The contemplative practice
this week is Meeting Aesclepius. The power of this practice shows us that there
is always a wise, loving, calm teacher inside of us. We just have to take the
time to go in there and listen.
1.
Complete the Meeting Aesclepius mp3 (located
in the Doc Sharing area). Describe your meditative practices for the week and
discuss the experience. Explain how mindfulness or meditation has fostered an
increase in your psychological or spiritual wellness. How can you continue to
apply these practices in your life to foster greater health and wellness?
2.
Describe the saying: "One cannot lead
another where one has not gone himself" (p.477). How does this apply to
the health and wellness professional? Do you have an obligation to your clients
to be developing your health psychologically, physically, and spiritually? Why
or why not? How can you implement psychological and spiritual growth in your
personal life?
The
Meeting Aesclepius exercise was relatively easy for me to get into. The
visualizations help me get “into it”. I used mu biological mother for the wise
entity in the practice. She passed on when I was 11 years old and I have yet to
find a kinder soul. She gave birth to eight children but there were always
dozens that called her “mom”. By using her as an example for this exercise I
found a way of remembering her totally without pain. I hope to be able to use
this to help me understand others around me and in so doing help me to see
their good points instead of their negative ones. By practicing this it will
make all of my relationships better and help to spread joy rather than the distrust
that I have fostered in some relationships.
The
saying “one cannot lead where one has not gone before” means that the leader is
just as lost as the pupil if they are both in new territory. Even if someone
has “been” to somewhere before how can they teach someone else how to get there
if they have not made the trip there before. An important part of teaching is
the route one takes to obtain the knowledge. I am an x-ray tech at a small
hospital in Iowa. In this setting I have the opportunity to teach “safe
practices” to my patients. My teachings have much more weight to the patients
if I practice them myself. In showing that there is a proper way to move and
lift as well as showing loving-kindness I give value to my words when I am
moving patients that are already hurt.
I think the interactions we have at the age when you lost your mother are some of the most meaningful that anyone can have in their life. My condolences for your loss, but its good that your memories of her are fond. I've found among my friends who have lost a parent around that age that they are some of the most mature and genuine people I know. With that said, I also feel we pick and choose from those around us the qualities that we would like to foster within ourselves. For this reason, I wasn't able to visualize a single individual I know as my role model, but it was more like a collaboration of the peoople I have met that I admire. As far as learning from those who have been where you are, I think NOT to do so would be like the blind leading the blind. I would go as far as to say it is our duty to teach others from our own experience so that our species progresses.
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