At the Stillness Meditation Therapy Centre we’re in the business of calming those minds in an enriching way which helps to balance that stimulus. And yet, contrary to the very purpose of meditation, there’s ready access to all manner of styles of meditation via online products. Yes, it can be very helpful to download a meditation track for home practice. This is essential when access to professional teaching is not possible – and yes, a selection of my own audio recordings is available for that very purpose!

But a virtual experience can never equal all that is gained in the presence of a personalized teaching experience. This is especially so for beginners where the effects of meditation are magnified through a healing relationship established with an experienced teacher.
So, no matter how much reading has been carried out or how many audios listened to or how much information is gathered, none of these can replicate personal attention.

Let me expand a little on the way we work at the SMT Centre.

Though the success of SMT rests upon naturalness and simplicity, most people need some ‘left-brain’ material when embarking on a phase of learning. Meditation of any kind, by its very nature can seem a little too mysterious for some, especially for very practical personalities! The SMT teacher offers concrete explanation to help in understanding the function of what is about to be learned.
The teacher also provides instruction relating to the reasons behind correct physical posture. The SMT teacher is the anchor who provides personal attention, awareness of individual stories, needs, expectations and regular progress assessment. Thus clients develop trust and feel safe as they move towards ‘letting go’ and into non-attention and as they begin a healing journey of utter stillness. This level of vigilance and care is of particular assistance to those people whose anxiety levels are excessive. In this, the teacher helps to engage confidence and trust – while being able to answer the many questions that arise along the way.

Our style of meditation teaching is really an orchestration of energy. I’m often reminded of the similarity – and contrast – between conducting an SMT session and the role of the concert master – or conductor of the orchestra. Where in music, the conductor directs the creation of groupings of magnificent sound, led by the SMT teacher the meditating group creates a whole harmonious silence. In group silence as in music, there is chemistry, connection and communication to create a whole experience.

As the teacher’s appreciation of individual need is very important, gradually, like the resolution of a musical composition, personal interaction builds, opening the way for our clients to truly experience mental rest and, in time, the positive changes they are seeking.

Change takes time, each meditator progresses at their own pace and each has their ups and downs. The teacher’s physical presence contains the whole healing process and brings encouragement and reassurance when new experiences occur. Again, like a group of musicians in harmony, practice, routine and predictability creates a successful individual outcome and the eventual on-flow of calm. This enhances home practice and a way of living calm!

Perhaps it is tempting to rely on online meditation products – they appear to be easily accessible, there is no need to leave home or make much effort or any commitment, they cost very little and offer a kind of ‘try before you buy’. But there is a risk which reminds me of the old saying, you get what you pay for! Because – there is no audio or ‘fast track’ meditation on offer that can substitute for the healing energy of personal interaction, care and communication supplied within a therapeutic relationship. Experiment with the virtual by all means! But never expect lasting results.

I think the pursuit of happiness has become unrealistically popularized and largely misunderstood.  Happiness can never be one attainable state but a feeling that comes in ‘chunks’ which, when put together, may result in contentment, a far more powerful and productive state of being.  So how can we capture those chunks of happiness, even when all seems lost?

I was reminded recently of that wonderful quote by Woody Allen: 80% of success is showing up.

Well – he should know!  What a persistent artist – and how perceptively he reads human nature.  He can touch on pathos and humour, the beautiful and the non-beautiful and expose truths in the stories he tells on film that might take some people months in therapy to identify.  No one could be that successful unless they did regularly ‘show up’ by observing, noting, participating and fully engaging in the energy of life.

The place I recently re-discovered Woody’s quote was in the regular Newsletter I receive from my personal trainer.  I wouldn’t call myself a gym ‘junkie’ by any means and periodically, life gets so complicated that I just don’t show up.  But the interesting thing is that over time, despite some attendance lapses, the physical changes I want are happening … postural awareness, good bone density, a little more resilience, flexibility, muscle strength … fewer aches and discomforts and so on.

Showing up at the gym makes home exercise easier.  Showing up builds enthusiasm; it reminds me of why I’m going there and what I want from doing so.  It triggers alternatives like the mornings are too dark for walking right now but I can complete an extra sequence or two at home.   Showing up reminds me that being there is a special time just for me – the same as my time for ‘stillness’ each day and my regular singing lesson.  And even though on some occasions, I really have to ‘make’ myself go to the gym, I know I’ll always enjoy the experience and leave feeling great!

