| Complementary
Therapies:
Aromatherapy | Kinesiology | Massage | Yoga | Reiki | Homeopathy | Flower Remedies | Hypnosis | Moving Meditation | Shiatsu | T'ai chi
Aromatherapy
Kinesiology
Yoga – Your Flexible Friend It’s not
just about strange postures and enviably supple spines.
Yoga is now credited with relieving a host of diseases
and it’s probably the most popular form or exercise for
relaxation. Yoga does
more than just improve flexibility, important though that is –
it is believed to have an effect on the hormones and by
emphasising correct breathing, improves the oxygen supply to the
whole body. Most
classed include breathing exercises and relaxation as wall as
the asanas or poses. Yoga can be
strenuous, especially if you’re stiff or unfit and some
postures put a lot of pressure on joints or the spine.
The help of a good teacher is important as it’s often
difficult to tell if your position is slightly
out of line. The
asanas can help with tiredness, backache and stress. Safety first Yoga can reduce high blood pressure but certain postures could be dangerous – consult your teacher or doctor first. If you are pregnant, it is advisable to sign up for a pregnancy class after your first trimester is complete, regular yoga classes are not recommended during pregnancy. It’s best on an empty stomach Don’t stay in a position if it hurts Tell your teacher if you have a medical condition Avoid
anything that feels dangerous. For more information on yoga and classes check out Catriona at www.yogaireland.com.
"Reiki"
is a Japanese healing art and means: "Universal Life
Energy". Reiki is a gentle, noninvasive
touch therapy that alleviates stress and promotes well being and
balance. You remain dressed while
receiving a Reiki treatment and lie on a massage plinth with a
blanket or cover over you.
Reiki can relieve pain and
acute problems quite rapidly. Chronic illnesses may take a
series of treatments, depending on the specific nature of the
disease. Whatever manifests itself physically usually also has
components on the emotional, mental, and spiritual levels. Reiki
honours the ecology of the person by working on all these
levels. Reiki goes beyond the symptoms to treat the root cause
of the disease. When we treat only the symptoms, we do not
always get to the true basis of the illness. Principals
of Reiki Dr Usui
realised that reiki was not just about healing others, but
rather creating the right environment for them to heal
themselves. When initiated into reiki there are guidelines that
are taught, if these are adopted they can promote healing and
awareness on many levels.
Anger
is an emotion that is experienced because of the past; it can
often be suppressed and carried through life. This principal
does not say do not anger tomorrow, but rather just for today -
choose to let your anger go, live in the now not the past.
Worry
is related to perceptions of the future - the what if's of the
world, what if it will/will not happen. What purpose does this
serve? Why worry about that which has not and probably won't
happen, live in the now not the future.
There
are many who believe that before we incarnate we choose our
parents and our siblings and our experiences, these are to help
us with our learning. If we do honour our choice then it is the
self that is being denied. Live in the now and appreciate.
Again
we have chosen our path in advance according to the lessons
required by the soul, this includes our work. To honour brings
satisfaction, value and respect of what one does today, not
yesterday, not tomorrow, but today.
We
are all part of a whole, not better, not lesser, but a part of.
At a soul level we are all linked, we are all one. Any cruelty,
be it towards another human, an animal, a plant or even a
thought form, is showing cruelty to oneself and to all-else that
exists.
For more information on reiki check out www.reiki4health.com.
Homeopathy
– Like Cures Like Homeopathy
has been in use for over 200 years, longer than many drugs.
But homeopathy runs on totally different principles from
orthodox medicine. Homeopathy is
holistic, meaning it aims to treat the whole person rather than
just curing symptoms. It’s
remedies are diluted so many thousand times that according to
scientists there can’t be anything left in the pills or drops
pople take. Yet
homeopaths say the more the remedy is diluted, the stronger and
more effective it becomes. It’s
principle is ‘like cures like’ – a substance that causes
certain symptoms can cure them if used in tiny amounts prepared
in a certain way. A
remedy for heart palpitations uses coffee, which can cause them
and the cure for insect stings is made from bees. Stuff and
nonsense? It works.
Many reputable studies have shown that it’s not just
the placebo effect , it often has better results than
conventional medicines. Each remedy
also suits a different type of person.
So if you have a long standing health problem, a
homeopath will work out which of the homeopathic types you are
and prescribe that remedy – to treat you rather than the
disease. The more
honest you can be about your character, the easier it will be to
diagnose yourself or be diagnosed by a professional homeopath. It is
important not to touch the remedy, not even your fingertips.
Tip tablets into the bottle top, then straight into your
mouth without handling them.
Alternatively crush the tablet between two clean spoons
and dissolve in water. Take
a teaspoon. Don’t eat,
drink or smoke or brush your teeth for at least 15 minutes
before or after taking a remedy.
