1. The Science of Stress and
The Art of Managing it
12th May 2009
2. What is Stress?
• Stress is a state of Mind
• Stress is a mind-body reaction/response to a
situation
▫ To flight from/fight the situation
3. Why Stress Happens?
• When a situation/condition is not Acceptable to us
• When we want to do/get something but are unable
• When ego is hurt (feedback, comments, criticism…)
• When we loose something which we feel as important
• …
• Stress is mostly due to
▫ Fear (of Future)
▫ Worry (about Past)
▫ And not so much due to Present Moment
• It is always due to the perception of Mind
▫ Different people „feel‟ different stress levels for the same
situations
4. What Happens when Stressed?
• Psychology of Stress: Emotional impact
▫ Anxiety
▫ Fear
▫ Depression
▫ Anger
▫ Sadness
▫ …
• Physiology of Stress
▫ Acidity
▫ Ulcers
▫ Heart ailments
▫ Blood Pressure
▫ Kidney problems
▫ Diabetes
▫ …
5. Chain Reaction of Stress: The Negative
Spiral Triggers animal instinct Adrenalin increases
Mind perceives threat
of fight or flight to prepare the body
Heart beat increases to
Breathing becomes Blood pressure
supply more food & oxygen
fast & shallow increases
to body parts
Panic
Stomach readies for
Metabolism Overloaded Excretory Systems
processing more food
increases to clear the toxin
Acidity* increases
Imbalanced Endocrine Systems
Imbalanced Emotions
the chemical factories of
Fear, Anxiety, Anger, Depression*…
hormones, enzymes
6. Some Impacts of Sustained and
Unmanaged Stress
• Brain
▫ Continues to operate in higher Beta state (15 to 26 cycles per second of
electrical impulses (EEG))
▫ Continues to trigger the rest of the body mechanism and create stress
• Blood Pressure remains high
▫ High blood pressures can lead to Heart failure, paralysis (due to
breakdown of blood vessels in brain)…
• Acidity, Ulcer and other digestive problems
• Diabetes
• Kidney problems due to overload on removing toxins from the body
• Reduces immunity and makes body susceptible to diseases
• ….
7. Some More Impacts
• Human body & mind are a highly complex and
integrated system
▫ Each system impacts the other: either positively or
negatively
• Stress and Mind induced effects on the body are
far more harmful than the external pollution
▫ Internal Toxins are far more harmful than
external chemical/industrial pollution
▫ ISO 14000 needs significant change in the
globalized knowledge era!
8. Why Allopathic Medicines and Stimulants are not good for
managing Stress
• Allopathic medicines directly add chemical to the
body and interfere with the internal chemical
factories
▫ E.g. Taking Antacids for Acidity neutralizes the acid in
the stomach. Then body thinks that the acid is not
sufficient and starts producing more.
▫ E.g. Anti-depressants suppress the ability of brain cells
to generate electric impulses
People taking such drugs for prolonged time become dull
• Stimulants like Tobacco, Coffee, Tea, Coco etc.
temporarily trigger higher activities
▫ Subsequently body craves for more & more stimulants
9. Then how to manage stress?
• Turn it into a Positive Spiral
▫ Break the negative cycle at each point
• Some amount of Stress is healthy – it triggers
and energizes the system
10. Managing Stress
• Root Cause: Manage Mind
▫ Positive Thinking and Attitude
▫ Larger view of life
▫ Meditation
• Build capability to face stressful situations and reduce the impact of
stress at physiological level
▫ Yoga
▫ Pranayama
• Healthy lifestyle and food habits
• Have multiple positive energy sources
▫ Hobbies, interests
• …
11. What does Yoga, Pranayama, Meditation do at
Physiological level?...
• Yogasanas
▫ Exercise different parts of the body
▫ Combine with breathing
▫ Postures: Stretch & hold, Compress & hold
▫ Creates flexibility and hollowness, lightness
Helps in flow of water, food, oxygen, electrical
signals and flow of energy in the body
▫ Isometric exercises
As against Isotonic exercises of aerobics, gym
exercises which help to build muscles which reduce
the flexibility & become blockers over a period
12. What does Yoga, Pranayama, Meditation do at
Physiological level?...
• Pranayama
▫ E.g. Ujjai breath: Increases absorption of oxygen into the
hemoglobin by creating inhale pressure in lungs for
osmosis
▫ E.g. Bastrika pranayama: Increases the removal of carbon
dioxide from the blood plasma by creating exhale pressure
in lungs for osmosis
▫ Increases oxidation and liberation of energy in every cell of
the body
Air filter analogy in automobiles
▫ Stimulates nerve tips in lungs which have connection to the
brain area where Pituitary Gland is situated
Pituitary Gland is the master gland in the endocrine system
and has a strong influence on rest of the endocrine glands
13. What does Yoga, Pranayama, Meditation do at
Physiological level?
