Unit 5 Blog

1.        Compare and contrast the Loving Kindness exercise and the Subtle mind exercise. Explain your experience including the benefits, frustrations etc.

The loving kindness exercise and the subtle mind exercise are similar, the same ocean waves and the same voice.  I think what I really like about the exercises is that for the beginner, it is a great guide but for those who have engaged in this kind of practice, the voice can just be too much. The loving kindness is great with the guidance it gives as well as the subtle mind. I think I prefer the Subtle mind exercise, it didn't seem to have as many interruptions and seemed to put me in a very relaxed state. 

2.        Discuss the connection of the spiritual wellness to mental and physical wellness. Explain how the connection is manifested in your personal life.

We have all heard that to clear our minds we should exercise, and to keep our minds clear and in working 'order' we should be on a regimin of physical exercise. More and more research says that weight loss about is 75% mental and the rest is physical and diet. i think there is something to be said about this. Having a great positive self image is usually evident in those who are physically fit, is it because they are physically fit or because they have such a positive self image. I think it is due to a positive self image.  After some research, I actually tested this in my own life. After using positive affirmations, I found myself feeling better and cloths fitting better, even looser. I did not change anything other than using positive affirmations before bed and when I was in the shower. I recommend it to anyone and think combined with physical activity, could be a very powerful routine.

Practice 1-Loving Kindness

1.       Describe your experience. (Did you find it beneficial? Difficult?) Why or Why not? Would you recommend this to others? Why or Why not?
The explanation by Dacher was a nice setup.  I really enjoyed the waves and silence it created for me. i was startled when the women spoke for directions.  I began by sitting in my room which faces a feild of hay. I could hear the birds more and listen to the cold wind dancing through the trees which separate the properites. I also enjoyed the aspect of turning the awareness towards myself. I started off this morning with a headache and ended up not having one after practicing this. I am a fan of this exercise and for someone starting out think it would be a good one. The only suggestion I would make, is to have the women come in softer, she's too loud. I thnk for someone starting out, this exercise would be simple and self explanatory.

2.       What is the concept of “Mental Workout? What does the research indicate are the proven benefits of a Mental Work Out? How can you implement mental workouts to foster your psychological health?

Understanding that daily practice is necessary, just like exercise, practicing loving-kindness is something we need to practice every day. "in the begining, we must practice this mental attitude, there will come a time in the development of our pscyhospiritual life that loving-kindness will reveal itself as a natural and effortless aspect of higher consciousness." (Dacher, 2006)
Just like with exercise, the more we create a habit with daily practice, our minds begin to evolve into the theory of Loving-Kindness. If you implement mental workouts with meditation/prayer, you will be able to foster an environment capable of retraining our minds into loving-kindness which has been proven to directly impact our psychological health.  The research says that those who have mastered this technique are using a greater capasity of their brain and seem to be at peace and free from disease and stress. It is amazing to think that the mind is that powerful, when indeed, it is.

Resources:

Dacher, E. (2006) Integrative Health. Laguna Beach, CA. Basic Health Publications

Reflection of Wellness

Wellness, as a person centered orientation, relies heavily on the concept that the individual is aware of his/her strengths and needs. However there is often little encouragement or expectation for the individual to self reflect or take a holistic personal inventory or to convey their awareness with their health practitioner. Take a moment to reflect on your own level of wellness; physically, psychologically, and spiritually, and then answer the following questions in your blog (journal).

1.       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?

Physical Well being-I would rate my Physical well being around a 6. Even though I am overweight, I am pretty strong, have a strong core, 75% of the time, eat rather well and love to be active, just do not have time to fit it in.

Spiritual Well being-I would rate my Spiritual Well being at a 7.5. I have been working on my spiritual well being for a about 7 years. I have participated in women's groups that have helped me tremendously to release a realize a lot of my fears and why i held on to so many things for so long. I have changed because of this on so many levels and have come to realize that Spirituality is something you hold inside.  With this realization, it has built my confidence, brought me to a place of love, peace, acceptance and grace. The level of energy that you are able to tap into is amazing and can only be felt on an individual level. I am not a 10 because life tends to take me away from this path but I will always have it in my heart.

Psychological Well being-I would rate my Psychological well being around a 7, it seems that once you work through one issue, another pops up and you have another lesson to learn. I used to be quick to react and angry at the world but have come to realize it is not my or anyone else's fault. there are certain things I take responsibility for, but also have learned to take everything and try to turn it into a learning experience. Easier said than done, a lot of tears and arguments with myself have occurred....lovingly!

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

Physical wellbeing-my goal for this area is to really create a third silo, if you will, in my life to practice activity. I know the only reason I am not at a 'goal weight' is because I am not active in proper ways to melt it all away. I plan to implement in 2 weeks, starting with walking 30 minutes a day 4 days a week.

Spiritual wellbeing-my goal is to incorporate 30 minutes of meditation every day for just plain sanity. Making time to connect to my higherself and the universe is something that seems to go to the way side when I get too busy.

Psychological wellbeing-i think if i can implement the last two goals, this will naturally fall into place. My goal would to further work through my lessons and evolve as a person.

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

Meditation and walking/dancing are the easiest ways for me to achieve my goals, I know this from experience.

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 particularly liked the breathing exercises, this helped me to calm down from the day. The rainbow was interesting, I am still not a huge fan of guided meditation, and would rather see what happens with minor guidance. It was nice to relax and have the reminder to ground myself. I remember seeing a lot of colors and then i was out! (giggle) I have been working a lot and this put me right to sleep.

Journey on Relaxation-review

So part of this week's assignment was to listen to "Journey On" mp3 and do a guided meditation. I think this particular one is very relaxing and soothing. I am not a huge fan of guided meditation but i think this one is worth taking the time to use this one. I felt very calm and rejuvenated, releasing some of the tension in my body that I was unaware of was interesting because I felt like I had better posture after the meditation.
I have done some meditation over the last few years and know how beneficial it is and would encourage everyone to try. it reiterates the idea that the body has the ability to heal itself. 

http://www.kushs.net/kaplan/HW420/JourneyOn.mp3

Welcome!

Welcome all to my blog!
Working through some of my homework this week, made me think about balance, which could not have come at a better time.
I somehow, in the midst of my busy life, managed to come up with the following statement:

Having balance in regards to our body, mind and spirit will bring us all to a new level of healing.

I think this is an interesting point to ponder in our lives. Analyze each aspect in life and figuring out how to balance it all is the question isn't it? How do we not let our careers/jobs bleed to much into our personal lives, and maintain a healthy level of spirituality (not religious beliefs but connection to our higher-self).

There will be many 'hot topics' of discussion here about the body, the mind and spirit.
Striving to achieve balance and figuring out how to get there is really the goal, for me, of the blog.

I appreciate all of your participation and can not wait to engage in great discussion over these topics.
Welcome all!
Sarah