My experience with the mp3 was insightful. Without realizing it, each of my thoughts depended as the exercise went on. First I imagine my daughter when they asked me to think of someone I love. Then the water and waves started and it made me visualize I was holding her hand. I felt myself tense because of my instinct as a mom near the ocean. As it went on a tried to move towards a relaxed state. I listened tentatively and next I pictured myself trying not to hold attachment to my self image. I imagined the therapy running on the beach provided me before. I seemed to have a focus on the water. I found the breathing in sickness and breathing out health and wellness to be great for me. I constantly take deep breathes. It is my way of thinking before I react or respond. I do a lot of deep breathing so the idea of visualizing something as powerful as making someone feel better and giving them their health was significant. I found it beneficial to  me. The progression of thinking deeper and deeper was cool too. I began with thoughts of my daughter, then myself, my mom, to the Philippines. My wanting to help grew.

There are two types of mental workouts, practicing loving-kindness and subtle mind - witnessing, calm-abiding, and unity consciousness. In the text it reads "thousands of tested methods is available from the East" - in other words the odds are in your favor, try it. It is suggested to try 5-15 minutes everyday. I could try working on this because just this short one time has brought a lot more significance to my idea behind breathing. As weird as I felt in the beginning, the more I reflect on this exercise the more I see it could help. It could certainly improve my mental health by practicing the skills of loving-kindess and subtle mind. I think morning meditation would help remind me throughout the day of my goals to use these skills. The hurdle would be to wake up early enough to try and stay awake! I struggle with being tired all the time. 

The Mind-Body Connection

My current physical, psychological, and spiritual well-being are as follows:

A-    My physical wellbeing is an 8. I have kept an active exercise routine through the spring, summer and fall & am just currently hitting the cold weather. Time is also not on my side with losing light earlier and school work to do. My goal is to maintain an exercise routine through the cold months. One thing I can do is join the gym. I am actually going to check out a new gym in the morning. It gives me back the ability to run 3-4 times a week and it also provides daycare which is a huge bonus. I am looking forward to getting my runs back in more routinely. They have been off for about the last month.

B-    My psychological well-being is around a 7. The more I am physically active the healthier I am mentally. Running really helps me on many levels. My immediate goal for winter is to keep my mind clear and healthy. To do this I take more time to myself like getting baths or drawing. Keeping my mind busy but finding time to relax is a tricky balance. Winter is by far my least favorite season due to the cold and lack of sun. I fight the blues most winter and it tends to kick in about January. Working on my awareness and what I'm learning in this class I believe will help me continue to improve.   

C-  My spiritual well-being is a 5. When I am working on my physical and mental wellbeing simultaneously I feel like I can really work on this. I think this is where I could use the most improvement. Since this course has started I find the readings have heightened my awareness & opened my ideas a bit. One goal for me is to try a Pilate’s class and yoga class over the winter. I think this will help me focus on all three at the same time. I found a Pilate's class to try but have yet to find a yoga class.

4. The relaxation exercise was impossible for me to get through. I kept falling asleep and then waking up as soon as he would start telling me to tell myself something like, “I am grounded”. The rainbow, prism comparison didn’t help much either. “Imagine a window below your belly button” I guess I am not that imaginative... I did not find this exercise beneficial except for the temporary pause to close my eyes and relax; that is always nice.

Journey On relaxation exercise

Welcome:
Welcome to my blog, Simply Natural, Simply You! The name of my blog says a lot in a few short words what health and wellness mean to me. So many people look to medicine and ways to control their problems. I experienced a rapid decline in health about 2 years ago. I immediately turned to doctors to help me. I was becoming violently ill and losing weight rapidly. I was sent for test after test without any results. I remember crying to the doctors because my blood work kept coming back "normal". I actually wanted them to find something wrong with me so I didn't feel crazy. Finally I took to the internet and came across the idea of a food log. I had told my doctors I thought it may be food related and they told me there was no way.  I decided to go back to basics and track my symptoms and food. Within a couple weeks I could pinpoint exactly what was making me sick and the symptoms associated with it. My entire life I fought weight problems (underweight and over weight), migraines, anxiety, and depression; the list goes on. All I had to do was take dairy out of my diet & I found 80% of these struggles were removed from my life. It was in this pivotal moment that I realized my health was in my hands; NOT my doctors, nor will it ever be again. (OK that's an exaggeration, I'm totally not giving myself stitches, but I will forever look to myself before a doctor) I realized that by simply listening to my body, I could be healthy. I want now more than anything to be able to help others. I felt so hopeless, so helpless during that time. Such a simple, natural solution changed my life & I want to do that for others in need. Now, here I am, working towards my degree, here with you fine folks, writing this blog and working on this exercise!

Relaxation Exercise:
The relaxation exercise was interesting to me. I've tried these before but they tend to make me giggle and nervous. (I am not a serious personality at all) But I really gave it a good try. First off, I have to say it was pretty cool to learn about blood flow and that 80% is in your abdomen while you are resting. Then how he went on to explain that the other 20% does just enough to send oxygen and vitamins to the rest of your body. To picture it so well helped me to focus on the technique of "pushing" the blood to my arms. I thought it wasn't working until he asked me to pick up my arm. They felt exhausted. I was amazed at how relaxed I felt. I never did feel a warming sensation, but I'm blaming the thermostat for that one.. I don't think these types of exercises are very "me". When if comes to relaxation, I'm more of a, go on a walk & get some fresh air kind of gal. I also enjoy drawing. It seems that the more I try to relax my mind the harder I fight it. Yet if I put myself in motion, doing something I enjoy, my ability to relax is almost immediate. Perhaps this is something I could work on. There are times in life where I am unable to physically get up and move so to learn and practice sitting still and relaxing would be beneficial.

http://www.kushs.net/kaplan/HW420/JourneyOn.mp3