About Tension – Extract from “Living Calm in a Busy World” by Pauline McKinnon
David Lovell Publishing,  Melbourne, Australia, 2011

“Within the many faces of existence, tension is common to all people. Undoubtedly muscle tension is required to perform certain tasks. But tension is a counterpart to anxiety. Feeling tense, wound up, or ill-at-ease is very often the first sign of increasing anxiety. And in the words of the old song, you can’t have one without the other!

From early life – especially if family life is filled with tense people – tension becomes a way of getting through challenging situations. From the first birthday party to sitting for exams and then beyond, many people are driven by too much nervous tension. Emotional and physical energy can be wasted in trying to manage tension, while physical pain can occur from tension being held throughout the body.

Coming like a thief in the night, tension is greedy for energy, wasting it liberally and depleting vitality. Free of anxiety and tension, these limitations (or symptoms) being to vanish. New personal resilience and zest for life returns.

As Stillness Meditation induces physical relaxation and ultimately mental relaxation, tension becomes noticeably reduced. People’s appearance actually changes, especially in the face. And the physical body gives thanks for a break from distorting pain. Tension reduction is a major step forward toward living calm”