| Stress & Spirituality How Spirituality
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| | PERSPECTIVE
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| Affects Stress Levels
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| | In the thousand and one things we all
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| Take a moment to close your eyes and
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| | have to do to keep up with the demands
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| think about what a spiritual person looks
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| | work, study, family, and friends;
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| like. Whether you see them as sitting
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| | problems that would seem fairly minor if
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| lotus-style in saffron robes or speaking
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| | they attacked us one-by-one can seem
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| emphatically from a pulpit, Id bet one
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| | unbearably huge. At such times,
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| thing you wont see them as is stressed.
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| | believing in something bigger than
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| Relaxed serene beatific. These are all
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| | ourselves (or bigger than the day-to-day
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| adjectives we associate with the
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| | self who has to deal with all of these
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| super-spiritual. But stressed? Kind of
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| | problems) can sometimes help to shrink
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| defeats the purpose of all that
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| | our stressors back down to something
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| spirituality, doesnt it?
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| | approaching a manageable size.
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| Im going to take a moment here to make
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| | MEANING
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| the all-important distinction between
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| | Its a hard thing to accept when were
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| religion and spirituality. Different
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| | going through tough periods, but its not
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| people have different definitions of
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| | the things that happen to us that upset
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| each, but for the purposes of this
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| | us. What upsets us is the meanings we
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| article, its important to be clear about
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| | give those events. For example, if Ive
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| what I mean by each term. A religion is a
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| | just failed a job interview, its not
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| codified set of beliefs and practices
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| | actually failing the interview thats
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| shared by adherents. Spirituality, by
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| | upset me its all the things Ive made it
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| contrast, is about an individuals
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| | mean. Perhaps, in my mind, it means Ill
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| relationship with Spirit (however they
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| | never get a job, that Im just no good at
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| might see it) and their connection with
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| | interviews, that Ill always be broke, or
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| their own spiritual aspect. Please note
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| | even that Im a useless person in all
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| that the two concepts can co-exist, but
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| | areas of my life. Whatever it might be,
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| that religion doesnt have to be
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| | unless I had my heart set on that
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| spiritual, and equally, spirituality
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| | specific job, its unlike to just be the
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| doesnt need to be religious.
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| | interview results. When this happens, a
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| In this article, I want to focus on
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| | sense of spirituality can help me to look
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| spirituality, rather than religion. If
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| | for positive meanings in seemingly
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| you do follow an organised religion, feel
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| | negative events enabling me to ask what
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| free to apply the information to your own
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| | I can learn, or how I can grow stronger,
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| spiritual path. If not, I invite you to
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| | instead of asking why its always me that
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| keep in mind the difference between
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| | gets dumped on.
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| religion and spirituality as you read.
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| | SPACE & STILLNESS
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| This is because theres a great deal of
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| | Something most spiritual systems
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| evidence that a healthy spiritual belief
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| | emphasise is the need for time spent by
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| system can both help lessen the impact
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| | ourselves in quiet and stillness. In
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| some of our stressors have on us, and
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| | this still space, our minds - weary of
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| deal with the consequences of our stress
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| | thoughts rushing around at breakneck
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| responses. The first half of this
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| | speed can find rest. The time alone can
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| article covers some of the suggested
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| | be spent meditating, praying, or just
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| reasons for this, while the second (which
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| | listening and appreciating what is there
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| will appear in the next issue of Optimum
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| | around and within us in that given
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| Stress News) explores how we can use this
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| | moment. The form doesnt matter whatever
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| link to help with our stress management.
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| | is right for you is whats right for you.
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| SUPPORT NETWORKS
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| | Its the peace and respite were accessing
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| Most stressors seem bigger and more
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| | the simple time out that makes this so
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| difficult to deal with if were feeling
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| | helpful for stress management.
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| isolated and as though were dealing with
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| | These are just four of the possible
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| them alone. Knowing that we belong to
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| | suggested ways that developing a personal
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| and can connect with a group of people
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| | spirituality can help in keeping our
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| who care, and who can offer solace,
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| | stress at optimum levels. In Part 2,
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| strength and possibly even solutions, can
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| | well look at how we can start to develop
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| do much to offset that feeling. And
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| | the kind of spirituality thats true to
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| interestingly enough, that sense of
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| | our own individual values, and how to
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| belonging doesnt necessarily have to be
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| | make use of it as a tool for managing
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| to a group of people. If we see the
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| | stress. If you have any questions or
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| natural world as something we can
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| | comments on the first half of the
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| interact with, or Spirit or our Higher
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| | article, please dont hesitate to contact
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| Selves as beings with whom we can talk,
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| | me. Otherwise, until the next issue, may
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| then they can become part of our support
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| | every day bring you closer to your
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| just as much as actual people could.
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| | optimum life.
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