We unfortunately life in a fast-living society where stress at work and home can cause all sorts of emotional turmoil and which can lead to depression.  All of us must be aware of these symptoms so that we can utilise the many stress relief techniques available to us.

Chi Kung and Yoga are two of many Meditation exercises which are excellent for stress relief.

Uncontrollable external forces exert negative pressure upon an individual, producing emotional strain or stress.

The emotional experience of stress is often labelled as: “anxious / depressed / angry / fed up / bored / unfulfilled”.  The negative feelings are amplified because sufferers do not know how to get rid of it.  There are different symptoms of anxiety and stress and some of them are listed hereunder:

Boreout

An absence of meaningful tasks, boredom and consequent lack of satisfaction and rather than stress, this is a crucial problem for many individuals working in modern organisations, especially in office-based white collar jobs.  Boreout sufferers are frustrated by being unable to either contribute to the development of the company or use their skills, knowledge and abilities, or get recognised for their efforts.  They do not get an opportunity or challenged to keep them interested, so they get bored.

Anger

We all have experienced the intense emotional feelings of hostility, anger, rage, fury, irritation, wrath, resentment, indignation, etc, as varying degrees of marked displeasure.  Anger is commonly expressed in response to irritating, threatening, unpleasant or frustrating situations.  Mostly these experiences are caused by a realisation about life, but something they would rather not know, or rather ignore.

Depression

Depression is a mood disorder characterised by intense feelings of loss, sadness, hopelessness, failure and rejection.  If left untreated it may even result in suicide.  It is, however, one of the most clearly defined and treatable of mental illnesses.  Many of the different stress relief techniques can help to alleviate depression and stress, but the help of a professional is undeniably the best way to get rid of depression.

If you need help to alleviate some of these symptoms, the best way to determine what is the cause of stress in your life, is to consult a Perception Specialist to help with stress management, or merely eliminate the stress completely.

If you have not done Meditation for relaxation before, it is a good idea to start with an Instructor or to find a class near you.  If you want a personal reference, please contact me and I will direct you to my personal contacts in London.

Learn more here: Reality Squared

Stress is derived from the Latin word stringere, meaning “to draw tight”.  In the olden days it was used to describe affliction and hardship experienced by the poor working classes.  There are many different ways of stress relief techniques which can benefit us to relief stress.  To name a few there are meditation exercises like Yoga, Tai Chi, and Chi Kung.

It can produce as many different emotions as it can physical effects.  Stress is also usually associated with feeling a lack of control and involvement in the decisions which affect life and work.

All of us are exposed to stressful work or home circumstances and can find it difficult to cope with the emotional symptoms.  Some of the symptoms of stress and anxiety are

listed hereunder:

Burnout

Is a psychological term for the experience of long-term exhaustion, cynicism and diminished interest.  No ambition and no interest feelings set in.  Work, people, hobbies, sport and events that were of interest before, are of no particular consequence anymore.  Sleep and doing the minimum is more attractive.

Fearfulness

Being afraid you may die or being injured. Fear is when you experience feelings of aversion, regret, concern or apprehension in regard to something in your life.  Fear can stop people dead in their tracks, stop them from living life full out, or draw them into themselves, unwilling to move forward in life.

Anxiety

Anxiety is an emotional state of fear, uncertainty, apprehension and dread, resulting from the anticipation of a real or fantasised threatening situation.  It is an emotional state rather than a response to a clear and actual danger.  It is marked by physiological signs such as sweating, increased pulse and tension.

Cynicism

Scornful or jaded negativity, especially a general distrust of the integrity or professed motives of others. This can, in turn, cause depression, fear, anxiety or anger.

All of these above-mentioned different emotional experiences of anxiety and stress are part of our modern society and everyone should be aware and watchful in themselves and their loved ones to look out for these symptoms.

If you find that you struggle to cope with your stress symptoms, it would be advisable to consult a Perception Specialist to help you find a way to relief the stress completely.  If you have not done Meditation before, it is a good idea to start with an Instructor or to find a class near you.  If you want a personal reference, please contact me and I will direct you to my personal contacts in London.

