1. Review your unit 3 personal assessment of your psychological, physical, and spiritual well-being. Reflect on these areas . How did you score yourself on a scale from 1 to 10 in unit 3? How do you score yourself now? Has the score changed? Why or why not?
The one score that was significantly different in the second assessment was spiritual well-being. Initially I scored myself higher in this area than I did the second time. At the beginning of this course I really didn’t understand the potential and the importance of this aspect of health. I felt I had been doing fairly well but after taking this course I can now see there is a lot of room for progress.
2./3. Review the goals and activities you set for yourself in each area. Have you made progress toward the goals? Explain.
I have made progress in all three areas:
Physical – I have been more consistent in my workouts and have been looking for a yoga or tai chi class to further the mind-body connection through exercise.
Psychological – I have been spending time outdoors everyday because I know that a connection to nature feeds my psychological well-being.
Spiritual – I have been engaging in prayer and meditation on a regular basis. I have connected with a small group of people who live in my area through an on-line community. They meet regular to discuss topics related to spirituality and spiritual growth. I am planning to attend their next meeting later this month.
4. Summarize your personal experience throughout this course. Have you developed improved well-being? What has been rewarding? What has been difficult? How will this experience improve your ability to assist others?
I would summarize my personal experience by saying that my eyes have been opened to how essential spiritual and psychological well-being are to integral health. I now view physical health as only one aspect rather than the entire measure of it. My own spiritual progress has been rewarding and I feel that I have just begun to grow in this area. I have gained a greater awareness of my mental states and have learned how to reduce stress more quickly. I am excited to see where my quest for spiritual progress takes me. Some of the meditation exercises were difficult. I think I will use what has worked well,leave the rest and continue to look for ideas that will help me in this area. It will be much easier for me to talk about the benefits of spiritual develop as it relates to over all health when I am working with clients. I am hoping that my own practices will give me more insight when working with others.
To be honest, although I thought this course sounded interesting, I wasn’t really sure about it and if I was going to get anything out of it that would really be useful. Now at the end I can say that this course really changed my concept of health and wellness. I have enjoyed this blog and getting to read about others’ experiences. I learned as much from my classmates as from the course material. Thanks you all!!
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Monday, February 8, 2010
Unit 9
I Introduction:
“To become the agents of a more expansive health; we must begin with our own lives” (Dacher, pg 167). I believe that a health and wellness practitioner needs to be involved in his or her own integral transformative process if they are to be of maximum benefit to those they serve. They must be involved in their own work because it is of primary importance in their own life. They should be motivated by their own desire for progress toward integral health and helping others along the same path should be part of their own progress.
All aspects of health must be addressed. We need to strive for progress psychologically, spiritually and physically if we want to achieve the most we can. If we focus on one aspect and exclude others, we cannot expect integral health or even the best possible health in the area we are focusing. All aspects are connected and work in unison with each other.
I need to work to develop all areas in my own life. My weakest area is spiritual development and in order to achieve the goals I have set for myself, I need to make an extra effort to begin regular practice of the exercises that promote spiritual growth.
II Assessment:
In assessing my own health in each domain, I found Ken Wilber’s Lines of Development to be very useful (Dacher, pg. 112). Using a chart similar to his, I was able to score myself in several aspects of each area of health and find my weak areas. For example, under physical health I looked at fitness, nutrition and self-regulation. Under psychological health I looked at emotional functioning, interpersonal relationships and stress management. Under Spiritual I examined conative functioning, cognitive development and awareness.
Early in this course we were asked to score ourselves in each area. As the course progressed and I learned more about the potential of each aspect I began to reconsider my initial assessment. My assessment today is a more accurate description of where I see myself.
Physically (7) – I am aware of the components of good physical health and make an effort to achieve this type of health through self-care, self-regulation, nutrition and fitness. I also seek assistance from professionals when needed. I still struggle to be consistent in the areas of nutrition and fitness but I stay on track about 75 percent of the time. I have some old injuries that now affect my physical abilities but I strive for progress in spite of them.
Psychologically (8) – I feel I have reached a level of emotional maturity or emotional intelligence that serves me well in my life. I am able to manage my emotions, deal with stress in a healthy manner, be self-motivated, recognize with empathy emotions in others and handle relationships well (Goleman, 1995).
