COURSE OVERVIEW

The question of how to remain physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually ‘healthy’, regardless of life’s challenges, is one that every human being asks her or himself (at least once!). Sometimes the challenges that we are presented with seem too immense to overcome and sometimes we find it hard to figure out why seemingly small and inconsequential things can have a profound affect on our peace of mind. Whatever our situation, it is certainly true that ‘life happens’ to us all – often in quite unexpected ways.

It seems that ‘mother nature’ equips us well with mechanisms that enable us to instinctively ‘fight or run’ to survive, but ‘switching off’ after the ‘struggle’ does not seem to be quite so automatic.

The primary goals of this course are to help you develop understanding of the body-mind connection so you are better able to:

(a)  relax mind and body and
(b)  maintain equilibrium and inner peace

This course is not intended to be a form of spiritual instruction or a means of developing super-natural ‘powers’; neither is it promoting or denigrating any specific spiritual or religious code or belief.

The techniques presented are practical and based on both ancient and current knowledge and understanding of how the body and mind work together. Knowledge, understanding and wisdom can be found in all human societies across the ages and this course comprises an eclectic mix of techniques that have been shown to work. They are designed to assist you to develop the ability to recognize your stress limits and cope in a positive way with the stressors of daily life.

You will get the most out of this course if you attend each week, read the notes, practice the techniques and do the homework.

PLEASE NOTE

The techniques taught in this course are not intended to replace the advice or expertise of your mental health professional.

Understanding the Mind-Body Connection

Exercise 1: Biofeedback: The pulse, blood pressure & breathing rate.

Exercise 2: The Lie Detector Test

Group Discussion: Read “Understanding the Effects of Stress” and note down any points that you find relevant to your experience of how your body reacts to stress, and how these body changes effect how you feel. Discuss with others in the group.

Exercise 3:    Complete Chest Breathing & Quiet Introspection

Exercise 4:    The Body Scan Technique: Using the Breath and Imagination to ‘dissolve’ tension foci.

Group Discussion Topic: How do you know when you are stressed? What things make you feel stressed or tense? How would you define the concept of relaxation? What do you do to relax?

Exercise 5:   Full Body Relaxation

PLEASE NOTE

If you are currently under a doctor’s or psychologist’s care, take the opportunity to discuss the techniques you are learning in this course with them, as meditation and psychotherapy can be an effective combination.

The techniques taught in this course are not intended to replace the advice or expertise of your mental health professional.

WORDS OF WISDOM

 PIPE Prayer/inner Peace

Pipe of my forefathers

Teach me to sing praise

For all the gifts that

Great Mystery gave. 

Allow me to know

My spirit’s release

And bring to my heart

Eternal Peace.

Peace is a way of acting, knowing, creating, listening, speaking & living. Inner peace can be found through balancing of the Self.

(Sacred Path Cards, Jamie Sams).

BELIEFS

Life is very simple. Each one of us creates our experiences by our thinking and feeling patterns. What we believe about ourselves and about life becomes true for us.

AFFIRMATION

I create wonderful new beliefs for myself.

I am always safe.

Everything that I need to know is revealed to me.

Everything that I need comes to me in perfect time,

space and sequence.

Life is a joy and filled with love.

I prosper wherever I turn.

I am willing to change and to grow.

All is well in my world.

(Heart Thoughts, Louise L. Hay)

Homework (Yes, that’s right, there’s Homework!!)

Buy a small notebook to use as a Journal to keep a record of your experiences during the next 10 weeks. The purpose of the Journal is to enable you to track your progress, note down any significant events and to recognise patterns in your thinking/feeling processes. For example, in addition to making notes about your experiences when practicing the relaxation/meditation techniques, you can use your journal to note down how you feel on waking and before bed (emotionally, mentally, physically) and how you coped with any significant events (positive or negative) during the day.

So…make a goal to practice the Relaxation and Meditation Techniques you learn in this Course, follow the Instructions, and give it a go!!!