The subtle mind exercise was by far my favorite exercise. It has helped me to fall asleep at night. For a long time, I laid in bed each night with thoughts racing through my mind. I could never calm it down enough to go to sleep. It took me forever to enter into a sweet slumber. The subtle mind not only helped me to let go of these thoughts, but also helped me to be a spectator of these thoughts (witnessing mind). I am no longer under the control of my thoughts. Granted, I have not mastered unity consciousness, but I have taken great strides since the start of the class.
The second exercise that I enjoyed is the loving kindness exercise. It is easy to show love toward my family and friends, but quite difficult to show love toward my enemies. The loving kindness exercise enabled me to focus not on what I do not like about individuals, but on their suffering. This helped me to take a look at my enemies as humans, and enabled me to empathize with them rather feeling contempt towards them. That is not to say that I love all of my enemies, and we talk and are friends now, but I am not able to look past the dislike, and see a human being who suffers and has feelings.
Thank you,
Amy L. Davis
I think it’s great that you have gotten this far in practicing the subtle mind meditation. Simply knowing that you have a specific tool or method that helps calm your mind at the end of the day is probably also stress reducing because you know that you have a way to relieve chaotic thoughts. This is beneficial for you in so many ways! Good luck improving even more and reaching unity consciousness!
ReplyDeleteAmy,
ReplyDeleteI have found the subtle mind exercise to be very helpful, but I have tried it before bed and it doesn't work for me that close to bed. I find the best time is shortly when I return from work and maybe a little after when I am ready to wind down the evening. I think it's probably the most beneficial one for me though.
The loving kindness works wonders for me. It uplifts my spirits and makes me feel good. I feel like I am helping others, maybe just because I am changing my view of them when I share the loving kindness to them and their suffering. Empathy goes a long way to helping others. What I like about this exercise is being able to do it without them really knowing about it. Others then just get the positive benefits of my uplifted mood.
I already have to empathize with others in my daily job. I have to have compassion too. This helps me have a better mood to do those things.
Elicia
Hello Amy!
ReplyDeleteThese are my favorites too. The subtle mind for sure! I think because I've made it a part of my everyday routine, is why I have had so much success with it. The loving kindness is also a favorite for me. I truly love just visualizing love and kindness flowing over people. When I'm driving down the road and I see other cars, or hitchhikers, I just automatically feel myself sending my love out. I still struggle with the exercise when it comes to myself, but I'm making an effort to work on it, and have faith that it will become easier.
The subtle mind exercise was my favorite as well, I found it to be extremely beneficial. I am the same as you, I lay in bed with thoughts running wild in my mind and cannot fall asleep due to the fact. Since I started doing the subtle mind exercise before bed I have found that I fall asleep easily. I also really liked the loving kindness exercise. I do not have troubles sending loving thoughts out to people who I do not care for, it truly does not bother me a bit, but when I try to send the thoughts to a stranger I have a difficult time, I feel as though I need some sort of connection with them. At least no who they are and whether or not I like them. That is wonderful that you can now look past your dislikes with others enabling you to view them as humans who suffer also.
ReplyDeleteThat is so awesome that you found something to help you sleep. I call it noise when thoughts are running through my head while I am trying to go to sleep. Great connection with the witnessing mind! Clear that noise out and get your rest because if you don't, it will certainly affect your overall health and well being.
ReplyDeleteAmy I still have trouble with subtle mind especially when I am anxious about something. It is almost impossible for me to control all the thoughts going through my head. I have tried all the mind exercises they at times. It just depends on what the situation is. Love and kindness is easy for me at times. My immediate family is easy but when it comes to 1st and 2nd cousins it is hard at times. We all have strong personalities and we have blow outs but we manage to get over it in about a week or so if not that same day. It all has to do with love that can stand the test of anything.
ReplyDelete