Finding core beliefs by going into the body and feeling the sensations

About ten years ago, I developed a diffuse pain in my lower legs, which would arise on occasion. After a few years with this recurring symptom, I finally decided to do some deep inner work through EFT Tapping. With this process, I “went into my body” with my focused attention, with the intention to feel the “pain sensations” as fully as possible inside my legs. After some minutes in this state of focus, I was able to receive the message from my body, that the pain was due to my tendency to rush and hurry. This is a tendency that I have had for a long time, perhaps since my early 30s. Eventhough I knew it was not healthy, I hadn’t been able to stop myself from doing it. Such a learned behaviour can be quite difficult to change simply by using our will-power. Rather, we need to use a deeper mental and emotional process.

To give you a typical example: I would be standing in the bathroom in the evening and about to brush my teeth. As soon as I started, I would feel a need to rush with it. In my mind, the rushing was necessary because it was late in the evening and my husband was already in bed, and I didn’t want him to wait for me, although I knew he didn’t mind. Yet, even just the thought of needing to rush triggered the leg pain. As my conditioned thoughts to hurry set in, I would feel the stress-level rising in my body, and within seconds, the pain would emerge. It felt like a tension, constriction, and even increased density in the legs. The more aware I got of the situation, the more apparent it became that the pain in my lower legs was due to my tendency to hurry, and that the pain emerged in response to my thoughts, although subconscious and automatic.

At this point, I knew that if could identify the thought-patterns and underlying beliefs that preceeded the pain, I would be able to process and transform these mental patterns and associated emotions, which in turn would undo this hurrying tendency and remove the need to tensen my legs, which would finally remove the recurrence of pain.

To conclude, the underlying belief (that was causing the pain) could be summarized as:

– “I need to rush/hurry with what I am doing.”

Next, I decided to go even deeper. I was now aware of what the underlying core belief was (“I need to rush/hurry with what I am doing.”). But, from where did it originate? And what were the underlying emotions and possible circumstances associated with it. After some further inner work, I realized that the pain actually stemmed from TWO separate stressful incidents in my childhood, which were interconnected by building on each other:

a) The first incident was a “near car accident”, which happened when I was about 7 years old. My father, twin sister, and I were traveling in the car down a two-way, single lane road in a forested area on Gotland, in the South of Sweden (similar to the image below). It was in the late 1970s and we had an old brown Volvo 240 without any seat belts in the back seat for us children. My twin sister and I were quarreling for some time, and didn’t stop to our father’s growing frustration. Finally, he got so angry with us that he pressed the breaks rather hard, whereupon we flew up, standing straight in the back seat, while the car slided to the right side of the road, nearly going down into the ditch. I was totally unprepared for this sudden hard stop and felt quite chocked. In this very moment, I subconsciously created the following belief:

– “If someone gets angry with me, something dangerous might happen.”

b) The second incident was some years later, being around 11 years old. My whole family and I were on our way to see our cousins for dinner. It was a 25 minutes drive away from our home, partly passing over a bridge to a suburbian large island. I was sitting in the back seat with my sisters, and we were just crossing the long bridge above water. I remember my father was getting increasingly upset with all of us at that moment. He was angry that we were so late (again), and he expressed how much he was against being late. In some indirect way, he put the blame on the other five of us, that is, his four daughters and wife. (It apparently took some time for us females to get dressed, so probably we were to blame to different degrees…) While hearing his angry words, I remember scrutinizing silently my own share in us being late, and wondering if I were to blame for the situation and thus for his anger. Here and then, I subconsciously draw the following conclusion (as a belief):

– “If I am late, someone can get angry with me.”

Somewhere in my deep subconscious mind, I must have put the above two beliefs together:

– “If I am late, someone can get angry with me, and if someone gets angry with me, something dangerous might happen.”