The effort of making ourselves do something is really part of discipline and whether we like it or not, discipline at some level is essential to success. If Woody didn’t show up on the film set nothing would happen – right?    Or our sporting heroes wouldn’t be collecting trophies or bringing home medals.  If we don’t show up at breakfast, then what might happen to the rest of the day?

And the discipline of showing up means other things, too.  Like maintaining some order in everyday life, keeping contact with our precious friendships and achieving the completion of tasks – even the less exciting ones like tidying cupboards.

Best of all, ‘showing up’ means that we are fully present to the energy that makes any event we participate in something of higher value.  This is a feature we are reminded of time and again by those people who attend Stillness sessions regularly: ‘my meditation is so much better when I come here … the calm in the room is palpable … it’s like coming home …’  These are comments we are really proud to hear and we welcome you all for maintenance visits because we always want to hear of your success and greater contentment.

Here at the Centre we often quote the discipline of ease which was Ainslie Meares’ way of describing the practice of Stillness Meditation. On this occasion I’d like to re-frame that idea as the discipline of success.  Because success, in whichever form it may take, always brings a chunk of happiness.  If you want success in achieving your hopes and dreams and personal freedom, remember to show up!

Loss can be relatively minor yet reactions can be potent. In grief, whether recognised as such or not, memories, fears and feelings become magnified – sometimes apparently out of proportion. Loss, whether of a loved one or a seemingly less significant, though personal part of life, can be an experience of desolation: 

I am walking along a familiar street. My footsteps are reluctant, hesitating, drawing back to avoid the pain toward which they are leading me.  I am walking, in fact, towards knowledge; the knowledge and the need to accept that someone very dear to me will never be near me again.

In that moment, dragging myself toward a fate of unwilling comprehension, I am numb to the world around me, with self awareness present only by an indescribable sinking feeling within. The torment in my mind, so overwhelmed with grief, persists with the belief that I cannot conceivably continue my own life. This thought or feeling or concept within me is unbidden. The future is temporarily meaningless and time, a massive obstacle. I have literally hit a wall of despair. Confusion, sorrow and heartbreak reign within me as I long only to escape this torment and find relief by travelling some unfamiliar path to deep comfort with the deceased. 

Such, on one occasion, was a fragment of my reaction to the loss of a loved one. Even the months of tears that were to follow had not yet become a reality.

Throughout our lives we must face innumerable losses and consequent grieving. Each occasion though, is different – always individual.  The loss of a treasured pet or experiencing childhood rejection may be as painful in some circumstances or at some stage of life as a physical loss through tragedy, illness or death.

In the pain of grief, the pleasure of one’s daily comings and goings simply disappear, replaced by emptiness. Nothing can fill that void. Not company, love, sex, drugs or money; not material goods or distractions. In grief, there is nothing but grief.  The effort and fatigue and disconnection persist as a scramble of total dis-ease where hope and purpose seem pointless. And without hope or purpose, the way can be opened for black depression to manifest.

This is the time of need for faith; a belief that perhaps, just perhaps, there is a future … an existence beyond this mortal planet … a place of consolation which is completely beyond our comprehension here and now … might present a fragment of hope. But, struggle as we might, in utter grief that possibility can seem extraordinarily remote.

The beginnings of my way out of pain in that recollection above came primarily from the obvious. This loss in fact, was not all about me. Others were immersed in grief for that person in their own way, too. People actually needed me, too: a baby, small children and dependent others. Though indeed, within that realization I also learned that I must make even more effort. This stage was a struggle but little by little, tasks and duties became easier and over time, a long time, the anguish began to ease.

There were other things too. The skills one learns along the way re-emerged as necessities. A certain faith I am fortunate to possess – and times of prayer. Reading and reflecting, journal writing, exercise (especially purposeful walking), healing places, art and music, occasional humour and quiet conversations with family and friends … ultimately, stillness of course – and the supreme power of love.

And so, from loss and grief, there can be growth. For some this may seem ridiculous or something of a mystery. But it is the truth. And healing becomes possible when our appreciation of living and our contribution to life become sufficiently enriched to help us know that loss and its darkness is just as important as all the goodness and joy we can take so readily for granted. Without the dark, who can ever truly know the light?

