Good morning Mental Pilates classmates. This week's exercises included thinking up an identity icon. Something you feels embodies the essence of your core identity, that part of you that remains after you strip away all of the rules, beliefs and behaviors that have formed in your life. This can be a fun exercise and it is useful to have an identity icon when you want to redirect awareness.
Also, this weeks exercises included the continuation of your awareness journaling. How is that going? Are you able to identify the emotions, patterns, rules & beliefs that are connected to a "frame" of awareness?
Also, by tapping into the wisdom of your emotions you can start forming lists of thoughts and actions that elicit vitality from your own mind/body. What's on your list?
Share your thoughts and experiences with the class.
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I've had a great time with this week's exercises in the past. For those who have just joined the latest class, you might enjoy reading a previous blog post on this topic
ReplyDeletehttp://mentalpilatesblog.blogspot.com/2010/02/food-for-thought.html
Enjoy!
Dorothy
Our class yesterday influenced a decision that I made today so I thought I would share it with the group. After all, it is mental pilates at work...how cool is that. Anyway I had made this ridiculous pact with someone at work to start exercising every day. We had a great talk about the reason behind exercising in class last night and I realized that I was approaching the topic incorrectly yet again. After some reflection, I have dialed it back down to 3 sessions a week. With fewer sessions, it will be a fun, social experience that I look forward to rather than a chore.
ReplyDeleteAlso wrapping another person up in the plan makes the whole thing more appealing too. Now when I take my moments of fitness I will be connecting with myself, my inner communities/my body (vitality), and my outer communities/another human being (fulfillment). Sounds like a recipe for success. I will keep you guys posted.
Has anyone else found Mental Pilates creeping into their decision making process?
Yes, Sarah....it's come into play w/my decision making! I'm less apt to always say "yes", and I'm more able to tune the "poison" out! My gut has usually helped me along my decision making, but my CORE is very helpful! I'm less "guilt" ridden when it comes to simply saying "no, sorry, but I can't do that.", too!!! There's only so much we can have on our plates, and MP is helping my plate look better proportioned, and no need for "seconds" just yet!
ReplyDeleteLove being classmates w/you, Sarah! It's fun to get to know you a bit more, and all of the classmates, too!
My journal has been quite telling of late, too! More on that in the next blog.....
Very, very good comments!
ReplyDeleteThere was a word that I was searching for during Tuesday's class when discussing how we are to treat our Core Identity. And then it struck me, the word was indemnity! We must indemnify our Core Identity by agreeing that it is our intention to never direct ill will towards our Core Identity. Any ill will that you experience should be directed towards the pattern of behavior that is not contributing to your health and wellbeing.
This is an interesting thought because it encourages you to use your journaling to identify what behavior pattern underlies any sensation of ill will.
Interesting?
I am finding Mental Pilates creeping in to a lot of my decisions, but in a GREAT way. I am especially drawn to the idea of choosing how long I want to feel a certain emotion. This was most certainly put to the test this past Monday.
ReplyDeleteWhile I was at work, Tchoupitoulas, my beloved 11 month old pit bull puppy, had some fun. She shredded my queen sized down feather bed topper. There were feathers ALL over my bedroom and several other rooms of my house. I had my work cut out for me in cleaning this up.
I could have gotten mad and yelled and screamed at the pup, but then I realized that would not do either of us any good. Now of course I was mad, but she was already very sorry. She had put herself in puppy jail only coming out to eat dinner and go outside to potty. I was choosing to use that energy towards cleaning up. Would screaming make the feathers get into the Shop Vac faster? No. Would stepping back and laughing at the situation make me feel better? YES! In the past, I am positive that I would have chosen anger over humor. Now I realize that I DO have a choice.
So I decided to pour a glass of wine and clean up. It was hard work, and I worked up a sweat. I took the time to laugh at my feather covered body. I looked like a chicken, but I saw that as a funny thing! It took over and hour to finish. Being angry at my furry child would not make me feel good at all. She was sorry enough already. When I went to bed that night, she joined me as usual. This time, though, she was extra sweet and extra snuggly.
Love that story Heather. Did you take pictures of yourself looking like a chicken? Lily wants Tchoupitoulas to know that she is also benefiting from her mother's attendance in MP classes.
ReplyDeleteI had a moment today where I also avoided feeling an emotion longer than was necessary. I had gotten kind of irked with someone at work and normally I would have spent the day being angry, inefficient and stressed. Today though, I recognized that I was headed toward the "deep end" and decided to put a stop to it. I went into another coworkers office and said I am going to complain for 30 seconds and then I am going to go back and do my job. It probably took more like 2 minutes and it was also possibly in violation of our three B policy (no bitching, bickering or backstabbing), but it did the trick. I emerged back on my A game. I should probably learn do make the transformation without any of those B's, but still it was an improvement on my usual routine.
Has anyone else had a social interaction (with either a two or four legged friend)transformed by the MP experience?
I, too, wish to see pictures of Heather covered in feathers! And I applaud both classmates for their great insights and accomplishments!
ReplyDeleteI'm having lots of interactions transformed by MP. Where to begin?