Furthermore, the core belief “I need to rush or hurry with what I am doing” (first identified) is at play here too, being a sort of “secondary” belief sitting on top of the two “primary” beliefs stated above. Furthermore, the two event-induced beliefs created a third summarizing belief. So in sum, what caused the recurring pain in my lower legs was the sum of four interconnected beliefs, as well as some emotional residue stored in my body from the two events. As the emotional residue was processed, the three interconnected (limiting) beliefs could be released.

In conclusion, by processing certain painful events in our lives and identifying and transforming associated subconscious beliefs, we are able to remove the mental and emotional “constructs” that lie at the root of our bodily pain. There are various methods available for such inner work, for example EFT tapping and BodyWisdom. As a valuable complement to these, I have developed a highly effective and profound process, called Into Essence, which works in a stepwise manner on all levels of our experience (i.e. the mental, emotional, physical, energetic and subconscious levels).

Thanks to such inner work on myself, I am today almost painfree in my legs. Yet, if the pain does arise again on occasion, it is because there are still certain underlying beliefs that need to be discovered and shifted, and/or some emotional residue that still needs to be processed and released. Fortunately, with these tools, I can choose to continue my inner work until all of these steps have been completed and the lessons “embedded within the pain” have been received and integrated into my daily life. When/if this occurrs, the recurring pain will no longer be “necessary” and thus (most likely) cease to be.

Some final words of hope and encouragement

By sharing this personal story, it is my hope that you will recognize the possibility that you too can become painfree. Especially if you have tried other types of emotional, mental or physical therapies in the past and haven’t find the relief that you hoped for. If so, I would love to help you. Please welcome to contact me via email or phone to learn more.

Have you ever wondered why there is so much pain and suffering in the world? Could there be a higher purpose behind human suffering? Why do some people seem to have more pain and suffering in their lives than others? Is human suffering mostly the result of “bad luck”? Or can it be due to a combination of different factors, where some are influenceable and others not. Could we avoid part of our suffering, or are we, at some higher level, “predestined” to suffer at certain points in our life?

Over the last years, I have reflected deeply on the topic of pain and suffering, and how we can endure, heal, learn, and raise ourselves beyond them. My reflections are based on my own experiences, and on the challenges shared by clients in my coaching practice, as well as on lessons drawn from books and individual stories found online.

Recently, I have come to some preliminary conclusions. I believe that there are essentially three universal purposes behind our human suffering. The first purpose relates to the personal level, the second to the social, and the third to the divine or universal level. Here is an attempt to describe these three possible purposes of human suffering common to all people:

1. Suffering as a path to personal growth

On a personal level, suffering seems to lead us on a personal journey towards greater self-understanding, self-compassion, humility, and gratitude in life. When we endure a period of great suffering (such as a serious illness, accident, or emotional trauma), we begin to question our present priorities, values, and how we have lived our life up till that point. We may start searching for answers about the deeper purpose of life, beyond material abundance, career success, social image, or other outer achievements. Some people may find the answers in ancient wisdom, a religious teaching, or a spiritual community. Some also begin a meditation or yoga practice. Regardless, most people eventually choose to turn within to find their own personal answers, leading to new insights, strength and hope.

In other words, as we embark on an inner journey to understand and heal our situation, we often begin to experience life through new eyes. Things that felt plain and ordinary suddenly feel precious and important. Also, we stop taking things for granted and begin to feel greater humility, patience, gratitude, and joy in life. Similar fruits of our suffering are greater inner strength, wisdom, understanding and insight. Finding meaning in our suffering can be the difference between giving up OR surviving and reaping the gifts in disguise (as Viktor Frankl shares below). The following quotes reflect some of these ideas:

• “Suffering is part of our training program for becoming wise.” (Ram Dass)
• “No one escapes pain, fear and suffering. Yet from pain can come wisdom, from fear can come courage, from suffering can come strength – if we have the virtue of resilience.” (Eric Greitens)
• “When I planted my pain in the field of patience, it bore fruit of happiness”. (Khalil Gibra)
• “It is here that we encounter the central theme of existentialism: to live is to suffer, to survive is to find meaning in the suffering.” (Viktor E. Frankl)
• “We are healed of a suffering only by experiencing it to the full.” (Marcel Proust)

2. Suffering as a doorway to greater service to others

On a social level, suffering can become a doorway to developing and expressing greater compassion for other people, as well as a desire to be of service to others. Often, persons who have experienced great adversity in life, such as a life-threatening disease, a serious accident, or the loss of a loved one, suddenly feel a strong urge to help others who are faced with a similar situation. Following upon their painful experience, they may choose to quit their jobs, embark on a new education, start a new job, or build a private business with a strong mission. By learning from our suffering and sharing our experiences and lessons with others, we can transform our pain into a gift to those who experience a similar situation as we have.

