1. Compare and
contrast the Loving Kindness exercise and the Subtle mind exercise. Explain
your experience including the benefits, frustrations etc.
When comparing the two exercises I personally felt that the
subtle mind audio was more soothing and aided me in reaching a point of
relaxation while also focusing my mind on following the steps that it
suggested. Although I did find that the concept of “breathing in” the pain and
emotional turmoil of others as a method to help them alleviate their
unhappiness and stress to be one which I could visualize and identify with.
Being a firefighter/ paramedic I find that my life is generally dedicated to improving
the lives of others, so this particular part of the exercise was something
which I felt I could accomplish. I have never before been the kind of person
who placed any value in the idea of conceptualizing things such as light
leaving through my head or other intangible notions of the same type. However,
once I began to open my mind and let go of my pre-conceived notions, I began to
experience many of the benefits of these exercises. I found that the breathing exercises in “the
subtle mind” exercise were much more cleansing, calming, and focusing for me
personally.
2. Discuss the
connection of the spiritual wellness to mental and physical wellness. Explain
how the connection is manifested in your personal life.
I personally feel that there is a real and tangible
connection between the spiritual, physical, and mental. As Dacher described in
our textbook, without a healthy mind, one cannot truly experience the benefits
of a healthy body or soul. The same goes for any of the relationships between
these aspects. If you are not in a place of health, spiritually, emotionally,
mentally, or physically, it can be nearly impossible to ever be truly “well”. In my life, I am currently striving to reach a
place of wellness. I have recently gone through the breakup of my marriage and
still struggle with losing time with my son, as well as losing my home.
However, as stressful and depressing as this situation has been for me, I feel
that I am starting to feel like myself again. I feel like the real me; the one
who enjoys life, who is confident, strong, happy, creative, and resilient is
starting to come through again. I feel as though a massive weight has been
lifted off of me and as a result my stress level has gone down significantly. I
have begun to be able to sleep again (insomnia for 3 years) and feel as though
the stress-induced stomach issues have completely subsided. This has given way
to an increased sense of happiness, of balance, and of peace. So perhaps
stepping away from an oppressive environment has finally allowed me to experience
a sense of the flourishing that we have studied thus far. Finally, it is the
reframing of my thoughts which has allowed me to get back on track and
eliminate the negative emotions which were changing me as a person.
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