Unit 10

1.Review your unit 3 personal assessment of your psychological, physical, and spiritual well-being. Reflect on these areas . How did you score yourself on a scale from 1 to 10 in unit 3? How do you score yourself now? Has the score changed? Why or why not?

In unit three of this course I rated myself as follows:

Physical Well-being- 6

Psychological Well-being 6

Spiritual Well-being 8

I must say my scores have not changed very much yet. In my final assessment I had similar goals to improve my life. In this term I have been so busy being in high classes that I have slowly started implementing the techniques I have learned such as mediation and yoga but, still have a long ways to go. I have created a plan to change my life and improve these scores. Learning is the first step to changing anything which is my progress in the path of integral health. I have the knowledge I need to succeed and will now start taking the steps.

2.Review the goals and activities you set for yourself in each area. Have you made progress toward the goals? Explain.

In unit three I set three goals for myself which included working out three times a week for physical health, changing my thinking patterns and health to possibly lessen medications, and attend church more often to improve my spirituality. I have made small progress by completing some activities but, I have not made enough time to be fully dedicated. Once I am out of this term I am going to continue implementing the ideas I have learned. My life has endless potential and it is up to me to meet that potential.

3.Have you implemented the activities you chose for your well-being in each of the three areas? Explain.

 I have started working out weekly but, I have not made it three times a week yet. I have definitely improved on my thinking patterns and have been practicing meditation and yoga. I have been praying more and being involved with my spiritually (especially while working out) to create a connection with my body, mind, and spirit. However, I have still have a long ways to come. Creating a plan and sticking with it is vital to success.

4.Summarize your personal experience throughout this course. Have you developed improved well-being? What has been rewarding? What has been difficult? How will this experience improve your ability to assist others?

This course has been life changing and allowed me to open my mind and start to flourish as a human being. I now feel I have more purpose in life and can accomplish so many things. My body and mind are one which means creating a solid connection will allow for a truly integral healthy life. Taking the time to complete mind training exercises can have endless benefits as it does not allow one to see more and have a large perspective but, process the information with a sense of spirituality and enlightenment giving everything more meaning. With this sense of knowledge I have taken from the course I feel it has improved my overall well-being.

This course has been extremely rewarding and opened me to an entire different part of myself that I was not fully aware of. We all have an inner voice but, it has extreme potential to shift our life from a boring to a divine and developed path. I now want to set many goals and meet them. I have started working on the goals I set in the beginning and want to continue to improve.

Change is never easy especially for me. I have always had a hard time changing things even if it is for the better. I have to make effort and be dedicated in wanting a better life. While it is difficult to change how I think and make time to train my mind it is well worth the time. Having this new sense of self and view of the human existence I can definitely help others. Being able to share the information I have learned will allow me to help change clients life’s in the way mine has been changed. Having this first-hand experience with the difficulty of change but, the extreme rewards of success can be shared in teaching others. 

My Final Assessment

Integral health is based around having a flourished physical, psychological, and spiritual connection with health. Meeting all of these needs and achieving true self-awareness is the path to integral health. Today, I will be looking at specific aspects of integral health, human flourishing, and creating a plan to better myself in all areas.  Since taking a course in health and wellness I have seen the importance of body, mind, and spiritual health. There are specific exercises and goals in place that I can use to change my current status and continue on a new path in life. I will start preparing for my integral journey by using the three skills including loving-kindness, skillful action, and silence and stillness (Dacher, 2006, pp.51-55). I need to be aware of others and care for them, have planned and skillful actions, while also creating a still environment that are calm. By completing these steps I can start on my path to integral health. Creating a plan for success and sticking with can lead to true human flourishing and a life with integral health.

First, I would like to look at why it is important for health and wellness professionals to have good health. If trying to teach others about health and wellness I need to first know what I am talking about. Having first-hand experience of the dedication and work it takes along with the results can provide a good starting point for clients. For example, if a client comes in to lose weight and eat better but, I do not seem to practice these rituals how could they listen to me? The answer is fairly easy as they would not. Following the integral vow is vital to success and a good relationship with all clients (Dacher, 2006, p.173). Taking the steps to start changing my life and having a health mind, body, and spirit would help me in the health and wellness field when working with clients in changing their life habits.