3. Suffering – becoming a channel for Unconditional Love

After a prolonged period of suffering with little hope or help from the outside world, many people begin to seek help and answers in alternative modalities or deeper spiritual teachings. Some may turn to alternative healing methods, such as energy healing, while others look for guidance in ancient spiritual teachings (for example Christian mysticism) or in philosophical traditions (for example Buddhism). Still others may search for new ideas in positive real stories, such as those of spontaneous healing. Near-death experiences (NDEs) can also be a valuable source of hope and inspiration, providing a refreshing and “higher” perspective on human suffering. Still others may deepen their meditation or yoga practice and have their own mystical or uplifting experiences.

Over time, our awareness may expand to the point where we begin to connect more fully with our inner truths, our Soul (or Essence), and ultimately with God within (as a Divine Presence). At this stage, some people may grow a desire to become channels of unconditional Love and Peace for the world. Perhaps you have heard the song “Make Me a Channel of Your Peace”, which is based on a poem called the Peace Prayer of St. Francis. The poem describes beautifully the anonymous author‘s yearning to become a channel for God’s unconditional love in the world – a longing that may be awakened in us too, through a prolonged period of suffering. As Victor Hugo wrote, “It is by suffering that human beings become angels.”

A woman named Kimberly Clark Sharp shares her extraordinary experience, which happened to her as a young teenager. One day, she suddenly became seriously ill, fell to the ground, and had a so-called near-death experience (NDE). In her NDE, she had a profound conversation with God, in which she received universal messages about the higher purpose of human suffering and pain. Upon asking God “Why do we want to be born?”, God answered her that Earth is perfect for us as a school, as a place to learn about giving and receiving love, as well as about hard knocks, pain, and suffering. “But why is there pain and suffering?”, she asked. She was answered: “That is the way to Spirit”. She was told, that sadly, we do not turn to God or prayer, and we do not look outside of ourselves, except under stress (or great adversity). But, as she understood, that was all perfect in the mind of God. In my interpretation, this message would imply that there is in fact a divine or higher purpose behind our suffering, and that – in essence – suffering leads us to a remembrance and reconnection with God (or the Divine within).

Some final words…

Fortunately, with some dedicated inner work, meditative practice, social support, and personal guidance (by a spiritual mentor, coach, therapist, healing practitioner or wise soul), our suffering can be greatly reduced and far more bearable. Ultimately, we can begin to harness its precious fruits, for the benefit of our own development, the life quality of others, and humanity as a whole.

Lastly, some wise words of encouragement:

• “Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place.” (Lance Armstrong)
• “One word frees us from all the weight and pain of life, and that word is Love.” (Sophocles)
• “The wound is the place where the Light enters you.” (Rumi)

The beautiful quote by Julian of Norwich’s in “Revelations of Divine Love” also gives great encouragement in times of pain and suffering (see image).

If you are experiencing a period of pain and suffering, please do not hesitate to reach out to somebody, for example a friend or a family member. And I will be here for you too whenever you are in need.

Also, if you wish to subscribe to my newsletters, please send me an email or fill in the subscription form here.

