Key 4 is stress release and relaxation, with simple, versatile stress management techniques.
A vital life-management skill
Relaxation is a vital life-management skill. The Five Keys provide invaluable insights into how to release stress to attain body-mind well-being.
● Facilitates short-term stress release
● Help us understand the origins of stress and develop the means to manage chronic stress effectively
● Prevent stress habits from turning into chronic stress patterns
● Emergency release of acute anxiety or panic attacks
● Enables rejuvenation and healing to counter the damaging effects of stress and exhaustion
● Speeds up recovery after stressful periods
● Enable focussed mental concentration to release thought clutter and put your body at ease
● Learn how posture, breathing, mobility and meditation skills can create a stress free life
Understand the body-mind connection
Understanding the body-mind connection is probably the most important aspect of stress management. Then apply good posture, effective breathing, maintain optimum mobility – move regularly – to energise the body, release stress, or prevent onset of body stress. Adopting a holistic approach to stress release is a natural way of being, explored and amplified by the Fifth Key of mindfulness practices, and lifestyle body-mind-spirit integration.
Learning, and applying meditation and breathing techniques are vital to release stress before it becomes chronic, or for emergency coping strategies. When we understand how stress happens in the body and in the mind, and that both aspects need to be involved in an effective stress management solution, we may understand the importance to keep the mind clear of the stress that manifest as tightness in the body. The First Key (Posture), Breath Key (2nd key) and Third Key (Mobility) are physical practices to help prevent rigidity to alleviate and manage stress.
How to practice Key 5 Stress Release
Use the diagram and the “Holistic Five Keys tip for Key 4 Stress Release” for 3 complimentary stress release positions:
● lying horizontally (savasana),
● in a supported back bend and
● a supported Alexander technique position.
Use savasana alone, or 2 and 3 in combination. Relax for a few minutes, or much longer. Use the recording following to learn exactly how.
Audio: 30 minute guided deep relaxation
The Holistic Five Keys tip for Key 4 Stress Release
Key 4 is an effective release mechanism for stress because it utilises good posture (Key 1) to make effective breathing (Key 2) possible. The 3 stress release positions (diagram above) simultaneously helps develop good posture and effective breathing. Movement, or Mobility (Key 3) further enhances stress release and relaxation, and is also aided by effective breathing and good posture. Meditation (Key 5) is much easier in a relaxed body, with sound postural and breath awareness. This is the comprehensive, yet simple nature of the Five Keys to Well-being.
Return to the Introduction to the Five Keys to Well-being
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