Loving Kindness and Personal Integral Assessment

The Universal Loving-Kindness meditation exercise that Dacher (2006) discusses was quite a bit easier to do compared to some of the other meditations we have been working with.  The exercise involves resting and repeating these phrases for about 10 minutes:
May all individuals gain freedom from suffering.
May all individuals find sustained health, happiness and wholeness.
May I assist all individuals in gaining freedom from suffering.
May I assist all individuals in finding health, happiness and wholeness.

It is easy to find 10 minutes to practice this meditation at any time during the day - while sitting in traffic, waiting for an appointment, or even in a long line at the grocery store.  I practiced this in the car while traveling back from visiting my family for Thanksgiving.

http://www.fiked.com/20-most-relaxing-places-in-the-world/

The Personal Integral Assessment was very interesting  to me.  I found that by putting all we have been learning about down on paper, in a diagram, helped me to see more clearly the aspects of my life and the areas that needed the most attention at the moment.  In considering the biological, the psycho-spiritual, the interpersonal and the worldly aspects, I found that I was focusing currently on the biological aspect- and truly considered the areas of fitness, nutrition and self-regulation as the the developmental lines of focus.  All of these areas are imperative to flourishing. 

In my assessment, I feel that I am somewhere between the body and the mind levels of all 3 of these areas of development.  I am exercising, I consciously consider nutritional choices that I make (I am learning more and more about nutrition since that is an area of focus in my studies), but the area I feel I need to give the most attention to is the self-regulation line of development.  I feel that I am beyond just surviving, and I am learning, through this course and other developments, that I can grow in this area to more of a subtle-mind and eventually a spiritual level. 

In considering this assessment, it became very clear to me that even though I found that I was focusing mainly on the biological aspect of my life, the psycho-spiritual, the interpersonal and the worldly aspects all would be affected as I grow in the biological area, once again confirming that all of these aspects are interconnected and all have body, mind and spirit levels of development.

In order to foster greater development of self-regulation, I feel that engaging more in the meditation practices we have been learning about in this course- specifically the loving-kindness and the subtle-mind practices- will be beneficial.  I am currently engaged in an exercise program, but quite honestly, I do let it slip now and then.  I am fully aware of how my nutritional choices will affect my overall health, but don't always make the best choices.  By developing self-regulation, I feel that my exercise program and my nutritional choices will become more of something that is just an extension of who I am and not something that I have to force myself to do.

Dacher, E.S. (2006). Integral health, the path to human flourising.  Laguna Beach, CA: Basic Health Publications.

Mid Term PowerPoint Presentation

Mental Fitness Power Point Presentation

The Subtle Mind Exercise

I am realizing now that just doing these exercises once for this course is not really enough.  These exercises need to be practiced a few times a week, if not daily.  That being said, I have completed the Subtle Mind Exercise (Dacher, 2006) one time so far this week.  I intended to practice it a couple of more times, along with the Loving-Kindness exercise as well.

There were some similarities between the Subtle-mind practice and the Loving-Kindness practice.  Both focused on the breath.  Both encourage deep, rhythmic breathing to connect to the mind.  However, there were some differences between the two practices as well.

The Loving-Kindness practice encouraged intentionally thinking about a loved one, oneself, strangers and the world, where as the Subtle-Mind practice asked us not to intentionally think of images or people, but instead to intentionally focus on the in and out of the breath.  As thoughts enter the mind, we are reminded to acknowledge the thought, but to return the focus back to the in and out breath, and to let the random thoughts evaporate.

http://juliaharwood.blogspot.com/2010/12/create-healing-place.html

I actually enjoyed this exercise.  To be honest, I had just grabbed a cat nap, and when I woke up, I decided to try this exercise.  I figured that this way I would probably not fall asleep!  It was really amazing to do this shortly after waking, because I didn't have a lot on my mind, and I really was able to connect to the concept of acknowledging when a thought or image was passing through and then to let it go.   

