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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
How to discern stress management techniques?	Fay	Saturday, April 10, 2010
Question: Hello Brother, I am hoping you can guide me in the right direction on this one as you are so knowledgeable about both faith matters and spiritual warfare. My young daughter has Autism and struggles with sleep issues. I have found books and CDs for children that are supposed to teach things like deep breathing, muscle relaxation, and the use of "positive affirmations" to help manage stress, improve sleep and build self esteem. I am worried that these might be New Age-type practices in disguise, but not sure how to discern it. Can you offer any advice? Thank you for your time.
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM Dear Fay: Well, without knowing the specific material you are using, or thinking about using, I cannot speak directly. In general, however, we need to avoid any music or technique that is designed to place us in an altered state of consciousness, to get in touch with the "inner self", or place us in a hypnotic state. Positive affirmations can be okay, depending on what they are. Any positive affirmation must be consistent with a Christian worldview. In terms of helping sleep, I recommend one of the CDs of Gregorian Chant, but I especially recommend a CD called Sleep Sound in Jesus by Michael Card. The music on this CD are lullabies, but are effective for all ages. In fact, this CD seems to be anointed. We have used it very successfully in reducing tension and stress in a household, and helping children and adults to sleep. If there are any demonological aspects involved, this CD seems to keep them away. What I advise people to do is to play the CD all night long, but on very low volume so that it does not intrude on falling a asleep. The same thing can be done in the household during the day. We have seen tension between spouses, for example, reduce when this CD is played at low level in the house. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below: Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum. Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

How to discern stress management techniques?

Fay

Saturday, April 10, 2010

Question:

Hello Brother, I am hoping you can guide me in the right direction on this one as you are so knowledgeable about both faith matters and spiritual warfare.

My young daughter has Autism and struggles with sleep issues. I have found books and CDs for children that are supposed to teach things like deep breathing, muscle relaxation, and the use of "positive affirmations" to help manage stress, improve sleep and build self esteem. I am worried that these might be New Age-type practices in disguise, but not sure how to discern it.

Can you offer any advice? Thank you for your time.

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM

Dear Fay:

Well, without knowing the specific material you are using, or thinking about using, I cannot speak directly. In general, however, we need to avoid any music or technique that is designed to place us in an altered state of consciousness, to get in touch with the "inner self", or place us in a hypnotic state. Positive affirmations can be okay, depending on what they are. Any positive affirmation must be consistent with a Christian worldview.

In terms of helping sleep, I recommend one of the CDs of Gregorian Chant, but I especially recommend a CD called Sleep Sound in Jesus by Michael Card. The music on this CD are lullabies, but are effective for all ages. In fact, this CD seems to be anointed. We have used it very successfully in reducing tension and stress in a household, and helping children and adults to sleep. If there are any demonological aspects involved, this CD seems to keep them away.

What I advise people to do is to play the CD all night long, but on very low volume so that it does not intrude on falling a asleep. The same thing can be done in the household during the day. We have seen tension between spouses, for example, reduce when this CD is played at low level in the house.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below:
Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum.
Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum
Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum
Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum
Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum