Geoff & Po D‘Arcy Stress Stress Relief Program · Natural Stress Relief Program 40 BY GEOFF AND...

Natural Stress Relief Program

40 B Y G E O F F A N D P O D ‟ A R C Y

About the Authors Geoff & Po D‘Arcy

Geoff and Po have been involved in creating three Integrated

Medical Centers in the Boston area over the last twenty years.

Their work with complementary and alternative therapies has

been augmented with Mind-Body programs such as the

Relaxation Relief, because they fully realize just how powerful

an ally the mind can be in stimulating healing.

Both have a strong foundation in Meditation and understand

just how damaging and the effects of stress are for health

and chronic illness. Geoff and Po are partners in life, and in

the D‘Arcy Wellness Clinic and D‘Arcy Naturals, an herbal

supplement company .

Geoff currently practices acupuncture and herbal medicine in

Natick, Massachusetts. They reside in Sherborn with their

two children.

A book from Wellbeing Publications, Na-tick, MA.

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B Y G E O F F A N D P O D ‟ A R C Y

A Practical Guide for Effective Herbal Pet Care

BY PO D’ARCY

GEOFF D’ARCY, LIC. AC., D.O.M.

Natural Natural Natural Stress Stress Stress ReliefReliefRelief

ProgramProgramProgram



DOSAGE

Natural Stress Relief Program © 2001, 2004 by Po & Geoff D‟Arcy

No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner without written permission,

except in brief quotation in critical articles or reviews.

Exclusive distribution by Wellbeing Publications, 63 South Main Street, Sherborn, MA 01770

Photography (except leaf background) © 1999 Steven Foster / design: Po D‟Arcy

author‟s disclaimer The following recommendations are written for the purpose of education and per-spective and are not intended to be medical advice, nor a prescription for any dis-ease. If your animal has a medical condition or is experiencing any unusual or persis-tent symptoms, please consult a qualified natural healthcare veterinarian immedi-ately.

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Notes



One to two times per day for two weeks: Small cats & dogs: 1/2-1 small scoop mixed in with food.

Medium dogs: 1-2 small scoops mixed in with food. Large dogs: 2-3 small scoops mixed in with food.

Notes

3



“Rule No. 1 . . . don’t sweat the small stuff. Rule No. 2 . . . it’s all small stuff. And …….if you can’t fight and …...you can’t flee .. ...flow.”

—-Robert Elliot, MD University of Nebraska, Cardiologist



“Inner peace is not the absence of conflict. Nor the absence of challenge, but rather the capacity to be with what is, in each moment. Without prejudice or judgment.” —Christina Feldman “The revolution we call mind-body medicine was based on this simple discovery: Wherever thought goes, a chemical goes with it. This insight has turned into a powerful tool that allows us to understand, for example, why recent wid-ows are twice as likely to develop breast cancer, and why the chronically depressed are four times more likely to get sick. In both cases, distressed mental states get converted into the bio-chemicals that create disease.”

—Dr. Deepak Chopra, “When the mind is at peace, the brain releases dopamine and nor-epinephrine along with endorphins to enhance a person‟s sense of security and comfort. When we relax, the body feels free to spend energy cleaning up free radicals created during metabolism. The white blood cells have unlimited access to energy for disposing bacteria and waste. Considering these immune functions, it becomes clear how the daily practice of relaxation exercises can restore im-mune resilience.” —Michael Liebowitz, M.D., The Chemistry of Love

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Summary of Activities for Week 3 1. Relaxation CD. Twenty minutes daily,

2. Choose at least one awareness activity and

practice it daily.

3. Draw your stress, to help evaluate and

increase awareness in a “non-intellectual

perspective.”

4. Daily entry into major daily events log.

5. Keep a diary or Log with your comments.

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An Introduction

The wisdom of cultivating a daily ‗stress-relief response‘.

In the 23 years of my herbal and acupuncture practice, it has become crystal clear to me that stress contributes to or creates illness and relaxation can help to create and promote healing and wellness. The medical community agrees and has proven time and again that stress can be harmful to our health and wellbeing. Stress is involved with a majority of Doctor‟s office visits. It lowers the immune response leaving us de-pleted and more prone to acute and chronic illness and is indicated as a negative fac-tor exacerbating many disease states. It is important to know that learning to create a relaxation response adds to our health and healing. A tuned up parasympathetic nerv-ous system that appropriately handles stress helps to boost our immune system and prevent illness. It is not only modern scientific allopathic medicine that has reached this conclusion, but the ancient wisdom of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Auyurvedic Medicine, the common sense wisdom of our grandparents, that also tells us……. re-laxation heals and protects us from the subtle and not so subtle ravages that stress wreaks on our bodies and minds. Studies have demonstrated that progressive relaxation techniques practiced 20 min-utes a day for four weeks can create a remarkable re-balancing in the body-mind. Noted benefits include a reduction in blood pressure, reduction of PMS symptoms, decreased levels of chronic pain, an increase in fertility, improved sleep and immune system response—to name a few. With these kinds of results, if this were a patent pro-tected pharmaceutical, it would be nationally promoted in seminars, medical journals, TV prime-time advertisements, by sales representatives bearing gifts to every doctor‟s office in the country!!! However, this simple, profound healing mechanism of our body-mind is not being promoted on prime time T.V., nor is it being promoted to medical offices around the country. It is not part of the for-profit medical information disseminating system. The mind, the most powerful pharmaceutical factory in the world, goes unused and under-utilized in the battle for health created by the balance and harmony for our body‟s own unique and miraculous healing system. The conclusion we have come to is that if stress creates or adds to illness, then the reverse is also true…….relaxation adds to healing and health. Learning to manage stress is invaluable, whether you are interested in prevention or in marshaling all of your innate healing power to re-gain the balance of health and wrestle away a chronic illness. Use this valuable tool and re-learn to relax, re-gain your birth right to let go of stress and allow your fullest healing potential to be realized. Test out how you feel for 3 weeks, doing the progressive relaxation every single day for 20 minutes each day.



Studies show us what common sense could tell us: stress will make us ill, and relaxation can help us. 60%-90% of doc-tor office-visits are stress-related

Stress Too much stress can harm—relaxation can help us heal.

