UNITY AND STRESS: DR. SHRINIWAS KASHALIKAR

Uniting, organizing and working together are natural in young age. In fact; they are important steps in stress management! Naturally; like anyone else; I also was keen to be involved in uniting in organizations and being involved in movements.

I used to read that mass movements; based on issues; eventually lead to building of social and political organizations; such as working class unions and political parties. It was said; that these organizations could then serve as instruments to bring about socioeconomic and political revolution.

Gradually it became clear that �the issues� are not simple. Sometimes they are of genuine and immediate pertinence, such as coercive land acquisition or rehabilitation. But I could not conceive a radical or a holistic solution; I was looking for; in these movements and organizations; though they were genuine and had definite role to play.

But quite often; the issues are too complex to permit taking of a side; that would satisfy my conscience e.g. reservation policy. Naturally; I could not be involved in any movements and organizations; in favor; or opposed to reservations.

There have been movements and organizations; for the welfare of a school, village, region, language, caste, religion; or other issues such as memorials, statues and philanthropic or charity activities.

Such activities attracted me for some time; but not for long. I was growing. I felt that; these ideas and activities were palliative and piecemeal solutions; while I was keen on a holistic and radical solution.

Even as hundreds of movements and organizations of different nature continued to work in their own way; a time came; when I realized that my SWADHARMA is to explore and realize the unity of universe, which is already a reality!

This realization; brought a new and fresh rejuvenation in my life! I got withdrawn from forming any new institution or organization; and got absorbed in the study, practice and propagation of Total Stress Management (the core of which is NAMASMARAN).

Eating a Balanced Diet:

� Diet plays a major role in keeping you healthy.
� Avoid eating fatty, fried and high calorie food.
� Carry home cooked food for lunch.
� This helps you in avoiding many illnesses and maintaining optimal weight.

Exercising Daily:

� Fitness tips for men include exercising regularly up to four times in a week for an hour to help improve the overall condition.
� A good fitness regime can prevent the incidence of back injury, and in the longer run lower the risk of osteoporosis.
� Thus resulting in a health living.
� Simple activities like jogging, swimming, bicycling, etc. can all help to improve muscle strength and tone the body.

Stop Smoking and consuming Alcohol:

� It would be best to avoid both alcohol and smoking as they were proved as harmful elements.
� You have to get rid of them if you cannot, then do it in moderation.
� Because smoking increases the risk of cancer, drinking on the other hand could spill out of control and turn you into an alcoholic, and simple ruin your health, professional and personal life

Maintain Personal Hygiene:

� Have bath twice in a day once in morning and then returning from work.
� It helps you stay away from illness and enjoy a healthy life.
� Regularly shave your underarm and pubic hairs.

Have a Healthy Sexual Life:

� Sex is a very good stress buster.
� A healthy sexual life helps you relax and keeps you energized.

Compartmentalize Work and Family Life:

� Do not get work tension at home and vice versa.
� It not only disrupts your life but also life of people around you.
� Mixing up work and family life creates lot of stress and confusion leaving you dissatisfied in both the areas life.

Spend Time with Family:

� Make a point to strengthen ties with your family and friends.
� Volunteer work, religious ties, even pets�anything that keeps you involved with others�reduces stress and enhances health.
� You family needs you more than your work.

Don�t Ignore ill Health and Symptoms:

� Whenever ill immediately meet the doctor making a delay might cost you a high price.
� Precaution is always better than cure.

Sleep:

� Having a sound sleep keeps you healthy, happy and refreshed.
� It gives you energy for a long day.

Limit work stress:

� It�s been proven that chronic stress harms the body.
� Tension elevates the blood pressure and makes the blood thicker.
� Although we don�t want to endorse a lazy lifestyle, too much stress can hurt your body organs like the heart, brain, and stomach.
� Take it easy sometimes.

Get an Annual Health Checkup done:

� This is a must as it helps you in knowing if you are suffering from any illness well in advance so that you can fight it easily.
� Males are more prone to have prostate cancer, high blood pressure, cardiac illness and liver disorders.

AGING: AND TOTAL STRESS MANAGEMENT: DR. SHRINIWAS
KASHALIKAR

Aging begins right from conception; but usually refers to the changes; after the age of forty to fifty years. Thus; aging means variable but distinct reduction in physical capacity and performance; and the insecurity, anxiety, worry, tension and depression resulting from the relative handicap.

What Total Stress Management?

