Relaxation Matters Issue 17

Your 10 minute read to a happier body and mind

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I need to learn how to relax!

Learning to relax : How to avoid tying your stomach up in knots

Stress Solutions+ : Anxiety: Living the wasteland of hell

Under the spotlight : A guide to figuring out who’s who in your life

Hot news : What Everyone Ought To Know About Stress: New e-book for sale

Up-coming training : The World's Most Effective System For Learning How To Relax

What Everyone Ought To Know About Stress : E-book available for down load right away!

Learning to relax

How to avoid tying your stomach up in knots

According to Chinese medicine the stomach area is the energy production centre for your body. Without even realizing it, your instinctive response to stressful events can include tensing the muscles in that area, and, when this happens often, or for prolonged periods of time, your health might suffer.

Here’s a quick exercise that you can do discretely where ever you are to keep that area relaxed.

Step 1: Begin by tightening up your stomach area by scrunching all the muscles in that area as if you are wringing out a wet towel. Briefly hold onto that tension and notice what it feels like before letting it go. Feel the relaxation spread across your stomach area.

Step 2: Take a deep breath. Hold it briefly and then silently say to yourself “relax completely” as you exhale.

Step 3: Push your stomach out as far as you can. Make your belly like a balloon. Briefly hold the tension and notice what it feels like before letting it go. Feel the relaxation spread across your stomach area.

Step 4: Take a deep breath. Hold it briefly and then silently say to yourself “relax completely” as you exhale.

Step 5: Pull your stomach in as if you are trying to make your belly button touch your back. Briefly hold onto that tension and notice what it feels like before letting it go. Feel the relaxation spread across your stomach area.

Step 6: Take a deep breath. Hold it briefly and then silently say to yourself “relax completely” as you exhale.

Let us help you learn how to relax!

Find out about The Relaxation Training and Functional Relaxation Coaching.

Stress Solutions+

Anxiety: Living the wasteland of hell

Living in anxiety is to be living in the wasteland of hell. It’s the place where the dark side of your inner world rules. You get there by configuring your body/mind in a particular way.

You know there’s another place that you could be, that’s like a vibrant garden compared to the wasteland of hell. Even if that place is little more than a distant memory to you, you can still imagine the freedom that comes from just being yourself, the laughter that rises when there is nothing to prove, the contentment that comes from being with like minded people, and doing the things that you love to do. But how to get there…?

The answer is remarkably simple. The ‘garden’ exists inside of you and it shows up in your life when you (normally quite by chance!) organize your body/mind in a particular way.

There is nothing mystical about it. It’s purely a biological process controlled by your nervous system. Book an appointment with Charles if you want to discover your unique physiological configuration of how you are when you are at your best. Book here...

Under the spotlight

A guide to figuring out who’s who in your life

Imagine your life as a story and that you have the lead role in that story. Imagine the people in your life as characters that are part of the story line. Some of those characters are ‘extras’ – doing little more than showing their face. Some are around for a little longer. Other characters play a very significant role in the story of your life, and stick around for quite a while.

Thinking of your life in this way is a great way to help you put into perspective the purpose or function that the different people in your life play. There are 6 characters described below. As you read about them, keep the following the mind:

• The people in your life do not necessarily play a fixed character. It’s more common that they will switch character as and when necessary to perform a certain function in the story of your life, and to achieve a certain result. Think of each person as having a range of masks that they choose from and wear temporarily.

• Also keep in mind that all the characters described below represent facets and qualities that are present in you. Swiss psychologist Carl G.Jung used the term archetypes to describe these various patterns of personality.

The Hero

This is the character that’s driven by a desire to satisfy a longing deep within them for peace. A Hero embarks upon a journey (sometimes willingly, sometimes not) and during that journey they face their innermost fears, and, metaphorically speaking, dies and is re-born with that longing satisfied. Sacrifice is the main quality of the hero (not strength or bravery).

• Can you think of anyone you know who has left the safety and comfort of the familiar to carve their own path through the forest?
• Do you recognize the Hero inside of you?

The Mentor

This is the positive character that helps and trains the Hero. The Mentor can be likened to a personal god within the Hero – a personality that is connected with all things and that is there to protect the Hero and tell him right from wrong.

• Do you have a Mentor in your life?
• Are you playing the part of Mentor for someone else?

The Threshold Guardian

All Hero’s encounter obstacles during their journey, and the Threshold Guardian is one such obstacle. At each gateway to something new, a threshold has to be crossed, and the Threshold Guardian’s job is to keep the unworthy from entering. To the Hero, the Threshold Guardian appears as a powerful, menacing figure, but if properly understood, they can be overcome or bypassed.

• Who have been/are Threshold Guardians in your life?
• Are you the obstacle in someone else’s life?

The Herald

The Herald’s role is to announce the coming of significant change in your life and to issue challenges to you. Up until n(o)w you had managed to ignore problems that had been lingering in the background by using your defenses or coping mechanisms, but, once the Herald appears in your life, you are forced to make a decision and take action of some sort. The Herald doesn't always show up as a person. It could also come in the form of or a piece of information or pain.

• Has anyone showed up in your life as a Herald?
• Did you respond to the call quickly and willingly, or did you keep covering your ears until the Herald’s call got so loud that you just couldn't ignore it any more?

The Shadow

The Shadow represents the dark side of your inner world. The aspects of you that have been unexpressed, unrealized or rejected. The function of the Shadow is to challenge you and taunt you.

• Do you recognize when the Shadow shows up in your life?
• Is the taunting enough to bring out the Hero in you?

The Trickster

The role of the Trickster is to cut big egos down to size. The Trickster helps you to put things in their proper perspective by provoking healthy laughter, especially when you’re taking things too seriously. Ultimately the Trickster’s presence is to alert you to the need for change.

• Who has come along and cut your ego down to size, or made you look at a situation from its proper perspective?
• Did you recognize their presence as a signal that there’s an aspect of your behaviour that you need to change?

At The 4th R we go way beyond traditional relaxation techniques and exercises to help people have a life that works. This is why The Relaxation Training is The World’s Best System For Learning How o Relax. Find out more…

Hot news

Experience Profound Relaxation today: CD/MP3 audio product for sale

Why w(a)it when experiencing profound relaxation is available to you right away?! We have an audio product for sale that has been produced by Charles Moore called "Profound Relaxation". In under half an hour, you will be lead into a profoundly relaxed state. The perfect boost to help you get through stressful times. Buy now

Up-coming training

The Worlds Most Effective System for Learning How to Relax

"Spend two days with me and I will give you the ability to be relaxed forever!" - Charles Moore

Book Before February 1st To Get Our Special L(o)w Price!

• Do you want to be able to relax - naturally?Would you like to be relaxed regardless of who you're with or where you are?
• When things around you are chaotic, do you find it hard to remain calm and at ease?
• Do you find yourself worrying a lot?
• Is learning to relax critical for your health - whether that be to support the recovery from a health problem, or to combat the early symptoms of stress and anxiety?

Then The Relaxation Training can definitely help you! Find out more...

What Everyone Ought To Know About Stress

An easy to read and highly educational 43 page e-book that is guaranteed to wake you up to the menace of stress. Perfect for Individuals, Trainers and Therapists. £7.97. Find out more...

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