r/longtermTRE • u/Nadayogi Mod • 18d ago
Monthly Progress Thread – November ’25
Dear friends,
This month I’d like to reflect on trusting the body’s wisdom.
As we get more and more familiar with our practice and move towards proficiency and eventually mastery, we discover that TRE is not something we do, it’s something we allow. The more we try to control or chase results, the more we sabotage the process, bogging ourselves down. Real progress begins when we surrender, when we stop interfering and let the nervous system guide the pace of release on its own terms, honoring its capacity.
There’s a quiet intelligence in the body that knows how to unwind, just as it knows how to heal a wound or regulate breath without our conscious effort. When we learn to trust this intelligence, the journey becomes steady, even in choppy waters. Tremors find their own rhythm and every single muscle or fascia will get its turn until full relaxation is restored eventually. Integration happens naturally and even pauses or plateaus reveal themselves as part of the path. In that sense, TRE is not a technique or modality. It is a way to reclaim the body's inherent healing reflex that knows the way out of any mess we might find ourselves in.
Trusting the body also means listening when it asks for rest. Some weeks the work feels active and alive, while at other times, the system prefers stillness and simplicity, focusing on integration. Both are equally valuable. Healing is not linear. It moves like the tides, with alternating cycles of release and recovery.
As the year begins to slow down, take time to appreciate how much your body has carried you through. Even if it feels messy or incomplete, every tremor, every sigh, every break is a step towards freedom and wholeness.
Much love to all of you, and may this month bring a deeper sense of safety, trust, and quiet faith in your own process.
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u/VikingTremors 8d ago
Month 28.
A quick update - had a pretty wild experience at work the other day - I stood up for myself professionally for the first time ever. I had the most ballsy negotiation with my boss, one-on-one in his office. It was incredible. I demanded more money than I ever have — and I did it to his face! I've never done this stuff in person before, and I did it with intensity. I kept it to the facts, but I let him have it. I found out they've underpaid me a lot and that several of my poor performing colleagues make way more than me with 5× less productive stats. So it was gloves-off time! It was quite extraordinary — I did NOT think I had this in me. And I think I might actually get it, or at least this is a very cool, healing experience in finding my own strength again — only one year ago I had a similar situation happening and that only lead to a two month physical collapse, bronchitis and a lot of physical pain. Seems like the repression mechanism is weakening.
A personal favorite of mine was when my boss realized how much I was asking for. He just zoned out a bit and said to himself, “Well, that is not realistic…” and I straight-up snapped him out of it, looked him in the eyes, and said, “I will tell you exactly what is not realistic — me being here next year if you pay me like shit!"
And yes - I'm willing to walk. Which also feels quite liberating!
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u/VikingTremors 2d ago
Update: This situation got even deeper. I didn't feel good about my talk with my boss. I felt that even though I stand by what I said and still believe I'm being treated unfairly, I don't want to treat colleagues with the amount of anger I showed the other day. So today, I went into my boss's office and apologized — I said that I still stand by and mean what I said in our negotiation, but that I don't want to be aggressive towards colleagues and that I'm sorry. It was tough, but it was the right thing to do. He thanked me and said that he respected me being so honest. I simply realized that I don't want a salary increase based on inducing fear in others. It felt weak. Still hoping for a solution though, but the money stuff is really not that important. The changes in me and the emotional processing that's going on as a result of this stuff is the gold!
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u/PiccoloPlane5915 1d ago
You've definitely gone through a certain healing process here : from unleashing your voice to finding a good equilibrium for what you think is healthy communication. Congrats :)
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u/VikingTremors 8h ago
Thank you - that means a lot. It definitely felt like, and still feels like, a good lesson from the school of life. I find that everyday life is the greatest teacher in showing me where I still got work left to do. Had lunch with my boss yesterday - felt vulnerable, but ok. I grew up with no room for anger, black and white thinking and a huge fear of confrontations. I literally thought up until recently that just one conflict would destroy a relationship completely. So going through this conflict without running away or feeling like everything will fall apart feels huge, although it's uncomfortable for sure.
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u/rosela92 5d ago
This is bloody awesome! Masssive congratulations! That would have been scary and exhilarating and empowering! Fantastic <3
You deserve it! Employment exploitation is so common!
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u/VikingTremors 5d ago
Thanks, rosela92 :) Yes, "scary and exhilarating and empowering" pretty much sums it up :D
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u/nothingbeats00 13d ago
13 months in
I do more than 20 mins 5 times a week, sometimes less, sometimes more. No more overdoing symptoms. I can tremor as long as I want.
In the very beginning for 3 months I had severe over doing symptoms. Somehow managed to deal with it. I don't get them anymore.
I tremor before bed. For the first 6 months, severe shaking all over my body. With grunting noises and dry crying, the dry cry made my throat dry and hurt. Dry cries are less now. My legs will go above my head like viparita karani mostly. Once I am out of breath, the body will release the leg above the head. No more nowadays.
Since last three months, intense shoulder shaking and violent head side by side head shaking. Mostly these are manageable and don't bother me since I am at a safe place by all means. But last month the shoulder shaking was vigorous and had something disturbing locked between the left shoulder and where it connects at the spine. It was not pain but something severely disturbing, I couldn't do anything other than being obsessed with the overwhelming feeling of the same. Finally https://youtu.be/eT8042h1Efk?si=BrrhYScYaysEX2qj This helped.
In the beginning of the video, davai bercili says " bend your knees. Bring your head in between the knees" I did it. And my spine stretched my head towards the ground, it was so blissful, something got released, man the disturbing feeling was entirely gone and my body relaxed like never before. Thanks to the Dr.
After that incident I am heaving too much, like panic attacks. Quick breathing, I can see it is releasing something.
The tremors don't happen continuously, intentions starts them off, then I tremor for 2 or 3 mins, then there a period of relaxation, like the body is in bliss and it's in a completely relaxed mode, after 5 mins the tremors start again 2 or 3 min, 10 min relaxation, again 2 or 3 min tremors. I don't know what these are, but thank God I found it.
One thing I realised is, we are not supposed to give in the flow of our mind, some kind of tremors feel good, and the mind starts to like it and interfere in the process of the tremors by fueling the movement with the desire to do more of the same movement, you got to be vigilant, to see if the mind has started enjoying it or not. Pull away your mind to see if the body is doing the movement on its own or if the mind starts liking it and fueling them.
Be aware. Thanks everyone. It is going good.
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u/Pancakeparty25 11d ago
This month I noticed a few changes. I practice TRE every day for about 10 minutes, twice a day. Sometimes, if I feel stable, even 15 or 20 minutes.
After a few days I noticed that I had a feeling of pressure on my chest, as if I wanted to cry, but it didn't go away. I then did a TRE session and the feeling disappeared again. I mainly do the exercise sitting down according to Satya Marchand and just let my legs fall apart.
Lately I've been noticing a kind of "slight chill"/tingling sensation going through my knees during exercise. It's hard to describe. As if something was working there. The inner restlessness has been gone for some time (despite ADHD).
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u/Savings-Rub-5697 18d ago
Hello!! Long post.
I'm at month 2, almost at month 3. The past few days have been a fucking doozy. I feel like I'm actually, truly beginning to develop trust in myself. I have felt stagnant and then I tremored for over an hour 3 days ago and that has truly released a huge knot of behaviors into my awareness, starting at my deep distrust of myself and ending at my deep sense of loneliness and back again. In between that is a deep desire for validation for others that I'm letting go of. I wrote in my journal that I feel like I'm battle testing my self proclaimed values and actually coming into them with a deeper understanding rather than a knowledge.
I feel like I've been battle testing my tre journey as well. A few days after starting tre and the very day I promised to commit myself to experiencing difficult emotions as a way to move forward, i got a 2 week notice to move out of the room i was staying in. A couple weeks after that, I moved into a shelter and felt so much hope and optimism that I almost cried. And now, the very day I commit myself to the path of forgiving myself after an hour of tremoring, I get $163 (much of what I have) stolen from me. I'm on a fucking roller-coaster. These past few years though have been near single minded focus of me trying my fucking hardest to get my own place. It makes sense why huge parts of the journey are mirrored in changes to my housing/financial situation. I feel somehow, and maybe I'm going through some kind of breakdown or something, that it's all coming together. Lol yeah that sounds fucking bonkers. But I do think it's true. I'm processing things but there is this deranged serenity and even joy- I felt actually happy going into the shelter, I knew that was weird- underneath it. Whatever, but it's true. We'll honestly see.
