When I started my Blog tonight thinking about what exercises this term have been the most beneficial, for some reason the song "A few of my favorite things..." started playing in my mind
Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens
Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens
Brown paper packages tied up with strings
These are a few of my favorite things
Perhaps it is because SPRING is here and while growing up my mother would watch The Sound of Music year in and year out....AND perhaps because a couple of the exercises have indeed become some of my "favorite things."
It could also be that just like that I have started to find more joy and appreciation as well...
The reason? I believe the word is GRATITUDE and the exercise is Loving-Kindness. I have practiced this exercise each night and every morning and have found a profound difference in my appreciation of others and my own lowered stress levels. Couple this exercise with some deep breathing based meditation and I have seen myself with more energy and a renewed sense of purpose.
I will definitely continue these exercises on a daily basis -- not only are they part of my "mental training" to help move towards calm abiding...but the "side-effects" of lower stress and improved attitude are wonderful!
Just this morning I was confronted with what could have been a stressful "opportunity" in my new job...focusing on my breathing and choosing my attitude though -- I was able to work through the process and find a result that is better than I ever expected :-)
Looking forward to hearing about the experience of others!
Take Care and have a GREAT week - David
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Asciepius and leading others...
Hello! I hope this post finds all who read it doing well :-)
This week has been BUSY -- but I have managed to find the time to meditate at least 20 min each day and the results have been wonderful. Even though I have been somewhat stressed by my new job, clients, school, etc. --> in the middle of what could be a storm, I have indeed found the calm. My mind has been restful and I have been able to choose my responses and be open with others. In continued daily practice, this mind exercise leading to calm abiding contributes directly to my mental health...and through the reduction in stress, offer indirect benefits for my body as well.
The Asciepius exercise for me was a great chance to connect again with my grandfather who acted as my guide. The water in the background was relaxing and ask I focused on the energy/light coming from my grandfather to me...I was able to recognize and connect with my inner guide. For me this is touching on several levels...the first is that it signified for me that my grandfather is always with me even though he passed away almost 20 years ago. The second is that my inner guide has potential that I have just begun to realize and leverage for my own personal growth and development. I believe too often people look for a teacher outside themselves...when in reality, they already possess all of the knowledge needed -- if they will only pay attention and listen.
This idea leads me to an interesting response to the statement "One cannot lead another where one has not gone himself" -- I disagree.
I believe that at the essence of personal development, it is the individual themselves who make the changes and grow. I offered similar thoughts in response to Mille's excellent blog. There are many examples - in sports, I cannot do hurdles to save my life...but I know the correct form and have taught and coached many young athletes who perform quite well. In coaching, I work with lawyers, doctors, CEOs and even NASA scientist who all have expertise far outside my own -- but by being aware and attentive, I am able to coactively coach them to new levels of performance.
With respect to health and wellness professionals -- I believe the same idea holds true. After all -- does that suggest that a oncologist cannot help a patient through cancer unless they have had cancer themselves? (By the way -- I've have several oncologist during my own battle with cancer -- one had cancer and was a survivor and the other two have not had the disease. My experience with the cancer survivor was actually not as powerful as some of the others -- why? I didn't need someone who had cancer previously (and so might focus on themselves or their own experience) -- I did need someone to be where I was...and to help me how they could.
With that said - I do believe that a health and well professional has an obligation to SELF (not clients) to continue developing health psychologically, physically, and spiritually. By modeling the way, the health and wellness professional can be of service -- but even an overweight doctor can provide the leadership and encouragement needed for a patient to change. Just as leadership begins with leading yourself, to best help a client... a health and wellness professional should start with themselves. However -- even if the journey to full person development has not been completed (or even started) -- this doesn't mean that we can't still be of service to others in their own development. In the end, we are but a guidepost...it is the individual who is doing all of the work :-)
Have a WONDERFUL week!
