Healing

**Follow my stories about my journey, from the remedies I have tried, the (elimination)diets, the successful and less successful, numerous therapies I’ve had and the desperation, rage, madness and laughter, navigating both the allopathic and alternative medical world (from swearing loudly in the neurologist’s waiting-room, to sweating in the psychic’s boiling house, while she was shaking beans…it will be quite adventurous)… to going on the most challenging, yet most rewarding journey, within.💗

The following words are from one of the best books on chronic pain: “Pain free” by Pete Egoscue. Words I resonate with deeply:

..the most important consultation is the one a person has with him- or herself. Healthcare starts with personal responsibility. Any disclaimer that suggests otherwise does a great disservice.”

Conscious breathing

If there was only one technique/practise that I could share with you, it would be Conscious breathing. It is only since last year that I have really started to practise this daily (it took me a while, I know…) and I have realised how deeply it affects us (and how it prevents panic from becoming too big)

I have noticed-and perhaps you do it too- that I don’t breathe the right way when I’m in a lot of pain. Actually, make that:  I rarely breathe properly… (let’s say my style is/was more ‘panting puppy in the pool’!) due to having pain all the time, plus having chronic hyperventilation…

With all the consequences……anxiety, TMS (Tension myositis syndrome) – [perhaps the number one symptom of all pain…more about that to come] clenching….leading to more pain….and more stress….the vicious cycle.  

I have put reminders around the house, just the written words      BREATHE  RELAX  RELEASE  in every room, so I will remember every time I see it.

I love simple practises that I can do everywhere, at any time, without needing anything. Put your hand on your stomach, slow down and observe. What messages come through? What is your soul telling you? What needs attention now? Ask what you need to do to heal 💗

BREATHE...more important than ever….no masks…breathe….live ❤

Following blogs in Healing will be about (in no particular order) posture (signed, the former hunchback), diets (a cheater now and then) exercise (most probably the winking tic) laughter….The usual, but different! 😉 ❤

Simple and slow

Some advice I give myself lately is to simplify everything and try do it as slowly as I can. Good health tip, really

. Imagine a simple slow loris. I tend to do complicated and fast, so it’s a challenge for me (I know some were born as a slow simple loris, so the hammock comes naturally to them, but not me) Brushing your teeth? Slow down. Washing dishes? Slow down. Folding laundry? Slow down. Like, slower than slow, slow-motion.

I am not good at this, but willing to train. I was given the ‘slow down’ advice almost twenty years ago (by an excellent Mensendieck therapist) and forgot about it till recently. I thought, I should positively waste more time doing the simple slow Loris (I added the simple part, which I will get to in a bit)

I tend to (over=complicate things and lately I have been wondering if I could make things easier for myself. This might sound obvious to people, but when you are dealing with all these (pain) challenges and issues, you don’t think very clearly, too often. Add to that low self-worth, not being present in the here and now, perfectionism, escapism and ocd and you get the point. I would push myself to make complicated meals while feeling like I was falling apart. I would still go to a meet up while I could barely stand on my legs. I would force myself to do tasks that would overwhelm me even more.

Recalling the lost parts of myself, more and more, I promised myself to become more aware and honest of what I can and should do. It is boundary work too. Watching and guarding your energy, awareness, focus. All of that, but I like to use the word Simplify to myself.

Let’s say I have to write a review, a complaint, return an item and I am procrastinating as I am overanalysing it, not feeling well and so on. I will ask myself: how can I make this more simple? (somehow it works out when I ask myself this) If I don’t know how I will be able to cook that day I will ask the same question. (with simplifying I do not mean eating junk-food or ordering takeout every day) If I have a meeting scheduled and I feel really in too much pain, I will cancel it much sooner than I used to, before.

How can I make this easier for myself? A must-d0-exercise for perfectionists, NOT for the naturally lazy loris.

Try it! Simple and slow. One morning…then a whole day. Make everything you do simple and as slow as you can. It will help you tremendously How does it feel? I am on it!

V E R Y S L O W L Y 🙂