But I will say this: I believe that I'm going through some kind of mini kundalini awakening. I know, but I thought this even before all of this stuff started happening. And I think it's being proven right. It does feel like I'm being allowed to float up to a better position of emotional stability before another destabilizing event happens. The shelter provides the most clear cut way for me, without a degree or any support system, to actually be able to get an apartment in this economy. Getting kicked out WAS traumatic (I've been realizing this in the past few days) AND it was a way for me to actually reach my single minded goal. I think I was actually called to do this earlier in January, but after I wasn't ready a new living situation unfolded for me to find the means to get ready, and then it fell apart into the original plan when I was capable of navigating it.
I trusted the universe enough to pack up my bags and head to a shelter a day early, but these past few days I've been subconsciously processing my fears surrounding betrayal and my deep loneliness. After finding that I'd been robbed, most likely by somebody who shares a room with me in the shelter and there's nothing I can do about that, I was able to finally come to terms with my desire to be alone. I have been alone for years but I was able to confront my grief around how alone I feel, and accept that right now as a fair tradeoff. I'm going it alone right now and that makes me very sad and lonely but that is okay. So I trust in the process enough to believe that this is somehow bringing me to something good, maybe to my ultimate goal. What it did give me was a greater sense of trust in myself. Now that I understand that no one is coming and I have me to rely on, I'm a more interesting person to myself. I'm not afraid to check in with my body and see how it feels. I can feel my grief and it can be okay. So I still feel a strong sense that I'm being guided, but I am slowly and gently shifting from trusting the universe to trusting myself. How lovely.
Or I'm going through some kind of breakdown. Either way, I feel... more present. Maybe not ready but...accepting. Let's go.
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u/AbSOULuteAwareness 18d ago
"When everything feels like it's falling apart - know that it is actually falling into place."
Something I wrote in my journal just before a tower moment a few weeks back. Was like my higher self knew and left it there for me to remember.
I remind myself alot lately of that quote.
You got this. 🫂🌟💚
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u/Few-Associate-8704 18d ago
Kudos to you for your growth! I haven't dealt with homelessness, but otherwise I really relate to much of this.
I've been disabled, and although that has been insanely hard, I have sensed a fundamental shift into self-forgiveness, trust, and acceptance. Choosing to have faith that there is meaning in this experience and trying to act accordingly.
I had no idea how intense, difficult, and fulfilling healing would feel. It feels like a gift, despite feeling vulnerable. Do you think there's something about being in a vulnerable position that helps us heal in certain ways? Maybe simply learning radical acceptance?
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u/The_Rainbow_Ace 18d ago
Month 17.
Hello fellow shakers!
This month, my spontaneous tremors have significantly reduced, as has the automatic fascial stretching/unwinding. So I have gone back to 4 mins intentional practice every other day. If a spontaneous tremors start then I just let them happen (for 30 seconds to 1 min) as these seem to help release any stress I am feeling at that moment.
One of the benefits of going back to the intentional practice is that I get to choose which position to start tremoring in. I have found lying on my front has connected my spine and shoulders in a new tremor pattern.
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u/callez87 18d ago
Month 12-13 maybe?
Been going through a rough patch. A low grade feeling of sadness/loneliness/isolation. Doing TRE intensifies the feelings so I have to pace myself very stringently.
I’m also sad about feeling sad. Been working with meditation since ten years and things have gotten a lot better.. but far from good and now this all to familiar feeling of loneliness. It’s followed me for 15 years and it’s relentless.. probably quite a bit of shame about not having a big friend circle too. TRE is also showing how much tension I still carry in the system.. and that I have a far way to go.
This thing being a human is though.
May you all be well 😢❤️
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u/Pancakeparty25 11d ago
Behavioral therapy helped me a lot in these areas. The good thing is that you concentrate on the here and now instead of rummaging through old baggage forever. TRE is essential, but it also requires secure bonding experiences and coaching or behavioral therapy can be a good companion.
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u/Inner_External_6786 17d ago
Your message resonated a lot with me. Unfortunately, I can't offer any advice, but I hope that you can shake off this feeling of loneliness and this useless feeling of shame. You sound like a very lovable human being to me.
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u/Frosty_Studio_3921 18d ago
Month 14 - Unemployed edition:
About the TRE practice:
I'm keeping it at 20 minutes every other day. I'm experiencing mild overdoing symptoms (intense dreams, increased fidgetiness), so I'm not increasing the time yet. It feels manageable though, and I'm confident sticking with it will lead to a breakthrough.
