I thought the loving-kindness exercise was easier for me to focus than the one that I tried on the cd. It was short and easy to repeat. It was also hard for other thoughts to come to mind when I was concentrating on the lines I was repeating, therefore harder for my mind to wander. I still find it harder to really feel genuine when I speak about all individuals in the world. It is so much easier to feel the genuine feelings and emotions when you are speaking of family and close friends. However, I am sure it comes with continual practice and mental exercise.
The integral assessment is an interesting and intriguing idea. It is something that I have been trying to do for the last few years and I do not think I realized it nor knew exactly how to go about it. However, a few years ago I became ill and I still really do not know what it was. However, I lost about 20 pounds in a month, because I could not eat. I was nervous, anxious, fatigued, it was crazy. I could not sleep at night, I slept sitting up on the couch in small dozes. I went to the doctor several times. They did tests and could really not find anything wrong. I was really stressed at the time over our business that we owned. I really believe that it was stress related. Anyway, I began to try self-help and alternative ideas to try and get better. So, I bought some Deepak Chopra books and cds, along with, Andrew Weil, and Eckhart Tolle. I started reading and listening to meditation exercises and reading about better diet and nutrition. I actually had started a physical workout routine a couple years before this. After a few weeks things started getting better. I was less anxious, and nervous and was able to eat alittle better. I slowly began gaining some weight back and overall as time went on I really did feel better than I had before all this happened.
I am glad that this class has helped remind me of the benefits that I gained from that experience so I will get back into a regular routine again of mental exercise and meditation. This time I feel that my physical workout, my nutrition, and work relations are good. However, I need help and improvement in some family relationships. Because of our family business some relationships have been strained and really need improvement so that is what I want to concentrate and improve on.
I think the loving-kindness exercise is one of the best ones to help improve this relationship as well as all relationships in the world. If we all practiced loving-kindness there would be no wars or need for armies. We discover that we get love by giving love and that love is abundant rather than scarce. We flourish in our relationships (Dacher, 2006).
In Whole Health
Michelle C.
Hi Michelle
ReplyDeleteI'd have to agree with you about the loving-kindness exercise. I have much more success with concentrating my mind towards this exercise but still struggle. But like you said-the more practice, the easier it will become. The integral assessment really made me reflect on all my struggles and what I am currently struggling with as well. It's so great to hear about how you overcame your illness with tuning into your mental and physical wellness. This class has also made me so much more aware with how important our physical, psychological and spiritual health all play in our health holistically. Great post!!! I really enjoyed reading your thoughts and feelings.
Hi Michelle,
ReplyDeleteI always look forward to reading you blog! May your health continue to improve!
I enjoyed finding out about the integral assessment and how it helps us find and list the areas of our lives that can be improved. I've always be a big list maker and I don't start anything without having first made a list. This was very helpful to me and help me become aware of the areas that I had overlooked before.
Be Well
Darlene
I too agree with you about the universal loving kindness exercise. Having the Mantra to say really helped me to focus my thoughts and keep them from wandering to what I was going to cook for dinner, LOL. I have a bit of trouble shutting my mind down but find I am doing better with practice.
ReplyDeleteHello Michelle,
ReplyDeleteI am sorry you have struggled so much. I am happy that you helped yourself recover by using alternative therapies. I hope that you continue to make positive changes in your life and wish you the best with your family. I think the loving kindness meditation is helpful in helping with relationships as well.
Michelle,
ReplyDeleteI have had a couple of bouts of extreme anxiety in my life, to the point of not being able to eat or sleep, so I can somewhat relate to what you are talking about. I sure is amazing what stress can do to our bodies.
The first time I went through the extreme anxiety phase, I really didn't deal with it well. I didn't talk to anyone about it, in fact I kind of closed a lot of people out of my life. This most recent time, I felt that I had a lot more resources to work through the struggle. By resources I mean I had learned how to talk to people about what I was experiencing, and I looked more inward to work through everything. This is why I find this course so timely in my life, because I was just starting to use some of these techniques, and seeing how well they worked, and now I have the ability to help others with what I am learning.
Michelle,
ReplyDeleteYou really put a lot of effort into getting yourself back on track after dealing with your problems sleeping and losing weight. That is amazing, and it goes to show that this type of stuff actually works. I remember when I thought it was all a bunch of junk. Then I was so desparate after a surgery I tried some of it and if was fasinating how well it worked. You conquered that problem with these techniques, now I am sure you will be able to repair your relationship that needs work. Good luck and keep at it.
Jon