Recipe For Hope's
Relaxation - Meditation - For Healing!
"True relaxation is the absence of stress"
An Angel says, "Never borrow from the future. If you worry about what may
happen tomorrow and it doesn't happen, you have worried in vain. Even if
it does happen, you have to worry twice."
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The initial diagnosis of cancer is very traumatic increases our stress level, as for me, I was in shock, my dx was totally unexpected as I had not been sick. As cancer patients/survivors we become preoccupied with what is in store for us. Cancer treatments can be physically demanding. Chemo & radiation are very harsh and can have some horrible side affects.
As cancer patients progress through treatments we have many thoughts like "did I select the correct treatment strategy?" "Is this treatmnent going to work" or a a survivor the looming question in the back of our minds is "what is the next check-up going to show?"
I am on bi-monthly check-ups now and I am always very stressed a few days prior to these doctor visits...I have never had high blood pressure and do not have it now - only on check-up days and this is strictly from stress and anxiety. Some of the world's largest cancer centers offer classes on how to relax and releive stress as to aid in healing. Being still is very hard for me but this is something I am working on.
In Ageless Body Timeless Mind , Deepak Chopra; Harmony Books, 1993. Deepak Chopra identifies three phases of stress: 1) the stressful event; 2) our inner appraisal of it; and 3) our body's reaction. The three phases may go by in an instant, so we often perceive them to be a single event. An example of this is the well-known "fight or flight response." Narrowly avoiding a car accident is a good example.
Dr. Andrew Weil, holistic practitioner and writer In his article "Natural Health, Natural Medicine, Online Relaxation", he states, "The single most effective relaxation technique I know is conscious regulation of breath".
Deep Breathing:
Proper breathing is essential for good mental and physical health. The next time you feel a surge of stress or anxiety, try a few moments of deep breathing. Sit in a comfortable position and take deep, measured breaths, e.g., inhaling while counting up from 1 to 4; exhaling while counting down from 4 to 1. Do this st least 20 times and you are sure to feel more calm and refreshed. Deep breathing assists in relaxation by increasing the amount of oxygen in the body.
Meditation:
The common thread among Yoga, Tai-Chi, Chi Kung or Qi Gong, guided visualization...all of these is the practice of mindful relaxation and is characterized by:
- slow, regular breathing;
- deep inhalation and exhalation
- reduced heart rate, pulse and other physiological indications of stress
- a heightened sense of the present moment,
- free from thoughts of the past or
- thoughts of the future
Thich Nhat Hanh in Peace is Every Step, Bantam Books, 1992.talks about using everyday activities to awaken the mindfulness within us. Some examples are:
- Eat mindfully. Eat in silence once in awhile. Pay attention to the smells, tastes, arm movements, use of fork, chewing, swallowing, etc.
- Walking meditation. While walking, time your breaths to your step. Maybe three steps for an inhale, three for and exhale. Maybe walk slower than normal. Notice everything around you.
- Wash dishes mindfully. Pay attention to every movement. Feel the water, the suds, the dish. Watch yourself place them in the dish drainer. Note: does not work if you have an automatic dishwasher!
The common element to all of these techniques is don't dwell on stray thoughts, just move them to the side and keep paying attention to the activity.
GOD HAS A WAY OF TURNING THINGS
AROUND FOR YOU.
"IF GOD IS FOR US, WHO CAN BE AGAINST US?" (Romans 8:31)
 
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