We are over-stimulated, over-worked and over-tired. The fast pace of today's world has left us little time for many of life's simple pleasures such as a relaxed meal or even a good night's sleep. Medical research shows 60%-90% of doctor office-visits are stress-related and are a direct cause stress / tension head-aches. Our bodies are constantly moving towards a state of natural "balance," yet we often don't pay attention to our body's signals and we push past our limits. Over a prolonged period of time, this behavior can create imbalance in the body and may show up as headaches, muscle stiffness, spasms, myofascitis and soreness that often impede the blood flow to the head. Too much stress can create havoc in biochemical and bioelectromag-netic flows in the body. Studies show us what common sense could tell us: stress will make us ill, and relaxation can help us heal. I always recommend to my patients 20 minutes a day of a progressive relaxation technique, alongside taking supplements. One of the goals of this program is to help you find your own point of balance and to learn to re-balance when stress has dis-rupted your natural rhythms. The goal of this program is to own your own ability to relax. This program encourages you to look at what "balance" means for you, physically, mentally, and emotionally. Maintaining your own balance can particularly help in times of stress, so that simple tension does not turn into lowered immune response and chronic illness. Stress has been indicated in numerous physical and emotional imbalances in-cluding: problems with infertility and menstrual cycles, sex drive, thyroid problems, diabetes, infection and suppressed immune system, coronary spasms, Type-A behavior, skin prob-lems, stroke, respiratory ailments, urinary tract infections, uter-ine function problems, motor system distresses, mental and cognitive distress, emotional distress, behavioral disturbances, and mental illness. The studies show us what common sense could tell us—stress will make us ill. The silver lining is that if stress can make us ill then relaxation can help make us better! One of the goals of this program is to help you find your own point of balance and

STRESS TAKES IT TOLL

Some common symptoms of stress include: *Tension head-aches *Insomnia *Anxiety *Backaches *High Blood -Pressure. *Adrenal exhaus -tion *Low immunity *High cholesterol

*Heart disease *Stroke *Depression *Infertility *Osteoporosis, *Over-eating *Smoking *Alcohol abuse *Allergies *Emotional out - bursts

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STRESS TEST,QUESTIONS #1 TO #27 0 = ALWAYS; 1 = OFTEN; 2 = SOMETIMES; 3 = ONCE IN A WHILE; 4 = NEVER

FOR QUESTIONS 28 THROUGH 42, USE THE FOLLOWING SCALE: 0 NEVER; 1 ONCE IN A WHILE; 2 SOMETIMES; 3 OFTEN; 4 A LWAYS

24 Do you have a private space in your own home where you can retreat?

25 Are you happy with your job or career?

26 Do you have clear personal and career goals?

27 Do you enjoy where you live?

Q.1 to 27 Sub Total….

28 Do you smoke cigarettes?

29 Do you drink more than 2 alcoholic drinks per day? (inc. beer and wine)

30 Do you watch TV more than one hour per day?

31 Do you regularly (weekly) experience conflict with a boss/spouse/in-

law?

32 Do you often feel lonely?

33 Have you had any hard liquor in the past month?

34 Have you had a separation/loss/break-up recently?

35 Have you recently experienced the loss of a loved-one?

36 Have you had a recent illness/accident/injury?

37 Have you had a major change in your lifestyle, new baby, retirement,

job ?

38 Have you had a major change in your financial situation?

39 Have you or a close relative or friend recently experienced any legal

conflict, (i.e. being in prison, being sued, suing, etc.)

40 Do you have accumulated vacation time due you?

41 Do you have frequent temper outbursts or arguments in the course of a

week?

42 Do you feel overloaded by your daily schedule?

Sub Total Q.1 to 27....plus Sub Total Q.28 to 42 =….Grand Total = …..



1 Do you eat 3 meals at regular times each day?

2 Do you eat one hot balanced meal per day?

3 Do you do something to nurture yourself each day?

4 Do you spend quiet, relaxed time daily (meditation, relaxation, yoga,

music)?

5 Do you give daily hugs/affection to family, friends or pets?

6 Do you receive daily hugs/affection from family, friends or pets?

7 Do you take a multi-vitamin, anti-oxidant, or supplement daily?

8 Do you feel calm and relaxed most days?

9 Do you get 7 to 8 hours of sleep at least 4 times per week?

10 Do you sleep at the same time 4 times per week?

11 Do you raise your heart rate through exercise 20 minutes 3 to 4 times a

week?

12 Are you rejuvenated from work stress by your weekends?

13 Can you meet your basic monthly financial expenses?

14 Do you meet at least once a month in team sports/hobbies/clubs?

15 Have you developed a new acquaintance or friendship this month?

16 Do you create a fun, relaxed space with people you live with at least

once a month?

17 Do you have at least one dependable, close friend or relative who lives

near you?

18 Are you at the correct body weight?

19 Are you supported by your spiritual beliefs and spiritual community?

20 Do you have friends you share feelings with?

22 Are you in good physical health?

23 Are you happy with your sex life?

STRESS TEST,QUESTIONS #1 TO #27 0 = ALWAYS; 1 = OFTEN; 2 = SOMETIMES;

3 = ONCE IN A WHILE; 4 = NEVER

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to learn to re-balance when stress has disrupted your natural rhythms. The goal of this program is to find your natural ability to relax. This program encourages you to look at what "balance" means for you, physically, mentally, and emotionally. How Stressed Am I? One of the ways to tell is to take this stress test. We suggest you take the test before you start the Natural Stress Relief program and then again after 3 weeks. The basic program is to commit to 20 minutes a day of a progressive relaxation technique. This technique is available on CD from Geoff or Po. The Stress Test, is structured for you to score the first 27 ques-tions progressively, 0 = Always to 4 = Never. And (just to make it more challenging,) for Questions 28 to 42 it is reversed 0 = Never to 4 = Always. This simple test on the following page will give you an indica-tion of your stress level. All of the questions have meaning re-lated to your health and wellness. They are based on certain proven foundations of health and well-being. Reflect on the questions where your scores reveal higher levels of stress, and see if you can improve those areas of your life. For instance, if you score low on the question... Do you meet at least once a month in team sports/hobbies/clubs? Would it be possible to invite a friend to play tennis or take a walk regularly? If you can create healthy habits in these areas, this can nourish and sustain you in the years to come. Sometimes this is very subtle and some-times quite profound. For instance that person you ask to play tennis or walk with regularly could develop into a life long friendship that provides a support system for years to come. So… take some time to consider the questions and score care-fully on the next to pages and be guided by your answers and your scores.

