Unit 4 Blog Post

I have always found meditation to be helpful and beneficial.  This time we were asked to listen to both tracks one and two on a guided meditation CD that we have for class.  We were to spend a good portion of our class time practicing Loving Kindness.  This is a good guided meditation because it is easy to follow.  It is because it is so easy to follow that I would and do recommend that others try it out.

We were also asked to describe the concept of a "Mental Workout."  In Integral Health a mental workout is not just studying, reading, and/or doing a ton of research.  It is also about a person taking the time to take a moment or two for themselves and quieting their mind.  This is also done in certain faiths as well.  You can see it in Buddhism, Paganism, and several other spiritual paths.

There has been a lot of research conducted on meditation and the benefits it offers. It has been proven that people who meditate are healthier both physically and mentally.  It has also been proven that those who are sick and meditate on their personal wellness get better more quickly.

Depending on the type of meditation we can foster it to our psychological health.  If we practice meditations of forgiveness it becomes easier for us to forgive.  If we practice visualizing someone in a more positive light it helps us see some of the good things they may do that we would not have noticed before.  If we practice the meditation or mental workout of Loving Kindness, it will make it easier for us to feel these emotions.

Some of these may seem a bit odd for those who are not raised with these concepts or are being exposed to them for the first time.  However, if you legitimately try them with an open mind, anything is possible. 

---Anita Rachel Scott (Goehring)

References:

Dacher, E.S. (2006). Integral Health,The Path to Human Flurishing. Laguna Beach, CA: Basic Health Publications, Inc.

Dacher, E.S. (2006) CD Companion to: Integral Health, The Path to Human Flourishing. Loving Kindness Meditation.  Laguna Beach, CA: Basic Health Publications, Inc. 

Thank you Einstein.

We often make things a lot harder then they have to be.  If I catch myself doing this I will walk away from it and then come back to it later after a nap and some milk and cookies.  Then I ask myself if I know what I am doing and can I say it in Laymen's terms? IF the answer is still no, then it is back to the books for me.

I really like this and agree implicitly.

Another Fun Truth

Do you think this is the key to Dasher's final goal, human flourishing?

Unit 3 Blog Post

1. Based on your reflections, and on a scale of 1 to 10 (ten being optimal wellbeing), where do you rate your A-physical wellbeing, B-spiritual well-being, C-psychological well-being? Why?
2. Develop a goal for yourself in each area (physical, spiritual, psychological).
3. What activities or exercise can you implement in your life to assist in moving toward each goal?
4. Complete the relaxation exercise The Crime of the Century.  (What it beneficial? Frustrating? etc.)

Physical --- I would say a 5.  I am not in poor physical condition but I have not stuck to my regular routine for the past few weeks.  More like the past 6 to 8 weeks.  I need to fix that.  Which makes this goal easy.  My Goal is to get back into my physical fitness routine. :) I will start with one of my cardio routines and morning yoga 2 to 3 times a week.

Spiritual --- I would say a 9.  I am very spiritual and lead and participate in many different spiritual organizations that pertain to my spirituality.  However, there is always room for improvement.  Thus, the 9.  My goal is to continue doing what I am already doing to the best of my abilities.  This is very easy to implement as well.  Just keep doing what I am.

Psychological --- I would say a 9 here as well.  I take things in stride and address them when they are presented to me in healthy ways that are appropriate in each situation.  Again there is room for improvement.  I need to pay attention to my calmness and inner peace when I am presented with a situation.  Which is my goal.  To maintain that inner peace when presented with anything.  This is best done by taking a deep breath and counting to 3 before responding to anything. 

The Crime of the Century is a very misleading title for a Rainbow Meditation or better described as a Rainbow Chakra Meditation.  I always find this meditation to be relaxing and helpful.  So does my daughter.

My daughter is ten and enjoys meditation.  Her favorite though is a different Rainbow guided meditation called Rainbow Walking.  Rainbow Walking can be found in Ready... Set... R.E.L.A.X. by J. S. Allen and R. J. Klein.  In this guided meditation you also use the colors to help learn better visualization.

You can purchase the Ready... Set... R.E.L.A.X. online. 

http://www.google.com/products/catalog?pq=rainbow+meditation&hl=en&sugexp=lttma,n%3D200&tok=QlR6AWzPOas8y9OrxJEcqw&cp=13&gs_id=1g&xhr=t&q=ready+set+relax&gs_upl=&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&biw=1366&bih=705&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=6451794235003298335&sa=X&ei=iNs7T7TiLaaE2wXxt93zBg&sqi=2&ved=0CEgQ8wIwAQ

References:
J.S. Allen and R.J. (1996). Rainbow Walking, Ready... Set... R.E.L.A.X. (pg 66). Inner Coaching.

Meditation of Your Name

A couple weekends ago I went to a weekend gathering about learning about yourself.  We focused on us as individuals.  You might think that this is selfish.  If you do: Shame on you!  It is ok to take time for yourself as an individual.  How can you help anyone else is you cannot help yourself?  How can you help someone find themselves if you cannot find yourself?  Now that I have said that, lets continue.

Our names are very powerful to us.  Some of us like our names, some of us do not like our names, and some of us Love our names.  Your name has meaning. Your name has familiarity.  Your name is a part of you.

One of the things we did while we were out there was learn how to sing our names.  You take your name and sing it in a soft, melodic, slow song.  Try it now, even if you think you don't know how.  Pick a random note and just go with it.  No other words.  Just your name.  If you are still having trouble singing your name just say it slowly and softly and just listen to the natural tones you use for saying your name.  Now take those tones and softly sing them.

If you tried it, are you surprised at how grounding that was?  I know I was.  It calms a person down very quickly no matter what their age.  If you have children try it with them.  They will calm too.  (It is Great for I'm tired temper tantrums.)

It is because our names are familiar to us.  It is because our names hold Power for us as individuals. Your name has meaning. Your name has familiarity.  Your name is a part of you.

I hope you found this fun, helpful, and interesting.  There is a lot more to our names and to name mythology and several great stories out there.  But I will leave that for another blog. ;)

Just a Funny Truth

Reflections

It has been a busy Year so far and more eventful than I would like.  It seems like their is always some portion of life going on and being more interesting then what I would like.  I like boring.  Boring means that everyone is safe and everyone is happy.  Boring is good.

As far as the Journey to Relaxation goes, I have done it before.  It is still a good meditation for a person who has had experience meditating before.  Normally I can get into it.  This week I had too much on my plate also know as my mind to really relax.  I found that my thoughts kept wandering off to other things.  Friends, Family, and Cancer.  The whole thing about things coming in threes better be true because I do not need to hear about any more family members getting a disease that help help people with. :)  Yes, I am still a smiley optimistic person.  And it is nice that people who work at MD Anderson are starting to recognize me.  I do not need to say more than that.

I hope everyone else found the meditation relaxing or helpful.  It gets easier as you go.


---Anita Rachel Scott (Goehring)

Welcome Back

     So, I am starting up in this class again.  Family emergencies taken care of.  This time around I have a much better idea of what this thing is about.  It seems to not only be a way for us to share what we have learned with others but also a way for us  look back and see how we have grown.  I am all for that.

     I hope everyone enjoys reading, reflecting, and learning because we are about to go on a journey of reflection and growth.  It will be a lot of fun.

     Just as a heads up I have a plucky sense of humor and will sometimes make a couple of jokes.  I am a firm believer that the amount of happiness in your life directly relates to the amount of silliness that is allowed in.  :)

---Anita Rachel Scott (Goehring)