Final Thoughts for Unit 10.

On a scale from 1 to 10 for Unit 3, I scored myself as the following:

Physical 3 or 4, and I did not actually give a number to the other 2 areas. However, for this unit I would have say that my physical wellbeing is a 7 because I am pain free for the time being in my back after receiving another set of spinal injections. I am still incorporating small exercises that I can do in hopes to strengthen everything again and hope that my physical wellbeing will continue to get better.

Spiritually, I would say that I am at a complete 10. I have been in silent prayer and doing an abundant amount of meditation in the past couple of days because my very close friend’s mother that was put in ICU in December and got to come home has now passed away on Sunday, unfortunately. I have been in meditation to deal with my pain from the loss but also to reach out to my friend and her loved ones as they continue to go through the process of this loss.

Psychological, I would say that I am at an 8. I believe that I will continue to grow in this area, as well as the others while I continue on through my journey and may even have the scores keep changing as well. We do not know what life has in store ahead of us but we just have to keep going regardless of what it is. J

I have made progress towards my goals that I set in Unit 3 as I have stated above. I do small exercises that have been approved for me to do and simply take each day as it comes when dealing with my physical wellbeing. There are going to be good days and days that are not so good but to keep going is the only answer for that. Spiritually, I am doing very well because I use prayer as a way to help me utilize this part of my wellbeing and meditation gives me the time to reflect and still all of the mental chatter. Psychologically, I am continuing to grow and work toward finding the best balance for me. This journey is not one that I will accomplish overnight and I realize that.

My personal experience throughout this course has been abundant. I cannot say that I was a true believer when I first entered this class because I had my doubts, but I can honestly say that this course has been such an eye-opening and enjoyable experience for me. To be able to learn how to let everything dissipate into the thin air while meditating and be able to feel so relaxed, calm, and stress-free has truly been a blessing. Sometimes, it does not last through the entire day and I need to incorporate another session of meditation, I am still a lot less stressed out than I have ever been in my life.

I have offered to help my family members learn how to do the exercises and see if it can improve their lives as well. The world is a crazy place and there are people in it who are going to see fit to make our day be as negative as it possibly can be but when you can take those few minutes and drift away in your visualization to the beach or to a more happier time, then those people can never have that kind of control over your emotions, wellbeing, and mind anymore. J

Unit 9 Final Project.

Unit 9 Blog:

I do not know how to add documents to my blog so I just copied and pasted it for you all to read. I truly hope you enjoy it and can give me some great feedback! Thanks!

 Unit 9 Final Project

The importance for health and wellness professionals to develop psychologically, spiritually, and physically is because the patients depend on these individuals to show them the correct way to adhere these practices into their lives and need to set an example for them to be able to do just that.  We cannot simply teach people how to incorporate an overall wellbeing and integral approach to their health if we are not willing to exhibit the same type of behavior ourselves.  In addition, we need to be able to show these patients that we can walk the walk, as well as we can talk the talk.  There are far too many people telling people how to live their lives but still participating in the behavior that they are telling their patients not to be a part of.  If a patient is to see just one of these physicians out in the street smoking a cigarette after being told by the same physician to stop smoking, that patient is honestly not going to see the importance of ceasing smoking and the benefits that it will have for their health.

            In order to achieve my goals that I have set forth for myself, I truly need to find a holistic physician for myself.  I believe that my overall health would benefit better if I was seeing a physician who is able to be on the same page as me, is willing to spend more than 5 minutes talking to me, and one that will understand my need of being able to treat my body as a whole, instead of piece by piece.  Also, I need to continue to incorporate the meditations, visualizations, and other exercises into my daily life because without them, I feel as if I lose myself into the negative thoughts and images that have always plagued my mind.  I want to have that freedom that being calm and happy gives to me and allow me to experience life from a new set of eyes so to speak.

            On a scale from 1 to 10, I would have to base my overall physical wellbeing as a 7.  I am still struggling in this area because some days are better than others and because of my constant back pain that I find it hard to have a perfect score for this.  I am getting spinal epidurals and recently got a medial branch block on both the left and right side of my spine in order to help relieve some of the pain.  I am hoping to one day be pain free in this area of my life and I feel that my meditation can help me achieve feeling as if I have some control over that.

            On a spiritual level, I would have to say that I feel like I have a score of 10.  I feel like I have achieved this because I tend to pray and use my meditation for this purpose as well.  As we learned by using the universal loving-kindness, we can not only wish good health for those we love and care about, as well as ourselves, but also for complete strangers who may have a need in their life as well.