Today some really bad virus hijacked my computer and I spent the day running fix-it stuff instead of working - and this was the first day in weeks where I could actually have done real work to bill my client (don't work, don't get paid).
Which brings up another challenge - I have become the sole caregiver for two parents struggling with advanced stages of cancer. Every morning when the phone rings and it's a call for help, I remember that I'm blessed to still have my parents to help as opposed to wondering when anyone else might volunteer to get the call instead.
And not to neglect my furry friend. This evening she burrowed in my newly prepared garden bed. Taking the time to understand why she did this before going nuts revealed simply that she was trying to hide from the fierce winds that took down a tree in the woods - as opposed to deliberately wanting to undermine my gardening efforts!
There is always a sensible side to every situation if we allow ourselves the luxury of recognizing it before we otherwise go down the rabbit hole!
Oh goodness gracious, how much we learn from our furry friends!
ReplyDeleteThe real lesson they are doing their best to teach us is that they do not struggle with their identity and purpose; they do not magnify their negative moments to a point where they restrict their vitality; they do not turn bad interactions into long-term grudges.
They do keep it simple. That is why Roxie is my Core Identity Icon!!
I am not sure Miss Lily keeps it simple. She does complex things like growl which seems to me like a negative moment. Maybe poor Lily is so evolved that she too is experiencing the human energy crisis.
ReplyDeleteOr so she has you believing!!! In the ebb and flow of your interactions, Lilly is attempting to be dominant.
ReplyDeleteThe lesson Lilly is trying to teach you is the difference between "cute" and "dominant". You thought you were promoting cuteness, but in the end you were promoting dominance.
Fortunately, all dogs can learn new tricks!!
And people too! Isn't that one of the key premises behind Mental Pilates?
ReplyDeleteYes indeed, and people too! Become consciously involved in the formation of new behaviors!
ReplyDeleteok, so Andy, no I'm not copying you, but my idnetity icon HAS to be my yellow lab Grace. Grace and I have lots in common.....she's been a Mom twice (Happy Mother's Day, Grace!), she loves unconditionally, she is loyal, she's a Mom to her pup, Mia/Moby...not a cop!, she can be sneaky like finding a way upstairs last night even though she's not allowed as it's been determined I'm terribly allergic to her and can't sleep w/her anymore, she loves to walk and explore, she loves cookies!, she is so expressive and vital.....and I adore her!
ReplyDeleteI'm learning about my self and my days through journaling. And it appears that there was a pattern or two! Work, weather, my husband, kids....can all affect my days. I'm basically happy when my family is happy! But I can get so super sensitive when something is slightly wrong! Yes, sensitivity can be my strength and my weakness, classmates! Geeeez!
OK...enough of my rambling. I"ll do my homework, but wanted to give you a heads up that I won't be in class on Tuesday, as I'll be fetching my freshman out at Denison University! The 9 hour drive will give me lots of time to reflect and think of how MP has been affecting my day to day life!
Thanks for your description of your identity icon. As you know, it works for me! Enjoy your drive and we will miss you Tuesday.
ReplyDeleteAny other identity icons out there??
I have been enjoying reading the posts and thinknig about the assignments. I am looking forward to connecting with everyone on the blog.
ReplyDeleteI am new to an insulin pump as of Thursday. Mental Pilates helped me to be mentally prepared. I had a rocky start with my blood sugars, but knowing that the difficulties weren't part of my core helped. My core did not move...I felt really stabilized even though my physical life was chaotic. It was almost like I was in the eye of the storm.
Great comment Denice! I love that notion of your Core Identity being the your eye of the storm!! Great metaphor!
ReplyDeletehey everyone! sorry for being so m.i.a. on this blog. just wanted to say hi...
ReplyDeletealso i thought of a really goony metaphor for the whole decide-how-long-to-be-angry thing: "the anger/sadness/etc. train is definitely taking me somewhere--but i can decide when and where to get off!" yes, this is an undeniably cheesy statement... but nonetheless, it makes sense to see negative emotions as productive vehicles--rather than pits that you wallow in (forever taking negative frames, etc.)
also having some thoughts about my own "vitality-eliciting experiences." i'm realizing that they all involve a sort of dual thrill and calm (i.e. dancing myself into a delirium, or swimming in the ocean during a thunderstorm). usually these are moments in which i'm experiencing the thrill of the world around me, while still feeling a strong sense of my own solidity, stability, and physical presence.
ReplyDeletedid anyone else notice some patterns/themes when considering their most vital moments?
Great metaphors! We will add them to the growing collection. I love the observation that the negative emotions are productive vehicles...as long as your remember to get off at some point in time!!!
ReplyDeleteHello Everyone,
ReplyDeleteI am new to the program ad wanted to introduce myself. I did workbook 3 this morning and I must say that I had some fun with figuring out who or what my identity icon is. I finally came up with Oprah. She is loves unconditionally, caring, giving, inspirational and devoted to her causes just like me.
The awareness jouraling is really helping me reflect on what I let in and out of my "membrane" so to speak.
Look forward to hearing other members thoughts!!
Kerri