Reiki - A Life Force Energy

The history of Reiki

Usui was a gentle, warm man who studied medicine, religion, psychology, spiritual teachings and eventually he became a spiritual teacher. Even though Dr. Usui was not an academic doctor he was named a doctor out of respect.

The story and origin of Reiki has many variations. The following is a synthesis of the story of Dr. Usui’s discovery.

At certain stage of his life, Dr. Usui’s attention was intensively directed to healing miracles of Jesus and Buddha. It occurred to him that Jesus and Buddha were performing same body and spirit healing miracles utilizing unknown life-force energy. Dr. Usui began to study Buddhist manuscripts. He was searching for answers to the nurturing questions of the nature of mysterious healing energy of two Masters.

Dr. Usui went to Zen Monasteries asking questions to monks without getting satisfying answers. To have unlimited access to Buddhist Sutras by Dr. Usui’s request he was admitted to the Zen Monastery. There he started form Japanese translations. Later on to have better understanding of Sutras he first learned Chinese language and eventually the language of Buddha – Sanskrit. From those scripts Dr. Usui learned the principles and symbols of Buddha’s healing energy, but what he was missing was the actual power of healing. Dr. Usui began to meditate upon receiving healing power. One night he got a commandment to climb the holy Mount Kuri Yama and to remain there fasting in meditative state for 21 days, what he immediately did.

Dr. Usui climbed designated place facing east. To count passing days he placed 21 small stones in front of him. Each day just before the sunrise (by some sources just after sunset) he threw one stone. He spent 20 days reading Sutras, chanting, meditating and praying for enlightenment and answer to his questions.

On the final, 21st day, Dr. Usui saw a shinning light approaching him from above. The large beam of light was getting closer to him to finally stuck his third eye. At that moment Dr. Usui saw millions of colorful light sparkles and among them glowing in gold light Reiki symbols appeared. At that moment he received information about each symbol and a commands how to preserve them.

Dr. Usui understood that he was just enlightened and that he received the answer to his question of mysterious healing energy of Jesus and Buddha. Dr. Usui received as well the first Reiki attunement.

When he was rushing down the mountain he stubbed his toe on the rock. Instinctively he grabbed his foot in both hands and held it for few minutes. Bleeding stopped and pain went away. This was the first time when miraculous healing power of two Masters, The Reiki Healing power, was used by Dr. Usui.

On his way back he stopped at a home serving pilgrims. Young girl with a bandage wrapped around her face approached him. After short conversation Dr. Usui knew that since few days the girl was suffering from severe toothache. He asked if he could help her and after she agreed Dr. Usui put his hands around her jaw. In few minutes the swelling went down and she was relived of pain.

Few days after return to his monastery Dr. Usui decided to go to the slums of Kyoto to treat beggars. He stayed there for seven years dedicating entire days for healing all kind of sicknesses. Except for healing, Dr. Usui was teaching people hot to start new life, taking responsibility for themselves. After certain time, however, Dr. Usui noticed that he was seeing the same faces; faces of people treated once before. He asked them why they were returning to slums and an old life style. In response they told him that “new life style” demanded too much responsibility and concern and being beggars is much easier.

Disappointed Dr. Usui left the beggars kingdom.

He was deeply discouraged and upset. When wondering what went wrong, he realized that Reiki healing energy cannot be given without request. He realized that no healing can take place without recipient firm will and readiness for treatment, not only Reiki healers work, but also recipient has to be ready for following changes in his/her life. There has to be thankfulness for the given energy.

Soon after Dr. Usui took a torch and went walking in Kyoto. He was stopped many times and asked why he was carrying the light during the sun shinning day. His response (and idea) was to search for openhearted people that are seeking enlightenment. He wanted to gather those people around to teach them all knowledge that he received about Reiki and the Light.

In 1922 Dr. Usui started healing society and in 1925 due to high volume of clients he built the clinic outside Tokyo, in Nakao. In that year Dr. Usui attuned Second Great Master – Chujiro Hayashi. Dr. Usui died in 1930 having attuned 16 Great Reiki Masters. Hayashi run the clinic till 1940. There came Hawayo Takata of Hawaii which eventually succeeded Hayashi and taught Masters in United States and Canada.

Reiki News Articles

The International Center for Reiki Training



Science Measures the Human Energy Field

Energy is a theme that permeates many areas of complementary health care, including Reiki. For historic and emotional reasons, two key words have not been mentionable in polite academic research society: "energy" and "touch." Hence it is not surprising that Reiki therapy has been neglected by mainstream biomedical science.

This picture is changing rapidly because of exciting research from around the world. The tale of how concepts of "healing energy" have swung from suspicion and ridicule to respectability is one of the most fascinating and clinically significant stories that can be told.

As in many other areas of investigation, what we were absolutely certain about 20 years ago has changed dramatically. For example, in a few decades scientists have gone from a conviction that there is no such thing as an energy field around the human body, to an absolute certainty that it exists. Moreover, we have begun to understand the roles of energy fields in health and disease. Most people are simply not aware of this research, and persist in the attitude that there is no logical basis for energy healing.

The main reason for the change in outlook is that sensitive instruments have been developed that can detect the minute energy fields around the human body. Of particular importance is the SQUID magnetometer (1) which is capable of detecting tiny biomagnetic fields associated with physiological activities in the body. (Figure 1) This is the same field that sensitive individuals have been describing for thousands of years, but that scientists have ignored because there was no objective way to measure it.

SQUIDB.tif (17914 bytes)

To summarize the discoveries that have been made, the editors of a new international journal commissioned a review of the concept of "healing energy" (2). While we have been researching this topic for some 15 years, the preparation of an in-depth review led to a thorough reexamination of the subject, with some unexpected conclusions.

For the most part, key discoveries are not being made by scientists studying methods such as Reiki, TT and HT. Instead, traditional scientists, following customary logic and scientific methods, have begun to clarify the roles of various kinds of energy in the healing process. Hence the picture that is emerging has the same scientific foundations that underlie modern clinical medicine. For details, see our published articles (3).

The human energy field.

It has long been known that activities of cells and tissues generate electrical fields that can be detected on the skin surface. But the laws of physics demand that any electrical current generates a corresponding magnetic field in the surrounding space. Since these fields were too tiny to detect, biologists assumed they could have no physiological significance.

This picture began to change in 1963. Gerhard Baule and Richard McFee of the Department of Electrical Engineering, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY detected the biomagnetic field projected from the human heart. They used two coils, each with 2 million turns of wire, connected to a sensitive amplifier.

In 1970, David Cohen of MIT, using a SQUID magnetometer, confirmed the heart measurements. By 1972, Cohen had improved the sensitivity of his instrument, enabling him to measure magnetic fields around the head produced by brain activities.

Subsequently, it has been discovered that all tissues and organs produce specific magnetic pulsations, which have come to be known as biomagnetic fields. The traditional electrical recordings, such as the electrocardiogram and electroencephalogram, are now being complemented by biomagnetic recordings, called magnetocardiograms and magnetoencephalograms. For various reasons, mapping the magnetic fields in the space around the body often provides a more accurate indication of physiology and pathology than traditional electrical measurements.

Pathology alters the biomagnetic field

In the 1920’s and 1930’s, a distinguished researcher at Yale University School of Medicine, Harold Saxon Burr, suggested that diseases could be detected in the energy field of the body before physical symptoms appear. Moreover, Burr was convinced that diseases could be prevented by altering the energy field.

These concepts were ahead of their time, but are now being confirmed in medical research laboratories around the world. Scientists are using SQUID instruments to map the ways diseases alter biomagnetic fields around the body. Others are applying pulsating magnetic fields to stimulate healing. Again, sensitive individuals have been describing these phenomena for a long time, but there was no logical explanation of how it could happen.

Projection of energy from the hands of healers.

In the early 1980’s, Dr. John Zimmerman began a series of important studies on therapeutic touch, using a SQUID magnetometer at the University of Colorado School of Medicine in Denver. Zimmerman discovered that a huge pulsating biomagnetic field emanated from the hands of a TT practitioner. The frequency of the pulsations is not steady, but "sweeps" up and down, from 0.3 to 30 Hz (cycles per second), with most of the activity in the range of 7-8 Hz (Figure 2). The biomagnetic pulsations from the hands are in the same frequency range as brain waves and scientific studies of the frequencies necessary for healing indicate that they naturally sweep back and forth through the full range of therapeutic frequencies, thus being able to stimulate healing in any part of the body.

