Tai Chi and TMS

[invincible]

Was curious to know if anyone has tried and explored the martial art Tai Chi as a way to help with TMS?

I have been doing it for the last month or so and have found it very helpful.
It's almost like a form of somatic tracking as you have to be very mindful and aware of how you hold your body in space.
I find it works great for me because I'm a very physical and movement oriented person and doing a couple of repetitions of the practice really helps me slow down.

I've tried meditation and a little bit of yoga as well, but have found tai chi to be far more effective in this short period of time. Will update this thread as I continue to practice more.

Cheers

 

[Ellen]

I haven't done Tai Chi, but before I learned about TMS, I did Qi Gong regularly. It helped my mood and sense of well being, but it didn't reduce my TMS. Same for Yoga.

I believe that to recover from TMS requires addressing emotional repression and dysfunctional thinking patterns. All body-oriented therapies don't lead to recovery IMHO.

 

[invincible]

I believe that to recover from TMS requires addressing emotional repression and dysfunctional thinking patterns. All body-oriented therapies don't lead to recovery IMHO.

Agreed.
The root of TMS is definitely completely psychological.
However, I find physical practices to be a good support. You do have to be careful to not let that take primary focus though and I can see why Dr. Sarno changed his stance on physical therapy after a certain point. It is so easy to get carried away with physical solutions.

Physical movement helps me detach and approach things with a sense of curiosity and that 'floating' approach to emotions.
It merely serves as a method for me to achieve a desired mental state, so that I may then see my psychological state more clearly for what it is.
It helps me recognise different mental states and situations.
It's sort of like saying, if I was to sit in my room all day and just try to 'thing psychologically' I would probably be miserable.
For me physical practices help me be in the now and generally get on with life.

I would definitely be wary of letting them become the primary focus, no matter how great one may feel after any physical practice.

(I've also tried the Alexander Technique, which I find quite nice)

 

[JanAtheCPA]

I believe that the body awareness that I already had through yoga and all kinds of different bodywork experiences over many decades did help me access the mindfulness component of TMS work much more easily. There's also a belief in self-healing that comes with such practices, and I think that was actually quite essential.

 

[Cactusflower]

One of the TMS therapists who has helpful YouTube videos regularly posts short qui gong sessions. He finds them akin to physical meditation.

 

[TG957]

I practiced both Qigong and Tai Chi, and I found both extremely helpful when my physical condition prevented me from doing a more athletic yoga that I am used to. Our bodies are designed for physical activities, and we should be using them instead of ignoring them. But we should always remember that Qigong and Tai Chi are mindbody activities meaning to balance physical and mental. Make sure you find a competent instructor though.