Chronic pain, stress and anxiety have a damaging effect on mind and body
and rapidly progressing ill-health goes hand in hand with an inability
to relax. MythoSelf® Trainer Charles Moore (pictured) specialises
in teaching people how to stop stress and anxiety affecting their health
and how to use relaxation to support recovery.
Here
are 7 aspects of human development that rest at the heart of the work
that Charles does, and which could be helpful to you if you are a therapist,
counsellor or trainer.
1) Imagine attempting to load the latest version of Windows onto a PC
that physically doesn't have the hardware capability to run this new software.
You'll find that the PC simply won't allow the software upgrade or you'll
some how manage to install it, but it'll keep crashing.
It's the same kind of thing with people. If a therapist, psychologist
or counsellor tries to update the software of their patient, no matter
how good the incoming data may be, if the hardware isn't built for it,
the hardware will have trouble processing it.
2) You are a creature of habit. Patterns of thinking have become habituated
in your hardware. This means your body reflects how you are fundamentally
organised; the template from which you are operating.
3) While you go about your every day life you are experiencing a continual
pattern of stress and release. Only some people don't do the release part
very well, and end up operating from default patterns of behaviour as
a result.
4) You are well organised to respond to rhythm and rhythm can radically
change your mood. This is because rhythm affects your motor system. It
is as if a ‘new you’ is being built through your hardware.
5) Rhythm and bi-lateral movement forces neurological adjustments to be
made. The notion of affecting the neural system through movement is not
un-common to shamans and certain tribes who frequently engage in both
fr(ee) form and formal tribal dance to lead themselves into a different
state. In some cultures fr(ee) bi-lateral movement is encouraged (for
example Mexico or Jamaica!) and this is reflected in the general mood
of its people. In many parts of the world though (the U.K and the U.S
included) people are brought up with an emphasis on intellectualising,
with little or no encouragement for people to freely and expressively
move their body.
6) The word ‘structure’ is used to describe your physical body.
Your bones, muscles and tissue. Structure is affected by your heredity
and by your life experience in terms of nutrition, illness, body use and
abuse. "Posture’ is the way you live in your structure. The
energy and attitudes which moment by moment shapes your body.
7) Self awareness and good use of self are probably the most important
things you can do for your overall health and well-being.
If you would like to make 'relaxed' your default way of being, find out
about The 4th R's Learn to Relax resources and services.
http://www.the4thr.co.uk
or +44-(0)20-8974-8974.