In recent years, to counteract stress, tension and fatigue, we have attempted to separate our work and leisure. On one side we place work, effort and stress, and on the other, play, relaxation and leisure. We squeeze our work into a 40 - 60 hour work week and try desparately to carve out time for relaxation and leisure. Here we have made a great and costly error. A human is not a machine which stops and starts when a switch is flipped. The tragic result is that we don't have enough energy to enjoy our work or leisure, and we find it difficult to relax during either.

This dilemma comes from our misunderstanding of Vitality and Rest. Often, we interpret high energy as being "hyper", and usually the only time we feel completely relaxed is when we are exhausted.

Suppose that instead of separating "work-tension" and "leisure-relaxation" in our minds, we deliberately bring the two together. What would happen if we were able to take the tension out of our work and the collapse out of relaxation time? We can do this by increasing our Vitality and relearning how to relax.

Most adults need to relearn the skill of relaxation. We can accomplish that by practicing relaxation every day until we're good at it again. The Systemic Health Home Study Course teaches techniques for relearning how to relax and increasing our Vitality. These techniques allow us to have more than enough energy for our work and leisure time, yet remain relaxed during both.

Systemic Rest includes a strategy of setting aside 10 or 15 minutes every day to practice relaxation. One of the techniques used in a Systemic Rest program is a system of simple but powerful breathing patterns. We do not have a tradition of breathing therapy in our society, so it's difficult for us to appreciate its value before experiencing it, but the results can be startling. This system of breathing methods has a tremendous impact on our Three Systemic Functions when done consistently, so we call it Systemic Breathing. Following are a few of the benefits:

Blood Function: The breathing methods draw large quantities of oxygen into the bloodstream and removes high amounts of carbon dioxide and other wastes. Incresed oxygen allows nutrients to absorb into the cells more effectively. Breathing techniques assist with hormonal balance and enzyme activity in the blood as well. Since our Blood Quality is our immune function, resistance to infection is improved.

Neuro-function: Breathing therapy, slows down frantic, hectic thinking yet increases mental clarity and quickness of mind. It calms nerves and shuts down chronic muscular tension. It is much more effective than "progressive relaxation" programs, because it uses breathing to shut down chronic muscular tension at the source - the subconscious mind. Conscious efforts to relax are at best only partial and temporary.

Vitality Function: We draw in large quantities of Vital Energy and level out our moods. After a 10 - 15 minute session we feel very tranquil and calm. We respond to stressful situations more calmly. We can't remove stress from life, but we can change our physical / emotional condition so we respond better to them.

Another benefit of a Systemic Rest program is better sleep. 90% of Americans suffer from some sort of sleep disturbance. A Systemic Rest program allows us to fall asleep faster, sleep deeper, get more rest from each hour of sleep, and consequently require less sleep. This better resting has a powerful impact on our health.

The Systemic Health Home Study Course teaches all about Systemic Rest. See A Description of The Systemic Health Home Study Course for more information.

Please read the next page about Systemic Dietetics.