Steven Ozanich TMS The Man Sarno

Steve, I think I've exhausted recalling things from my past that could trigger TSM and have journaled about them and forgiven parents and others.

I feel as if my pain is reduced maybe in half, but now I will focus on what may be the main reasons for my pain. Financial problems have been with me for years but are heightened recently, just keeping up with the mortgage so I don't lose my house, and credit card debt. The other main thing is my mortality, which I began thinking about when I turned 80 and I'm 82.5 now. But I think I am getting a handle on both... trying not to worry so much about either. So I'll work on those. Thanks again.

 

I've read that we don't have to solve a reason for anger or anxiety, just recognize it, so maybe that will help with both financial worries and concern about mortality.

 

Steve, how about this from C.S. Lewis:


"Has this world been so kind to you that you should leave with regret? There are better things ahead than any we leave behind."

I guess I'm not doing too bad. Today I drove to do grocery shopping at two supermarkets, got a flu shot at an Osco pharmacy, mailed a package at a post office and felt only minor pain in the back. Sitting makes that go away. I thought my subconscious was letting up on me because of all the childhood anxt and journaling about it. It may have helped, but I think my Type A worrying about bills and losing the house (both of which I lived with in spades when I was growing up) needs dealing with now. And accepting my mortality when (no longer "if") it comes.

 

Walt, I'm glad you ran around with errands today! Good job. Don't let your brain get in the way of living. Plus, if you had only minor pain then you're better off than most folks. Also, you now know that if your pain can decrease that it can leave altogether. If we are in pain due to structural failure it must get worse, not better.Your pain leaving when you sit is strictly a conditioned response.

Also, Walt, I forgot to mention that financial worries are one of the biggest causes of pain, that I've seen. I talked about it on page 256. It's now being labeled as "debt-stress." This makes sense because TMS comes from the SNS fight/flight/freeze mechanism of self survival, and finances are a part of surviving. We don't love money, but we do love to eat.

And don't forget, all of these "events" we screen through the eyes of a child, and people like you who went through the worst of financial times have money on their minds often because you lived through the horror of a great depression. Both the lack of money and having money can buy experience. Both of which are "priceless"--ironic huh?

I love CS Lewis, he's a personal hero of mine. I quoted him but I quoted everybody haha. One of my favorite Lewis quotes is, " “Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: "What! You too? I thought I was the only one.”

The same is true for TMS. People share the same life.

Steve

 

Yes, your telling me to look into my past revealed the financial insecurities I grew up with during the 1930s Great Depression. I've even told myself I might live through another one, and sure enough, I am. Relatives have lost their homes and I worry I might lose mine. I've kept it month to month so far and will keep trying to pay the mortgage each month.

And wouldn't you know, this morning a nephew emailed me that a cousin my age just died.

As the Morton Salt slogan says, "It never rains but it pours."

 

And about having money and not having it... One of my very best friends... we were like brothers... was rich but never seemed happy. He had his share of life's troubles. He always had back pain too, but thought it came from being too small to play football in prep school. I now think he had TSM from his childhood because I knew his parents. Want a laugh? His father was so henpecked, he joined Chenault's Flying Tigers to fight the Japanese before we got into the war. He did it to escape his wife, but left his son, my buddy, fatherless for years and at home with a smothering mother. Tim married and had three kids but his wife had bad emotional problems (rejection from her mother). But that's another story.

I feel you and I have become friends.

 

More quotes from C.S. Lewis:




Eventually Lewis arrives at Jesus Christ, and invokes a well-known argument now known as the "Lewis trilemma". Lewis, arguing that Jesus was claiming to be God, uses logic to advance three possibilities: either he really was God, was deliberately lying, or was not God but thought himself to be (which would make him delusional and likely insane). The book goes on to say that the latter two possibilities are not consistent with Jesus' character and it was most likely that he was being truthful.

Lewis’ conclusion: Jesus really was/is God

I gave in, and admitted that God was God.

You don't have a soul. You are a Soul. You have a body.

Has this world been so kind to you that you should leave with regret? There are better things ahead than any we leave behind.

Experience: that most brutal of teachers. But you learn, my God do you learn.

I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.

You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.

Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you get neither.

God cannot give us a happiness and peace apart from Himself, because it is not there. There is no such thing.

Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point.

 

Any update on that audiobook Steve?
I have audiobook of HBP and it iss Sarnos authoritative voice that is helping me. trying to overcome doubt in the diagnosis is a huge thing because its not an accepted mainstream theory. it is interesting that mainstream theory is that chronic pain is somewhat normal and therefore must be managed. a few of my close relations have graduated from top UK medical schools so have tried explaining to them the concept. blank stares and ''we know that already'' is the typical reaction.

 

I will start the audiobook again March 1. It got delayed after I helped one of the top marketers in the world heal. He sent me in a new direction for awhile, but the audio is very important. My plan is to have it done by May, but my plans rarely work, out so who knows.

