Published October 20, 2001 in the North Island Weekender
There are many simple things we can do for stress to help us through these difficult times. Try one suggestion for 30 days at which time it might become a habit.
The first thing to try is to get exercise everyday in some form or another. It is better to get it outside as Mother Nature will remind you of the natural rhythm of life that no man can disturb. I call it taking a “green bath”. The green of the trees is a form of colour therapy that infuses your body with vitality. If you can’t get outside everyday try a mini-trampoline, a treadmill, yoga or Tai Chi. Our bodies are our very own temples that will return the favour many times over! It is a form of self-love. In the winter this can be a “white bath” or if you are a mountaineer, an “alpine air bath”! Of course there is the “sunbath” which is important in moderation. Exposing yourself to sunshine during the winter any way you can and during the longer days of the year in the morning or evening, will give you a Vitamin D boost as well as stimulate your pituitary gland, if you don’t wear sunglasses that is! This is important for those who suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD. If you can’t get enough sun because you are in the office all day think about getting a SAD light to help make up for it.
Music is also very healing. I suggest that if you are feeling particularly stressed that you listen to uplifting music with headphones. This way it will be easier for you to withdraw from the world around you for a few moments during your hectic day. Try Beethoven, particularly the ninth symphony, Strauss Waltzes, Mozart; new age music such as My Elfin Friends or music by Enya or Loreena McKennitt; movie sound tracks such as “Captain Correli’s Mandolin” and “Moulin Rouge” or jazz such as our very own Diana Krall from Nanaimo or Carol Sloan from Toronto. Some of my new favorite music is French such as the sound track of Notre Dame de Paris, Natalie St. Pierre and Bruno Pelletier.
Meditation may be even more important than the above. Once a day it is good to sit comfortably in a quiet place, close ones eyes for 10 to 20 minutes and try and get a 360-degree viewpoint of your life. We are moving too fast to get this view until we stop and meditate. Now the word “meditate” can set some people off, but you can use the word contemplate, or pray, but it is the type of praying where one is listening as well as asking for help. During this time you can use charged words to raise your state of consciousness to help your higher self to get through. The irony is our higher selves have the answers but we are rarely listening! It usually comes in the form of a hunch or an intuition, which we tend to ignore as our mind takes charge. Science has discovered that the body has three mind centers. One is in the heart, one in the gut and the other in the head. We are trained to listen to the one in the head and not “follow our heart” nor our “gut feelings”. By taking time out everyday we learn to listen to these other minds. One ancient charged word you can try is the word “HU” which is another name for God. It has been used over the centuries by various tribes in Africa and ancient cultures. It was and is still used to call for help. When chanted out loud or to one self it opens your three minds to answers to your questions and worries.
Dreams are another way for you to get answers or clues about your life and how you can be happier and healthier. If you keep a dream journal over time you will notice patterns and symbols that mean something to you and can help you in your day to day life. They can even tell you what you should be eating! My favorite book on the subject is “The Art of Spiritual Dreaming” by Harold Klemp.
Have fun and humor in your life is my final recommendation. The comedy is back on Friday night TV so record it if you have other plans and make it a weekly ritual!
There are, of course, recommendations for nutrition and stress but I will save that for later. In the meantime find something you enjoy and really make it your passion. The best you can do for this world is to create your own paradise.
Dr. Pincott has been practicing naturopathic medicine since 1985 and is currently practicing in Campbell River. She can be reached at (250) 286-3655 or www.DrPincott.com