The goal of this program is to help you re-learn your own ability to relax. ―The revolution we call mind-body medicine was based on this simple dis-covery: Wher-ever thought goes, a chemical goes with it. This insight has turned into a powerful tool that allows us to un-derstand, for example, why recent widows

are twice as likely to develop breast cancer, and why the chronically de-pressed are four times more likely to get sick. In both cases, dis-tressed mental states get con-verted into the bio-chemicals that create dis-

ease.‖

—Dr. Deepak Chopra,

STRESS TAKES IT TOLL



STRESS TEST,QUESTIONS #1 TO #27 0 = ALWAYS; 1 = OFTEN; 2 = SOMETIMES;

3 = ONCE IN A WHILE; 4 = NEVER

1 Do you eat 3 meals at regular times each day?

2 Do you eat one hot balanced meal per day?

3 Do you do something to nurture yourself each day?

4 Do you spend quiet, relaxed time daily (meditation, relaxation, yoga, mu-sic)?

5 Do you give daily hugs/affection to family, friends or pets?

6 Do you receive daily hugs/affection from family, friends or pets?

7 Do you take a multi-vitamin, anti-oxidant, or supplement daily?

8 Do you feel calm and relaxed most days?

9 Do you get 7 to 8 hours of sleep at least 4 times per week?

10 Do you sleep at the same time 4 times per week?

11 Do you raise your heart rate through exercise 20 minutes 3 to 4 times a week?

12 Are you rejuvenated from work stress by your weekends?

13 Can you meet your basic monthly financial expenses?

14 Do you meet at least once a month in team sports/hobbies/clubs?

15 Have you developed a new acquaintance or friendship this month?

16 Do you create a fun, relaxed space with people you live with at least once a month?

17 Do you have at least one dependable, close friend or relative who lives near you?

18 Are you at the correct body weight?

19 Are you supported by your spiritual beliefs and spiritual community?

20 Do you have friends you share feelings with?

22 Are you in good physical health?

23 Are you happy with your sex life?

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When resistance begins to fade, stress (energy) becomes

workable. Softening with loving-kindness and acceptance dis-

solves fear allows us to be pre-sent with the actual sensa-tion

and situation. Taking 20 minutes a day to relax will work

wonders to regain a daily balance. Relaxation CD is particu-

larly suited to this purpose. Its objective is to help you work

with those tense and tight painful areas that you haven‟t been

able to “move through.” The CD can be used for any area of

feeling or discomfort, physical, mental or emotional. The tape

helps you to calm your mind when it comes in contact with a

difficult area, encouraging you to “soften” around it. Practice

of this technique breaks the cycle of the reactive mind that

pushes away unpleasant sensation, and whittles away at any

negative conditioning related to tension or discomfort.

By allowing stormy, unpleasant sensations to remain

in the presence of a calm, balanced mind, the energy can re-

lease. The body‟s natural healing balance can take place. We

can use these unpleasant storms and sensations as a way to

gain wisdom and compassion.

How to Practice When You Can’t Move Through the Tension. Many stress sufferers tend to be impatient, and get angry at

their discomfort. What is the way out? One of the most stress-

producing vicious cycles is the frustration we feel when we

can‟t relax. To break this vicious cycle, we want the mind to

soften around this seemingly immoveable tension so that you

no longer reinforce tension on the body by creating tension in

the mind. You can soften the mind around the immovable sen-

sation, putting your perception into neutral and holding a non-

judging mind-frame around the tension. This creates a space

around the tense area which will help the energy to move

through. Daily practice with the CD will consistently help you

build a skill level of concentration that can bring you back to

the present moment in times of stress. When the body-mind

suffers from prolonged or acute stress, focus is lost.

Conclusion So how did you do after these three weeks? Retest yourself on

the stress test and compare scores, obviously some will remain

the same, yet some will change. Check out your new score.

―All this talk and turmoil and noise and desire is outside the veil; inside the veil is silence and calm and peace.‖ — Abu Yazid Al-Bistani

Persian Mystic ―Grant me Apollo, contentment with what I have and let me enjoy, wholeness in mind and in body.‖

— Michel Eyquen de Montaigne ‖A smooth sea never made a skillful sailor.‖ — Salada Tea-Bag



Week III – Softening Around Tension Softening the mind around Stress and tension. What to Expect From Week III

What do you do when, no matter how hard you try, you are

unable to sweep through a tense or painful area, and find that

the tension is intractable? During Week II, you worked at ap-

proaching those areas without judgment; perhaps you could

not fully relax into those areas. Relaxation Tape III helps you

to soften the mind around the tense areas, without the agitation

of pushing them away.

Reactions against the tension cause the mind to ac-

centuate it. It is this agitated, aversive, and reactive frame-of-

mind that you are now re-programming. Our minds are condi-

tioned to avoid unpleasant sensations and to crave the pleas-

ant. Much of what we call pain and tension is our resistance to

unpleasant sensation. Often, the experience of an unpleasant

sensation is fear. The more we resist them, the more we feel

like tension and resistance is all that we are! This can be very

wearying. Fatigue arises out of the conflict of resistance. In-

stead of closing down, you can dissolve the conditioning that

magnifies the strain and pain of stress by “softening” around

the tension. Rather than treating yourself harshly (in the name

of discipline), know that you can trust yourself and your inten-

tions and thereby, be compassionate.

Who’s got time to relax? A Goal for This Week Most of us accept stress as a way of life. But by denying our-

selves permission to acknowledge our stress, we shut down the

energy flow to that area in the body-mind, leaving it isolated

and retarding the healing process. The more we view spasm

and tension as the enemy, the more we try to push it away.

Changing this perspective keeps us from reinforcing tension

from the mind into the body. The goal of this entire program is

to create a new, healthier behavior by deliberately re-

patterning a reactive body-mind. We want you to achieve this

goal as a habit, something which precedes any thoughts. By

re-training ourselves to soften around tension, we release the

tense fist of resistance. The investigation into the resistance of

tension and pain is also an investigation into resistance to

life.

Patience . . . allows us to approach each moment with true openness and respect. Whether we are facing pleasure or pain . . . our hearts will be peaceful if we

can face it with patience. This isn‘t a quality of grim endurance, but rather one of softness and acceptance. —Inquiring Mind 1992 Calendar

Much of what we call pain and tension is our resistance to unpleasant sensation.

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24 Do you have a private space in your own home where you can retreat?

25 Are you happy with your job or career?

26 Do you have clear personal and career goals?

27 Do you enjoy where you live?

Q.1 to 27 Sub Total….

