Free Weekly Syndicated Advice Columns
Published Every Wednesday Afternoon (PST)

"HOW ANXIETY AFFECTS THE BODY" Psychic Advice Column addresses inquiries related to: "what's a starchild", "ways to reduce anxiety", "natural cures for anxiety", "tips for dealing with anxiety", and more.

HOW ANXIETY AFFECTS THE BODY

Question: "My question is about anxiety... Is that a part of being a star child? Is there any relation between anxiety and the moon's phases, especially full moons? Is drug use common amongst us? How about depression?"

"Psychic Advice":
There are many reasons that anxiety and depression are pervasive on Earth at this time. We are living in an age of uncertainty, meaning that what is to come has not yet been determined or collectively decided. The path of destruction is not set in stone, but the more people fear it, the more their fear contributes and invests in that outcome. This can create a generalized feeling of anxiety and depression, which can lead people to use drugs, alcohol or other addictions in order to numb themselves and escape from these feelings.

Many factors contribute to anxiety and depression. We are constantly being bombarded by electromagnetic pollution (EMF) from cell phones, computers, satellite emissions, televisions, electric wires, etc. Waves of invisible energy are constantly hitting us from all directions - the more we are surrounded by electromagnetic equipment, especially in a city, the worse this is for our wellbeing. It is like being in a lake or ocean with the waves of thousands of boats crashing all around us - it creates energetic turbulence that disturbs our energy even though we are not conscious of it.

Everything in our Universe is energy and is affected by energy. Our human body is energy and we are affected by the physical energy that is around us, and by the emotional energy that surrounds us as well. We can feel the energy of other people, and even of places and things, without being consciously aware of it. Have you ever felt immediately happy or down the moment someone entered the room? Even if they don't say or do anything, we can be affected by the moods, energies and emotions of other people.

There are many societal factors that can contribute to anxiety and depression. The constant barrage of negativity that is promoted by the media is a major culprit for inducing fear, stress, anxiety and depression. The horrific images of violence on the news, along with dismal economic outlooks, ongoing wars, rising gas prices, and alerts of terror all strike terror in the hearts of the masses. This continuous negativity wreaks havoc on the body and sense of wellbeing - it triggers depression and hopelessness, while also creating deep fear and anxiety, which are ultimately completely disempowering.

Our modern society drives us to stress, anxiety and depression in many ways. We live by an external clock, which takes us out of our natural and normal rhythm. The demands of modern life move at such a fast pace that there never seems to be enough time to accomplish everything. For those who live in big cities where there is constant noise and activity, the body can feel like it is living in a war zone where it is under constant threat of attack, especially if that city is dangerous.

We are also influenced by global and planetary energies. Some people get headaches, anxiety or depression when something intense happens somewhere in the world, like an earthquake. Animals are known to pick up on the energies of storms and earthquakes, and humans do as well, we just may not be consciously aware of it. Astrologers know that all of the planets in our solar system have an energetic impact on us depending on how they are aligned with us and with each other. The moon particularly affects emotions, and many people can act in odd ways especially around the full moon. The moon also magnetically affects the tides, and since the human body is 70% water and the human brain is 93-94% water, this could be a physiological factor regarding the lunar effects on humans.

We are also very strongly influenced by our diet and environment. Certain scents can create a sense of calm, like lavender, and citrus scents can be uplifting; chemical scents can be very detrimental to our wellbeing, and some chemicals can trigger anxiety and depression. This is also true for certain foods, especially food additives like MSG, which can quicken the heart rate and possibly trigger anxiety attacks - unfortunately, these food additives and chemicals seem to be in almost everything.

Natural cures for anxiety involve going back to nature. Eating food that is as whole, natural and organic as possible can help a lot. When you eat, be conscious of what you are eating and how you feel before, during and after to see how the food is affecting you. Whatever substances you ingest affect and alter your biochemistry, which can affect your moods. Your emotions can also affect this biochemical process, so make sure that you are calm when you are eating.