Spiritually (4) – In the last few weeks I have been working to increase my conscious contact with a higher power through prayer and meditation. I am learning how to be more present for my life and more available to those around me. I struggle to make spiritual practices a regular part of my life though. I hope to learn to access and make use of the inner resources for health and healing that I have become aware of through this course.
III Goal development:
Physical – I have set a goal to try two new types of exercise that are considered mind-body exercises and to make physical activity a consistent part of my life.
Psychological – My goal is to spend more time doing the things that bring me joy. This is usually an outdoor activity, which can be challenging in Alaska in the winter. Connecting to nature is something that has always been a vital to my sense of well-being, yet I don’t always do it consistently this time of year.
Spiritual – My goal in this area make spiritual exercises a habit and a regular part of my everyday life. I want to begin accessing the inner part of myself that contributes to health and healing. I also have a goal of introducing these practices to my children.
IV Practices for personal health:
Physical – I have located a good yoga class, but haven’t actually made it there yet. I am looking for a tai chi instructor as well. If I don’t find these classes appeal to me I will continue to try other new physical activities. I am also scheduling my regular workouts at the beginning of each week to make sure I have time in my schedule for them. Leaving it up to chance just means I miss too many workouts.
Psychological – Connecting to nature is something that has always been a vital to my sense of well-being, yet I don’t always do it often enough. Specifically, I am committing to spending some time outdoors every day, even if it just throwing the ball for the dogs in our yard. Walking from buildings to my vehicle and back does not count. There is a nature trail down to a lake that is about a thirty minute walk from my office and I will start by trying to walk it on my lunch hour.
Spiritual –I am starting with a brief prayer asking for guidance in the morning and a prayer expressing gratitude for the day at bedtime. I want to make meditation, if it is just a few minutes trying to clear my mind of mental chatter, a part of each day.
V Commitment:
The best way for me to assess my progress is to keep a journal and to record my activities. A simple check off list will keep me on track and help me remember to do those things I say are important to me. The journal will help me see my progress over time. It will also help me identify the source of problems or setbacks when they occur so that I can avoid them the next time around.
Writing my goals and my commitment to them on paper seems to help me stay motivated and on track. It also helps to identify the specific reasons that the goals are important to me. For example, with physical exercise I want to be a role model to my daughters
References:
Dacher, E. (2006). Integral Health: The Pathway to Human Flourishing. Laguna Beach, CA. Basic Health Publications, Inc.
Goleman, D. (1995). Emotional Intelligence. New York, NY. Bantam Dell.
“To become the agents of a more expansive health; we must begin with our own lives” (Dacher, pg 167). I believe that a health and wellness practitioner needs to be involved in his or her own integral transformative process if they are to be of maximum benefit to those they serve. They must be involved in their own work because it is of primary importance in their own life. They should be motivated by their own desire for progress toward integral health and helping others along the same path should be part of their own progress.
All aspects of health must be addressed. We need to strive for progress psychologically, spiritually and physically if we want to achieve the most we can. If we focus on one aspect and exclude others, we cannot expect integral health or even the best possible health in the area we are focusing. All aspects are connected and work in unison with each other.
I need to work to develop all areas in my own life. My weakest area is spiritual development and in order to achieve the goals I have set for myself, I need to make an extra effort to begin regular practice of the exercises that promote spiritual growth.
II Assessment:
In assessing my own health in each domain, I found Ken Wilber’s Lines of Development to be very useful (Dacher, pg. 112). Using a chart similar to his, I was able to score myself in several aspects of each area of health and find my weak areas. For example, under physical health I looked at fitness, nutrition and self-regulation. Under psychological health I looked at emotional functioning, interpersonal relationships and stress management. Under Spiritual I examined conative functioning, cognitive development and awareness.
Early in this course we were asked to score ourselves in each area. As the course progressed and I learned more about the potential of each aspect I began to reconsider my initial assessment. My assessment today is a more accurate description of where I see myself.
Physically (7) – I am aware of the components of good physical health and make an effort to achieve this type of health through self-care, self-regulation, nutrition and fitness. I also seek assistance from professionals when needed. I still struggle to be consistent in the areas of nutrition and fitness but I stay on track about 75 percent of the time. I have some old injuries that now affect my physical abilities but I strive for progress in spite of them.