STRESS TEST,QUESTIONS #1 TO #27 0 = ALWAYS; 1 = OFTEN; 2 = SOMETIMES; 3 = ONCE IN A WHILE; 4 = NEVER

FOR QUESTIONS 28 THROUGH 42, USE THE FOLLOWING SCALE: 0 = NEVER; 1 = ONCE IN A WHILE; 2 = SOMETIMES; 3 = OFTEN; 4 = ALWAYS

28 Do you smoke cigarettes?

29 Do you drink more than 2 alcoholic drinks per day? (inc. beer and wine)

30 Do you watch TV more than one hour per day?

31 Do you regularly (weekly) experience conflict with a boss/spouse/in-law?

32 Do you often feel lonely?

33 Have you had any hard liquor in the past month?

34 Have you had a separation/loss/break-up recently?

35 Have you recently experienced the loss of a loved-one?

36 Have you had a recent illness/accident/injury?

37 Have you had a major change in your lifestyle, new baby, retirement, job ?

38 Have you had a major change in your financial situation?

39 Have you or a close relative or friend recently experienced any legal conflict, (i.e. being in prison, being sued, suing, etc.)

40 Do you have accumulated vacation time due you?

41 Do you have frequent temper outbursts or arguments in the course of a week?

42 Do you feel overloaded by your daily schedule?

Sub Total Q.1 to 27....plus Sub Total Q.28 to 42 =….Grand Total = …..



How Did you Score?

1-29: Good body/mind/spirit balance, excellent you've scored well. 30-50: Well done, certain aspects still need work, do you know what they are? 50-70: Managing on the edge of balance - one major could topple you. Pay attention. 70-100: Major aspects of stress in your life which could threaten your body/mind health. 100 plus: Close to burnout conditions, serious crash ahead. Be careful. Let the Stress Questionnaire/ Evaluation score be your guide. This Evaluation was developed from many years of experience and study of the major stress factors and gives you a reference point from which to start to evaluate your progress over the next three weeks. This evaluation tool should give you an idea of how you measure on the stress scale. At the end of three weeks you may wish to take the tests again and observe any changes that may have occurred. Evaluating your lifestyle is the first step in developing skills needed to better cope with stress. “Stress management” is really “life management.” By learning to relieve tension in the body, you can increase self-awareness and your ability to listen to the body‟s natural wisdom. The Stress Relief Program The physical healing potential of this program is based on the premise that stress creates body tension which obstructs the natural flow of vital energy and creates imbalance. Our bodies are constantly moving towards a state of natural “balance” yet, we often don‟t pay attention to our body‟s signals and we push “past” ourselves and past our balancing point. Over a prolonged period of time this behavior can create imbalance in the body and may show up in a number of areas such as headaches, mus-cle stiffness and soreness, irritability, pre-menstrual tension,

Remember if you scored badly…. NOW is the time to place this infor-mation into ac-tion, and you will change your profile and your well-being.

The goal of this program is to help you re-learn your own ability to relax.

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y

4. Major Daily Events Log. The major daily events record highlights the major events that

can trigger a stress response. This daily review can help you to

record stress, alcohol and medication levels, levels of discom-

fort and feelings over the course of three weeks so that your

can review your coping mechanisms. The exercises are de-

signed to help you stay in the moment, “tune” the parasympa-

thetic nervous system, and to begin to become aware of tension

arising in the body before it takes over. You are beginning to

learn to take control of your own circum-stances and tune into

your own body wisdom. With these exercises, you may find

some pleasant surprises. You may also find some unpleasant

surprises. Try not to judge what arises and to remain with

whatever is happening objectively. You are beginning a new

relationship to yourself. It is a time to be patient and non-

judgmental.



3. Drawing and writing in your personal

diary. Take at least 10 minutes a day and write down your physical

sensations. You can do this anytime during the day. It is a way

to objectify what you are feeling and can help release tension.

Try to be as aware as you can. Focus on your physical sensa-

tions. If you like to draw, this can be a very helpful way for

you to “see” how your stress feels.

If you feel that you are under a great deal of stress, we recommend the counsel of a dietitian or nutritionist. You may begin

to discover some connections between certain stressful situations and your body symptoms. Are there any patterns to your behavior?

11



Remember! What you get out of the Natural Stress Relief Program . . .is directly proportionate to what you put in! 1. ―Don‘t Let Stress Number Your Days.‖ —-Longevity Magazine, Oct. 1990.

gastrointestinal problems or other symptoms. Too much stress can create havoc in biochemical and bioelectromagnetic flows in the body, causing an imbalance in many body sys-tems. Imbalanced systems contribute to disease. Neuroendo-crine and hormonal imbalances, heart disease, hardening of the arteries, autoimmune disorders, arthritis, Lupus, colitis, allergies, ulcers — all implicate stress as a factor. Psychosocial stress factors are now considered determinants for certain cancers. Stress has been indicated in numerous physical and emotional imbalances including problems with infertility and menstrual cycles, sex drive, thyroid problems, diabetes, infec-tion and suppressed immune system, coronary spasms, type-A behavior, skin problems, stroke, respiratory ailments, urinary tract infections, uterine function problems, motor system distresses, mental and cognitive distress, emotional distress, behavioral disturbances, and mental illness. Common sense can tell us as well, we need to manage our stress to stay well. One of the goals of this program is to help you find your own point of balance and to learn to re-balance when stress has disrupted your natural rhythms. This program encourages you to look at what “balance” means for you, physically, men-tally, and emotionally. Maintaining your own balance can particularly help in times of stress so that the “small stuff” doesn‟t knock you sideways. As you learn to manage stress, you will also become aware of your ability to avoid such stress in the future. Stress and its symptoms are taking an enormous toll in our lifestyles and society. At large companies, payments for psychiatric and substance abuse benefits rose almost 50% in 1989. And, in a recent survey by the Journal of Business and Health, stress ranked as the number one health concern. Stress-related headaches, backache, insomnia, anxiety, depression, hyper-tension and coronary heart disease account for 75 to 90% of visits to primary care physicians. The incidence of hyperten-sion, (high blood pressure), has escalated in the United States, and now affects between 15 and 33% of the adult population.2 Other studies show all kinds of stress points. Sudden death among men 28-35 years of age who partici-pated in the Man to the Moon project at the Kennedy Space Center in the 1970‟s was 50% higher than that of age and

