| Emotional stress is something that we all experience | | | | WORKING WITH STRESS REACTIONS |
| when we have to cope with the many demands and | | | | All habitual emotional reactions rely on two elements - |
| responsibilities of home and work. Stress can be | | | | ignorance and emotional energy. The first task in MMT |
| defined as an intense emotional and physiological | | | | is called RECOGNITION, in which we learn to |
| reaction to a situation or the mental representation of | | | | recognize our stress reactions as they arise in |
| a situation as a memory or anticipation. Chronic stress | | | | stressful situations. This counteracts the automatic and |
| is produced when stress reactions do not resolve | | | | mechanical part of what makes a reaction habitual. |
| themselves and become habitual. The sustained | | | | The maxim of MMT is that all change begins with |
| physiological effects of chronic stress can have a | | | | mindfulness and awareness is the first and most |
| serious effect on the body and lead to an increased | | | | important step. However, what keeps a reaction alive |
| risk of disease. The psychological effects of chronic | | | | is the associated emotional charge without which the |
| stress produce fatigue, poor concentration and an | | | | reaction would have no power to cause stress. MMT |
| impaired ability to perform tasks, which leads to more | | | | teaches us how to form a non-reactive relationship, |
| stress. Stress produces a general feeling of | | | | the Mindfulness Based Relationship, with this underlying |
| helplessness and negativity, both of which reinforce the | | | | emotional energy that compels us to react. |
| stress reactions. We feel a lack of vitality, enthusiasm | | | | The mindfulness relationship is very important. This is |
| and creativity. | | | | where we allow ourselves to open our awareness |
| Many people describe chronic stress as a heavy | | | | and investigate the emotional energy, which is quite |
| blackness that covers everything. Chronic stress can | | | | different to our usual reaction of ignorance, avoidance |
| result in an increased chance of accidents as well as | | | | or aversion. |
| reducing work performance. Chronic stress also | | | | Mindfulness creates a therapeutic space that allows |
| reduces our listening and learning skills and this reduces | | | | the emotion to unfold and undergo transformation. If |
| the quality of communication in our personal | | | | you give it space it will change. This is one of the great |
| relationships and family. Chronic stress is a problem | | | | discoveries made by the Buddha, 2500 years ago and |
| that greatly impacts those around us as well as | | | | which we are rediscovering today. It is not what we |
| reducing the quality of our own life. | | | | do that matters as much as how we relate to our |
| It is well recognized that stress reactions are learned | | | | emotional stress. When this relationship is based on the |
| and originate from the influence of our own mental | | | | receptivity and openness of mindfulness, then we |
| outlook and from belief patterns acquired from our | | | | create the best possible conditions in which the |
| parents, family and culture. Stress always contains | | | | emotional tension can resolve itself. Without this |
| both an objective component and a subjective | | | | emotional power, there is nothing to sustain the |
| component and in most situations it is the habitual | | | | reaction and life-long patterns of stress producing |
| subjective emotional reactivity that generates the | | | | reactivity begin to dissolve, leaving you free from their |
| emotional tension and physiological changes of stress. | | | | compulsive grip. Like the petals of a lotus bud that |
| There is pain and there is suffering. Pain is the | | | | were previously held and constrained so tightly, the |
| objective component that is often inevitable or | | | | mind begins to explore a new freedom with all its |
| unavoidable, but suffering is a subjective reaction that | | | | possibilities and choices. This is the freedom that the |
| we generate and add to the pain. The Buddha | | | | Buddha talked about and that is possible for all of us to |
| described this subjective suffering as dukkha and not | | | | discover through the practice of mindfulness. MMT |
| surprisingly, mindfulness, which is one of the main | | | | teaches you how to apply mindfulness to resolve your |
| teachings of the Buddha, was and continues to be | | | | patterns of habitual reactivity so that you can realize |
| very relevant for working with and resolving emotional | | | | your full potential and enjoy your life and relationships |
| stress. | | | | to the full. |