Unit 8 – Fostering Mental Fitness

I may not respond to everyone’s posts, but I do read a majority of them, and I recognize that these contemplative exercises can be challenging, difficult for various reasons, and even annoying. But, understanding that we as mankind are above the animal kingdom, we can experience life in very meaningful ways, where animals can’t, and these are obvious, but, the ability to introspect, and contemplate, sets us apart from the animal kingdom. Therefore, I fight through what’s uncomfortable to sit at the feet of the ancient-wise men/women to glean a gem or two.

I will probably never out grow the need for a witnessing mind, a calm-abiding mind, nor, loving-kindness or the subtle mind. The latter two are contemplative practices that I found very rewarding; the loving-kindness practice offered the opportunity to meditate on a love one, and then embrace their suffering, then, seeing it dissolve away. The subtle mind got me in-tuned with my breath, there’s a correlation between the mind and our breathing. The breath is always with us; this practice when cultivated will soothe and calm the mind. A clam mind will always make good decisions.   

I will take 15 minutes a day for contemplative practices, the idea is to start small and build a good foundation, and, maybe one day I will be skilled enough to train others.                   

Unit 7 Meet Aesclepius –

Another level of experience – from noisy water falls to a river that joins the ocean; this is how the narrator describes the mind and the different levels of growth. I can identify, taking the time, finding the space, setting the atmosphere, then allowing the mind to relax, but it’s much more than relaxing, it’s finding an inner peace/freedom. As I was meditating on the various degrees of the water I thought of sheep, not counting them to fall asleep, rather the depiction that is use in the bible, Christ refers to his people as, my little flock, sheep of his pasture – sheep will not drink out of rushing waters, they prefer waters that are still and quiet.

Much like the rushing water falls; I’m a noisy guy, so whenever I can get my mind to relax and stay calm it gives me such an advantage. My thoughts are crisper, I read with more comprehension, I’m a better problem solver, and as I have mentioned in subsequent postings, I can maintain a normal blood pressure. I will continue these contemplative practices; I’m considering an integral master as a mentor for these practices.

As the expression goes, “one cannot lead another where one has not gone himself” (Schlitz, Amorok, Micozzi, p. 477, 2005). This is why having mentors are good, someone who has been where you are trying to go, someone to guide and offer suggestions as you find your way. For this same reason, as healthcare advocates we must maintain an exemplary standard of psychologically, physically, and spiritually health, we must practice what we preach to be effective. I personally find these teachings very encouraging as I continue my journey, while on this path on human flourishing I will continue to reach out to others.           

Schlitz, M., Amorok, T., Micozzi, M. S. (2005). Consciousness & Healing: Integral

                    Approaches to Mind-Body Medicine. St. Louis, Missouri. Elsevier Churchill

                   Livingston

           

     

     

 

Unit 6 - Mind-Body-Spirit Wellness and Healing

Practice the universal Loving Kindness (meditation) exercise.

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.

       Speaking words is a form of action, if we say and meditate on a thing long enough we will begin to believe it, and what we believe we do.

Complete the Integral Assessment. Describe the exercise and assessment process. What did you discover about yourself? What area have you chosen to be a focus of growth and development? Why? What are some specific exercises or activities that you can implement to foster greater wellness in this area?

       I love these exercises, whenever I can get still and hear the quietness of my mind and spirit it helps me to get on the right path. But, these assessments are quick to point out that I (we) haven’t arrived yet, there‘s plenty of work to do. I’ve chosen to focus on the interpersonal aspect of the human experience. If I’m to be really transparent, this is my weakest area, this is where I need to mature. No longer [I] but [you] no longer [you] but [us] no longer [us] but [all of us] – These four lines of development, requires intimacy, letting your guards down and allowing other to enter. Strengthening relationships where [me] is no longer the center focus. Doing my contemplative time I will visualize my growth in this area, and see myself doing for others, also I think that I will bring my wife in on this one – we will practice standing or kneeling face to face, maybe joining hands, looking deep into one another’s souls and without taking or asking for anything, just giving, listening, and offering myself. I think this will do.         

The Witnessing Mind...

...the Subtle Mind

My wife has always said to me, “Kevin you [even] think loud.” So, over many years of marriage, I’ve gravitated to exercises that require me to relax, breathe deeply with a purpose. The path to human flourishing has many methods. Here, we understand that “the witnessing mind” has given us the ability to observe the mind and learn how it works.

