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?
The one score that was significantly different in the second assessment was spiritual well-being. Initially I scored myself higher in this area than I did the second time. At the beginning of this course I really didn’t understand the potential and the importance of this aspect of health. I felt I had been doing fairly well but after taking this course I can now see there is a lot of room for progress.
2./3. Review the goals and activities you set for yourself in each area. Have you made progress toward the goals? Explain.
I have made progress in all three areas:
Physical – I have been more consistent in my workouts and have been looking for a yoga or tai chi class to further the mind-body connection through exercise.
Psychological – I have been spending time outdoors everyday because I know that a connection to nature feeds my psychological well-being.
Spiritual – I have been engaging in prayer and meditation on a regular basis. I have connected with a small group of people who live in my area through an on-line community. They meet regular to discuss topics related to spirituality and spiritual growth. I am planning to attend their next meeting later this month.
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?
I would summarize my personal experience by saying that my eyes have been opened to how essential spiritual and psychological well-being are to integral health. I now view physical health as only one aspect rather than the entire measure of it. My own spiritual progress has been rewarding and I feel that I have just begun to grow in this area. I have gained a greater awareness of my mental states and have learned how to reduce stress more quickly. I am excited to see where my quest for spiritual progress takes me. Some of the meditation exercises were difficult. I think I will use what has worked well,leave the rest and continue to look for ideas that will help me in this area. It will be much easier for me to talk about the benefits of spiritual develop as it relates to over all health when I am working with clients. I am hoping that my own practices will give me more insight when working with others.
To be honest, although I thought this course sounded interesting, I wasn’t really sure about it and if I was going to get anything out of it that would really be useful. Now at the end I can say that this course really changed my concept of health and wellness. I have enjoyed this blog and getting to read about others’ experiences. I learned as much from my classmates as from the course material. Thanks you all!!
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Monday, February 8, 2010
Unit 9
I Introduction:
“To become the agents of a more expansive health; we must begin with our own lives” (Dacher, pg 167). I believe that a health and wellness practitioner needs to be involved in his or her own integral transformative process if they are to be of maximum benefit to those they serve. They must be involved in their own work because it is of primary importance in their own life. They should be motivated by their own desire for progress toward integral health and helping others along the same path should be part of their own progress.
All aspects of health must be addressed. We need to strive for progress psychologically, spiritually and physically if we want to achieve the most we can. If we focus on one aspect and exclude others, we cannot expect integral health or even the best possible health in the area we are focusing. All aspects are connected and work in unison with each other.
I need to work to develop all areas in my own life. My weakest area is spiritual development and in order to achieve the goals I have set for myself, I need to make an extra effort to begin regular practice of the exercises that promote spiritual growth.
II Assessment:
In assessing my own health in each domain, I found Ken Wilber’s Lines of Development to be very useful (Dacher, pg. 112). Using a chart similar to his, I was able to score myself in several aspects of each area of health and find my weak areas. For example, under physical health I looked at fitness, nutrition and self-regulation. Under psychological health I looked at emotional functioning, interpersonal relationships and stress management. Under Spiritual I examined conative functioning, cognitive development and awareness.
Early in this course we were asked to score ourselves in each area. As the course progressed and I learned more about the potential of each aspect I began to reconsider my initial assessment. My assessment today is a more accurate description of where I see myself.
Physically (7) – I am aware of the components of good physical health and make an effort to achieve this type of health through self-care, self-regulation, nutrition and fitness. I also seek assistance from professionals when needed. I still struggle to be consistent in the areas of nutrition and fitness but I stay on track about 75 percent of the time. I have some old injuries that now affect my physical abilities but I strive for progress in spite of them.
Psychologically (8) – I feel I have reached a level of emotional maturity or emotional intelligence that serves me well in my life. I am able to manage my emotions, deal with stress in a healthy manner, be self-motivated, recognize with empathy emotions in others and handle relationships well (Goleman, 1995).
Spiritually (4) – In the last few weeks I have been working to increase my conscious contact with a higher power through prayer and meditation. I am learning how to be more present for my life and more available to those around me. I struggle to make spiritual practices a regular part of my life though. I hope to learn to access and make use of the inner resources for health and healing that I have become aware of through this course.
III Goal development:
Physical – I have set a goal to try two new types of exercise that are considered mind-body exercises and to make physical activity a consistent part of my life.
