We did some informal research and came to realize that the holiday season generates more media coverage about stress than any other time of year. Why? In this season of giving, of loving, of family and friends, how did we turn it into a season of worry, of overextending, of forgetting what the spirit of the season is truly all about?

It should be a time of gentle reflection, of counting blessings, of welcoming home those who've been away. It should be a time of peace, of warm hearths, of busy kitchens, lively chatter and good music. And still, we pile it on ourselves. Certainly, if the year has been tough, a loved one has been lost, or loneliness is unavoidable, it can be hard to find the joy of the season. But for many of us, it simply becomes the season of mayhem. And the warning signs of stress are easy to spot: irritability, fatigue, sleep disorders, indulgent eating, loss of enthusiasm and feelings of detachment and angst - everything you want to avoid this time of year.

Let us offer you some simple ideas to get back that feeling of true holiday spirit. It will work wonders (and, of course, remember to incorporate breathing into each of these, in fact, it's idea no. 1!).

Breathe
Aimee E. Raupp, a licensed acupuncturist in New York, reminded us a year or two ago in her timely article, "Easy Ways To Reduce Stress and Happily Survive The Holiday Season," that the breath can play a mitigating role in warding off the pressures of the season.

During the height of the holiday season, she offered, "It's important to exercise not only the body but the mind as well. In the midst of stressful times and especially around the holidays, people forget how important it is to stop and take a deep breath. Simple breathing exercises can play a pivotal role in relieving stress. Even a minute of deep breathing can have an immediate affect on both physical and mental pressures."

This exercise will help to reacquaint and familiarize you with your breath, and begin the first steps to developing breath awareness. It is also an excellent meditation.

Take a moment right now and close your eyes and exhale completely. As you begin to inhale follow your breath. How does it feel as it enters your nose and rushes down your throat? Where does it go from there? What muscles are involved? How does the rest of your body feel? Relaxed? Tense? Repeat this exercise two or three times and follow your breath through each cycle. Try imagining you are a researcher watching someone else breathe noticing every detail.

There is no good or bad, right or wrong in this exercise, but it is an important first step in developing breath awareness and your Perfect Breath. Knowing how you breathe, and being aware of the changes that take place will provide you with valuable insight.

For a running dialog of the latest in breathing ideas, techniques, success stories, and more, visit our Perfect Breath Blog . Get answers to your questions, share your experience and expertise with others, and stay abreast of the latest science, research, and technology. Here are the latest headlines:

• The Earth Breathes Too
• Breathing In the News
• Breathing and Your Body's Filtration System
• Meditating through mental illness

Our long-awaited new book, "Perfect Breathing: Transform Your Life One Breath At A Time" (Sterling Publishing, New York City), is available NOW online, and hits at retail outlets January 6, 2009. It's a book that can change your life. In it, we illuminate a simple, dynamic pathway to limitless human potential based on not only some of the most contemporary scientific information ever compiled, but on centuries-old teachings and techniques. We share simple awareness tools, techniques, information and insight from influential people from all walks of life and professions who have harnessed the energy of the breath and who offer personal and inspirational experiences that give potent testimony to the influence conscious breathing can provide.

Order your copy today at Barnes & Noble Online or at Amazon.com

With everything that is happening right now - world events, the economy, the holidays - many people are experiencing unprecedented levels of stress and anxiety. Let us show you, your group, or your association how to take advantage of the most powerful techniques available for managing stress and minimizing its affect on your health, performance, and emotions. Our simple system is easy to learn and takes just minutes a day to integrate into your personal and professional life. It's a gift that keeps giving, year after year.

Al Lee is a seasoned speaker and dynamic presenter, and can custom-design a Perfect Breathing program that will spice up your next corporate offsite, health & wellness fair, or convention, and will provide participants with everything they need to start using their most powerful source of energy - the breath - to dramatically improve their health, performance, and emotional well-being.

Coming Up
Perfect Breathing with Al Lee
Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2008 | 6-7:30 p.m.
Riverplace Athletic Club
150 SW Montgomery St
Portland, OR 97201
Call (503) 221-1212 to pre-register www.therac.com

For Perfect Breathing Seminar bookings email Al Lee at: al@perfectbreathing.com and visit him at www.perfectbreathing.com

• 10-Minute Stress-Busting: Give Christmas Anxieties the Boot (Telegraph.co.uk)

• Avoiding the Holiday Blues (Gloucester Daily Times)

• 5 Stretches To Make Your Holidays More Relaxing (Dallas Examiner)

• Medical Meditation (KIVI/Boise)

• Finding Calm: Peoria Group Uses Meditation to Quiet the Mind and Help Heal Oneself (Peoria Journal Star)

• Will I Freeze My Lungs By Exercising Outside In the Cold? (Globe & Mail/Toronto)

Thanks for being part of Perfect Breath. Stay tuned! If you have comments, questions or suggestions, please don't hesitate to contact us.

Sincerely,