Meeting Asclepius

The meditative practice of this week was a little different from previous weeks. First it was a little complicated to choose one person to focus the mind. I thought in my mother, but she is sick. I got sad and stop the practice to talk to her. Then I decided to concentrate in my brand new grandson. He is 2 weeks old. It was easy concentrating imagining his little face and hands. It was a wonderful experience to be with him and become the bright light with him.
Mindfulness meditation improves both mental and physical health. This practice helps deepen understanding the inner forces of life. Provides a general sense of calm, peace and balance that benefits emotional well-being and overall health.

“One cannot lead another where one has not gone himself" (p.477).

This phrase is clearly telling us to take action. We must teach with example and promote positive changes in health to our clients. It is important to realized people are motivated by positive actions, and results. When we practice we become part of the action, and other will follow.

Schlitz, M., Amorok, T., and Micozzi, M.S. (2005). Consciousness & Healing: Integral Approaches to Mind-Body Medicine. St. Louis, MO: Elsevier.
 

Universal Loving-Kindness

Universal Loving-Kindness

This exercise was a little bit challenged for me. First I was difficult to relax because I had to keep going back to the book to read the phrases I was suppose to repeat. It is hard work, and the repetitions required memorization of the phrases. Sometimes is difficult to describe with words your feeling and emotions. I proffered the stillness and quietness, or the sound of the water.

Integral Assessment

Integral assessment provides an in-depth understanding of oneself inner conflicts, affections, and illnesses. It provides the opportunity to explore different areas such as physical, emotional, or interpersonal. (Dacher, 2006). This exercise is performed over several days or weeks. Focusing in the specific area or related quadrant that needs attention. We look at the interior/ exterior perspective of the problem.

With integral assessment I found out that I need to learn to relax. I’m always running and trying to do too many things at the same time. I want to practice relaxation techniques to reduce my levels of stress. Meditation is a way to eliminate the lack of balance caused by mental stress. By spending time in meditation, we create a calm haven to restore balance to our mental, and physical functioning. By spending time daily in meditation, we come in contact with a healing power within that can transform our lives and give us relief and solace for a happy life

Dacher, E. S. (2006) Integral Health: The Path to Human Flourishing. (p. 8). Laguna Beach, CA: Basic Health Publication, Inc.

SUBTLE MIND PRACTICE

Subtle Mind Practice focused in breathing and concentration. Dacher (2006) stressed “Used the breath as a focal point” (p. 75) It is a unique practice with periods of silence which I liked a lot. I found that the Loving kindness exercise is about sharing loving kindness with others. The Subtle mind practice aims to decrease mental activity, thoughts and feelings. Dacher (2006) recognized that “We must learned to quiet the seemingly uncontrollable and obscuring movements of our outer mind” (p. 71) This is not an easy task, the more I tried to stop thinking the more difficult became. The loving kindness exercise was easier to do. The instructions of the narrator helped me to stay in track of the exercise. The subtle mind practice will take longer to fully experience its benefits.

Connection of the spiritual wellness and mental and physical wellness.

Spiritual, mental and physical wellness refers as the integration of all aspect of the human being to maintain the balance between body, mind and spirit. Creating wellness can mean focusing on practices that benefit one or all of the tree dimensions: body, mind and spirit. Physical wellness includes healthy eating and maintaining moderate physical activity. Mental and spiritual wellness requires stress reduction. Adapting all these activities on a daily routine can promote physical, mental and spiritual wellness.

Dacher, E. S. (2006) Integral Health: The Path to Human Flourishing. (p. 8). Laguna Beach, CA: Basic Health Publication, Inc.

Hello class

Loving kindness and subtle mind practices use meditation and focusing in breathing to calm the mind to reach a profound mental clarity and open awareness.  I started and stopped the meditation practice many times because the common challenges of everyday such as phone ringing, preoccupations, restless legs, and many more. Feeling the breath moving in and out of the body and the sound of the water is the main focus of the exercise.  Recreating positive emotions towards one-self and others and using images that make us feel caring and loving.

It was a little difficult for me to quiet the mind concentrate in the breathing. The part that I liked was the sound of the water because it calms me; it helps me to relax. It helps to slow down the active mind and brings a peaceful sensation. It is an easy way to stop for a few minutes and connect to pleasant moments, and restore at least for a few minutes my inner peace.

Hello everyone
I am going to give my self a score of 5 in all of the three aspects of well-being; physical, spiritual and psychological.  First my physical well-being is not that great. I have been trying to lose 10 pounds for the last two years. I go to the gyms at least two times a week. I stop eating fried food because my cholesterol is high, although I think that this problem runs in the family. I need to increase my physical activity but that's a little complicated when there is not enough time in a day to fit more things to do. I'm in search for my spiritual well-being. I feel happy with my self. I have try meditation, but I fall asleep after 5 minutes, I can not stay still for more than ten minutes. I prefer walking and leave my thoughts wander in the immensity of the creation.  This gives me a sense of peace, and reminds me to listen with compassion, and kindness. About psychological well-being I don't have a clear measurement for this. I don't know if I'm happy. I definitely have happy moments. I am not anxious or depressed. I have many positive emotions that gives me emotional satisfaction. I am usually in good mood, well when I'm not pmsing.
My goal for physical well being has been the same for the last two years. I need to lose ten pounds, and reduce my cholesterol. All I need to is to create a diet and exercise plan and stick to it.
My spiritual goal is to practice meditation at least for 10 minutes on Sundays. My psychological goal is ... I have to think a little longer for this one. Change won't happen over night, but by making small changes will help to reach my goals.
I tried to do the relaxation exercise, but as always I was falling asleep, and I had to many thing to do yet to rest at this time. Too much to do and little time to accomplished everything, but as my mom said "there is more time than life. Smile :)

Smile, it is a free therapy

Hi everyone,
I am not sure if I created my blog right This is only a test... :)