Confirmation of Zimmerman’s findings came in 1992, when Seto and colleagues, in Japan, studied practitioners of various martial arts and other healing methods. The "Qi emission" from the hands is so strong that they can be detected with a simple magnetometer consisting of two coils, of 80,000 turns of wire. Since then, a number of studies of QiGong practitioners have extended these investigations to the sound, light, and thermal fields emitted by healers. What is particularly interesting is that the pulsation frequency varies from moment to moment. Moreover, medical researchers developing pulsating magnetic field therapies are finding that these same frequencies are effective for ‘ jump starting’ healing in a variety of soft and hard tissues, even in patients unhealed for as long as 40 years. Specific frequencies stimulate the growth of nerves, bones, skin, capillaries, and ligaments. Of course Reiki practitioners and their patients have daily experiences of the healing process being "jump started," and academic medicine is now beginning to accept this therapy as logical and beneficial because of these new scientific findings. In Figure 2 we have bracketed portions of the signal that correspond to the frequencies used in medical devices that stimulate the healing of particular tissues. Individual differences in energy projection and detection.

To study the projection of energy from the hands of therapists, scientists must first recognize that there are huge individual differences between people. Repeated practice of various techniques can enhance the effect.

There are logical neurophysiological and biophysical explanations for the roles of practice and intention. [Editors note: It would be interesting to use these detection techniques to measure the effect of a Reiki attunement on the strength and frequency of biomagnetic energies coming from the hands and also to measure how theraputic frequencies may change when treating various conditions in the body.]

It is not widely understood that "brain waves" are not confined to the brain, but actually spread throughout the body via the perineural system, the connective tissue sheathes surrounding all of the nerves. Dr. Robert O. Becker has described how this system, more than any other, regulates injury repair processes throughout the body. Hence the entire nervous system acts as an "antenna" for projecting the biomagnetic pulsations that begin in the brain, specifically in the thalamus.

Moreover, waves that begin as relatively weak pulsations in the brain appear to gather strength as they flow along the peripheral nerves and into the hands. The mechanism of this amplification probably involves the perineural system and the other connective tissue systems, such as the fascia that are intimately associated with it.

Conclusion

In this brief summary, I have shown how some of the experiences of energy therapists have a basis in biology and physics. After centuries of neglect, energetic therapies can take their appropriate place in clinical medicine. The great discoveries of biologists and of sensitive bodyworkers are being integrated to give us a deeper understanding of life, disease, and healing. Science cannot take away the ultimate mystery of life, nor can it detract from the spiritual componet of healing. We believe that research on the energy therapies can lead to much a more complete understanding of life, desease, and healing.

The Buddha advocated that one should establish mindfulness in one's day-to-day life maintaining a calm awareness of one's body, movements, functions, sensations, feelings, thoughts, perceptions, and consciousness itself. In modern psychology Mindfulness has been expanded upon, and is described as a state of active, open attention on the present moment. “When you are mindful, you observe your thoughts and feelings from a distance, without judgment. Instead of letting your life pass you by, mindfulness means living in the moment and awakening to experience.” -Psychology today
Have you ever been driving along in your car with your radio blaring, half focused on the road, and day dreaming? You begin to think about what you have to do at work tomorrow, what you ate for dinner last night, and you suddenly remember that your husband’s birthday is coming up next month, and you’d like to plan something nice. When all of a sudden you arrive at your destination. You have absolutely no idea how you’ve gotten there. You were somewhere else for the entire commute, and you missed it. Unfortunately this is very common. It is also very dangerous, yet this is how many of us go through life.

When it comes to our profession as massage therapists Mindfulness is the basis, the core of our ethics. Without mindfulness, therapeutic massage is impossible. If a massage therapist is lost in thought, “driving along” mindlessly over the client’s body, without awareness of what is happening for the client, it ceases to be a therapeutic or beneficial experience at all.

