Qigong massage causes rash? (Fibromyalgia.)

[dcurtiss]

I am a long term sufferer from chronic pain, initially started with carpal tunnel, long story, I have been told I suffer from "fibromyalgia". I have had some past experience with different forms of energy work, as well as the full complement of phyisical modalities, myofascial, chiro, etc. I have also been attuned to second degree Reiki and spent a great deal of time with self treatments.

I had been doing some intermittent work with a Ken Cohen Qigong DVD, and experienced some interesting reactions, but nothing too extreme. I recently got some of Dr. Yang's materials, which seem excellent.

The question: I have the QiGong massage DVD. I tried the self massage on some days ago (first par, external_not organs). I awoke the next morning with a very pronounced rash, largely where the massage had taken place, but also in other areas. I tried again the next day, and had similar, although not as extreme, reaction. Rash healed eventually, and seemed to be helped by strenuous exercise. Took a few days off, tried again, no rash but pronounced pins and needles, minor spasms, and other sensations I have come to think of as energetic rather than physical in nature.

Is this a healing crisis, or reason for concern? Wondering if continuing the massage will work stuff through or be harmful?

Any thoughts appreciated.

[jfraser]

Is this a healing crisis, or reason for concern? Wondering if continuing the massage will work stuff through or be harmful?

Any thoughts appreciated.

You seem to raise a good question with this qigong work. That is do things get worse before they get better.

Chen style chan shir jing, silk reeling, has helped people I know quite a bit with fibromyalgia, given considerable relief from pain. One person, when I taught it to her, was amazed at the relief, and was mad at me the next time I saw her, because her pain came back. Did she continue to practice,? "NO!". I am not saying this applies to you.

I am looking at my own attachment to my pain, and fear of letting go of my self that includes this pain.

More later, time for sleep.

Keep in touch.
James

[Dvivid]

Sometimes things get worse before they get better. Sometimes they get better before they get worse. And every possibility in-between also happens. The universe is infinite. Your mind is inifinitely powerful.

If you believe life is difficult and complex, then it is, and the universe will provide difficult and complex situations for you.

If you believe life is simple and easy, then it is.

People choose how they react to situations in life. You can react with suffering or with gratitude to almost anything that happens to you. It all depends upon your mind.

A rash after a massage is likely a good sign that you've stimulated circulation and things are clearing up.

Fibromyalgia is a complex disease that is little understood, but all my reading on the topic tells me one thing above all else: relaxation and avoiding stress is the key. When you're stressed, your body chemistry changes, and your immune system becomes suppressed. Some of the chemistry in the blood and tissues when we are stressed actually do real physical harm, such as injuring the organs, and deteriorating the outer protective coating of the nerves, which may be the source of the pain and tender points associated with the dis-ease.

Most Dr.s call this disease psychosomatic, and they have no idea what causes it. They prescribe pills, which mask the symptoms but do nothing to heal the problem at its root, and these pills have harmful side-effects.

I'm NOT a Dr., but this is my recommendation for fibromyalgia, which has worked for a few people in my classes.

1. Don't become stressed, no matter what is happening. Just don't. Decide now that you will not be stressed out. Remember that every time you're stressed, you're hurting yourself internally, and patiently re-train yourself not to react badly to external stimuli.

2. Breathe deeply, slowly, continuously, and quietly, in and out through the nose. All day. Move your abdomen with each breath. Inhale and expand the abdomen, exhale and relax it. Mentally focus on nothing except the breath moving in and out.

3. Get some exercise and tire yourself out to make it easier to sleep.

4. When you are relaxed and feeling good, visualize that your energy is permeating every cell of your body. Encourage your body to do what it does best, heal itself.

Good luck. I hope this helps.

[jfraser]

What the (psyco) therapies I'm talking about have in common is that they have
> no desire to have the client relive the "actual trauma" through
> discovery and reenactment of childhood memories that are probably
> grossly distorted anyway. Such "reliving" has one effect:
> retraumatization, making it worse than no therapy at all. What these
> more recent approaches, including Bruce Perry's, have in common is
> that they encourage the client merely to notice the physical, or
> neurophysiological sensations associated with traumatic reactions,
> then stay with these sensations without putting a "content" or
> interpretation on them. It's not important that I feel the way I do
> because my uncle sexually abused me. What is important is that I have
> intense feelings that are real, and that are physiological as well as
> psychological, and that are subject to transformation if I don't get
> in their way with my canned intellectual constructions. Just sit
> quietly with the "felt sense" (Peter Levine's term term is in Oakland, CA and wrote a very good paperback, Taming the Tiger) and see where it
> takes you. Don't try to suppress the sensations, talk yourself out of
> them, or even "explain" them. Just recognize that they're there and
> give them their due. You may be surprised what will happen if you
> accept them instead of trying to change them. These are new therapies base on new neurobiologiic research." Quote taken from PMHTs listser.

'

Also, look in the internet and find a Feldenkrias trainer with some years experinece and go and get a session, This is a subtle and gental way with woiking with chronic pais, and it works. Try to find a certified trainer in area, a trainer that trains practioners, which takes four years What area you do live in? Do practice a martial art, and if do, what.

Chen Xiao Wang Has Chan Shir jing taps available on the internet, Eron Stigman, at Practials Tao Chi in Canada also sells tapes on The Tai chi ruler. and chan shir jin, or silk real exercices.

Last but not least, I HIGHLY recomment Dr. Yang's DVD, 8 PIECES OF BROCADE QI GONG DVD,

Kind regards,
James