What is Stress?

Stress is a state of Mind

Stress is a mind-body reaction/response to a situation

To flight from/fight the situation

Why Stress Happens?

When a situation/condition is not Acceptable to us When we want to do/get something but are unable When ego is hurt (feedback, comments, criticism) When we loose something which we feel as important

Stress is mostly due to

Fear (of Future) Worry (about Past) And not so much due to Present Moment

It is always due to the perception of Mind

Different people feel different stress levels for the same situations

What Happens when Stressed?

Psychology of Stress: Emotional impact

Anxiety Fear Depression Anger Sadness

Physiology of Stress

Acidity Ulcers Heart ailments Blood Pressure Kidney problems Diabetes

Chain Reaction of Stress: The Negative Spiral

Triggers animal instinct of fight or flight Adrenalin increases to prepare the body

Mind perceives threat

Breathing becomes fast & shallow Panic Metabolism increases

Blood pressure increases

Heart beat increases to

supply more food & oxygen to body parts

Stomach readies for processing more food Acidity* increases

Overloaded Excretory Systems to clear the toxin

Imbalanced Emotions Fear, Anxiety, Anger, Depression*

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Imbalanced Endocrine Systems the chemical factories of hormones, enzymes

Some Impacts of Sustained and Unmanaged Stress

Brain

Continues to operate in higher Beta state (15 to 26 cycles per second of electrical impulses (EEG)) Continues to trigger the rest of the body mechanism and create stress High blood pressures can lead to Heart failure, paralysis (due to breakdown of blood vessels in brain)

Blood Pressure remains high

Acidity, Ulcer and other digestive problems

Diabetes Kidney problems due to overload on removing toxins from the body Reduces immunity and makes body susceptible to diseases .

Some More Impacts

Human body & mind are a highly complex and integrated

system

Each system impacts the other: either positively or negatively

Stress and Mind induced effects on the body are far more

harmful than the external pollution

Internal Toxins are far more harmful than external chemical/industrial pollution ISO 14000 needs significant change in the globalized knowledge era!

Why Allopathic Medicines and Stimulants are not good for managing Stress
Allopathic medicines directly add chemical to the body and

interfere with the internal chemical factories

E.g. Taking Antacids for Acidity neutralizes the acid in the stomach. Then body thinks that the acid is not sufficient and starts producing more. E.g. Anti-depressants suppress the ability of brain cells to generate electric impulses
People

taking such drugs for prolonged time become dull

Stimulants like Tobacco, Coffee, Tea, Coco etc.

temporarily trigger higher activities

Subsequently body craves for more & more stimulants

Then how to manage stress?

Turn it into a Positive Spiral

Break the negative cycle at each point

Some amount of Stress is healthy it triggers and

energizes the system

Managing Stress
Root Cause: Manage Mind
Positive Thinking and Attitude Larger view of life Meditation

Build capability to face stressful situations and reduce the impact of

stress at physiological level

Yoga Pranayama

Healthy lifestyle and food habits Have multiple positive energy sources

Hobbies, interests

What does Yoga, Pranayama, Meditation do at Physiological level?...

Yogasanas
Exercise different parts of the body Combine with breathing Postures: Stretch & hold, Compress & hold Creates flexibility and hollowness, lightness

Helps

in flow of water, food, oxygen, electrical signals and flow of energy in the body against Isotonic exercises of aerobics, gym exercises which help to build muscles which reduce the flexibility & become blockers over a period

Isometric exercises
As

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What does Yoga, Pranayama, Meditation do at Physiological level?...

Pranayama
E.g. Ujjai breath: Increases absorption of oxygen into the hemoglobin by creating inhale pressure in lungs for osmosis E.g. Bastrika pranayama: Increases the removal of carbon dioxide from the blood plasma by creating exhale pressure in lungs for osmosis Increases oxidation and liberation of energy in every cell of the body

Air

filter analogy in automobiles

Stimulates nerve tips in lungs which have connection to the brain area where Pituitary Gland is situated
Pituitary

Gland is the master gland in the endocrine system and has a strong influence on rest of the endocrine glands

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What does Yoga, Pranayama, Meditation do at Physiological level?

Meditation
Takes the brain to Alpha state: electrical impulses of 8 to 14 cycles per second At deep meditation level (Samadhi state) brain goes to Theta state: electrical impulses of 4 to 7 cycles per second Leads to deep relaxation

Sudarshana Kriya of Art of Living

Takes the brain to higher beta state Then takes the brain to deep relaxation Thus exercises and expands the brain/mind capacity

Mind rules the body

Mind Nervous system Endocrine system rest of the body function

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Importance of Endocrine System

Master gland Controls all other glands

Body rhythm

Metabolism Immune system

Adrenalin: heart rate, blood pressure

Insulin: blood sugar, energy

Enzymes produced by Endocrine glands influence every cell, organ and function of the body They regulate mood, growth, metabolism, tissue function, sexual &
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reproductive processes

Chain Reaction of Managing Stress: The Positive Spiral

Mind peaceful, joyful

Triggers hope, optimism, Positive feelings

Adrenalin normal to prepare the body

Breathing becomes slow & deep Calm Confident Composed Metabolism normal

Blood pressure normal

Heart beat normal to

supply normal food & oxygen to body parts

Stomach readies for processing normal food Acidity normal

Normal Excretory Systems to clear the toxin

Balanced Emotions Energetic, Enthusiastic, Positive.

