31 August 2010

Stress Reduction, Pain and the Spirit

My post of last Friday drew quite a few views, and so I want to continue the theme.

The link at the end of this post connects to a you-tube video created last year for Miriam's House.  Photos by Tim Fretz, music by Sparx (Joan Sparks, flute and Ann Sullivan, harp).  The video was created to be a short, beautiful and meditative interlude during an otherwise busy day. 

Music and nature (even photos or paintings of nature) are proven stress reducers, used in health care settings for patient care and morale.  People in pain are limited in ability to move out into nature, and so creating accessible opportunities for our spirits to connect with nature is important.

Indeed, if you agree that the daily stress of a busy, information- and noise-filled life creates a kind of spiritual pain, then most uf us are in need of this method of stress reduction.

Before you click on the link to Garden at Miriam's House, settle in your chair, back straight, feet flat on the floor.   Or, if you are lying down, stretch out comfortably.

Now - three deep, slow breaths.

And now - ten regular breaths, counting "one" on the inhale, then "and" on the exhale ... "two" inhale, "and" exhale ...

And now - allow your muscles to relax.  If you need practice with this, here is a link for you - in the small box to the right, click on "progressive muscle relaxation".

And now - click on the link below.  May it bring you peace.

LINK  to Garden at Miriam's House.

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