Stress is emotional, physical or chemical response of the body to demands made upon it by its surroundings . Stress is experienced when we are aware of a marked imbalance between capability and demand . On one hand, stress provides us means to express our talent and energies, and on the other hand it can also cause collapse and illness , either psychological or physical.
Life can be stressful . We all face different challenges and obstacles, and sometimes the pressure is hard to handle . When we feel overwhelmed, under the gun, or unsure of how to meet the demands placed on us, we experience stress . In small doses, stress can be a good thing . It can give you the push you need, motivating you to do your best and to stay focused and alert . Stress is what keeps you on your toes during a presentation at work or drives you to study for your midterm when you'd rather be watching TV . But when the going gets too tough and life's demands exceed your ability to cope, stress becomes a threat to both your physical and emotional well-being. Stress is a psychological and physiological response to events that upset our personal balance in some way. These events or demands are known as stressors. We usually think of stressors as being negative, such as an exhausting work schedule or a rocky relationship. However, anything that forces us to adjust can be a stressor. This includes positive events such as getting married or receiving a promotion. Regardless of whether an event is good or bad, if the changes it brings strain our coping skills and adaptive resources, the end result is the subjective feeling of stress and the body's biological stress response.
Stress works like a slow poison. There are various causes of stress which effect a person in various ways. Often, people feel competitive at work or in their personal lives. While a little competition may be a good motivator, too much unnecessary competition may only increase your stress level. You need to recognize that there may be someone who is simply better at a task than you, and you shouldn’t feel incompetent because of this fact. You don’t have to be the best at everything! Then there is teenage stress which is caused due to pressure of studies. Parents expect too much from their children which makes them land in stressful conditions. In teen years , a person goes through many emotional changes and breakup of a relationship and tensions in relationships may add fuel to the fire. Wide gap between expectation and reality leads to stress.
Thoughts cause feelings, and the wrong kinds of thoughts can cause stressful feelings .
But theses are only stop-gap solution - – makeshift solutions - An improvised substitute for something lacking …and what is that which is lacking in our lives – which causes all the stress???
Wide gap between expectation and reality leads to stress. 1950 School Problems-U.S.A. a) Sticking gum b) Talking in class. c) Distracting teachers Today at School a) Drug Addiction b) Teenage Pregnancy c) Carrying Guns & shoot teachers.
We are suffering from " inner turmoil " because of identifying with the body . We think, " I am an American man, " " I am an Australian man ..." We have been lead to believe we will achieve a whole set of unattainable goals in our life by the media, by advertisers trying to sell their products, etc . There is so much false propaganda about finding " true love, " and living a " meaningful life " and being " happy ." So many great things are supposed to happen when we get a job and earn a lot of money . We will have so much leisure time ... We will be very happy ... We will fall in love ... All we have to do is work very hard ... Most people have no idea they are not the body but the spirit soul within the body and that the real purpose of life is on the spiritual platform providing the spiritual "food" needed by the soul. Even people who have very easy lifestyles still face the same problems . No one is happy in the material concept of life . The mistake is thinking if we satisfy the body we will become " happy ." Today there is so much endeavor to increase the comforts of the body . But we are not the body . We are the soul within the body . We can only be happy if the soul is provided with spiritual food . Srila Prabhupada gives the example of the bird and the cage. If you neglect to feed the bird in the cage but keep the cage very clean and shine it very beautifully and decorate it very nicely the bird will die... Similarly if we simply cater to the "cage," the body, and supply food to the body and comforts to the body and try to gratify the senses of the body but neglect the soul naturally we will be depressed and suffer from stress and inner turmoil. Because we are not providing the spiritual food the soul needs. It does not matter what our lifestyle is like if we do not provide the food the soul needs we will not be happy...
BG – 6.34 – pg 345 The individual is the passenger in the car of the material body and the intelligence is the driver. Mind is the driving instrument (reins) and the senses are the horses. Intelligence is supposed to direct the mind, but the mind is so strong and obstinate that it often overcomes even one’s intelligence. (compared to the wind). Such a strong mind is supposed to be controlled by the practice of yoga. But in the present age, no one can observe the strict rules and regulations of placing oneself in a sacred place, focusing the mind on the paramatma, remaining alone, restraining the senses and the mind etc. The easiest way to control the mind is chanting Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare. Sa vai manah krsna padaravindayor: one must engage one’s mind fully in Krishna. Only then, will there remain no other engagement to agitate the mind.
Wide gap between expectation and reality leads to stress. 1950 School Problems-U.S.A. a) Sticking gum b) Talking in class. c) Distracting teachers Today at School a) Drug Addiction b) Teenage Pregnancy c) Carrying Guns & shoot teachers.
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