Integral Assessment

Hey Everyone! Hope all is well. This week when I went to the loving kindness exercise, I found it so much easier! I was even surprised that I found such a calming place that the exercise was over; where previously I would find myself taking a peak the time or having to force myself to complete even the 15 minutes. When I was done, I found myself relaxed and re focused! I can honestly say it was enjoyable! How was it for all of you?

            However, I did have trouble with completing the integral assessment. At my current place in life I am struggling. I have been working very long hours day after day. Therefore other aspects of my life have been struggling. I barely have enough time in the day to sleep. I found myself feeling that all the areas are under distress. I also found my mind drifting to a recent time where I was more focused on some of these and then getting sad that I do not have the time to allow my integral wellness to flourish. I realized that although I am not happy with my assessment I need to focus on my psychospiritual  Discovering that I was saddened by this made me realize that I am grateful. I am grateful to be working, I also choose to work. But I should begin to focus even for a few moments a day on being still and reflecting.Allowing my heart and mind to open.

Have a great week everyone!

Mallory

The Subtle Mind Exercise Is My Favorite So Far!

Hello everyone! Hope you had a great weekend! When doing the loving kindness exercise I felt calm and relaxed and the ability to focus on opening my heart and my mind. Since, I have done it a few more times and each time is becomes a little easier and I feel my mind calming and my thoughts becoming more focused. I felt a similar feeling when doing the subtle mind exercise. The only difference for me was how much faster and easier my mind and body calmed and relaxed compared to the loving kindness exercise. The calming sound of this woman’s voice mixed with the calming water and music in the background really allowed me to focus on my breathing. Although I like the loving kindness exercise, the subtle mind is my favorite so far.

            I truly believe that our mind, body and spirit work as one. And when one is a little off track the others are not living up to their full potential. I personally feel like a very spiritual person, and encompasses every aspect of my life. I am having trouble putting into words exactly how to describe how it manifest itself in my personal life, probably because I feel that it is always there, in every step, breath and move I make. And is so important to me.

Mallory

Loving Kindness

Hello and Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I hope that your turkey day was full of family, friends, great food and most of all thankfulness! I was unable to start this exercise until Sunday morning, so I apologize for the late submission. We have a VERY full house from Wednesday morning until Sunday morning! And while I loved having them all here, it is next to impossible to do anything! As I said, the first time that I listened to the Loving Kindness exercise was Sunday morning. It proved to be a little more difficult than I had assumed it would have been. I am not sure if it was because I was the furthest thing from relaxed or that I had just spent almost 5 days living in close quarters with some of my loved ones. I got through about the first 8 minutes, turned it off and planned to try again later. Later that night, I got ready for bed, did my routine and then tried again. Immediately I felt a big difference, I was calm relaxed and was really able to focus and reflect. This time around I found it beneficial, opening my heart loving those I hold dear, those I have not met, enemies and myself. However, I did at times lose focus, than my focus quickly turned back. As suggested in our reading this should be practiced twice a day for a week, to really allow you to open your heart. And if I was to recommend this to others I would stress that. Keep trying, you’ll get it!
The concept of “metal workout” to me is to allow the mind to travel inward, working toward strengthening not only the mind, but the body and soul as well. Research indicated that training the mind can influence the psychological, hormonal and immune systems (Dacher, 2006). And can not only have short term results but long term effects as well (Dacher, 2006); allowing us to use our minds as instruments, helping our mind and body communicate. In order to foster your psychological health your need to follow three steps; first, “tame the minds ceaseless mental activities that obscure higher states of awareness; then, through mental training, gaining access to subtle levels of the mind; witnessing consciousness the mental states of calm abiding and pure awareness of a unity consciousness.” (Dacher, 2006). 

Until Next Time!
Mallory

References

Dacher, Elliot M.D., (2006). Integral health, the path to human flourishing. (pp. 59-69). Laguna Beach, CA: Basic Health Publications, INC.

Wellbeing Reflections

I found it a little difficult to rate myself on optimal wellbeing. The reason that I believe that I did was because I do not believe in having a scale for optimal wellbeing. We are always growing, changing and learning; this is the same for our optimal welling. It is a journey that we should always be working on allowing our mind, body and spirit to be the best version of themselves and therefore should not be rated. Without rating my wellbeing on a scale, I can say that spiritually I am extremely content, physically I feel good, and psychologically I feel clear.  However, since we are always changing and growing, having goals is a healthy way to strive for more. Currently I am working on training for a half marathon so that would be my physical goal, spiritually I would love to take time to meditate at least 5 minutes a day and psychologically I would like to really take the time to listen, really listen. In order to accomplish my physical goal, I need to run. It is a slower process than you realize to train the body and the mind; allowing myself to be ok with this will help. Having such an amazingly busy life, it is hard to fit 5 minutes of anything in, let alone meditation. So for this I am going to just have to make the time, preferably in the morning. As for my psychological goal, that I believe is practice. I just need to remind myself to listen.

As for the exercise, I fell asleep, twice. :( I am going to try again in the morning! Will post afterwards!

Journy On Relaxtion Exercise

I tried many different times to listen to this relaxation exercise. Each time I did, I was extremely distracted and could not focus. Tonight I decided to listen to it around 9:45 pm. It was an extremely different experience. I was able to listen to the soft voice and allow myself to relax. The man that does this recording has such an incredibly soft and calming voice. At times I thought I might fall asleep, but when I was done, I realized that I was just in an extreme state of relaxation.  I have to admit my body felt a little like jelly (in a good way)! I have done a few different relaxation exercises before, but none like this one. 

The one thing that stuck out was that the music in the background was familiar to me. I sometimes play recordings of the hapi drum to relax at night. I find it so peaceful and calming. I wonder what was playing. Anyone know?

I will share a link to one of the youtube videos that I listen to!

Hapi Drum "Origin" model, E Akebono Scale solo