I fully understood the main premise and was already saying "I Get this....why is the pain still here!". I had sciatica up and down both legs and my back was in spasm. I suddenly remembered that the track I was walking around was walked by old and crusty people..I used to run around that track and cycle around it but I never walked until my 'problem' started.(conditioning)
As soon as this dawned on me I went "F-it" and broke into a sprint across the grass.
I did not have some magical cure. I collapsed at the end of the field BUT...a big BUT...I was not in any worse pain like I had been told by my surgeon and the system. Of course I was a little stiff and funny feeling, but after reading Sarno and re-reading Sarno and reading Sarno again, I was prepared mentally... It also confirmed his assertion that you can't hurt yourself. That's just conditioned fear.
I know
@BruceMC is quoting the gospel of 'don't scare yourself' and Sarno did say that, but my feeling from reading that was 'a couple of weeks'...not waiting months. Remember, you are gonna get better in a month or 6 weeks. 2 weeks in is a great time to go and test yourself...and Of course your body try's to keep using the strategy that is why advertising in your own head aka READing the text is so important...over and over and over
and whenever I catch myself focusing on the pain PG 77.
peace
