UNIT 10 - Assessment & Reflection

Assessment

       As an individual attempting to better myself, I can admit that I had a lot to work on in each domain, in the beginning of the course. After reviewing unit 3's personal assessment of my psychological, physical, and spiritual well-being, I have come to realize I have actually improved some in certain areas.

Ratings from Unit 3:

Psychological: 7

Physical:8

Spiritual:6

Present Rating:

Psychological: 8

Physical: 8.5

Spiritual: 6

       The spiritual domain's scoring did not change due to me focusing more so on my psychological and physical well-being. I struggle still with this and have to find a way to incorporate something that will work towards a better spiritual path in life. The other two domains have improved. I have increased my mile time, improved my breathing techniques when I exercise, and am usually in  a positive mood most of the time. I also have continued to practice the Loving-Kindness & Subtle Mind exercises. The goals that I have set in unit 3, I can say I have somewhat made progress. I have improved my exercising regiment, I have been eating healthier, I have forgiven and reconciled certain friendships, and have spent more time listening to people and providing a sincere shoulder rather than merely hearing. The only goals I have yet to move towards achieving include volunteering, taking more walks to clear my mind, and yoga. VERY SOON THOUGH! I am a work in progress. 

Reflection

       The Creating Wellness: Psychological and Spiritual Aspect of Healing course was one that helped me to realize aspects in life that I need to work towards. Sometimes, some of the exercises were difficult to connect to but others became very beneficial in giving me that push that I need to continue on to a better me. It is true that no one can make a difference in your life but YOU! This experience can help me improve my ability to assist others by attempting to incorporate the same knowledge and motivation to work towards in terms of regaining the happiness they/the client deserves. Overall, I enjoyed the course and will be able to utilize the practices and skills to help personal healing when working with others. 

UNIT 9 - Final Project

Personal Application of the Psychological and Spiritual Aspects of Healing

I. Introduction:

            It is vital for health and wellness professionals to develop psychologically, spiritually, and physically. By doing so will help ensure that their practice is coming from not only acquired knowledge but experience as well. It now becomes a better foundation for help and guidance from both a healee and healer’s perspective. Our personal work becomes a sacred responsibility, a way that we can help others and create a better world (Dacher, 2006). A professional needs to find fulfillment by practicing what they preach and therefore will ultimately have the ability to reach out to others in a way that is most effective. We must change ourselves if we are to change the medicine we are practicing (Dacher, 2006). I think for any individual, our journey never ends. We are constantly exploring and experiencing new realms in life. With that being said, for myself, I would need to specifically develop further into the spiritual and psychological aspect in order to achieve my goals to reach integral health.

II. Assessment

          As an individual attempting to better myself, I can admit that I have a lot to work on in each domain. In the beginning of the course, I had scored myself in the areas of physical, psychological, and spiritual a little low. Since then, I can honestly say I have been working on each but I still have awhile to reach the full potential of integral health. Physically, I would score my wellness an 8.5. Psychologically, I would score my wellness an 8. I have truly been working towards finding a place of peace within myself and with others around me. Spiritually, I would score my wellness a 6. I have found this area personally one that I struggle with the most.

III. Goal Development:

          Every individual should work towards setting goals and developing them in a timely manner. Setting goals serves a person a purpose to fulfill. There are three areas I have considered placing goals for and those sectors include physical, psychological, and spiritual. Physically, I want to be able to run a marathon and better my overall health by the end of summer. Psychologically, I want to work on forgiveness, full self-acceptance, and becoming in tune with my own mind and body. Spiritually, I want to be able to release stress in an appropriate manner and restore my calm.

IV. Practices for Personal Health:

            With every goal follows the actual movement in reaching that goal. What good are words when there are no actions to follow? There are strategies I can implement to foster growth in each of the following domains; Physical, Psychological, and Spiritual. Two examples to foster growth physically include staying fit and eating healthier. I can start by creating a fitness plan to follow. I can even consider taking up a personal trainer at my gym and eliminate all the junk food from my kitchen. Two examples to foster growth psychologically include reconciling with those who I have had issues with and start over by clearing the air. I will also work on taking up yoga and continuing to exercise and do Zumba classes. Exercising in general makes me feel good and helps with my health and clears my mind. Two examples to foster growth spiritually include taking meditation seriously and allowing time to reflect. More specifically, I might just continue to practice the Loving-Kindness and Subtle Mind Exercises. Both have given me the realization of areas I need to work on. This includes working on my love for others and for myself. Not to mention the need to slow down and reflect on my life rather than let it slip on by.

V. Commitment:

           Thus, each day you engage in activities that nourish your body, mind, and spirit. Gradually, you begin to gain new understandings that blossom into important realizations (Dacher, 2006). Regardless of me not fulfilling these specific goals in a timely manner (6 months) or at all, there will still be other experiences and/or goals that I will fulfill in place of the ones I have set. To assess my progress or lack of in the next six months, I can continue to write on my blog, keep a diet journal, and track my workout improvements. I believe for any consistency in maintaining long-term practices includes having that motivation, having a support system, and having specific focuses to work towards.

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

UNIT 8 - How Can I Foster Mental Fitness?

