Stress Management

By Saman Shrutpragya, E-Mail : anuvrat7@yahoo.com

In this world we find that we have less solution and more problems. More unhappy people than happy people, more sick people than healthy people, more tense people than relaxed. Every one tries to be happy, healthy, and peaceful but they are not able to do it. People think all kind of thoughts, positive thoughts does come but we don't apply them or put into practice. Bad thoughts come to mind and we implement those. People desire to do good things, thinking does not cost us anything or you don't have to go through any pain. People desire to good things, but his habits does not allow him to do it. STRESS nobody can live without stress in this world. You have to accept this fact. If some one says that he does not have stress in his life than that person is not from this world, he/she must have come from a different planet. It is not possible to live without stress. Stress is necessary for development and is very useful in life. Say for example you want to start new business, if you don't have stress you want be able to accomplish anything. A student going to school does not study and does not have any stress for studying, do you think he will pass the exam and be successful? No. So, the first and very important point is that we should keep in mind and clearly understand that stress is not harmful, but continuity of stress is harmful.

There are two types of Stress :
Natural stress : This stress is for short time and is based on circumstances, situation and or outside forces. Natural stress is for short time only. Say you have to give a lecture, you should have stress related to how you going to present etc., but once the presentation is over the stress is gone.

Habitual Stress : This is also called Tension. Habitual stress is also a permanent stress. There is no reason. Natural stress one after another is converted in to habitual stress because of the person's habit. You are 30 years old and thinking about old age to see if you will be healthy, would some one take care of you etc. This will cause habitual stress or tension. Tension word comes from Tense which means stretched. Whoever's mind is stretched, is in tension. There is always fear, different and negative thoughts going through the mind.

Few examples of habitual stress
A woman is worried about her 3 years daughter about her marriage.

One person has a memory loss while the other has memory retention
One is obsessed while one is thin and slim.

Person leaving in Mountains wants to come to Bombay and person leaving in Bombay wants to go to the mountains.
A women without child and one with child both are stressed.

You can see that from above no one is happy and satisfied. No one can make you happy or satisfied you have to learn to be happy and satisfied. Keep in mind for any problem there is a solution. Stress as we said earlier is temporary while tension is permanent and is because of mental habit.

Reasons for Natural stress: (three)
People say they are busy, fighting for time, no time, time pressure.

People have too much work and less time. Finish the work you take. Don't do two works at a time. The more work you take at or do at the same time, the more disturbed you are and also stressful. Make a rule while eating no TV or phone.

Information overload
We keep lot of garbage in our head. Keep good thoughts and remove badly. Keep what is essential. Don't worry about others. Consider this analogy. A person is traveling in a train and some luggage. He keeps on his head. The next person sitting to him says why are you not putting it down. He says I have paid the ticket only for myself. Anyway the weight is ultimate on the train. Same way people carry luggage with them- luggage of bad thoughts, garbage etc. Some one considers that life is luggage and some consider luggage like a flower. The way you look at it depends upon your mentality and the angle with which you look at.

Reason for Habitual Stress - Tension: (five)
1. Wrong Outlook : People have wrong outlook for life. We run after wealth. How much wealth do you need? You should give value to each and everything that it deserves. We all agree that peace is more important than wealth and health is more important than wealth, but what are our priority, wealth, then health and last peace. Are we living our life or are we making planning for living our life? Enjoy what you have because it is said time will pass away in making preparation and you will not enjoy the fruits you have.

We have in our house, sofa set, TV set, dinning set, radio set etc. but we don't have mind set. It is upset. There is no value of any sets, if you don't have mind set and enjoy the things you have.

2. Uncontrolled desire : There is no limit to our desire we just need two time bread and how much we run Every day. Example of Fakir who had two shorts and he went through different thing to save his two shorts and did one thing after another.

3.Laziness : Defined as lack of enthusiastic nature. "Pramad" is laziness which is called lack of spiritual enthusiastic nature. Like laziness in doing jap, going to mandir, doing prathna etc. "Alash" is also laziness related to body, like doing exercise, waking up etc.

4. Negative Emotions : Greed, anger, ego all are negative emotions.

5. Body, Speech & Mmind.
Keep you body stable and control it.
Drawbacks of Tension
Nature is angry, aggressive and irritating
Working efficiency is down.
Memory gets low and starts detoriating.

Habits are cultivated. You should be free from seven habits- eating meat, drinking alcohol, gambling, stealing, hunting, and looking with bad intention at other women and prostitution. Keep in mind that one bad habit will lead into the next one.

Health problems- Diabetics, ulcer, heart attack.
Unable to make decision.

Anxiety
Solution for reducing Stress :
The solution is itself in the word Stress

S - Strength Increase your mental and physical strength and stress will be reduse.

T - Traffic Control Control your thoughts and for that meditation is a must. Do at least 10 minutes meditation. You have to close your eyes and listen to you breathing.

R - Redesign Think what others think about you than what you think of yourself.

E - Erase Forget negative thoughts. Learn to forget. Learn to forget things that some one has done badly to you. Things that are not important should be removed and forget.

S - Share Give to one who has need. Give what ever you have- wealth, time, understanding, strength, idea. If nothing else you can say at least two good words. There is a pleasure in giving and also advantage, when you give for that time you don't have stress and also realize yourself that you problem is nothing in comparison to the person you are giving to.

S - Surrender Don't think that you are doing anything. Surrender yourself, you are instrument and it is because of God you can do it. Any thing you do keep someone in front and ahead and your ego will be soft and won't increase.

Positive thinking: Always think positive and try to see positive in every thing. Solution orientated thinking is positive thinking. Problem oriented thinking is negative thinking. You should learn to think positive immediately on the situation.

Example : A wife said to her husband "Janwar" the husband must have listen to Samnji and had a positive thinking, he immediately said to his wife, how much you love me that is obvious from what you said. The wife said what you mean aren't you mad. He said I am so glad that we love so much and you called me Janwar. She said what do you mean? He said Tu Meri Jan aur me tera War.

People who has positive thinking, there is no one who can make that person upset.

Swadhya Try cultivating habit of reading good books before sleeping.

elaxation After coming from job do Balasan for ten minutes.

Where there is no necessity of saying yes, learn to say No.

Put above nine things in practice and you will have a good life and less stressful life.

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Mail to : Ahimsa Foundation
www.jainsamaj.org
R260804