Most people will suffer pain in their lifetime. For some people it may be rare and for others it may be a constant battle. People suffer varying levels of physical pain for so many different reasons – acute injuries, chronic injuries, accidents, post-operative, bites/stings and these are just the tip of the iceberg. Some are preventable, some are not. And not all pain is physical. Emotional pain often has more devastating effects on our life, health and can even contribute or spiral physical pain.
At Health Space we believe that movement is incredibly important in managing or fixing pain. Whether it be for flexibility, mobility, prevention or treatment. However, movement comes in more profound ways than just physical movement. Movement through a crisis and through a level of consciousness is equally as important to transcend emotional challenges and physical pain.
Have you ever tried any techniques that release “stuck” emotions that have not integrated for whatever reason? If not, I highly recommend experiencing it. I personally practice a technique called Neuro-Emotional Technique (NET) that taps into the body using kinesiology (muscle feedback) to find these stuck emotions that inherently decrease your expression of life. These emotions can actually manifest as physical pain, often as recurrent injuries. They can of course also manifest as emotional pain. This expression can have a magnitude of effects including difficulty in processing emotions / feelings such as anger, guilt, fear, anxiety, and worry. By tapping into the body and finding how and where those emotions are stuck and going back to the original time this happened can really help the body to release both physical and emotional trauma. I still regularly see NET practitioners as I find I am so much clearer, happier and calmer when I am continually clearing and integrating my emotions on a deep and even subconscious level. There are many practitioners within and outside Health Space that practice this amazing technique so please feel free to ask for a recommendation if this appeals to you.
Another fave of mine that a friend recently reminded me of is the Tibetan Rites. This ancient practice is believed to be over 200 years old and is an ancient form of moving yoga where a sequence of 5 exercises are performed 21 times each, every day. These movements are believed to combine the physical, mental and spiritual body and have the power to improve mobility, vitality and strength. It’s believed these exercises access the endocrine system (a network of glands and organs that regulate many of the body’s essential processes to allow benefits such as:
- Better quality sleep and recovery
- Decreased joint pain and stiffness (increased mobility)
- Improved strength and coordination
- Decreased anxiety
- Increased energy
- Improved mental clarity
- A more youthful appearance
They don’t take long to do and if you can’t do 21 reps the first time just start with 1-3 reps and slowly build up from there. Sometimes the most simple things have the most profound effects. You can just google You Tube and find a sequence you like and follow along or look up the 5 exercises and complete anywhere, anytime.
Posture has a huge role to play in physical pain because as your posture changes so too does the way you move, your biomechanics and how you function overall. When suffering from emotional pain it’s very difficult to have good posture even if there is no physical reason. We all know the common “depressed” posture, slumped forward, head down. Research shows standing tall and having a posture of positiveness and success actually effects your neural pathways that can actually move you towards better mental health and clarity. Sometimes it’s a ‘fake it till you make it’ approach that is needed to break the pain / depression / poor posture cycle. This is also where meditation and mindfulness are so powerful. My go to APPS currently are Calm App, Kinderling (especially great for the kids) and Waking Up with Sam Harris.
At Health Space we are incredibly proud to have built a team of passionate professionals with different approaches to helping you become the best version of yourself and get the most out of this life – physically, emotionally and spiritually.
Have a wonderful month beautiful people.
Dr. Kate Wood