Psychological – My goal is to spend more time doing the things that bring me joy. This is usually an outdoor activity, which can be challenging in Alaska in the winter. Connecting to nature is something that has always been a vital to my sense of well-being, yet I don’t always do it consistently this time of year.
Spiritual – My goal in this area make spiritual exercises a habit and a regular part of my everyday life. I want to begin accessing the inner part of myself that contributes to health and healing. I also have a goal of introducing these practices to my children.
IV Practices for personal health:
Physical – I have located a good yoga class, but haven’t actually made it there yet. I am looking for a tai chi instructor as well. If I don’t find these classes appeal to me I will continue to try other new physical activities. I am also scheduling my regular workouts at the beginning of each week to make sure I have time in my schedule for them. Leaving it up to chance just means I miss too many workouts.
Psychological – Connecting to nature is something that has always been a vital to my sense of well-being, yet I don’t always do it often enough. Specifically, I am committing to spending some time outdoors every day, even if it just throwing the ball for the dogs in our yard. Walking from buildings to my vehicle and back does not count. There is a nature trail down to a lake that is about a thirty minute walk from my office and I will start by trying to walk it on my lunch hour.
Spiritual –I am starting with a brief prayer asking for guidance in the morning and a prayer expressing gratitude for the day at bedtime. I want to make meditation, if it is just a few minutes trying to clear my mind of mental chatter, a part of each day.
V Commitment:
The best way for me to assess my progress is to keep a journal and to record my activities. A simple check off list will keep me on track and help me remember to do those things I say are important to me. The journal will help me see my progress over time. It will also help me identify the source of problems or setbacks when they occur so that I can avoid them the next time around.
Writing my goals and my commitment to them on paper seems to help me stay motivated and on track. It also helps to identify the specific reasons that the goals are important to me. For example, with physical exercise I want to be a role model to my daughters
References:
Dacher, E. (2006). Integral Health: The Pathway to Human Flourishing. Laguna Beach, CA. Basic Health Publications, Inc.
Goleman, D. (1995). Emotional Intelligence. New York, NY. Bantam Dell.
“To become the agents of a more expansive health; we must begin with our own lives” (Dacher, pg 167). I believe that a health and wellness practitioner needs to be involved in his or her own integral transformative process if they are to be of maximum benefit to those they serve. They must be involved in their own work because it is of primary importance in their own life. They should be motivated by their own desire for progress toward integral health and helping others along the same path should be part of their own progress.
All aspects of health must be addressed. We need to strive for progress psychologically, spiritually and physically if we want to achieve the most we can. If we focus on one aspect and exclude others, we cannot expect integral health or even the best possible health in the area we are focusing. All aspects are connected and work in unison with each other.
I need to work to develop all areas in my own life. My weakest area is spiritual development and in order to achieve the goals I have set for myself, I need to make an extra effort to begin regular practice of the exercises that promote spiritual growth.
II Assessment:
In assessing my own health in each domain, I found Ken Wilber’s Lines of Development to be very useful (Dacher, pg. 112). Using a chart similar to his, I was able to score myself in several aspects of each area of health and find my weak areas. For example, under physical health I looked at fitness, nutrition and self-regulation. Under psychological health I looked at emotional functioning, interpersonal relationships and stress management. Under Spiritual I examined conative functioning, cognitive development and awareness.
Early in this course we were asked to score ourselves in each area. As the course progressed and I learned more about the potential of each aspect I began to reconsider my initial assessment. My assessment today is a more accurate description of where I see myself.
Physically (7) – I am aware of the components of good physical health and make an effort to achieve this type of health through self-care, self-regulation, nutrition and fitness. I also seek assistance from professionals when needed. I still struggle to be consistent in the areas of nutrition and fitness but I stay on track about 75 percent of the time. I have some old injuries that now affect my physical abilities but I strive for progress in spite of them.
Psychologically (8) – I feel I have reached a level of emotional maturity or emotional intelligence that serves me well in my life. I am able to manage my emotions, deal with stress in a healthy manner, be self-motivated, recognize with empathy emotions in others and handle relationships well (Goleman, 1995).
