Raging- and breathwork

[Guest guest]

Ok, this was a good Rage. Not great, but good.

No seriously, it is hard when those around us are pissing and moaning over broken toenails, sinus infections and the flu. They'll all be over in 7-10 days. Life will get back to "normal."

We do have a right to be angered by the insensitivity of those around us when they shine on what we're going thru--and can't understand that we'd love for this to be over in 7-10 days.

Does that mean we turn "cold" or "hard" about what they're going thru. No, I hope that I can hold some compassion for where they're at-- and I'm not afraid to say "You know, I totally understand how rotten you're feeling." "I can't tell you how much I wish that my stuff would go away in a week, so if I seem insensitive, please understand where I'm coming from. I too, want my life back."

What this does is diffuse the situation, they go off mumbling and cursing me-- that's ok, they're sick. Then after they've processed what I said- they come back and invariably- state that they are sorry about how the acted, and "they don't know how I do this day after day."

BTW, I don't know how I do it day after day either.

What I do know is this. I know that if I am Raging, then I'm telling not only my body to fight the good fight, which we're all doing; but I'm also telling my body that I can't accept the way things are-- so keep 'fighting' me--my soulself; and that I need to stay pumped up for war.

In the book "Love Medicine and Miracles" it talks about how our thoughts instruct our bodies to act--or react. Having lived with chronic illness now for hte last 27 years, I've found that if I want my pain to decrease, then I have to quiet my 'soulself' instead of using verbs that create harsh energy.

Does this mean that I'm giving up trying to find a way to increase my quality of life. Heck no. It means that I honor myself--even the part of me that is sick, and I keep looking for ways to be kind to myself. It means that instead of "tensing up my shoulders and back muscles so I can muscle my way through" I have discovered that if I stop fighting my body-- that I have less pain. If I sit quietly, and 'watch my breath' and 'watch the pain knots in my back and spine' instead of telling myself to toughen up and deal with it-- that I'm not sending as many hormones and signals to the area that's in pain-- so I'm not "adding" to the pain.

This is advanced pain control. It is the type of pain management that they teach people that are in the last days of life with cancer. It works. And it works without pain meds.

What if we used our minds to see that those knots in our muscles -(instead of them tightening up and getting harder) what if we visualized them unwinding, loosening up on each out breath. Visualize your inhalation through your nose as being so cooling--you can close your eyes, and just being aware of your breath- feel how cool it is on your upper lip.

Then as you slowly exhale-- feel how warm the air has become-again focusing on the sensation of the air on the upper lip.

Do this for several minutes--

Then after you feel yourself relaxing-- take that inbreathe, and allow the cool air to go deep into each lung, crossing and cooling your the little sacs of lung tissue, and see it being carried out to your arms and legs and feet. Just watch it flow through your body.

Know that as this air is coursing through your body, that the air you've used is being exhaled, and the next inbreath again helps to cool the inflammation in your whole body.

This is a simple exercise that if we all spent 15-20 minutes each day doing- we'd all see the results of lowered pain levels.

So- if you find that you're "Raging"-- tell yourself to stop. Just say stop.

Then gently, kindly-- with self compassion, refocus on letting yourself hold you--- and know you are safe within your body.

Peace to us all,

Tracie

NS co-owner/moderator

[Guest guest]

Tracie,Imagery relaxation techniques are a great way to help with pain. Your description of doing this is super. I also like to sometimes listen to relaxation CD's as I'm going to sleep. Best to all,Beckytiodaat@... wrote: Ok, this was a good Rage. Not great, but good. No seriously, it is hard when those around us are pissing and moaning over broken toenails, sinus infections and the flu.

They'll all be over in 7-10 days. Life will get back to "normal." We do have a right to be angered by the insensitivity of those around us when they shine on what we're going thru--and can't understand that we'd love for this to be over in 7-10 days. Does that mean we turn "cold" or "hard" about what they're going thru. No, I hope that I can hold some compassion for where they're at-- and I'm not afraid to say "You know, I totally understand how rotten you're feeling." "I can't tell you how much I wish that my stuff would go away in a week, so if I seem insensitive, please understand where I'm coming from. I too, want my life back." What this does is diffuse the situation, they go off mumbling and cursing me-- that's ok, they're sick. Then after they've processed what I said- they come back and invariably- state that they are sorry about how the acted, and "they don't know how I do this day after day." BTW,

