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By Angie Tan - Cover Story Calibre Magazine

As we strive for better health, more and more alternative treatments are now made available to us, all of which are tailored to our main concerns of today from stress-related illnesses to dietary problems

Abraham Lincoln had it right when he said, “Most folks are as happy as they make up their minds to be.” In the 21st century, it is hard to find happiness and good health as stress and tension starts to rule our life, so we fall sick more often, we get moody and irritable easily and we are often too tired to really enjoy life.

But there is no true cure for this lifestyle of ours in modern medicine, unless you want to be on anti-depressants for the rest of your life. So many have turned to alternative therapies – learning and seeking cures that have been with us for centuries, even before science existed. Way back then, man’s only resource was Mother Nature. So the ancients found various herbs for various cures. Chinese folks from as far back as the second century had been practising acupuncture while yoga is said to be as old as civilisation itself.

What good could it do to feed our bodies with remedies made from chemicals? As a very ill world today, it is time to seek healthier options. Here we explore some of the alternative routes that you might want to take. We are not saying these are the best and only cures for you but that these make great channels to help you open up and let go.

Peace at Work

Stuart Mackay was once the owner of a thriving commercial interior company. When he fired a guy (wrongly) for his poor performance, the employee’s calm reaction annoyed him. Instead of getting upset or angry, he said kind things to Mackay. He told Mackay that we all have a window in our mind, through which we perceive life. After a while, we should clean it so as to see clearly again.

That really got Mackay thinking and he started to look for methods to quiet his mind and found himself allergic to alternative methods that were based on religion or philosophy. Eventually, he found his answer and the rest, is history.

Mackay developed Peace at Work 29 years ago – a neutral methodology to help us release all the stress and tension in our lives. He stresses that Peace at Work is not a form of meditation. It is something that mums and dads can practise and a technique that people of different religious backgrounds can take up.

“You can do it independently or with your family. You don’t need a practitioner to hold your hand.” As Mackay says, most practitioners and products are addicted to people as much as people are addicted to them. But for Peace at Work, this technique is truly one off. You will get support but the goal here is for you to reach within yourself and clean your own window. Release the tension and clear that blockage. There is no need to go back for another session or two or more.

“People are anaesthetised to their daily life. Until something goes wrong, they won’t get proactive with their health. Illnesses are centred in stress, so when you release the stress and tension, it breaks the chain. A stressed body cannot heal itself. And leaders, if you are full of stress and anxiety, then you can’t see to lead the way,” says Mackay.

What is Peace at Work?

So there I was feeling a little bit fearful and a little bit uncomfortable because I really did not know what I had signed up for but I was ready to give Peace at Work a go.

The props were pretty simple – a mirror, baroque music, a clock and your eyes. As this was a trial session for me, instead of looking at myself (focus on the point between your eyes) in the mirror, I was focused on Mackay.

Mackay had briefed me before that I will notice different layers of experience. Visually, my view could get foggy, blurred or distorted. Physically, my arms and legs could become heavier, my eyes might burn or I would feel a pressure on my chest. Emotionally, I may feel angry or sad – two of the most basic emotions.

The result I have to say is pretty intriguing. I did not expect to experience anything at all because the task was so simple but I did. I could ‘see’ the tension and stress leaving my body. My arms felt slightly heavier. I didn’t feel any strong emotions though. My mind was surprisingly rather quiet. I had expected to have 101 million things run through but it turned out to be a rare five minutes that I actually felt calm without any worry.

Music, according to Mackay, is essential, as every few minutes there is a prompt to remind you to let go of the tension and wriggle your fingers before you’re drawn completely in again.

As the champion of practicality, Mackay has created the Peace at work Home Integration System that is designed for those with very little time to spare. So you start off with five minutes, everyday for a week. “Our physical environment is constantly competing for our time,” he says. Then on the second week, you spend 10 minutes practising this as you get used to making more time for yourself. By the third week, it goes up to 15 minutes and the fourth week, 20 minutes. 

Mackay says that it is very empowering for couples to do this together. You can even practise it with your teenagers but only when they are ready.

Stress and tension are brought about by fear he says. “If people are fearful, how can they perform at their best for you?” A lot of people, he adds, turn to retail therapy or alcohol for relief but they are merely keeping a lid on their emotions.

The Peace at Work Technique helps promote the flow of energy in your life and your body. When stress and tension are released, you will actually feel and look younger. This near 60-year-old Australian guy is proof! He doesn’t look a day over 50! Mackay says you can also see that your body, life and relationships change and respond accordingly.“When you have a clear mind, you can make clearer decisions, your body becomes healthier and you fight less with your loved ones.” Kuala Lumpur June 2010