I had a thought as I was finishing this exercise.... I likened this to a desk full of paperwork.  When the desk is full of work, cluttered, and out of order, all that you can think about is the work on the desk, each task that needs to be done, (random thoughts and images),etc.  But by using this practice, I imagined each of those tasks (thoughts and images) as a piece of paper that needed to be filed.  I imagined on the in breath, a folder opening up, and on the out breath- the thought or image going into the folder.  On the next in breath, I imaged the folder being filed away and on the out breath, the file cabinet being closed.  That way, my thoughts are in a safe place, ready to be accessed at the appropriate time, and I could clear the "clutter" from the desk in my mind.  That mental image really helped me to have clarity as I was practicing.  I can see where some days, there might be a whole lot more paperwork to be filed than other days, but  I think this worked for me!  Try it!

Reference:
Dacher, E.S. (2006) Integral health, the path to human flourishing.  Laguna Beach, CA: Basic Health Publications, Inc.

Loving-Kindnenss Practice

I was finally able to experience the the loving-kindness practice this week (Dacher, 2006).  It was very interesting and I think that I will have to continue the practice as suggested- twice a day, for the week, or more, in order to fully engage the practice.

I did like the focus of the practice, starting with a loved one, then shifting to myself, then to a loved one who is suffering, on to strangers who are suffering and then embracing all human beings- even those considered enemies.  The focus on my loved ones and myself was not all that difficult.  I can see that the more that this is practiced, it can become more of an automatic response throughout the day, without having to find the time to sit and meditate.  I can see where with practice, as the thoughts of a loved one or one who might be suffering enter my mind, I can stop for a few moments and turn my thoughts toward that person.  In a way, I kind of do that in my prayer life right now.

Enlarging the focus of the practice to include a circle of strangers and then to humanity is a big step.  I can see that these areas are going to take more practice, but  I don't feel that it is beyond what I am capable of.  I do hold compassion for people, but I can see that there is a difference between having compassion about the suffering in the world and doing something about this suffering.  Continued practice of this loving-kindness exercise will undoubtedly increase my awareness and my intentions to help find healing in the hurting world.

  http://gapingvoid.com/2006/08/07/love-begets-love/ 

I would recommend this  practice to others, however, just as Dacher notes in the book and on the audio, it must be practiced, not just done once or twice.  Without practice, or training, great things can not be accomplished.  Just as an athlete must condition, or train his/her body for optimal performance, we must condition and train our mind                                                                                       
continue to move toward optimal flourishing.  This undoubtedly takes practice on a daily basis, just like exercise is necessary on a daily basis for physical health.  In order for me to begin to engage in mental workouts, I think it is important that I make them a priority, just as I do with exercise, eating, sleeping and breathing.  Intentionally setting aside time to engage in contemplative practice is essential.


Dacher, E.S. (2006). Integral health, the pathway to human flourishing.  Laguna Beach, CA: Basic Health Publications.

 

The Rainbow Meditation Reflection

Although the assignment for this week was to listen to a relaxation exercise entitled "The Crime of the Century" when I clicked on the link I heard the "Rainbow Meditation" exercise.

I have done this exercise once before in my Stress Management class, last term.  It is a short exercise, but I didn't feel like I really connected with it this time.  I was able to mentally picture the colors and the light emitting from my body, but it felt kind of distant to me.  I think I can focus better imagining things that are real to me.

That being said, I have considered my well being in terms of the physical, spiritual and psychological.
On a scale from 1-10, I would have to rate my physical well-being at about a 7.5.  I am physically healthy but have some things to work on, namely my fitness level and my weight.  My spiritual well-being would have to rate at about an 8.  I am very comfortable with my faith, it is very strong.  I do pray and believe in that communication.  My psychological well-being has been undergoing a revitalization in the past few months.  Right now, I would give it a 7.  That is one area where I am continuing to work toward some healing.

My goals for each of these areas would be as follows:
Physical- lose weight by eating less and exercising more.
Spiritual- make more connections in my community with people in my church
Psychological- work on wholeness and fully embrace my new surroundings.

In order to work toward these goals, I can implement the following activities or exercises:
Physical- Wake up at 6 am to go to the gym.  Walk the dogs daily. 
Spiritual- Join study groups or a ministry group at my church.  Volunteer with the Red Cross.
Psychological- spend time in meditation at least a few times a week, to embrace my new life and recognize the gift that has been given to me instead of being sad that I had to move.