Please ask yourself a few hard questions about your mindfulness in your practice

Am I preoccupied while I work?

Are my clients my primary focus during their session?

Has my mind wondered off during their treatment?

Am I aware of what I am feeling (Physically & Emotionally) during their session?

Am I focused on my movements?

Am I focused on my body mechanics?

Am I in tune with my clients comfort level?

Am I focused on my intent?


Mindfulness is paying, precise, nonjudgmental attention to the details of our experience as it begins and ends. Pay attention to your depth of pressure, the texture of the skin, facia, muscle fibers in every area worked. Actively looking for and feeling for trigger points and energetic inconsistencies, Instead of focusing only on the minute hand of the clock in front of you.

Imagine your client has been coming to see you weekly for months. In her first few appointments you really were focused on the muscular issues that were associated with her chronic low back pain. You spent each hour session focused on the specific muscles associated with her pain, and you had a genuine desire to make her feel better. Week after week you have gotten to know the client better through conversation. Over time you find yourself looking forward to the client’s appointment because the two of you have so much to talk about. 7 weeks go by and the client’s treatment continues. You realize that all this time has gone by and the clients not making progress. Her injury persists. You suddenly become aware that while technically you had been massaging her for an hour a week for the past 5 weeks you were not focused and unfortunately ineffective. Chances are she notices as well.


In order to hone your mindfulness, try adding a daily Mindfulness Meditation to your routine before work. A step by step guide to how to do this is as follows:

Step 1: Setting the Environment

Just like with massage, there are certain conditions that are helpful for the practice of mindfulness. When we create the right environment it’s easier to practice. It is good if the place where you meditate, even if it’s only a small space in your home or office, has a feeling of spirituality and sacredness. Choosing somewhere quiet, where you would not be disturbed is ideal, as any disruption will affect your practice. If you are allowed, use your massage room for this. It is an ideal place. We strive for the same qualities when creating our massage environment. You can bring a cushion or Zafu to ease your comfort.

Step 2: Beginning the Meditation
When you first begin to implement this practice, it is recommended to meditate frequently but for short periods of time—ten, fifteen, or twenty minutes. For massage therapists, I recommend meditation ten minutes in the morning or before you begin your day and ten minutes in the evening after you have finished all of your sessions for the day. Allow yourself to sit comfortably. Quiet the mind (freeing it of all the monkey chatter) Take a few deep breaths and say to yourself “ I am here in this present moment”. The goal of this meditation is to practice discipline and focus. This initial statement serves as inspiration for that purpose.

Step 3: Posture
The Buddhist approach to meditation posture is that the mind and body are connected. It is believed that energy flows better when the spine is erect. In this position the energetic flow is modified and this change directly affects your thought process, by opening the mind. The most common meditation position is seated on a meditation cushion such as a zafu in a comfortable position with legs crossed and hands resting palm-down on your thighs or for more advance meditation practitioners use a mudra (hand position) of your choice. If you prefer you can use a chair for meditation, however you must sit upright and your feet must touch the ground uncrossed.

After being seated comfortably, our first goal is to get a sense of our own body. Focus on feeling each of your individual parts. Starting with your toes and moving towards your head. Make sure your shoulders are level, your hips are level, your spine is lined up. We use this posture in order to remain relaxed yet awake.

Step 4: Setting Your Gaze
For strict mindfulness practice, the gaze should be downward focusing a couple of inches in front of your nose. The eyes are open but not staring; your gaze is soft. We are trying to reduce sensory input as much as we can.

Step 5: Focus on your Breath
As you start the practice, you have established a sense of your body and a sense of where you are, and then you draw your attention to your breathing. This is one of the most important factors. The breath should not be forced, and you should be breathing naturally. The breath is going in and out, in and out. With each breath you more become relaxed.

Step 6: Controlling your Thoughts
Especially for beginners, thoughts during meditation are inevitable. No matter what kind of thought comes up, you should acknowledge it, recognize it was there, then send it away returning your focus to the present moment. Its easy for us all to get lost in thought sometimes. Don’t judge yourself for this. Acknowledge that it happened, then refocus and continue your meditation focusing on your breath. The mind can be a wild thing sometimes and we have to recognize that as we learn to control it. This meditation practice is actually not about letting go of all thought. Its about setting your focus on one specific thought or feeling. In this instance you are asking yourself to focus on your breath.

