Tension Dictionary

Insanity (from Latin in not + sanus sound)

Unsoundness of the mental faculties or organs, with or without loss of volition and of consciousness.

"Arcane science teaches that the abandonment of the living body by the soul frequently occurs, and that we encounter every day, in every condition of life, such living corpses. Various causes, among them overpowering fright, grief, despair, a violent attack of sickness, or excessive sensuality may bring this about. The vacant carcass may be entered and inhabited by the astral form of an adept sorcerer, or an elementary (an earth-bound disembodied human soul), or, very rarely, an elemental. . . . In insanity, the patient's astral being is either semi-paralyzed, bewildered, and subject to the influence of every passing spirit of any sort, or it has departed forever, and the body is taken possession of by some vampirish entity near its own disintegration, and clinging desperately to earth, whose sensual pleasures it may enjoy for a brief season longer by this expedient" (IU 2:589).

Not all insane persons, however, suffer with the restless inner tension due to a besieging influence. Some grope along on their own kama-manasic level, bewildered because deprived of the directing influence of their higher principles. Some of these people are suffering from a dissociation of the inner conscious self from his brain which ordinarily connects him with the external world of things and people. Such cases know inwardly that they are not insane but, being unable to make themselves understood, and hence being regarded and treated as lunatics, they sometimes finally do become mentally deranged.

While karmic conditions may prevent a cure in this life for many cases, many others respond happily when, to the best resources of modern treatment, is added the knowledge of composite human nature with knowledge of its relations to the invisible astral sphere which interpenetrates and influences our world of mind and matter. Most important help may come from the confident, friendly, uplifting influence which emanates from intelligent, earnest, pure-minded attendants who deal with them.

(See also: Insanity , Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Reflexology (Reflexotherapy) - Treatment by irritation of an area of the body distant from a lesion. It usually consists of using the hands to apply gentle pressure to the feet in order to ease pain, relieve tension, and restore energy. The term can also be applied to applying pressure to specific points on the hands and ears.

(See also: Reflexology (Reflexotherapy) , Alternative Health, Body Mind and Soul)

GUIDED IMAGERY

Also known as Guided Meditation or Guided Visualization. This experience is achieved by listening to the narration given by a practitioner guiding the visualization or “journey,” or by listening to an audiocassette tape or CD. In this way one follows specific suggestions or images directed towards a desired outcome.

The experience allows one to travel within the mind to areas of beauty and peace, and further allows the individual to release any stress and tension. Even though it is a mental process on the conscious thinking level of the mind, it can enable one to experience more subtle states or perception. It is a therapeutic process, by which the individual may enhance the innate healing potential within.

The power of the imagination evokes a positive mind/body response, and can over-ride any negative influences that may be prevalent. The healing powers of imagery can affect one physically, mentally and emotionally and tap into a rich reservoir of inner resources. This technique is also being used in sports and business as well as in many areas of healthcare.

(See also: GUIDED IMAGERY , Alternative Health, Holistic Health, Body Mind and Soul)

Myotherapy: Myotherapists apply pressure to trigger points (tender spots in the muscle or other soft tissue) to relieve tension. While similar to acupressure, myotherapy relies on a Western view of anatomy.

(See also: Myotherapy , Alternative Health, Body Mind and Soul)

FELDENKRAIS: A form of movement therapy designed to isolate separate muscles and muscle groups to promote flexibility, release tension, and enhance balance.

(See also: Feldenkrais , Alternative Health, Body Mind and Soul)

Strain & Counterstrain

Developed by L.H. Jones, an American ostŽopathe, the method of correction consists in relieving an articular or muscular pain by proceeding by pressures on specific places, and by mobilizing the segment implied during 90 seconds. The strain and counterstrain is the technique quite indicated to treat pains caused by a bursite, a tendinitis, cephalgias of tension, an irritated sciatic nerve, a loss of articular mobility, and more.

(See also: Strain & Counterstrain , Alternative Health, Body Mind and Soul)

KINETIC AWARENESS

Developed by dancer/choreographer Elaine Summers, kinetic awareness is a system of bodywork that aims to increase knowledge of the human body by understanding tension as a positive and necessary part of movement affecting health, attitude, and emotional well-being.

Designed to improve mental image, clients can gain a heightened sensitivity to posture and movement. All parts of the body are encouraged to be free to move in all directions in which it’s possible. A goal of kinetic awareness is to free the body so it is always moving away from pain and toward pleasure. There are five phases of awareness, including attention to breathing, simultaneous movement of body parts, level of tension, speed of movement and relation to others.

(See also: KINETIC AWARENESS , Alternative Health, Massage, Bodywork, Body Mind and Soul)

Strain and Counterstrain

also known as Positional Release, is an indirect technique to painlessly release tender/trigger points in 90 seconds by temporarily repositioning the body in the position of greatest ease, the "counterstrain" position.