Psychologically, I would say I am teetering between a 7 and an 8.  The reason for this is because I still tend to have negative thoughts at times and allow them to affect me negatively.  I believe that if I can keep working on becoming a more positive person and having a positive outlook, that I will relearn how to not think so negatively and allow it affect my overall wellbeing, such as mood and how I physically feel.  However, I do have some positive improvement into this area and am proud that I have achieved that.  I have learned how to let go of things that were bothering me and am learning how to approach things in a calmer state, rather than being hot-headed.

GOALS:

1.)    Physical: My physical goal is to continue to do what I can to relieve my back pain through the going to my doctor and also to incorporate some low-impact exercising into my daily regimen as my body allows it.  I have been using a “gazelle” and want to continue to upgrade the amount of time I use it on a daily basis.

2.)    Spiritual: Continue on my path of seeing the good in everything that I do and am involved in.  Encourage those around me to practice the meditations with me and enjoy finding that wellbeing that makes me feel alright with myself and with the world around me.  Also, continue incorporating my meditation and visualization exercises into my daily life because these help me stay in touch with my goals and what I want to accomplish.

3.)    Psychological: I would say that this kind of ties in with my spiritual goals because I want to be able to have less mental chatter and feel the positive effects of the meditation and enjoying a bigger peace of mind than I have ever known before.  Being able to cut the mental chatter helps me to be confident in my choices and with what I am doing in my life as far as changing and looking forward to the future.

Strategies for accomplishing my physical goal are to not only continue with my therapy through the doctor but also inquire about learning yoga.  I believe this would allow my body to strengthen and will allow me to incorporate something new and exciting into my life that can be beneficial in numerous ways, such as strengthening my body, releasing stress, and allowing my body to learn some flexibility.  I have always been interested in yoga and I am sure there would be a teacher out there that would be willing to work with me on my inhibitions and the rigidity of my back with exercises that would help me to achieve what I want to achieve.

Psychologically, I will continue to implement the visualization exercise shown to us by Dacher on pages 145 and 146 of his book.  This visualization exercise allows me to find a very positive and uplifting place in which to be and to remember some memories without incorporating all of the less happy ones at the same time.  Sometimes, when we are remembering, it is hard to keep the less happier memories at bay as well, but with this exercise and the degree of focus in which you need to give it, you would not have the time nor want to waste the energy on bringing up other memories that do not need to be rehashed.  Also, I can encourage my growth in this area by continuing to use the Loving-Kindness exercise.  Whether it is the regular one or the universal one, this meditation exercise allows you to love yourself before you give to others and allows you to find the way to be kind to everyone you meet, not just people that you are already acquainted with.

            In order for me to continue to foster my growth in spirituality, I can continue to use prayer as one of my exercises.  You honestly do not need to know “how to pray” in order to utilize this within your life.  You just bow your head, give thanks, ask for forgiveness, and then bless those around you in whatever way you feel that you should, whether it is asking for healing an ailment to helping them in their marriage to helping them learn how to be a better person.  They will be heard and if given the right amount of faith and cultivation, will most likely come true.  My other exercise would be the Loving-kindness exercise because it can ultimately be used for both spiritual and psychological growth.  You are implementing a factor into your life that is allowing you to learn to love and continue to love yourself but also willing it to be passed on to others as well.  It is a great tool for growth and for learning how to love yourself first so that you can allow others to enter in.

            In order to assess myself in 6 months, I will begin keeping a journal of when I accomplished my exercises that I plan to utilize on a daily basis.  Also, I will put in notes in regards to things that I wanted to check on, such as the yoga classes.  I believe another way to help myself stay on this track is to see if I can incorporate a friend or loved one in my life to join me in this journey so that they can experience it as well and we can use each other to stay on track.  However, I cannot solely depend upon this person to keep me motivated so therefore I plan to hang inspirational mottos around the house in order to inspire me in those off moments that I may have.  As long as I keep my encouragement going, I know that I can achieve my goals and more!

            Belief is the big key in this process because without it, no matter what kind of practices or exercises that we are learning about will matter.  We have to know within ourselves that this is a journey worth stepping out into and are willing to take the plunge, even with the good and the bad.  It is not going to be easy because this is a journey and there are going to be bumps in the our road, but as long as we know that we have the tools to handle those bumps will we be able to continue to keep going along our paths, no matter where they may lead, just as long as they are positive!

References:

Dacher, E. M.D. (2006) Integral Health: The Path to Human Flourishing. Laguna Beach, CA.

Basic Health Publications, Inc.

Schlitz, M. Amorok, T. Micozzi, M. (2005) Consciousness & healing: Integral Approaches to

 Mind-Body Medicine. St. Louis, MO. Elsevier Inc.

