Unit Eight: My Way to Human Flourishing -- Subtle Mind and Visualization

Subtle mind and visualization are the two that I come away with and are the best fit for me in achieving relief from the stress that is trying to encompass my life. With so many noises assailing me every day, I have taken this practice to heart. My head is trying to entertain the many responsibilities that I have and to do to justice to all of them. I have for the longest time had this ever-present fear that I am going to mess up and drop the ball in one of the many areas I attempt to juggle. I have a full-time job, family and now, school. I have found myself just walking around in a constant state of stress. I was having anxiety attacks with frequency. I have seen the affects of it because my blood pressure stays slightly elevated.


My undeveloped mind was once my greatest enemy. I was constantly asking the question, "How do I relax?" Continuous anxiety or worry is very hard on the body--not to mention mind and spirit. The thing that I have found most upsetting is that I have even worried about things that did not come to pass. I read somewhere that John Wayne, the no-nonsense tough guy, was reported to say that he had been through some bad stuff in his life, some of which actually happened. So my point here is that we are feeding our minds with real and fictitious information at the same time. We are feeling like we are out of control.


Through the subtle mind technique I am now becoming the captain of my ship. I am being taught how to achieve that inner peace I grave. In this practice I appreciate the tools that have been offered--the witnessing mind, calm-abiding and unity consciousness. Since I need to have my mind focused and directed, the witnessing mind works to help me draw back from the "mental chatter." When I intentionally rein my thoughts in and choose what I want my mind to focus on, as the book suggests, the noise starts to fade into the background. This is now opening the door for calm-abiding.


My mind does respond to what I desire and not react to the negativity brought to me by others. I don't get caught up in projecting, since I have started to practice these techniques. The mental activity comes and goes without a lot of emotional emphasis from me. I am moving to that final level of unity consciousness. For me, as a Christian, it is best reflected by the following--"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God." What I am being told here is to not worry or fret. Instead I place the anxieties that beset me into the hands of God (witnessing mind) and I leave them there (calm-abiding). This biblical affirmation and the practice of it, like the subtle mind, gives me a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle me down (unity consciousness).

Using visualization solidifies the aforementioned--subtle mind. When I start to waft back into my old habits of worrying and fear, I begin to visualize what I want and rest in the practice of placing my mind into a more peaceful state by visualizing some of the scenes that were suggested in the journal writings--walking on the beach, finding the point of light and focusing on it, watching the snow fall while sitting by a toasty fire and breathing in what I do want and breathing out what I don't want. These practices have made a substantial impact on my life. Personally, I will use these two frequently in my day-to-day life, as needed.

Unit Seven: Transformation of the Healer

I am still experiencing difficulty in giving my mind over to these practices. I am determined that I am going to get there. I will have to practice over and over the witnessing mind concept. My mind is not yet calm enough to allow these visualizations to happen. I tried hard to get into my mind the picture of someone that was older and respected by me. There are three people that fit this bill--two of which are dead--mother and mother-in-law. In my mind, it should have been easy to see my mother and mother-in-law, but I could not get a visual. The fact that I couldn't saddened me, because my mother-in-law just died in December on Christmas Day which was most memorable. Now, my mother is altogether a different situation, because she has been dead since 2005. There is so much going on in my consciousness that I could not see them--two women I loved and respected deeply. I am determined to remedy this. Some of the meditative practices are easier for me than others. The exercises that we tried in one of our journal writings such as picturing snow and a fire burning in the fireplace was a lot more doable. There was not the noise of the person guiding me vocally, along with all the other stuff in my head. I hope that makes sense. I just need absolute undisturbed quiet as I attempt to move into successful practicing of these meditative experiences.

Yet, there is improvement or increase in my psychological or spiritual wellness. I have been opened to identify what needs healing in me and I am going for it full force. I need to do this, so I can show the others how to achieve the same.

Transformation of the healer is an appropriate title for this section in the textbook. It is appropriately stated here: "Providers of health care must work on their own spiritual evolution to actually experience what the model represents." This flows right into describing what is meant by: "One cannot lead another where one has not gone himself." I cannot appropriately make applicable to anyone else's life these practices if I have not fully experienced the affects of practicing them in my own life. In my opinion, theory and the practice of it has merit, but experience enhances the lesson being shared. In answer to the question, do we have an obligation to our clients to be developing our health psychologically, physically, and spiritually? Yes would be my answer.

