Are Your Old Traumas Making You Sick?

Introduction

Are you still carrying around old traumas and don't even realize it? Do you know how trauma affects your quality of life, health, and soul in the long term?

Do you suffer from fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, adrenal stress, anxiety, addictions, cancer, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, and musculoskeletal disorders? This is just a few illnesses and chronic health issues linked to trauma.

Here are just some of staggering statistics:

• 7.7 million are diagnosed with PTSD in USA. Many who have PTSD are not diagnosed and treated symptomatically. 
• 40 million are diagnosed with anxiety. Only 33% seek help.

In light of recent cumulative events over the last couple of years and the stigma associated with trauma, I believe these numbers are higher.

Please ... join me Wed Nov 1st for a presentation and some experientials on Healing Trauma. (Please scroll for complete event details.)

I will also be sharing my own story including healing and how to heal from trauma which can manifest symptoms emotionally, physically, and spiritually and can show up years and decades after a traumatic incident.

The information I will share is backed by scientific and/or medical research and my own personal and professional experiences.

What you will learn, will enlighten you no matter what form of trauma may be lurking in your past here in this life, generationally, or karmicly.

Please join me as I would really LOVE your support on a topic I'm very passionate about.

Together we CAN make change for a better world beginning with US.

In the meantime, don't forget to pause, breathe and take a moment for yourself.

With love and appreciation,

Laura

Healing With Spirit

Healing Trauma Through Spiritually Based Practices

THIS Wednesday, Nov 1st 

 12pm- 2pm 

Hingham Public Library, Hingham, MA

Are you still carrying around old traumas and don't even realize it? Do you know some of the symptoms of trauma? Can you recognize some of the symptoms of abuse?

The topic of abuse ... domestic abuse, child abuse. sex abuse ... is never an easy one to discuss never mind heal from in a way it does not control your life. It can even be very dis-empowering and even energy draining.

Many victims of abuse struggle with moving forward. Many times we are judged harshly for choosing to love someone who ultimately would hurt us. Many times we are left with devastating scars. Many times we feel we've done everything in our power to heal, but somehow the traumatic experiences still haunt us. Just because we were hurt by another, doesn't have to mean a life sentence. Many times the traditional therapies we have sought out doesn’t seem to be working no matter what we seem to try.

Join us for a deep conversation and how to heal those traumatic wounds as Laura shares her healing journey from abuse, her struggles, her triumphs, and why spiritually based practices saved her life. She will discuss how she overcame the dark days and how she reclaimed her power.

What you will learn

• The many faces of trauma
• Trauma defined
• Effects of trauma
• Emotional, physical, and spiritual symptoms of trauma
• Gaslighting
• Causes of PTSD
• Trauma and the effects on the brain 
• ACE Study
• Trauma and abuse
• The "Three-legged stool"
• Understanding the human existance
• The holistic process theory of healing
• Stages to healing
• Healing trauma
• Medical research and studies to various holistic and spiritually based therapies shown to heal trauma
• Experience various exercises
• and more ...

Please join us supporting a topic I have been so passionate about since 2006. My goal is to help survivors empower themselves while finding long term healthy solutions to healing from abuse. With these techniques, I hope to break the cycle of abuse through power of healing.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?

• This event is for survivors of abuse,

• loved ones of survivors of abuse,

• as well as anyone who works with abuse victims such as LCSW, and advocates.

There will also be time for Q&A.

This event is FREE. RSVP Requested but not required. Call/text your RSVP to 857-880-0365

Come experience the healing and sample various methods of healing techniques and leave feeling inspired. Spend this time with us and explore methods of self-care and healing that will empower you beyond your story and past and break free from the chains of abuse or traumatic event/s.

Discover the power that lies within us all.

When we address trauma (sometimes hidden), we are less likely to get sidetracked by projecting - in this political age that's very valuable.


