HW420 Unit 4 question Loving Kindness practice.

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

Answer:
I will have to practice this a few more times before I decide if I like it or not. I would have to practice it more than a week before I would reccommend it to anyone else. I was enjoying the meditation on Loving Kindness until the narrarator said to picture your loved one and on the inhale take in their suffering (something like that). Ok here is the deal on that. It is not my belief that we as humans can take away the suffering of an individual by inhaling their pain. I believe that the Devine Creator Great Spirit takes away your pain. It is our place to be kind, loving, compassionate and empathetic but not to be a human vaccum cleaner. I send out love but refuse to take in pain or negativity. I did enjoy the ocean wave music in the background and the prompts to send love. I will be praying for Devine revelation on this practice to see if my eyes are opened to the deeper meaning of this exercise. How would Great Spirit want me to respond to this lesson. I know I will pray the prayer of my ancestors.

"Oh, Great Spirit,
whose voice I hear in the winds
and whose breath gives life to all the world, hear me.
I am small and weak.
I need your strength and wisdom.

Let me walk in beauty and make my eyes
ever behold the red and purple sunset.
Make my hands respect the things you have made
and my ears sharp to hear your voice.
Make me wise so that I may understand
the things you have taught my people.
Let me learn the lessons you have hidden
in every leaf and rock.

I seek strength, not to be superior to my brother,
but to fight my greatest enemy – myself.
Make me always ready to come to you
with clean hands and straight eyes,
so when life fades, as the fading sunset,
my spirit will come to you
without shame."

–Chief Yellow Lark, Lakota Tribe


Question 2.
What is the concept of “Mental Workout"? What does the research indicate are the proven benefits of a Mental Work Out? How can you implement mental workouts to foster your psychological health?

Answer:
The concept of "Mental Workout" is that your brain can be exercised strengthened and trained just like any other part of your being. "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" (Dacher, 2006 ch.6 pg. 63).
Research indicates that the gamma waves of the brain that control higher consciousness can be positively affected through training yourself to cotemplating on developing a loving and compassionate mental state. This paticular study mentioned in the book Integral Health said that with ongoing practice there was a syncronizing of the gamma waves which might possibly indicate a higer order of mental orginization (Sacher, 2006 ch 6 pg. 63). In my understanding different brain waves control different thoghts and actions contorlled by your brain. If you develope love and compassion it synergistically works with your brain waves and chemicals to promote a new way of understanding and deciphering information.

References:
Dacher, E.S. (2006). Integral Health: The Path of Human Flourishing. Laguna Beach, CA: Basic Health Publications


Love and happiness,
Angel Running Deer Dobson