TMS Belief and Understanding?

Since discovering the work of John Sarno I've got to about over 90% belief in the tms diagnosis but I also believe the symptoms are 100% caused by emotions. There are certain things Sarno says that I just can't agree on. One being we must think psychological at all times. I can't see the difference between mind and body. I see them as one. Not even mind-body as a connection I see us as mindbody. The better term is a Soma (a body experienced within). We are an integrated system. We are told that the pain only exists to distract our attention from our emotions. I find this hard to grasp. I would say the pain sits in our body as tension states caused by our tendency to repress emotions. We don't know exactly what's going in in the mind so it's only a guess based on what I know. Same as Dr Sarno. Now you may think I'm attacking him but that's far from the truth. His insights have been phenomenal. I just disagree on certain aspects. I don't think you need to agree 100% with every detail of why we get pain psychologically. Just believe that the pain is caused by emotional issues.

What do you guys think? I'd love to get some feedback

 

Firstly, one cannot consciously say they have X% belief in TMS. Our belief systems are integrated into our unconscious mind, which is not measurable. Beliefs are instilled over time and with habit.

Secondly, terminology really depends on who the core audience is, Dr Sarno wrote the book as a self help book and to educate medical professionals. I'm sure he's all too familiar with with the interchangeable words, but veered away as he wasn't writing a spiritual book but a medical master piece.

One could also disagree with the statement you've made 'Mindbody', I've read alot of text which just considers our entire entity as 'mind', because each molecule is it's own 'thinking station'.

I agree to disagree on your final point, Dr Sarno has seen and healed thousands of people from looking at their repressed emotions. While some may be cured by simply acknowledging the fact, others will need to work through the process and look at emotions and change their way of thinking, being and inter acting.

 

Does it matter? it is all terminology... As long as we integrate our 'selves', minds, emotions, brains, bodies and psyches does it matter if some of us divide terms up differently? The important thing is to free ourselves of unnecessary suffering and learn from our situations (and those of others) so we can lead happier, and perhaps more benefic lives...
Personally I agree the TMS is caused by emotional stress, but I also believe that our psychological ways of dealing with that stress - how we act and react within ourselves, has real import on how we then suffer ourselves and how we develop characteristics that impact on others and ourselves in a damaging way.

 

Thanks for the reply Mike. that last point I was trying to make was I'm not sure that we need to really believe the pain is only there as a distraction to our emotions. Just understand it's not structural and is based in the way we think and just know that it's the repressed emotions causing the problem not a physical breakdown

 

Heacate. That's the point or question I was trying to raise. Does it matter as long as we know its psychological?

 

No I don't think it does. Sarno is a Doctor, a medical man used to communicating in a certain scientific way. I would probably use different language but essentially the info is the same. Like 3 people giving directions from the shop to the lake - all will give different directions, but the route is the same!

 

Exactly my point hecate, it's about target audience, it's a medical book not a spiritual one.

 

I'd just like to see people giving it a go. Rather than give up on specifics like they can't agree on with information provided. Like for instance. John Sarno (more or less) puts every ailment down to tms which I disagree with but luckily It doesn't make me think that he's a quack which he certainly isn't.

 

The main thing is the observations of John Sarno are spot on. People get better by addressing repressed emotions. The understanding is an educated guess by anyone.

 

Hi
I was listening to the Divided Mind body connection yesterday.
Sarno said there is lot of difference between Believing and Accepting.
One doesn't heal if he believes it has to be accepted he said.

I think there is a thin difference between these two words which even I am trying to figure out..

 

I think we can accept something on a conscious level, but we must believe it on an unconscious level. Perhaps our very own in-house Guru #Forest can clarify?

 

SteveO made this very point yesterday, there are so many ailments which fall under the new definition of TMS. He's had first hand experience, so I'm with him on this one.

 

Thanks for the thoughts and ideas guys. Great debate

 

I agree with everything that Dr. Sarno writes in his books. His premise that the pain only exists to serve as a distraction to rage in the sub conscious makes perfect sense to me. I am like many others who over the years have said that I see myself on every page. It is like the book is written about you as opposed to for you. The strange thing is I have always been a skeptic and mistrusting. I believe in Dr. Sarnos program 100 % however.

 

Hi, Kevinmichael. I love your post. You recognize how and why the subconscious gives us pain. And you are a total believer in TMS.
I'd like to know more about you and your symptoms. Have they lessened or gone away since you read Sarno and learned about TMS?

 

I agree Walt, he does. I would like to know more about kevinmichael and provide assistance too.

 

If anything my pain as increased since my BELIEF/ACCEPTANCE . Of tms. And yes i agree these 2 words are the same meaning.

You guys can go back and forth on this issues and i agree with both of you Tms is not black and white.....to me its all grey each person understanding of it differs.

I guess tms is like the old saying all roads lead to rome?

 

I believe that I have finally gotten my major problem (hip pain ) under control by studying TMS. Last year I had a medical event that is not related to TMS. This event was life threatening . It was blood clots in my lungs. An excellent cardiologist has told me that my heart and lungs are fine. I had a stress test and EKGs. I am on the best anti-clot medicine. I have been told that my body has dissolved the clots. So.......I should not be having any chest pain what so ever. This story probably sounds familiar to many people in this forum. I am now trying to use TMS to banish the chest pain. I am trying hard and it has really impacted me emotionally. I have also been getting other weird pains . I got a large rash and it was also on my chest. It cultured negative for bacteria. I have learned that when your symptoms change you should not be scared because it means you are winning.....

 

Wow, that's quite a story. I think you've taken a sensible stance by taking control of your own well being. Sometimes you need to take medicine while you work through the TMS process.

You seem to be doing a great job on all accounts, I know this is easier said than done and I know I'm quite bad myself, but try not to put too much pressure on yourself. Try to focuss on the things that bring you joy, however small they seem.

All the best to you my friend, I hope you recover.

 

My understanding of belief/accept is best described by...someone tells me to fall backwards into their arms and he will catch me. My mind believes/accepts what the person says. Only when I start to fall backwards do I believe/accept it in my heart. There are cultural differences in the way these two words are used to describe these stages.