Sunday, April 25, 2010
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Unit 5: The Subtle mind exercise
1. Compare and contrast the Loving Kindness exercise and the Subtle mind exercise. Explain your experience including the benefits, frustrations etc.
This week’s experience has been frustration in more ways than one. First, I was enjoying the CD Track #3 then suddenly a very loud static came on and it wouldn’t go away. I tried it on my Mac computer, PC, my radio, nothing worked. So I resorted to reading the Dacher book and try to remember what I was supposed to be doing during the practice.
I have to admit, I like this practice much better than the Loving Kindness exercise that we did last week. It was easier for me to have something to focus on and if my mind starts to run away, well then I just reel it back by turning my attention more on my breathing. This was really helpful. I can see myself doing this before I go to bed each night. I like using the breath as my focal point. I am not saying that this is easy. I know I have a lot more practicing to do but I feel this is something I can manage.
2. Discuss the connection of the spiritual wellness to mental and physical wellness. Explain how the connection is manifested in your personal life.
From what I understand from my own personal experience and the Dacher book, when we exercise we are not only making ourselves feel better physically but we can also incorporate mental training into the routine as well. Many of us are probably doing this without realizing it. My husband often talked about his experience with long distant running. He gets into the zone, rhythmic breathing and the sound of his feet hitting the pavement, it is hypnotizing. After the run he feels invigorated and admits that he is able to think much clearer. So I think, for him, while he is running he is training his mind as well. Of course, being outside is another way to connect with nature and yourself.
Maggie
This week’s experience has been frustration in more ways than one. First, I was enjoying the CD Track #3 then suddenly a very loud static came on and it wouldn’t go away. I tried it on my Mac computer, PC, my radio, nothing worked. So I resorted to reading the Dacher book and try to remember what I was supposed to be doing during the practice.
I have to admit, I like this practice much better than the Loving Kindness exercise that we did last week. It was easier for me to have something to focus on and if my mind starts to run away, well then I just reel it back by turning my attention more on my breathing. This was really helpful. I can see myself doing this before I go to bed each night. I like using the breath as my focal point. I am not saying that this is easy. I know I have a lot more practicing to do but I feel this is something I can manage.
2. Discuss the connection of the spiritual wellness to mental and physical wellness. Explain how the connection is manifested in your personal life.
From what I understand from my own personal experience and the Dacher book, when we exercise we are not only making ourselves feel better physically but we can also incorporate mental training into the routine as well. Many of us are probably doing this without realizing it. My husband often talked about his experience with long distant running. He gets into the zone, rhythmic breathing and the sound of his feet hitting the pavement, it is hypnotizing. After the run he feels invigorated and admits that he is able to think much clearer. So I think, for him, while he is running he is training his mind as well. Of course, being outside is another way to connect with nature and yourself.
Maggie
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Unit 4: Loving kindness exercise
1. My experience with this week’s exercise is quite difficult, to say the least. I have got to pick a better time to do these types of exercise. The only time my house is perfectly still and quite is when everyone is asleep, which is after midnight. All I can say is that I need more practice to be able to focus better on the exercise. My mind kept wondering in and out and it was very difficult for me to say in the present. I focus more on my breathing than the images they were suggesting to me. At times, I felt frustrated with myself. However, I can see how practicing the loving-kindness can be very beneficial to me and others.
I would recommend this exercise to other but only after I have done it for awhile. I want to be able to support and recommend something that I am doing myself. At this time, I can’t recommend it to anyone just yet.
2. The concept of “mental workout”, to me it is like working out your body physically. It needs to be an activity that you have committed yourself to it and actually carve out the time for it. It needs to be done on a regular basis in order to see the results. Keep in mind that when you stop with the exercise your ability will diminish. According to Dacher, “it is important for us to understand the practice and methods that we will be using. The aim is not rest and relaxation but rather the progressive development of an expanded consciousness and its healing capacities” (2006, p. 65).
Boy! This is easy to say and very difficult to do. In Western culture, we were not raised to cultivate our minds and inner peace. We are bombarded with the stress of life, so it is very hard stay still long enough to work out your mental health.
In order for this to work I will need to set a time aside, just like my bible reading and start with 5 mins instead of the 15 mins. I can always increase the time as I get more comfortable and become more mindful in what I am doing.
