Hi everyone,
This week I really needed this meditation! I got some bad news that's been
preoccupying me, so I am trying to see this challenge as an opportunity to see
how really embracing these practices can help me overcome my worries (negative
mental chatter). I really want to reach a point at which external events cannot
disturb my inner calm, but it's a challenge.
Most likely because I was not in the best state of mind, and was agitated
and preoccupied, I found it harder to focus and get the full benefit of the
Subtle Mind meditation. My focus kept coming back to my problems and my agitated
state of mind. When I did come back to focus on the Subtle Mind exercise, I
found myself getting overwhelmingly sleepy. It was a kind of relaxation
preferable to the agitation, but it wasn’t a complete state of peace, and I
wondered if the sleepiness was a kind of avoidance. I have not been able to
reassert my calm state of mind, and I am tired and irritable. I need to work on
regaining my sense of peace and developing these practices, clearly!
Spiritual wellness is the starting point for mental and physical wellness.
The spiritual is the deepest part of the self, and if it is not right, the other
parts will not be right either. I used to experience constant back pain and
muscle tension years ago, but I was just thinking recently that I haven’t
experienced it for years. I think it’s because I used to carry a lot of anxiety
because I had no spiritual side, and had neglected this part of myself
completely. I can see now that, because my spiritual self was not developed, it
affected my emotions, which manifested in physical pain. Fortunately, I can see
I’ve come a long way, even if I still occasionally have an off day! :-)
Howdy!!!
ReplyDeleteI find it to be be work to block out all the extra noise we call life too. Sometimes the "other" noise is just too loud.
I also get sleepy sometimes. I try to do these type of exercises before I go to bed so that it is not a big deal if I get sleepy. Also, it take some of the pressure off about getting sleepy - the fact that it ok, ya know?
Hi Rachael,
DeleteYou are so right! We all work very, very hard, and it's okay to get sleepy sometimes. I think sometimes we drive ourselves so hard and can forget to extend the same loving-kindness to ourselves we extend to others.
Thanks for the reminder! :-)
Deb
I'm sorry about the bad news that came your way. I hope you are OK. I know it can be so hard to meditate and be conscious when you are sorting through all the feelings that come up with bad news. I always just try to go wih it. If I am feeling angry I let myself feel angry. If I feel sad then I am sad. I know when I have been through tough times in the past trying to "calm" my mind has left me more down on myself and my situation. Good luck to you Deb!!! I hope this week gets better for you.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for your kind words! You are so right that it's okay to have feelings, positive or negative, and we should validate them, rather than try to shut them out. What is important is that we respond with intentionality rather than reactivity, so that we continue to shape our lives meaningfully, rather than reaction in ways that can stifle our growth.
DeleteI love your blog design, by the way. So upbeat and cute! :-)
Deb
Hello Deb,
ReplyDeleteI totally undestand what you mean. Sometimes when we have so many things to overcome it's hard to focus or if something just recently happened it may take a moment for you to reach a sense of peace depending on the severity of the issue. I know I still have things that I'm trying to overcome that happened years ago but it's a struggle. I enjoyed this exercise because it gave me a different perspective on things. Hopefully we'll all progress as we continue throughout this course.
All the best,
Katrice
Hi Katrice,
DeleteThanks so much for your kind words!
I had a rough week but am feeling balanced, calm and happy again. I'm so thankful for this course; it's exactly what I need to help me make a positive transition from school (this is my final term) to pursuing my chosen career.
I wish you much happiness and success as you continue to progress also.
Take care,
Deb
It can be difficult to have a calm mind when dealing with bad news. This class has actually helped me calm my mind. Each exercise we do helps me focus on the importance of being able to have a clear calm mind. At times I forget and prayer and meditatationhelp me to get back on track. I wish you the best of lucki in finding a technique that works for you.
ReplyDeleteHi Tonya,
DeleteYou are so right! It's easy to be all Zen when everything's going right; it's when things are rough that it's a challenge to keep our inner center calm, still and peaceful.
Prayer, meditation and all the other practices we are learning about are the tools we need to help us try to attain constant calm - a goal I'm still working towards, for sure! :-)
Deb