Mental workout

A mental workout is exercise for the mind, in the same way that a physical workout is exercise for the body. We improve the health of our mind step by step, always expanding on what we've previously accomplished. This is similar to physical exercise. We gradually build our muscles or improve the condition of our heart; No one starts off as an Olympic body builder. I find it very interesting that, according to our reading, there is a limit to biological fitness, but the mind appears capable of unlimited development. Recent studies show that exercises, such as meditation and relaxation, can actually cause new cellular pathways to form in the brain. At first this seems astonishing, but why would the brain be different than any other organ of the body? For example, when we push ourselves physically, (such as training for a marathon), we develop collateral circulation to handle our blood volume. Likely, the brain is developing new pathways to handle the new information, feeling, emotions, etc. I am very new to meditation...a few weeks at most. Still, I'm starting to notice a bit of progress. (If there were 1000 levels to meditation, I'd have to say I'm at level 2, at most), but I can definitely feel something different... and better. I enjoyed the loving-kindness exercise very much. I still have trouble maintaining focus and frequently have to bring myself back to my breathing. When the recording said, "choose a person you feel love and tenderness for" my brain was jumping all over the place, from person to person. I finally settled for my youngest daughter who was the easiest to concentrate on (probably because she's too young to have really gotten me angry yet). I hope to eventually be able to extend loving-kindness to everyone.