In Unit 3, I rated myself as a 6 in both physical and spiritual well-being and an 8 in psychological. Now, with some encouragements from my fellow classmates, I would have to say that I am still a 6 in my physical and spiritual and an 8 in my psychological. Even though I have not changed in my number, I have taken what I have learned and applied to my daily life. The reason that my number is staying the same is because I am in the process of changing my lifestyle. So, in a few months, I will come back and ask myself these questions again and hopefully my rating will be higher.
My goals in each of three areas are Bible reading along with some subtle mind and loving kindness, getting out more in the summer months as well as adding some Tai Chi. I am happy to say that I have taken some of my classmates’ advice and started walking at least 3 times/week for at least one hour. I have a dog but he is old and the vet said that he could not walk more than 15 minutes at one time; so, he stays at home. I have purchased 2 DVDs, Rodney Yee Yoga for beginners and Tai Chi for beginners as well. I am excited to try them out this summer. Along with walking, I have been reading my Bible, one chapter a day and lifting up those in needs my prayers each day.
I am so glad that I had the opportunity to take this class. To say that I have learned a lot would be an understatement. This class has opened my mind to the many possibilities that I did not know existed but has always longed for. It has introduced me to the tools that helped connect my body, mind, and spirit in the way that is non-threatening.
The most difficult area of this class was me. I had to retrain my thoughts and discard my old ways of thinking in order to make room for new ideas and concepts. However, the reward of this class is invaluable, in the sense that, it will become apart of me and it will be the foundation, which I will continue to build on. Learning about integral health will not only make me a better person but it will make me a better teacher to all of my future clients. I have learned that I do not have to go with the flow of our current medical system and I now have the confidence to step out and treat patients the way they should be treated, as a “whole”.
Maggie
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Unit 9: Final Project
Introduction
Why is it important for health and wellness professionals to develop psychologically, spiritually and physically? What areas do you need to develop to achieve the goals you have for yourself?
It is essential for everyone to walk towards the path of human flourishing but it is even more important for health and wellness professionals to walk this path. According to Ken Wilber, “One cannot lead another where one has not gone him or herself”, this, I believe, is the reason why healthcare providers must develop psychologically, spiritually, and physically (Dacher, 2006). In anything that you do in this world, for it to be believable, and genuine, it must come from our passion and inner wisdom. If a nurse has just lectured a patient on the danger of smoking and in the same breath turns around and smoke while she is on her break, she has no grounds, and has lost credibility and trust from that patient. She unknowingly harms that patient with her words. We all must strive to practice what we preach.
Personally, since this class, I have been making some improvements on myself. Don’t get me wrong, I am still a beginner and still have a long way to go. Thankfully, this class have given me a place and tools to start with. I am working on my spiritually and psychologically and that is going well, but my weakest area is my physical aspect. I need work on this. Summer is right around the corner and I am looking to being more active. I am dedicating my summer to becoming more active and physically fit than I am now.
Assessment:
How have you assessed your health in each domain? How do you score your wellness spiritually, physically, and psychologically?
The way that I have assessed my physical side is by looking at myself in the mirror and getting on the scale. I know this does not give me a true picture of myself but it is a good start for me. Even though my clothes are still fitting I know that I cannot gauge my physical health with this. I know that I am not as active as I can be, so I need to do better. On a scale of 1-10, I would give myself a 5 right now. Hopefully, after this summer, I can bump this number up.
The way that I keep tabs on my spiritual side is that I make sure that I get in some bible reading time. I realize that is more like a checklist and not really spiritual at all. I am trying to get rid of my old habit and replacing it with a new one, like bible reading. Since the start of this class I have been combining mini meditation/visualization after my bible reading. I’ve noticed that I am not as angry as I use to be and I am feeling a bit more relaxed than before. I would give myself a 7 only because I sometimes miss a day or two.
For my psychological aspect of my life I would say that I am somewhere between 6-7. I had thought that I was at a higher level but after taking this class, I know I have a ways to go. I will continue to work towards human flourishing. It is a journey.
Goal development:
List at least one goal you have for yourself in each area, Physical, Psychological (mental health) and Spiritual.
