Loving Kindness

I don't think that I was a big fan of this weeks exercise. I didn't like the sound quality one bit, especially when it came to the waves. I have found videos on Youtube that can literally make it sound like you are sitting on the beach, maybe because of the bass or stereo headphones. This exercise was just like the one in our text. I tried this last night and found that I was extremely happy, especially during the first part when I envisioned my mother. After I had completed this exercise, I felt much more at peace and much more at one with everyone else. I had a strong desire to give back, probably natural seeing as I had spent 45 minutes visualizing me giving life, love and energy to everyone. I even "gave" to people I don't like, especially a group of guys at my gym. That was a big step for me, and I will certainly do this exercise at least once a week.


A mental workout, to me is nothing more than any practice which helps to strengthen the mind and its abilities. Meditation, visualizations, these exercises we are doing in this class ALL help to build a stronger mind. I have heard of many people getting frustrated that they cannot keep their mind quiet while practicing. Many people do not realize that the mind is something that must be mastered. The more you practice, the better it gets. Many people also complain that they don't have the time to practice or that they are too busy. These things can be done anywhere. Something as simple as relaxing and focusing on your breathing and noticing the empty space and silence between breaths can by done while driving, doing the dishes, trying to fall asleep, anywhere. I have found that I can even ignore sounds that irritate me by switching my focus from something that bugs me to my breath.