I listened to track #4, Meeting Asciepius, during a quite time at my house. I felt that this practice was successful for me. I found that I was able to picture my dear friend that is no longer here on earth. I felt a warm sensation surround my body and I felt at peace. I felt my body relax and feel heavy. I became so relaxed that I kept jumping every time the woman's voice came back on. At the end of the exercise I felt sad. I missed my friend. Life is so precious and it can be taken away from us at anytime. This practice reminded me that my friend is always with me, watching over me.
This week, I worked on breathing and quieting my emotions during times of stress. Just being aware of these exercise has made a big impact on me and in turn, my family. Mindfulness and meditation has fostered an increase in my psychological and spiritual wellness. I have tried to listen better, I have tried to be more calm, and I have tried to understand the process to peace and contentment in myself and my love ones. I can continue to apply these practices in my life to foster greater health and wellness simply by practicing the different meditation practices that we have learned in class.
"One cannot lead another where one has not gone before." This means that one cannot tell someone to do something if they have not done it themselves. Health and wellness professionals need to walk the walk. They need to be healthy in their mind, body, and spirit in order to allow someone to follow their guidance. They have an strong obligation to their clients to develop their health psychologically, physically, and spiritually. I can implement psychological and spiritual growth in my own life by continuing to be present in the moment and to continue to practice these mindfulness techniques.
Aaron
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Hello Aaron,
ReplyDeleteI am glad that you were able to picture your dear friend that is no longer here on earth. I felt my dad from the first time I started the exercises that lead us to picture someone who is dear and close to us. I miss too. Life is precious indeed! The practice reminded me that my friend, my dad is always with me too. I kept jumping every time the woman's voice came back on too, I thought it we just my heaviness, my deep relaxation. I miss my dad too and did not want to talk about it this time. I feel great knowing he is a part of me.
As health and wellness professionals we definitely need to practice what we teach to be role models of integral health. We must be healthy in our mind, body, and spirit because we truly cannot give what we do not have. It will definitely be the blind leading the blind! We must continue to develop psychological and spiritual growth in our lives by continuing to be present in the moment through the practice of the mindfulness meditations.
We are definitely on the right path Aaron.
Hi Aaron,
ReplyDeleteI loved your post this week. How wonderful that you were able to feel a connection with your dear friend during the exercise. What a gift, and it is there for you anytime you want it.
I have really noticed a difference in my interactions with my family too. Especially my pre-teen daughter. I have been much more "present" when I am around her. I am listening more to what she has to say instead of half-listening while I also am thinking of other "important" things. The truth is that there is nothing more important to me than my relationship with my husband and children. They deserve my attention and I have been better at giving it. My daughter and I are staring to do a guided meditation together and talk about it afterward. If I can acquaint her with some of these concepts early in life, maybe she'll be better grounded than I was through my teens and twenties.
I like the way your phrased your answer to the second question. "We cannot give what we do not have." Nicely done!
Kelly
Hey Aaron,
ReplyDeleteI think we have something in common from this exercise. I lost my Grandad in December and he was my focal point for this week's meditation. In the beginning, I too was sad because I miss him so much but I pictured him doing something silly (which he did A LOT!) and it made me smile!
Then after the meditation was over, I felt happy that I was able to sit and focus on him for just a few minutes. Now, in reading your post, I'm sadden again...I know what you mean and it's painful to miss them. But hopefully we can be comforted by the memories we have of them....
Good luck in your progress forward and hope your week is peaceful.....
Take care,
Michelle :)
Aaron,
ReplyDeleteI think that your story about your friend was beautiful! I also think it is something that we can all relate to. You are so right: life is truly a precious gift in which we do not realize how long we may have it. I think that we let so many opportunities in life pass us by saying "ehh, I'll just get to that later". But from every person I've known whose time was limited, they all say not to take any one minute of it for granted. We truly are blessed to be living here where we do, when we do. Instead of complaining all the time, we need to be thankful for the blessings in our lives. I love how meditation is able to remind us of this!
Aimee Fairbanks
Hi! Aaron,
ReplyDeleteThis exercise helped me settle some restlessness in my heart I was struggling with. I liked assimilating a new mind and heart to take the place of what I have. I could see where you would miss your friend after imagining her with you. But it is nice to have the memories of our loved ones and picture their faces, so often we get busy and forget to remember our loved ones and what they brought to our lives.
Hi Aaron,
ReplyDeleteYou have a beautiful post here and while I am sorry for your loss I take comfort in knowing that you are a strong individual and your friend was blessed to have you (and of course vice versa). I lost my baby brother to a freak accident a few years ago. He was a month shy of his 21st birthday. For three days after that I don't remember anything and looking back that was the scariest time in my entire life. I began questioning everything- and I mean everything. For the most part I would just cycle through the emotions: being mad, sad, confused, overwhelmed, then back to mad. When I was finally able to get a foothold back in my sanity the one thing that really started bringing me back was the fact that the night before he was killed, I had stopped what I was doing and hugged him, told him I loved him and then told him to be careful on the way home. Life is so very short- and I still to this day will get upset if someone I love leaves my house without saying a proper goodbye (meaning full attention and eye contact) becuase we really don't know what the future holds. I am glad that this week's exercise helped you to remember your friend in a positive light- and by that I mean that you weren't hurting when you were thinking of your friend during the exercise. I hope that you can continue to find comfort and peace in your memories and thoughts of the time you had together.
-Jen R.