ABOUT THE PRESENTER:

Laura Joseph, RMA, RMT is a survivor of repeated abuses, but most notably domestic abuse and systemic abuse. Experiencing many difficult life lessons resulting and complex PTSD and Trauma, Laura had a feeling there was something wrong with her until she rediscovered her gifts, learned spiritually and holistic based therapies, and learned to embrace her sensitivities.

She has a background as a college educator, domestic abuse advocate, Reiki and Meditation Instructor, and allied health professional with a focus on trauma informed holistic care where she has been a frequent guest speaker throughout New England discussing her experiences healing trauma associated with abuse through spiritually based modalities. She has over 15 cumulative years in the holistic and allopathic health fields and has incorporated spiritually based practices and healing since 2006.

Laura believes our body is designed to heal itself. We sometimes need to be reminded how. She is very compassionate and passionate and teaches from the heart what she feels will help humanity heal and break the cycles of abuse through healing.

Laura brings her 12 year journey of acceptance into self discovery, self care, and self love.

She has published many articles on the topics of Holistic Health, Spirituality, Healing Trauma, and Reiki. She is also a frequent guest speaker, writer, and artist.

Laura has a private practice near the ocean on the Weir River in Hingham, MA, where she provides spiritually based holistic health enrichment services and classes. She is also a founding member of Massachusetts Survivors Outreach.

Laura brings her passion, compassion, and wit to assist in bringing out the best in you.

For more information about services and classes, visit Healing With Spirit

Reflections from a Morning of Mindfulness at Webb State Memorial Park

"Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.” – Buddha

Journey with us into the miracle of mindfulness in nature.  Experience life through a different lens. We hope this post inspires you to bring more mindfulness into your life.

Morning here this morning in New England at Webb Park in Weymouth Massachusetts was a brisk and damp 63° upon arrival for the Morning of Mindfulness Project.

Those who were mindful of the current weather conditions dressed appropriately and accordingly for today.

When we do these groups part of the lessons is to embrace what “is” regardless of a cards we are dealt with at the moment.

We began the morning was pulling an oracle card to help set the tone and guide us on today's journey.

The card for the day was "Surrender Obsessive Thinking" which seems to be quite relevant under the current energies that we are experiencing right now heading into the eclipse season.

Today's morning of mindfulness began with a simple guided meditation and sensory exercise before we headed out on our journey. If you've never joined us for one of these, you will know that every week we do something different and focus on something different even though we incorporate basic teachings weekly.

This week we focused our mastery of presence through our breath and awareness listening to the wisdom given to us through nature and our bodies.

“The mind in its natural state can be compared to the sky, covered by layers of cloud which hide its true nature.”

– Kalu Rinpoche

Here are some observations we made today. (Pictures taken after the event as to not disrupt the exercises and experiences. Pictures taken in areas revisited.)

It is hard not to notice the wet grounds with the recent rains yesterday and into early this morning.

In Shintoism, a native religion of Japan (to many Japanese it is not a religion but a way of being and is cultural), the clouds represent where the Gods reside and the rains represents one way for the Gods to come from the heavens.

"An essential point of Shinto is the idea that wa (kind, benign and harmless harmony) is inherent in nature and social relationships."[i]

“The Japanese descriptive term for Shinto is Kami no Michi. Kami means the "deities," or "gods," no is the possessive, and Michi means the "way" or "road." There­fore it signifies as a whole, the "way of the gods."'[ii]

The rain drops on the leaves remind us that water is life and that life is all around us. Just like the water serves as nourishment for these leaves and plants it serves as nourishment for our souls.

 

Secondly we observed and experienced roots from these trees reminding us to ground but also sucking up the vital nutrients from the earth gifted by the rains.

As we continued on our journey, we allowed more to flow through the ebbs and flows of life.


"Come back to square one, just the minimum bare bones. Relaxing with the present moment, relaxing with hopelessness, relaxing with death, not resisting the fact that things end, that things pass, that things have no lasting substance, that everything is changing all the time—that is the basic message." 

– Pema Chodron.

