Integral Assessment, Loving Kindness, Personal Area of Developmenmt

The Loving-Kindness meditation is one practice referred to in Dacher’s explanation of the mental workout, a necessary step in creating a healthy and strong inner world and part of the psychospiritual development of the individual. It is a contemplative or reflective practice which I would best describe as a reminder.  The Loving-Kindness exercise may act as a prompt for taking yourself out of your head, your worries and problems which can make us insular and forget that other people too are experiencing worry, angst, fear or the pain of an ominous or damaging relationship.  It helps us to bring care and concern to others thereby bringing it to ourselves.  The most difficult part of this mediation is remembering who really want to do it and getting yourself to the point of feeling the absence of the practice when it wasn’t done.  

The integral assessment is a process to include six principles, all of which come together to provide an outline to follow, set personal goals, take pleasure in the results and share with as many others as we can. This is a lifestyle choice similar to those discussed in relation to people needing to change poor habits with regard to eating and physical activity, perhaps more critical as it is possible that overeating and being sedentary is connected to a personal void.  This void can be filled by taking this process up as a commitment to oneself.  The integral assessment and practice which follows can be a catalyst for change in individual health and healing. 

Without some commitment to develop one’s inner world (emotional and mental health), relationships, physical condition, and attitude towards or the way they ‘work’, personal growth is not likely to be available.  An evaluation of one’s wellbeing in each area of existence is the first step to taking on the commitment of loving yourself enough to do the work involved. 

In connection with the Loving-Kindness mediation, for me this was very close to personal prayer and I was satisfied to be reminded of how uplifting and hopeful praying for others’ situations as well as my own can be. 

An area of development I have been working with but need to make more time for is Preparation 3 Silence and Stillness (mediation) as described by Dacher in The Preparations (p. 50).  I have chosen this because of the overall benefit the practice of inner silence and stillness will bring for example, it being an important entrance to a better consciousness which lends itself to integral health.

The activity I mean to make more time for so as to increase my mental clarity and emotional stability going forward is simply sitting mediation in the early morning as a means of preparing for my day.  I am soon to transition to some degree of self employment while maintaining my current job along with my schoolwork all of which will require a substantial amount of steady mental and emotional energy. 

WIshing each of us great progress going forward, Kathleen

Whole Coach Wellness Blog Unit 5 Loving Kindness Practice, Subtle Mind Practice: Comparison

Good day everyone!

We are asked to comment on and compare the two Contemplative Practices we've been shown with respect to how we related to each and the differences and similarities that exist.  I would first comment that both are, for me, very helpful as I find myself drawn to the time it takes to listen.  I become so relaxed that I have to fight to stay awake - likely a result of deep breathing for such a period of time.  It surely works doesnt it?

Dacher explains that cultivating an attitude of loving-kindness is necessary to reducing our preoccupation with ourselves and our immediate needs and concerns.  Instead, we begin to add others to our thought process and develop concern and compassion for people outside of our circle of loved ones.  This concept is unique in that it also invites us to bring thoughts of compassion, forgiveness and love to ourselves because in order to show loving-kindness to others, we must first be at ease with showing it to ourselves - it is called turning it "inward".  This is important.

The Loving-Kindness practice is accurately described as simple and gentle.  It is gentle though it is described as "the most potent anecdote to destructive emotions like anger, fear, intolerance, jealousy, pride and greed."   I find this to be a powerful statement and one that I have repeated to myself over and again.   This practice is also simple as you are invited to practice calming the mind, decreasing the excessive and random thoughts through the breath in order to let the mind consider others.  This may be difficult for the same reason any other practice like it would be:  we are just not accustomed to remaning quiet and staying with one thought. 

The SubtleMind Practice is a somewhat different experience in that the focus is on the listener and the immediate goal is that the practitioner,  over time, gets close to glimpsing that first alternate level of consciousness, the witnessing mind where thoughts are observed but not reacted to.  I would characterize this as more of a training than the Loving-Kindness practice, which for me, may be closer to prayer. 

Both practices yield positive results, a slowing down of the body, a quieting of the mental chatter that has been so accurately described for us.   These and other methods of contemplative practice are easily seen as part of developing what Dacher refers to as our inner worlds, which allows us to begin our work towards mental, emotional and physical improvement.    This is referred to as the mind-body-spirit connection and it describes something of a triangle of elements related to superior health or wellness.  Integral health, also referred to as ultimate health, is based on a combination of our biological wellness, our spiritual health or having a developed inner world, and our mental and emotional stability all of which count on one another.  

