Below is a conversation that took place on Yahoo's Primal Support Group (PSG) between Pat Törngren and a group member named Matt. The conversation has been edited and expanded for clarity.
You wrote:
Pat replied:
Matt wrote:
Pat replied:
Matt wrote:
Pat replied:
Matt wrote:
Pat replied:
Matt wrote:
Pat replied:
Matt wrote:
Pat replied:
Matt wrote:
Pat replied:
Matt wrote:
Pat replied: If you have been following the posts on this group lately, you will see that I mentioned a "new technique" I am using. It was also The Journey by Brandon Bays. Someone accidentally" left her book and a set of the tapes at my house. I went, "Ho, hum, another New-Ager making 'affirmations' and being in denial about their pain." Then I read the book and found that she wasn't doing that at all. In fact, far from it! She expresses her reservations when people do shove their feelings under in order to "make positive affirmations." I was glad to read that, as it has been also been a big concern of mine in so much of the popular psychology literature that is doing the rounds. Right now, I can't remember what made me pick up Brandon's book and start reading it (apart from the fact that several people had told me about it) but I do know it came at a time when I was a little bit "stuck" in my therapy and depressed, and so more open to look at other methods. I also have some very real and serious problems in my life that need sorting out in the present, and hoped there would be some answers in The Journey. Well! I had only read half the book before I started my first "journey process." After reading the first few chapters of the book, I couldn't wait to get going. This first time, I didn’t bother to read the “Journey notes” at the back of the book, or use the tape. I knew the feelings were right there. So I lay down (like I do for primals) and "said the feeling." Then, I dropped down into the level below as Brandon suggests, and started to primal. Every time I dropped down a level, I had another "primal" I just couldn't stop crying. Several of them went very deep (sexual molestation, birth trauma and before-birth pain) and so much stuff was coming up, that I never made it as far as "source" in my first session. I was exhausted, though much relieved, as primals alone give good resolution and I just needed to rest and let it all sink in. I had made some good, solid connections too, and was feeling very good about that and wanting to just “be with my insights.” Anyway, right now I am experimenting with Brandon's techniques - using the tapes, and will share more with the group later when I see how it goes. At the moment I am taking the best from both "Primal work" and "Journey work", using the set of “Journey” tapes (some of which are great). So I am taking the best parts that work well for me in a primal way, and seem to have more primal access than I had before. Also, going down to what Brandon calls “source” has got me in touch with who I was before I was hurt and damaged, and I am getting a lot of strength from that. It was nice to meet the real me – before they crushed the life out of me and I figuratively “died” to who I was. I have also healed my body of a physical symptom in just one session using Brandon’s "body scanning" method. I had a very bad sore throat, and when I went "into" my throat while listening to her tape, I found the memory of being abused at 3 and needing to scream to get help. But I couldn't, as I was being smothered and couldn't get a breath in. This is a scene I have primalled over and over, but was never aware that there was a part of my body still carrying the source of the pain (in spite of reliving the bruises some years ago – they lasted for about a week and then faded.) What I discovered doing “The Journey” was the unresolved need to scream for help, of which I was previously not aware. I dealt with a whole lot of issues around that while listening to the tape (and dealing with feelings of helplessness, betrayal, hurt, anger and rage at the two adults who were present when the abuse happened. Within a few hours, my very sore throat (which usually precedes a long drawn out head-cold and bronchitis) cleared up completely over the short period of a few hours. I had never guessed that my repeated sore throats (all my life) were actually due to the fact that I was physically holding a primal memory (the need to scream for help) in my throat. It was actually my therapist who first suggested Brandon Bays' book to me (before someone "accidentally" left her copy in my house.) My therapist said that when he saw the cover of the book, he went, "Oh no, more 'pop' psychology" :( But something made him read it, and he tried the process. He immediately uncovered some anger he had been holding for most of his life, without knowing it, and instantly healed his back, which had been hurting him for many years. He cleared it in one session! It has given him no pain since.
Matt wrote:
Pat replied: I shall be interested to hear how it goes for you.
Till later. UPDATE December, 2005 In the above article I described experimenting with the techniques of Brandon Bays as described in her book "The Journey". About three months after starting the experiment, I abandoned it. I know it has helped some people, and it did help me at the beginning. But over time I found it less and less helpful, as it did not give me enough flexibility to follow my feelings and memories where they led me, and had a tendency to "keep me in my head". So I primal in the classical way again now, as that is what helps me the most, personally, Pat Torngren
|