The exercise – The 10 deep breaths from the outset did wonders in relaxing me. I felt my blood warm over. The narrator noted that the “breath” is the anchor, the anchor to hold on to while you let go of the chatter and the mental movement. Witness this process, allow the clutter to dissolve, leave the white noise alone – it’s a witnessing rather than grasping, a choice-less awareness that the exercise so succinctly mentioned.      

Through practice this exercise should usher in a calm-abiding. This training the mind will pay dividends for future growth, that we may experience human flourishing in mind, body, and spirit.   

         

Loving Kindness -

I enjoyed the exercise of loving-kindness; the discipline that it takes to relax and focus just for 15 minutes was challenging, yet, invigorating. With the business of our lives today, more than ever we should make the time for ourselves, for meditation, prayer, I like to refer to it as “quiet time.”

These times are very beneficial. It offers the space to explore your thoughts, look and listen for solutions, offer forgiveness, ask for forgiveness. And, of course send loving-kindness to your sphere of influence.

This wasn’t difficult, but, because of my extensive Christian training, I had to substitute different thoughts, than what was suggested. Example – taking in a love-ones suffering and allowing it to dissolve in your heart – My former teaching says, that the burden/suffering should be placed at the feet of Christ. So that’s what I did. See the gospel of Matthew 11:28-30. 

I would recommend this exercise of loving-kindness. As it was noted, when you offer loving kindness, loving kindness is given back to you. I love the notion of diminishing our self-centeredness to the benefit of others.

In today’s society we love to jog, play golf and tennis; go to the gym to get a good workout. Well, the same must be done with our delicate, yet strong and expandable minds. They must be used, trained and exercised, at least an hour a day. The whole story is still unwritten relative to the full capacity of the human mind. But, what we do know is that a positive calming thought life will promote a strong physical body.               

Holistic Personal Inventory –

1. Based on your reflections, and on a scale of 1 to 10 (ten being optimal wellbeing), where do you rate your A-physical wellbeing, B-spiritual well-being, C-psychological well-being? Why?

     a. Physical wellbeing: 8

     b. Spiritual wellbeing: 6

     c. Psychological wellbeing: 8

2. Develop a goal for yourself in each area (physical, spiritual, psychological).

    a. Physical wellbeing: My ultimate goal is to lose a few more pounds.

    b. Spiritual wellbeing: Continue to build a good foundation that a future [spiritual] superstructure may one day sit.

    c. Psychological wellbeing: Increase knowledge on various subjects. To have emotional balance.

3. What activities or exercise can you implement in your life to assist in moving toward each goal?

    a. Physical well being: Eat less and exercise more; I will continue to see my personal trainer, and monitor calories intake versus calories expenditure.

    b. Spiritual wellbeing: Make myself available for bible studies and meditation time. Do a better job at listening to others.

    c. Psychological wellbeing: Continue to study various topics, keeping my head down in these studies      will help; staying emotional balance will require, not letting the lows of life, take me too low and     contrastingly not letting the highs of life, take me too high. Staying grounded.

4. The Crime of the Century, the relaxation exercise and my experience. (Was it beneficial? Frustrating? etc.)

An odd title for a relaxation exercise, “Crime of the Century”, although, the meditation and imagery of the exercise was energizing – the deep slow breathing prepare me for the meditation, as the narrator suggested each colors with it’s corresponding body locations and their attributes, in my visual I added things that I wanted to accomplish in life. I’m a big believer that whatever it is that you are trying to achieve in life, that you need to first see it on the inside, to realize it on the outside. So then, there are two victories and two wars, the one on the inside and the one on the outside.

Juice of the Week

Cucumber, apple and beets: 1 small beet with stems and leaves, 1 large cucumber, and 2 apples. Push beet first through the hopper, then apple(s), and then the cucumber last to wash the strainer of the red beet juice. This is a great thirst quencher for the hot weather, the cucumber if flushed with many trace minerals and salts. The beet is one of your finest iron sources.          

Test your knowledge, just for fun!

Please match terms:

A. Broccoli                                ___ Brain berries

B. Oranges                                 ___ Whole grains

C. Spinach                                 ___ Phyto-omega 3 fatty acids

D. Blueberries                             ___ Lactose intolerance                      

E. Pumpkin                                ___ Legumes

F. Turkey                                  ___ Cruciferous

G. Soy                                      ___  Lycopene 

H. Yogurt                                  ___ Remember Popeye

I.  Walnuts                                ___ Carotenoids

J. Wild Salmon                         ___ Low fat protein

K. Tea                                      ___ Marine-omega 3 fatty acids

L. Beans                                   ___ Pre & Pro-biotics

M. Tomatoes                           ___ 83 milligrams of vitamin C                      

N. Oats                                    ___ 2700 BC

Answers next week –