I find that neurogenic tremors and inquiry go hand in hand, as so many different practices do.
The shaking releases tension and trauma out of the body, which makes inquiry a bit easier. With higher chronic tensions levels, there is a tendency to get caught up in fear and beliefs, so when these release, there is less need to take refuge in stories and more availability to inquire into them. (That’s my sense so far, at least.)
Inquiry releases what’s left, and also releases the cause of new tension – the shoulds at odds with what’s happening.
One without the other is of course fine, but I am grateful I have both in my life. And it’s not about TRE or The Work, of course, but more about releasing stuff both ways – through the body and the mind.
Source of this post: Conversations with two TRE folks who seemed to put TRE and The Work up against each other, and put down The Work. It’s puzzling to me, but I also see that they are talking about their own experience and giving advice to themselves. For each of these right now, it may be right to focus on the body side of the equation. It’s good they follow their own process, even if it comes out a little more binary than it needs to. Again, I find I sometimes (often!) do the same.
I should mention that most TRE folks are probably quite balanced and nuanced about his, as is David Berceli himself. I was fortunate enough to take a TRE workshop with him, and he seemed receptive and had a childlike curiosity. He also said that he had stopped believing his assumptions about what’s going on with his clients because they so often are wrong – which is a good sign…!
Note: Why is there a tendency to take refuge in stories when there is a higher tension level in the body? I am sure there are many ways to look at it. The simplest may be that tension is uncomfortable, so it’s tempting to escape from this discomfort and into stories – from the body into the mind. Also, tension is created by and reflect beliefs, so tension is almost a reminder to go into beliefs.
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- tre and inquiry
- tre – releasing tension/traumas out of the body
- lowers body-mind symptoms, including irritability, getting caught up in stories etc.
- less need to take refuges in stories, more receptive to reality
- inquiry – clarity on stories, reduces tension – especially creation of new
- …..
- tre – releasing tension/traumas out of the body
Thanks for sharing your journey in this blog. I found it by searching for TRE-related information. There isn’t much out there, as far as I can tell.
I’m curious if you think that it’s important to have a formal introduction to the technique through somebody who is trained in it, or if it’s just a matter of putting on the DVD and following the instructions?
From my email response:
Hi Apel.
TRE is meant to be so simple that anyone can use it after a brief introduction – through the DVD, a book, an individual session or a workshop. The exercises themselves tire out the muscles so the shaking starts more easily, and they are not needed after 10 or so times – by that time you can initiate the shaking without the aid of the exercises.
If you have a TRE practitioner in your area, you may want to consider an individual session – either to get started or after you have done it on your own for a while. You may get some good pointers, and also more confidence in the body’s ability to lead the process on its own.
I haven’t seen the DVD myself, but it gets good reviews on Amazon.
As with most other things, it’s good to start slowly and then do more as you get more comfortable with it. I started with about two 15 min. sessions a week, and now do it almost daily. They recommend two or three times a week in general to release both old tension, and also new that comes from in daily life.
Hope that answers your question! I am happy to answer or share.
Here are some resources I have found helpful:
David Berceli’s youtube channel
Main TRE website
Australian TRE website
The Revolutionary Trauma Release Process: Transcend Your Toughest Times – book by David Berceli