!!SPLAT!! My Mind: On Paper & Exposed (Unit 6)

LOVING-KINDNESS: 

I can breathe in suffering and breathe out health and happiness for a loved one.  When I try to do it for myself, however, it feels uncomfortable.  But again, I can do it.  When the voice in the exercise asked me to do it for people I consider my enemies, I almost shut down completely.  Wow, that is hard...apparently impossible for me right now.  I feel like it will weigh me down and strengthen them.  Does anyone know how I can handle this in a healthy way?  These are not just people that I have disagreed with or something like that.  When I think “enemy”, some people who have done some pretty horrible things rush to my mind.  How do I deal with this?

PERSONAL ASSESSMENT:

I have completely my personal assessment.  It includes all four areas of development as well as the rings of body, mind and spirit and the lines of areas to develop within each of the four areas. 

Completing an assessment such as this one is quite a strange and foreign sensation.  How can it be that looking this deeply and critically into oneself is not only strange, but also unsettling?  With this exercise, I have learned what areas of my development I am comfortable with and what areas are unnerving.  I am thankful for the comfortable areas, not because they are rather developed, but because they just feel good, they feel healthy.  The other areas that make me feel uncomfortable, I will take as a sign of a need for improvement. 

The areas I want to improve are the psychospiritual and the interpersonal.  In the psychospiritual, I feel I could improve on all areas in my everyday life.  For example, I should assess my relationships.  Some of them cause me great stress.  I could find ways to either make them healthy or eliminate them from my life.  There are a few people I need to have serious talks with.  I also need to be strong and make the judgments I need to without being dependent on the other persons reactions.  Interpersonally, my family is a major concern.  I feel the need to help them with some issues and be more involved but it feels like closed doors all around.  I need to do some out-of-the-box thinking and soul searching to find a way to move it all in a positive direction.

I have mapped out my thoughts on a poster board and uploaded a picture of it below.  I thought it looked pretty whacky to see myself exposed in all honesty on paper like this.  But, it was kind of cool too, so I wanted to share it…

Thanks for reading!
Stephanie Peterson

Mind over Matter

This Subtle Mind of Mine

Comparing and contrasting the Loving Kindness exercise and the Subtle mind exercise...explain the experience, the benefits, frustrations?

“Its like tying your mind to an anchor in the ground” Says the voice. This exercise is slow and relaxing, but it has more to offer.  It gives some great visual and mental aids to teach the act of letting go of those racing thoughts (something I personally struggle with).  “You are now witnessing the mental activity and spending less time absorbed in it.”  I am focused on the thoughts themselves.  Not what I am thinking about, but what they are made of, what they make me feel and where the mind travels and how it moves from thought to thought. “Where does the mental activity go?”

The Loving-Kindness exercise was about sending thoughts and feelings in a certain direction.  I sent them inward, to myself.  I sent them out, to others.  Here, I am not sending thoughts anywhere.  With the subtle mind, I am merely an observer.  I acknowledge the thoughts.  I witness them rise and fall and they do not affect me.  It is a very different concept than that of sending thoughts and feelings to other places.  It is more passive, freer and gives a light sense of presence with no responsibility. 

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

When we think about health, we generally tend to think about the physical aspect of it.  We acknowledge our mental and spiritual parts, but we rarely give them the credit they deserve.  And they deserve quite a bit, by the way.  As a matter of fact, they are a critical part of our health.  If we are truly healthy (not just looking good on the beach but feeling great about ourselves in our mind and soul) than we must also have health in our minds and spirits.  Similarly, if we are lacking health in any one of these three aspects- physical, mental, spiritual- than we cannot be healthy in the other two.  To truly be healthy, we must be healthy on all three levels.  Thankfully, these levels happen to be much more connected than we seem to realize.
 Did you know that by merely thinking about loving-kindness instead of anger has instant benefits?  Did you know that it would slow your pulse, lower your skin temperature and shift your immune system?  We are talking about a thought!  Just a thought in the mind can systemically alter the body in its entirety.  What happens is that the brain produces hormones that travel throughout the body searching for receptor cells.  They attach and fit into the receptor cells, which activate them much like a key in a lock.  This causes a physical change.  The cells are altered, which is a physical change to the physical body- a change that started with a non-physical thought.  In simple terms: thoughts and emotions cause the brain to create hormones that change and affect every part of the physical body.  Being healthy spiritually will create positive thoughts and energy for love and compassion.  In turn, the mind will produce healthy hormones and the physical body will be ready to workout in the gym, to go for a run, to endure a long and stressful day, to encourage someone, to show love or to be a stellar example of health, all because the spirit inside was capable first.  That is how the spirit is connected to the mind and the mind to the physical body.  In reality, they are all one.

The Mind Gym (Unit 4)

The concept of working out to achieve a higher level of performance is not a new concept at all.  People do it all over the world.  They have been doing it for thousands of years with continue to do it.  I have recently gotten back into running.  Last week I was at 3 miles in 29 minutes.  This week was a little faster, I had a little more breath and a little less cramps!  I have no doubt that I will continue to get better every week as long as I train everyday and set myself up for success.  Why then, do we not automatically apply this concept to our non-physical beings?