I need to improve multiple areas to achieve the goals I have set for myself. My psychological, physical, and spiritual areas need to be worked on in order to move forward on my path of integral health. Having the connection with my inner and outer components are vital as I need to transform my entire life. By doing this I will be able to live a better life and assist clients more effectively. It is vital that I understand the five guiding principles of integral health which are holistic, evolutionary, intentional, person-centered, and dynamic. There are four realms to health including psychospiritual, biological, interpersonal, and worldly that must all be cared for (Dacher, 2006, p.36). Humans can evolve toward new knowledge and amazing accomplishments and we can choose our path and actions that can intentionally help others (Dacher, 2006, pp.37-46). Being person-centered and focusing on the individual helps one stay dedicated. Also, life is dynamic and forever changing which means we must be willing to shift and move with the new and get rid of the old (Dacher, 2006, p.47). I need to realize my full potential as a human on the inside and out. Having an understanding of human flourishing can allow us to reach places we never thought imaginable and can create a great life.

In assessing my health in all three areas I have seen room for improvement. For physical health I have assessed it to be poor and rate it 4 out of 10. I need to improve my health as I have many health conditions (depressive disorder, anxiety, etc.) which could be improved through the long and life changing integral path.  This also makes me score my psychological dimension as well but, not great. I would give it 7 out of 10 because I am able to attend school and do fairly well while managing a successful life. However, I am always down and depressed which means I need to change my thought processes. The human mind is endless and a precious gift that I should be grateful for. I have learned this and have been more outgoing and positive since taking this course and starting to meditate. My spiritual health needs improvement as well. I feel comfortable with my spirituality giving it a fairly well rating with 6 out of 10. I need to attend church and pray to the lord more. I have been very distant from my spirituality and faith as the world can consume us. However, the more aware I am of my integral health overall the more I connect with my religion as well.

Having a great deal of work to do there are multiple goals that I need to meet in each area of integral health. Making three goals with help me get started on the path to truly changing my life and recognizing my true potential as a human being. For physical health I would like have good health and I want to start by losing at least 20 pounds so I can feel and look better.  Starting to work out at least three times a week is my starting goal to reach my final goal of having good health. My psychological health is not the best as I constantly stress and battle with a depressive disorder. However, I have a goal to maintain good psychological health and not feel so stressed or depressed. I want to control my thoughts and feelings while being able to connect with my inner self. Being completely connected with my entire mind body and spirit is important to me. It is so hard to disconnect from the outer world and look inside but, I need to reach this goal. Human flourishing is a divine process that transforms us from ordinary to extraordinary while reaching our full potential in an dynamic and forever changing world.

As for a spiritual goal I want to have a better relationship with my religion. I have strong faith in the lord and Christianity but, I am not involved near enough.  Attending church regularly and praying could greatly benefit not only my social relationships but, also my health as prayer has been found to have medicinal benefits (Schlitz, Amorok, & Micozzi, 2005, p.317). By setting these goals and I can actually create a plan to reach them.  Dacher (2006) shares, “The development of our inner life is the most unique and precious opportunity given to as humans” (p.59). I want to reach that full potential and be able to experience this other side of life. Being connected with my mind, body, and spirit as one is my true goal in life.

To reach my goal of having good physical health I need to start working out at least three times a week. By doing this I will start to lose weight and be able to also connect with my inner self. My second strategy is to watch what I eat and look for foods with health boosting benefits. Having a proper and balanced diet is vital to achieve good physical health. I will start implementing this by completing my exercises on time and constantly monitoring what I am eating.