Total Stress Management or Holistic health is an ongoing progress in perceptions, feelings and actions; with increasing accuracy, appropriateness, precision; and pleasure, power, prosperity and profundity. Perception, feelings and actions are also expressed by terms Cognition, Affect and Conation (Productivity and Creativity); respectively.
A] Cognition:
In short, cognition means processing [appraisal] of a huge variety of sensations impinging on us. We can appreciate the importance of this faculty if we consider the two important facts viz. 24 hours of the day and twelve months of the year, every one of us gets sensory inputs in the form of physical, instinctual, emotional and intellectual stimuli, which may be painful or pleasurable in the form of a variety of personal, familial, social, national and international events. Cognition involves sensing, interpreting, memorizing, questioning, pattern finding, analyzing, correlating, synthesizing, contemplating, understanding, appreciating and hypothesizing on the basis of this information input.
2] Affect:
Affect means the effect of the variety of stimuli which, may impinge on us. The affect is in a way, �sandwiched� between; cognition or perception of stimuli and the conation or response.

In general it involves the activity of various parts of nervous, endocrine and metabolic changes. The affect is usually experienced as a] confidence, enthusiasm, excitement, pleasure, happiness, love, attraction, patience, comfort etc. or b] sadness, jealousy, hatred, depression, inhibition, diffidence, loneliness, listlessness, impatience, discomfort etc.
3] Conation or action i.e. response (Productivity and creativity):
Conation is the response of an individual. This can be in the form of speaking, writing, singing, painting, dancing, fighting, and other interactions usually referred to as behavior.

In Hindu tradition this response was aimed at fulfillment of life and the precept for the life time activity was called PURUSHARTHA. There were four sequential components; of PURUSHARTHA viz.; DHARMA, ARTHA, KAAMA and MOKSHA.

DHARMA refers to accuracy in perception, affect and conation. This leads to ARTHA i.e. acquisition of material gains, followed by KAAMA i.e. satisfaction of the mundane desires, which are not against the principles of individual and universal blossoming) and MOKASHA i.e. liberation from all sorts of bondages.

In short; Total Stress Management or holistic health; refers to appropriate provision for the physical, instinctual, emotional, intellectual needs; and fulfillment and happiness arising from it.

We can read several books on Total Stress Management available on internet for free download and also read the articles on aging.
But in this article let us know about NAMASMARAN, which the core of Total Stress Management.

Namasmaran means; remembering the name of God, Guru, great souls; such as prophets and holy objects such as planets and stars. It may be remembered silently, loudly, along with music, dance, along with breathing, in group or alone, either with counting by rosary (called SMARANI or JAPAMALA) or without counting. The traditions vary from region to region and from religion to religion.

However the universal principle underlying NAMASMARAN is to reorient your physiological being with your true self. In fact while reorienting with true self you aim to establish and strengthen the bond or connection; between; your physiological being; with your true self. You aim at reunification with yourself!

Since remembering your true self is the pinnacle of or culmination of individual consciousness, and individual consciousness is the culmination of every activity in life, remembering any name of God or Guru (any symbol of your true self) is equivalent to opening the final common pathway for the individual consciousness associated with every possible activity to get funneled into or unified with objective or cosmic consciousness.

Thus NAMASMARAN is in fact the YOGA of YOGA in the sense that it is the culmination of consciousness associated with every possible procedure and technique in the yoga that you are familiar with. It is the YOGA of YOGA because it is the culmination of consciousness associated with all the activities in the universe, which it encompasses as well! It is YOGA of YOGA because everybody in the world irrespective of his/her tradition and the beliefs; would eventually, ultimately and naturally reach it it in the process of liberation. Even so called non believers also would not �miss� the �benefit of remembering the true self through one symbol or another�!

Just as NAMASMARAN is YOGA of YOGA it is meditation of meditation also! It is the natural and ultimate climax of every form of meditation.

These facts however have to be realized with persistent practice of NAMASMARAN and not blindly believed or blindly disbelieved with casual approach!

In short NAMASMARAN is super-bounty of cosmic consciousness for every individual to realize it (cosmic consciousness)! This is truly a super-bounty because a person, who experiences it, rises above mercenary, commercial, professional and charity planes; and manifests super-transactions in his or her life!

These are just few observations to give rough idea about what is NAMASMARAN; it is an ocean of bliss and its true meaning is beyond description!

AGING: ONE VIEW: DR. SHRINIWAS KASHALIKAR

We have to distinguish the handicap or dysfunction that results from the diseases; and the changes resulting from the natural process of aging that takes place in the absence of diseases.