The concept of a mental workout is not a new on either.  If the mind is used, focused, channeled, into certain types of thinking, it becomes a habit.  We condition the mind to think as such and our behaviors mirror our thoughts.  Therefore, if we change our thoughts, we change our actions and behaviors.  This concept is lived by in much of the Western World.  In the East however, we are just starting to question our ways and apply this concept in an attempt to obtain the balance we have lost.

The research behind mental workouts is astonishing.  It has been shown that our thoughts and emotions are directly and scientifically related to our level of functioning, our ability to cope with everyday stressors and the mind's ability to organize its self and it's thoughts.  Scientifically, the gamma-waves in the brain have been monitored during positive thoughts of loving-kindness, compassion and acceptance and they have been found to organize themselves into synchronization during these thoughts at a higher rate than they do when the subject contemplates fear, hate or anxiety.

The findings are such that we must conclude that good and positive thoughts, practiced on a regular basis, will lead us to a higher level of understanding and peace for the world and the people around us.  To start today, we merely have to stop and think!  Relax and think about positive things, peace, love kindness, joy and when we are ready, we send those thoughts to specific places.  We can send them inside, to ourselves.  We can send them to family and friends and to people we have never met.  Ultimately, we can send them to our enemies and in doing so we share love, hope and peace. 

We improve ourselves as human beings while simultaneously and scientifically improving the world.  And all of this is free, available anytime, no prescriptions necessary.  If you were born a human being, you have this unique and precious opportunity to intentionally use the power of the mind.  The possibilities are endless. 

Loving-kindness (Unit 4)

Wild Flowers in the Andes Mountains, Ecuador 2012

       To be at peace with our world and ourselves we can practice “working out” our minds using focused thoughts and designated times for our mental workouts.  Just like any behavior, we become conditioned with practice.  Our minds also feel the effects of trained behavior, be it positive or negative.  Let’s focus on the power of positive training.  The first step is to learn to practice loving-kindness.
       Loving-kindness is where we turn our attention inwards, we think and feel our environment and learn to love ourselves in a selfless way.  After learning to love ourselves, we can truly share that love with others.  Taking time everyday to promote these thoughts of loving-kindness to those around us is a great start to a higher state of consciousness.

       I have had experiences with this myself this week.  One of my patients in the Psychiatric Hospital I work in has been sharing her haunting past with me.  Story by story, I begin to understand the faded look in her eye as I realize that her happiness, hope and life itself have been robbed from her since she was a young child; it has left her with the restless and disturbed mind that she battles today.

       I have been taking parts of my days to focus on her and send her my good thoughts, positive energy, loving-kindness, confidence, health and joy.  I do not know how it is affecting her.  She knows it is happening and I can see that she feels special just to have someone remember her.  It is affecting me.  I feel less disturbed and tired when I talk to her.  I am learning how to listen but not carry the weight around with me.  And, I am beginning to make a habit out of sending her my positive thoughts.
   I would recommend this to others.  I do not know how it is affecting the woman mentally.  She is happy that I am making time for her everyday.  For myself, personally, it is very worth it because of the sense of calm and clarity that it has brought to my life.
 

   

Rainbow Meditation (Unit 3)

Rainbow Meditation is what I have chosen to call this exercise.  You can click here to be led through the exercise.  Find a comfortable place, relax, get loose and remember to breathe....

When I did this exercise, I felt very relaxed, like I belonged right where I was.  The exercise starts with red in the base of the spine, orange below the belly button, yellow in the upper abdomen, green over the chest, teal blue in the neck area, deep blue from the head and dark purple from the crown of the head.  All of theses colors are related in the mind to certain traits.

My favorite color is green, which was connected to emotions.  I was really interested in this because I am very guided by my emotions.  Red is my least favorite color.  It stands for being grounded, which I am not...I could not even think of a red object when the voice asked me too!

Overall, the exercise was very nice.  I have been noticing lately how much colors affect what I feel.  This was a great exercise to promote a sense of conectedness and practice the skill of relaxation related to mental images using colors.  Try it out!

Steph

Layers of Existence (Unit 3)

Total wellness depends heavily on the individual’s ability to check themselves on different levels, to be honest with one’s self and to create goals for continued forward evolution.  I have taken a personal inventory of my health on three levels: physical, spiritual and psychological.  I have rated them on a scale of 1-10 with 10 being perfection.  I have also explained why I have chosen each rating and added goals for each level with an action or activity idea to help me reach those goals.

Physical well-being: 7/10

I could use more physical activity…always!  But, I find myself getting board with the gym and the same old, same old.  I would give my state of physical wellbeing a 7/10 at this time.  I need to make more time for physical activity and get enough sleep so it will not be so hard to get the ball rolling.  I know I am just bored and therefore unmotivated and that is why I am not feeling great about myself physically.  There is a rock gym in my city that I have not tried yet.  I used to be really into rock climbing.  I think I will try that this week.  It may be just the cure I need from the routine.  (I have never done well with routines.)  I have also recently met some horse people in my area!  I grew up with horses so it is something I am really excited to have back in my life.  I now have horses to ride, which is great physical exercise as well as being great for the mind and spirit.

