Time-out from Stress
Stress is not always avoidable, but you can take time-out. Presented by Roger Macdivitt and Sheila Kennedy-Robinson
Before we continue to present and discuss the aspects of stress we can take “time-out”.
Time-out to relax.
What has relaxation got to do with stress? Obvious really.
Relaxation is the opposite. Like, negative and positive, good and bad, hot and cold etc.
Positive and positive = positive
Negative and negative = negative
But, negative and positive = cancel each other.
If you are in a stressed situation YOU NEED TO GET AWAY PHYSICALLY.
If your stress is due to something that is difficult to escape (violent partner, bereavement, financial or health problems etc). it may be difficult, but you need to try. I don’t use the word TRY very often, but, I realise that some stress can be due to control of you by something or someone.
If you can get time alone take advantage of that. Don’t let your stress lead to depression. Do something.
In the last posting we talked of “fight or flight” and what it does to the body, basically producing tension. We need to add a positive, some relaxation.
What can relaxation do for you?
Reduce Blood pressure
Reduce anger
Reduce pain
Improve your mood
Increase self awareness
Increase feelings of well-being
Decrease strain upon your heart
Reduces the chance of chronic disease
Improve sleep
Improve body’s immune system
Not bad eh?
You could get a notepad and write down all of the times that you felt particularly stressed. Write down your calmer moments and see if you can decide why you were more or less stressed.
Note anything that comes to you as a helpful relief from your stress.
Anti-stress breathing.
Practice this when you are enjoying a less stressed feeling. You could use this technique when you need it.
Inhale slowly and deeply through your nose.
Hold your breath and count to six.
Breathe out slowly through your mouth and while you do so use a soft hissing noise. This will help to slow your breathing.
Repeat this five or six times until you feel your stress lessen.
As a longer-term solution use this technique.
Breathing Gently.
1. Go to a comfortable place, sit down.
2. Pay special attention to your breathing and take special notice of the air as it passes through your nose and into your lungs. Notice how your chest muscles draw air into your lungs.
3. Allow your breathing to take on a gentle and slow flow.
4. Imagine a delicate little flower with soft petals, see in your mind how they move when you exhale. Then reduce your exhaling to a point where the petals stop moving. Breathing gently, gently, gently.
5. Concentrate upon each breath as it enters your nose and into your lungs.
6. Now check and feel how your breathing relaxes you, feeling calm, calm, calm.
7. Feel just how refreshing the air is in your lungs.
8. Continue to concentrate upon the breaths as they enter your body, refreshing and calming.
9. Try this for five minutes a day.
If for any reason this causes you more stress you should cease and consult a doctor.(rare).
Take care of what you eat or drink. Avoid stimulants. Think about what you eat and enjoy eating food that is healthy. If you cannot sleep well all night, then try to get two good sessions of sleep a day instead.
There are many good books that I could recommend that you read but I rarely do so, however, gentle and uplifting stories are useful.
I recommend:
Chicken Soup for the Soul,
written and compiled by
Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen
ISBN 1-55874-262-X
And for the over 60’s
Chicken Soup for the Golden Soul
By the same authors
ISBN 1-55874-725-7
Both published by Health Communications, Inc.
Stress and memories can be linked, as in Post traumatic stress. If this is something you wish to understand then please ask and we will try to deal with it.
Roger Macdivitt
There are MANY ways to relax.
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Sheila has some wonderful knowledge and training and coupled with her unique and loving way of communicating she makes her suggestions here:
Thank you Roger and a great job as always. Did you know that Roger always says 'Please feel free to comment and disagree before I post this' As if I could, Roger has some great ideas and he shares them very well.
I have asked Roger to attach a short set of Vibrational sounds which I have recorded using Tingshaw bells which are Tibetan in origin and the basis of much of my work in Vibrational Sound therapy.
The Stress sounds are a little over two minutes long, and you can play them as often as you like, they will alleviate much of the stress that you are holding in your body allowing you to feel more relaxed. You do not need to be focused on them however you may enjoy just closing your eyes while they play and relax. *
*(A huge apology to everyone and especially to Sheila, although I managed to save the files and also placed them onto a removable memorystick I could not find out how to place a link here, HENCE THE DELAY IN THIS FORUM POST . If somebody could volunteer to help we would appreciate it. This is important as these are wonderful. Roger
There are many ways I have shared with my clients over the years to release stresses and to relax, and I will share some short ones and a longer one with you.
At the end of the day if you are coming home from work, 'give' your stresses of the day to a tree, just pat the trunk and say 'thank you' as you allow the tree to dissipate them for you.
Ask yourself, 'if this is not mine, please take it away' often we carry stresses and tension that we have 'picked up' during the day or along the way. Return it to whence it came with love, and allow yourself to relax.
A warm, not a hot bath is a great way of relaxing, dim lights, soft music if you have the time, and some essential oil, a few drops of Lavender in your bath water is a good relaxant, or a drop of Lavender oil on a tissue inside your pillow case also helps you to be more relaxed as you sleep.
If you do not have a bath available, and many modern homes only have showers some lavender scented body was may be a good alternative, or some lavensder oi in a diffuser or oil burner.
A Banana and a glass of milk before bed are more beneficial for your seratonin levels [the chemical that helps you sleep] than a hot chocolate which although the milk is good, chocolate is an artificial stimulant.
Holding a Rose Quartz crystal in your hand can also produce a calm and relaxed state.
A gentle walk will also allow many people to relax, as will spending time with a beloved pet.
Let go of the stresses exercise
One of my favorite remedies / suggestions has long been what I call the River Bank
Allow your self five to ten minutes where you will not be disturbed
Sit or lie comfortably
Imagine you are walking long the bank of a river, its a smooth and comfortable path, and easy underfoot.
When you arrive at a place in the river where the water is a deep colour indicating depth stop and become aware of a wicker laundry basket full of rocks beside you on the path.
These rocks are all of the troubles, stresses and issues of the day.
As you pick up a rock you may identify which particular stress it was, however it is not important.
Throw the rock into the water and watch is sink.
Keep throwing the rocks from the basket into the water until you are left with the small pebbles and grave type bits in the bottom of the basket.
Throw those and the basket into the river and watch the basket sink.
Remember that the basket is wicker so it is bio degradeable and will not pollute the river. It will disintergrate in the water.
Take a deep breath and brush off your hands and allow all of the stresses you have given to the river to float away.
Now, replace those stresses with a positive thought or feeling, more than one if you would like, and breathe deeply again, then one more deep deep breathe, and then breathe normally as you walk back along the way you came feeling calm and relaxed.
You can use this tecnhnique as often as you wish and it is a good last thing of a night prelude to sleep.
For those who have difficulty relaxing enough to sleep, some gentle music is often a good way to relax, or a guided imagery meditation or hypnosis tape or CD may also be of benefit.
I find many of my clients who use my voice never hear the end of the program and drift off into a dreamless sleep.
If you found the Stress sounds / bells helpful you can access some more Vibrational sounds programs at www.soundsfromsourceacademy.com which offers a complementary / free seven week program of e classes and downloadable sounds.
Until next time enjoy relaxing, it may well extend your life
Peace Love and Light
Sheila