Loving Kindness

1. Describe your experience. Did you find it beneficial? Difficult? Why or why not? Would you recommend this to others? Why or why not?

I really wanted to like this exercise. I like how it started out having you focus on someone you love and then later on has you focus on others again. But in general I had trouble with this exercise. One reason was because I thought the directions were rather vague and sometimes unrealistic. For instance it is one thing to contemplate someone's suffering and another to "breath it in". We are also told many times to "breath out" for example peace and wholeness. I'm just not comfortable with this. It seems rather new age-ish to me.  Also the gaps between the voice guidance was sometimes too long which led my mind to wander. I do like the idea of the loving kindness exercise because that's a great thing to focus on and remind yourself about. I wouldn't recommend this specific exercise to people because of the lack of specific direction, long pauses, and the new age feel that it has. but I would recommend an exercise like this if I found one I did like and thought would be appropriate for the person.

1. What is the concept of "mental workout"? What does the research indicate are the proven benefits of a mental workout? How can you implement mental workouts to foster your psychological health?

Mental Workout also known as Contemplative Practice is a way to expand the mind and better yourself. Much like a physical work out mental workouts need to be done on a regular basis to achieve lasting benefits. "Research studies and personal reports have also demonstrated that mental training can transform the mind by reducing disturbing emotions that cause anger, hatred, fear, worry, confusion, and doubt while enhancing positive emotions such as patience, loving-kindness, openness, acceptance, and happiness. This mental transformation, acting through the mind/body connection, provides enhanced resistance to mental distress and physical disease, expands our healing capacities, and promotes well-being" (Dacher, 2006).

 

Reference:

Dacher, E. (2006). Integral health: The path to human flourishing. Basic Health Publications. Laguna Beach, CA.