I remember the very interesting conversation with my friend who told me that whenever he feels stressed, he tends to have the pain in the stomach. He has noticed that his muscles in this area usually become tensed and it feels like someone has punched him in the stomach and keeps doing in on regular intervals. He had the ulcer and needed to do the regular check ups.
I myself have the same unconscious habit of hiding my tension in the lower back area. I can name two periods in my life when I could barely move because of pain. I remember crying trying to relax the muscles and my spine being stiff in its curve. It would only relax with the horrible “click” sound, which was giving me totally unscientific fear that one day I’ll just break myself.
Psychosomatic illnesses are not perceived as the superstition anymore, they have got the solid base of researches, which have proven strong connection between mental and social anxieties and the physical state. Hippocrates, Freud, Jung have developed the same ideas.
The fact that person needs to be treated as a whole has been noticed by Yogis centuries ago. You may wonder how your bad eyesight is related to the relationship issues, but we don’t have doubts in relating hypertension and heat problems with stress. None of our body parts are disconnected from the whole, none of the body parts stay unaffected by stress and sufferings of the soul.
So here is why I am writing this post. How do you overcome the psychosomatic pains? How do you stop the vicious circle of stress, pain and stress due to the pain? Yoga offers some great solutions. Check out the points below and see if any resonates with you!

• Mindfulness is Yoga. I try to observe myself when I am stressed, afraid, anxious. Do I tend to tense some muscles? Do I start to feel discomfort in your stomach? I just note it so I can tackle this in the future practice. It is also a good technique to distract yourself from negativity!
• If you already have some chronic pain, which you suspect can come from emotional sphere, face it. I go inside my pain. Usually, we concentrate on pain as the negative thing and completely ignore the fact that it is the protective mechanism. Instead, I let it help me – concentrate your attention on the aching area, try to feel, what exactly is happening there. Can I relax the muscles? Can I imagine that you’re breathing through this area? (well, actually, we ARE breathing through it as breathing involves the whole body) I pay attention to what is usually ignored – the internal organs, if that is the problem area. This simple technique does miracles, and pain feels completely different.
• Coping with the symptoms is not enough of course. I do meditation on the problem which bothers me (if I can identify it clearly) or do a simple association analysis – imagine myself in the happiest and the most peaceful state possible and see what is missing or preventing me from reaching it. Knowing the enemy is the biggest step in defeating him! Talking the problem out, writing about it or even screaming it out can help to release the hold on it too.
• Prevention is probably the best way to address this issue. I have incorporated the meditation and relaxation into my daily practice, which really helps me to manage stress better. But practicing asanas can be the good instrument to do it too – check the article about Bhavas to turn your postures into deep work of spirit.

But my biggest advice is simple. Be kind to yourself. Ahimsa (non-violence) includes not only other living creatures, but first of all, not harming your own precious being.