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Balanced Endocrine Systems the chemical factories of hormones, enzymes

Clinical Research Results

Increased alertness and deeper relaxation

Reduced tension and stress

of mind

Ref: Art Of Living Research with AIIMS, NIMHANS

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Clinical Research Results

Improved immunity Increase in good cholesterol and decrease in bad cholesterol Decreased depression

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Beyond Physiology The Energy System

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Human Body as the Energy System

Modern Science & Medicine consider human body as

merely electro-chemical, electro-mechanical and physical phenomena Ancient Indian & Eastern Spiritual Sciences consider it as an Energy System
Universal Cosmic Energy (everything is common at atomic level) Yoga union of body, mind and spirit Raja Yoga Chakras Reiki (which means life force in Japanese; Started by Dr. Mikao Usui a doctor and Buddhist monk during 1860s) Thai Chi, Acupressure, Acupuncture (originated in China) Homeopathy (Started by Dr. Hahnemann a doctor in Germany during 1800s)

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Chakras: Energy Centers

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Chakras are situated near the key endocrine glands and nerve groups (plexus) Wireless connection to brain; Connection to Cosmic universal energy

Chakras and Naadis: Wireless Connection to Brain

World seen through the 5 sensors (wired connection) is narrow band:

gross, inert, matter world

World seen through Chakras & Nadis (wireless connection) is broad

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band: subtle, dynamic, energy world

Science of Homeopathy: Medicine of Energy System

Basic principle: what causes disease cures the disease also when

given in the potenticized form Homeopathic medicine preparation

Potencization through the process of tritration Transfer of atomic vibrations to the base substance. Not even a single molecule of medicinal material will be present according to Avogadro number

Curing principle
Right medicine creates energy vibrations in the human system (resonance principle) This increase the energy level to improve the health conditions

Typically causes initial aggravation and subsequently cures with oscillations Cures inside-out: Mind Emotional level Physical level

Mind & Emotional symptoms are the key for diagnosis

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So, to be Successful.

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What is Success?
The definition I liked most:

The measure of Success is the number of joyful smiles per day every day Shri Shri Ravishankar

Life is full of choices; The choices one makes determine

ones life they are like cross-roads

IQ < EQ < AQ < SQ : determine what choices one makes

Manage Mind
Healthy mind FOR a healthy body It is mind, and not body, that differentiates the leader from the rest

Positive
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Energy is most fundamental to any Leader

The Vicious Cycle

Priority 1) Pursue money Loose health Loose joy Less creative

2) Pursue fame
Less Accomplishment

More stress on the priorities

Less Money

Less Recognition

People spend half of their life in making money and loose health in

that process. In the remaining half they spend that money trying to regain the health
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Make it a Virtuous Cycle

Priority 1) Pursue health More joy More creative

2) Pursue knowledge
More Accomplishment

Continue stress on the priorities

More Money

More Recognition

Pursue health (mind+body) and knowledge (universal

knowledge) then money & fame will follow as a byproduct

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Dont believe me
But do not wait for proof

Explore Experiment Experience

Modern Science (Matter Science) : Proof first, then belief/trust Spiritual Science (Energy Science): Believe/trust first, then proof comes
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Conclusion: The Simple Prescription

Practice Yoga & Pranayama (and Meditation) everyday*
Life will change at the most fundamental level Art Of Living workshop is one of the best

Combines

Raja Yoga, Karma Yoga (Service: Jesus), Bhakti Yoga (Devotion: Narada, Chaitanya), Jnana Yoga Practical for family & social life, professional life and spiritual life

Use Homeopathy for chronic or hereditary health problems

to strengthen the positive spiral

Become better individuals and better leaders

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Some references
On Homeopathy and Physiology
The Science of Homeopathy by Dr. John Vikolthas Homeopathy Materia Medica by Dr. Boericke Dr Padmanabhan padrdha@satyam.net.in Human Anatomy & Physiology by Dr. David Le Vay

On Reiki

Healing through Reiki by MK Gupta

On Modern Science
Scientific American Mind Modern Physics by Arthur Beiser

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Some more references

On Ancient Indian Wisdom
Art Of Living www.artofliving.org www.lifepositive.com Vedantha literature from Ramakrishna Mission Celebrating Silence by Shri Shri Ravishankar Efficacy of Raja Yoga Shri Ramachandra Mission Raja Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Karma Yoga Swami Vivekananda Patanjali Yoga Sutra

At Behavioral level
Stop Worrying and Start Living by Dale Carneige Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman Power of Postive Thinking and so on

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Imagination
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Action

Joy