Hello Professor and Class,
I found the Subtle Mind exercise more relaxing and easier to follow than the loving-kindness exercise because it incorporates focusing on my breathing more; I focus on my breathing on a daily basis because I work out daily. Although I found the Subtle Mind exercise easier to follow and less frustrating, I am not a very patient person so I have difficulty following these exercises to their full extent; it is easy to lose my focus. I like how the Subtle Mind exercise takes into account wondering minds, this helps me to stay on track shift my attention to where it should be.
I think spiritual wellness has an impact on mental wellness because for me, it is a chance to talk to a higher being and not be judged for it. I pray on a regular basis and it calms me down. For example, if I am having a stressful day, I know I can pray and let out all my frustrations then and there. therefore, benefiting my mental state.
-Joncie Winter
Hello Joncie,
ReplyDeleteReading your response on The Subtle Mind had me more relax as well than Loving Kindness, I feel with that one will need more practices to succeed. I found with Subtle Mind was a little more easier to understand, more familiar with relating to the stillness of nature. I found it very interesting how we do relate to underlying things of the mind, like we see the clouds but yet there is a vast picture above it the sky! We see the ocean but the waves how it changes that picture but yet we must stabilize control with this awareness of what exist to really achieve the awareness of subtle mind of life every day.
Purmilour
Hi Joncie,
ReplyDeleteI found the subtle mind exercise easier to follow too. It was definitely more relaxing because of the focus on the breathing, the Loving Kindness I had a hard time to follow because of the voices and it sounded like she was reading it off a paper, which made it so difficult for me to follow it. I share the same idea you have about prayer. I constantly find myself praying when I am stress and or worried, and it helps I was raised by a mother who had a very strong faith and she taught me that trough prayer you can reach inner peace and hope, and she was right.
Claudia B.
Hi Joncie,
ReplyDeleteI too benefited from the subtle mind activated; deep breathing exercises have always calmed me. I here you with being patient while doing these practices, but this may just be the point, to find the time, and the space to practice being contemplative. I like how Dacher refers to the participants of such exercises as “contemplatives”. I imagine a gift that only humans have been granted, the ability to introspect.
Thanks for sharing…
Kevin H.