Sometimes life just sucks...
We wake up in the morning, we have aches or pains, we go through our day, and the pain can get worse, sometimes much worse. We might do something as benign as reaching down to pick up something off the floor, and find ourselves in excruciating pain. With all the things we have to manage each day, family, work, community, and home responsibilities; pain can seem like the very last thing we have time for, but it can not be denied.
If we can stop for a minute, and do an honest inventory of ourselves at the moment, what is it that we notices about our bodies? Most likely we will detect that our bodies are not at peace.
​We may have:

• a furrowed brow
• a clenched jaw
• tight shoulders
• balled up hands
• a stiff, unmoving neck
• a distressed abdomen
• taught muscles in our back
• rigid hips that barely move
• knees locked
• hamstrings strung

​These qualities may be our normal way of being in the world, but they are most definitely signs of tension. If it were just some tense muscles that would be bad enough, but stress-tension-anxiety can not only be the cause of severe pain in the body, but can cause illness or even death.
​
So, what is causing all of these tight, clenched muscles in our bodies?

The tension, and pain is generated from inside of us. Our own reaction to the stressors in our life cause the tension that reduces the blood flow to certain muscles, such as our low-back, legs, neck or shoulders. That muscle contraction robs the muscles of oxygen, which brings us pain. When this Tension Pain Flow continues for some time it becomes chronic, and that will lead to muscle failure when there is not enough oxygen for the muscles to operate properly.

So what to do?
This is a two-fold problem which can be resolved.

1. We need to become much better at being able to relax our muscles on command.
2. We have to understand our feelings about what is happening in our lives, and then find ways reduce our reactions to a manageable level.

I was in a struggle with myself for 20 years as I dealt with crippling chronic low-back pain. Doctors told me for decades that I had inflamed nerves, unexplained 'injuries', pulled muscles, etc., and none of those things were true. After coming to this understanding of my problem, I resolved this issue, and I have been pain free for years now. I hope you will be too!