Learn more here: Reality Squared

Chi-kung is an ancient Chinese practice believed to invigorate the body and bring well-being and wealth.  It is one of many stress relief techniques and is based upon the belief in the existence of the universal energy that undergirds the cosmos, called “chi”.

A Chi-kung system consists of one or more of the following types of training:

• Dynamic Chi-Kung

Dynamic chi-kung can be easily recognised as a series of carefully-choreographed gestures or movements as a stress relief exercise that are designed to manipulate and promote the flow of chi within the practitioner’s body and requires a unity of body, mind and spirit.  Chi-kung are also one of the many ways if coping with stress.  Dynamic chi-kung brings about a build up of heat and Chi energy in the body by opening the energetic flow in the body by using fast paced, no-resistance movements.

• Static Chi-kung

Static Chi-kung is performed by holding a certain stance, position or posture for a period of time.  The mental and physical effort required to keep the posture results in the appropriate manipulation of chi for the Chi-kung practitioner.  There are some similarities between static chi-kung and yoga and both are excellent for meditation and stress.

Each type of training originated from different elements within Chinese society and emphasises different aspects of chi-kung theory.  Meditation, Tai Chi, Yoga and many of the different chi-kung training methods are all excellent stress relief techniques.

If you have not done any of these types of stress relief exercises before, it is a good idea to start with an Instructor or to find a class near you.  If you want a personal reference, please contact me and I will direct you to my personal contacts in London.

Learn more here: Reality Squared

Chi-kung is a kind of training that is classed as one of the stress relief techniques which revitalises the body.  It is a very old Chinese practice which they believe brings health and wealth. Breaking down this fact, it is evident that most wealthy people in the world have a very spiritual “sense” of energy and learning how to control their Chi energy.  Those who never learned this concept, often burn out or develop some sort of adrenal problems associated with stress and adrenalin.  Chi-kung training is alleged to be a belief in the reality of the energy that supports the universe, called chi.

The training systems of chi-kung consist of more than one form of training which are ways of coping with stress and the following two are:

• Meditative Chi-kung

Most Chi-kung training will involve some form of meditation as part of the stress relief exercise.  The details of Chi-kung practice will differ depending on the origins of the meditation tradition.  In the Buddhist method, the aim is to still the mind through inward or outward focus.  In Confucius scholar tradition, the focus is on virtue and humanity with the aim of self-enlightenment and in Daoist and TCM tradition, meditative Chi-kung seeks to lead chi through the proper meridian pathways with the aim of  completing a smooth continuous flow of chi through the practitioner.

• Chi-kung with external agents

In Medical and Daoist methods, specialised food and drinks are prescribed to aid in the manipulation of chi.  In the martial art Chi-kung, the use of massage and various other forms of body conditioning are used as method of stress reduction while promoting chi flow.  In some Chi-kung systems, a Chi-kung master can emit chi or manipulate the flow of chi within the practitioner as a form of treatment or healing.

The different types of Chi-kung training accentuate different aspects of Chi-kung theory and it was derived from different fundamentals in the Chinese culture.  Different chi-related training methods like Yoga, Meditation and Tai Chi, to name a few, are all excellent stress relief techniques.

If you are interested in practising any of these ways of relieving stress and different training methods, it is a good idea to start with an Instructor or to find a class near you.  I will direct you to my personal contacts in London if you get in touch with me for a personal reference.

Learn more here: Reality Squared

The main philosophy of yoga is simple:  body, mind and spirit are all one and cannot be clearly separated.  The basic idea is to unite the “atma”, or individual soul, with the “paramatma”, or the universal soul, but a multitude of philosophical ideas developed by looking into the deeper dimensions of body, mind and spirit.  Yoga is one of the well-known stress relief techniques.

According to yoga philosophy, by cleansing one’s mind and controlling one’s thought processes, one can return to that primeval state, when the individual self was nothing but a part of the divine self.  The aim is to be able to perceive the world in its true light and to accept that truth in its entirety.