My psychological health may be a little more difficult to change but, it is definitely possible. Using Olympic Mental Fitness or training my mind is the first strategy to improving my mind’s health. This allows one to train certain areas of their mind while improving their health in all three areas. I will continue to practice mind body exercises such as Meeting Asclepius, The Subtle Mind, and Loving-Kindness (Dacher, 2006, pp. 56-75). Each of these exercises trains the mind while allow one to express negative emotions and place positive energy throughout their body.  Mediation is a great exercise to train the mind as one can focus on specific areas and improve them while also reducing stress (Mayo Clinic, 2014).  Physical exercise can also help improve my mental health which means the strategies above can also assist my psychological health. I need to make a plan for mediation and exercising that I can stick to. By creating a certain time and space to complete these activities I am more likely to continue them faithfully.

To improve my spiritual health I need to be connected with my mind, body, and spirit as one. Being able to connect with myself on an inner level allows true human flourishing. Two exercises that would be beneficial in spiritual health would be meditation and visualization exercises. This would allow one to become connected with their inner self and reach a spiritual level. By meditating and using images of my religion I can learn to connect them deeper with my soul. I can increase my spirituality by building a stronger connection with myself and my religion. I need to use mediation and visualization daily to get in touch with my spirituality and improve my health (Mayo Clinic, 2014). Having a place to go that with be completed secluded and peaceful is important. I will add every activity to my plan and complete them.

To assess my progress or lack of progress in the next six months I will be keep track of them. By using a program on my computer I will mark if I have completed or not completed the exercises each week. By creating this chart it will keep my progress and I will be able to review it. In six months I will look at the results and see how far I have come. Understanding the importance of integral health is crucial to maintaining long-term practices. I need to constantly remember how it impacts my life to not complete these activities. Looking at the long-term goal of reaching true human flourishing is a great motivator. I have learned the importance of the inner self and having a connection with one’s mind, body, and spirit. When we can look at all the realms as one whole and complete them the integral path has been reached. It will take a great deal of dedication and work but, forever transforming my entire soul and purpose is definitely worth it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

References:

Dacher, E. (2006).  Integral health: The path to human flourishing. Laguna Beach, CA: Basic Health Publications, Inc.

Mayo Clinic. (2014). Meditation: A simple, fast way to reduce stress. Retrieved August 4, 2014 from

                http://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/meditation/in-depth/meditation/art-20045858

Schlitz, M., Amorok, T., & Micozzi. M. (2005). Consciousness and healing: Integral approaches to mind body medicine. St. Louis, MO: Elsevier Churchill Livingstone.

 

 

HW 420 Unit 8 Exercise Reflection

My Exercise Reflections

 

 

1. Review the exercises and practice sessions you have completed in this course. (Loving Kindness, Subtle mind, Visualization, meditation etc.) Choose two practices that you have determined to be most beneficial. How can you implement these practices in your personal life to foster “mental fitness”? Provide specific examples.

After completing these exercises and practices I realized the power of one’s mind. My favorite two exercises are the loving-kindness and the subtle mind. The loving-kindness exercise shows how one can focus on their love for others and spread the energy throughout their body. I was able to picture my loved ones and apply the ideas the no should suffer and everyone deserves freedom. I was able to implement this in my personal life to consider others and be more open to helping. The subtle mind exercise was more focused on helping me as an individual. I was able to test the powers of my mind and learn to calm it. The constant stimuli flowing in from everything around us it can be hard to make the mind still and at ease. However, it can be done and this exercise is perfect for that reason. I am always stressed out so having an exercise that I can use to focus my mind and create health and well-being in the process is great.

I can use both of these practices in my personal life to foster mental fitness. The loving-kindness exercise shows that the mind needs to be open and considerate of other. Loving ourselves and others make us truly whole. This can be accomplished by having a positive outlook and using the feelings of love to flow through our body for relaxation and calmness. Using the subtle mind exercise I can learn how to control my think and the flow of information. Taking the time to sit and enjoy the stillness of my mind while practicing will help me flourish and understand myself better. The best part of both of these exercises is training the mind and creating a path of wellness for my body, mind, and spirit.

My Health

 

1. Complete the Meeting Aesclepius. Describe your meditative practices 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?

