The two practices throughout the course that I have found most beneficial so far are "Meeting Asclepius" and "Loving-Kindness". Although I appreciate any new exercise or meditation that can expand my contemplative practice, these two shared a commonality - they allowed me to take my mind off of myself or my own mind and concentrate on others.
Meeting Asclepius was particularly interesting because I felt that by visualizing the Dalai Lama as my wise and revered teacher, I could tap into his patience and loving-kindness in a way that is not possible simply by reading his books or seeing him speak. It was almost like being there with him and having him guide me - a great experience.
Loving-kindness, I found to be a great exercise to remind us that it is not all about ourselves. When one is trying to learn the art of contemplative practice and mindfulness, it is too easy to get so caught up in our own minds that you forget about others at times. This exercise reminds us that in the end, it is not about each individual per se, but about the collective, or as Jung taught, the collective consciousness. That is our ultimate goal after all - to be connected to all - as we were meant to be.
I have incorporated these two practices into my daily routines. I like to do Meeting Asclepius before turning in for the night - thereby giving my unconscious mind something worth ruminating over while I sleep. I try to do a full-length version of Loving Kindness in the morning - time allowing - but if I can't, simply repeating the words "Loving-kindness" with a few deep breaths throughout the day has the same effect. This also comes in very handy in situations where your first reaction might be to do otherwise, such as when someone cuts you off in traffic, or you get that grumpy cashier as you're checking out. A bit of compassion for them usually turns their day around.
As a matter of fact, I had a client call me yesterday and leave a very frustrated and somewhat demanding voicemail. Following the initial frustrated thoughts it provoked, I called her back and replaced those with understanding and compassion. She finished the conversation with, "I was really upset earlier because I couldn't reach anyone, but you have turned my day around." Now that really makes the effort worth it. Especially when she hangs up the phone and perhaps relates to her family or co-workers with the same. Loving-kindness is the best kind of contagious and it takes no effort to "pay it forward". The rewards, however, are great.
Friday, June 8, 2012
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Unit 7 - Meeting Aesclepius
This week's exercise was the easiest yet for me. When asked to concentrate on a wise person I immediately thought of the Dalai Lama and his presence worked quite well for this exercise. It was as if I was sharing consciousness with the ultimate teacher and it made the exercise a rewarding experience. The Dalai Lama exudes inner peace and loving-kindness. He has the perpetual grin on his face that makes one immediately enamored with his presence. He can answer life's questions in a simple phrase that makes one wonder why we hadn't understood that truth all along. I felt with this exercise that I was actually sharing a small part of his wisdom and compassion and I will continue to use this at the end of a long and stressful day.
"One cannot lead another where one has not gone himself"
This is not a new concept. Our parents have taught us this concept since childhood. It simply states that unless you have experienced something yourself, you cannot possibly presume to teach someone else that which you have no personal knowledge of. As a health and wellness professional, you are responsible for facilitating good choices in others to promote their path to wellness. You cannot offer advice if you have not travelled the path; you do have an obligation to your clients to develop the best within yourself in order to assist them in doing the same. I implement personal psychological and spiritual growth through continued education and contemplative practice. There is always something new to learn, someone's experience to hear, a different exercise to experience. I feel that we definitely are on the cusp of a total paradigm shift and uplifting of human consciousness in the 21st century and I am excited to be discovering all there is to see and experience.
"One cannot lead another where one has not gone himself"
This is not a new concept. Our parents have taught us this concept since childhood. It simply states that unless you have experienced something yourself, you cannot possibly presume to teach someone else that which you have no personal knowledge of. As a health and wellness professional, you are responsible for facilitating good choices in others to promote their path to wellness. You cannot offer advice if you have not travelled the path; you do have an obligation to your clients to develop the best within yourself in order to assist them in doing the same. I implement personal psychological and spiritual growth through continued education and contemplative practice. There is always something new to learn, someone's experience to hear, a different exercise to experience. I feel that we definitely are on the cusp of a total paradigm shift and uplifting of human consciousness in the 21st century and I am excited to be discovering all there is to see and experience.
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