The Subtle Mind
- As with the Loving Kindness exercise last week, I enjoyed the Subtle Mind practice for this unit, but for different reasons. This exercise felt more like a workout, whereas sending all that positive energy out into world in LK seemed more for the universal good than for my own personal development. (I think I would probably have felt differently about it if I did not already try to think that way, as a baseline, because it would have taken more effort.) With both exercises, I came away feeling relaxed, open, and unburdened, and did not find anything frustrating.
- Before reading the Dacher chapter, "Biological Flourishing," I was already aware of the connection between spiritual, mental, and physical wellness, if not from hearing about it, then from having experienced balance vs. imbalance. I used to be sort of an angry person, and I pretty much always felt like I had no direction or purpose -- I felt unfocused and ungrounded, and had a hard time slowing down, calming down. At this stage in my life, I got sick often. I signed up for yoga to meet a phys ed requirement at a previous college, and discovered that it helped me connect with myself. The more I took time to look inward, the easier it became to put what happened outwardly in perspective, and I morphed into a Big Picture person, instead of someone who was selfishly fixated on petty details. As I learned to let go of daily annoyances, my unoccupied mind became less restless, and I felt less stressed out in general. At the same time, my physical health improved, and I rarely became sick. I could have read about the mind/body/spirit connection until my eyes crossed, but I might never have fully believed or understood how true it was if I hadn't witnessed it within myself.
Rheyn,
ReplyDeleteThis exercise reinforces the fact that mind, body, and spirit are all interconnected! I also find yoga very beneficial at developing all three of these. But, beyond that, I intend to make the practice of focusing on my breath a part of my daily ritual for calm-abiding and inner healing. The heavy burden of a day in the “dumps” can weigh heavily and we should all have a place in our minds that we call sanctuary. For me, these practices gave me great relief and rejuvenated my energy levels considerably.
Whether listening to an instructional mp3 on subtle mind practice or not, we begin to see how our minds work, and that we are able to cease the giant swells and waves that can bury us alive in distress. I recommend a daily practice of a subtle mind, and loving-kindness for anyone wanting better health and wellness, wanting more control of their life, and desiring inner peace. It can be as simple as playing a soothing song; sit or lie calmly and draw the attention to the breath-witnessing the mind and its workings. And best of all, “it’s free!”
Hey Rheyn:
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you that there is a huge difference between reading about something and experiencing it for yourself. It's so easy to read about something over and over again, and even if you understand it on an intellectual level, you may not truly grasp it until you experience it for yourself. I've felt this for myself, especially in relation to my spiritual practices. Another thing I've noticed is how difficult it is to try to describe some experiences to other people, especially skeptical people. In many cases, it's something that you just have to experience for yourself in order to appreciate it.