We can appreciate that such distinction is quite difficult. Most of us suffer from ailments such as infections, malignancies, diabetes, IHD, as well as environmental onslaughts in the form of ultraviolet radiation, heat, cold, pollution, food additives, allergic substances, physical and chemical injuries etc apart from psychological inflictions!

But still the changes, which take place after forty and fifty; in the absence a history of gross or major diseases or accidents; roughly represents the true aging and is generally attributed to two basic facts

1) Genetic program, which decides the range of the longevity of life for a specific species and determines the time dependent loss in structure and function characterizing senescence and death and 2) Accumulation of injuries or micro insults:

Since very little is understood in this respect; there are many theories based on these two tenets meant to explain aging. Since they focus on a specific change, they are inadequate in isolation; but together they do give us some insight into the process of aging.

THEORIES OF AGING:

A] The Error Catastrophe Theory:
Random increase in errors of protein synthesis i.e. defects in the processes involved in protein synthesis called transcription and translation. But aging processes seem to be posttranslational (i.e. after the proteins are completely synthesized) modifications. Further, in senescent cells accumulation of misspelled proteins is not found and induction of synthesis of erroneous proteins experimentally does not give rise to ageing. Thus there is possibility of that errors are not causes but merely coexisting with aging processes.

B] Somatic mutation theory:
This suggests that there is age associated increase in chromosomal aberration. This is suggested to give rise to progressive increase in inefficient cells leading to organ dysfunction.

C] Free radical theory:
Accumulation of metabolic waste products and radical mediated cell damage e.g. hydroxy peroxide, aldehydes and ketones, superoxide radical, singlet oxygen and hydrogen peroxide. If this were so, we would expect lipid peroxidation at cellular level, which is not demonstrated in aging. Further, the antioxidants which we expect to delay aging are not proved to do so!

D] Ionizing radiations and such other environmental factors may cause cell injury. This could be so; but the cause and effect relationship and the quantitative aspects; are not yet demonstrated to cause aging by themselves!

E] Cellular dysfunction in tissues such as CNS, endocrine and immune system; influences other systems and causes aging! Thus decreased synthesis, increased breakdown, decreased receptor number, decreased Hormone-Receptor (HR) combination, decrease in HR internalization etc may be responsible for aging.

These are merely physiological interactions (associated with aging) amongst tissues; and cannot be called mechanisms or causes of aging.

F] Sedentary jobs, late night parties, noise, crowding, stress of highly competitive life, uncertainty of socio-political surroundings, consistent and protracted denial of the recognition and appreciation in life, habits such as excessive smoking, lack of enjoyable job, lack of promotions and incentives in jobs etc. and the plethora of stressors either not thought of or not given due importance and hence not mentioned in the text books; immensely expedite or aggravate (though do not constitute the basic mechanisms or causes as such) the aging process; and are described; in my books viz. �Stress: Understanding and Management� and Conceptual Stress: Understanding and Management�.


CHANGES DURING AGEING:
Overall changes in the body are loss and graying of hair starting with the temporal hair (side buns), drying and wrinkling of skin, loss of teeth, decrease in reaction time, decrease in the height, increase in the length of nose, increase in the length of ears, decrease in the circumference of neck, decrease in the circumference of thighs, osteoporosis, bending of the vertebral column causing kyphotic deformity, reduction in the periorbital fat causing sinking of the eyes etc. Broadly speaking, maximum capacity, tolerance, peak performance and reserve are reduced.
The details of the changes can be enumerated as follows.

Matrix:
Collagen becomes stable, more rigid, more insoluble due to increase in its degradation. In addition there are changes in proteoglycans and plasma proteins. This is due to damage due cross linking, less formation of collagen and reduction in the elastin. Fascia, tendons, ligaments, bones, joints, and peripheral vascular disease become rigid. Skin becomes dehydrated, devoid of subcutaneous fact and less elastic thus skin becomes wrinkled, dry, pale due to reduction in capillary bed, and becomes more susceptible to injury.

Blood:
Red bone marrow is replaced by yellow bone marrow in the long bones first, flat bones and then vertebrae. Physiological reserve capacity for erythropoiesis and leucopoiesis (Formation of red blood cells and white blood cells); is reduced.

