The Subtle Mind

     The importance of controlled breathing to bring out the results intended from the two exercises is the most beneficial to me.   Because of the overload I have placed on myself with family, school, work etc I tend to be uptight.   I find myself worked up and breathing shallow at times. I’m thankful and it is certainly helpful that I am a Wellness major right?  In addition to receiving the benefits from the exercise and physical activity I participate in, I now have two techniques brining me closer to psychospiritual flourishing.   The only frustrating thing I can come up with is being able to execute sessions on a consistent basis.  Once I wake up and begin my day, before I know it the sun is going down and the day is quickly coming to an end.

     As I continue on my journey through the Health and Wellness curriculum, just when I feel that there couldn’t be much more that can be amazing information, the next term comes around and here it is.  How I see the connection to spiritual wellness to mental and physical wellness is that for sure all are connected but the mental and physical activities are more of “called upon” attributes with spiritual wellness being the ultimate foundation supporting it all.  The more we neglect the mental and physical parts of our being the more we wreak havoc on our spiritual selves.  Just as our subtle mind exercise has begun to teach us to slow down the mental and physical parts of us to finally see what we have neglected and have let go unnoticed until now (Dacher, 2006). 

 Resources

Dacher, E. S. (2006). Integral health: The path to human flourishing. Laguna Beach, CA: Basic Health Publications Inc.

Mental workouts

Hello to all!

     For those of us that are deep within the Health and Wellness curriculum, do you remember getting a book for one of our class called Fundamentals of complementary and alternative medicine? Within the book, a simple yet powerful statement taught me that … “Human culture is learned that also has adaptive value” (Micozzi, 2011, p. 11).  This means so much to me.  It applies completely to a transformation that I must learn and adapt to doing with contemplative practices, learning to manage and allow loving kindness to happen within me and to give back to others.

    The specifics of the coaching experience were beneficial.  Experiences as this I feel I have been searching for.  I do not think the exercise was difficult, but again necessary to repeat as we just found out that everything we do is learned right?  If there were a time or when it comes time when I cross a path of someone in need of releasing anger, fear, greed, I would definitely suggest doing this practice.  It helped me.  The practice has begun to move me forward to a better place.  I am in an environment and planning to remove myself from it soon because it fosters negative thoughts from our group (my work).  In the meantime, I have just discovered a mental workout that changes the way I can deal with and approach what I come across everyday in the environment that I have to go to everyday.

   A mental workout is going to be learning to manage a specific thought process that will let us be on the road to human flourishing such as our newly introduced contemplative practice of loving kindness.  From learning to perform a mental workout on a regular routine … “can have a positive impact on attention, memory, perception, imagery, and a host of other mental functions” (Dacher, 2006, p. 63).  To implement a mental workout routine can be to discover a technique such as our loving kindness practice.  Doing this can definitely foster psychological health, it already has begun for me!

Thanks!

Ron

    

Resources

Dacher, E. S. (2006). Integral health: The path to human flourishing. Laguna Beach, CA: Basic Health Publications Inc.

Micozzi, M. S. (2011). Fundamentals of complementary and alternative medicine. St. Louis, MO: Saunders/Elsevier.

Reflections and Crime of the Century

Hello everyone!

With physical well being I would rate myself 8. The reason why I say an 8 is because of not having time to participate fully as I would like.   Right now with school, work and family I get minimum 3 times a week cardio and some resistance training.  Before I began school, I was active with more cardio along with maintaining a resistance routine.  A specific goal I need to have is to incorporate more physical resistance activity in my work out routines.  Also, a specific activity I can do is look out at the week I have in the beginning and plan around responsibilities. 

Spiritual well-being I have to go with a 2.  Spiritual well being is absolutely my biggest opportunity of the three areas.  The good news that I found during one of my terms is that maintaining a spiritual side does not necessarily mean I have to pursue a particular religion.  I am not ruling out religion at all, I just do not understand and feel comfortable with one yet. After the few weeks we have spent in this term, my goal has to be backtracking in finding out what I need to do to begin instilling spirituality in my life.  My activity will be to research and learn more on spirituality and what this means in one’s life.

My psychological well-being is under way!  I would have to rate myself at a 7.  I have to tell you that there was a point that I was completely lost in my life.  I had no idea what I wanted to do.  My job was and is still not satisfying.  I found physical activity that lead to nutrition that lead to me being here at Kaplan learning Health and Wellness.  Everything I am learning in the Health and Wellness curriculum is very applicable to managing my life and thoughts.  As a goal and activity, maximizing this part of optimal wellness I would leverage all that I am learning from my academic journey.  This is not only important for me, but being able to support those that I will come in contact with in the future as well.

Once I had gotten into the exercise, Crime of the Century I realized that I have heard this technique before. I just didn’t know the title.  What a great name to have on something that helps us!  I do not feel any frustration after going through and participating in the exercise but I am relaxed, maybe even dozed off a little.  It’s been a long day!

Talk Soon! ... Ron

Welcome and reflections to all and for all...

Hello to all!  Today, September 1, 2012 where I am writing from at my location in Northern Indiana we are preparing for what I can remember being the longest stretch of rain fore casted in quite some time! 

    I welcome you all to my blog spot.  Not limited to but including the following I believe in making wise choices, learning from our mistakes and taking responsibility for our health and well being as large perspective beliefs and advice.  These concepts have helped in leading me away from my biggest fault; Worry!  Being a worrier in the past let me loose parts of my life.  My life was being wasted by me jumping to conclusions and formulating scenarios with all aspects of my life.

    So here I am now.

    As I look at the words I compose, I have a hard time picking which of these are the most important.  I list wise choices first I because some time ago I stumbled across the power of choice from an author named John Newman.  It was his teachings that led me to my other beliefs. 

    I came across Newman's book, How to Stay Cool and Calm and Collected When the Pressure Is On A Stress-Control Plan for Business People during a panicked search  of our library for the truth of what I was supposed to be doing in life.  Within the pages of this book, Newman taught me that I had a choice with everything I do.  Wow...what a concept I learned!  As simple as it sounds, I believe by exercising the power of choice holds a strong partial truth that can bring us to having a great inner life.   See for yourself.   If your library has it, have a look at the book, at the concepts explained and let me know what you think.

   So  it was with learning I had a choice to move on or be miserable that has lead me to being happier on the road that brings me to this day.  That road was long and is far from the end.  I look forward to the choices I get to make on this road that is leading me to an even prouder, happier state.

    Reflecting on the relaxation technique provided for us was an effective way to remove any ill thoughts we were having and to concentrate on ourselves.  Long before I found Newman's directing words, I had a friend that taught me a similar technique to unwind and fall asleep.  It was similar because of it making us focus on our limbs, toes and nose to begin with.  We were to lay still, close our eyes and picture in our minds and try and mentally feel the tips of our toes.  Then from there do the same with the fingers, the tip of your nose and so on.  Before you know it your asleep!  Mentally rerouting blood flow to tense muscles during the autogenic relaxation technique can equally be used to relax and fall asleep I think! 

  No Worries... Ron