Wrapping things up :)

Unit 3 Assessment vs. Unit 10

My physical wellness is about a seven. I believe that now my physical health has increased to about a nine. I got some issues taken care of and also I have been more active than I was a few weeks ago. My spiritual health is about an eight. My spiritual health has stayed about an eight. I have not done anything that I feel as if, has increased the score. I still attend church regularly and pray as I should but there is always room for improvement in spirituality; I think I need to find ways off increasing this. My psychological health was around a seven and I feel as if it has increased to at least an eight over the last few weeks. I have found ways of dealing with my stress and actually just letting stuff go when it begins to bother me.

Goals

A few goals I had set for myself a few weeks ago was too make more time for me. This will help me see the issues that I have with my physical and psychological well-being as they arise along with allowing myself to do some relaxation therapies such as meditation or even yoga in the fight to rid my life from stress, depression, and promote a healthier me. I can walk closer to God by doing devotions during the week, trusting in Him more, and trying to utilize all the areas that our church has in order to strengthen our faith in God.  I have been taking a little more time for myself lately which has been nice. However, Yoga has not really been what I have been using to clear my mind it has been meditation. I need to begin to take more of an active part in independent devotions though. I have not been meeting that goal that I set for myself. I guess I need to find ways of having more time during the day where I can focus on devotions; I have an app on my phone I’m going to start using for that. 

Personal Experience

I have loved this course; it has enhanced my overall learning and gave me so much more of an insight on the importance of the mind, body, and soul connection. I feel that I understand how necessary it is for me, as a health and wellness professional, to have a flourishing health and wellness not only to provide motivation and be an example to others: but because that is how you get the most in life. There really hasn’t been a difficult part in the course other than getting through some of the reading that was assigned that really didn’t spark my interest. This experience has helped give me more knowledge which is dire to have when educating others on the importance of health and wellness.

Growth in Spiritual, Mental, and Physical Health & Wellness

Introduction

Dossey “suggests that the popularity of alternative medicines such as mind/body is partly due to its effectiveness when people need it the most” (Schlitz, Amorok, & Micozzi, 2005). So why should we wait to seek alternative or holistic type treatments and go ahead and take the reins of our own health and wellness? Lead by example is the motto that every wellness professional should uphold. In order to promote health and wellness then a health and wellness professional should display a well-balanced and healthy psychological, spiritual, and physical body. I could really use a boost all these aspects of my overall wellness. Sometimes I tend to not walk by my faith, but by my sight which is not good when you’re a Christian and suppose to put your faith in the Lord. My physical health needs to be brushed up on as well: I need to tone up some various areas. I have always been a person who has always had to deal with a great amount of stress which obviously affects my psychological health directly. Some of the stress comes from things I cannot control such as the military, kids, and school but others can be controlled by getting unnecessary people who cause drama out of my life.

 Assessment

Based upon my reflections of my physical, spiritual, and psychological assessment of my overall wellness, I would have to say that I really need to start taking more time for myself. A lot of times in life we get so caught up on helping others, especially if you’re in the health and wellness field, where you do not get to concentrate on the key component in your work: ourselves! My physical wellness is about a seven. I exercise at least four to five times a week and eat very healthy. I am under chiropractic care which is essential in maintaining an optimal wellness. However, I do need to focus on taking better care of my dental needs. I just went to the dentist a few weeks ago and I have a lot of cavities I was really unaware of. My pregnancy drained me of nutrients it seems and that are when I started to have dental issues.

               My spiritual health is about an eight. I am a proud Christian and we are in church Sunday morning and evening: My family takes part in most activities, fellowshipping events, and dinners that the church has. There is room for improvement since we do not attend church during the week because of our schedules but we really need to focus on how to make this work with our schedule. Also, there is always room for improvement in our walk with God. I do not always have faith that He will see me through and to let His will be done in my life instead of trying to do things on my own because I am not patient. As far as my psychological wellness, I feel as if it is about a 7. I have a lot of stress in my life, especially being an army wife. The deployments are bad and having kids just make it harder. I need to find more coping techniques in the fight against the stress in my life. I also have my own struggle against anxiety/depression sometimes as well but I have been trying to deal with that through prayer, natural herbs, and through wellness care

Goal Development

Psychological & Physical Health

Instead of just one goal I have about three. I would like to increase my spiritual health, psychological health, and my physical health. This can be done in numerous types of ways. By focusing on these three main principles I can greatly increase my overall health and wellness. Taking part in such activities such as Yoga every morning can lessen my stress which will increase my overall psychological health along with working out and toning up my body; which will help me tone up my trouble areas. I have been thinking about taking part in a new type of exercise. I have been involved in p90x and Yoga for quite some time and now I think I may venture into Zumba, Tai Chi, or even start running. Our mind/body connection is important when speaking of physical activity. During exercise our brain is pumped full of those “feel good neurotransmitters called endorphin” as stated by Seaward, 2009. “When we exercise we can better focus on everyday tasks, shed our tension of the day, and it can help us remain calm and clear as we go through our day” according to Seaward, 2009.

Spiritual Health

I plan to grow in my faith which is an ongoing process which will strengthen my relationship with God. The most intriguing and interesting study I have found in our reading this week is a double-blinded study conducted by Randolph Byrd in 1988. Byrd actually took 393 coronary care unit patients were randomly split between a control group (those who received no prayer from the outside intercessory prayer group) and the pray group (Schlitz, Amorok, & Micozzi, 2005). The results were phenomenal! There was fewer deaths In the prayer group, they required less endotracheal intubation and ventilation support, and they required fewer potentate drugs” as stated by Schlitz, Amorok, and Micozzi, (2005).The prayer group also had “lower incidence of pulmonary edema and required cardiopulmonary recitation less often” according to Schiltz et. al., (2005). This study definitely motivates me to use my tools that my faith has already provided me with: the power of prayer.

Practices for Personal Health

Taking part in meditation can help increase the mind and soul. The visualization that Dacher provided in his text, Integral Health, was a really nice meditation exercise that help reached a maximum euphoria by intertwining numerous types of emotions through personal experiences in my life. Merging all these together creates such a feeling that is so unexplainable. All of the emotions together help the interconnectedness of the body join and the experience how wonderful a flourishing of the mind, body, mind, and soul can be when unlocked is amazing. Dacher summed it up nicely by stating that “is your natural essence being that is always and already inside you” (2006).  Another practice that I have always enjoyed in Yoga. It is not only good for the body but it is definitely good for the mind. Yoga X is a type of workout that makes a lot of people sweat more on their tiny square of a mat than they ever would have running or even doing a step class at a local gym. Prayer is another form of spiritual healing that can reduce my stress levels as well. Prayer has been proven to be a successful form of treatment and overall health and wellness from numerous studies.

Commitment

I’m dedicated to reaching a more flourishing health and wellness by taking control of my life. The first step in successfully becoming healthier is to have a game plan. I think the goals that I have are very reachable and the things I have chosen such as meditation, prayer, and certain exercise regimens will help me execute my flourishing health and wellness goals. By revisiting these goals in six months to see where I am can give me the motivation I need to meet each and every one of these goals I have set for myself.

References

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

Schlitz, M., Amorok, T., & Micozzi, M. S. (2005). Consciousness & Healing. St. Louis, MI: Elsevier Churchill Livingstone.

Seaward, B. L. (2007). Essentials of Managing Stress. Boston, MA: Jones and Bartlett.

Mental Fitness & Visualization

One of the most favorable exercises that I have taken part in during the last few weeks has to be the visualization/meditation exercise by Dacher. It really helped me clear my mind while focusing on the positive things that I can draw those feel good emotions from. By visualizing scenarios that I have held onto over the years, I could mentally help myself get connected to those sensations and emotions again. Such motions are energy, love, kindness, wholeness, healthy, and exuberance. I would recommend anyone to try this exercise because unlocking all these various types of emotions at once is very effective and beneficial in our interconnectedness of oneself. Another practice that I enjoyed was the subtle mind exercise. This was a nice exercise to help lessen stress and not focus on the entire negative throughout the day while enhancing your overall health of the mind. Mental fitness is extremely important I grow as a person. Also, in order to have a flourishing health and wellness I need to work on the aspect of my mind as well. These are two practices that I need to continue to incorporate in my everyday life to lessen stress and strengthen my mind. I tend to have a lot going on in my life at any given time and calming my mind and replenishing my emotions with how it feels to have a flourishing health and wellness is really beneficial not just sometimes, but in everyday life. The more I strengthen my mind the better I will be able to withstand how hard life can get.

The Asiepius Practice

The Asiepius practice was a very peaceful and helpful one in my opinion. The loved one I chose was my grandfather whom passed away my junior year of high school.  He was one of the best men I have ever known He had six children, served his country, and then went to work in the mines. His personality and wit by far made him stand out. My meditative practices was very helpful since I have had a rough few weeks, actually I did the meditation exercise three times this week because I found it so peaceful. It was nice to concentrate on someone whom I loved so much and recover memories I had once had in which I have not thought about lately. The practice really made the stress and anxiety in life seem to melt off because I was focusing on positive love and kindness. Mindfulness and meditation has both fostered and increased my psychological and spiritual wellness in the short few weeks I have been participating in it. Concentrating on love and kindness in a few exercises has made me forget about the petty things that have stressed me out during the day. It has also opened my eyes that with practice, it is easy to try and get to know the “inner me” through spending a few moments each day focusing on my psyche and soul. It is my belief that if I continue on this path of using these types of exercises that I can really starts clearing all the rubbish in my head throughout the day and replacing it with fulfilling and positive thoughts. In doing this I can be more productive in life because I will not be so stressed out in everyday situations. Also, it can help teach me how to grow as a person since I am going to be a health and wellness professional in a few months upon graduation.

