Managing Stress (Improving Relaxation)

Within your subconscious mind you retain a primitive ability to deal with every stresses in the same way. If you are threatened, your body will automatically make a dramatic shift into a heightened state of awareness by releasing adrenaline into the blood stream so that you can deal with the situation. Scientists call this the "fight or flight response" because your body is anticipating that your reaction will be to either defend yourself or to run away from the intended threat.

Unfortunately there are situations like being caught in a traffic jam or being criticised at work where this response mechanism is activated but you are unable to deal with it effectively. Furthermore, your mind records each event which causes you stress and will automatically activate the response mechanism when you are next in that situation, or even just thinking about it! Continued stress is also linked with the physical breakdown of the body and the increased likelihood of ill health.

Is Stress A Bad Thing?

Whatever the cause, people often automatically conclude that stress is a bad thing. Do we have control over the stress in our lives? No! Stress is important as it indicates a situation to which you must respond. Stress effectively compels us to learn more about ourselves and the world around us. Our difficulty is in the way we deal with it. There are four phases of stress - we can influence the last three, but not the first:
  1. Experiencing the event.
  2. A decision as to how you will respond.
  3. The body's reaction.
  4. A memory is formed of the stress-response.
In the Life Skills Seminar, you learn to manage this stress reaction by understanding and practising two skills:
  1. The conscious ability to relax, any time anywhere
  2. The ability to neutralize subconscious stress response memories

You May Ask "How Effective Are These Techniques?"

How about I let some of the seminar participants explain that to you?

Harold Smith An exceptionally heavy workload, being a workaholic and a perfectionist with a stress level "out of control", resulted in not only physical and mental exhaustion, but contributed to my first major car accident in 37 years of driving. Fortunately my wife Aileen heard Sandy MacGregor talking on the ABC about his seminar to be held in Launceston in June 1994 and insisted I attend. Despite protests of not having time, I finally agreed.

This was THE BEST SEMINAR I have attended. I used the techniques and quickly learned how to relax at will, set goals and reassess values. Twelve months on, a second seminar attended by both my wife and myself and the benefits are exceptional. Sandy, you have changed and enriched our lives. Thank you sincerely for what you have done for us and what you are doing for so many others.

Harold Smith, TAS


Keiren Forde Sandy, I want to let you know how very much your course has changed my life. As Norbert Wiener has said, the techniques you teach are nothing less than "the secret of life". For some years I have been a nervous and fearful person, both of which were a manifestation of going through a marriage break up and bankruptcy proceedings. Confidence in myself had plummeted.

Through the techniques you have taught me, my life has dramatically changed around. For example, my first book is on track to being published by September 1996; my business is on track to being largely successful; and more importantly, all my relationships - family and friends continue to strengthen.

By using the techniques I have been able to cope with my stresses and work towards balancing the diverse demands of relationships, family and finance. It is electrifying to be associated with someone who understands the awesome power of imagination. Spiritually it is gratifying to know someone like you, who understands the power of forgiveness and the power of love. It can be truly said you are a walking example of one of Ralph Waldo Emerson's creeds "Every soul is not only the inlet, but may become the outlet of all there is in God."

Kieran John Forde, NSW

So What is the Next Action Step that You Can Take?

CALM makes suggestions on how you can develop your skills in dealing with Managing Stress (Improving Relaxation) using Sandy MacGregor's low cost Tapes, Books, CDs, Videos and Seminars which have been utilised by thousands of people successfully since 1990. [click here]