Many health practitioners know about psychosomatic problems but they're afraid to tell the patients because the patients get angry and find new doctors. It also takes more time dealing with a mindbody patient than they prefer to spend, so both patient and doctor opt for the quick fix. It's a perfect failure. The TMS docs are brave people.

Overcoming doubt in the process is the healing goal. As doubt is erased the pain fades. We are what we believe for good or bad. But it's not about healing the body. That's the biggest mistake people make.

 

I'll just add that I'm really looking forward to the audiobook, as well! Like Steve, I've found audiobooks to be very helpful in my recovery. I'm about 3/4 of the way through the paperback version of TGPD and it is very, very good. Steve is a very important and articulate voice in the TMS community and we're lucky to have him.

 

There's already a Kindle version

 

just listening to an audiobook of Carl Jungs Memories Dreams and Reflections and was blown away when he describes what seems to be his own overcoming of Mindbody symtpoms. listen here. he had fainting spells to avoid school and doing homework leading to his staying away for 6 months.
When he overheard his father discussing his son's 'illness' with a friend and hearing the worry in his fathers voice and concern for Carls ability to earn his living. from that moment he embraced his studies with verve. ten minutes into the study he fainted, picked himself up and again 15minutes later he fainted once more. He willed himself once more and an hour the third fainting spell occurred. He did not give up and suddenly felt that he overcome the attacks of fainting and they never came back.
unbelievable.

 

Amazing that I decided to come back to this thread and last few comments were about CS Lewis who was born not far from me in Ireland. I've been studying him for a few days....synchronicity or chance?

 

Good question, are things by luck or preformed? To quote Jung, "Whatever is not conscious will be experienced as fate."

I talked about Jung's fainting spells in GPD. He fainted when he needed to get out of things, like people get TMS when they just don't wanna...

 

Was listening to your webinar Steve and you mentioned a relative was over in Galway, Ireland. If you're ever back in Gods country let us know! Haha

 

Markus,

Steve's book gave me my life back. After struggling with chronic foot pain for over twenty years, I'm now pain-free and jogging almost every day (refer to my success story for details). Steve is a saint in my opinion - I cannot thank him enough.

While Dr Sarno planted the seed for healing, it was Steve's book that gave me the tools and courage for recovery I needed. Of all the TMS healing books, his is by far the best.

When reading his book I managed to get in touch with him, and he was ALWAYS responsive when I reached out for support. We are all so grateful for his ongoing support on this forum.

 

Sorry Markus but your way off and to be honest we don't need that type of negativity on this forum. Steve is a great man who has done a hell of a lot for the tms community and has answered me every time I've emailed him with a question (and always a very thorough and well thought out answer.) I also didn't have any money because of medical bills a while back and he helped me out and Skyped with me for 3 hours! ALL of the best advice and information I've got about tms and healing has come from him. If you don't like what he has to say keep it to yourself so other people aren't discouraged to read his book. I enjoyed every page.

 

Thanks Steve, your comments are very help-full! As is your book. As a (former) fibro-badger I can understand the resentful attitude some have - I think we get so fixated IN our symptoms it is hard to peer out over the parapet. I have two friends with fibro who just don't see it and who now don't really want to know me - I am too healthy/working/happy - it is another pain for them to bear. I just have to shrug and hope they one day see it. I see TMS in so many people suffering around me - relatives, friends, neighbours - but even tho' people ask 'How did you get better?' - they just zone out and don't really listen and you can see them thinking 'You are a screwball'! It is extremely frustrating as I think we all have suffered and understand the suffering and want to go and help everyone else to get better too. But perhaps that also is a trait of our goodism/perfectionism/like me personalities!
So now I will tell people if they ask - otherwise I keep schtum. But I have had loads of little stickers about TMS made that I stick anywhere people might see them - toilet doors, traffic meters, pharmacy windows.....This makes me feel that I am doing something positive to help.
Danielle, I too got fibro after a 'neck' injury in a car crash - 22 years of pain/wheelchair/etc but now I am pain-free 95% of the time - and whenever pain appears I 'TMS' it and regain my life - so take heart and keep on with it - you will get there!

 

I think you're way off....I'm glad you got free attention, I can't even get an answer to a question I asked him about what he meant in a statement on a thread. You know I don't usually get upset for no reason, and when I do there is a reason.
I've read his book....tiring! Aren't you the dude that "jokingly offered me a link to porn sites? And that was what? You don't have to like what I say, but I'm usually right.
I'm going through my own STUFF. so why don't you turn the volume down. I won't discuss this anymore,I can have my opinions.............there isn't anyone who's got it all figured out. You should keep your opinion to youself. Have you ever once tried to talk to me about what I'm going through? No, you come out to attack me when I disagree with someone you consider very important! Either way, I said what I said and I meant it
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M