• Meditation
▫ Takes the brain to Alpha state: electrical impulses of 8 to 14
cycles per second
▫ At deep meditation level (Samadhi state) brain goes to
Theta state: electrical impulses of 4 to 7 cycles per second
▫ Leads to deep relaxation
• Sudarshana Kriya of Art of Living
▫ Takes the brain to higher beta state
▫ Then takes the brain to deep relaxation
▫ Thus exercises and expands the brain/mind capacity
• Mind rules the body
▫ Mind Nervous system Endocrine system rest of the
body function
14. Importance of Endocrine System
Master gland
Controls all other glands Body rhythm
Metabolism
Immune system
Adrenalin: heart rate, Insulin: blood sugar,
blood pressure energy
• Enzymes produced by Endocrine glands influence every cell, organ and
function of the body
• They regulate mood, growth, metabolism, tissue function, sexual &
reproductive processes
15. Chain Reaction of Managing Stress: The Positive Spiral
Triggers hope, optimism, Adrenalin normal
Mind peaceful, joyful
Positive feelings to prepare the body
Heart beat normal to
Breathing becomes Blood pressure
supply normal food & oxygen
slow & deep normal
to body parts
Calm
Confident Stomach readies for
Metabolism Normal Excretory Systems
Composed processing normal food
normal to clear the toxin
Acidity normal
Balanced Endocrine Systems
Balanced Emotions
the chemical factories of
Energetic, Enthusiastic, Positive…….
hormones, enzymes
16. Clinical Research Results…
Increased alertness and deeper relaxation Reduced tension and stress
of mind
Ref: Art Of Living Research with AIIMS, NIMHANS
17. Clinical Research Results
• Improved immunity
• Increase in good cholesterol and
decrease in bad cholesterol
• Decreased depression
19. Human Body as the Energy System
• Modern Science & Medicine consider human body as
merely electro-chemical, electro-mechanical and
physical phenomena
• Ancient Indian & Eastern Spiritual Sciences consider it
as an Energy System
▫ Universal Cosmic Energy (everything is common at atomic
level)
▫ Yoga – union of body, mind and spirit
▫ Raja Yoga – Chakras
▫ Reiki (which means life force in Japanese; Started by Dr.
Mikao Usui a doctor and Buddhist monk during 1860s)
▫ Thai Chi, Acupressure, Acupuncture (originated in China)
▫ Homeopathy (Started by Dr. Hahnemann a doctor in
Germany during 1800s)
20. Chakras: Energy Centers
• Chakras are situated near the key endocrine glands and nerve groups (plexus)
• Wireless connection to brain; Connection to Cosmic universal energy
21. Chakras and Naadis: Wireless
Connection to Brain
• World seen through the 5 sensors (wired connection) is narrow band:
gross, inert, matter world
• World seen through Chakras & Nadis (wireless connection) is broad
band: subtle, dynamic, energy world
22. Science of Homeopathy: Medicine of Energy System
• Basic principle: what causes disease cures the disease also when
given in the potenticized form
• Homeopathic medicine preparation
▫ Potencization through the process of tritration
▫ Transfer of atomic vibrations to the base substance. Not even a single
molecule of medicinal material will be present according to Avogadro
number
• Curing principle
▫ Right medicine creates energy vibrations in the human system
(resonance principle)
▫ This increase the energy level to improve the health conditions
▫ Typically causes initial aggravation and subsequently cures with
oscillations
▫ Cures inside-out: Mind Emotional level Physical level
Mind & Emotional symptoms are the key for diagnosis
24. What is “Success”?
• The definition I liked most:
▫ “The measure of Success is the number of joyful smiles per
day every day” – Shri Shri Ravishankar
• Life is full of choices; The choices one makes determine
one‟s life – they are like cross-roads
▫ IQ < EQ < AQ < SQ : determine what choices one makes
• Manage Mind
▫ Healthy mind FOR a healthy body
▫ It is mind, and not body, that differentiates the leader from
the rest
Positive Energy is most fundamental to any Leader
25. The Vicious Cycle
Priority Loose health Loose joy Less creative
1) Pursue money
2) Pursue fame
Less Accomplishment
More stress on the priorities Less Money Less Recognition
• People spend half of their life in making money and loose health in
that process.
• In the remaining half they spend that money trying to regain the
health
26. Make it a Virtuous Cycle
Priority More joy More creative
1) Pursue health
2) Pursue knowledge
More Accomplishment
Continue stress on the priorities More Money More Recognition
• Pursue health (mind+body) and knowledge (universal
knowledge) then money & fame will follow as a byproduct
27. Don’t believe me…
… But do not wait for proof
Explore
Experiment
Experience
Modern Science (“Matter” Science) : Proof first, then belief/trust
Spiritual Science (“Energy” Science): Believe/trust first, then proof comes
28. Conclusion: The Simple Prescription
• Practice Yoga & Pranayama (and Meditation) everyday*
▫ Life will change at the most fundamental level
▫ Art Of Living workshop is one of the best
Combines Raja Yoga, Karma Yoga (Service: Jesus), Bhakti Yoga
(Devotion: Narada, Chaitanya…), Jnana Yoga
Practical for family & social life, professional life and spiritual
life
• Use Homeopathy for chronic or hereditary health
problems to strengthen the positive spiral
• Become better individuals and better leaders
29. Some references…
• On Homeopathy and Physiology
▫ The Science of Homeopathy – by Dr. John Vikolthas
▫ Homeopathy Materia Medica – by Dr. Boericke
▫ Dr Padmanabhan padrdha@satyam.net.in
▫ Human Anatomy & Physiology – by Dr. David Le Vay
• On Reiki
▫ Healing through Reiki – by MK Gupta
• On Modern Science
▫ Scientific American – Mind
▫ Modern Physics – by Arthur Beiser
30. Some more references
• On Ancient Indian Wisdom
▫ Art Of Living www.artofliving.org
▫ www.lifepositive.com
▫ Vedantha literature from Ramakrishna Mission
▫ Celebrating Silence – by Shri Shri Ravishankar
▫ Efficacy of Raja Yoga – Shri Ramachandra Mission
▫ Raja Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Karma Yoga – Swami
Vivekananda
▫ Patanjali Yoga Sutra
• At Behavioral level
▫ Stop Worrying and Start Living – by Dale Carneige
▫ Emotional Intelligence – by Daniel Goleman
▫ Power of Postive Thinking…… and so on
