Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Stress Management Irish Style!

Today is a day when we all celebrate being Irish. Being of Irish ancestry (the McNulty clan) and having been to the Emerald Isle a few times, I can tell you there is much to celebrate: Here are some fun facts to ponder about our Irish brethren:

• The most common surname in Ireland is Murphy.
• The Celtic harp, not the shamrock, is the symbol of Ireland and can be found on the Irish Passport and the back of the 1 EU coin.
• The style of dance known as “River dance” was created when the British outlawed Celtic music and dance centuries ago, hence people learned to dance with little motion from the waist up so that it appeared from the outside of pub windows that nothing was going on.
• Bono (of U2 fame) is the only person who has been nominated for an Oscar, Grammy, Golden Globe and Nobel Peace Prize.
• Although Enya has never performed a live concert (other than the Academy Awards), she has sold over 70+ million albums.
• Like Switzerland, Ireland is a neutral country.
• The expressions, “Tying the knot” and “honeymoon” are original Irish expressions
• The Blarney Stone is actually part of a castle wall (the Blarney Castle). To kiss the stone, you have to climb to the top of the castle and lay on your back over the edge holding on to guard rails.
• The world “galore” comes from the Gaelic words “go leor” which means “plenty.”
The Irish don’t use the expression, “Top of the Morning.” This line was created by two screenwriters for a Bing Crosby movie of the same name.
Speaking of movies, the Cliffs of Moher, one of Ireland’s most popular tourist attractions, were filmed in The Princess Bride as the “Cliffs of Insanity.”

Stress Tip for the Day:
You can start by wearing something green today, but if you really want to practice stress management Celtic style, start by wearing a smile. The Irish pride themselves by not taking themselves too seriously (this comes from 800 years of British occupation where they nearly lost their religion, language, music and culture), and… they have a great sense of humor! Smile!

Links/Books/Movies Worth Noting:
Here are my top 10 Irish movie recommendations:
1. Waking Ned Divine
2. My Left Foot
3. The Secret of Roan Inis

4. Michael Collins

5. The Commitments 6. Ondine
7. Book of Kells

8. Into the West
9. In the Name of the Father

10. The Wind that Shakes the Barley

• Also, if you get a chance to see the PBS special, The High Kings, don’t miss it.

Quote for the Day:
“May your blessings outnumber the shamrocks that grow, and may trouble avoid you wherever you go.” — Irish Blessing

Photo for the Day:
There were a great many images to choose from, but the Cliffs of Moher are one of the top tourist sites in the country. So to honor Ireland (and the perennial favorite movie which has nothing to do with Ireland, The Princess Bride) here is a photo of the renowned Cliffs of Moher. Enjoy!

Brian Luke Seaward, Ph.D. is an internationally renowned expert in the fields of stress management, mind-body-spirit healing and stress and human spirituality. He is the author of over 10 books including the bestsellers, Stand Like Mountain, Flow Like Water, Stressed Is Desserts Spelled Backward, The Art of Calm, Quiet Mind, Fearless Heart and Managing Stress (6E). He can be reached through his website:www.brianlukeseaward.net

© Brian Luke Seaward, Ph.D.

Brian Luke Seaward

Author Brian Luke Seaward

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Join the discussion 2 Comments

  • Jo says:

    well done, Luke. happy day to you. 😉

  • Moshe Sharon says:

    The word “Stress” actually relates to wear and tear as when the rubber meets the road on a tire or the brake pads pressing up against the rotor in the wheel. The term as it applies to living organisms was first introduced by Hans Seyle in the 1930’s who defined it as the consequence of the failure of an organism (human or animal) to respond appropriately to emotional or physical threats, whether actual or imagined. Thus stress symptoms are the manifestation of a chronic state of responses to stress triggers that are actually benign. Even a thought can set off the same response mechanism that would be in play while standing in front of a hungry lion. Hence, Seyle’s definition still reaches to the heart of stress management; the idea of the response being inappropriate and engaging in a process of altering ones misperception of pending disaster or imminent danger. http://soulfulthought.blogspot.com

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