2. Cited by Herbert Benson, M.D. in his book The Relaxation Response



sex-matched control groups. The studies also showed a 75% divorce rate with a very high incidence of alcohol consumption, depression, anxiety, and neurotic behavior. When left un-treated or misunderstood, work stress does take its toll. Have you ever experienced the “Monday morning blues?” An interesting report from Dr. Simon Rabkin of Canada, in the American Medical News, said that the majority of fatal heart attacks occur on Mondays. Of the 3,893 cases studied, he found 75% of heart attack deaths among men at work, and 47% of those at home, occurred on a Monday. He thought that the re-introduction of occupational stress after the weekend was the probable factor.(3) Certain occupations are considered more stressful than others. Jobs that include air travel, automobile driving, executive work, medicine, dentistry, nursing, shift work, air traffic control, tele-phone work and most customer service positions are among the worst offenders. If you are in one of these professions, it would be especially wise to take measures now to enhance your stress coping strategies. However, regardless of occupation, we all live under potentially dangerous levels of stress. Television, radio, and print media bombard us with messages urging us to be beautiful, be happy, be rich, be successful, etc. So much pressure, and are these valu-able goals? It is usually only when the body begins to break down in a serious way that we decide to evaluate our lifestyle. We all respond to stress differently. We each have a different constitutional make-up and different coping mechanisms. Re-gardless of where your tension resides, relaxation techniques can help increase your own self-awareness and ability to move energy into previously isolated and tense areas of the body. With a greater energy flow, the body can move towards its own natural state of balance. Greater vitality will result. This is your first step towards composing yourself. By learning new skills to better balance your life you will increase your ability to find order and tranquility in your busy life. The 20 minutes spent every day will pay you back handsomely.

Our culture is stuck in fourth gear... The Health Revolution, —Ross: Horne(3)

‖To compose our character is our duty, Not to com-pose books, and win battles and provinces; but order and tranquility in our conduct. Our great glorious masterpiece is to live appropriately. All other things, to rule, to lay up treasure, to build are at most but Little appendi-ces and props.‖ —Michel Eyquem de Montaigne

29



Cancer Cancer preven-tion Chemotherapy

Small cats & dogs: 1/2-1 small scoop mixed in with food. Medium dogs: 1-2 small scoops mixed in with food.

Large dogs: 2-3 small scoops mixed in with food.

Some Foods Are More Relaxing So many factors contribute to stress that it is difficult to name

them all. However, there are some simple common-sense die-

tary influences that can be looked at and changed.

Many foods contain sympathomimetic agents (chemical sub-

stances that mimic the sympathetic stress response.) The most

common of these is caffeine, which belongs to the xan-thine

group of drugs. Xanthines over stimulate certain organs in the

body trigger the release of stress hormones. Too much caffeine

affects our ability to handle stress. Foods in the Xanthine

family include: coffee, tea, cocoa, and chocolate. If some of

these foods are in your diet, it would be wise to cut them out,

or at least cut down and be aware of when you are using them

in stressful situations. Ironically, these are often the foods

we run to when stress is present. Being aware of Xanthine‟s

properties may help you cut down and make a balanced diet

one of your positive coping strategies. High stress levels can

also lead to vitamin and mineral deficiencies — particularly

Vitamin C and the B vitamins. Eating a balanced diet and tak-

ing a “stress vitamin” is good insurance against nutritional

imbalance.

Daily Exercises for Week II

1. Relaxation Tape II, at least 20 minutes

per day.

2. Continue to practice your daily activity exercise as in Week I and increase the duration of practice. For

example, if you



The Mind in Balance —

A Goal for This Week

This week‟s goal is to begin cultivating a non-judgemental

mind; a worthy goal for a life-time! You may have noticed

now that some-times you have a very easy time using the

The CD, and at other times, your mind seems to wander as

though you don‟t get much benefit. Often a large part of the

stress in our lives are the attitudes we place upon ourselves,

pushing ourselves into unrealistic expectations. Often, we

think we need to feel good all the time, or that we must always

look our best, or be in peak performance condition. The truth

is we are complex changing organisms responding

to constantly changing circumstances. To expect to maintain

the same level of performance is unrealistic and impossible. A

better approach would be to allow and appreciate the wide

range of experiences that you create during relaxation. Every

time you do the relaxation practice you will have a different

experience. This does not mean that one is good or one is bad.

At times, when you experience a very deep, relaxed, peaceful

state, you might want to call this a “good” one. But this also

creates aversion to those times when it doesn‟t feel so easy.

One of the best lessons you can learn about relaxation

is that it gets easier if you suspend judgment and stop trying so

hard. As you practice, you may notice that your judgment

plays a less significant role.

When we sweep through the body we find certain

areas or muscle groups that we are unable to relax or even feel.

In some areas we are overloaded with sensations. In other ar-

eas, we can barely feel anything. Sensation is there. Every-

where in the body some biochemical and bioelectromagnetic

sensation is present; it is only our lack of awareness that may

not be discerning enough to pick it up.

As our awareness deepens and we open up numb or

tense areas, we begin to re-balance bioenergetic flow and heal

body-mind distress. Integrating and feeling the body with the

awareness of the mind assists the body in restoring its natural

energy flow. It has taken many years for tension and pain to

build up in the body. This week is a first step on a long path to

opening up awareness. It may be a long path, but remember,

you end up in the direction you are headed!

If we dream of a stressful event we excite the sympathetic nervous sys-tem and create the fight or flight response. If we get stuck in R.E.M. we can wake up exhausted, without the dip of deep refreshment into non-R. E.M.

Every time you do the relaxation practice you will have a different experience. This does not

mean that one is good or one is bad. Remember not to hurry up and relax!

13



The Value of the Stress Response A Definition of Stress For our purposes, stress can be defined as any external or inter-nal stimulus that exerts strain, pressure, or force on the mind/body system. When faced with an external or internal stimulus, the human being will exhibit a predictable behavior pattern called the “fight or flight” mechanism, or “stress re-sponse.” “Stress” places an increased demand upon the body-mind sys-tem and we go into a “stress response.” Stress becomes a factor in disease when this demand is prolonged and we are actually in a stress response for a long period of time. This creates imbal-ance, fatigue or malfunction with the organism. The fight or flight mechanism is our instinctual response in situations of extreme danger. The body and mind immediately prepare to either “take flight” or to stand and fight the real or imagined opponent. The heart begins to beat faster pumping more blood and oxygen to the brain and muscles. The senses become sharp-ened. Adrenaline begins to pump through the bloodstream as-sisting the body in strength, speed, and fearlessness. Stomach secretions diminish, decreasing the need or desire for food. Blood flows to the extremities. In total, the body achieves a state of alert readiness to face the increased demand being placed upon it. When the threat of danger has passed, the body will resume its natural state of rest, or pre-stress condition. The heart will slow down, the senses will return to normal, hunger will reappear, etc. Our response to stress occurs automatically and actually serves to protect us in demanding situations. Although most of us don‟t face imminent physical danger on a daily basis, we all confront and create situations where an in-creased demand for output is needed. When this occurs, the body prepares itself and goes into a stress response. Unless we find a way to resolve the stress, other than “fight or flight,” an imbalance in the mind-body system is created. With a simple understanding of how the stress response works, we can begin to assess our own personal situations, look at our own lifestyle demands, and learn to take steps to help ourselves resolve the stress in other ways. The human being is an ever-changing com-plex organism.



