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.