Six Seconds to True Calm : Thriving Skills for 21st Century Living

Rating:
Summary: Meaningful ways to reclaim life from stress
Review: Breathe deeply, relax, think about what you want more of rather than less of. That's all Siegel has to say. At least he deserves credit for extending it to 288 pages--even if doing so requires big print, multiple type fonts and lots of pictures. He's the John Tesh of literature

Rating:
Summary: Provides a great help
Review: I have a pretty great life, but this book complemented my life and led to some serious internal improvements. I work and play hard, so this book gave me the tools to quickly relax and enjoy the peace of being myself. I am not into mystical or energy work (I am a computer scientist) but I did get the opportunity to take a class with Robert Siegel and WOW!!! I was skeptical and a little pessimistic but was really impressed with his knowledge and grace. Anyway, the bottom line is: If you are open and willing to learn about yourself then this book will be benefitial.

Rating:
Summary: Meaningful ways to reclaim life from stress
Review: Robert Simon Siegel's book, True Calm, helped me gain valuable insights about stress, anxiety, myself, and life itself. I recommend this book without reservation to anyone seeking a form of existence that nurtures creativity, peacefulness, and deeper spirituality. A "must read" by an author who knows much, and explains it well.

Rating:
Summary: No new ground but, excellent reminders
Review: When I was in college, I was something of a Jose Silva groupie. Silva was/is the guru of mind control and has recently branched out into developing the public's ESP through seminars and online self-promotion. Well, it is what it is and everyone will be their own judge. Regardless, for me, Silva gave me some things to think about. I wouldn't call it revolutionary but in hindsight, it is priceless. The gem I'm speaking of stress release through meditation/imagery (or whatever you want to term it). This has been an on-again, off-again affair for me. Like most, as life gets hectic, I tend to ignore the needs of stress release...which is when I most need it. As professional life amalgamates with personal life, we could all use a mechanism to remove our physical bodies from the mental inner voice, which keeps us stoked for action. Some use relentless exercise, some use meditation, some use television. After running upon Robert Simon Sigel's book, SIX SECONDS TO TRUE CALM, it brought back the memories of actively pursuing a stressless existence (although a fervent belief in my college days, stresslessness is just a nebulous goal now, but a goal nevertheless).

As several reviewers have commented, when one first finds ANYTHING to assist in stress relief, they find it cathartic and precious. It becomes utopic. And, as one lone reviewer pointed out, "breathe deeply, relax..." is transparent and useless. Regardless one's stance on a subject, finding the meaning in any concept or theory is within oneself and is very personal. Consequently, it does not surprise me that the reviews of this book would weigh either end of the spectrum as opposed to the typical 'Bell Curve' model observed with most reviewed works.

As I noted in my title, Siegel does not break any new ground with this offering. Bringing one's physical being under control is tantamount to any real mental relaxation; this concept is a given and relatively universal. Thus, deep breathing and conscious muscle relaxation (i.e. physical factors) is the core of psychological relaxation (i.e. mental factors). Siegel identifies and goes to great lengths to instruct the reader as to proper breathing exercises to achieve optimal results for the relaxation therapy (mediation, if you will). Again, if one has never been instructed in breathing exercises, this will most likely prove fruitful.

Imagery plays a major role in any self-actualization process and Siegel's instruction is no different. What one believes and can image, one can make so, or so the theory goes. One factor anyone can get their arms around, regardless their belief(s) in meditation/mind control, humans only use a small percentage of the brain's capacity. Scientists have investigated and researched this phenomenon for decades without any real empirical evidence or explanation. Armed with that knowledge, why anyone would choose NOT to believe there is more "out there" than what our feeble minds can imagine is beyond me. The simplest analogy is the technological revolution. If our minds were stuck in a loop, why wouldn't we have had the personal computer in the early 1900s? Or, conversely, why would be have it now? This is a conundrum that could be debated ardently for days. Regardless, an open mind, relative to any new concept or theory, is the variable associated with any possible success or breaking of new ground.

Siegal's book is not a panacea. It will not bring you happiness within a vaccum. However, if the techniques he preaches provide just a modicum of stress release over what you currently experience, it is easily worth the price of the book. As there is no Fountain of Youth, there is no EASY universal remedy for stress. However, with an open mind and diligence of practice, one truly can provide their inner soul with some level of relief from the gators nipping at our ankles (i.e. the stresses of everyday life).

If you can read with an open mind to new ideas and concepts, jump into this book with both feet. If you're an eternal skeptic and cynic, pass (although I am definitely a cynic, I think I experienced openness of mind early enough in life to allow new concepts to run my grey matter before I poo-poo them off).