Change your body language

Life isn''t all about attack and defence. Sometimes, it can also be about holding back that anger and turning a frown into a smile. Abhraham P Ruby shows you how to do just that with a new course he''s planned.
The director of the Centre for Advanced Martial Arts Training is a seventh Dan black belt in Tae Kwon Do and the fifth Dan in kickboxing. But more than martial art, he teaches people its essence, "Not as a sport but for swayamraksha," he says.
A while ago, Ruby conducted research on martial art and its influence on emotions, submitting his thesis on this subject.He believes that one can actually control emotions through martial art.
"For every emotion there is a corresponding manifestation. It''s tough to change emotions, therefore we teach people to change manifestations, which in turn changes emotions," he explains.
For example, the manifestation of anger is different body language, increased heart rate, high BP and stiff posture. But make those manifestations positive and it could lead to a change in the anger-causing hormone, he believes.
Ruby has tried this workshop with the city''s air force personnel and found it successful. Now, Ruby will extend this idea to Bangalore''s students and police personnel.
"Children are under tremendous pressure. We want to show them how to conquer fear of examinations. A child will memorise an ad on TV more easily than they would a poem because it''s tough to work under pressure," he says.
He adds that of late, the police has come under great media criticism, "as a result of which their performance is suffering. Some reorientation is needed for them, and it will also help the public."
Ruby can be contacted through his email id: camatind@vsnl.net. The training he gives includes auto suggestion and embedding new thoughts into the subconscious. "We tell them how to relax."