Stress Management Wisdom from Ancient Hawaii

By Diane Koerner

Diane Koerner, Program Director of Hawaii Health Getaway's "Art of Stress Management," is a counselor and teacher of the ancient Hawaiian Huna philosophy.

Ancient mind/body Hawaiian healing techniques can often be more effective than the latest pharmaceutical. From piko-piko breathing to the "instant" Dynamind healing technique, the Hawaiian Huna healing traditions offer practical, effective methods of getting to the core of all illness: stress.

	PICTURED: Ann Doherty, RN, relaxing under Kilauea Falls after kayaking upriver and hiking through tropical forest.

"These age-old stress reduction techniques are recommended to both our staff and patients at Alta Bates Summit Diabetes Center in Berkeley," says Ann Doherty, RN, CDE. Doherty co-founded Hawaii Health Getaways ten years ago, after learning how traditional Hawaiian mind-body healing techniques were beneficial in dealing with stress and as an adjunct to any medical regimen.

According to the ancient Hawaiian Huna philosophy, all illness is related to stress. "The body's innate healing abilities can be restored if you relieve the tension caused by physical, emotional, mental or spiritual stress," explains Serge Kahili King, PhD, a Hawaiian-trained shaman healer, and world-wide teacher and author. Huna mind-body healing techniques work on all four levels to get to the root of chronic tension in the body.

Physical stress can be countered by deep breathing, massage and movement. In Hawaii, healing with nature is part of the lifestyle — hiking along the ocean cliffs, being energized under hidden waterfalls, swimming and snorkeling amidst colorful tropical fish and coral reefs. Nature is alive, aware and responsive, according to the Huna philosophy, and you can tap into its healing energy wherever you are... breathing in its beauty with piko-piko deep abdominal breathing, or becoming one with the elements through practices such as Kahi Loa massage and Kalana Hula.What about mental stress? Criticism, whether of yourself, another person or even the weather, creates stress and tension in your body, explains King. A quick mental stress reliever is "Saturation Praise," spending just one minute focusing on everything you like, about yourself or the world around you. Try it to feel instant relief of mental tension that can cause distress anywhere in your body.

To release pain or tension in the body of any origin, Serge King's "DynaMind," an instant healing technique consisting of words, breathing and movement, has been used to relieve everything from chronic back pain and earaches to post-traumatic stress disorder.

Medical research continues to prove the relationship between stress and illness -– linking stress to everything from high blood pressure and heart disease to chronic pain and obesity. The body's stress response includes increased heart rate and blood sugar, and inhibited digestion and immune response. Unless the body returns to a state of balance and regulation, chronic stress will lead to degenerative disease.

"Stress is unavoidable, but we can help manage our body's negative reaction to stressful situations by making self-care practices a priority in our daily schedule," says Doherty. "It's easy while on a retreat, but even at home, try getting adequate sleep, eating a healthy diet, exercising, maintaining a positive attitude, enjoying activities in nature, maintaining healthy relationships, and practicing relaxation techniques such as yoga, deep breathing and meditation." For an acutely stressful situation, it's good to have a few emergency backups like those taught at the Hawaii Health Getaway, including 1-minute yoga stretches, directed breathing, mental imagery, affirmations, healing touch and massage, and other "instant healing" techniques you can perform anytime, anywhere.

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