Gastrointestinal tract (GIT):
*Enamel, dentin and cement of teeth show decline. There is loss of teeth due to caries, periodontal infection and reduced masticatory efficiency.
*Weakness of cricopharyngeus (Muscle of swallowing), reduction in pressure gradient and inability to relax the lower esophageal sphincter cause dysphagia (difficulty in swallowing).
*Age related atrophy of inner lining of stomach called mucosa causing achlorhydria (absence of digestive acid in stomach).
*Pancreatic lipase (fat digesting enzyme secreted by pancreas) is reduced causing streatorrhoea (presence of fat in the stools).
*Motility of GIT is reduced: Hence there is tendency towards constipation. In Ayurveda this is categorized under VAATA VRIDDHI.
*Intestinal lactase activity is reduced and villi are reduced and absorption is reduced.
*Liver cells reduce in number fibrous tissue increases in the liver and size of liver cells increases.
Protein synthesis and microsomal mixed oxidase activity required for metabolism of drugs and steroids; become less. Thus functions are reduced but since the reserve of liver is great; the liver function tests are in normal limit.

The immune system:
There is decrease in the T cell activity, Antibody (AB) production; but increase in the presence of auto anti bodies.
The auto-antibodies are increased due to reaction with the antigens (which were previously recognized as �self� and not reacted with)! This is called reduced tolerance to �self� antigens.

There is susceptibility to infections.

Since immunological - surveillance is believed to eliminate neoplastic cells (cancer cells); there is higher incidence of cancer.

Following stress of bereavement; there is steep decline in cell mediated immunity (T cells) and this is one of the causes of infections leading to the death that follows the death of spouse or any other near and dear one.

Reproductive system:
The hormonal secretion reduces and there is stoppage of ova formation, ovulation in females and there is gradual reduction in the spermatogenesis (formation of sperms) causing reduction in the sperm count in males.

Females show a distinct and identifiable change in the form of menopause; whereas such change is not distinct in males.

There is reduction in sexual performance in terms of number masturbations and number of intercourses in a given time and reduction in the functions such erection, ejaculation and the climax. The infatuation about sex may be increased and provoked by pornographic and or sexually romantic atmosphere even as the sexual performance is dwindled.

Central nervous system and special senses:
There is atrophy of the brain and neuronal loss associated with accumulation of lipofuscin and loss of synapses and dendrites. Cholinergic deficit is demonstrated in Alzheimer's disease and Dopamine defect is demonstrated in Parkinson's disease. But, milder form of cholinergic deficit may be responsible for commoner forms of senile dementia and milder form dopaminergic deficit may be responsible for milder form of hypo-kinesia seen in old age.

There is deficit in autonomic responses leading to postural hypo-tension and impairment of temperature regulation.

There is difficulty in getting sleep as well as there is tendency to wake up during night and waking up early.

There is development of Presbyopia (age related difficulty in focusing on the near object), cataract, rise in intraocular pressure; Presbyacusis (age related difficulty in understanding speech and localization of sound) decline in perception of smell and taste.

Endocrine system:
There is decrease in the functioning of sympatho-adrenal axis and there is reduced tolerance to stress. In other words, there is inappropriate production of adrenaline, noradrenalin, cortisol etc.

Cardiovascular system:
Aging is associated with atherosclerosis. But even in those without atherosclerosis; there is still reduction in the elasticity of aorta (indicating overall changes in connective tissue); leading to increase in systolic and pulse pressure; but not in diastolic pressure. In addition; there is also atherosclerosis, atrophy of myocardium, accumulation of lipofuscin, fibrosis, deposits of amyloid, diminish in contractility relaxability, decrease in ventricular compliance, stenosis of aortic and incompetence of mitral valves, reduction in pacemaker cells, responses to sympathetic as well as parasympathetic stimulation also reduce (this causes postural hypotension).
Maximal Heart Rate during exercise is reduced in aged but cardiac output is maintained by increasing stroke output.

Respiratory System:
The alveoli (the air pockets in the lungs) become flatter and narrower and ducts enlarge. Alveolar walls become thin, capillaries decrease in number causing reduction in diffusion, surface area decreases by 4 % every decade after the age of 30 and the pulmonary blood vessels show age related increase in wall thickness.

Functionally there is decrease in total and timed vital capacity, increase in residual volume, due to reduced elastin lung compliance increases (degree of expansibility) but compliance of the total respiratory system decreases due rigidity of chest wall after the age of 60 years. Due to loss of elastic recoil the pressure which has to be built during expiration from the alveoli; so that air from alveoli forces open the airways, is decreased. Due to this there is tendency of the airways to collapse. This tendency to collapse; increases during expiration when expiration must become active. The response to hypoxia and hypocapnia (reduced carbon dioxide) are reduced.

Thus ventilation, diffusion and regulation are all impaired in elderly individuals.

Muscles:
There is atrophy, reduction in contractility, decrease in tone, hernia and rupture of inter-vertebral disc etc.

