PULSE FREE YOUR MIND ... AND THE REST WILL FOLLOW.

It's official. The holiday stress season has begun.

For those who feel like they've been walking an emotional tightrope since Sept. 11, and are overwhelmed with anthrax scares, the early flu season and the usual holiday blues, hold on. We've got a bunch of ideas to ease your mind, soothe your soul and help you cope with the season.

One of the newest stress-busters is the American Specialty Health organization's special CD called ``Coping With Stress During These Difficult Times.'' It uses the power of the mind and imagination for healing the body and emotions with mental suggestions offered by Dr. Martin Rossman and Dr. David Bresler. Listen and you'll quickly feel your pulse slow down, so don't try it while you're driving. The price is $8, and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Sept. 11 Fund. For more information, call [phone] or visit www.healthyroads.com.

You can also find a series of free de-stressing activities at Fashion Square mall in Sherman Oaks, beginning at 1 p.m. Saturday, with a class on aromatherapy-inspired holiday centerpieces, followed by a knitting class by La Knitterie Parisienne on Dec. 8, fingerpainting with HGTV crafts guru Robin Schoenfeld on Dec. 15 and last-minute gift selection consultations with TV personality Kym Douglas on Dec. 22. For more information, visit www.fashionsquareshermanoaks.com.

At a tropical furniture store called Warisan, located at 7470 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, you can shop for incense and Zen-inspired gifts and also get a 10-minute complimentary massage.

For a full day of euphoria, check out the Skin Spa in Encino, where owner Jonathan Baker now offers an array of Decadent Bliss treatments that include an aromatic cornmeal-pineapple scrub followed by a stress-therapy massage. A lot of celebs frequent the spa, so you'll need to call [phone] for an appointment.

Kriza's Aveda Lifestyle Salon and Spa in Studio City opened last week and is now offering complimentary stress-relieving massages and also sells Calming Body Cleanser with lavender and ylang ylang.

You can always find Well Being Body Massage packages offered at the Greenhouse Spa in Beverly Hills, but now it offers at-home spa kits. Called Time for Sensory Heaven, the kit includes a milk bath for soaking, a lavender candle, rose exfoliator and exotic cream moisturizing mask, all for $44. For more information, call [phone] or log onto www.thegreenhousespa.com.

When you're tense and there's nobody to give you a back rub, try HoMedics' new line of relief, available at department and discount stores. Among them are the BubbleSpa Deluxe Massaging Bath Mat that turns any tub into a spa for $89.99, the Foot Pro Ultra Luxury Foot Massager for $49.99 that has a vibrating platform and infrared heat combo, and the BackExpert 2000, a $79.99 massaging back cushion with 10 massage motors to target relief to neck, shoulders and beyond. It comes with an auto adapter so you can take it with you to the office or on long drives.

For a really quick-fix, stop biting your nails and check out Origin's new Peace of Mind collection in the beauty department of stores such as Bloomingdale's or Macy's. Among the products are gumballs packed with calming peppermint, basil and eucalyptus for $3.20, tension-melting mints for $3.50 and On-the-Spot Relief, a mind-clearing cream for $10 that you dab on your neck, temples and earlobes.

Meanwhile, take a deep breath ... exhale ... and relax.

- Barbara De Witt

AIDS DAY: The war on AIDS is still raging. There's no cure, but there's plenty of hope as we approach the 13th anniversary of World AIDS Day on Dec. 1. Tarzana Treatment Centers at 18646 Oxnard St., Tarzana, will host its World AIDS Day program beginning at 9:30 a.m. Friday with former ``Little House on the Prairie'' star Alison Arngrim leading the ceremonies. In addition to guest speakers, Kaiser Permanente will present the theatrical experience ``Secrets,'' and the traveling Names Project quilt will be displayed. On TV, the documentary ``Positively: The Changing Face of AIDS in America'' will also support World AIDS Day with a one-hour special at 9 p.m. Friday on KCET. The documentary profiles real people living with HIV/AIDS, dealing with the stigma of the disease and the difficulties and side effects of drug therapies, but also focuses on the love and hope offered by mental health professionals, spiritual advisers, friends and family. For information on AIDS, turn to the film's companion Web site www.wellme.com/aids.html.

- B.D.

HUGGABLE HELPERS: Teddy bears are warm and huggable, but this one does more than bring smiles. Named Wilson after four-year-old Summer Wilson, a patient at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, the cuddly faux mink-covered bear is available in an 18-inch size for $18 and also a 30-inch size for $135 at Bombay stores. For the fourth year, Bombay will donate a portion of the proceeds to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and its fight against childhood cancer. Bombay stores are also offering through the end of the year a limited edition set of the three bears from previous years, named stanley, Dexter and Mei Ying for $35.

- B.D.

CAPTION(S):

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Photo:

(1 -- 2) HoMedics' BubbleSpa Deluxe Massaging Bath Mat turns any tub into a spa for $89.99.

(3) HoMedics' Ultra Spa Elite Luxury Pedicure Foot Bath ($59.99)

(4) The Greenhouse Spa in Beverly Hills offers at-home spa kits, which include a milk bath for soaking, a lavender candle, rose exfoliator and exotic cream moisturizing mask ($44).

(5) no caption (teddy bear - Wilson)