"Mental Fitness"

       After reviewing the exercises and practice sessions, I would have to say that the Loving-Kindness exercise and the Subtle Mind exercise would become most beneficial for myself. I am a very fast-paced individual. Both exercises thus far have magnified this for me. Even though I had difficulty with the Loving-Kindness exercise the first time around, it did become beneficial as time went on and it did bring me relaxation/reflection. The Loving-Kindness exercise will help me strengthen my love and help in forgiving some of my own mistakes. The Subtle Mind exercise will help me to slow down, live in the present, and learn to reflect the correct way. I also believe will both help me sort out the unbelievably amount of thoughts I have day in and day out. To foster mental health using the Loving-Kindness exercise, I can practice meditation, reading positive quotes in the morning, and/or simply taking a few minutes at the end or beginning or my day to reflect without any present distractions. To foster mental fitness using the Subtle Mind exercise, I can take up yoga and focus on my breathing when exercising. Practicing breathing can serve as a mental workout itself. I think most importantly, I should really learn to see the positive in everything/everyone! Hopefully that will help in the loving-kindness area as well. What two did you choose?

"The most meaningful aim of contemplative practice is not rest and relaxation but rather the progressive development of an expanded consciousness and its healing capacities. " (Dacher)

UNIT 7 - Meeting Aesclepius

Meeting Aesclepius Exercise

       I had a bit of a hard time following this exercise for the unit. I think a lot of it had to do with the lack of full attention I was able to give, to begin with. Not only this but when asked to envision a person of wisdom, I was unable to focus on one specific individual. From then, I already felt as if I couldn't completely focus. However, I will say that I understood the concept. Meditation allows us to become in tune with our psychological and spiritual well-being. How can the aspects of our whole being become in tune with each other if we never allow it the chance to? Meditation and exercises that gives us the ability do so, are perfect for just that. To foster greater health and wellness, apply practices such as tai chi, yoga, or even just a few minutes to reflect. IF anything stood out, it would be, "Your inner essence is always available to support and guide you to integral health."

     

  "One cannot lead another where one has not gone himself." 

       To become the agents of a more expansive health, we must begin with our own lives (Dacher). As an individual, we really don't have a place to speak on anything that we don't live by ourselves. Why would/should we tell someone else to live a certain way, if we don't ourselves? How can we criticize another individual, if we practice the same doings as them? Hypocritical is what that would makes us in a sense. As professionals we must lead by example. An individual in the health and wellness profession could possibly assist others in flourishing and in wellness, however, it would not be authentic nor would it be beneficial for those who are being assisted. Usually we are able to sense other individual's emotions/vibes around us. Due to this natural reaction, we tend to act on what we receive. If a professional who excels in health and wellness does not practice health and healing, then they are unable to build confidence in the assisting and therefore the other individual cannot absorb the essence of what is being taught. As mentioned before, this professional needs to find fulfillment in health, happiness, and wholeness within their lives, in order to reach out to others in a way that would be most effective. I suggest implementing exercises that include meditating and vocally venting as steps towards fostering psychological and spiritual growth. 

UNIT 6 - Exercise/Assessment Process

        Exercise/Assessment Process

       The universal loving kindness exercise is a very powerful one that may not have physical meaning but gives a deeper leap into personal development. We are unable to accomplish anything in life without the thought of it first. It only makes sense to focus on words or certain goals and work towards it. As mentioned before, in a previous unit, I need to work on loving myself and then loving others. I like this exercise because it's short but also gives me the ability to expand my mind and serve as a way to eliminate hatred and negative thoughts. 

       The integral assessment process helps us to get from one level of development to another, progressively moving us toward our personal goal of human flourishing. It serves as a tool to evaluate aspects within our lives. Although I do like to observe, think, and overanalyze, I usually don't ask myself the main questions behind it. One question that I caught while reading included "What aspect of my life - psychospiritual, biological, interpersonal, or worldly - is the source of my difficulty or suffering?" After conducting both the exercise and practice, I found that I should work on myself, emotionally. However, I have chosen to focus on biological flourishing first. This is because I would like to focus on my physical strength and health overall. Some specific activities/exercises I can implement to foster greater wellness in this area could include Zumba classes, no slacking on my exercise regiment, and developing a cleaner diet by eliminating unnecessary sweets. I have found that exercising and a healthier diet brings me happiness and because of that I am a more aware and joyous individual.

UNIT 5 - The Subtle Mind Exercise

The Subtle Mind Exercise

       The Loving Kindness exercise and Subtle Mind exercise both focus on shifting our focus. Both incorporate releasing certain thoughts, feelings, and images in and out from the body. The Loving Kindness exercise however suggest we diminish the self centeredness while quieting/easing our mind for reflection. The Subtle Mind exercise wants us to direct our focus towards a still mind. It suggest we focus on our breathing for a more relaxed, still, and undisturbed experience. My experience with the Subtle Mind exercise was a little more beneficial than that of the Loving Kindness exercise. I was more relaxed, more focused, and more likely to connect. There were a few times that my mind wandered, but that was in the beginning and it was easy enough to come back to my focus. However, similar to our body needing physical training, our minds do so as well. The practice of centering myself, finding that focus, and observing my mind will all become beneficial overtime. I will say that I was not frustrated but more so at ease. I almost fall asleep, actually. It was a better overall experience than the last. 

       The evolution towards a progressively higher level of development, complexity, and capacity is a movement from mind to body to spirit. It is a path in which one level of development needs to be met before continuing on. By acquiring one level, you are then able to conquer a deeper level of development. By focusing on our outer exterior (body) we can then shift our focus mentally (mind) which then gives us the ability to gain a deep connection within ourselves, (spiritually). This connection is manifested in my personal life through my growth as an individual. It is displayed in my actions, my thoughts, my love for myself/others, and through the choices I make on a daily basis. 

"When you own your own breath, nobody can steal your peace." - Author Unknown

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