Goal for Physical: To become more active this summer and to take up Tai Chi.
Goal for Psychological: To increase my time in my meditation and visualization as well as adding Tai Chi to my routine.
Goal for Spiritual: To set time aside each morning for my bible reading each morning (even if it is only 5 minutes). I realize that spiritual growth is more than just reading the bible but as this activity becomes a daily routine; it will become a part of me. This will help me to connect with God in a deeper and more meaningful way.
Practices for personal health:
Why is it important for health and wellness professionals to develop psychologically, spiritually and physically? What areas do you need to develop to achieve the goals you have for yourself?
It is essential for everyone to walk towards the path of human flourishing but it is even more important for health and wellness professionals to walk this path. According to Ken Wilber, “One cannot lead another where one has not gone him or herself”, this, I believe, is the reason why healthcare providers must develop psychologically, spiritually, and physically (Dacher, 2006). In anything that you do in this world, for it to be believable, and genuine, it must come from our passion and inner wisdom. If a nurse has just lectured a patient on the danger of smoking and in the same breath turns around and smoke while she is on her break, she has no grounds, and has lost credibility and trust from that patient. She unknowingly harms that patient with her words. We all must strive to practice what we preach.
Personally, since this class, I have been making some improvements on myself. Don’t get me wrong, I am still a beginner and still have a long way to go. Thankfully, this class have given me a place and tools to start with. I am working on my spiritually and psychologically and that is going well, but my weakest area is my physical aspect. I need work on this. Summer is right around the corner and I am looking to being more active. I am dedicating my summer to becoming more active and physically fit than I am now.
Assessment:
How have you assessed your health in each domain? How do you score your wellness spiritually, physically, and psychologically?
The way that I have assessed my physical side is by looking at myself in the mirror and getting on the scale. I know this does not give me a true picture of myself but it is a good start for me. Even though my clothes are still fitting I know that I cannot gauge my physical health with this. I know that I am not as active as I can be, so I need to do better. On a scale of 1-10, I would give myself a 5 right now. Hopefully, after this summer, I can bump this number up.
The way that I keep tabs on my spiritual side is that I make sure that I get in some bible reading time. I realize that is more like a checklist and not really spiritual at all. I am trying to get rid of my old habit and replacing it with a new one, like bible reading. Since the start of this class I have been combining mini meditation/visualization after my bible reading. I’ve noticed that I am not as angry as I use to be and I am feeling a bit more relaxed than before. I would give myself a 7 only because I sometimes miss a day or two.
For my psychological aspect of my life I would say that I am somewhere between 6-7. I had thought that I was at a higher level but after taking this class, I know I have a ways to go. I will continue to work towards human flourishing. It is a journey.
Goal development:
List at least one goal you have for yourself in each area, Physical, Psychological (mental health) and Spiritual.
Goal for Physical: To become more active this summer and to take up Tai Chi.
Goal for Psychological: To increase my time in my meditation and visualization as well as adding Tai Chi to my routine.
Goal for Spiritual: To set time aside each morning for my bible reading each morning (even if it is only 5 minutes). I realize that spiritual growth is more than just reading the bible but as this activity becomes a daily routine; it will become a part of me. This will help me to connect with God in a deeper and more meaningful way.
Practices for personal health:
What strategies can you implement to foster growth in each of the following domains; Physical, Psychological, and Spiritual. Provide at least two examples of exercises or practices in each domain. Explain how you will implement each example.
My strategy to help foster personal growth in my physical aspect is to start getting outside more. I am planning on walking at least a mile three times a week and adding Tai Chi at least 3 days a week as well. In order to keep track of progress, I will ask my husband to take on this challenge with me. In addition, to keep ourselves accountable we will be writing our activity down on the calendar.
For my Psychological aspect, my strategy is to focus on loving-kindness and subtle mind activity. This is something I can do as a part of my daily bible reading routine. Taking a little time to get focused and clear my mind and praying for others’ well-being.
For Spiritual, I am integrating my Bible reading into my daily routine. Right now, I am reading a chapter a day. My goal is to read through the whole Bible. Tai Chi is an activity I have mentioned in my physical goal but it will also serve to foster my spiritual growth as well. I am planning on incorporating Tai Chi by using a DVD series.
