I explained to her that she was expecting too much of herself. As children, we knew how to relax, but that early, natural ability has been lost along the way because we've grown up in a fast paced environment. We live in a hectic world, and we've learned to be tense, on edge, waiting for the next crisis to happen. Another element in our feeling of stress and pressure is the barrage of new information we receive every day. In the past, it took centuries to double the world's knowledge. Now it happens in just a few years. Change is a certainty, and the constant adjustments it requires causes anxiety.

We have to relearn how to relax, and it takes time and training. There are some fortunate people who go deeply into relaxation the first time I guide them into it, but most just let go of a small amount of their tension. However, after a couple of weeks of daily practice, many of my clients have been able to significantly release the pent up strain in their muscles. Each day they've chipped away at the tightness and relaxed a little bit more, daily coming closer to total relaxation.

The mind and body are two halves of a whole. If the mind relaxes, the body relaxes, and vice versa. What affects one affects the other. If the mind is feeling anxious, pressured or stressed, the body then becomes tense and the muscles tighten up to prepare for the perceived threat. Anyone who has had a tension headache knows what I'm talking about. Feeling safe and secure automatically allows the body to relax, because we're assured that all is well.

Just for a moment, remember a pleasant vacation you took, or peaceful place you've visited. Imagine the scene around you, the sounds, smells, and the pleasure that it brought. Notice how you feel. Doesn't your heart feel lighter, your mind calmer, and your body more relaxed?

Research has shown that a person who takes slow deep breaths and has relaxed muscles can't be anxious. It takes longer for people who are chronically worried to learn to relax, but they can train themselves. As with anything else, the more we practice, the better we get at whatever exercise (mental or physical) we're doing. And having relaxed muscles can actually turn off the negative thinking for awhile. Again, what affects the mind impacts the body.

Relaxation also allows the body to heal itself. When we're constantly under pressure, then the physical vehicle can't repair itself. All the energy is going into dealing with the crises, threats and dangers. Relearning how to release tension from the muscles allows the stored energy to regenerate the body.

Answer: Many times it is easier to break up a goal into smaller steps, mainly so that your conscious mind can believe that they're accessible. For instance, if you want more income, use a believable amount as your initial goal. That way you can feel successful as you accomplish it, and then set another goal of a little bit more. Or to release weight, set small increments of two, five, or ten pounds as your steps.

Sometimes, a person tries to break it up in such small steps that they're micromanaging how it has to come about. In that case, it's not a good idea for the smaller steps. For example, if some wanted a new apartment, they might state they wanted a certain amount of space (this is fine), for a certain amount of rent (this is fine, too), in a certain apartment building (not fine), on a certain floor (not fine). Or someone might want a relationship. They could state the characteristics they wanted in their partner (this is good), how they would relate (good), and choose a certain person as their desired mate (not good).

In achieving a goal, your job is to decide what you want, break it into small steps that your conscious mind can believe and that your subconscious can accomplish without being overwhelmed. Then take any actions you know to take to bring it about. With you in motion, it's up to your subconscious mind to find the way to manifest your goal.

This book not only discusses the information found within the documents, but also places it in context with other Christian theological ideas of that era. There wasn't just one view of Jesus and his life and death. Theories abounded in those years, many of which were denounced by an orthodox view that became more powerful. Eventually, any ideas that didn't agree with the orthodox view were condemned and destroyed. Christians called each other "heretic" if they held divergent concepts.

The author examines the different areas of accepted Christian theology using the scrolls and the writings of the orthodox theologians. Addressing such issues as: the resurrection, God as Mother/Father, the persecution of Christians, how to know God, and more, this book casts new light on how these areas were perceived from many different viewpoints.