Looking back at unit 3 I noticed that I rated my physical health at a 9, psychological health at a 5 and spiritual health at a 2. Now that I have been through this class and incorporated some of the exercises into my life, I have noticed an improvement. I would say my physical health is still a 9 because I am physically active and eat very nutritiously, but you know, there's always room for improvement. I would now say my psychological health is a 7. I have anxiety disorder, but the meditation practices have really helped me relax when I'm feeling stressed. I feel more empowered over my own psychological health now. In all honesty, I would say that I rated my spiritual health high in unit 3. In fact, my spirituality was basically non-existent. I have begun to feel a connection to something greater now. I think practicing loving-kindness and some of the other exercises have really helped me be aware of the necessity of spirituality and I am open to further development. I think I would rate my spiritual health at a 4 now, which is huge progress for me.
This class has really opened my eyes to my own ability to control my health and wellbeing. I am excited to learn more and not I know where to look for answers. I always thought that if I took care of myself physically, that was all I needed. Now I realize that there is more to me than just physical health. I want integral health. I can tell now that anxiety is a direct result of my lack of psychological and spiritual development and I'm looking forward to the day when there is no more anxiety.
Good luck to everyone. It has been a pleasure.
Monday, July 12, 2010
Thursday, July 8, 2010
My Final Project
I Introduction:
Why is it important for health and wellness professionals to develop psychologically, spiritually, and physically? What areas do you need to develop to achieve the goals you have for yourself?
It is important for health and wellness professionals to develop psychologically, spiritually, and physically so that they can best help their patients. To truly understand a patient and where their suffering is coming from, health care professionals must know what aspect of the patient’s life to look at for the source of the problem (Schlitz, Amorok & Micozzi, 2005). That would not be possible if the health care professional had not developed those aspects of their own life. Giving someone a quick pill instead of taking the time to teach the patient how to heal himself does not get to the root of the problem, but only masks the symptoms. One cannot teach what one has not learned.
Personally I need to continue to develop psychologically and spiritually. Physically I am very healthy. I exercise regularly, eat nutritious foods, and rarely get sick. Psychologically I need to work on managing stress and my perception of what is stressful. Spiritually I need to find a connection to something greater. I was unaware of the importance of developing spiritually until taking Creating Wellness.
II Assessment:
How have you assessed your health in each domain? How do you score your wellness spiritually, physically and psychologically.
My assessment of my spiritual health is that it needs a great deal of development. Until a few weeks ago I would say my spirituality was nonexistent. I have begun to work on developing that aspect of my life and currently consider my spiritual wellness a 3 on a scale from 1 to 10.
Physically I look at how well my body functions. I am strong and athletic and am generally happy with my physical self. I would rate my physical wellness a 9 on a scale from 1 to 10.
I need to continue to develop psychologically. I suffer from anxiety disorder and take medication to control anxiety attacks. However, I must note that my psychological development has improved due to Creating Wellness and the exposure to mental exercises. I would currently rate my psychological wellness a 7 on a scale from 1 to 10 as I am generally happy and confident.
III Goal development:
List at least one goal you have for yourself in each area, Physical, Psychological (mental health) and Spiritual.
My goal for my physical self would be to lose approximately ten pounds. I am within a normal healthy weight, but toward the high end of normal. Losing ten pounds would put me in the lower range of normal (Health Check Systems.com).
My goal for my psychological self is to manage anxiety without medication. I want to get to a point where anxiety attacks are no longer a part of my life. I want to be in control of my emotions instead of reacting to situations (Schlitz, Amorok & Micozzi, 2005).
My goal for my spiritual self is to find that something that makes me feel connected (Dacher, 2006). I do not know if that will be God, nature, or something else, but I want to find that greater power.
IV Practices for personal health:
What strategies can you implement to foster growth in each of the following domains; Physical, Psychological, and Spiritual. Provide at least two examples of exercises or practices in each domain. Explain how you will implement each practice.
Strategies for physical growth are easy for me to determine. I can add more resistance training to my workout. I will add one exercise for each target muscle group when working that muscle group. I will add hiking to my exercise regime to get more cardio and enjoy the outdoors. Walking and hiking are excellent ways to get a good workout (Waehner, 2005).
Determining strategies for psychological growth is a bit more difficult. I can practice visualization exercises as part of my daily routine to help control anxiety. After my morning jog I have time to sit quietly for a few minutes. That would be a good time to do the visualization exercises. Another strategy to help control anxiety is to practice the subtle mind exercise (Dacher, 2006). This exercise provided me a sense of peace and calm. I can use this exercise interchangeably with visualization in the morning after my jog.