Psychologically (8) – I feel I have reached a level of emotional maturity or emotional intelligence that serves me well in my life. I am able to manage my emotions, deal with stress in a healthy manner, be self-motivated, recognize with empathy emotions in others and handle relationships well (Goleman, 1995).
Spiritually (4) – In the last few weeks I have been working to increase my conscious contact with a higher power through prayer and meditation. I am learning how to be more present for my life and more available to those around me. I struggle to make spiritual practices a regular part of my life though. I hope to learn to access and make use of the inner resources for health and healing that I have become aware of through this course.
III Goal development:
Physical – I have set a goal to try two new types of exercise that are considered mind-body exercises and to make physical activity a consistent part of my life.
Psychological – My goal is to spend more time doing the things that bring me joy. This is usually an outdoor activity, which can be challenging in Alaska in the winter. Connecting to nature is something that has always been a vital to my sense of well-being, yet I don’t always do it consistently this time of year.
Spiritual – My goal in this area make spiritual exercises a habit and a regular part of my everyday life. I want to begin accessing the inner part of myself that contributes to health and healing. I also have a goal of introducing these practices to my children.
IV Practices for personal health:
Physical – I have located a good yoga class, but haven’t actually made it there yet. I am looking for a tai chi instructor as well. If I don’t find these classes appeal to me I will continue to try other new physical activities. I am also scheduling my regular workouts at the beginning of each week to make sure I have time in my schedule for them. Leaving it up to chance just means I miss too many workouts.
Psychological – Connecting to nature is something that has always been a vital to my sense of well-being, yet I don’t always do it often enough. Specifically, I am committing to spending some time outdoors every day, even if it just throwing the ball for the dogs in our yard. Walking from buildings to my vehicle and back does not count. There is a nature trail down to a lake that is about a thirty minute walk from my office and I will start by trying to walk it on my lunch hour.
Spiritual –I am starting with a brief prayer asking for guidance in the morning and a prayer expressing gratitude for the day at bedtime. I want to make meditation, if it is just a few minutes trying to clear my mind of mental chatter, a part of each day.
V Commitment:
The best way for me to assess my progress is to keep a journal and to record my activities. A simple check off list will keep me on track and help me remember to do those things I say are important to me. The journal will help me see my progress over time. It will also help me identify the source of problems or setbacks when they occur so that I can avoid them the next time around.
Writing my goals and my commitment to them on paper seems to help me stay motivated and on track. It also helps to identify the specific reasons that the goals are important to me. For example, with physical exercise I want to be a role model to my daughters
References:
Dacher, E. (2006). Integral Health: The Pathway to Human Flourishing. Laguna Beach, CA. Basic Health Publications, Inc.
Goleman, D. (1995). Emotional Intelligence. New York, NY. Bantam Dell.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Unit 8
1. Review the exercises and practice sessions you have completed in this course. (Loving Kindness, Subtle mind, Visualization, meditation etc.) Choose two practices that you have determined to be most beneficial.
The two practices that I found most beneficial (read: easiest) were the Subtle Mind exercise and the last one from Unit 7 - visualization. Even though my CD didn't work for the Subtle Mind exercise, I read it in Dacher's book and have been able to use it. The last exercise was especially helpful to me.
How can you implement these practices in your personal life to foster mental fitness? Provide specific examples.
I can use both of these in my life to help foster mental fitness by making time to actually do the exercises on a regular basis. For example, when I first come home from work and the house is still quiet, I take a few minutes to do the visualization exercise. I use it as a way of reviewing my day, letting go of tension, dealing with any unresolved issues that are troubling and as way of preparing myself for the evening with my family.
I also received a new relaxation CD from my workplace wellness program that I have started using. It is just soothing music and I can use for meditation or relaxation.
I have enjoyed reading everyone's experiences through the use of a blog during this course. I wish you all luck as you continue to develop a deeper spiritual life - live long and prosper!
The two practices that I found most beneficial (read: easiest) were the Subtle Mind exercise and the last one from Unit 7 - visualization. Even though my CD didn't work for the Subtle Mind exercise, I read it in Dacher's book and have been able to use it. The last exercise was especially helpful to me.
How can you implement these practices in your personal life to foster mental fitness? Provide specific examples.
