[1] Total Stress Management takes a holistic approach to reducing stress through policies, programs and implementation at both the individual and societal levels. [2] Some criticize Total Stress Management, arguing that the current stressful situation cannot change and it is better to just enjoy life. Others think increasing individual strength alone is enough to deal with stress without addressing its systemic causes. [3] Total Stress Management recognizes that stress occurs at conscious, subconscious and unconscious levels from birth to death, internally and externally, and aims to holistically conquer stress to allow individual and global flourishing.

1. RATIONALE
OF
TOTAL
STRESS
MANAGEMENT
DR.
SHRINIWAS
KASHALIKAR

2. Total Stress Management includes holistic perspective,
policymaking, programs and their implementation.
However there are many amongst us, who are cynical
about the vision and the contents of Total Stress
Management. They say; “We don’t think that present
situation can change in any way. It is better to enjoy life
as it comes without botheration about society.”
There others amongst us; who do not understand, agree
or subscribe to Total Stress Management. They think it is
beyond every possible individual effort. So, they advocate
increase in inner strength (without bothering about the
cancerous growth in internal and external environmental
stress, which they think is NORMAL and inevitable) and
aim to reduce the ratio; “External pressure/resilience; or
inner strength”!
Even as it appears heroic and attractive to say what
irrespective of the extent of stress we should conquer it
by our inner strength; it is our subjective, superficial,
shallow and hence erroneous comprehension of STRESS.
It leads to grossly inadequate, piecemeal and ineffective
solution of; “so called increase in inner strength”.

3. When the friends amongst us; do not understand Total
Stress Management; they neglect the STRESS produced
right from conception to death; and at conscious,
subconscious and unconscious levels; both inside and
outside; and ignore the holistic ways to conquer STRESS
and achieve individual and global blossoming!
In absence of the study of Total Stress Management; we
do not realize that inner strength is important; but not
for continuing to inertly and indifferently face or escape
from the same cancerous stress as today, but for
changing the inner and outer; STRESSORS so as to
blossom the individual and the universe; through holistic
solutions.
Due to our ignorance, we often ask; “Can you be happy
even if all the material pleasures are granted? Are not all
the material pleasures useless in terms of giving total
fulfillment of life? Is not the body that enjoys it also
temporary? Are we not unhappy merely because of ego?
Are we not unhappy because of the state of our mind?
What is the use of pursuing material pleasures? What is
the use of Total Stress Management; when all is vanity?
Isn’t the world as its today; even when so many people
toiled for its improvement in the past? Isn’t such effort

4. useless and futile? What is the use of it; if we have to
leave them here; when we die?
Total Stress Management is like oxygen. We breathe it
for ourselves. We do not ask the above questions when it
comes to breathing! Do we? Those of us have
constitutions to understand Total Stress Management;
they participate in it; those who do not study, do not
understand, and do not agree; do not participate in it.
Those; who want to live to the best of their satisfaction
and conquer the STRESS; can avail Total Stress
Management; and those who choose to be the victims of
STRESS, or causes of the STRESS for others; can
discard it. They can keep proclaiming; like snoring in
slumber or like shouting in delirium; that; they happy
and ecstatic; even as the millions others are in misery!
Rationale of Total Stress Management (the core of which
is NAMASMARAN); is conquering the STRESS
simultaneously from inside and (through holistic
perspective, policies, plans, programs and their
implementation); from outside!