Implementing strategies for spiritual growth is the most difficult for me. I believe that spending time hiking and being in nature will help me feel connected spiritually. When I am in the woods on a hiking trail I realize there must be something greater to have created so much beauty. The other strategy I will use for spiritual growth is the Loving-Kindness exercise (Dacher, 2006). This exercise makes me feel connected to everyone. I can perform this practice a couple of times a week before I go to sleep at night.
V Commitment:
How will you assess your progress or lack of progress in the next six months? What strategies can you use to assist in maintaining your long-term practices for health and wellness?
I recently bought a journal to begin writing down my thoughts and feelings each day. I will use this journal to track how I feel about my physical, psychological and spiritual growth. This way I can see if something is or is not working and make changes accordingly. The journal can also be an outlet for stress by writing down the negative thoughts and feelings and getting rid of them (Dacher, 2006).
In order to maintain my long-term practices for health and wellness, I will ask for assistance from others. There is a wellness clinic in my town where they practice different spiritual and healing techniques. I will keep an open mind and try some of the techniques. If the technique is not for me, then I will know. But maybe I will stumble across something that works great or someone who can be a mentor (Dacher, 2006).
References:
Dacher, Elliott S., M.D. (2006). Integral Health, The Path to Human Flourishing.
http://www.healthchecksystems.com/heightweightchart.htm.
Schlitz, Marilyn; Amorok, Tina; Micozzi, Marc S. (2005). Consciousness & Healing: Integral Approaches to Mind-Body Medicine.
Waehner, Paige, 2005. Take it Outside. About.com, January 3, 2005. http://exercise.about.com/cs/weightloss/a/hiking.htm.
Why is it important for health and wellness professionals to develop psychologically, spiritually, and physically? What areas do you need to develop to achieve the goals you have for yourself?
It is important for health and wellness professionals to develop psychologically, spiritually, and physically so that they can best help their patients. To truly understand a patient and where their suffering is coming from, health care professionals must know what aspect of the patient’s life to look at for the source of the problem (Schlitz, Amorok & Micozzi, 2005). That would not be possible if the health care professional had not developed those aspects of their own life. Giving someone a quick pill instead of taking the time to teach the patient how to heal himself does not get to the root of the problem, but only masks the symptoms. One cannot teach what one has not learned.
Personally I need to continue to develop psychologically and spiritually. Physically I am very healthy. I exercise regularly, eat nutritious foods, and rarely get sick. Psychologically I need to work on managing stress and my perception of what is stressful. Spiritually I need to find a connection to something greater. I was unaware of the importance of developing spiritually until taking Creating Wellness.
II Assessment:
How have you assessed your health in each domain? How do you score your wellness spiritually, physically and psychologically.
My assessment of my spiritual health is that it needs a great deal of development. Until a few weeks ago I would say my spirituality was nonexistent. I have begun to work on developing that aspect of my life and currently consider my spiritual wellness a 3 on a scale from 1 to 10.
Physically I look at how well my body functions. I am strong and athletic and am generally happy with my physical self. I would rate my physical wellness a 9 on a scale from 1 to 10.
I need to continue to develop psychologically. I suffer from anxiety disorder and take medication to control anxiety attacks. However, I must note that my psychological development has improved due to Creating Wellness and the exposure to mental exercises. I would currently rate my psychological wellness a 7 on a scale from 1 to 10 as I am generally happy and confident.
III Goal development:
List at least one goal you have for yourself in each area, Physical, Psychological (mental health) and Spiritual.
My goal for my physical self would be to lose approximately ten pounds. I am within a normal healthy weight, but toward the high end of normal. Losing ten pounds would put me in the lower range of normal (Health Check Systems.com).
My goal for my psychological self is to manage anxiety without medication. I want to get to a point where anxiety attacks are no longer a part of my life. I want to be in control of my emotions instead of reacting to situations (Schlitz, Amorok & Micozzi, 2005).
My goal for my spiritual self is to find that something that makes me feel connected (Dacher, 2006). I do not know if that will be God, nature, or something else, but I want to find that greater power.
IV Practices for personal health:
What strategies can you implement to foster growth in each of the following domains; Physical, Psychological, and Spiritual. Provide at least two examples of exercises or practices in each domain. Explain how you will implement each practice.
