UNIT 8 questions

My biggest challenge for me to obtain my inner most flourishing is how to Calm my mind and thoughts as well as my reactions to stressful situations.  I used to be that person who would huff and puff at the person waiting at the register for someone to get a price check, or who would wear out my car horn due to leaning on it so much because someone had cut me off,  I would be the one who would say the customer was always wrong and not always right, unable to focus on work, I would have to read something  5 times in order to understand it because I was always thinking of something else or be daydreaming while someone was talking to me.  In learning how to calm my mind more and practice in these meditation techniques, I am learning more each day to train my mind, to have metal fitness and be more conscious of my thoughts and actions. I have enjoyed all of these practices we have learned in the class but, the ones that I have enjoyed the most is the “Crime of the century” and “The subtle mind”. Loving Kindness is going to take a bit of practice for me, I found this one to be a bit more difficult.  I found that the two that I enjoyed let me focus more on my inner wellness.  I was able to keep my mind more calm and was able to follow what the speaker was saying.  I try to practice them each morning as part of my routine after my physical work-out.  I have found that even with my workouts, I have been able to run a little further with less effort, ride my bike longer, able to stay focused on my readings and become calmer in situations that I am faced with at work. Sometimes before I go to work in the afternoon, I will sit at my computer desk with nothing on and just close my eyes, practice breathing slowly, notice the sounds that are going on outside through my screen door to my deck and scan how I am feeling through out my body and mind.  I notice that my mind begins to wonder and think about things such as work and I force my mind to go back to my breathing.  I do this for only about 15 minutes any longer than that I begin to fall asleep.  I use my walking, running and biking as part of my meditation because I take the time to notice all of the things that are around me in that moment.  I also practice Hatha yoga twice a week with a group at the gym.  I will continue to explore these practices and others to find what will work best for me and to change it up once in a while to see what other practices are out there.  I believe that practicing mind fitness has a huge affect on my overall health and physical fitness.

Cheryl