I don't know how I do it day after day either. What I do know is this. I know that if I am Raging, then I'm telling not only my body to fight the good fight, which we're all doing; but I'm also telling my body that I can't accept the way things are-- so keep 'fighting' me--my soulself; and that I need to stay pumped up for war. In the book "Love Medicine and Miracles" it talks about how our thoughts instruct our bodies to act--or react. Having lived with chronic illness now for hte last 27 years, I've found that if I want my pain to decrease, then I have to quiet my 'soulself' instead of using verbs that create harsh energy. Does this mean that I'm giving up trying to find a way to increase my quality of life. Heck no. It means that I honor myself--even the part of me that is sick, and I keep looking for ways to be kind to myself. It means that instead of "tensing up my shoulders and back

muscles so I can muscle my way through" I have discovered that if I stop fighting my body-- that I have less pain. If I sit quietly, and 'watch my breath' and 'watch the pain knots in my back and spine' instead of telling myself to toughen up and deal with it-- that I'm not sending as many hormones and signals to the area that's in pain-- so I'm not "adding" to the pain. This is advanced pain control. It is the type of pain management that they teach people that are in the last days of life with cancer. It works. And it works without pain meds. What if we used our minds to see that those knots in our muscles -(instead of them tightening up and getting harder) what if we visualized them unwinding, loosening up on each out breath. Visualize your inhalation through your nose as being so cooling--you can close your eyes, and just being aware of your breath- feel how cool it is on your upper lip. Then as you

slowly exhale-- feel how warm the air has become-again focusing on the sensation of the air on the upper lip. Do this for several minutes-- Then after you feel yourself relaxing-- take that inbreathe, and allow the cool air to go deep into each lung, crossing and cooling your the little sacs of lung tissue, and see it being carried out to your arms and legs and feet. Just watch it flow through your body. Know that as this air is coursing through your body, that the air you've used is being exhaled, and the next inbreath again helps to cool the inflammation in your whole body. This is a simple exercise that if we all spent 15-20 minutes each day doing- we'd all see the results of lowered pain levels. So- if you find that you're "Raging"-- tell yourself to stop. Just say stop. Then gently, kindly-- with self compassion, refocus on letting yourself hold you--- and know you are safe within your

body. Peace to us all, Tracie NS co-owner/moderator

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[Guest guest]

This was great, Tracie! I was doing the "imagery" as I was reading and felt the calm and peace taking over already. I can't wait to go sit and just do nothing but this for 20 minutes...

thank you for sharing!...

Love and hugs and prayers,

Joan

Ok, this was a good Rage. Not great, but good.No seriously, it is hard when those around us are pissing and moaning over broken toenails, sinus infections and the flu. They'll all be over in 7-10 days. Life will get back to "normal." We do have a right to be angered by the insensitivity of those around us when they shine on what we're going thru--and can't understand that we'd love for this to be over in 7-10 days.Does that mean we turn "cold" or "hard" about what they're going thru. No, I hope that I can hold some compassion for where they're at-- and I'm not afraid to say "You know, I totally understand how rotten you're feeling." "I can't tell you how much I wish that my stuff would go away in a week, so if I seem insensitive, please understand where I'm coming from. I too, want my life back."What this does is diffuse the situation, they go off mumbling and cursing me-- that's ok, they're sick. Then after they've processed what I said- they come back and invariably- state that they are sorry about how the acted, and "they don't know how I do this day after day."BTW, I don't know how I do it day after day either. What I do know is this. I know that if I am Raging, then I'm telling not only my body to fight the good fight, which we're all doing; but I'm also telling my body that I can't accept the way things are-- so keep 'fighting' me--my soulself; and that I need to stay pumped up for war. In the book "Love Medicine and Miracles" it talks about how our thoughts instruct our bodies to act--or react. Having lived with chronic illness now for hte last 27 years, I've found that if I want my pain to decrease, then I have to quiet my 'soulself' instead of using verbs that create harsh energy. Does this mean that I'm giving up trying to find a way to increase my quality of life. Heck no. It means that I honor myself--even the part of me that is sick, and I keep looking for ways to be kind to myself. It means that instead of "tensing up my shoulders and back muscles so I can muscle my way through" I have discovered that if I stop fighting my body-- that I have less pain. If I sit quietly, and 'watch my breath' and 'watch the pain knots in my back and spine' instead of telling myself to toughen up and deal with it-- that I'm not sending as many hormones and signals to the area that's in pain-- so I'm not "adding" to the pain.This is advanced pain control. It is the type of pain management that they teach people that are in the last days of life with cancer. It works. And it works without pain meds.What if we used our minds to see that those knots in our muscles -(instead of them tightening up and getting harder) what if we visualized them unwinding, loosening up on each out breath. Visualize your inhalation through your nose as being so cooling--you can close your eyes, and just being aware of your breath- feel how cool it is on your upper lip. Then as you slowly exhale-- feel how warm the air has become-again focusing on the sensation of the air on the upper lip.Do this for several minutes-- Then after you feel yourself relaxing-- take that inbreathe, and allow the cool air to go deep into each lung, crossing and cooling your the little sacs of lung tissue, and see it being carried out to your arms and legs and feet. Just watch it flow through your body. Know that as this air is coursing through your body, that the air you've used is being exhaled, and the next inbreath again helps to cool the inflammation in your whole body. This is a simple exercise that if we all spent 15-20 minutes each day doing- we'd all see the results of lowered pain levels. So- if you find that you're "Raging"-- tell yourself to stop. Just say stop.Then gently, kindly-- with self compassion, refocus on letting yourself hold you--- and know you are safe within your body. Peace to us all,TracieNS co-owner/moderator