In all yoga schools of thought there is an emphasis on the mind remaining calm because as the saying goes: “only when the water is still, you can see through it”.  That is why yoga also uses meditation as a basis for clearing the mind.

Meditation is a focusing of the mind on a single object, ideally ceasing all other thoughts.  As thoughts disappear, the mind becomes quiet and we are able to be fully in the present moment.  The techniques and theory of meditation are simple and easy to learn, but the ability to keep the mind focused takes practice, patience and time.  If you need assistance ask for professional help or contact me so I can refer you to my personal contacts in London.

Yoga posture sequences are a series of postures arranged to flow together one after the other and works well as a stress relief.  Normally you will start with a warm-up sequence before continuing onto the basic-, beginning-, intermediate-; or special sequences depending on your level and capabilities.

Some of the more well-known postures in yoga, are as follow:

• Sit / Easy position – Sukhasana
• Dog and cat
• Mountain – Tadasana
• Forward bend or extension – Uttanasana II
• Triangle – Trikonasana
• Warrior II – Virabhadrasana II
• Cobra – Bhujangasana
• Downward Facing Dog – Adho Mukha Svanasana
• Head to Knee – Janu Shirshasana
• Half Shoulderstand — Ardha Sarvangasana
• The Bridge – Sethu Bandhasa
• The Corpse – Savasana

Meditation for stress is often enquired about and Yoga is one of the great stress relief techniques where the emphasis is on the mind remaining calm while getting a great workout.

Learn more here: Reality Squared

Tai Chi is based upon the philosophy that smoothly flowing life force energy (Chi means energy) is of utmost importance to health.  It is a constant flow of slow movements that helps your body and your mind to connect, creating synergy and congruence between the body and mind.  Tai Chi exercises are one of many stress relief techniques.

Tai Chi practices balance and increases the body’s energies and develops feelings of well being, strength and health.  It uses the natural functions of your body to release stress, clear blockages in the body, help with coordination and stamina and to heal the body from the joints to the organs.  The central idea in Tai Chi is to create flow in the Chi energy/life force, to create free flowing energy through the meridians in the body to create balance.

Tai Chi exercises have a cumulative effect – the effects of the practice increases as you practice through the year – your body will become stronger, more relaxed, your health will improve and your spirits will lift.

The first step in the practice of Tai Chi is to have the correct posture.  It is very important that the posture should be relaxed and natural, to allow smooth breathing in order to help the mind into a quiet and relaxed state.  Even though muscles are contracting when moving into different forms, the contractions are relaxed and not forced.  Almost like a cataleptic contraction of muscles, where the posture can be held for several minutes without getting tired.

Another basic skill to be mastered is how to concentrate and regulate your mental activity in order to enter a quiet, meditative state.  As a meditation guide, the four most common methods used to enter such a state are as follows:

• Fixing the mind – the mind concentrates on a specific point on the body, most commonly the “dantian”, this is also your centre of gravity which is more or less an inch below the navel, whilst getting rid of all other thoughts.
• Following the breath – one concentrates on the breath, essentially on the undulation of abdominal breathing, making sure that conscious control of the breathing is avoided.
• Moving to the breath – inhalation and exhalation counts as one breath.  Each breath and part of the breath is coupled with a specific flowing movement.  Your focus is not on the movement or the breath but the synchronicity between the two until your ears hear nothing, your eyes see nothing and your mind is clear of thoughts.
• Focus on the breath – focus on your breathing until you actually stop hearing your breathing and enter a quiet state.

Once you have reached the quiet stage, the key is to just do nothing.  You will experience the conscious flow of energy through the body, being able to feel energy moving around parts of your body.  This enables you to utilise the surrounding energy to heal your body and for other daily activities.  If you have not done Tai Chi before, it is a good idea to start with an Instructor or to find a class near you.  If you want a personal reference, please contact me and I will direct you to my personal contacts in London.

Using relaxation, breathing and meditation are just a few of the hundreds of stress release techniques.

