Universal Loving Kindness

Cocoa Beach, Florida

I can see how the Universal Loving Kindness meditation exercise would be helpful in cultivating a good state of mind for integral mental health.  Wishing all individuals freedom from suffering and sustained health, happiness, and wholeness, and wanted to assist others in this pursuit is like chicken soup for the soul.  It really helps yourself to be able to be free from suffering and sustain health, happiness and wholeness.

The assessment I found a little difficult to do, especially since there was not an mp3 to listen to, and I had to read it and kind of go back and forth to figure out what I was doing.  I think this assessment would become a little easier with time and practice.  The biggest thing I want to be the focus of my personal growth and development is to find a new career.  I am happy with most aspects of my job, but it is not very fulfilling to me.  I would prefer a career where I could explore more of my creative abilities.  Graduating with my communications degree is definitely putting me on the right path for that though.  I think the visualizing the job or career I want to have and meditating on it would work best for deciding what I want to do with my life.

Subtle Mind



The subtle mind practice was extremely calming and relaxing, although I found it hard to stop the random thoughts from popping into my head and getting to the witnessing mind stage.  I liked this exercise better than the loving kindness exercise because I feel like it can put my state of mind in a better place and help me with other aspects of my life. 

Spiritual wellness is very important in nurturing mental and physical wellness.  Without being grounded and centered spiritually your thoughts and actions can be unhealthy and chaotic.  Although I do not practice a particular religion, I do believe in a higher being and in the spiritual connectedness of all human beings.  Believing this I feel helps me to nurture my own feelings of love and well being so that I can pass it on to others.

Loving Kindness

The Loving Kindness exercise was something new to me.  While I was breathing in the pain and suffering of others, even those I would consider enemies, and breathing out love, peace and wellness, I kept thinking this is the opposite of what I would consider normal.  Usually during a meditation I will breathe in the good, and breathe out the bad.  Now, here I am breathing in not only the bad, but the bad of others, and giving them the good that is within me.  I feel this was a turning point for me to be less selfish in my thinking, and not only want the best for myself and my loved ones, but for everyone, and to think about that more often.  I would recommend this exercise to others because I feel it expands the mind to be more open and loving. 

The concept of a mental workout is about learning and thinking of things that are not in your daily routine.  Opening the mind up to new ways of thought and experiences helps you to grow mentally and become more kind and compassionate.  To foster my own psychological health, it would benefit me to think more of others and how I can help them.  I plan on taking more time during the day to start to implement this way of thinking.