Subtle Mind

I found the subtle mind exercise a little more difficult to do than the loving-kindness. With the loving-kindness, you actually imagine all the people you love and visualize taking away their suffering. WIth the subtle mind, you are essentially trying to tame all random chaotic thought that happens to wander in. I could not really concentrate enough to achieve any results. I understand the benefits of this exercise, but I think it will take a lot of practice to achieve, and a lot of awareness to make it happen all the time.

Being spiritually well can translate into becoming mentally and physically well, because it is all connected in some way. If we are spiritually healthy, we are very aware of it mentally, and being mentally healthy in turn can create physical health because we are no longer tied down to the negativity of a closed mind and closed spirit. We can let the daily stress and other negativity roll off and away from us rather than letting it in and dwelling on it. I really need to practice this because I let myself become stressed so easily, when it is just as easy to not allow stress to affect me.

Loving-Kindness

This was an interesting exercise. I think I will have to try again because I could not concentrate very well with my kids crawling all over me! I understand the point of it though, and I think it would relax me and make me feel like I have control over my loving-kindness.

The concept of a "mental workout" is just the same as a physical workout at the gym, but instead this is an internal workout of the mind. I would think a mental workout would be beneficial, as long as you can find the time/patience/quiet to do so. I would maybe have to do this in the morning since I wake up so early, and am up way before my kids get up.

Well-being

On a scale from 1 to 10, I give myself a 7 in physical well-being, a 5 in spiritual well-being, and a 7 in psychological well-being. This is because I am not whole in any area, and each could definitely use some improvement. A goal for physical well-being is to exercise. I do not exercise at all! (unless you count chasing kids around!) A goal for spiritual well-being is to go to church more often. I am Catholic, and I used to be an avid church-goer. Now I find myself going to church rarely. A goal for psychological well-being is to relax more to become less stressed. I stress out daily for many reasons, no matter how small. This has got to stop! Activities I could do to reach my physical well-being goal are to exercise at least a few times a week, get more sleep each night, and eat better. To reach my spiritual well-being goal, I will try to go to church as often as I can; at least on Sundays! To achieve my goal of psychological well-being, I will find a way to de-stress, or perhaps try not to stress out in the first place. I can talk myself out of worrying by practicing relaxation techniques, such as meditating or reading (which I already do!)

Journey On

When I first started listening to the relaxation exercise, I was a little bit skeptical. However, I did what the person said to do, and I found that it was working! I was telling my body to draw the blood from my abdomen into my arms and hands, and saying "My arms and hands are warm and heavy". I do not know which did it, but soon my arms and hands were tingling and feeling, well warm and heavy! I think I will incorporate this if I am ever stressed out or need to cool down, and if I have a few moments to myself. It really did relax me, if only for a few minutes!