Unit 10 Final Blog, and Personal Assessment

Unit 10

In the Unit 3 assessment, I rated myself as:

Physical well-being: 4

Spiritual well-being: 6

Psychological well-being: 4

At this time, I would say that physically, I am at a 6.  I have been exercising almost every day (6 out of 7).  My endurance is good, and I have gotten stronger (increased my weights in strength training).  I have managed to control my portions and eat better, and have lost 5 pounds.  I think my initial goal of losing 10 pounds in a month was maybe too much for me, at this time.  If I never gain back the 5 pounds I’ve lost, then I’m happy.  I still plan to reach my goal weight in March, which gives me a little over 6 months to get there (was a 40 lb loss, initially).  I did follow my goals of exercising 30-45 minutes each day, keeping a log of food and exercise, minimizing eating out and sleeping 8 hrs each night.

Spiritually, I would say that I’m at a 7, which is a small improvement.  The reason that I feel this way, is that I am spending quiet time every day, and working on controlling my reactions to things.  In my relationship, we have gotten through a rough patch (about a month ago), and managed to get back to where we have been at our most happiest.  For once, I don’t feel like I had to compromise anything about how I feel, to be able to coexist in harmony with my husband.   I am getting better at focusing on other people, and being a good listener, genuinely caring about others.  My goal for meditation was 15-20 minutes each day, but I haven’t gotten to that point, yet.  I am spending quiet time, but maybe 10 minutes a day. 

Psychologically, I feel that I’m at a 7, which is a big change.   When I said, in the unit 3 assessment, that I was at a 4, things were very difficult for me.   I was running thin on coping skills, and having a hard time keeping up with responsibilities.   Since then, I have reached out for help, made some changes, and just kept going in spite of myself.   I am far from perfect, but I have learned how to set aside fears (however temporarily) so I can do what is important in the moment.   I did follow my plan to talk with others more, go to counseling, and take time for myself.   I have also been using a journal, which I had planned to do.

This class has been very beneficial to me, in many ways.  In some areas, I felt that I already had the common knowledge about the mind/body connection, etc.  I had not, however, read about studies that have brought the scientific community into the realm of integral health.  I am grateful, because I now have new resources to use, in my own journey.   My overall wellness has improved, in all areas, because of my new awareness.  I can help others, by being a better partner, mother, employee, daughter, and sister.  I don’t feel that this is an overstatement, because I can now handle all of these roles, better than I was.  It has been rewarding to see this kind of change in just a few short weeks.  The difficult part has been making time for new routines and activities.  As I am entering the field of accounting, this course will not be for my skills as a practitioner.  It has, however, assisted me in my own path of development (psychospiritual, physical, and emotional), and opened new doors for me.  I will continue to work with contemplative practices, as part of my ongoing program of self-care.  

Unit 9 Project

Unit 9 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 because that is what they are prescribing for their own patients.  They need to be able to show that they believe in the importance of health on all of these levels, in their own lives and for others.  I need to work on all of these aspects, in my own life, to achieve any goals that I have for myself.  It is a “package deal”, meaning, that all of these parts affect the others, and vice-versa.

II.                Assessment:
How have you assessed your health in each domain? How do you score your wellness spiritually, physically, and psychologically?

At this time, I would score myself at these levels (using a 1-10 scale):

Spiritually, I would score myself at a 6.  I have strong spiritual beliefs, that I try to apply to my day-to-day life.  I do recognize the need, however, to meditate on a more regular basis, to further my growth.

Physically, I would say that I am at a 5.  I don’t have any major problems, physically, except weight and the risks that this represents.

Psychologically, I would score myself at a 7.  I suffer from depression, which I am treating in a number of ways.  I still have things I would like to change, though.

III.                Goal development:
List at least one goal you have for yourself in each area, Physical, Psychological (mental health) and Spiritual. 

