Everywhere we look right now we see
either the Olympics or Fifty Shades of Grey. So I ask myself, what
should I focus on for this newsletter? I toss the coin – Fifty
shades! The huge bombshell of sales and all the talk about it appeals
to my natural human curiosity. I know I shouldn't but I simply have
to find out what all the fuss is about.
It could simply be that sex sells,
especially fantasies. Just that this time the packaging, timing,
excellent marketing and all those things happen to be in place. But
that doesn't fully explain the phenomenon, because there is loads of
such erotic literature aimed at women. Why didn't A.N. Roqealaure's
Sleeping Beauty Trilogy sell millions of copies? It is also about a
lovely young girl who is kissed by a prince, raped and then made a
sex slave, which is almost identical to 50 Shades.
Maybe we prefer the fantasy version
with the decadent, extravagant lifestyle and trappings rather than
the disturbing, criminal stories – women tortured in cellars and
killed and filmed for pleasure. Or by huge luck, they manage to
escape or are rescued. These are the tales of childhood, like Little
Red Riding Hood. In my own childhood, I remember my father, a
policeman, telling me such tales from real life, in a soft voice, but
with the same moral lessons and the same characters- dominants and
submissives.
I'm not that keen on reading in
English- I prefer my Shakespeare or Yeats in Latvian, after someone
else has deciphered and translated it into easy language for me- so I
asked my husband to check it out. He read 1.5 pages and put it back.
No style, no depth, trashy, he said (though I'm pretty sure I caught
him 'double-checking something' a little later..) So I started to
read it myself.
And yes, there is simple, direct
language and the story is not new. It is again a retelling of
Sleeping beauty. And while 50 Shades may not be a literary
masterpiece, the symbolism of the tale is interesting. I will just
draw attention to how Anastasia took the decision to get into such a
'relationship' (she obviously didn't have the benefit of my father's
bedtime stories). She does it under pressure and under the fear of
losing something potentially precious. She hopes that he will change
(although i wonder why it is that women always hope that their man
will change, but men hope their women won't?).
So my HK advice - if you find yourself
in a dilemma- personal, professional or practical- and whatever you
do (or don't do) doesn't feel right and could have unpleasant
consequences,
firstly, don't rush. Decisions taken
under pressure or when feeling below par will usually be regretted
and there is a very simple physical explanation for this. When we are
under huge stress we can lose up to 80 % of blood in the fore-brain,
so inevitably the decision-making process is faulty. When we are
under acute stress, the loss of blood from our fore-brain causes us
to limp directly into a fight-flight-or freeze response. Chronic
stress, something that bothers you even for a few days, has the same
effect, only over a more drawn-out period.
How do we counteract this? One very
simple technique- which is also a natural reaction, see how clever
our bodies are!- is to place your fingers over your forehead (on the
horns). This draws blood back to your fore-brain. Hold until you feel
the pulse beat in your forehead. As we all know, stress can leave us
vulnerable to physical illness and this technique can also help to
protect us from that. You may also find it beneficial to place your
other palm horizontally over the back of your head- the theory is
that there are fear reflex points here- for maximum benefits.
And, if you can lessen the stress, fear
or anxiety, you will think more clearly. Maybe a different solution
or perspective on the problem will come to you. Simply place your
fingers on your forehead, but hold a little longer than usual until
you feel the blood come back into your fore-brain and the stress
disappear.
So good luck, learn something and simply enjoy the moment!
Thank you for reading my Newsletter.
If you found the information relevant and interesting, please share it with others.
Comments, queries or recommendation, please let me know.
If you need more help navigating to healthier living habits, just call me or e-mail me.
