Unit 7 Blog Assignment

I have to admit that I have the same reaction to this assignment as to the previous ones....it is VERY difficult for me to achieve the desired response when I'm in a hurry to complete my assignments for the week and really not putting my heart into it. However, overall, mindfulness/meditation has been very beneficial to me. I've found that I put a lot more thought into the deeper parts of myself; and I find myself doing little things like driving slower to work and not minding when I get behind a car that is poking along! I'm more patient with my kids as well. It's pretty cool seeing the results of mindfulness, even though I don't have a lot of time to put into specific meditation.

 

The saying "one cannot lead another where one has not gone himself" has to do with leading by example. It's just not possible, long-term, to truly teach another something that we don't have personal experience with. This applies to me as a personal trainer in the sense that if I don't live a healthy lifestyle, exercising regularly and eating properly, I can't teach my clients the way they need to be taught. I believe that the more I develop my psychological, spiritual, and physical health, the more whole and complete I AM, therefore the greater example I will be to them. Taking the time to nurture myself, both physically and emotionally, is a huge key to all of my interpersonal relationships, including my relationships with my clients.

Unit 6 Assignment

I LOVED this weeks assignment. As usual, I am rushing to complete my homework by deadline, so I can't put the quality time into this that I would like; but I'm going to go back and re-read the book at a slower pace once this class is done.

The Universal Loving Kindness exercise brough tears to my eyes. The first thought I had was, what a different world it would be if everyone practiced this! Then I realized that I can make a difference in MY world--in my children's world-- if I begin practicing this on a regular basis. This was one of the best assignments we've had yet, in my opinion.

The second assignment definitely left me thinking hard. In the past 2 years I've delt with a divorce that was very bitter and nasty for almost a full year of that time. Thankfully things are MUCH better now, but in the wake of all that pain and anger, I've spent a LOT of time pondering on these very things. I've wanted to grow from the pain and become a better person. At this point in my life, I feel that moving forward is my biggest challenge, and that is definitely the line of development that is the most essential for me at this point in time.

Unit 5 Assignment

1. Compare and contrast the Loving Kindness exercise and the Subtle mind exercise. Explain your experience including the benefits, frustrations etc.

 

I'm disappointed with my reaction to this exercise.....mainly because I couldn't relax at all. I waited too late in the week to get it done, and I ended up doing this while on a time limit to go pick up my daughter from school. Thus....not a good experience at all. Last week, I was able to relax quite a bit, and even noticed that the pain from a gym injury was relieved temporatily.

1. Discuss the connection of the spiritual wellness to mental and physical wellness. Explain how the connection is manifested in your personal life.

I truly believe in the benefits of spiritual wellness. I know that personally, when I am more spirtually centered, I am able to deal with the stresses of life more effectively. Personally, I believe that this is because I can essentially "let go" when I'm actively living in faith (for me, spiritual wellness is directly connected to my relationship with God.) When I am less stressed out, I'm also healthier. Two summers ago, while I was going through my divorce, i was under more stress than I've ever been under before. I was sooo sick during that time....just random different colds, flus, etc. I have no doubt that the stress compromised my immune system and left me with no defense.

Unit 4 Blog Assignment

1)My experience with the Lovingkindness exercise was interesting. I was really relaxed; I couldn't even feel the pain from a shoulder injury I got in the gym this week. I found that pretty cool.

I had a  hard time envisioning the things that we were supposed to envision/feel. So basically it turned into more of a relaxation exercise for me than anything. I wouldn't necessarily recommend this exact exercise to anyone, because I guess I didn't get out of it what I was supposed to; but I definitely recommend relaxation/meditation exercises in general.


2) Mental workouts work the mind just as physical workouts work the body. Mental workouts enable us to dig deeper than we normally would, and come to understanding and enlightenment on things about ourselves. They allow us to be more relaxed; manage stress better; and even improve our IQ. Personally, I need to implement meditation on a regular basis in order to manage my stress better. I also need to do more extensive studying and reading in order to expand my knowledge and understanding.