Optimal Wellbeing for Unit 8

Hello everyone,

My first choice is Loving-Kindness. I believe that this meditation exercise is helping me find a calmer outlook on life and to not allow things to eat away at me as I have done in the past. This meditation gives me the time I need to reflect on finding that loving-kindness within myself and pushing it forth to those that are involved in my life, whether it be loved ones, friends, or even strangers. I have truly never felt something as profound as I have since I started incorporating this exercise into my daily life. Well, as I have stated, I have begun incorporating this into my daily life at least once a day, I usually spend a good 15 minutes or more involved in listening to the meditation. Sometimes I have enough time to finish it and other times, I get almost completely done, but nevertheless, I still feel so much more centered and able to give it to people I readily pass on the street, in the store, or wherever life may catch me.

I honestly cannot say that my life is all peaches and cream because there are moments that I would just rather not have to experience or go through, but it is truly all part of our individual journeys and therefore must be faced, regardless of being good or bad. By using this exercise and ultimately practicing the thoughts and feelings within it in my everyday life, I know that I am fostering my mental fitness.

My second choice would be this last exercise that I spoke about on the discussion board, the Visualization exercise. It is hard for me to express just how much this exercise touched me when I did it. I truly felt amazed and so warm and loved from the inside and out. I cannot honestly tell you when the last time that I felt that way was….which I guess can be seen as a sad thing but it can also help you to realize how truly exhilarating this experience was for me.

There are times in your lives when you feel like you are simply living for everyone else, and sometimes I feel that way and underappreciated for all I try to do for those around me, especially my family members. I did this exercise when no one else was around, so that I could truly experience it without any interruptions whatsoever, and I have to say, I actually had to wonder if I did not really travel back to time in those moments of remembrance.

I believe that the best way for me to utilize this exercise is to allow myself to use it when I am feeling down on my rope and I need that “push” to get away from the negative thoughts and feelings and to keep pushing forward throughout my day. I do not have these often but I am sure that we all have them at some point in our lives, whether it is days, weeks, months, etc. Utilizing this exercise in order to find that place again and being able to fulfill the need to feel those feelings again, will definitely keep me focused on continuing my journey through all the good, bad, and the ugly.

Unit 7: Continuing forth to the greater outcome...

Hello everyone,

1.        Complete the "Meeting Asciepius" exercise on track #4 of the Dacher CD. Describe your meditative practice(s) 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?

I have been utilizing the Loving-Kindness, Subtle Mind, and now this meditation on an everyday basis. I do one or the other and I try to do them twice a day, especially in the morning when my mind seems to be in a constant uproar of thoughts and at night in order to prepare myself for some much needed peace and rest. I find that these can be utilized for that and they help me to focus on a purpose for the day, whether it is to just stay positive or to try and bring some positive love and kindness into anyone’s life that I may come in contact with.

I believe that these meditative practices are helping me to have a calmer approach to things and allow me to look at everything going on around me and either let it in or simply do my best to block the negative out.

I think that if I keep utilizing these practices, then I will be able to continue to foster a very positive and calmer well being but I will also be able to help others to find a way to find their mental calmness and start to enjoy life through a deeper, richer, and more profound way of enjoying it.

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?

This saying simply means that no one can lead anyone else down a path when they have not even been there before themselves. It would mean that you cannot expect to show Sally where the treasure box is, unless you have found it before yourself.

I believe that this saying applies to health and wellness professionals because I would not want to be seeing a physician for help in my journey with learning integral health and applying it to my life when the said physician does not even apply it within their lives in the first place. How would they be able to teach me how to find the calmness when they have not even found it themselves?

Yes, I do have an obligation because I do not feel that I would have the right to simply preach any type of methods to them when I have not been utilizing the methods myself. It would be like telling a patient that they need to quit smoking but then you go on break as they are about to leave the office and they see you smoking on the side of the building. You cannot touch someone else’s life by telling them that they should cultivate something in theirs that you do not even have the skills to cultivate in your own.

I believe the biggest way to implement psychological and spiritual growth within my personal life is to be true to myself. I need to understand that these changes do not occur overnight and that I cannot expect to be perfect. All I can simply do is keep striving for my ultimate goal of finding that calmness and cultivating it so that I can continue to strive forward in my journey and not have the need to regret things or to keep looking back at the negative things in my life.

Unit 6: Universal Loving Kindness

Hello everyone,

Universal Loving Kindness:

This exercise is quite easy to perform but I enjoyed doing it as well. I saw this exercise as a kind of prayer and felt that I can incorporate it into my prayer time each day. It is a very simple meditation and yet, it feels as if it says so much in those 4 little sentences. I did not need a focal point or anything to utilize it, because I simply stated it as I would if I was praying.

Integral Assessment:

This process is definitely involved and required me to put a lot of thought, time, and focus into it so that I could go through it accordingly. I believe that this process is one that you can do as many or as little times as you think you need to do it, and it is a great way to really find the depth of questions and answers that we might have about our integral health.