Also as soon as you start to feel better, stop taking the
tablets. Unlike
conventional medicine where you complete a course of medicine,
homeopathic remedies stimulate the body’s own immune system,
as soon as you notice an improvement, there is no need to
continue taking the remedy. Insomnia If you are
feeling stress, it is quite likely that you may undergo a period
of insomnia. The
worst thing is to wake up at 2 or 3am night after night, for if
you cannot get a good night’s sleep, you will feel even less
able to cope the following day. Homeopathy provides several remedies that will help. The type of remedy you take will depend on the type of person you are and the worries you have.
Anxiety If you are feeling overanxious, homeopathy has remedies which are suited the the type of person you are and the type of anxiety you are suffering:
Irritability Overwork can make you extremely irritable. Here are some possible homeopathic solutions which will work short term. Again, these are suited to your emotional makeup and the nature of the problem:
DIY
Remedies Aconite napellus, a fist resort for fear or panic attacks and after physical trauma Anacardium for anxiety caused by indecisiveness possibly hidden under a tough exterior Argentum nitricum when you’re so worried you can’t concentrate. Arncia for emotional or physical shock. Arsenicum album for anxiety in a perfectionist. Avena sativa for exhaustion caused by long term anxiety Carbo vegetabilis for shock causing clammy hands. Coffea for insomnia caused by an overactive mind – or too much coffee Colocynthis for anger that causes headaches or indigestion Gelsemium for shock or worry that making you feel irritable . Ignatia amara for shock where you’re trying unsuccessfully to stay in control Kali Phosphoricum for jaded nerves Stramonium
for a bout of sudden, intense panic. For more information on Homeopathy, training courses and a list of qualified practitioners contact Angie at the Irish School of Homeopathy.
Even gentler
than homeopathy, flower remedies aim to combat stress and
illness by balancing our emotional energies.
It’s easy to see why people should think flowers can
heal psychological wounds.
Their delicate beauty and fragrance have always been
linked with spirituality. In the 1930s,
idealistic homeopath Dr Edward Bach came to believe flowers have
an affinity with the human soul and could put people back in
turn with their higher natures.
This in turn would reduce illness, which is so often
caused by mental stresses. He developed
a range of 38 essences, which he believed dealt with every
emotional state people could suffer. The remedies
aren’t claimed to solve problems directly, but are aimed at
helping people bring their feelings back into balance. Since then
other practitioners around the world have taken up the idea and
there are now about two dozen different ranges containing more
than 1,200 remedies. That’s
everything from New Zealand’s abelia, which helps balance our
rational and emotional sides to the African zinnia, which helps
us loosen up and re-learn to laugh. Bach remedies
seem to be the easiest to find – the little bottles are widely
sold in chemists and health stores.
You can use up to a half a dozen at a time, putting a few
drops in a drink or straight onto your tongue.
Rescue Remedy is the best known – a blend of impatiens,
star of Bethlehem, cherry plum, rock rose and clematis to
relieve stress and panic in an emergency.
Some remedies contain alcohol in them as a preservative,
and are harmless. They
can be used alongside any medical treatment. Bach
Remedies for Stress The following
remedies can have a marked effect on you when you are feeling
stressed out. They
will help you relax. At least one
of the following remedies will be suitable for you – however
bad your mood! Impatiens if
you’re energetic, but tense Cherry Plum
if it’s all getting too much and you feel you can’t cope
anymore. Rock rose for
frozen terror and a sense of helplessness. Star of
Bethlehem for the after effects of shock. Agrimony for
mental torment behind a brave face. Aspen for
fears of unknown origin. Elm if
overwhelmed by responsibility. Gorse for
despair. Red Chestnut
when you’re over concerned for others. Sweet
Chestnut for extreme mental anguish. White
chestnut for obsessive worrying Wild Rose for apathy
Say ‘hypnosis’ and most
people will think of a melodramatic villain with piercing eyes
or a full stage of revellers who all think they’re Elvis.
Yet it’s most popular use they days is in
hypnotherapy – a way of solving problems through the
power of the patient’s own mind. Hypnosis involves entering an
altered state of consciousness in which all concentration is
focused on a single objective or image, with all other stimuli
blocked out. Many people think that hypnosis is something that a
hypnotist imposes on his or her subject, or they confuse it with
a sleeplike state. Others think they cannot be hypnotised.
Anyone who can lose him or herself totally in an engrossing book
or movie or become so absorbed in a task that they are oblivious
to their surroundings is actually practicing a form of
self-hypnosis. Once a person learns self-hypnosis, he or she can
use it to relieve tension and feelings of stress or anxiety. What Could Go Wrong? Hypnosis can’t make you do
something you’d consider totally wrong or dangerous.
Unlike a stage hypnotist, a
properly trained hypnotherapist can make sure you’re fully
back to everyday consciousness before you leave. Any form or psychotherapy, with
or without, hypnosis may bring up a lot of distress. So don’t
start unless you can afford as many sessions as it takes to sort
out your problems.