Spiritually (4) – In the last few weeks I have been working to increase my conscious contact with a higher power through prayer and meditation. I am learning how to be more present for my life and more available to those around me. I struggle to make spiritual practices a regular part of my life though. I hope to learn to access and make use of the inner resources for health and healing that I have become aware of through this course.
III Goal development:
Physical – I have set a goal to try two new types of exercise that are considered mind-body exercises and to make physical activity a consistent part of my life.
Psychological – My goal is to spend more time doing the things that bring me joy. This is usually an outdoor activity, which can be challenging in Alaska in the winter. Connecting to nature is something that has always been a vital to my sense of well-being, yet I don’t always do it consistently this time of year.
Spiritual – My goal in this area make spiritual exercises a habit and a regular part of my everyday life. I want to begin accessing the inner part of myself that contributes to health and healing. I also have a goal of introducing these practices to my children.
IV Practices for personal health:
Physical – I have located a good yoga class, but haven’t actually made it there yet. I am looking for a tai chi instructor as well. If I don’t find these classes appeal to me I will continue to try other new physical activities. I am also scheduling my regular workouts at the beginning of each week to make sure I have time in my schedule for them. Leaving it up to chance just means I miss too many workouts.
Psychological – Connecting to nature is something that has always been a vital to my sense of well-being, yet I don’t always do it often enough. Specifically, I am committing to spending some time outdoors every day, even if it just throwing the ball for the dogs in our yard. Walking from buildings to my vehicle and back does not count. There is a nature trail down to a lake that is about a thirty minute walk from my office and I will start by trying to walk it on my lunch hour.
Spiritual –I am starting with a brief prayer asking for guidance in the morning and a prayer expressing gratitude for the day at bedtime. I want to make meditation, if it is just a few minutes trying to clear my mind of mental chatter, a part of each day.
V Commitment:
The best way for me to assess my progress is to keep a journal and to record my activities. A simple check off list will keep me on track and help me remember to do those things I say are important to me. The journal will help me see my progress over time. It will also help me identify the source of problems or setbacks when they occur so that I can avoid them the next time around.
Writing my goals and my commitment to them on paper seems to help me stay motivated and on track. It also helps to identify the specific reasons that the goals are important to me. For example, with physical exercise I want to be a role model to my daughters
References:
Dacher, E. (2006). Integral Health: The Pathway to Human Flourishing. Laguna Beach, CA. Basic Health Publications, Inc.
Goleman, D. (1995). Emotional Intelligence. New York, NY. Bantam Dell.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Unit 8
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.
The two practices that I found most beneficial (read: easiest) were the Subtle Mind exercise and the last one from Unit 7 - visualization. Even though my CD didn't work for the Subtle Mind exercise, I read it in Dacher's book and have been able to use it. The last exercise was especially helpful to me.
How can you implement these practices in your personal life to foster mental fitness? Provide specific examples.
I can use both of these in my life to help foster mental fitness by making time to actually do the exercises on a regular basis. For example, when I first come home from work and the house is still quiet, I take a few minutes to do the visualization exercise. I use it as a way of reviewing my day, letting go of tension, dealing with any unresolved issues that are troubling and as way of preparing myself for the evening with my family.
I also received a new relaxation CD from my workplace wellness program that I have started using. It is just soothing music and I can use for meditation or relaxation.
I have enjoyed reading everyone's experiences through the use of a blog during this course. I wish you all luck as you continue to develop a deeper spiritual life - live long and prosper!
The two practices that I found most beneficial (read: easiest) were the Subtle Mind exercise and the last one from Unit 7 - visualization. Even though my CD didn't work for the Subtle Mind exercise, I read it in Dacher's book and have been able to use it. The last exercise was especially helpful to me.
How can you implement these practices in your personal life to foster mental fitness? Provide specific examples.
I can use both of these in my life to help foster mental fitness by making time to actually do the exercises on a regular basis. For example, when I first come home from work and the house is still quiet, I take a few minutes to do the visualization exercise. I use it as a way of reviewing my day, letting go of tension, dealing with any unresolved issues that are troubling and as way of preparing myself for the evening with my family.
I also received a new relaxation CD from my workplace wellness program that I have started using. It is just soothing music and I can use for meditation or relaxation.
I have enjoyed reading everyone's experiences through the use of a blog during this course. I wish you all luck as you continue to develop a deeper spiritual life - live long and prosper!
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