I can use both of these in my life to help foster mental fitness by making time to actually do the exercises on a regular basis. For example, when I first come home from work and the house is still quiet, I take a few minutes to do the visualization exercise. I use it as a way of reviewing my day, letting go of tension, dealing with any unresolved issues that are troubling and as way of preparing myself for the evening with my family.
I also received a new relaxation CD from my workplace wellness program that I have started using. It is just soothing music and I can use for meditation or relaxation.
I have enjoyed reading everyone's experiences through the use of a blog during this course. I wish you all luck as you continue to develop a deeper spiritual life - live long and prosper!
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Unit 7: Meeting Asciepius
I loved this exercise. It is without a doubt my favorite from this course. Over the years I have borrowed from here and there various religious and spiritual ideas that appealed to me and have incorporated them into my own practices. I would have to describe my own spiritual beliefs as "eclectic". I have always seen the variety available as a potluck and have picked up what I like or what is useful to me. I have been doing an exercise like this for several years - borrowed from a pagan/Wiccan friend. My conception of "Asciepius" is a female figure that I call Mother. She is ageless and can be the age I need her to be depending on what I am seeking (maiden-mother-crone). She appears as a young woman when I need inspiration, energy or enthusiasm for life; as a mother figure when I need comfort or nurturing; and as an old woman when I am seeking tough answers or wisdom. She is all the aspects of myself as a woman. I came away from this exercise with just what I needed concerning a situation which has caused me some worry in the past few month. The answer for me was to stay in today, I'll always get what I need when I need it if I do the footwork and my motives are honorable.
My meditative practices this week included The Subtle Mind exercise from Chpt 7 of Dacher's book - I did this one afternoon that I had to myself before my family got home. I also stole a few quiet moments to just let my mind rest during the week at my desk at work, waiting in the car and just before work. I found these very helpful to reduce stress and re-center myself during my day. I will continue to use the exercise above but try to do it more regularly rather than just occasionally when I am disturbed or feeling lost.
I think as a health and wellness professional I do have an obligation or responsibility to my clients to practice what I preach. We cannot teach what we don't know and just reading about these things isn't enough. We have to actually experience them for ourselves in order to pass them on, answer questions and serve as a guide. It would be like trying to describe chocolate cake without ever tasting it. I think our clients know when we don't belief our own words enough to follow them and they will not believe them either. I can implement psychological and spiritual growth in my personal life by practicing some of the meditative and mindfulness techniques from this course, by continuing to learn and develop as a person and by honestly seeking guidance from my higher power.
I hope everyone else enjoyed this week's audio track as much as I did! I can't believe we are almost through Unit 7!
My meditative practices this week included The Subtle Mind exercise from Chpt 7 of Dacher's book - I did this one afternoon that I had to myself before my family got home. I also stole a few quiet moments to just let my mind rest during the week at my desk at work, waiting in the car and just before work. I found these very helpful to reduce stress and re-center myself during my day. I will continue to use the exercise above but try to do it more regularly rather than just occasionally when I am disturbed or feeling lost.
I think as a health and wellness professional I do have an obligation or responsibility to my clients to practice what I preach. We cannot teach what we don't know and just reading about these things isn't enough. We have to actually experience them for ourselves in order to pass them on, answer questions and serve as a guide. It would be like trying to describe chocolate cake without ever tasting it. I think our clients know when we don't belief our own words enough to follow them and they will not believe them either. I can implement psychological and spiritual growth in my personal life by practicing some of the meditative and mindfulness techniques from this course, by continuing to learn and develop as a person and by honestly seeking guidance from my higher power.
I hope everyone else enjoyed this week's audio track as much as I did! I can't believe we are almost through Unit 7!
Friday, January 15, 2010
Unit 6
Universal Loving-Kindness Exercise: I found this exercise to be awkward and I didn't find it useful. I like the idea behind it but the words felt forces and unnatural to me. I have done a similar exercise using the Prayer of St. Francis which feels much more natural to me. I think the general idea of it is the same. I'll post it here for anyone not familiar with it:
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace;
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.
Amen.