David
This week has been BUSY -- but I have managed to find the time to meditate at least 20 min each day and the results have been wonderful. Even though I have been somewhat stressed by my new job, clients, school, etc. --> in the middle of what could be a storm, I have indeed found the calm. My mind has been restful and I have been able to choose my responses and be open with others. In continued daily practice, this mind exercise leading to calm abiding contributes directly to my mental health...and through the reduction in stress, offer indirect benefits for my body as well.
The Asciepius exercise for me was a great chance to connect again with my grandfather who acted as my guide. The water in the background was relaxing and ask I focused on the energy/light coming from my grandfather to me...I was able to recognize and connect with my inner guide. For me this is touching on several levels...the first is that it signified for me that my grandfather is always with me even though he passed away almost 20 years ago. The second is that my inner guide has potential that I have just begun to realize and leverage for my own personal growth and development. I believe too often people look for a teacher outside themselves...when in reality, they already possess all of the knowledge needed -- if they will only pay attention and listen.
This idea leads me to an interesting response to the statement "One cannot lead another where one has not gone himself" -- I disagree.
I believe that at the essence of personal development, it is the individual themselves who make the changes and grow. I offered similar thoughts in response to Mille's excellent blog. There are many examples - in sports, I cannot do hurdles to save my life...but I know the correct form and have taught and coached many young athletes who perform quite well. In coaching, I work with lawyers, doctors, CEOs and even NASA scientist who all have expertise far outside my own -- but by being aware and attentive, I am able to coactively coach them to new levels of performance.
With respect to health and wellness professionals -- I believe the same idea holds true. After all -- does that suggest that a oncologist cannot help a patient through cancer unless they have had cancer themselves? (By the way -- I've have several oncologist during my own battle with cancer -- one had cancer and was a survivor and the other two have not had the disease. My experience with the cancer survivor was actually not as powerful as some of the others -- why? I didn't need someone who had cancer previously (and so might focus on themselves or their own experience) -- I did need someone to be where I was...and to help me how they could.
With that said - I do believe that a health and well professional has an obligation to SELF (not clients) to continue developing health psychologically, physically, and spiritually. By modeling the way, the health and wellness professional can be of service -- but even an overweight doctor can provide the leadership and encouragement needed for a patient to change. Just as leadership begins with leading yourself, to best help a client... a health and wellness professional should start with themselves. However -- even if the journey to full person development has not been completed (or even started) -- this doesn't mean that we can't still be of service to others in their own development. In the end, we are but a guidepost...it is the individual who is doing all of the work :-)
Have a WONDERFUL week!
David
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Loving Kindness and Assessment
Dacher offers a wonderful meditation exercise:
May all individuals gain freedom from suffering.
May all individuals find sustained health, happiness, and wholeness.
May I assist all individuals in gaining freedome from suffering.
May I assist all individuals in finding health, happiness, and wholeness.
Long ago I made the decision that I wanted to be of service to others. As someone who has (from time to time) found themselves in leadership positions...I practice the concept of servant leadership. As stated in the movie Eli -- do for others more than you do for yourself. This is a hard concept...many believe that this style of leadership is weak and does not hold people accountable...I suggest instead that this style of leadership is strong and holds people even more accountable (to themselves). As I consider the meditation offered above, I am reminded in the last two lines of the commitment I made to being of service to others in helping them to reach their full potential and to be happy, healthy and whole. Upon reflection of the first two lines, I am reminded that I need to include myself in this same pursuit...
As mentioned in other discussions and posts, the inclusion of self is sometimes the hardest -- the reason? To include yourself in this goal requires a feeling of worth, and forgiveness. It is often easy to forgive others...but is difficult to give yourself the same courtesy.
The meditation is WONDERFUL as it helps open the heart to others. When using the words to turn the focus inward, it can also be revealing as it leads to a true evaluation of self.
Which leads me to Dacher's Integral Assessment. Using the Integral approach to understand where I am in my growth and how to focus energy for further development is energizing. Over the past two years, I have worked hard to let my ego die and instead ask how I can be of service. This path has been more difficult then I would have thought -- and even now I can sense moments of inward focus and feelings of victimazation instead of holding myself accountable and transforming an event.