Physical Goal: to be confident with my body, energized, hydrated and strong.

Action: to go either horseback riding or rock climbing this week, or both!

Spiritual well-being: 6/10

         I have been feeling better spiritually over the last few weeks.  I think it is because of a combination of things- not eating meat, praying more than usual because of some new events, taking a little time to think and reflect thanks to this course (Creating Wellness) and really trying to just be more aware of my spirituality.  A few weeks ago I would have rated my spirituality a 3/10.  Now, I would rate it a 6/10 with a strong will and intent to continue improving!

Spiritual Goal: to continue to feel more in touch with my spirituality and be and think positive.

Action: Continue to pray, be conscious of myself, take another yoga class this week and meditate for 15 minutes everyday just to refocus on life.

Psychological well-being: 7.5/10

          Hmmm, this one is interesting.  I feel like it changes day to day, hour to hour and minute by minute so it will be hard to rate on a scale of 1-10.  I would give it a flexible 7.5/10.  This rating is because I almost always I feel on top of my game, confident and comfortable.  However, I still get the occasional panic attack and I am still learning how to best handle them, naturally.  Although they are occasional, they greatly affect my rating as I feel they weight heavily on my health. 

Psychological Goal: to stabilize my psychological state as much as possible and remember that it is affected by so many things (such as other people in my life and how much I have slept) so that I can weigh the changes accordingly.

Action: Finish watching “What the Bleep do we Know?!” because it helps calm my mind by seeing how complicated we are and how I am not meant to understand it all.  Also, I want to be there more for my family, friends, patients and coworkers to be able to be strong and supportive and a source of positive energy in their lives.

Have you ever done this kind of self-check?  If yes, how did it work?  If no, why not?  Would you like to try?  What are your thoughts when reading this?  Do you feel "health" is focused evenly on all the aspects of health?  Why?

Peace~

Reflection (Unit 2)

I have been feeling too stressed lately and looking for a healthy way to handle it.  I have been eating better and trying to get enough sleep, which is helping, but sometimes it seems like it is not enough.  I listened to the exercise called "Journey On" where a calm voice walks the listener through a series of thoughts about moving blood from the abdominal area to the extremities, specifically the hands, to promote muscle saturation and flexibility.  The voice leads the listener through the process in a calm, serene voice as the thoughts lead the blood into the hands and eventually, back into the abdominal cavity.

My personal experience was that I could feel my hands get heavier and heavier.  There was an overwhelming sense of weight and heat in my forearms and hands.  When I lifted my hands, they literally felt heavier.  (It was recommended to remove a watch but I never wear a watch; I find them stressful.)  With every deep breath and focused thought I could feel the changing in the diameter of the blood vessels channeling blood to where my mind was asking for it to go.

I tend to hold stress in the muscles of my forearms.  They get tight when I am not at peace.  This exercise was great because it focused on sending blood to that area and it really had a relaxing effect on my whole body and mind.  After focused thinking and breathing for about 20 minutes, I felt calmer, more focused and ready for the task at hand.

I know that meditation is beneficial to me- I have no doubt.  Yet, I still have issues convincing myself that the time spent meditating is "worth it", especially when I am already rushed and stressed for time!  What a vicious circle that can be!  Making myself stop for 20 minutes per day to reflect, meditate, think, focus, breathe or whatever I choose to call it, is something I am going to strive to make a conscious effort to do.  I believe the benefits are limitless and I am the only one in control of the simple decision to improve my wellness through a little old fashioned relaxation~

Welcome (Unit 2)

"Letting Go" 2012

I am pleased to welcome any and everyone to this space.  All comments are welcome, knowing that we are all individuals and no two minds are alike.  Our uniqueness makes the world a beautiful place and all thoughts and opinions will be respected here.  Thank you for reading, thank you for sharing, and thank you for being here..

From the Inside Out

I stopped eating meat a few weeks ago.  I have felt better since that following morning.

                                                                                           Breathing Well!

 It was not for any religious reasons or even personal convictions.  Nope, just because I was feeling weighed down, slow, tired and foggy.  I also am trying to drink more water, get my heart rate up, do more yoga, catch some sunshine and get a healthy amount of my lovely, cherished sleep (guilt free).  But all that has been an on going thing for years.  I felt like I needed more so I have decided to try to change it up by not eating meat- just see how it goes....  I can hardly believe the difference I have experienced!
  
Everything has been affected: my concentration has improved, anxiety lowered, digestive system improved, I even feel happier (especially my stomach) and I know I am getting better nutrition!  I try to not just not eat meat.  I am trying to replace it with real vegetables and fruit- yeah, I'm eating a lot of broccoli these days.  But, I'm posting this just because I feel compelled to share how such a simple thing has affected my health in such a fast, drastic and big way!  I felt better, wholly better, totally better, in less than 24 hours.  Try it!   

~If true health comes from the inside out, then it is imperative that we breathe well, drink water, sleep in peace and feed the body what it needs to run like the complex and beautiful machine that it is.~

Steph