Unit 4 - Loving Kindness & Mental Workout

I entered this exercise feeling stressed that I wasn't going to get the post completed before the Saturday night deadline as required by the course.  I didn't receive the CD until late last night and I was committed to an event all day today so by the time I got home, I wasn't sure how much time I would have to actually listen to the CD and then complete this post.  At this point, I'm not sure but the post may be late.

Regarding the loving kindness meditation, I did not enjoy it.  Regardless of the reason, whether stress was a factor or not, having someone tell me how I'm supposed to feel I found uncomfortable.  I enjoy most meditations and I find the relaxation stage easy to achieve but I was unable to just "go" to the emotion the loving kindness meditation was asking me to feel.

Regarding the subtle mind mental workout, Track 3, initially I found it easy to stay focused on my breath but then about 4 1/2 minutes into the recording the meditation ended and was replaced with nothing but static.  I turned the volume way down and continued to listen, hoping the static would be short-lived.  The balance of track 3 was nothing but static.  I stopped the CD, checked it for scratches (finding none), and tried to play it again - with the same result.  Once the recording reached Track 4, the author's voice returned. 

Mary

 

Unit 3 Blog - Personal Wellness

Lots of questions and even more reflection had to be taken before responding to this week's blog.  When rating my overall well-being, I find my Physical Well-being at a 7.  I am very healthy, but I don't exercise on a regular basis and could definitely lose some weight.  Despite this, all of my blood work and overall health exams come out very well.  I would rate my Psychological Well-being at an 8.  I begin my day with positive expectations and a deep inner knowing that each day will unfold for my highest good.  Even in knowing this, it doesn't mean that negative things happen at times that don't have a lesson in them for me.  The trick is in taking the time to look at the incident from a detached point of view and hopefully finding the lesson in it.  If this worked all the time, I would be at a 10 - so there is definitely some work to do in this area.  I am very comfortable rating my Spiritual Well-being at a 10.  I can do this because I know what I believe and I am comfortable with those beliefs.  I also am fine with the fact that there will be many other people who will disagree with my beliefs and who may even condemn them, but I'm OK with that.  I believe everyone is entitled to the belief system that feels right for them.

A goal to raise my level of Physical Well-being is to be more conscious of where the food I eat and serve my family is of the highest quality.  To this end, I was just reading an article on the use of uncommon cooking oils.  I was already aware that high temperatures can cause oils to go rancid and that most "rape seed" used in the making of canola oil comes from GMO seed.  I haven't used canola oil for a long time but I do regularly use olive oil, but has a very low heat tolerance.  The article I was reading suggested using grape seed oil, which I normally use in the preparation of my herbal balms because of it's small molecule and easy absorption into the skin.  The article explained that grape seed oil has a much higher rancidity level than olive oil and could therefore be used in cooking that requires higher temperatures, like stir-frying.  The article also suggested the use of coconut oil, which I have heard is being used in many restaurants, or ghee, or clarified butter, which is just the butter fat after the the water has been evaporated.  Since I already have grape seed oil on hand, I am going to try substituting it for the olive oil in any frying applications.  I am also monitoring my caloric intake and working on increasing my overall physical activity.

A goal for raising my Psychological Well-being is to attempt to live each day in awareness so I can respond to the situations around me and not react to them.

A goal for maintaining my Spiritual Well-being is to continue to not be offended by the judgement of others when it comes to my beliefs and to refrain from presenting any judgments on others.

When listening to the recording Crime of the Century, I actually found myself a bit frustrated.  This was not because of the recording itself but because I kept getting interrupted and had to start the recording over - several times.  When I finally found some alone time and began listening to the recording, it got about three-quarters of the way through and then stopped.  No matter what I did, I couldn't get the recording to finish.  Normally I really enjoy listening to these types of recordings but between the interruptions and the inability to finish it, I found myself feeling frustrated.

Mary

Welcome to - Your Journey To Wellness

Hello Professor and Classmates -

Welcome to my blog.  I've decided to call my blog - Your Journey To Wellness - because that's the name of my business.  The name comes from my belief that each person creates their own wellness and the journey to that end point is as individual as they are.  In my business, I offer my clients several different "paths" they can choose from, including: hypnotherapy, life coaching, western herbalism, Reiki, flower essences and aromatherapy.  Once they understand how these therapies can aid them in their desire to balance their life physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually, they are free to choose the "path" that best suits them.  My mission statement reads:  To empower and motivate each individual with the desire to achieve their personal best."

Thanks for reading.

Blessings,

Mary M. Ernsberger, HHP

Journey On - Meditation

Wow - this meditation couldn't have come at a better time.  As I posted earlier, my daughter just got some very disappointment news.  I have learned over the years that when one door closes, somewhere a window is opened to allow the entry of something much better than what we feel we've lost.  Unfortunately, my daughter doesn't see it that way at this moment.  I hope to support her in the next phase of her life journey. 

For me, I really enjoyed the feeling of deep relaxation and had actually forgotten how good it feels to just let go and sink into peace.  You can't help others find peace and balance if you are not experiencing that in your own life.  I intend to go back to listening to some of my other relaxation Cd's on a regular basis. 

Comfort in a time of great disappointment

The last two days have seen the emotions in my house go from the highest high to the lowest low.  Yesterday, my daughter got a call from a potential employer offering her "conditional employment" based on the completion of both personal and employment background checks.  She was so excited - this is a field she has been wanting to work in for quite some time.  She was going to have to relocate but that was OK because it was an area in Alaska that we had previously looked at living in or near and we really liked it a lot.  Today, the other shoe dropped.  They called her back and withdrew their offer because of a poor decision she had made when working for another employer.  She gave her notice after being accused of improper behavior instead of sticking it out and clearing her name.  As a parent, I tried to advise her of the possible consequences of this decision but it was too late - she had already resigned.  Now that decision has come back to bite her - so to speak.  No only is she not eligible for the position, they advised her she isn't eligible for any position in the field she so badly wanted to work.  I feel so bad for her but I honestly don't know what to do to help.  I can only be here to offer a shoulder and support her in finding a new path to follow.