We don't die from bills, traffic, relationships and other constant stressors but our body stays alert and ready just in case. Such chronic stress unbalances the natural healing capacity of the body and leads to fatigue and vulnerability to disease. We can do much to make ourselves more stress resistant not stress free, but able to resist the nasty results of too much stress for too long. That which counterbalances stress is deep relaxation. It is so simple that we underestimate its power to heal.
Meditation is medicine.
Deeply quieting the mind decreases heart rate, oxygen consumption, metabolism rate, muscle tension and other markers associated with the fight or flight stress reaction. Our culture has long undervalued quiet. The small voice within sometimes reminds us to relax, but we seem to have no time and perhaps have even forgotten how. True relaxation is a matter of letting go . The Chinese call this actionless action .