What does February mean for you? For me, February means the birthday of my father (on Valentine’s Day in fact) and a gentle reminder of someone so dear; it means long, hot summers and time at the beach; and another birthday, that of a very special school friend with whom I spent many fun filled hours in our growing years. The gift of her fantastic enjoyment of life still fills me with joy in every email we exchange.

And February also represents the beginning of the school year. After so much holiday freedom seeing those ‘back to school’ banners in the stores can trigger very difficult emotions for some kids. Not perhaps so for the older ones, but very often for those facing Years 2, 3 and 4. Challenges abound because it’s in those years one can begin to feel the pressures surrounding acceptance or rejection – and consequently, the experience of loss, confusion and anxiety.

Children need security as do we all. Beginning with the security of parents, the craving to feel one belongs, to feel wanted and secure remains a powerful influence throughout all of life. When security is lost, tension rises and very often, inappropriate coping strategies come into play.

It’s easy to recognise tearfulness and social inhibition; but parents also need to watch for other signs. Some young children become aggressive in their fear of rejection. Others may demonstrate their pain in wakefulness, nightmares, nail biting, loss of appetite and even a reversion to bed wetting may manifest as the new school year, beginning in February, draws closer.

Our education system has instituted NAPLAN, a literacy and numeracy testing mechanism to evaluate intellectual ability. This, together with the judgment of teachers and the approval of principals seems to dictate how and where within their education individual children might best be placed for maximum learning. Personally I have grave reservations about testing or judging unless these also accommodate emotional individuality. Yes, perhaps formal testing and the assessment of teachers may gauge academic potential. But are there certain children who may not flourish if feeling unhappily placed within a group of peers with whom they have difficulty relating? Or how might a child feel if challenged by mandatory placement with older or younger children? Or how might a child feel if subject to a teacher whose skills lie outside the realm of intuitive or psychological empathy?

So there may be many unsettled kids as the new school year charts their course. It’s really important that parents and their children are rich in skills to assist personal strengths, self confidence, self trust and above all, serenity to allay anxiety. Here’s where I would promote our SMT school programs. Over many years we’ve seen amazing results in anxiety and tension reduction – so parents, maybe you might consider bringing your kids along or better still, lobbying your school to introduce our Schools Program to provide the healing and preventative qualities of some education in stillness!

And so I’m reminded that 2013 marks the 30th year of publication of my personal triumph over emotional distress (In Stillness Conquer Fear, 1983). The seeds of anxiety were sown in my early school years; some alone-ness, some bullying, some feelings of rejection and more all played a part in my later experience of life crippling anxiety.

I’m proud to begin to celebrate 30 years of knowing how to manage anxiety and its counterpart, stress. And I’m proud to begin to celebrate thirty years of helping thousands of others (of all age groups!) to have that choice, too. People still write to me to say how that book mirrors their own lives – and thankfully, changes their lives!

There’s something to consider for the month of February!

It’s perplexing that on the one hand, extravagance to find happiness is being promoted when Christmas is supposed to celebrate the humble birth of Christ. When I see nations at war, I wonder at the perception of human kind when throughout time, spiritual leaders such as he have taught only peace. And it’s sad that the simple act of giving has morphed into yet another modern pressure.

Though meant to be a happy time, the rushing, the crowds, the repetitive ‘carols’ playing in the stores, the traffic and the urgency surrounding shopping at this time can lead to distress. Temper and impatience increases, road rage and violent acts become more prevalent; unresolved family issues rear their heads; counselors are reminded of the current problem of youth suicide and anyone prone to morbidity and anxiety may notice their symptoms mounting. Yet this Season is meant to be a celebration of the birth of one who gave His life in the name of love, justice, forgiveness and peace!

Several years ago at this time of the year I visited the country of Laos on a fund- raising mission. Rich with magnificent scenery, Laos is nevertheless the poorest country in the world.

In its capital, Vientiane, there was no pre-Christmas rush because Lao is not a Christian culture. However there were other celebratory things happening there as National Day occurs in December!

Joyful activities had kept the city vital and alive until the music stopped abruptly at 11 p.m. but the revelers continued at a lesser pace well into the following day. Making our way through the crowd as we wandered about, my attention was drawn to a scene of absolute contrast.

In the middle of the road, slowly and laboriously moving along was an elderly woman pushing an old wooden cart. This, her means of transport, was piled high with possessions including many discarded plastic containers of all varieties – and a small boy. It was explained that she collected such articles for re-cycling – and even on this mandatory day of festivity she needed to continue her work.

