I definitely like listening to guided meditations better than reading them. I feel more at peace when I close my eyes. Alone in the cool darkness without flickering visual distractions. I didn't memorize the paragraph, so it felt unnatural as I read aloud the words on the page. The unnatural feeling counteracts the desired feeling of deep relaxation. I will say that I like the message though. If the book advised that I make up my own blessing for the universe then I think this exercise would have been more successful. That would have made the exercise more personal and fluid.
Integral Assessment:
Below is a visual of my integral assessment. As you can see it looks similar to either the United States of America or a goldfish cracker. Because my assessment looks like a goldfish it means that I should focus to improve my fitness and my community most of all. To improve these areas I could volunteer within my community and participate in a more structured exercise regimen. These assessments fluctuate over time, so mine will not always look as such, but for now this is the case. I feel most satisfied with my levels concerning family and nutrition, but all other levels deserve room for improvement.
I found that this exercise actually made me a bit nervous. I was worried if I was judging myself accurately and if I was well versed enough in the definition of the lines. So again this was not my favorite exercise.
**On a personal note, this week I practiced yoga, and have fallen in love with a few new stretches for my back. One of which I had practiced previously, but I had been practicing it incorrectly. Also I got to watch acupuncture be preformed! I've only seen pictures of it before, so this was a really interesting experience. The acupuncturist had a Chinese pain relief spray that she used on my back (even though I wasn't the client), and I will tell you that side of my back really did feel better for the rest of the day. So cool!
Nice job Jamie! You always are so thorough with your posting. It is inspiring for me! :)
ReplyDeleteI think you have hit on a good point about having our own universal loving-kindness messages. Now that you mention it, it felt like at the beginning that I was just reading someone elses wishes. Toward the end of the 10 repetitions, I did feel my heart begin to feel the affirmations. I agree with you though. We should make up our own and try it again.
Blessings!
Jamie,
ReplyDeleteGreat effort in designed your own integral assessment graph. You've put some time into critically analyzing your current needs and goals.
I too found the exercise not as effective as previous ones. For me, the problem wasn't memorization. Once I got the first two lines down it was easy to interchange "May all" with "May I assist". I just don't think I was in the moment. I suppose I let myself get distracted.
I used to love guided meditations but I feel like I can only do them so many times. I'd rather gather what I need from each style that best suits me. I now enjoy the silence much better and am more able to practice it a little everyday.
~Thomas
Hi Jamie,
ReplyDeleteI think that if I practiced the exercise enough, it would feel much better. I changed the mantra so it would be a better fit for me, with that, it became easier.
My biggest issue is finding the quiet time to focus. I once again, find myself getting up earlier in the a.m. in order to avoid distractions. With anything, the more we practice, the more natural these exercises will become.
Carol