Then something starts to happen to us. We begin to tense up. We begin to close down. We begin to lose touch with our bodies and live in our heads. We become confused about our feelings. We start to regret the past or fantasize about the future. We begin to fragment. We start to lose our fluid integrity as fully expressed and responsive human beings.

What happened? In a nutshell, stress happened. While a certain amount of stress is natural to life, our search for technological shortcuts to comfort and convenience has ironically created unprecedented waves of stress in our modern lives. Our nervous systems are constantly reacting to a barrage of phone calls, faxes, e-mails, frenzied traffic and numbing schedules.

Life seems to have become more of a struggle, with less rather than more time to rest. Sooner or later we really hit the wall. We end up sick in bed. Or a major crisis stuns us into a temporary halt. Stress has got the better of us.

Not surprisingly, the World Health Organization is now listing stress as a prime contributor to the five leading causes of death--such as cancer and heart disease.

Although most of us are now are aware of the dangers of stress, we've become so addicted to the surges and swings of feeling associated with stress, we can no longer imagine life any other way. If things get too quiet we start seeking out a new stressor to react to, for another chemical jolt, another toxic surge of excitement and nervous expenditure.

The Most Effective Self-Care System in the World?

There are many ways to intervene in this vicious cycle and reclaim our peace of mind--restoring balance and serenity in our lives. Meditation, yoga and moderate exercise can all help. But, after twenty-five years of personal research into what works best to counter stress, I've found the ancient Chinese art of Qigong to offer the surest results.