The purpose of this project is to help us with mindfulness tools to adapt in our everyday way of life. When we can train ourselves to stop from time to time throughout the day, we can come back to the present and let go of our worries and preoccupations. When our minds and bodies are calm, we can see our situations more clearly and we know better what to do and what not to do.

At first, "stopping" may seem like a kind of resistance to modern life, but it isn't that. Here, we are using the elements found in nature to help us with presence.

For instance, there is magic in mindfulness with nature. Today, the flowers that bloom covered in the rain dew are guiding us to all that is reminding us of what it is needed for us to blossom.

The yellow connects us to our own inner guidance system allowing "thought" to step aside as we through the awareness process just allow.

The white shows us the purity and how delicate, intricate, and beautiful life can be when many times we are so distracted in a way where we are unable to see the magic and beauty.

The idea of “stopping” is the first aspect of meditation. The second aspect is looking deeply. Once we have brought calm, peace, and joy into our bodies and minds, we can look into our difficulties to see their roots, bringing understanding and making transformation possible.

Stopping gives us space to observe our negative thinking without getting caught up in it; we call this mirror recognition. Stopping also allows us to be in touch with what is positive and healing. The purpose of our practice is not to avoid life, but to experience and demonstrate that happiness in life as possible now and also in the future.

“Mindfulness is a way of befriending ourselves and our experience.”

– Jon Kabat-Zinn

Sometimes we just have to become one. When we do, all thought process vacated and presence takes over. The past and future become irrelevant, a state of relaxation commences, and a new sense of awareness is heightened as we maintain the practice of mindfulness in our journey. 

We are so used to running around, even at home, that stopping is a hard habit to develop. Visual cues can serve as a gentle reminder that now is the perfect time to stop and be aware of the present moment.

Connecting in nature as we did today can serve as a perfect way to stop and just BE.

Sometimes we are given signs, the glimpses of divine presence. Without awareness or mindfulness, we miss out and wonder why our prayers go unanswered. 

“It’s only a small step from the word ‘being’ to the experience of ‘being’.”

-Eckhart Tolle

Sometimes when we are stuck in our own chaos unable to see through the trees, we a given a glimpse of a forest with a clear vision through them guiding us to shift perspective a bit. 

“When we get too caught up in the busyness of the world, we lose connection with one another – and ourselves.”

– Jack Kornfield

Sometimes we stumble upon what was originally erected as a memorial and suddenly you see it from a different perspective as a very sacred spiritual mandala heightening the sensations of our mindfulness journey throughout the morning. 

“Meditation is not evasion; it is a serene encounter with reality.” – Thích Nhất Hạnh

Then suddenly after the amazing profound spiritual experience at the Circle, the chatty birds, the invigorating ocean breezes, and the nearby crashing waves begin to take over our awareness.

We slowly walked to this area. A stop we must and again to just BE taking in the wild flowers, grasses, trees, rocks, nearby islands, and the crashing ocean waves.

Also, noticing we were on a trail classified as a "healthy trail"

Listening and just BE-ing in nature using mindfulness techniques revealed much pleasing ripples and vibrations in our core. Thanks to the assistance of Mother Naure. Buddhists call this anicca or "impermanence."

We continue to move forward in our morning of mindfulness walking with no thought in mind except forward letting nature be our guide. 

At one point no realizing where we were as we got pretty deep into today's practice but quickly regained our sense of location and carried on.  

We were greeted with more flowers along the path outreached as if they were arms just waiting for us to take notice.

“The little things? The little moments? They aren’t little.”

– Jon Kabat-Zinn

These blue star shaped flowers are everywhere here. So simple yet so intricate. We found this flower to be exceptionally healing for us.  

It was quite easy for us to get lost in a timeless warp of presence surrounded by simple miracles of life. 

Today's journey was magical and the rains early on amplified today's experiences.

There are days where mindfulness training and experiences come easy and other days where more awareness to surrendering to awareness is needed. 

Today, our ability to remain present in full embodiment of mindfulness easily flowed like the recent rains running off the branches and onto the grounds either soaking into the ground or running like a river downstream.

We soaked in all that was and grateful for all that is.

Mourning dove as we prepared to conclude for the day

Finally, as we approached the conclusion of our Morning, we were greeted with a mourning dove. As soon as we acknowledged the presence and honored the gift, the mourning dove flew away.

(This we were able to capture during our morning since we were concluding for the day)

Mourning dove once acknowledged,  she flew off. 

I hope you enjoyed this brief pictorial of our experience this morning.

"Life is fragile, like the dew hanging delicately on the grass, crystal drops that will be carried away on the first morning breeze." 
– Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche

Remember, learning mindfulness does not mean to you have to quit something. It just means you find ways to incorporate mindfulness based practices into your daily life and routines like mindful driving or mindful eating or mindful cleaning or mindful breathing.  The list of applications can go on and on.

Each week we will investigate a new way to incorporate mindfulness into our daily lives that you can take with you.

If you would like to join us, please visit our website at www.laurahealingwithspirit.com for complete list of dates as this is seasonal and still in its pilot phase.

With love and appreciation, 

Laura

---

[i] http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Shinto

[ii] https://www.ministrymagazine.org/archive/1949/03/shinto-the-way-of-the-gods

Medical Study of the Effects of Singing Bowl Sound Meditation on Mood, Tension, and Well-Being

Laura's Tibetan Bowls for Meditation on the water.
Cape Cod 2016 All Rights reserved

I am ecstatic to see this observational medical study on the use of Tibetan singing bowls. The study was published involving 62 women and men with the mean age 49.7 years of age. I found the results quite interesting.

The study was published in PubMed as well as Journal of Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine:

"Poor mood and elevated anxiety are linked to increased incidence of disease. This study examined the effects of sound meditation, specifically Tibetan singing bowl meditation, on mood, anxiety, pain, and spiritual well-being. Sixty-two women and men (mean age 49.7 years) participated. As compared with pre-meditation, following the sound meditation participants reported significantly less tension, anger, fatigue, and depressed mood (all Ps <.001). Additionally, participants who were previously naïve to this type of meditation experienced a significantly greater reduction in tension compared with participants experienced in this meditation (P < .001). Feeling of spiritual well-being significantly increased across all participants (P < .001). Tibetan singing bowl meditation may be a feasible low-cost low technology intervention for reducing feelings of tension, anxiety, and depression, and increasing spiritual well-being. This meditation type may be especially useful in decreasing tension in individuals who have not previously practiced this form of meditation." 

Although the study results are brief, I find it promising.  I began using tibetan singing bowls in my work in 2015 as something I felt drawn to do on an instinctual basis for my own healing. As a someone who has a history of trauma resulting in PTSD due to repeated abuses stemming from child abuse to rape to domestic violence to systemic abuse, I welcome this study.

I went through the traditional medicinal route and felt I was given a band-aid with a wound that continued to grow and fester with no relief in sight. So since 2005, I began looking into me. Who I am, and how can I heal especially when my very trust for humanity was so broken. I went up and build my trust in my spirituality.

For me, I understand these ideas:

1. The human body is made up of mostly water
2. We are beings that self generate electricity, and therefore vibrate energetically a frequency and vibration out creating a ripple effect.
3. There is a mind/body connection to all illness and disease
4. 75 – 90 percent of all visits to primary care physicians are for stress related problems [1]
5. How we resonate with our external experiences affect our internal experiences and vice versa. How we resonate with our internal experiences affect our external experiences.

So no wonder the bowls have a magical feel to them.  When I searching for ways to heal my own trauma, I was led on a very spiritual path. Over the years as I worked with myself and others on healing, subconscious changes began to take affect. The more I began to trust my instincts and intuition, the more breakthroughs I was led to.

Needless to say, I was led to these bowls.  I believe it was a culmination of all the personal spiritual and professional work I have done over the years. I feel it was a calling, and the day I was gifted my first bowl, I knew I was onto something special. It mesmerized me and calmed me.