This week I decided to sit down and actual try to mediate. I sat on the floor in a comfortable position and just tried to let my mind be clear. It was really hard to get my thoughts to turn off but, eventually I was able. I pictured a loved one (my mother) and the love I have for her. I radiated it through my entire body. These mediations exercises I  have practiced over this course really allow me to connect with my inner self. I really had no idea how much power I had over my feelings. I can control my breathing, focus, energy, and thoughts. This means I can chose to put myself in a better place and free my mind.

I have also been trying to be mindful of the things I do. I look my perspectives of things and how they can improved. Learning where I can grow is the foundation for a start on the integral path. I want to receive health, happiness, and wholeness. By being aware of my body and mind while working on improving them with exercise and good eating has improved my mood and overall health. To continue these practices is the most important thing. I need to set a schedule of mediation, yoga, and other meditative and mindfulness practices. By making time to be mindful and practices reaching my inner health I can start to become a better person and possibly reach human flourishing one day.

 

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?

I think this saying is extremely important because one must practice what they say. A good example of this is being physically and mentally healthy before you can treat others. If I was to go to the doctor and he weighed 500 pounds and was unable to talk about inner health I most likely would not listen to him. Every health professional has an obligation to have good psychological, physical, and spiritual health in my opinion. If they can even do what they want someone to do it is not very credible. People will not see the reason as to why they need to be healthy. I want a person that is fit and on their game to treat me for any type of problem.

I want to have psychological and spiritual growth in my life because I know it will make me a better person. Waking up every day with the mindset of learning as much as possible and giving to others it will train my mind. I can exercise daily and eat healthy to keep my body fit. I want to avoid stress and negative relationships to prevent distress and disease. I will make sure I start change both my outer and inner life and reach human flourishing.

HW420 Unit 6 Integral Health

Integral Health

 

 

1. Practice the Universal Loving Kindness (meditation) exercise on p. 93.

The universal loving kindness mediation was fairly simple and quick. However, it had a large effect for opening up the mind to helping others. It requires one to close their eyes and repeat the phrases for 10 minutes (Dacher, 2006, p.93).

May all individuals gain freedom from suffering.

Mat all individuals find sustained health, happiness, and wholeness

May I assist all individuals gain freedom from suffering

May I assist all individual in finding health, happiness, and wholeness

It is does not take long but, really allows the mind to focus on interpersonal flourishing. Being able to be connected with our inner self and reflect it out to others is the best part of having integral health. After completing this exercise I learned that I need to focus more on the needs of others and worry less about myself. The largest area I need improve one is my interpersonal relationships. I have a hard time expressing things and maintaining strong relationships. Practicing the loving kindness exercise, yoga, and meditation can help me flourish and eventually pass it on to others.

2. Complete the Integral Assessment discussed in chapter 11 (p.115).

Completed.

3. Describe the exercise and assessment process. What did you discover about yourself? What area have you chosen to be a focus of growth and development? Why? What are some specific exercises or activities that you can implement to foster greater wellness in this area?

The integral assessment focus on the current status of a persons integral health and looking at the areas they can improve. In order to take the assessment one must look at all four quadrants biological, psychospiritual, interpersonal, and worldly (Dacher, 2006, p.114). For the assessment I took the four quadrants and chose one I want to improve on. I chose the biological quadrant as I can improve on my health. I chose this quadrant because I am out of shape and unhealthy. There is need for improvement in both my mind and body. I will need to look at specific practices to change this quadrant such as exercise, yoga, meditation, eating right, and maintaining a strong and still mind. Looking at where, how, and the necessities I need to improve helps me understand my integral health. I need to access each quadrant and every line within that quadrant to determine all the areas that need improvement. I want to flourish in all areas and reach true integral health.

Dacher, E. (2006). Integral health: The path to human flourishing. Laguna Beach, CA: Basic Health Publications, Inc.

