4. how to manage stress

How to Manage Stress

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What's Covered In This Guide

This guide contains a guided imagery audio track which will assist in dealing with, managing and releasing stress using active meditation techniques. If you would like to find out more about CALM and the techniques taught by Sandy MacGregor, please visit our about section.

Why Is It Important To Manage Stress?

Stress Can Cause Serious Illness

It is debilitating. If not recognised and treated it can go on to develop major medical problems including stress induced cancer and anxiety disorders which may subsequently lead to depression.

There is growing evidence that stress is linked to cardiovascular disease, asthma, ulcers, the immune system and hypertension. Additionally an emotional/psychological stress produces a physical stress. (For example an argument with a loved one can cause tightness in our shoulders or neck). This produces a chemical stress which in turn produces a physical stress .... and so on; stress continues to spiral and we must take action.

To make matters worse, stress (without action) can develop into anxiety disorders such as panic, or phobias - agoraphobia and claustrophobia, or specific fears - for example of spiders, snakes, blood, heights and more!

Taking Action: Guide to Managing Stress

Whether you wish to manage stress, release stress, or deal with work stress a good starting point is to take the steps below...

  1. A quiet location - door handle with please do not disturb sign Find a quiet, comfortable location where you won't be disturbed
  2. Listen to the audio - headphones Listen to the guided imagery audio called Building Your Peaceful Place by clicking play on the bar below. Every time you listen to this track you should feel immediate stress relief. This is the first building block taught when using the CALM methods
  3. Stress test meter Check your levels of stress. After you do this and, depending upon your stress results, you will be able to click to receiving specific advice as to what additional action you can take
  4. Stress magnified Check out the stress management section of this site where you will find related Articles, Success Stories and Frequently Asked Questions
  5. Speech bubbles Join the discussion below - share your thoughts and ask any questions you may have (if you would like to discuss anything by phone or email please contact us)

Comments

Chloe Kirtley

After I did the guide on how to manage stress, I feel stress is out. With a very soothing voice and a calming background music of the guided imagery audio, I find it really effective. I'm feeling anew now, feeling like good inside me and no negative thoughts in my mind.

When I listen to guided imagery audio, following the words and having imaginations with my eyes
closed, I feel like I am in different places. A relaxing place with positive thoughts/emotions.

Could you please explain to me the relationship between Peaceful Place and Meditation. Thanks!
Sandy

Thank you for your feedback and your question. The process of Building Your Peaceful
Place (PP) is Step 1 towards meditation. Building your PP does give an
example of Guided Imagery – which is the process used in all meditations.

You see with PP you actually go to a different Mind State called
Alpha Brain Wave State. Every time you get to your Chair or Focal Point in your
PP you release stress and you increase concentration. So what you can do is to
go to your PP faster and faster and you will automatically release stress.

Technically you reach the ALPHA brain wave state. Once
you reach this state you open the Reticular Activating Filter which allows all
thoughts that you have to go straight to your subconscious mind. In your
subconscious mind is all your memory, habits and personality. In other words if
you want to recall something relax (be in the ALPHA state using PP) and then
you will recall what it is you are trying to remember. Try it – it works.

So you can see it is a good idea to practice going to PP. In
time you can do this in less than 30 secs.

Once you are in PP my meditation Guided Imagery CDs take you
deeper. Technically – to the meditation state (which is also the dream state
but in meditation you have control) – this state is called the THETA
state. Now in the THETA state you have even more access to the
subconscious mind and you can build new neural pathways much faster. Why would
you want to do that? This is the actual way of overcoming a bad habit and
building a new habit. Say in Fears or Anger or Forgiveness (and much more).

So Step 2 in the process of meditation is once you are in
PP (ALPHA) you are guided through the rainbow colours which take you
deeper to the THETA state.

Step 3 in the process of meditation is the Guided Imagery of forming
the new habit in the actual meditation guided imagery. If you repeat each of my
meditations 30 times you have formed a new habit and got rid of the old one.
One can also do different things in meditation like pain release or healing or
acceptance and letting go (and more).
  Stress