http://docsharing.next.ecollege.com/(NEXT(b1e262f046))/Main/CourseMode/DocSharing/ListCategoriesAndFilesView.ed#
The above link is a guided session to help induce a greater ability to practice and experience loving kindness. Previous guided imagery and relaxation sessions have been simple and easily accessible to most people, but I found this one particularly aggravating. The concepts were difficult for even me to grasp. I am very good at meditative practice and controlling my mental and spiritual state but the instructions for this particular exercise were far to vague to follow effectively. The exercise instructed the listener to acknowledge negative feelings and thoughts and give them your loving kindness...isn't the point of the exercise to teach you how to develop that in the first place?
And I disagree with that practice! Do not acknowledge negative feelings and thoughts. Do not put love into negativity. Instead I believe it must be dismissed quickly and completely. Do not let negativity linger. Acknowledge it yes, and understand it for what it is but then remove it from your mind!
Loving kindness starts with yourself. If you do not love yourself for who you are, then you cannot love others for who they are. To practice loving kindness, you do not need guided training. You simply need to remove negativity from your life. Do not let it affect you. Surround yourself with a barrier of positivity and love.
This is where the idea of a mental workout comes in. You have to train your mind to focus on the positive, just like you have to train your body for a sport. It needs to be a daily task and does require conscious effort. Research shows that, in time, you can control your mind and your feelings.
I've personally done this with my life although I did not know what I was doing at the time. I have practiced dismissing negativity and focusing on the positive for the majority of my adult life after being a pretty negative and emotional child. I learned how to not just internalize (because that alone is unhealthy) but dismiss my negative feelings. It is not always easy to do and at first you may agitate people (not expressing negative emotions tends to make people think you don't express any), but in the long run the emotional and spiritual payoffs are fantastic. Imagine being able to brush aside anger, sadness, and disappointment. It just takes time, patience, and practice.
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Monday, August 20, 2012
3 types of wellness
So lets talk about wellness. There are 3 kinds, physical, spiritual, psychological. One cannot analyze others without first analyzing themselves so lets start with me...
On a scale of 1(really bad) - 10 (PERFECT!!)...
Physical (7)
I write this part with a little smile as I've been suffering from the flu all week. But BESIDES this week I would say that I am better than most. I exercise 5-6 days a week on a good week and 2-3 on a bad. I eat relatively healthy and my cheat meals are nothing compared to most peoples regular meals. On the downside I definitely do not get enough sleep and I overextend myself with work.
So how can I improve this? My main goal right now is to maximise my profit and minimize my effort. I.E make more and work less. This should decrease my stress a great deal and allow me to get some more sleep.
Spiritual (8.5)
I wont even bother going into the complex beliefs that I've developed over the years but needless to say I am VERY comfortable with them. I know my place in the universe and that is a great feeling. I know how to meditate very effectively and I feel that I am very "tuned in" spiritually. However, again due to crazy life happenings, I am unable to practice what I know. Physical and mental exhaustion make taking the time to spend on my spiritual self not on the top of my priority list.
I can improve this area very easily by simply going back to my daily mediation and stop making excuses as why not to do it.
Psychological (6)
Hey who isn't a little bit crazy? I'm pretty comfortable with my physchological health but I wouldn't say its amazing. I tend to over analyze things and think too many steps ahead, often losing sight of the here and now.
The biggest improvement I can make is to stop internalizing everything and use the resources I have available to vent my frustrations. This is going to be very difficult for me because I have an image to uphold.
Here is another Guided meditation for everyone to try.
javascript:ulinkPopup('http://www.kushs.net/kaplan/HW420/TheCrimeOfTheCentury.mp3','http://www.kushs.net/kaplan/HW420/TheCrimeOfTheCentury.mp3','800','600','location=yes,toolbar=yes,menubar=yes,status=yes,scrollbars=yes,resizable=yes')
Even though I mentioned last week that i was not a fan of these, I found this particular one was worth sharing for the rainbow meditation as it guides you through a simplified version of the meditation techniques I practice on my own and find to be so effective.