Unit 4 Our Mental Workout: Implementing A Contemplative Practice

Good evening everyone :) 
So the good news is that everyone one of us can locate the method for quieting the mind and moving closer to the ability to witness our thoughts as oppose to constantly reacting to them.  Dacher explains the importance of a mental workout as it relates to one's contemplative practice or the act of bringing on a meditative state, an alternate consciousness that over time can bring us closer to our deeper minds.  This can be started by sitting quietly for just a few minutes each day - with a committment to those few minutes until the sitting is part of say a morning routine.  Over time, changes will occur and each of us will know them when they do. 

Dacher explains the benefits of a mental workout through our individual contemplative practices as key to a more fully developed mind which can cure us of the constant mental chatter that keeps our more important, deeper thoughts from us, help to cultivate a much more meaningful relationship with ourselves, and provide a sense of peace leaving habitual worrying behind.  

Wishing each of us great strides in this regard,   Kathleen

Unit 4 Elliot Dacher's Loving-Kindness Exercise

Hello All,
I again have to report having had a lovely time of it, listening to the Dacher CD and his explaination of the power of the subtle mind, levels of consciousness and the  connection between developing our inner worlds and the practice of meeting up with ourselves.   The sequence was quieting and the chance to breathe deeply with a purpose was invigorating.   I would like to make the time to look for a similar recording to use with clients, or perhaps begin my own personal library of meditative exercises and background music to be played during sessions.

Unit 3 Good Evening All

My physical wellbeing is on the mend right now as I had once again allowed the winter months to consume me and I let go of my exercise routine.  I would rate it at this writing at 5 with little doubt of improving that over the next month or so. I had begun my walking/jog and weight training routine in late March (it was very difficult to get up and out while still dark outside.. can anyone relate?) but I did.  About a month later I contracted a bad case of the kooties to include upper respiratory and flu-like symptoms (I will never admit to having the flu because I don’t get the flu ;) and that setback was unfortunate because after 10 days of illness I essentially had to begin again.  So that all said, I have a goal to take off the winter weight but more importantly to me anyway, is the getting back that wonderful feeling of using my body physically and being strong.  When I approach eating and exercise from the perspective that good food intake automatically results in weight loss and that regular exercise provides that terrific alert and alive mindset, I can get attached to it once again for many months at time. 

Spiritually, I am a 7 or 8.  I’ve experienced some significant life changes over the past three years leaving me quite reliant on The Divine for help in times of need or when needing comfort.  I don’t forget to pray often but I do sometimes for days then I am reminded how good that feels.  I know I have a friend in God and always have.  Time spent meditating is my goal knowing it will create a deeper connection.

Psychological well being is also on the mend and would be rated only at 5 or 6 just now.  This is okay and is an honest response.  I am fully aware that what has occurred in the past couple years would’ve taken a toll on anyone.  I am on the mend in many ways and try to be patient with myself.  I very much look forward to finding rewarding work – what I can finally call my life’s work and I feel blessed that my awareness level is where it is knowing how many people live entire lives in the dark. 

My goals for self transformation (boy that does sound grand does it not?) would include all three areas of well being, physical, spiritual and psychological.  This is because my goals will address devising a new life’s plan that will include, for once, work that I actually want to do and will be good at naturally, the healing that comes from giving your time and energy to other’s who too need to find the path I’ve already shown to follow, returning and adhering to my meditation and yoga practices knowing full well how far reaching the benefits are as well as their role in my maintaining a needed balance while I work on my inner development. 

The activities I am striving to engage in regularly in order to support my process and path to integral health and healing are self education on wellness topics for the purpose of writing, developing and giving public workshops on wellness, meditation in order to help me quiet my mind and body so as to have the energy that my new work will require and spending time on myself with regard to love and trust in a relationship after having met a really wonderful man. 

Relaxation Exercise.  This can only be described as beneficial.  Well let’s see:  wonderful, gentle, calming, relaxing, soothing soft, comforting, peaceful, and restful.  This voice is familiar to me and I am again reminded to find my relaxation CD’s following my move and make listening part of taking care of myself going forward.  If I am able to identify the voice, I will let you guys know.  Be well for now, Kathleen

Unit 2 At Last! From Whole Coach Wellness :)

Well hello to everyone!  I am very glad to say that I seem to have ironed out my Blog issues and am happy to be back.  Look forward to sending out my thoughts to you and welcome yours as well.  Back shortly !
Kathleen