The physical goals I am working on at this time, is to lose 40 pounds by March 2014.  I have laid out a plan for my activities, and am controlling my food portions, and keeping a food and exercise log.  Most of all, I am being completely honest with myself about what I’m doing, and where I’m at, every day.

Psychologically, I am working on controlling stress in my life (at home, relationships, work, etc.).  I am developing boundaries that will help me to minimize negativity in my life.  I am also nurturing  my health, psychologically, with regular exercise, and incorporating meditation with this, as well.  Journaling (separate from the food and exercise log) is helping with this process.

Spiritually, my goals are to pray every day, and meditate.  I am also using spiritual principles so that I can improve my understanding about my life, and others.  I am working on letting go of things that I cannot change, and forgiving others (and myself, too).

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 example.

Physical:  trying new kinds of exercise, and pushing my limits gradually, to improve my performance.  I have been working on endurance, with my daily activities.  Yoga and stretching are beneficial, as well.

Psychological: I am stopping myself before I react to things, and taking the time to assess what’s going on first.  When things become overwhelming for me, I take a break, or find someone to talk to.  I have read about, and make efforts towards being in the “now”, rather than worry about the past or future.  This sounds simple, but it is a challenge.  I have learned to deal with what is in front of me, right now.  This helps me not get too overwhelmed or upset about life. 

Spiritual:  Meditation is key, as well as mindfulness.  Sometimes I will use a guided audio meditation, and other times none at all.  If it is difficult to concentrate, the audio helps me.  Spending time outdoors is very beneficial for me, on all levels.  I live in a rural area with lots of trees, near a river.  If I make the time to just “be”, and watch the river, it does help me relax and achieve a higher level of consciousness.

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 will write down where I want these things to be in 6 months’ time, and a plan for each month up until then.  Rather than wait for 6 months to assess my progress, I can break up the time into weeks, and work on achieving those weekly goals. 

As for my long-term practices for health and wellness, I do not have an “end date” in sight.   I have come to realize that this is for a lifetime, not for a quick fix.  Although the coping tools we use can create relief for us, in the moment, there is not one day that we won’t need to use integral practices in our life.  I will continue to look back at the work we've done in this class, and to read about these practices, and try new things. 

Most Helpful Meditation Exercises For Me

This course and the meditation exercises that we have been practicing have helped me to see how important this is to integral health.  The exercises that were most beneficial to me were the Loving Kindness exercise, and the Meeting Aesclepius exercise.   I enjoyed the time spent thinking of my loved one, and the way that the exercise guided me to use the energy of that love.  The Meeting Aesclepius exercise allowed me to see how I could receive wisdom from and healing through this guided meditation. 

I plan on using these exercises, to help me grow spiritually.  I will also seek out other examples, as I continue my path to integral health.  One way that I like to practice meditation is in a group environment.  My husband and I attend a Sunday meditation service, whenever we can, where we meditate for an hour in a spiritual place. The energy of all of us, together, concentrating on our relationship to the Divine, is something that is unique and beautiful. 

Throughout my college career, I have taken other classes on the science of how stress affects us, and society pressures, etc.  The exercises in this course have allowed me to practice what I have read about, and gain a new insight on their usefulness in my own life.

Aesclepius / Subtle Mind

I have been having company all weekend, as we’ve been selling puppies for a few days, and sadly, I wasn’t able to complete the meditation exercise until today.  I was pleasantly surprised by the experience.   I chose a person as my wise one, mentor, someone who had been in my life throughout childhood  (like a sort of grandma).  She has passed on, and remains special to me.  I definitely felt the essence of those parts described in the meditation: the crown, throat, and heart.  It gave me an awareness that I can incorporate those gifts into my own life, so that I am able to give to others.   I have a friend who is seriously ill, in the hospital right now, and I will be praying and meditating with this subtle mind for her, today. 