Personal Assessment: To be honest I find Dacher's concept of different quadrants, different levels, etc. a bit confusing. But, in doing my assessment I discovered two area where I would focus my growth and development. In my interpersonal life, I have few close connections outside my own family and small circle of friends. I tend not to get involved with others for fear they will place demands on my time. I would like to develop a greater connection with my community and people that I meet in my daily life. The second area is my psycho-spiritual development. I have been content with the progress I had made in my life until I realized the potential that exists. I would focus my growth in this area knowing the positive impact it will have in other areas of my life.
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace;
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.
Amen.
Personal Assessment: To be honest I find Dacher's concept of different quadrants, different levels, etc. a bit confusing. But, in doing my assessment I discovered two area where I would focus my growth and development. In my interpersonal life, I have few close connections outside my own family and small circle of friends. I tend not to get involved with others for fear they will place demands on my time. I would like to develop a greater connection with my community and people that I meet in my daily life. The second area is my psycho-spiritual development. I have been content with the progress I had made in my life until I realized the potential that exists. I would focus my growth in this area knowing the positive impact it will have in other areas of my life.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Unit 5 The Subtle Mind
1.Compare and contrast the Loving Kindness exercise and the Subtle mind exercise. Explain your experience including the benefits, frustrations etc.
2. Discuss the connection of the spiritual wellness to mental and physical wellness. Explain how the connection is manifested in your personal life.
Hi Everyone! I wondering how many other people found that Track 3 doesn't play past the first five minutes. Very disappointing. :( I re-read the instruction from the book and tried to follow them the best I could. It has been a really stressful week for me and I haven't been sleeping well at night. Yep, you guessed it! I fell asleep during the exercise - all three times I tried it! But, before I truly dozed, I think I managed a few minutes where I was able to let go of most of my thoughts, quietly let them drift past without responding to them and just allow my mind to be quiet. It was wonderful. What I realized is that I have been doing this for years without knowing what it was. I learned to do it when I worked night shift and would hit the wall around 0400. I would take a break, put my feet up and just focus on my breath for about 15 minutes. I get this slight floating, detached from my physical body feeling. I didn't sleep or doze off, but wasn't fully present either. This quiet time away from everything would leave me feeling fully refreshed and ready to finish the rest of my shift. I haven't used it much in the last couple years because I changed jobs and am now strictly day shift and too busy, but occasionally I will come home after work, sit on the couch for a few minutes and just rest my mind.
I like this exercise much better than the Loving-Kindness exercise. So much of the first one seems counter-intuitive (the breathing was wrong)and I could not really follow the instructions although I tried. The Subtle Mind exercise is more natural to me and I found it very enjoyable. The nap was nice too!
Mental, spiritual and physical wellness are connected to each other. Gains in one area will have a positive effect in others. When we work out bodies physically, we can reduce stress. When we reduce stress through meditation, we can lower our blood pressure. When we spend time developing our spiritual wellness, our mental processes become clearer. The can all work together to help us achieve integral health. In my own life I find that regular physical workouts help me think clearer, improve my mood and reduce stress. Learning how to effectively reduce anxiety, stress and worry through meditation exercises has helped me to avoid illness and feel better physically and mentally. I am expanding my understanding of spiritual wellness and am just beginning to understand how this can relate to the others.
This class has really been interesting so far and I am learning a lot about topics I thought I already knew most everything about!
2. Discuss the connection of the spiritual wellness to mental and physical wellness. Explain how the connection is manifested in your personal life.
Hi Everyone! I wondering how many other people found that Track 3 doesn't play past the first five minutes. Very disappointing. :( I re-read the instruction from the book and tried to follow them the best I could. It has been a really stressful week for me and I haven't been sleeping well at night. Yep, you guessed it! I fell asleep during the exercise - all three times I tried it! But, before I truly dozed, I think I managed a few minutes where I was able to let go of most of my thoughts, quietly let them drift past without responding to them and just allow my mind to be quiet. It was wonderful. What I realized is that I have been doing this for years without knowing what it was. I learned to do it when I worked night shift and would hit the wall around 0400. I would take a break, put my feet up and just focus on my breath for about 15 minutes. I get this slight floating, detached from my physical body feeling. I didn't sleep or doze off, but wasn't fully present either. This quiet time away from everything would leave me feeling fully refreshed and ready to finish the rest of my shift. I haven't used it much in the last couple years because I changed jobs and am now strictly day shift and too busy, but occasionally I will come home after work, sit on the couch for a few minutes and just rest my mind.