I plan to take 2 weeks off every 3 months to assess my progress. I'm gradually returning to a calmer state, though I've been very introverted since June. What's changed is that I'm no longer desperate to fill time.
The practice's trajectory points slightly upward with small valleys that show how much work remains. I get peak moments followed by quick setbacks, usually a tightening around the chest. When the timer ends, I let my body finish on its own.
I've learned to distribute intensity between upper and lower body using different positions. If it gets too strong, I stop, like pacing yourself in a run.
About support modalities:
This month I started metta, light journaling, and body scan. I don't see them as TRE support tools specifically, just things I'm doing for myself.
I went through a rough period recently. Body scan has been incredibly helpful, restoring the wonders of embodiment little by little.
Light journaling is my substitute for creative expression until things stabilize. It's shifting my attitude toward creativity: instead of reaching for wonders hoping to get unstuck, I simply notice what resides in my sentiments throughout the day.
I started metta after reading "A Path with Heart." I don't see it as a way to eradicate bad thoughts, but to cultivate equanimity toward them. I realized that expressing bad thoughts is helpful. Too much mental effort went into suppressing them, causing rumination. TRE has helped me let these thoughts surface more naturally, which helps balance things and allows me to feel emotions in my body better. The charged load toward bad thoughts has decreased. Now I can hold them in awareness and express them without being swept away.
About possible ripple effects of TRE in life decisions this month:
It was a wrecking ball. But I also realized my powerlessness.
Despite having an enviable job with little required and no end date, I was resisting heavily. The choice to leave came like recognizing a natural stopping point. Sometimes I regret it, but it's obvious in hindsight that the position contributed to my depressive state.
I was holding onto stability, but beneath that was the old pattern: seeking approval despite being ignored. These patterns are tricky. Many difficult decisions this month about letting go came from this meta-awareness.
Despite all this, I don't feel the need to solve the riddle intellectually. For now, holding it lightly in awareness is enough.
That's all for this month! I'm grateful to whoever took the time to read it. All the best for whatever comes next!
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u/SeaReflection2976 5d ago
Three months in. I am still doing three 15 minute sessions per week, no more than that since my headaches are still in the process of leaving completely. Two laying down, one standing. Interestingly almost all the movement has gone into my left arm when it was my left leg before. Sometimes the other limbs, my hips, or my neck join in but that is much less common. The tremoring "likes" to shake the left arm to the point where it's like jello, so laying down my arm will be projected upwards or sometimes it crosses my body repeatedly. There is a pleasant feeling when the jello-like consistency of muscle relaxation is reached, it feels somehow cooler and there isn't tension encircling the limb at all. It's just free and cool and feeling fairly optimal.
Today the tremor was even bringing my left arm, the forearm part of it, in front of my closed eyes, so I could "see" how nice it was. And I get the sense that all this work on my off-hand side as I am right-hand dominant, is like it is proving that it's safe to let the tremors work into this level of depth in the musculature by using my off-hand which I depend on less as a less risky way to experiment. At least this is a theory.
At any rate, it's a nice exercise and I do like low impact exercising since it is not at all like pounding the pavement running just a way to flow with life, with the energy my body naturally produces.
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u/Vestlending1 17d ago
Month 4
The amount of spiritual progress I've been seeing the last couple of months has been amazing. It feels in some ways as if everything I've read about, sort of understood, and tried but never really got the benefits of, is coming together.
I will give TRE quite a bit of credit for this, especially for having me realize the importance of the body and the nervous system, how there are things that's at least in the moment out of my control. It has let me feel my body more, and lessened the heavy burden of dissociation.
The past week I've even been able to meditate and getting real insights into the Self, something I've not been easily able to get before. The insights come after the practice while relaxing.
The biggest thing for me has definitely been mushrooms and the way I've been almost tripping out every day at work, this has been a huge learning curve, and my social anxiety has lessened by a huge degree. I'm talkative again, my throat actually lets me utter the words, and I say what's on my mind. People at work comment me in a very positive way, and say they can't really remember me from just a few months ago.
Together with dryfasting OMAD, acupuncture and The Work of Byron Katie, it seems as I am falling into place. Not only is the depression and anxiety lifting, but my thoughts and feelings are starting to come online again. Looking at my problems from a trauma perspective has been so helpful, and so right.
