The qualities of the playful Krishna, dignified Maryada Purush Rama, serene Mahavira and Buddha define our cultural heritage.

Despite the rich tradition, however, we are increasingly becoming vulnerable to stress and strain. We also accept that once we have stress in us, it can only be managed and not eliminated. Managing stress means we are accepting its presence in our lives as an inevitability.

Parents worry about the levels of stress in their children. This in turn makes parenting a stressful activity.

Since stress is inside of us, it cannot be plucked out easily. Stress carries a huge quantum of energy and so is never still. It travels to every nook and corner of our body and begins to dominate our lives in all spheres.

Stress releases negative energy and disturbs the normal functioning of our heart, liver, kidneys and lungs. It permeates every cell in the body. The major manufacturers of stress are anger, ego, jealousy, irritation and our perceived failures. A better understanding and analysis of these factors can help us overcome them.

Generally, opposition to what we wish, want and think, gene-rates anger. A justified opposition should not anger us. But when reason is lost, we get angry. This gives rise to ego. Anger and ego are intricately related. Anger comes and goes while ego settles and forms layers. Over a period of time, ego begins to weigh us down. A body weighing a mere 40 kg mass may carry with it a tonne of ego!

Acceptance prevents anger. And acceptance comes to those who are receptive to criticism. To be receptive to criticism, you must evolve a democratic temperament in an argument. When somebody takes a view opposite to yours, it does not necessarily mean that he is wrong. You might be wrong. When you think that you are right, simultaneously the other person is also thinking the same of himself.

A third person might find that there is no room for anger in this conflict because it is either a fight between two rights or two wrongs. There is also a third possibility that one of the two conflicting persons is right and the other one is wrong. But the problem here is that who will confess to being wrong?

Accepting the other person's right to his view requires a democratic attitude. Once we imbibe the spirit of democracy, acceptance becomes easier. This brings about a calming effect upon everybody involved in the conflict and improves inter-personal relations.

With this democratic approach to life, anger begins to disappear and with it, the layers of ego in us begin to dissolve. This makes us feel lighter, and happier.