As this woman inadvertently crossed a rough patch in the road, the cart lost balance, tipping the contents – and the boy – helter-skelter. Our instinct was to assist as it seemed tragic for her tiring efforts to be hindered. But instinct also told us that assistance was inappropriate as, perhaps with Buddhist acceptance, little by little she reassembled the load.

This woman acted calmly. She was uncomplaining and independent. She was not embarrassed but remained dignified, simply doing what she had to do with patience and persistence and living her existential lot by just getting on with it! There was no pressure, no rushing, virtually no traffic and absolutely no urgency. Even the onlookers, including ourselves remained quiet and respectfully observant within a scene that differed so greatly from what would surely have been happening at this celebratory time of the year in our streets back home.

That contrasting event radiated simplicity, peacefulness and contentment. All great spiritual leaders have taught their followers ways of life from which to develop contentment – or human happiness really – and they involve the virtues of love … justice … forgiveness … peace. And positive action. It also seems we have each been given a particular role in life, a path to follow despite any discomforts that role may present. Our book review this month outlines the ideas of James Hillman in his inspirational work, The Soul’s Code. I strongly recommend it as good reading with which to begin the New Year.

From a new recognition of our life role we might take positive action. There may be resolutions to make – and keep! There may be conflicts to address in the hope of resolution. There may be things we can do to preserve our world. And there may be fresh, exciting avenues to peacefully explore! Let’s have fun and celebration at this time but without the pressure!

I wish all readers the insight necessary to appreciate the gift of life and to enjoy with great contentment, a true celebration of all good things.

Perhaps the most remarkable of these was our viewing of the stromatolites at Hamelin Pool, Shark Bay. These ancient marine wonders are intriguing and unique rock formations – fossils that have developed over some 3.43 billion years and indicate to palaeontologists the earliest forms of life on Earth. Though they appear inanimate, hidden within is vital growth! Sometimes described as living rocks, stromatolites are formed from microbial communities (cyanobacteria) that reside therein and continue, extraordinarily, to build them. It is believed that these communities, through the process of photosynthesis, were responsible for originally increasing the level of oxygen in Earth’s atmosphere sufficiently to enable life as we know it to develop.

What a miracle indeed, that life with all that is so readily taken for granted could have begun in such a simple yet intricately complex way.

This view into existence emphasises a level of responsibility we humans must adhere to in the matter of all creation. It is up to us here and now to make a contribution to preserving the planet by respecting history and antiquity, replenishing ravaged forests, preserving those species facing extinction, garnering personal strengths to care for ourselves as a species and seeking ways to particularly assist our often troubled youth and the generations to come.

‘Stress’ has become a huge issue in today’s society. Across the life span it affects our physical health (for one example, see our link to Professor Sali’s article on hypertension) and it affects our mental, emotional and spiritual health. Since we humans are gifted with intellect, it is crucial that we use that to address the matter of stress and reduce its negative effects.

One way of doing so is to look into our existential self – the vital, hidden, growing part of our innermost being. There is much ‘unknowing’ there, like a mountain veiled by mist as Ainslie Meares’ accompanying poem reminds us. But from the timelessness of Stillness Meditation we can open the windows of insight to assist in dealing with challenging issues. No wonder when viewing the stromatolites and their silent contribution to existence I was reminded of the power of living calm. In that purity of mental rest, the effects of stress are diminished as we experience only naturalness to help restore equilibrium, health and perhaps best of all, the arrival of peacefulness.

There is much ‘unknowing’ too behind the windows of our tactile world. “When fossils are missing from the strata, as they often are, or if they are poorly preserved, our view back into the past is obscured – the mists of time have descended.” (Stromatolites: McNamara, Ken. Western Australian Museum, 2009) But encounters with timelessness such as the stromatolites can prise those windows open enough to prompt a new, acute awareness of physical naturalness and the essence and sanctity of all living things. In doing our small part perhaps we can touch the collective unconscious in ways that nurture and value a greater awareness of the outcome of our place on Earth.

The magpie has been replaced by a flock of small twittering feathers and the day is drawing to a close; time for the pleasure of stillness before the setting sun!

If these words should move you to recognise need and consider some action to help Planet Earth here is one valuable link to view www.earthshoots.com

Over almost 30 years now, I’ve sat with people, offering reassurance and gift of hope and, for many who ‘get it’, an outcome of relief from the debilitating chains of anxiety.  I can make that statement with confidence knowing that there is a world of people out there who consider themselves to have been led on the proverbial wild goose chase.  It seems there are too many ‘experts’ offering complicated treatments that bring scant results.

