The two
exercises that I think I connected with the most were the Subtle Mind exercise
and the Rainbow Relaxation exercise. I
really liked the Rainbow Relaxation exercise because it helped me focus on all
of the chakra points and really visualize the energy coming from each
point. The Subtle Mind exercise was
interesting because of how I was able to calm my mind and observe my thought
process. I do not think that I was able
to reach the unity consciousness level but hopefully that will come with
time. The Rainbow Relaxation exercise
could be included in my weekly meditation schedule to help me really become
more in tune with my entire body and energy that flows through it. The Subtle Mind exercise can be used when I
am feeling stressed or when my mind is just racing with unnecessary
thoughts. I like to use that exercise to
calm my mind and to put things in perspective.
I have really enjoyed practicing all of these exercises and I am looking
forward to incorporating them in to my life.
I think that with the yoga class I am taking I will be directly thinking
about meditating instead of getting wrapped up in my thoughts and forgetting to
take a moment for myself.
Hey Lindsey, I noticed you mentioned the chakras as something you enjoyed experiencing. That is one area I am fairly new at and am excited to learn more about it in the near future. I actually had a conversation with a customer I served at my job the other day and she was talking about the chakra energy areas as well! I don't think most Americans ever cognitively connect with the fact of our different body systems affecting and interacting with each other constantly. For example, digestion is not about digesting food for elimination. The digestive system involving our flora in the gut plays a significant role in our overall health and immune system. This is why so many people are finding when they cut out grain-fed conventional dairy foods with whey and cassein, they experience a major strengthening of their immunity, less allergies, and are more resistance to common colds and flu. Like you I enjoyed the subtle mind activity the most and absolutely love the idea of having a mindset that is not totally void of thoughts, but rather creating a calmness and what I like to call "quiet strength." There is so much busy-ness in our modern American society that people don't even have control of their own thoughts and therefore let their emotions control their life. I think the word "subtle" fits well because we have to pay attention to how we're thinking and work on the small details to fine tune our mind just like an engine that hits on all cylinders. I think no matter what we are dealing with currently, every person can decide to shift a mental attitude towards something they struggle with or do not enjoy each day. If we can successfully reframe a minimum of 1 thought process every day just think how far we will come in a very short time period. It's great to hear that you are taking time for you! I can't tell you how many times my biggest frustration has been having to work so hard while being exhausted and having little time for things I care most about. I just look at having daily habits of spirit/mind/body growth is way more valuable than anything else in my life including $$. It's what I have control of to improve myself and therefore improve my life. Since there's so much we are not in control of and need to let go of control to be in a healthy psychological place, I think it behooves us to focus on what we can control to become better. You can't control people, places, or things, but the one thing we can always control is our attitude, which is the way we see life.
ReplyDeleteGabe, I completely agree that being able to control our thoughts and gain this "quiet strength" is a great way to help put things in perspective and take us off the constant reactive thought process that we ride every day. I do not know much about chakras but I would like to learn more about my body and the energy around me. I have really enjoyed your posts and responses Gabe because you seem like a very open and genuine soul. Thank you for your input!
DeleteLindsey
Hey Lindsay ,
ReplyDeleteI love that you connect with exercise so easy. I tend to have trouble. I have been good with the visiualization and some of the meditation. Sometimes it is hard to focus. My wife has been helping me because she is much more spiritual than I am so we have been doing the exercises together.
Is this entirely new or have you been doing some of these exercises before?
This is pretty new to me. My mom is a pretty spiritual person and she is really into hypnosis and meditation so a little of that has rubbed off on me! I think that the biggest part of this is that you need to want to focus on the exercises and what your goals are. If you think that the whole thing is a waste of time or if you have better things to do then you will not connect with it. It's wonderful that you have your wife there with you to help you along the way! What a wonderful thing to share!
DeleteLindsey
Hello,
ReplyDeleteThrough all the options and different exercises we had to choose from, i didn’t think there was any that did not positively affect the mind, body or spirit. I think they all do a wonderful job at leading us to integral health in their own way. I too chose subtle mind and think that is very key to helping us relaxed and rid our stress levels. Having that inner peace through your thought process and daily activities is important to helping you make better decisions and deal with certain situations better that you may without this. I did not pick the rainbow relaxation, not that it wasn’t important but because I had more difficult with that exercise than others. They are all somewhat different and can be challenging to really grasp, but as we know this is new to some of us and takes many times of practice to fully get engaged. Thanks for sharing
Great post, glad to hear that you were able to find techniques that were beneficial for you. Incorporating them with your yoga should be beneficial for you. As noted by another person, there really wasn't an exercise that didn't positively affect the mind, however, each person is different in interpreting and benefiting from them.
ReplyDeleteYou know you had me at yoga! I have made it no secret this term about my connection to yoga and all if its benefits to me. They include helping me overcome insomnia and poor diet as well as improving my connectedness and my ability to be present in the moment instead of letting my thoughts run away with me. The rainbow meditation is so great as well. My children and me have been practicing this one about three times a week. I agree with you that the Subtle Mind exercise is great for those stressed out days. In fact, I have been practicing that one often along with Loving Kindness and Meeting Aesclepius. Thanks for sharing! It's great to see what the class is connecting with and how it is benefiting us all!
ReplyDelete