Meeting Asciepius Unit 7

I have been doing much better with my meditation and breathing techniques.  They have helped with my stress level at home and work.  When it gets really bad I go in the bathroom for a few minutes it does wonders.  I have combined  meditation with  prayer and it has made for  stronger and longer concentration and peace of mind.
I also combined breathing and meditation techniques to help with the pain of one of my headaches, it allowed me to stay at work for the rest of the day without having to take any thing until hours later.

However I had a hard time focusing and keeping my concentration while trying to do the exercises "Meeting Asciepius" on track #4. According to the instructions we had to concentrate on a wise person.  My mind kept wondering and thinking why can't I concentrate on an object or an inner point within myself?  I would regain control but lose it again each time the voice would give instruction with the wise person, light was now emitting from the wise person.  Then further on in the track it was revealed, that it was supposed to represent our inner essence.  I will more than likely have to do this exercise again, now that I understand what the object of the concentration is really on.

The saying:  "One cannot lead another where one has not gone himself".  Simply means that unless someone has taken that journey they cannot possibly be in any position to instruct another on that journey.  They need someone who would be able to guide them through all the pitfalls, trails, tribulations and rewards of a journey.
It would be have to be someone who had gone this way before, one who would instill trust in his students.

Deb-

Assessment Unit 6

I tried the loving kindness exercise on page 93. I stick by my initial thoughts this particular exercise is not my cup of tea. I am a prayer, I will pray for individuals who are suffering or  those who need to find health,happiness and wholeness.   I like the subtle mind much better I get more out of it. I find I like to be quiet for a little while, it helps me  to focus on what is really important and to find my center.  This helps especially after a long day at work, I find myself easily frustrated after working with budgets and problems all day. This and the breathing exercises helps to quiet my insides ( if that makes sense) so that I am not easily jangled when the rest of the family trickle in from work.  I have noticed that afterwards I am calmer and it is easier for me to joke and laugh even when I am left alone with a sink full of dirty dishes and my computer for company.

Deb-

I finally got to listen to the track

I liked this track.  I was much better than the loving-kindness.  Loving Kindness had a lot a do while attempting to be calm and loving.   The subtle mind track was much easier to focus on what I was supposed to do which was center my thoughts and not let them be so random.  It was easier than I thought.  In fact I was so calmed that when the female voice came in it was disconcerting, it threw me off.  I will definitely try this one again. Afterward I felt quieted and centered.
I thank everyone who reminded  me that there was a copy of the track on doc share!

Deb-

The Subtle Mind

Unfortunately I cannot really answer any of the questions pertaining to this particular practice because my disc had static on almost the entire track.  I was able to hear up until the female voice was explaining how to bring the mind back if it starts to wander. Then I heard this awful scratching in my ears, I had my headphones on, it was so intrusive I pulled them off!  Pulled me completely out of any comfortable plane I had started to relax into.  I have to say it was awful! I continued to listen, hoping maybe it was just skipping but the scratching continued  non-stop until it automatically switched to track #4.

I decided maybe I could do something if I just read it in the book and followed the directions from there.  It can be done but I was only able to do it for a very short time. It is very hard to block out all the stuff going on around you in the beginning without a soothing sound to concentrate on like the waves of the ocean.  It is also harder to concentrate on the breathing without it also.  The mind wander frequently.  In the beginning, one really needs the sounds or something else soothing to focus on. 

Deb-

Mental Workout Unit 4

According to Dacher (2006) for the benefits of the mental workout  to be felt it requires an hour a day. Also like any other training activity if we slack off we loose the conditioning benefits. In this case  for  contemplative practice for loving- kindness and subtle mind.  The loving-kindness concept is breathing exercise to start with yourself and slowing increase the circle to include others, strangers, all living things.  The subtle mind is an exercise to control the thoughts of the mind so it can be stilled an focused to calm-abiding.

These exercising would be good after work to calm my busy mind to get it refocused so it is not so  overwhelmed.  Remembering things I need to do at work, and clashing with things I have to do for home and school. 

The reality is I really don't have an hour to sit and do mental workouts.  I enjoyed the track thought , mostly the sound of the water, I actually  jumped each time her voice came through to speak about the exercise.  

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

Unit 3

I had to update my blog I missed identifying each aspect of well being by using the scale rating.

Physical well being is good- so I would have to rate that about a 5 becasue I don't do enough exercise- will focus more in the new year

Spiritual well being is better than good- this will be rated a 8,  I focus on this more -it encourages me in my life, I still need to do more meditation.

Psychological well being is better than good-  this is about a 7 due to the focus of my spiritual life my psycological life is better.  I will be doing more relaxation tecniques which helps releive  mental stress

I will be striving to increase my physical activities which will stimulate the rest my mental also

I found The Crime of the Century  rather  frustrating, the voice was grating not calming at all, and the colors and the up and down lines not soothing, had to close my eyes.  If found myself thinking, I could have been doing something constructive around the house or reading some of the chapters. 

Blogging is still not fun. Not easy for me to navigate yet. But I will perservere!

Deborah Ward