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.