As our text mentions, if practitioners do not work on their own spiritual evolution, they will be less equipped to help others do so.  “Having a map of Hawaii is not like actually being there”, (Schlitz, Amorok, Micozzi, 2005, p. 477).  If you are a practitioner, and you also work on your own wellness through integral practices, you will build the trust of your patients, through your experience.  We are not meant to be on a pedestal, but to practice what we preach, so to speak. 

Laurie

Reference

Schlitz, M., Amorok, T., Micozzi, M. (2005). Consciousness and Healing: Integral Approaches to Mind-Body Medicine. Elsevier, Churchill, Livingstone.

unit 6: Loving Kindness, and Integral Assessment

I completed the universal Loving Kindness (meditation) exercise, and I was actually surprised by the results.  First, I was upset with myself because I forgot to have this done by Saturday. I had let life take over.  Then, I set that aside, so that I could do the exercise.  I repeated the words over, and over.  I realized that, not only should I wish others well, my actions should also foster wellness in others.  At least, I can keep that in mind.  Freedom from suffering, sustained health, happiness, and wholeness: these are things that we all have a right to, I would say it’s even our birthright to these. 

The assessment brought up issues for me that I would like to change, in the area of work.  I have difficulties finding the type of job that suits me, and sticking with it.  I’ve been underemployed for some time, now, and I am feeling badly about that.  I’m at a time in my life when I need to just focus on retiring (in about 12-15 years), and I know that it will take persistence and commitment to get there.  I am going to journal about finding my ideal work, and work on bringing that into my reality.  I have some books that I have used in the past to guide me through the process.   I have considered using a coach, which I will look into, if need be.  I’m grateful for this class, and being able to think in new ways.

Laurie

Subtle Mind Exercise

Today, I listened to the subtle mind exercise.  I had a good experience - it really relaxed me and took me to a different level.  This exercise is very different from the loving-kindness exercise.   In the loving-kindness exercise, we were exploring feelings of love for others, ourselves, and forgiveness.  This helped work on many things.  In the subtle mind exercise, we were exploring our own inner awareness.   Much of this exercise is about focusing on the breath.  As Dacher says, “peaceful breathing pattern leads to a peaceful mind” (Dacher, 2006, p. 75).  While I was doing this, I was visualizing the space I wanted to keep clear (in my mind), as a white smooth circle.  When other thoughts started creeping in, I made a mental “broom” sweep those thoughts to the outside of the circle.  Things did keep coming up, and I did brush them aside, which helped me focus on the clear space of stillness I was wanting to be in.  I sometimes play with my thoughts, that way, just to help me visualize ideas.  The subtle mind is described as the stillness in our mind, between 2 thoughts, or just upon rising from sleep, or when we receive a sudden shock or a surprise:  when all mental activity is stopped (Dacher, 2006, p. 72).  I believe that if I practice this exercise, more often, I can get in touch with the subtle mind for longer periods of time.  

Unit 4, Loving Kindness Exercise

Listening to the Loving Kindness meditation was surprising to me.  It seemed easier to think of my love for that other person, and fully immerse myself in that experience.  Turning that feeling towards myself was not as easy.  It will take time and practice, for me to feel like I have done that successfully.   It did feel really good, though, and relaxing.  After listening to this, I actually had to take a nap!  I had had a full morning, in fact, but I was lulled to sleep by this exercise.

The mental workout that Dacher writes about is the practice of training the mind, daily.  In order to effect change from our minds, to achieve mental fitness, we need a regular workout, or practice.  The most important goal of contemplative practice is the “progressive development of an expanded consciousness and its healing capacities” (Dacher, 2006. p. 65).  Dacher also says that contemplative practice is “cross-training” for our body, mind, and spirit.  Our text addresses the practices of loving-kindness, and the subtle mind.   When we practice loving kindness and the subtle mind, through meditation and visualization, we will cultivate loving kindness and wisdom in our conscious experience.

Reference:

 Dacher, E. M.D. (2006). Integral Health: The Path to Human Flourishing. Basic Health Publications, Inc.