Visulaization and Meditation

Visualization and meditation are my two most beneficial exercises. I am able to meditate now for only a few minutes without having a though run through my mind. I couldn't even do it for 30 seconds at first. It has been very helpful to me in so many ways. I am learning to control my breathing when I have asthma attacks, my skin is clearing up and I don't get frustrated and angry that easily anymore. I am a much calmer person through meditation.
Visualization has also helped me so much. I learned this technique when I took a stress class. I used to use this technique when I began to get anxious and visualizing a calming, serene scene in my head would help put me somewhere else away from the chaos. I would use different scenes over time because at somepoint my images just wouldn't work anymore. I have begun to use this technique once again to help me learn to push the noise out of my head and to clear my thoughts. This has helped me find meditating easier. Visualizing my outcomes versus visualizing just a scene (tropical paradise, mountains) has proved more beneficial in helping me move forward instead of simply keeping me calm.
The other exercises were also beneficial but these two were the most beneficial in my life. I use them all the time now.

This meditation exercise was easier for me this week than some of the ones in the past. Practice does make perfect. I am finding it easier and easier every time. I'm learning how to let go of negative feelings and learning how to relax so I'm not so anxious all the time. I am going to continue to repeat the exercises because the more I do them the better I get the hang of it. I do still figit and my mind tries to take me to other places but I am learning to come right back and clear my mind for longer periods of time. 

The saying "One cannot lead another where one has not gone himself" means you have to have been there and experienced something and come out on top in order to be able to advise others on how to work through that problem. In other words, practice what you preach. If you are a health and wellness professional you have to live by what you are trying to teach others. As a professional I do feel that you should always be improving upon your own self in order to be enlightened enough to help others. In my personal life I can implement psychological and spiritual growth by facing my troubles and working through them rather than pushing them away and not confronting them head on. 

I chose to say "May all individuals gain freedom from suffering" for 10 minutes. While I was saying that I wasn't just thinking about other individuals but I was mostly thinking about the phrase towards myself. It made me feel like I cared to help myself heal.

The area I thought needed development was my mind and how to cope with things. which is thee same area that needs healing. The development that I really gravitate towards that can help me is to learn to meditate and clear my mind as well so I can learn to let things go and not hold them inside. It makes me sick. All I can do is practice forgiving and loving kindness towards myself and others. This will take a lot of practice and I need to be more consistent about it. The same way I take my medicine everyday is the same way I will approach healing myself with the steps Dacher suggests in our book.