Unit 5: Loving-Kindness leads to an open mind

Oops, I don't know how I missed this one. I a blogging a bit late on this one and I apologize. I started thinking a lot more as I attempted to do this practice. It is not hard for me to lavish loving feelings and actions towards others--that I like. I found it a hard pill to swallow dealing with those I consider enemies and I really don't want to look upon anyone with that frame of mind. Since I have to be honest with myself, I do not like the attitudes of some with whom I have come in contact. I have strong feelings of disdain and I truly don't want to feel that way about them. This exercise has given me a good place to start and that is by helping me to let go of my negative feelings and replacing them with something more postive.

So this is the thought that I have centered my focus on as I practice this concept: "They are created beings that God loves and as a follower of His teachings I will learn to love them, too."

The subtle mind practice--oh boy was that hard for me! My mind is like a busy department store. I am not going to relent though, I am still practicing it. I need to get mastery over my thoughts and get a more positive noise in my mind so that the adverse physiology affects the noises cause will diminish. I am getting better and it is one value tool that I am taking away from this class.

Unit Six: Getting to Know My Neighbor

When I closed my eyes and tried the universal Loving Kindness exercise, I began to realize that we are all linked together and not that different. We all have some of the same stressors and Life can be disconcerting. It does not play favorites. This week during the Federal Review of our Head Start program, it became clear to me that many of my co-workers, with me included, could benefit from this exercise.

May all individuals gain freedom from suffering.
May all individuals find sustained health, happiness, and wholeness.
May I assist all individuals in gaining freedom from suffering.
May I assist all individuals in finding health, happiness, and wholeness.

It starts by affirming that all individuals are significant and need to be considered. Then it reminds us that we, as individuals, are also deserving. Most of us segregate ourselves from our fellowman. We do not know much about each other because we are not married to the ideas espoused above.

Today's general opinion seems to be if it doesn't affect me it is not important. When people talk we do not really listen. When they are in conflict of spirit or emotional turmoil we do not genuinely empathize or try to provide comfort. My classmates are of high caliber because they have sympathized with me and they have encouraged me. They have already been enhanced by what we are learning here.

As this week's reading suggests, when we begin to practice universal loving kindness, we will begin to open and up toward others. With sincere concern and caring, we will embrace what concerns others and not just ourselves. As of this moment my concern for others health, happiness and wholeness helps me to strive toward finishing my courses with excellence and put my new found knowledge to good use.

As I ponder my personal development, I am trying to incorporate strategies that will help me to be consistent in achieving my personal goals. I am having difficulty choosing a specific one--fitness, nutrition, and self-regulation. I am wanting in all of the areas and I believe one area feeds the other.

I am a visual beast, so I will need to establish a list that will set up time management techniques. I will develop a plan under each of these areas to help me stay on track. I am ready to live a life of wholeness, so I am open to growing.

Unit Four: Our Mental Workout

Our mental workout is more than just practicing rest and relaxation. We are to have continuous development of our mental acuity. We are trying to move toward a loftier place in life than the ups and downs we suffer from day to day. As we practice the following we begin to expand into much more fulfilled human beings.

Loving-kindness is a practice that takes us outside of ourselves. In the practice of this we turn our focus from ourselves and all the selfish desires that comprise our lives. We began to move toward nurturing someone else. We genuinely seek out someone to bless, if I may use that concept. We want to make a homeless person smile by contributing when they are holding up their signs that solicit assistance. We make it our business to go to the nursing home and visit even though some tend to be not so desirable. Personally, I decided to be more nurturing and patience to my husband. As I succumb to pressures in my life, I have noted I am a bit short-tempered. It takes less effort to exhibit kindness. As a Christian this should and must be my daily goal.

The subtle mind is a practice in which all of us should engage. This is the attempt to successfully train the mind, by going to its deeper levels. We want to train our mind so that it is not full of busy talk or all that noise that consumes a lot of our waking hours. The book suggests that this practice will help us learn how to diminish ceaseless mental movements, feelings, images and thoughts. This progresses us toward stable and facile mind of calm-abiding.

I have yet to decide how to effectively utilize the mental workout. I know to ensure a more profitable path to wellness I have got to practice whatever I decide on a regular basis and not be so easily distracted from my course.