Loving Kindness

I hate to admit it, I honestly do, but I actually enjoyed and relaxed listening to Dacher's Loving Kindness audio.  Even though I am basically a physical reality type of person by nature, I connected to this audio.  This practice actually made sense.  I listened to the audio on my way to work this morning and my day went GREAT!  I had the best day that I have had in a while.  When you focus on others rather than yourself, when you give without worrying about receiving, when you put others first, all is in order.  I fully intend to continue the practice even listening to the audio over and over.  The breathing is a physical activity that I can activally participate in so therefore I feel as I have some control.  As a mental workout, I focused on the breathing and was actually able to try to foster good health and well-being, even to the people I really don't care about.

With all this being said, I would like to tell you a story.  Whether it's sports, career or even loving kindness, everyone needs a role model.  I have a role model for loving kindness that I would like to tell you about.  I would like to tell you about a lady named Lois.  Lois grew up a sharecroppers daughter mostly living hand to mouth.  She grew up and raised a family of her own.  Lois was the type of person who, no matter how little she had, she was always ready to give of herself or her posessions.  There were times when she barely had enough to feed her family, yet she would give food or money to others in need.  Later in life, she was blessed with better means.  This just meant that she gave more to others.  Not only did she give food or money but she gave freely of her time.  Lois was someone who practiced what she preached or believe even in the face of adversity.  In 2001, Lois answered the door for a young girl who claimed to be broken down and needed to use the phone.  Lois went to get the phone for the girl and when she returned to the door, she was attacked by 2 men.  The men taped her hands and ankles and struck her with a crowbar.  Then they demanded that she open her safe for them.  The men cut her phone wires, cut the valve stem on her tires (flattened them) and left her tied up and bleeding.  By the way, Lois at the time was recovering from heart surgery so she bled alot.  She managed to drive her car on flat tires to her sons house to call the police.  Three days later, the thugs were caught.  Here is the moral of the loving kindness story.  In their testimony, the thugs stated that even as they were robbing Lois, she prayed for them, not herself.  At the trial, Lois pleaded for the judge to show mercy to the young lady that got her to initially open the door while her grandson plotted to exact vengence.  The actions shown by Lois were true examples of loving kindness.  When Lois passed away, the country church was filled to standing room only with person after person giving testimony of how Lois had enriched and touched their lives with her loving kindness.  What better way to be remembered.  Just to let you know, I was the grandson plotting vengence.  Lois Calvert was my grandmother.  She passed away in November of 2009 surrounded by friends and family. 

In Memory of my Grandmother, Lois Calvert (1921-2009), The Most Loving and Kind person I have ever known.

Unit 3 Evaluation and Relaxation Audio

I hate rating myself but here goes.  Physically, I would rate myself somewhere between 7-8.  Psychologically, the only thing that keeps me out of the 10 ring is stress.  If I could reduce the stress in my life (a sack full of hundred dollar bills would do the trick) I would be close to a 10 but as I stand right now probably between 8-9.  This is because I only let stressors bother me briefly mainly because of my personality.  I find humor in most situations, even stress.  Spiritually, I don't think anyone ever reaches a 10 but I guess that it would depend on the individuals definition of spirituality.  Myself, I rate myself a 7.5.

My goals are pretty simplistic in nature.  Physically, I need to lose about 15-18 pounds to get back to my fighting weight (I mean that literally) of 262.  I have actually started the nutrition part of the process but listening to relaxation techniques and posting blogs takes up my evenings when I would normally exercise.  Psychologically, I have to learn how do deal with idiots better.  I have a very low tolerance of the slang word for donkeys.  They don't bother me for long because by nature I am an exploder and then it's over.  Spiritually is the tough one for me.  I am a Christian but at times I don't act it.  I let the world get the best of me.  I need to be more like a duck, calm on the surface but paddling like crazy beneath the surface. 

As stated above, exercise is the key for me physically.  More than anything, I would love the chance to get back into martial arts on a full time basis.  Psychologically, I just need to relax (spend more time at the beach).  Spiritually, I honestly just need to let go and trust more.

CRIME OF THE CENTURY:  I have to be honest, get real.  Once again, this is not my cup of tea.  Circles with colored lights coming out of my body to focus on to center myself.  I know that this may work for some but as I stated in the earlier post, I'm more hands on.  Put on the pads and spar.  If you don't center and focus you become a heavy bag with eyeballs.  Its great for cardio, flexibility, strength, endurance, focus, confidence and yes, centering.  I am just not the imaginative type for guided relaxation.

PS.  In case anyone wondered about some of my pics, I am extremely patriotic.  I am prior militiry (Army) and proud of it.  I stood before the flag and took an oath and there is no expiration date on an oath.

The Relaxation Project: Don't like it.

I hate to be the stick in the mud of the group but I'm not much on this type of relaxation technique.  This is the same audio that was in the Managing Stress class.  It's really hard for me to listen to another guy telling me what to do and relax.  It's just not in me.  I am a more sight and sound (in reality, not technologically) oriented person.  Hope not liking the audio presentation does not affect my grade.

My relaxation

As you can tell by my pictures (though they be few), I love to walk on the beach to clear my head as well as get some exercise.  I also practice martial arts (licensed tae kwon do instructor).  There's nothing like a good round of sparing to get your blood pumping and your mind focused.

Hey to my classmates.

To all my classmates @ Kaplan, feel free to join me here.  I'm new here so please be patient.

My first time to do this.

Just to let anyone know that comes here, I have no idea what I am doing but here goes.