Strategies for physical growth are easy for me to determine. I can add more resistance training to my workout. I will add one exercise for each target muscle group when working that muscle group. I will add hiking to my exercise regime to get more cardio and enjoy the outdoors. Walking and hiking are excellent ways to get a good workout (Waehner, 2005).
Determining strategies for psychological growth is a bit more difficult. I can practice visualization exercises as part of my daily routine to help control anxiety. After my morning jog I have time to sit quietly for a few minutes. That would be a good time to do the visualization exercises. Another strategy to help control anxiety is to practice the subtle mind exercise (Dacher, 2006). This exercise provided me a sense of peace and calm. I can use this exercise interchangeably with visualization in the morning after my jog.
Implementing strategies for spiritual growth is the most difficult for me. I believe that spending time hiking and being in nature will help me feel connected spiritually. When I am in the woods on a hiking trail I realize there must be something greater to have created so much beauty. The other strategy I will use for spiritual growth is the Loving-Kindness exercise (Dacher, 2006). This exercise makes me feel connected to everyone. I can perform this practice a couple of times a week before I go to sleep at night.
V Commitment:
How will you assess your progress or lack of progress in the next six months? What strategies can you use to assist in maintaining your long-term practices for health and wellness?
I recently bought a journal to begin writing down my thoughts and feelings each day. I will use this journal to track how I feel about my physical, psychological and spiritual growth. This way I can see if something is or is not working and make changes accordingly. The journal can also be an outlet for stress by writing down the negative thoughts and feelings and getting rid of them (Dacher, 2006).
In order to maintain my long-term practices for health and wellness, I will ask for assistance from others. There is a wellness clinic in my town where they practice different spiritual and healing techniques. I will keep an open mind and try some of the techniques. If the technique is not for me, then I will know. But maybe I will stumble across something that works great or someone who can be a mentor (Dacher, 2006).
References:
Dacher, Elliott S., M.D. (2006). Integral Health, The Path to Human Flourishing.
http://www.healthchecksystems.com/heightweightchart.htm.
Schlitz, Marilyn; Amorok, Tina; Micozzi, Marc S. (2005). Consciousness & Healing: Integral Approaches to Mind-Body Medicine.
Waehner, Paige, 2005. Take it Outside. About.com, January 3, 2005. http://exercise.about.com/cs/weightloss/a/hiking.htm.
Monday, July 5, 2010
Review of Meditation Exercises
My favorite meditation exercises from this class are the Subtle Mind and Meeting Asciepius. I had the best success from these two exercises. The Subtle Mind exercise helped me clear my mind and it was very relaxing. the Meeting Asciepius made me feel connected to my own strength and in control.
I would like to start my day a couple of times a week doing the Meeting Asciepius exercise. I think this could help quiet my mind and make me feel in control for the day ahead. Then at the end of the day I could do the Subtle Mind exercise which would calm me and quiet my mind from the activities and stresses of the day.
I would like to start my day a couple of times a week doing the Meeting Asciepius exercise. I think this could help quiet my mind and make me feel in control for the day ahead. Then at the end of the day I could do the Subtle Mind exercise which would calm me and quiet my mind from the activities and stresses of the day.
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Meeting Asciepius
Something really remarkable happened while I was doing the Meeting Asciepius meditation. Keep in mind that my spirituality is the most underdeveloped part of my life. I had just come back from getting a facial before I did the meditation so I was already very relaxed and my mind was quiet so maybe that was the key, I don't know. I sat with my mental mentor on a green clifftop above the ocean. He was an old man with thick, long, gray hair and beard and bright blue eyes. His eyes were sparkly and he had a slight smile the whole time. His skin was lightly tanned and unwrinkled. He looked at me and smiled and I got very calm. When the beams of light were flowing through him to my mind, throat and heart, I could actually feel an energy and a slight heat in those areas. It felt very real. When he began to dissolve into pure energy and I absorbed him, I could feel the heat everywhere. I was sitting outside in the sun listening to the meditation practice and it was warm, but it felt like the warmth was coming from me (if that makes sense).
Obviously these practices are helping me develop mentally and spiritually. I had no idea I could feel so calm and in control. I felt like if I touched someone, they would feel the energy coming from me. Too bad I was by myself or I would have tried it. To me, this proves that we are more than just a biological being. I was able to tap into something greater than that. The more I do these practices, the stronger that sense of wholeness and attachment will be and I think I'll be able to sustain that feeling and clarity for longer periods of time.
