Unit 6: Universal Loving Kindness

In the universal loving kindness exercise, I was able to focus my thoughts on others instead of thinking of myself. I work in rehabilitation, so this was very easy to shift my focus on people whom I know as well as those whom I do not know. I had a desire to uplift their suffering and my thoughts ended up thinking of the loving kindness exercise where you are prompted to breath in the suffering of others and exhale out the love from my heart to heal others. I memorized the phrases and engaged in meditation outdoors. It was very easy to focus being immersed in nature with the birds chirping and the sounds of the winds in my ear.


In the assessment process following the universal kindness exercise, I chose to remain diligent in my weekly bible studies for continued spiritual guidance. I also need to continue with contemplative practice and the exercises provided from this course to continue my journey to progress further in training my mind. I still have not experienced the unity conscious that takes place following the calm abiding conscious. However, perhaps if I remain disciplined in staying on task with contemplative practice, then it will be easier to achieve. I have started practicing yoga again and this will help to condition my mind, body, and spirit as well. I have yoga DVDs that will assist with conditioning my body and when yoga is offered at my local gym again, I will sign up if the price is reasonable. My anatomical house requires toning and feeling more unified in the concept of accepting my mind as the control center that regulates the rest of my body as a unified entity. The major area of focus that requires growth and development would be my interpersonal skills with my family. My husband has PTSD and it has really been difficult to communicate with him. However, in light of his clinically diagnosed condition that doesn’t seem to be improving since he resorts to self medicating, I should shift my focus on encouragement rather than criticism. No one enjoys feeling as though judgment is being passed on individual behavior, so perhaps my focus should be more empathetic to his condition with an emphasis on speaking only what is necessary. Perhaps questions rather than statements are needed to help guide him to making better decisions for him self in choosing better behaviors and attitudes. It is difficult to let go of the pain, but I’m realizing it is not productive to allow that emotion to be the central focus. A healthier existence requires a psychospiritual form of practice, so I will encourage spiritual enlightenment more often and think along the lines of me treating a patient rather than me dealing with my husband as the miserable wife smothered in grief and pain. However, there is an internal conflict going on within me because I know that my sense of worldly flourishing will not take place if I feel as though I am suffering in my personal relationships with people in my family. My biggest challenge ahead lies with the ability to utilize intention with loving kindness in all situations. Reacting to chaos I thought was natural, so retraining my mind to elicit the intention of being proactive will take a lot of spiritual growth on my part. The serenity prayer is my guideline to know the difference between certain circumstances that just cannot be persuaded to change, but contemplative practice will be my guide to the inner peace I desperately need in times of stress and strife. I must be able to retrieve this experience of calm abiding during stressful moments and let go of the toxic emotions that wreaks havoc on my mind, body and spirit. To every action, there is a reaction whether it is a statement or some form of behavior. In my sense of worldy flourlishing, the principles of freedom, justice and equality are all encompassing in unconditional love. However, for now, my interpersonal relationships requires the same altruistic state of mind that seems so easy to obtain in the presence of strangers plagued with serious medical conditions.