Unit 4 Blog
1. I found the loving-kindness exercise to be more difficult than the previous ones that we have done. I read chapter six before I did the exercise, and even while reading I knew that adopting such a deeply rooted philosophy such as loving-kindness right off the bat would be difficult. While I think that adopting a philosophy such as loving kindness could greatly enhance a person’s life, I think that perhaps it will take much practice in order to truly feel the benefits that such a thing could bring. Even as the lady in the audio told me to breathe in another’s suffering and then breathe out health and happiness, I could not seem to truly focus on what she was saying. I did become relaxed by the pure breathing aspect of the exercise, but other than that, I did not feel much different at the end than I did when I started. Again, I feel that this is more of an advanced exercise that would best suit someone who has been practicing relaxation exercises for a long period. The
concept behind the mental workout is that just as an athlete must practice daily in order to attain ultimate physical fitness, the same goes for a person trying to gain better psychological fitness as well (Dacher, 2006). Routine “practice” must occur with mental relaxation exercises in order for a person to progress and move onto a more integral sense of health. Research shows that by doing regular mental exercises, a person will ultimately be able to attain a deeper level of consciousness than he or she had before (Dacher, 2006). A good way to incorporate mental workouts into one’s life is to schedule them just like regular appointments or daily activities. Just as a person would schedule “dentist appointment at 3pm”, a person should also schedule mental workouts throughout the day as well. Dacher (2006) says that a person should also have a comfortable spot that is specifically for mental workouts and that the best time to use that spot is early in the morning when one’s mind has not yet been overrun by the day’s activities. By using these methods, a person finds ample opportunity to take a little time each day to focus the mind and be able to reach that deeper level of consciousness.
Aimee Fairbanks
Hi Aimee,
ReplyDeleteI hope these exercises get better for you, I really enjoyed participating in it, it was easy for me to relax and let go and that allowed for better concentration. You should consider trying this right before you go to bed, the reason why is because during the day we have a lot more on our minds and that makes it harder to stay focus when you are thinking about other things that need to be done. I suggest that you do this at the very end of the day or early in the morning, after or before you have completed everything else on your agenda.
Hi Aimee - I'm with you on this one! I am finding this exercise to be far more difficult than other ones. I really need to be able to visualize what I am trying to do and am having a hard time doing that. Some exercises in the past have drawn me in and I was able to quiet my mind long enough to get some benefit. With this one I can't seem to focus on the words long enough to get there. Having tried it a few times though I am slowing developing the mental images I need to stay focused during the exercise. I'm there maybe 25% of the time now and that is real progress! The rest of the time I'm thinking about what to write about it, what to wear to work tomorrow, did I remember to take something out of the freezer for dinner.... The text did say it would take persistent effort. I'm gonna need to be REAL persistent!! I hope I'll be able to do that but I wouldn't want to put any money on it! If you make any real progress or have some breakthrough that helps you with this exercise - PLEASE share it! Good luck!
ReplyDeleteThanks Jacqueline! I will try doing it before bed! Great idea!
ReplyDeleteHi Aimee,
ReplyDeleteI too had problems getting the ropes on this exercise. As I stated in my post, I have been taught to do a breathing technique like this one, but it was completey opposite: breathe in the good and breathe out the bad. So this particulare exercise felt odd at best. The deep breathing itself was nice, but the in with the bad and out with the good was difficult for me.
I am glad to see that regardless of the difficulty with the exercises you are still hanging in there and are trying to complete them and gain something from them. Best wishes!
-Jen R.
Hi Aimee,
ReplyDeleteI haven't tried it yet - saved it for the last night as I do not look forward to these exercises as att. It sounds like I am in for a tough one.
As Jen. R. commented, I am used to breathing in good and breathing out the bad, so this one seems as if it will be tough. At least I'm not the only one. :-)
Sarah
It seems some of us are having the same difficulties with Unit 4's exercise! I found it to be somewhat "advanced" as some of you already mentioned! Although I can see the benefits of this type of exercise, it appears I would have been more positively affected by it had I been more of a veteran than a novice!
ReplyDeleteHi Amiee,
ReplyDeleteLike you, I had a hard time with the Loving-Kindness practice. I found this practice to be a bit out of my league. Maybe I will be more suited for this practice by the end of the class, but for right now, I found it to be over my head.
Aaron
Aimee, First thing, hot damn that Urban Myers continues to coach for the Gators. I can understand how difficult it was to submit and comply with the Lovng-Kindness exercises. I found that using my Hawaiian music for several years to calm my "nerves" during bad days with my patients and utilizing hypnosis to get me over the fear of flying as a student pilot, it was easier to complete and allow my mind to be calmer. I also found like you, I had to schedule a time, 5AM, to be able to have enough time and less distractions, to participate. Sometimes, my rush to start my day, made the exercise unproductive at times.
ReplyDeleteRespectfully, Steve Tardy