The need to find alternative responses to stress is vital to our continued full functioning as human beings. If we cannot take “flight” or “fight,” we must learn new ways to release the level of tension and anxiety produced by the desire to do so. What Happens to the Body Under Stress? The body-brain is a network of complex and functioning to keep us in balance. The central nervous system, made up of the brain, brain stem, and spinal cord, functions on the auto-nomic or reflexive level, and on the voluntary level, with our conscious control. The autonomic system which regulates our vital functioning such as heart rate, temperature, etc., without our conscious awareness is made up of the sympathetic nerv-ous system and parasympathetic nervous system. The two parts of the nervous system are known systems engaged in the stress response. The Sympathetic Nervous System The sympathetic nervous system is responsible for energizing the body to respond to stress and helps the body meet the increased demand placed upon it by the stressor. Body func-tions affected include: Heart rate is increased so that more blood and oxygen is

pumped to muscles and vital organs. Blood vessels constrict in organs that are unnecessary for

action, especially in the gastrointestinal tract. This is the feeling of the stomach “shutting down”, allowing more of the blood supply to become available to the heart stom-ach “shutting down”, allowing more of the blood supply to b come available to the heart and muscles where it is needed.

The bronchi which carry air in the lungs expand and breathing becomes easier and deeper, with more oxygen exchanged.

All five senses become more sensithe pupils of the eye dilate making vision clearer and easier in the dark, touch, taste and smell all become more acute.

Release more glucose in the body; cortisone is also re-leased.

The fight-or-flight response helps us to survive.

27



Generally we do not cultivate the mind‟s ability to interface

with the body. Being unaware in our physical activity, with

our thoughts wandering in the past or the future, we create a

split between mind and body. Sweeping the body with aware-

ness and relaxation helps us to integrate the mind and

body to better elicit a relaxation response. This release im-

proves bioenergetic flow and biochemical balance. Releasing

the armoring of muscle spasms can be achieved with regular

practice. One meditation teacher said “It is not so difficult to

be out of the body as it is to be in it!” Sweeping through the

body allows awareness to meet the tensions and relax them,

not as an idea, but as a direct experience of reality. Many peo-

ple suffer from sleep disruption when they are experiencing a

great deal of stress. We noticed that many people participating

in the programs at the D‟Arcy Wellness Clinic were using the

relaxation CD to help them get to sleep. Many of the stresses

of our day are processed in our dream states at night, the

R.E.M. or Rapid Eye Movement sleep stage. Usually this

REM sleep progresses into a stage of very deep sleep where

we get rejuvenated and renewed. However, if we get stuck in

REM, i.e. too much dreaming, we awake tired.

Stress can disrupt sleep because it over-stimulates

the nervous system. When we are so “hyped” up, it takes

longer for the parasympathetic nervous system to bring us

back down and relax into sleep, especially if it isn‟t “tuned

up.” If you are experiencing difficulty falling asleep, try using

this side of the tape this week. Even if you don‟t have trouble

falling asleep, try this side of the tape before bed and experi-

ence yourself consciously relaxing into the sleep stage. This

will continue to improve your skills of awareness and connec-

tion between your mind and body

Releasing the armoring of muscle spasms can be achieved with regular practice of the Body Scan Relaxation Technique. One meditation teacher said ―It is not so difficult to be out of the body as it is to be in it!‖



Week Two Theme—

‘Relaxing and Moving Through’

Week Two What To Expect During Week Two? Now that you have be-

come aware of the tension in your body, what can you do

about it? With increased self-awareness and self-evaluation we

become conscious of when we start to go into a stress re-

sponse. One person may discover that whenever the boss

walks in the office she gets sweaty palms and her respiration

becomes shorter. Another person may discover that two hours

after the morning coffee break, he is feeling headachy and a

little hungry. You may find that whenever you get to a certain

body part, your mind begins to wander, and the next thing you

know the tape is over. In this week of the course, you‟ll ex-

pand your awareness to a new level, helping you to access

your mind so that you can move energy easily through those

tight and tense areas.

The Relaxation CD accompanies you and takes you

through the body, this time spend time on areas that you noted

during the first week as tight or tense. The mind and body are

constantly communicating. If you are experiencing tension or

tightness in one area of the body, this is an area that needs

some attention. The relaxation process can help to bring atten-

tion to these areas in a safe, calm space without trying to force

or change the sensation into something else. The key is relaxa-

tion and making room for the body to naturally relax into

place.

By scanning through your body with your mind, mov-

ing through tension, you are attempting bring the mind and

body back together; you are getting the mind accus-tomed to

“listening” to the body. You want to identify areas of secon-

dary tension and strain that are present in times of stress.

Withawareness, you make conscious those areas of

tension and strain that are often shut down by the mind, delib-

erately not felt in the mind‟s attempt to keep pain and tension

out. For example, not feeling tightness in the shoulder muscles

until hours later; the obvious stressor may be gone, but the

resulting headache remains.

15



4 For a detailed explanation, we recommend reading Controlling Stress and ten-sion, listed in the Bibliography.

The adrenal glands secrete adrenaline and reinforce the sympathetic nervous system, stimulating the liver to with thyroid hormones to help increase the body‟s metabo-lism.

