Unit 6 Blog- My Practice with Loving-Kindness

Hello Professor and Class,

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?

       Through completing the loving- kindness exercise I felt relaxed and at peace. I felt as if what I was saying was helping me to feel that it perhaps would send good ju-ju out in the world and maybe my positive thoughts would make a difference, or so I hope anyways.  Overall, it made me feel really great and gave me good warm feelings inside. Through the assessment process I was able to really focus in on myself and getting out of my own way. I find that I really struggle with anxiety and I want to free myself of that because it gets in the way of me enjoying my life and makes it hard to laugh and smile the way that I should. So that is what I focused on for this exercise and it helped, but through consistency perhaps it will help the anxiety fade away permanently. I discovered that I need to get out of my own way, allow life to come and go without trying to control it so much, it is just too much mental work and in all actuality, I really have no control as to what will happen, it’s life and I need to let that go and just relax and enjoy life for what it is and let go of control and instead live, laugh and love. The areas that I have chosen to focus on for my growth and development is self regulation. By doing this, I will feel full, emotionally, mentally and physically. I will not eat unneeded calories just to feel emotionally full, I’ll take care of each area of my body by just being calm inside and out. I’ll play more, let go of the things that hold me back such as my anxiety and when it gets to bad I will meditate and LET IT GO!  Through all of this I have really discovered a different side of myself and I like that side of me better, I’m a better mom, I feel calmer, less anxiety, I am healthy on all levels of my being, I do not binge eat and eat in the middle of the night, I sleep all night long and I wake up feeling ready to conquer the day! I love myself and through that I am able to truly love another, I laugh and play and I enjoy it!!! The best thing that I can do to continue to implement this in my life is to be aware of how I am feeling, meditate, positive self talk, stop letting homework and school rule my life because it makes me crabby, love myself and others, remind myself that others love me just the way that I am, practice prayer and yoga to touch the depths of my mind body and soul to really “feel” and not numb out bad feelings like anxiety and loneliness with food, and just live a happy life! Well, not that I have said all that….I am going to HAVE FUN and go spend some time outside with my family instead of cooped up in the house doing homework like I have been for the past 4 years of my life. I never give myself a break and I think I need one now. I hope that you all have a wonderful holiday weekend and remember life is too short to not enjoy it. Live, love and laugh!

Love Meg

Unit 5 The Subtle Mind

Hello Professor and Class! Week 5 has really come fast!

Compare and contrast the Loving Kindness exercise and the Subtle mind exercise. Explain your experience including the benefits, frustrations etc.

I felt that both of the exercises had much of the same concepts, such as mind focus, guiding and letting go to regain a sense of awareness and mental health.

I believe that they were different in the fact that they spoke on different topics, but through practicing both of the exercises I felt very emotional in the beginning and in the end felt so in touch with my mind, body and spirit I felt ALIVE! I did not have any frustrations through either one of the exercises, I only felt the benefits as I mentioned above. Yes, I did cry, and that could be viewed as a frustration, but I view it as a sense of releasing toxins and bad juju and feelings that I have been harboring that were so deep I was unaware as to how to even reach them on a level to release them and through these exercises I was able to let it all go! How amazing is that?

 

Discuss the connection of the spiritual wellness to mental and physical wellness. Explain how the connection is manifested in your personal life.

I personally feel that one aspect of wellness without the other will not satisfy my overall wellness. I feel that spiritual, mental and physical wellness are all equally important and should all be equally attended to in order for one to attain overall holistic wellness as one without the other will through one off balance and balance is what we-or I constantly search for. All aspects, mental, physical and spiritual fit together like a puzzle and the puzzle is not complete without all of the pieces. All of these aspects and elements are manifested in my life through the choices that I make and the life that I choose to live. This connection with all the aspects of human wellness are manifested in my life through the person that I have become from the person that I use to be, through the path and journey that I now follow being holistically health and searching for balance in all areas of my life. I chose to follow my heart and spirit where ever it may take me, allowing myself to be “in tuned” to my needs and being flexible to meet those needs as they may change throughout my days and throughout my life.

-Megan Bohlman

 

 

 

Unit 4 "Getting Started" Exercises and my experience

Describe your experience.