Warm blessings,
Anna

The following is an excerpt of Bill’s near-death experience as shared in the film:

As the doctors were operating on his heart, his soul suddenly lifted out of his body and he found himself in India, standing at the foot of a mountain. He began walking up the hill (while still aware of his body undergoing operation). At the top of the mountain, he met with several ascended masters, including his guru (Yogiraj Gurunath). In that moment, he felt profound peace and a feeling of being at home. All of a sudden, a blaze of a shining bright light emerged in the sky and the most soft angelic voice came out of it. The voice said: “Bill, give up your heart, let it go, you’ve done enough, you don’t owe anybody anything, you don’t need any more pain and suffering, I am going to give you bliss, love, joy, and never-ending peace. No more pain. Just give up your heart.” Bill replied: “So be, that is really good”. But then he heard his guru’s voice saying: “Bill, don’t give up your heart. You can skip a few beets but don’t give up heart.” But why? asked Bill. The guru answered:

‘Cause I have got more pain and suffering for you… I am going to give you more pain than you’ve ever had. Because before when you had pain, you would bliss out and the pain would be taken care of. You didn’t have to suffer through pain. But now I want you to suffer real pain, so you can tell other people how to handle their real physical pain. (Gurunath)

Then, behind him in the sky, Bill saw an ocean of faces, of people who would need him in some way in life, including those who needed to hear things that he would say or write, or just receiving his hug or smile… Then all of a sudden, his body jumped intensively up and down, and he found himself back on the operating table again. The doctors had jump-started his heart. He was now in severe physical pain again, and with many other health conditions to face ahead…

Over the coming days of recovery in the hopsital, every time that Bill closed his eyes, he found himself (as his awareness) back in India on the mountain top, experiencing bliss and peace, but also hearing his guru encouraging him to continue (“Don’t give up heart, you can skip a few beats”.) Finally, after several days in the hospital, he came to a point where he couldn’t take the pain anylonger and felt ready to give up his physical life… Then, suddenly, the phone rang by his bedside. He wasn’t allowed to answer the call at first, as he was so ill, but he persisted. As he picked up the phone, he heard the voice of his guru in India: “Bill, this is Gurunath in India. Don’t give up heart, you can skip a few beats, but don’t give up heart.” At that moment he realized, that all that had happened during his NDE was real. Now he felt a strong urge to get out of the hospital. He couldn’t be there any longer. He knew that he had to live. He couldn’t be selfish, even though he was experiencing more pain than ever before. Thirty-six hours later he left the hospital…

Bill continues by giving some important advice about meditation, the Divine, the purpose of life, and the meaning of suffering:

“Go into meditation with the desire to love God… Don’t go into meditation to get something… or to think God is Santa Claus…Go into meditation to say: this is my time to love the Divine.” Also, when your soul passes over (to the other side), the only thing that will be important is who you loved, and who you loved secretly and send prayers to from afar (including your ‘enemy’). He also mentions the Prayer of St Francis, which he says reveals the essence of why we are here on Earth. Bill reminds us further:

Be like a child. Learn to love what you do. Love where you are at, where you live, who you are with. Love and grow… That is why we are here [on Earth].

And, when Bill prays, he talks to God saying:

Give me the strength, the wisdom, the knowledge. Just give me the tools I need to do my work.

Bill also tells that we should help the other guy (another person) that is ‘below us’, as he is looking up to us. “So, reach down to help others, and reach up for higher [support].” Moreover, instead of moaning and groaning about life and work, we can wake up every morning and say: “I want to serve. Put me where I need to be. That is the Universe that is lining everything up. That is about love, and amazing grace…”

In his final message to us, he says:

Believe in miracles… All miracles are just a thought away… I think we need to channel everything into love. It only takes a very small amount of people to change the world. Those that believe, will make it happen… There is a power being put forth now by many people, some are sitting in caves unknown to us.., that are helping to elevate this planet that we live on, by virtue of their love that they show through meditation and their prayers; just by their existence they are doing more than many scientists… Small miracles lead to bigger miracles… Start with peace and love in your heart. There is the ultimate cavern of love and sacredness. And if you carry the love out there, and pass it onto anybody that day, you have made the world a better place. (Rev. Bill McDonald)

In summary, as Bill learned through his third NDE, it is not enough simply to endure, heal and learn from our own pain and suffering. We also need to share our lessons with the world, by teaching others how to manage and handle their suffering of a similar kind. By sharing our story and insights with the world, we contribute to transform and elevate humanity to higher planes. In the end, it is all about giving and receiving unconditional love.