Step 7: Returning to Daily Life Whenever you feel ready, slowly begin to move your body (starting with your fingers and toes), change your gaze to look around the room and acknowledge your surroundings. Slowly whenever you are comfortable and ready stand up and continue on with your day. With each meditation try and take a little bit from it and bring it into your daily activities.

Chakra Therapy

What are Chakras?
Chakras or spinning energy centers exits on our physical and energetic bodies. We each have seven major wheel-like structures located in the center of our bodies running along side the spine. The word "Chakra" actually means "Wheel" or "Vortex" in Sanskrit. The concept of Chakras originated as early as 2500 BCE in India, and has been a widely accepted part of Auravedic Medicine, Hinduism, and Buddhist Cultures for thousands of years. While often books on this subject are found in the New Age section of a book store, this concept is far from New. The seven major chakras are connected to, and a part of, the physical body. All are located on the torso and head. Each chakra transmits and receives life-force energy often called "chi", "qi" or "prana".
When If someone is in a state in ill physical or emotional health, the chakras may not be functioning properly. One or more may be out of alignment or stagnant. In this state, life force energy is blocked and is unable to flow in and out freely and the physical body may suffer. This is a similar energetic concept used in Acupuncture, Reiki and all forms of energetic medicine. Stress, being unable to express emotions, becoming overly emotional, experiencing an altered reality, disconnected from higher power, unhealthy diet, lack of exercise, exposure to toxicity, etc. can cause the Chakra system to close down.

What can a chakra balancing and clearing session change?
Everything! Chakra balancing can change every aspect of your life. When in balance, you will be physically more healthy and vibrant, emotionally and mentally clear, and feel spiritually connected. Each chakra corresponds to a different organ, emotion and bodily function. Each one is also associated with a specific note, sound, color, and scent. If you are just feeling "out of it", imbalanced, sick, tired or just not functioning at your optimal health, its possible that your chakras need to be realigned and balanced. Chakra clearing allows you to optimize the power of your chakras so that they are all large, unblocked and vibrant in color. Chakra Therapy is important because it keeps energy flowing freely throughout your body and keeps you in optimal physical, emotional and spiritual health.
Below you will find information on each of the seven major chakras including their color, position, function and associations.


Base (Root) Chakra

Color: Red
Position: Base of the spine at the perineum
Main Functions: Survival, security, primal energy.
Positive Issues: Courage strength, will power and self confidence.
Negative Issues: Physical security like finances, home, safety, possessions.
Related Organs/Body Parts: Kidneys, bladder, reproductive organs, hips and legs. Sciatica & chronic Low Back Pain
Essential Oil: Rosemary or Clove
Crystal: Garnet
Tea: Ginger, Valerian, Lime Blossom or Elderberry
Affirmation: "I feel that my body is connected to the power of the Earth"


Sacral Chakra

Color: Orange
Position: Midway between the naval and base of the spine
Main Functions: Relationships, s*xuality, intimacy.
Positive Issues: Creativity, independence, sociability, joyous.
Negative Issues: Cravings for physical pleasures like foods, s*x, addictions to drugs, alcohol or other substances, withdrawn, over-dependant.
Related Organs/Body Parts: Uterus, large bowel, prostate, ovaries and te**es.
Essential Oil: Sandalwood or Black Pepper
Crystal: Aventurine
Tea: Yarrow, Parsley or Nettle
Affirmation: "I take pleasure in life will all of my senses"


Solar Plexus Chakra

Color: Yellow
Position: Directly behind the navel
Main Functions: Desire, vitality, inner strength, self-control.
Positive Issues: Confident, alert, optimistic and good humored.
Negative Issues: Fear of being or desire to be powerful, fear of authority figures, desires to control others and situations, fear of being controlled, sarcastic, pessimistic.
Related Organs/Body Parts: Liver, spleen, stomach and small intestines.
Essential Oil: Lavender or Chamomile
Crystal: Amber, Tigers Eye or Citrine
Tea: Cardamon, Anise, fennel, or Chamomile
Affirmation: "I trust in my own feelings and decisions"