My experience was almost hypnotizing. I think that had to do with the woman’s voice. I felt as peace, my inner self was in full peak and I was able to connect my whole self to its self if that makes sense. I was able to feel my body’s sensations to a very intensely and I felt as though I was at the ocean-“the ONE place in the world where I feel complete.” I experienced my mental movement shifts often and it was disturbing at first due to what I was thinking about. I am not sure why, but I felt as though, when i closed my eyes I felt like I was flying with my mother, that she was holding me in her arms and telling me how proud she was of me for the woman and mother that I have become and that she was so sorry that she had to leave this world so soon. I am sitting here, and with the prompts on the MP3, I can feel her presence. I then began to cry, over whelmed with emotions, but I feel that this is well needed. My mother suffered for too long. Through this exercise, I gave to her my love, compassions, peace and calmness, heart, and my spirit.

 Did you find it beneficial?

Yes, I found this very beneficial. This exercise provided me to explore my inner self to a point that i have NEVER been able to do unless I was at the ocean. I will be using this 1 time a day for as long as I need. I may even have my boyfriend and perhaps my co-workers explore this as well. I feel in a heightened way that words cannot define. This was not difficult for me although it was emotional. I did not expect to connect with my mother in the way that I did. But it was well needed as I am still healing from losing her. I would defiantly recommend this to others and I will as I mentioned before because of the heightened spiritual experience that I had. I feel so much more light hearted and at peace. I feel no anxiety and that makes me cry because this is an aspect that I constantly struggle with. I feel so still and full of heart and compassion.

What is the concept of "mental workout"?

The concept of “mental workout” is to exercise our mind and psycho spiritual life to touch a deeper aspect of one’s self and relate to others.

What does the research indicate are the proven benefits of a mental workout?

According to Dacher, research indicates that the proven benefits of a mental workout are happiness, wholeness and health (Dacher, 2006). Dacher explains that that by practicing the mental workout each day will help one embrace and awaken loving-kindness and have a calm subtle mind (Dacher, 2006).

How can you implement mental workouts to foster your psychological health?

I can implement mental workouts in my everyday life to enhance my psychological health. I believe that by mediating, practicing yoga, doing the Mp3 exercise and journaling I will be able to continue to touch the level of mental health that I need to be able to be the person that I am mean to be without suffering with anxiety and moodiness.

-Megan Bohlman

Dacher,E. (2006). Integral Health: The Path to Human Flourishing.

Unit 3 Optimal Wellness?!?!?!? :)

Hello Class and Professor! I hope that everyone is enjoying this beautiful weather. I finally got out and went for a 6 mile run and I feel so much better and ready to finish the homework I got left.
A.) Physical wellbeing: I rate at a 7 because I am pretty active, although not as much as I was a month ago due to working 40 hours now, but I still walk an run daily. I eat healthy foods and take care of my body. My Goal and how I will implement in my life: To walk 30 minutes a day on my break at work.
B.) Spiritual Wellbeing: I rate this area at a 8. I am a very spiritual person and find that through meditation and yoga along with aroma therapy and prayer I feel whole and complete. With out this element of my life, I feel lost and depressed and my heat feels empty, so I do my best to exercise this element of my life daily although there is always room for improvment :)
My Goal and how I wil implement in my life: To pray to God each morning while drinking my coffee and thanking him for my life and all that I have, asking for continued guidence, unconditonal love and safty for my family and I.
C.) Pyschological Wellbeing: I rate this at a 8 as well. I feel that by exercising all other elements of my life in a healthy manner, my mind is at ease and my psychological wellness benefits. I feel happy and laid back instead of full of anxiety and sad and crabby. I have found that through my spiritual wellness, my psychological wellness justs falls into place and is exactly where it needs to be :) I am content and happy.
My Goal and how I will implement in my life: To take "ME" time each night at 8:00 PM after I put my son to bed to reflect on my day and let go of my anxiety and the things in life that I can not control making an extra effort to give give what I can not handle to God and just let it go like cleaning out my mind each day to start a new.
4.) My thoughts on the exercise: I loved it! I could do this each day. I really enjoy doing these deep meditation exercises as it allows me some given time to not only get homework done but also get to relax while doing homework. I couldn't ask for more. I felt my mind being to quite and my breath become more calm and steady. In the end...I am ready to sleep :)
-Megan Bohlman