The loving-kindness exercise was easier for me to do when it came to people who were close to me and a challenge for strangers. The subtle mind exercise was a challenge for me at first, but I began practicing it at work after a long arduous day previously being subjected to the ranting of an incompetent manager. Using the vision of her contorted angry face and dissolving it away every time it appeared helped me to open my mind up to more pleasant surroundings. I also use the spot-focus technique with allowed me to concentrate on my breathing as well.
The connection between spiritual and mental wellness is strong. When I experienced the mind-witnessing, I was calmer and my mind opened up to being in touch with my ability to enhance my physical activity. Brisk walking helped me to feel better physically, but all that mental chatter was still going on. When I incorporated the witnessing mind, I was able to focus on the exercise and how I felt rather than focusing on all the negative self-talk that was coming in. Before I knew it I walked further than I had previously and felt empowered to continue.
Loving-kindness was a very difficult mind experience because the emotional connection that I could not attribute to complete strangers. Conversely, I completely understand the need for a stress relief at work because of the consistant frustration surrounding the work environment. I am constantly utilizing the instructions given to us in the class because of the relief it brings. I have found to relieve my mental chatter I listen to classical music which keeps me focused on my witnessing mind.
ReplyDeleteIt was hard for me as well to concentrate with the subtle mind practice. Also with the loving-kindness exercise it was difficult to picture suffering and helping strangers especially if we have a loved one who is suffering; we would want to focus on helping them before a stranger (in my opinion).
ReplyDeleteI attempted to do the subtle mind exercise after an argument, and I was feeling really stressed out. Unfortunately, I could not focus at all! I tried to dismiss all the negative thoughts and focus on my breathing, but I guess it was still to fresh and I was still to angry to relax. Throughout the week, it did get easier though!
ReplyDeleteRyan Knabe
Caroline,
ReplyDeleteWe must free our minds from wandering aimlessly. As we calm the mind we abide in stillness where intention replaces reactivity. “It is like a great ocean unaffected by the rising and falling of waves.” (Dacher, 2006). This is a foundational concept to climbing the ladder to psychospiritual flourishing. Yet, this is a very difficult thing for me to grasp onto at times in the heat of the moment. I think the objective here is not to dismiss that we are mad, or intercept our “distress” alarm all the time. It starts out by witnessing our mental displacement; our mental “ramification”, and then deciding for ourselves if it needs attention (loving-kindness) or not (back to the subtle mind), and then responding accordingly.
It seems that the more efficient we become at witnessing the mind and resorting to psychospiritual flourishing- the less time the distress has to interrupt our mind/body physiology. I’m clearly going to have to practice a lot!
Reference
Dacher, Elliott. (2006). INTEGRAL HEALTH: The Path to Human Flourishing. Laguna Beach, CA: Basic Health Publications Press.