Stress and Relaxation

We always hear about stress being bad for us and relaxation being good.  Unfortunately this is an over-simplification of a very important concept in wellness.  Neither stress nor relaxation are inherently good or bad and we cause more stress to ourselves by seeking or avoiding either.

Rather, stress is a more Yang (active) presentation of life and relaxation (passive) is a more Yin presentation of life. Each state is within itself neutral and normal life combines periods of relaxation and periods of stress.

Where we get into difficulty is when either element becomes out of balance for a long period of time, creating illness.  For example,  if you run too hard eventually you will collapse, or if you rest too much your body slows down, you lose muscle tone and gain weight.  Both the yin and the yang element are suffering in this scenario.  Yin and Yang rely on the other to maintain health and balance for our body, mind and spirit.

Last example; you are really worried, and begin to lose sleep because your mind can no longer relax and let you sleep.  You think the easiest thing to do would be to sleep - because you have gotten too Yang and Yin is sleep - so what is the problem!  The problem is that the Yang element has pulled to far away from the Yin and needs help reconnecting.  It is just like a fight between friends, you have to make a bridge between the oppositional parties to bring them back into connection.

Here are some useful bridges:

Qi-Gong breathing - Place your hands on your lower belly and gently breath in deeply enough to feel your hands rise on your belly.  With your exhale, notice how your hands sink into your abdomin.  For 5 breaths just notice the rise and fall of your hands.  For another 5 breaths  try to extend your in-breath and out-breath by 1 count each direction.  For example, if your in-breath is to a count of 3, for 5 more breaths raise it 1 count each breath and do the same for the out-breath.  This is very useful to help with sleeping!

- Lavendar, Rose, Jasmine, or Bergamont.  Take 1 drop of your choice and massage it into each of your outer ears.  A few drops is also good for the heart area, the soles of the feet and palms of the hands.  You can make a blend of your favorite restful oils and mix them with a carrier oil - at a percentage of 10% oil, 90% carrier and make this a part of a nightly ritual.  High quality, scented candles are also lovely to bring the Yin and Yang back home.

Balance is possible-

Denise Neumark-Reimer, L.Ac.