The cases presented here at the Stillness Meditation Therapy Centre very often arrive as a last resort, when the individual’s frustration has reached boiling point.  If clients feel frustrated, then, with respect, it is somewhat exasperating to listen to stories such as these, repeated time after time: 

 “I have been everywhere, tried everything, searching for the cause of my problem.  I’m tired of trying, of doing, of relying on prescription medicine …with no sign of improvement at all.”

Searching for a cause is very often like attempting to uncover a needle in a haystack.  One could spend a lifetime in that pursuit, fuelled by chemicals while wasting that lifetime to an accompaniment of symptoms that do not disappear – even if such a ‘cause’ happens to eventually be identified.

In my view, one of the most powerfully exacerbating factors put forward to the bewildered anxiety sufferer is the list of diagnoses available for practitioners to dispense.  Diagnosis and the scientific exploration surrounding it create ‘labels’ to which the vulnerable anxious person unwittingly submits.  Once bestowed, a label compromises independence, increases the very anxiety to which it is targeted and halts progress to healing as the anxious mind conjures up all manner of further alarming outcomes from numerous categories of anxiety disorder, a variety of phobias, compulsions of all kinds and obsessive reactions. “If I didn’t have OCD then, well I sure have it now”, said one confused person who found himself catapulted from normal grieving to an overwhelming state of fear. 

The mind is a minefield of thoughts, ideas, creations, motivations and defenses.  It is our greatest human asset!  But science chooses to control its content, to isolate any aberration from the so-called ‘normal’, categorize surrounding symptoms and attempt to treat average people accordingly; this, in spite the fact that what science knows about the human brain is but a drop in the ocean.   

What does this mean for individuals of all ages and for the community at large?

It means a community steeped in fear, self doubt and insecurity.  And I believe it means that, generally, the matter of anxiety as it affects health, both psychological and physical, is not truly understood – not truly understood by professionals and sufferers alike.

What I know from personal and extensive professional experience is this:  the key to healing anxiety involves the notion of paradox – the ability to permit a contradictory approach to common knowledge and commonly accepted healing modalities.  Yes, I know these may well be supposedly evidenced based.  But evidence is always limited to circumstance and clearly many of the commonly accepted forms of healing are not effective: our community is suffering anxiety and associated symptoms (including depression) in epidemic proportions. 

Based on the rationale put forward some 50 years ago by my mentor, Ainslie Meares MD, the healer helps the sufferer, paradoxically, to learn to let go.  By ‘doing’ less, he or she will gain more.  For healing to occur what must take place involves no effort at all.  True rest for the mind is the solution – this is the essence of Stillness Meditation as a form of therapy: the simple and effortless approach which proposes a natural response to a natural intervention, leading to living calm.  In this very practical way, one is allowing the body to access an innate faculty that assists in self healing.  In that, this is a coping mechanism par excellence and one that really ‘works’. 

Yes, it is exasperating to be the last resort for those who have tried everything.  But it is also exhilarating to see such people change, grow and begin to enjoy once more and with new wisdom, the life they value and long for so greatly.  Here’s a philosophical thought from one who has successfully begun living calm. 

“I’ve inhabited this body for 46 years and only now am I discovering a new part of myself, a space I didn’t know existed.

But resilience is essentially about flexibility and the ability to “bounce back”; about being equipped to react with an element of elasticity as opposed to inflexible, rigid and uncompromising attitudes.

As it happens, Ainslie Meares encapsulated the word resilience in one of his remarkable poems circa 1980 and long before it became the catch word of the 21st century:

Some run for shelter,
The tree holds firm
And sways with the storm,
The eagle is borne higher and higher (Thoughts, 1980)

Reading his words again causes me once more to reflect upon nature. Because trees – and all they have to offer by way of example, are a magnificent, natural mouthpiece to offer inspiration to we human beings.

Look at the Australian eucalypts and how, after horrendous fires not that long ago, they are once more bursting forth into new life. Note the fierce winds we have experienced in Melbourne in recent seasons. In my garden, two of the liquidambar variety, side by side with a dividing neighbor’s fence between, tossed huge branches to the ground and left a trail of debris that took some time and expertise to correct. Yet now both trees stand tall and refreshed, ready for the buds of spring as soon as the sun appears on a consistent basis.