Laura's Tibetan Medicine Bowl

After the gift of my 5th bowl by another healer as well as my Tibetan bells, I had an epiphany. I was using them in a reiki healing attunement meditation for a group of over 20 healers. I was told how incredibly powerful and amazing the experience was. I was asked if I taught this. I responded 'no', because every time is different, and I would not know how to teach something like this. I realized how I would just allow myself to be divinely guided in the whole process from acquiring these beauties to where to place them to order of sound to implementing them in meditations and healing sessions. I could not even tell you what each bowl's musical note represents. I just know this bowl goes here to acquire this result. 

All I know is the effect they have on me and those around me. This is a modality that has been used by Tibetan monks for hundreds if not thousands of years, but originated in India. 

You can go to bodhisattva.com for a wonderful interview of Lama Lobsang Molam, a monk at a monastery in Swyambu, Kathmandu, Nepal, by Rain Gray on the history of the Tibetan bowls. Here is an excerpt of that interview:

"They say this is a relic that came from India and was used by the previous Buddha, so this is a very precious relic. So, that's why everybody wants to listen to that singing bowl, the singing, you know, sound. So, many people are making offerings to this singing bowl, and offering money to that singing bowl. So, he said that if someone has pure or not pure karma, you know, if someone has negative karma, their self they have to round, they have to play it with a stick. If someone has a lot of negative karma, this bowl won't give any sound. It gives sound but, not so nice, it's very small and not clear. If the person who rings it has pure karma, it gives a lot of singing and a big sound, wang, wang, wang, wang, like this. It gives a big sound. So their saying this is the story of . . . their saying like this. Even he saw, you know. So in Tibet they have three singing bowls only."

If you have been questioning on how to break through that wall and feel stuck, going to a Tibetan bowl meditation may be of benefit. Tremendous healing can be accomplished with the use and help of these sacred gems.

I would air one word of caution, however.  For those with severe PTSD or anxiety, please find the right teacher. Finding the right teacher who not only understands trauma, but has some training and/or experience with it is important.

Because the bowls create a very powerful frequency and vibration, it creates a metaphoric glass shattering effect which can trigger some emotions that many with PTSD or severe anxiety may still want buried. You must be ready to release those fears, traumas, and karmic cords in order to  heal. Finding the right teacher is key.

Healing With Spirit offers private sessions and a variety of classes that many times incorporates the use of Tibetan singing bowls such as, but not limited to:

• Self Care for the Empath Workshop
• Reiki Vibrational Healing Attunement Meditation Groups
• A Soul Partnership Workshop
• Private Reiki Sessions
• Vibrational Healing
• Sound Bath Meditations
• Chakra Clearings and Balancing

Private sessions are offered via in office, phone, and skype. For more information, please contact me at Healing With Spirit.

As always,

With much love and appreciation,

Laura  Healing With Spirit, 

Spiritual Medium, Public Speaker, and Teacher
Usui Reiki Master Teacher
Shihankaku in Jikiden Reiki

To schedule a private reading, to book a private party, or speaking engagement,  please visit www.laurahealingwithspirit.com 

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REFERENCES:

1. America’s #1 Health Problem; The American Institute of Stress; http://www.stress.org/americas-1-health-problem/ 
2. Tibetan Singing Bowl History, An Interview with Lama Lobsang Molam; Bodhisattva Training Co Inc; By; Rain Gray; http://www.bodhisattva.com/singing_bowl_history.htm 
3. Effects of Singing Bowl Sound Meditation on Mood, Tension, and Well-being
   An Observational Study; Journal of Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine; Tamara L. Goldsby, PhD, Michael E. Goldsby, PhD, Mary McWalters, BA, Paul J. Mills, PhD
1. Tamara L. Goldsby, PhD, Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, Center of Excellence for Research and Training in Integrative Health, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA. Email: tgoldsby@ucsd.edu

Copy right 2016 All rights reserved. Laura Joseph, Laura Healing With Spirit. May not be copied or reproduced without expressed written consent

This Holiday Season Give the Gift Of Self-Care and Health

There is so much in store for you I have planned and so much that I am thankful for. I believe in partnering not only with my soul and spirit team, but with you.