When considering how to best focus my own energy, I am aware of Dacher's words that "Integral health does not require that we develop fully in every way" (p. 111). Even with this concept in mind, I know that while full development in *every* category may not be required...due to the connection between each aspect of self, there is also a "base level" needed. In the four quadrants, my current focus in on fitness/nutrition and family with additional special focus being given to mind/spiritual development along the cognitive and conative areas of focus.
I believe that much of the needed knowledge is already internal...and so the challenge will be learning to listen and to fully leverage the gifts I have been given. Having gone through open heart surgery and survived cancer (and chemotherapy -- amazing that the cure for a disease is sometimes as bad as the disease), I see these medical episodes as gifts for my own development. Each one being a "wake up" to deeper levels of personal understanding and growth...
So -- the work continues! If forced to select a specific focus, then it is on the body. My body must become stronger as I seek to more fully develop the mind and the spirit. Just like three legs of a stool...all must be functional and development or the result is that the stool falls over.
Have a great week!
David
May all individuals gain freedom from suffering.
May all individuals find sustained health, happiness, and wholeness.
May I assist all individuals in gaining freedome from suffering.
May I assist all individuals in finding health, happiness, and wholeness.
Long ago I made the decision that I wanted to be of service to others. As someone who has (from time to time) found themselves in leadership positions...I practice the concept of servant leadership. As stated in the movie Eli -- do for others more than you do for yourself. This is a hard concept...many believe that this style of leadership is weak and does not hold people accountable...I suggest instead that this style of leadership is strong and holds people even more accountable (to themselves). As I consider the meditation offered above, I am reminded in the last two lines of the commitment I made to being of service to others in helping them to reach their full potential and to be happy, healthy and whole. Upon reflection of the first two lines, I am reminded that I need to include myself in this same pursuit...
As mentioned in other discussions and posts, the inclusion of self is sometimes the hardest -- the reason? To include yourself in this goal requires a feeling of worth, and forgiveness. It is often easy to forgive others...but is difficult to give yourself the same courtesy.
The meditation is WONDERFUL as it helps open the heart to others. When using the words to turn the focus inward, it can also be revealing as it leads to a true evaluation of self.
Which leads me to Dacher's Integral Assessment. Using the Integral approach to understand where I am in my growth and how to focus energy for further development is energizing. Over the past two years, I have worked hard to let my ego die and instead ask how I can be of service. This path has been more difficult then I would have thought -- and even now I can sense moments of inward focus and feelings of victimazation instead of holding myself accountable and transforming an event.
When considering how to best focus my own energy, I am aware of Dacher's words that "Integral health does not require that we develop fully in every way" (p. 111). Even with this concept in mind, I know that while full development in *every* category may not be required...due to the connection between each aspect of self, there is also a "base level" needed. In the four quadrants, my current focus in on fitness/nutrition and family with additional special focus being given to mind/spiritual development along the cognitive and conative areas of focus.
I believe that much of the needed knowledge is already internal...and so the challenge will be learning to listen and to fully leverage the gifts I have been given. Having gone through open heart surgery and survived cancer (and chemotherapy -- amazing that the cure for a disease is sometimes as bad as the disease), I see these medical episodes as gifts for my own development. Each one being a "wake up" to deeper levels of personal understanding and growth...
So -- the work continues! If forced to select a specific focus, then it is on the body. My body must become stronger as I seek to more fully develop the mind and the spirit. Just like three legs of a stool...all must be functional and development or the result is that the stool falls over.
Have a great week!
David
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
PowerPoint posted in the Doc Share Forum within the Course
Team - I hope this post finds you all doing well. I have loaded my PowerPoint to the Doc Sharing area of the course...please take a look and let me know what you think.
LATE BREAKING NEWS....
I also figured out how to post the file within Google Docs :-) The Link is below
http://docs.google.com/leaf?id=0B9kSedV17tiqMGUyNWY4YTktZDZjMC00NjIyLWE1YjgtZTY1NGZjM2RhNjcx&hl=en
Take Care - David
LATE BREAKING NEWS....
