Unit 8 Most Beneficial Practice 'Loving Kindness/Subtle Mind'

My two favorite practices are loving kindness and subtle mind.  Loving kindness was hard for me because of the issues of trust in the behaviors of others.  There was a time that I would help others at the drop of a hat but after a while I began to feel used and unappreciated.  This caused me to stop my acts of kindness for everyone, although it was not everyone who made me feel unappreciated.  The acts of loving kindness that I have learned in this class has given me the confidence to be kind again.  I learned that it doesn't matter how someone responds to you, the idea is to be kind and help when ever and where ever you can.  I now feel good again about doing good by others because it is the right thing to do.  I have allowed myself to give donations to the needy, offer a listening ear, a hot meal, clothes and a kind word.  These acts have empowered me to do more for my community through my church.  I must admit that it had made me feel good as a person. 

The subtle mind comes into play from the business of a typical day.  It helps me to clear my mind of clutter.  All of the things that I have to do, accomplish, think about and take care of.  I force my mind into a complete quiet zone of nothing but total peace and calmness.  Boy does it feel good.  Sometimes it takes me longer to get to the state of subtle mind and I struggle to stay there.  Overall the practices have been a great help for me not only mentally, but spiritually and physically.  I feel more complete and it gives me the energy to get out into the world and do more.