Thank you for being a part of my spiritual journey. We are all connected in some way whether in person, blood, or internet.

The past few days I have been reflecting a lot of what 2015 has meant to me and to those I have served. It has sure proven itself to be one giant roller coaster ride. Wouldn't you agree? I would love to hear from you what your experiences have been, and what you discovered and learned about yourself.

Please check out my latest blog post, Reflections as We Close Out 2015 - 5 Lessons 2015 Taught Me, and as always I would love your feedback.

Regardless of what holiday you celebrate or religious affiliation, the holiday season in itself is a time of giving and thanks for what we’ve been given and to give back. The Gift of Healing is a great way to show your loved ones you care.

Who doesn’t love the look on someone’s face when they open something special from you? But… if we’re honest with ourselves… about half of the stuff we buy won’t be used in any meaningful way.

So this year, instead of buying your loved one a gift from the mall, what about giving them a gift that will change someone else’s life?
Why not give the gift of health, healing, and self-care. 

Here are some Holiday Specials being offered at Healing With Spirit:

Get a FREE $25 Gift Certifcate*

with purchase a gift certificate of $100.00 or more.

Get a FREE Reiki Session*
w/ purchase of 3 Reiki Sessions of equal or lesser value.

Get a FREE Reading*
with the booking of a psychic medium party between now and January 2016.

Contact us to purchase yours today. Gift Certificates can also be mailed directly to your loved one. Inquire for details today!

Have a great day!

With love and light,

Laura

www.healingwithspirit.webs.com

* Restrictions apply. Inquire for details. Offer expires: 12/24/15

7 Spiritual Exercises That Could Change Your Life

This is a great little collage of dialogue with some the world's leading spiritual teachers on Oprah.  The exercises described and presented are brief but quite powerful. Change your life through soul healing.

Meditation and Stress

With the hustle and bustle of everyday life compounded with the every day news of a doom and gloom economy, how does meditation help with these stresses on top of the seasonal holiday stresses? 


Meditation is a practice used to relax the body, calm the mind and center yourself. It is the process of clearing the mind from all its chaos. In short, meditation is the ability to relax the mind and give it freedom to be.

In order to be a successful meditator, you have to be gentle with yourself and do a little meditating each day, until it comes as naturally as breathing. Practice makes perfect.  
When you become one with your body, relax the mind,  and release any tensions, a sense of strength and clarity will emerge. 


Think of a room completely cluttered.  So much so that you are unable to see the floor.  Picture that as your mind completely cluttered.  Just as cleaning that room takes patience, focus, & organization so does your mind.  Now in order to get started on your room, you will need to know what to throw away or if we are talking meditation, what to release from your mind and body.   


As we get started on our room, we remove what we don't want and create a room that we do want.  Meditation can help do the same with your mind and body.  With proper breathing, posture, and technique, you will be able to relax your mind to gain clarity as to what you want and what you want to release. 


If you have ever had a cluttered room, how did it feel once you were able to turn it into what you want?  That same feeling of peace, relaxation and accomplishment can be done as well with meditation. 


Meditation:  It's not what you think!
Meditation is medicine for the mind.


© 2009 All Rights Reserved.

Why Meditation

One of the most common reasons that people cite for wanting to learn meditation is to reduce stress.  Life is always going to be fullof challenges, and a life without some turmoil is not only impossible but isalso undesirable.


A considerable amount of research has shown that meditationhas benefits on mental & physical health, including a reduction inproneness to depression, an increase in emotional positivity, and an increasedability to deal with life’s inevitable stresses.


People often think of meditation as being nothing more thanrelaxation.  Meditation, however, not only involves relaxation (thecessation of unnecessary effort) but promotes mindfulness, which helps thestress-sufferer to recognize unhelpful patterns of thought that give rise to thestress response, and also involves the active cultivation of positive mentalstates such as loving-kindness, compassion, patience, and energy.


