Unit 10 Blog Recap

After reviewing my Unit 3 Blog entry and my personal assessment of my psychological, physical, and spiritual well-being that I rated at a 7.5 on physical fitness, a 5 on psychological fitness and an 8 on spiritual fitness I have observed the following:  After taking this course I continue to rate myself the same in physical fitness and spiritual fitness however I have improved on psychological fitness and rerated I have myself at a 7 as I am still a work in progress.  The scores in my spiritual and physical aspects did not change as I have taken great care of myself in those areas.  My initial mental fitness was lower than I wanted at a 5 as I allow things to create disharmony and stress in my life.  Through this class and the practice of meditation I have improved this aspect by developing some inner peace and by rearranging my priorities.  I have made progress towards my goals as I have used the treadmill while completing my textbook readings for my three classes.  I feel much better for accomplishing that and spiritually I have decluttered my desk at work and some things in my home.  I will continue to work on that area.  Psychologically and spiritually, I am meditating daily in the morning and before bed and I have found myself experiencing joy when I least expect it!  I am also sleeping better at night.  I feel that I have not only implemented a strong program of health and wellness in my life but during the course I have seen proof of the program’s effectiveness.  The most difficult part of the class was learning to quiet my mind during the meditation however when it was explained that the noise I was hearing was actually because I was paying attention at the moment the sounds in my head.  They slowly subsided and I was actually able to have quiet periods in my mind that were extremely peaceful and joyful.  I believe this experience will help me to become a better nutritionist as I will be calmer which will improve my listening skills and I will be able to impart the information that physical health is not achieved only by eating correctly and exercising but also by integral health and the improvement of the psychological and spiritual aspects of life.

Holistic and Integral Health and Wellness

During this semester I have been privileged to have the opportunity to learn the concepts regarding holistic and integral health and how it relates to my personal life and professional life.  I have also learned how to grow spiritually, physically, and psychologically (Dacher, 2006).  This has been an ongoing process of trial and error as I have learned about the different aspects of meditation and mindfulness practices (Dacher, 2006).  Additionally, this process taught me the wellness concepts of mind body connectedness and how important human flourishing is to our enjoyment of life and our overall health and that of our patients (Dacher, 2006).  This process has also taught me that this is indeed an ongoing lifestyle that needs constant attention and nurturing and will be used as an example for others to emulate (Dacher, 2006).  I have thoroughly enjoyed this experience and the following is a recap of the processes and a plan for my future ongoing development.

I Introduction:

It is important for health and wellness professionals to develop psychologically, spiritually and physically in order to understand the methods and techniques that are available in holistic integral healing and then to further implement these into the care and nurturing of patients (Dacher, 2006).  The health and wellness professional also works to develop each aspect of life including the psychospiritual, biological, interpersonal and worldly aspects (Dacher, 2006).  They start by developing the outer most level, working to the inner level and finally developing the innermost level (Dacher, 2006).  The purpose of this ongoing development is to become a holistic integral healer (Dacher, 2006). 

A holistic integral healer is also a compassionate human being who has developed the skill of listening with empathy, asking non-threatening evocative questions and then working with the patient to involve them in their choices of treatment (Schlitz, M. & Amorok, T. 2005).  True health, all encompassing integral health, is a matter of making choices with positive intentions (Schlitz, M. & Amorok, T. 2005).

My own level of wellness; physically, psychologically, and spiritually are in need of work as you will read in the following assessment!

II Assessment:

I was doing well in the physical aspect of my health up until March of this past year when I started full time college along with full time work.  I would say I am currently at a level of 7.5 on a scale of 1 to 10.  I eat a large amount of fruits and vegetables, lean meats, eggs and dairy, nuts, flax seed and nutritional supplements.  The area I work on consciously is adding to the category of grains.  I am gluten intolerant so I cannot eat regular products like whole grain breads or pastas and I just got used to not including them in my diet.  I have made a conscious decision and have added whole grain rice products in the form of crackers, pastas and breads and this has worked well.  Additionally, I have added gluten free oatmeal to my morning meals.  When I started school I no longer had time to work out which I was doing five times per week.  I have decided a change was necessary as I have become winded when walking, weak when I lift certain items and I am not sleeping as soundly. 

I would like to say that the psychological and spiritual aspects of my health were as good as my physical health.  Spiritually, I spend time in the morning and my lunch hour listening to speakers that develop spiritual paths and principles in my life so I would rate my overall spiritual health as an 8.  However, as I age, I believe true peace and happiness come from spiritual principles and not from the trappings of possessions, as I did when I was younger.  I want to boost my spiritual health to 10 as that is how important I think it is in the scheme of life and overall integral health. 