I also figured out how to post the file within Google Docs :-) The Link is below
http://docs.google.com/leaf?id=0B9kSedV17tiqMGUyNWY4YTktZDZjMC00NjIyLWE1YjgtZTY1NGZjM2RhNjcx&hl=en
Take Care - David
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Loving-Kindness versus Subtle Mind....which is better?
I hope this blog post finds you all doing well!
In this week's blog, a quick comparison of the Loving-Kindness versus the Subtle Mind exercise...which is better?
Well..in a tribute to Dick Clark's American Bandstand, let me first offer that neither exercise had music with a great rhythm which made it hard to dance. (Not that I dance well when the music DOES have a great rhythm...but that's another blog post :-)) Both tracks also seemed to have a defect in that at times there was a loud static noise during the exercise. In the Loving-Kindness track, it was easy to overlook and hardly noticed. In the subtle mind exercise, the noise was loud, ongoing, and unfortunately began just as I started to reach internal calm. Perhaps the noise was a test...for if I *had* truly reached that internal stillness within the mind -- would I have even noticed (or been jolted by) the noise? Something to ponder....
For me, the first exercise - Loving-Kindness exercise was one that allowed me to "open up" and embrace others with loving intention. It helped me recognize the connection between each of us in a positive light and in doing so lose part of the ego/self in the process. It was VERY relaxing and as I opened my heart and mind to the connection, I felt the warmth of the interconnectedness myself.
Before the track error and loud noise, the subtle mind exercise was also relaxing --but instead of focusing immediately upon others, the exercise started with a technique to use awareness of the body to calm the mind. This too was VERY relaxing...and as I have continued the practice without the track (I found that ultimately I was led back to the feeling of being connected, but this time it was without thought -- just enhanced awareness and complete calm.)
In the end, loud noises aside, I believe that the results of the two exercises are more alike than not...they are just different ways to reach the same place. One begins with a calming of the mind, the other moves with the openness of the heart. Both are beneficial mentally and also physically as I definitely felt energized (even when the exercise was done with the loud noise...in that case though, it was the JOLT that woke me up ;))
Considering theses exercises, it is easy to wonder about the connection between the spiritual, the physical and mental wellness? Let's look at a couple slices of the Orange to consider
In my lifetime, I have seen others (and at time guilty myself) of striving towards wellness in one slice of the orange (like trying to be healthy, lose weight) and quite honestly in doing so, I neglected the other areas of the whole.
I believe that we are both spiritual and physical beings...and to fully embrace this all areas of our live (as captured in the orange above) need to be considered and in balance. As a cancer survivor, the physical slice is one of great concern -- but in the end, the goal here is to not only be free of disease, but to be healthy/whole such that I am able to experience life and play with my growing children. I have been to the place where the body was so weak, that little else is possible....it is not a place I want to go to again.
For me, the aspect of mental wellness is critical. It is not only being open to new ideas and possibilities, but as the mind creates, the body manifests. I've had clients who had misaligned self-concept and reality...for instance, the grown woman who weighs 85 lbs and still believes that she is "fat."
IMHO, having mental and physical wellness are the foundational elements needed to reach and fully experience spiritual wellness. Spiritual wellness is where we as individual and unique humans begin to lose some of the ego, and the distinction between each of us becomes fuzzy so that we realize that we are all connected. Being a Christian, it is with this new awareness that I fully appreciate "Love others as you would yourself" -- since as we are all connected, loving others IS loving our self. (Thinking too hard on this concept can lead to a circular argument. i.e. Lose yourself and ego so that you can become open and embrace the connection with others -- only to find that we are truly embracing our self as we are all connected! As the Poet suggests -- we return to the same place only to discover it anew for the first time :-)
I have discovered the connection between all three aspects of wellness as I have experienced cancer. As the chemotherapy breaks down the body (sometimes the treatment is worse than the disease), and the mind becomes hazy with the chemicals designed to ease the sickness and pain, the ability to fully see yourself as connected (the Spiritual) becomes difficult. I can tell you that at times I felt isolated and alone -- and it is in this isolation I believe that some lose hope and give in to the disease. Having a network of friends and family can help restore that connection though -- and as the spiritual awareness increases, and the mind grows stronger, the body will indeed manifest. And so now the cancer is in remission, and it is with new awareness that I see myself and others!