I discovered that using a journal during the process is something that I definitely needed because it helped me to put things in a more focused area. I also discovered that I would have a hard time using someone as a guide, or at least someone within a close vicinity to me.

I have decided that I need to focus on my psychospiritual growth because there is a great deal of things in my past that I have yet to forgive and let go of. Some of them were quite painful experiences and I believe that in time, I would be able to forgive and be able to move forward past them. Also, I believe that I need to learn how to truly find the depth of love for myself before I am able to think about incorporating another person into my life. Some of the things that I have yet to forgive have come from past relationships and I feel that it part of what is holding me back from finding that significant other in my life.

I believe utilizing the assessment would be a great way to help me with learning things that I can do to further my growth in the psychospiritual aspect of my life. I believe that being able to look at things when I am at an inner stillness, learning from them, and giving forgiveness for them will help me to move further with my own growth and life.

Reference:

Dacher, E. M.D. (2006) Integral Health: The Path to Human Flourishing, Chapter 9, 10, & 11.

            Laguna Beach, CA. Basic Health Publications, Inc.

Subtle Mind practice.

1.        Compare and contrast the Loving Kindness exercise and the Subtle mind exercise. Explain your experience including the benefits, frustrations etc.

The differences that I have found between the Loving-Kindness exercise and the Subtle Mind exercise are that in my opinion the Subtle mind exercise takes a lot more focus because it gives you the ability to let your mind wander and it allows you to learn how to re-focus your mind back onto the task at hand. I believe that both exercises have a great amount of benefits because it allows us to learn how to focus ourselves either on loving and being kind, or learning how to shut out the mental chatter and find the stillness that I so desire throughout my days.

The only frustration is that my copy of the Subtle mind exercise has a loud burst of static through it and I am not sure where I can get an undamaged version because the static does last for quite a bit of time throughout the CD.

2.        Discuss the connection of the spiritual wellness to mental and physical wellness. Explain how the connection is manifested in your personal life.

The connection that spiritual wellness has to my mental and physical wellness is that since they are all intertwined, I find myself feeling poorly in all aspects if even one of these is off kilter. Such as, if I am stressed, it affects my mental outlook on the day, my physical body is tensed and finds no relief from that tension, and I feel spiritually drained.

However, with the implementations of the exercises we are learning, ensuring that I have my meditation time, and learning to carry a more positive outlook about things, I am finding that it is the exact opposite of what I have stated above. When I am in a more positive mindset, I am able to be more productive in all the aspects because I feel the energy within myself.

Being able to do physical wellness by walking or using gym equipment, I am able to “de-stress” myself by not only being physical but by allowing myself to visualize that the sweat and burning of my muscles is simply eating away at the issues that are interrupting my stillness and causing me to not feel positive.

Loving-kindness practice

Hello everyone,

1.        Describe your experience. (Did you find it beneficial? Difficult?) Why or Why not? Would you recommend this to others? Why or Why not?

I believe the loving kindness experience is one that all people from all walks of life would benefit from. It is not always easy to wish everyone well in their lives, especially people that you have not met or are angry with. However, I believe that doing this exercise will help me to not only be able to grow as a person but also be able to give to others as I have never given before.

I found this exercise to be completely beneficial as well as easy to fit into a busy schedule because all it takes is a mere 15 minutes to feel rejuvenated and in a more peaceful state. I must say it was a bit difficult the first time I tried it because I could not seem to shut my mind down enough to totally benefit from the exercise. However, I do plan to implement this into my daily routine and would encourage everyone else to as well.

Yes, I would recommend this to others because it can teach us not only to love ourselves but also to love others, and to me that is an important concept that I see society lacking, or at least from where I live and what I see on the news.

2.        What is the concept of “Mental Workout? What does the research indicate are the proven benefits of a Mental Work Out? How can you implement mental workouts to foster your psychological health?

The concept of “Mental Workout” is where you put forth the effort and training needed to bring yourself to the point of being able to incorporate the loving-kindness practice and the subtle mind practice into your daily routine. Essentially, meaning that you are “working” out your mental health, just like you do your body in your physical health routines.

The proven benefits are the ability to open our hearts to others, whether we know them or not, and allowing ourselves to leave that self-centeredness behind us. It also allows us to have unity within our minds with our thoughts, emotions, and actions. Furthermore, it allows us to flourish into a more loving, kind, wise, and calmer person.

I can implement mental workouts within my daily routine. I will begin to make sure that I have those 15 minutes or more out of my day to do the exercises and work on finding a clearer and calmer path to be able to fully reach the potential of what I am learning to do.