The Committee Inside My Head.
There’s a committee inside my head. Maybe in yours too? The members don’t all talk at the same time, but they do struggle. I only have one body, (I'd kind of like a new one. Who said that!? Be quiet!) and whoever has the controls to that at the moment is the one who claims to be me.
I’ve always thought the split-personality idea was intriguing - anecdotes about flute players who play brilliantly one day, and cannot play at all another. Tales of left and right arms fighting each other in people who have had the two halves of their brains separated. I suspect that multiple personalities are present in all of us in a less morbid way. How else to explain changes of mood, or the awkwardness of unexpectedly meeting someone totally out of context? The inner lurch as two drivers grab for the controls.
We think we are one person because our selves have access to the same body and the same memories. It only becomes morbid when they get cut off from one another, and cease to know about each other.
As Wallace Stegner put it: “How do I know what I think until I see what I say?” The self that writes is different from the self that thinks, and the problem in leading an effective life is handing your body over to the right self at the right time. My theory of procrastination is this. The self in control refuses to let a more appropriate self get the job done. It is a mini-fear of death. How can I (one of my inner-selves,) be sure I will ever come back? Please do not banish me.
I have no idea how many folks there are in our committees, but there are a lot. And the single-body fact misleads us into not noticing when a switch does or does not take place. Spouses, Parents, and Bosses are pretty good at noticing – hence nagging. The nagger knows from experience that the nagee Can Do the Thing Urged. Nagging is a form of saying “Time to Switch Self, dear Body!” Maybe the best self-switching device yet invented is money. Sex and drugs come close.
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Here are some of the selves which live inside me:
The Somatic Self, that feels great during and after exercise, and just enjoys physical existence, and feeling the mood lift.
The Blob Self that refuses to exercise because it is boring, and stupid, and lacking in intellectual heft, and probably won’t work, and isn’t necessary.
The Needy, Anxious Self that wants fun, and is terrified of boredom, and so, rather than give up the controls, gets a glass of wine and turns on the TV, bribing the body to let it stay, and promising that all will be fine after just a little pleasure.
There is also the Performer Self, who loves being in total command of a score, out there in public in front of an orchestra, living in that secondary world of carefully acquired knowledge, real emotional freedom, and communal reality.
But there is the Antsy Self that cannot bear the tedium of the repetition needed to learn anything by rote or by practice. This is the self that makes playing the piano impossible (practice!? You must be crazy!) and learning scores hard. (We already went over this 73 times!)
There is, sometimes, the Creative Self that writes music and words and comes up with loads of ideas, and can even put them together and integrate them. (This is the one I like best. Who said that? I did, the real self. Nonsense! There isn't one. Oh. I don't exist? Damn.)
Unfortunately, Creative is one of a pair of conjoined twins, locked at the hip to the Critical Self who thinks all the ideas are useless, and has the knack of pointing out Exactly What Is Wrong. They are always together, and the best to hope for is a referee that gets them to speak in turn, not simultaneously.
There is also a Happy Self, that is content in the moment, thinks all the others did pretty well, and sees how navel-watching is not helpful.
Beware of the depressed self, that winces at the mere presence of all the others.
The problem I have not yet solved – not at all – is how to manage a peaceful change of government. How to be creative when I have time, - how to hand over to the Anal Self when it is time to pay the bills, how to relax when that is warranted. I know “I” can do all these things, because I can remember observing my body do them in the past – I have documents to prove it. But how to get the right self in charge at the right time - . How to get the wrong self to GO AWAY and let someone else use the body for a time, that’s a constant struggle. They all suffer from separation anxiety.
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I’ve always thought the split-personality idea was intriguing - anecdotes about flute players who play brilliantly one day, and cannot play at all another. Tales of left and right arms fighting each other in people who have had the two halves of their brains separated. I suspect that multiple personalities are present in all of us in a less morbid way. How else to explain changes of mood, or the awkwardness of unexpectedly meeting someone totally out of context? The inner lurch as two drivers grab for the controls.
We think we are one person because our selves have access to the same body and the same memories. It only becomes morbid when they get cut off from one another, and cease to know about each other.
As Wallace Stegner put it: “How do I know what I think until I see what I say?” The self that writes is different from the self that thinks, and the problem in leading an effective life is handing your body over to the right self at the right time. My theory of procrastination is this. The self in control refuses to let a more appropriate self get the job done. It is a mini-fear of death. How can I (one of my inner-selves,) be sure I will ever come back? Please do not banish me.
