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When Dr. Sarno said "tms is a gift" at his lecture, I now truly appreciate those words. Having had TMS has opened a new world of learning for me, and I have benefited greatly.

I recall Dr. Sarno saying ANY conflict can cause TMS which I found very powerful, so I try to be aware of any time I feel conflicted (memory from past or present issue) as I don't want to be in agony ever again. Dr. Ronald Hulnick (author and professor--book noted below) says anything that disturbs our peace needs attention.

LEARNINGS SINCE ACCEPTING TMS:
-Most physical issues have emotional causes
-It is in my power to heal myself
-What I believe will be true for me. That is, if you believe "if I do [this] I will have pain" your brain hears that message and will manifest it because you expect it. I stopped having tailbone pain while exercising when I faced the fear and believed there was nothing wrong with me. And it's not been back since!
-So many beliefs are conditioned responses and can be undone when we realize they are false (example of that is as simple as: a hard (or soft) mattress causes back pain!)
-Any conflict we feel can create a condition in our body
-Always always be true to myself
-Find things that bring JOY--feeling joy balances our neurotransmitters and makes the everyday events in our lives less impactful in a negative way
-Fully accepting and feeling that: We are all doing the best we can in this moment.

Updated: Important items to aid in healing:
1. belief it is TMS or a mind/body condition/issue. Acceptance that our emotions, childhood, etc. and events physically affect us if not processed. Things that fester cause pain and disease. also: The body heals. Pain is not due to an injury from 20 years ago (which I learned first hand myself). Many more physical issues are emotion-induced than people currently think or are willing to believe (because work and change is involved).
2. Change your thinking (and it will change your life). a. positive and loving, and b. undoing conditioned thinking. I realize it's been stored up for years but it can be undone.
3. Take your power back! Don't give it to a doctor or to a condition. "I have the power to get to the emotion (root cause) that is causing this condition and heal the emotion which will heal the condition." It works. I've done it.
4. Reinforce this by reading TMS and other good mind/body books
5. JOURNAL. just start writing. Irritated or frustrated? (anger underneath). Sad? need to grieve the loss of someone/something? Afraid (big one!) Guilty? I cannot emphasize enough the importance of journaling for processing feelings. This takes time. If you do not process the feelings and remove them, they will continue to create conditions in your body to try to get your attention. I don't want that! If I don't have paper (e.g. am driving when I think of something annoying me) I will talk journal. Or talk-journal (while alone) to the person with whom I'm having an issue to see if I can resolve or come to terms with accepting a situation. Sometimes all that's needed is a change in my own perspective. I have actually felt a shift when I came to terms with something. Pretty cool.
6. Find things that bring you joy to balance everyday stressors. Even simple things that bring a smile to your face--I crushed pinecones the other day! Love that crunch sound!
7. Self-worth and acceptance of self. We are doing the best we can right now. We are worthwhile people!
8. Forgiveness: of self and others. Forgiveness is not for the person we believe wronged us; it is for US. We can let it go. We are the one being harmed by any resentment.
9. I do believe there is a spiritual component that is important along with faith. I can also say that during my appointment with Dr. Sarno we discussed how those who are or were involved with strict religions have much inner rage as we needed to be "goodists".

I have given some consideration as of late to the secondary gain the condition is causing. Is it getting the person attention they seek? Getting them out of something they don't want to do? Years later I can see how this was true for me to some degree.
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Dr. Davis Hamilton spoke at a convention and had fascinating details about how the mind affects the body, down to our DNA, and how healthy thoughts create healing because oxytocin is released through the bloodstream. Inflammation is due to chemical released due to stress and negative thinking. He emphasized that you must believe in what you are doing ("the TMS program will work for me!") to see results and cited examples of people who defied doctors predictions because they visualized and believed (with iron will) in what they were doing. He has case studies and lots of statistics. Check out his web site for more details or videos on youtube. His book is called It's The Thought That Counts. Excellent read and I plan to incorporate some of his ideas in my everyday life. He talks about how every thought and emotion change our biology. Also about placebo effects, and how social mood and family beliefs influence our pain--not necessarily our genetics! You can view his lectures on youtube.

Books I've read that support the emotional causes of ailments (probably in the order I read them!):
Dr. John Sarno books
Pain Free for Life by Dr. Scott Brady
Louise Hay:
-You Can Heal Your Life
-Empowering Women
-The Power is Within You
-I Can Do It
Your Body Believes Every Word You Say by Barbara Hoberman Levine
When The Body Says No by Dr. Gabor Mate
Candace Pert: 1) Everything You Need To Know to Feel Go(o)d and 2) Molecules of Emotion
Gay Hendricks about loving yourself
Forgiveness by Gerry Jamplonsky
Happiness Now by Robert Holden
Take off Your Glasses and See! by Jacob Liberman
The Power of Positive Thinking by N. V. Peale
Truth Heals by Debra King
Love Your Disease by Dr. John Harrison
It's the Thought that Counts by Dr. David Hamilton
Counter Clockwise
Your Body Speaks Your Mind
Healing Happens
How God Changes your Brain
Feelings Buried Alive Never Die: K. Truman
Healing Feelings from your Heart: K. Truman
The Love Response by Dr. Eva Selhub
The Biology of Belief by Dr. Bruce Lipton
Spontaneous Evolution by Dr. Bruce Lipton
Love Yourself by Dr. Lise Bourbeau
Loyalty to Your Soul by Drs. Ron & Mary Hulnick
The Tapping Solution by Nick Ortner (great for looking for what's underneath your issues!)
Mind Over Medicine by Dr. Lissa Rankin