Aches and Pains as Resources

The aches and pains we experience within our daily lives are markers and pointers to where we have been, where we are right now and points in the direction of where we are going.  Each day we can wake up in and our shoulder or lower back or neck can tell us what kind of day this is going to be.  We are beholden to how we interact with these body parts and we are more than likely going to react the same way day in and day out.  What can help us to change our relationships and understanding of these uncomfortable physical messages? The massages, the accupuncture and other holistic treatments seem to help temporarily, but somehow the ache returns.  There is another way to bridge and connect that pain to our imagery and emotional life.  For example:  Ms. J had a consistant problem with a chronic pain in her neck, which after conventional medical checking and no medical problem was found.  Nothing seemed to help.  I asked her if she could describe the pain.  As she spoke she made grimaces and physically contracted her hands and feet, she mentioned an image of a "locked door" and "bars of steel".  I invited her to slow down her speech and repeat the hand and feet gestures, to 'be' in the posture and take some deep breaths, in a sense she was manifesting her neck in her hand gestures.  I also put my hands under and over her hands and feet in effect to support them.  New images arose, a sensation of melting and softening on the physical level occured, the first image changed; 'the door wasn't locked' and 'there was less rigidity'.  Emotional feelings came out and she was connecting and sharing with me.

Her neck difficulties brought her closer to insightful understandings to the pains she had in her neck.  Her difficulties on the physical level helped her to connect to emotions and images that had been held back.

This work is called Body Psychotherapy.  It has helped and is helping many people.

Don't give up, when the patterns arise, whether on the physical, mental or emotional level, they are there to bring us information, a part of ourselves, meant to be cared for and understood.  It is very often difficult to do alone, connect and communicate with another person in order to not be alone in the place we hold onto.

I send you a message of comfort and compassion.  You are not alone.