Unit 4 "Getting Started"

I'm sorry that this entry is long in coming. Per CD instruction, I tried to follow through with twice daily doses of listening to track 2. I found a difficult with my busy schedule to barely get around to doing it daily. A side note, since my first trip to Hawaii in Fall 2003, I have fallen in love with the music of Brother IZ or Israel Kamkawiwo'ole, a young Hawaiian singer that passed away just over a decade ago. I found by listening to his melodic and cultural sounds of the Hawaiian people, I was able to use this CD to settle my busy and over stimulated mind. I was able to calm done and was able to see, individually and slowly, my thoughts, my concerns, my priorities with calmness and better results. I have used Brother IZ's CD, during rough days, several times that day. I found the Loving Kindness exercise as another valuable tool for myself and to tackle those problems of my peers, my patients, and my family.
I found the female voice very soothing, but Dacher's voice is annoying.

"Mental Workout" like physical workout, is an exercise to train the mind to influence our physiology, hormonal , and immune systems. 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. When adequately trained, a trained mind provides enhanced resistance to mental distress and physical disease, expands the healing capacities, and promotes well-being (Dacher, 2006).
To implement a mental workout, a dedicated schedule needs to be established. I found waking up at 5AM, with everyone in my household asleep, I was able to complete the Loving-Kindness exercise without being rushed or distracted.
Respectfully, Steve Tardy

Reference
Dacher, Elliott. (2006) Integral health: The path to human flourishing. Basic Health Publications,
Inc. Laguna Beach.