Loving Kindness

Describe your experience. Did you find it beneficial? Difficult? Why or why not? Would you recommend this to others? Why or why not?

I really found the waves relaxing as if I was actually sitting on a beach. I often find these sounds very relaxing and comforting. I self-reflect a lot, so I found this exercise to be much easier than the first exercise. I am still not quite comfortable on the voices, but it was not as bad as the first one. I have been doing a lot of self-reflecting lately, especially within my relationship. Due to my habit of bottling my feelings and emotions, I have allowed resentment back into my life and plague my relationship. It was nice to be able to reflect on this in a more positive way and release all those negative feelings. I did feel a tremendous load was lifted off my shoulders. I am a thinker; I have to think about everything. I often feel I over-think things a lot and as a result I allow negative thoughts and feelings into my life. I have always been a very passive person and as a result I have allowed others to walk all over me. I find happiness in doing for others before I do myself, but overtime I have realized it has really taken away from my self-confidence and self-esteem. I have a big heart, so when somebody's actions hurt me, I automatically take responsibility so they do not get hurt. I have learned by doing this, I am only hurting myself. I am really thankful for this class and learning more exercises to help bring me to a better overall mind and body!

What is the concept of "mental workout"? What does the research indicate are the proven benefits of a mental workout? How can you implement mental workouts to foster your psychological health?

Mental workout in my opinion is the concept of working your mind daily just as you would your body. In order to evolve or enhance our psychospiritual life and have access to its capacities and resources in our daily lives, we need daily practice. When reading our textbook, it states “human flourishing may require an Olympian intensity of effort and practice, we can be well on the road to health, happiness, and wholeness with a far more moderate yet sustained effort” (Dacher, 2006). Research studies have proven that one hour each day adds up and results can be seen. It is just like playing a sport—once you stop practicing, you will typically see a decline in your performance whether it is physical or mental. If we incorporate and practice these daily mental workouts, we may very well have the opportunity to experience human flourishing; living a life full of great health, happiness, and wholeness. Life never made us a promise to be easy; it is our responsibility to make the best out of what we are given. Incorporating these techniques into our daily lives leads to better self-awareness of both mind and body.

I will likely incorporate more of these exercises to calm my sometimes overly restless mind. Due to some really difficult times in my life, I often find myself in a  dark place full of questioning everything and constantly searching for answers that are sometimes very difficult to come by. I have found meditation is very helpful in finding the answers to the things that often cloud my better judgement. I really enjoy meditating and I will definitely continue to find different ways to better embrace Loving Kindness in my daily life.

Quote:

“To reteach a thing its loveliness is the nature of metta. Through loving kindness, everyone & everything can flower again from within.”
― Sharon Salzberg, Lovingkindness: The Revolutionary Art of Happiness

 References

Dacher, E. S. (2006). Integral Health: The Path to Human Flourishing. Laguna Beach: Basic Health Publications, Inc.

The Mind-Body Connection Exercise

Based on your reflections, and on a scale of 1 to 10 (ten being optimal well-being), where do you rate your A-physical well-being, B-spiritual well-being, C-psychological well-being? Why?

I would have to say on a scale from 1 to 10, my physical well-being is about a 5, my spiritual well-being is about a 6, and my psychological well-being is about an 8. Overall, I am a work in progress, but I believe everyone is. My physical health has been a continual challenge due to my diagnosis with cancer. Although I am in remission, I have lost my spleen which has put my immune system at greater risk. I also have a blood disorder that led to my diagnosis of cancer, so I have to follow a special diet. I follow the macrobiotic diet to ensure my diet is healthy and leads to optimal physical well-being. I am still discovering my own beliefs and what those beliefs mean to me so I feel my spiritual well-being is still a work in progress. I find myself in a better place mentally, but I know there are still inner demons I continue to fight.

Develop a goal for yourself in each area (physical, spiritual, psychological).

My goal for physical well-being is to continue to maintain a healthy quality of life that ensures myself and my family the ability to get through daily activities without any undue fatigue or physical stress. I want to continue to recognize that all my behaviors have a significant impact on my wellness and that continuing healthy habits such as a balanced diet, exercise, etc. and avoiding destructive habits will lead to optimal physical well-being.

My goal for spiritual well-being is to keep a perfect balance of peace and harmony in my life to lead to optimal spiritual well-being. I feel it is important for me to really figure out what it is I truly believe and what the belief means to me spiritually in order for me to have confirmation that my beliefs are accurate and to then translate my beliefs into action and love.

My goal for psychological well-being is to continue to focus on all the positive things in life and remember to continuously create positive relationships, emotions, etc. Sometimes it can be difficult to remember to be positive, especially when things are not always going the way you planned, but remembering that life itself is a blessing will lead to optimal psychological well-being.

What activities or exercise can you implement in your life to assist in moving toward each goal?

I enjoy Yoga and Pilates. I also really enjoy kickboxing--it helps me release all my anger and tension I may be feeling. I feel these exercises that I have implemented into my life will continue to assist me in moving toward each goal. I also enjoy writing poetry and short stories; these activities keep me relaxed and give me the ability to express myself not only creatively, but emotionally, spiritually, and psychologically. There are days when my gut tells me to push myself to the limits. I have the tendency to spread myself way too thin and need to step back and realize there is only so far I can stretch. I have started to practice better time management in order to not feel so spread thin and realize that it is okay to say "No". I do not like to hurt people's feelings or feeling as if I am letting them down, but I have gotten better at realizing that my feelings matter too. I cannot always worry about everyone else and their problems; I am not a psychologist. I need to better manage my own emotions and feelings to be a better person, mother, friend, daughter, etc. I know in my heart that there is only so much my mind, body, and spirit can take. I am a work in progress and I feel learning from my mistakes will eventually help me discover my own secret formula for complete physical, spiritual, and psychological balance.

Complete the relaxation exercise The Crime of the Century. To hear this exercise, click here. Describe your experience. (What it beneficial? Frustrating? etc.)

Honestly, the voice on the relaxation exercise was pretty creepy to me. I am not sure why it was creeping me out, but while trying to relax, I felt this overwhelming feeling of anxiety that made it almost impossible for me to concentrate. It could have been that he was so soft spoken; I am not really sure what it was. The music in the background was calming, but it was hard for me to be completely involved in the exercise because of the voice. It may be because I am use to my own meditation techniques that trying to incorporate something different was causing the anxiety.

Quote of the day:

“Health is the greatest possession. Contentment is the greatest treasure. Confidence is the greatest friend.” ~Lao Tzu

Strength comes in many forms....

Hello all. I know I sort of just disappeared during Unit 1, but I am back. I am going to be playing major catch up over the next couple weeks. I am finally getting some of my energy back and looking forward to continuing with the course. I was actually considering withdrawing from my courses, but like the title states, strength comes in many forms. My education adviser gave me a major boost and renewed my optimism about pushing forward. I am excited to get started and read everyone's blogs!

Quote of the day: