IS STRESS KICKING YOUR BUTT??

Stress is by far one of the biggest barriers to happiness that we have today. Much of this is a result of our mind-set and how we process information.

Think about the person that encounters an angry sales representative or nasty cashier clerk at a grocery store. There are two mind-sets here. One will try to defend their ego and return this negative energy, unknowingly increasing the cortisone in their body, through repitition, reinforcing a negative trigger in their mind and lastly, causing this same cycle to repeat itself because they have not learned the lesson that was necessary.

The other mind-set simply understands that there is something to learn. A lesson to get through with understanding and in response, sends out positive energy to this person or by not responding to the negative energy at all, thereby neutralizing the situation. In our current society, no one wants to feel "punked", male and female alike and we often escalate a situation that really rquires "calm in the midst of a storm" in terms of our thinking ability. So, these types of stress related lessons can be easily avoided if we begin to alter our mind-set. To see past the superficial and to think beyond the ego and our pride.

For some, this may be extremely difficult because it has been reinforced and conditioned in us through childhood from watching our family members respond to lessons in life. Also, there are those that lived in areas that maintain a "kill or be killed" modus operandi and now this type of environment is no longer a physical paradigm, yet a mental paradigm that some of us re-create in various occurences. Listen to Dr. Bruce Lipton and his groundbreaking work in the "Biology of Belief", AU #185 for further understanding. Our mind-set has alot to do with how we process stress and we will be talking more about this and providing suggestions on what we can do to mitigate its effects.

Now for a more mundane approach to stress. We have seen many ads for weight-loss products and to the contrary, the stress hormone cortisol does not directly cause weight gain, yet according to a convincing study and newsletter, stress over long periods can trigger increased insulin. Too much insulin can lead to weight gain. Also keep in mind that insulin is the hormone that regulates fat storage. Instead of eating raw fruits and vegtables as snacks, juicing green foods throughout the day and/or taking chlorophyll based powders, may of us tend to eat high-carb, sugary "comfort foods" when we’re stressed. There are other options. Whenver you feel stressed, turn your conscious attention to your breathing and observe it. Try while you are reading this.

Do you notice which muscles you are using? Did you detect the smooth transition from inhalation to exhalation? Can you feel it in every part of your body? Your attention here is therapeutic in itself. Breathe in slowly which you are more than likely doing anyway and take a little longer to exhale. Slowly, smoothly, quietly and consciously exhale more air.. You will feel the physical tension release and you will forget about the stress after a few breaths in this manner.

Your entire body, your brain, blood and chi/Ra are all revitalized. Your muscles relax, then recharge. Your mind becomes still and then refocused. Your cortisol levels come down and you are re-aligned with the true self, ready to function in this world. Make this a conditioned habit, a ritual. Just three to five minutes of focused breathing, something called Nirmani Nadi Shudi in ancient India done twice a day can make a remarkable difference.

To learn more about how stress affects us, please read Stress The Silent Killer P1.

KhaazRa MaaRanu
for more information, contact us at:
info@holisticperspective.net or (407) 574-2532