On a scale of 1(really bad) - 10 (PERFECT!!)...
Physical (7)
I write this part with a little smile as I've been suffering from the flu all week. But BESIDES this week I would say that I am better than most. I exercise 5-6 days a week on a good week and 2-3 on a bad. I eat relatively healthy and my cheat meals are nothing compared to most peoples regular meals. On the downside I definitely do not get enough sleep and I overextend myself with work.
So how can I improve this? My main goal right now is to maximise my profit and minimize my effort. I.E make more and work less. This should decrease my stress a great deal and allow me to get some more sleep.
Spiritual (8.5)
I wont even bother going into the complex beliefs that I've developed over the years but needless to say I am VERY comfortable with them. I know my place in the universe and that is a great feeling. I know how to meditate very effectively and I feel that I am very "tuned in" spiritually. However, again due to crazy life happenings, I am unable to practice what I know. Physical and mental exhaustion make taking the time to spend on my spiritual self not on the top of my priority list.
I can improve this area very easily by simply going back to my daily mediation and stop making excuses as why not to do it.
Psychological (6)
Hey who isn't a little bit crazy? I'm pretty comfortable with my physchological health but I wouldn't say its amazing. I tend to over analyze things and think too many steps ahead, often losing sight of the here and now.
The biggest improvement I can make is to stop internalizing everything and use the resources I have available to vent my frustrations. This is going to be very difficult for me because I have an image to uphold.
Here is another Guided meditation for everyone to try.
javascript:ulinkPopup('http://www.kushs.net/kaplan/HW420/TheCrimeOfTheCentury.mp3','http://www.kushs.net/kaplan/HW420/TheCrimeOfTheCentury.mp3','800','600','location=yes,toolbar=yes,menubar=yes,status=yes,scrollbars=yes,resizable=yes')
Even though I mentioned last week that i was not a fan of these, I found this particular one was worth sharing for the rainbow meditation as it guides you through a simplified version of the meditation techniques I practice on my own and find to be so effective.
Saturday, August 11, 2012
Guided Relaxation
http://www.kushes.net/kaplan/HW420/JourneyOn.mp3
I have tried many forms of stress relief and relaxation techniques and I firmly believe that they are an important part of every ones mental health. I, however was a particular fan of the guided relaxation clip (the above link). This says nothing against the clip which was done as well as any other I have heard. I simply prefer to find my own peace. When I relax and meditate I prefer either complete silence or the sounds that exist in nature. I find voices to be disruptive and sound through speakers to be agitating as well. I instead focus on my breathing and hone in on the quiet, almost imperceptible ringing sound that exists in all silence. Doing this clears my mind and relaxes me far more than receiving instructions.
But when it comes to relaxation, to each his own! Perhaps the above link will serve a purpose for you.
I have tried many forms of stress relief and relaxation techniques and I firmly believe that they are an important part of every ones mental health. I, however was a particular fan of the guided relaxation clip (the above link). This says nothing against the clip which was done as well as any other I have heard. I simply prefer to find my own peace. When I relax and meditate I prefer either complete silence or the sounds that exist in nature. I find voices to be disruptive and sound through speakers to be agitating as well. I instead focus on my breathing and hone in on the quiet, almost imperceptible ringing sound that exists in all silence. Doing this clears my mind and relaxes me far more than receiving instructions.
But when it comes to relaxation, to each his own! Perhaps the above link will serve a purpose for you.
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
It all beggins with you
I will put this as simply as I can. You are the only one in charge of your health, no one else. Genetics is not an excuse as genes can be activated or deactivated by life style choices. Nor is ignorance an excuse. In this day and age, when information is a click away. So now is your time to educate yourself on yourself. Learn how to take care of yourself and act.
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