Heart Chakra

Color: Green
Position: Center of the chest.
Main Functions: Release emotionally suppressed trauma. Soul/heart consciousness. Expressing love in action. Love, empathy.
Positive Issues: Compassion, generosity, harmony, balance, love, forgiveness.
Negative Issues: Codependency, dysfunctional relationship addictions,
obsessiveness, unable to forgive, indifference, jealousy, bitterness.
Related Organs/Body Parts: Heart and breasts.
Essential Oil: Rose or Jasmine
Crystal: Emerald, Jade or Rose Quartz
Tea: Melissa or Chicory
Affirmation: " I send myself and others love and compassion"

Throat Chakra

Color: Blue
Position: Adam's apple area.
Main Functions: Ability to verbalize. Expressing the truth through power of words. Communication, speaking your truth.
Positive Issues: Loyalty, inventive, caring, affectionate, speaking your truth, communication projects, trustworthy, calm.
Negative Issues: Unfaithful, untrustworthy self-righteous, cold, obsessions about communicating.
Related Organs/Body Parts: Throat and lungs.
Essential Oil: Eucalyptus or Peppermint
Crystal: Aquamarine or Topaz
Teas: Clove, peppermint, or sage
Affirmation: "I am open to the truth"

Third Eye (Brow) Chakra

Color: Indigo
Position: Center of forehead between eyes.
Main Functions: Channeling intuition, balanced state of mind, devotion and divine perfection, clairvoyance.
Positive Issues: Highly intuitive, faithful, clear sighted, integrity, orderly mind, the eye of your higher self, predicting the future.
Negative Issues: Inability to trust intuition, scattered mind, inconsiderate, reluctance to see the future.
Related Organs/Body Parts: Eyes, lower head and sinuses.
Essential Oil: Lemongrass
Crystal: Opal, Blue Sapphire or Tourmaline
Tea: Bay Leaf or St John's Wort
Affirmation: I open myself up to God"

Crown Chakra

Color: Violet
Position: Top or above the head.
Main Functions: Personal identification with infinite. Oneness with God. Peace and Wisdom. Clair-cognizance and Divine guidance.
Positive Issues: Reverence for life, self-sacrificing service, idealism, ability to see appropriate route for higher self, ability to be trusting in intuition coming from other plane.
Negative Issues: No concern for others, feelings of superiority, lack of contact with reality, not trusting of intuition coming from other plane.
Related Organs/Body Parts: Eyes, lower head and sinuses.
Essential Oil: Frankincense or Rosewood
Crystals: Clear Quartz, Amethyst or Diamond
Tea: Lavender, Lemon Balm & Mugwort
Affirmation: "I am present in this moment"

What is a Chakra Balancing Session like?
In most cases Chakra Balancing is done fully clothed lying on a massage table, however if it is being added to a physical massage, the therapist may keep you disrobed, but covered. It is recommended that you dress comfortably to avoid distraction. Your session will likely include a mixture of breathing exercises, meditation, and placing of hands. It’s the practitioner’s aim to create a setting that is both soothing and relaxing, so often there will be soft music, candles and a pleasant aroma. Your treatment begin with a discussion/questionnaire to pin-point the areas of stress or emotional distress in your life. The practitioner will explain how these are affecting your physical body, and the chakras within. Each person is given a chakra balancing treatment plan that is individualized to treat their specific physical, emotional and spiritual well-being.

A variety of techniques may be used as part of your chakra balancing program - Reiki, color therapy, crystal therapy, meditation, breath work, Aromatherapy, and/or guided imagery. Sometimes a combination of several techniques is necessary.

9 ways to Find Serenity Now

We all know this story...

‘You wake up each morning in a rush to get to work on time. It seems like traffic is always backed up. By the time you get to work, you are met with deadlines, office politics, and 100 things on your to do list. Five o’clock comes and you are rushing home…traffic again! By the time you make it home, you are already late for dinner with your neighbors. The babysitter just called, and can’t make it tonight.’


