Body & Soul
....words for thought.

Everything I did in my life that was worthwhile I caught Hell for. - Earl Warren, Chief Justice of the United States.

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IN YOUR MIND'S EYE

Pollyanna and Dr. Norman Vincent Peale were right. Research shows that optimism and the power of positive thinking can affect everything from health to job success and life span. Several researchers have reported that pessimists who tend to blame themselves for their misfortunes are more susceptible to disease. The pessimist's typical attitude of helplessness may be associated with weakening of the immune system's resistance. Or pessimists may simply neglect their health.

A psychologist at the University of Pennsylvania, Martin Seligman, suggested that our initial, automatic reactions to minor misfortunes can be self-defeating. The technique of "cognitive therapy" involves identifying these automatic, negative thoughts and replacing them with ones that are more realistic.

And who knew better than Dr. Norman Vincent Peale? His wife, Ruth, that's who. In the 1950's, Peale was dissatisfied with his manuscript for a book, then called The Power of Faith, and threw it in the trash. His wife retrieved it and took it to a New York publisher, where an editor changed the word "faith" to "positive thinking." The result: ninety-eight weeks as America's best-selling non-fiction book, and an inspiration for generations.

So if you catch yourself saying things like "I know this won't turn out well," "I'm sure he is going to disappoint me," etc., try replacing them with thoughts like "I'm going to do my best to make it come out well." You'll be giving your body and soul a boost!

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It isn't the great big pleasures that count the most, it's making a great deal out of the little ones. - Jean Webster

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RELAXATION TECHNIQUES

The following has been recommended in every publication from Reader's Digest to New Age healing manuals, but this step-by-step relaxation exercise can relieve stress and tension.

Lie down on your back with your arms at your sides or lightly resting on your shest. If that's not possible, sit ina comfortable chair. Put your feet up if you can. Close your eyes. Take several deep breaths.

Relax your feet - You may want to say to yourself, "I am relaxing my feet. They are becomming more and more relaxed." Then go up your body, piece by piece, doing the same thing to relax your ankles, legs, hips, buttocks, stomach, back, and shoulders. Follow through to your hands, arms, jaw, cheeks, eyes, forehead, and scalp.

Feel your entire body relax, and remain this way for five minutes. For a deeper state of relaxation, imagine yourself on an elevator, going from the 10th floor of a building to the 1st floor. Count the floors and relax at each one, as you did throughout your body.

There's another technique for relieving specific tension - particularly in the neck and shoulders - while you are working. Breathe deeply from your abdomen. Each time you exhale, imagine you are sending that healing breath to the part of your body that is sore or fatigued. If you do this for even one or two minutes, it will help.

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If we sincerely want harmony, peace and joy in our lives, we can have them but we must be willing to do the work. We must make maintaining an awareness of our spiritual natures first in our lives. Our inner world is the architect of our external world. We don't lose faith in the goodness of life because we become angry and depressed. We become angry and depressed because we lose faith in the goodness of life. - Susan L. Taylor

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