Maggie
Reference
Dacher, E. (2006). Integral health: The path to human flourishing. Laguna Beach, California: Basic Health.
I would recommend this exercise to other but only after I have done it for awhile. I want to be able to support and recommend something that I am doing myself. At this time, I can’t recommend it to anyone just yet.
2. The concept of “mental workout”, to me it is like working out your body physically. It needs to be an activity that you have committed yourself to it and actually carve out the time for it. It needs to be done on a regular basis in order to see the results. Keep in mind that when you stop with the exercise your ability will diminish. According to Dacher, “it is important for us to understand the practice and methods that we will be using. The aim is not rest and relaxation but rather the progressive development of an expanded consciousness and its healing capacities” (2006, p. 65).
Boy! This is easy to say and very difficult to do. In Western culture, we were not raised to cultivate our minds and inner peace. We are bombarded with the stress of life, so it is very hard stay still long enough to work out your mental health.
In order for this to work I will need to set a time aside, just like my bible reading and start with 5 mins instead of the 15 mins. I can always increase the time as I get more comfortable and become more mindful in what I am doing.
Maggie
Reference
Dacher, E. (2006). Integral health: The path to human flourishing. Laguna Beach, California: Basic Health.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Unit 3: Self Reflection
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?
For my physical wellbeing, I would say that I am about a 6, which means I have a lot room for improvement. I need to add more physical activity into my daily routine. I keep saying that I will do it but I never seem to get around to it.
For my spiritual well-being, again I would give myself a 6. I need to spend more time in the bible. How can I say that I love God when I hardly spend anytime getting to know Him. I probably spent 3 out of 7 days reading my bible in the morning, this I know I need to do better.
For my psychological well-being, I would give myself an 8. I feel mentally “happy” most of the time.
2. Develop a goal for yourself in each area (physical, spiritual, psychological).
My goal for physical and psychological wellbeing is to start Tai Chi. For my spiritual well-being, I planned on being faithful to my bible reading. I am striving for at least 5 /per week.
3. What activities or exercise can you implement in your life to assist in moving toward each goal?
For my bible reading, I like to dedicate time after breakfast to reading 1 chapter a day. I know it will take a long time to get through the book but at least I will get there.
For my physical and psychological well-being, I would like for my husband to be apart of this exercise. This way we can keep each other accountable.
4. Complete the relaxation exercise The Crime of the Century.
Another sleepy exercise…I think I nodded off a few time. I did this exercise in my Stress Management class last term. I did not like this exercise as much as the one we all did last week. I am more of a visual person, visual in a sense that I am imagining myself in another place. It was hard to keep track of what color I was supposed to be focusing on. However, I can see that this exercise might be helpful to some people. The seven colors are along the line of Charkas approach to healing.
For my physical wellbeing, I would say that I am about a 6, which means I have a lot room for improvement. I need to add more physical activity into my daily routine. I keep saying that I will do it but I never seem to get around to it.
For my spiritual well-being, again I would give myself a 6. I need to spend more time in the bible. How can I say that I love God when I hardly spend anytime getting to know Him. I probably spent 3 out of 7 days reading my bible in the morning, this I know I need to do better.
For my psychological well-being, I would give myself an 8. I feel mentally “happy” most of the time.
2. Develop a goal for yourself in each area (physical, spiritual, psychological).
My goal for physical and psychological wellbeing is to start Tai Chi. For my spiritual well-being, I planned on being faithful to my bible reading. I am striving for at least 5 /per week.
3. What activities or exercise can you implement in your life to assist in moving toward each goal?
For my bible reading, I like to dedicate time after breakfast to reading 1 chapter a day. I know it will take a long time to get through the book but at least I will get there.
For my physical and psychological well-being, I would like for my husband to be apart of this exercise. This way we can keep each other accountable.
4. Complete the relaxation exercise The Crime of the Century.
Another sleepy exercise…I think I nodded off a few time. I did this exercise in my Stress Management class last term. I did not like this exercise as much as the one we all did last week. I am more of a visual person, visual in a sense that I am imagining myself in another place. It was hard to keep track of what color I was supposed to be focusing on. However, I can see that this exercise might be helpful to some people. The seven colors are along the line of Charkas approach to healing.
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