I would say that the psychological and worldly aspects of my health have diminished to ratings of 5 as I have become somewhat of a hermit while I have been attending school.  I feel this especially as I am becoming shyer when I am around other people or in a crowd.  I am happiest when I have social interactions with others. 

III Goal development:

Physical Goals –

I have borrowed a treadmill from a friend and I now complete my numerous reading assignments while walking on the treadmill.  I have also set a goal to walk on the beach every Saturday morning.  This is not only a physical aspect of developing my health; it is also a psychospiritual aspect, as I feel free and close to my creator when I am walking beside the water.  I am also signing up for a course in tai chi which develops not only the physical body but also the mental and spiritual aspects of my health.

Specific – Gain physical exercise benefits by walking on a treadmill when I read coursework.

Measurable – Will be measured if all reading is done on the treadmill.

Attainable – The treadmill is my resource and it has been borrowed, delivered and set in place for use.

Realistic – This is a realistic goal as I have to read and I can walk and read at the same time.

Timely – This is a realistic time frame for walking as I would be sitting reading for the same period.

Psychological (mental health) Goals –

I will make a conscious effort to go out socially with friends by working a breakfast or lunch date or a nice walk with a friend into my schedule.  Additionally, interactions with other people are also important in developing and honing the necessary people skills that I will use on a daily basis as a health and wellness professional.

Specific – Making a weekly commitment to breakfast each Saturday with a friend after my morning beach walk.

Measurable – Will be measured weekly Saturday at 10 AM.

Attainable – The resources are in place as I have asked a few friends who will meet every Saturday at 10 AM at Sweet Tomatoes Restaurant.

Realistic – This is a realistic goal in my life as I will be taking this time to walk, and then eat with friends and then I will come home and study.  It is a good and reasonable way to start my day off from work.

Timely – This is a realistic time frame because it is before my other responsibilities start for the day.

Spiritual Goals -  

In the past I have dabbled at meditation and have never been good at it as I have a busy mind but this is where I am going to place my focus.  During this semester I have had an opportunity to change and grow using the meditative practices we have been taught.  I am committing to myself to spend 15 minutes per morning just being still and quiet meditating using the loving kindness practice to focus outwardly on treating others with loving actions and empathy.  I am also committing to myself to meditate in the evening before bed using a quieting technique or the human flourishing technique. 

Specific – Gaining meditative practice each day in the AM and then in the PM.

Measurable – Will be measured daily as they are completed.

Attainable – I have the resources for meditating in place, a comfortable chair that I sit straight in to promote proper breathing, a CD player and several meditation CD’s that promote loving kindness and human flourishing practices.

Realistic – This goal is realistic in my life because I rise early for spiritual work and I also complete spiritual work before bed so it is already a habit.

Timely – This is a realistic time frame as it encompasses 15 minutes scheduled in the AM before anything else occurs and 15 minutes scheduled in the evening before bed.

IV Practices for Personal Health:

The strategies I can foster to grow in the physical domain will be to add a weight lifting program to my schedule and I will arrange to return to Curves for a whole body work out.  I will also schedule a tai chi class for physical, mental and spiritual benefits.  Both of these strategies will require scheduling changes in my life.  I will develop the psychological domain by meeting with friends and socializing, going to a play once per month, completing self esteem exercises and volunteering to help others once per week teaching and using what I have learned about holistic integral health.  The strategy for spiritual growth has already been laid with mediation practices and a possible visit to a Shambhala for meditation training.  Additionally, my lunch hours are spent reading or listening to various CD’s on spiritual training or psychological training.

V Commitment:

I will assess my progress or lack of progress in the next six months by keeping a weekly journal of my goals for eating, exercising, and psychological and spiritual training and volunterring.  If I find I have been remiss in one area then I can make immediate plans to reintroduce them into my routine.  I will also include my friends and boyfriend in this process of accountability and use their encouragement and reminders to stay on track. 

The strategies that I will employ to assist me in maintaining my long-term practices for health and wellness are routine, routine, routine.  I have found that the daily repetitive action that brings the desired physical, mental and spiritual changes into affect is the best reason to stick to a positive health plan.  The feelings of human flourishing are beyond describable as they provide a sense of happiness and health that come from somewhere deep inside.  This sense of health and wellness is a form of human flourishing that is not swayed by outside circumstances such as other people, places or material items.

The processes we have learned during this course have instilled in me the knowledge that this is indeed an ongoing lifestyle that needs constant attention and nurturing (Dacher, 2006).  I have thoroughly enjoyed this experience and look forward to my future ongoing development and its use when working with future patients.