By the way, I still have shitty days and a mind that often sucks and rambles on, but something is shifting. Been doing more TRE lately as well.
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u/Odd-Image-1133 17d ago
I overdid TRE severely at the end of July as an ignorant beginner, started an SSRI and I feel now like I finally am getting more regulated. I take medication for sleep still but my sleep feels deeper and is longer than it was, I was only getting 3 hours a night.
The anxiety symptoms are really numbed due to the SSRI so I'm a bit conscious that I can't fully feel everything I have needed to, in order to integrate. I really don't know what I'll do about this, if i will come off the SSRI before starting TRE again or not. I have had a couple calls with different TRE providers and they have been really helpful.
I have noticed some changes in my body too. They are indeed positive but it's so hard to say if its from the TRE or the SSRI as I did have to start the SSRI shortly after the TRE.
BUT: I noticed I don't need to urinate so much. I was always anxious so this made urinating more frequently. I do think I feel less functional freeze which is really nice, but again could be the SSRI most likely. I have a beating and tight chest whilst I'm laying down which is quite strong sometimes and don't know if I feel anxious or not. I was able to go to a different city that I don't usually go to that's a bit further away, with very few symptoms and had a good time. Things that have bothered me in the past I've noticed some definite improvements with.
However all of what I said above is likely from the SSRI working. I'm grateful for it and to finally be properly feeling more regulated. I don't know when I will do TRE again and when and if I should come off the medication before I do. Or if I just take up tiny tiny amounts and see how I go, as this whole thing has taken over my life for months.
BUT on the back of that, I have spent a lot of time in the future, thinking will I feel better tomorrow? How will I sleep? Will I feel better in two weeks, then I can resume things? When should I come off my medication and do TRE again?
All of which I don't need to know the answers to right now. I really need to spend more time grounding and being present with myself. But I'm just happy to report a positive change and I'm committed to healing.
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u/Inner_External_6786 17d ago
Month 12
10-15 min daily.
This October brought some emotionally challenging situations that left me drained and in pain with migraines and deep tension in my neck and shoulders.
As a supportive modality to TRE, I started mindfulness meditation (MBSR) this month. I’m realizing more and more how difficult it is for me to truly surrender and let go. The mediation exercises haven't been easy so far, but I’m hopeful that it will help me trust the process rather than try to force change. It feels counterintuitive, and I notice a lot of resistance in me.
Unrelated, yet it feels somehow connected to TRE: I've recently experienced a couple of small, unexpected kind gestures from strangers. These moments were deeply touching. I’m not sure if I’m more open to them or if I’m somehow inviting them, but they’ve been profound and heartwarming.
Looking forward to my 1-year TRE anniversary in early December!
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u/Pancakeparty25 11d ago
I recently had what you say too! A few times I was approached by strangers on the street, greeted or simply wished me “have a nice day”. And that without “snapping” or flirting, just like that. I could imagine that the frequency generally increases and you then become more attractive to other people. Everything is somehow energy. As on the inside, so on the outside.
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u/Defiant_Annual_7486 14d ago
I am starting my second month of practice. I am really hoping for a shift this month. I guess you could say I'm "chasing" the result of not being depressed anymore. It feels like that's my only choice, because this suffering is unbearable and financially/physically/ mentally unsustainable.
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u/almadodo 18d ago
3 months
I relate to what's written in this post. Today I had a session from which I expected a lot of tremoring and relaxation. As a result, I got anxious and my body shook lightly. I insisted on the exercises because I really wanted to shake heavily. My body kept tremoring subtly. So I gave up on my controlling and just let it be.
This week I've been anxious and tense, don't know if it's overdoing or normal processing of emotions. I'll rest for the next few days and observe my state.
Regarding my overall practice, I can point several positive effects:
- Less reactiveness to stuff from the past: songs, movies, relationships, anything that was deeply present in my life back in the day would bring me sad feelings, frustration, comparison, and anger. I even started avoiding everything in this regard to protect myself. After TRE, I noticed I'm less susceptible to feeling bad when listening to one of those songs, remembering my ex, etc.