I have no idea how many folks there are in our committees, but there are a lot. And the single-body fact misleads us into not noticing when a switch does or does not take place. Spouses, Parents, and Bosses are pretty good at noticing – hence nagging. The nagger knows from experience that the nagee Can Do the Thing Urged. Nagging is a form of saying “Time to Switch Self, dear Body!” Maybe the best self-switching device yet invented is money. Sex and drugs come close.
-----------------------------
Here are some of the selves which live inside me:
The Somatic Self, that feels great during and after exercise, and just enjoys physical existence, and feeling the mood lift.
The Blob Self that refuses to exercise because it is boring, and stupid, and lacking in intellectual heft, and probably won’t work, and isn’t necessary.
The Needy, Anxious Self that wants fun, and is terrified of boredom, and so, rather than give up the controls, gets a glass of wine and turns on the TV, bribing the body to let it stay, and promising that all will be fine after just a little pleasure.
There is also the Performer Self, who loves being in total command of a score, out there in public in front of an orchestra, living in that secondary world of carefully acquired knowledge, real emotional freedom, and communal reality.
But there is the Antsy Self that cannot bear the tedium of the repetition needed to learn anything by rote or by practice. This is the self that makes playing the piano impossible (practice!? You must be crazy!) and learning scores hard. (We already went over this 73 times!)
There is, sometimes, the Creative Self that writes music and words and comes up with loads of ideas, and can even put them together and integrate them. (This is the one I like best. Who said that? I did, the real self. Nonsense! There isn't one. Oh. I don't exist? Damn.)
Unfortunately, Creative is one of a pair of conjoined twins, locked at the hip to the Critical Self who thinks all the ideas are useless, and has the knack of pointing out Exactly What Is Wrong. They are always together, and the best to hope for is a referee that gets them to speak in turn, not simultaneously.
There is also a Happy Self, that is content in the moment, thinks all the others did pretty well, and sees how navel-watching is not helpful.
Beware of the depressed self, that winces at the mere presence of all the others.
The problem I have not yet solved – not at all – is how to manage a peaceful change of government. How to be creative when I have time, - how to hand over to the Anal Self when it is time to pay the bills, how to relax when that is warranted. I know “I” can do all these things, because I can remember observing my body do them in the past – I have documents to prove it. But how to get the right self in charge at the right time - . How to get the wrong self to GO AWAY and let someone else use the body for a time, that’s a constant struggle. They all suffer from separation anxiety.
posted by Andrew Massey | Friday, February 25, 2005
2 Comments:
Essential oils, roots and herbs can be used in a variety of ways to promote healthy living and stress health. They are used to create natural remedies for treating ailments common to both people and animals, to add flavor to food, to make perfumes and to create environmentally friendly cleaning products.
You do not have to own a garden to tap into the benefits of plants, roots and herbs. A few herb pots located by a sunny window are enough to get you started. Then, all you need are some essential oils and you are ready to go.
For therapeutic purposes, only the purest oils will do. It is possible to be fooled into thinking that you are purchasing a pure oil. Often, a lesser quality blend of several oils is used to mimic the properties of the pure oil. Blended oils are acceptable for fragrance purposes such as for perfuming a room, but pure oils are a "must" for medicinal purposes.
A reasonable guide to the purity of an essential oil is its price. Pure essential oils are generally more expensive. Common oils such as lavender and geranium are much cheaper than frankincense and carnation oil. It is advisable to become familiar with essential oil prices and then rely on this knowledge when purchasing oils from unfamiliar sources. Keep in-mind that you will generally get what you pay for. A price list from a reputable dealer is a valuable resource when purchasing essentials oils.
Usually, pure essential oils cannot be applied directly to the skin and must be mixed in a base oil to reduce their strength. Base oils such as almond oil or wheatgerm oil are commonly used for this purpose. Base oils are generally derived from seeds, nuts or vegetables and allow you to create essential oil remedies that can be massaged into the skin.
So, what do you need to get started with essential oils and natural remedies?
Without a doubt, Lavender is one of the most useful and desirable oils. Not only does it work wonders on cuts, bruises and burns, it also aids sleep and helps with relaxation.
The Tea Tree and Eucalyptus oils are useful for treating a variety of respiratory ailments. These are excellent for the treatment of colds and coughs. They can be massaged into the chest or burned in an oil burner to help clear the airways and prevent congestion. Tea Tree oil is a natural antiseptic and can be dabbed on cuts, bites and stings. It is often used to treat spots and pimples and when diluted with water, acts as a mouth gargle (keep in-mind it should never be swallowed).
Another basic antiseptic is Geranium oil. With its distinctive perfume and pain relieving properties, it is a necessary inclusion when starting out.
