First, the loving-kindness exercise...I understand the premise of this activity but I still find that these exercises are forced. I think that if I were to practice it daily, it may actually begin to affect the way that I think for the better. Like most people, in lots of ways I'm self-absorbed and don't necessarily see the suffering of others. I may be annoyed with the rude cashier at Walmart without knowing that she just had a horrible experience and that is why she didn't say "Thank you". (Or maybe she's just rude, I'll never know...but that's the point, I don't know). I'd like to find an exercise that feels a bit more natural to cultivate kindness in myself.
As for my self assessment, I feel that without much meditation I know what I need to work on. As I mentioned in previous posts, I had an issue that started in the "interpersonal" area which caused glaring problems in the biological, worldly, and psychospiritual areas of my life. What I really need is a good forgiveness meditation! Through this class, our reading, and the meditation class I'm taking, I'm trying to figure out how to get myself to the next level of development.
Lisa,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your honesty regarding these practices. I understand where you're coming from. I know what you mean about interpersonal problems causing problems in other areas. It's amazing how much what is going on mentally and spiritually can affect you physically. It can go both ways though. Sometimes physical illness or pain can cause problems in the spiritual and mental aspects of life. I work on recognizing all aspects of my life that could use some work, but at the same time I try not to go crazy trying to figure things out or "fix" myself. I find that meditation and writing in my journal help me to know myself better and see my life clearer. Keep up on the meditation and learning.
Elizabeth
Elizabeth, maybe you are correct in not trying so hard to "fix" yourself. Because of the experience I mentioned I have felt crappy (for lack of a better word) for so long, that maybe I'm focusing too hard on fixing things. Thanks for the new perspective.
ReplyDeleteHello Lisa,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you on the exercise because it did not really seem to do much for me either. I think it is best to try and practice something on a daily basis and set a goal to help people and practice love and kindness as much as possible. This will help me accomplish this, but not by simply saying a phrase repeatedly. Sometimes simply little tasks can make a big difference. For example, try to see how many times you can help a person in a day. Holding the door for someone, helping someone if they are having a tough time with something, and doing the small things really make a difference to someone. I am a receptionist, and today a woman told me she hopes her young daughter smiles as much as me when she gets older and it totally made my entire day. She had no idea, but those words really meant a lot and gave me a positive boost for the day. Great post this week and see you next week!