In this week's blog, a quick comparison of the Loving-Kindness versus the Subtle Mind exercise...which is better?
Well..in a tribute to Dick Clark's American Bandstand, let me first offer that neither exercise had music with a great rhythm which made it hard to dance. (Not that I dance well when the music DOES have a great rhythm...but that's another blog post :-)) Both tracks also seemed to have a defect in that at times there was a loud static noise during the exercise. In the Loving-Kindness track, it was easy to overlook and hardly noticed. In the subtle mind exercise, the noise was loud, ongoing, and unfortunately began just as I started to reach internal calm. Perhaps the noise was a test...for if I *had* truly reached that internal stillness within the mind -- would I have even noticed (or been jolted by) the noise? Something to ponder....
Before the track error and loud noise, the subtle mind exercise was also relaxing --but instead of focusing immediately upon others, the exercise started with a technique to use awareness of the body to calm the mind. This too was VERY relaxing...and as I have continued the practice without the track (I found that ultimately I was led back to the feeling of being connected, but this time it was without thought -- just enhanced awareness and complete calm.)
In the end, loud noises aside, I believe that the results of the two exercises are more alike than not...they are just different ways to reach the same place. One begins with a calming of the mind, the other moves with the openness of the heart. Both are beneficial mentally and also physically as I definitely felt energized (even when the exercise was done with the loud noise...in that case though, it was the JOLT that woke me up ;))
Considering theses exercises, it is easy to wonder about the connection between the spiritual, the physical and mental wellness? Let's look at a couple slices of the Orange to consider
In my lifetime, I have seen others (and at time guilty myself) of striving towards wellness in one slice of the orange (like trying to be healthy, lose weight) and quite honestly in doing so, I neglected the other areas of the whole.
I believe that we are both spiritual and physical beings...and to fully embrace this all areas of our live (as captured in the orange above) need to be considered and in balance. As a cancer survivor, the physical slice is one of great concern -- but in the end, the goal here is to not only be free of disease, but to be healthy/whole such that I am able to experience life and play with my growing children. I have been to the place where the body was so weak, that little else is possible....it is not a place I want to go to again.
For me, the aspect of mental wellness is critical. It is not only being open to new ideas and possibilities, but as the mind creates, the body manifests. I've had clients who had misaligned self-concept and reality...for instance, the grown woman who weighs 85 lbs and still believes that she is "fat."
IMHO, having mental and physical wellness are the foundational elements needed to reach and fully experience spiritual wellness. Spiritual wellness is where we as individual and unique humans begin to lose some of the ego, and the distinction between each of us becomes fuzzy so that we realize that we are all connected. Being a Christian, it is with this new awareness that I fully appreciate "Love others as you would yourself" -- since as we are all connected, loving others IS loving our self. (Thinking too hard on this concept can lead to a circular argument. i.e. Lose yourself and ego so that you can become open and embrace the connection with others -- only to find that we are truly embracing our self as we are all connected! As the Poet suggests -- we return to the same place only to discover it anew for the first time :-)
I have discovered the connection between all three aspects of wellness as I have experienced cancer. As the chemotherapy breaks down the body (sometimes the treatment is worse than the disease), and the mind becomes hazy with the chemicals designed to ease the sickness and pain, the ability to fully see yourself as connected (the Spiritual) becomes difficult. I can tell you that at times I felt isolated and alone -- and it is in this isolation I believe that some lose hope and give in to the disease. Having a network of friends and family can help restore that connection though -- and as the spiritual awareness increases, and the mind grows stronger, the body will indeed manifest. And so now the cancer is in remission, and it is with new awareness that I see myself and others!
Have a WONDERFUL Week!
David
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