Meditation

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. How can you implement these practices in your personal life to foster “mental fitness”? Provide specific examples

I think that the most beneficial practices for me, personally, have been the Loving Kindness meditation and the practice we completed last unit, Meeting Aesclepius.  The Loving Kindness exercise will enable me to have more love in my heart and to let go of negativity bogging down my mind.  The Meeting Aesclepius meditation will encourage me to mimic those who have lives that I would like to model mine after.  I think continuing to focus on these two meditations will help mold my  consciousness to experience life more fully.  I have truly enjoyed this class and all in it. 

My goal is to send Loving Kindness to the biological mother of my children.  She relinquished her rights 10 years ago to abuse drugs.  She is now clean but I feel she could still be a manipulative force in their lives and perhaps if I send Loving Kindness to her she will truly be able to transform her life

In Meeting Aesclepius,  I will try to change my perspective my life and be a better person, authentically.

Tonia Pfaff

Interesting...

This meditation was the easist for me to complete.  I think what made it so easy was the ability to focus on a person who I have deemed as wise, kind and knowledgable.  I did feel lighter in a way but for some reason I had the fleeting thought that if I am taking her good energy I hoped she was being filled with my negative energy.  I think I will continue these practices in order to continue on my journey of integral health.  I would like to have better control over my mind.  This will help me achieve all my goals in life.

 "One cannot lead another where one has not gone himself" (p.477).

When I read this I feel it means that if you have not been in a situation you cannot give advice on a situation.  Right now, I am in the midst of a huge decision that will affect my entire family.  My oldest four children are not naturally mind but were given up by their birth mother almost 9 years ago.  She was a meth addict and really did them a favor by vanishing for a decade.  However, they remember her and as children they have many questions..questions that I can't answer.  She says she is clean now and wants a relationship with them, insisting she will cause no trouble.  Many people have given a big resounding NO! to this but they do not sit where I do.  They don't know the void she left that can only be filled by her.  So I am conflicted..what is the right thing to do? When do I do it?  We will start counseling shortly to sort through this mess. 

I feel that I must only ask of my clients what I am willing to do myself.  How can I point them in the right direction if I don't even know what direction that is?

Thanks for reading!

Tonia

Self Assessment...

The mini-practice was valuable to me.  It is my speed right now and is easily memorized.  I felt better after completing it and I will be able to continue daily.

Completing the integral assessment was truly eye opening.  The things in my life that are frustrating are the rush of my daily life with my children.  I love them dearly but they keep me going non-stop.  I also feel stressed about an issue with my children's birth mother and her desire to be a part of their lives after a 10 year absence.  My nutrition is also factor I need to work on.  To combat the rush of my life, I have requested to go part-time at my job, well initially I tried to quit but they asked me what I could do to stay.  I think less hours I am obligated to at work the more balanced I will feel at home.  I have also scheduled an appointment with a counselor with my husband to discuss the impact a reintroduction and determine the path we will choose.  I hope that these two decisions will lead me to make better food decisions therefore improving my nutrition.

Thanks for reading!
Tonia Pfaff

A quiet mind....A clear mind

  The subtle mind exercise was much more difficult for me to get through.  I am a mother of six and I am constantly jumping from schedule to schedule, day to day and kid to kid.  I have a hard time shutting my mind off so actually trying to keep it still was a challenge.  It was difficult for me to maintain my focus on my breathing and my mind would flit from thought to thought.  The loving kindness exercise was easier because it is easier to think of love and to send love to those you love and even those you may despise.
  The exercise showed me how untrained my mental and spiritual wellness are just as I am physically.  I am tired most of the time, irritable and rarely able to enjoy myself.  I know part of this is the lack of energy I have but also from feeling unsure of myself spiritually and feeling mentally exhausted on this. 

Thanks for reading,
  Tonia Pfaff

Loving/Kindness

Hello fellow blogees,

  Listening to Dachers's Loving/Kindness was a new experience for me.  I am not one who creates time to sit still often so that in itself was a victory.  Hearing Dacher speak intially, I was worried because his is not a voice that is soothing.  I was grateful to hear the female voice give instruction throughout the exercise. 

  I was initially skeptical that I would feel anything good or bad.  However, I felt much lighter afterward.  I truly felt a weight had been lifted off me in a way.  Though I benefited from it I still found it to be difficult.  I have a hard time getting free time in my home and I second guess most actions because I don't know if I am doing it right.  I would recommend this to others.  They can at least give it a chance.  It certainly surprised me.

  I would consider this a mental workout.  Research shows that quieting your mind and meditation has health benefits.  Exercises like these make a person consciously stop and focus their mind-energy on a specific thing/person/idea.  This is difficult for many because our minds flit from one thing to the next.  I would suggest a person meditate or follow Dacher's exercise before they begin their day and as they finish their day.

As Always,
  Thanks for reading!
Tonia

Wellness Self Reflection

Hello All,
  I am sitting here reflecting on all the things I wish I were and all the things I actually am...wellness wise.  Phsyically I am a five.  I am not overweight but I also am not fit.  I know enough to know better but I seem to sabotage myself when it comes to a nutritious diet.  I know that I should participate is some form of physical activity but find myself exhausted and late to bed most nights.
  Spirtually, I am quite conflicted so again I would say I am a five.  I know that we are here intentionally and that this isn't just chaos, but the more I read, the harder it is to decide what I truly believe.  I struggle with why is only one "religion" right...how do we know that we aren't all talking about the same thing??? Yes I am conflicted.
  Psychologically, I would say I am an eight.  While life has been hard it has also been kind.  I try to see all of my challenges as necessary in my life someway.  I can be a tad on the negative side at times but that is only when I am feeling sorry for myself..so I just pick myself up and move on.

My goals to improve myself in these areas are as follows:
 
I will participate in our family baseball practices.  Half of my brood play some form of ball and my husband practices with them.  I went out tonight, hit a few balls and made a few plays and felt really good afterward. Physical activity will do me good!

I will continue on my spiritual journey.  I will read and process with an open mind and I will continue going to churches until I find one I fit in.  I will also work on silencing my mind...and myself...intentionally!

Psychologically, I will find an answer to a conflict weighing on my heart and my family.  The bio mother of my children wants to come back in their life.  I am unsure of what to do but I feel we need to make this decision soon so it no longers weighs on my mind.



As I listened to the exercise for relaxtion, I was able to relax and calm myself down.  I find those hard to do because I undoubtly will be interrrupted by someone.  I actually got more than half way done before I was needed and I felt calm and relaxed.  With that being said...I will hit the hay!

Tonia Pfaff

Relaxation Reflection

Hello fellow bloggees,
  My name is Tonia and I have started this blog as part of a class requirement but think I may continue to blog after the course is complete.  I am working toward rebuilding my life to focus on my health as well as the health in my family and community.
  A common issue in many daily lives is the constant feeling of go, go, go and never enjoying a peaceful relaxation period.  The JourneyOn recording was able to create an atmosphere in which you taught your body to consciously slow down.  I mean this in the literal sense.  You were able to relax specific muscles, slow blood flow down to maintenance level, as it was called, and really clear your thoughts.
  This is an exercise that would truly benefit anyone.  We lead constant, busy lives.  There is no changing it however we can combat our chronic stress with bouts of intentional relaxation.

Thanks for reading!

Tonia