Leon Chaitow - Relaxation and Meditation Techniques - A Complete Stress-proofing System

Finally, a number of different relaxation methods, as well as a selection of meditation techniques will be presented, together with a resumé of current thinking on the use of mind/body therapies, such as visualization, which stress the power of the mind in promoting good health. The power of the mind to create a disturbed physiology and actual disease, is matched by its equal ability to create health and harmony. A variety of techniques exist in this field, some more suited to a particular person than others. The main aim of this book is to enable the reader to find those methods that best suit him or her and to explain how important their regular use is in regaining and maintaining health. Whether active or passive relaxation methods are employed, or whether meditation alone is found to produce the desired results, is immaterial. What matters is that we learn to harness the mind’s latent force towards positive rather than negative goals, and that the mind/body complex is insulated, as far as possible, from those internally and externally generated stresses which, left unchecked, will first weaken, then cripple and finally destroy the body.

Health and disease and all the grey area between, are states which reflect the ability, or otherwise, of the body to maintain equilibrium (known as homeostasis) in the face of a host of environmental threats and hazards. At any given time, the individual represents a culmination of all that has been inherited, and all that has been acquired and developed up to that moment. The degrees of susceptibility and of resistance that the body can demonstrate, will be absolutely unique to him. With so many variables, it should be obvious that no one method, system or prescription can apply to everyone, even if similar outward manifestations of ill health are evident. For this reason, less emphasis should be placed on signs, symptoms and outward manifestations of ill health; whilst these are important, especially to the individual, they do not indicate more than the particular manner in which his organism has responded to those factors which have threatened him. The same symptoms (e.g. headache) can result from a variety of causes. The same apparent cause (e.g. anxiety regarding work) can produce quite different symptoms, say insomnia in one person, palpitations in another and headaches in a third.

Treatment of the symptoms can never bring more than short-term benefit. To remove the symptom and ignore the cause is patently wrong, for that or another symptom will surely manifest itself sooner or later. Only by improving the general level of function of the total organism and by removing, where possible, the causes of the condition, can a successful outcome be anticipated. Since causes of anxiety are often outside the control of the individual (‘Will there be a third World War?’; ‘Will the factory close down?’; ‘How will I pay my bills?’, etc.), it is necessary to provide ways of altering the ways in which such problems are viewed. In addition, techniques are necessary whereby, even if such stress remains to some extent constant, the individual can nullify and counteract its ill effects by positive action. This is where relaxation, meditation and other exercises of the mind come in.

The individuality of each person must be recognized; this leads to a realization that the particular factors which enable successful adaptation to the environment will vary. Stress-proofing involves gaining understanding and insight into the nature of the problems of stress, as well as a determination to make changes, alterations, modifications and efforts in accordance with this knowledge. Through this apparent maze, I would urge the reader to hold fast to one concrete thought: given the chance, the body is a self-healing, self-repairing and self-regenerating organism. The aim is to give it that chance, and at the same time to erect barriers which will provide protection against future hazards.

Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».

Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.

Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.