Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-22

taught how to rest. There would be fewer
unhappy women II each woman learned
few Of the simple psycho-physical exercises
especially those for resting or energizing
herself and II she used them at the proper
time.
There are many exercises for quieting the
nerves. First of all one must gain control
of ones own attention. Few people can
keep their minds on anything for more than
a few seconds at a time. but this controlling
of the attention is merely a matter of prac-
tice. BY using some physical exercise and
putting the mind on 1t focus Is gained for
the thought or attention. By concentrating
the mind on any part of the body and exer-
cising that part, the blood can be made to
flow freely to that section and circulation
be aroused Immediately. In this way per-
feet control is obtained of the nerves and
blood. Say we have very nervous SHOP
per, going through crowded store, being
bumped hither and thither, pushed and
directed to every counter except the one she
wants to arrive at.
Now. she can go through this store in two
ways: thinking of the disagreeableness OF
Ter surroundings, the lack of courtesy or
those about her and the perverseness of In
animate objects she can work herself into
state of semi-nervous collapse.
If. however, she makes up her mind where
she wants to go in the store, and then con-
centrates her thought on the most sensitive
part of the bodyt-he solar plexus--breath-
ing In the thought of peace, It's TWO TO one
that she will get to her counter quickly
without one rasp to her nerves Very few
women know what this solar plexus Is, or
just how important 1t is to human life and
happiness The dictionary defines 1t as a
great center of sympathetic nerves supply
| ing the intestines Its position lies at the
Dit of the stomach. People say they are
| struck by fear. and they feel the sensation
| here at the solar plexus. This great center
| is almost like another thought center. as
| Elizabeth Towne says "The solar plexus Or
| sun center is to the human body precisely
what the visible sun is to the solar system
! II is the source of all life and light. Ihe
| psycho- physical cuiturist awakeos her solar
| plexus by deep and ryhthmic breathing, but
| il must not be just breathing for breath; it
must be breathing for peace, harmony or
| life.
The woman who worries is restless
picks UP some sort of book which tells
her that rhythmic breathing will cure any
of these troubles, so she breathes as deeply
and as hard as she can, with her thoughts
IN the price of beef the delnquencles OF
her dressmaker. Now. that KIND or DreaIh-
ing will do her no good at all Purpose1ui
breathing is a concentration exercise as
well as a diaphragmatic one concentrate
on that sensitive centert-he solar pleXus-
and with every infiowing breath take IN
your store of peace, harmony JOY and rest
The woman who is always tired and de-
pressed needs thoughts that suggest 1lfe
and vitality These thoughts should be
TONED to exercises and deep breathing, par
ticularly fitted for awakening the sluggish
nerve ceuters.
fs also greatly used for reducing the size OF
hips and abdomen, is done in this way:
stand upright left foot little In 'front.'
of the right. exhale while bending the pooy
IN tha left hands hanging down, II pos
sible touch the finger tips to the floor with
out bending the knees Now take the
thought of vitality or life, hold hrrnly 10
it. and feel that you are waxing 9oufsei-
up. rousing all your capacities, as with one
swing you raise the body. and the hands
above the head inhaling at the same time
If It Is one of your tired days, the sort OF
dav when Won think YOU would like to take
some medicine and don't quite know what
to take. do this exercise half a dozen times,
and you won't need any pills or stimulus
If on. the other hand, it is one Of your
nervous DAYS and you feel like flying out
of the window from sheer irritability, stand