Sunday, April 27, 2014

[breathing to ease your soul}


The subtle mind exercise was one of my favorite so far because I love listening and feeling my breath. Focusing on the rise and fall of my chest and stomach really puts me at ease. The difference between the loving kindness exercise and the subtle mind one is the focus. Last week we focused more on bringing awareness and loving kindness to a loved one, whereas this week, our focus was more on the mind and the breath and how these two are so connected. 

I feel as though there is a very strong connection between spiritual wellness, mental wellness, and physical wellness because, for one, they are all part of an overall well-being. Without one of these aspects, there would be an unbalance of wellness. You can only be so healthy physically, but if you are lacking in your mental wellness, your body can become ill, this can be seen especially with stress. I know in my own life, stress and anxiety play a huge role in my overall health. I am a very healthy person, however because I suffer from high levels of anxiety health issues arise, such as heart burn, stomach aches, head aches, etc. In order to heal my physical health, I have to start with my mental health. 

Tayla

3 comments:

  1. Tayla, I can so relate to everything you said. I really enjoyed this week's Subtle Mind exercise. I can empathize with the breathing part being relaxing. I am somewhat of a singer and breathing is a very important part of singing well. During the exercise I remembered the tips and pointers my voice coach gave me. I especially like letting my thoughts float by without having attachment to them. I have a lot of thoughts and at this point in my life they are stressed. I also have physical ailments from anxiety and I really need to think about this exercise when my stomach starts to churn. I am also grateful for my spiritual beliefs because they ground me every day and I know that I am not in the hospital because of all that I am learning and applying as often as I can to my well being. Great post! Christina

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  2. Tayla,
    You hit the nail on the head when you said that you needed to start with your mental health in order to achieve optimal health. I have experienced various levels of extreme stress in my life over the past few years as different changes have occurred and it affected me physically. The only way I was able to achieve good physical health was to address the mental and spiritual stress that I was experiencing. I think in the United States there is so much emphasis on physical fitness but so many people suffer from a lock of mental fitness and their overall health and wellness suffers as a result. As you said, you can only be so physically fit before you have to address the other aspects.

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  3. I agree that stress can lead to actual physical health issues. Many patients that have suffered heart attacks or strokes show signs of a high-stress lifestyle. I had a stress related issue on August 2008, myself. I was in Florida at the time and had a long, stressful day. I was playing cards with the people who ''took me in'' (a TENT in the backyard full of spiders and snakes, NOT the house) at their table when I suddenly dropped to the floor. I woke up shortly after 11pm in an ambulance with a nitro pill being put in my mouth and an oxygen mask on my face. I was only 30. Once I was in the ER, I realized that my ''roommates'' didn't care to even check on me. They simply waited outside while the young woman I was seeing at the time (who was allowed to live in the house) was trying to console me. I had decided then to make a profound change in my life. I then began my journey towards reducing as much stress as I can. In 2010, I started college. It's been nothing but good from there. Meditations are an important part of this. sometimes it takes a moment like that to make one snap into reality. Stress can and will kill. That's why I say to all, "Enjoy life. Relax. Breathe. Let the minor thinggs go. You'll be glad you did." Great post, by the way.

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