Peppermint oil should also be purchased as it treats digestive complaints and may be used in preparations for freshening breath.
For fragrant perfumes and establishing ambience in a room, buy some Patchouli and Ylang-ylang oils. Often combined in scented candles and air fresheners, a few drops of each in an oil burner creates a wonderfully perfumed home. Orange oil mixed with Cinnamon oil is a lovely winter alternative that evokes seasonal, holiday smells. Besides their perfume qualities, all four of these oils have other properties. Patchouli treats eczema and dandruff. Ylang-ylang is reputed to relieve stress, palpitations and high blood pressure. Orange is used in natural remedies for depression and nervous tension and Cinnamon is excellent for warts and viral infections.
The herbs, Thyme and Rosemary can be grown in pots and used when needed. To create essential oils from herbs, stew some large amounts in pure water, collect the steam and cool it. The oil will rise to the top of the drained water and can be collected with an eyedropper. Alternatively, a "flower still" can be purchased to make the job easier. Thyme and Rosemary are both antiseptics and can be used in skin care preparations. They are also delicious when used in cooking.
Lemon oil and fresh lemons will purify water and, when mixed with honey, are effective remedies for colds and flu. Lemon and white vinegar are highly efficient cleaning agents that can be used for domestic cleaning tasks without damaging the environment. Use white vinegar as a natural disinfectant or mix it with water to clean windows and wooden floors. It is also handy to keep a bottle of white vinegar in your car if you swim in the ocean. It will bring instant relief from jellyfish stings.
Citronella oil is perfect in summer to keep the insects at bay. Another natural repellent is Garlic. Fleas will not bite a dog that has been eating garlic, so a few garlic capsules in the dog food are a cheap solution to your pet's flea problem. A soft collar soaked in Citronella will also do the job.
Garlic also helps to promote a healthy immune system when the weather turns cold and viruses begin to circulate. In fact, most of the oils and herbs listed above are effective in helping to prevent many common winter illnesses.
Whether you are looking for remedies or nature friendly products to use around the house, the oils and herbs suggested above should help get you started. You will be ready to make some healthy changes in your way of life!
stress health
Rhodiola Rosea is the latest natural remedy to join the arsenal of natural anxiety and stress (rhodiola extract) reducers.
Rhodiola Rosea, also known as Golden Root, is a native plant of arctic Siberia. For centuries it has been used by eastern European and Asian cultures for physical endurance, work productivity, longevity, resistance to high altitude sickness, and to treat fatigue, depression, anemia, impotence, gastrointestinal ailments, infections, and nervous system disorders.
The first recorded medicinal applications of rodia riza (renamed Rhodiola Rosea) was made by the Greek physician, Dioscorides, in 77 C.E. in 'De Materia Medica'. Rhodiola Rosea has been included in official Russian medicine since 1969.
Despite its long history, the Western world has only recently become aware of the health benefits of Rhodiola Rosea. It has come to the attention of many natural health practitioners because of studies which tested its affects on combating anxiety and stress.
Rhodiola Rosea is considered an adaptogen. This means it has an overall stabilizing effect on the body without disrupting other functions. Its ability to normalize hormones may be effective for treating depression and anxiety.
Studies of Rhodiola Rosea show that it stimulates neurotransmitters and enhances their effects on the brain. This includes the ability for the brain to process serotonin which helps the body to adapt to stress.
Since adaptogens improve the body's overall ability to handle stress, it has been studied to identify it's effects on biological, chemical and physical stress.
A study was performed to test the effects of Rhodiola Rosea when stress or rhodiola extract is caused by intense mental work (such as final exams). Such tests concluded that using Rhodiola Rosea improved the amount and quality of work, increasing mental clarity and reducing the effects of fatigue.
The effects of Rhodiola Rosea have also been tested on stress and anxiety from both physical and emotional sources. A report by the American Botanical Council states that "Most users find that it improves their mood, energy level, and mental clarity." They also report on a study that indicated Rhodiola Rosea could increase stress tolerance while at the same time protecting the brain and heart from the physical affects of stress.
This report included details of studies which highlight the overall health benefits of Rhodiola Rosea.
The generally recommended dose is 200-600mg/day. The active properties should be a minimum 0.8 percent salidroside and 3 percent rosavin.
It is important for consumers to know that Rhodiola may be sold using other species that do not share the properties of Rhodiola Rosea, rhodiola extract, or at ineffective strengths for treatment. Anyone with depression or anxiety should also check with a health professional when treating these symptoms.
rhodiola extract
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