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

Publications, Inc.

Schlitz, M. & Amorok, T. (2005). Consciousness & Healing: Integral Approaches to Mind-Body

                Medicine. St. Louis, MO: Elsevier Churchill Livingstone.

Unit 8 Blog Entry

The Loving Kindness meditation is valuable in developing a loving attitude for others and can be used as a way to start your day focusing outside yourself and on how you can experience your day building loving relationships with the people you encounter.  I found the results of this meditation to be especially helpful in traffic while driving to and from the workplace.

The second meditation was the Subtle Mind practice and I found this especially useful to relax and quiet my brain.  I accepted that I have a busy mind and I am continuing to work on keeping a small amount of time each day focused only on my breathing.  This may sound strange but I believe this break has opened a door deep within me that is allowing happiness to spring forth that I always keep under wraps.  I have found myself giggling at times when before I would have been too busy to enjoy the moment.

The final practice of Visualization is my new favorite as it combines the whole self in the process.  The mind, body and spirit in the form of visualizing your happiest moment, your best health and your most connected moments in life.  When you concentrate on these, all at the same time, they become empowering and fill your being with a radiating health and happiness. 

In order to provide mental health fitness I believe these meditations need to be practiced consistently on a daily basis.  I will start each morning continuing with the loving kindness practice so that I continue to start my day presenting myself to the world in a loving fashion.  I will end each day with the visualization practice to provide my body, mind and soul with the healing affects of these wonderful memories and to help myself sleep better.  Although I am recommending these two practices as the main two I will be accomplishing on a daily basis, I will also add the Subtle Mind meditation at various times during the week to ensure growth in the witnessing mind, the calm abiding mind and the unity consciousness mind.

Visualization Meditation

Using the process of creative visualization you are able to experience human flourishing (Dacher, 2006).  Human flourishing is the ability to feel and be your most happy mentally, your most whole and connected spiritually, and experience your best health bodily (Dacher, 2006).  This can be experienced and developed by using the meditative process (Dacher, 2006).  The meditative process begins by becoming comfortable in a sitting position in a place where you cannot be disturbed and then begin relaxing and becoming peaceful (Dacher, 2006). 

Then the experience begins by developing a taste of happiness by thinking of a time when you were radiantly happy and dwell on this (Dacher, 2006).  Next focus on that situation and visualize what it looks like, how your body feels and on any sounds or smells that you remember (Dacher, 2006).  Next you focus deeper and remember the quality of your mind, did you have a sense of self feeling spacious, harmonious, and a connectedness in your spirit (Dacher, 2006)?  Once you have explored all these feelings and sensations then turn these feelings on even higher and concentrate on them and let them fill your entire body (Dacher, 2006).  During my experience in this process I thought of the days when I birthed my children as these were the very happiest times of my life.

The next step is developing a taste of wholeness by thinking of a time where your felt connected spiritually with everything around you and dwell on this (Dacher, 2006).  Next focus on that situation and visualize what it looks like, how your body feels and on any sounds or smells that you remember (Dacher, 2006).  Next you focus deeper and remember the quality of your mind, did you have a sense of self feeling spacious, harmonious, and a connectedness in your spirit (Dacher, 2006).  Once you have explored all these feelings and sensations then turn these feelings on even higher and concentrate on them and let them fill your entire body (Dacher, 2006).  During my experience I focused on the times when I was younger and I would drive my VW through the back roads in the woods, along lakes and streams all by myself for hours.  I would feel so high with connectedness and so close to God.

Next move on and remember a time when you felt extremely healthy and begin to dwell on this (Dacher, 2006).  Next focus on that situation and visualize what it looks like, how your body feels and on any sounds or smells that you remember (Dacher, 2006).  Next you focus deeper and remember the quality of your mind, did you have a sense of self feeling spacious, harmonious, and a connectedness in your spirit (Dacher, 2006).  Once you have explored all these feelings and sensations then turn these feelings on even higher and concentrate on them and let them fill your entire body (Dacher, 2006).

Finally let all three of these experiences fill your whole being and relish in them; this is what human flourishing feels like (Dacher, 2006).  Wow, this was an amazing feeling and experience and it was all done in my mind yet it produced great feelings throughout my entire being; physically, mentally and spiritually.  I can definitely see this practice helping future patients and I will continue this practice myself. 

Reference:
Dacher, E., (2006). Integral Health: The Path to Human Flourishing. Laguna Beach, CA: Basic Health Publications, Inc.