In my experience with this week’s exercise was a bit difficult at times. I found it overall beneficial to me. I hope it was beneficial to the person whose dark cloud I took into my heart. I have actually prayed for this person before, even interceded in prayer and I believe it worked. It was a short term fix in the past and he is not very open to the ideas of prayer, let alone an exercise like this one. This, however, will never deter me from praying for him or meditating over him. The part I found most difficult was taking in other people's dark clouds or troubles that I didn't know. I guess that is an area I am going to have to learn to open myself up more on.
I would recommend this exercise to anyone who would take it seriously. So many people, I think, get tickled from the idea of meditating and concentrating. Part of me wonders if it is because they will feel foolish or afraid of what they will see or find.
I have not, since I started yoga, had a hard time feeling positive energy for people that don’t like me or are against me. I used to feel fear or angst or yearn for approval but these days I find myself more at peace. I am not where I want to be just yet but I am on a road that has no end in sight I plan on taking it for however long it is and wherever it may take me. Exercises like this make it a little easier.
A mental workout is just like a physical workout. It is a regimen of mental exercises that allows us to go beyond a regular state of consciousness and realize just what we are capable of in our life. In practicing loving-kindness we are able to go beyond our needs and the focus on ourselves and have concern for the welfare of others. This is a method of paying it forward. In any relationship you get what you give. A second regimen is diminishing our busy thoughts, feelings and mental images. Eventually, with practice, we will be able to quiet our minds and achieve calmness. Research has revealed that we can transform the mind by reducing emotions that cause anger, hatred, confusion, worry, doubt and fear and infuse positive emotions such as peace, openness, happiness and loving-kindness through mental training (Dacher, 2006, p. 63).
We can implement mental workouts to foster our psychological health by making time for ourselves to reflect and meditate. We should all take at least a few minutes a day to be still and quiet our minds, an exercise that will only facilitate a healthy mind.
Hi Jen,
ReplyDeleteSounds great. It looks like you are on the right track. You make an excellent point about recommending the exercise to people who are really willing to do it, otherwise it would have no real benefit for them. Personally, I used to really against meditation exercises, but I have learned they do serve a purpose and are beneficial at certain times and situations. Like many things in life it takes patience and practice to really benefit from using it. Hope you have a great week.
Hi Jen,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that this exercise was difficult. I also had a hard time brining in other peoples suffering and replacing it with positive energy. In my opinion, I think this exercise is more for people interested in connecting with their spiritual side instead of those looking for relaxation techniques.
I hear lots of good things about yoga that helps people get to a better state of mind. It is great that this works for you. I find myself having a hard time staying positive because I worry and stress about everything. I am practicing on leaving negative energy out of my mind and thinking more positive. It is much easier to say than do.
Nellie
Hey Jen,
ReplyDeleteYour blog was very informative. I agree with you that the exercise was a little difficult but I too think that the person I took the dark cloud from will benefit and I hope that the prayers I have done over the years will also help that individual. I think that the exercise is not so much for me as I do benefit from relaxation exercises. The peace and calmness of the mind is hard to reach but I think if you recommend this exercise to someone it should be someone who is mature enough to appreciate the exercise and give it their all.
Hey Jen:
ReplyDeleteI might be getting the hang of this (hopefully). I love to read your blogs. They are so informative. Feeling the positive affects of meditation definitely takes an open mind. Those trying to achieve this without having an open mind will find nothing, and indeed, will feel as though they've wasted their time. I have so much more to learn when it comes to meditation, but am eager to find out all that I can through this wonderful form of self-awareness. Thank you so much for your blog post!
Kim