I like this exercise much better than the Loving-Kindness exercise. So much of the first one seems counter-intuitive (the breathing was wrong)and I could not really follow the instructions although I tried. The Subtle Mind exercise is more natural to me and I found it very enjoyable. The nap was nice too!
Mental, spiritual and physical wellness are connected to each other. Gains in one area will have a positive effect in others. When we work out bodies physically, we can reduce stress. When we reduce stress through meditation, we can lower our blood pressure. When we spend time developing our spiritual wellness, our mental processes become clearer. The can all work together to help us achieve integral health. In my own life I find that regular physical workouts help me think clearer, improve my mood and reduce stress. Learning how to effectively reduce anxiety, stress and worry through meditation exercises has helped me to avoid illness and feel better physically and mentally. I am expanding my understanding of spiritual wellness and am just beginning to understand how this can relate to the others.
This class has really been interesting so far and I am learning a lot about topics I thought I already knew most everything about!
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Unit 4: Mental Workout
The concept of a mental workout is that we have to train our minds in the same way we might train our bodies. We wouldn't expect to be able to run a 10k without putting in some time training for it. I the same way, our minds need practice if we are to make progress in our psychospiritual development. The research show that there is actually a difference in the brains of people who are proficient in this type of exercise - the text calls the "contemplatives". Their brains show a progressive increase and synchronization of gamma waves when they asked to develop a compassionate mental state. Even more impressive to me was that seem to have a higher level of gamma-wave activity at other times which suggests long term results and progress.
If I can be persistent in training my mind through the use of mental workouts, I could expect to see benefits in all areas of my life. Less stress, more peace and serenity, better physical health. Being able to access, at will, a source of calm and compassion within myself would be bring benefits to my psychological health.
If I can be persistent in training my mind through the use of mental workouts, I could expect to see benefits in all areas of my life. Less stress, more peace and serenity, better physical health. Being able to access, at will, a source of calm and compassion within myself would be bring benefits to my psychological health.
Unit 4: Loving Kindness
Hi All - I have not found this exercise easy or even pleasant! First of all, there is no such thing as a quiet time or place in my house! Between kids, pets, phones, and such I haven't been able to get through this exercise undisturbed even when I try to plan for it. I might have to take the CD in my car and go park down by the beach!
I generally find this type of thing to be relaxing if nothing else, but the female's voice was irritating to me - more mechanical than soothing and it would startle me after a few moments of quiet. Once I have the exercise down a bit better I think I will do better no using the CD to guide me.
I am a very visually oriented person and I find I need to be able to "see" in my head what I am trying to do. Concepts like "suffering" and "wholeness" have been hard for me to visualize but I am slowing finding ways to do this. I found that what I need to visualize does not necessarily match what the CD is instructing. For example, the breathing in "suffering" and exhaling "happiness" just wasn't working. But, I was able use the wave sounds in the background to picture suffering coming to me on the tide, and positive feelings flowing back out as the water receded. I'm not sure that customizing the exercise is the way to go but I am trying to find something that works.
Would I recommend this to others? At this point I would have to say no, but we'll see how it comes in the coming weeks. I can't expect great results in a few days and the text did say it would take persistent effort so.....
I am looking forward to reading about other people's experience with this and welcome any comments, suggestions, etc!!
I generally find this type of thing to be relaxing if nothing else, but the female's voice was irritating to me - more mechanical than soothing and it would startle me after a few moments of quiet. Once I have the exercise down a bit better I think I will do better no using the CD to guide me.
I am a very visually oriented person and I find I need to be able to "see" in my head what I am trying to do. Concepts like "suffering" and "wholeness" have been hard for me to visualize but I am slowing finding ways to do this. I found that what I need to visualize does not necessarily match what the CD is instructing. For example, the breathing in "suffering" and exhaling "happiness" just wasn't working. But, I was able use the wave sounds in the background to picture suffering coming to me on the tide, and positive feelings flowing back out as the water receded. I'm not sure that customizing the exercise is the way to go but I am trying to find something that works.
Would I recommend this to others? At this point I would have to say no, but we'll see how it comes in the coming weeks. I can't expect great results in a few days and the text did say it would take persistent effort so.....
I am looking forward to reading about other people's experience with this and welcome any comments, suggestions, etc!!
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