Hello everyone!
I don't know about y'all, but I did not receive a CD for the Dacher text; however there was a little mp3 in doc sharing that was about loving-kindness and so I listened to that. It was actually the same thing I (and y'all) read this week in the Dacher text, but this time I was able to lie down, close my eyes, and imagine everything the narrator was saying. It started off pretty nicely, imagining someone close to me whom I love dearly; I happened to think about my daughter. I know, I know, I should have thought about my husband, but for some reason, my daughter just kept popping up in my head, and I couldn't stop thinking about her (she's impossible not to love!). During that part I was able to concentrate and I did feel this warm feeling in my heart and then I was able to concentrate on a loved one who is suffering; however, as the session progressed, I kept finding it harder and harder to concentrate and my mind just kept wandering aimlessly.
I loved the warm feeling I received in my heart as I was thinking about my daughter and the one that is suffering; I even got a little teary eyed! It felt really good. So, then, why was it so hard to picture loving my enemies or those I don't really talk to due to our past history??? Who knows...I think I just need more practice!
So, would I recommend this to others? Sure! Why? Because everyone should learn how to open their heart and love a little more. We all need to practice loving, caring, and showing genuine kindness to all those around us :-)
This brings me to the topic of "Mental Workouts." Just like our body needs a workout; our minds do as well! Having a daily mental workout can lead to a more developed mind and in turn, can create what we have all been reading about, "human flourishing--health, happiness, and wholeness" (Dacher, 2006, p. 62). Research has actually shown that mental workouts can reduce negative thoughts such as "anger, hatred, fear, worry, confusion, and doubt;" tell me, who wants those thoughts? Not me! So I think I should do some mental workout so I can get the positive thoughts that have been shown through research such as "patience, openness, acceptance, and happiness" and as I talked about 2 seconds ago, "loving-kindness!"
One mental workout I could throw in my daily life would be to meditate while counting back from 100; once I get good at that, maybe skipping every few numbers and just doing the even or odd numbers. I wonder if meditating and just thinking positive thoughts would help? Either way, just like I take my physical body to the gym, I need to take my brain to the mental "gym!"
Y'all have a wonderful and relaxing day!
-Natasja
Reference:
Dacher, E. S. (2006). Integral health: the path to human flourishing. Basic Health Publications: California
Hi Natasja,
ReplyDeleteI have a thought... :-))
When you mention that you couldn't picture your enemies or those from past relationships...do you think it's because they don't matter to you and your well-being? Maybe it's because your mind-body-spirit is healed and there are no residual effects...? I know that there have been people in my past who have hurt me but I can't recall a name or face...they have ceased to exist for me. Or have I just buried the pain (and memory) so deep that I can't recall them. If this is the case, I can't see that as a good thing.For the feelings to be festering deep inside, I mean. That can't be good for my mind-body-spirit health, can it?
Maybe, as you said, after some pratice it may become easier and we will be able to recall and forgive. Wouldn't it be great to reach this point without meditation? As soon as someone hurts us...we could release them (and/or the pain) from ourselves. This would be a wonderful way to make it through the day and the rest of our lives! Now, that's something for me to think about! :-))
Hi Natasja, great post. I did receive the CD but it was blank. Glad the mp3 files were in docsharing. Anyway, I agree that it was easy to think about a loved one and to get that warm golden glow in your heart, but when it came to a loved one's suffering, I found that very difficult. The whole time I was trying to figure out ways to help them fix their suffering instead of listening to the speaker talk about breathing out the suffering with each out breath. I have been practicing this exercise twice a day and it is becoming easier to attend to the task, but I have not been able to move past 5 minutes yet. I know that over time and with practice my mental workouts will improve and increase in time.
ReplyDeleteDina
Hey Natasja,
ReplyDeleteI still have a hard time concentrating as well, but I will tell you that I went on to the breathing exercise, and focusung on your breathing will allow you to fade out the thoughts in your mind. It tells you to acknowledgte the thoughts and then let them go. You can either listen to the breaths or focus on the rising and falling of the chest, either one will give you a focal point to tune out the rambling thoughts. Also, what helped me in the loving-kindness exercise this morning (and I don't know why), but I took in the sounds of the ocean there and imagined that I was flying over the beachfront and looking down on all of the people that I was thinking about. I think that this idea came from creating spaciousness with your thoughts. It was like I was looking at myself too down there, but my inner self was the one flying. Maybe not for everybody, but I feel that I got a lot more out of it this way.
Dianne,Dina, and Mitch
ReplyDeleteThank y'all so much for the responses and advice! I will have to try all of them to see which one best fits me; it seems there are so many different practices out there (which is a good thing)that finding the perfect one might be a little difficult, but I know it is out there!
-Natasja
Hi Natasja,
ReplyDeleteThere is absolutely nothing wrong or improper about your daughter being your love thought instead of your husband. In fact, when you think of her it includes him. It sounds as though the majority of us had some struggles with this relaxation, but I am sure if we continue to be steadfast by the time we finish unit 9 we will have no problems getting through unit 4 relaxation. Maybe it is just what it says...the relaxing part we are not fully embracing.
Be Well,
Carla