I have now experienced TRE – Trauma/Tension Reduction Exercises – for about 10 days, so thought I would write a short update.
The honeymoon phase wore off after just three sessions, which is good. It leaves space for more sober curiosity and exploration.
I am finding ways to do the exercises so they are comfortable and nurturing in themselves – supported by bringing in the Breema principles of body comfortable, no extra, mutual support.
The shaking is more varied in type, amplitude and frequency, and it brings in the whole body and deeper layers.
There is a sense of softening of the muscles and the body now, in a different and deeper way than initially.
And as before, the mind tends to be quiet – few thoughts, mostly registering what’s happening, and little happening emotionally, apart from a sense of fullness and well-being.
I am curious to see what unfolds as I continue this exploration.
During the workshop, I realized I wanted to return to my own reasons for exploring this.
The means-goal approach didn’t feel right to me. There is too much of a split, and that feels uncomfortable.
My reasons for doing this is curiosity. Exploration. Interest.
Doing it for it’s own sake – for the experiences, exploring the Breema principles, experiencing the body, noticing the changes.
That makes sense to me. Not using it as a means for something else. What’s happening is rewarding enough in itself.
I am also doing it for two or three times a week, and within the suggested time, so I won’t overdo it. I want to stay hungry for it. Stop while I still want to do it a little longer.
Note: Why is the means-goal approach uncomfortable to me? There is a split in terms of means and goals, and here and now and future, and that split feels uncomfortable. When I do it for it’s own sake, and find ways to do it that makes it rewarding and nurturing here and now, it feels much better.
Note 2: Just to clarify, so this doesn’t seem more one-sided than it is. I do of course use a means-goal approach in an everyday sense. I get a ticket so I can go on the train to do something in the city. I started exploring TRE partly to see if my overall tension level would be reduced over time. And so on. But as I do all of these things, I also want to see if I can find a way to do it that is enjoyable, rewarding and nurturing in itself, here and now.