Sunday, September 22, 2013
The Subtle Mind
This week's exercise, "The Subtle Mind" was a very interesting experience. I struggled to form a solid connection to last week's "Loving-Kindness" exercise, so I was a little apprehensive starting this one. I think one of the biggest differences from last week's exercise for me was my ability to focus this week and rid myself of distractions. I was able to find a quiet place and focus, unlike last week where there was too much noise and things going on around me for me to really concentrate.
Anytime I feel overwhelmed or stressed, I walk away and take deep breaths. I focus on my breathing and it instantly calms me. I think my prior use of breathing techniques really helped me form a connection to "The Subtle Mind" and benefit from it. I felt very relaxed during this exercise and after. My mind felt clear, fresh, and calm.
I think there is a big connection between some one's mental, spiritual, and physical wellbeing. Depending on some one's religious or spiritual backgrounds, prayer and spiritual traditions can be very powerful and helpful for healing. For those who believe in a higher power, prayer can be a very calming and an emotional experience. It can provide people with hope, faith, and belief, especially when things are looking grim. I also believe that having a positive attitude and outlook on healing keeps a person mentally healthy as well as providing physical benefits. Positivity can reduce stress, and the less stress, the better for your physical health. In my personal life, I use prayer whenever I need a little "pick me up" or feeling low. It really helps keep me calm and rational, which influences my mental wellbeing. The less stressed I feel, the better I feel physically.
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Allison,
ReplyDeleteI know when I am stressed or anxious, my stomach stays upset. I also found more success with the subtle mind exercise than I did last week with loving-kindness. I waited until all of my kids were in school (even the youngest had pre-school), and I tried it then. It is so much easier to focus when they are not around because I do not think that they can let me be for that long!
I felt that the subtle mind exercise would be helpful. We are waiting to hear if my husband is going to change jobs, and he found out this morning that he is able to apply, so once he applies, it will just be a waiting game. We are military so I should be a pro at waiting, but it never gets easier. So, the subtle mind exercise helped me to focus on breathing rather than the stress of the unknown. There is nothing I can do about it anyways, so there's no sense in getting upset about it. It was nice learning to distract myself by focusing on breathing. I was definitely able to feel the benefits this week!
Thanks,
Amy
Hi Allison,
ReplyDeleteJust like you I was finally able to find some quiet time to accomplish this exercise and really be able to focus on it. I think it also had something to do with the fact that I spent quite a bit of time in our hammock yesterday enjoying the crisp fall air and warmth of the sun. Which actually allowed me to wake up very calm and at peace this morning. I also love prayer and spend a little time each morning reading my bible and saying a prayer, but I also stop through out the day as needed to say quick prayers.
I'm so enjoying this class and hope that I can continue to use some of these exercises throughout the week.
Cindy