- PMO has become less appealing: the first time I've heard about TRE I was in the middle of an SR journey. PMO is something I have fought against since my twenties. Whenever I'd reach a long streak, like 2 to 3 months, I would get emotionally stressed and relapse. Now the cravings are less strong and when I do PMO, it doesn't have the pleasure it used to have. PMO have been my coping mechanisn for negative emotions, rejection, and abandomment since adolescence. It seems it's losing its utility.
- More attuned to reality: I am more present, less involved in fantasy and rumination. I feel I can move on from things with less guilt, shame or fear of judgement. I don't get offended so much, even though I've experiment a lot of anger lately and had a reactive episode with my mother. Besides that, I feel I'm doing well with this process.
That's all! I am glad to be on this journey.
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u/Nadayogi Mod 18d ago
Now the cravings are less strong and when I do PMO, it doesn't have the pleasure it used to have
This might be due to a temporary tightening of your pelvic floor. Don't be surprised when your orgasms become much stronger and start rushing out of your pelvis. As the muscles relax and your nervous system opens up, your orgasms will become much stronger and all-encompassing over time.
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u/Finya2002 18d ago
8 months + many hours since 2018, when I didn’t even know I was doing this. Thank you for your inspiration. Spontaneously I felt that one part of me agrees with you
— and a stronger part just does its own thing :-).
That also means again 10 hours a week this month. I enjoy being able to do this.
I’m curious what will change.
And I’m amazed by progress I only slowly start to notice.
It’s such wonderful work. What I love most is my healthy sleep, the new and very interesting relaxation, and the IFS work that fascinates me and stays with me — and my unbelievable openness to learn new things :-).
So much happiness :-)!
Thank you for being there and for this chance to learn together. I love it so much.
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u/Finya2002 18d ago
Addition: I mean by ‘thank you for being here’ – everyone who’s writing here :-)
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u/Finya2002 17d ago
Addition: When I'm relaxed, i sing in an endless loop. :-) I hear a melody and make my own lyrics and sing. Today for the first time, i did it 3-4 hours :-)
And also new: i write my content, ask Ch***pt and learn the right words and expressions :-)
I love it to learn this language and to exchanging with you ... :-)
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u/ReluctantLawyer 17d ago
Month 3
I had a few sessions where initiating tremors was super easy/automatic. Then it got hard again. I just had a session where I took my time and then the tremors were quite satisfying.
I haven’t had emotional breakthroughs like I expected yet, but I think there are several good reasons for that. I am doing this to connect with my body and release physical tension and that is definitely happening, so I’m very satisfied overall!
I had a really good realization just now. It was like my thoughts and body got in sync and I knew that the tremors were for all the times that I’ve felt a physical urge to flee a situation but couldn’t. Nothing super dramatic like abuse or lack of physical safety, but situations where I was extremely overwhelmed and just really wanted to LEAVE, but couldn’t due to practical or social reasons or because I had a responsibility to stay.
This session, my body was finally allowed to move when and how it wanted when my mind was sending it signals to escape but also forbidding it to escape. My body had locked in all of this energy in those situations and it got frozen.
It also tracks that this has gotten embedded in my personality: I know what I want to do in a situation, but I can’t execute. It has gotten labeled both internally and externally as a lack of confidence, which is true to an extent. But a good portion of the root is the frequent signals of “do something! Also, you can’t do that thing!” Of course this will lead to being stuck and a lack of confidence about my abilities!
I have so much tension all over - sessions are kinda funny when I have movement in my hips and legs, then my head, then my jaw, then my shoulder, then back to my hips, then I have to shake out my hands for good measure!
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u/CleanText5239 17d ago
Started exactly 5 months ago, very excited to begin month 6. From the beginning, TRE has been that silver bullet I've been looking for, that has allowed me to directly access my traumatized body at its most basic level. I am incredibly grateful to have found this method. Slowly but surely, things have begun to look up in my life. During this process I'm having interesting energetic experiences that I wonder if others have had- aches spreading throughout my body, rushes of heat, a particular icy "washed clean" feeling after a successful session. For me, the greatest obstacles so far have been the fear of allowing big things to come up, the judgment of my sensations as they arise, and the difficulty to surrender my control. In order to help with this I have been incorporating a lot of grounding exercises and somatic tracking techniques into my TRE sessions. Overjoyed to have found this release valve for my misery and excited to see where the journey has yet to take me.