To see the whole film, please visit Anothony Chene’s website or his Youtube page. And to learn more about Rev. Bill McDonald, please visit his website.

Frances Goodall, co-founder of the Women’s Wellness Circle in the UK, describes her own healing journey from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome at the online summit Women’s Wellnes Council 2019. Her full healing finally happened when she “let her authentic feelings flow”, as she explained. Not only did she let her negative emotions flow, but also she began listening to and fully expressing her positive feelings, including her joy. Authenticity, Freedom and Joy were thus key factors enabling her to eventually heal.

To summarize, six key factors have shown to be essential for enabling natural healing, regardless of which condition that we are facing. These are:

1. AUTHENTICITY (being true to our selves): In order to heal from an illness or any chronic health condition, we need to start listening to our Inner Self (our Soul) and the truths it conveys. As we listen more deeply within, we will become aware of our deeper needs, desires and longings, as well as what we lack in our present life and what drains us of energy. Also, we need to give ourselves permission to take these insights and truths seriously, and to begin to act upon them in our daily life. Ultimately, we need to create a life where we are following our inner guidance and living in alignment with our truth, no matter how inconvenient and uncomfortable our truths may be.
2. FREEDOM (expressing our feelings freely): For our healing, we also need to express ourselves freely. This includes expressing all of our feelings. Our natural ways of self-expression are unique to us. Perhaps we need to get to know them again as adults, and then to accept them as they are. Some people express themselves in large, loud and bold ways, while others prefer to be more subtle, calm and cautious. We cannot violate our personality; ultimately we need to surrender to our natural ways (although we might need to compromise with the needs of others sometimes). Our emotions are in fact made of subtle energy. This energy needs to flow freely both within our body and outwardly. Many people have learned (over time) to hold their feelings back and to put a lid on their anger, sadness, grief, etc, as well as their joy, gratitude, and love. We often block ourselves unconsciously as not to overwhelm and cause unease to others. Over time, as we hold our emotions back, we are creating built-up energy in our bodies. Eventually, this may result in tension and muscle fatigue, even chronic pain or a disease. Eventually, we must learn to relax and start releasing this blocked energy so that we can create space for new healthy energy to flow through us, in order to heal our body.
3. JOY (following our heart’s desire): When we follow our heart’s true desire, we feel a spontaneous joy and natural force of life inside. When this joyous energy is allowed to flow freely throughout our body, without constraints, we are replenishing, rejuvenating and healing our body in miraculous ways. We are in fact tapping into an endless reservoar of universal life energy, which springs up from within and flows through every cell of our body. In contrast, when we take action mainly out of necessity, plight or self-discipline, the energy is largely sourced from our muscle tissues and other organs. Also, as we force ourselves to do things against our own will, we tense our bodies unconsciously. As a result, our body can become depleted of energy, our muscles sore and aching, and our overall health can eventualy be compromised. Therefore, an essential ingredient for healing is to listen to our heart and follow our true joy.
4. SELF-EMPOWERMENT (influencing our life): To be able to influence and improve our life circumstances, no matter how small the improvement might be, can be greatly empowering. Experiencing an improvement can give us renewed hope, strength and energy. At the most fundamental level, we at least have the power to influence our own thinking, which in turn influences our feelings and ultimately our reactions and actions. With our free will, we can also make new choices that will shift our situation for the better.  Even when we feel largely stuck in a seemingly hopeless situation, we can choose to look for inspiration and hope in a true positive story about someone else who was able to heal from a similar condition as we have. Moreover, we can find new ways to manage our situation through alternative creative approaches (such as sound baths, breathing, journaling, drawing, smoothies, etc.). With small steps in the right direction, we are likely to see light at the end of the tunnel eventually. When we begin to take actions to improve our situation (even if just a tiny bit), we will stop feeling like a complete victim. If we widen our perspective, we also broaden our horizon. In essence, there is always something that we can do to shift our experience and improve our life. Every little step on the way counts to restoring our health and wellbeing.
5. OPTIMISM (looking for the positive): Ultimately, we need to believe in the possibility of our recovery, or at least believe in the higher good of our situation from a soul perspective. Mary Morrissey suggests that we ask ourselves: “What good can possibly come out of this?”. This question can be deeply transformational as it opens up a completely new outlook on our situation. We are here encouraged to look for any benefit or gain that can arise from our situation (in the present moment or forseeable future). Any gain or benefit can be found, regardless of how dark or hopeless it may seem in the now. Here, having some kind of spiritual belief system (i.e. a belief in a universal benevolent Higher Power), by which to put our trust in, has proven very helpful.
6. Social support (receiving support from others): Lastly, we do depend on the support of others, especially when we are facing great challenges or when our health is wavering. In these moments, we are greatly supported by having someone to talk to, ideally someone who will listen to our sadness or worries and also encourage us and lift us up. We truly benefit from someone who believes in our recovery and future health, even it may seem very distant to us (even impossible) in the present moment. Other people may lighten our work load around the home, or give a smile and hug when we feel low. Having a support team of persons with different roles can be THE difference that makes the journey so much easier.

