The concept in Chapter 6, Psychospiritual Flourishing, of the "Mental Workout" (Dacher, 2006) is that it takes daily effort and practice to access and develop our psychospiritual life. Research shows us that by building upon the efforts we make each day we increase our ability to attain and sustain health, happiness and wholeness. Like any muscle that strengthens with use and atrophies without so do our stages of consciousness related to the strength of our mind. By doing something, anything each day, even if it to stand at the kitchen sink while doing dishes while doing breathing exercises we will build a solid foundation in which our walls can be built upon and probably find ourselves doing more than five minutes and then more than ten minutes until our daily practice has become part of our daily routine.
Dacher, E.S (2006). Psychospiritual Flourishing, Integral Health: The Path to Human Flourishing. Laguna Beach, Ca. Basic Health Publications, Inc.
I believe like with everything else "practice makes perfect". However, I also think that we must want to do an exercise otherwise we would dread it and on the long run give up and not have achieved very much. Therefore I think it is vital that we keep reminding ourselves the benefits of a "mental workout".
ReplyDeleteIt does take practice but for me the first time I took the exercise for some reason I felt like I was right there on the beach listening to the ocean and focused. I have so much emotions bottled up inside I guess it only took me one time listening to it and I was crying on some parts. Healing and happiness is an everyday thing you have to work at it... it doesn't come easy.
ReplyDeleteLike someone already commented on, Practice does make it perfect. I have always said to myself and to others, when it comes to staying motivated and staying focused on something you want so bad is to do something towards what it everyday. Just like you said, even if is breathing by the sink. It takes the little effort just the size of a mustered seed to look back and say something was accomplished or at least I did something to get closer to it. Be prepared to receive when effort is leading you.
ReplyDeletepractice does make perfect. But we forget sometimes when our brain has been programmed a certain way it is hard to retrain it or make it rethink differently. That is the problem with age it is difficult to change habits and ways. But we must rememeber it is not impossible to do. It may just take a little more effort because we are breaking old habits and making new ones to replace it. I hope to learn to do this by the end of this class if I am lucky.
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