Other tips for dealing with anxiety include re-connecting with nature. Most people now live in cities where their feet only touch concrete or asphalt, or rarely touch the ground at all if they go from hi-rise apartments to offices in skyscrapers. Connecting with nature, with water, grass and trees is extremely important for grounding and relaxation. When negative energy builds up in the body causing depression or anxiety, that energy needs to be released - one of the easiest ways to do that is to immerse yourself in water, even if it is only up to the ankle, or to sit with your back against a tree, or walk barefoot in the sand or in the grass. Nature is very healing, and restores peace, calm and wellbeing, especially if you can walk by the ocean or in the woods, in the mountains, or even in the desert. Pets and animals can also be very healing, but they can take on your anxiety, stress and depression.

There are many ways to reduce anxiety. Taking a walk can be very helpful, but do not run or walk fast. The key to reducing anxiety is to slow everything down: slow down your breathing by breathing deeply and exhaling fully, slow down your heart rate by relaxing or moving very slowly, and slow down your mind by focusing on the word "peace" as you breathe. Meditation and breathing exercises are excellent ways to reduce anxiety.

In exploring tips for dealing with anxiety, it is important to understand how anxiety affects the body. Anxiety may seem to come on out of the blue for no reason, but it usually has a trigger. It can be helpful to regain your presence of mind to remember what happened right before you felt anxious. Sometimes anxiety can be triggered by fearful, negative or depressing thoughts, or by the energies of other people or of certain places.

No matter what the cause, one of the simplest and fastest natural cures for anxiety is to breathe slowly and deeply. Anxiety triggers adrenaline, which is the "fight or flight" survival mechanism of the body. Once anxiety is triggered and adrenaline has been released, the heart rate quickens, breathing quickens or becomes constricted, muscles in the body contract (especially those related to the stomach and digestion), and the mind becomes unable to think clearly. By slowing down the breathing, it allows the body and heart to relax, and feeds oxygen to the brain so the mind can become present once again to address what is going on in the present moment clearly and rationally, or even intuitively.

On a spiritual level, some anxiety can be caused by cellular memory from experiences in your past, or even from past lives. Fear of rejection or public speaking can come from past life persecution. Sometimes, anxiety can occur for starchildren who feel like a stranger in a strange land, feeling alien, foreign and alone. Starchildren can also feel constricted or claustrophobic in the body, and can tend to fight being in the body, which can trigger anxiety and depression. Drug use and depression can be common among starchildren, as they can feel lost, confused, abandoned and misunderstood, and seek out ways to alter their state, such as through drugs; however, meditation is a far better way to induce altered states of consciousness, and to overcome both anxiety and depression.

[Some people might be wondering, "What's a starchild?" If you are one, you will know it. Starchildren are souls who originate from other places in the Universe who have incarnated on Earth to assist at this momentous time in our evolution. The problem is that being born into a human body involves forgetting everything about who you really are and what your purpose is on Earth, unless you have parents who help you remain conscious in your formative years (which is unfortunately very rare - it is as simple as repeatedly saying to a baby "remember all that you are, all that you know, and all that you came here for"). Starchildren often feel profound loneliness, emptiness and a feeling of never being at home anywhere. They tend to love the stars and the night sky, and always want to "go home".]

People from all walks of life can experience anxiety and depression from time to time. It is important to get a sense of what is triggering those feelings so that you can address and perhaps even avoid the cause in the future. When you understand how anxiety affects the body, you can more easily find ways to reduce anxiety through breathing, meditation and connecting with nature, or finding some form of creative expression such as writing or art to release and transform negative energy.


 Send to a frienD (click here)

Copyright ©2008 Grace & Grace Associates Consulting, Inc. All Rights Reserved

"Responsibility is power. You have the power of choice.
You are always responsible for the choices you make and the actions you take."