There’s a season for everything: planning, planting, nourishing, harvesting and giving thanks. The winter months are for planning what I want to sow and reap throughout the year. In February and March I love to pour over seed catalogues contemplating what items I’ll grow in my garden. I have to start this process early because by mid March those little seeds have to be in the starter trays so they are large enough to plant come Memorial Day. It is winter and the time for planning for what you sow now you will harvest later. There are three seeds to reduce stress that you can sow now that will reap the personal harvest of improved physical health, increased personal well being and a new found joy in Life.

According to the American Institute of Stress, America’s #1 health problem is stress. In other words since most of us aren’t fleeing from the jaws of a tiger (flight or fight), our physical ailments have their origins between our ears – in the mind. It’s certainly not that we imagine the problems and situations that we face, it’s that we react to them with fear and panic like we are being chased by that tiger. Our ancestors were able to climb a tree and the incident was over, thus the body returned to a normal state of well being. We, however, move from one situation to another with the same frame of mind which results in cumulative, chronic stress. Overtime, the body becomes diseased reflecting the dis-ease of our internal attitudes.

It’s not hard to do and doesn’t require any equipment or gym memberships. You don’t have to buy anything. All that is required is the willingness to love yourself enough to plant one seed at a time over three months. Curious? Good. It’s easy. You’re going love this.

Seed #1: The Seed of Breathing
The ancient Hawaiians used their breath or “ha” before they did anything. Early explorers upon finding the islands didn’t know where they were, so they sailed from island to island asking the natives, “Where do you live?” They were looking for a name to write on their maps. The Hawaiians responded the same at each island, “Ha-wi-ii”. The explorers then named the islands as such. Later, Max Freedom Long decoded the Hawaiian language to learn that Hawaii decoded means, “I live on the Life Force that is carried on my breath.”

Your breath is the quickest and easiest way to bring yourself back into calm. Ever notice how you stop breathing or breathe shallowly when you’re tense? Like most of the time? Once you take up breathing exercises, you’ll soon find that you are breathing more deeply every chance you get because it feels so good, and then you’ll find you’re doing it unconsciously rather than consciously.

Begin with breathing in to the count of three and out to the count of five using long, slow breaths. That’s it; that’s all there is to it. Do this every morning for 3-5 minutes or longer and every evening as you go to sleep for 3-5 minutes or longer. It’s a good idea to put a session in mid day, as well.
Continue this for 4 weeks without fail; should you miss, just pick it back up. Stay the course.

Seed #2 The Seed of Checking In With Your Body
We have to become aware that we have gone from feeling good and at ease to feeling stressed. Most of us live in such a state of stress that we think it’s normal to feel this way. We have forgotten how it feels to be at ease, loose in our bodies and calm. Noticing and paying attention to the signals our bodies are giving us is key.