Commitment:
How will you assess your progress or lack of progress in the next six months? What strategies can you use to assist in maintaining your long-term practices for health and wellness?
I plan on assessing my progress every couple of months depending how much I have improve or regress back to my old habits. I really like the idea of using a chart to help keep track of my progress. I am a visual person, so I believe this method will work for me. I also like the idea of keeping a journal that makes me rate myself every six months, very similar to what I am doing now.
Reference
Dacher, E. (2006). Integral health: The path to human flourishing. Laguna Beach, California: Basic Health.
Reference
Dacher, E. (2006). Integral health: The path to human flourishing. Laguna Beach, California: Basic Health.
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Unit 8: Optimal Well-Being
I love subtle mind and visualization. I hope to continue to incorporate them as part of my daily routine. I am planning on using subtle mind and visualization during my bible reading time. I am not sure if I can dedicate thirty minutes each and everyday but I will try my best. Each morning, I get up with my son and we have breakfast together, after breakfast while he is busy playing with his toys, this is the time I can read the bible, soak in God’s word, and let it permeates my whole body. Right now, I am only doing about 5 minutes for each exercise but I am confident that with more practice I will be able to fit in more time. I am still planning on adding Tai Chi into my daily routine; this will help with physical, psychological, and spiritual aspect of my health.
Maggie
Maggie
Monday, May 10, 2010
Unit 7: Meeting Asciepius Exercise
For this week’s exercise “Meeting Asciepius”, I found myself enjoying this much more than any other exercises that we have done so far; although, subtle mind exercise is a close second. In the beginning, I had to figure out who it was that I wanted to use in this exercise but when I did figure it out, it was pretty easy. I love the instructions on the CD, very helpful. I also love the sound of the ocean in the background.
I feel that this exercise helped me to be more mindful and it enhances my spiritual well being. This is definitely something I can make time to do. I am not sure if I will be able to do 15 minutes everyday but I think that I can swing at least 5 minutes. I plan to incorporate this activity with my bible reading.
Now the saying “One cannot lead another where one has not gone himself” To me, this simply means that you cannot tell your patients to seek integral health when you yourself is not practicing it. In health and wellness, integral healing is vital but it is often the missing element in our current system. All of us, as a medical profession have an obligation not only to our patients but to ourselves to develop our own health psychologically, physically, and spiritually.
For an example, you if are a nurse who is working on an oncology ward and you smoke during you break, how are you able to help your patients get better? You will loose creditability and trust with your patients.
I am planning to integrate the subtle mind, the Asciepius, and Tai Chi exercise along with my bible reading to help further my psychological and spiritual growth.
Maggie
I feel that this exercise helped me to be more mindful and it enhances my spiritual well being. This is definitely something I can make time to do. I am not sure if I will be able to do 15 minutes everyday but I think that I can swing at least 5 minutes. I plan to incorporate this activity with my bible reading.
Now the saying “One cannot lead another where one has not gone himself” To me, this simply means that you cannot tell your patients to seek integral health when you yourself is not practicing it. In health and wellness, integral healing is vital but it is often the missing element in our current system. All of us, as a medical profession have an obligation not only to our patients but to ourselves to develop our own health psychologically, physically, and spiritually.
For an example, you if are a nurse who is working on an oncology ward and you smoke during you break, how are you able to help your patients get better? You will loose creditability and trust with your patients.
I am planning to integrate the subtle mind, the Asciepius, and Tai Chi exercise along with my bible reading to help further my psychological and spiritual growth.
Maggie
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Unit 6: Loving Kindness meditation and Integral Assessment
Wow! This week was a really tough week for me. Last week I had two projects, two seminars, one exercise, a blog and two discussions; no problem. This week? I just had to do a blog, discussions, seminars and a quiz; I can barely catch my breath. Ok…deep breath…I am better now, just need to vent a little.
From all the blogs that I have been following, everyone seems like they really like the Loving-kindness exercise. I on the other hand have so much trouble staying focus; my mind just goes where it wants to go. I find myself adding the subtle mind exercise to help me reel in my mind and then I can continue on with my Loving-kindness activity. This exercise will require a lot of practice.
