Unit 8

I think the two most beneficial practices for me would have to be the creation of mental “space” that occurs at the beginning of meditation, and the implementation of visualization when trying to attain mental fitness. 

For me, as I might have casually mentioned once or twice (OK – subtlety isn’t my strong suit – I’ve griped, I know), I have a hard time getting my mind to slow down.  One of the most influential things I’ve learned in this course, and through these practices, is how to hold my thoughts with an open hand, and at times, just let them go.  Creating mental space for the sake of intentional action is something that I know I can benefit from.  I will definitely be utilizing this practice in my future profession.  So many people get caught up in cycles of reaction, reaction, reaction, whether it be to external or internal events.  Reactions, which are products more of habit than reason, can get us all tied up in physical, emotional, spiritual, and social knots.  But learning how to slow down one’s breathing, and using that biological cue to train the mind, is an important first step to taking control of your life. 

The second practice that I appreciated and intend to utilize is visualization.  I haven’t gotten as deep into this practice yet as I’d like to, but I intend to practice it further.  Human beings are highly imagistic creatures, and using that in-born gift intentionally makes a great deal of sense.  We use this during physical training (I sometimes visualize hitting that wall while running and I think through how I’ll handle it), but it’s also shown itself to be a highly effect way to mentally train.

Unit 7

I did complete the Meeting Aesclepius meditation. I found the idea of meeting with a wise mentor to be a good one. I wonder, honestly, though, about the benefits of meeting with a wise mentor that my imagination is placing in front of me. It fell flat a little. I feel like I want something more – something more real. I (think I) understand that there is a theory at work here which seems to believe that all the wisdom that we need we can access within our own consciousness somehow. But that feels like hubris to me…? Maybe?

On the other hand, some of the images provided were helpful. The idea of a light purifying my mind at the beginning is one that I found helpful. The role of image to train our minds cannot be overemphasized. So I’m on the fence when it comes to my reaction to the specific exercise.

Some of my meditative practices for the week were a little more directed, and a little more concrete. They suit me better. They engage my mind, but not to the point of over-activating it. They direct my thoughts, but don’t lead them around by the nose. I’m an Orthodox Christian and this week was our Holy Week. Part of the practice of Holy Week involves attending church daily. Most people can’t do this. For the first time in my life, I decided to take the week off work and go to every service available. It was fantastic. The darkness, the stillness, the readings, the engagement of both mind and body in the memorial of that week… it was very meditative and healing for me. I see at work there the same theory and practice that I see at work here: the intentional habituation of mind and body to a more robust level of health than what is normally seen.

I think that no matter what profession you’re in, trying to teach someone else what you yourself do not know is foolish. And by “know”, I don’t mean book knowledge. I mean head knowledge. Experience. I’d rather get directions from someone who’s been where I’m going rather than someone who’s only looked at a map. If I myself am not working towards the same goal as my clients, how on earth can I honestly propose to lead them?

Unit 6

Truth be told, the first exercise was a stretch for me. I am quite accustomed to praying for such things, but prayer is a request directed at an intelligent agent, specifically in my case, God. To make what could be a request into what felt like an undirected wish seemed odd. Almost, but not, like a birthday wish. Minus the candles. Too harsh?

But. Then I reread what it was for. It doesn’t seem to be intended to be something that emanates directly out from us and into the cosmos. It is something that we produce in ourselves first for our own sakes. Sounds awfully narcissistic put that way... but let me clarify. It’s an exercise that changes us so that we can change the world we’re in. Yes? It’s not a prayer, it is a hope. And hope changes things by first changing the one who hopes. Choosing to hope for something good will push us to work for it.

The assessment process was something else altogether. Hello clarity. Nice to have you smack me in the face again. I missed it. No really, I mean it, I did.

“What aspect of my life – psychospiritual, biological, interpersonal, or worldly – is the source of difficulty or suffering?”

Him, that, those, this. All that. All that is the problem. Nope, try again. What, really, is the source of the suffering? All that interpersonal nonsense is creating an internal situation that I’m not dealing well with. All that interpersonal stuff is not the source. It’s not the place that the pain is springing from. The pain is springing from me reacting to those situations not out of a place of stillness and strength, but out of a place of chaos, weakness, and fear. The source of the problem is psychospiritual. I need to tell myself to just “calm down, yo”. You will suffer less if you unclench your fist just a little bit, chill, give it a hot minute. Address the internal weakness that’s reacting. Stop reacting. Start acting. Be intentional. Your intentions are good and wise. Let those be the fulcrum and the muscle.

Geez.

Exercise to implement: Strengthening my witnessing and then calm-abiding mind through the practice of silence and meditation. Good prayers will spring out of all that silence.