"One cannot lead another where one has not gone himself." This saying applies to health and wellness professionals in that we can't help people with physical, mental and spiritual development unless we have developed those aspects of our own life. How can we teach something we have never learned?
I will continue to do these meditation practices to develop mentally and physically. I will also incorporate yoga into my exercise routine. I used to do yoga often, but for some reason I stopped.
I hope you all had a good experience with the Meeting Asciepius exercise.
Obviously these practices are helping me develop mentally and spiritually. I had no idea I could feel so calm and in control. I felt like if I touched someone, they would feel the energy coming from me. Too bad I was by myself or I would have tried it. To me, this proves that we are more than just a biological being. I was able to tap into something greater than that. The more I do these practices, the stronger that sense of wholeness and attachment will be and I think I'll be able to sustain that feeling and clarity for longer periods of time.
"One cannot lead another where one has not gone himself." This saying applies to health and wellness professionals in that we can't help people with physical, mental and spiritual development unless we have developed those aspects of our own life. How can we teach something we have never learned?
I will continue to do these meditation practices to develop mentally and physically. I will also incorporate yoga into my exercise routine. I used to do yoga often, but for some reason I stopped.
I hope you all had a good experience with the Meeting Asciepius exercise.
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Integral Assessment
This Sunday I found some time to do the universal Loving Kindness exercise from our book. I kept repeating the four lines in my mind while focusing on my breath. Breathing in I thought "May all individuals gain freedom from suffering." Breathing out I thought "May all individuals find sustained health, happiness, and wholeness." Breathing in I thought "May I assist all individuals in gaining freedom from suffering." Breathing out I thought "May I assist all individuals in finding health, happiness, and wholeness." The first two lines of the meditation exercise felt natural. I really do wish that all people have freedom from suffering and find health, happiness and wholeness. After all, if everyone felt that way the world would surely be a better place right? The last two lines were a little more difficult. I would find my mind wandering and thinking that I don't have the time or ability to help other people with such a huge path. I can't even figure out exactly how to flourish myself. But after the exercise I began to think that the way I can help others is by just simply living my best and doing what I can. A simple kind word or small act of kindness can make a big difference. I don't have to show them the way to human flourishing, but just encourage and be connected to others. A lot of good can come from simply caring.
After coming to that conclusion I did my personal integral assessment. Biologically I have developed a good fitness regime and I eat a well balanced diet. I am also fairly self-regulated. Worldly I need more development. I am good at my job and always try to do my best so I have developed pretty well there. I do, however, want to do more social activisim. Unfortunately, at this point in my life, considering I work a full time job and attend Kaplan, I will have to put that aside until I am done with school. My interpersonal life needs a little more development as well. I have a close family, but I need to make more time to spend with them. They are all very important people to me and I want them in my life. I can't put visits off because you just never know. I want to spend time with them while we are all here and able. I really want to do more for my community, but I haven't decided where I can do the best work. Again, after I am done with school I plan to do some volunteer work. Maybe share some of what I have learned in my classes to help others be more healthy. Psychospiritually I am very weak. I have yet to find my spiritual connection. Before I wasn't really even thinking about it and it wasn't that important to me. But now I realize that it is an essential part of being whole and I really want to find my connection. I do believe in God, but I don't attend church. I may start there. I also really enjoy the outdoors and living in the Pacific Northwest we have beautiful country to explore. I hope to find ways to spend more time outdoors and I think I will start with hiking and kayaking. Both are easily accessible here. I have a long way to go in this aspect of my life, but at least now I am conscious of its importance. Meditation is another thing that I tend to incorporate regularly into my life.
If anyone has any suggestions on developing psychospiritually, please let me know. I am open to anything really. Thank you.
After coming to that conclusion I did my personal integral assessment. Biologically I have developed a good fitness regime and I eat a well balanced diet. I am also fairly self-regulated. Worldly I need more development. I am good at my job and always try to do my best so I have developed pretty well there. I do, however, want to do more social activisim. Unfortunately, at this point in my life, considering I work a full time job and attend Kaplan, I will have to put that aside until I am done with school. My interpersonal life needs a little more development as well. I have a close family, but I need to make more time to spend with them. They are all very important people to me and I want them in my life. I can't put visits off because you just never know. I want to spend time with them while we are all here and able. I really want to do more for my community, but I haven't decided where I can do the best work. Again, after I am done with school I plan to do some volunteer work. Maybe share some of what I have learned in my classes to help others be more healthy. Psychospiritually I am very weak. I have yet to find my spiritual connection. Before I wasn't really even thinking about it and it wasn't that important to me. But now I realize that it is an essential part of being whole and I really want to find my connection. I do believe in God, but I don't attend church. I may start there. I also really enjoy the outdoors and living in the Pacific Northwest we have beautiful country to explore. I hope to find ways to spend more time outdoors and I think I will start with hiking and kayaking. Both are easily accessible here. I have a long way to go in this aspect of my life, but at least now I am conscious of its importance. Meditation is another thing that I tend to incorporate regularly into my life.