While I was laying on my bed doing the Integral Assessment on myself, my mind was running wild and free. I feel like I have no peace or control over my thoughts this week. Maybe it is because I am getting ready for my in-laws to come in from out of town for my husband’s graduation this Friday. I definitely think that I need to work on my psychospiritual, and interpersonal aspects. Above all else, I need to find a quite time for myself and get control of my mind.
Like I mentioned above, I really like the subtle mind exercise and I find that particular breathing method is a big help for me. So I think that will be my focus for the next couple of days.
Maggie
From all the blogs that I have been following, everyone seems like they really like the Loving-kindness exercise. I on the other hand have so much trouble staying focus; my mind just goes where it wants to go. I find myself adding the subtle mind exercise to help me reel in my mind and then I can continue on with my Loving-kindness activity. This exercise will require a lot of practice.
While I was laying on my bed doing the Integral Assessment on myself, my mind was running wild and free. I feel like I have no peace or control over my thoughts this week. Maybe it is because I am getting ready for my in-laws to come in from out of town for my husband’s graduation this Friday. I definitely think that I need to work on my psychospiritual, and interpersonal aspects. Above all else, I need to find a quite time for myself and get control of my mind.
Like I mentioned above, I really like the subtle mind exercise and I find that particular breathing method is a big help for me. So I think that will be my focus for the next couple of days.
Maggie
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Unit 5: The Subtle mind exercise
1. Compare and contrast the Loving Kindness exercise and the Subtle mind exercise. Explain your experience including the benefits, frustrations etc.
This week’s experience has been frustration in more ways than one. First, I was enjoying the CD Track #3 then suddenly a very loud static came on and it wouldn’t go away. I tried it on my Mac computer, PC, my radio, nothing worked. So I resorted to reading the Dacher book and try to remember what I was supposed to be doing during the practice.
I have to admit, I like this practice much better than the Loving Kindness exercise that we did last week. It was easier for me to have something to focus on and if my mind starts to run away, well then I just reel it back by turning my attention more on my breathing. This was really helpful. I can see myself doing this before I go to bed each night. I like using the breath as my focal point. I am not saying that this is easy. I know I have a lot more practicing to do but I feel this is something I can manage.
2. Discuss the connection of the spiritual wellness to mental and physical wellness. Explain how the connection is manifested in your personal life.
From what I understand from my own personal experience and the Dacher book, when we exercise we are not only making ourselves feel better physically but we can also incorporate mental training into the routine as well. Many of us are probably doing this without realizing it. My husband often talked about his experience with long distant running. He gets into the zone, rhythmic breathing and the sound of his feet hitting the pavement, it is hypnotizing. After the run he feels invigorated and admits that he is able to think much clearer. So I think, for him, while he is running he is training his mind as well. Of course, being outside is another way to connect with nature and yourself.
Maggie
This week’s experience has been frustration in more ways than one. First, I was enjoying the CD Track #3 then suddenly a very loud static came on and it wouldn’t go away. I tried it on my Mac computer, PC, my radio, nothing worked. So I resorted to reading the Dacher book and try to remember what I was supposed to be doing during the practice.
I have to admit, I like this practice much better than the Loving Kindness exercise that we did last week. It was easier for me to have something to focus on and if my mind starts to run away, well then I just reel it back by turning my attention more on my breathing. This was really helpful. I can see myself doing this before I go to bed each night. I like using the breath as my focal point. I am not saying that this is easy. I know I have a lot more practicing to do but I feel this is something I can manage.
2. Discuss the connection of the spiritual wellness to mental and physical wellness. Explain how the connection is manifested in your personal life.
From what I understand from my own personal experience and the Dacher book, when we exercise we are not only making ourselves feel better physically but we can also incorporate mental training into the routine as well. Many of us are probably doing this without realizing it. My husband often talked about his experience with long distant running. He gets into the zone, rhythmic breathing and the sound of his feet hitting the pavement, it is hypnotizing. After the run he feels invigorated and admits that he is able to think much clearer. So I think, for him, while he is running he is training his mind as well. Of course, being outside is another way to connect with nature and yourself.
Maggie
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