Based on personal experiences, case studies and literature reviews, the two most common root causes of physical pain are: a) a longterm stressful life situation; and b) a highly stressful sudden incident or event. The reasons why an ache ends up in a special place or location within the body, however, varies for the two types of pain:

1. If the ache is the result of a stressful chronic life situation, the location seems to be related to the type of stress that the person experiences; and
2. If the ache is the result of a highly stressful sudden incident, the location seems to be related to the place in the body where the incident (impact) was experienced.

Physical pain caused by a stressful chronic life situation

For many people, physical pain is often the result of a longer period of high stress, that is, a highly stressful chronic life situation. Such a situation may be work-related, that is, experienced due to challenging work conditions or as a result of lack of work. In other cases, the pain is primarily socially related, that is, the result of challenging relationships, often with close family members. In still other cases, the pain may be developed as a result of challenging personal issues, such as low self-esteem, depression, despair, anxiety, guilt, and loneliness. Examples of different forms of physical pain that has developed over time, and their possible causes, are:

• Lower-back pain, which may result from lack of support or security, such as lack of economic resources, creating an inner struggle to hold life up;
• Shoulder pain, which may result from work overload and overresponsibility, creating an inner struggle to carry the weight of the world on one’s shoulders;
• Arm pain, which may result from long-term exhaustion, for example having too much duties and too little rest, creating an inner struggle to carry on and be alert;
• Stomach pain, which may result from an unwillingness to meet and accept life’s present circumstances, creating an inner struggle to go through with something against one’s own will;
• Lower leg pain (calves), which may result from hurrying and rushing through life, creating an inner struggle to run fast(er) to keep up with the pace, either yours or someone else’s agenda; and
• Upper leg pain (outer thighs), which may result from dreading a serious injury or even death of a person (either oneself or someone dear), creating an struggle to protect oneself or the other person(s), which may result in a recurring strong “fight or flight response” via the legs.

In the above examples, physical pain is the result of a longterm (chronic) situation of high mental and emotional stress. The struggle that is taking place in one’s mind and heart eventually builds up to a point where it becomes so “energetic loaded” and physiologically exhaustive that it tranforms into a physical pain in the body.

In fact, the most common stressful situations leading to physical pain may be summarized with six words: carry, worry, hurry, bury, scary and sorry. Looking more closely, each word captures the main struggle inside the person on a subconscious level. The struggle eventually causes so much built-up tissue tensions and exhaustion (and energy blockages) in the affected body part, that it results in physical pain. The associated beliefs of these six words can be formulated as follows:

• Carry – “I believe that I must carry the work load, responsibility, or duties of the world no matter what my body tells me.”
• Worry – “I believe that I must worry about what may happen, either to myself or someone else, so as to prepare for or prevent any negative outcome.”
• Hurry – “I believe that I must hurry or rush with almost anything in life as time is not enough for all that I need to do.”
• Bury – “I believe that I must not speak out my truth or opinions because it may lead to negative outcomes for myself or others.”
• Scary – “I believe that I must protect myself or someone whom I care for, so that nothing negative or dangerous may happen.”
• Sorry – “I believe that I must feel sorry and guilty, even shameful, for something negative that I have done (or someone dear to me has done).”