It could be described as the opposite of stretching, and works by re-educating the muscle spindle cells, which function as tension regulators for the muscles. It is able to address problems, such as rib dysfunctions, that are not treatable by other means. Developed by Lawrence Jones, D.O. in the 1950's, it has minimal impact on the circulatory system and is safe for everyone.

(See also: Strain and Counterstrain , Alternative Health, Body Mind and Soul)

Jin Shin Acupressure: Gentle yet deep finger pressure on specific acu-points with body focusing techniques to help release physical and emotional tension and armoring, assist the immune system, alleviate common ailments, and harmonize the flow of life energy within the body. Performed without oil.

(See also: Jin Shin Acupressure , Alternative Health, Body Mind and Soul)

FLOTATION

Is experienced in a flotation tank, which is a specially designed chamber containing sufficient salt-saturated water to enable one to float. In this sate of suspension one can free the mind from outside stimuli by creating a relaxed and unencumbered state.

The participant lies in the super-saturated-salty water, which has tremendous buoyancy, and by absorbing the force of gravity; one floats effortlessly, thus allowing the mind and body to release tension. Floating weightlessly in a sound and lightproof environment can be a unique and liberating experience relieving stress and enhancing the ability to concentrate.

(See also: FLOTATION , Alternative Health, Holistic Health, Body Mind and Soul)

MYOFASCIAL RELEASE

Myofascial release is the three-dimensional application of sustained pressure and movement into the fascial system in order to eliminate fascial restrictions and facilitate the emergence of emotional patterns and belief systems that are no longer relevant or are impeding progress.

 First, an assessment is made by visually analyzing the human frame, followed by the palpation of the tissue texture of various fascial layers. Upon locating an area of fascial tension, gentle pressure is applied in the direction of the restriction.

Myofascial release is an effective therapeutic approach in the relief of cervical pain, back pain, fibromyalgia, scoliosis, neurological dysfunction, restriction of motion, chronic pain, and headaches.

(See also: MYOFASCIAL RELEASE , Alternative Health, Massage, Bodywork, Body Mind and Soul)

Breema Bodywork: an ancient health-improvement method whose design is: (a) to release tension; (b) to promote health, vitality, and inner harmony; and (c) to create emotional, physiological, structural, and energetic balance in the practitioner and recipient.

(See also: Breema Bodywork , Alternative Health, Body Mind and Soul)

Touch for Health: Touch for Health is a holistic approach to health which teaches the restoring of our natural energies. It is a practical guide to natural health using acupressure, touch and massage to improve postural balance and reduce physical and mental pain and tension.

(See also: Touch for Health , Alternative Health, Body Mind and Soul)

Obsession The act of besieging, or the state of being bothered or besieged by a foreign personality, especially by an evil spirit, before demonic possession.

This condition is found among the sufferers from insanity, epilepsy, hysteria, drug addiction, dipsomania, severe asthmas, and mediumship; these sufferers are found to be suitable, negative instruments or vehicles through which disimbodied entities of strong desire can contact sensuous life. Sometimes, even where organic degeneration is found to be present, questions arise whether this is the cause or the effect of continued nervous and mental wrongs.

These latter are striking evidence of the vexing or besieging influence which appears in varying degrees, of restlessness with inner tension, of clouded consciousness, inhibition of will, unusual irritability, vague fears, suicidal impulses, epileptic befogged states, and sudden impulsions, criminal and otherwise. In these disorders those afflicted, although karmically sensitive to psychic conditions and influences, often retain enough normal resistance against surrendering to abnormal control to account for the many-sided inner conflict of the siege. This subjective conflict is sometimes disclosed, as in a patient who, subject to attacks of impulsive violence, anticipates them and asks to be restrained. Thus, psychiatrists note that in the insane, the will power to resist wrongdoing is usually lost before moral judgment is gone. Sometimes the inner man knows that he is not sane and longs for help, but cannot make himself understood.

What are technically classified as obsessing ideas and feelings are evidence of the subjective reality of the astral plane and its disimbodied entities. Knowledge of man's multifold nature, including the parts played by each of its principles both during life and after death, gives a key to many psychological problems in the postmortem survival of the kama-rupa. The differing aspects of obsession result from the varied types of the astral entities -- ghosts or shades of the dead, elementaries of suicides and executed criminals, evil sorcerers, nature spirits, etc. The kama-rupic shells alone, being remnants of deceased personalities, differ as the latter had done in their imbodied desires and impulses.

The variety of obsessing influences accounts for the medley of typical symptoms in conditions of inert melancholia, of sustained catalepsy, of violent mania and convulsions, of emotional egoism in hysteria, of childish grimaces and erratic muscular contractions in essential chorea, of subjective horrors in delirium tremens, and of the perverted brutality in purposeless, unhuman crimes. Though only a seer's inner vision could reveal just what entity was active in each case, yet a student of human duality can recognize the unseemly and distorted play of the animal, lower nature, separated from the conscience and higher mind -- the kama-rupic condition. Mild types of these disorders frequently are simply the uncontrolled play of the person's own selfish nature; but these are in danger of drifting into the severer forms, because like attracts like.

