This site by Andrew Shugyo Bonnici, Ph.D, gives you gentle music and calligraphic images of Japanese bamboo brushwork. The Japanese 'kanji' characters are accompanied by meditative poetry.

Spend some time looking at the images and allow yourself to slow down. Close your eyes. Take a few deep breaths, concentrating on the way your body moves as the air goes in and out. Breathe slowly. When you feel you are ready, go to the next step.

Peruse the selection of sayings to find those that inspire you. There are one-liners in Dutch and English. Write down those that especially touch you and use them for daily affirmations. Write them in your calendar, post them on your bathroom mirror, tape them to the back of the visor in your car.

Use the positive words to reinforce your goal of relaxation. My personal fave (this week) is: Learn from the past; Live for today; Look for tomorrow; Take a nap this afternoon. In order to keep things in balance, send in your favorites to add to the treasury. Don't just plunder. Return the gift and your reward will be greater.

This is a site for robust living. They have articles and regularly add new features on ways to reduce stress and give yourself the energy you want. Now that you are on your way to being relaxed and stress-free, do a little fantasizing. Wander through the 'Spa Genie.'

Imagine yourself being massaged free of cares, hiking through the greenwood, or meditating by the ocean. Sometimes just thinking about a vacation helps me to relax. Maybe it will help you. If you can't make it to a resort or spa, check out the next site for ideas.

Spa Lifestyles specializes in ways to bring the spa experience to your work and home. At this site, you'll find a list of ways to reduce stress in your workplace and how to shop for a low fat menu.

There are exercises that will help keep you alert at work. So, get up from your computer and do the stretches and come back to the keyboard, feeling rejuvenated enough to continue your tour. Find the Home Spa Department to learn how to turn your bathroom into a place of healing.

Suzie has put together an interesting site with links to an on-line tarot reader and an on-line fortune cookie. Suzie has put together a marvelously informative page about Aromatherapy. She even includes a link to her favorite essential oil shopping site.

Aromatherapy is the practice of using essential oils to aid healing. Suzie's page gives you information on ways to use oils and essences for any situation. I can already smell the chamomile and lavender I'm adding to my bath water tonight.

This comprehensive site has many features and products to explore. Learn about Aromatherapy and holistic therapies from the articles in The Garden. I especially liked the article called "Luscious Aromatherapy Baths." It gave me some great ideas for ways to relax after work. Browse their catalog for naturally based products. I've put my order in already; now I can't wait for the mail to get here.

Having trouble finding aromatic oils in your area? This informative site has blends and single essential oils available. You can order on-line or request a catalog. Enjoy the beauty found in nature's perfumes. Read the pages on blending your own perfume and have some fun.

I love to experiment with scents. Why smell like everyone else when you can express your emotions of the moment? Until the turn of this century, it was common for women to formulate their own scents. Break the mold and express yourself. You might be surprised at what you find yourself saying.

From the beautiful graphics to the up to date articles, this site brings you the latest in holistic living. Read articles on healthy foods. One very helpful article described the ten best foods to fight cancer. There was a good reason for your mother to tell you to eat your broccoli. Learn how to listen to your body's needs in an article by Christiane Narthrup.

Many of the articles are by top wellness experts such as Andrew Weil. Do yourself a favor and spend some time reading at the New Age Journal. It's never too late to discover new ways of doing things.

WholeLiving.com brings healthy living to the Internet. The site hosts a broad range of features. It starts with a comprehensive database of the mind/body/spirit community. Learn about events in your region that promote holistic living.

There is also a list of internet resources for women. Check out the Directory for services and other ways to improve your life. The article library is chock full of informative bits of knowledge. Check out the links to other sites that will help you to make sense of life at the beginning of the third millennium.

I hope you have found something that will help you de-stress your life. I'll leave you with one last site. Go ahead, poke around and explore. That's what this whole site is about. There is something for every frazzled-feeling person out there in the Explore Zone.

This site has hundreds of links and places to go. You'll find something to take you away from the stress around you, from games to perceptual illusions to an internet mood ringo. Take life less seriously.

And don't forget to relax!