My thoughts!

After reviewing the exercises that I had practiced thus far, my pick that I think would enhance me and my family's wellbeing and also foster mental fitness.

The Mind, Spirit and body are one, in recognizing that there is a higher power, I tend to balance my what I do everyday. Spending my time each day by renewing my spirit and reading the word of God.

The loving Kindness exercise opened my eyes to learning to love others irrespective of how much hurt they caused me and being happy in my own skin. Showing others kindness had helped me in healing the hurts.
 Visualization brought much serenity to my life. I was calmer at handling situations because I have been able to observe instead of reacting. It was a great experience getting to know my guide, inner healer, and gift giver. I feel extremely healthy and happy in my body, mind, and spirit.
I make a point of duty to just walk around my neighbor hood reflect and what I have done for day, if I have impacted someone's life, and then easy off tensions, because I have little children that can easily feed off my tension. Meditation helps me in bringing into harmony my body.

Reference:

Dascher S, Elliot (2006). Integral Health: The Path to Human Flourishing. CA: Basic Health Publication Inc.

It gets harder by the day!

The Meeting Aesclepius exercise was kind of easy for me but at the same brought some emotions that left me even more sad. The exercise brought back memories of my older brother that passed away the 30th of April. I remember he was usually the one that cares enough to ask me about how my day was, I often wonder why he calls to check on me that much, but now that he is gone, I crave for him to call me, and it is so impossible and then my mind wonder about my family. I don't think I like this exercise, memories that I want to forget just kept clouding my view. I would rather stick with the last exercise we had   I wish I had spent more time with my brother, I used to be upset with him for been too slow to be upset with anyone especially me  but now I know that was just his decision.

 

The saying “one cannot lead where one has not gone before” means that the blind cannot lead the blind or they fall. . Even if someone has been to somewhere before how can they teach someone else how to get there if they have not made the trip there before? I cant give what I don't have,

A moment of Reflection

                                        

1.       Practice the universal Loving Kindness (meditation) exercise on p. 93.

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.

 When I started this exercise, at first I felt it was ridiculous to even do it, but after a few minutes, I started reflecting on what I was saying and I felt a sense of calmness.  Something came to my sub-conscious mind, just few days back, we lost one of colleague at the job, she was a quiet, not much of a talker kind of person, she had a condition that finally took and she left behind a 2yr old child, husband and the sad part was that she just celebrated her 2yrs wedding anniversary and so she pass suddenly. This news brought tears to everyone in the clinic. It brought me a sense of sincerity, and a sense of compassion for people that had in some ways hurt me, with this exercise, though frustrating at the beginning made me to understand that I am me and so I must learn to love, irrespective of who have hurt me or what I have gone through, but first, I must love me and then show it to others as well. Hatred is like a can that is placed in a hot place and it is only a matter of time, before it pops. I sensed an overwhelming peace came upon me and for the first time, I began to let my anger, pain and vengeance roll out me. The bible says “ owe no man, but love”  Imagine an insignificant exercise practice can have an effect on me. I intend to continue with this exercise and hoping that it continues to have the same effect that I felt on Saturday. Love someone, even if they don’t deserve it.

 

2.       Complete the Integral Assessment discussed in chapter 11 (p.115).

I discovered that  after completing the integral assessment, I came to the understanding that  there has to be a balance in everything we do, be it our spiritual, psychosocial and biological aspect of life. I am known to hurde shoes and clothes, even my children have so much stuff, I begin to see it as a sin to acquire all these things, just to please self. The bible said “it is blessed to give than to receive” so I am most of my stuff will be heading to needy. Look at people that are without and be  a blessing.

 

3.       Activities that I can incorporate that will foster greatness to my wellbring would be mediation, yoga, reading my bible and listening to tapes that will encourage me to be a better person. Also walking around my neighborhood had given me an opportunity ( alone time) to reflect and also good decisions that I made stemmed from taking this walks.

 

 

Unit 5 Blog. Wholeness

Compare and contrast the Loving Kindness exercise and the subtle mind exercise. Explain your experience including the benefits, frustrations etc.

The Subtle mind exercise was so much more calming and relaxing to me than the Loving Kindness exercise. One reason that I enjoyed it so much is that I could just listen to the waves crashing and focus on my breathing rather than listen to someone guiding me and giving me instructions. I felt like I was able to transform my clinging thoughts to a witnessing and calming mind. Releasing my mind was exactly what I needed to do and I really felt free and relaxed. There were no racing thoughts running through my head and I was able to be still, calm, relaxed and free. As expected your mind would sometimes wonder away, but you bring it back to subjection . This exercise really made me feel relaxed to a point that I was just tired and drifted to sleep.  I think focusing on breathing helped me stay relaxed and help me from my mind constantly running during the exercise. 

Discuss the connection of the spiritual wellness to mental and physical wellness. Explain how the connection is manifested in your personal life.

The connection of spiritual wellness to mental and physical wellness is vital for us as individuals in order to experience human flourishing. It is important for one to maintain a spiritual connection to the higher power, which is God, through meditation and prayer.  In doing this it does not only help the individual spiritual connection but gives us a deeper sense of  spiritual awareness but it also helps the mental and physical aspect of the individual’s life. Proper nutrition and exercise are vital for the body if one is to experience physical and mental wellness. However, without a spiritual connection, proper nutrition and exercise alone would not create the spiritual wholeness that is needed for an individual to sustain a spiritual connection. There are few things that are observed when individuals are connected with the higher power. Body, mind and soul are affected with this connection thus spiritual connection relieves one from all forms of diseases. I am one that keeps things in my mind, no matter how long and it lingers until it burst but I am learning to experience peace, forgiveness, tolerant of others and now that I have children, patience and more especially love me.

 

Reference

Dacher, E.S., (2006). Integral Health: The path to human flourishing. Laguna Beach, CA: