I have made progress towards my goals. Initially, my goals were to maintain a healthy weight, maintain an intimate relationship with God, and maintain a calm disposition in spite of my emotions in stressful situations by possessing an assertive behavior. I have accomplished my goals with evidence of some improvement.
I implemented the activities of walking on a tread mill, yoga, and instead of aerobics, I’ve been lifting weights to keep me interested in exercising. The aerobics was getting to be a bit redundant and boring, so I modified the activity with free weights to keep working towards my goals. I pray regularly and attend bible studies. I was able to engage in more in depth praying due to the course, so I have a deeper intimacy in my relationship with God. To keep my thoughts organized, I have kept a journal to reflect on my emotions and it has helped me to understand my feelings a lot more.
In summary, my mental work outs I’ve participated in through out the course had varied results. On some days, I was able to concentrate more and be able to hold my attention to that inner calm and tapped into that third eye aspect of wisdom briefly. On other days, I was too frustrated and self absorbed in my personal problems to be attentive to that inner calm and ended up more focused on my breathing. The loving kindness practice was more difficult to sustain focus and still seems like an advanced activity for a more experienced meditator in the beginning. However, after some practice with the subtle mind activity, I may be able to incorporate the loving kindness practice into my schedule as the subtle mind practice feels more natural to me later on. The rewards I got from these activities were great! I can be more of an observer to my emotions, be more proactive in conflicts, and be calmer in stressful situations. As a result, I am able to listen to others now with an open mind and heart. I am more sensitive to other people’s feelings and I have a greater understanding of what my patients are going through when they relay their experiences to me. The course has expanded my perception to the needs of others and I am able to manage my stress better as well. The loving kindness practice was difficult at first, but as my needs change, I’m sure I will be able to incorporate it into my schedule once I take a vacation to visit a retreat center and seek additional help from experienced teachers.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Unit 9: Final assessment
It is important for health and wellness professionals to develop psychologically, spiritually, and physically as a goal to reach optimum extraordinary health with true happiness, wholeness, and loving kindness. This will allow the health care delivery to be more altruistic, intuitive, and compassionate as patients are treated holistically. Psychological and spiritual health is beneficial to the body and mind internally that manifests positive attributes for optimum health and a solid foundation for wellness. Physical health maintains the biological aspects of the body for optimum weight and metabolism. It is possible through development to self regulate blood pressure, pulse, skin temperature, glandular secretions, and immune system with mind/body training (Dacher, p 42, 2006). The areas that require further development to achieve my goals consist of the following: maintaining a journal as a reflection on my thoughts to maintain a calm disposition psychologically in my interpersonal relationships in my family, being more disciplined in maintaining a schedule without letting harmful situations overwhelm me, being proactive in the decisions I make rather than reacting based on my emotions to be helpful and not harmful to others, and regulating the proper amounts of nutrition in the right portions so that I am receiving the proper nutrients daily. The aspects that require further development are my emotional intelligence for further psychological growth, self regulation in food choices for continued biological growth, and meeting my educational goals so that I can be in a better position to involve myself in social organizations to improve my local community for worldy growth. This discussion will explore my health assessment, goal development, strategies to foster growth for personal health, and strategies to assist in maintaining long term practices for health and wellness. My health assessment will be discussed first.
To assess my spiritual domain, I feel as though I have made better efforts in reaching for solace and peace in meaningful prayers towards my daily worship of God. I would score my spiritual wellness at a numerical value of 9, which is a one point increase since my last self assessment evaluation. To assess my physical domain, I feel as though I have made some improvements because I have lost 5 to 7 pounds since my last assessment. I have been lifting weights, using the tread mill, and yoga to modify my work outs since the weather has been too cold to engage in outdoor activities. Since my last assessment evaluation, I was getting bored with the aerobics and felt I needed to change what I was doing to maintain my interests in my work outs. I would score my physical wellness at a numerical value of 8, which is a one point increase since my last self assessment evaluation. To assess my psychological domain, I have improved in my ability to hold a subtle conscious for longer periods during my meditative sessions. On some days, my ability to hold my concentration seems to be better than others but I still have not achieved the unity consciousness. In relating that experience to my state of mind during stressful situations, I have been able to allow negative mental activity to pass and be more in control of my emotions. I would score my psychological wellness at a numerical value of 6, which is a two point improvement since my last self assessment evaluation. My goals to further improve on these domains will be discussed next.
My goals are all encompassing and a continuous practice that I need to maintain in order to reach human flourishing. My physical goal involves losing weight and increasing my metabolism. My psychological goal involves me being proactive rather than reactive. My spiritual goal involves being able to experience a sustaining happiness instead of fleeting happiness in segments of my life. I’d like to reach a level of wholeness along my spiritual journey with God. The strategies that are needed to foster growth physically, psychologically, and spiritually will be discussed next.
To foster growth physically, a regular exercise regiment should be implemented to achieve the goal of losing weight and increasing metabolism. Two examples of regular exercise include walking or running on the tread mill and lifting weights. When the weather was warmer, I was walking through my neighborhood with a friend five times a week and bench pressing twice a week. It was easier for me to build up endurance for more high impact exercising. Now that the weather is much colder, I have readjusted to doing more indoor activities such as running on the treat mill, pilate, and lifting free weights. My weight fluctuates from time to time, so I need to regulate my food choices to smaller portions within the five food groups. To foster growth psychologically, a regular meditative practice regiment should be implemented to achieve the goal of being proactive and decreasing the desire to react to situations. Two examples include the subtle mind practice and yoga. I have been using the subtle mind practice twice a week following a thirty minute yoga session. I find it easier to concentrate when my body is fully relaxed after performing several stances during the yoga session. The breathing technique in yoga creates an easier transition into the subtle mind practice as I let my emotions fade in and out of my mental activity. Sometimes, I am able to gently transition into the subtle mind and hold my attention there for longer periods of time. These practices place my abilities to the test when difficult situations arise and I am faced with choices to make in my own behavior. I am getting better at making mental activities an observation and placing a focus on the inner depths of the subtle mind. This is a reality that I am attempting to focus on when I am dealing with others who display aggressive behaviors in my personal life. Sometimes, I am able to be proactive in choosing the right words to say that is not harmful. To foster spiritual growth, regular meditation and prayers should be implemented to truly experience liberation of happiness and wholeness. Two examples which I use regularly consist of the universal loving kindness practice and the serenity prayer. I feel truly blessed and humbled when I am providing a needed service to others who are not as healthy as I am. The universal loving kindness practice is reflexive when I am working with patients and the sense of happiness that I experience is truly satisfying. The serenity prayer provides that foundation for my state of mind when there are medical conditions that inflict much pain to a patient. These practices will open my heart and materialize the internal happiness that is more permanent in my life. Strategies to assist in maintaining long term practices for health and wellness will be discussed next.
Evaluating my progress or a lack of progress within six months allows me to review the practices chosen for my integral program. It will help me determine if my goals require further development or if the goals or practices need to be modified to meet my needs and circumstances. I need to be able to keep an open mind about my progress and make appropriate adjustments towards development. This must be done with a strong foundation in contemplative practice and getting assistance with my journey. That requires perhaps making arrangements to plan a retreat with an appropriate facility, choosing a practitioner that is attentive to my goals, and regular evaluations with my progress. I need to have patience with my life as it evolves and continue to pursue my goals as I engage the chosen practices regularly. This concludes the discussion.
I hope that I am able to accomplish my goals with perseverance and discipline to maintain a clear focus to accomplishments. My health assessment, goal development, strategies to foster growth for personal health, and strategies to assist in maintaining long term practices for health and wellness are all encompassing and contributive to my overall development holistically. It is a lifelong journey in my quest for a more expansive and comprehensive health.
References:
Dacher, E. (2006). Integral Health: The Path to Human Flourishing. Laguna Beach, CA:
Basic Health.
To assess my spiritual domain, I feel as though I have made better efforts in reaching for solace and peace in meaningful prayers towards my daily worship of God. I would score my spiritual wellness at a numerical value of 9, which is a one point increase since my last self assessment evaluation. To assess my physical domain, I feel as though I have made some improvements because I have lost 5 to 7 pounds since my last assessment. I have been lifting weights, using the tread mill, and yoga to modify my work outs since the weather has been too cold to engage in outdoor activities. Since my last assessment evaluation, I was getting bored with the aerobics and felt I needed to change what I was doing to maintain my interests in my work outs. I would score my physical wellness at a numerical value of 8, which is a one point increase since my last self assessment evaluation. To assess my psychological domain, I have improved in my ability to hold a subtle conscious for longer periods during my meditative sessions. On some days, my ability to hold my concentration seems to be better than others but I still have not achieved the unity consciousness. In relating that experience to my state of mind during stressful situations, I have been able to allow negative mental activity to pass and be more in control of my emotions. I would score my psychological wellness at a numerical value of 6, which is a two point improvement since my last self assessment evaluation. My goals to further improve on these domains will be discussed next.
My goals are all encompassing and a continuous practice that I need to maintain in order to reach human flourishing. My physical goal involves losing weight and increasing my metabolism. My psychological goal involves me being proactive rather than reactive. My spiritual goal involves being able to experience a sustaining happiness instead of fleeting happiness in segments of my life. I’d like to reach a level of wholeness along my spiritual journey with God. The strategies that are needed to foster growth physically, psychologically, and spiritually will be discussed next.
To foster growth physically, a regular exercise regiment should be implemented to achieve the goal of losing weight and increasing metabolism. Two examples of regular exercise include walking or running on the tread mill and lifting weights. When the weather was warmer, I was walking through my neighborhood with a friend five times a week and bench pressing twice a week. It was easier for me to build up endurance for more high impact exercising. Now that the weather is much colder, I have readjusted to doing more indoor activities such as running on the treat mill, pilate, and lifting free weights. My weight fluctuates from time to time, so I need to regulate my food choices to smaller portions within the five food groups. To foster growth psychologically, a regular meditative practice regiment should be implemented to achieve the goal of being proactive and decreasing the desire to react to situations. Two examples include the subtle mind practice and yoga. I have been using the subtle mind practice twice a week following a thirty minute yoga session. I find it easier to concentrate when my body is fully relaxed after performing several stances during the yoga session. The breathing technique in yoga creates an easier transition into the subtle mind practice as I let my emotions fade in and out of my mental activity. Sometimes, I am able to gently transition into the subtle mind and hold my attention there for longer periods of time. These practices place my abilities to the test when difficult situations arise and I am faced with choices to make in my own behavior. I am getting better at making mental activities an observation and placing a focus on the inner depths of the subtle mind. This is a reality that I am attempting to focus on when I am dealing with others who display aggressive behaviors in my personal life. Sometimes, I am able to be proactive in choosing the right words to say that is not harmful. To foster spiritual growth, regular meditation and prayers should be implemented to truly experience liberation of happiness and wholeness. Two examples which I use regularly consist of the universal loving kindness practice and the serenity prayer. I feel truly blessed and humbled when I am providing a needed service to others who are not as healthy as I am. The universal loving kindness practice is reflexive when I am working with patients and the sense of happiness that I experience is truly satisfying. The serenity prayer provides that foundation for my state of mind when there are medical conditions that inflict much pain to a patient. These practices will open my heart and materialize the internal happiness that is more permanent in my life. Strategies to assist in maintaining long term practices for health and wellness will be discussed next.
Evaluating my progress or a lack of progress within six months allows me to review the practices chosen for my integral program. It will help me determine if my goals require further development or if the goals or practices need to be modified to meet my needs and circumstances. I need to be able to keep an open mind about my progress and make appropriate adjustments towards development. This must be done with a strong foundation in contemplative practice and getting assistance with my journey. That requires perhaps making arrangements to plan a retreat with an appropriate facility, choosing a practitioner that is attentive to my goals, and regular evaluations with my progress. I need to have patience with my life as it evolves and continue to pursue my goals as I engage the chosen practices regularly. This concludes the discussion.
I hope that I am able to accomplish my goals with perseverance and discipline to maintain a clear focus to accomplishments. My health assessment, goal development, strategies to foster growth for personal health, and strategies to assist in maintaining long term practices for health and wellness are all encompassing and contributive to my overall development holistically. It is a lifelong journey in my quest for a more expansive and comprehensive health.
References:
Dacher, E. (2006). Integral Health: The Path to Human Flourishing. Laguna Beach, CA:
Basic Health.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Unit 8: Reflections on the practice exercises
It was difficult to choose the most beneficial practices because all of them help me to become more aware of my true inner nature in several ways. I wish there was a scaling tool in a questionnaire format to determine which mental exercise made the most progress. However, in weighing all of the outcomes and end results of each exercise, I would have to choose the practice of the subtle mind and the universal loving kindness practice as mental exercises I believe I have made some progress with. The subtle mind provides me with a central focus of breathing to fall back on whenever I end up grasping onto mental activity that I am supposed to just let go. This practice is beneficial because it provides a way for me to train my mind and focus my attention. I am able to reach the calm abiding conscious but it is still a challenge to hold my attention there for longer durations. I am utilizing this practice after my yoga work outs. After I have engaged in full concentration of holding stances with correct posture and deep breathing from the yoga practice, it is very easy to utilize the subtle mind practice immediately afterwards. I feel refreshed and very connected with others after the experience is over.
I was also very pleased with the outcome of the universal loving kindness exercise. As the subtle mind exercise allows me to practice a deep internal journey in the depths of my mind, the universal loving kindness has more of an outward perspective to focus my energy on praying for others with an altruistic desire to eradicate their pain and suffering. Universal loving kindness will sustain my desire to help others and I feel so humble after the practice. Both experiences are beginning to become a regular habit that I am no longer doing simply because it is a requirement of the course. I am embracing these exercises as an essential part of my life, not just for stressful moments. My mental fitness is making much progress and I will really be ecstatic when I can finally achieve the unity conscious that the book has described as inner peace and wisdom so eloquently. I am very optimistic that in continuing both exercises regularly, my psychospiritual growth and development will reach new heights with an unrestricted capacity. I know that achieving new heights requires patience with myself and diligence on my part to keep working at these exercises. These exercises have truly been helpful and I will be very happy to continue the practices outside instead of in the house when the weather gets a little warmer again. I look forward to continuing the journey and the growth experience.
I was also very pleased with the outcome of the universal loving kindness exercise. As the subtle mind exercise allows me to practice a deep internal journey in the depths of my mind, the universal loving kindness has more of an outward perspective to focus my energy on praying for others with an altruistic desire to eradicate their pain and suffering. Universal loving kindness will sustain my desire to help others and I feel so humble after the practice. Both experiences are beginning to become a regular habit that I am no longer doing simply because it is a requirement of the course. I am embracing these exercises as an essential part of my life, not just for stressful moments. My mental fitness is making much progress and I will really be ecstatic when I can finally achieve the unity conscious that the book has described as inner peace and wisdom so eloquently. I am very optimistic that in continuing both exercises regularly, my psychospiritual growth and development will reach new heights with an unrestricted capacity. I know that achieving new heights requires patience with myself and diligence on my part to keep working at these exercises. These exercises have truly been helpful and I will be very happy to continue the practices outside instead of in the house when the weather gets a little warmer again. I look forward to continuing the journey and the growth experience.
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