If anyone has any suggestions on developing psychospiritually, please let me know. I am open to anything really. Thank you.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Subtle Mind
I listened and participated in the subtle mind exercise. I liked it better than the loving kindness exercise. I was actually quite calm during and after the exercise. I was able to actually calm my mind. I noticed that sometimes I would find my thoughts coming in again, but I would then just focus on my breath and I could get them to disappear. The sound of the waves and flute in the background went along with my breathing and it helped me stay on track.
The loving kindness exercise had us concentrating on sending love to others. The subtle mind exercise focused on me and my mind. In the loving kindness exercise, when we had to take the hurt away from a loved one, it made me sad to think about a loved one hurting in the first place. There was no sadness in the subtle mind exercise, it was just an exercise to focus on losing all those thoughts that take over. I will listen to this exercise again.
Our mental and physical selves are connected to each other. If we take care of our physical self, we will experience better mental health. If we take care of our mental health, we can experience greater physical health. Stress can take a toll on our physical bodies so calming the mind is an important part of being truly healthy. I am only really beginning to wrap my head around this concept. I have always taken good care of myself physically, getting plenty of exercise and eating healthy. But I haven't taken very good care of myself mentally. I have an anxiety disorder that I let control me sometimes. I take medication to keep it under control, but it doesn't make me feel calm and relaxed like participating in the subtle mind exercise did. These types of mental exercises will benefit my mental health and I plan to use them often.
The loving kindness exercise had us concentrating on sending love to others. The subtle mind exercise focused on me and my mind. In the loving kindness exercise, when we had to take the hurt away from a loved one, it made me sad to think about a loved one hurting in the first place. There was no sadness in the subtle mind exercise, it was just an exercise to focus on losing all those thoughts that take over. I will listen to this exercise again.
Our mental and physical selves are connected to each other. If we take care of our physical self, we will experience better mental health. If we take care of our mental health, we can experience greater physical health. Stress can take a toll on our physical bodies so calming the mind is an important part of being truly healthy. I am only really beginning to wrap my head around this concept. I have always taken good care of myself physically, getting plenty of exercise and eating healthy. But I haven't taken very good care of myself mentally. I have an anxiety disorder that I let control me sometimes. I take medication to keep it under control, but it doesn't make me feel calm and relaxed like participating in the subtle mind exercise did. These types of mental exercises will benefit my mental health and I plan to use them often.
Monday, June 7, 2010
Practice Loving-Kindness
I finally had the opportunity to listen to the loving-kindness program. I found it both beneficial and difficult. It was beneficial in that it gave the me the chance to think about my loved ones and for a moment I actually felt like I had the power to take away any suffering they might be experiencing. My daughter recently had her heart broken and there have been lots of tears. I imagined I was taking that hurt away from her. I could also imagine that I was embracing everyone and giving everyone happiness.
I had difficulty concentrating at times because the reflective pauses were so long. I would find myself getting distracted with my own thoughts and I had to consciously get back on track.
I would recommend the practice to others if they were ready to try it.
Mental workouts allow us to train our minds to be in control. We can teach ourselves to control our negative feelings and thoughts and replace them with positive feelings and thoughts. Those that have this mental awareness also have greater gamma wave activity and a clearer mind. I can use these mental workouts to control my reaction to stress in my life. I might also be able to teach myself to mentally be above all of the chaos.
I look forward to reading my classmates' experiences.
I had difficulty concentrating at times because the reflective pauses were so long. I would find myself getting distracted with my own thoughts and I had to consciously get back on track.
I would recommend the practice to others if they were ready to try it.
Mental workouts allow us to train our minds to be in control. We can teach ourselves to control our negative feelings and thoughts and replace them with positive feelings and thoughts. Those that have this mental awareness also have greater gamma wave activity and a clearer mind. I can use these mental workouts to control my reaction to stress in my life. I might also be able to teach myself to mentally be above all of the chaos.
I look forward to reading my classmates' experiences.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