Physical pain caused by a highly stressful sudden incident

The other type of physical pain is the result of a sudden highly stressful event. This type of pain is rarely obvious at first glance and often quite “mysterious” even for the person in question. It may take one or more sessions with an experienced life coach or a psychologist to uncover the hidden cause and message in the pain. (For this purpose, the process called BodyWisdom is very useful, as well as EFT tapping; hypnotherapy may also be valuable, but even just a genuine interest and attentive listening may cause the necessary unfolding and pain relief.)

For example, I met a woman at a stress-rehab center some years ago. I asked her why she was participating in the “stress/pain/burnout”-program, and she told me that she, among other things, had pain in her right buttock. I asked her when she first began to experience this pain, and she told me that she had been having the ache for some years ever since she had given birth to her child. I asked if the birthing process had been very painful. No, she told me, not very difficult at all. Yet, when she began to recall the day of the delivery at greater depth, she told me that she and her husband had an accident on the way to the hospital where she gave birth. In summary, she told me the following:

“We sat in a taxi and suddenly we were hit from the right by a car. I felt a pain in my right buttock, but I was so focused on the labor pains that I didn’t give much attention to the pain caused by the accident. Then, when my husband and I arrived at the hospital and were going up in the elevator to the maternity ward, we briefly talked about what had happened in the car, but quickly decided that we would leave it at that and not think further about it; after all, we were lucky and no serious injury had happened…

I then asked if she had experienced a similar car accident earlier in her life. Yes, she had and it had also been quite stressful, but it too went overall well. That was the end of our conversation. Shortly after this, she left the building… The next day, she came up to me in the break saying that her pain in the buttock had completely disappeared! She was so surprised and happy. In fact, she had noticed that the pain was gone already as she left the building some 5-15 minutes after our conversation. How could this happen? As the example shows, when she gave more genuine attention and awareness to her body (buttock) and what had happened in the taxi, she began to process the accident more indepth… As a result, the “negative energetic residue” (or cellular or tissue memory), which had been locked inside her body for so many years, had dissolved. She was now pain-free. In sum, it took more mental awareness and emotional processing to dissolve and release the “energy blockage” (or body memory) that had remained in her buttock as a result of the traumatic event. In this case, all it took was a short conversation with some open questions and a genuine interest to listen through.

The following text, translated from a Finish health website, gives a great overview of how we can all react to chronic stress through three main types of symptoms:

“Although stress is a psychological experience, many of its effects are physical. Stress activates the sympathetic nervous system and prepares the body for a threatening situation as a fight or flight reaction. A stressed person’s body is on constant alert, and if this condition becomes prolonged, it leads to many different physical symptoms. Typical stress symptoms include tension in the neck and shoulders, headache, dizziness, high blood pressure, heart palpitations, nausea, abdominal discomfort, recurrent flares, and back pain.

People can be roughly divided into three groups according to how they react to stress. Some people react to stress mainly psychologically and the symptoms consist for example of sleep disorders, fatigue, and impaired life habits. For these people, it is usually easy to recognize stress and understand the symptoms, for example symptoms with congestion. In the other group, however, stress causes physical symptoms, such as aches or pain in arms and legs. Since it may be difficult to perceive the root cause as stress, only the physical conditions and not the actual root cause may be treated. The third group includes people who do not react to stress in any particular way. Their performance level may drop, but they will not have any mental or physical health problems.”

(Source: Translated from the Swedish site: https://www.yths.fi/sv/halsokunskap_och_forskning/halsodatabanken/112/stress)