Whew! I am stressed just thinking about it. Balancing your work and home life can be stressful. It seems like there is never enough time in the day for relaxation, but it is a necessary part of health and wellness for your body and mind. There are a few things you can do throughout your day to help relieve stress and find time for serenity NOW.

1. Just Breathe: Take a big deep breath…then let it go. You will be amazed at how quickly you will feel better. The great thing about breathing technique is that you can do it anywhere. Sitting or standing, slowly and consciously focus on your inhalation. Breathing through your nose, inhale to the count of five. Hold the breath for three, and then exhale thru your mouth counting to eight as you imagine the stress leaving your body. Repeat this 3-5 times, and several times throughout the day. Stress can cause people to breath more rapidly, or worse, forget to breathe at all. Yoga or meditation classes both use deep breathing to promote relaxation and overall health. Find a local yoga studio in your area, and sign up for a class.

2. Be Active: Hit the gym! Although you may feel more like lying around the house, perched in front of the TV, exercise is great pick-me-up. Exercise releases endorphins that help your body battle anxiety. This alone can elevate your mood. In addition to the chemical benefits, exercise is great for taking your stress out in a constructive way. Kickboxing for example, is a great therapeutic way to relieve stress. Just visualize your stressor (boss, evil co-worker, nagging ex) as the recipient.

3. Laugh: Laughter is the best medicine, and its contagious! Pop in a funny DVD, go see a comedy show, or read a funny book. You will forget about your anxieties just as quick as they came about.

4. Reach out and touch someone: Have you hugged anyone today? Whether it is from a close friend, son, daughter, or significant other, a simple touch of endearment is an incredible mood enhancer. Having physical contact has been found to raise levels of Oxytocin also described as the "love hormone" while lowering levels of Cortisol, “the stress hormone” helping us relax and feel good.

5. Smell the Roses: Have you ever noticed that a certain sent just makes you feel better? Is it the smell of a certain flower, scent of a loved one’s cologne or even something baking in the oven? Figure out the scent that is most pleasing to you, and use it throughout your home. In the practice of Aromatherapy, certain scents influence your mood and can even change your physiology. Lavender is the go to for relaxation, but you can also use chamomile, ylang ylang or rose oil in a warm bath or just defuse the scents in the air.

6. Plug in to iTunes: Plug in your ear buds, and tune into to your favorite play list! Studies have shown a strong link between music and lowered stress levels in everyday life. Singing helps too. If you need to relax plug in Enya or any massage therapist go to track. You don’t have to limit yourself to just "relaxing" music though. Listen to something that lifts your spirits.

7. Treat Yourself: My personal favorite! This, you may not be able to do every day, but on occasion, you deserve a pampering. Treat yourself to a massage, facial or rejuvenating treatment of your choice. Get the benefits of all the aforementioned tips (aroma, music, touch) in one! If its not in the budget, you can do a bit of ‘at home’ pampering by soaking in a warm bath, lighting some candles and slip in a Sade CD to seal the deal.

8. Be Present: Sometimes this can be difficult in our modern society, but it is one of the most important things you can do to reduce stress and find serenity. The present is what is happening right now, at this moment. Don’t be consumed with what happened yesterday, or what could happen tomorrow. . This is an ancient Zen teaching that helps open your awareness to the moment. This might take time to master, but start small. Try eating a piece of chocolate. Instead of inhaling the chocolate and thinking after it’s gone how good it was, eat it slowly, taking tiny bites. With each bite focus on the taste. Experience how wonderful it is…right now. Take this exercise and relate it to other things in your life. You will find that this helps you have stronger relationships, get more done, and increase your fulfillment from life. All of this can be achieved simply by enjoying the moment.

9. Go Outside: Connect with the earth by taking a short walk thru the woods, sit by the pond, just get some fresh air and sunshine. Our early ancestors spent most of their lives outdoors, but today we are lucky to get 30 minutes a day. Our body’s still physically and mentally need the benefits of the outdoors, especially the sun. So get out there, everyday id you can, and soak it all up. Breathe in the fresh air, soak up some rays, and appreciate the natural beauty that surrounds you.