Each meditation group session is geared towards the needs ofthe individuals of the group itself.


"Meditation, It's not what you think!"

The Importance of Spirituality in Conquering Unhealthy Stress

Photo taken in Massachusetts by Laura Healing With Spirit (c) 2014

Are you feeling overwhelmed and having a lot of difficulty in your life? Stress creeping in your life? Feeling like you’re losing purpose?  Stress is different for everyone. What may be stressful for one person may not be stressful for another and stress appears in many different ways.  However, chronic unhealthy stress slowly creeps in our lives and is a growing epidemic becoming toxic to our physical health, mental health, and spiritual health. At all times, in order to maintain a healthy mind, body, and spirit, we must be in a constant equilibrium or balance.
 
Spirituality, separated from Religiousness, can help manage your unhealthy stress, because spirituality in its core helps give your life meaning and purpose regardless of your religious beliefs.
 
How do I know if my stress is normal or if it is unhealthy? Normal healthy stress occurs during certain events such as child birthing, exercise, or even in cases like winning the lottery. The natural stress response is the body's reaction to danger, uncertainty or change through various hormonal reactions. That is the first stage of stress, also called the “fight or flight”. 

Although stress is a normal natural survival mechanism, it can quickly become toxic to our mind, body, and spirit if kept in overdrive taxing our system. Ever hear anyone say their nerves are fried? Well unhealthy stress puts your nervous system in overdrive. Research suggests that prolonged toxic stress contributes to high blood pressure, heart disease, coronary artery disease, anxiety, depression, obesity, and addiction.
 
Statistics according to the American Psychological Association:

• About 25% of Americans are experiencing high levels of stress
• About  50% report moderate levels of stress
• Over 76% of Americans cite money as a significant cause of stress.[1] 

Research also suggests that time management may be a significant barrier preventing people from taking the necessary steps to improve their health.[2]  Most Americans have a general awareness and understand the general health impacts of toxic stress. Unfortunately, studies also show there is a disconnect when it comes to impact stress may have on an individual’s own health.


You cannot avoid stress, but there ways to better manage stress levels and spirituality can help.  
 
First, in order to change the effects of stress, you have to learn to recognize and identify when you're feeling overly stressed and become more aware of the signs, symptoms, and triggers. Your body tells you everything you need to know by sending you signs and signals.  Are you listening? 


Spirituality can help you become reconnected with yourself.  It allows for self discovery, and can assist in helping you build a sense of awareness. Because spirituality focuses on the inner self and our inner world, it encourages a passive shift in our attitude and how we react to certain situations that confront us.
 
Research suggests that those who believe in God or a higher power or have gone through a spiritual journey experience many benefits to their overall health and wellbeing including a reduction of toxic stress.
 
Once you identify the stress, next is to choose a way to deal with it. One way is to find something positive in your life no matter how dire your situation may seem. Focus on positives. Find gratitude in the little things in your life that right now may seem mundane. 
 
Another way, is avoidance or removal. However, avoiding your stressors are not always possible especially if the source of your stress is family. So what do we do? We change our thoughts and how we react to people, things or situations.  You cannot change how someone treats you or what situations have been given to you, BUT you can choose how you react to them. 
 
As you go through this process pay attention to you - not the ego self, but the inner you!  There are various practices associated with spirituality that have also been shown to reduce unhealthy stress including:

