The ability to relax at will seems to be a forgotten art these days. Relaxation means total ease, calmness, in mind and body. I see a lot of tension around me. It is the opposite of relaxation. If we become aware of the stress and tension in our lives we can take productive actions to reduce it. Here are some of the major life areas where much stress and tension takes away our fun and joy of living.


Relaxed Body

Our physical bodies seem to be dumpsters for stress. The body is amazing, versatile, highly adaptable, and can sustain a lot of stress. Many of us hold massive amounts of stress in our body. A clenched jaw is a good example of the body holding stress. Biting nails another one. Over the years our bodies have adopted habits that use up energy to no purpose. Nothing productive happens with these bad habits. Finger taping on a table is another useless habit.

Yet we can learn how to relax at will. There are progressive relaxation methods and guided meditations that encourage the body to relax. Reiki is very relaxing. Walking in nature is relaxing.


Relaxed Time

Who is not rushing these days? No matter how much we rush there never seems to be enough time to get things done. Rushing around does not work. It is almost as if the universe is having a good laugh at our expense. Soon as one rushed job is finished another one immediately replaces it.

I like to slow down and spend quality time with people. People are valuable and need a lot of time. I value people very much and the more I do it the more I seem to be valued. The universe gives you back what you put out. Besides, the rush-rush-rush lifestyle never made sense to me anyway. All it did was make me tense and nervous. This made the people around me tense and nervous. Dear reader these days my life is a lot slower than it used to be. My life, these days, is filled with quality activities. Two of them are daily Reiki and meditation.


Relaxed Thoughts

Our thoughts can be uplifting and caring. Our thoughts determine the quality of our lives. This is why I am so big on personal development. Looking after your thoughts is a big subject and an important one. The more positive our thoughts are the more energy we have and the more we can do.

I understand it is not that easy because we are often exposed to a negative environment which seems to suck, or feed off, our positive energy and drain us. This is a universal phenomena and a lot more common than you might think.

Here is a brief list of energy enhancers I use weekly, even daily. These activities have a beneficial influence on thoughts because they put you into a relaxed state.

1. I read Personal Development books.
2. Listen to uplifting music.
3. Reiki.
4. Guided meditation.
5. Visit and spend quality time with friends.
6. Read an uplifting blog ( does not have to be mine!)
7. Drink herbal teas.
8. Eat raw organic foods.

This brief list is exactly what I use. You might want to make up your own list of positive activities.


Relaxed Actions

I am of the belief that the Great Pyramids were not a rush job but built in a relaxed way, with no hurry, and lots of applied thought. Projects that are thought out carefully, then acted upon, have a lasting quality and beauty about them. I like quality things. I like to perform quality actions. Ones that have meaning.

Each day I only have a finite quantity of energy and I select which actions to perform. Then proceed to do the actions without haste. When I learned how to do Reiki I did it slowly. It was the same when I got into yoga teaching. I find rushed actions destructive and offer little value. My experience is that the more I slow down the greater the environment around me responds to my energy. A bit metaphysical perhaps? Maybe it is. But if this view of life is correct, that people, circumstances, and things respond to your energy, then this is a major milestone in Personal Development.