It was also amazing how quickly my feelings changed when I had to think about someone that is suffering. I cannot say that this portion of the recording helped me, but it was still relaxing and it helped to de-stress my thinking on this.
The concept of "mental workout" refers to exercising our brains through daily practices such as the Loving Kindness exercise. It helps us to focus on other people instead of on ourselves and trains our mind to access a deeper level. Research indicates that there is a direct affect on human flourishing and the loving thought process (Dacher, 2006). I can personally implement these into my life by doing a daily exercise of thinking about loved ones and remembering that love when I think about those that may be sick or injured.
Stacey Falke
Dacher, E. (2006). Integral
health: the path to human flourishing. Laguna
Beach , CA
Stacey,
ReplyDeleteI am so glad that you were able to relax and rejuvinate with this weeks exercise. The memories that were brought back from your family vacation had to be precious and priceless.
Blessings,
Tennille
Stacey,
ReplyDeleteGlad you had a great experience, I was not able to do the same unfortunately, the memories from your vacation sounded so nice.
Fran Browning
I'm so glad this exercise worked for you! I honestly got nothing from the exercise. I couldn't understand or make sense of what she was talking about. I blamed this on my occasional immaturity. I have used other methods that have relaxed me and made me look inward. I couldn't bring myself to think about someone and their suffering. I didn't feel like getting emotional. Other ways to find this deep relaxation is centering your shockra. I know it sounds weird but it works and I use to do it in college. Google it!
ReplyDeleteI think it was easy for me to understand because of my children. They have a way of making me feel better no matter what the situation. They do so many cute and ornery things that when I think about them I automatically smile. The other parts of the exercise didn't really work that well for me either.
DeleteThanks for the reply!
Stacey
Stacey,
ReplyDeleteI must admit I am envious that you were able to get so much out of this exercise. I found myself "self-talking" throughout most of it. I have been working on what works better for me - scents and sounds as well as lighting are key for me. The exercises are a little off putting and my brain tends to "comment" on things that end up irritating me more than relaxing me. I am still a work in progress. It's still good to know that it works for someone.
Monique
Monique,
DeleteI really just had to focus on my kids - this always makes me smile and calms me in just about any situation. I know what you mean about having a hard time moving past the irritating portions..it's pretty hard to focus otherwise.
Stacey
I'm glad you had such a positive experience with the Loving Kindness exercise. The sound of waves was extremely relaxing. Sorry the portion of the exercise regarding someone else that is suffering did not benefit you. I found it just the opposite for me. This portion of the exercise allowed me to bring my true emotions regarding the person to the front of my mind. This then allowed me to replace those feeling and emotions with positive ones and let the grief go out of my mind. I'm sure with continued use you will find the whole exercise beneficial.
ReplyDeleteKelly Konkus
Kelly,
DeleteI'm glad you were able to make that portion work so well for you. I think if we try hard we can benefit from these exercises!
Stacey
Hey Stacey, that's great it worked for you, I had trouble picking someone to imagine loving, I don't know exactly why this stumped me but it did throw me off, however like you said the beach noises were nice. I swear I could just listen to that and meditate on the sounds and that would be enough for me. The noise definitely calmed my mind.
ReplyDeleteThese techniques are so calming and reflective. I really enjoyed these activities. Thanks for sharing!!
ReplyDeleteShennen Wright
Stacy, I think you chose the perfect people for this exercise! I'm sure it was incredibly easy for you to feel the way you found yourself when the instructions were given by the speaker. Just like you, the crashing ocean waves in the background reminded me of past memories. I remember going to Myrtle Beach when I was young with my family and hearing the waves crash onto the beach. Along with this my mother use to have a sleep machine when I was young that played a similar noise. Take care!
ReplyDelete- Alex Cordaro
I feel like you have such a great experience. I dont know if you have done this multiple times or not but it seems that the more people try this the more positive their results are. I think I will try this a few more times to see if I can get a similar outcome from this experiment.
ReplyDeleteAngel