Dacher states, “One cannot lead another where one has not gone himself” (2006, p.477). How are you supposed to lead someone somewhere if you do not know the path already? It is kind of a hard thing to do and this is exactly the point Dacher was trying to make. As health and wellness enthusiast, we should be seeking out various ways while experiencing them as well, to flourish our health and wellness: psychological, spiritual, and physical. What may work for one person may not work for the other. There are a ton of meditation exercises that I do not care for but I have tried them and know how to assist someone in trying it if they would like. If we do not grow in all three areas, then it is contradicting to think a client/patient it going to either. We should lead by example. Complementary and Alternative medicine is all about the client/patient and without feeling obligated to that person then they are not going to feel obligated to take part in their treatment, that is what is wrong with conventional medicine now.

I feel as if I grow every day in my spiritual health; especially in the courses I’m taking now. Getting to know your innermost self-better is how we can grow along with finding something to grow within as in my case: Christianity. My religion is a part of my characteristic and somewhat defines me; so it is included in my spiritual growth. Psychologically I need to focus on relieving stress and anxiety more effectively. I am quite the worrier sometimes and I’m extremely hard on myself. That really needs to change because I beat myself up mentally every day. I would have to say that I need to focus more on my psychological health now. From a stressful day I am sitting here blogging with the worst migraine ever. The stress of the last few weeks feels very heavy on my mind tonight and I can tell it affects everything: my work and my body: fatigue. Maybe I need to do some meditation exercises.

Reference

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

Loving Kindess Meditation & Integral Assessment

Loving Kindness Meditation

The meditation exercise really relieved a lot of prolonged stress I have been having issues with the last few weeks I felt as I repeated the phrases over and over again, I figured out where a lot of my anger and anxiety was coming from: various people I was holding grudges against and those who were upset with  me. I tend to carry a lot on my shoulders and am not one that can just “let it roll off” when someone says something nasty or negative to me. Instead of holding grudges I should really show them love, kindness, and happiness as it is intended and not let anyone stand in my way of damaging my current level of health and wellness in my life. As I do this I feel as if I can become freer and help others along the way. During the meditation I had come to these conclusions as I was saying each phrase over and over again.

Integral Assessment

I have been having a great deal of distress as far as my emotional aspect has gone in the last few months. I took on a lot when I agreed to take my niece; she has been through quite a bit of abuse and is just a handful. I need to improve my patience and learn better coping skills in regards to how to handle her and certain situations. The short term help would be to pray and seek some support. The long term relief would be to see that she gets the help that she needs while showing her the upmost love and support. I know that I can grow psychospiritual if I can just get through this rough patch.

Both of these exercises have shown me that I need to grow stronger in the emotional aspect of my mind and spirit. Some activities that could help me better control this would be Yoga to help me clear my mind. I have stopped doing Yoga the last few weeks because of some medical issues but I really need to start back. I also need to put more faith in God to help bring me through these times which means my spiritual life needs to be strengthened as well.

Loving Kidness, Subtle Mind, & The Mind/Body/Spirit Connection

The Loving Kindness exercise and the Subtle mind exercise

The loving kindness exercise for me was not as effective as the subtle mind exercise. I enjoy types of relaxation techniques where I do not have to have an audio cd in order to execute them. The voice on the loving kindness exercise almost was enough to creep me out and break my concentration. Loving kindness was more about gaining control of our self-centeredness and making ourselves more open to those whom are around  us: to love and make more room for them. I do not tend to have an issue with this but in regards to issues with taking care of myself and ensuring my mind/body/spirit is balanced. The subtle mind exercise really achieved what I was looking for in a relaxation therapy. Focusing on my breathing and exploring my inner most consciousness really gave me some insight onto what is on my mind the most: stressful situations. I now know what works for me and how I can continue to open up my mind and clear my thoughts in order to give my brain some rest from the everyday stressors it faces. Focusing on my breathing has always been an effective tool for me to calm myself; especially during yoga.

The connection of the spiritual wellness to mental and physical wellness

Spiritual to mental to physical wellness is all connected. I know that when I am spiritually fulfilled, my mind set is top notch, and I’m motivated to exercise and just overall be a good person. If something wrong (like I need to repent or spend some time in prayer) it throws off my mentality which affects the physical me. How many times have you woke up and just had been in horrible spirits and mood then you notice you are getting a headache and your tensing up in your upper back and arms? This is a normal stress response and I lessen my stress by means of prayer. Mentally I need to work on relaxation techniques and how to be the most successful in executing a healthy mind which will lead to a healthy physical body.

Mental Workouts & Dacher

My experience of the meditation offered by Dacher on the Path to Human Flourishing was really exhilarating at first and very refreshing as the waves were crashing the in the background. I took myself to the beach as I heard this and even felt the wind on my arms and the sun on my face: then I heard the voice of the lady conducting the meditation activity. She really seemed to snap me out of my concentration. I am not sure if it is her voice or what but it was a really deep type of a voice for a lady: one that is not very soothing I might add. I believe this would have been more effective with a different narrator.

This type of meditation can help strengthen our brain and even give it a work out. Mental work outs are really important because just as we keep our physical body fit; we need to keep our mind fit as well. There are tons of research that backs up these statements in Dacher’s text. He states that we can actually unlock our natural wisdom, inner peace, and kindness through these types of mental exercises (Dacher, 2006). As we grow as individuals: even in the regard to success or life, it is so important to grow mentally as well.

Works Cited

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