Exploring the symptom maker

The January Dreambody Medicine Forum was visited by a raccoon climbing on the deck and gazing in the window at us. It seemed to arrive at certain moments when things got most interesting. I wonder what it was thinking.

In our introduction we talked about steps to exploring and unfolding a symptom experience such as noticing sensory grounded information, amplification, the symptom maker, expressing it creatively and how to bring it back into our lives. We also talked about the ethics around touch and how important it is to notice feedback.

Lower Back Instability

Unfolding the most intense symptom experience started with her gripping a pillow with her hands, recreating the symptom as the symptom maker and led to her picking up the intensity with a sharp metallic focus.  It reminded her of her migraines that felt like an ice pick going through her head. The focus was also expressed through the intensity in her eyes.

This focused part was against another part. A part that is unfocused and unable to differentiate itself from others. Being unfocused also reminded her of her mother. She talked about how in her life she felt she had clear direction but it still felt unwieldy and her desire was for a sharper spiritual focus.

Effortless Focus

Further, the work led to the two parts coming together in finding a relaxed focus that was effortless. The facilitator then became a shaman like, wise grandmother and blew an intentional breath of relaxed focus into the symptom area which brought somatic relief. They talked to the sacrum, thanking it and inviting it to let go. At this moment the raccoon arrived and peeked in the window at us.

Bringing it back into her everyday life the idea was to take a moment to relax and check in inside herself first before focusing on what she needed to do in the world/life.

Connection of Symptoms to Relationships

Connecting with the group participants we talked in small groups about the following questions: How do you relate your body experiences to family system? Can you see any connection between a chronic symptom and relationship issues?

In the forum we explored roles and their many aspects. One role being of freedom to follow our own process and another that says it’s not the right way or timing. People shared personal stories about having body needs. Sometimes to let their bodies relax and play at other times to wake up and take care of the body’s needs. These included constipation and the immune system and bed wetting as a child. Another role was the need for safety. To check in on the feedback before going into something that may be uncomfortable for some. And a part that feels responsible and ends up cleaning up messes. At one moment there was an understanding of how you can make things safe by going at your own pace. In the end the person working on her symptom shared she was now able to understand her mother’s fears better.

Many thanks to everyone who was present for sharing and exploring symptom experiences together.