Learn more here: Reality Squared

Meditation is an art that can both be the simplest and the hardest thing to master as one of the stress relief techniques.  It is simple because you only need yourself to do it, but at the same time it is hard because it requires discipline.  There are different categories which you can use as a meditation guide and all forms of meditation (like Yoga, Tai Chi, Chi Kung and Tantra to name a few) fall into one of the following categories:

• Empty mind meditation — where the aim is to quiet your mind from thinking.
• Body meditation — normally involves a scan of the body, from head to toe, where you focus your attention on one body part at a time.
• Transcendental meditation — meditation that brings on a state of deep restfulness.
• Chakra meditation — Popular Buddhist meditation that focuses on the seven energy centres known as chakras.
• Energy meditation — focuses on energy that is around us and in us.
• Mantra meditation — using a technique of repeating specific sounds or words known as a mantra.

The goal of meditation is to take us to an altered state of consciousness that is different from what we experience during sleep, or when we are awake.  During this altered state of consciousness, there is an increase in the level of brain activity so we become more aware of the balance and non-judgement from the universe, which can lead to stability in emotion, seeing problems in perspective and bringing us back to source.  So whatever meditation techniques we choose to use, the results usually remain the same.

Meditation also has the following benefits:

• Stress relief – it is a valuable asset in maintaining optimum mental and physical health.
• Slows down alpha brain waive activity – causing heart rate, metabolic rate and respiration rate to be lower in comparison to sleep or hypnotic states.
• Clear thinking and improved concentration – because the mind is calm and you are in a quiet state, you feel free from the confusion of thoughts that you experience throughout your day.
• Improve focus and determination – Strengthens the mind and help to bring it under our conscious control.

There are many different categories of meditation and if you utilise some of the above-mentioned methods as a meditation guide, all of them can be used as stress relief techniques. You could also make use of knowledgeable professionals to assist you.  If you need a professional to help you, please contact me and I will refer you to my personal contacts in London.

Learn more here: Reality Squared

Stress relief techniques can be very handy in coping with everyday stress.  We are all bombarded with deadlines, financial commitments, family commitments and so forth.  Stress can lead to emotional and physical strain, which can eventually lead to unwanted headaches, fatigue, insomnia, weight loss, problems concentrating and even the suppression of the immune system, to name a few.  If you chronically experience some of these symptoms, the best way to determine what triggers stress in your life is to consult a Perception Specialist to help with stress management, or merely eradicating the stress completely.

Here are 25 handy ways to relieve stress:

• Exercise.
• Go to a comedy show and laugh… a lot!
• Do something you like – hobbies like movies, shopping, dancing, etc.
• Talk to someone – knowing someone hears and understands you without offering advice or passing judgment can be especially helpful.
• Eat healthy – have a lot of fresh fish and vegetables in your diet.
• Stretching.
• Have a positive outlook on life… and if this is your stuck point, get help!
• Don’t dwell on negative thoughts, live in the present moment.
• Get organized.
• Don’t let people get to you – they have problems of their own that they are trying to cope with.
• Sex – always be safe, but yes, it relieves stress.
• Get away – take vacation, or get out in nature.
• Breathing exercises – breath in through your nose slowly and deeply, then out through your mouth – imagine all the tension being released as you exhale.
• Aromatherapy.
• Have fun – do something you used to do as a child – play!
• Meditation for stress.
• Spoil yourself – new clothing, haircut, etc… not excessively though, or you will have even more to stress when the bills come.
• Sleep more (or in some cases less).
• Spend time with friends, just hanging out.
• Make time for yourself.
• Visual relaxation – close your eyes and use your imagination doing something you really enjoy.
• Cut out the media.
• Smile and sit or stand as if you were happy… you posture will change your state.
• Do something good for somebody else.
• Use herbs – such as catnip, chamomile & lavender.

Setting aside at least 10 to 20 minutes a day to utilise some stress relief techniques is recommended by the stress relief management experts for relaxation practice.  You don’t have to follow all 25 techniques – just use the ones which appeal to you!  If, however, you realise that you need more and more of these stress relief techniques to cope, there might be some underlying issues that need to be dealt with… don’t ignore this, as it will get worse!

Learn more here: Reality Squared