......meditation. Apparently can lengthen life expectancy. Not sure if i could get into the lotus position but thinking maybe taken time out to destress and get in touch the inner me.

Has anyone tried other stuff like acupuncture, aromatherapy etc.... I keep meaning to restart my swimming programme which i was doing well until I started my course, I have exercises that the phyisio and ot has given me and I dont do.... better intentions than memory, as always forget and its awkard to do etc etc....

Does anybody put time in the day for themselves and what do you?

Hi Julie,

that sound amazing. Do you still meditate and how did it help you. Wheres the buddist monastery and was it expensive?

Thanks Julie,

That sounds pleasant enough, nothing too physically demanding. The hardest part of that it seems is to put 10 mins away religiously. This is all part of my copehagens sumit for me

when i went to a work conference recently there was a lady giving complementary hand or head massage, i had both my hands massaged and we talekd about RA. The therapist said she was also trained in TH e Bowen Technique and this was her favourite therapy with very good results for RA and other symptoms. Unfortunately she was based in Cornwall so a bit far to travel for me but i hope to find someone nearby and give this a go in the new year. Has anyone tried the Bowen technique?

I've not tried the Bowen technique either. I often hear about Reiki but again have never tried it. I learnt meditation 9yrs ago through my local hospital. I suffered from a lot of stress and had regular panic attacks. Main things were breathing and relaxation techniques.

I also learnt about how breathing in is cold air and breathing out is warm air. I find focusing on the feeling of the air helps me relax. I was also taught to breath in through my nose and out through my mouth. Lying down on a comfy sofa or bed in a quiet room helps. Some people find using music helps or even sounds like trickling streams, birds singing... I personally love the sound of the ocean... thats my perfect place, imagining myself lying on a beach, the warmth of the sun against my skin and listening to the waves smoothing over the sand.

Another technique I learnt was progressive muscle relaxation (sometimes known as Jacobson's Progressive Relaxation) Its where you lie down and then tense each muscle group for approx 10 seconds before relaxing... starting off with your feet, pulling your toes upwards and tensing so you can feel it in your ankles, then tensing your calf muscles so your feet lift off the floor... you do this with each muscle group, including your bottom before finishing with tensing your face by screwing it up.... It helps with muscle tension and also as a distraction technique.

In regards to massage... not sure if you'd have this in your area but the British Red Cross offer a Therapeutic Care Service. It is brilliant, I used the service when I had my hip replacement this year, and in some areas the local NHS has funds for therapeutic massage (although I believe this is quite rare). You could get in touch with either your local British Red Cross, NHS Patient Advice and Liaison Service, or maybe even NRAS would have details.

I have quite a collection of meditation cd's plus "nature" cd's (Whale songs, Thurnderstorms, Ocean waves etc) I would be only too please to burn some onto Cd's if anyone would like a copy. I also have quite a few Gregorian Chant cd's too.

No charge. Just pay the postage OR make a small donation to NRAS.

John

Please do. No problem. If you e-mail me tomorrow I will get them in the post to you on Wednesday......

The realaxation technique that Tigg mentioned, was taught to me by my mother when I was a child. I taught it to the children, and my daughter only mentioned the other day, how useful she finds it when she can't drop off to sleep.

I too learnt a bit of meditation from a Buddist Friend, and love using it. She also taught me to' target' pain while meditating. Once you are in the 'right place', concentrate of the main source of the pain, finding it's centre. Then slowly wrap it up (I use paper for sharp pain ..) and once contained, give it away. OK I admit it doesn't cure it, but the pain becomes managable for a while.

I would love to learn more

I often have a head and neck massage with my therapist. I've been to have a pedicure with her today - lovely!

You can get meditation cds.

Lyn

There used to be a tai-chi class in Newcastle for people with RA........apparently it was quite successful.. Forme there is no way I could do it. I did yoga in pregnancy for years and loved this but not anymore.

I love massage, a friend has recently finished a therapeutic massage course where they massage all the toxins out of the body. It is SO beautiful!

Love,
Amanda