Discovering Awareness

Recently, my chiropractor talked about the mind/body connection during an adjustment. A few days later, an article about back pain referenced tension myositis syndrome (TMS), aka tension myoneural syndrome aka mind-body syndrome.

I used to always need three or more “hints” before I realized I was being led down a certain path. This time, I got it with two. Though, I guess you could say it’s taken me years to reach this point, but I’m claiming this as a small victory anyway.

With my newfound awareness that perhaps much of my physical pain was and is a result of inner tension, I decided to explore this mind-body connection. As a Christian, I wanted to make sure I was guided by Scripture. In other words, I wanted this awareness to lead to knowing Christ more and to understanding the path of healing he had for me.

Studying Tension

My first step involved finding a book about TMS. I actually found two, one by the man who coined the term tension myositis syndrome (Mind Over Back Pain), and one by a Christian author (God Does Not Want You to Be In Pain). I’m in the process of reading these, so I do not have an assessment to offer about them yet.

I’ve also started studying what the Bible says about tension. This began by first listing words I associated with tension that I knew were in the Bible. This is my list so far:

  • Stress
  • Cares
  • Troubles
  • Anxieties
  • Burden
  • Afflictions
  • Turmoil
  • Worry

I also want to connect with Scripture about God’s peace and trusting in him since these are ways to overcome the tension in our lives. Further, I’m considering specific stories from the Bible that in some way illustrate the mind-body connection.

Many of the Bible connections I’m considering are not new to me. However, I have not considered them in light of what I am learning about TMS and the mind-body connection. So, as I look to discover what the Bible and other sources have to say about Relieving Tension, I am trusting God to lead me by His Holy Spirit to a place of increased awareness and healing.