Unit 6

There’s a funny little thing that happens when I do the universal Loving Kindness exercise, I feel myself wanting to help more and I feel the energy. When I did the first loving kindness exercise a few weeks ago, I feel my happiness or love inside of me and as the exercise went on I could feel it radiating. Now with this exercise I do feel the energy radiating, and as we have learned that the power of prayer is real so is the Loving Kindness energy. I needed this exercise this week, my son lost a friend, and even though I have not seen him in quite some time his death affected me as a mother and also from knowing this boy since he was 4. His death also affected the whole community; the church today was standing room only. This exercise allowed me to envision my community and send energy out to everyone who is suffering in some way from his passing. So in a way it also helped me with the grief I feel for his mother and everyone affected. “Integral assessment helps us get from one level of development to another, progressively moving us toward our precious goal of human flourishing (Dacher, 2006, p116)”. This quote made the integral assessment all the more clearer to me and I realized that I have been doing some sort of integral assessing for some time now and not realizing it. I’d say for the past 9 months or so I have been taking inventory of my life looking back and looking forward, making decisions on how I want my life to go and where I need improvement physically and spiritually. When I look back I look back with happiness and sadness, I realize there are certain areas or actions of my life that I am not proud of, so I hold myself accountable for these and make decisions to make sure I don’t repeat actions I am not proud of. I look forward with grace and also realize that materialistic items that were so important years ago are no longer issues. I don’t need, I have enough and I am grateful for all that I have emotionally, spiritually, and physically. When I ask what aspect of my life now is a source of difficulty and suffering I have to think long and hard, and I come up with little issues that can be improved and focused on more. My health is good and much better than it was but it also needs a bit more focus and I think I am working to excel, I am more energetic, more aware of what foods I put into my body, and more active, but I need to continue my focus and not lose it. My interpersonal life with my family needs more time, I get caught up in school and sometimes work that I forget to take some time slow down and enjoy quality time with my family. I always work in tidbits here and there but I need to focus much more on family time and husband time and not think oh I should be studying or writing. I am going to continue to work out and go to my class as this gives me the stamina to get through the day and also helps me focus on improving my health, the subtle mind practice also helps me focus and gives me a recharge so that I am in a better frame of mind for my husband, myself, and my kids. Dacher, E. S. (2006). Integral health the path to human flourishing. Laguna Beach, CA: Basic Health.