6 Breathing Exercises to Relax in 10 Minutes or Less

If you're feeling stressed out, these six breathing exercises can relax you in ten minutes or less.

Don’t wait until fight or flight kicks in before minding your breath. Controlled breathing not only keeps the mind and body functioning at their best, it can also lower blood pressure, promote feelings of calm and relaxation and help us de-stress. Read more

Your Tantric Remedy for Daily Stress

If daily stress is getting you down, Robyn Vogel has a Tantric remedy.

Are you tired from all the running around you do each day? Have you been going and going and going? When was the last time you made love with your partner (or yourself?) I'm going to teach you THE most valuable tool for handling the every day stress. Ready? STOP.

What?? (Yep, you read correctly - STOP.)

The thing is -- it's an energetic thing. It's not easy or we'd all be doing it. It's not simple or you wouldn't be tired. And it's not exactly what you think -- it's deeper, and more subtle, but also wayyyy more powerful than you think!

It's an experience. Ready? Read more

Study: Mantras Help Reduce Stress

Mantras are used by a variety of ancient spiritual traditions, all of which carefully specify the ways in which they must be employed. However, a new study has found that mantras from the major faith traditions, and even mantras without religious underpinnings, can help reduce stress.

Mantras can help with stress reduction, new research shows.

Mantras, or mantrams, are a word or phrase with spiritual meaning, write Jill Bormann, PhD, RN, and colleagues in the Journal of Advanced Nursing.

The researchers studied 30 veterans and 36 hospital workers at the Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System, where Bormann is a research nurse scientist. In a five-week class, participants chose a mantra and learned to use it to manage stress.

The study shows that the majority of participants used their mantras to help them cope with a wide range of problems, including anxiety, stress from traffic and work, insomnia, and unwanted thoughts. Read more

Restore Your Sensuality through Simple Breathing

Tao Semko of UmaaTantra.com reveals a simple breathing technique that will re-sensualize your whole body.

... So how do you burn up that stress hormone, relax your body, and enjoy life and sex again? Two ways... the first is to go along with your body's urge for fight or flight (ie physical exercise), so that your body releases endorphins that suppress the further release of stress hormones. This also can release testosterone, which increases sexual arousal in both sexes.

The second way, which allows both men and women to *enjoy* sex more, and have better orgasms, is by re-awakening the sensory nerves in the skin and muscles through special breathing, sensory awareness, and relaxation. Together, these three tell the body, "the danger is over, go back to your normal state."

The fastest way to hit this natural "reset button" is by changing your breathing. Any deep diaphragmic breathing will begin to relax you. Stressed breathing is rapid chest breathing. Slow down the breath and breath with your belly and lower back like a baby, and your half way there. Read more

Physical Intimacy Fights Stress

Science confirms what we already knew: intimacy fights stress.

Couples who hug, kiss and otherwise find ways to get close everyday may have fewer stress hormones coursing through their bodies, a new study suggests.

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Researchers found that among 51 German couples they followed for one week, those who reported more physical contact during a given day -- whether it was sexual intercourse or just holding hands -- generally had lower levels of the "stress" hormone cortisol. Read more