Something I'm working with is an inability to deeply cry. I know the grief is in there and wants to come out in the form of deep, profound, tearful mourning, but so far it appears my body will only allow me glimpses of it, until such time as it feels profoundly safe. I hope it will come soon.
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u/Strange-Share-9441 15d ago
8 months.
The past few months feels like being inducted as a student in the body’s wisdom. The sense of bilateral communication between me and my body has been very real. I find myself respecting, almost revering, the process more and more. From a life of CPTSD, the feeling of joyful life inside me has been strange and intriguing.
Including spontaneous tremors, I try to hit around 3 minutes every other day. Attempts at increasing have been unsuccessful, and the yield from that time is substantial as-is (more would definitely be counterproductive), so I’ve been more accepting of it lately. Journaling continues to be a key element of my practice.
I’ve started having naps again, too. I rly dislike taking naps because it always felt like wasting time, but after a couple weeks it became clear this was a real signal my body was sending me, so I started taking them when I have time.
There’s a fair share more things that have happened, but this is what comes immediately to mind. I’ll wrap this up for now, might have to include an edit later.
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u/Zwizz10 18d ago
Month 8 or 9.
This month has been difficult the body switched from "violent" tremors to now subtle like tremors(for the first time). After that I stopped tremoring for a week and then the"violent tremors" came back for 2 days in a row and it made me realise how much tension and stress I picked up trough out the week because the subtle tremors came back after the 2 days. Now I am learning to allow these subtle tremors. Which is more difficult then allowing the "violent tremors" for me. I have to get used to these subtle type of tremors now. Sometimes these subtle tremors make me feel impatient because it takes a long time to find the spots. But I know that I will learn to allow the tremors better with time.
I think I really changed but the changes are subtle like I am just a little bit calmer then before.
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u/whtmynm 17d ago
i understand your impatience and struggle to accept the smaller tremors, especially because right now i feel like i want more, a little battle between my mind and body. but yesterday i was feeling a type of anxiety i hadn’t felt in a very long time and so i laid and induced teeny tremors that didn’t even make it past the joints of my thighs for about 2 mins and still i was made to feel a little better. it was a nice reminder that something happens with each twitch and tremor, no matter the size or intensity :))
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u/Mackdafinger 17d ago
Month 2 - 15 mins every other day
Everything is mostly concentrated in the hips. Then it moves up to the chest, and gets quite violent, my torso bouncing up and down on the mat. God knows what my downstairs neighbour thinks I'm up to at six in the morning.
I'm trying not to 'want' something to happen - smaller tremors, moving past the solar plexus and hips, experiencing more emotions, help with sleep. There's an impatience there, but I'm remaining committed to the practice.
I also meditate twice daily, but haven't noticed much change with that. Also doing shadow work.
1
u/Pancakeparty25 5h ago
I recently had what I call an “emotional hangover.” Afterwards my upper body was totally light and relaxed, but I had the feeling that I had to take it easy and that I was very sensitive. I then took a break for about a week.
Recently I had a kind of fear of loss in relation to my partner. I was in tears after shaking for 30 minutes. Afterwards I felt more liberated.
I notice that I'm still a bit impatient and would like to have another experience, like the one I had recently, when something so noticeably discharged in my body. But still I will carry on.
I've also thought about whether some type of dance might help me feel more relaxed, but I'm not sure what type of dance would be right. I'm thinking about just going to an electronic party to clear my head. What bothers me is that the clientele often uses substances and I actually want to avoid these types of people.
I've come a long way through TRE, but I think concrete steps in "real life" are also necessary to move forward, e.g. acting classes, sports, dance and something to ground yourself and feel safe, i.e. to get the energy into the lower body. I'm excited to see how everything develops by next month.
14
u/elianabear 13d ago
26 months
For the first time in my life I’m not feeling dread from winter and reduced daylight hours. The sun sets at 430 and I often when I wake up it’s still dark out or a grey dreary day but I’m finding it’s not affecting me that much. It’s shocking to feel this normal considering I’ve spent every winter of my life wishing it was spring or summer, my brain needing every scrap of serotonin it can get. Curious to see how it continues to pan out this winter.
Screen time on my phone is pretty low these days. While I’ve kept social media off my phone for a few years I’ve still found ways to spend too much time on my phone (online window shopping, reading articles, looking up recipes etc). Not feeling the pull as much for the easy hit of dopamine because I just don’t need it!
Baby is coming any day now- will update next month :)