This week I 'worked' on the Universal Loving Kindness meditation. I say worked because it took a lot of effort to get started. I found the phrases that we needed to memorize a bit 'unnatural' so I altered them to fit 'me' better. Instead of the 'May I', I used 'Help me' and changed 'assist' to 'aid'. Then it was easier to relax and focus on the phrases. I did pray before doing this exercise because I am not the one with the power to heal, but God can use me as He sees fit. :-)) (I think this is the challenge—we have to remember who the Master Healer is!) I found that it was easier, or more comfortable , to add a name instead of the 'all individuals' because it made the exercise more personal and heartfelt. Maybe in time, I will be able to expand my energies but for now...one at a time keeps me focused better, especially with the connection of a personal relationship. I was also able to practice the exercise for a longer period of time and this is a bonus. I felt good after this meditation but not as good as some of the other exercises that we have practiced so far. (Maybe because I need to work on myself more...?) I will practice this meditation again, but most likely for people that are close to me and are in situations that cause personal suffering. Who knows, I might get enough practice that the skill will improve enough to direct the meditation to all individuals...but right now it takes too much out of me.
The integral assessment was eye-opening for me! I did the assessment myself at first and I found that I was probably a little hard on myself because I 'needed a LOT of work everywhere'. So I found an out-of-the-box solution. I asked 3 people who know me very well to do the assessment, too, from their personal view of where I am. I asked them to rate the specific area on a scale of 1-10 and also to rank them from 1 to 12 in order of least to most developed. Interesting to say the least...! I was definitely harder on myself than they were, but we all agreed that my fitness & nutrition were 1 and 2 (least developed)...although we didn't all have them in the same order. The rest of the areas were pretty close with a few exceptions. My son saw my emotional higher than my neighbor did (because I generally keep my emotions in check—except at home, where I feel 'safest'), but my best friend saw my community & social activism higher than my son did. I did give me a more honest view of where I really am because they all saw me as more developed in most areas than I saw myself. This was good because my self-esteem raised enough that I now want to work on something and we all agreed on the area that I should start with...fitness and nutrition. The best part...? Because I am strongest in cognitive and family...I have the smarts to do it and the support to be successful! ;-)))
Dianne,
ReplyDeleteGreat idea having others perform and assessment about you! Also, great insight on reforming the recital portions to flow with who and where you are right now. I thought that was awesome! My least developed was also nutrition and fitness. I am sure as a mom you find yourself in run motion all the time. As we are so adamant to care about everyone else; we somehow seem to put ourselves on the back burner. No more, its all about me! It is the year of the CARLA. lol
Dianne,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading your post. I never thoug about having someone do the assessment to see how they view me. I think it is a great idea. I also keep in mind that Integral Health makes you look at yourself and decide what is best for you to obtain optimal health. I realize that for me God is the center of who I am and what I hope to become.
Denise