See also POSSESSION

(See also: Obsession , Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary)

Deep Tissue Bodywork: This term covers a range of therapies such as myofascial release, Bonnie Prudden method, Hellerwork and Rolfing. All these techniques go deeper than the standard Swedish massage, applying deep pressure to the actual muscle tissue itself to open and release tension.

(See also: Deep Tissue Bodywork , Alternative Health, Body Mind and Soul)

Music Therapy

Music therapy is a scientific method of effective cures of disease through the power of music. It restores, maintains and improves emotional, psychological and physiological well being. The articulation, pitch, tone and specific arrangement of swars (notes) in a particular raga (melody) stimulates, alleviates and cures various ailments.

Music therapy has a long history dating back to ancient Greece. King David's curing an illness by playing the harp would count for the same in the Old Testament. Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, used it extensively. In ancient Egypt pain of childbirth was reduced thus. In Indian legends Thyagaraja, the famous south Indian musician is believed to have sung back life into the dead. And in 1729 Richard Browne compiled the well-known Medicina Musica.

Music can be defined as "…a kind of inarticulate, unfathomable speech which leads us to the edge of the infinite and lets us for a moment gaze into that." Basically a sound (nada) generating particular vibrations which moves through space and effects the human body. In classical Indian system it usually takes the form of a raga which has four sources - folk songs, poetry, devotional songs of mystics and compositions of classical musicians.

Ragas are closely related to time of the day and seasonal changes and emotional status. Symphonies of raga have a definite soothing effect on the mind as well as the body. The muscles, nerves and chakras of affected parts go through alternate contraction and relaxation during impulses and the in-between intervals respectively. This enables energy from a universal energy field to flow into human energy field and affect the central nervous system - roots of auditory nerves being more widely distributed than any other. Also beats in music have a close relation with heart beats with those below the pulse rate calm & relax the system and those above excite & rejuvinate.

While ragas can cure tension, blood pressure, heart ailments, insomnia and other disorders, it should be kept in mind that such therapy treatment should be conducted either early morning, evening or late night, never long sessions on an empty stomach and ideally with regular short breaks in between.

(See also: Music Therapy   , Ayurveda, Ayurvedic Dictionary, Alternative Health, Body Mind and Soul)

KRIPALU BODYWORK

The Kripalu bodyworker guides the client into a state of deep relaxation and meditation for the purpose of releasing physical and mental tension. This technique, based on Kripalu yoga, uses specific massage strokes and verbal/nonverbal procedures to aid clients in reconnecting with their body’s own healing wisdom.

(See also: KRIPALU BODYWORK , Alternative Health, Massage, Bodywork, Body Mind and Soul)

Therapeutic Massage/Touch  - A healing technique that combines traditional laying of the hands with certain Eastern theories of energy flow. It is based on the concept of unblocking "fields of energy" in the body to relieve pain and disease (backache, tension, headache).

(See also: Therapeutic Massage/Touch , Alternative Health, Body Mind and Soul)

NAPRAPATHY

With influences from osteopathy and chiropractic, this system of treatment uses soft-tissue manipulation to release tension and balance energy flows in the body.

The practitioner uses palpation to explore the tissue, looking for rigid, contracted areas of the body. He then begins repetitive, rhythmic, thrusts to gently stretch the contracted connective tissues.

Sessions usually last 30 minutes, focusing mainly on the ligaments near the spinal column. Diet, exercise, and postural adjustments help improve circulatory and nervous system function.

(See also: NAPRAPATHY , Alternative Health, Massage, Bodywork, Body Mind and Soul)

Bioenergetics  - A combination of psychotherapy with bodywork (a wide range of message-like therapies). It involves deep breathing, talk therapy, bioenergetic exercise and massage to relieve tension and release confined emotions.

(See also: Bioenergetics , Alternative Health, Body Mind and Soul)

BIOENERGY

Developed and taught by Polish healer Mietek Wirkus, bioenergy is a form of energy healing. The therapist uses a combination of noninvasive, light physical touch with manipulation and repatterning of the higher energy bodies and chakras using only the hands. The objectives are release of physical symptoms associated with disease and stimulation of the relaxation response to relieve stress and tension.

(See also: BIOENERGY , Alternative Health, Massage, Bodywork, Body Mind and Soul)

BIOSONIC REPATTERNING

Developed by John Beaulieu, N.D., Ph.D., BioSonic Repatterning is a natural method of healing and consciousness development using tuning forks and other sound modalities based on the sonic ratios inherent in nature.

BioSonics' tuning forks help the client achieve deep relaxation and mind/body balance; reduce stress and muscular tension, spasms, and pain; increase blood flow and circulation by releasing constriction around targeted organs; transcend to higher levels of consciousness and access spiritual insights. Each tuning fork is calibrated at a specific frequency to address different areas of healing and development. (Adapted from www.biosonics.com.)

(See also: BIOSONIC REPATTERNING , Alternative Health, Massage, Bodywork, Body Mind and Soul)