3. Describe the exercise and assessment process.

The Loving Kindness (meditation) exercise is practiced by closing your eyes and for a minute of two rest into the natural ease of your mind and body, and repeat the following phrases for 10 minutes.

May all individuals gain freedom from suffering?
May all individuals find sustained health, happiness, and wholeness?
May I assist all individuals in gaining freedom from suffering?
May I assist individuals in finding health, happiness, and wholeness?

The Integral Assessment is another approach to identify any urgent area of distress. It is achieved by:

Closing your eyes while resting into the ease and stillness of your mind and body, releasing all mental activity. When quiet, ask yourself, “What aspect of my life—psycholospiritual, biological, interpersonal, or worldly—is the source of difficulty and suffering?” Focus on this one area. What line of development is most essential for me at this time? Focus on this one area. What is my current level of development and what can I aim for? This is the first aspect of assessment. You may explore this over several days or weeks.

Return to recenter in stillness. We’ll now shift from a focus on healing to a focus on promoting integral development. You may now ask,”What area of my life is ready for growth and development? Is it the same area that also needs healing or is it another area? What would the next level of development look like? This is the second aspect of assessment. You may wish to jot down a few thoughts in your journal.
What did you discover about yourself?

What I discovered about myself is I gained an enhanced awareness that serves as an informal and ongoing assessment tool.

What area have you chosen to be a focus of growth and development? Why?

The area that I have chosen to be a focus of growth and development is loving kindness because when I lost my mother and my oldest sister less that thirty days apart I was so broken and experienced a great loss in my life. I could not find answers as I searched my heart and asked why this was allowed to happen. It happened right before mother’s day and I literally found no reason to celebrate mother’s day although I am a mom as well.

What are some specific exercises or activities that you can implement to foster greater wellness in this area?

Some specific exercises or activities that I can implement to foster greater wellness in this area is practice the loving-kindness and subtle mind exercises.