I think the Loving kindness exercises was a great way to connect with others and understand our connection with those who seem to be 'out there' from us. When taking on their suffering it teaches me that it is ok to help others because in helping others Goodness increases for both (relief and wellness I am giving to them & I feel Good because it's a great act of compassion because I can expect nothing in return from them... I do it because it is a good thing to do.)
The Subtle mind practice was a great way to connect with my inner being-ness & through our studies I realize that this too is a connection with all, everyone, everything. This one inner "I-ness" that I am seeking to merge with and discover is the SAME "I-ness" that is in everyone! There is only ONE "I" and it's easy to lose that understanding because the personality which is very individualistic and separate from "I" being, thinks it is the I, but once the realization hits that I is beyond (behind) the personality and it's uniqueness, we can find the I-ness within and understand this is all there is... everything else is illusion, man made thought forms... they may seem & feel real but they are not the REAL and that is why they decay, fade and deteriorate back into the earth... the REAL does not die, decay or fade...that is how you know when you found the true inner I the one we all share and really are!
And I also think that our spiritual wellness and our mental and physical wellness depend upon this truth. And find I am working diligently to connect with something I don't have to work at to find a connection with and now that is what I am trying to do is not work at it but allow this connection to be and dwell there in spiritual, mental, and physical wellness until I shed this physical body and really find out that it was not real... but the I inside is real.
*For the meeting Aesclepius excercise (Subtle Mind Practice) found I really could feel my body as if (the Wise Person I chose) were superimposed over me. I felt energized, open, at peace with an overall sense of wellbeing surrounding me...like everything is alright! I had not ounce of worry or concern in my mind or heart and I felt a deep love, tenderness & compassion within me it was great.
I will definetly do these excercises again and again! I find they are beneficial to my spiritual, mental & physical wellness and in no way would I want to let go of that feeling. And I have been sticking to my goal of doing these mediations 2-3x a day (usually 2 but sometimes 3) and I feel a definite improvement in my overall attitude and thought patterns.
Liz
Hi Liz, will keep this short as I am still having difficulty posting directly to our blogs and having to use the Blog DB instead.
ReplyDeleteYour post was great and I too very much enjoyed the subtle-mind exercise - it brought me to a wonderfully relaxed state of mind and like you, I wish to experience this regularly. Kathleen
Well okay, that was me, Kathleen posting as 'anonymous' lets try this again
ReplyDeleteKathleen, I will keep this practice up long after class ends. I use it through out the day in short bursts just to keep it fresh & sometimes I am completely amazed at what my mind thinks when 'I' am not paying attention.
ReplyDeleteI am amazed at how much of a brown-noser the thinking mind can be to me.
If while witnessing the thoughts my mind is conjuring up I intentionally 'block' them then the next set of thoughts are very nice thoughts such as 'I am glad I am doing this excercise or I feel so good right now." and then 'I' (the real I) realizes HEY! THERE GOES THAT THINKING AGAIN! and even though it's just the thinking mind thinking that last thought it is trying to get me to think it is the deeper me thinking it! It's like it tries to reflect my inner witness' reaction to the thinking... OMG, it's a mad cycle sometimes! Thanks for posting!
I am glad it came through!!!!
Liz Hobby
Liz, thanks for link to meditative and other stuff. site looks packed with great stuff. sent it home to take a look at when there's more time. I enjoy the Subtle Mind Practice most as its effect on me allows, as we've been told, for "thinking about things that matter or require my attention" which of course includes other people. I am the kind of person who gets pretty upset when stuff happens like Katrina, Haiti, Japan but I often puts these things out of my head quickly because they upset me. I am hoping to be able to meet these things from a better perspective - I think I would feel better if I could send loving-kindness more often, instead the circumstances these people are in has me so down I have to 'not think' about it. does this sound strange? kathleen
ReplyDeleteKathleen,
ReplyDeletesome people are just more sensative to the suffering of others and you are one of them. I need to develop more empathy I think as it seems others are more 'upset' about the downfall and misery of others than I am...
I am not insensative at all but I do not become overwhelmed by it either.
I think either extreme is not healthy (hyper sensative or distant) and a balance is what is needed. Look at the poor people in Japan we don't even hear about their plight anymore & I wonder why??????
They are very independent and won't beg for help like most of us...but that is no reason to forget about them you know.
Thanks for your comment & post Liz H