Excretory system:
As a result of aging; the kidneys reduce in size and their blood flow and rate of formation of urine reduces by 10 % per decade after 30, nephrons (urine forming tubules) and their secretory and absorptive functions; reduce and fibrous tissue increases. Kidney vessels show age related changes irrespective of hypertension (high blood pressure).

It has been hypothesized that due to high protein diet there may high solute load on the renal capillaries leading to chronic dilatation of the capillaries leading to extravasation of macromolecules in renal glomeruli leading to mesangial reaction causing renal damage.

PSYCHOLOGICAL CHANGES
Frustration, depression, fear, anxiety, insecurity, loneliness, vacuum, dejection, self pity, sadness; are some of the hallmarks of old age.
This is because;
1. With aging there is increasing restriction on the kind of accustomed enjoyments (e.g. sexual); and this can lead to frustration or depression.
2. The realization of the increased chances of death; (due to observation of the deaths of the contemporaries); causes alarm, concern, anxiety and excessive fear of death, diseases and debility.
3. Due to lack of job after retirement or physical inability there is always a sense of insecurity.
4. Lack of the children's company due to their being increasingly independent gives a feeling of unwantedness and loneliness, especially due to children going abroad or away from home for their jobs.
5. Since most of the people of younger age groups; have their own pre-occupations we the elderly are left out.
6. Due to generation gap; the ideas, choice, preferences and other areas of interests differ and hence the elderly are cut off from younger generation. This distance gradually increases with advancing age and leads to vacuum, dejection, self pity and sadness. Thus overall we tend to become increasingly melancholic in old age.

ECONOMIC CHANGES
The aging almost always associated with reduced income and increasing economic dependence on the others. The medical expenses also swell!

SPIRITUAL CHANGES
We begin to visit temples and participate in SATSANG. This is because we want a certain kind of solace which we do not get from day to day life and routine activities. This is also to fill the vacuum created due to retirement, and to get company of those who sail in the same boat!

When we are aging; we become somewhat disinterested and indifferent towards life. But this is not detached attitude described in Geeta. We get detached because; we cannot participate or oppose the activities of young generation! Thus; this is actually reluctant acceptance of defeat!

Sometimes we develop ascetic thoughts due to losing interest in the routine life because we are tired of responsibilities and dynamism required; for a job or a profession. Even as this engenders reduction in income; it is not a spiritually oriented selflessness and sacrifice. It is only fallout of mental apathy.

Sometimes we lose interest in the surroundings due to decreasing sensory perception and decreased mobility. We become shy about our deficiency. So we avoid socialization. Gradually we become increasingly self centered and selfish. We become over-concerned about ourselves and less sensitive to others' problems. We become more rigid, adamant and at times obstinate; in an attempt to assert ourselves; and become unreasonable and erratic.

The courage, alertness, enthusiasm and other physical and mental faculties which are extremely important to undertake spiritual pursuit i.e. growth of consciousness; are considerably diminished in old age; unless the spiritual quest has been integral part of life right from childhood.

Is this a complete picture of aging?

No!

For the complete we have to refer to, �Aging: A holistic view�!

STRESS AND BREAST FEEDING: DR. SHRINIWAS KASHALIKAR

After decades of thinking and working; I have begun to realize that the Total Stress Management; has certain very important merits as mentioned below.

The gurus (called, mauli (mother), have been our saviors in true sense; doing much more than Total Stress Management; by feeding the divine sap of NAMASMARAN (remembrance and reorientation to one�s true self); to generations after generations for millennia.

Total Stress Management is practicable for maximum people, except perhaps; the extreme cases; such as embryos, newborn, comatose, sleeping, mentally challenged or individuals with seriously debilitating and/or painful disorders. But in any case; it is; directly or indirectly; beneficial to the whole universe.

It does not have any undesirable side effects.

It is not painful or discomforting.

It is never a nuisance to others, including those; who belong to other religions, faiths or ideologies etc.

It does not involve intellectual surrender, though in the course of time it demands growing out of subjective rationality into unprejudiced objectivity.

It is not conducive to dependence, parasitism, lethargy, indolence, passivity, inaction and discord in society.

It is natural, like blossoming of a plant; and emanation of the fragrance; and not coercive.

It is conducive to growth and evolution; enhancing dynamic harmony within an individual and within universal life.

In simple words, Total Stress Management is like breast feeding, which plays; �the life building and life blossoming role�; without the baby realizing it! We have the golden opportunity; to study and practice Total Stress Management; and blossom with the billions in the world; primarily through the respective governments, though other agencies might also help!