• Meditation – Meditation is probably the most researched practice showing profound benefits to improving a variety of chronic health issues such as stress, anxiety, depression, HBP, and improve immunity. The US Army has studied its effectiveness in using it as a treatment method for soldiers returning from battle who suffer from PTSD.
• Yoga – Yoga is considered a form of complementary alternative medicine using various poses and breathing techniques. Research has shown yoga to reduce stress related symptoms, enhance mood, and improve overall sense of well-being.
• Tai Chi – When Communist China took over, Tai Chi was the only martial art not banned. It is now considered a meditation in movement.  With the use of the gentle flow and movements, Tai Chi can have tremendous health benefits including reducing stress.
• Breathing Exercises -  Mastering the power of the breath with deep breathing techniques is one of the best ways to lower stress and can be done anywhere. This is because how we breathe affects the overall functioning and health of our body.
• Relaxation – Relaxation Techniques help activate the body’s natural relaxation response to combat stress. Methods include: hypnosis, meditation, breathing exercises, and yoga.
• Prayer - Prayer has also show to have many of the same benefits as meditation by bringing a sense of calmness that can help buffer stress. Prayer has long been associated with connecting to God.
• Touch Therapies such as  Reiki and Acupuncture have ancient healing roots that promote healing and reduce stress.
• Laughter – Laughter has been shown to cause biochemical changes in the body leading to greater healing and changes of perspective.

 
Through various spiritual practices, you will quickly be able to restore calm, clarity and serenity to your chaotic life and restore the equilibrium in your body.  In the process, your stress will naturally be reduced.
 
Finally, our mental strength and attitudes can be a deciding factor in identifying a stressor and the nature of our response to it. So becoming aware of our own inner thoughts, maintaining a positive attitude, and learning to laugh more can all help keep our mind, body, and spirit healthy.
 
So when life throws you a curveball, change how you react to the situation, and find the lesson to be learned. Those who practice some form of spirituality also view these types of situations as a karmic test or lesson to be learned for personal spiritual growth.
 
As someone once told me when I was at a place where I felt cornered with no possible solutions in sight while stress controlled my life, I was reminded “It is always darkest before it becomes dawn”.  The light always triumphs the dark. Always.
 
Let spirituality and your spiritual path guide you in your life and help you reduce the unhealthy stress you have accumulated before it becomes too late. You will be glad you did. Have a blessed day.
 
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References:
 
1.       AmericanPsychological Association; Managing YourStress Through Tough Economic Times; November 2010; http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/economic-stress.aspx
2.       The Mayo Clinic; Spirituality and Stress Relief: July23, 2010; http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/stress-relief/SR00035
3.       AmericanPyshcological Association; Stress inAmerica; 2011 http://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress/index.aspx
4.       Life Positive; Spirituality for Stress Relief; http://www.lifepositive.com/mind/psychology/stress/mental-health.asp
5.       Columbia CenterFor Psychiatry;  Stress; David FischerMD, Medical Director; 2011;  http://www.columbiapsychiatric.com/stress.html
6.       The FreeDictionary by Fairafax; Stress; http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/stress
7.       Harvard HealthPublications; Harvard Medical School; Understandingthe Stress Response; http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletters/Harvard_Mental_Health_Letter/2011/March/understanding-the-stress-response
8.       Spirituality and health: What we know,what we need to know; Linda K George; David B Larsons;Harold G Koeing; Michael E McCullough; Journal of Social and ClinicalPsychology; Spring 2000; 19, 1; Psychology Module; http://www.psy.miami.edu/ehblab/Religion%20Papers/spirituality%20and%20health_george_larson_et%20al._JSCP.pdf
9.       Stress Management; Stress Relievers: Top 10 Picks To TameStress; Mayo Clinic; http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/stress-relievers/MY01373
10.     Stress Management Health Center; Stress Management; Breathing Exercises for Relaxation;  WedMD; http://www.webmd.com/balance/stress-management/stress-management-breathing-exercises-for-relaxation
11.     The Mayo Clinic; Stress Management; Relaxation Techniques; http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/relaxation-technique/SR00007


©2013-2014 Laura Joseph of Healing With Spirit..  All Rights Reserved. This information is for general educational uses only. It may not apply to you and your specific medical needs. This information should not be used in place of a visit, call,consultation with or the advice of your physician or health care professional. Communicate promptly with your physician or other health care professional with any health-related questions or concerns. Be sure to follow specific instructions given to you by your physician or health care professional.

[1] American Psychological Association; Stress in America; 2011 http://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress/index.aspx
[2] American Psychological Association; Stress in America; 2011 http://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress/index.aspx