I have to be totally honest (that's a sign of maturity, right?), I could not get through the Love and Kindness activities this week. I have had a very stressful week, and calming my mind and reaching a higher spiritual level right now is very difficult for me. I plan to come back to these exercises when things calm down a little and I have more time.
As far as mental exercise, I believe this is really the practice of the power of intention. We can choose to respond to situations rather than react to them, and this trains the mind to "behave" in a specific way. If I choose to forgive someone and think positive thoughts when they cut me off and give me the finger in traffic, this trains my mind to respond to aggression with kindness. I believe this type of mental training is truly what leads to spiritual growth.
By the way, I'm definitely no master of this. I rarely shoot the finger, but I have no issues using my horn!
Monday, August 23, 2010
Monday, August 16, 2010
Unit 3 Reflections
Physical Well Being
As sad as it is to say, I can't give myself over a 7 for my degree of physical well being. I say that's sad because I'm been a devotee of health and wellness for my entire adult life, yet I still fight addictions, cravings, and bad habits. I drink more than I should, and I love food. As such, I am a certified personal trainer who could design the perfect diet for you, but I'm overweight and not in the physical condition I'd like to be in.
The answers - Exercise more!......OK, that's just part of the equation. I'm also drinking less, and with my new job comes the structure I need to eat a healthier, more regimented diet. By my 36th birthday (this December), I'd like to be able to rate myself a solid 8.5-9.
Spiritual Well Being
This is a tough one. There was a time in my life, not so long ago, when I considered myself a very spiritual person. Over the last few years, I have lost some of my spirituality, and I'm currently working to re-establish it. ( I rate myself a 5). There have been a few events that have challenged my faith and decreased my enjoyment of life, and it's an uphill battle to overcome those things.
The answers - I need to set aside time for spiritual meditation. I have been praying more, although I can feel that my prayers are more ambivalent than they were before. I will continue to try to find my purpose in life, and regain my faith.
Psychological Well Being
I can honestly say this is my healthiest trait. I'll rate it an 8. I still have my issues (anger, primarily), but I find myself able to deal with life's situations fairly well for the most part. I do well at accepting things for what they are, and I am at peace with myself and my life.
The answers - Not sure. Hopefully I'll continue to get wiser as I get older, and I believe that as my spiritual and physical wellness improves, my psychological well-being will do the same. All aspects of wellness are connected, and I've experienced that first-hand.
Relaxation Exercise - Crime of the Century
First of all, why was this called "Crime of the Century"? Did I miss something?
Anyway, I actually liked the exercise. I find it very difficult to relax and settle in to the state I need to be in for these types of things, but once I did, I felt this was a very relaxing and uplifting experience. It was guided well, and I think it's something I'll use again.
As sad as it is to say, I can't give myself over a 7 for my degree of physical well being. I say that's sad because I'm been a devotee of health and wellness for my entire adult life, yet I still fight addictions, cravings, and bad habits. I drink more than I should, and I love food. As such, I am a certified personal trainer who could design the perfect diet for you, but I'm overweight and not in the physical condition I'd like to be in.
The answers - Exercise more!......OK, that's just part of the equation. I'm also drinking less, and with my new job comes the structure I need to eat a healthier, more regimented diet. By my 36th birthday (this December), I'd like to be able to rate myself a solid 8.5-9.
Spiritual Well Being
This is a tough one. There was a time in my life, not so long ago, when I considered myself a very spiritual person. Over the last few years, I have lost some of my spirituality, and I'm currently working to re-establish it. ( I rate myself a 5). There have been a few events that have challenged my faith and decreased my enjoyment of life, and it's an uphill battle to overcome those things.
The answers - I need to set aside time for spiritual meditation. I have been praying more, although I can feel that my prayers are more ambivalent than they were before. I will continue to try to find my purpose in life, and regain my faith.
Psychological Well Being
I can honestly say this is my healthiest trait. I'll rate it an 8. I still have my issues (anger, primarily), but I find myself able to deal with life's situations fairly well for the most part. I do well at accepting things for what they are, and I am at peace with myself and my life.
The answers - Not sure. Hopefully I'll continue to get wiser as I get older, and I believe that as my spiritual and physical wellness improves, my psychological well-being will do the same. All aspects of wellness are connected, and I've experienced that first-hand.
Relaxation Exercise - Crime of the Century
First of all, why was this called "Crime of the Century"? Did I miss something?
Anyway, I actually liked the exercise. I find it very difficult to relax and settle in to the state I need to be in for these types of things, but once I did, I felt this was a very relaxing and uplifting experience. It was guided well, and I think it's something I'll use again.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Relax! Do It Now!
I have a difficult time relaxing. I have used a number of relaxation techniques in the past, with mixed results. Generally, I either get distracted and can't focus on my relaxation, or I fall asleep. Either way, I believe I'm not really getting the intended results.
For this exercise, I listened to the guided audio. I found myself relaxing almost instantly, listening to the soothing voice of the narrator. I found a great deal of muscle tension I was previously unaware of. As I followed the verbal instructions, I found my tension decreasing, and my heart rate slowed down accordingly.
I managed to listen to the entire audio without falling asleep. This form of progressive relaxation is very effective, at least in the short term. I believe a lot of people would benefit greatly from a similar exercise.
Unfortunately, I rarely make the time to relax with intention. Between work, school, and family responsibilities, I find my only time to relax is the one hour period between school work and bedtime. My wife and I generally use this time to have a cup of hot tea (or something a little more potent) and watch television. I believe daily meditation would be very beneficial for us both, but we just aren't compelled to do it. It today's society, we get used to such a high level of stimulation that guided meditation seem almost boring and unproductive.
I will be working on changing my mindset to incorporate the benefits of meditation more often. Wish me luck, and I'll try not to fall asleep!
For this exercise, I listened to the guided audio. I found myself relaxing almost instantly, listening to the soothing voice of the narrator. I found a great deal of muscle tension I was previously unaware of. As I followed the verbal instructions, I found my tension decreasing, and my heart rate slowed down accordingly.
I managed to listen to the entire audio without falling asleep. This form of progressive relaxation is very effective, at least in the short term. I believe a lot of people would benefit greatly from a similar exercise.
Unfortunately, I rarely make the time to relax with intention. Between work, school, and family responsibilities, I find my only time to relax is the one hour period between school work and bedtime. My wife and I generally use this time to have a cup of hot tea (or something a little more potent) and watch television. I believe daily meditation would be very beneficial for us both, but we just aren't compelled to do it. It today's society, we get used to such a high level of stimulation that guided meditation seem almost boring and unproductive.
I will be working on changing my mindset to incorporate the benefits of meditation more often. Wish me luck, and I'll try not to fall asleep!
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