Balance is Key

The subtle mind exercise was a little more relaxing than the loving kindness exercise.  During the loving kind exercise, I found myself constantly utilizing the conscious to think about who I loved, who I don’t love, and who is suffering. I However, the subtle mind exercise reinforces the utilization of the witnessing mind.  I have always had the strong witnessing mind, but I wasn’t able to control it as much as I can now.  I think that this is the next step in developing a unity consciousness. 

Physical, mental, and spiritual wellness are intimately intertwined when it comes to achieving your desired level of health.  The object is to be balanced, giving the appropriate attention to each and every aspect of your life in order to maintain this balance. 

When one aspect is under par, the mind-body does not thrive at its full potential.  An example in my own life can reinforce this statement.

II run approximately two miles, three times a week.  I usually run it in about 14:30.  On days in which I meditate prior to running, I can run it in under 13:45.  That is a pretty significant difference for me.  When I mentally prepare for the physical task, my body performs at a higher level.  Likewise, when I am working out regularly and eating right, my mind is tuned up for schoolwork.  Thoughts are solid and clear, and completing mental tasks such as homework or playing baseball seem a lot easier. 

Loving Kindness

My experience with the loving-kindness exercise was a good one.  I can really feel relaxed when I listen to the CD, no matter which exercise it is.  I don’t know if it is the narrator’s voice or the ocean track or what, but it gets me where I need to be.  I was thinking about my grandmother for the duration of the exercise.  She is battling the late stages of emphysema at this time, and is not doing too well.  I really tried hard to take her pain away, and give her wellness in return.  After the exercise I called her and talked to her.  It was a really good conversation.  Maybe I wouldn’t have called her if I didn’t participate in the exercise…either way, the exercise made me feel better about her and myself.  And I’m sure that she felt better after our talk too. 

I didn’t think that the exercise was difficult…all you have to do is listen.  The most difficult part for me was to believe that I am actually accomplishing something here.  The main thing for me is that I feel like I am making progress here, and that’s how I know that I am accomplishing something.  I have opened up my heart to the world, my friends and enemies, and those who are very close to me.  I am not filled with hate anymore, but instead I look at my former enemies in a different manner.  I have not made a move to mend the relationship yet, but I feel that I am making progress here too. 

A mental workout is any exercise that attempts to train the mind.  For instance, during the living-kindness exercise, we are training the mind to open up and feel for others.  Mental workouts are shown to increase brain activity and improve concepts such as memory and critical thinking skills.  It can reduce negative thoughts and disturbing emotions that cause anger, hatred, fear, worry, confusion, and doubt (Dacher, 2006).  On the other hand it can increase positive emotions such as loving-kindness, openness, acceptance, and happiness (Dacher, 2006).   

 Reference

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

Unit 3 exercise

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

Physical well-being:  6.  I am involved in an adult baseball league, I run on the treadmill a few times a week, and I am on my feet all day at work during the week.  However, my diet is under par.  I do not watch what I eat and I have gained a few pounds this year.  I have a lot of work to do to get where I want to be.

Spiritual well-being: 4. I go to church and I have 100% faith in god, but on a personal note, I do not feel that I am living the life that I need to be living in order to be completely fulfilled. 

Psychological well-being:  2.  This number is so low because I am not confident in myself.  I feel that past experiences have haunted me all of my life and I have had a lot of trouble getting over them.  My mind rambles most of the time, and I find myself constantly regretting decisions that I make.

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

Physical goal:  Begin a work-out routine and stable diet that works for me…and stick to it.

Spiritual goal:  Get more in touch with my spiritual self.

Psychological goal: Use this course as a starting point to a new and improved mind-set about myself and others.

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

Physical action:  Use the final project for my Capstone class (develop a health plan for an organization) to develop my own work-out routine and diet plan.

Spiritual goal:  Keep performing the techniques and exercises in the textbook, especially the loving-kindness exercise.

Psychological goal:  Keep performing the techniques and exercises in the textbook to control my thoughts and emotions

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

I enjoyed this exercise.  Although I have had a stress free day so far, I feel that I have let my stress from the week go.  I do have trouble with the rambling thoughts, but once I tuned in I was able to really relax.  I was so relaxed that I almost fell asleep!  I enjoy the sensations in my body while relaxing like that…I’ve never noticed them before.  Overall, I give it an A+, and I will continue to practice this exercise.

Changes to my blog

I had to make a few changes to my blog because I misunderstood what we are going to be focusing on in this course.  Anyway, this blog is a site for discussion about health, namely, integral health.  Being healthy does not just involve having a healthy body, but being healthy mentally, socially, and spiritually are all important concepts that need to be recognized.  I hope that all of my classmates find this experience to be as helpful and fulfilling as I anticipate it being for me. 

My experience with the unit 2 Relaxation technique

I fet the warmth and heaviness of my arms and hands.  The natural sensations of the body that came from the redirection of blood flow was very stimulating.  I have never concentrated on the natural sensations like that.  I feel that the relaxed state that I was in allowed me to focus on the feelings that were being created inside of my body.  I feel more relaxed now, and I am ready to tackle the activities that this day has to offer