HW420 The Subtle Mind Unit 5

The Subtle Mind

 

 

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

The loving kindness exercise and the subtle mind exercise both were very relaxing. Both have a unique and calm way of perceiving ourselves, our feelings, others, and the feelings of others. The loving kindness exercise focuses more on our inner body and the emotions we hold for others. The subtle mind exercise allows one to connect with their inner self and their mind. Through the practice of the subtle mind exercise one can learn to find their unity consciousness (Dacher, 2006, p.77). I was able to feel more at ease during the subtle mind exercise as I was not introduce to the suffering of others but, rather the feelings and processes of my mind.

I must admit that each exercise takes focus and dedication. It is not easy for me to disconnect my mind from the things going on around me to focus on my inner self. I had trouble with each exercise but, after a few times of practice it was easier for me to see the truth benefits behind each one.

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

Spiritual wellness is extremely important just as mental and physical wellness is. While having a healthy body is always evident the importance of training our mind and spirit are not always. Having good physical health helps prevents illness and disease while mental health does as well. But, what does spiritual health do? Well, the answer is similar if the not the same. Spiritual health helps us avoid illness and disease while maintaining our well-being. The fact can be seen through the studies of prayer alone. It has been proven that prayer not only improves one’s life but, also their health (Schlitz, Amorok, & Micozzi, 2005, p.313). It is vital that one monitor and maintain their mind-body-spirit to achieve optimal health.

Dacher, E. (2006). Integral health: The path to human flourishing. Laguna Beach, CA: Basic Health Publications, Inc.

Schlitz, M., Amorok, T., & Micozzi. M. (2005). Consciousness and healing: Integral approaches to mind body medicine. St. Louis, MO: Elsevier Churchill Livingstone.

Mental Training- Unit 4

Loving-Kindness

 

 

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

Understanding that loving kindness revolves around the considerations of others is important. This exercise was relaxing and really allowed me to open my mind. I took the feelings of loving kindness towards my mother and turned them inward to change the perception and feeling of myself. This actually made my body feel comfortable and at peace. I was able to feel love towards myself and I almost felt like a better person even though I had not completed any actions. Once I started to imagine people suffering I also understood how important it is to help and consider others. We must all function as a whole not billions of individuals.

I did feel it was a beneficial exercise because it made me calm and peaceful. I have been very anxious and stressed out this past week and this was the first time my heart slowed and I was able to feel truly relaxed. I never understood that I had so much control and with each unit I am gaining more control with knowledge. The exercise was very easy. It was just pure imagination and the women giving the instructions had a very assuring voice. I would definitely recommend this exercise to others because it is just a few minutes of time that can improve your entire day and eventually could lead to self-improvement and loving kindness.

2.What is the concept of "mental workout"? What does the research indicate are the proven benefits of a mental workout? How can you implement mental workouts to foster your psychological health?

Mental training is a process of completing exercises that help strengthen and train the mind. A mental workout is based on completing exercises mentally that help improve one’s mental strength and focus throughout life. The loving kindness exercise I completed above starts to train the mind to the ideas of love and helping others. By taking the time to complete mental workouts helps sharpen and strengthen and person’s mind-body-spirit.

There has been research conducted on the importance of mental training and how it can improve life overall. A study by Antoine Lutz showed there was an increase in one’s mental status when they completed practices from contemplative practice (Dacher, 2006, p.63). Contemplative practice is the working out the mind to achieve a high inner self (Dacher, 2006, p.61). Having a higher mental state allows one to have a trained mind, be open to others, be connected with our inner self, and have an overall more spiritual and beneficial life (Dacher, 2006, p.66). Everyone should take the time to train their mind and have a strong mental state.

By completing mental workouts I can improve my mind and my overall life. I can learn to be in touch with my inner self and have the ability to help myself and others. My overall psychological health will improve because my mind will be healthier. The mind can be cared for just like body and be healthy or unhealthy. By completing these practices I will be sharpen my mind and expanding my education.

Dacher, E. (2006). Integral health: The path to human flourishing. Laguna Beach, CA: Basic Health Publications, Inc

Self Reflections- Unit 3

Today, I will be completing a relaxation exercise and giving a Self-reflection.

 

1.Based on your reflections, and on a scale of 1 to 10 (ten being optimal wellbeing), where do you rate your A-physical wellbeing, B-spiritual well-being, C-psychological well-being? Why?

A. Physical Well-being-6

I am going to give myself a score of 6 out of 10 because I do need a lot of improvement. I am not the healthiest person by any means and actually started looking in to the health and wellness field to improve myself. I have learned that it is not just about physical well-being but rather a holistic approach the looks at both the inner and outer aspects of health.

B. Spiritual Well-being 8

I feel very comfortable with my spiritual well-being. I have faith in God and prayer through spirituality all the time. It is important to be in touch with your inner self and feel comfortable with the person you are. I definitely could still improve my spiritual well-being and want to work on it.

C. Psychological Well-being

My psychological well-being is currently at a good standing. I was diagnosed with bipolar at age 13 and again at age 18. There have been many difficulties in my life but, with medication and therapy I was able to get on track. Now, I attend school and have a healthy life physically, mentally and spiritually. I am hoping to get healthy and possible try to find better ways to control my condition. Staying focused on the important things in life and following a structured path is vital to success.

2.Develop a goal for yourself in each area (physical, spiritual, psychological).

1. I would like to lose weight and have a healthier body. I need to change my eating habits and start exercising more. My goal is to eat healthy and start working out at least three times week. This should allow my body to become healthier and I should start to lose weight.

2. I would like to attend church more often and become more in touch with my inner self. Having a strong grasp on ones spirituality is very important. I would like to meditate and have more familiarity with my spirituality side.

3. To improve my psychological condition I want to try to become healthier physiologically, biologically, and mentally. I hope to take less medications to manage my bi-polar but, only if it is possible. Finding a good way to manage my condition is vital. It is under control with medication but, I am curious if I become healthier if my chemical imbalance could decrease.

3.What activities or exercise can you implement in your life to assist in moving toward each goal?

To stay on track I need to plan a schedule for each goal. I want to complete cardio and weightlifting to address all the areas of my body. I am starting to juice so I can get the needed nutrients and trying to cut out unnecessary calories. These steps can assist in each goal I have. Also, getting a routine started is important. I have a terrible sleep and work schedule that is never the same. This causes my body to be slow and lag. I need to follow a strict regimen. I also want to start yoga and Zumba to try and get in touch with my body and try new activities.

4. Describe the exercise:

The exercise is fairly relaxing but, requires a long time to complete. I think focusing on the different energies with different colors really help put me in touch with my feelings in different areas. The color red alone was very powerful and I did feel grounded. Each color gave a strong feeling to me and was relaxing. It was a little frustrating try to picture each area of the body and send the energy to that area after a while. I have a short patience which makes the long exercise more bad than good. I think trying the first few colors would work better. It does make one have confidence in themselves through all the things I had to tell myself.

 

Health and Wellness Unit 2: Starting My Blog

You will post both a welcome statement and a reflective statement in your blog.

Hi, everyone! My name is Brittney Neff and I am currently taking HW420 or Creating Wellness: Psychological and Spiritual Aspects of Healing. I am trying to learn more about Integral health and wellness. I am currently learning about Transpersonal Psychology and the art of becoming more connected with my inner self and entire being. For this unit I will be posting a reflection statement of a relaxation technique. I hope you enjoy!

The audio starts of with a soft tone and a man's voice. The man voice appears to be soft, gentle, and relaxing. I automatically feel at ease while sitting on my warm couch closing my eyes. I listen to his words telling me to relax and remove or loosen any tight objects (clothing, watch, etc.). As I take in a deep breath and think relax I am on a different level of thinking automatically. I am calm and feel at ease. I am able to make all parts of my body comfortable by thinking about it. If I focus on my breath or my body parts I can completely control them.

This was shocking to me. I never realized how much control I have over my entire feeling. I have practiced diaphragmatic breathing and meditation. That is what this exercise reminds me of. It really gives me control of each part of my body muscles, bones, skin, blood and air flow, everything. This is so relaxing that it took me away from my living room and placed me in a beautiful room with calming sounds.

This exercise made me feel whole, calm, and completely in control of my body. That was my favorite part.