There is a release of endorphin, the body‟s natural pain-

killer. There is a reduction in sex hormones, testosterone for

males, progesterone or females, decreasing sexual drive. Skin hairs stand on end, and skin turns pale and sweats. These biochemical changes help us survive when there is a need for enhanced functioning. The stress response has helped our species survive millions of years. Problems occur when the response is maintained over long periods of time with no resolution. The prolonged excitation of certain organs and inhibition of other organs causes imbalance and “burnout.” The Parasympathetic Nervous System The parasympathetic nervous system works in conjunction with the sympathetic nervous system and helps re-balance the body after the arousal. The parasympathetic stimulation of the organs slows down the heart, expands the blood vessels in the gastrointestinal system, constricts the bronchi, and returns the senses and raised hormone and endorphin levels back to nor-mal. When we learn to relax it is the parasympathetic nervous system that we are activating. This is called the trophotropic “tuning” of the system.4 For most of us, the “tone” has decreased in our parasympa-thetic system. By constantly over-stimulating ourselves, we get over-“tuned” on the arousal side of functioning. When we get stuck in this hyper-drive, the body begins to suffer. It is possi-ble, however, to work on tuning the parasympathetic nervous system and, over time, learn to achieve balance more readily. What is a parasympathetic workout? Regular relaxation, medi-tation, yoga — anything that increases our ability to bounce back.

Problems occur when the Stress response is maintained over long periods of time.



How much is too much? The Point of Balance. Composure. There exists a balance point inside you where the right amount of stress is actually healthy and productive. Too little stress can be just as much of a problem as too much. This truth was uncovered in 1908 by Yerkes and Dodson at the Harvard Physiology Lab. They showed that as stress increased, so too did performance and efficiency. It was when stress continued to increase that performance and efficiency began to decrease. Studies in the workplace are clear: too much or not enough stress are both factors in decreased performance. TOO MUCH! • Rigidity of work tasks • Extreme role conflict • Work overload • Too much responsibility • Cut-throat competition • Constant work-routine changes • Too many “stress carriers” (anxious people) TOO LITTLE! • Extreme ambiguity of work task • Too little conflict • Work stagnation • Too little responsibility • No competition • Too much routine • Too little interaction (social isolation) Like the Chinese principles of Yin and Yang, neither extreme is healthy. According to this theory, everything holds two opposite forces: "Yin” (too little, parasympathetic nervous system) and "Yang" (too much/sympathetic nervous system). The balanced body-mind achieves harmony, which in turn gives strength to fight against disease and disharmony. Bal-ance between too much and too little activity can be achieved by each person with increased self-awareness. We all need to find our balancing point. Because when the SNS and the PSNS „fall out‟ of balance, disharmony and imbalance occurs within our immune systems, endocrine

RESPIRATORY

The balanced body-mind achieves har-mony, which in turn gives strength to fight against disease and disharmony.

25



4. Major Daily Events Log. The major daily events record highlights the major events that

can trigger a stress response. This daily review can help you to

record stress, alcohol and medication levels, levels of discomfort

and feelings over the course of three weeks so that your can

review your coping mechanisms. The exercises are designed to

help you stay in the moment, “tune” the parasympathetic nerv-

ous system, and to begin to become aware of tension arising in

the body before it takes over. You are beginning to learn to take

control of your own circumstances and tune into your own body

wisdom. With these exercises, you may find some pleasant sur-

prises. You may also find some unpleasant surprises. Try not to

judge what arises and to remain with whatever is happening

objectively. You are beginning a new relationship to yourself. It

is a time to be patient and non-judgmental.

Inner peace is not the absence of conflict nor the absence of challenge but rather the capacity to be with what is in each moment without prejudice or

judgement. —Christina Feldman



3. Drawing and writing in your personal

diary. Take at least 10 minutes a day and write down your physical

sensations. You can do this anytime during the day. It is a way

to objectify what you are feeling and can help release tension.

Try to be as aware as you can. Focus on your physical sensa-

tions. If you like to draw, this can be a very helpful way for

you to “see” how your stress feels.

Review your log for triggers; you may spot patterns.

17



―eustress‖= good stress. ―distress‖= bad stress.

Good Stress and Bad Stress Dr. Hans Selye, widely acclaimed authority on stress, identified two types of stress, “eustress”, or good stress, and “distress”, bad stress. Eustress refers to positive stress, because it‟s related to a positive event such as a birth, a promotion, etc. It causes less damaging effects because the body adapts to it more easily. Also life changes whether good or bad are always accompanied by some stress and the body can usually contend with a normal amount. Indeed, as described above, you need a certain amount of stress to keep you motivated and perform effectively. Only when the stress reaches a point when the body can no longer cope easily does “distress” occur.



Four stages of the stress response process:

The first is the “alarm reaction,” our initial reaction to a

stressful event.

The second is the “fight or flight” response, the prepara-

tion for response.

The third stage is the “resistance stage” where the body

adapts to the increased demand being placed upon it. This

is the stage when we take an aspirin, or work hard all

week and then catch up on the weekend. We can handle

this for a short period of time.

The fourth stage is “the exhaustion phase,” the point of

overadaptation, when the body begins to break down in

order to cope. This is where the dangers of stress are most

apparent. Long-term, low-level daily stress causes the

most problems, because the body never fully recovers or

resolves the stress on a daily basis. This kind of stress is

difficult to pin-point, because it never seems so bad. This

is when time becomes a factor. We push our-selves five

days a week, using coffee or sugar for energy, pushing

past tiredness to achieve whatever goals we set for our-

selves, and never fully unwind. The cycle goes on and on.

And although the body will adapt, it will be at the expense

of vital functioning. Certain bodily organs will be over-

worked, and others will be under-worked, creating the

facade of balance, yet out-of-true-balance.

23



Diabetes mellitus type 1 &2 High blood glucose Chronic diabetic conditions Diabetic Retinopathy

Diabetic cataracts

sensation of relaxation. As you proceed, you will be able to

move into release of tension and relaxation more easily. Al-

though we are recommending 20minutes a day, the goal is to

become aware in general so that you will be able to catch the

tension in the body before it creates greater problems. Are you

aware that your headaches start with tension in the shoulders

and neck? Becoming more aware of unconscious habits or

connections between situations in your life and tension is the

first step towards changing those patterns before they wreak

havoc on the body-mind.

Recommended Daily Exercises

1. Relaxation CD

The CD can be used at any time during the day. Find a suitable

time for you. It may be early in the morning; when you arrive

home from work; or before bed. Experiment with different

times. Then choose your favorite time and try to be consistent

for a few days to develop a positive habit. Listen daily and be

aware of how the tape makes you feel. Do you notice any

changes? Make some personal notes for yourself.

2. The Daily Awareness Activity. Choose one activity that you do daily, i.e. taking a shower,

eating breakfast, driving to work. While performing this activ-

ity, remain focused in the present. Take note of how your body

is feeling. Be fully aware of your senses. For example, if you

choose taking a shower as your activity, try to feel the water

on your body. How does the soap smell? What are you seeing?

