Different pain (but still there)

Hi everyone.

I've had symptoms of plantar fasciitis for 1.5 months. The stabbing pain in the bottom of my heel gradually started getting better when I first read The Mindbody Prescription and recognized myself in that book and started doing the SEP. Four or five days into the Program, the pain was reduced to about 20% of what it used to be. This gave me great confidence and made me feel free and happy!

But now the pain has sort of migrated to the back of my heel... I feel this new burning sensation whenever I'm walking or even if I'm lying down. I feel confused and just so fed up with this foot problem!!! I'm on Day 10 of SEP, so I feel I've made a lot of progress with journaling and pulling up some stuff from my childhood/adolescence that I thought was no longer bothering me, but I figured out it still is. I'm working through that now. So if I'm willing to feel my feelings and I'm actively on this journey of self-inquiry, why do I still have pain? What can I tell myself to get through this part?

 

Hi there,

Firstly, well done on the mini success, please don't dismiss any improvements nor be discouraged by any set backs. This is just part of working through the process.

The very fact that your symptoms are moving around, means your subC is onto you. And deploying a new set of diversion tactics to keep you thinking in the realms of the physical, rather than emotional. Don't buy into it, if needs be, create an evidence sheet to validate your symptoms are TMS - but avoid scoring them. Think psychologically and use a strategy such as affirmations, breathing techniques or EFT to help you overcome any fear, worry etc that you may have.

If you are able to exercise, (whether it be by gentle yoga, walking etc), try and set a regular routine. Also, try to incorporate mindfulness into your routine and identify any beliefs that may be limiting and look at ways to transform these beliefs into healthy and meaningful ones. It's also important to feel connected with others and have a sense of being and belonging, so whilst on your journey, try to cultivate those relationships that matter.

Some noteable practices you could incorporate are:

1. Self talk, making a gentle enquiry to your inner child with love and compassion and establish why you are feeling the way you are.
2. Free writing - trying to explore a connection and understand any limiting beliefs that you may hold.
3. Practice meditation and mindfulness - being more consiously aware of your emotions, the more you do this the less a hold emotions such as anger, fear and worry will have on you. It will also help activate your relaxation response.
Please visit -
http://www.tmswiki.org/forum/threads/how-to-meditate-need-a-tutorial.12482/ (How to meditate - need a tutorial)
4. Learning to shift your focuse from the body to something neutral, the outdoors, the sunshine etc.
5. Take up yoga and practice an exercise that embodies movement and breathing. I've found this particularly beneficial for my own journey.
6. EFT - emotional freedom technique, there are numerous threads on the topic and it's also worth looking into.
7. Practice outcome independence...
http://www.tmswiki.org/forum/threads/how-to-get-rid-of-your-pain-in-7-minutes.11437/#post-64516 (Alan G. - How to get rid of your pain in 7 minutes)

Wishing you all the best on your journey,

 

Hi Oceana. Migrating pain is a sign that you're on the right track! Your subC is pretty much saying, "oh, you think you've figured this out? I'll just put the pain somewhere else!"
When I was battling horrible migraines, I knew it was TMS when one day the pain shifted to a spot I'd never had pain in before.
Stick with the SEP. You're doing fine!

 

"If one is preoccupied with the body/symptoms they will persists"
Dr John Sarno

 

Feel any anger or resentment and you have towards anybody and let it go, you will see your pain slowly melt away

 

Excellent, Marco, let it go indeed and replace it with an overwhelming sense of peace, kindness, warmth and love to oneself.

 

Its the only way to live .....I am slowly getting it...day by day, everyday is a fresh start to learn..

 

Well done my friend. Have you been watching the neuroscience summit?

Everything just seems to fit together and make sense.

 

Thank you, everyone, for your comments and advice. I really appreciate them! It's a radical change to see the migrating pain as evidence that this is TMS, and that I'm on the road to recovery -- rather than seeing it as evidence that I will never heal (which is very distressing). I much prefer this new approach!

 

Take everything you know or you think you know about healing and think the exact opposite, that's TMS healing. It's emotional, not structural.

Shift your focus from mind-body symptoms to something neutral or that of joy etc and as you work through the process, emotional integration will occur.

 

No I am not watching it ....i listened to the first session and it's just a bunch of the same old opinions and facts , don't mean to down grade these fantastic speakers, it's just that I need to move on from gathering more info and start to move on to healing myself and change my reactions to life as it comes to me.

 

I agree with you, Marco, that we can spend too much time thinking about and analyzing our pain. I find it best to accept that it is caused by our emotions or personality and get on with living and enjoying each as it comes along. I find ways to distract my mind and do things I enjoy. It relaxes me and I appreciate more the good things in my life, such as people and my darling dog who care about me. How we react to life's bumps in the road is very important. We have to try to accept the bumps without thinking they are going to hurt us or remain forever.

 

Well said Walt and very true