Readers, please enjoy this guest blog post by Dr. Debbie Palmer, author of the new Mindful Beauty. Sometimes just sitting quietly and reading a good book is enough to reduce anxiety and worry. However, sometimes it isn't. And, 'tis the season for stress, which can lower immunity—making you more prone to colds and flu and disease. Stress can also wreak havoc on the skin, triggering breakouts, as well as eczema and psoriasis. Be sure to take time out for yourself this season to reduce anxiety. Incorporate one—or all—of these proven stress-busters into your routine: Take time out for yourself. When things seem to get out of control, it's typically a sign that you're doing

Readers, please enjoy this guest blog post by Robert Butera, PhD, Erin Byron, MA, and Staffan Elgelid, PhD, PT, co-authors of the new Yoga Therapy for Stress & Anxiety. [caption id="" align="alignleft" width="180"] Robert Butera, PhD[/caption] We live in an era where most of our time—including so-called "leisure time"—rests in the shadow of ongoing demands. Pressure from bosses, family, and our own internal agendas creates a climate of continual stress within the body-mind complex. There has been a loud buzz about "stress management" for decades as experts teach us how to relate to our busy lives. Although the last thirty years of discussion has taught us to "manage" stress,

[caption id="attachment_12420" align="alignright" width="155"] Sneaky monkey. Aw...so cute![/caption] Anxiety. Just the word makes me tighten up my shoulders and lose my breath. More and more people are realizing and admitting to their experience with chronic anxiety. In a fast paced and depend-on-yourself society, it’s not hard to imagine why this unwelcome experience and condition is flourishing. We’re losing our breath. We can’t relax. We’re bombarded and overwhelmed with task after task with no one but ourselves to rely on, and we’re just waiting for the moment when things will finally fall apart. Are you feeling it? That monkey on your back? The weight on your shoulders,

This is the concluding part of a three-part series discussing the pendulum and how to use it for magick. For information on the contest to win a free pendulum, read on to the end of this post. In the first post of this series I described a little of the history of the pendulum as well as how it works. In the second post of this series I described the basics of using a pendulum, including how to hold it, how to calibrate it, and how to get answers to questions you ask it. Before going on I would suggest that you read those two posts again (or for the first time). The key to using a pendulum for magick is to understand how it works. And that means first understanding the difference