What are you tasting? While you are doing this, note when and

where the mind drifts. Try to increase the time you are aware

during this activity and be as conscious as you can for the du-

ration. If you do nothing else, daily practice can help to keep

you grounded and centered. You may find that it is relaxing in

itself and that worries and stressful thoughts have disappeared

without actively “working” on it.



―When you gaze at an object, you bring bless-ing to it. For through contemplation, you know that it is absolutely nothing without the divinity that permeates it. By means of This awareness, you draw greater vitality to that object from the divine source of life.‖ —Dov Baerot

Week One Theme — Awareness

What to Expect in Week One

How did you score on the stress and coping strategy evalua-

tions? Are you “stressed out”? Regardless of whether you are

experiencing stress in a major or a minor way, relaxation can

be an invaluable tool. If you are under stress now, learning to

relax can help you cope with what‟s going on now and help

you see clearly how to make changes for the future. If

you are not under so much stress now, so much the better.

Learning relaxation skills now can vastly improve your

chances of coping with future stresses and lower your

likelihood of going into “distress.” The key theme of Week

one is Awareness. You will focus on bringing the mind and

body back together — “listening” to your body. Most of us

walk around with our consciousness either in the past or fu-

ture, performing one activity preoccupied with another. This

habit of not being “present” can keep us out of touch with our

body‟s signals.

During the first week we are working to become aware of

what is, paying attention to the sensations of tension and re-

lease on the body without trying to change them. It has

taken many years for tension to build up in the body. This first

week is just a small step toward opening up your awareness in

the body. If you come across a very tight or tense area where it

seems difficult to release, take note of these areas, and move

on. Often just bringing your attention to an area will start to

relax it. However, if this does not happen, do not worry or

dwell on this body part. Keep moving, noting your ability to

release and move on.

The Relaxation CD.‟s purpose is to bring the mind through

the body consciously and to seek to stay present with the body

part being relaxed. Twenty minutes a day is recommended —

twice a day is even better.

Keep the mind moving through the body — don‟t get stuck. At

first, you may find your mind drifting. With practice, however,

you will only need to think of a body part and relaxation will

take place. through the body will help you to become more

aware of letting go of tension, and to become familiar with the

Please don‘t try to force awareness. Rather, smilingly coax it !

19



The Mind-Body Connection

Of Tension and Triggers Mental and emotional stress can be as debilitating, as physical

stress and can often be much worse. The mind and emotions

trigger the same stress response in the body. It makes sense

that if mental and emotional states can make us ill, they can

also help to make us well. Mind-to-body mechanisms can trig-

ger relaxation responses and the release of “endorphins,” the

body‟s natural morphine. You may be aware of the feeling of

well-being associated with the release of endorphins that fol-

lows a satisfying physical “work-out.” Stress sufferers can also

access this natural bodily process to manage tension.

Studies show that simple progressive relaxation and

meditation techniques produce a similar response of well-being

in the body. The relaxation technique and this program to in-

crease your awareness of stress, can help dissipate the effects

of prolonged mental and emotional stress on the body-mind.

The technique uses mind imagery to move bioelectromagnetic

energy through the tight tense areas. This “opens up” the tense

areas so that a free flow of energy can move through the body

and help you relax and heal. Simple relaxation techniques can

help train this mind-to-body interface and help you achieve a

free and even flow of bioenergy throughout the body.

Research pioneered by Dr. Robert O. Becker has in-

vestigated and proven how minute electrical currents in the

body can stimulate biochemical healing. The body utilized

these minute currents to initiate repair and rejuvenation. Rein-

forcing these „currents of bioenergy‟ enhances healing. Simple

relaxation can create a similar response in the body by opening

up the flow of energy in previously tight or tense areas. By

learning to interface the mind with the body, we may gain

some control of bioenergetic and bio-chemical balance.

Reinforcement of the body‟s natural healing energy is

central to another ancient healing art — acupuncture. Chinese

medicine, an energetic medicine, works with the minute con-

densations of force-fields formed by the body‟s bioelectro-

magnetic energy. Acupuncture has proposed for thousands of

‖If one is happy, not only the body, but the whole world will be happy. So one must find out how to become happy oneself.‖ – Romana Mahari

If you dream of a stressful event, your body produces a fight-or-flight response. No wonder you wake up exhausted on some morn-ings. If we clear stress before bed, we are more likely to sleep restfully.



years that “Qi” or Life-Force, flows through channels or me-

ridians in the body. These meridians exist throughout the body

like a 3- dimensional energetic road map. Imbalance or block-

age in these subtle circuits of Life-Force contribute to disease.

Moving through tension By moving your mind through and relaxing isolated, tense and

painful areas in the body, you can enhance your body‟s innate

healing potential. By reinforcing the movement of Qi, or bio-

energy, into the areas of tension brings healing balance and

regulation to these areas. Tense and painful areas are often

isolated by the consciousness of the sufferer. This prevents the

body‟s energy and blood from nourishing and moving in to

release tight, contracted muscles.

This program works on relaxing and opening-up areas of

stress and tension on the body, to help the body-mind regain

its natural balance. Interfacing the mind with the body regu-

larly with the relaxation CD helps train the body-mind to un-

wind more readily and release tension created by stress. In

time, you will become skillful at inducing a relaxation re-

sponse.

Many relaxation and meditation techniques are focused pri-

marily upon taking the mind away from the body by concen-

trating on a mantra, prayer, image, etc. This is a helpful way to

improve concentration, but these techniques serve only to dis-

tract the mind, keeping it disconnected from the body. In order

to learn how to respond to the tension of stress, you must learn

to listen to the body. The relaxation CD is designed to

be used with this purpose in mind. First, you will become

aware of where tension resides in the body. Then, by learning

to re-route the body‟s energy to move through the tension, you

will begin regain balance.

Imbalance or blockage in these subtle circuits of Life-Force contribute to disease.

Opening up the flow of energy Into previously tight or tense areas. to switch off fight-or-flight responses. Interfacing

the mind, the body regularly with relaxation helps train us to unwind more effectively.

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‖To compose our character is our duty, Not to compose books, and win battles and provinces; but order and tranquility in our conduct. Our great glorious

masterpiece is to live appropriately. All other things, to rule, to lay up treasure, to build are at most but little appendices and props.‖ —Michel Eyquem de

Montaigne

Inner peace is not the absence of conflict nor the absence of challenge but rather the capacity to be with what is in each moment without prejudice or judgment. —Christina Feldman

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