If we can see a resemblance between ourselves and trees, we can begin to learn the knack of holding firm and swaying with the storm whenever the storms of everyday living cross our path. Then, as human beings, we can mimic the remarkable combination of calmness and strength that embodies the eagle … or any similar natural being.

Of course eagles and other similar beings don’t have to contend with that powerful human element – anxiety! For us humans, anxiety can be our strength and our weakness: strength in its protective element and weakness due to our tendency to allow it to dominate. When that happens, our resilience is weakened.

So what is resilience in a nutshell? I like to think of that gift as a valuable human quality without which one’s health and wellbeing can suffer. I like to think of resilience as a reflection of one’s inner strength and personal spirit. I like to think of it as the buoyancy – a kind of life raft – that supports us in everything we are and in everything we attempt. Yes, part of the quality of resilience is ‘toughness’. But in the best sense of the word, not as a hardened affectation that lacks regard for flexibility. Resilience gives us power, keeps us positive and focused and keeps us resistant to the possibility of being tossed along through life in some hapless manner with no true sense of direction. And it enables us to bounce back after we’ve weathered the storm.

In teaching SMT, we emphasise the significance of the attainment of ‘inner strength’, one of the outcomes of practicing Stillness Meditation. This leads to resilience, which is why regular and consistent stillness practice is very important, not only when the going is tough but also when we are sailing smoothly through life; look at it a savings account for resilience – to access whenever needed! How interesting it is to remember that from simply doing nothing it is possible to gain tremendous strength!

These are recurring themes in the papers, radio and TV and on-line which seems to indicate that such problems are not being properly addressed.

As one who knows exactly how it feels to live with the symptoms of anxiety, I have always held that prescription medication, used wisely, is almost invariably necessary for a time of relief.  For a time of relief!

Let’s put this quite simply.  If we have a headache or a bad cold it’s quite reasonable (even encouraged!) to take medication – usually over-the-counter type relief.  If we get the ‘flu then we may need prescription medication.  With rest and some symptom relief we recover and life is restored to normal.

If we fall victim to anxiety – or ‘stress’ as it’s often expressed in common parlance – then we may well need some prescription medication to alleviate the symptoms and provide some relief.  But at this point, the ‘wheel falls off the wagon’.  Anxiety is not quite as straightforward as the ‘flu.

The sufferer is bewildered and alarmed by the range of symptoms.  This increases fear which of course increases anxiety, so his or her symptoms escalate.  The medical practitioner consulted (who knows what the ‘flu feels like but only very rarely knows what anxiety feels like) is usually over worked and only informed by the pharmaceutical company.  A prescription is issued and so begins a journey of drug dependence with the added risk of long term side effects, and prolonged misery for the anxiety sufferer as we have seen in the various media reports.  My experience with clients over the last 30 years confirms this.

All the while the one important thing that’s missing in treating anxiety or stress is that little word – rest.  We’re happy to advocate rest for the ‘flu but fail to notice the need for rest for body, mind and spirit – the result of an overworked mind; which is why anxiety has occurred, anyway.

But the rest required is not just going-to-bed-with-the-‘flu type rest.  My books explain all this and also why it is so necessary to find rest of another kind in the experience of Stillness Meditation.  In short, there’s nothing wrong with using a crutch occasionally.  But for long term ‘cure’ anxiety must be understood and acted upon differently.

These stories on drug dependency (prescription and otherwise) and side effects are always grim and hopeless and rarely do they offer a solution or alternative choices like the practice of Stillness Meditation Therapy.  Yes, we need the media to continue to bring these stories out in the open, but equally we need attention to be given to choices and options for a natural solution.   SMT may not offer a quick solution or improvement as a pill will do very temporarily; but it is a viable, lasting, long term option – with no negative side effects.  I know it on a personal level and I know it from many,  many clients who have also experienced its therapeutic effects.  I’m sure you, too,  know the many benefits of regular practice of SMT.  I urge you to share this story with family and friends, on social media and in any other way you can so that we can create a different, more positive outlook for all those seeking a way out of drug dependency.

As for the athletes and similar performance seeking ‘junkies’ – what’s wrong with being true to yourself?  In the whole of life there’s always going to be someone who is bigger, better, stronger, faster, smarter, and wiser that we ourselves can ever be.  Yes, it’s great to win.  But for heaven’s sake, make it a genuine win!