---
title: Mind/Body Basics (archived)
url: https://mbmi.org/archive/mind-body-basics
description: The Mind/Body Basics introduction archived from mbmi.org: the institute's case for the relaxation response as a third pillar of care beside surgery and drugs.
original_author: Mind/Body Medical Institute (later Benson-Henry Institute)
archived_at: https://web.archive.org/web/20090806072202/http://www.mbmi.org/basics/default.asp
---
# Mind/Body Basics (archived)

The section opener explained the institute's view that following the breath and setting aside distracting thoughts is a basic route to better health.

- Original author: Mind/Body Medical Institute (later Benson-Henry Institute)
- Original URL: http://www.mbmi.org/basics/default.asp
- Captured: 2005-12-10 to 2020-02-19 (105 snapshots)
- Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20090806072202/http://www.mbmi.org/basics/default.asp
- Current guide: https://mbmi.org/mind-body-basics

## What this page said

Herbert Benson, MD was quoted as writing that the elicitation of the relaxation response can be traced back to the earliest civilizations. The institute said that he and his colleagues had researched and adapted this universal practice, and that mind/body medicine and self-care were gaining acceptance as a third modality in health care alongside surgery and pharmaceuticals.

The section promised readers background on stress, the major elements of mind/body medicine and a range of how-to guides for managing stress.

## Key points from the original

- Framed mind/body medicine as a third modality next to surgery and drugs.
- Placed the relaxation response in a long tradition of attention to the breath.
- Introduced the how-to pages on stress, relaxation and exercise.

This is a historical record, not medical advice.