If you find
it hard to sit and meditate, why not try moving meditation –
or stillness in action as it has been called?
This time you’re doing something active to clear your
mind. You can reach
the relaxed alert
alpha state through all kinds of movement – dancing
spontaneously or with learned steps, running playing tennis.
T’ai chi and yoga are forms of meditation. It sometimes
happens by itself when you’re engrossed in an activity –
when you feel the rhythm or music flowing through you as if
you’re part of it. You
may even recognise it from times when you’ve been been
swimming or playing sports in the past. When you’re
alone try putting on some favourite music and dancing to it, not
bothering about how you look but trying to follow the music as
if your body is becoming part of it.
Dancing has a doubly stress relieving effect combining
the relaxing benefits of moving and listening to music. Experiment, try different types of music, hip hop, soul, classical or country – things you hadn’t thought of dancing to. No need to try complicated steps. It’s to let the music move your body and the movement still your mind. Another route
to moving meditation is through more formal exercise. Energy Moving
Infinity Move your
hips in the figure of eight ( a horizontal eight is the figure
of infinity). Then
let your body sway with it,, arms circling at waist height and
lose yourself in this timeless movement. Spiralling
Shiatsu
– Pressing a Point Shiatsu, or
acupressure is a kind of acupuncture without needles.
It works on the oriental belief that , like blood the
body’s life force circulates. Just as the
blood is carried in veins and arteries, the life force – which
Chinese call qi (‘kee’) is believed to circulate in channels
called meridians. Stress,
illness, injury or an unhealthy lifestyle can all disrupt the
flow. Blocked
energy is believed to cause fatigue or jumpiness as well as
leading to illness, so shiatsu can be used to help people relax. Western
medical science doesn’t recognise this invisible network of
meridians, but Chinese and Japanese textbooks include very
precise maps. These
are what shiatsu practitioners work from when they press
particular spots known as acupressure points to unblock trapped
qi or stimulate the flow. A weird idea?
Well, like Chinese herbal medicine, it’s all been
written down and practiced for thousands of years.
You can try it at hoe using steady pressure with the
thumb, or a small circular massaging motion over the spot. To be
effective you have to press on exactly the right spot so if it
doesn’t work, try visiting a shiatsu therapist.
Though it’s not always totally painless (that blocked
qi can take some pushing along), a trained shiatsu practitioner
knows precisely where to press. Toning Up To strengthen qi, press the spot four finger widths below the navel. For general
well being, press the spot two to three finger widths towards
the thumb from the outer end of the crease made with the elbow
is bent at right angles. This
also eases tired arms and legs. Helpful
Points Anxiety. The little dip below the outer side of the knee, three finger widths down from the kneecaps. Exhaustion. Pinch the front top joint of your little finger, right on the joint itself. Also, press the centre of the palm of the central crease in the ball of the foot. Insomnia. Squeeze the ear lobes between finger and thumbs Craving for a cigarette. Press hard on the ‘salt cellar’ bone between the collarbones for as long as you can – press down onto the bone, not into your throat. Racing thoughts and headaches. Massage the natural dip at the temples, about an inch back from the outer edge of your eyes. Stress and headaches. The point between the eyebrows. Headaches. Under the ridge at the back of your skull, press into both sides at the same time. Eye strain. The edge of the nose beside the tear ducts. Backache. The middle of the crease behind the knee. Sharp pain. Rhythmically press the centre of the upper lip. And be sure to see your doctor. Long term pain. A point on the back of your hand, three finger widths down from the space between ring and little fingers.
Have you ever
seen pictures of hundreds of people practising slow, ballet like
exercises together in a Chinese park as the sun comes up through
the mist? They’re
doing T’ai chi (or tai ji quan) probably the most peaceful,
graceful form of exercise ever invented. T’ai chi is
a form of spiritual mediation, working on the principles of the
constant flow of movement.
Surprisingly, t’ai chi started out as a martial art.
Developed more than 400 years ago, according to
traditional theory, t’ai chi tackles illness by balancing the
qi – the body’s energy or lifeforce. To a
westerner, the most obvious benefits are in lowering blood
pressure, relieving chest disease, improving flexibility and
bringing a profound sense of tranquillity. T’ai chi is
so pleasing that you don’t need huge motivation to practise
- it’s very satisfying to glide through the whole
sequence, or even a section.
The only thing you need is a bit of space.
The sequence covers several yards, which is one reason
why people practise outdoors. If you
haven’t quite got the nerve to glide across the local park,
don’t be put off. Just
use the longest space you can find, adding a neat turn whenever
you reach a wall. Less
strenuous than yoga, t’ai chi can be done by practically
anyone. Even in a
wheelchair you could do the upper body movements. There are several styles, taking from 5 to 25 minutes, and some are practised with bent legs. If this is hard on your knees try one of the others or simply continue without bending so deeply – it’s not vital. |
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