Loving-Kindness Practice
Personally, I believe this exercise was the most difficult of the ones we've done thus far. You know, we all have battles within ourselves that we need to overcome. We all love ourselves and those around us. However, sometimes I feel like I can do more and love myself on a deeper level. I feel as though this exercise was a little difficult to connect to because I have not fully learned to love all of me but lack some love in certain aspects pertaining to my whole being. Don't get me wrong, I love who I am and what I am becoming. There are just some things I need to get over, some decisions I need not to regret, and lessons I must remember to utilize. "We must love ourselves before expanding our love to others around us." It was also a little difficult in terms of finding that "zone" to enter. I guess I lacked focus. Although, I did find myself here and there entering in and out of peacefulness. When I did, my mind would wander or seem to be left blank. I only felt complete tranquility when the focus of the ocean waves were lingering on. I guess like anything, practice makes perfect and with time the loving-kindness will reveal itself. Hopefully, the experiences will become better as I practice this exercise throughout the next week. I also hope you all had a better first experience/connection. I would recommend this exercise. Any type of contemplative exercise that can work our minds can be a good source of relief, reflection, and/or relaxation, even if it isn't beneficial the first time around.
"Mental Workout"
"The most meaningful aim of contemplative practice is not rest and relaxation but rather the progressive development of an expanded consciousness and its healing capacities."(Dacher) The concept of mental workout includes the development of opening our minds and advancing our wisdom and loving-kindness towards a path of human flourishing. Much like a physical workout, we are doing so but contemplatively and we must follow through for results. The results indicate the proven benefits being new growth, a calmer mind, unity consciousness (wisdom, peace, compassion, happiness & wholeness), and progression. I can implement mental workouts to foster psychological health by becoming in-tune with my own self. By becoming one with my own self, I can then give to others. Even allowing myself 5 minutes for a break a day for reflecting, meditating, or expressing emotions/feelings will build a path towards a better psychological health.
"Love yourself first and everything else falls into place." - Lucille Ball
Hi Felicia,
ReplyDeleteAs I am writing this comment for your post, I have to consciously calm myself down, because this is my second attempt, my first post to you was rudely erased by my computer when I clicked "preview", I got kicked out and was unable to retrieve my comment. I guess its time to visit my happy place, focus my loving kindness on my computer and start anew. :)
I was actually thinking that you and I had similar experiences with the exercise this week, I too had a hard time focusing and only really relaxed when I heard the waves lapping on shore. I am sure that I too will attempt this exercise again throughout the week, only I will try different times and see if that makes a difference with my concentration ability. It struck a cord with me when you said that you hadn't learned to love yourself and everything about yourself just yet, same here, I am a work in progress and it is not always easy, neither do I think it is meant to be. We strive to be better and although I have a hard time following the loving kindness practice right now, I aim to improve upon myself almost like I would at the gym, through daily intent, discipline and progression.
Happy Days!
Dunja :)
Felicia,
ReplyDeleteI want to hug the huggles out of you for posting what you posted. That might not make sense but it's language appropriate. I found this difficult too, because I have yet to have learned how to fully love myself, which I think holds me back from fully loving people sometimes. It's not that I don't love my kids, my family, but sometimes i feel like there's something missing. Not that I'd ever wish bad on them or that it wouldn't kill me if they were in pain. I just feel like something in me is missing, and I often wonder if that's because I haven't achieved this full love of myself. It made the exercise difficult to me. I felt like this is something that could be done at an advanced stage of learning to love yourself. What do you think?
-Seven
Hi Felecia,
ReplyDeleteI found it more to be a medetative exercise as it put me right in that state and I was just gone for about an hour or so. It did come in time because I had been so bogged down with homework the realization that I had been working constantly four 9 hours had not hit until after I had awaken the meditation, feeling refeshed and clear of thought. It takes practice and time, keep trying. Good luck
I am so happy that a mental work-out can actually change or reshape out thought pattern for a calmer more peaceful mind. What I have learned during my life is loving-kindness don't always attract loving-kindness. Most of the time it does but many people don't like others without a reason, I take that back. There is always a reason but maybe it is a personal insecurity they have. Meditation has moved me closer to psychological health. Great Post :<)
ReplyDeleteHello Felicia,
ReplyDeleteI also felt the same way as you did about this exercise. It was quite difficult for me to get in the zone and in a relaxed state to accomplish the task that the narrator was giving. I felt distracted and unfocused. Hopefully, our next meditating assignment will be alot easier and helpful.